Illusion

  But as he drifted through the darkness, one thing crystalized for him. He had to become whole again even if it meant embracing the part of himself he not only hated most, but the part of him that terrified every cell in his body.

  And if he had to sell his soul to keep his loved ones safe, he'd draft the contract himself and nail it to the devil's forehead.

  CHAPTER 11

  Nick jerked awake as the air around him shifted. Ready to battle, he opened his eyes to find the scary Acheron standing by his bed. Yawning, he rubbed at his eyes. "Oh look, it's Mr. Happy-Creepy come to feed me to more of his pets."

  "How can you not be afraid of me?"

  Nick shrugged. "Guess I knew you in a former life."

  Acheron narrowed his spooky gaze on him. He cocked his head as if he was listening to the ether for clues or information. That was yet another unreliable power Nick missed having. "Thorn has offered me quite a bargain to hand you over to him."

  "Should I pack my things?" Nick looked down at himself. "Oh wait, I forgot. Don't have anything to pack." He sighed wearily. "Not even a toothbrush. My dentist would be so disappointed in me."

  Ash let out a sound of supreme irritation. Not like that was a first for the two of them. "How can you have no fear whatsoever?"

  "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," Nick said in his best FDR accent, then he shrugged nonchalantly. "Worst you can do is kill me."

  Acheron gave him a gimlet stare. "Worst we could do is torture you."

  Nick grinned at his threat. "Pain I can take. Really. Doesn't scare me, either."

  Acheron rolled his eyes before he pulled something out from under his coat and slung it at Nick. Some kind of wet spider-webby something covered him.

  Hissing, Nick wiped the clear, stringy goo off his face. "Ew! What is that?" It smelled like Stone's week-old gym socks.

  Incredulous, Acheron tucked his vial into his pocket. "Proof you're not the Malachai. That would have seared your demon's flesh ... which still makes me curious as to why Thorn wants you so badly if you're human."

  Nick continued to wipe it away. "Told you. I'm irresistibly cute."

  "I should probably kill you, just to be safe."

  Pausing, Nick wiped his hand against his jeans. "I'd really rather you not."

  "Thought death didn't scare you."

  "Roaches don't either, but I don't want to be covered in them. Know what I mean?"

  An amused glint lit those weird eyes. "Strangely, I do, kid."

  "Grandpa?"

  Acheron froze at the sound of Simi's hesitant voice. Before he could move, she appeared in the room with them. Her face pale, she was trembling.

  "Simkey?" Acheron breathed, pulling her against him. It was only then that Nick saw the blood on her. Something had cut her in the stomach.

  She showed Acheron her blood-covered hands that shook with the weight of her pain. "T-t-they said I was evil. That I-I needed to die."

  Tears filled Acheron's eyes. "Who did this?"

  Her breathing labored, she couldn't respond as she collapsed. Acheron laid her down on the floor. Now his hands trembled even more than hers did while tears streaked down his face.

  "Don't leave me, Simkey," Acheron breathed, taking her hand into his.

  Nick was stunned by Ash's actions. Why wasn't he helping her? Where were the glowing hands and ... stuff that Acheron normally did whenever someone was injured? "Heal her!" he snarled.

  Growling, he glared at Nick. "I can't!"

  Huh? Nick scoffed at him. "You have the power. I've seen it."

  Acheron shook his head. "I've never had the power to heal. Not since I crossed over and became the Harbinger. I lost those powers."

  Anger welled up inside Nick as he watched her breathing grow shallower. Her features paled. She wouldn't last much longer. And as the hopeless fury built inside him, his hands heated up to a volcanic level. His heart raced.

  She didn't deserve to die. Not like this and definitely not because of him.

  In that moment, Nick remembered the words Menyara would use whenever he was sick as a boy--which was a lot, since his human body had been at war with its demonic blood. Time and again, doctors had told his mother that it would be a miracle if he lived until morning.

  In true Cajun fashion, Nick had defied them all, and he now refused to let Simi die like this. Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them, knelt on the floor by her side, and placed his hands over her wound.

  Letting out an elongated breath, he whispered the words that his godmother had impressed into his memory: Hear me Isis as I pray.

  See her pain and take it all away.

  Let the heaven's light shine bright from above.

  And wrap her in your most benevolent love.

  Let no evil touch this child.

  Protect and hold her all the while.

  Save her from the darkness, ills and fevers of all kind.

  Heal her wounds by your most sacred design.

  There is nothing more earnest I can say.

  Except please accept my humble heart as I pray.

  He'd barely finished whispering those words before his hands heated up even more, to an unbearable level. An orange glow radiated from his hands to her stomach, similar to the one that usually shot out of Acheron.

  Simi shrieked. Acheron threw Nick against the wall and gathered her in his arms. He let out an anguished cry of pain that came from the darkest part of his soul while he rocked her.

  Rattled and dazed, Nick shook his head as he tried to focus and push himself up from the floor where he'd landed.

  "Grandpa, please ... you're squeezing me too tight. I can't breathe."

  Nick wasn't sure who was more stunned. Him or Acheron.

  The ancient Atlantean pulled back to look down at the girl he held. He brushed the hair back from her face. "Simi?"

  She made an irritated face at him. "You're still crushing me."

  Instead of releasing her, Acheron pulled her against his chest and held her like an infant. Over Simi's shoulder, Acheron met Nick's gaze. "How did you do this?"

  Nick shrugged. "Danged if I know. It was just something my aunt used to say over me whenever I was sick or hurt."

  Simi tugged at Acheron's sleeve to get his attention. "Grandpa, someone broke in and they attacked me. We have to find Ash and make sure he's all right."

  His eyes flared red before he released her. "You stay here with him. I'll be right back." He narrowed his gaze on Nick. "Do not let her be harmed or I will show you unimaginable pain." He vanished.

  Simi ran her hand over the tear in her shirt that was soaked with blood. Then, she looked up at Nick. "What are you?"

  "Honestly? I don't know. I've never been able to heal anything and was told I couldn't. No idea what just happened or why. Really. But I'm glad it worked."

  "Thank you for saving me." She pulled him into her arms and hugged him. Before she let go, she placed a quick kiss to his cheek.

  An instant later, her eyes widened as they both heard the sound of brutal fighting from outside their room. It sounded like two medieval armies going at each other with everything they had. Shouts rang out along with blasts and hissing.

  Nick put himself between her and the noise. "Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you again."

  Simi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you always this gallant?"

  "For a lady, absolutely." Nick flashed a grin at her. "Dudes, on the other hand, can slug it out for themselves." He braced himself to fight as a bright light flashed in front of them.

  Younger Ash appeared in the room. The panic left his eyes as soon as he saw his sister. He rushed forward to hug her like Acheron had done when he realized she'd been wounded. "Are you all right?"

  She nodded. "You?"

  "Yeah. I was keeping to the shadows, trying to find you, until Grandpa saw me and sent me in here. What are those things that broke in?"

  "I don't know. I've never seen anything like them before."

&nbsp
; They both looked expectantly at Nick, who took a step back in apprehension. "What? I have no idea what's making that sound. Unlike you two, I haven't seen them at all."

  The entire room shook so hard, it knocked them off their feet. Nick caught himself against the bed. One second they were in the room, the next, they were inside a large, doorless study with Big Scary Ash. His expression said this was not a good time to ask to borrow his car keys or spare your life.

  He gathered his grandkids to him and held them against his side while he narrowed his gaze on Nick. The anger inside it was searing. "Do you know how rare Arelim are?"

  Nick shifted nervously. "Since I've never heard the term before, I'll go with very. Why?"

  "Why is my question for you. Why would they be after a mere human boy?"

  Nick shrugged. "My sexy wardrobe tips?"

  Acheron growled, exposing his fangs, as he tightened his hold on his grandkids. "I've had it with your smart mouth." Before Nick could comment, he shouted. "Xirena!"

  Ash had barely finished the name before a huge Charonte demon appeared in front of them.

  Nick's jaw went slack. How was this possible? Savitar had told him that there weren't any Charonte in this realm. He started to say something about that then decided to wait. This probably wasn't a good time to go into it. And this Charonte appeared even more surly than the Simi Nick was used to whenever Simi ran out of barbecue sauce, early in her meal.

  Taller than Acheron, Xirena had blond hair and red eyes. And while Nick's Simi was always cute and a little scary, this one was beautiful and terrifying.

  If that was what a full-grown Charonte looked like, Nick would take Simi's adorable Gothness any day.

  Xirena's sudden appearance made him wonder if Acheron was going to hand her a bottle of barbecue sauce, point to Nick, and say, "Bon appetit."

  "You summoned me, my lord?"

  Scary Acheron released his grandkids and nudged them toward her. "Protect them with your life. Call me if anything comes near them."

  She inclined her head to him.

  "Grandpa--" Simi vanished with her brother and Xirena before she could utter another sound.

  Acheron turned his full attention to Nick, who suddenly felt like a mosquito in a science lab jar. "Now, you and I are going to chat."

  "I thought that was what we'd been doing."

  "No ... and if you don't tell me everything about yourself, I'm going to feed you to my Aamon. But not before I rip out your guts just enough to leave you living in utter agony. Understood?"

  Nick wasn't afraid of that threat, just very apprehensive. Mostly because he knew the ancient being could definitely carry it out. "Got it. But first, you have to promise that you won't hand me over to my enemies or cause anyone I care about to be harmed."

  Acheron scoffed. "Are you out of your mind to try and make a deal with me?"

  "No." Nick kept his emotions under control and a lid on his sarcasm. "If I'm going to die, it's on my own terms and alone. It won't be after I've told you something that could get a lot of people I love hurt. Do you understand?"

  The ancient immortal considered it before he finally acquiesced. "Very well."

  Screwing his face up, Nick hesitated. "You didn't say the magic words."

  "Please?"

  "No. That you promise not to hand me over to my enemies or see the people I love get hurt."

  The expression on Acheron's face telegraphed his anger and irritation. But luckily, he didn't act on either. "Fine," he said at last. "I promise not to hand you over to your enemies or allow the ones you love to be harmed because of what you say. Now tell me everything."

  "That still binds you in this realm, right? You once told me that you can't go back on a promise without dying."

  Acheron stiffened. "I didn't tell you any such thing."

  Nick held his hands up to calm the rising anger that caused Acheron's eyes to turn as red as Xirena's. "True or false. You can't break a promise?"

  Again, Acheron hesitated before he answered. "True."

  "Okay." Nick took a deep breath and braced himself for the worst, because he didn't think Ash would handle this news well. "I really am the Malachai."

  Bingo. Acheron mind-gripped him and shoved him against the wall with enough force to make it count.

  "It's the truth!" Nick ground out from his constricted throat.

  "Don't lie! You're human!"

  "Separated from my body."

  "Yes, you're about to be."

  Nick shook his head. "Seriously, dude? I tell you the truth and this is how you do me?"

  The grip left his neck so fast that he almost fell.

  Acheron's eyes returned to silver as he paced a small area in front of Nick. "Very well. Explain."

  Rubbing his neck, Nick put some distance between them. Not that it really mattered, but it made him feel a little more in control. "Somehow, someone separated me from my body and sent me here, into your realm."

  "The body you're in now? Are you telling me it's not yours?"

  Nick held his arms out. "Definitely not mine. Trust me. I'm much goofier in my real body. This belongs to some human kid I never knew existed until I woke up as him. I think he was sent into the past to live in my body and I was yanked here to this realm to be inside his. But he does have the better wardrobe. Props to his mom."

  Acheron cursed. "And the Arelim are after you and have attacked me to get to you. Care to tell me why?"

  "I'm the Malachai?"

  The red returned to Acheron's eyes.

  "Dude, look, I don't know. Okay? I don't know what they are so I can't even begin to guess why they're here for me. The most common answer whenever something wants to eat or capture me is that I'm my father's son. If you have another suggestion, I'm all ears. Personally, I'd like to be wanted for something else, like my sexy, studly appeal, once in a while."

  Acheron began pacing again. "That does explain Thorn's interest."

  "He's into my nerdy, sexy, studly appeal?"

  Ash completely ignored his comment. "As the Malachai, you have the ability to command him in this dimension."

  "Really? 'Cause I told him to leave me alone and he definitely played Beethoven."

  Pausing, Ash had an expression on his face of confusion mixed with severe intestinal woe. "The composer? Why would he play his music?"

  Wow, for an ancient beast who'd probably had dinner with the man, Acheron could be remarkably obtuse. "No. Thorn played deaf. Like Beethoven."

  Snorting, Acheron shook his head. "Where are your powers?"

  "Wish I knew. Wish I had them. They were bound up tight when my father died."

  Acheron curled his lip as if he was standing knee-deep in a sewer. "Why?"

  "For my safety. I was having a hard enough time learning my own powers and not killing someone while I did so. Last thing any of us wanted was for me to have even more psychic crap I couldn't control. I could've put my eye out or lost another body part or something ... Maybe even added one or two."

  That only seemed to confuse Ash more. "You haven't had your powers from birth?"

  "No. I had no idea I was a Malachai's son until a few months back, really."

  "Fascinating." Ash paused to scowl at him. "And what demon class is your mother?"

  "Not. She's human."

  Ash gaped at the news. "Why?"

  "Why what?"

  "Why would a Malachai procreate with a human?"

  Nick shrugged. "Pretty sure he didn't mean to. He definitely didn't think much of me. Other than the male fruit of his loins was a keen disappointment."

  His scowl deepening, Ash renewed his pacing. "In your realm, you were raised alone? An orphan?"

  "No. I live with my mother."

  "Who hates you."

  Nick sneered at the assumption. Which actually wasn't that farfetched. The Malachai was supposed to be hated by his maternal unit. But it ticked him off that anyone would assume anything bad about his saintly mother. "Hardly. I'm all she's got and she loves me m
ore than anything."

  Acheron shook his head. "You are a total freak of nature."

  "Excusez, pischouette! Have you looked in a mirror lately? You wouldn't exactly win any normal awards yourself. Rather, you look like you done got dragged through the whole freak forest, and went back in for a second row."

  Incredulous, Acheron arched his brow. "Did you just call me a little girl?"

  "That's all you got out of what I just said?"

  "No. I heard every word, I'm only stunned you dared insult me so."

  "Yeah, well, in case you haven't noticed, fear ain't exactly my friend. I don't invite it into my house or sit with it at lunch, so it leaves me alone."

  Ash rubbed at his brow. "And yet you're half human...."

  "Meaning?"

  "You should never have survived with Malachai blood. Humans are weak. I've never even heard of a Malachai touching one before."

  "If you met my mother, you'd understand. She's beautiful and loving. An angel in human form. There's no one else like her."

  "She'd have to be someone special to love a child conceived like you had to have been."

  That would have stung more had it not been the truth. It was a guilt that hung heavy in Nick's heart. "She never even told me. I knew she had no love of my father, but I assumed it was because he was a felon. She's never once given any indication that I was different from any other wanted baby born to parents who dated each other." Tears choked him as he thought back to all the times his mother had sacrificed her life and dignity to give him things so that he wouldn't know how poor they really were.

  All the times she'd held him as if he was the most valuable thing in the world to her.

  "You really do love your mother," Acheron breathed in disbelief.

  "I told you that."

  Ash continued to stare at him as if he smelled like Mark in his "special" ghillie suit. "A Malachai capable of love..."

  "Yeah, nobody's perfect."

  Acheron laughed. "You've no idea."

  "Actually, I do."

  The Atlantean fell silent as he continued to pace. Awkward with the sudden intensity of Ash's thinking, Nick debated the sanity of interrupting him. He really wanted to, but there was an air about Ash that said he needed a few minutes to get a handle on everything. And that was something Nick understood better than anyone. There was nothing about his life that was simple or easy, and especially normal. Many days, he had a hard time wrapping his own head around his reality.