work this little miracle for you. I want a piece of Nick when all is said and done.”
“You can have it. Now go and don’t let me see you here again.” Adarian got up and left the room. His original plan had been to use his son to rebuild his army. But this last year, as Nick’s powers had grown, he’d felt his own start to wane—something he couldn’t allow anyone to know.
There couldn’t be two Malachais in existence. It was forbidden. But if he could unlock Nick’s powers and have Death kill his son before Adarian lost all of his, he could feed on Nick’s heart and absorb his powers, too. It would give him the strength of two Malachais.
Then no one would ever be able to defeat him. He wouldn’t have to fear Noir or anything ever again.
That was what he lived for. Then he’d be able to find the ones who’d cursed him to this existence and end that curse once and for all.
But first, Nick had to die.
* * *
After finally being liberated from his detention, Nick wanted to hunt down whoever had humiliated Brynna and beat them until they begged for mercy. Never in his life had he been angrier.
His stomach knotted, he headed into the gym to meet up with Kody, Madaug, Caleb, and LaShonda. The son of two scientists, Madaug was one of the smartest people Nick had ever met. The kid knew something about everything. And like Nick, he felt invisible unless one of their resident bullies needed someone to kick or shove into a locker. Just under six feet tall, Madaug had dark blond curly hair and bright blue eyes. He always wore glasses, and preferred hoodies over all other attire.
LaShonda was one of the prettiest girls in the school. Barely an inch shorter than Madaug, she had a pair of hazel brown eyes that practically glowed. And her dark brown hair was ever changing. This week, she wore it straightened and to her shoulders. She’d been one of Brynna’s best friends since second grade and the two of them were almost always together.
“Are we it?” Nick asked, dropping his backpack next to Caleb’s.
LaShonda’s eyes sparkled furiously. “Everyone else banged out. They didn’t want to be on a committee with a slut like Brynna.” She curled her lip. “I take that back, but I won’t repeat what some of the guys said. Gah, people disgust me.”
“It’s ridiculous so don’t get me started.” Nick let out a long breath, then frowned at Madaug. “Boy genius? Any chance you can shed some light on who planted that crap against her?”
“I wish, but they deleted it from Tendyk’s computer immediately and reformatted the harddrive before writing over it. Since it’s legally considered child porn, they were afraid of a lawsuit. Head is hoping he can scare someone into a confession.”
“Yeah, ’cause that works so well on hoodlums,” LaShonda huffed. “I don’t know about you guys, but without Brynna, I really don’t want to do this. Screw the dance. Let the jerks show up to an empty gym. It’s what they deserve. I just want to go home and make sure she’s okay. I’ve been trying to call her, but she won’t pick up.”
Kody folded her arms over her chest. “I think we all want to check on her.”
Nick agreed. “I’ve been over it a thousand times in my head and I can’t figure out who or why anyone would do this to her. Shon? You have any ideas?”
“None. It’s not like she goes around collecting enemies, you know? We’re talking about Brynna, here. Has there ever been a nicer person created? Ever?”
Nick would say his mother, but he didn’t want them to mock him for it.
LaShonda checked her phone. “Why don’t we call in a rain check and do this on Monday? Hopefully, Bryn will be back by then.”
Nick nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Are you going over to Brynna’s from here?”
“Yeah.”
“Call me and let me know how she’s doing.”
LaShonda patted him on the arm. “Will do. I’ll see you guys later.”
Madaug shrugged his backpack over his shoulder. “I
“You can have it. Now go and don’t let me see you here again.” Adarian got up and left the room. His original plan had been to use his son to rebuild his army. But this last year, as Nick’s powers had grown, he’d felt his own start to wane—something he couldn’t allow anyone to know.
There couldn’t be two Malachais in existence. It was forbidden. But if he could unlock Nick’s powers and have Death kill his son before Adarian lost all of his, he could feed on Nick’s heart and absorb his powers, too. It would give him the strength of two Malachais.
Then no one would ever be able to defeat him. He wouldn’t have to fear Noir or anything ever again.
That was what he lived for. Then he’d be able to find the ones who’d cursed him to this existence and end that curse once and for all.
But first, Nick had to die.
* * *
After finally being liberated from his detention, Nick wanted to hunt down whoever had humiliated Brynna and beat them until they begged for mercy. Never in his life had he been angrier.
His stomach knotted, he headed into the gym to meet up with Kody, Madaug, Caleb, and LaShonda. The son of two scientists, Madaug was one of the smartest people Nick had ever met. The kid knew something about everything. And like Nick, he felt invisible unless one of their resident bullies needed someone to kick or shove into a locker. Just under six feet tall, Madaug had dark blond curly hair and bright blue eyes. He always wore glasses, and preferred hoodies over all other attire.
LaShonda was one of the prettiest girls in the school. Barely an inch shorter than Madaug, she had a pair of hazel brown eyes that practically glowed. And her dark brown hair was ever changing. This week, she wore it straightened and to her shoulders. She’d been one of Brynna’s best friends since second grade and the two of them were almost always together.
“Are we it?” Nick asked, dropping his backpack next to Caleb’s.
LaShonda’s eyes sparkled furiously. “Everyone else banged out. They didn’t want to be on a committee with a slut like Brynna.” She curled her lip. “I take that back, but I won’t repeat what some of the guys said. Gah, people disgust me.”
“It’s ridiculous so don’t get me started.” Nick let out a long breath, then frowned at Madaug. “Boy genius? Any chance you can shed some light on who planted that crap against her?”
“I wish, but they deleted it from Tendyk’s computer immediately and reformatted the harddrive before writing over it. Since it’s legally considered child porn, they were afraid of a lawsuit. Head is hoping he can scare someone into a confession.”
“Yeah, ’cause that works so well on hoodlums,” LaShonda huffed. “I don’t know about you guys, but without Brynna, I really don’t want to do this. Screw the dance. Let the jerks show up to an empty gym. It’s what they deserve. I just want to go home and make sure she’s okay. I’ve been trying to call her, but she won’t pick up.”
Kody folded her arms over her chest. “I think we all want to check on her.”
Nick agreed. “I’ve been over it a thousand times in my head and I can’t figure out who or why anyone would do this to her. Shon? You have any ideas?”
“None. It’s not like she goes around collecting enemies, you know? We’re talking about Brynna, here. Has there ever been a nicer person created? Ever?”
Nick would say his mother, but he didn’t want them to mock him for it.
LaShonda checked her phone. “Why don’t we call in a rain check and do this on Monday? Hopefully, Bryn will be back by then.”
Nick nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Are you going over to Brynna’s from here?”
“Yeah.”
“Call me and let me know how she’s doing.”
LaShonda patted him on the arm. “Will do. I’ll see you guys later.”
Madaug shrugged his backpack over his shoulder. “I
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