Invincible

CHAPTER 9

Nick lay low for several days as those visions haunted him. With Grim’s help, he was trying to hone his ability to see if he could get anything more or see more clearly. But it wasn’t easy. Much like with the perspicacity, it came and went on its own timetable, not his.

Bloody inconsiderate powers.

Grim kept promising that he’d be able to control them with practice.

He was much more optimistic than Nick was. Of course, he wasn’t the one hallucinating and spazzing.

For now, it was just another aggravation in a life that was already irritating. Puberty was bad enough with his body doing things he didn’t want it to do at inconvenient times. Now his mind was doing it, too. One minute he’d be fine; in the next he’d see someone “normal” shift into something not, or he’d have some psychedelic flash of an event to come.

It was getting so bad, his mom was starting with the drug inquisition again every time he had one around her. At this rate, she’d be after him with a specimen jar to pee in.

The only good news was that they hadn’t found any more kids slain by whatever had killed the other two.

And Nick wasn’t dead.

Yet.

But that came into question as he walked into his schoolyard to find Stone and his crew of crotch-sniffing sycophants waiting for him.

Great. Just what he needed. Another suspension. Any time Stone neared him, he went to the principal’s office, and it never went well for him. It was a given, like the golden shower that inevitably followed the lifting of a dog’s leg.

Sure enough, right as he neared the bottom step that led up to the door of the redbrick building, Stone, who was a huge brute of a knuckle-dragging Cro-Mag, stepped forward to block his path.

Stone crossed his beefy arms and looked down his nose at Nick. Something that really set his ire off.

“Not in the mood.” Jackweed. Nick refrained from the insult that really wanted to spill out and tried to brush past him. Always best to avoid a fight.

Too late. The rest of his merd (herd of morons), surrounded Nick. He felt his blood pressure rising even more as they did that we’re invading your personal space ’cause we’re dickheads maneuver. Nick ground his teeth, trying to hold his temper back.

Something that wasn’t helped when Stone shoved him.

“Someone’s been stealing our stuff out of the lockers, Gautier. Makes me think of only one person I know who’d be that desperate.” He raked a sneer over Nick’s tacky blue Hawaiian shirt that his mother made him wear and faded jeans. Both of which had been bought from Goodwill for the staggering price of a dollar each.

Nick snorted at Stone’s insult. “I don’t know. Word around the girls’ locker room is that all of you are so hard up, you were cruising the senior center, trying to find a prom date.”

Stone bellowed in rage. He started forward, only to have Caleb come out of nowhere to shove him back.

Dang, the demon could move. No wonder he was the star of the football team.

Then again, Caleb had an unfair advantage. Superhuman strength and centuries of soldier training.

Caleb sneered at Stone. “It’s too early in the day to have to wash blood out of my clothes, Blakemore. But I am willing to smell Tide if that’s what it takes to get you to act human.” A hysterical comment, given the fact that Stone was a werewolf.

“What’s going on here?”

Nick stepped back as a huge bear of a man moved forward to break everyone apart.

He sneered at both of the combatants. “Stone? Caleb? Don’t you dare start fighting. I’ll make you run laps until you drop if you do. Last thing we need is for a player to get suspended. We’re already about to have to forfeit as it is. Right now, I can’t afford to lose even a single man. You hear me?”

Caleb held his hands up in surrender. “I wasn’t looking for trouble, but I’m not about to run either. You push me and I will push back.”

The coach shook his head. “Blakemore, get your girls and leave. Now.”

Curling his lip, Stone took off with his zoo crew of thugs following after him.

The coach narrowed his eyes on Nick. “Who are you?” Scum-sucking dog. He didn’t say those words, but his tone implied it.

Forcing himself not to say or do anything to get himself added to detention, he spoke carefully. “Nick Gautier.”

Recognition lit the coach’s deep blue eyes. He actually appeared impressed. “You were first-string running back last year. What happened?”

Nick shrugged. “Stone’s mouth happened. It needed to be closed, and I was a little too obliging to shut it.”

The coach scratched his chin. “Your file says you were kicked off the team for your attitude.”

“File’s wrong. I was kicked off the team for Stone’s attitude. Mine was just fine. Still is, to be honest.”

The man made a sound that might be a laugh. Or a growl. “You interested in playing again?”

Nick gestured to his arm that was in the sling. “Can’t. I’m still recovering. Doc doesn’t want me to do anything to stress it.” An excuse he was milking for everything it was worth. One that worked with his mother, but not so much on Kyrian, who was a pitiless taskmaster. Every time he said something, Kyrian always shot back with, “Boy, I’ve gutted men who whined less than you. Now, move it.”

And apparently, the coach was in the latter category, too. “Yeah, but I can add you to the roster. Even if you don’t play. You are a legitimate player. C’mon, Gautier. I need just three more jerseys, and we’re all set for the play-offs. Do it for the school, or if not that, do it for Malphas. He’s worked hard this year. You gonna deprive him of a championship game because of a minor injury?”

Minor injury? He’d been shot and almost beaten to death by people he’d thought were his friends.

He looked at Caleb.

Go ahead and say yes. It’ll make it easier for me to keep an eye on you if you’re at practice with me.

He hated when Caleb and Ambrose played in his head. But Caleb was right. Since it was his fault Caleb was on the team in the first place, the least he could do was rejoin. Not to mention, he did look good in the black and gold jersey, and it kept him out of the hideous shirts his mother insisted he wear. At least on game days.

“All right. I’ll do it.”

“Great.” The coach grinned. “I’ll bring a jersey to you and see you after school today.”

Nick opened his mouth to tell him he was supposed to work, but the coach was gone before he could do more than gape. He met Caleb’s gaze. “Kyrian’s going to kill me.”

“Nah, he won’t. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

Nick wished he had that kind of confidence. In anything. But he didn’t. Life and jerks had basically kicked it out of him about the time he was two … maybe three. Sighing, he started up the stairs with Caleb one step behind him. As they entered the building, it seemed like everyone was chattering about items that had been stolen while the school was closed.

There were times when being poor was a blessing. Since he didn’t have anything to steal …

Even so, he remembered once a few years ago when his mom had splurged and bought them two five-dollar lawn chairs at Walmart. Dang if someone hadn’t stolen them off the back porch of their run-down condo. His mom had cried for a week, and if he could lay hands on the thief, they’d spend eternity limping. What kind of human being would steal plastic lawn chairs from someone who was so obviously poor? Surely there was a special corner of hell waiting with their name engraved on a plaque.

“Hey, Nick.”

He froze at his locker as Nekoda came up to him. “Hi, Kody. How you doing?”

She gave him that smile that never failed to heat his body up to an equatorial level. “Better now that I get to see you. I tried to call last night, but you didn’t answer. Did you get my message?”

Nick scowled. “My phone didn’t ring.” Pulling it out, he checked the log. “See.” He held it out for her inspection.

“Weird. I rang it three times.”

That was odd. Then again … “There might be something with our condo.” Other than the fact that it lived under a perpetual dismal cloud and was infested with roaches the size of his fist. It was probably over a hellmouth, too, that didn’t allow for any kind of reception other than two cans joined by a lengthy string. “Sorry I missed it. Did you need anything?”

“Just wanted to talk to you.”

He didn’t know why, but those words made his face heat up. Even though he kept having nightmares about her, there was something that drew him to her. She was irresistible, and the taste of her kiss was perpetually branded on his lips. He’d give anything to have another one.

“Nick! I just heard!”

Before he could identify who was speaking, Casey threw herself into his arm and slammed him against the lockers.

“You’re on the football team again! I’m so happy for you. Now you can be my escort at homecoming. Won’t that be great?”

He felt like a mouse caught between two cats as he saw the look of anger on Nekoda’s face.

Casey paid her no attention. “When do you get your jersey? You’ll be so hot in it.”

Help me. His voice sounded like a fly in his head.

Without a word, Nekoda spun around and headed down the hallway.

“Kody!” He tried to follow after her, but Casey cut him off.

“You don’t want to talk to her, Nick. She’s a loser.”

Yeah, right. She was also the only person from his school who’d visited him when he’d been in the hospital. Yeah, okay, so she volunteered there, but she had made it a point to come to his room every day and cheer him up. That she hadn’t had to do.

He tried to get around Casey. She was like a Velcro spider. Everywhere he moved, she was there, clinging to him. He didn’t know how to escape her without hurting her.

Frustrated, he gave her a vicious glare. “What is up with you?”

“Nothing. I only want to spend time with you, Nick.”

“Since when?”

“You’re working for Kyrian Hunter now. You’re one of us.”

He wasn’t so sure he wanted to be one of them. Because of the way they’d treated him, he’d learned a long time ago not to want to be part of the in-crowd. He didn’t like the way they operated. If being one of them meant being cruel to someone else, he’d rather be a social outcast.

“Look, I’m not some teen movie. I’m not going to get so caught up with being popular that I forget my friends. You can’t undo years of ignoring me with one act of kindness. Now, excuse me.” He finally pushed past her to go after Kody.

But it was too late. There was no sign of her anywhere.

Fantastic. He felt like an even bigger heel. Gah, I’m such an idiot.…

“Nick?” Casey took his hand, shocking him completely that she’d dare touch him, the unwashed. “I’m sorry if I treated you wrong in the past or hurt your feelings. Like anyone else, I can be self-absorbed at times and not see what’s in front of my face. Maybe my mom’s right, and I need to look up from my phone once in a while.” She peered at him from underneath her lashes in what had to be the hottest expression he’d ever seen on a living girl’s face. “You’re right. I didn’t see you then. My bad. But I see you now. Can you not forgive me for being stupid?”

Those unexpected words touched a part of him that was foreign and strange. Then he remembered what Ambrose had said. Casey would be a good girlfriend to him while he was in high school.

And yet he wanted Kody for that role. She was the one who’d been kind when he needed it. She was the one he really enjoyed talking to.

Fourteen years, and I can’t get the time of day from a single female. Now I’m torn between two of them.…

The most popular girl he’d been pining for since he was a kid and another one who’d only just entered his world and sent it reeling.

Life wasn’t right. And he had no idea what he should do. Listen to Ambrose, or listen to his gut.…

“C’mon,” Casey said, tugging at his arm. “I’ll walk you to class.”

Grim paused as he felt a slight breeze kiss his cold skin. It was a presence he’d known since before the dawn of time. Vicious and callous, she was his best friend.

And his worst enemy.

Together they’d wreaked more destruction than an F5 tornado on a week-long bender.

That was just on their good days. On their bad ones … Well, scientists claimed an F6 was impossible. With their combined powers, it was not only possible, but even that category was petulant compared to the damage he and Wynter Laguerre could do.

“Laguerre … what brings you here?”

Lithe, sexy, and vibrant, she came into his private domain like she owned it. With an abundance of dark brown curls that fell to her waist, she was exquisitely formed. As always, her lips were a bright blood red that was matched by her pants and blazer. The moment she flashed herself to his side, the fire in his black marble hearth flared, shooting embers across the ebony wood floor.

She had that effect on most things.

“I wanted you to know that I’m facilitating things.”

Those words laced him with foreboding. Whenever Laguerre facilitated something, it was never good. Not for him and especially not for her target. “How do you mean?”

She screwed her face up. “There’s too much good in Nick Gautier. No matter how much abuse we heap on him, he won’t turn. Therefore we need to do something to purge it from him.”

“You can’t kill his mother.” They all knew that was the only surefire way to unleash the darkest parts of Gautier’s powers and soul. If Cherise Gautier died, he’d be beyond redemption and easy to turn. But …

“She’s off-limits to us.” Whoever killed her was guaranteed a brutal demise, and not even he, Death itself, was immune.

Wynter ran her long red fingernail down his jawbone. “Yes, but there are other ways to turn him and make sure he sides with us in this battle.”

Not one that he’d been able to identify. Nick’s fortitude was duly impressive. The more he was around the kid, the more he doubted their ability to corrupt him, even with the help of the primal source. “He has to finish his training before he’s any good to us.”

“Perhaps, but if he has a reason to turn, he might embrace those powers even more and use them where we tell him to.”

Grim wasn’t so sure. “He’s still naïve. He actually believes in happy endings.”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “Then we’ll have to kick those delusions right out of him.”

If anyone could do that, War was the one. Killing people’s aspirations was her specialty.

“What do you have in mind?”

With an evil smile, she moved away from him to warm her hands by the fire. “I already have my person in place. Someone Nick trusts who isn’t who he thinks.”

“How do you mean?”

She laughed. “I conjured an old accomplice of ours who has agreed to help us with our quest. One who is now corporeal in the human realm.”

That explained the dead teenagers who’d been uncovered by the police. Sacrifices made to get their man into the thick of things.

“And our friend has promised that Nick’s life will be turned inside out. Before everything is said and done, his true friends will be killed and he will be ours.” She turned to face him with another evil smile. “Then we will control the world once more, and not even the old powers will be able to control us.”

Grim returned her smile. That was definitely something he could sink his teeth into.