A Touch of Death

by J. J. Dean

  Just as Novia finishes her drink, Zayn and an irritated Ezra come from the hallway. Nix pulls a backpack on, causing me to wonder how the fuck that thing fits over the size of his goddamned shoulders, and asks, "Alright, tribe, are we ready?"

  "Yeah- oh, wait! Left my hat upstairs. Give me a second." Novia rushes out of the room, and I hear her quiet footsteps hitting each stair as she goes.

  As soon as she's out of earshot, I turn to the incubus and ask, "So what's got your head up your ass?"

  I hear Nix snort, and Zayn walks away to retrieve the satchel he always leaves the house with, but I focus on the incubus with the sudden attitude problem.

  "Nothing. Can we please get this shopping expedition over and done with? I have better things to do with my time."

  He makes to move past me, but I put a hand out, resting it on his arm before he moves forward. "Sure seems like a whole lot of attitude for nothing. What's the deal, man?"

  Ezra looks down at my hand and back up to my face. I notice his hands light up with the colour of wine, black flecks sparking briefly before his hand goes back to normal. My eyes dart to his, and I catch the deep red hue before they fade back into his usual brown. I drop my hand and move back a step to give him room, but I keep my eyes trained on his. I won't budge from this. He knows me better than that. Knows damn well how stubborn I can be.

  Proving my point, the man sighs and looks up at the ceiling before looking back to me with a look I've never seen on him before. He looks forlorn. "I'm going through a few things, okay? Can we leave it at that for now?"

  His eyes plead for me to drop it, so I do. I offer him that much. But just as I hear the sound of footsteps hitting the stairs again, I lean in close and whisper, "I'll drop it for now. But whatever shit you're going through, try to keep it away from Novia. She already thinks she's done something wrong. Zayn's heard her question as much."

  I catch the stricken look on his face before Novia strolls into the room, putting her red snapback on her head. She looks at me, or rather my hat, and pulls hers off, putting it on backwards like mine. I can't help the laugh that leaves me, and I'm rewarded with a beaming grin.

  "Okay. I'm ready."

  After Novia's declaration, we all leave and jump into Nix's truck. Nix drives, with Zayn in the passenger side, which leaves Ezra, Novia, and me in the back. It's safe to say the ride isn't a comfortable one, and the silence is damn near deafening. Novia tries to shuffle closer to me, so she isn't butting into Ezra's space, and I shoot a glare at him over Novia's head. He tries to ignore me, but I catch him looking at me from the corner of his eye.

  Since we live in the middle of nowhere, it takes half an hour for us to reach the nearest Ikea. We all climb out of the car as soon as Nix parks.

  "I'll get the trolley," Zayn says as he walks in front of me.

  "What's a trolley?" Novia asks, turning her head to look at me.

  Ezra answers her instead. The look of surprise on her face would make me laugh if I didn't understand why she's surprised by Ezra talking to her, given that he's ignored her all day. "It's a shopping cart. Us Brits call them trolleys."

  "Huh. Alright then. I learned something new today," she replies, nodding like a bobblehead.

  We all pile into the store, Nix taking up the front and power walking like he's on a mission. Has he forgotten we're here for Novia? What's he rushing for?

  "Novia, did you have anything in mind that you wanted?" Zayn asks, not far behind Nix. Are the idiots having some sort of competition or something? I don't know why the two of them would be rushing through Ikea of all places.

  "Uh, nothing in mind, other than anything grey and white," Novia says, a little uncertain.

  Zayn nods, and before I know it, him and Nix have vanished entirely, leaving Novia alone with Ezra and me again.

  "I guess you're stuck with us for the time being. Come on, let’s check out the bedding first." I take her hand in mine and trail through the store until we reach the aisle where they sell bed sheets, duvet sets, and everything else to do with a bed. Jesus, how much shit is here? Thankfully, Novia's narrowed her colour preferences down, so we bypass all the bright coloured stuff that gives me a headache just to look at, and stop when we reach the white and grey themed items.

  For the next hour, we debate on duvet sets, materials, and everything else I'd never in a million years think I'd find myself debating. Ezra joins in at some point, picking up various cushions and putting the ones Novia pulls weird faces at back on the shelves where they really shouldn’t be displayed for sale. Especially the sequined cushion. How the fuck is that comfortable?

  When I ask as much, Ezra says, "It's for decoration, you tit. It's not for sleeping on."

  Oh, sure. Like I'm supposed to know that.

  Deciding it's better to keep my opinions limited where he's concerned, I turn back to Novia, who's holding up a fluffy grey throw over that matches the one we keep on the couch. "This. This is a must because I'm pretty sure I'll steal the one on the couch otherwise."

  She says it with a sly smile, and again, I laugh. Something I'm doing more and more of since she landed in our lives. I wasn't ever a smiler, not really having much of reason to do so before. But now? Any time the fae is around, it's all I seem to be doing. But I find that I don't mind one bit. In fact, I'm growing rather addicted to it.

  And...to Novia.

  Chapter 16

  Novia

  An hour later, after picking and choosing - and a great deal of debating with Ezra - we realise we should have brought a shopping cart of our own. I have no idea where Nix and Zayn went, but they sped off like the devil was chasing them and haven't returned.

  "I'll get another cart. Fuck knows where those idiots have gone," Spencer says, snickering under his breath. He walks off, leaving Ezra and I alone in the aisle while we wait.

  Now that we're alone without Spencer as a buffer, there's a tension between us that wasn't there before. I look around again as if we haven't been searching the shelves this entire time. The atmosphere is uncomfortable, and I do my best to avoid looking in Ezra's direction. I shuffle on my feet, crossing and uncrossing my arms, hoping Spencer will be back with the shopping cart asap.

  Ezra clears his throat and clears it again. I hear him shuffle on his feet, his shoes scuffing on the floor. "I'm sorry."

  My eyes widen on the pillowcases in front of me. They flicker from the pillows to Ezra from the corner of my eye. When I see he's not looking at me, but staring at his own item on the shelf like it holds the answers to the universe, I turn my head. I hesitantly ask, "Uh, what are you sorry for?"

  I hear him sigh, and he turns to face me fully. "I haven't been overly friendly as of late, so I'm sorry. It's my problem. I'm working through some things, and I've been projecting my bad attitude. You've done nothing wrong, and I don't want you to think that you have, so I'm sorry."

  Wait, how did he know I thought I'd done something to warrant his cold attitude? I close my eyes briefly. Zayn. Of course. I open my eyes and turn my head away to look at the shelf like it's my turn to stare at it as though it's the most fascinating thing my eyes have ever seen. I shrug my shoulders and bob my head awkwardly. "Sure, it's fine."

  We settle back into silence again, but the atmosphere feels a lot less awkward and strained. It's like I’ve been surrounded by eggshells any time Ezra was around, but now they've all disappeared. My shoulders relax and I release a relieved breath, growing comfortable again.

  "We should probably get you a TV for...your room," he says, breaking the silence once more. He pauses before mentioning my new room, his voice sounding a little strained when he says it, but he carries on before I can question it. "So you can watch all of the movies you want, you know?"

  "Uh, sure. Makes sense, I guess." I uncross my arms again when I realise I've crossed them without thinking.

  "Maybe... maybe we can go somewhere so we can get you some DVDs. I'll get you the information to my Netflix once we're home, and we'll get you a TV with
a built-in DVD player and all the necessities you'll need," Ezra rambles, his movements becoming more animated the more he talks.

  A small smile pulls at my lips, and when Ezra turns, he catches it. The smallest smile tugs at his mouth in return, and it causes mine to grow even more. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head, but the small smile remains.

  "Alright, drop everything in the cart and let's go find Nix and Zayn," Spencer says, walking towards us with his newly-acquired cart. We do as we're told, and I notice Ezra's slipped a few things in the cart that we didn't agree on, but I keep my mouth shut, deciding it's not worth the debate that will follow.

  The three of us wind through the aisles, searching for the shifter and vampire who abandoned us as soon as we stepped foot into the store. Where the hell did they go? And why did they rush off so fast?

  Just as we turn to head down another aisle, a shopping cart crashes into ours.

  "Found them!" Nix yells, looking back to us with a huge grin and a cart filled to the brim with... what is that? It's just a bunch of slim boxes in different sizes. There are various plastic bags in the cart too, but I can't see inside them from where I stand.

  "Where the hell have you two been?" Spencer questions, moving the cart away from theirs.

  Zayn walks around Nix and says, "We were gathering things Novia would need. We might have bought some things that weren't on the list, but that's no matter."

  Spencer rolls his eyes but says, "Well, I'm taking this to check out. You guys take whatever you got to the car."

  "I'm going to take Novia somewhere to pick out some movies and a new television for her room," Ezra points out, coming to walk beside me close enough that the sleeve of his shirt brushes my skin.

  Zayn nods and says, "Of course. I'd like to get a few books I've been searching for, and Nix is thinking of nothing but food at this point, so we'll call you when we're done at the bookshop and then meet up for dinner."

  The thought of food has my stomach gnawing at me, but I ignore it in favour of spending time with the incubus who seems to be warming up to me again. I mean, what's to say he won't decide to give me the cold shoulder later? I know he's already said it's not something I've done to garner the reception I've had from him, but I guess I simply don't want to become the reason. Plus, I genuinely want to spend time with him. When he isn’t blatantly ignoring me and with what little I've seen from him has me intrigued to know everything about Ezra.

  We all go our separate ways. Spencer and Nix head to the truck to deposit their purchases while Zayn makes his way to a bookstore. Ezra and I make our way to a store that sells every electronic device you could possibly ever need. I let Ezra pick out what he deems worthy of my room and immediately regret it when I see he's picked an obnoxiously large TV along with other knick-knacks that I don't bother questioning. He's wearing an excited smile like he's having the time of his life. It's the first smile I've seen that takes over his face completely, softening the sharp edges and lighting his chocolate coloured eyes. That smile has something stirring inside of me, but I tamper it down to savour such a stunning smile. So, like a dummy with hearts in her eyes, I don't say anything. I let him go about his shopping spree with an enamoured smile on my face as I watch him. Anyway, what kind of person would it make me if I ruined something that was quite clearly making him happy?

  Instead of having to carry all he bought, Ezra decides on having it all delivered later in the day, so he makes his payment, and we make our way out of the store, smiles on both our faces for two completely different reasons.

  We reach the sidewalk, Ezra talking about whatever the difference between a Blu-ray and a regular DVD is while I listen intently as though he's giving away state secrets.

  Without even thinking, I step off the curb and onto the road to cross to the side I know Zayn walked down before separating. I feel a hand slip into mine and tug me backwards just in time for the blare of a horn to sound out and a car to whizz past me with a very angry driver flailing her arm in the air.

  With wide eyes and a rapidly beating heart, I turn my head to see Ezra standing close behind me, his hand in mine. I realise his arm has wrapped itself around my ribs, just under my breasts, and my back is practically suctioned to his front.

  "You're supposed to look both ways before crossing the street," he says quickly next to my ear. There's a slight tremor in his voice, but he masks it swiftly. "Good thing I have excellent reflexes."

  "Uh, yeah. Good thing. Sorry about that." I look away and shake my head, only for my entire body to freeze. It's like my body turns to stone in a matter of seconds when my eyes fall onto the asshole that chased me on my first day of freedom.

  Davis isn't looking in our direction, but I'd recognise that scar anywhere. I know it's him, just like I know my own name. He's dressed in black cargo pants with a black t-shirt to match. He looks as menacing as I've always seen him to be, as I damn well know he is.

  My entire body begins to vibrate, and my teeth clamp together to stop them from chattering. My eyes are wide, and I don't know when I last blinked, but I'm terrified that if I close my eyes, he'll disappear from my sight.

  "...Novia! Novia, what's wrong? What is it?" Ezra's urgency-laced words begin to infiltrate my brain, slowly at first until they crash into me, and I'm forced to blink from the shock of their suddenness. Ezra walks around me, his arm sliding from under my breasts. As soon as he's in front of me, his hands go to my waist to keep me steady when I waver without him holding me upright. Once I'm steady, his hands gently cup my face and draw my head up until my terrified eyes meet his worried set.

  "Novia, what is it?" he asks, his eyes boring into mine.

  My mouth pops open, but only a breath of air leaves me. My shaking increases, and my teeth start to clack together. I feel Ezra's thumb brush over my cheek, and it's then that I notice I've started crying.

  Again. Always fucking crying.

  That little bit of rage I feel towards my tears is enough to snap me out of my petrified state, and with a hoarse whisper, I say, "We have to leave. Now. Right now."

  I move backwards, and Ezra's hands drop from my face. My head jerks around, my eyes searching everything around us.

  "Novia, love. You have to tell me what the hell is wrong," Ezra says, stepping closer again, his arm coming to wrap around my back to keep me close to him while my body still shakes like an addict weaning off drugs.

  My eyes clash with his, and I tell him, "Davis. Davis is here. We have to go. Now, Ezra."

  I don't know what he sees in my eyes because I'm feeling a lot of everything: terror, anger, grief, worry, and an assortment of other emotions I can't place right now. Whatever he sees, though, has him nodding quickly and moving his arm until his hand is in reach to capture mine. "Okay. Let's go. We'll get to the truck, and I'll call Zayn."

  Gripping his hand like it's my lifeline, we rush from the shopping centre. Ezra navigates us through the crowds of people that almost feels like it’s doubled in numbers since we arrived. We bump into people with muttered apologies and whispered curses, but we push ourselves through until the parking lot comes into sight.

  Ezra pulls out his cell, pressing his screen a few times before lifting it to his ear. "Zayn, we need to leave. No, right now. Novia saw Davis. Yes, that Davis." He pauses before continuing, giving me a brief glance. "I completely believe she saw him, Zayn. We need to get her home, and we need to do it right this second."

  I block out the rest of the conversation, racing across the parking lot with an out of control pulse and horror that the Boss' lapdog is here. Any sense of safety I'd built since escaping the facility evaporates, leaving me scared and out of my mind with dread and a sick feeling in my stomach I know all too well to be panic.

  Just as we reach the halfway point to where Nix parked the truck, I'm being slammed into from the side and tackled behind a car. My breath leaves me in a gust of air, and my lungs constrict along with my heart.

  A large body is sprawled on top of me, and my panic f
inally spikes. I kick, scratch, and punch within an inch of my life, only for my efforts to be rendered futile when large hands hold my wrists to keep my hands away from my assailant. I keep struggling though. I won’t be taken again without a fight, so if they think this will be easy, they have another thing coming.

  "Babe, it's me. Snap out of it, Novia. It's me," a familiar voice repeats breathlessly in my ear. The voice is quiet, but I know it well enough to realise it's Nix. It's only then I feel the overwhelming warmth that is the shifter, and I sag to the floor like a deflated balloon as tears prick my vision.

  "Phoenix, what the fuck?!" My voice is scratchy and high, but I don't care. What the fuck is the shifter playing at? He slaps a hand over my mouth. Through my tear-filled eyes, I see his have widened, and an alarmed look is plastered over his face. He looks pale with worry, and it's enough to have my panic rising again.

  Leaning close to my ear again, he whispers, "There are eight men surrounding the parking lot, all armed and definitely on the wrong side. One of the fuckers had a red laser pointed at the middle of your back. I'm sorry. I did the only thing I could think of."

  I don't even care that the man tackled me like a football player because he likely just saved my life. I grip onto the sides of his face and give him a hard kiss before pulling away just as quickly. With a strained whisper, I tell him, "Thank you, Nix."

  He nods with surprise and maneuvers to sit next to me, his back against the car we're hiding behind. He helps me to sit up, brushing the gravel from my knees and palms before leaning against the car again and pulling me tight to his body.

  I give my surroundings a quick glance and spot Ezra three cars over. Holy shit, how far did Nix tackle me? Ezra looks equally as worried as Nix, the colour in his face turned a shade paler than it had been before. Another look around has me spotting Zayn further away, ducking behind a car while he pokes his head out briefly, sending my heart into a frantic tizzy.