by Lola StVil
Nikki shakes her head.
“No. I never saw his face. He always wore a hood. I could pass him in the street and not even know it. But that voice. I’ll never forget his voice. His laughter, glee, and evil mixed in a way those things should never mix.”
She stops and shudders. I think she’s done, but she goes on.
“And how he always called me his sweet treat. It turned my stomach. It made me feel as though he viewed me as something he would devour.”
I can see the realization dawning on Lucas’s face. I can almost hear the cogs in his brain ticking. All the blood drains from his face, his nostrils flare, and the vein in his temple pulsates.
“I know who he is,” he says, withdrawn.
Every head turns to look at him.
“Who?”
“How do you know?”
“What?”
We all explode into questions at once. Lucas raises his hand, and as quickly as we burst into questions, we fall silent waiting for him to explain.
“It was The Jackal,” he says.
He sounds calm, but I know him well enough to know he’s seething inside.
“How do you know that?” RJ asks.
“When I went to the Hun’s Market, I needed something from The Jackal. You know what he’s normally like. He strikes a hard bargain. Usually one there’s no coming back from. But this time was different. He gave me what I wanted with no conditions. I didn’t question it at the time because I was in such a rush to get away from that place.
“I just wanted out because I knew what my father would do if word got back to him that I was there. A lot of good that did. He found out anyway, and as you can all imagine, he was furious. But that’s another story.”
He jumps to his feet and begins pacing as much as he can in the tiny gap available.
“He kept saying that we were alike. He invited me over to his house and said I should come try his candy. That we had the same taste in sweets. The bastard was talking about Nikki.”
His anger breaks through to the surface, and quick as a flash, his wings sprout and he’s out of the window.
We all sit in stunned silence for a moment, our mouths hanging open.
Nix recovers his senses first and jumps to his feet.
“I’ll stop him,” he announces.
He’s off out of the window in seconds too.
“You have to stop him,” Nikki says to the rest of us. “Please. He can’t be around that…that monster.”
She is visibly distressed and Parker moves to sit beside her on the bed.
“It’s okay, Nikki. Nix will stop him. He’ll calm him down and bring him back.”
Suddenly, I’m not so sure he will. I remember the atmosphere between those two when we first came to the hospital. And I think I know why. I don’t think I’m the only one Nix has told about his involvement with the Shadow and Serpent. And if Lucas knows that he tried to have me killed, he won’t listen to reason.
I stand up, and the team look at me.
“He’ll listen to me,” I say.
No one argues.
“The rest of you stay here,” I order, and I too fly out the broken window.
I soar through the air, scanning the ground beneath me. I hope that Nix has at least managed to ground Lucas. Just as I’m about to give up hope, I spot them. They stand on a large grassy slope. I swoop lower and I can see their arms flailing wildly as they argue.
I land a couple of yards away from them and rush over.
“How are you so sure it’s The Jackal?” Nix demands. “I know he used the same phrase, but why would Fish be involved with someone like him? I know she has her faults, but him?”
Lucas sighs. He seems to decide it will be easier to answer Nix’s question than try to rush away from us again.
“The thing I went to the Hun’s Market for was demon tears,” Lucas explains.
“You wanted to kill Fish?” Nix asks in disbelief.
“No,” Lucas reassures him. “I just wanted her to think I would. I had to convince her to help me get into the vault, remember? You honestly think she did that out of the goodness of her heart?”
“I guess not,” Nix agrees.
Lucas seems to notice me for the first time.
“I had to get into that vault whatever the cost,” he repeats, his gaze boring into mine.
I know why. He thought the vault contained the key to getting rid of his Drin and allowing us to be together. It feels so long ago now. And it was all a waste of time, I think bitterly.
“But how did Fish find out about The Jackal having Nikki?” Nix asks.
“I don’t know if he really wants to know or if he’s just stalling for time, trying to get Lucas to focus on something other than revenge. Either way, I’m curious to know the answer.”
“I don’t know,” Lucas admits.
“When I first approached her for help, she wasn’t too keen. Even when I produced the demon tears. I ended up telling her the truth about why I wanted that box so much. I told her about Nikki being attacked and how she died. That’s what put Nikki on her radar, but the rest? Your guess is as good as mine. You know Fish. She just knows stuff.”
“The message about her not being all bad. That was for you, wasn’t it?” I say, addressing Nix.
He nods.
“We had, let’s say, a moment once. A long time ago. Afterwards, we argued and I told her she was a bad person.”
He looks at me and snorts out a laugh.
“Turns out she’s a much better person than I am.”
His words remind me that I’m supposed to hate him. I can’t focus on that right now. Right now, I have to put that one aside and work with Nix to convince Lucas not to go off and get himself killed.
I also see now why Nix is so blind to Parker’s feelings for him. He might not want to admit it, but Nix is very much into Fish, and I guess that makes him blind to Parker’s affections.
Another mess.
“As fun as this has been, I have a rat bastard to kill. You two can come and help me, or you can go back. I don’t really care either way, but I’m going.”
“Lucas, wait,” I say. “Ten minutes ago, I was ready to go and find the guy and rip his heart out myself. Even after everything, I feel a need to protect Nikki and I just met her, so I can only imagine how you feel.”
Now I’m trying to convince Lucas not to do that. But something about the reaction of the team when they heard The Jackal’s name mentioned stops me. The stunned silence, the expressions of horror. It’s not how they react to the average demon, and it makes me think there’s more to this.
Maybe I am a good leader after all.
Lucas pauses and looks back. I realize I have nothing more to say. I can’t think of a single thing to say to convince him not to go.
Okay, I was wrong. I’m still a terrible leader.
“If you go after The Jackal, you know the consequences it could have,” Nix says.
“I don’t care,” Lucas says, but he stays grounded for the moment, which I take to be a good sign.
“What consequences?” I say.
“It’ll be catastrophic not just for us, but for the entire Angel world,” Nix says, staring Lucas down.
“Is this Jackal guy some sort of super demon or something?”
“The Jackal isn’t a demon,” Nix says. “He’s a Quo. And he’s not just any Quo. He’s the son of the king and queen of the Quos. If Lucas here kills him, then it will start a war between the angels and the Quos. A war neither side can win. We will ravage each other until nothing is left.”
I vaguely remember a history lesson about an angel and Quo pact made after a huge war almost destroyed us all. That’s when the implications of Nix’s words really sink in.
“Lucas, you can’t do this,” Nix says.
“Watch me,” Lucas says.
“You’re putting all of us in danger by doing this,” Nix says, trying to reason with him.
Lucas smiles. A thin, dangerous
smile. One I’ve never seen on him before. I don’t like it. It sends a shiver down my spine, and not the good kind.
“Well I think you know I’m a selfish bastard that doesn’t give a crap about the fate of the world. Isn’t that how you described me when you wanted an excuse to go after Summit?”
Oh, he knows.
Another major thing he kept from me. I try to decide if knowing his brother tried to have me killed and not telling me is better or worse than him not telling me he’s married.
It’s like Lucas can read my mind.
“I only found out the day we came to the hospital with Nikki,” Lucas says to me. “I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but judging by the fact that you didn’t so much as flinch, I’m guessing you already knew.”
I nod. “I found out yesterday,” I say.
I hold back how I found out. That I found out because he tried to have me killed again. Nix throws me a grateful look and I want to slap him.
“So, let me get this straight,” I say, an idea forming in my mind. “If an angel kills The Jackal, it will start a war that will wipe out all of the angels and all of the Quos.”
Nix nods in my direction. “And probably everyone else along with us,” he adds.
“So, would I be right in thinking that the Quos don’t want that any more than we do?”
“Yes,” Nix agrees, “but they’ll still avenge their own if we break the pact.”
“Okay. But surely The Jackal broke the pact by torturing an angel. So instead of killing him ourselves, why don’t we go to his parents and tell them what he’s done?”
“Good idea,” Lucas says sarcastically. “And while we’re at it, why don’t we take his ball away as well.”
I glare at him.
“Let’s just say it’s been done before,” Nix says.
“This isn’t the first time? I ask, horrified.
“No, and they make promises that they’ll control The Jackal. And for a time, they do. But then they become distracted and he starts up again. He usually operates under the radar, but this time, he’s been so brazen about it. It’s almost like he wants to goad us into a war, and we should have more sense than to play into his hands.”
“You’re right, we shouldn’t do anything about it. Hell, maybe we should deliver another angel to him. I mean he’s lost his plaything now, and we wouldn’t want to upset him, would we?” Lucas says, his words still heavy with sarcasm.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Nix says to Lucas.
“I’m not saying we should just ignore what happened to Nikki. I’m just saying we should take some time to think about what we should do and not just go in there and cause a war. That’s all.”
“You sound like our father,” Lucas says.
“Always one step ahead of the game. It’s funny, because if you were more like your own father, who you claim to despise, you wouldn’t be trying to stop me. Malakaro might have been evil to the core, but he understood loyalty. He would have fought tooth and claw for his own people, and he wouldn’t have worried about the consequences,” Lucas says.
“Make your mind up, Lucas,” Nix snaps. “Am I like my father or not? Because before you seemed to think I was.”
“Maybe you just got all of the bad bits and none of the good,” Lucas fires back.
Nix’s face changes. All the fight goes out of him. I know I’m supposed to hate him right now, but I don’t. And seeing the look on his face as Lucas delivers this blow is almost more than I can bear.
“Enough,” I say to Lucas.
He instantly regrets his words, but not enough to hang around.
“I…” he starts, looking at Nix, the pain on his face clear to see. “Oh, forget it.”
Lucas turns away and opens his wings.
“Wait,” I say again. “Don’t do this, Lucas.”
“Is that an order?” he asks.
“No,” I say, knowing he won’t follow any orders right now. “It’s a request. From the girl you claimed to love.”
I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to resort to using Lucas’s love for me as a weapon. But it was all I had.
It works. Lucas’s wings retract and he turns on me. He crosses the gap between us in two large strides. I resist the urge to take a step back. I know Lucas would never physically hurt me, but I know I’ve gone too far this time.
“Claimed to love you?” he shouts, his face twisted with anger. “You think I just made that up?”
I shake my head but he doesn’t give me a chance to speak.
“I do love you. And you know it. But this isn’t about us, Summit. You think if it was you in there I wouldn’t do the exact same for you?”
“I know you would. The difference is, if it was me, I’d be the one out here telling you not to do this. I’d be the one who would get revenge. I wouldn’t need you, or anyone else, to go fight my battles for me.”
“But Nikki’s different. She’s, I don’t know, fragile.”
And there it is. There’s the truth. I can never be everything to Lucas because I don’t need him in the way Nikki needs him. I need a partner. Nikki needs a hero.
“Everything that happened to that girl is my fault, Summit,” Lucas says.
His anger is gone, replaced by something worse. Guilt.
“Lucas, we’ve been over this,” I say gently. “You had no way of knowing she was alive. She even said as much herself.”
Lucas nods.
“I know that. I’ve accepted that part. But I should have paid more attention to what The Jackal was saying to me when I was dealing with him. He’s not someone who gives away freebies. Ever. But I was so intent on what I needed, I didn’t think about anyone else. I was so intent on forgetting Nikki altogether, so I could move on from her, that I didn’t even think for a second it could be about her.”
“No one would have thought that was about her,” I point out.
But I have to admit, I’m wondering about it. If he hadn’t been so consumed in wanting to be with me, would he have read between the lines?
“And that’s not even the worst part,” Lucas goes on. “Fish called me. She was trying to tell me something about The Jackal, and I cut her off. Because of you.”
He glares pointedly at me. I don’t know what he’s talking about, but then I remember. The night we made love, the night before Nikki returned, Lucas and I were alone in the house. I’d made it clear what I wanted, and then he’d gotten a call from Fish. He’d told her he’d call her back later and turned his cell phone off.
“I should have been the one to rescue her, but I was so wrapped up in you, I didn’t even hear Fish out. And she had to go in there alone and rescue Nikki.”
“You blame me,” I say.
It’s not a question, it’s a statement.
“No,” Lucas says, reaching out and briefly touching my cheek. For a second, the Lucas I know is back. The one not twisted by anger and guilt.
“No. I don’t blame you. I could never blame you for this. It’s on me, Summit. Me and me alone.”
I know if he can take down The Jackal, some of the guilt will be gone, and I would do anything to take the haunted look from his eyes and the lines of strain away from his mouth. But I think about Nix’s words. Can we really start a war just to make Lucas feel better?
I already know the answer to that. We can’t.
“It’s not your fault, Lucas, but I know you won’t be able to hear that now. The only person to blame for any of this is The Jackal. And we’ll find a way to make him pay. I swear to you we will, but right now, we need you to calm down and not be so impulsive.”
“He fucking taunted me with it, Summit. He stood there, knowing what he was doing to Nikki, knowing who she was, and he taunted me,” he screams.
“I know that, and if you go rushing off on some revenge fantasy, you’ll be playing right into his hands. Nikki needs you to be rational about this, Lucas.”
It was the wrong thing to say.
“You
have no idea what Nikki needs. Hell, you’re probably just pissed off that she’s not dead.”
My jaw drops open as he turns away from me. His words cut me like a thousand knives. Mostly because, in my darkest moments, I have thought just that. And he knows it.
Nix and I exchange a look. The look says everything we need to say. We have failed. Between us, the two people Lucas is closest to, we have managed to make him even more mad.
I know there’s no way we can reason with Lucas now. If he’s mad enough to say that to me, then I know I can’t get through to him. And I don’t think Nix will either. I think right now Lucas will continue to hurl abuse at the two of us until we give up on him.
And then that will be something else he can feel guilty about later. Well, I’m not about to let that happen.
There’s one thing I can try. It’s stupid to even consider it. It’s risky and dangerous, and I’ve never done it before. I never thought I would even think about doing it, and certainly not to one of my own team. But I can’t think of another way.
And if Lucas starts a war, that would be so much worse than any consequences this will have.
When I first started at the Marcus Cane Academy, to say I didn’t really fit in would be an understatement. My sanctuary became Mrs. Fry’s classroom. She could see I was confused about the Angel world and my place in it, and she suggested I get myself a Muse—a book detailing our family history and how our powers worked, and a whole lot more besides.
At first, I resisted. I didn’t need a history lesson, I needed social skills, but the idea stayed with me, and I asked my mother about it one night. She thought it was a great idea and produced a beautiful leather covered book.
She was ripped away from me as part of our quest before I had a chance to really delve into it, but my grandmother was on hand to talk to me about anything I didn’t understand. We spent hours talking about things from that book, and I finally started to understand how the Angel world worked.
And then I came to the section on pressing the Deck. Actually, it wasn’t really a section. It was a couple of scrawled lines about it. Those few lines said that in an extreme situation, quest leaders have the ability to take someone’s powers. It only touched on it briefly. It said that if the leader of a team felt that one of their members’ actions was considered reckless or a danger to themselves or others, they could press the Deck and temporarily remove that member’s powers.