by Eloisa Clark
When Niko didn’t respond, Juliet suspected he might know more than he was letting on.
“What are you not telling me?”
He chewed his lip for a minute before answering.
“I sent out an email to a buddy back home. Someone who knows people who know people, you know. Anyway, someone who has a friend who has a friend that has connections to the underworld got back to me.”
“And?”
“So, she said that the description of the killing that I gave sounds like really old dark magic, something that hasn’t been practised for hundreds of years. Like from before the factions came together.”
Juliet understood from her Otherworld history that the factions had united during the dark ages, but the details about why it had happened had remained vague.
“Did she tell you what it was for?” Juliet asked.
“She couldn’t be certain. But she seemed to think it had something to do with locks, either locking or unlocking something.”
“A lock to what?”
“Could be anything. But, from the sounds of it, it’s something very powerful.”
They both sat silent for a moment, listening to the crackling of the fire while Juliet digested this new information. Despite the warmth of the blaze, she felt a cold shiver of fear creep over her skin. Niko put an arm around her, rubbing some warmth back into her flesh.
“Could we just stay here tonight? It seems like such a waste to leave just when the fire’s gotten started.”
Niko nodded and placed a kiss at her temple.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Niko had lost count of how many women he had slept with. But the number of those who he had actually slept with was certain; zero.
As they’d fallen sleep, the smell and feel of Juliet in his arms had been intoxicating and he’d struggled to resist the urge to rip her clothes off and dominate her in every way he knew how. Thankfully, sleep had taken them both quickly.
He would have thought, considering how badly he had wanted her while he was awake, that they would have found themselves having another one of those dreams. But instead, he’d found himself in Juliet’s dream, one where she was a child opening Christmas gifts under an enormous tree. He’d joined her and listened with interest as a tiny Juliet told him about her love of Christmas, and how her mother’s death so soon after, had ruined it for her.
“Do you think we’ll get snow this year?” Juliet had asked, before the dream had faded and he’d returned to the couch, with a sleeping Juliet still wrapped in his arms. The feeling of protectiveness was almost overwhelming.
The Demon-bond was something he was struggling to get used to. He was lucky that he hadn’t reached maturity yet. He knew exactly what kind of trouble a fully mature male Spirit Demon could get himself into when the ability to control yourself was lost.
He shivered in spite of the warmth of Juliet’s body pressed up against him. The fire had only just died out and the room was beginning to lose its heat. Juliet must have felt him move and began to stir. He hugged her to him, knowing once she was awake, she’d want to leave, and he wanted to hold onto the moment for just a little bit longer.
She rolled over, her eyes blinking open and her lips forming a smile as she stretched her legs.
“Good Morning.” She said, before closing her eyes and snuggling into him.
“Good Morning.” He replied as he lifted her chin and lowered his mouth to hers for a brief kiss.
When she didn’t back away, he kissed her again, building the kiss gradually. He wanted to keep going, to spend the entire day exploring Juliet’s mouth and body. But even though it was a Saturday, they both had places to be, so he pulled away slowly.
“See you at training?” He asked, before lifting them both up off the couch. She nodded sleepily as she folded up the blanket. He knew she’d want to practise and go for a run before their nine A.M training session and was surprised that she hadn’t already rushed off to start her day. He watched her closely, wondering what had changed, and hoping that maybe she was finally starting to come around to the possibility that their relationship could be worth holding on to.
NIKO FOLLOWED THE crowd of muttering students down the narrow staircase. Their morning training sessions had always taken place in the field outside, even when it was blisteringly cold with rain. So, when Elijah had announced that there would be a change of venue for their class, Niko, along with everyone else, had been thoroughly confused.
The underground passageway had gone on endlessly. Only able to walk down the stairs in single file, Niko had moved slowly, with Juliet at his back. When they’d finally reached the last step, they headed through a narrow passageway, but became stuck as several people ahead were blocking the exit. The path cleared when the doctor’s voice echoed through the hall, instructing them to move.
As he finally made his way through, Niko could understand what had stopped them in their tracks. The small passage opened out into an immense underground cavern. He couldn’t believe the size and vastness of the space.
Smooth, solid granite surfaces formed a cathedral-like ceiling from which enormous lights hung. Several arched passages lead off from the central room which Niko assumed led to other living areas. This must be where the Vampires are housed, he thought silently.
Sure enough, in the centre of the room stood a small group of Vampires, their eyes bloodshot and shoulders slumped from fatigue.
The Demons were greeted by a Vampire named Christoph, who they had met the night before. His body language suggested he had military experience, although from which war, there was no way for Niko to know.
“Thank you for joining us this morning.” He said, nodding to the group and Elijah in particular, who returned his nod grimly.
“Last night many of you had a valuable lesson in what it’s like to engage in hand-to-hand combat with a Vampire. Bear in mind, the clan was under strict instructions to hold back. You were all treated with kid gloves and a strict blood rule was enforced. Luckily, the training session was a success and I’m sure many of you learned a thing or two.” He took a step back and addressed his nocturnal students.
“Now it’s your turn.” He said.
“As you are well aware, it is currently day light. Many, if not all of you are feeling sluggish, your limbs are heavy, and every fibre of your being is telling you to go to sleep.” Niko noticed several of the Vampires looked at him with no hidden contempt, obviously what he said was true.
“You are at your weakest during daylight hours, you know this. They know this. Your enemies know this. The only way to overcome this is to learn how to fight when every instinct is telling you to run and find safety.”
Some of the Vampires shifted uncomfortable, clearly unhappy about the prospect of not having the upper hand in a fight.
“The blood rule still applies. This will make it harder again, but we can’t risk one of you going into a frenzy and killing someone. You will pair up with different partners to last night, to make sure you aren’t relying on learned patterns of attack. Let’s begin.”
Christoph paired off Vampires with Demons, matching Niko up with Eric and Juliet with Odette.
The first thing Niko noticed about his opponent was that he looked exhausted. Having never seen a Vamp during daylight hours, he hadn’t known what to expect. The dark circles under his eyes and grey pallor noticeable even on his dark skin, reminded Niko of a junkie going through detox.
Niko felt a nudge at his mental defences followed by a sharp stab. Eric sneered; he was clearly trying to find out his weakness before attempting a physical attack. Good luck, he thought. Ever since he and Juliet had gotten together, his mental strength had become unmatched. Not even Odette could get through anymore unless he let her.
Niko glanced over to Juliet, wanting to make sure she was faring well against her. Niko knew how cunning and quick Odette could be, after having sparred with her the night before. He realised his mistake a fraction of a second too late and Eric managed
to sneak out his leg, kicking Niko’s legs out from under him. He hit the floor hard but managed to regain his stance quickly before the Vamp could overpower him.
“I don’t know what she sees in you.” Eric said, once again the corner of his mouth turned up in an expression of disdain, but Niko was on to him; he knew that Eric was trying to goad him into attacking so that Eric could counterstrike.
“You follow her around like a love-sick puppy.” He said, beginning to circle Niko.
“It’s pathetic. Before you know it, you’ll be friend-zoned.” Niko ignored him, keeping focussed on Eric’s movements and blocking out his words.
“If I was you, I’d seal the deal before some other wanker comes along and fucks her.”
Niko saw red. A small part of his brain knew he shouldn’t take the bait. But the Demon in him wanted the fucker’s head and he lunged. He regretted it the second he saw Eric smile. The Vampire caught him mid-punch and used his own momentum against him, swinging him to the floor and pressing him down on the hard granite in a choke hold.
Niko fought him, trying to knock his arms away and kicking his legs madly. Wanting to do any kind of damage. But as slow as Eric was during daylight, he was still much stronger.
The small voice inside his head that hadn’t done him any good earlier now told him he should tap out. The fight would be over, and Eric would take the win, but he couldn’t do it. So, he kept fighting, running out of air with every second.
Everything began to blur as red spots formed around the edges of his vision, but still he fought on. Before he could black out, he heard a command that completely overpowered him.
“Niko, God damnit. STOP!”
He stilled instantly, obeying the silent instruction. After three seconds, Eric released his grip and Niko dragged in air. He sat up, coughing from the sudden rush of oxygen into his lungs.
Juliet stood nearby; her eyes wide as anger fizzled through their connection. Odette was by her side, a thinly veiled smirk replaced her usually indifferent countenance. Eric held out a hand to help him up and Niko gritted his teeth before accepting it.
“Sorry mate, no hard feelings, yeah? All’s fair ‘n that.” Eric said, looking sincerely apologetic.
Niko nodded as he rubbed his bruised neck and Eric leaned in to say softly, “To be fair, I totally get it. She’s totally shagable.”
Niko struck, he didn’t even hear the voice of reason, it apparently took offence as well. But Niko must have lost some of his speed after wasting so much energy fighting Eric’s hold, because he missed.
As Eric dodged the incoming punch, all Niko managed to do was scrape the side of his fist on Eric’s eyebrow piercing.
Then, a series of events took place within the span of only a few seconds. Firstly, Eric’s entire expression changed. He pulled his lips back in a vicious snarl which was matched by a guttural growl. He crouched, readying to attack. Several other growls echoed around the cavern at the same time and all of the Demons froze.
Moving so quickly that she was a blur, Odette took hold of Niko and flashed him to the tiny, ancient elevator, shutting him in and hitting a button on the outside. The elevator began its ascent and Niko watched with sickening dread as Demons fought Vampires to block them from coming after him. When a stinging on his hand caught his attention, he looked down at the smear of crimson that had triggered such a violent reaction and he cursed himself for being such a fucking idiot.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Still thinkin’ about ‘im?” Fiona asked Juliet, drawing her attention away from the falling snow outside her common room window.
The soft, white flakes had begun their decent early that morning and had already blanketed the entire grounds in a thick layer of alabaster snow by the afternoon.
“Sorry, what?” Juliet asked, not realising she had zoned out mid-conversation.
“Niko. You’re thinkin’ about ‘im, aren’t you?”
Juliet pursed her lips but didn’t deny it. It had been nearly two weeks since she’d seen him. Since he’d nearly gotten himself and a few others killed in some stupid attempt at chivalry.
To say that Juliet had been furious would have been a monumental understatement. After the Demons had finally managed to subdue the Vampires and get themselves out of the crypt, she’d stormed into Niko’s studio, expecting to find him waiting for her. When she’d found the room empty, it had doubled her anger. How was she supposed to tell him off for nearly getting them all killed, when he wasn’t there to yell at?
She’d reached out to him mentally, but he had blocked her out. The sting of that had caused her anger to fade. As more time had passed and Niko had continued to avoid not just Juliet, but everyone at Livingstone, her confusion and hurt had grown.
She could still feel him around, their connection confirming his presence. But he remained out of sight, leaving Juliet to worry.
Winter Solstice had come and gone with still no word from him. The Livingstone Witches threw an enormous party that included a feast beyond the likes of which Juliet had ever experienced. Measures were put in place to keep everyone indoors and well-guarded. There was an undercurrent of tension, with hushed whispers that another murder could take place right underneath the doctor’s nose.
Juliet had been convinced that Niko would show up, his apparent instincts to protect her should have made it impossible for him to stay away. But the night went off without incident and without any sight of or word from Niko.
In the meantime, Fiona’s mood had slowly begun to return somewhat back to normal. She was still spending almost all of her spare time practising spells and nose-deep in her Grimoire. But she had become talkative again and showed genuine interest in what was going on around her.
“I bet ‘e’s just waitin’ ‘til the storm’s blown over.” Fiona said, bringing Juliet’s attention once more to the room.
“I just don’t get it. Everyone’s moved on. Even Eric asked me the other day if I’d seen him. He said he feels bad about nearly killing him and everything.”
“I tink ‘e just needs some time to work ‘tin’s out.”
“What things?” Juliet asked.
Fiona shrugged her shoulders.
“Guys are mysteries. They act like dey’re all super simplistic like, but really, they’re worse at dealin’ wit’ their emotions than we are.”
Juliet sighed and returned her attention to the falling snow. She understood how Niko might have felt embarrassed for how he’d reacted in front of everyone, and probably felt guilty for putting everyone in danger. But she didn’t understand why he was shutting her out. And what confused her even more was how hurt she was by that. She wasn’t ready to admit that she was beginning to have feelings for Niko.
She heard Fiona go back to her book, the ruffling of thick paper telling her the interrogation was over. She plucked casually at the strings on her violin, for once not having the heart to practise despite having the extra time to, now that classes were on hold for Christmas. She sent a small tendril of thought out to him, not knowing if he could hear her but willing to give it a try anyway.
“Niko, if you can hear me, please talk to me... I miss you.”
FIONA’S SOFT WHISPER snuck its way through Juliet's dreams and brought her into the waking. Peaking one eyelid open, she made out that it was still dark and quickly closed it again, tucking her face back under her bedcovers.
“Juliet”
A knocking on her door continued and Fiona’s voice again called out her name.
“Juliet, you ‘ave to wake up. There’s somethin’ goin’ on, we ‘ave to go an’ check it out.”
Juliet thought Fiona must have finally lost the plot. There was no way she was getting out of bed in the dark to investigate weird goings-on. She rolled over, deciding Fiona would probably go away if she just ignored her.
“Fine, you leave me no other choice.” Fiona said more loudly. Juliet heard a click and a snap and the creak of her door opening before the room was suddenly thrown int
o blinding brightness.
Juliet moaned and pulled the covers up over her head, trying to block out the painful light.
“Get your lazy arse up, woman.” Fiona bellowed, shaking Juliet and tugging on the blankets.
They fought for a moment before Fiona finally won. The combination of fatigue and not having fed for two weeks left Juliet infuriatingly outmatched.
Sitting up in bed, she glared at the Witch who was currently standing at the end of the bed, with a look of triumph plastered on her face.
“C’mon. We’re late.” She said, she reached down and picked up Juliet’s fur lined boots and threw them at her before heading for her wardrobe.
Juliet gave up and pulled on the boots as Fiona returned and handed over her favourite thick white cardigan. She pulled it on as she followed Fiona on what was probably a wild goose chase. Six months of life at Livingstone had finally taught Juliet to just go with the flow. It didn’t take long for Juliet to realise where they were headed; the way to Niko’s studio was well off the beaten path.
“Fi, where are we going?” Juliet asked, wondering if Fiona knew about Niko’s studio.
Maybe she’d discovered it and, not know what it was to him, had decided to claim it as her own.
“You’ll see.” She responded.
Juliet could make out her smile in the dim light of the sunrise streaming in through the glassed walkway.
Arriving at the door to the studio, Fiona knocked three times and waited. Juliet wrapped the cardigan around her more tightly, not knowing what to expect. The door flew open in a rush and Juliet nearly laughed out loud at the sight of Scott standing in the doorway, a loose white beard hanging below an enormous grin.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas.” He bellowed in a surprisingly good impersonation as he patted his artificially plump stomach.
“You better come inside so you can sit on my knee and find out if you’ve been naughty or nice.” He said.
Fiona laughed and pushed him aside, making her way into the studio. Juliet followed and stopped just inside the door.