Cyprian moved to make good on his threat to kill Nick.
The instant he did, Grim appeared and grabbed his hand to stop it from happening. His face was twisted into a grimace of fury as he backhanded Cyprian with enough force to knock him several feet away.
Stunned into a practical coma, Nick didn’t move. He wasn’t sure what part he reacted to most. That Grim was here. That he dared to attack another Malachai.
Or that he was defending him. ’Cause the last time they’d been together, Grim had threatened to see Nick in his grave and to dance and whizz on it.
All while laughing and stabbing at him.
Yeah, this made the least amount of sense out of all this insane madness.
Grim glared at Cyprian. “Kill him now, fool, and you’ll end your own existence!”
Cyprian wiped at the blood on his lips. His breathing ragged, he glared at them both with an insanity that said he really didn’t care.
It was almost enough to put some fear in Nick’s spine. But his Cajun grit caught it before it could take root and sent it back down to the bowels of his mind so that it couldn’t interfere with his better sense. As if anything could ever give him some common sense.
And true to form, Nick jutted his chin to goad Cyprian and Grim both. “C’mon, boy. Come get some.” He let his wings out and his own Malachai form take over. Though to be honest, he had a bad feeling he was looking a bit wilted, and not up to his usual fearsome self.
Grim scoffed at his bravado.
Not exactly the reaction Nick was going for. It actually kind of stung his ego and hurt his feelings. And it made him eternally glad that Kody wasn’t here to see it. Doubly glad that neither Caleb nor Aeron witnessed the humiliation. Hard enough to look tough without his boys witnessing him getting dissed by the designer douche in bad clothes and knock-off Halloween gear.
But he couldn’t help that.
And none of it was enough to make him back down.
Throwing his hand out, Grim used his powers to pin Nick to the wall behind him. “You need to return to being the useless snot-nose, smart-mouth guttersnipe who was hustling tourists and hanging out with your loser friends after school. Now be a good boy and drink your water!”
Shaking his head at Grim, Nick tried his best to push against him with his own powers. He cursed silently as they continued to fail him. “Ah, Grimmy, baby, why would I start pleasing you now, when we both know nothing makes me happier than to give you IBS?”
“Let’s just cage him.” Cyprian flapped his own wings.
“He has things he has to do for the future to play out the way we need it to.”
“Then let me take his place. I know what needs to be done to set the future straight.”
Nick went cold.
Grim started to curl his lip then paused. He slowly arched a brow as if he were actually considering it.
Nick began to panic at the thought. Surely they couldn’t do that and get away with it. No one would fall for such a trick. Anyone could see through a fake copy. No one could be so stupid! “Ah bullcrap! That loser can’t pull it off. Ain’t nobody me, but me. My mama would know in an instant if he walked near her!”
And still Grim stroked his chin. “You know … you might be on to the solution, finally. You pulled it off once. Why not? Not even Acheron could tell you apart. Or Neria.”
Cyprian sneered at Nick. “Who says we need him here at all in the book? Lock him up. Feed him to the demons and weaken Noir even more.”
“A twofer. I like that even more.” Grim nodded. “All right. Let’s do it.”
Nick opened his mouth to protest.
But it was too late. They already had him caged.
CHAPTER 10
“Hi, Miss Kody. It’s so good to see you! You’re always so pretty and posh. Like a little angel from heaven. So how are you tonight?”
Kody smiled at the beautiful waitress as she came over to her table and set a glass of water down in front of her. “Fine, Mrs. Gautier. I’m supposed to meet Nick and do some homework. Is he in back, playing pool with Wren again? Or did Remi chase him upstairs to hide out with Alex?”
