Takeshi rubbed at his chin. “What about your mom?”
“Taken care of. Caleb’s going to help me with that, too. We’ll find a way to stop it when I’m older and able to better handle this. I just need you to get me to the future, later on. Can you do it?”
Takeshi let out a deep breath. “I can do lots of things. But as Acheron says, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. And what you’re asking could get us both smacked down in ways you don’t understand.”
“I know. But I need you to do this for me … Please. Help me save my mom and Kody.”
Takeshi met Caleb’s harsh stare. “And you’re good with this, Malphas?”
Caleb let out a bitter laugh. “I don’t know. It’s Nick, so I’m sure it’ll get screwed up in ways we can’t even conceive. But he’s right. I don’t see any other way to get them out of here and control the disaster they’re bringing down on us.”
Nick handed Takeshi his grimoire. “In exchange for this favor, I’ll leave you with permanent custody of Nashira. You two can be together forever. With my blessings.”
He cursed under his breath. “My one weakness.”
“And Kody’s mine.”
Taking the grimoire, Takeshi clutched it against his chest as a tic worked in his jaw. “You found the one bit of leverage you knew I could never say no to.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m a Malachai. Fighting dirty is what we do best.”
“And you’re sure about this?”
He nodded. “It’s the only way. I just need a few hours to clean this disaster up.”
“All right. I’ll see you at midnight.”
Nick inclined his head to him. As he started past Caleb, his friend stopped him.
“It’s been my pleasure, Malachai.”
Those words actually made his throat even tighter as another wave of tears choked him. It took everything he had to hold them back because he knew Caleb didn’t say things like that lightly. “That must have hurt to say out loud.”
“Like the fires of hell scalding my tongue.”
Nick laughed. “Thank you, Cay. For everything you’ve done. For every wound you’ve taken in my name.” He held his hand up. “I wish I could always remember just what a great brother you’ve been.”
Caleb took it and pulled him in for a bro-hug. “I can’t believe I might actually miss you.”
“Yeah, me and kudzu. We defy all logic, and tend to grow on the most unlikely of things.”
Caleb clapped him on the back. “That you do.”
Nick handed his phone over. “I put everything in there you’ll need. Including the dates I know. Please, make sure nothing happens to Bubba and Mark.”
“I will do my best. But you know how they are. Can’t help what they get into when I’m not around and they’re determined to play with explosives and buckshot.”
Well, there was that.
“Take care.” Tapping him on the shoulder, Nick used his powers to teleport home. He had one last bit of business that he needed to see to.
Track down Cyprian.
This wasn’t going to be pretty. But if the truth were known, he was looking forward to it.
He’d barely reached his room before Xev was there, in human form.
“You’re not really planning this level of stupidity, are you?”
