Dread Nemesis of Mine

chapter 27

The truth hurts. Especially when you have to tell someone you love your future as a member of the walking dead is only days or hours away. But I wouldn't let pain prevent me from telling the woman I loved. After all we'd been through, I owed her that.

Elyssa's eyes widened as though I'd just stabbed her in the heart when I gave her the lowdown. "Let me see right this instant, Justin."

I pulled up my pants leg to reveal two blackened puncture wounds surrounded by pale flesh. I usually healed within minutes, depending on the severity of the wound. Not this time. A shudder ran up my back at the realization of how deadly serious this situation was. Time was ticking. Every beat of my heart carried infection further into my body.

Tears ran down Elyssa's cheeks as she knelt to examine the wound. Her face tightened with anger. "Why didn't you tell Meghan?" She stood, arms akimbo, lips trembling. "We have to tell her this instant!"

"There's no cure," I said, reaching a hand to caress her cheek.

She slapped my hand away. "How—how could this happen?" Her hand wiped away the tears. "I'm not going to just let you die. Meghan can put you to sleep like Felicia. I'll find Nightliss myself."

"And if my fallen angel can't heal me, what then?" I gripped her shoulders. "I'm not going into suspended animation. If Nightliss can't heal me, I want to be awake and fighting until the end." An inhuman growl vibrated deep in my chest as sudden anger surged. "Maximus is mine to kill."

Elyssa's eyes widened. She backed away a step. "Is that what you really want? To kill him? Even if it kills you?"

I pictured Maximus's leering face leaning over me as I lay strapped and helpless, his blood slave for eternity. He'd kidnapped my father. Infected Felicia. Killed scores of Templars. He was an egomaniac, born and bred for destruction by Daelissa herself. A cancerous tumor on the Earth. He had to die.

"Yes," I said, my voice oddly calm despite the sea of boiling rage building in my chest. "I do."

She blanched. "I'm not saying you're wrong. Maximus is rotten to the core. But why do you sound so bloodthirsty? It's not like you."

Maximus laughs. He stands back from the table and points at me as he, Dash, and the Master laugh until they cry while I struggle with futility against the bonds. Rage. Fury. Frustration. My emotions roil through me in a tidal wave. I will destroy—

"Justin?"

I gasped and looked at Elyssa, the vision of my tormentors vanishing like smoke. "I—I don't know." The anger washed away, draining back into the dark depths from which it came. "Maybe I'm just tired. We've been through so much crap. And the dead—god, I don't even want to think about it."

Color returned to her cheeks. She graced me with a wan smile and hugged me, pressing her head against my chest. "We've all been through too much. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose me either."

She looked up at me. "We'll rest. And then we'll talk to Meghan."

"It won't do any good."

"Please."

I sighed. "If it'll make you feel better. But Nightliss might know a cure."

She nodded. Smiled. "Thanks."

After a long hot shower, I called Stacey. Nightliss had been hanging with my felycan friend during her days as a little black cat. I hoped she might know where the angel was.

"Justin, you sound absolutely awful, love," Stacey said in her British drawl. "Whatever is the matter?"

"Oh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that." I recited a five-minute summary of the past few days.

She took in a sharp breath. "Why the bloody hell didn't you ask me and Ryland to come help? You know I do so enjoy fisticuffs against those vile bloodsuckers."

I laughed. "I might still need your help. Maximus escaped. We think he's back in Atlanta."

"Well then, lamb, we shall have to be sure his return is short-lived." She sniffed. "Now, as for Nightliss, Ryland and I will scour the area for her. I'll have my friends—"

"Your cats?"

"Indeed. They form quite an informative network. Ryland can ask his doggie friends for help."

"Hey now, cupcake," came a gruff voice from the phone. "They're wolves, not dogs."

"Hey, Ryland," I said.

"Howdy," he replied, his voice growing louder in the speaker. "I see you managed to go almost a week before stirring up trouble again."

A smile caught my lips. "I get bored easily."

"Ain't that the truth." He paused. "I do have news of your little angel friend."

Breath caught in my throat. "You do?"

"Wait a bloody moment," Stacey said. "How do you have news?"

"Wolves are smarter than cats for one thing," he said.

Stacey made a cute growling noise. "Someone doesn't want cuddle time tonight."

It was time to steer the conversation back on track. "Uh, guys, back to Nightliss. What do you know?"

Ryland cleared his throat. "A group of dark Arcanes was killing off supernaturals in San Francisco with nasty black magic. Rumor has it a young Arcane woman formed a coalition of supers to fight back. They were losing the fight until a woman matching Nightliss's description swooped in and helped them win."

"When was this?" I asked.

"About a day ago. Heard it from a lycan buddy of mine who was involved. He said she came outta nowhere, like an avenging angel."

"Anything else?"

"Not that I know of, but I'll have him ask the Arcane. Maybe she knows."

"Please do. It's literally a matter of life or death."

"Ain't it always?"

I spoke with them a few more minutes and ended the call after promising to contact them when I returned to Atlanta. Because I hadn't heard a word from Shelton during all this mess, I gave him a call next. He answered after several rings.

"Where the hell have you been?" I asked.

"Too much to explain." He sounded weary. "The past caught up to me, and I've trying to outrun it ever since. Should have known not to go back there, damn it."

"Crap, Shelton, why didn't you come to the Templar compound?"

He snorted. "Once I found out about the ambush the vamps pulled on you, I tried. It would've been a suicide mission." He sighed. "Look, I hate to be a disappointment and all, but I took the arch back to Atlanta. I had to pull a lot of favors just to do that."

Disbelief went through me. "Back in Atlanta? What's going on with you? Are you okay?"

"Too much to explain. Let's just say I didn't have a choice."

"Wow. Okay, I guess." I shook my head, wondering just who didn't like Shelton around these parts. Then again, considering he'd been in league with some dark people, including Vadaemos Slade at one point, he probably had as many enemies as I did.

Shelton apparently took my silence for his cue to say something. "Since you're talking on the phone, I assume you survived the ambush."

"I think my story is as long as yours," I said, and gave him an abbreviated account of events.

He blew out a low whistle. "And I thought I had it bad. Geez kid, you don't go halfway."

"We have to find Nightliss, Shelton. I know you just went through some kind of escapade yourself, but—"

"Hey, I'm on it." He chuckled. "Not a boring moment with you around."

"Tell me about it."

"Well…" he trailed off. "I guess I'll go."

"Glad you're okay." I remembered something. "Oh, and Bella's been asking about you—Harry."

"Uh, how nice."

"Is there something going on I should know about?" It took some effort not to laugh at his obvious discomfort. I just wished I could have asked him face-to-face.

"She's cute."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Another pause. "I'm gonna go now and hunt down an angel, okay?"

"Thanks."

"No problemo." He ended the call.

Elyssa emerged from the shower, a towel wrapped around her body. Leaning her head to the side as she dried her hair with another towel, she said, "Any luck?"

I nodded and relayed what I'd found out.

"Well, it's a start." She pressed her hands to my face and kissed me. "I'm so tired. It's always one thing after another."

"It never ends."

"I just want to forget everything. The pain, the anger. I want to let it all go." Her kisses became more insistent. "Just for one night."

I ran a hand up her neck, gripping her damp hair tight as need and desire swept me in a flood. "I just want you." My voice came out rough. "You're all I ever wanted."

She tore off my shirt. Pushed me onto the bed, and straddled me. Leaned down, her hair hanging in damp, tangled braids to both sides, violet eyes glowing with hunger. Her soft lips pressed against mine. I felt her fangs nip my lower lip. She ran kisses down my neck, groaning softly.

I gripped the towel and pulled it off, flinging it away to reveal her slender, athletic body. With a twist, I flipped us around, pinning her beneath me.

"You won't be needing these," she said, unbuckling my pants and pushing them down.

Brushing aside the raven dark hair from her face, I looked down upon her full lips, at the fangs protruding ever so slightly from beneath. I kissed her upper lip. Her bottom lip. Leaned into her neck and drew in the heady scent that drove me wild.

"You smell so…amazing," I said and pulled the sheets over us.

I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. I pulled on my pants before answering.

"Oh!" Katie stood there, face blushing red, eyes wide as she stared at me. She reached a hand toward my stomach. Pulled it back, as if reconsidering. "God, I just want to touch your six-pack."

"Hello, Justin," said a calm, familiar voice.

I flinched, spotting the gray man as he stood motionless in the twilight outside. "What time is it?"

"Almost evening," Katie said. "The Templars brought us back here, although I had to convince them not to take poor—uh—whatever his name is and toss him into a cell." She jerked a thumb toward the golem. "I slept like a rock. Holy crap was I tired." Her eyes wandered up my torso. "Anyway, when I woke up, I came over here and found him sitting outside on that bench over there." She pointed out a wooden bench along a path leading through the compound. "It was kind of creepy."

"I did not intend any creepiness," the golem said.

"Weren't you bored?" Katie asked.

"I'm not familiar with being bored. Is this something I should attempt?"

"Not if you want to be bored," I said.

His head tilted. "I do not know enough about being bored to either want or not want it."

"Poor thing," Katie said, shaking her head. "He doesn't know much."

"Hang on," I said, and went back inside to grab a shirt.

"Is that Katie?" Elyssa asked, sitting up in bed.

"And the gray man."

She groaned. "Let me get dressed."

After we were properly clothed, I invited Katie and the golem inside and told her about my efforts to find Nightliss in the hopes Felicia could be saved.

Katie snapped her fingers. "Wait a minute. Now it makes more sense."

"What does?"

She pulled out an arctablet and accessed a document. "Underborn gave me access to a ton of information, like Templar crime reports, stuff like that, when I was studying for my undercover role. I found reports from all over the world where bad guys were being mean and all, and then a mystery woman showed up to save the day. But there were some weird cases where they described a blonde woman helping. Nightliss is short, has an olive complexion, and black hair, right?"

"Yeah, unless she can change her appearance, Daelissa is the only blonde angel I know of," I said, "and I can't imagine her being helpful to anyone. Back up for a minute—you're saying Nightliss has been spotted all over the world by the Templars?"

Katie gave a nod. "Mostly Templars. There were reports from normal sources too, like random people with cameras or posting to social websites. Ireland, Paris, and Johannesburg, I remember for sure."

"And you're sure Nightliss is the person in these reports?"

"The descriptions are so similar it'd have to be a big coincidence. Plus, some reports mention dark, smoky wings."

"Yeah, that about nails it," I said. The angel didn't have wings per se, but when she was using her magic, smoky apparitions in the shape of wings appeared, spreading from her back.

"Your angel has been a busy little bee," Elyssa said. "Didn't she give you some way to contact her?"

Katie arched her eyebrows. "Yeah, like a phone number? Email address?"

"No." I sighed. "Not even a friend request. She wanted me to choose a side. Her side. Then she could give me a gift, which I assume meant I could contact her whenever."

"And you didn't decide?" Elyssa said, brow wrinkled. "After all the times she's helped us?"

I pushed away from the table and paced. "I know, I know. Seems like a big mistake in hindsight." My gaze found Elyssa. "But what if I choose wrong? What if Nightliss isn't what she seems to be?"

"Seems like a slam dunk," Katie said. "At least from what you've told me."

I dropped back into my seat. "Yeah. Maybe it is." I definitely regretted my indecisiveness now. Time was against me and Felicia. To make matters worse, Maximus was still free and probably up to his old games. Every minute I sat here was another minute my nemesis could fortify his position and another heartbeat closer Felicia and I were to un-death. I'd been inside his Atlanta compound while saving my father. While it wasn't built like a fort, there were only few ways inside. Risking open war with him might expose the Overworld. The Templar Custodians had barely kept things under control in Bogota. In Atlanta, it would be almost impossible.

If noms discovered the existence of the supernatural in their midst, all hell would break loose. At this stage of the game, however, it might not matter, especially if Daelissa managed to restore the Grand Nexus and allow her people back into our world. Their reemergence would give a whole new meaning to hell on Earth.

"Why didn't Nightliss help us with Maximus?" Katie said. "All the stuff she's done, and she didn't lift a finger to help. You could have died."

I had to admit, it worried me a little bit. Nightliss had proven herself powerful and capable. But she'd also told me she wasn't fully recovered from the destruction of the Grand Nexus centuries ago. She might be overextending herself. Sitting here was no longer an option. I had to find her. I had to stop Maximus.

My calf throbbed, sending a jolt of pain up my body.

I struggle against the tight bonds. Dash leans toward me, his eyes wild and crazy. He throws back his head and laughs. Skin flakes from his cheeks, his nose, his mouth, leaving raw muscle and bone. Blood streams from his eyes and ears, trailing down his throat. Still, he continues his hysterical laughter as I look up, helpless.

Fury burns through me. Blinding pain jabs into my skull. I will kill them. Kill them all. The table beneath me groans. Bends. Snaps in two. I am free. Free!

"Justin!"

My face stung. Rubbing my cheek, I looked at Elyssa. She and Katie's expressions were filled with uncertainty—maybe even fear. "What—where?"

"You were shaking. Yelling." Katie looked down.

I looked at the table. I'd gripped it so tight, the metal had bent. "Uh." Words failed me. "I guess I'm stressed out more than I thought."

"That would be putting it mildly," Katie said.

Elyssa touched my hand. "We need to talk with Meghan."

"Can't it wait?"

Her eyes went hard. "You promised."

I jerked my hand out from beneath hers. "Fine. Let's go."

"If it is acceptable to you, Justin, I will remain here." The gray man had hardly spoken a word since taking a seat in the corner of the room.

I nodded. "Sure."

"Perhaps I will attempt being bored as you suggested earlier. It sounds interesting."

"It's not all that interesting," I said. "Why don't you practice being happy instead? We could all use a little more happiness right now."

He tilted his head. "I will consider it, Justin."

We left him in his corner, and walked to the infirmary where we found a team of healers treating Templars wounded from the day before. Meghan saw us and approached.

"Any luck finding Nightliss?" she asked.

"Not yet." I sighed. "Can we speak somewhere private?"

Her eyebrow quirked. "Sure." She led us outside the squat adobe building and took us behind it. Turned to face me. "What's on your mind?"

"Show her," Elyssa said, voice tight.

"What's wrong?" Katie asked. "Justin?"

I pulled up my pants leg.

Meghan's eyes went wide. "Oh no."

Katie gasped. "Justin. Please don't tell me that's—"

"It's a vampling bite." The punctures were as black as the day before. The skin around them looked slightly bruised.

"Do you want me to suspend you?" Meghan asked, kneeling to run her wand over my skin. "The rate of infection seems much slower than usual, so you might have more than a few days before—before the end."

I glared at Elyssa. "See? No cure. Waste of time."

Her jaw went tight. "It is not a waste of time. Now we know your infection isn't spreading fast. We have time to find Nightliss."

I wanted to feel reassured, I really did. Instead, the clock in my head just ticked louder.

Nightliss, damn it, where are you?

I wanted nothing more than to see her. To know help had arrived. A wave of dizziness washed over me. It took everything I had not to stagger as my balance teetered on the brink. I didn't want to give Elyssa any excuse to make me take the Sleeping Beauty option from Meghan. I might have days or a week, but the truth was obvious now. This infection was as relentless as the vamplings.

And it wouldn't stop until I was dead.