Infinity Chronicles of Nick

chapter 16

Nick had his head against the glass, watching the road pass by as he struggled to keep from being ill. What was wrong with him?

"You're fighting me. Stop and you won't be sick."

He looked around the car to see if anyone else heard the voice in his head. His mom was still unconscious. Bubba was listening to the radio while Caleb sang along to Iron Man under his breath.

And as Nick looked at Caleb, he saw his friend's form change before his eyes. It was like he could see under Caleb's skin and that Caleb was no longer human. He was ...

"A daeva. A midlevel class of demon. Not innately evil. They were soldiers of an older time and place. Protectors or messengers for the ancient gods. In the case of Caleb, he was a feared general who is still capable of summoning and commanding legions of demons.

"FYI, Nick, not all demons are bad. Like people, they're complicated life forms with varying personalities and quirks. Filled with complex emotions, some are malevolent and some are good. In the case of Caleb, he's your protector. He would die to keep you safe.

"So before you judge him about being born a species he couldn't help any more than you could help yours, you should know that he's stayed in the background as a silent bodyguard who didn't step forward until he was needed to keep you safe.

"Really, do you think he's enjoyed being in high school with you and the others when he didn't have to be?"

Nick saw an image of Caleb with wings, his flaming orange hair long as he stood at the helm of a thousand demons, leading them to battle. His skin dark red, he had yellow eyes like a serpent's and he fought with the strength of a titan.

Nick shook his head. I'm going crazy.

"No, you're becoming aware of who and what you are. Of everything around you that has always remained hidden—just as I promised you you would."

Who are you? Nick asked silently.

"Ambrose ... and I'm also here to protect you. Listen to me, Nick, and I'll teach you everything you need to fight the creatures who are going to come for you. The ones who'll ru-in your life if you continue to live without the ability to see them and fight back."

Nick scowled. / dont understand. Whydidyourun from me at Madaug's?

"I wasn't running from you. I was trying to save your friend before the mortents hurt him.

But like you, he didn't listen to me."

Yeah, right. Why dont I believe this?

"It's true, Nick. Remember the little girl in the alley? The one who attacked you?"

Duh. Not like I could forget that Wes Cravenesque encounter anytime soon.

Then again, they'd done something to him that he had forgotten it. But now he remembered every single detail.

WTH?

"I told you they were called mortents. They crawled out of their hole, and this time, they claimed your friend Madaug and his family. They want to use his video game to control the living—because the living still possess their souls and their free will, living zombies are immune to our silkspeech and powers of manipulation. We can't control them like we can the dead. If the mortents can get the game from Madaug, they can use it to control you in particular, and they can build an army out of the living to attack the world."

Why me? I dont understand why this is happening and why theyd give two spits about controlling me. I cant even walk across the floor wthout getting grounded.

"Nick, you are key to some of the rawest, most potent powers ever created. The battles for your possession will scar you in ways you won't know until it's too late. If you listen to me, I can save you."

I'm key? Dude, you seriously have me mistaken for someone else.

"No, I don't. I, better than anyone else, know exactly how powerful you are and what you can do. And deep inside, you feel those powers too. You've spent your whole life denying them. Saying it was Menyara or a sixth sense. It's not a buried sense. It's your birthright and you have got to embrace it or you will lose everything that matters to you."

And if I dont believe this crap?

Images of a dark, frightening hole flashed in his mind. He saw himself in the future looking a lot like Ambrose. Alone. Bereft.

Tortured.

Most of all, he was inhuman and cruel. "If they can turn you evil, they will be rewarded and you will be ruined. And everyone you love will pay the price. "Everyone."

Nick shook his head in an effort to dispel the horrific images. Terror choked him as he feared becoming the monster his father was. Of becoming the creature he'd just seen. / dont want to be evil.

"You can't just say it and make it so. It's not that easy."

Of course it is. My mom tells me all the time that we decide between good and evil. What we are is completely up to us.

"And things drive us to make decisions that are beyond our control. Just like your mother.

You know how much she hates dancing and yet there she is every night, right on time, often working double shifts to bring in more money. For you. And you haven't been betrayed yet, Nick. You don't know what that's like. What it does to you. The scars it leaves that never fade."

Not true. Alan, Mike, and Tyree had all betrayed me. "And you want their blood for it." / want to bathe in it.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. That's the evil that's seducing you. The malevolent power that is crawling through your blood tempting you onto a treacherous path that will cost you everything you love and hold dear. You have to let that anger go before it's too late. Vengeance always turns inward and it will consume you until nothing's left but an empty hole that nothing can fill."

Nick bristled as he saw that night again—the glee in Alan's eyes as he pulled the trigger.

They shot me!

"And they will pay, but not by your hand. Trust me. Karma has her own plans for them and what she has in store is more painful than you could ever dream."

/ dont know about that. I have one great imagination. And letting it go is much easier said than done.

Ambrose laughed in his ear. "Believe me, I know."

All of a sudden, Nick saw Ambrose in the car beside him.

Translucent, he manifested on the other side of his mother, leaning against the car door as if he really was another passenger.

His dark eyes filled with absolute misery, Ambrose reached out and touched Nick's mother's cheek. There was so much anguish on his face and tenderness in his touch that it made Nick's stomach clench. Ambrose touched her as if she were a ghost who'd haunted him for centuries.

Most of all, he touched her as if she were unspeakably precious. Someone Ambrose had never thought to see again. Even Ambrose's lip quivered while he brushed his hand through her hair.

You love her, Nick sent his thoughts to Ambrose.

Ambrose nodded, then met his gaze so that Nick could see the sincerity burning in his eyes. "I would do anything to keep her safe. Anything to keep you on the right path."

And it was then Nick knew he could trust him. There was no way to fake that depth of emotion. He meant every word he said. Even though it kind of grossed him out that his father's brother loved his mom he believed Ambrose was trying to help them.

The look on Ambrose's face seared him. "Will you trust me, little brother?"

/ guess. But only as long as you don t betray me.

Ambrose gave a cocky grin. "I'm the last person who would ever do that, Nick. I would sell my soul and give my life to keep you from becoming what I am."

Nick nodded. Then tell me what I need to know

"You're going to have to learn to take control of the zombies.

Nick laughed out loud, which caused Caleb to jump in startled alarm and glare at him.

"Sorry," Nick said out loud. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Caleb snorted before he relaxed. "It takes more than you to scare me. Must be amusing in that head of yours, Gautier. But remember the rest of us aren't in there with you."

Yeah, only Ambrose seemed to have that power.

Nick returned his attention to Ambrose. Car lights shone through his body, making it shim-mer in the darkness. Can Caleb not sense you?

"Only if I allow it."

And obviously, he wasn't allowing anyone but Nick to see and hear him right now.

What are you? he asked Ambrose.

"We"—he indicated the two of them—"are the last of a cursed race. Which isn't necessar-ily a bad thing as it's our prime nature to hurt others. When they're weak and hurting, we swoop in for the kill. But I'm hoping you have enough of your mother in you that you'll learn to curb those impulses and learn to let the things go that I never could."

Nick hoped so too. / dont want to be anything like Adarian.

That eerie red tint returned to Ambrose's eyes—not that Nick needed a reminder that the creature next to him wasn't human. "Neither did he and he's not quite the jerk you think he is.

In time, you'll understand him better than you'll want to. And together, if we're lucky, we'll keep you from following in his footsteps. In the meantime, I have to teach you everything I know as quickly as I can."

What's the rush?

Orange flickered in his red eyes, like dancing flames. "My time's running out and soon I won't..." His voice trailed off. You wont what?

"I won't care anymore. About anyone or anything ... not even you." Ambrose took Nick's hand and manifested an ornate gold dagger in his palm. The pommel held an elaborate pattern that looked like a circle of ancient birds spiraling out. And on the cross hilt was a bloodred ruby that seemed to be radiating warmth. Nick frowned at it. What's this?

"The seal of the Malachai. With that dagger, there's nothing you can't kill. Gods, demons, zombies ... you name it or, more to the point, stab it and they'll all fall to you."

Why are you giving this to me?

"In part so that it won't tempt me, and so that you can cut through the zombies who'll come for you tonight." He took Nick's hand and laid his palm over the center of the dagger. "Close your eyes and imagine it the size of a pocket knife."

Do wiat?

"Trust me, Nick."

Nick did as he said and the moment he had the image in his mind, the dagger shrank.

Gasping, he opened his eyes to see it no longer than his index finger.

Ambrose handed him the sheath for it, which was a matching size. "You can carry it with you anywhere you go. To make it bigger, just imagine the size you want it. It can be a sword, a dagger, or a knife."

Are you serious?

He nodded. "It'll even go through airport security. No creature or machine will ever detect it." Howis that possible?

That familiar sadness returned to Ambrose's face. "I'm going to show you things you never thought possible. Show you a world you never dreamed existed. And for that I'm sorry. But it has to be done and better I show it to you than you learn it the way I had to."

It was obvious from his words and demeanor that he was a summa cum laude graduate from the school of massive groin kicks. And as Nick watched him stare at his dozing mother, he couldn't help wondering one thing. Howold are you?

Ambrose sighed before he answered. "I've lived hundreds of years."

Nick gaped in awe. Ambrose didn't look a day over twenty-four. Was it really possible to live that long?

Then again, Ash had. And with that thought came another one that he was dying to know, even though in his gut he already had a good idea of what the answer was.

What about my dad? Howold is he? 'Cause right now, Nick was going to bet he wasn't the midthirties he appeared to be, either.

Ambrose took his mother's hand into his and held it to his heart. "Much, much older than I am."

He'd suspected it, but the truth hit him like a cheap gut shot. He tried to imagine what it would be like to live through centuries. It had to be a lot of fun.

And extremely lonely.

Will I live that long?

"With luck, and I hope you live those years much happier than I have." Meaning?

"Meaning, I need you to focus. If you want to save Madaug, you need to listen to me or the mortents will eat both of you Pop-Tarts for breakfast."

I'm listening.

Ambrose cursed as the car slowed down. "We're at Kyrian's house. This'll have to wait."

Nick started to ask what he meant, but the moment he looked out the window, he understood. There was a small crowd of people gathered in front of the house. Male and female, half of them carried baseball bats and staves. Interesting weapons that made him wonder what they carried that he couldn't see.

Nick looked at Caleb. "Uh, is it just me or is that half our class?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking it's a reunion or, since it is our classmates, a collection of idiots. Let's call it a meese. Like geese, only with morons."

Bubba pulled into the driveway, where Tad was issuing orders to the others.

Nick got out first while Ambrose materialized beside him.

Tad had his back to them while he spoke to a group that included Kyle and Alex Peltier, Stone, Casey, but oddly enough no Brynna. "Since there are only four Dark-Hunters in the city tonight, they're doing everything they can to combat the Daimons, who are taking advantage of the zombie situation to come out in force and feed and blame the deaths on them."

Nick frowned at Caleb while Bubba went to the back to get his mom.

"What's a Daimon?" Nick asked Ambrose. "You really want to know?" "Enlighten me."

Astrange light flickered in Ambrose's eyes. "Soulsucking vampires. While theydrain humans of blood, they don't feed on that. They only drink the blood to kill you and then once you're dead and your soul leaves your body, they suck it into their bodies and live on its essence."

Nick took a step back in disbelief. "You're screwing with me."

Ambrose shook his head. "No I'm not, and you will one day be very intimate with several of them."

"I don't like your tone, Ambrose." Most of all, he didn't like what Ambrose was implying.

"You'll like it even less on the day you meet a Daimon named Stryker. But that's another story...." Ambrose indicated Tad with a jerk of his chin. "He, on the other hand, is a good friend to have. Entertaining as all get out."

Nick scowled as he listened to Tad's speech while Bubba carried his mom into the house.

"Since the Dark-Hunters are busy, Eric needs us. For those who haven't heard, who are wondering why you were called, his mother and brothers are missing. Taken, we think, by the bokor. Eric doesn't know where they are." His gaze went to Stone and the Peltiers. "We need you guys to help us track them and find them."

Stone sneered at the Peltiers. "They can't track for crap."

Alex started for him, but Kyle caught him and held him back. "You don't want to kill the wolf, A. They taste like dry chicken."

Stone stiffened in outrage. "Who you calling a chicken?"

"Bock, bock,"A\ex said with a grin. "If the beak fits ..."

This time several others came between them as Stone lunged for Alex.

Tad growled at them. "Were-Hunters down. This is not the time for /all to be acting up. We need you."

Nick scowled. There was that word again. And in spite of what Tad had said, he was convinced itwasn'ta gamer's term.

Russell turned around and saw him and Caleb. "How long have the mundanes been here?"

Caleb scoffed. "Not mundanes, dweeb. We have more right to be here than any of you."

Stone sneered at Caleb. "You're out of your element here, Malphas."

Caleb opened his hand. Just like Ambrose had done in the alley, he manifested a fireball.

He threw it at Stone so that it landed at his feet and illuminated Stone's entire body. "Don't cross me, Scooby-Doo. I'm not an old man in a mask waiting to be thwarted by you meddling kids."

Tad nodded. "And Gautier is now working for Kyrian. It's not like he's not going to find out what we are sooner or later."

"And what are you?" Nick asked.

Carl Samuel, one of Tad's friends who had blond hair and blue eyes, stepped forward.

"We're multigenerational Squires.

"Which means what?" Nick asked. "You prance around with tinfoil armor and plastic swords pretending to be knights?"

Carl laughed while Russ insulted both Nick's intelligence and parentage.

Tad ignored them as he answered the question. "We are humans in the service of the goddess Artemis who help her and her soldiers protect mankind from the evil that preys on us. St. Richard's is our New Orleans training ground for those of us who come from a long line of Squires."

"Yeah," Carl said. "It's why some of us haven't been real welcoming to you. We don't like being with mundanes who don't know about us. No offense."

No offense? Most of them had been royal jerks to him.

Carl indicated the Peltiers and Stone. "They're shapeshifters. Most of the football team is."

His gaze went to Caleb. "We didn't know about you and your powers."

Caleb shrugged. "There was never any need for you to know about me, and none of you will know about me when you get up in the morning, either."

Stone snorted. "That don't work on us."

"Oh yeah, Scooby, it does. You and I have gone round many a day. I'm the reason you keep thinking you've had alien abductions."

Nick laughed. "I knew there was a reason I always liked you.

Caleb leaned forward, between Nick and Ambrose, then said in a low tone, "By the way, boss ... you're not as covert as you think, and I've heard everything you told the kid in the car." He looked straight at Ambrose. "Nice coat, but I prefer the black suit you had on the last time we met."

Ambrose made a Vader move that made it look like something had grabbed Caleb in an invisible choke hold. "Don't push your luck, Malphas."

Caleb relaxed as Ambrose moved away. "You know, Nick, I like you so much better than that prick."

For some reason, Nick wasn't sure that was a compliment.

"All right," Tad said, demanding everyone's attention again. "We need to break into four groups and see what we can find.

Alex Peltier indicated Nick with his thumb. "I'll head out with Bubba, Nick, and crew."

"All right. If anyone finds anything, remember to call it in, and we move as a group. I don't want anyone to be a hero. We don't need to die tonight."

Nick still wasn't sure what was happening as Alex came over to them. "Why did you pick us?"

"I like helping the newbs and most of the rest of them get on my nerves. If nothing else, Bubba and Mark are always good for a laugh."

Nick's stomach hit the ground. "Yeah, but I think the zombies ate Mark." "What?" Alex looked shocked.

"Yeah," Caleb said sadly. "When we were at Madaug's house, the undead zombies attacked and we haven't seen or heard from him since. It's not looking good."

Alex appeared ill. "That's a shame. I really liked whenever Mark would drink too much and play cards with my uncles and Eros. It's highly entertaining."

Nick indicated the door with his thumb. "I'm going to check on my mom and Bubba. I'll be right back." He took a step, then paused and returned his attention to Alex. "Are you really a shapeshifter?"

Alex nodded. "You know the club Sanctuary on Ursulines?" "Yeah."

"My family owns it and almost all of us are shapeshifters." Nick shook his head. "Get out."

"Nah, for real."

Nick knew he wasn't kidding, but it was really too much to believe. "So what do you turn into?" "A bear."

Nick laughed as he finally understood one of Sanctuary's long-standing traditions. "You the bear people wrestle for free drinks?"

"Nah. That's my uncle Quinn."

And on that note, Nick went inside to find his mom. Bubba was in the living room talking to Phil. He interrupted them only long enough to find out where Bubba had taken her, then he headed up to the guest room.

Entering the bedroom, Nick approached the huge bed that was decorated with maroon and gold, and looked down at his mom as she slept. She looked so frail against the dark gold sheets.

Protect your mama, boy. His father's voice rang in his ears, but he didn't need to hear his dad to know his obligations. He was the man of the house and it was his job to protect her.

Even when she didn't want it.

And right now, they had to go stop an apocalypse and hopefully save a friend. Not to mention the city that would be overrun by zombies soon if they didn't get to the mortents and drive them back to their hole.

Nick shook his head at the irony. Just yesterday his biggest concern was catching up in chem class after having been shot. Now it was saving the world.

I'm too young for this....

"Unfortunately, you're not."

He turned at the sound of Ambrose's voice. "Where'd you go?"

"To get this." Ambrose handed him an old leather-bound book that was just a hair larger than a thin paperback novel.

Nick opened it, then frowned as he saw nothing but blank pages. "What is this? A journ-al?"

"Your grimoire. As you unlock your powers, incantations will appear that will allow you to further hone your skills. Pages will be added."

"Isn't that backwards? Shouldn't I have instructions first?" Ambrose shook his head. "It doesn't work that way." He indicated Nick's pocket. "You still have the dagger I gave you?

"Yeah."

"Pull it out and place it on the first page."

Nick set the book on the dresser since he only had the one arm. He pulled out the dagger and did what Ambrose said. The moment he did, a peculiar script wrote itself across the page in bloodred ink. He started to ask Ambrose what it said, but as he looked at it, he understood.

How could that be?

The veil is thin and so you see. What lies beneath the surface tree. In this regard they'll never fool. But still be wary of becoming their tool.

Ambrose took the dagger from his hand and used it to prick his fingertip.

Nick cursed. "What are you doing?"

Ambrose didn't answer. Instead he let three drops of blood splash on the page. "Dredanya eire coulet,"he whispered as they fell. Then the blood droplets rushed in a circle before they exploded and added more words to the page.

Tonight the moon rises full.

And you w'll feel evil's pull.

Stand strong and fight them to the end.

Only by remaining faithful w'll you w'n.

Ambrose handed him the dagger back. "Anytime you want advice or instruction, you can use that spell. In time, you'll be able to use it to find prophecy and foretell the future."

Nick gaped. "Really?"

Ambrose inclined his head. "And on that note, I have to go." He did look a bit pale, like something was draining his powers. "Good luck, Nick."

"Thanks."

Ambrose inclined his head before he faded out.

Nick took one last look at his mom, then the book, before he slid it into his back pocket.

Steeled by determination, he left the room and went downstairs, where Phil and Bubba were still talking. He'd overheard Phil saying earlier that Kyrian had told him to come and look after him and his mom.

It didn't make sense to Nick that Phil would be at Kyrian's beck and call, but far be it from him to question it. If he knew anything it was that adults didn't like telling kids anything they didn't have to.

Phil smiled at him. "Don't worry, Nick. I'll protect her till you get back."

Bubba eyed Phil suspiciously. "I don't know if there's much you could do if someone broke in."

An insidious smile curved Phil's lips. "Don't let the suit fool you. I promise I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Nick frowned as he saw the strangest thing ... it was a spiderweb tattoo on Phil's hand.

Granted it was faint, but there was no missing it. It completely went against Phil's posh dress and upper-crust demeanor. "That's cool. You get it when you were young?"

Phil covered the tattoo with his other hand. "I did indeed." "Nick?" Bubba said to get his attention. "We need to head out."

He thanked Phil for watching after his mom before he followed Caleb, Alex, and Bubba to the SUV. Nick sighed as he got in and took his seat. "Is it just me or has this been the longest night?"

Bubba snorted. "You do what I do, kid, and they get even longer."

Nick noticed there was a thick air of sadness around Bubba as he started the truck.

"You're worried about Mark?"

Bubba bristled as if offended by the question, but Nick recognized that bluster. Bubba was definitely upset and concerned. "Why would I be worried about him? He's a tough little son of a biscuit eater. No zombie could get him. He's better than that."

But Nick could hear the truth in that gruff tone. Tough or not, it only took one hit to end a life, and that was what they were all keeping in mind as they headed out.

"So, Alex?" Bubba asked. "How you going to track?"

Alex held up a small handheld device. "GPS." He turned around in the seat to wink at Caleb and Nick.

Bubba wasn't so easily fooled. "How are you getting coordinates?"

"Madaug's cell phone."

"Ah, okay. Just tell me where to go."

Alex gave a sly grin as if he was holding back. After a second, he closed his eyes and Nick could tell he was using some kind of preternatural powers to seek out Madaug and his family.

While he did that, Bubba turned on the radio, which was playing an emergency broadcast signal that was followed by a newscaster telling them the mayor was issuing a citywide curfew due to a vicious outbreak of severe flu.

Caleb scoffed. "I told you they'd blame this on a disease."

Bubba turned left down Canal. "They don't want people to start panicking. For once I can't blame them. The more people on the street, the more vies in the morgue."

The newscaster continued. "The police are implementing a citywide curfew. All residents are urged to stay in while they secure the Quarter. Anyone found outside will be arrested."

"And all zombies will be shot," Nick added with a laugh.

"Should we head back?" Alex asked.

Bubba shrugged. "That's what common sense would say. What do you think?"

Nick leaned back in his seat. "Far be it from me to ever let my common sense get in the way of my stupidity. I say we press on. Caleb?"

He flashed a cheesy grin. "What's an arrest record anyway? Me, Alex, and Nick are minors."

"To infinity then."

Nick frowned at Bubba's words. "What's that mean?"

"It's something my dad used to say when I was a kid. To infinity, meaning you'd see something through to the end."

Nick didn't get it. "Infinity is never-ending."

"That's right, which means you keep going and going no matter what happens or what obstacles you meet. Over, under, around, or through. There's always a way. And if you have to chase something to infinity, strap on your big-boy pants, hiking boots, and go."

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, something slammed into the SUV.

One minute, they were fine.

The next, they were spinning out of control.