“You are in a good mood.” Brynna started to scowl until her gaze went past him. By the shift in the air, his instincts told him someone with the highest level of supernatural abilities approached him from behind. Someone who was lethal and could kill him in a heartbeat. And without looking, he knew exactly who it was. A gifted celestial being whose qualities he was more than well acquainted with.
His heart even lighter, he turned and, blatantly ignoring the PDA laws of his school, wrapped his arms around Nekoda so that he could breathe in the light vanilla scent that was uniquely hers. Her brown hair was twisted up into a messy braid that framed a beautiful face. A face that held a pair of bright green eyes that never failed to set his blood on fire. Even though she’d originally been sent here to assassinate him before he fulfilled his prophecy of doom, and Caleb still had his doubts about trusting her loyalty to them, Nick couldn’t help his feelings for her.
She was his first love.
Honestly, he couldn’t imagine ever feeling like this about anyone else. And if he had to die, he’d rather it be by her hand than that of an enemy. His heart would always be hers, and no one else’s.
He gave her a tight squeeze. “And here’s the brightest part of any day. Good morning, cher.”
With a fierce frown, Nekoda brushed the dark hair back from his face. “You okay?”
Brynna smirked as she opened her locker. “Girl, he’s in a strange, strange mood. I’m wondering if Madaug’s been programming games again.”
Nekoda laughed nervously at the reminder of the Zombie Hunter game Madaug St. James had created that had accidentally turned half their football team into mindless zombies and caused their former coach to eat their previous principal.
“He hasn’t, has he?”
“No. Definitely not. He hasn’t even played Solitaire on his PC since that night.” Nick took Kody’s backpack from her hand so that he could carry it for her. “I’m alive. In New Orleans, where I’m supposed to be. Here with you, the most beautiful girl in the entire universe.” He kissed her cheek before he jerked his chin toward Caleb. “And we have King Grump scowling at us and plotting my death and dismemberment. All is right in this world. And I’m just really glad to be at this school, in this time where I belong, with all of you thinking I’ve lost my ever-loving mind.”
Caleb scoffed. “For the love of all that’s holy, would you stop saying that crap?” he ground out between clenched teeth. “Personally, I wouldn’t tempt the Fates, kid. They have a nasty way of ramming those pleasant thoughts down your throat and making you weep for them.”
Nick considered that for a moment. Then, closing the distance between him and Caleb, he couldn’t resist whispering the question that comment most begged for, “In a fight between the Malachai demon and the Fates, who would win?”
Placing a hand on Nick’s shoulder, Caleb gently shoved him back. “Beware of arrogance, Gautier. It’s a foul, fatal thing.”
“I was only postulating a question.”
The look on Caleb’s face was intense and chilling. “Pray you never find out the answer. The price of war is always a lot higher in the end than you think it will be when you go in for that first battle.”
Okay then…
Suddenly, a shiver went down Nick’s spine. Something he couldn’t quite identify. For a moment, he wasn’t in the hallway of his high school.
Rather, Nick stared down at himself as he stood inside the ruins of a Greek temple. A temple he remembered visiting one time before when he’d saved Nekoda’s life after she’d almost died in an attack on him.
Home of the enigmatic Artemis, goddess of the hunt.
Only the Greek goddess wasn’t here this time. He knew without being told that this was another glimpse of the horrific future to come.
The post-Apocalyptic future where he destroyed everything and everyone. Where he and his army laid waste to the entire world.
All of Olympus was on fire around him, and each temple had been leveled. Nick, in his true demonic form with black and red marbled skin and glowing eyes, stood defiant and strong, his wings tucked in at his back. His army hovered nearby, awaiting more orders from him. Blood from the ancient gods dripped from their armor.
And his.
Time slowed down as he watched himself searching the ruins, looking for something he seemed to have lost.
All sound stopped. He only heard his heartbeat. Fierce. Strong.
Defiant.
Ambrose…
He flinched at the unfamiliar voice in his head.
Well, crap. Unknown voices in his head was never a good sign. Especially when they wanted his undivided attention and used a name they weren’t supposed to know.
And as fast as it started, it ended.
Like a sped-up video file, everything around him caught up to real time. He was back at his school, in his hallway with Caleb, Brynna, Kody, and LaShonda staring at him.
“Nick?”