by J. J. Dean
The world around me begins to fade, growing dimmer and increasingly bland the more I writhe in agony. Colours look less vibrant, and the sky grows to look a dull grey. My vision flickers in and out of darkness, but my sight always comes back to the miserable grey sky above me.
The edges of my vision grow darker and darker until it's flickering between black nothingness to blurred visions of the sky, and everything grows quiet. It's as though the world has stopped, and I'm suspended where I am, gazing at a monotonous empty sky while I burn. Numbness begins to replace the white hot pain when it grows to be too much. My body starts to shut down, and everything fades away entirely.
The last thing I see is the lifeless sky above me that suddenly turns completely black.
****
My eyes snap open, and my body jostles, eliciting a sharp cry of pain when a piercing sensation breaks out in my shoulder and lower back.
"Hey, hey. Don't move, babe. It's going to hurt for a little while but just don't move, okay?" Nix's deep baritone reaches my ears. It soothes me instantly, and I feel tears prick my eyes. "There we go. That's better."
As soon as I relax into the bed I've woken up in, I feel the aches and pains more strongly than before. My body feels like one giant bruise, as though I've been used as a punching bag for the world's strongest Natural. My head is pounding like there's a drum solo playing on repeat in the confines of my skull, moving hurts too much for me to even attempt, and there's a throbbing pain in three different spots on my body.
Even my hair hurts.
Nix's face comes into view as he leans over the bed to look at me. "I have never been so relieved to see a mismatched set of eyes in my life before."
I try to give him a smile, but my dry lips crack, and it does nothing but add to my miserable situation. His hand rises to my hair away from my face, but he doesn't move away immediately. Instead, he gently cups my face in his large hand and strokes a thumb over my cheekbone. The sensation is such a stark contrast to how my entire body feels that a tear slips out from the relief of a soothing touch.
When I try to speak, it's nothing but a high rasp that simply hurts. I lick my lips and swallow a couple of times before trying again. My words are choppy and strained, but I push the sentence out, "How long... been out...?"
"How long have you been unconscious?" Nix asks, looking over my face with rapt attention. I give him a pathetic nod, but he catches it easily. "A week. You've been out cold for seven days, almost going on eight."
My eyes slide away from his face, and I see the darkness outside the beautiful french doors Spencer created for me. So, I'm in my new room. I don't have any memory of the car stopping or being brought into the house, but that's no surprise. I'm just relieved to be home and away from Davis and his goons.
"What... time...?" I struggle to ask.
"It's three in the morning, babe. You chose a great time to wake up." He snorts, but the humour dies quickly. I haven't seen him look so solemn until right now. "I forced the others to get some rest, so they're all downstairs sleeping. I'm a light sleeper, so they agreed it was best I stay here for when you finally opened those pretty eyes of yours. I was sleeping in the rocking chair when you woke up."
I nod again, but it's all I can manage. Whatever energy I'd gathered was used to rasp out those two questions. Keeping my eyes open becomes a struggle, and Nix notices immediately.
"Get some more rest, babe. I'll be here all night if you wake up before the sun." He leans over me to drop the gentlest kiss to my forehead. Where his lips meet my skin, the ache leaves. It's like his kiss is a cooling balm for the pain.
I give him another attempt at a smile when he moves back, and he offers me one in return. My eyes begin the flutter closed, exhaustion creeping up on me, so I settle further into the soft pillows behind my head.
The bed dips beside me, and my body jostles slightly, causing me to wince. "Sorry! Sorry, trying to be careful."
I drag my eyes open and slowly turn my head to the right. Nix is lying on his side next to me, making the smallest movements to get comfortable in my bed without moving me too much.
I give him another smile, one that doesn't seem to hurt as much, and my fingers twitch where they're resting on my lower abdomen. Nix catches the movement and lifts his hand, resting his over mine carefully, his skin barely touching the back of my hand. Ignoring the ache in all of my joints, I flex my fingers until his intertwine with mine. I clutch his hand as tightly as I dare and smile at him again before my eyelids grow heavy, and I start to drift to sleep.
The last thing I see is Nix's ocean eyes, the two scars through his eyebrow, and the soft smile that makes my heart hiccup in my chest.
Chapter 18
Novia
When I wake up next, the sun is shining through the open doors and windows. A light breeze floats through my room, rustling my hair slightly and cooling the heat that surrounds the right side of my body.
I turn my head slowly, noticing the ache in my body has lessened, but not enough for it to go unnoticed. My eyes land on Nix's handsome face, smoothed out with sleep. He's still sleeping on his side, hand in mine resting between my breasts. I clutch his hand tighter, lifting my other hand to rub against his. I'm already so used to Nix's touchy feely nature that I don't even bat an eye at our position. It's nice having him so close.
"Morning, sleeping beauty," Nix whispers, his sleep-roughened voice sending shivers down my spine.
"Hey," I near whisper, my voice still sounding raspy and dry. "What time is it?"
There's shuffling from beside the bed, and I turn my head to see Spencer sitting in a rocking chair that I don’t remember seeing before. There's a bandage on his bicep where I remember him being injured by a tranquiliser bullet. Other than that, he looks good. He pulls up his phone and softly says, "It's just past seven in the morning. How are you feeling?"
I shift in bed, groaning from the lingering aches as I turn over to face Spencer. I keep Nix's arm snugly against my chest, which causes him to shuffle closer to me until his entire front is plastered to my back, and his body heat seeps into me. For some reason, I can't bear to let him go right now, but he doesn't seem to mind if the contented sigh I hear from him is anything to go by.
"My body still hurts, and my back isn't so great. I'm still exhausted, and I feel weak and depleted. I feel like shit," I tell him honestly.
Spencer winces but nods. "You were shot three times, and one only grazed your waist. One ended up just below your shoulder blade, and the other got you three inches from your spinal cord."
"That explains the sharp pains I'm getting in my back then," I comment, nodding.
Spencer glances at Nix past my head and then brings his eyes back down to mine. "They weren't just ordinary bullets, sweetheart. They were-"
"I know what they were." My eyes close briefly. "They used me for a trial run on the first set they created. The ones Davis shot me with were stronger though. The first bullets only felt like someone had touched me with scalding metal. These... these were different. Felt like my entire body was on fire."
Nix's arms grow tighter around me, and I take a shuddering breath. Thinking about the pain almost makes me feel like I'm suffering it all over again, so I shake off the thoughts and focus on the warmth of Nix's body and the feel of his arms banded around me. I focus on how right his arm feels around me, how natural him holding me seems.
"Do you know what they were made of, Novia?" Spencer asks, shuffling to the edge of his seat, resting his elbows on his knees.
I shake my head and divert my eyes. "I never knew how or where they were creating them. I have no idea what they used. I only know the one you were shot with because I overheard one of the men bragging that they had overpowered tranq bullets, and then saw it with my own eyes when they shot one of my people just to see how fast it worked."
I'm kicking myself now for not paying more attention when they discussed the new weapons they'd forged, or for not listening when they'd compare their newes
t creations. Maybe I'm being hard on myself because no one would be able to focus on anything other than the pain I'd been feeling. I just wanted the pain to stop.
When a tear falls from my eye and drops onto the white pillow beneath my head. I see Spencer reach to grab the hand that’s not holding Nix's. He moves my hand to hold in his, and I clutch it like I'm doing with Nix's hand. Like I need them more than air.
When Nix moves behind me, my back twinges with pain, and I hiss a breath before settling again.
"Why is it taking you so long to heal? It hasn't taken this long before," Nix comments, worry lacing his words.
Breathing through the lingering pain, I say, "I used every ounce of energy I had just to phase back onto the truck while you were driving. I don't have anything left right now; I'm completely spent. Not even my glamour is working."
With his free hand, Spencer moves my hair and tucks it behind my ear. His finger brushes the sensitive skin, and I'm sucking in a lungful of air for a completely different reason. My gaze flies to his, only to find him watching me intently. His hand cups the side of my head while his thumb brushes over my ear, and my eyes flutter closed while sensations I shouldn't be feeling while I'm injured rush through my body and straight to my core.
"Woah. Your ears are pointy," Nix points out, his breath fanning my ear and hair from how close he is. Next thing I know, Nix is brushing a finger along the outside of my ear, and my eyes damn near roll to the back of my head.
Under my breath, I whisper, "Oh, shit."
"What was that, babe?" Nix asks, completely innocent and unaware of the effect that one stroke of his finger is having on me. He might as well have his hand down my pants, playing with something equally as sensitive.
He brushes his finger feather soft across the pointed tip of my ear, and I see stars. With a choked plea, I say, "Guys. You need to stop doing that now."
"What? Why?" Nix asks, but he moves his hand away, just as Spencer does. I notice the small smirk on Spencer's face, and I narrow my eyes at him.
It's Zayn who answers Nix as he walks into the bedroom, Ezra hot on his tail. "Because touching a fae's ear when it's not glamoured is the equivalent to performing a sexual act on a human. A fae's ear is profoundly sensitive and is considered an erogenous zone. You're currently having an extreme sexual effect on Novia."
My cheeks flame, and I bury my face into my pillow, ignoring the twinge of pain in my back. Instead of moving away like I'd have expected, Nix shimmies closer, making sure every inch of my back and legs are touching him. His hand flexes in mine, while his other slides around my hip and rests just below my navel. His nose presses into the back of my neck, and when he speaks, his breath whispers over my skin. "Huh. Well that's good to know."
Feeling him so close to me sets off the strange feeling I get any time one of them is near enough or brings out strong emotions in me. My heartbeat picks up pace, the need to get closer grows stronger. There’s a feeling that claws at me, reminding me of the mating bonds my sister tried explaining to me before. It's like there's a caged animal behind my ribs that's begging to be released. Nix must hear the rapid pace of my heart because his hand crawls from my stomach and to the spot on my chest where my heart lies beneath.
Spencer is still clutching my hand, and when I look up at him, there's a small smile tugging at his lips. He bites his bottom lip to stop it from emerging completely, but it does nothing to stop my already awakened libido.
Ezra breaks the sudden tension I'm feeling, walking around Zayn and standing at the end of the bed, gripping onto the metal frame until his knuckles turn white. "Why aren't you healed already? Do you need food or something to drink?"
"She's depleted all of her energy," Zayn points out, looking first at Nix's position, then to his hand, and then to Spencer's hand clutched in mine. He sends me a look that's tinged with concern and...longing? It's gone before I can make any sense of it. He turns towards Ezra and says, "She needs the sun. Let's take her outside for a little while, and then we'll all have a discussion about everything that happened."
Everyone nods or voices their agreement, and before I can even lift myself out of bed, I'm being scooped up by a set of muscular arms that feel like they're made of steel. How the hell did the man get out of bed and haul me into his arms so fast? "Nix, I'm pretty sure I can use my legs."
"Why waste more energy when I'm more than happy to carry you?" he asks with a cheeky grin. I laugh, followed by a whine and sharp cry when the injuries in my back pull. "Maybe I shouldn't make you laugh yet, huh?"
"Good idea," I strain out. Nix shuffles me slightly so I'm comfortable in his arms, and we all pile out of the house one after the other.
We end up sitting at the small clearing Nix, Zayn, and I found when Spence built my room. Nix sits down with me still in his arms and deposits me in his lap as though it's exactly where I'm meant to be. A pretty big part of me agrees too. Though, a strong feeling tells me that either one of them could have manhandled me into their lap, and I'd believe the same thing. Nix tugs me close to his chest, and Zayn sits to the left of us. Spencer settles against a tree to the right while Ezra sits in the middle of the small clearing facing my direction.
A light touch on my arm makes me jump and cringe with the movement. I turn to see Zayn rolling up the left sleeve of the shirt I'm wearing, exposing more of my skin to the sun’s rays. I thank him and give him a smile that he returns easily.
"How did I end up in a long-sleeved shirt and leggings?" I ask the group of guys, not that I really care how. I'm sure my white shirt is ruined and sports a couple of holes and a tear or two. Given that I've been out for a week, it's no wonder I've had my clothes changed.
Ezra clears his throat. "I don't think that matters much. You're clean, dressed, and alive. I think that's all that we need to focus on."
He doesn't look at me when he says it, and I'm pretty sure I see a light blush on his cheeks. I look at Zayn, who's still watching me while he rolls the other sleeve up, and motion my eyes to Ezra with an eyebrow raise. He gives me a nod, trying to hide his smile, and I bite my lip to stop the laugh that's bubbling in my chest.
As soon as my forearms are bared, I settle against Nix's chest and lay my arms out. Almost immediately, energy begins to filter into me. My eyes flutter closed, and a sigh leaves my lips as I drop my head against Nix's shoulder. None of them speak for a little while, allowing me to absorb as much energy as I can before they no doubt ask about me having a phasing ability that no fae should have.
It's so quiet that I feel myself falling asleep as my energy restores itself, the breeze tickling my face and the soothing sound of nature all around us. Nix's finger sliding my hair behind my ear wakes me up enough to hear him say, "I already miss the pointy ears."
I laugh and hug his arm closer to my stomach, dropping the glamour that I didn't even realise I'd put back up with my renewed energy. It's something that I didn’t have to think about anymore. I've been glamouring my ears since my dad taught me how. It takes up barely any energy, so I never notice that I've done it, but I suppose it shows how drained I was if my ears were on display in all of their pointed glory.
"That's better," he whispers, brushing my hair to the side until it all rests over my shoulder and down my chest.
After a little while, my skin begins to glow faintly. The aches and pains in my limbs disappear, and the pain in my back begins to fade. The glow grows until I resemble a flashlight, and I finally feel like myself again.
"Lean forward a sec," Nix says, putting pressure on my back. As soon as I'm leaning, he slides my shirt up, exposing my entire back. His hand brushes over where my bullet wounds had been, but there's no pain. His finger starts at my lower back and slowly makes its way up my spine until he reaches the spot just under my shoulder blade. The soft touch elicits a shiver from me, but neither one of us mentions it. "Well, you're good as new, babe."
He rolls my shirt back down and smooths it into place. Before I can move away from his lap, his arms wrap a
round me again, pulling me tight against his chest now that there's no risk of hurting me. I don't even fight him; I just melt into him like he's mine to melt into.
Nix's arms tighten for a moment, and a noise similar to a growl mixed with a purr leaves him, but before I can turn my head to ask him what caused that, Zayn asks, "Novia, are you ready to talk about what happened?"
I bite my lip but nod anyway. It's only fair I tell them everything. My dad made me promise I’d never reveal how different I am, but I know I can break this promise now. I trust these men enough to tell them all I know.
Zayn sits up straighter. "Okay. I believe the biggest question we'd like answered is how you were able to phase. I've researched a lot while you were... anyway, I know that fae don't possess the ability to phase. Most fae have the same abilities: glamour, filtering energy, healing, and sensing auras. Then there are some with abilities that are solely unique, like the dusting that puts someone to sleep, or being able to sense dishonesty and lies."
I give him a nod and explain. "Dusting is an ability that hasn't manifested in any fae in over twenty years. The last fae to have dusting was my mom. Sensing lies is my unique ability, but the dusting seems to be hereditary, though Dahlia didn't have that ability. She was able to keep flowers living with a single touch. If a flower began to wilt, all she had to do was touch a petal, and it would spring back to life."
I play with the ring on my finger with a sad smile, watching it glint in the sunlight. My body is still glowing, so I reach my hand out to Spencer, who takes it immediately as he shuffles closer. As I slowly filter the excess energy to Spencer, I continue. "You're right, though. fae don't phase. There are a few things I can do that I shouldn't be able to. Things that shouldn't be possible."
"Like the will-o-the-wisps?" Ezra asks. He's shuffled closer too, sitting two feet away from Nix and I with his legs crossed and his elbows on his knees.
