A Touch of Death

by J. J. Dean

"Novia? Are you okay?" Nix yells.

  I clear my throat and call back, "Yeah, I'm okay."

  Zayn steps closer, and if it wasn't for the pitch black eyes staring at me, I wouldn't have moved at all. As it is, I find myself stepping back into the counter the mirror sits above. Quiet so as not to startle the vampire, I ask, "Zayn? What's going on here? Are you okay?"

  His black eyes meet mine, and a shiver wracks my spine. It's not necessarily out of fear, but more from the amount of intensity he pours into one gaze. I know deep in my heart that Zayn wouldn't hurt me, just as Nix wouldn't. All four of them wouldn't harm a hair on my head, so I move away from the basin and step closer to the vampire.

  Zayn's nostrils flare when I move towards him, and, in a flash, he's chest to chest with me. I didn't even see him move, and it makes me realise just how fast he can be. His hand lifts towards my face, and I stand perfectly still. His thumb brushes my bottom lip gently, and when he pulls away, there's a smudge of blood on the pad. He draws it to his lip, and with insanely slow movements, places his thumb into his mouth and sucks. It really shouldn't be something sexy, but my body has different definitions. My skin flushes, my pulse quickens, and an ache forms at my already sore opening.

  The vampire pulls his thumb away, and his lips draw back in what looks like a snarl, but isn't quite. The movement brings out his sharp canines further, his white teeth gleaming in the harsh lights of the bathroom. I've never seen any other side to the usually shy vampire, but I can't say I'm not enjoying this version. It's strange, but there's something inside me that's calling to this darker side to him, the way his eyes watch me with such profound intensity that it has my heart tripping over itself.

  Another thud sounds louder out of the bathroom before a body fills the doorway. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

  It's Spencer, breathing heavily but watching me carefully. Ezra is wide-eyed just behind him, and a second later, Nix appears with a bruised eye and a split lip.

  "What the hell happened?" I go to step towards him, but the noise Zayn makes sounds almost feral, and I stop in my tracks. My eyes widen, and the other three guys grow tense, each one stiffening at the noise Zayn makes.

  I turn my body to face Zayn. His pitch black eyes watch every movement, resembling Nix while his animals were in control. There's something more unleashed about Zayn right now, however.

  I step closer to Zayn, and when he doesn't make any noises that would freeze me in place, I lift my hand to cup his sharp jaw. It's the same hand that's still coated in my blood, and my stupid brain is slow to realise it before it's too late.

  Zayn's nostrils flare, and his hand darts up to capture my wrist tightly. It's only tight enough to prevent me from moving away, but I flinch at the sudden movement. The three men at the door step forward, looking like they're seconds away from yanking the vampire away. They stop in their tracks when Zayn snarls and releases another feral growl, the rims of his eyes growing darker as dark blue veins begin to expand from his eye sockets.

  "We can't come any closer. He'll tear us apart if we go anywhere near Novia right now," Spencer comments, putting a hand on Nix's chest to push him away as he steps back. All three of them move away from the bathroom and stand near the bed instead. It's enough that the veins around Zayn's eyes fade, but he still keeps a hold on my arm.

  I look at the guys once more and then back to Zayn. I take a step towards him until we're chest to chest again. It hasn't escaped my memory that I'm still completely naked, but it seems to be the least of everyone's problems. Embarrassment can wait until there isn’t a vampire on the edge standing so close to me. Whispering so I don't trigger the vampire, I tell the others, "It's fine. He won't hurt me."

  Zayn's arm then comes to wrap around me, his dark eyes roaming my chest where my cuts still steadily drip blood. The slow stream of blood captures his attention, and he watches a drop glide down my skin with fierce concentration. His arm tightens around me, and I know there's no chance I'm being removed from the vampire with the iron grip.

  Keeping my voice low, I talk directly to Zayn, "You won't hurt me, right?"

  Slowly, his head shakes side to side even while his eyes stay on my chest. He inhales deeply, his eyes shuttering when the scent of my blood reaches his nose. Quiet, almost too quiet that I almost miss it, I hear Zayn's voice in my head. It's strained and faint, slightly slurred, but it's distinct enough for me to make out what he's saying.

  Novia, I'm sorry. I smelled your blood from miles away, and it's sent my instincts into a frenzy. All I can think about... is claiming you. I'm trying to fight it, but it seems like I'm fighting a losing battle. I don’t want to hurt you. I'm sorry.

  As if to prove his point, his hold grows tighter, more possessive, while a deep rumble vibrates in his chest. His voice fades from my mind, but I understand exactly what he's saying. His vampire instincts are ruling him just as Nix's animals had.

  I cap my thoughts away from the unstable vampire and check how much energy I have. Inwardly cringing at just how little I have left, I mutter a whispered curse that doesn’t go unnoticed.

  “What? Novia, what is it?” Nix asks in rapid succession, worry etched on his handsome face.

  Slowly moving my head to face him completely, I whisper, “I’m going to need you guys to trust me and brace yourselves.”

  “What does that mean?” Ezra questions abruptly. “Novia, what the hell does that mean?”

  With a heavy sigh that draws out another growl from Zayn, cutting me off immediately, I pat his chest which seems to soothe him a little. Whispering, I say, “I’m going to have literally zero energy after this, so you three will have to handle whatever comes next. I have to tell you, it’s barely anything.”

  I take a long breath, making sure it’s quiet enough not to provoke the vampire, and bring forth the very last of my energy. My hand fills with gold dust, so slow that it doesn’t draw any attention. I can feel the very last of my energy depleting entirely, all of it forming in my hand to create all the dust I can manage.

  There’s a tickle just above my top lip, the feel of liquid gliding slowly from my nostril. Zayn’s eyes snap to that very spot, quickly cluing me into the fact that the liquid is blood, and I’m now running on adrenaline alone.

  Ignoring my nosebleed since it’s captured Zayn’s attention, I lift my dust-filled hand so slowly that my arm physically aches. My finger twitches, and I curse internally when Zayn’s eyes move towards the medium-sized ball of dust.

  His lip twists in another snarl, and I vaguely hear the others shouting for me to move, but everything dulls until only Zayn fills my vision. Sounds disappear, and I can feel the painful thudding of my heart. Zayn’s hand moves faster than I’ve ever seen him move, but his hand grips mine only a second too late. The accumulated ball of dust flies from my hand and hits Zayn directly in the face. I send my blessings to Fate that my hand was high enough to aim at his face because, with his next swift inhale, his eyes roll to the back of his head, and he drops to the floor like a rock.

  I’m not far behind him, the adrenaline seeping out of my body now that my vampire is down for the count. Arms catch me just before my head hits the floor, and I feel more blood leaking from my nose. My body feels like dead weight, heavy and uncooperative. I can’t even find a miniscule bit of energy to lift my damn head.

  “She said she didn’t have anything left. Shit.” From the deep growl in the voice, it’s safe to assume it belongs to Nix. I try to raise my hand to comfort him, but I simply can’t. My entire body feels drained, lifeless and empty.

  “Sunlight. She needs sunlight. Nix, pick her up. Ez and I will grab Sleeping Beauty.”

  I feel movement around me and clothes brushing against my bare skin, but I can’t move my head to see what’s happening around me. Then there’s a set of muscular arms scooping me from the floor. My eyes slowly close while my head hangs over Nix’s arm, and my arms dangle uselessly.

  More blood drips from my nose, the trickle thickening and trailing over my c
heek. That’s slightly concerning. I’ve never had a nosebleed when I’ve exhausted my energy, though I don’t think I’ve ever been so depleted before. When I was captured, they found a way to suppress our abilities. I wasn’t ever able to use an ounce of what little energy we were left with, so the bleeding nose is new.

  Everything around me is disoriented when I open my eyes again, so I opt to keep them closed, losing myself to the feel of Nix’s firm hold on me. I have no idea when we get outside, or even how, but some time later there’s a gentle breeze caressing my skin.

  “Alright, babe. Now would be a great time to start inhaling sun rays. Come on, soak up that Vitamin D,” Nix babbles. I’d snort if I could.

  I feel him walking, my body jostling with his movements. Not a moment later, I’m being lowered to the ground, handled gently until my back is leaning lifelessly against the hard contours of his chest. His large hands rub soothing motions up and down my arms as we sit and wait for my body to regain every inch of energy I’ve lost.

  My head is tilted to the side, and Nix’s intense blue gaze looks me over carefully. My vision seems to be growing more focused, and the slurred sound sharpens the more I sit in the sun. “There we go. Your nosebleed has stopped, and you’ve got more colour to your cheeks. Getting some D really agrees with you, huh?”

  Still lacking the energy to laugh like I want to, my mouth turns up into a strained smile. Nix’s hand comes up to cup my cheek, keeping my head facing him while I greedily soak in the rays.

  Ever so slowly, I regain control over my body, feeling my energy replenish. With a whisper, I say, “Your D is the only one I’ve had. The sun’s D doesn’t count.”

  Nix’s chest vibrates with his deep laughter, and I grin, relishing the sound. As I gain more control, I realise I’ve been haphazardly wrapped in a sheet. At least I’m not sitting outside in the nude again.

  It takes longer to gather enough energy to sit myself up properly. When I move too fast, I’m forced to drop my head onto my knees as everything goes blurry, and I grow dizzy. Nix rubs a hand over my back, much to my appreciation.

  We sit like that for a little while, the sun beating on my back and neck when Nix brushes my hair to the side. I soak in the energy the sun provides, feeling better and better the more we sit against a tree in this secluded area. I can see the hotel from here, so we haven’t moved too far, only enough to stay hidden from prying eyes.

  Just as my energy is almost filled to the brim, Spencer walks out of the forest behind us, slowing his steps when his eyes find us. He visibly relaxes and comes to crouch in front of me. He tucks my hair behind my ear and says, “How’re you feeling?”

  “Better. Just a little bit more, and I’ll start glowing like the rear end of a firefly,” I tell him with a wry smirk. He grins before standing and holding his hands out for me to take. I slide my hands into his, and he pulls me from the floor. I grip the sheet around me before it falls away, tightening it further around my chest to keep it in place in case a stranger decides to take a walk through the forest early in the morning.

  Spence takes a backpack off his shoulder that I didn’t notice, pulling clothes from within. He holds them out to me and says, “I grabbed a few things for you before I left Ezra to deal with Zayn. He was still out cold when I left. That dust sure packs a punch.”

  I snort and accept the clothes. “Yeah. And that was a very small amount.”

  He grins again and shakes his head. He gestures to the clothes and says, “Throw those on, and then we’ll get you home.

  Chapter 29

  Novia

  I accept the clean clothes from Spencer, hugging them to my chest before moving behind Nix, who's now leaning on the tree. "Can you be the lookout?"

  "Sure thing." He sweeps his lips over mine before standing to his full height and blocking me from view, facing me instead of outwards. I snort and shake my head, catching his cheeky grin before I position myself close to my large shifter. I hand him the fresh set of clothes and drop the sheet, holding onto Nix's waist when my foot gets tangled in the material.

  There's a swift inhale followed by Nix's laughter, and when my head snaps up, it's to find Spencer's eyes roaming over my very bare body. Heat fills his wide gaze as his eyes take in every inch of me. I'd expect to feel awkward or uncomfortable, but given that he's already seen me stark naked, it's really no bother to me.

  Spencer clears his throat, and his eyes meet my amused stare. "Sorry. Wasn't expecting you to strip in front of me."

  "You've seen it all before, though I was covered in mud and water then." I shrug with a huffed laugh before untangling underwear and a pair of my long leggings from the pile in Nix's hand.

  Spencer nods, amusement mingling with the heat in his eyes. "Very true. Proceed."

  Laughing, I pull the underwear on, swiftly followed by the leggings. I turn towards Nix, reaching out to take the white shirt from his hand, but he doesn't release it. Instead, he uses my hold on the shirt to pull me closer, his eyes just above my chest. His empty hand lifts towards me, brushing along my skin where his claws marked me.

  "You've healed." I look down and sure enough, the deep cuts I'd received have healed. Instead, there are pink raised scars running from the top of my shoulder and down over the curve of my breast, ending at the valley between my breasts. Surprisingly, I find I don't mind the scars at all. I kind of like having marks on my body that show Nix took me as his.

  I glide my hand over the marks, feeling them warm under my touch. I shiver, enjoying the heat, but Nix must take my reaction differently. Looking horrified, he says, "I'm so sorry, Novia."

  Frowning, I ask, "Why are you apologising? I told you when they were bleeding and raw I didn't mind. I sure don't mind a few scars, especially knowing what they mean. Don't stress about it."

  "You sure?" he asks, still sounding worried.

  I give him my best smile and tell him, "Never been so sure. I promise, they don't bother me. I kinda like 'em."

  That earns me a grin, and he bends to drop a kiss on my lips before moving back. I hold my hand out for the shirt, and I'm about to slip it over my head when I remember that wretched tracker. I shove the shirt back to Nix, my eyes wide as dinner plates when I turn my arm over to look for the light I know belongs to the device under my skin.

  "Novia?" Spencer asks, walking closer to where I stand.

  I turn towards him, holding my arm out far enough that it brushes Nix's shirt. "There's a tracker in my arm. I need it removed. Now."

  "Shit." Spencer grasps my arm gently in his hands, turning it over and brushing his thumb along the skin. I feel it when his thumb pushes on the device, and when he moves his hand away and stretches out my skin a fraction, there's a faint orange light just beneath it. I release a sigh, thankful the light isn't green yet. That's not to say it won't change soon. "Nix, I need to borrow a claw."

  Nix complies, his hand partially shifting to that of an eagle’s claw. A very sharp looking claw, at that. Spencer turns my arm over as much as he can without making me uncomfortable before saying, "Okay, lean into me, sweetheart. Nix is going to make a small cut in your arm, and then we'll get that tracker out."

  I nod and bring my body closer to his, feeling his arm wrap around my waist and holding my securely. I close my eyes and lean my forehead against Spencer's shoulder, keeping my breathing even.

  A sharp sting in my arm has me crying out in shock, and I bury my face into the crook of Spencer's neck. There's a burning in my arm where Nix cuts through the skin enough to get to the small device, and I'm forced to clench my teeth to stop the pained groan from escaping.

  "Her skin is healing too fast. Fucking hell," Nix growls. Great. This is the only time I need my healing to run at the same pace as a human for once. "I'm going to have to keep the wound open while you get the tracker out."

  Well, that makes me nauseous to think about. Why? Fate knows I've suffered a lot worse. Perhaps it's having my skin held open while someone digs through my arm for a device that shou
ldn't be there that's making my stomach churn.

  "Let's do this fast. Novia's looking a little green." Spencer's observant eyes scan my face before I shove it back into the crook of his neck. Nix cuts into my arm again, deeper this time, and the pain is so sharp that I find myself biting into Spencer. My teeth clamp around the skin my lips had been pressed against, sinking in enough to make him groan. My teeth sink in deeper when Spencer digs into my arm, the pain increasing when Nix is forced to open my rapidly healing skin again.

  Quickly, Spencer latches onto the tracker and pulls it out carefully. As soon as the device is out of my arm, I release my teeth's hold on the mage and move my head back. His shirt has slipped, and I can see several deep indents where my teeth dug into him, and I cringe. "Sorry."

  "It's fine, sweetheart," he replies, dropping a sweet kiss to my forehead.

  Nix examines my arm, and I look over to see the hole closing and healing until there's not a single mark left on my skin. He drops a kiss to where the cut had been before running his hand over it, trying to remove the lingering pain that I'm left with. How did he know it still hurt?

  As though he's the one with the ability to read minds, he fights a smile and says, "The bond. I know when you're hurting."

  I make a content noise that sounds like a girly humming and blush when I hear both of them snicker. I roll my eyes and push away from the two, taking the shirt from Nix and slipping it over my head. The shirt is too big for me, like a lot of my shirts, but this one smells like Spencer. There's a subtle hint of his cologne with something that's undeniably him. I hide my smile when I look down, tucking a small part of the shirt into my leggings.

  A pair of chucks are suddenly under my nose, so I slip them on quickly, holding onto Nix for balance while I do so. I stand up straight once I'm done and nod towards the small, grey rectangle in Spencer's hand. "What are we doing with that?"

  Spencer twists the device in his hand, examining it closely. He holds it out to Nix and says, "Crush it. Then run in different parts of the forest with it for a little while before you bury it."