by Wendy Knight
She stopped breathing. The fire settled quietly in her veins as she stared up at him. So close, she could feel his chest rise and fall with each quickening breath. “I missed you,” she whispered.
“I missed you too, Phoenyx. Every second—”
Phoenyx. She wasn’t Phoenyx, not anymore.
She jerked away, back into the shadows, ripping the walls of her heart up protectively with every inch of will power she possessed. “Yeah. You missed me so much for what? A day? Did you even mourn my death for an entire week before you replaced me?”
He stared at her, bewildered at her abrupt change. “What the hell, Nyx?”
“It’s about time you got my name right. I need to sleep and I can’t do it with you in here. Go find somewhere else to be.” She turned her back on him, balling her fists so he wouldn’t see them shaking. Tonight, tonight when she was free, when he wasn’t here and no one could see her, she would cry. But not yet. Not in front of him.
He didn’t respond, just disappeared into the light and quietly shut the door behind him, leaving her in the dark.
HE NEVER SLEPT, NOT really. Because falling into a real sleep was a death sentence. That was when the Garce came, and if the shadow aliens came, the Empyreans always followed. So he heard the door creak open, and was on his feet by the time she came out, the AR15 in his hands. “The sun’s down. We can go back to the compound.” She wouldn’t look at him.
But he looked at her. She looked like a broken fairy, her tangled hair tumbling down her shoulders, her wings rising majestically behind her.
And then he did a double take.
“Your wing’s almost healed.”
She twisted her neck as far as she could, trying to see behind her. “I heal fast,” she said by way of explanation.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
She smirked. It was barely visible, but it was there. Maybe she didn’t hate him so much after all. He slung the AR15 over his back and re-holstered the Glock at his waist and led the way to the door, his hand on the gun. “Cole, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you don’t really need those guns when I can throw fire balls made of blood.”
He scowled over at her, but she was grinning, or trying very unsuccessfully to hide the fact that she was grinning. He shook his head, pushing the door open, testing the air for anything Garce-related. It was safe, at least for the moment. The Garce were stupid. If they were smart, they would hunt during the day while the Empyreans were trapped in the dark, and hide at night when the flying aliens came out to play. But they didn’t. They also liked the dark and were out more at night than during the day — which meant the safest traveling time for humans was while the sun was up.
It was getting really dark, really fast. Cole tried to watch all the shadows around them at once, but there were too many. “I can see in the dark. We’re safe,” Nyx said, glancing sideways at him.
“You’ve got all kinds of tricks up your sleeve.”
She nodded, dark blue eyes sweeping the streets.
“Do you get attacked every night?” he asked as they cut across an abandoned back yard. Once, there had been a pool. Now, there was only rust stains at the bottom. At least, Cole hoped they were rust stains.
“No. It’s getting fewer and fewer, actually. I think the ones from last night were hunting you. Every time outsiders show up, the Garce are usually not far behind.”
Because he didn’t want her to stop talking, because he was desperate to hear her voice and have her talk to him without wanting to tear him to shreds, he racked his brain for more questions. “And Keven takes them all in? He didn’t seem so fond of people when I knew him.”
She smiled, nodding. Her tattoos glittered in the darkness. “Still not. But he’s sort of Utah’s last hope and all that. He says as long as they do what they’re told, they can stay. I’m not sure who they’re more afraid of — him or me.”
The truck lights nearly blinded them. Nyx shrieked and dove out of the way.
“Cole?” RayAnna screamed, throwing herself out of the passenger seat. Enika followed as Keven jumped out of the driver’s side. “Where were you? I was so scared! We looked everywhere!” RayAnna tumbled into his arms, sobbing.
And just like that, he lost whatever progress he was making with Phoenyx.
“What happened to you?” Keven asked bluntly, glaring at her wing.
“I was stupid.”
“Ya think?”
“Nyx!” Enika squealed, running past Cole. “Can I hug you? Will it hurt you?”
“What? No—I… it doesn’t hurt—I just—Why are you out at night? Don’t you know how dangerous it is out here?”
“That’s why we came. You’re out here. In the dark.” Keven raised an eyebrow. “They wouldn’t let me come alone.”
Enika threw her arms around Phoenyx, also sobbing. “Do you know how worried we were?”
Nyx looked over Enika’s head, meeting Cole’s eyes, completely bewildered. Slowly, she hugged Enika back. “Sorry?”
“Dang right you are,” Enika mumbled.
CHAPTER SIX
NYX SLID OUT OF THE BACK of Keven’s 4-Runner, since her wings were too big to sit in front — she had to lie down in the back with the tailgate down. The wind had tangled her hair, but like always, it smoothed and straightened itself out to silky waves. Just once, she would like to have a bad hair day. Was that too much to ask?
RayAnna had ridden on Cole’s lap, her arms twined around his neck, her forehead against his cheek, kissing his neck and whimpering. She didn’t have wings too big to fit in the cab. She was practically pocket size. But her hair? Not perfect. Nyx snickered, then berated herself because that was cruel, and there was enough cruelty in the world without her adding to it.
But still.
She wasn’t a saint.
And the girl had stolen her boyfriend.
She sighed. Her head hurt. Her alien DNA was constantly attacking her human body, which meant she had no immune system and when she wasn’t killing things, she was sick and exhausted.
Oh yeah. Being an alien is fun stuff.
She was glad she at least got to keep her face. Because looking in a mirror with something else’s face would be beyond creepy. She’d always wanted a tattoo, but this wasn’t quite what she’d been going for. “Don’t you slink off somewhere so I can’t find you.” Enika was suddenly at her elbow, shoving the black silky wing out of the way. No one, not even Keven dared touch her wings.
Except Cole.
But he didn’t count. She’d been wounded.
“I can’t fly. I was just going to do lookout on the roof.” She pointed up to the top of the jail, where she’d sat the night before. Was that only a night ago? It felt like a year. She’d been flying around just fine, hoping Cole and Enika were still alive, thinking Cole still loved her… and then he showed up and everything changed.
Stupid Cole.
But Enika was talking, Enika, who had her arm in a death grip and was practically holding her up. Enika, who had been her best friend for the last two years, not counting the year they thought she was dead, of course.
Enika, who hadn’t given up on her.
Enika, one of the only people since Nyx had been changed who dared touch her.
Or tell her she was an idiot.
“Wait, what?” Nyx interrupted Enika’s tirade. “What do you mean, I’m an idiot?”
“Do you have any idea what kind of abuse your body is taking? You have a broken wing! Your arm looks like meatloaf! Maybe you should get some rest. And some antibiotics.” Enika wrinkled her nose. “Do you think Garce carry bacteria? Or rabies?”
“I forgot how much you talk,” Keven said as he passed them to unlock the front doors of the Ben Lomond Hotel. Amusingly, it had once been one of the most haunted places in America. Now, everywhere was haunted by the dead, and nowhere was haunted by the living.
Except underground.
“Good thing I came back to remind you,” Enika said cheerfully
, reaching around him to turn the key. Keven scowled, but Enika was already pushing the door open and dancing in. Someone had forgotten to tell that girl that the world had ended. There was nothing worth dancing about now. “Do you have antibiotics in your fortress of doom, Keven?”
Nyx choked on a laugh, rearranging her face when the force of Keven’s glare was turned on her. “I don’t have an infection, Enika. Or rabies. This isn’t my first bite.”
They went through the silent building, and even Enika was quiet, her huge brown eyes trying to look everywhere at once. She’d worn glasses before. But they were gone now. Nyx could see Cole out of the corner of her eye. He had his arm protectively around RayAnna, who was practically wrapped around his side. Gritting her teeth, she forced her eyes ahead, but her brain wouldn’t stay where she told it.
“Hey! What’s your problem? She’s a girl, idiot. Give her some space.”
Phoenyx smiled sweetly, picking up the football and patting Cole on his well-muscled chest. Electric tingles shot through her hand and shivered deliciously down her back, but now was not the time. “Don’t worry, Handsome. I can take care of myself.”
He looked like he was about to object, but she didn’t give him time. She threw it to Carson, who was playing center. He brushed his blond hair out of his eyes and nodded, getting ready to hike the ball. “I’ll protect you,” Cole promised, jogging up to the line.
“Blue 42 — Hike!” she yelled. Carson snapped the ball and it spiraled into her hands. Cole, true to his word, protected her while she was in the pocket.
But she had no intention of staying in the pocket.
Tucking the ball, she spun and ran, dodging through a hole Carson and Cole had made. She was the only girl on a field of boys, but she didn’t care. She stiff-armed the guy who tried to stop her and leaped over one who dove at her knees. And then she was free, racing for the end-zone.
As she celebrated with her team, Cole kissed her on the forehead. “And that’s why I love you.” He grinned down at her while her heart had raced and her breath had stopped in her chest. He smiled, and she was lost in his brown eyes. “You’re strong enough to protect yourself.”
She shook her head, hard enough that her brain slammed against the side of her skull. But it worked, dislodging the memories playing like a stubborn movie in her head.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him.
Watching her.
Her mouth went dry and her knees went weak. Holy snowballs, girl, get a freaking grip.
They had arrived at the fork in the tunnels without her realizing it. She growled at herself, shaking her head when Keven started toward the living quarters tunnel.
“Where are you going?” he asked, still standing at the fork while she took the other one, the old tunnels that had been built during Prohibition. They connected all the old buildings on 25th street.
“To watch for bad guys,” she said over her shoulder.
“I figured that.” She could picture Keven rolling his eyes, and she paused. “Where are you going, Enika?”
Nyx turned around, her scowl rivaling Keven’s. Enika raised her chin. “Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay.” She met Nyx’s eyes and gritted her teeth. Beyond her, standing as if undecided, Cole watched them silently.
“Enika, it isn’t safe. Go with Ke—”
“Don’t urge me to leave you or turn back from you.” A slow grin lit Enika’s brown eyes.
Nyx prayed for strength. “Stop quoting the Bible at me, woman.” She turned around and stalked down the tunnels. It was night, so she had free reign. No one dared roam these tunnels when she could be on the loose.
Except Enika, who squealed and bounded behind her. “I’ll find you later, big brother!”
“Was she even worried about me at all?” Nyx heard Cole ask as they faded away into the shadows.
“I’m sure she knew Nyx would take care of you.”
“WHEN ARE YOU GONNA tell me what happened, Nyx?” While it seemed that Cole struggled with her new name, Enika hadn’t. She didn’t seem to care at all that Nyx was part alien now. In fact, she seemed to be amusing herself by flicking Nyx’s good wing and watching it float in the wind.
“I don’t like to talk about it.”
Enika shrugged. “I didn’t ask if you liked it. I asked when you were gonna do it.”
Without meaning to, Nyx laughed. “Holy snowballs, girl. You haven’t changed at all.”
Enika leaned back against the post, her eyes on the city below them. Was she looking for alien predators or just admiring the view? Nyx couldn’t tell and couldn’t figure out a polite way to ask. There’d been a time that she wasn’t afraid to ask Enika anything — and rarely had to, because Enika always told her before Nyx could think of the question.
A huge chunk of her heart seemed to heal and shatter all at once. She had her Enika back. And she didn’t.
“Look, Nyx. I get it, you’re the strong, silent hero now.” She leaned closer, her nose almost touching Nyx’s nose. “But I know who you really are.”
Nyx fought to hide a smile. “You do, huh? I think somehow you don’t even realize I’m part alien, let alone anything else.”
“I notice. Kinda hard not to, Nyx.”
“Then why don’t you care?” Nyx blurted, then clapped a hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean—”
Enika’s lips twitched to the side and her forehead furrowed. “Why should I care? Do you have any desire to eat me?”
“What? No!”
“Do you have any desire to alter my DNA and then hold me captive forever?”
Nyx winced. “No. And that’s not what happens.”
“Well, that’s my best educated guess. And since you won’t tell me, that’s what I’m going with.” Enika swung her legs over the edge, kicking them back and forth like it was a five foot drop instead of a 500 foot drop.
“You know, if you fall, I can’t fly after you.”
Enika smirked like a reprimanded teenager and scooted back away from the edge. “Yes, Mother.”
Nyx rolled her eyes. “How about you tell me what happened to you, after I—after I le—left.”
Enika’s face paled as she met Nyx’s eyes. “I don’t like to talk about it.”
For some reason, the fact that it had hurt Enika so badly that she didn’t want to talk about it, the girl who never stopped talking, it hurt Nyx. Enika’s pain was her pain. “Tell me. They say it helps. You know. To talk about it,” Nyx whispered.
Enika gave her a sad smile. “I will if you will.”
Ruefully, Nyx nodded. “One day. But not today.”
“Okay.” Enika leaned forward, her palms on the rough brick of the roof. She was double jointed, and her elbows almost seemed to bend the wrong way. It had always amused Nyx. Before, at least. “After you were taken, things were really hard. We tried to go after you. But we didn’t know where to go. We searched for months and months… maybe we never stopped searching. We learned how to survive. When I would wake up screaming at night, we’d get kicked out of whatever group we’d tried to hook up with. So we were mostly alone. I wanted to come home. I kept telling Cole I needed to come home. My pictures were here. They’re all I have left of my mom and dad and you, you know? So finally, when we had nowhere else to wander to, he let me lead us home. And here you are. Next time, maybe he’ll listen to me in the first place.”
Nyx smiled. “He’s always been one for cold, hard facts. Following his heart hasn’t really been his thing.”
Enika tipped her head, flicking Nyx’s wing again. “I think when we lost you, he shut his heart down so he couldn’t hear it anymore.”
Nyx wanted to ask. Her heart seemed conflicted — did she really want to know? Was there an answer that wouldn’t hurt her?
Does he love her, Enika? Or did he only shut down his heart to me?
CHAPTER SEVEN
COLE WAS EXHAUSTED. HE HAD BEEN on the run, trying to protect his sister and RayAnna, for so long he couldn
’t remember how to relax or fall into a deep enough sleep that he couldn’t hear the murmurings of the others around him. Apparently, Nyx was the only one with private quarters. Keven didn’t seem to ever sleep, and everyone else slept in an amphitheater type room that was about the size of a football field. According to Reese, the guy nearest them, this wasn’t original to the tunnels. When the first aliens had attacked, Keven and his family had hollowed it out and made sure the tunnels were stable. They fixed the doors so the Garce couldn’t sneak their way inside.
They hadn’t counted on the Pys though.
They’d come in waves. The first wave was after people started realizing the beautiful creatures they thought were here to save them were actually a far greater threat than the Garce. They’d stopped volunteering for the Pys “program”. So the Pys took them. That was when Nyx had been taken.
There had been another wave a few months later, right before he’d met RayAnna, picking up the females they’d missed the first go-round. The terror had lasted almost two months, and then they just… stopped coming.
The third wave was smaller. It came when the Garce came. Which explained why Nyx was so paranoid about letting any Garce get close. Like Keven had said, she could kill the Garce.
The Empyreans, not so much.
“I heard she didn’t come back last night.”
Cole tried not to hear them. They were afraid of her, just like he had been.
Yeah… but you got over it. They haven’t.
“Maybe the Pys came back and took her home.”
“Good riddance.”
“If she’s gone, who will protect us?”
“We don’t need her. We’ve got guns. Bombs. I wouldn’t be surprised if Keven has a nuke tucked away somewhere.”
“You weren’t here before she came. Guns and bombs don’t do anything to the Garce — or the other Pys. It’s like trying to blow up a shadow. We were losing people every day.”
