"You, too. Don't kill Caleb."
"Make no promises."
Nick laughed as he started cleaning out his pockets to hand over all his Malachai items. They couldn't afford for him to remember anything. Not if his plan was to work.
And he prayed it would.
For Kody and his mom.
As soon as Xev had everything and was gone, Nick used his powers to locate the other him.
To his disgust, he realized Cyprian was at Sanctuary where his mom was working. Of course he was. Freeloader.
Fake. Pretentious. Could never be himself. He had to be a second-rate copy.
It was disgusting, if the truth were known. I would much rather be a first-rate copy of myself and fail, than be a second-rate copy of anyone else. For any reason.
Furious, he headed straight over to the back alley that was only a couple of blocks from their condo. There wasn't anyone in Sanctuary's courtyard, or much of anything else for that matter. An old iron fountain and some greenery. The bears didn't come outside much. He wasn't sure why.
About the only one he ever found out here was Jose, their cook. Sometimes one of the human waitresses.
Intending to lure Cyprian outside, he headed for the door. But he only made it halfway there before Simi appeared by his side.
"You really going to forget us, Akri-Nicky?"
Her pout made his stomach tighten. He would definitely miss the Charonte demon. She'd been a lot of fun to hang out with. "Just for a little while. We'll meet again when I'm older."
Simi pouted. "Well, poo, demon-boy. The Simi was very fond of her friend. I shall miss you!"
"I'll miss you most of all, Miss Simi." He kissed her cheek.
Instead of allowing him to pull away, Simi held him close. "Don't keep the sadness in your heart, demon-Nicky. It would make Akra-Kody very sad if she knew you hads it there."
"I know." Nick wiped at the sudden moisture in his eyes and he cleared his throat gruffly. "Can I ask a favor, Sim?"
"Surzies."
"Can you go get the fake Nick and get him out here for me?"
"Like I did lasterday?"
Nick laughed at the way she said yesterday. He would definitely miss the Simispeak. "I wasn't here lasterday."
"Oh yeah, that was the fake demon-boy. Okies, I goes gets him for you! Wait right here and I'll be back licksy spilt!"
Still amused by her speech, Nick didn't move from the alley until Simi and Cyprian returned.
The humor died on Cyprian's face the instant he saw Nick waiting for him. His eyes turned a vibrant red. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think?"
"You're wasting your time."
"Nah. Wasting yours." Without telegraphing his intentions, Nick punched him where he stood. "That's for Kody, you sorry piece of dung!" Then he hit him again and again, as he unleashed every ounce of his grief and agony on him.
His fists hurt and his knuckles throbbed as the skin over them started bleeding. Nick didn't care. Not now. Not when he wanted a pound of flesh from the one who'd hurt what he loved most.
Cyprian began to laugh. "You can't hurt me! The more you hit, the weaker you become." He spit blood in Nick's face.
His fatal mistake.
As Cyprian moved in to slug him, Nick ducked and came up with his Malachai dagger. He drove it straight into Cyprian's ribs as he stared in to a pair of eyes that were identical to his own.
With a stunned expression, Cyprian staggered back. "You ... you can't kill me! You're my father!"
Nick stabbed him again then used the dagger to drive him back into the wall so that he could hold him there with it. "Not yet I'm not. You're just another demon out to end me, and Nick Gautier don't go down for no demon. Or anybody else. They should have told you that." He felt his powers growing stronger as Cyprian's weakened. "You killed Ambrose, boy. You didn't kill Nick."
Oh yeah.
He had this ...
Nick was becoming the full Malachai again.
Cyprian laughed weakly. "You might have killed me, here and now, but this isn't over. All you've done is freed an even worse enemy. Bon chance, mon pere. Bon chance." And with that he slid slowly toward the ground.
Nick felt his jaw go slack as his mind whirled from the threat. A sudden light pierced the dim alley, almost blinding him an instant before it consumed his son's body.
Cyprian disintegrated in a matter of seconds. Nothing was left behind.
Not even a stain. There was no mark at all to say that Cyprian had ever existed.
Shaken with that knowledge, Nick wiped the blood off his dagger then handed it to Simi. "Please make sure Caleb gets that."
"Okies. But where you going?"
"To see my mom before I forget everything I know." And to make a few notes for Caleb. He wouldn't have long before the water took affect and left him completely ignorant.
He winked at her. "You take care, Simi."
And with that, he headed to the front of Sanctuary where Dev stood guard at the entrance.
"Hey, Squire squirt. Back so soon?"
Nick laughed nervously at his question. Dev must not have been able to see through Cyprian's trick. "You know me. I'm like a piece of gum. Always attaching myself to your favorite pair of shoes ... usually when you're on a date and trying to look cool."
Dev shook his head as they shook hands, then Nick went inside.
Life was ever changing. Ever in motion.
Victim or victor.
No guarantees. Except one. The day you stopped trying, you were guaranteed a loss. So long as you were trying, you weren't defeated.
You were trying.
And Nick Gautier would never stop trying. Over, under, around or through. He would find a way to save his mom.
And keep his promise to Kody.
"I'll be back for you, Neria," he whispered under his breath as he saw his mom across the room, taking orders at a table. "And we're going to save Cyprian."
He had no idea how. But he wouldn't stop until he succeeded.
Or died trying.
CHAPTER 14
May 2000
Caleb let out a tired breath as he watched Nick running toward the school's entrance.
"Is he ever on time?"
Snorting at Xev's stupid question while they sat on a tree branch, he shook his raven's head. "You know better."
In the form of a large white house cat, Xev swished his tail. "Well, at least you finally got out of high school."
"You're not funny, brother."
They both went still as they picked up on the death shadow heading up the steps, in the same direction Nick had just vanished.
Disgusted, Caleb looked at his brother. "You were saying?"
"Go get 'em, tiger."
"What? You're not coming?"
"You got this. Besides, I'm going to check on Nick and make sure he's all right."
Grumbling, Caleb flew toward the entrance. Still invisible, he transformed into his demon's body and went inside so that he could protect his charge.
Xev reached up and touched Myone's winged necklace around his neck before he used his own powers to return to an invisible version of his demonic self. Even though Nick was now ignorant of their existence, they still had to watch his back.
All around them, evil flourished.
It was a thankless job they would carry out until Nick was older. Not that Xev minded.
For the first time in history, he was happy and content with his lot. While he might not have his wife or his son, he had Jared's daughter and grandchild near him.
His legacy.
And they were much better than a demon like him deserved.
Nick paused as he felt the wind near him shifting. "Kody?"
Brynna looked up from her lab worksheet to frown at him. "Pardon, Gautier? Have you lost your mind? Name is Addams? Hello? I know you know me. We've known each other for years."
Blinking, Nick shook his head. Where had that name come from? The only one he knew was th
For some reason, he felt like it should be a girl's name.
How odd. But then, his entire purpose in life was to serve as an example to others on what they should never do.
And apparently, he'd eaten paint chips as a kid or something. 'Cause he must have brain damage to be spouting off like this.
Yet ...
Here lately, it felt like something was missing from his life. Like something had been here once and it was now gone.
But he didn't know what.
Must be graduation jitters.
Yeah, he'd go with that. Though it wasn't like he didn't know what he'd be doing after graduation. Basically the same as now.
Squiring for Kyrian. Occasionally, running errands for Talon and Ash. Doing a few odd shifts for Bubba and Liza in their stores. And going to school.
Only instead of St. Richard's he'd be at either Loyola or Tulane. He just had to decide which one he wanted to attend since he'd been accepted into both.
"Are you listening, Mr. Gautier?"
Nick glanced up at his teacher. "Yes, ma'am. Always." After all, he had a bright future to look forward to, and he had no intention of screwing it up.
EPILOGUE
New Orleans, 3247
Ambrose scowled as he felt a strange presence in his study. It was intense and powerful. Unlike anything he'd felt in a long, long time.
Immediately on alert, he flashed himself into the room to confront who or whatever dared to defy his sigils and invade his domain. Whoever it was, they would regret this stupidity.
He'd make sure of it.
At least that was his thought until he came face-to-face with the last thing he expected.
A snot-nosed teen who bore a frightening resemblance to himself. Right down to a tacky Hawaiian shirt that all but glowed in the dark.
What the hell? He'd all but forgotten his mother's insistence on him wearing such travesty.
Stunned, he realized the kid wasn't alone. Caleb was with him. Along with Aeron, Kaziel and Vawn, and a teen girl he didn't recognize.
"What is this?"
The boy stepped forward. "You're going to want to sit down for this, demon man. After all, I got the idea from a future you. Brace yourself. I'm the old you from the past, and I'm here so that we can fix the timeline you screwed up. And save the life of our son." He glanced over his shoulder at the others. "Take my word for it. The end is just beginning."
-->
