Page 88 of Live Like Legends

I kept going even when he stopped fighting back. Even when it seemed like he had stopped breathing.

“Nick! Nick! Nick, stop!” I heard my name and felt a hand tugging on my shoulder, stopping me.

I blinked up at Reese whose blonde eyebrows were furrowed. I looked from him to a limp Dimitri. His face was bloodied andalmost unrecognizable. I tentatively touched my neck, feeling the blood from where he’d cut me. My hand suddenly throbbed from where I’d landed on the stones so many times.

“Nick,” Dani called in a soft voice that still had every bit of confidence as the day I met her. She was hurt and needed more medical attention than this place could ever offer, but her voice still had me wanting to stand beside her in any battle, any war.

“He better be fucking dead.” Elise wiped her face, removing any large remnants of blood.

“Nicholas, we have to go before more arrive,” Garret pressed, gathering his family. Axel let out a huff, jumping into Elise’s arms.

Reese let Dani hang onto his shoulder as I moved away from Dimitri’s unmoving body and shakily got out my portal key. “Beetee, then home,” he reminded me.

I nodded, giving Dimitri’s body one long look before we headed out.

My legs gave out the minute we stumbled out of the portal. Dani rolled out of my arms and onto the grass. She blew out some of her curls that fell onto her face. A numerous amount of collective groans and grunts sounded around me. I made sure everyone was accounted for: Reese, Elise, Garrett, Leah, their children. Beetee, her moms and with a small bark, I knew Axel had come along as well.

My mind was still frazzled from the entire ordeal, pieces of Dimitri’s mental torment still hanging on in my mind. I’d had to focus harder than normal to get us out of there.

We wanted to be out of Hell and back to somewhere safe. I hadplannedfor Oculus.

A voice I recognized as not Natalia’s caused my spine to go straight.

“Nicholas?” Daya called and nearly everyone turned their heads toward her.

I was looking at my dad’s girlfriend, which meant I was looking at my house.

“I told you, you should have let me use your key,” Elise grumbled, picking herself up.

Daya’s eyes widened as she took in our large group. Alex pushed past her mother, a curious smile at her lips. “We really don’t have enough room for this many people.”

Daya shushed her daughter. “Nicholas, what’s going on?” Her whiskey colored eyes found their way over to Dani, who was slowly pulling herself up from the grass. “You found her.”

We heard rustling in the trees, causing everyone to stop.

“He sure did.” A light shone near a collection of trees and Ariel stepped out, his voice giving my head the same throbbing sensation that Dimitri did.

“Oh for fucks sake, not this fucking guy,” Elise whined, placing her hands on top of her head.

Sentries came from around the trees and wings fluttered as they shot down from the sky. Morgan sidled up next to the red headed angel, a bruise along her neck. I saw the way her eyes locked onto Dani. Next to me, Dani let out a low growl towards Morgan. More sentries surrounded us, but none of the people with me made a move to cower in fear.

“You honestly think I wasn’t waiting for you to make an appearance again. The prodigal hero. I’ve been staking out your known locations since the moment I found out you broke out of your cell.” Ariel gave me a disapproving look, almos as if he pitied me.

“Now isn’t the time Ariel,” I said, knowing that this conversation, this discussion would have to happen, but right now wasn’t ideal.

“Break the rules, deal with the consequences. If you don’t like it then you should have remained in your cell rather than do as you please.” He pointed at Dani. “You have caused so many around you a great deal of pain. Are you proud of yourself, demon?”

“Don’ttalk to her like that.” I took a few steps towards him, but the sentries that surrounded him stopped my movements.

“Collect them all. You should be happy I don’t just sentence you all to death,” Ariel said nonchalantly. His nose still looked swollen from where I’d punched him.

Another light flooded around us, closer to my house. It was another portal.

Natalia, my father and Zane stepped out.

My father ran over to me, pulling me in for a hug, before delicately taking Dani in his arms as well. He looked over at Ariel, his tone harsh. “This is myhome, Ariel. Have some goddamn compassion for once in your existence.”

“How did you find us?” I asked Natalia, who gave me a knowing look.

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