Page 31 of Nocturne

Eero takes his place instantly, his eyes that I know to be unhinged now looking angry and concerned—on my behalf. He lets me rest my weight on him and brings out a tissue for me to gently wipe the blood on the corner of my lip.

I see Devlin grit his teeth looking at where Eero holds me. Before I can understand his reaction, he turns his wrath on Leo who is being held on his knees by Nico.

When did he arrive? How did I not notice him? He doesn’t meet my eyes but twists Leo’s hand with a grip so strong that has the man slapping his hands on the ground in pain. He doesn’t lookas strong and mighty as he did before. He looks laughably weak in front of Zagan Devlin who kicks him right in his face.

I hear a resounding crack of his nose and turn away.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Eero asks.

I nod in answer, my throat hurting to even make a sound. Why? Did something happen to my vocal cords? God, I hope not.

Leo tries to say something, but he doesn’t get a chance. One by one, I hear the crunching of bones and wince every time that snap reaches my ears followed by Leo’s howls of pain. Devlin doesn’t take a lot of time. He breaks everything that there is to break I suppose because the number of snaps I’ve heard is more than the number of bones in a human body.

He does it quickly and with the way Leo begs, he’s also delivering pain. He starts by begging Devlin to let him go, the same as I did. By the time it ends, I hear him begging to kill him.

I hear someone cut something and a gurgling sound that has me widening my eyes in horror. What happened? I turn to see, but Eero shakes his head at me.

“You wouldn’t want to see this, love,” he says softly and I trust him.

I stand there for more minutes, feeling the strength slowly leave my system. The hits on my head are catching up. I hope there shouldn’t be any concussion and I hope that my ankle isn’t broken. The pain in my hip flares, not allowing me to move. Everything feels groggy and the sudden onslaught of dizziness surprises me.

“Zagan,” the name leaves my mouth with a breath as I lose my footing.

I don’t touch the ground though.

Bands of steel circle me and carry me in their strong grip. I fight with dizziness, the fear still not leaving my system. I see Devlin’s furious face as he looks down at me.

“I…Ivy,” I croak.

“I’ll get her,” I hear Nico’s gruff voice announce somewhere.

He hurries ahead of us, jogging a second later towards the light that seems too bright now. My eyes travel to Zagan’s hand, the same hand that I shot that night. Now I’ve scratched his skin. I’ve hurt the man who saved me.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” I whisper.

“Nothing I cannot handle, little siren,”

I think I smile at the nickname.

“That’s a cute…name…” I say groggily.

I think I’m losing the fight. The blackness slowly creeps forward. I fight my eyes from drooping, he sees it.

“I’ve got you,”

“Promise?”

His stormy grey clouds look down at me, swirls of hurricanes moving inside those depths as he fixes me with the same intense look I cannot put my finger on.

“I promise.”

I let the darkness finally claim me.

* * *

I wake up to the constant beeps of machines, an unmistakable indication that I’m lying in a hospital bed. I try to swallow down the disappointment that I have to wake up. I think, for a second before I lost consciousness, I wished never to wake up.

I wouldn’t have to fight the battles with my demons every day while keeping up the ruse that I’m not a broken, paranoid freak. I don’t commit the mistake of forcing my eyes open. I’ve learnt my lesson last time. The bloody migraine didn’t leave for weeks.

---