Page 85 of Incipient

All the arrogance and color drained from her face.

“I have to say,” I went on vindictively, “he was pretty upset when he came home, but then again, he usually is after he’s forced to spend any time with you. Luckily, I was able to make him forget all about it by the time I was finished with him. Of course, I didn’t make him forget the wayyoudo, what with those little magic tricks of yours, but I have my own special way that works just as well.”

“You stupid bitch,” she said through gritted teeth, her fists opening and closing at her sides as though she wanted to strike me with them. “You’re going to pay for this.”

“Easy now, Nikki. You don’t want those babies falling out of you before they’re fully cooked, do you?”

“After all the work I did—bringing him back from the dead, erasing his memories, nursing him back to health,” she said as she waddled out onto the front stoop with her fists fully clenched. Naturally, I took a step back to keep the gap between us nice and spacious. “And he still falls in love with you all over again.”

“Yup. And what does that tell you?”

Something akin to sorrow trickled into her eyes, and for the briefest of moments, I almost felt bad for her.

Almost.

“This isn’t over yet,” she warned, the sadness and sorrow quickly wiped away by her need for vengeance. “I hope you know you made the biggest mistake of your life coming here.”

“What are you going to do?” I scoffed. “You gonna sic your four little demons on me again?”

“I wasn’t talking about coming to my house. I was talking about this town. This entire fucking country.” Her aquamarine iris’ churned with strange red swirls, as though she had flames dancing in her eyes. “I’m going to wipe you off the face of this earth and I’m going to make sure it’s done in the most excruciatingly painful and inhumane way possible.”

“You and which army?” I asked, refusing to show her even an ounce of fear even though those freaky eyes of her were starting to scare the shit out of me.

Ignoring my jab, she sneered. “First I’m going to get that Amulet,” she said bouncing a glance to my clavicle even though my necklace was tucked under my shirt. “And then I’m going to take that sword from you,” she went on, glancing lazily at my weapon. “And when you have nothing left to protect your worthless, homewrecking ass with, I’m going to skin you alive and nail you to a fucking cross.”

Mm-kay. The girl was certifiable. I mean, there was hating someone and then there was what Nikki felt for me.

“Quick question: Is this before or after you birth the devil’s baby?”

“After, bitch.”

Alrighty then. Glad we cleared that up. “So, I’m guessing that means you’re not going to change your mind about the whole teenage pregnancy thing then?”

“I’m having this baby,” she said, the air thickening around us as though a storm were heading this way. “And he’s going to fulfill his destiny if it’s the last thing I ever do.”

Her words sent a sheet of ice water right down my back. “You realize the Council isn’t going to let that happen, right?”

The wind picked up her hair as she grinned. “The Council doesn’t have the power to stop me anymore. No one does.”

“Jesus, Nikki. Do you even hear yourself?” I asked as I wrinkled my nose at her. “This isn’t you. I mean, you were always crazy, but this is just…”

“Save it, Jemma,” she cut in before I could think of a fitting word. “A new dawn is coming and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Not anymore. I’m finally going to be the one they come running to—not you.”

“What are you even talking about?” I asked, not following in the slightest. “Listen, Nikki. You don’t have to do this. It’s not too late to stop this,” I pleaded, hoping I could somehow break through to the sane part of her. Assuming there still was a sane part of her. “There’s still time to make this right.”

“Oh, I intend on making all of this right. Retribution will be mine, and I’m starting with you,” she said as she turned for the door and then paused. “Consider yourself warned, Jemma. You’re officially a dead Slayer walking,” she added, her voice so low and cold that I felt the threat right down to my bones.

And then she slammed the door shut in my face.

I couldn’t help but feel like a total fink as I sat across from the Senior Magister and recounted every sordid detail of my powwow with Nikki. But honestly, what else could I do? The girl had completely lost touch with reality and was hellbent on birthing Lucifer’s child, like having the devil’s baby was just a normal part of senior year. Not to mention her very open and very chilling threat on my life.

“She’s not going to give up easily,” I said as I sank back into the leather chair in front of his desk.

“How many demons did you say you saw?” he asked, his brows furrowed as he pressed his fingers together in a teepee.

“Five—well four now, but there could’ve been more.” Something was telling me there was a lot more and that it was only the beginning. “You mentioned yesterday that demon activity is on the rise. Do you think they’re coming here specifically for her? To protect her and the baby?” I asked, feeling a lump brewing at the back of my throat.

“It certainly looks that way.” He exhaled sharply and then flattened his hands against his desk. “We’re running out of time, Jemma. If things continue this way, which they will, we won’t be able to get within a mile of her. The Horsemen don’t have a chance in hell of stopping this without their full power.”

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