Page 37 of Salvation
Nick gave her a nod. “I agree. Storo, stay here,in bed. Sakura and I are going to try this out on Nero now. Don’t get up until we get back, okay?”
“Movement is beyond me,” Storo murmured. “Go, save Nero. And may all that’s holy go with you.”
Nick gave his friend’s shoulder a pat, then grabbed Sakura’s hand. Together they raced out the door.
“Nick, you did it!” Even though he was once again hauling her across the street, Sakura didn’t object. In fact, she seemed more alive than she had been since they’d arrived.
He gave her hand a squeeze. “No,wedid it, Saku. One down, one to go.”
A heart-rending howl erupted from inside Nero and Dacey’s cube, the pain in it nearly freezing Nick’s heart. “Fuck.”
A moment later he stood in the doorway to Nero’s room. Dacey lay on the floor in the fetal position as though curling herself around her grief. K’rona and Ita comforted her without much effect. This was bad. This was very, very bad.
Nero roared, straining against the straps holding him to the bed. An icy tingle trickled along Nick’s scalp and down his spine. Death was imminent. Not again. This couldn’t happen again.
He rounded the bed. “Same as before, Saku.”
Their hands in place, Nick turned inward to tap his Source. “Calm your mind. Center yourself.” His words came out as a whisper as he willed his inner turmoil to be still.
“Two are stronger than one.” Her words washed over him and he relaxed further. He entered his Source, and the power of his Gift rushed to his hands.
“Purify.” His voice melded with hers.
Crack!Once again the power that had been his for so long flooded out of him, leaving him naked and as vulnerable as child. His gaze locked with Sakura. A tear rolled over her cheek, mirroring the grief welling up in him.
Nero jerked violently as if fighting off a demon.
“Where is the glow?” Sakura asked.
Nick’s gaze raked Nero from head to toe. No glow. Nothing. Where they too late? “K’rona, get Dacey over here, now!”
A teary-eyed Dacey appeared at his side a moment later. “Dacey, talk to him, aboutanything. What he means to you, the wedding, anything that will give him a reason to fight to stay with us.”
Immediately Dacey launched into a full diatribe, professing her love to Nero and how happy they’d be together. How one day they’d go home to Anferthia and their families, and walk in the pink ocean surf. Anferthians possessed a gift of the gab that would make an Irishman envious. Was it coincidence that they were as green as the Emerald Isle?
Nero thrashed, but a glow was appearing in places now. Patches of healing power shimmering through. It was working, but would it be enough? An icy finger of dread slid down Nick’s spine, and Sakura gasped. He jerked his head in the direction she was looking. The familiar darkly garbed figure near the foot of the bed appeared to be looking directly at him. A boulder-sized lump rose in Nick’s chest. Did it recognize him? Because being recognized by Death probably wasn’t a good thing.
He swallowed against the knot of apprehension. “Nothing personal, but I’ll do everything I can to keep you from taking this one, too.” Pissing off Death was not something he wanted to risk. Even with his Gift, he wouldn’t stand a chance against such a powerful force.
Nero’s entire body arched. The glow flashed a brilliant gold, washing over him as he let loose a blood-curdling scream. The dark entity faced Nick for another chilling heartbeat, then disappeared in a blink. Nick stared at the empty space as an amused chuckle echoed in his ears.
Had Death just laughed at him?
~*~
Nick sat next to Sakura on the floor in Dacey’s living room, their backs pressed against the large sofa and mugs of steamingkumiin their hands. A tenuous bond had formed between them from their shared experience saving Storo and Nero. Words would just break the spell. For now, sitting and sipping the revitalizing liquid was all he needed.
He lowered his eyelids and reached out to touch his Source of Peace. It was still there, whole and possibly a little stronger than it had been. And there seemed to be a hint of cherry blossoms mixed in. Could a piece of Sakura’s Gift be part of him now, or was what he sensed more like the lingering perfume from close contact of their powers?
“Nick,” Sakura said softly. “Was that thing…Death?”
He met her even gaze and gave his shoulders a shrug. “It looked like it, at least how I remember.”
“I do not think anyone else saw it,” she said.
“It didn’t appear so.”
Silence descended again. Then she turned her head, a perplexed V between her brows. “You have seen that thing before, yes?”
Companionably he draped his arm across her shoulders and she leaned against his side. He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ve definitely seen some weird shit in my life.”
