Page 3 of Ashes

NICO

TWELVE HOURS AGO

The next morning, Nova appears shortly after sunrise. I feel her before I see her. Smell her too. Warm water, smoke, blood, and sex. As she enters the room, a wave of warmth comes with her. Like Luther’s, but different. Hers quivers, moves the air, penetrates my skin.

Her eyes find me and drink me in. She smiles. Her shining, silver hair hangs loose over her shoulders. She’s wearing a thin white sweater. Black tattoo ink peeks through. A pattern that draws my eyes to her chest. I snap my eyes back to her face; I’m supposed to be her brother, for fuck’s sake.

That’s when I notice her eyes. One brown, one blue. They told me about it when they told me she used to have auburn hair, but last night her face was so full of fear and fury, and her eyes so dark, that I didn’t see it.

My mouth is dry as I stand up and move to shake her boyfriend’s hand; I assume he’s her boyfriend because he’s standing slightly behind her, taking up as much space as he can, shoulders pushed back, chest puffed out. And because he looks less than pleased to see me.

He’s about my height, but more athletic. Floppy, light brown hair. California skin, like he’s been sunbathing all summer.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “This is odd. An intrusion.”

Immediately, Nova pulls me to her. She holds me tight and close, as if she’s been waiting to do this for too many years. I can feel her heart beating against mine. Her hands warm my back. Her fingertips smooth over my bumpy, charred skin and she inhales sharply. I close my eyes.

When she steps back, she takes my hand and moves toward the table. Before we sit down, she turns my wrist over and strokes it. She turns to the boyfriend. “Look. The birthmark.”

He narrows his eyes, but nods. Straight off, I can tell he’s an empath. He has the vibe. Luckily, I perfected my masking technique years ago. He can try, but he won’t get any readings from me. No matter how hard he searches.

“Did you recognize Nova?” Mack asks, stalking over with a coffee pot. Luther is gone. He left while I was sleeping. The Viking—the huge, tattooed guy who got tossed around by Eve—hasn’t appeared yet.

“Not at first, but now…” I say, smiling at Nova, meeting her sparkling eyes. “Now, I know exactly who she is.” I take her hand across the table and squeeze it. A flutter of static tickles my palm.

“We have so much to catch up about,” she says, her lips forming a delicious shape as she blows across the top of her coffee mug. “When did they take you?Howdid they take you? How did they even know about you? Should I call you Sam or Nico?”

Her face is bright and animated. An unexpected clot of laughter fills my chest. I’m about to tell her to call me Nico when Polar Daddy interrupts. In a tone that says,I’m the big brother of the group and I’m in charge, he tells Nova that he needs to debrief her. Learn all he can about what the League is doing.

Beneath the table, I catch myself tapping my foot and make an effort to stop.

Glancing at me, Nova turns to the boyfriend and asks, “Where’s Kole?”

“Still sleeping,” he replies. “How are your powers?”

Smiling a little, Nova opens her palm. A spark flutters to life. I’m watching it when the boyfriend says, “Nico? Why don’t I show you around while Mack and Nova talk?”

I clear my throat. “I thought… breakfast?”

But the boyfriend isn’t taking no for an answer. He wants me away from his woman. Away from whatever she’s about to tell Mack.

“It’s okay,” she says, her fingers brushing my knuckles. “Go with Tanner. We’ll talk this afternoon.”

I stand and follow the boyfriend—Tanner—to the door. I pause before I reach the hallway. She’s watching me leave. I turn back to her and, in my most sincere voice, say, “Nova? I’m glad I’m here. Even if it happened in a scary way, I’m glad we found each other again.”

That makes her smile. She hugs her waist. “I’m glad too.”

* * *

It’s just past midday when Nova finds me. I’m sitting on the pool table in what looks like some kind of ballroom-turned-man-cave. Disco ball hanging from the ceiling. Sound system. Bar. Darts board.

Tanner’s tour of the mansion lasted little more than fifteen minutes. The place is huge, and he showed me just a fraction of it. We walked past at least seven bedrooms before we reached one he told me I could take. Far away, I’d guess, from where Nova sleeps.

After a shower, I explored on my own. The ballroom, downstairs with a view of a tall brick wall and a winding section of river, was behind one of the few unlocked doors.

And it’s here that I’ve been waiting. For Nova.

I’m weighing a heavy ball up and down in my hand when she appears. “I found you,” she says, smiling as if she’s been waiting to say that to me her entire life. Walking over, she looks me up and down. “New clothes?”

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