Page 34 of When Storms Collide

“Listen to me. Both of you. We cannot fight them. We can’t kill them all and take Nik alive.”

Nik released a laugh so deep his head tilted back against his shoulders, his face pale against the stormy sky.

“Maybe not, but we will try.” Puck flicked his Katana through the air, threatening the Noctani not to come anycloser. “I won’t run without you. I promised him, Diana. I promised him I would take care of you. Keep you safe.”

“Fromhim?” I seethed—my teeth bared. “The circumstances have changed. They won’t kill me, Donika wants that too much. She would never let her Noctani take that from her. The two of you on the other hand… ”

I let my words trail off, hanging in the thick, tempestuous air.

“Enough.” Nik’s voice was cutting and deep as he raised a hand.

The Noctani stopped in their tracks behind him. Their dead, black eyes tracked our every breath. Our every movement. Nik’s sword was strapped to his back. His wet hair fell over his brow. His lush mouth twisted into a smile. Everything about him was the sameexcept those eyes. Every glance towards him that met his blackened gaze threatened to undo me. How could this have happened? How could I have let Donika turn him into one of her twisted little monsters?

Nik inclined his head as his gaze remained focused on me.

“What’s the matter, Firecracker? Didn’t you miss me?”

This couldn’t be happening. I desperately prayed this was only a nightmare, but when I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and opened them once more, the group of Noctani still stood before me. Nik’s head was cocked to the side, that familiar lazy smile across his lips.

His hand moved to his chest, right above his heart. Did it still beat?

“You wound me, Firecracker.”

He took a step closer, and I took a step back. He lifted his brow at me.

“Are you afraid of me?” he asked, his voice that same velvety tone he used when he would flirt. I could taste bile rising up the back of my throat and I tried my best to swallow it back down.

I shook my head. “No, not afraid. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He laughed, his head falling back as his mouth opened, showcasing those sharpened white teeth.

Fangs.

“Hurtme? You could never hurt me, Firecracker. Not when I’m like this.”

I took another step backwards towards Puck and Tess, and he tracked the movement. He inclined his head ever so slightly, but he stayed put.

It was Puck whose voice broke the heavy silence that had fallen across the clearing. “Just leave. We don’t want to fight you, Nikolai. Take this opportunity and turn back.” His voice sounded as if it were a desperate plea.

“I don’t want to fight you either,brother,” Nik replied.

Puck flinched.

“My quarrel isn’t with you.” Nik shook his head. “We simply need to take Diana with us.” Nik reached for the hilt of the broadsword strapped to his back, sliding it free. The sound echoed across the clearing, rising above the pelting rain.

“You can’t take her.” Puck’s voice was stern as he adjusted his grip on the Katana, stepping in front of me even more to obscure me from Nikolai’s gaze.

My own gaze flitted to Tess, and she could see the tears gathering in my eyes.

“I’m afraid this isn’t multiple choice. There is no other option.”

Before Nik even finished speaking, he had made his move. He surged forward with the broadsword swinging down towards Puck. He moved fast enough that it was difficult totrack his movements, but Puck had met his sword with his own, pushing him back with all his strength.

But Nik was faster.

He wasso much faster.

We stood no chance against the increased speed and power of the Noctani. They moved forward all at once, Ms. Finch’s arms reaching out towards me. I slashed Stormslayer towards her and she stepped back, a surprised expression flitting across her face. She stepped back, and in her place another Noctani surged forward, one I didn’t recognize. Stormslayer met the blade of the other Noctani as I pushed her back, her blonde hair plastered to her forehead from the rain.

---