Page 35 of Infamous (Chronicles of Nick 3)
“No, you’re not dead.” The heavily accented voice was thick with an accent he knew extremely well. Greek.
Nick turned his head to see a vision in a long white dress that left her right shoulder bare. Her vivid red hair fell all the way down her back in thick, fat curls. Her skin was flawless as a goddess’s should be.
“Artemis? What am I doing here?”
“We made a bargain, did we not?”
“We did.”
“Well then, I can’t have you being fought over by Thorn and Noir, can I?”
He supposed not. “Why am I so sluggish?”
“It’s the drugs they’re giving you. They affect you even in this realm.”
Who knew? Nick tried to sit up, but it was useless.
“Just relax. Rest until you awaken in the human realm.”
Nick nodded and closed his eyes. He saw himself again, summoning Artemis to heal Kody. At the time, he hadn’t been sure it would work. But in addition to being goddess of the hunt, Artemis was also a healer, and a protector of children and women. At least that was what Kyrian had told him.
As a precaution should one of the Daimons or something else try to eat him while Kyrian couldn’t help, he’d given Nick his ring that held Artemis’s symbol. And then Kyrian had told Nick how to use the ring to summon the goddess.
In the beginning of their relationship, Nick had thought Kyrian crazy. But over the last year, he’d learned crazy wasn’t what it used to be. And instead of selling Kyrian’s ring, he’d kept it just in case.
Nick had been willing to give Artemis his soul. Instead, she had only taken some of his blood. But she’d sworn him to absolute secrecy. He couldn’t tell anyone that he’d seen her.
“Why did you agree to help Kody?” he asked.
Artemis shrugged. “She’s a warrior. A huntress of her own. I have a soft knot for such women.”
Nick started to correct her mixed-up idiom, then caught himself. It was never wise to correct a god. “I still don’t understand.”
“It’s not for you to understand. Now rest. Soon you will have a battle to fight and you will need all of your strength.”
He tried to ask her what battle, but he was too weak to even do that. Against his will, he went back to sleep.
* * *
When Nick finally came to, he found himself in the ER again. At this point, they should just keep a room reserved for him—or a frequent patient card or something. What the heck? Name the hall after him since he was now on a first-name basis with half the staff.
Kyrian and his mother were there, along with Acheron and Kody.
His mother glared at him. “You are trying to put me in an early grave, aren’t you?”
“Really not.”
“You’re lucky, Nick” Kyrian said. “You have a broken arm, but the rest of it is superficial.”
“Thank the gods you have a hard head,” Acheron added. “I honestly didn’t think you’d make it given what I saw. That man was definitely after your life.”
Even so, Nick felt bad for the man. While he didn’t appreciate the beating, he well understood the man’s motivation. “What about Mr. Quattlebaum?”
Kyrian sighed. “He was arrested for battery.”
“He’s lucky I didn’t get ahold of him,” his mother growled.
“Yeah,” Kyrian agreed. “Come to find out, he’s been stalking you for the last few days, waiting until he could get you alone and attack.”
So Nick hadn’t been imagining that. Someone was watching him. Here Nick had been looking for something paranormal when it’d been a human …
Nick froze as his memory drifted to what he’d seen just before he’d passed out. Quattlebaum hadn’t been alone. He turned his head to meet Kody’s gaze. There’s a Trexian on the loose, he projected his thoughts to her.
She widened her eyes. Are you sure?
He nodded. I think it might be behind all of this.
Trexians were very similar to Ash’s Atlantean goddesses. They thrived on causing turmoil.
It all made sense.
And the only one who could find a Trexian was one of its victims. The earlier the victim, the easier to track it. And Nick had a pretty good idea who the first victim had been.
Hah, Caleb! I do read. And all that he remembered from the last time he’d consulted his grimore.
He turned his attention back to Kody. I need you to get Brynna for me.
One of Kody’s brows shot northward as a little green monster flared in her eyes. “Excuse me?”
Everyone turned to look at her expectantly.
Kody’s face flushed bright red. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
As soon as they stopped looking at her, she glared at him. Brynna?
I’m going to lay a bet that she was the original target, and even though I was one of his targets, because I’m not fully human, I’m not sure if my confronting the demon will work.
Okay, that makes sense. You’re out of the doghouse. For now.
Good, ’cause he didn’t like the scenery there. It was a cold, arctic place. While he could get into the doghouse with ninja speed, getting out of it wasn’t usually this easy. Let’s hear it for near-death experiences.
And once Kody left, he spent the next half hour arguing with his mother on why he didn’t need to stay the night for observation. It was Acheron who finally convinced her.
“We’ll keep an eye on him, Cherise, I’m sure he’ll be much more comfortable at home.”
Once she agreed with Ash, it seemed to take him forever to get out of the hospital and headed back home.
His mom ranted the whole way. Wow … too bad nagging wasn’t an Olympic sport. His mom would easily take the gold. “I can’t believe you were attacked again. He better be glad the police have him. If I ever lay eyes on him…”
“Mom, breathe. He only did what you’re threatening to. He thinks I raped his daughter. We’re both lucky he doesn’t have your temper or a gun, otherwise, I’d be dead.”
She reached over and squeezed the hand on his broken arm.
Nick yelped. “Now? Now you want to hold my hand? I swear, Ma, you’re twisted.”
She rolled her eyes at him, then parallel parked in a space in front of their apartment.
Nick got out and waited for her. “Are you going back to work?” Please, please go back to work.…
“I hadn’t planned on it.”
Of course not. That would make his life too easy. C’mon, please, go to work. I’ll be fine.
“But you know, Nicky, you’re looking fine to me. I think I’ll go on.”
Was that his powers? Could it be one of them was actually working?
She handed him her keys. “You can let yourself in, right?”
“Yeah. Are you walking to work?”
“I normally do.”
Then he decided to test his powers to see if it was him or just weird luck. Take the car. You might need it.
His mother paused mid-step, then turned around. “But you know, I might need it, and given what happened to you … Yeah, I better take it to work.”
Nick gaped at the fact that he finally had a working power. And it was a good one too!
“Let me let you in.”
He waited until she’d unlocked the door and left before he summoned Kody and Caleb. Luckily, after Kody had talked to Brynna about Nick’s plan, Kody had then explained everything to Caleb.
“And you’re sure you saw a Trexian?” Caleb asked. “You were in the middle of another near-death experience. The chemicals in the brain can kick up all kinds of weirdness with that type of stress.”
“I’m sure, Caleb. Since I’ve been on house arrest, I’ve taken your advice and have overcome my bibliophobia. I’ve been doing a ton of research.”
Caleb appeared shocked, then impressed. “Really?”
“Yeah, you know they have all kinds of information online.”
Caleb passed an irritated smirk at Kody. “He can find more ways to navigate out of something he doesn’t want to do than anyone I’ve ever met. Impressive. Irritating, but impressive.”
“So what’s the plan?” Kody asked.
“I’m going to pick up Brynna and then we’re going to pay the Trexian a visit.”
Or Nick was going to jail for a really, really long time.…
* * *
Brynna was still protesting as they stood outside of Dina Quattlebaum’s house. “Nick, I’ve known her most of my life. You’re absolutely wrong about her. She didn’t do this.”
He refused to listen to her. “Then we can apologize. But I don’t think I’m wrong. I know I’m right. Think about some of the things written on the site. The feelings of being invisible.”
Brynna scoffed. “Everyone feels invisible at times. Dina’s no different than anyone else. Believe me, she wouldn’t hurt a flea. Never mind me, or anyone else.”
“Bryn, if I’m wrong, we apologize and go home. But if I’m right…”
All of this would stop.
“Fine. Go on, then. Embarrass yourself. I’m right behind you.”
Kody stopped them. “That might not be a good idea, since we don’t know if she lied about her rape, or not. If she really was attacked, and she’s not lying about that part, seeing Nick might unhinge her.—For all we know, her attacker really looked like him.”
She had a point. A very good one.
“Nick, stay in the bushes and I’ll check it out.” Brynna went up the walkway.
Hoping for the best, Nick came in from the side of Dina’s yard. He’d just ducked into the hedges that surrounded the ornate front porch, when Brynna knocked on the door.
No one answered.
Brynna glanced at him. “Maybe she’s not home.”
Nick knew better. He could sense people inside the house. Most of all, he could feel the deep sadness and hatred that fed the demon part of him. “Try again.”
She did.
After a few seconds, the door opened slowly. Dina stood there in a pair of dingy sweats and an oversized gray sweatshirt. Her hair was in pigtails, and it was obvious she’d been crying. Her eyes were swollen and her nose red. Sniffing, she frowned at Brynna. “What are you doing here?” Could there be anymore hatred in that one single word?
“You haven’t been in school for the last few days and you haven’t returned my calls. I was worried about you.”
“I’m fine. Just leave me alone, okay?” She started to close the door.
Brynna stopped her. “Why have you been crying?”
“I haven’t been crying.”
Yeah, right.
“Then that’s one bad allergy you have. Have you been to a doctor about it?”
If looks could disintegrate people, Brynna would be porch dust. “Why don’t you just go back to your perfect little life and leave me alone. I’m not your pet project, you know?”
Brynna scowled. “What are you talking about?”
Dina sneered at her. “You’re such a bitch, Brynna. Go.”
Brynna refused. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re friends. And I don’t understand where all of this animosity is coming from. What has happened to you?”
“You want to know? You really want to know?”
Brynna was aghast. “Of course.”
Dina sniffed. “Who did you ask to be on your stupid committee? Huh?”
Brynna appeared stumped as she tried to remember.
“You’re so pathetic,” Dina snarled. “Okay, let me help you. Who did you not ask that you should have?”
Brynna’s scowl deepened. “Well … Casey had cheerleading practice so I didn’t ask her.”
Screwing her face up, Dina grimaced at her, then tried to slam the door in Brynna’s face.
Brynna caught it again. In that instant her eyes lit up as she finally understood what Dina was talking about. “You? You’re mad at me because I didn’t ask you?”
“Of course I’m mad at you. You slapped me in my face, in front of everyone.”
“How?”
“We’re supposed to be friends, remember? Everyone knows that except you. I waited and waited for you to ask me, but you didn’t, did you? No. I’m not good enough to be part of the Brynna Addams posse. You didn’t even bother to get the license plate number of the bus you threw me under, did you? No. Because you don’t care. It’s all about you, all the time. You couldn’t care less about anyone else.”
Brynna snapped her jaw shut and looked straight through Dina. “Have you lost every shred of sanity? Really? What are you thinking? I didn’t ask you because you hate dances with a passion. You’re always ranting and ranting about them and how lame you think they are. How you’d rather be set on fire than look like an idiot in public. No, wait, wait, wait, wait, your exact words … ‘It’s just an excuse for horny teenage boys to publicly grope girls and get away with it.’ The last thing I want is to feel one of those”—she made air quotes with her hands—“disgusting things rub up against me while I’m dressed nice. Nor do I want to bump and grind on a girl. If I want to pay homage to Sappho, I’ll write her a poem. Is that not verbatim your constant tirade?”
