DARE THE DEVIL

Guest at dinner

“Was that me?” Aziza asked no one in particular. But she remembered that spark and warmth and she recalled the fire.

“Well, you are the only one who is capable of doing any of that,” Chandra answered with humour in her tone. For one, she wanted to teach Nikko a lesson.

“I think our witch counterpart is fully awake then.” Nyx entered worriedly. So far, havoc had been the only thing running since the witch counterpart woke up and she couldn’t help but wonder how long it would take till she would master her powers. Being a demon, wolf or even a vampire was easy. Being the kind of witch Aziza was, definitely was not. And she was already chaotic as it was.

“Do you think she talks too?” Nisha pondered.

“If she did, she would have said hi.”

“Just like the vampire then. We would only know they are here when they wanted to cause havoc,” she mumbled.

Aziza blocked off her thoughts, seeing as their discussion wasn’t helping her. She couldn’t believe what happened and still couldn’t believe that she could simply hurt someone so easily. But then again, it had always been a very easy task. Nikko groaned and whimpered in pain at his knee while Maddie and Sloan tried to help him. They were no doctors and could not help a broken bone. But Maddie ran along and brought the first aid anyway. Together with Sloan, they dragged him to a chair and laid him down.

“I guess this is going to keep him stuck with you,” Chandra suddenly entered. Realising the problem Aziza might have just created.

“How is he supposed to leave then?” she growled. Aziza ignored her, once again, blocking her off, knowing that of all that ran through her thoughts, that didn’t seem to be one of her biggest problems. Her eyes trailed down to his ankle, which had been dislocated. Her heart fell and the pain of seeing the pain she inflicted on him made her look away as she recalled those painful and agonising pained voices that tormented her thoughts. She heard him wince and felt something stab her chest.

“I think we need to take him to the hospital,” Sloan suggested, seeing no way she could possibly treat a broken bone.

“He isn’t human, remember?” Maddie sat down beside him, slowly taking out everything in the first aid kit.

“And the hunters think he is dead. If he is suddenly seen being carried out of here, what do you think would happen then?”

“Get some ice,” she ordered without waiting for Sloan to protest or think on her words. Nikko let out another soft groan, twitching in pain and fright. His gaze shifted a bit to the woman who had caused him pain. Once again, he noticed the reluctance, the fear, the worry buried deep within her dark gaze. He let out a smile, a pained one, assuring her that it was fine, like she needed it, like he wasn’t even in pain. She might have hurt him and he well deserved it, but it was relieving as hell to see the pain within her gaze. Sloan returned with the ice and Maddie gently placed it on his swollen ankle. It seemed to help with the pain and for a moment, he relaxed and shut his eyes. Seeing as he was no longer groaning in pain, Maddie turned to Aziza and flashed her a glare. Then she turned around and walked away, leaving no words.

Sloan followed behind her, seeing how annoyed she was. And Aziza and Nikko were left in the sitting room. Aziza stared at him for a while, feeling the need to go closer, to see if he was okay. However, she didn’t. No matter what he said or what had actually happened, he deserved what he got and she was not going to feel sorry about it. With that, she turned around, deciding it was best to just leave. The night was ruined.

“I know it wasn’t your fault,” Nikko entered, sensing the very moment her gaze left his skin and panicked.

“I know you didn’t want to hurt me. And that was why you protected me at the fiery furnace,” he added. She stopped in her tracks, hating the drag in his voice and the confidence hidden within.

“I didn’t protect you.” She answered. Truly, she had no idea what happened or how it happened, but protecting the Roxwell’s or him was not her aim.

“Actually, you did,” Nisha squealed. Proving her wrong.

“What do you mean?” she frowned.

“You might not have intentionally shielded them or pushed him to the part of the compound where fire could not have touched. But your sixth sense might have…”

“I have a demon, a vampire, a witch and a werewolf counterpart stuck inside me and you are talking about a sixth sense.”

“It might not be a sixth sense, but it's something your subconscious knows about.” Chandra entered, trying hard to explain the situation as best as she could.

“Maybe, your witch counterpart already knew about what was happening. Or what would happen and because you cared about that nincompoop right there, and the Roxwell family, you subconsciously, adjusted your magic, and shielded them away from the fire.” Her frown deepened and she slowly turned back to Nikko. Who was surprisingly no longer lying down.

“What are you doing?” she yelled at him, seeing as he was taking off the ice and trying to get up from where he sat.

“I can’t feel the pain anymore,” he turned to her with bright blue eyes and white teeth that revealed the best features of him. Then he got up on his feet and her heart skipped a mile. However, he neither flipped over, nor fell. Her eyes widened in realisation and a bright smile speared on his face.

“I am truly not human,” he sounded disbelieved.

“I am truly not human,” he repeated.

“I am truly not human,” he yelled this time and jumped up in excitement and happiness. Then he ran to her. She flashed him dark eyes with a red ring around her pupils and he stopped in his tracks, wishing to never experience his legs being broken again.

Maddie and Sloan rushed down, thinking something terrible had happened. But unexpectedly, they saw him standing on his feet.

“What happened?” Sloan turned to Aziza. She rolled her eyes and turned away. The night had been eventful and her stomach couldn’t handle it anymore. Yet she was relieved and somewhat flabbergasted.

“He healed,” she answered, finally believing that he was just like her and started towards the dinning where their dinner was supposed to be kept.

“Oh!”’

“That’s good news,” she gave Maddie a wink and joined Aziza on the dining table. Maddie turned to Nikko and flashed him a cheeky smile and turned to the table too.

Like nothing spectacular had happened, the three of them sat down and began settling for dinner when Nikko joined, uninvitedly. Aziza glared at him from the corner of her eyes, wishing he could just disappear.

“So, what are you?” Maddie wanted the very opposite and began to serve him for dinner as well.

“I do not have an answer for that,” he readily picked up and started eating. Staying dead had been so hard, he could not recall the last time he had such good food and he was not ready to give it up. Not when he found shelter, not when he had someone like him, people who would give him answers to questions he knew not about. Not when he could look at Aziza from a closer range and not think of how he would die by either the hunters or her, or better still, he could look at her and not think of killing her because he was ordered to do so.

“How can you not?” Sloan entered.

“I just found out that I am something supernatural. But I don’t know what it is yet.”

“Have you tried reading people’s minds, running at the speed of light, growing fangs or shifting like a wolf?”

“I have taken a lot of drugs to subdue what I have…”

“what I am. I might not return to what I am supposed to be like Damon did.” He sighed, his heart falling apart at the thought of being so blind and ignorant all these years. He had been someone else all this while, lied to, deceived and made a weapon in the hands of his enemy. And feeling lost could not be said to determine or express the very thing that he felt. There was a hole in his heart, a deep whirlpool that was pulling him deeper and deeper into darkness and loneliness that no one could ever understand. He felt dead. Not lost.

“Damon got his powers, he recovered after all this while,” Sloan chipped in.

“I think you would too,” she added.

“Damon is said to be one of a kind. A powerful being, the most powerful of them all. I doubt I am anything like him,” he forced a sad smile and picked up a cup of water. Aziza gulped, pushing away the bile and darkness that overwhelmed her at the thought of her mate.

“Don’t be so down. At least you are no longer in the dark now. What is your plan anyway?”

“Return home.”

“That’s why I am here. I know Aziza can help me. I am sure I have people on the other side, friends, family, people who actually cared. They can help answer my questions as to why I ended up here,” he turned to Aziza.

“Don’t get your hopes high,” Aziza spoke darkly.

“No one truly cares about anyone. Not in that world you imagine. And don’t be surprised that you have no other person there, who cares about you but you.”

“Well,” a smile appeared on his lips and his blue eyes brightened up as he met her gaze. Feeling the room with a sudden warmth and light that only he possessed.

“At least, I have you.” Red flashed in his eyes and a lethal being appeared behind those gaze like a dark shadow.

“I won’t leave you and I know you won’t leave me.”

“I have you.” He repeated, his voice turned darker and his tone unrecognisable. A different being was on the surface and he pushed to lay his claim, his claim on his most prized possession.

“Growing cocky, are you not?” Aziza smirked, feeling the shift. A low grunt of satisfaction escaped his throat and once again, his eyes flashed red.