Chapter 27

27

" A gain," he demands in a strict voice.

I close my eyes and focus on my energy, doing my best to disguise it. Slowly, the shimmer around me fades.

I gaze up at Nykander, raising my brows in question.

He smiles and nods.

"Good. Let's see how long you can hold it."

"Does that mean we can go now?"

He grunts.

"But"—he raises a finger—"if you cannot hold it until we get to the portal, we will have to stop and do this all over again."

"Nyk." I pout.

"It is not up for debate, Barbs. You need to be able to shield yourself continuously once we reach Tartareia. Otherwise, there is no point in hiding. Everyone will be able to find us within moments."

"Fine." I sigh. "We will do it your way."

"Of course. We always do it my way, sweets." He winks at me.

I shake my head at him and return to get the dogs ready.

Leaving some food and water inside their little house, I pack all of our things and wait for Nykander to work his magic.

He grabs the dog house and our baggage with his tentacles, and we are ready to go.

"It's so pretty out today," I quip as we wade through the thick forest.

With how happy I've been in the last few days, I have the urge to skip around, but I don't want Nykander to think me immature—we're already so far apart in age as it is.

So if I can't skip around to my heart's content, then I can at least hum.

Nykander glances at me, his lips tipped up.

"What are you singing?"

"Oh, it's just a Korean song." I wave my hand around.

His brows go up.

"Sing it louder."

My lashes flutter in surprise.

"Uhm, you know I'm not the best singer and?—"

"Doesn't matter. Sing to me."

"Fine. But don't you laugh, okay?"

"Me? Never!"

I hike a brow at his exaggerated expression, but I comply and start signing as we walk. I'm not sure if I can do the song justice, since the original is so perfect, but Nykander doesn't seem to be complaining.

He listens attentively when he suddenly stops me.

"What does that mean?"

"Hm? Which part?"

" Make me go biteul, biteul ," he repeats, though he butchers the words.

I chuckle at his pronunciation. Going to his side, I raise myself on the tips of my toes and whisper in his ear.

"It means, when I'm with you, you make me so crazy I forget how to walk and every single moment it feels like I'm falling. But even if I do fall, I know you'll be there to catch me."

His eyes widen slightly, and his cheeks heat up.

"That is"—he clears his throat—"very expressive."

"It is, isn't it? When we find a place to stay, I'll even show you the dance."

"You will?" he asks, his eyes moving up and down my body. "Without PomPom, I should hope."

"For you, I will make an exception," I murmur.

"Without clothes too." He smirks.

"Now, Mr. Dark One, you are being too picky," I chide him playfully.

"Am I? And here I thought it would be easier without clothes. Less restricting… It would do more justice to the moves."

"You haven't even seen the moves to know that," I whisper, lost in his gaze.

"I do not need to see your moves to imagine them, Barbs. You will find that I have quite the rich imagination and whatever you might do, I likely imagined it far ahead of time."

Now it's my turn to blush.

"You…have?" I murmur, averting my gaze.

"Barbs, what do you think seeing you in that drenched, see-through dress did to me? I could not get the picture out of my mind for weeks."

"Oh," I murmur, enjoying having such an effect on him.

"Then it is just as well that I also thought about…" I trail off.

"About?" He raises a brow.

My eyes dip to his pants before I quickly look away.

He chuckles as I furiously blush.

Before I can gather my composure, he whispers in my ear.

"And what did you think about, sweet girl?"

"Well, I… I…" I stammer, unable to find my words. "I…"

"Relax, Barbs." He laughs. "We can continue this conversation later, when we are alone…preferably with a bed nearby," he adds suggestively.

I gulp down.

"But on the bright side, even when you're blushing from head to toe, your shield is still hidden. Well done," he murmurs the praise as he lays a quick kiss on my lips.

We resume our walking, and it's the first time since we've known each other that we have been so at leisure around one another. There is an odd sense of comfort as he listens to me prattle away about my books and my favorite music or movies. And he's not just pretending to listen. He muses over my words, asking questions and appearing genuinely interested in what I have to say.

I swear my heart cannot take more of this. How can this man be so perfect?

"And you know, I was very upset when they canceled the show because it was so good! I wish I already had my trust fund as then I could sponsor the show to keep it running and?—"

"Shh," Nykander suddenly says as he places a hand up.

He stops, listening closely.

"There is someone coming," he whispers.

"What? But you said this realm wasn't populated."

"So I did." He purses his lips. "He might not be able to sense our energy signature, but he will be able to hear us just as we hear him."

"Him? How do you know?"

"Close your eyes and listen."

I do as he says.

"The steps are punctured, heavy. There is also a rhythm to them that speaks of military training. He knows we are listening and he is making his presence known."

I frown.

"But why?"

"I do not know, but we are about to find out."

"Do we need to fight? I can fight. Well, I might not know how, but I'm sure I can wing it somehow. You don't have to do it all alone. Now I can help you too," I tell him excitedly.

The prospect of being useful and needed is a new one, but I find that I've never been happier.

In the past, I was just part of the decor—whether at home, at school, or with my so-called friends. It made me think that was all I was capable of—to be present but never seen.

Finally, I am important in one way or another.

I might have been mad at the fates initially, but now I'm thankful that they chose me.

"Barbs, quiet," he murmurs.

"Oh, okay, sorry."

He fights a smile as he maintains his concentration.

Lowering the dog house and our luggage to the ground, he retracts his tentacles, making himself look perfectly normal.

My ears perk up. Leaves rattle and twigs break as the stranger continues toward us.

I take a deep breath.

If he attacks, I am ready.

The foliage parts to reveal a tall man dressed in a military uniform—a black linen shirt and trousers covered by a brass armor.

He stops when he sees us, his eyes narrowed.

His features are harsh but beautiful. His jaw is strong and square, his cheekbones high. He appears to have some East Asian ancestry like myself—though I wonder what they call that in other worlds. As I study him, however, it's his eyes that I'm drawn to. They're a beautiful swirling amber, a mix of the lightest honey and red wine.

"Whoa, he's beautiful," I blurt out under my breath.

It's not every day I see someone with his looks. In my world, he would definitely be an actor or a model, gracing the covers of magazines.

Nykander stiffens next to me, shooting me a harsh look.

"Barbi," he warns softly.

My eyes flare and I realize I misspoke. I certainly wouldn't like it if Nyk called any other woman beautiful.

"Sorry," I mumble.

The newcomer comes closer, his stance that of a warrior ready for battle.

"What brings the two of you here?" he asks, his voice deep and grave. "This is an uninhabited realm."

"We are in passing," Nykander answers in an equally belligerent tone. His body is tense by my side, and I suddenly feel overwhelmed by the testosterone flying in the air.

"We're on a holiday," I hurry to say in an attempt to defuse the situation. "We wanted to take our dogs on a trip." I motion to the dog house and the three dogs currently peeking their heads through the small window.

The man regards us suspiciously.

"This is not a realm where you vacation," he continues, his voice measured. "It is toxic for life, unless…"

"Unless?" I frown, glancing questioningly from him to Nykander.

He hadn't mentioned anything about toxicity. And we have our dogs with us! How could he not tell me that?

"Unless you are immune to it, which would make you either a deity or a demon," the man states. Reaching for the sword sheathed at his waist, I realize he's already determined we must be the enemy.

And based on the fact that he can walk around freely, I assume he is not a demon. Then that makes him an Aperite deity.

Nykander tenses.

Oh, no. Don't tell me they are preparing for battle. That's the last thing we need, especially with our dogs here. We might be all right, but they would bear the brunt of the violence.

"Not demons," I blurt out, pressing my palm against Nykander's chest and taking a step forward.

"Barbi? What are you doing?" He grabs my hand, but I shake my head at him.

"We're not demons. I promise," I continue. "In fact, we are running away from demons."

The newcomer tilts his head to the side, his expression pensive.

"You are?"

"Yes, yes. You see, we come from a world called Akkaya and there we were chased by this big bad demon called Damien. He was awful. He caused this plague that killed millions of people and he was feeding on their souls to become stronger and?—"

The man puts his hand up, silencing me.

"I have heard about that incident. The demon you speak of has been destroyed."

"Oh." I pretend to be surprised. "That is good to hear…" I stammer.

"We do not wish to engage in any conflict," Nykander intervenes. "We are merely trying to find a portal to lead us home."

"Home… And where is that?" the stranger asks.

"Anthropa," Nykander lies.

The man lifts his brows in surprise.

"Then allow me to escort you to the portal." He inclines his head. "It is not safe to be around here."

"I am certain we can find our own way," Nykander states.

Tension crackles in the air as they engage in a staring contest.

"I will escort you," the man repeats. "I also have a few questions about the world you speak of—Akkaya."

"What do you wish to know? I will answer your questions and then we will be on our way," Nykander continues.

The stranger regards us curiously.

I elbow Nykander in the ribs and give him a look. The more he speaks, the more this man is going to suspect we're hiding something.

"Have you seen or heard about a blue dragon in Akkaya?"

"Dragon?" My eyes widen. "They're real?" I whisper to Nykander.

"No, we have not," he replies tersely. "If that is all, we will be on our way."

Nykander lifts the dog house in his arms, nodding for me to take our baggage—though I can barely carry it. Still, we have to maintain a facade of normality. Without another word, we move past the stranger to leave.

But we only make it a few feet before the baggage falls from my hands, the makeshift bag opening and spilling all our clothes.

I immediately drop to my knees to gather them, and the stranger surprisingly joins me, handing me some of the clothes. Our hands accidentally touch, and a spark of electricity runs through my body, but it's a different kind than when Nykander touches me. I pull my hand away, massaging the spot as if I'd been burned by a hot object.

A growl erupts in the air.

"I would appreciate it if you stepped away from my female," Nykander intervenes. He places the dog house on the ground and inserts himself between the stranger and me.

Tension rolls off him in dangerous waves. Just hours before he was teaching me about hiding my energy signature and now he's about to give himself away because of some silly jealousy—though I can't deny that makes my insides mushy.

"Cut it out, Nyk. He was merely trying to help," I murmur.

" I can help you. He does not need to concern himself with us, much less put his finger on you," he grits out. He's staring intently at the man, as if waiting for a reason to strike.

"The dogs are here, Nyk. Please, behave."

He sneers in displeasure. Oh, I can tell he's itching for a fight, but he chose the wrong moment.

"Fine," he mumbles. "But you do not touch my female. In fact, I would appreciate it if you took a few steps back. You are far too close as it is," he instructs the stranger, pushing me farther behind him so I'm completely out of sight.

Alas, this would be cuter if this wasn't such a precarious situation. He's been lecturing me up and down about the importance of hiding our identities, but he is ready to risk it all the moment someone looks the wrong way at me.

The stranger does not reply. He's frozen on the spot, staring at the pile of clothes. He wrinkles his nose.

"I smell blood," he mentions in a tight voice.

His cheek twitches as he glances up at Nykander and me.

" Demon blood."

He barely finishes his words as he removes his sword from its sheath and sends a blast of energy toward us.

Nykander's shield immediately goes up to obstruct the blow, his dark shadows enveloping both of us.

The stranger's eyes shift color as he regards us with interest.

He smirks as he takes in Nykander's dark energy.

"So I was right," he mutters. "And not just any demon. A Son of Tenebreis. Must be my lucky day. You will tell me where Aethon is, demon," he grits out, wielding his sword with deadly precision.

"What? Who's Aethon?" I whisper to Nyk.

He grinds his jaw.

"A general in the Aperite army. He is the blue dragon he is looking for."

"We don't know any Aethon or blue dragon," I call out. "We aren't hurting anyone. Can you just leave us alone?"

"He must know. Aethon was last seen chasing after your brethren," the man replies.

"I do not know what brethren you are speaking of, nor do I know anything about Aethon." Nykander squints.

"Nyk, the dogs," I whisper. "I need to get them to safety."

He gives me a tight nod.

His tendrils extend to grab the dog house and move it out of danger. But the stranger mistakes his actions for an offensive, and he strikes out.

My eyes widen in fear. We might heal, but my babies cannot. How dare he put them in danger?

"Leave my dogs out of this!" I shout.

The pink shimmery energy materializes around me, my control slipping from me as I think about anything happening to my babies.

My scream turns into a deadly weapon, the energy rolling off me effortlessly. It takes the shape of a scythe, flying at the stranger with one purpose—to draw blood.

His brows go up in surprise, but with one swish of his sword, he parries my blow.

This gives Nykander enough time to move the dogs out of the danger zone.

"You are not a demon," the man states, his eyes boring into me. "What are you?"

"None of your business, you cretin!" I point my finger at him. "How dare you try to hurt my dogs? You chose the wrong person to anger today, buddy," I say as I cross my arms over my chest. Leaning into Nykander, I whisper, "Make him pay, Nyk. He can't get away after threatening our little ones."

A small smile pulls at Nykander's lips.

"Your wish is my command, sweet thing." He winks at me.

Depositing me aside with one tentacle, he remains in the middle of the clearing, facing the newcomer. With my express approval, he is now more at ease. His expression changes too, and I can tell he enjoys the challenge.

Since the other man is using a sword, Nykander mirrors him, creating his own weapon from his energy.

"You go, Nyk!" I jump up and down, cheering for him. "Kick his ass!"

He rolls his eyes, but I don't miss the small smile pulling at his lips.

The other man is not amused. He glances between the two of us, debating his next move.

"Aethon was following Mideros when he went missing," the man speaks in a low voice. "Tell me where Mideros is and I might let your female live."

"That is the wrong thing to say." Nykander laughs darkly. "Do. Not. Threaten. Her," he utters slowly. "Do not even look at her."

"I see. So she is your weakness," the man muses. "Tell me where Mideros is."

"Mideros is in Tartareia, which is sealed, but you already know that."

"No. He is not. He has been sighted outside of Tartareia."

"Impossible! No one can leave Tartareia." Nyk frowns.

The man tilts his head to the side.

"And yet here you are." He smirks. "Nice try."

"He's different," I quip from the sidelines. "He wasn't there when Tartareia was sealed."

"I did not ask for your opinion, female," he states in a deadpan voice, his gaze devoid of any emotion.

"What did I tell you? Do not look at her," Nykander grits out, flashing himself out of sight before appearing in front of the man and striking. The man dodges the blow, a slow, deadly smile pulling at his lips.

"Killing demons is fun. Killing a Son of Tenebreis will be even more entertaining," he mutters under his breath.

So far, he has not summoned his energy to the surface. I still can't detect his energy signature. Despite that, he's able to dodge every attack Nyk sends his way.

He's strong. That much is clear.

He smiles and he rushes toward Nykander.

Their swords clash. They glare at each other, the metal of their blades trembling with tension as they apply more force.

But it seems they are evenly matched.

Specks of energy crackle around them. One moment they're in front of me, sword against sword, the next they're two dots on the horizon, moving at the speed of light. Branches fall, leaves rustle, and trees collapse. They destroy everything in their path as the clash of steel against steel echoes in the stillness of the forest.

The fight stretches for moments on end, and without using their spiritual abilities, they are both becoming exhausted from the back and forth.

The few times I get a better look at them, I note that Nykander's clothes have been slashed, blood staining the material. But the wound has already healed, so his flesh is smooth. The same goes for his opponent. The areas not covered by his brass armor have been cut and shredded, the material hanging loosely on his body. But he, too, does not have any visible injuries.

So he can heal, too .

At this rate, I doubt there will be a winner. One strikes, the other parries. One injures the other, then gets injured in return.

But as they notice the battle stalling, they finally call upon their spiritual energy.

Nykander ditches his sword, letting his dark shadows envelop him. The stranger summons his own energy, a dark magenta with specks of silver.

"Be careful, Nyk," I whisper.

Despite having full confidence in his abilities, I fear for him. He is getting tired and he needs to feed. The stranger, on the other hand, seems to have a strong supply of energy. It's almost like the more Nykander strikes at him, the stronger he becomes.

Damn it!

He must be some type of high-level god. Even Damien with his all-encompassing supply of souls had not been this strong.

A loud blast reverberates in the forest before something drops to the ground, creating a deep crater in the soil. Nykander claws his way out, wobbling on his feet. His face is covered in blood and his injuries heal slower than before. God, that must be incredibly painful.

The stranger lands a few feet over, his breathing shallow.

"Where is Mideros?"

"I do not know," Nyk grits out, unleashing his tendrils upon his opponent. While some slither from the front, distracting him, others appear from the back, disguising themselves as the shadows of trees.

While the man fights the ones he can see, the inconspicuous ones curl around his feet, traveling up his legs. He fights them off, using his energy to blast them away, but Nykander reinforces them.

Once he has a good grip on his opponent, Nyk pulls hard on him. He brings him toward him at the same time as he builds a ball of energy in his hands. As the man reaches Nyk's side, he pushes the ball of energy into his gut.

My eyes widen as I see the way the brass armor snaps, shards of it falling to the ground. The energy eats at his flesh until there's a gaping hole in the middle of his torso.

With a feeble blast of energy, the man manages to extricate himself from Nyk's hold, only to collapse a few feet over.

He takes a deep breath as his flesh slowly mends.

Nykander is also breathing hard, his shield flickering in and out and denoting he's close to his limit.

This is it.

I clasp my hands to my front as I watch them breathlessly.

The next clash will denote a winner.

"You can do this, Nyk."

He half-turns toward me, his lips curving in a lopsided smile. Blood drips down his chin. He looks sexy and battered, but still sexy.

He winks at me. But that second of inattention is about to cost him.

"Nyk!" I call out as the man gets to his feet, ready to launch another attack.

Just as they summon their last bit of strength, a loud thud resounds in the forest as someone drops down from the sky.

What the…