Badlands: Next Generation Collection, page 21
I watched him and the giant of a man speak quietly to one another, and some of the tension gradually eased from his shoulders. Then, he surprised the hell out of me by shaking the man’s hand.
“Who’s that?”
“I dunno. Your guess is as good as mine,” Trix replied.
As they began speaking in earnest, the woman he’d come in with squeezed around them and closed the remaining distance between us.
“Hi,” she greeted with a reserved but friendly smile.
I noticed the Anubis tatted on the left side of her chest straight away. It was placed in such a way one couldn’t miss it, just like the inverted cross inked beside my right ear.
“Hey,” I replied with the same reservation.
Trix smoothed a hand over her cotton-candy colored hair and casually shifted so that she would either have to be included in the discussion or talked over.
The woman was unfazed by the action.
“I’m Alessia. That man back there is Tyson. We’re um, looking for my sister.” She paused and reached into her back pocket, pulling out a polaroid. “Have you two seen her anywhere by chance? She goes by Izzy.”
I studied the photo and shook my head. “I’ve never seen her before.”
“She doesn’t look familiar to me either,” Trix added.
“Are you sure? She’s pregnant. Or, was pregnant—the baby may have been born by now.”
Taking another look at the brunette in the image, I studied the laugh lines around her eyes. The smile on her face seemed so genuine and carefree. I couldn’t recall the last time I’d felt so unburdened, the last time I wasn’t trapped beneath a mountain of apathy.
This girl had the same Anubis tattooed on her chest as Alessia.
I gathered right away that it was their insignia. As with all factions in the Badlands, our insignias represented where we came from and broadcasted that we weren’t alone. Where there was one, there was bound to be another—safety in numbers and all that jazz.
Still, none of that was going to make me remember someone I’d never met before. I wouldn’t have forgotten a woman on the verge of giving birth.
“I haven’t seen her,” I repeated.
Alessia retracted the photo with a nod of her head. “Well, if you happen to come across her, I’d greatly appreciate it if you could tell her I’m heading down. She’ll understand the meaning.”
“If we come across her, it’s b—”
“We can do that,” Trix cut me off.
“Thanks,” Alessia replied, flashing another smile. “And good luck, Nyx.”
I stared at her with a slightly arched brow. “How do you know my name?”
Her smile grew a little bigger. “You’re the spitting image of your mother.” She left me with those parting words, turning around and going back to the man she’d called Tyson. Her head moved back and forth in response to whatever he asked.
With the picture still in her hand, she held it up to the show the bartender, who simply shrugged.
Alessia slid the photo back into her jean pocket and headed for the exit with Tyson quickly moving to follow, after saying something final to Zane. I stared at their retreating forms. Alessia’s shoulders were squared and her head was held high.
Not a sign of someone close to giving up. I could respect that.
We were still searching for a few people ourselves, my baby brother amongst them. With that search came one of my greatest fears. I was the reaper’s daughter, the devil’s niece—a Savage through and through.
I was also painfully and tragically human, albeit far from an average one. I still had that small list of things that terrified me just like the mundane did. Some fears were bigger than others, but one always remained at the top.
Death.
That’s ironic, right? Death was something I held like a kiss, but at times her softness turned brutal and self-destructive.
I understood her on a deeply personal level. She didn’t discriminate. I knew at any time without any warning, she could lay claim to someone I loved.
And she knew that if my brother was no longer among the living, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I held strong to my diabolic faith and beliefs that I would feel his departure. As of now, he was still here. I’d walk to the ends of this earth to find him—Lilith and Demon, too.
“Were you about to tell that girl her sister was dead?” Trix asked, interrupting my inner musings.
“Pregnant and lost in the Badlands? That doesn’t sound too good to me.”
“A little positivity wouldn’t hurt.”
I smothered a yawn and rubbed the back of my neck. “Positivity is nothing more than false hope.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Girl, you need to go bathe in some sunlight or something. You’re like a big ol ball a misery.”
“Whatever,” I muttered, taking this as my cue to leave before she got to trying to play therapist. I stood from my chair and squeezed past her. “I’m going to catch some z’s. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll be to the room in a few. Think about what I said about you know who!”
I cringed as her loud mouth drew attention to me. Trix was cool, but the woman was headstrong, opinionated, and the total opposite of a church mouse. She would never understand what was going on with Maliki, so I wasn’t going to waste my breath.
I passed Greer and rolled my eyes, hearing him sweet talk some starry-eyed woman.
He’d have her legs around his waist within the next twenty minutes. Maliki and I had timed him once. As soon as he flashed that boyish smile and dropped a few Spanish lines that they didn’t remotely understand, they were puddles on the floor.
I paused by Addy and Zane, who were now seated at the bar, heads bowed together as they quietly conversed.
The two of them weren’t something I ever expected, but I’d come to accept it despite the opposing factions we came from and the morbid history surrounding our parents.
I knew he would never hurt her, at least not on purpose. He looked at her in a way Butcher had never once looked at me, and at times that made my heart ache.
When the truth was revealed that he never cared, it was too late. There was no time to brace for the blow that came on the heels of his betrayal. His narcissism and manipulation of my affection ruined a naivety in me I wasn’t aware I had until he crushed it.
Taking a quiet breath, I cleared my face of any negative emotion.
They knew I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t want them thinking I was sad, either.
I gently tapped Addie’s shoulder to get her attention. She lifted her head and glanced back at me with a smile.
“What’s up?”
“I’m turning in. Do you need anything?”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” Zane answered before she could.
“Seriously? Why don’t you just piss all over her?”
He gave me a smug grin. “How do you know I haven’t?”
“That’s disturbing.” I eyed him with thinly veiled disgust. What did you get when you mixed a territorial asshole and an aggressive caveman? Zane. You got Zane.
“Ignore him, it’s past his bedtime. He did not pee on me, and if he ever tries, he’ll be minus his third leg. Do you want me to walk you?”
“Across the street? No, I think I can handle it. Besides, Charon is out there somewhere.”
Zane scoffed and she slapped his arm. I knew he wasn’t a huge fan of me trusting a bird, but I didn’t give a damn. Charon was special. He was a gift from my dad and went everywhere I did for the most part. He was my watchdog but with wings and a beak.
“Okay, well, I think we have a lead.” Her words were spoken as cautiously as they were the last time she’d told me this, which admittedly seemed forever ago. That aside, her sudden need to tread carefully around me was starting to grind on my last nerve.
I was fragile, but not like a delicate flower or piece of glass. I was fragile like a bomb, guaranteed to explode if not handled correctly.
I understood she wanted to protect me, and on some level she knew I wasn’t the same person I was a month ago, but I could deal with an empty lead.
I wasn’t walking around with a bouquet of hope. Hope was dangerous, hope was fickle and, when it was snatched away, all it left behind were feelings of desolation.
As with most things these days, this wasn’t worth a debate. I forced a smile. “I look forward to hearing all about it then, after I get some sleep.”
Stares followed me all the way out of the bar. I paid them no mind. My body was covered in tattoos from neck to toe with the Savage insignia standing out the most. That, coupled with my mother’s European roots and Dad’s dark features, had made me used to receiving heavy judgment from strangers.
Outside, the fresh air and freedom from the confined room of people was an instant balm for my mood.
I crossed the street to the Belfast Motel and spotted Charon perched on the rooftop of our massive SUV.
“Hey, Boo,” I greeted softly.
Grievous eyes locked onto me and he slightly lifted his ink-stained wings in greeting. Something twitched between his beak—a field mouse, I assumed.
I left him where he was and walked towards the room Trix and I had been placed in together. I knew if he flew off, he wouldn’t go far, and even on the chance he did, he’d find me again.
His ability to move freely was something I had never taken away. He was wild, not meant to be caged or tamed.
Digging the key-card from my back pocket, I opened the door and peered inside the darkened room.
Faint beams of moonlight streamed in behind me, bringing attention to the ugly green carpet
At the very back of the room was the usual sink and mirror combo. My reflection waited, preparing to judge me much harsher than any stranger could. It was unavoidable, just like the nightmares. Sooner or later, I would have to face both—but that wasn’t going to be tonight.
I looked at the two unmade beds. I wouldn’t be sleeping in either of them. I’d known that before I stepped foot out of the bar.
Needing to disappear before Trix showed up, I retraced my steps and pulled the door shut. I wasn’t sure where to go considering the hour and the fact that I had no idea what else was in this shitty town, but I couldn’t linger.
I decided to go left, walking beneath the paint-chipped awning that covered each doorway. A few feet ahead of me, one of the doors suddenly swung inward, and Maliki stepped out. Shirtless.
My combat boots came to an abrupt halt. I drank him in for half a second and then spun around to make a hasty retreat.
“Nyx?”
Shit.
His deep, gravelly voice had me slowing right back down.
I turned to face him, shoving my hands in my pockets so they wouldn’t dangle awkwardly at my sides.
“Hey,” I greeted casually.
“What are you doing?”
He started coming towards me, natural swagger radiating from his entire being.
I made an effort not to look any lower than the stubble on his face. It was a recent addition, but it fit him.
“Oh, I thought I would do a little sight-seeing.”
“Don’t be a smartass,” he reprimanded with a scowl.
“I’m going for a walk.”
“A walk?” His dark brows rose and he paused a few inches away from me.
I tilted my chin so I could look up at him, peering into eyes the color of deep sienna.
There was that familiar feeling, the one that caused the hairs on the back of my neck to rise and my breathing to fluctuate.
As a result I glanced down and wound up taking a peek at his wall of abs, inconsequentially catching sight of the fresh bloodstains on his jeans.
Seeing his hands were free I belatedly realized not only was he not wearing a shirt, but that he must have left it behind in the motel room with the blonde.
“Yeah, a walk,” I reaffirmed, keeping my onslaught of questions to myself.
“You can’t go for a walk.”
“I can’t?”
“Not tonight, not here, and certainly not alone.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Not alone? Is that your way of inviting yourself along?”
“We both know I don’t need an invitation, babygirl.”
“Wow. That ego of yours is severely inflated.” I rolled my eyes and turned around.
“Nyx.”
I ignored him, having every intention of continuing on my way. I needed some space from this motel and our friends. Right now, even from him. If I walked far enough, I might get lucky and escape the sink hole I was constantly falling in and out of.
I made it a full three steps before his hand was encompassing my lower wrist. His grip wasn’t so tight that it hurt, but it was enough to stop me from going anywhere.
“Malik,” I huffed and stared up at the starless sky, channeling my last bit of patience.
“You don’t get to walk away from me.”
“Let me go, Malik. Don’t you have a cute little blonde waiting for you back there?”
“It isn’t remotely the way you think it is, even if you suddenly care where I stick my dick.”
Yes. “You can do whatever and whoever you want. Just like I can”
“Were you with someone tonight? Is that why you’re out here?” His tone turned deceptively quiet, and the grip on my wrist tightened.
“You know I—why would you care?”
“Because we’re friends.” His dry sarcasm was impossible to miss.
“This is ridiculous. You and I don’t do whatever it is we’re doing right now. I just need to go, okay? I need…”
“I know, baby. I know. Why don’t you come with me instead?” he asked, tone softer.
I peered at him over my shoulder wondering what the hell happened in that motel room. I’d never seen him directly after one of his rendezvous. I did my best to make sure I never would. I hated the feelings that swarmed me when I dared even think about it.
We’d never made any obligations to one another, which is why I tried not to read too much into him calling me that. Something was clearly off with him—more than usual. I felt like a conceited bitch for not picking up on it.
Maliki was plagued with hidden afflictions and making it through the night could get a little difficult.
I guess tonight was one of those times for both of us. I swallowed all my guarded reservations and relented. “We should go before Trix shows up.”
His eyes searched my face and he gave me a small smile. “Wouldn’t that make for a joyous occasion?”
The grip on my wrist moved to my hand. He turned in the opposite direction, gently tugging so I’d follow.
I silently trailed behind him, trying not to stare at the striations of muscle in his back or his perfectly rounded biceps.
He kept hold of me even when we reached the door to his room, using his other hand to pull the key out and unlock it.
“When you said come with you, I didn’t think you meant to your motel room.”
He finally let go and turned around, bringing us chest to chest. “You scared?”
“No.” I took a small step back.
He countered it, bringing us even closer together as he reached past me to shut the door.
“You sure?” He stared down at me, his warm breath fanning over my face, smelling faintly of beer and mouthwash.
I swallowed and searched for my voice, nodding when it failed to present itself. Maliki possessed all the intensity of a silent storm, but rarely did he direct his overcast at me. His eyes fell to my lips and, if I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn he was about to remind me how his felt. Alas, his gaze slowly came back up to mine.
“Good, but even if you were, I wouldn’t have let you walk back out this door.”
He dropped his hand and moved away as if he hadn’t just sucked half the oxygen from the air between us.
“Feeling a little controlling tonight?” I quipped once I could speak again. He was the only man on this planet that could render me speechless.
“A little?” he muttered, spinning the switch for the wall sconce. There was a faint click, and then soft light spread about a small area of the room.
“Get comfy. I’m gonna shower.” He grabbed his duffel from the end of the bed and slung it over his shoulder. “Nyx, sit,” he demanded with a sigh when I didn’t move.
“All right, all right.” I meandered over to the bed and plopped down.
He shook his head at me and walked off, disappearing through the door that led into the actual bathroom.
As soon as the shower turned on, I swung my legs up onto the comforter and got situated, doing a quick examination of the floral blanket to make sure there weren’t any creepy crawlies throwing a party between its stitches.
The sound of running water was soothing in the otherwise quiet room. I closed my eyes and gradually felt myself relaxing. I was beyond tired. Not just sleepy tired, but tired of everything.
We’d been going from town to town, sleeping in the truck, motels, and abandoned houses trying to find just one of five missing people so we had some clue as to where we’d locate the others.
My parents were searching. Acolytes were searching, Venom were searching as well as others loyal to Uncle Romero and Zane.
But even then, there was only so much ground that could be covered in a day. We had to watch our backs twenty-four/seven and be smart about the moves we made.
The shower shut off after about twenty minutes. There was the ruffling of the liner and then the sound of Maliki drying off before he undid the duffel bag’s zipper.
I tried not to envision him being naked. The last and only time I’d seen him like that was the night we spent together. Ever since then, I only ever saw him in drawers. I was now well aware how amazingly toned his ass was, and the outline of his thick cock gave me plenty of spank-bank material to get off on.
I’d lost count of how many times I imagined all the filthy ways I could take it inside me. Of course, these were thoughts I wouldn’t dare speak aloud.
I sensed his return a second before the intoxicating aroma of black peppercorn assaulted my senses. My lids fluttered open and I was met with almost the same view as before. He wasn’t wearing anything but a black pair of sweats and matching socks. His towel was draped around his neck.
