Page 20 of Eternal Light (Fated in the Stars #5)

Destiny and Hope Intwine (Nix)

There’s a sweet voice singing one of Nix’s favorite songs about saying goodbye to someone you love. It’s a favorite for Nix because it encapsulates perfectly the years before he found Jamie again.

Luca thought it weird that the reminder of that time of loss would bring him comfort, but Nix explained that since he knows now that Jamie and the others will never leave him, it reminds him only of the joy he feels—of the comfort of being loved forever.

Sometimes, when Nix asks—and sometimes even when he doesn’t—Luca will murmur the lyrics or hum the tune.

It’s pure comfort.

And Nix needs that comfort now, because he’s shut his bonds down entirely.

“Baby? Wake up now. Come on, show me your pretty eyes. I’m running out of songs to sing, and I don’t know when that zombie-ass-motherfucker is coming back.”

He doesn’t want to wake up. If he wakes up, he’s going to feel that excruciating pain again, and he’s going to have to think about what it means.

“Please? I don’t want to be alone here. I know I seem really tough and butch and everything. But I am secretly 100% twinkle-gay. Maybe 110%.”

Luca’s voice catches, and Nix swore he would never, ever let his baby sound that scared again.

“I’m awake,” Nix says quietly, and follows it up with an oof as Luca throws himself at Nix’s chest.

“Thank fuck! I couldn’t feel you, and I thought I was going to have to save us all by myself. I mean, I could, but I don’t like to steal your thunder, you know?”

Again, Nix tries to smile and shies away from his habitual, near-constant checking of his bonds; he can’t bear to see the rainbow without its passionate, heart-warmed red.

Jamie’s red.

Oh, Goddess, Jamie.

Nope. Not doing that right now. He’ll leave them shut down until he’s gotten them out of this. “Thought twinkle-gays were the apex of gays?”

“We are—if it can still be considered an apex at the bottom,” Luca mutters his pun-tastic response and helps Nix into a sitting position.

“Are you okay, Luc? Did they hurt you again?” Nix runs his hands over whatever parts of Luca he can reach and breathes deeply, finding only the softest hint of mocha still buried under Rowan’s spiced rum, despite his anxiety.

“I’m okay. A bit scared. I was awake in the truck after you fainted but played possum. When they pulled us out, I could smell metal and gasoline. It’s like a warehouse or something, maybe? The big guy dropped us in here.”

They’re lying on a stack of collapsed, flattened cardboard boxes in a small storage-type room.

It’s nearly pitch-black, without windows, and with only a single heavy metal door.

It’s dark, but there’s enough light, given they’re Were—and even more so, given Nix is truly the actual apex predator in the building.

It only takes Nix seconds to assess the situation.

His early Sentinel visits flash back in sharp relief—especially that strangely well-timed conversation with Logan about hostage risks and abductions.

The door won’t pose a problem, but it’s what’s on the other side that concerns him.

Nix can’t take a chance with Luca getting hurt if Withers is lurking.

While Withers had been reluctant to hurt Nix, he was more than willing to use Luca to get what he wanted. Plus, with his bonds shut down, his own healing could be slower than he’d like. He’s reluctant to be a burden on his mate—especially when Luc is already anxious.

“Did they say anything interesting or just the usual Humperdinck-style monologuing?” Nix asks, curious if Withers had dropped any important insights they could use to end Carnell.

“Not really. That’s Withers, right? He looks exactly like Gray described, but grosser.”

“For sure.”

“He’s as dumb as an upside-down umbrella in a monsoon.

He was freaking pissed about some broken spell, and then he was taking a verbal blast from someone he called ‘sir.’ He hung up all huffy and told Gigantor to keep us on ice.

Who says that anymore? He said again how he thinks you have magic and that I am an omega. Why would he think that?”

Nix goes to his knees so he can grab Luca by the shoulders and give him a tiny shake. “Baby, you didn’t tell him any different, did you?”

“Fuck, no. My monsoon-umbrella is 100% upright.”

“Good. BigAndStupid is Were, right? I shut down my scent when they came in. I must smell like Gray’s magic alone while you—”

“I smell like Rowan and me.”

Nodding, Nix gets up and puts his ear to the door. He can hear the television playing a talk show on the other side and the occasional guffaw from their jailer.

“As long as it’s just him and us, we can get out of here. Withers is the magical wild card. I think we can get you to safety, and then I can track Carnell and finish this.”

“What? No! We stick together. Leo said we need to stick together.”

Luca stubbornly crosses his arms and clenches his jaw. It’s the look that says Luca will not be moved. Nix doesn’t remind his mate that they were willing to risk it all for brownies a few hours ago.

“What happened to you after I was out? Did Withers knock you out, too?”

Nix freezes.

He doesn’t want to lie, not to Luca, but he can’t think about why Jamie’s bond disappeared. About the agony and the fear. Soon, he will. But he can’t break down here. Whoever is on the other side of this door doesn’t deserve his grief.

“I—no. I think I’ve got a plan—”

“Nix, you have your prevarication face on.”

His what?

“You know, the one you make when you don’t want to tell Gideon you didn’t like the healthy broccoli cookies he made? Or that the last song Jay showed you sounded like a jingle for Chuck E. Cheese?”

Oh—that face. He’d told Luca those truths, explained that he hadn’t wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings with the cold, hard facts.

Damn, he should have known that was going to bite him in the ass.

It’s the problem with sharing absolutely everything with someone—even the thoughts in your head.

“Luc, let’s get out of here, and then I’ll tell you everything I know. Maybe we can find a phone and call someone to come pick us up.”

“Jay and Gideon? I feel like they’re really far away.” The beta rubs between his pecs and then up over Jamie’s pack bite.

Nix’s stomach rolls at trying Gideon’s phone and not getting—nope, not going there, or Nix will be immobilized. “Shit—the BBS. Gray must be freaking out, too. How long until you’re really sick?”

“I don’t know how long we were out. But it’s low-grade now—maybe another few hours before I’m puking my guts up.”

That means Gray is most likely feeling it already.

It also means he can’t waste another minute—time to put his plan into action. “Do you think you could fake it to get BigAndStupid so we can get out of here?”

Luca looks uncertain, but Nix’s baby is brave, and he nods his head. “Let’s do it.”

Nix takes up his position behind the door and lets his wolf come forward. There’s immense power and cunning to be found when he lets the wolf run things.

“Help! Help! I’m hurt!” Luca calls. “Hey, Gigantor! I’m going to die in here! And then what will that zombie-ass-motherfucker do to you?”

BigAnd—maybe-not-as-stupid-as-they’d-thought—bangs on the door. “Shut up, omega-bitch. If I come in there, you’re going to be sorry.”

“I’m already sorry! I’m bleeding from my brain!” Luca coughs and then makes a gurgling sound before he spits on the floor.

It’s so believable that Nix can only stand there in awe. Who knew Luca Wilde could act?

“You’re bleeding?” the big man grumbles. “Shit.” There are footsteps away, and then there are keys jingling, and Nix points so that Luca gets back on their cardboard bed. In a stroke of genius, he bites his wrist and smears the blood on his face.

Nix’s wolf growls at the sight, not liking the visual at all.

“I’m going to open the door. It’s reinforced steel, and if I don’t see both of you on the boxes, I’m shutting this, and I’ll take my chances with Withers. Got it?”

Shit, there goes that plan. Instead, Nix throws himself on the makeshift bed and pretends to still be unconscious. It’s not ideal for leverage or the element of surprise, but Nix still has options, and his wolf is ready.

“My mate is still unconscious.” Luca coughs again and spits. “Are you going to help me or what?”

“I’m fucking serious!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Luca mutters under his breath. “Help me! I am so scared!” he says, much louder.

Nix wants to laugh but holds his breath, scent and bonds still tightly under wraps. He can’t afford to be distracted now.

BigAndStupid cracks the door open. Nix tracks him through his lowered lashes. “What the fuck did you do to your face? It wasn’t like that when I brought you in.”

“I don’t know. I woke up like this…” Luca whines pitifully.

“Shit, you better not actually die.” The big man grabs Luca’s chin and, in doing so, puts his other hand on the floor for balance.

Nix grabs his wrist and wrenches it up behind him, standing before the bigger man can even catch his breath. But he’s already swinging. Turns out, like Logan, he fights with brute strength and sheer determination.

A meaty fist slams into Nix’s shoulder, spinning him around. Nix spins, landing a roundhouse kick to the center of his chest. The man grunts but catches Nix’s foot.

Using the big man’s hold as leverage, Nix flips backward, using the hold to drive his foot up under the man’s chin.

He spares a second to make sure Luca isn’t going to be used as a potential bargaining chip again and sees him run out of the room.

“Now it’s just you and me, Stupid,” Nix growls.

“Who. Are. You. Calling. Stupid?” he grunts, blocking every clawing punch Nix throws at him. The big man is sweating and breathing hard, his popcorn-scent burnt with fear and fatigue.

To be fair, Nix’s wolf is only toying with him. No one wants to die feeling like they didn’t put up a fight.

End this already, Nix tells his wolf, as it’s already gone on too long. All they need is to still be here when reinforcements arrive.