Page 32 of Sidhe (The Incubus Saga #3)

“Please…” Nathan pleaded, begged, begged of the king of dark fae, “just let me help him. Please . Baby, I didn’t know it was you,” he swore to Sasha. “You can’t do this!” he screamed over his shoulder, hating how close Malak was, pressed up tight against him.

“Me? Why, Nathan, I haven’t done anything,” the bastard had the gall to sound oblivious and innocent, “ you did that.”

“I…I didn’t mean —”

Malak hummed in contentment, folding Nathan’s arms in front of him with his own arms folding around Nathan.

They were just off the stairs, Sasha splayed out over the first few steps still convulsing, but less pronounced, more like jerking trembles that proved how little time he had.

His eyes were hazy but on Nathan—always on Nathan.

“Not a clean kill,” Malak said in a conversational tone that made Nathan so angry he nearly choked, “but you definitely nicked the heart with that. I’d say he has…another minute? Less. My …” he whispered close and hot against Nathan’s ear, “he is beautiful when he’s dying.”

“Please…” Nathan tried again, because he couldn’t move in Malak’s too strong embrace, let alone hope to struggle free. “Not him. Anything but him, please .”

“Yes,” Malak nearly hissed, mouth ghosting along the edge of Nathan’s ear, “anything but him. I know. Perhaps you’d say the same if it were Jim, but…

either of them, yes, I know how you would do anything to keep them safe.

Why do you think I used them to begin with, Nathan?

I didn’t know if my little visit tonight would amount to much, but then down came your incubus to your rescue, and you reacted so wonderfully.

So why don’t we make this simple, hmm? I can let you go.

Let you save him. Or I can hang on and let you watch him die . ”

The tears in Nathan’s eyes stung.

Even though he couldn’t see it, Nathan felt Malak’s grin widen as lips pressed to his neck. “Nothing is free, Nathan. You know what I want in exchange.”

Nathan closed his eyes, even though Sasha was fading right in front of him, blue eyes beseeching, the knife still stuck so deep within him with all those awful veins shimmering.

If Nathan fell today then all of them would fall.

He wouldn’t be able to save Solrin or Jim or anyone. But he couldn’t let Sasha die.

He thought of calling out to those still upstairs, but for whatever reason they hadn’t yet heard any of what was happening so far, so it had to be a lost cause, something by Malak’s doing.

The dark sidhe king may not be all powerful here, but he was powerful enough.

Even in the Gatehouse, his ties to Nathan gave him strength most fae would be stripped of.

So without a favorable option, Nathan went for door number three, against all his better judgment, and damn it if he couldn’t believe he was even doing it, but if it was all he had left, he’d do anything.

So he prayed.

Please, he sent out to whoever would listen. Help me.

The shock was immediate, taking Nathan so much by surprise that he almost didn’t believe he had been thrown forward onto Sasha until he pushed up and saw the incubus’ anguished face.

“You overstep your bounds, Malak ,” said a new voice, powerful and fierce in a way that shook Nathan to the core.

Walter.

Nathan couldn’t dwell though, didn’t even listen to whatever Walter said further or how Malak responded. He was frantic as he snatched up one of the vials from the steps. He gripped the hilt of the knife and ripped it free, making Sasha gasp and tremble even more intensely.

Quickly, Nathan tore Sasha’s T-shirt away and poured half the vial.

He was worried then that it was too close to the end and a normal dose wouldn’t be enough, so he poured all of it, snatched up the second vial and tipped all of that one down Sasha’s throat.

The incubus seized more violently, his eyes rolled back into his head.

That scared Nathan more than he could say, even as he saw the antidote beginning to work, the wound gone away to smooth skin, and that green glow spreading through Sasha’s body like a flash fire.

Then Sasha gasped, gulping in air and shivering as he rolled to his side and coughed.

“I’m sorry,” Nathan said, heart in his voice, “I’m so sorry.

” He cradled the incubus close to him, both of them a little awkward on the steps, but Nathan couldn’t bear to not be touching every part of Sasha possible right then.

Having Sasha’s head tucked underneath his chin, feeling breath on his neck and the warmth from Sasha’s body, filled Nathan with some of the peace Malak had so neatly ripped away from him.

“N-Nathan…” Sasha tried to speak, his teeth chattering, his body still shivering as it fought to come back from being so unfairly close to death. Again.

“Aren’t you a confident guardian,” came Malak’s voice, loud enough that Nathan was pulled back into the conversation, finally able to turn his head and see what was happening.

Malak and Walter were facing each other, equally close to Nathan and Sasha on the steps.

Walter looked just as Nathan had last seen him earlier in the evening, in his usual casual attire, and yet Nathan didn’t remember Walter coming down the steps—he had just appeared.

His face was stone, entirely impassive and severe the way Nathan thought was very befitting of a Spirit Guide.

Malak seethed but hid the expression behind a twisted smile.

“My claim is just,” Malak said. “Nathan is as much mine as yours. I haven’t done anything I haven’t a right to. And soon I will have even more discretion. I can feel the fear in you, once-mortal man ; fear that your precious charge will turn to me instead.”

Hearing Malak say that filled Nathan with fire. He would still grieve, even though Sasha would never blame him for what happened. But to be so obviously weak made Nathan angry most of all with himself. So it pleased him greatly when Walter gave a small subtle smile and looked to Nathan with pride.

“You speak lofty words,” Walter said, “but at great risk Nathan called for me rather than accept your offer.”

“This is not my last chance to claim him,” Malak quickly countered.

“The time for that is still ahead. This was merely an…experiment. He’ll be mine soon enough.

” If Nathan didn’t know any better, he would swear Malak was pouting.

It seemed the dark sidhe couldn’t do anything to Walter.

If he could, surely he would have done so by now.

Walter returned his attention to Malak, his expression hardening. He made no move to approach the dark sidhe, but his tone was ice. “You will leave now. Nathan is safe from you in my presence.”

Malak huffed, his black suit-clad arms crossing indignantly over his chest as he looked down his nose at the Spirit Guide before him.

“To think some low-ranking grunt is assigned to so important a quarry. I suppose there is no accounting for intelligence. The powers that be could have reassigned someone more fitting when Nathan’s identity became known.

But no, that would be wrong ,” he said mockingly, “taking from Nathan the one who has watched over him all his life. Hn. Believe me, when Nathan is mine, I won’t even break a sweat over you.

” Malak’s eyes flashed with his threat, brighter and more menacing with their red on black.

For the first time, Nathan saw something like fear waver across Walter’s face, but it was quickly replaced with stern resolve. “You—”

“Nathan,” Malak turned, walking toward the stairs and ignoring Walter entirely, “you feel it now, how I’m still very much a part of you.

And Solrin will be a great asset, a deserving General that I will have waiting as a gift for you when you make your final decision.

His abilities are even greater than he knows. ”

“What are they?” Nathan found himself asking, surprised to hear his voice gravelly and hoarse, like he had been sobbing. “What is it about this guy that draws in fae?”

Of course Nathan never expected a straight answer from the dark sidhe king.

Malak merely smirked, looked down at Sasha with something between annoyance and desire, and then turned with a glare back to Walter.

“Do be careful when you choose to go against me,” he said. “I am sure I will deal with you again.”

“You will,” Walter promised.

Then, with another huff, Malak faded and was gone.

Nathan’s eyes immediately drifted back to Sasha in his arms. The incubus was shivering, his skin hot like he had the worst fever.

This would leave a more lasting effect than when Gabriel had caught Sasha square in the heart with iron alloy.

Nathan’s knife was pure iron, and if his aim had been even a fraction more to the left, Sasha would be dead.

The only difference was that this time it didn’t appear to have left a scar.

“Thanks, Walt,” Nathan said, even though his eyes were on Sasha, on dim blue that peered up at him filled with love and understanding.

“I am so sorry, Nathan,” Walter said, walking up to them. “Had I known you were in such danger, I would have come straight away, but Malak’s powers prevented it. I did not know you needed me until you called.”

Sasha blinked at Nathan, his brow furrowing as if to say he hadn’t heard Nathan call for anyone. Nathan had to smirk at that. “So I prayed,” he told the incubus, “so sue me. It saved you, didn’t it?”

An answering smile, albeit weak, replied. “You…prayed for me?”

Walter crouched beside them and reached out a hand to touch Sasha’s forehead. “I am afraid that I do not have much ability to heal you. But this may…” he trailed, glancing at Nathan with a slight twitch of his lips, “take the edge off.”

Nathan expected glowing light, radiating heat, sparkles, something , but Walter’s hand didn’t change, just stayed on Sasha’s forehead for a moment and then he took it away. Sasha sighed in contentment, visibly relieved and grateful for whatever it was that simple touch had done.

“Thank you for calling me, Nathan,” Walter looked over at him.

“In the future, please try and do so earlier. I can always protect you if Malak goes beyond what is allowed. Unfortunately, I could not have stepped in to dismiss the visions that caused this to begin with. He was able to pull you in because you allowed it.” Walter frowned, his words coming slow, knowing it would upset Nathan to hear them.

“I kinda figured that,” Nathan said. “I just…hadn’t seen him since that night, and I…” He squeezed his eyes shut to stay the tears threatening to fall. He was weak. He knew that.

“You are not weak, Nathan. Far from it. Lesser men would have given into him. You called for me.” Walter smiled, perhaps a little wider than usual, but still subtle, a fleeting thing as he stepped unashamed into Nathan’s mind and out again.

Nathan helped Sasha sit up so they weren’t lying uncomfortably on the steps anymore, but he held Sasha close against him, tucked into his side. “I just called for help. Nice to know there’s someone on the other end of the line for a change.”

Walter immediately frowned.

“Okay, okay, so you’re always on the other line, always have been, whatever,” Nathan said.

“I guess these are special circumstances so it’s a little different to have you…

ya know…actually charging in to the rescue in person.

So thanks. I don’t think I could…” he trailed, choked on his words as he looked to Sasha, “I just…couldn’t. ”

Walter was still frowning when Nathan looked up again. The Spirit Guide seemed as though he wanted to say something more, but suddenly his head jerked up the stairs and Nathan realized they were no longer alone.

Nathan turned, looking up the stairs as well.

“What are you doing?” asked a rigid, deep voice from the dark as a flashlight struck Nathan and Sasha on the stairs. A moment later, the light moved away from them and Nathan saw that the owner of the voice was their elusive quarry, half-dressed and carrying a gun in his other hand—pointed at them.

It was Solrin.