Page 85 of Sidhe (The Incubus Saga #3)

Frowning, Nathan’s hand dropped. “There is so much potential in you,” he said with something of a hunger that made Walter’s insides twist, especially since Nathan leaned into him, his face coming close to the crook of Walter’s neck.

“If only you’d see it. All that I could give you. Even…your family,” he whispered.

Those simple words, for a moment, erased Walter’s faith completely. He closed his eyes, tears stinging them as he shivered against the fridge.

Walter could not lose as others had lost. He could not.

Fists clenched, eyes opening to stare into red on black unflinching, he mustered what faith he could, saying clearly, boldly , “Get thee behind me, Satan.”

Fire and anger flashed in the awful-colored eyes, Nathan stumbling back a step, surprised it seemed, maybe even flinching at the words in a way that made Walter feel empowered, if only slightly. Then Nathan threw his head back with a long, loud laugh, and all the fight flew right out of him again.

“Did you actually think that would do anything?” Nathan shook his head as his laughter died. He stepped into Walter’s body again. “I’m not what you think. I’m much, much more.”

“You are nothing but a shadow. Worse than Malak, maybe, but lesser— much lesser than Nathan.” Walter flattened himself to the fridge door, willing himself to stay calm long enough to outlast Nathan’s fury that flared once more in the dark fae eyes before him.

But then something flickered, something unmistakably bright, and Nathan stepped back again.

“Trying to goad me isn’t very bright, pal. You’re lucky I mean it when I say I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Just trying to make things better here, make the world better, and everyone’s against me.”

Walter knew that Nathan, the real Nathan within, was still capable of keeping the dark fae part of him from tearing Walter apart.

But he could not take comfort in that when he also knew that mercy was part of the seduction.

“I will never choose you,” he said, his trembles finally stilling enough for him to relax away from the fridge.

Nathan merely smirked. “I don’t need you to choose me,” he said. Then he turned, leaving Walter holding a sandwich he no longer had an appetite for, and walked away.

After chucking the rest of the sandwich in the garbage by the pantry, Walter quickly gathered the other things he had planned to bring up, left the kitchen, and raced back to his room.

He wasn’t shaking, but his heart pounded so loudly that he felt his pulse visible on his neck and echoing loudly in his ears like a bass drum.

Wally peeked at him only briefly. He deposited the food and water bottles on the dresser, clutching its edges a moment, half wanting to send it toppling over with a crash, as conflicting emotions surged through him.

Eventually, he lay down on top of the covers. He knew he wouldn’t sleep, but lying next to Wally was for the moment peaceful, and reminded him that he was not alone. Soon the gentle sound of Wally’s purrs drifted into nothing.

Walter was surprised when he woke up that he had actually fallen asleep so easily. He felt, for the first time in days, refreshed. He did not in any way feel good , since they were, after all, still in the midst of the apocalypse. But he felt rested, and for that he was grateful.

The sun was still shining when Walter peered out the window, opening it in hopes of letting in some fresh air, though it came in smelling stale, fake. He could see clearly where the false backdrop fell away to Nathan’s barrier, a jagged shield keeping all others out.

Wally roused as he moved for the door and chirped at him to be given more food before he left her alone again. He happily obliged.

“Don’t worry, little one,” he said, giving her an extra pat, “we are going to figure this out and bring the real Nathan back.”

He expected the Gatehouse to be quiet still with so few of them, but voices drifted to him from the bar as he descended the stairs—heated, angry voices. He entered to the sight of a crowd, everyone he knew to still be in the Gatehouse, with Nathan, Jim, and Sasha at its center.

Walter watched as Jim and Sasha moved toward Shiarra and took her forcefully by the arms. She did not look at all surprised by this, but shifted suddenly into the form of Puck. Walter held back a gasp, seeing equal surprise from Alex and Solrin.

“You thought you could hide from me,” Nathan said chastisingly, head cocked at Puck in cruel humor.

“Maybe you would have stayed hidden too, but my baby doesn’t keep secrets from me.

” He grinned at Sasha, who grinned right back, pleased to be praised.

“So, you wanted to help? Thought you’d try turning those I love against me? That isn’t very nice of you.”

Puck didn’t look scared, just sort of accepting of the inevitable, resigned.

He pulled on a smile. “Nathan, buddy , I was just waiting to see how things turned out. Your side’s looking much more likely the winner here, so…

how’d you like another recruit? I’m good at parties.

Can’t have an apocalypse without a bit of mischief, now can you? ”

Nathan clearly wasn’t impressed.

He looked at Jim, who shook his head and sneered, “He’s lying. He’d betray us the first chance he got.”

Maybe Puck looked a little scared. “That’s…that’s crazy. I just need incentive. Sort of the way I roll, ya know?”

“Oh, so I have to keep you happy?” Nathan eyed him with a patronizing stare.

“Beats making enemies,” Puck said.

With a shimmer that rippled over Nathan’s form, he suddenly wasn’t wearing dark jeans and a black button-down over a red T-shirt anymore.

The pretense fell away and he was simply in Malak’s suit again.

He pulled his iron ankle blade from his breast pocket.

“Maybe there’s a third option I like better. ”

“Nathan!” Walter called before he realized what a foolish thing it was to interfere. “You cannot kill him. You said…you said you wouldn’t hurt anyone.” His voice became smaller as Nathan looked over at him with a hard gaze. “You said no one would get hurt.”

Jim, Sasha, and Solrin all glared at Walter, but Nathan tilted his head, thoughtful.

“And here I thought you were smart. Had some sense ,” Nathan said. “You think it best to let a creature like Puck go free? He’s known for lying and trickery.”

“It’s only a matter of time before he turns on us,” Jim bit out gruffly.

“Do not question Nathan so openly,” Solrin added in warning.

“Nathan, please,” Walter tried again, thinking of what the real Nathan would want, and he wouldn’t want senseless death, no matter the reasoning. “You don’t need to do this.”

There was a tense, static silence. Alex stood nearby merely looking on with wide eyes, waiting for how Nathan would react, what choice Nathan would make. Puck was not an evil thing. It would only be the first of many more justified murders to come if they allowed this to happen.

Laughter caught all of them off guard, trip-hammering Walter’s heart in his chest.

Puck’s laughter.

“Well, folks, it’s been fun,” he grinned at all of them as they turned to him with gauging expressions, “but I still got a few tricks up my sleeve. See ya around.” He winked, paused only a moment, then it was as if he merely slid out of Jim and Sasha’s hold, only he hadn’t because there was still a Puck in their arms. There were two Pucks, and the freed version turned and sprinted from the room.

“Him!” Nathan called after the one escaping.

It became clear his guess was correct when the Puck that Jim and Sasha were holding vanished into mist, the pair nearly falling into each other at the sudden unbalance.

In seconds, everyone was running; Nathan first, followed by Jim and Sasha, then Alex, and finally Walter as well, leaving only Solrin to take up the rear.

They chased Puck out of the bar into the hallway that led to the cellar door, where Puck headed swiftly down .

This area of the Gatehouse was typically dank and dark, but strangely empty when most people used their basements for storage.

Only it wasn’t as empty as Walter first thought when he glanced around at the bottom of the stairs, eventually seeing past everyone the startling sight of what looked like some sort of bomb shelter, its door open as Puck ran straight into it and then suddenly stopped, realizing he had trapped himself.

Nathan started laughing, and Jim and Sasha soon joined him.

“Thanks for the tip, Alex,” Sasha said without looking back at her, his voice a low growl despite his seemingly human appearance. “And here we thought it would be difficult to trick the clever trickster.”

Walter looked to Alex only to see her expression blank, numb.

“Nice, huh?” Jim came up beside Sasha, stroking a hand up the side of the open door.

“Never knew about this thing until Alex told us, but apparently this… panic room is great for keeping out fae.” He toed the area just in front of the door where runes drawn over the surface had been broken.

“Break the lines first and close the door later, though, and it’s even better for keeping fae in . ”

The three of them laughed in chorus. It was a terrible sound in its unity.

Jim and Sasha parted so that Nathan could step up closer, taking point between them. Puck actually looked scared now, knowing he had no way out, nowhere to go, and no more clever tricks. Walter felt a great sympathy for him.

He noticed Solrin hanging back by the stairs, looking actually a bit affronted by all this, apparently not in on the trio’s ruse, and finally showing on his face how left out he felt now that Nathan had his true Generals at his side.

Nathan stood in front of the door to the metal cage they had prepared for Puck, his nice shoes pressed up against the hurdle he would have to step over in order to get inside.

Jim and Sasha were close, very close behind him.

So close, in fact, that Walter almost didn’t realize what was happening, didn’t believe what was happening…

until Nathan was suddenly inside the chamber too, having been pushed brutally hard by Jim and Sasha’s hands working in tandem.

The slam of the door made Walter gasp in disbelief. Jim and Sasha had shut Nathan inside with Puck. Puck, who was suddenly standing next to Walter and not in the panic room at all.