Niko: Love me Harder (7 page)

She was crazy pretending to connect with a weapon in a VR game, but she wanted it, so she did what he said.

She felt the hum and she followed it. It was more like the hum led her. She felt a connection in her mind, then it flashed bright blue.

She cheered. She’d done it.

“Nicolas is here. We’ll continue our game later.”

Chapter Eleven

Coming out of the game had been like leaving a new world. She hadn’t expected to be so sucked into it in such a short time. She blinked her eyes as she readjusted to the reality she knew.

“Dee, how are you?”

“Nicolas stood in front of her. He was one of the brothers. There were a total of six of them. She really didn’t know much about the order they were born in, except that Aran was the eldest and Sergey the next in line.

Nicolas had navy blue eyes. The color had always made her a little tense. They weren’t human looking. She laughed it off once again. Of course he was human. He had rich blue black hair that reminded her of the depth of color in the hair of many Native Americans. He was tall and slender, not as wiry as Niko, but hot none the less.

“I’m fine Nicolas. It’s nice to see you again.”

He smiled at her. “Most people aren’t that excited to see me when I have to examine them.”

“See, I’m different. I love going to the doctor.”

His smile widened and she laughed. Seriously, these guys seemed to bring out the best in her, even when she was trying for the worst.

“So where does this exam take place?”

“I think we can use one of Niko’s spare rooms.”

She followed Nicolas out until she realized Niko hadn’t moved.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“Too damn bad. There will be no exam if you’re not in the room.”

He smiled at her and followed them up the stairs.

She’d gone to the room she’d shared with Niko last night and put on something loose, that was almost everything in her bag. Now she was sitting on the side of a guest bed as Nicolas checked her.

Eyes, ears, nose and throat. He checked her reflexes and asked her why she was losing weight. He went over her medical history. She had laid on her back while he’d pressed and felt over her torso.

Now he was examining her back. She stiffened when his hands went to the back of her neck. His fingers worked their way up until he was pressing around the spot she’d been cut. There was no scar there. She’d checked it herself, but he seemed to know the exact spot.

“Tell me what happened, Dee.” He’d slipped into his doctor voice, the non-threatening one meant to reassure her.

She gave him the cold precise facts of what happened.

“What happened after that Dee? After the rescue.”

“Hell.” Her voice was shaky. How did she tell them without betraying the fear she felt? How could she tell them how death stalked her always waiting at the fringes of her mind? How did she say she was a danger to them, when she couldn’t even tell her best friend?

“Tell me.”

“I see things, things that scare me. I see visions of creatures that stand on two feet and kill. I see them killing me, disemboweling me.”

Her head was down and her eyes were closed. She didn’t want to see the horror reflected on their faces. She was sick. She had to be to see nightmares like that.

“Do you see anything else?”

“I hear his voice. What do you fear most, men or animals? Then I see a picture of Niko standing in front of me. He’s a man one minute, the next he’s a monster and I know.”

“What do you know, kitten?” Niko’s voice. It was the first time he’d said anything since the exam had begun.

“I know you’re going to kill me.”

“Kitten, look at me. Please.” His voice was soft, sad, she had to look up. “I’ll never hurt you.”

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She knew he believed that, but someone was going to turn him into something he couldn’t control. What then?

“I need to make a phone call.” Nicolas walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Niko took her hand and then gathered her in his arms. He didn’t say anything. He just held her until Nicolas came back.

“You’re going to give Dee Rowl three times a day, for as long as possible. If you run, make sure you take it with you. Dante will be dropping it off shortly.”

“Excuse me. Exactly what is Rowl?”

“Sanity. “ They said it in unison.

She raised a brow and looked at them both.

“There’s no easy way to say this Dee. You were poisoned. There was a substance on the tip of that claw that cut you that is poisonous to humans. This substance is special, because it doesn’t attack the body. It attacks the mind.” Nicolas looked her directly in her eyes as he told her.

“That’s impossible.”

“Is it, kitten? You watched a man’s nails turn into claws.”

“Fear, Niko. My eyes were playing tricks with me.”

“No, they weren’t. You have already had Rowl. Dante gave you some to try at Aran’s house. It’s a rough green substance.” Nicolas answered her.

“I remember that it was tasty. It reminded me of dehydrated greens.”

“That’s the stuff. You were getting it at Aran’s house, until you left.”

“Why was he feeding it to me? What does it do and why did you call it sanity?”

“Dante knew you would need it in your blood stream to combat what was to happen?”

“Are you saying he’s a psychic?”

“No. He’s different. Let’s leave it at that. Without that in your blood, circulating through your brain, you wouldn’t have made it.”

Nicolas turned to face Niko. “You need to be honest with her now. If her fear becomes rooted any deeper, you lose her.”

Nicolas walked over to Dee and gave her a hug. “You’re family Dee. We never hurt family.”

He walked out of the room.

“That was weird.”

“Not really. You’re family, both through Rena and myself.”

“Come with me. I want to tell you a story.”

He took her to a windowless room in the back of his house. It was black. When they entered, no light followed them in.

“Stand still.” She heard him move. Then the room was flooded with brilliant light. Every exposed place was painted into a beautiful mural of another world.

“It’s beautiful. It reminds me a little of the VR game we were playing.”

“This room, that game, are all based on the planet we were created on.”

“You were created on another planet? Does Nicolas need to check you out also?”

“Have a seat.”

Where was she supposed to sit? The room was devoid of furniture. She moved to where he gestured and a chair appeared. She sat, expecting to fall to the floor, but didn’t. It was comfortable.

“I ask two things of you. First, let me finish my story before you label me crazy. Second, remember Rena knows all about this and she loves Aran anyway.”

She nodded her head yes.

“My brothers and I aren’t from earth. We aren’t human.”

She looked around at the colorful, detailed pictures on the walls and ceiling. She turned back to him, still saying nothing.

“We originate in a galaxy on a planet your scientists have yet to discover. We have no real name. A science experiment may be the best way to classify us. We were created to fight a war for a people who couldn’t defend themselves. We fulfilled our purpose. Our people, or rather the genetic material we were created from, came from a race with a long life span. We enjoy that same life span. They hadn’t counted on that. We have outlived the original scientist by several centuries. In that span, all we did was fight, until one day there was nothing else to fight. Our services were no longer needed.”

He went to a painting of a tall proud humanoid. She had tan skin and long multicolored hair. His finger went up and caressed her cheek. Dee found herself feeling jealous of a painting.

“Our mother. None of us ever met her, but we have all dreamed of her. They killed her for her genetic material. She’s the only female they used in the making of us. If they had known how special she was, they would’ve burned everything she ever touched.

They used male animal genetics also. They made sure we were all born male. They wanted killers.”

Chapter Twelve

“You’re not a killer.”

“Yes, I am. I’m exactly what they made me to be. I, we, took out every threat that came against them. Not that we believed the scientists or their people to be totally innocent, but we were created to protect them and we did, until they didn’t need us anymore.”

He walked up to another picture on the wall. This one was an animal that stood on all fours with lethal looking claws.

“He’s one of the male animals who donated his genetic material, not that they asked him. Because of him I’ve claws when needed. He walked to another picture. Because of him. I can stand on two feet. All of the others you see here, each contributed to who I am somehow.”

He walked back to the picture of the woman. “She was a shape shifter. She had the ability to become anything she saw. Because of her, every strand of DNA I have works. I’m a monster, kitten, right out of your nightmares. Only I’m the monster that will never hurt you.”

“Let me see.”

“Kitten.”

“Let me see!” she was screaming now. She had to know. This wasn’t a game.

He took his shirt off looking at her with sad eyes. “I’m still the same male, kitten. I would never hurt you.”

She just stared at him and waited.

He began to change. His body grew taller, his nails sharpened and became claws. His teeth became pointed. He became the monster from her nightmares. She looked into his eyes and screamed.

She was racing from the room and up the stairs. She grabbed her purse and ran into the bathroom, locking the door and hiding in the too big closet.

She listened for him. Listened to hear him in the room, pounding on the door. Listened for his claws to rake across the door in anticipation of killing her. She heard nothing. Silence.

She sat rocking back and forth waiting for the door to be destroyed as that monster came for her. When nothing happened she crept out and placed her ear against the door. Fear had her ducking back into her closet. She sat there for what felt like hours rocking back and forth clutching her head and reassuring herself she wasn’t insane.

What should she do? She reached into her bag and called Rena. What were besties for anyway?

“Rena.”

“That male is corrupting you.” She gave a weak laugh.

“I know and it’s wonderful. Where are you, Dee?”

“I’m at Nikos.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Bad. It’s real bad.”

“What happened?”

“He turned into a killer and tried to eat me!”

“Did you hit your head?”

“No, Rena I’m serious. He’s a monster. You have to get away. We have to get away. Save yourself. Niko will never let me escape.”

A silent fat tear slid down her face. She’d always known she wouldn’t make it.

“Dee, where are you exactly?”

“In the bathroom, hiding in the closet.”

“Can I come get you?”

“Would you?”

“What are best friends for? Hang tight. I’ll be there in a few.”

Dee made herself comfortable on the floor and prepared to wait. It would take time for Rena to get here. Then she would have to fight her way past Niko. Poor Rena. She didn’t understand.

She heard the scratching on the door and tightened into a ball. The scratching sounded more like pounding.

“Dee? Unlock the door” That was Rena’s voice screaming into the bathroom.

“Rena?”

“Who else? I told you I was coming.”

What if it was a trick? Niko forcing her to come to the door?

“What’s the name of the boy that kissed you in the third grade?”

“Eww Jimmy Pepper. I’m kicking your butt for forcing me to relive that memory.”

Yep, that was Rena. She ran to the door and opened it. She immediately hugged her.

“Dee is your hiding spot big enough for two?”

“Yes.”

“Good lets go.”

They crawled in and sat cross legged on the floor.

“Eat this.”

“What is it?”

“Just eat it and then we can talk. Remember, I’m the older one. Don’t make me hold you down and force feed you. You know I will.”

Dee had to laugh. She’d been sick once and hated the medicine the doctor had given her. Everyday Rena had come to her place, held her down and made her take the medicine. According to the doctor, she saved her life. There was no stopping their friendship after that.

She reached out and took the food. She started chewing. It was tasty.

“Now let’s talk about Niko and the fact that he’s a monster, a huge killing machine.” Rena said it all with a smile.

Dee nodded her head, not at all comfortable with what she was hearing. She reached over and grabbed more of the greens. They really were tasty.

“Tell me again. How did he try and kill you?”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Niko, remember? You told me on the phone that he was trying to kill you.”

“Girl don’t you think you’re over-doing it? I don’t think he tried to kill me. Do you think he was trying to kill me?”

“Eat a little more.”

She nodded and grabbed a handful.

“Didn’t he turn into a man eating monster?”

“Monster? Please, he was kind of cute looking after you get past the fangs and claws.”

“Rena?”

“Yep, Aran and all the brothers are ‘monsters’.”

“So you have known all along?

“Not all along, and believe me I sought escape when I found out also. I ran into the bathroom!”

They stopped and laughed relieving some of the tension in the room.

“Why didn’t Niko come for me?”

“He was concerned that he may push you over the edge.”

Dee stopped chewing and pegged Rena with a stare. “Explain to me what happened?”

“Near as I can figure, Niko showed you his beast and the Rowl in your system stopped working. Most likely you had none left. Because of that, every fear that was implanted in you came to life.”

“So I ran and locked myself in the bathroom.” Her voice dripped with disgust at her actions.