I Knew Her As August

twenty-six: purity

When Nicki came back to earth, all she knew was that she was freezing. Her head was throbbing in pain and her eyes felt impossible to open. She tried to get her mind to focus on what she could hear as her only form of defense.

"There's no time to wait for the others, we have to do it now before sunrise comes."

Nicki thought she recognized the voice of Wesley Omen, but she'd never heard her sound that flustered before.

"I know, Wesley. Where is Bronwen? She knows this ritual better than I do." Nicki knew that was Wyatt's voice, who was also winding himself into a panic.

Finally, Nicki found her center of gravity and inched her eyes open. She was in a metallic room that was lit by torches circling around her. They reminded her of the ones in the hallway outside Jex's bedroom. She wondered if it was nearby.

Nicki tried to stand up but was held down by shackles linked around her hands and feet. They dug into her skin and were already starting to bleed.

"The chains are too tight, it's wasting her blood," Wesley whined. She was suddenly above Nicki, pulling on her restraints.

"Don't touch her. Everything has to be just right," Wyatt spat from across the room.

"Well, we're already starting things off differently than we'd planned. Will it even work with her? I thought it had to be an angel king," Wesley's voice was shrill.

"It just has to be a royal angel with pure blood. An untainted, winged soul," Wyatt hissed, annoyed like she should already know this.

"And you swear you've never tainted her? I've seen the way you sneak around with her," Wesley rubbed it in his face, smug with the information she held over her head.

"Don't get such a swelled head. I made sure she stayed pure, trust me," Wyatt growled. Nicki could see Wesley sneer at him even in the dim light.

"Wyatt. Don't do this," Nicki pleaded with a weak voice. She didn't know what their plans were, but she could still try to reason with them to change their minds.

"I let you slip through my hands too many times. I won't let you get away this time. Not when we're so close to finishing what my family started all those years ago," Wyatt insisted like he was trying to convince himself as well.

"What are you going to do with me?" Nicki couldn't hide the fear in her voice. Wyatt paused and finally looked at Nicki, really looked at her. She tried to plead with her eyes but Wyatt looked right through them like she was nothing to him.

"Angels aren't the only gifted race on the mountain. Once, Demons were just as powerful, if not more than your own people. We once filled the skies with our mark and walked the earth as kings. The Angels feared us and our growing abilities and felt the need to intervene. The Angel King cursed us to damnation and a lowly life of mortality. But now, we have a way to set us free and return us to our full glory. Finally, the Demon race will rise again." Wyatt said this with an unwavering pride. Nicki struggled against her restraints.

"What does that have to do with me? I—I can't even use my magic yet." Nicki wailed, trying to control her hysteria. Wyatt stepped over to her, his shoes making a tapping noise against the metal floor. He bent down in front of her and stroked her cheek.

"I know. You pure little naive thing. But there's a use for you yet." His voice was sickeningly patient. Nicki jerked her face away from his cold touch.

Wyatt snapped upright and called out to Wesley. "Let's begin. Where is Bronwen?"

"Probably off somewhere sucking another dude's dick," Nicki taunted, her words echoing off the walls like a warning. Wyatt turned back to her with fire in his eyes. He rushed down to her again and seized her throat with his large hand. He squeezed it until Nicki could no longer breathe.