Sea Shadow (General Kirigan & Nikolai Lantsov)

Chapter 37

Monster

The next morning Kaida woke up, a chill ran through her body and she curled more in Nikolai's arms. She was naked, her clothes were on the floor next to Nikolai's. Nikolai pulled her closely.

"Good morning," Nikolai whispered, his hazel eyes still closed.

"Good morning," Kaida said with a smile. "You are leaving today to Ketterdam," Kaida remained.

"Don't remind me," Nikolai complained.

Kaida laughed slightly. "I'm going to miss you,"

"Me too," Nikolai said, looking at her sadly. They looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds.

"You should start getting ready,"Kaida said.

"Yeah," he sighed and got up, picking up their clothes from the floor.

Kaida followed Nikolai's body with her eyes.

"Stop staring," Nikolai said with a smile, putting on his trousers.

"Stop being so handsome," Kaida said.

"I can't," he said with a smile.

"Well, I can't either," Kaida said, returning the smile.

"Are you going to be at the goodbye?" he asked, putting on his green jacket.

"I'll be there, don't worry," Nikolai nodded and gave her a quick kiss before leaving the room.

Kaida sighed and got off from her bed. She started to get dressed slowly, somehow thinking that doing things slowly would stop the fact that Nikolai was leaving. Another chill ran through her body, but this one was different, it felt different.

Kaida ignored the feeling and braided her hair and took one of Nikolai's many jackets before leaving the room. She walked towards the eastern terrace, where she knew Nikolai was. She was about to enter the room when she heard Alina's scream. Tamar, Mal and her didn't think twice and entered the terrace.

Alina was being held by a nichevo'ya. Mal was quick and pulled her back down and in a quick move Alina produced the cut making the nichevo'ya disappear.

Kaida looked at her sides horrified, the air was full of darting back shapes. Behind her she could hear the chaos in the halls, the smash of broken glass.

"Get the others out!" Alina shouted at Tamar. "Get them away from here,"

"We can't leave you—"
"I won't lose them too!" Alina yelled.

"Go!" Mal bellowed at her, lifting his rifle towards the shadow monster. Tamar left and Kaida got ready to attack, but then.

"Alina, where is Nikolai?" Kaida asked, fear covering her voice.

Alina didn't have time to answer when they all turned their heads up, seeing The Darkling, his creatures moving around him like a living cloak.

"Saints," Mal swore. "How did he find us?"

The answer came quickly. Between the shadows Kaida saw a red shape, their claws buried on Sergie's body, who left days ago, wanting to go back underground.

"Shall I spared him, Alina?" The Darkling said.

"Leave him alone!" Alina shouted.

"He betrayed you to the first oprichnik he could find. I wonder, will you offer him mercy or justice?"

Kaida looked at him with anger but she could feel her heart racing with fear and desired to know where Nikolai was.

"I don't want him harmed,"