Against the odds . Five Hargreeves fanfic

Chapter twenty three

The warehouse was silent, filled with tension as we prepared. The plan was straightforward: lure Nyx out, weaken him, and strike at his heart. I stood at the center, trying to ignore the weight of everyone's stares, especially Five's. My hands shook slightly, but I clenched them into fists, forcing the fear down.

"Nyx!" I called, my voice cutting through the stillness. "Come out and face me, you coward!"

Silence.

The others were spread out, ready for Nyx's arrival. Five was nearby, his expression unreadable, but I knew he was watching me closely. There was something about his gaze—intense, almost piercing—that made it hard to focus. But I pushed it aside. I couldn't afford any distractions.

"Get out here, you bastard!" I shouted again, frustration boiling over. "Let's end this!"

The temperature dropped, the air around us thickening with a dark, oppressive presence. My heart raced as I felt Nyx's power drawing closer, a suffocating wave of malevolence that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. He was here.

Nyx emerged from the shadows, his twisted form towering over us. His grin was wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and his hollow, empty eyes seemed to lock onto mine. The sight of him sent a shiver down my spine, but I refused to back down.

"You think you can stop me?" Nyx's voice was a low, grating hiss. "You're nothing but a weak, foolish girl. Your light will be mine."

Rage flared inside me, fueling the power that surged through my veins. But before I could do anything, Nyx's shadows lashed out, wrapping around me like a vice. I fought against it, but it was no use. The darkness seeped into me, draining my strength, pulling me under.

"Evangeline!" Five's voice was distant, drowned out by the roaring in my ears. I saw him rushing toward me, his expression sharp and focused, but everything was slipping away too quickly. The world around me blurred, fading into darkness.

"No... I won't let you..." My voice was a whisper as the shadows consumed me, and then, there was nothing.

FIVES POV:

"Fuck!" The word came out cold and sharp, a reflex as I watched Nyx's shadows engulf Evangeline. She was gone in an instant, swallowed by the darkness, and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. My jaw clenched, anger and frustration simmering beneath the surface, but I pushed it down. There was no time for that now.

The others were still fighting, but Nyx was a slippery bastard. Every time we thought we had him, he'd slip away, fading into the shadows only to reappear somewhere else. And now, with Evangeline in his grasp, the stakes were even higher.

"Luther, Viktor—keep him busy!" I ordered, my mind working overtime to figure out a way to get her back. I couldn't lose her, not like this.

But before I could come up with anything, Nyx suddenly released her. She crumpled to the ground, lifeless, and my heart lurched in my chest.

"Evangeline!" I was at her side in an instant, dropping to my knees as I grabbed her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Wake up."

Nothing. Her skin was cold, her pulse weak. I bit back another curse, forcing myself to stay calm. Losing it now wouldn't help her.

Nyx was still there, laughing at us, but he was fading, retreating into the shadows. The plan had failed. We hadn't weakened him enough to kill him, and now he was slipping away.

I glanced down at Evangeline, my chest tightening. She looked so fragile, so damn small lying there. The thought of her being gone for good made something twist inside me, something I wasn't ready to confront.

"Stay with me," I muttered, more to myself than to her, as I scooped her up into my arms. Her head lolled against my shoulder, and I hated how helpless she looked. "Don't you fucking dare leave me now."

The others were gathering around, their faces drawn and tense, but I ignored them. My focus was solely on Evangeline as we made our way back to the Academy. We moved quickly, but I was careful not to jostle her too much. She needed to be okay. She had to be okay.

We burst through the doors, and the medical team was already waiting. I handed her over, my movements stiff, reluctant. I didn't want to let go, but I had no choice.

I watched them work, my face expressionless, the cold mask I always wore slipping into place. I couldn't afford to feel anything right now. Not until I knew she was out of the woods.

Finally, one of the doctors stepped out, giving me a curt nod. "She's stable. Weak, but stable."

I just nodded back, not trusting myself to speak. The tension that had been coiled tight in my chest eased slightly, but it wasn't enough. I wouldn't relax until she woke up.

I slipped into the room, standing by her bedside. She looked so damn vulnerable, and it pissed me off. Nyx had done this to her, and I'd let it happen.

"You're too stubborn for your own good," I muttered, my voice flat. But beneath the calm surface, something was simmering. Something I couldn't quite push away.

I sat down, not taking my eyes off her. I wasn't going anywhere, not until she opened her eyes. I'd stay here as long as it took. And when she woke up, we were going to finish this. Nyx wasn't going to get away with it. Not after everything he'd done.