The Black-Hearted Ninja (The Dark Triangle #1)

Trying Something New

A/N Sorry I didn't update for a day or two. I'm sick right now and Nya's Dream was VERY hard to write. But I'm back now! Enjoy this next chapter! Especially the romance 😁

Nya's P.O.V.

Jay and I have been sitting in silence for hours. I woke up in a panic from my nightmare at 4 a.m. and now the old clock on the wall says it's 7. In the sunlight I can see the coppery strands in his auburn hair and his sparkling blue eyes shining with small tears. I wonder if he's thinking about his dream. I don't know what it was about but if it was anything like mine I can understand why he's so pale. I really don't want anything bad to happen to him. I know if Cole tries to hurt Jay (or anyone for that matter) he will get what's coming to him in the way of a splash of water in his face. It would probably kill Cole, but he's not Cole anymore. He's something else, and he's not going to hurt my friends. My dream will not become reality.

What does Cole mean, "A dream is a wish your heart makes"? Is he implying I want everyone I love to die? If he is why would he think that? Is he trying to mess with me? It's working. My thoughts are consumed by the vision of his black eyes, sharp teeth, claws dripping with the blood of my closest companions, Jay's heart ground up under the toe of his boot, Cole saying with such passion, "You love me, Nya. You may say I'm a monster but you still love me." I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Jay will be gone soon enough, as will everyone else. It will be just you and me, and we can do anything!" I feel my fingers tightening on the soft comforter, clutching the silky fabric in my fist. "We will have everything. All you have to do is stop fighting me."

The answer is still never.

But I don't want to think about Cole right now. I just want to focus on the peaceful moment with the newly risen sun shining through the window onto Jay's face, making him look so young and vulnerable. The time away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, just a minute of companionable silence in this set aside room. A means of escape from the horrors that could be happening right outside the door and we wouldn't even know it.

Jay looks at me with his deep blue eyes and I look back, just staring into them, searching for a hint of his thoughts. But it turns out I don't need to look.

"This is the most relaxed I've been for weeks." He says with a hoarse, quiet voice. I am startled.

"You can talk?" I ask.

"I thought you knew I could. I did talk when you woke up, after all." Jay says, with slight amusement in his tone. I try to remember. "You were having a nightmare." Jay had said.

"So you've been able to talk for this whole time? Why didn't you?" I say curiously.
"I thought you would like it better to just have some peace for once. Plus, I got to really look at you." Jay confides with complete honesty.

         I slightly shake my head, trying to get rid of the blush that's creeping up on my cheeks and the fast pitter-patter of my heart. "This is no time for romance, Nya." I
remind myself in my thoughts.

"Why?" I say.

"Because sometimes that's better than chattering my head off, just taking a moment to step back and-observe. Something's bothering you." Jay states.

"Well, that's kind of obvious. Our friend is being possessed by some evil demon thing. I have a reason to be nervous." I say slowly.

"Why were you looking at me like I'm going to die?" He says.

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I can take care of myself." Jay says, with a slight smile on his face.

"Everybody could use extra protection, especially when there's something so ridiculously dangerous happening."

"Well, that's our life." He chuckles. I wonder how he can be laughing about something like this. I guess that's the power of positive thinking? Whatever it is makes me feel warmer inside.
    
      I feel myself leaning in, my hazel eyes still locked into Jay's blue ones, my heart beating faster...

"Nya! Jay! Come quick!" Lloyd says, slamming open the door. "Kai lost Cole and then he got attacked!"

"Kai-attacked?" I flinch away from Jay, turning my gaze to Lloyd. "What happened to him?"

"Just come!" the green ninja practically screams, panicked.

"Wait, Lloyd- where's Cole now?" I say with a quavering voice.

"He's still gone. He left a note-" But I've already jumped up and run through the doorway. I'm going to save my brother.

Jay's P.O.V.

Nya was about to kiss me! I could see her surprised face when I told her how I was able to talk the whole time. Her blush when I explained why I'd kept quiet. I was very aware of how close she was, and then she was leaning in and I was thinking she'd finally realized we belong together-

Then of course Lloyd ruined the moment. I felt my cheeks flush when he burst in and saw us about to kiss, but he was too distracted by the fact that Kai was hurt to notice. And now he's saying that Cole could be anywhere- and well, that freaks me out. Not Nya, though. She wastes no time rushing to the scene of the crime, Lloyd trailing after her. Just before he leaves, the breathless Lloyd turns and gives me a smirk. "As soon as Kai's awake he'll be hearing about your romantic getaway." he snickers. I blush even redder. I guess he was less distracted than I thought.

I get up and follow Lloyd downstairs to the hallway outside of Cole's room. Kai is on the floor, bleeding, with a thin cut almost identical to mine scratched into his neck. His shirt is also stained with blood.
           Nya drops to her knees and with a determined, almost angry expression on her face, rips open the front of the shirt. Small, precise cuts form an "X" on his chest. "What does this mean?" Skylor asks to nobody in particular. I can feel the world spinning, remembering my dream.
"It seems that the "X" lies directly over his heart." Zane offers. Nya suddenly looks very, very scared. I wonder if her dream had to do with hearts as well.
"What this means is Cole is trying something new." She states.

"You should see the note he left." Lloyd says to Nya. "I'm pretty sure it was meant for you." She looks at him like she's seeing something else but her eyes follow his pointing finger to more words carved into the wall.

Your brother obviously doesn't know how to deal with me. Three guesses who's next! And by the way, think about my offer. Maybe you could stop the others from getting hurt.

Love, Cole

"What offer?" Skylor frowns. Nya looks at her with the same mournful glance she gave me earlier. Three guesses who's next. I'd put my money on her. And so would Nya. I don't know why, but she would.

"I have no idea." She says, obviously lying. But nobody pushes it. We're all too worried by the implication that the attacks won't stop. Nobody is safe.

Not anymore.

The "romantic getaway" just ended. And the awful reality has just begun.