The Moirai (The Hunted series: Book 3)

Chapter 2

Contains spoilers for books 1 & 2

NIVIAN

THE CONSTANT PULSE of the ceiling fan as it sliced through the air matched Nivian's heartbeat. She blinked up at the blades as they spun endlessly. Her vision blurred and time melted into itself, losing all meaning.

Only one week had passed since Nivian awoke in the bed of the apartment. Whatever attachment she'd had here had evaporated and she found herself lying in a cold, strange place. Once, it had been her sanctuary to restore her powers, to be near to Kain. But now within those four bare walls, she found herself slowly suffocating.

She wanted to run. Run far from every place and everything she'd ever known, everything that was a painful reminder of what she'd lost.

After she'd woken with Caspian at her side, the guilt of her actions toward him hit her full force and she had transported everywhere she could think of from the southern most Antarctic wastes to the darkest reaches of the loneliest rain forests, to scorched deserts, only to move again when another Reaper, sent by Caspian, came looking for her.

In the end, she'd returned to Kain's apartment. Their apartment. The one they would have shared, should have shared. She'd moved in immediately.

It was the only place she'd found that she didn't have the overwhelming desire to escape from her own skin, shedding it like tattered and worn clothes, and being there was the only time she found any semblance of peace.

But it was only the ghost of what she sought. In truth, what had made it feel like home had been Kain.

Nivian shifted onto her side and pulled the blankets over her nose. The lingering scent of Kain's cologne clung to the sheets. She inhaled a deep breath, her eyes sliding shut, and let herself believe he was only a few inches away. Her fingers stretched out feeling for his, only to grasp the cold, empty sheet. She opened her eyes and blinked into the empty void where he should have lain, then let loose a shuddering sigh.

"Kain." A broken sob caught in her throat. "Kain..."

She tensed at a knock on the door. Annoyed at the interruption from her thoughts, she looked over her shoulder toward the door and strained to listen. She didn't care who was at the door, she didn't want to see anyone.

Nivian sucked in a deep breath then slowly released it through her nose as she willed the tears always on the brink of falling, back down.

The door unlocked, then opened. Soft footsteps padded halfway in. Her fists clenched the blankets until her fingers ached.

"Nivi?" Azira's lilting voice called from the doorway.

Nivian turned away and faced two black bead eyes staring back. She reached out and clutched the soft, white bear to her chest, squeezing it as hard as she could, then buried her face into its head trying to stifle a sob. As hard as she tried, her heart was too raw to hide what she felt. Though her friends didn't blame her for them, it wasn't something she wanted to share.

When she managed to catch her breath, she loosened her hold. Nivian stroked the ribbon around its neck. She'd loved that bear from the moment Kain had given it to her on their first, and only, date. Now it was the last remaining lifeline to him...

More so than his watch, because he'd given it to her of his own accord.

Though she wore it around her neck, the watch was just a cold reminder that he was gone. A part of him she had stolen. Fresh tears sprang to Nivian's eyes and shook her body with her silent sobs.