"Did you see who shot you?"

"No," he lied. He hadn't even told the police who it was even though they'd bugged him several times. Rule one on the street: Narcs don't live long. Besides, he intended to settle this score on his own and the last thing he wanted was for Alan and group to be protected by prison wal s when he went for them.

This was going to be between "friends."

"Like they say in the movies and shows, it al happened so fast. ... "

She fretted over him. "Wel , I'm sorry you got shot. It explains why I haven't seen you in school." His ears perked up at that. She'd been looking for him?

Man, for that news, I'd take a bullet any day. It was al he could do not to give her a goofy grin.

She leaned closer. "But I'm happy you lived and that you're okay."

"Yeah, me too. It would have real y cramped my future plans had I died. ... " He flashed what he hoped was a charming smile at her then changed the topic. "So you work here?"

"Volunteer. Twice a week," she corrected. "I'm told things like this look good on a col ege application." Wow, she was worried about that already? It made him feel like a slacker. "We're only in ninth grade." She shrugged. "Yeah, but every year from now until graduation matters and everything we do affects if and where we get in. So I'm trying to make a difference."

"Gah, you sound like my mom."

"Sorry." She wrinkled her nose up in the most adorable way.

He didn't know why, but it made his stomach tighten and heat flood his cheeks-if he kept that up, he'd be able to rent himself out as a lighthouse at night.

"So can I get you something to drink?" she asked. "Some ice? I have magazines and books on my cart if you want something to read."

"I'd kil for Nintendo."

She laughed. "No Nintendo on the cart. Sorry."

"You got any manga?"

"Manga?" She scowled. "What's that?"

c.r.a.p. It was too much to hope she'd share some of his more unusual interests. "j.a.panese comic books. I'm addicted to them."

"No, sorry again. I do have some Batman and Spider-Man if you're interested?"

"That'd be great." They were a lot shorter than the manga, but at least it'd eat up a couple of minutes while he read through them. "You got any science fiction or fantasy?"

"We have a couple of Dune books."

"Now that I could definitely go for."

She smiled. "I'l be right back."

Nick watched as she walked out of the room with a shake to her hips that ought to be il egal and in some states probably was. She real y was beautiful. He didn't know what it was about her hair, but it real y made him want to touch it. It just looked so soft and smooth. It probably smel ed good too.

Just like her skin.

What are you thinking? She's so far out of your lea gue. . .

Girls like her didn't date loser dorks who mugged tourists.

She was the kind who went on to date jocks and marry lawyers and surgeons and stuff.

He could just imagine the type of childhood she'd had with maids and tutors and birthday parties with presents wrapped in something other than hand-decorated grocery sacks. Her parents would probably flip out and die if they knew she was even talking to filth like him.

"Here you go." She returned and handed him a stack of books and comic books.

Nick smiled. "Bless you."

"Any time." She stepped back from the bed. "Wel , I better get going. I stil have to make my rounds and visit other patients. I promised Mrs. O'Mal ey that I'd play rummy with her today."

Wow, that was real sweet of her. "Okay. Thanks so much for stopping in and for the books."

She inclined her head to him. "Take care."

"You too."

Then she was gone. Nick sighed as depression set in. He hated that he was stuck here, but most of al he hated that he'd never be worthy of a girlfriend like Nekoda. He could bl.u.s.ter and pretend al he wanted to. It wouldn't change anything.

She'd stil go home to her nice house and he'd have to crawl back to the gutter where he'd been born.

Trying not to dwel on things he couldn't change, he opened a book and started reading.

Nick sighed and shifted, then jerked awake as he felt like he was fal ing out of bed. He blinked open his eye to find himself stil in the hospital, alone.

Gah, this sucked. Wishing he'd slept longer than two hours, he reached for his tray to get another book and froze. There was a smal box that hadn't been there before.

He frowned, reaching for it, then opened it up. Inside was a pink Nintendo and a smal note.

Sorry for the color. Pink's my thing. But I hope this'l keep you from going crazy so that you won't have to kil anyone. I figure I can do without it for a few days if it'l spare your sanity.

Get better soon, Kody.

He stared at the note as a wave of emotion overwhelmed him. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. The box was fil ed with games for it, from cla.s.sics to strategy to shooters.

What an incredibly nice thing for her to do. It real y touched him.

Picking it up, he held the system in his hand. For some reason, it made him feel weirdly close to her. Systems were personal. They were an extension of yourself. From the color to the stickers ... It al came from within and it was something that you kept close to you. Something you guarded and protected.

And she'd loaned him hers.

Not many people would do that. Especial y not someone as hot as Kody. The girl was crazy.

Maybe she likes you.

That thought made his blood race like fire through his veins.

Could it be possible?

She's dangerous to you. Avoid her.

He scowled at the deep, scary voice in his head. It sounded almost demonic. WTH?

"I am going crazy from boredom." Only a lunatic would want to avoid a girl as nice and pretty as Kody.

Did he take it?"

Nekoda tensed as she felt the air around her stirring. The power was palpable and it was one she was intimately familiar with.

Sraosha. Her guide and mentor.

Nekoda locked the door of the storeroom to keep anyone else in the hospital from innocently coming in and seeing Sraosha's form. Tal and graceful, he was so beautiful that it was hard to look straight at him. His powers were so great that they manifested as an ever-moving aura that il uminated his skin with a bright yel ow glow. His long blond hair flowed around his shoulders as he narrowed his gaze on her ... a gaze that had no eyes. Only a smoky black cavity that was as frightening as it was peculiar.

"I left it for him," she whispered. Nick had no idea that her Nintendo al owed her to keep an eye on him so long as he was around it.

Sraosha nodded. "What do you think of this one?" He was younger than the other Malachais she'd fought.

More innocent. Sweet even.

Don't let him seduce you.

That was the last thing she could afford to have happen.

"He seems ..." She had to choose her word careful y.

"Different."

"Do you think he's the one?"

"I don't know." Since the dawn of time, they'd hunted for the right Malachai. The one who could turn against the dark forces that had sired it and fight with them against the Source so that she could free her brothers.

But to date, they had lost every Malachai they'd tried to save. The darkness within each one was more than they could resist. And who could blame them?

Al of their bloodline was born to cause pain. Born to wield the darkest powers imaginable. Just as Nekoda had been born to the light.

Nick was stil a kid who had no idea who and what he was.

But she knew exactly the kind of violence he'd been bred for.

And he terrified her.

"Menyara swears we can save him."

Sraosha scoffed. "She's too close to this one. She's blind to what he real y is."

Perhaps that was true, but Nekoda had no such attachment to him. "Have no fear. I'm not blind to him. His glamour doesn't charm me."

"Make sure you don't fal victim to it. Remember, that's only one of many powers he'l possess. Powers that wil work on al mortals and immortals alike. As you've seen, evil is already beginning to tempt him and that wil only worsen as he matures."

Nekoda swal owed as she saw in her mind the events that led up to his being shot. "He pul ed back before hurting them."

"This time. But that single act of drifting toward violence against another has unleashed his Cimmerian Magus. The dark powers are uniting now to train him. Can't you feel it?" Yes. It permeated everything here and it sent a feral chil down her spine. There were ten lessons that had to be taught to every Malachai. Every one of them would make him stronger.

More corrupt.

It would shape him into a tool of evil that would come for her and her people and wreak absolute misery on everyone who came into contact with him.

The first lesson was necromancy. But not just communication with the dead. Reanimation and control.

No matter how hard Nekoda tried, she couldn't see Nick becoming like the others. Surely he wouldn't embrace such a cold power.

You made the mistake of that thought before.

She winced as she remembered his father and how wrong she'd been then. Had she struck when she'd been told to, she would have saved countless lives.

It's the light inside of you that wants to believe in the goodness of other people. Even the Malachais. She'd shown the elder Malachai mercy and he'd spat in her face and embraced his own brand of evil.

No matter what, she wouldn't be so stupid again.

"Have no fear, Sraosha. I've learned from my mistake. This time, I won't fail. If we can't turn him, I will kil him."

"You better remember that. Because this one is even stronger than his father and now he's being embraced and trained by the Dark-Hunters. If we don't turn him, he wil be the one who final y destroys us al ."

And she would be the one to blame for the death of humanity.

CHAPTER 4.

Welcome home, Nicky!"

Nick opened his eyes to find himself in their c.r.a.ppy living room with Aunt Menyara standing in front of him, holding an actual store-bought chocolate cake with the same happy words written on it that she'd just uttered. He was stunned by the smal crowd around her who shouted her words at him.

Wow ...

Pet.i.te like his mother, Menyara had smooth chocolate-brown skin that glowed in the flickering candlelight. Her sisterlocks were held back from her beautiful face by a wide yel ow scarf she'd tied around her head that trailed down her back, just past her hair. The yel ow was mirrored in her peasant blouse that was tucked into a bright orange skirt that fel al the way to her ankles.

Skinny silver bangles lined both of her arms and they jingled as she angled the cake for him to see her beautiful handwriting. "It's your favorite, cher. We're so glad you're home."