adrenaline sliding through my veins or the happiness caressing my heart at knowing two more of my monsters had been brutally ripped from this world. Orville and Farley would never haunt me again. Nicoli had made sure of that. And I was in awe of him for becoming my fists tonight, my armour.
He pushed though the broken door that The Five had kicked down and Tyson jumped down from the bed, his back leg lifting a little as he walked. My heart lurched at the sight of the wound on it and a noise of pain escaped me.
"He's alright," Nicoli growled, his breath against my ear making goosebumps rush across my skin. “It’s nothing serious and he’s tough.” Tyson nuzzled his master's legs before heading to the broken doorway and sitting there like he was ready to guard us against anything bad that came this way again. But he didn’t need to. The only man who would come for me now was Duke, but he was probably bleeding his guts out somewhere halfway down the mountain. Unless he received medical care soon, he wouldn't make it. I hoped he fell from his snowmobile before dawn and the crows picked him clean when he couldn't get up. At least that would serve him with the justice I’d intended for him. It was a gruesome enough death that even the image of it gave me some satisfaction.
Nicoli placed me on my feet, moving to prop up the broken door and wedge it in the doorway with a chair to hold it closed before stoking the fire to get the flames rising. Then he took my hand and strode into the bathroom, shutting the door behind us. The silence in the room made a sigh of relief escape me. We were safe. Home.
My eyes fell closed and I leaned in to Nicoli as I just appreciated the fact I was free. I hadn't met my end this night. And it seemed as though maybe, there was a real chance I didn't have to die up on this mountain. Perhaps there really was a life waiting for me at the bottom of it. But tonight, all I wanted was to be here with my warrior and wash the blood of my enemies from our flesh.
He lifted a hand, his thumb skimming my jaw as he checked me over. He growled angrily as I apparently didn't pass the assessment and I wasn't really surprised. I must have looked a fright, but as his dark gaze raked over me, I smiled. It didn’t matter how hurt I was, I was only standing here at all because of him.
His eyes were drawn to my lips and a frown tightened his brow.
"I'm not sure I've ever been so afraid in my life as I was for you tonight," he admitted and my skin tingled from his words. Where did this saviour come from? Why did he look at me like that? Like I was far more than nothing, like I was everything.
He turned away from me, starting to draw a bath in the large square tub and I moved to the mirror, gently pulling off my clothes. I didn't want to remain in the items that had been half ripped from my body. I wanted to shed them like a second skin and release the horrors of this night through the action. When I stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror, I assessed my injuries. I rarely looked at myself in here. It wasn't something I was used to and had never really understood the benefit of. But now I could see it. The blood speckling my flesh like freckles brought life to my face. I could see the parts of my body that had filled out during my time with Nicoli, what being well nourished had done for me. I was...pretty. Even with the bruises and the scars. And especially with the blood of my demons coating me in warrior paint. There was no fear in my eyes like I often felt, just life and hope and maybe something deeper that I couldn’t quite put into words, even if I’d had access to my voice.
"I would say you steal my breath away, Winter, but that's not quite right. You steal my entire lungs and my heart along with them.”
I turned to Nicoli with my stomach flipping, his eyes on mine and a fierceness in his gaze that filled me up with strength and made my smile