Invincible Chronicles of Nick - By Sherrilyn Kenyon Page 0,44

turned to a blank page and made sure that neither Rosa nor Kyrian saw him use it.

“All right, book. Tell me what’s going on.” He used the pendulum to prick his finger before he let three drops of blood fall.

It made bright splashes against the white before it began twisting and moving like an exotic snake. Nick watched as the words wrote themselves on his pages.

Easy come, easy go.

The future is sometimes hard to know.

But if you don’t follow through …

Your life you will soon bid adieu.

His stomach drew so tight, it could form a diamond. “Follow through what? What the coach wants or with my convictions?”

The page turned completely bright, blood red, then exploded. Literally. The words rearranged into more fluid script.

Through the fog light will shine.

Then the answer will be thine.

What the crap did that mean? Why did he even use this worthless thing?

Nick growled. “You stupid, flippin’ book. You’re not going to answer me, are you?”

You have the answer you have sought.

No matter what you do, you will be distraught.

Life is never easy, no matter what they say.

And every decision you must carefully weigh.

In the end, the consequences are yours and yours alone to face.

So think it through and be wary of the race.

What race?

Now he had a migraine from trying to decipher all that. But one thing kept chasing through his mind. One thing he had to have answered. “Did the coach kill Dave?”

That answer already came your way.

Asking again, the outcome won’t sway.

But, yes, the coach is not what he seems.

And you are at the heart of all his schemes.

That Nick understood all too well. He would become one of the coach’s tools. The very thought sickened him. He didn’t want to do this. “Is there any way to avoid stealing for him?”

Ask your heart what it wants.

And never fear other’s taunts.

The problem was, he didn’t fear anyone’s taunts. He’d been spoon-fed those since his birth. What he feared was his coach sending him to prison for most of his adult life.

Or worse, killing him like he’d done Dave.

With that thought came the memory of the vision he’d seen. The one of him lying dead while clutching Kody’s necklace.

The same necklace the coach wanted him to steal …

And Grim thought his precog was broken.

CHAPTER 11

Nick knew he needed leverage against the coach. The coach had said it himself earlier that he’d taught at a lot of schools. If he’d made a habit of stealing, then it stood to reason that he wouldn’t be able to stay in one place long without people catching on. Or one of his students getting caught and ratting on him. That would explain why he was so willing to pick up and move in the middle of the year.

While Nick waited on Kyrian to come downstairs and approve the order for a new coat, he did an online search that turned up nothing. Mostly because he wasn’t all that well versed in searching for people. He needed someone with a lot more computer experience.

Picking up his phone, he called Bubba.

“You’ve reached 1-800-Ca’-Bubba. Sorry I’m not available to take your call. I’m either tied up tending someone else’s computer nightmare or am out ridding the world of its zombie predators. Either way, leave a message, and as soon as I kill whatever pains me, I’ll get right back to you. Thank you for calling, and have a positive day.”

Nick shook his head as he laughed. At least once a week, Bubba changed out his message. How the man kept a thriving business given his lunacy was beyond Nick’s comprehension. That being said, Bubba was extremely entertaining.

After hanging up, he dialed Mark.

“Fingerman here … Hah, you’re talking to my voice and not me. Unfortunately, I’m off with Bubba and not a woman ’cause I’m dumb. No telling what I’m into, but if this is my parents, I assure you I’m not doing anything illegal or immoral, and I ain’t disturbing no farm animals. However, please reserve bail money ’cause you know the stuff Bubba gets me into, and I might be needing it soon. Everyone else, leave a message and as soon as I get back to an area where I have reception again, I’ll return your call. Even if I have to do it from the great beyond. Thanks.”

Farm animals? Now Nick knew Mark meant cow-tipping, which had been a pastime of Mark’s from high school (one that had stopped abruptly when a cow fell on him and broke his leg