Invincible Chronicles of Nick - By Sherrilyn Kenyon Page 0,8
years older than him who was cleaning tables. It wasn’t the matted blond dreadlocks that made him pause so much as it was the small monkey sitting on the boy’s shoulder, eating a banana. The monkey bared its teeth at Nick before it made noises at him. The busboy reached up to soothe the monkey, and it settled right down.
Nick wanted to go and investigate the primate, but something about the busboy warned him to keep his distance.
No, not boy.
Weretigard. A very vicious and antisocial one.
How can I tell that by looking at him?
Yesterday, he’d been normal.
Today …
He was a freakfest as images of the shape-shifters around him flashed in his mind. He didn’t know their names, but he knew what they were even though they were masquerading as humans.
What is going on?
His head was spinning from an overload of information. But with all of that was an overwhelming sense of safety. He didn’t feel threatened by the animals around him. It was as if they were guardians of some sort. Protectors, not predators. Something that sounded as far-fetched as a restaurant and bar owned by a family of shape-shifters.
Ambrose? He silently summoned his uncle, needing someone who could help him understand. What’s going on here? I’m seeing some scary things. People who aren’t people …
Remember what I told you, kid. You have the power of perspicacity. The ability to see what’s hidden.
So no one will ever be able to lie to me again?
No. That’s a different power. Perspicacity allows you to see most preternatural beings who are trying to blend into the human world.
What do you mean “most”?
There are some demons who are powerful enough to hide. As well as upper-level gods and those who are possessed. In time, you’ll be able to see them, too. But that will take a lot of training and discipline.
For now … it was like living in some bad psychedelic hallucination.
Just relax, Nick. Go play a game.
He felt Ambrose leaving him alone again. With nothing better to do, he went over to the Galaga machine. Wow, he hadn’t seen one of these in a long time. Some old-timer here must have caught a liking to it. Pulling out his dollar, he converted it to tokens, then put one in and listened to distinctive music. He’d just started playing when a shadow fell over him.
He looked up and froze instantly. Holy Mother …
This dude had to be over seven feet tall. An older version of the guy at the door, this one had the most merciless expression Nick had ever seen.
I’m going to die.…
“Who said you could play my machine?”
Nick knew it was a man saying it, but he saw Grizzly Peltier in his mind. A huge bear with blood in its eyes. “Uh…”
The man laughed and playfully shoved his arm. “Relax, kid. Don’t wet my floor. I was just teasing you.”
Easier said than done, since his heart was racing like Richard Petty at Daytona.
He shook his head. “I’m Papa Bear Peltier. You have a name?”
“N-n-nick.”
“Nice meeting you, N-n-nick.” He pulled a token out of his pocket and held it out to him. “Sorry I ruined your game. But I love the look of shock on people’s faces the first time they meet me. It’s a thing of beauty.”
Nick took the token, but still wasn’t sure what to think.
He’s a good guy, kid. Thank him for the token.
“Um, thanks.”
Papa Bear patted him on the shoulder, then walked over toward the stage so that he and another guy who was an exact copy of Rémi could run electrical cords on the ground.
“Close your mouth, sug. Papa only bites those who bare their teeth first.”
He turned at the soft, lightly accented voice to find what had to be one of the most gorgeous women he’d ever seen. Tall, blond, and built with the kind of curves men dreamed about, she wore a black Sanctuary T-shirt that was tight enough to make him really uncomfortable.
“I’m Aimee Peltier. You must be Nick.”
Man, she had better powers than he did. “How do you know my name?”
She leaned in to speak into his ear as if she were imparting a great secret to him. “Your mother told me in the back room,” she whispered.
Oh yeah, duh. He felt epically stupid with that.
“C’mon and let me introduce you to the crew that is currently awake and functioning.”
Unsure about that, Nick hesitated. “Why?” Was she going to feed him to the bears or something?