Necromancer Legacy - 20. The depths of the water

Sasha sighed as he leaned back in his seat, frustration making him uneasy and on edge. The candle was lit but he wasn’t satisfied. Oh, he had lit it using fire magic, which he was pretty sure most people would find impressive. But every time he managed to do so he felt like something was off. He was tired and he shouldn’t be. Somehow he knew he shouldn’t be so drained. He grabbed his coffee mug—that was perhaps his sixth coffee today—and took a few sips of the beverage. It was cold now but he barely even noticed.

A sweet hazelnut scent spread in the room. Not the coffee, he hadn’t put anything in it. The smell came from the candle, and it was comforting. That had been one of his mother’s favorite scented candles. He sighed again, and blew to kill the flame. Closing his eyes for a moment as the room was shrouded in darkness once more, he wondered if this was his limit. He had a pretty bad headache, and he couldn’t think clearly.

He had done this about twenty times now. Lighting the candle with magic. His mother had written that the next step was to do it faster, in less than a second, without even having to think about it too much. Well, Sasha hadn’t quite reached that next step just yet. It took him a good five minutes of intense concentration every time. He had to feel that warmth, that tingle. That sort of glow that seemed to envelope him and protect him. He couldn’t really understand it. And unfortunately he couldn’t say he was getting any closer to controlling it.

Sasha pressed his hand to his temple, then raked shaky fingers through tangled blonde hair. Every time he lit that candle, it felt good for a brief moment, even though he was exhausted. But it felt odd. Like an athlete that got tired way too fast all of a sudden. As though Sasha went to the sports center to swim laps and got tired after only twenty of them, or something ridiculous like that.

This was Devin’s fault. It must be.

His eyes snapped open when the door creaked and the light was flicked on. Gabriel poked his head in. He looked tired, too. But a normal person kind of tired, like he’d been in front of his computer too much.

“Everything okay in here?”

Gabriel made a face at the mess; the piles of clothes on the bed and chair, the crumpled pieces of paper that hadn’t quite made it to the paper basket, the school books on the floor, the food leftovers on the desk.

“Everything’s fine, Gabriel.”

“Is that tomato sauce?” He pointed at the bowl. “You should really soak that in water, at least, if you’re not going to wash it…”

“Gabriel you’re not supposed to come in here,” Sasha reminded him.

“Right, sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I keep hearing you… sighing really loudly.”

Sasha hated lying to him. “It’s nothing. Just homework.”

“You were doing homework in the dark?”

“It’s for English class. I was just trying to get inspired.”

“Right…”

He had no choice but to lie.

“Good night, Gabriel.”

“Night.”

He couldn’t exactly tell Gabriel that the following night he would go to another dimension—which happened to be Hell—with Nick to help him in some crazy Reaper territory fight.

Nick had argued against Sasha coming at first. But Sasha had retorted that if Nick didn’t let him go, then he would hate him forever. And forever, they now knew, could be a very long time. Still, Nick hesitated. So Sasha used a different argument: If the situation was reversed, what would Nick do? Would he let Sasha go alone to fight Lucas and Liv? They both knew he wouldn’t. So that shut him up.

The next night. A Tuesday. Could be just any normal April night.

Sasha glanced out his window. Couldn’t see much from here except buildings. He wasn’t sure what he expected to see, anyway. The sky was actually really clear and nice. He could see the quarter of the moon shining bright. No sign that this could be his last night on Earth. Except the fear in his heart, making him cold.

Well, if this was his last night, then he didn’t want to spend it alone. His phone was in his hand before he even realized it. He balanced his chair on its back legs, texting. Yeah he could do that without holding the desk; he had a lot of practice at school.

‘Can I come over?’

Send. There.

There.

The chair fell backwards and he hurt his head.

“Shit,” he hissed, massaging the back of his head. Somehow he was still holding the phone. He staggered to his feet, trying to locate his jacket in the mess. Nick wouldn’t say no. Come on. He wouldn’t.

Unless that text sounded too desperate? Sasha plucked at his bottom lip nervously. Then stopped.

No, the text was fine. He had kept it short and sweet. He hadn’t told Nick all the things he was thinking:

I want to be with you all the time. I miss you. I want us to be together in every possible way. And I’m not just saying that because we might die tomorrow. Well, maybe there’s some of that, but—

Nick replied to the text.

‘I’m waiting.’

All right, never mind the jacket. Couldn’t find it anyway. His gaze lingered on his stack of converse shoes before picking up the black ones. When in doubt, go with black.

He was lucky enough to catch the bus right on time but it still took him a good thirty minutes to get to Nick’s apartment, including quite a bit of walking on 9^th Avenue. He wished he could teleport. Hands in his jeans pockets, he walked with his music bursting in his ears. Poison, Alice Cooper was on. ‘I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison.’ He liked his classics.

Sasha looked up as he passed that bar, Laid-Back. With the red door. People were hanging out outside. Bass was thumping. The smell of cheap perfume and artificial fog reached his sensitive nose even across the street.

Walking past the establishment quickly, he couldn’t stop the memories from rushing to his head.

Nick dancing with him. The glint in his eyes. That smirk on his lips. The way his hips moved. The touch of his skin, softness of his hair, curve of his spine, and the taste of his lips.

Sasha breathed in the night air and walked faster, wind blowing in his hair. He needed to get to Nick’s place, now.

48^th, 49^th Street… Nice how the streets were numbered in this city. Clever. The apartment buildings all looked alike but Sasha seemed to magically remember which one it was.

A few minutes later he was on the third floor in the bland, bad-smelling hallway—why did old building hallways always smell bad?—knocking on Nick’s door. Nick opened before the third knock.

“Hi,” said Nick in that low voice of his.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Which was perfectly normal, Sasha supposed. Nick was in his own home and he had every right to walk around shirtless.

Besides no one was complaining.

“Hi,” Sasha said back.

Nick looked all confident and relaxed, it wasn’t fair. It made Sasha feel intimidated. As though sensing this, Nick grabbed his arm, pulled him in, and shut the door.

Sasha cleared his throat. “Are your roommates home?”

Nick shook his head. “They’re training with my partner on the other side. Well,” he scoffed, “for Shane that mostly implies trying to stop reenacting the plot to Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

“Your partner?” Sasha arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Cyan. Business partner only, of course. Don’t worry, I’m not cheating on you.”

Sasha hardly repressed an amused smile. “Good to know. So, the other side?”

“I got bored of saying Hell.”

He looked past Nick at the living room. The couch was littered with clothes Sasha didn’t recognize. Riley’s stuff, he assumed.

“Come on,” Nick said and Sasha followed him to his bedroom, the floor creaking with every step.

They closed the door even though they were alone here. The thought made Sasha feel very… hot. All of a sudden he felt like he could light up a thousand candles at once if he wanted to. He caught his reflection in the tall mirror behind the door. His face looked normal so that was good. Not too red or anything. Whatever. He turned around and saw that Nick was pouring some white wine in two glasses. The bottle was half-empty already.

“You’ve been drinking,” Sasha said. It wasn’t really a question. “I thought your breath smelled like alcohol.”

Nick crossed his arms, holding up his glass but not drinking it. Only his desk lamp was on, and the room was dim. His laptop was open, too, with a word processor document, the cursor blinking. But it was all blank. Writer’s block, perhaps.

“Yeah well your breath smells like coffee,” Nick replied.

“Really?” Crap. He should’ve brushed his teeth.

Nick smiled. “I’m just messing with you. Well. Gabriel texted me the other day. Said you’re addicted to caffeine and we should do an intervention soon.”

“Gabriel worries too much.”

Nick took a sip of wine. Then offered the other glass to Sasha.

“Want some?”

Sasha stepped closer. He couldn’t help but lower his gaze for a moment, noticing the way Nick’s hips stuck out. His flat abs, pale skin. Little to no body hair—his Asian genes, perhaps.

“Sure.”

Sasha took the offered glass and started drinking. Wasn’t too bad. Kinda fruity but not too sweet. Maybe it was an expensive one. Not that he was a wine expert or anything.

“Why were you drinking?” Sasha asked. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?” As soon as he said them, the words seemed wrong to Sasha; Nick didn’t have a math exam or a driving test tomorrow. He was supposed to fight an army in Hell.

Nick didn’t answer, but as their eyes met, he gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Sasha cleared his throat. “So they didn’t card you?”

Nick said, “I never get carded.”

“Because you’re tall.”

“So are you.”

Sasha drank some wine. “And confident,” he added.

“I’m not always confident.”

Sasha’s eyes caught the fox tribal tattoo design, the one taped to the wall just over Nick’s laptop. He wanted to ask about it but didn’t.

“You always look confident,” Sasha replied instead.

Nick lowered his voice. “I just have a good poker face.”

“Yeah, you do.”

For a moment Nick seemed a bit nervous. He just drank his wine, his pale brown eyes darting downward as he rearranged some random papers on his desk. Sasha drank more wine, too. He plopped down on the bed and Nick sat in the computer chair, rolling it a bit closer so he could fill up their glasses again. Sasha realized the bottle was almost empty.

Their eyes met, but Sasha said nothing. Nick put the bottle away.

“So how’s it going at school?”

“You’re really asking me about school?” Sasha arched an eyebrow.

“Okay, never mind. How’s it going with your band? Back together with them?”

“Kinda,” Sasha said quietly. “What about your screenplay?” He glanced at the blank document on Nick’s laptop.

“It’s not really happening right now.”

“Must be hard. I’ve never tried writing a screenplay. Or a story. I just write songs sometimes. And they suck.”

“Don’t say that.”

Sasha just shrugged.

There was a silence. Sasha drank the rest of his wine.

“We could finish it,” Nick said.

Nick poured what was left of the wine in their glasses, and sat back in the computer chair, the floor creaking under the wheels. Sasha let out a nervous laugh.

“What is it?” Nick asked, the hint of a smile crossing his face.

“Nothing, just… Last time was—”

“Amazing,” Nick said. “Perfect.”

Sasha tilted his head. “It sort of just happened.”

“Yeah.”

Nick put on some music on his laptop then. Trance music. It wasn’t what Sasha was used to, but he liked it anyway.

“So are you still working at the coffee shop?” Nick asked. He crossed his long legs, then uncrossed them, like he couldn’t find a comfortable position.

“No... I think that place is gonna close anyway.”

“But you’re still addicted to coffee.”

“I just don’t get it for free anymore.”

Nick kept looking at him. And Sasha kept glancing away; drinking wine, looking at his feet, at the old wooden floor, and Nick’s black skinny jeans. Why had it been so easy the last time?

Maybe they were just overthinking it now.

“You do look a bit shaky,” Nick said softly. “Maybe I shouldn’t make you drink alcohol.”

“It’s fine,” Sasha replied too quickly. But he kept drinking, and Nick didn’t stop him. “What’s up with you these days anyway? Still working your two jobs?”

“I’m trying.”

“How did you get into rock climbing, anyway?” He was eager to change the subject.

“Shane’s father taught me. He co-owns the gym where I work.”

Sasha made a noise like a chuckle. “Why would anyone want to do that? I don’t even understand.”

“It’s exciting,” Nick smiled, his eyes brightening. “It’s thrilling. Liberating. And sometimes it’s really hard to reach the top, and sometimes you can’t quite reach it. But when you do, it feels pretty damn good.”

“Sounds like you’re describing an orgasm.”

Nick laughed; a genuine, melodious laughter and it made Sasha smile. It was good to hear him laugh.

On a whim Sasha said: “I wanted to ask you something.”

“What?” Nick played with the chain around his neck.

Sasha’s heart was hammering, but he tried really hard to sound all cool and casual. “Have you been with a lot of guys?”

“Define a lot.”

“I don’t know. You’re only eighteen. Have you been with more than, I don’t know, five guys?”

Nick said, “Define been with.”

Sasha ran a hand through his hair and glanced away, shrugging.

“You know what I mean.”

“Okay. Yeah I’ve been with more than that. But mostly just one night stands.”

Sasha drained the rest of his wine. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked that. He felt inexperienced now. There had been Devin, but that was… He shuddered. He didn’t want to think about that right now. And there had been Nick, the other night. And that was it.

Nick closed his eyes for a brief moment. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said quietly. It was so sincere and sudden that Sasha’s breath hitched.

Sasha laid his glass down on the desk, and he looked up.

“If you wanted me to come why didn’t you just ask?”

“I guess some part of me whished that you would change your mind about tomorrow night,” Nick admitted, glancing away. He swept dark strands away from his eye with a quick movement of his hand.

On a whim Sasha reached out and took Nick’s hand. “I’m not changing my mind.”

Their fingers touched and intertwined, and their eyes met, and it was electric. Their arms found each other and their bodies crashed together like any distance between them was unthinkable. Their lips touched and it tasted like wine. Sasha didn’t care. In fact, right now, he decided he loved wine.

They found the bed and fell and rolled over together until Sasha pinned Nick down. He took a moment to just look at him, and lock eyes with him, and then they kissed again, their eyes squeezed shut once more like they wanted to forget the world. Sasha’s hips bumped against Nick’s and he moaned. Nick smiled through the kiss, and bit Sasha’s lip gently.

“Oh my God,” Sasha breathed.

Nick smirked, looking devilishly sexy with his tousled dark hair and lidded brown eyes, and the eyebrow piercing and silver chain around his neck.

“Are you happy to see me?” asked Nick.

Sasha arched his back, and Nick ran his hands all over him.

“Happier and happier,” Sasha said in a raspy voice.

They rolled over again so that Nick was on top. He kissed Sasha’s neck, breathed in his ear, and kissed just below it. Sasha wrapped his arms around Nick and pulled him close. He pressed his hips into him. He just needed to touch him more, so much more.

Nick helped him to sit up, and to take his shirt off. Then he kissed Sasha’s shoulder, and his chest. Sasha’s eyes lidded. His fingers tangled in Nick’s hair. Then he lowered his hands down Nick’s back and pressed their bodies together. Nick’s skin was so warm and he smelled amazing, like clean, freshly showered skin, and also something else—the indescribable, unique scent of him. Nick’s heart was beating ridiculously fast. Sasha could feel it.

“I want this.” Sasha’s fingers found the hem of Nick’s stretched jeans, just below his hips.

“You mean what’s in my pants?” Nick breathed, looking amused.

Sasha felt a little intoxicated, but he liked the feeling. He kissed Nick, softly and their tongues touched and teased one another, but then Sasha pulled back.

“Yeah.”

The laptop speakers still blasted music. The voice singing over the fast-paced beat went: ‘I say we start a revolution, just you and me.’

“Come and get it.” Nick removed himself from the bed so he could take his pants off and toss them aside. It wasn’t like in Sasha’s bedroom here; his shirt and Nick’s jeans were the only items on the otherwise tidy floor.

Sasha couldn’t stop looking at him. The desk lamp cast a play of shadows and lights across the angles of Nick’s body.

And Sasha could tell Nick was holding his breath. His eyes searched Sasha’s. Behind it all, Nick was vulnerable. Weren’t they all? I just have a good poker face, Nick had said.

You don’t have to pretend with me, Sasha thought.

He leaped from the bed and reached Nick. Their hands found their way around each other’s bodies, and they collided in a desperate, eager kiss. Sasha lost himself in Nick’s touch, never wanting to be away from his warmth, and wishing with all his heart never to forget this moment.

***

Much later, in the darkness, Nick was spooning Sasha on the double-sized bed.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked softly in Sasha’s ear.

“More than okay.”

Nick squeezed Sasha so tight that for a moment Sasha wondered if he was trying to break his ribs, or something. But Sasha didn’t complain. He kinda liked it.

“Good night. Nicky.”

“Don’t call me that,” Nick said, “it’s weird.”

“Cyan calls you that.”

“Exactly.”

Sasha laughed and, feeling the vibrations in Nick’s chest against his back, he knew that he was laughing, too. Still smiling, Sasha closed his eyes.

…

A nightmare woke Sasha in the middle of the night. The bedroom was dark and quiet. Nick was still asleep. His breathing was even. Sasha could feel his steady heartbeat.

In the nightmare, Sasha had gone on a date with Devin Cook. To an attraction park. God damned subconscious. Seriously.

For starters, why would Sasha go anywhere with Devin? Also, he hated roller coasters anyway.

Sasha didn’t want to go back to sleep.

“Bad dream?” said a soft masculine voice in the dark—that was not Nick’s voice.

Sasha sat bolt upright, fisting the sheets on either side of his legs. Nick made a noise but didn’t wake up.

A silhouette became outlined against the shadows and crept closer to the bed. He wasn’t very tall, swathed in black from head to toe with short spiky brown hair. Sasha had seen him once before, at the party in Hell. In that tower.

Lucas. With his wings folded behind his back, and his shiny metallic scythe in one hand. All geared-up.

Sasha breathed out and it formed a white cloud of air. He was so cold all of a sudden, goose bumps running across his skin all over. And he was so terrified that it paralyzed him.

But he found the strength to grab Nick’s arm. He wanted to protect him, but he didn’t know how.

“Don’t worry,” Lucas said in a sickly sweet voice, in a slight but distinguishable Spanish accent. “It’s not him I want.”

The coldness spread and tightened Sasha’s heart like he was suffocating. His ears started to buzz. He tried to shake Nick’s arm but his hand wouldn’t listen. He tried to say something, shout, anything. But the scythe was wrapped around his neck before he even realized it.

Lucas smiled, a cold smile that contorted Sasha’s insides in fear. He felt so fragile and raw all of a sudden, like he was made of sand paper inside. Lucas came to the bed and pulled Sasha closer with the scythe. The blade turned Sasha’s skin to ice. He felt short of breath. Lucas’s dark brown eyes were cruel and narrow and they were tearing through him.

“Sleep now,” Lucas said teasingly.

No, no…

Life was slipping away. He could feel it slipping away as surely as Lucas’s cruel smile was inching closer, and soon it was all he could see in the dark room. His hand slid from Nick’s arm.

He couldn’t feel his body anymore. This couldn’t be right. Couldn’t be real.

“It’s okay,” Lucas said and he laid him down.

And then there was nothing. Nothing… The emptiness engulfed him. It was like trying to swim back up from the depths of the water but realizing he’d already drowned.

His last thought went to Nick. He wanted to tell him that he understood his fear of drowning now. Sasha felt a poignant loneliness, and he wished there was someone to pull him out. But there was no one. Only Lucas, taking his life away. Pressing his cold finger to Sasha’s lips as he breathed his last breath.