House Of Legions (The Angel Descendants book 1) novel Chapter 77

There he stood, piercing her with his darkened green eyes and brown short hair that fell onto his face slightly. He was fair but not paled skin, he looked young, like a matured twenty-year-old. Clare couldn’t tell, his skin up close had no open pores just flawless. Nikolai stared deeper into her eyes, loosening his grip around her neck and lightly touching her face before turning around.

“You have Draiken blood in you, intriguing, so you remember who you are.”

Clare felt nervous, he was tall and thinner than she envisioned, not at all what she imagined him to be. He had slightly broadened shoulders and black and silver bands on his wrists, similar to Vincent. There was something about him, she couldn’t put her finger on it, but knew.., “I’m a Moonstone, Clare, my mother WAS a Draiken, she’s dead, and my brother will follow soon, I need your help.” She neared him, “Wait, wait, you look, familiar, have we met before?”

He wore dirty black jeans and a grey t-shirt, with a black chain on his neck, “No, maybe it was a crazy fan that has you confused, I have plenty.”

Clare didn’t believe him, she rolled her eyes, he was drunk she presumed. Nadia was right. She stared at her phone. Nikolai sat back down on the cave floor, “Why do you keep looking at your phone Love, do you have somewhere else to be?” he paused, not smiling at her and sipped another drink of his brandy, “I knew Celeste Draiken, actually, a real charmer until she tried to burn me on a stake, the twenties, memorable times.”

Clare nodded, “So, are you going to help me?”

“It depends on Love, what exactly do you need me to help you with, you don’t have a clue about anything do you.”

She confided “Finding my brother Calub, he’s been kidnapped by a Tempter, and I do have a clue, I’m not the one wasting away a two hundred pound bottle of brandy alone in some cave.”

Nikolai choked with laughter “Well if that’s what you think, then no, I’m sorry, can’t be of assistance.”

From a sideward glance he looked at her, “but Vincent said..”

He got up, “Vincent does not control me, Love, his words are meaningless, and for the record, I don't sense any Moonstones in your genes. You might want to check that up will you.” Pointing to her knee.

She wanted to leave but her knee was throbbing, a sharp pain shot through her right leg concentrating on her bruised area, “My knee is fucked, shit, ah, it’s all your fault.” She paused, biting all the words she craved to spit at him, “Could you at least help me downstairs?”

Nikolai looked at her, obvious that he was thinking about it, “Well that’s what I just said. Fine, but next time don’t be a party crasher, I happened to be having a great time.”He hurried her, “Come on Love I haven’t got all day, you might not believe this but I do actually have somewhere to be.”

He lifted her with a quick sweep, and held her gently looking at her while he walked them down the spiralled staircase, “For a drunken Warlock, you are really sure stepped.”

He gave her a slight smirk as if amused by her conclusion, “Who said I was drunk Love. You see a guy in a cave, drinking, and a little dirty, and you presume him to be a drunken Warlock.”

Clare looked at him as he walked, clearly unable to defend her perception, “I’m sorry, ok, I'm just disappointed that you won’t help me, I don’t get it.”

His hand slipped a little while carrying her, the one around her waist moving now and again, touching fractals of her skin. He got to the lower ground, a breeze blew slightly. Behind the smell of brandy was the smell of a really alluring scent. It was a perfume she didn’t recognize, something addictive. She didn’t know what it was, but it caused her bones to tingle and her heart to skip beats. His eyes were small, but not too small, when he smiled his mouth moved up more to one side as his eyes sparkled. But there was that familiarity, a sense, that she knew that face, maybe a passerby but she couldn’t shake the feeling. Maybe he was the guy, the one who saved her, but no, the touch was different. Nikolai had a darkness to him, and haunting features.