Chapter 32
The Best Kind of Distraction
Dirt coated every exposed part of River’s body. She hadn’t known it was possible to feel so grubby. It felt like soil had infiltrated her every crevice and crack—there wasn’t a single part of her that didn’t feel caked in dirt.
And yet, River didn’t care.
She didn’t care that her fingernails were chipped and broken.
She didn’t care that if Tertia saw her now, she’d surely faint or have a screaming fit.
She didn’t even care that the inside of her mouth felt like it was coated in soil after hours of inhaling the material.
She didn’t care about any of that because she was staring into Nikhail’s gorgeous, amber eyes that felt like they looked into her soul. The ones she’d feared she’d never, ever see again.
“Hey, Princess,” Nikhail said roughly.
And fucking gods.
Hearing Nikhail’s voice was even better than seeing him again.
River and Arlo had been digging for hours.
The backup Ryker had called arrived a while ago, and they’d brought collapsible shovels with them, which had sped up the process significantly.
Especially once they’d been able to communicate with Nikhail on the other side of the barrier and dig in a coordinated spot.
Every part of River hurt; her muscles ached, and she was incredibly tired, but it had all been worth it.
River could hear the others speaking behind her, but their words weren’t registering. Nothing was, except the fact that she could see Nikhail through the hole they’d been digging. It wasn’t very large yet, certainly not sizable enough for a man of Nikhail’s size to crawl through.
But Ryker had always called River “Shortie” for a reason, and she had never appreciated her stature more. Thank the fucking gods, she wouldn’t have to wait another moment with this barrier between her and Nikhail.
Dropping her collapsible shovel, River wiped as much dirt off her face as she could, and she half-jumped, half-shimmied through the hole. It was awkward, thanks to its position at her eye level, and her feet flailed behind her. There was no way to do this gracefully.
The lack of grace didn’t bother her either, because strong, familiar hands wrapped around her shoulders and hauled her through the gap.
Nikhail settled her on her feet, his left hand holding her hip, while his right traveled to her face. He cupped her cheek, his thumb trailing down her skin.
It felt like an eternity passed before he breathed, “I thought you promised to stay put.”
“I did,” she said.
“You’re not great at listening.”
“Sometimes, I am. Not this time, though.”
River raised her hand, wrapping her fingers around Nikhail’s arm. The air fae looked down at her wrist, and his breath caught. She didn’t need to follow suit to see what had caught his attention.
“You took them off,” Nikhail said, because he noticed. Of course, he did. This air fae of hers saw everything.
“I found a key in the safe house, and I needed them gone.”
A long moment passed before Nikhail’s lips quirked up. Approval shone in his gaze.
“I’m so proud of you,” he said. “I knew you could withstand the storm.”
Embers of warmth sparked in River’s stomach, and her lips quirked up into a small smile.
“You showed me how strong I am,” she murmured.
River used to think she was cursed, and maybe she was. Her mother obviously felt that way. But if there was one thing that Nikhail had taught her, it was that even Cursed Ones could withstand their storm, with the right person by their side.
And without a doubt, Nikhail was that person for River.
Another eternity passed.
Gods above, it felt like River’s heart was going to escape from her chest. Her skin was electrified, simply from being near Nikhail. He had barely touched her, and yet it felt like fire was blazing through her.
He had to feel this, too, right? The unraveling of all the tension that River had been carrying for days. The way her magic, which had been a crashing storm in her veins, calmed when they were near each other.
There was no way she was alone in this.
“I hope you’re not angry that I came,” River said. “I was so worried about you, and I couldn’t sit still and do nothing.” He hadn’t spoken yet, and her words started coming faster. “When someone I love is in danger, I’ll do anything for them.”
Nikhail’s thumb, which had been teasing at the edge of her lips, stilled. “You love me?”
Was that wonderment in his voice? Did he not know how much she cared about him? That in staying by her side, in being with her despite her brokenness, he’d shown her what true love was?
“Yes.” Had she thought her heart was racing before? Now it was a galloping horse. That fire blazed inside her. “I love you,” she said with more confidence, speaking the words from the depth of her soul.
Nikhail’s lips parted. A moment that felt like both a lifetime and a millisecond passed. He exhaled, and those amber eyes seemed to shine brightly. “I love you, too.”
His words were a hoarse whisper, yet it felt as though he’d shouted them at River.
Her lips tugged up, and she lifted her chin as Nikhail drew her close and kissed her.
When they finally broke apart, Nikhail rested his forehead against hers. “I love you so much, little storm,” he whispered.
River had never heard better words. That fire within her became a conflagration, and she tilted up her head, chasing another kiss.
It never came.
A throat cleared behind them. A reminder that they weren’t alone. “While this has been a nice show, could we keep the amorous declarations to a minimum right now? We’re a little busy.”
River’s cheeks heated as she peered around Nikhail. A handsome soldier with dark skin and kind eyes was wiping off his face with his sleeve, looking at her and Nikhail with amusement.
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “We got… distracted.”
The best kind of distraction.
The kind that River would never forget for as long as she lived.
“It won’t be long now.” Nikhail squeezed River’s hand before giving her a gentle push down the tunnel. “Why don’t you take a break and freshen up? You deserve it.”
She glanced behind her, where the digging was ongoing.
They’d had to take a break a while ago when debris had started falling from the ceiling.
Nikhail and several other soldiers had fashioned temporary supports out of material scavenged from the bunker and the other side of the tunnel before the digging could resume.
“You sure?” she said. “I could help.”
“You’ve already done so much,” Nikhail murmured, brushing his lips over hers. “Take a break.”
River debated on staying right here, but the ache in her muscles was becoming hard to ignore. A break did sound like a nice idea.
“Okay, I’ll be back soon.”
She turned, navigating through the tunnel towards the bunker. The space had become quite crowded. Now, nearly every member of Nikhail’s team had joined the digging efforts, with the exception of Taliyah.
River waved at the vampire as she stepped into the bunker, keeping her head down. She avoided looking at the man tied to the chair, having already been warned by Nikhail to stay far away from him.
The warning seemed a little extreme, since the man was clearly out of it. His head lolled to the side, and he had a glazed look about him.
River knew who he was. The leader of the Black Night. He was the reason Nikhail had gotten hurt, the reason so many people had died.
Gale Harringdale hated people like her, so even if Nikhail had never warned River to steer clear of him, she would have.
River released a breath as she crossed the hallway and stepped into the bathroom. Closing the door, she locked it behind her. She took care of her personal needs before standing at the sink and turning on the water with her elbow.
She hummed to herself, sticking a hand under the water to test the temperature. Tepid. Not her favorite, but it wasn’t like she was in a position to fuss. Water was water, after all.
Reaching for the soap, River lathered her hands. The strong scent of lemons and disinfectant had her nostrils twitching. She scrubbed her hands, the motions oddly reminiscent of when she prepped for surgery.
For the first time since her father’s death, the thought of the hospital, and all that it entailed, didn’t strike fear into River’s heart. Even the notion of coming across another patient in the Stillness didn’t frighten her right now.
And that was good.
River wanted to go back to work, to help people and heal them. A lightness filled her soul as she washed the dirt away. A few weeks ago, she thought she would never be able to return to the hospital, but now, things were different. She was different. All because of Nikhail.
She would go back to Lakewater General Hospital, she decided as she turned off the tap. Hopefully, Nikhail would return to Lakewater with her. She felt as though she could tackle anything, with him by her side.
Drying her hands on a towel, River nudged the door open.
That’s when she noticed it. The shift in the air. The hum died in her throat, and the hairs on the back of her neck bristled. Her body tensed.
Something had changed.
River glanced down the hallway, searching for the source of the shift. What was happening?
The bunker’s main door wasn’t visible from here, but the conversation that drifted towards her from the tunnel sounded normal. Calm, even. No trace of alarm.
Still, River was certain something was wrong. Her magic thrashed in her veins—a warning.
Though she wasn’t—and would never be—a soldier, River had been in enough dangerous situations to trust her instincts. Calling power to her hand was as easy as drawing her next breath. She formed an ice dagger, curling her fingers around it as the bathroom door slipped shut behind her.
River turned the corner from the bathroom to the main bunker, and her foot landed in something wet. Which was strange, since there hadn’t been a puddle here before.
At the same time, River’s gaze swept over the room. Her breath stuttered.
One moment, she was fine.
The next, a strangled scream was rising in her throat.