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.
He was gorgeous and sexy, no doubt, but so were a lot of the Lightwatchers, “Why won’t you help me, I
can pay you if you want.”
“Your rescue mission sounds a little farfetched, a Tempter won’t just keep a Lightwatcher, especially not
now.”
There was something in his eyes and his tone that made Clare feel that she could trust him. She
couldn’t understand it, especially because of the obvious fact that she had just met him, minutes ago.
“Raging hormones, you really should conceal your emotions, you don't want to attract the wrong
attention.”, he spoke and arched his eyebrows being sarcastic.
She sneered, “Excuse me.” They were almost by the entrance of the cave when she wiggled, “Please,
just put me down, I can walk from here,”
Nikolai listened, “I feel your emotions, when I touch your skin, you would expect a Lightwatcher at your
age to know the basics, there is no need to be embarrassed.”
She said, “Thanks for the suggestion, I can make it from here, clearly.”
Clare paced herself in the front, limping, “There’s no need to follow me, I’m fine” She limped out of the
cave.
“Don’t be silly Love, I’m on my way to the Jakensons’ palace, I take it you’d be joining me shortly, OR
maybe a bit longer by the look of things?”
“Joining you, I highly doubt that.”
Nadia came running towards them, a bag in her hand. Clare presumed it was clothes for the party,
“Clare, get dressed quickly, Nathan's looking for you.”
Nadia gave Nikolai a stabbing look of disgust, “Missy I will turn you into a walking cactus.”
Clare quickly intervened, “Nadia, stop, you are being rude,”
“Me?, I am rude, Nik here is the rude one, messing with my head,”
“What? How is he doing that?” Clare looked at him, back at her, “Wait, Nik? you two, know each
other?”
He smiled and crossed his arms, “This is going to be interesting! Go ahead tell her.”
Clare sighed at Nadia, waiting for her to explain, “So, is anyone going to tell me what's happening, is
there something between you two, or..?”
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