Valeria's POV
The air around us pulsed with an energy I could feel deep in my bones. Nyx was exactly what I'd expected, and yet, there was something unsettling about the way he circled us, his eyes gleaming with an almost sickening hunger. I'd never trusted him—no one in our world could be fully trusted—but right now, he was a necessary evil.
"You want to disrupt the Elders' plans," Nyx said, his voice smooth, but carrying a chilling edge. "But even if I were to join your little crusade, what could you offer me, Valeria? After all, you know as well as I do, I don't do favors for free."
Adrian stiffened beside me, the tension in his body palpable, though I could feel the mix of fascination and wariness radiating off him. He'd never encountered a being like Nyx. But that didn't matter. Nyx had a power that even the Elders respected. He could help us win this war, if only for his own amusement. And that was a start.
"I've been to places you only dream of, Nyx," I replied, my voice dripping with the kind of confidence that came from centuries of power. "I've seen things that would break even your mind. And I can give you access to those realms. I'll open doors for you. Let you feast on things even you haven't dared to touch."
His dark eyes flickered, and I saw the intrigue in them. I knew exactly what he craved. Power, knowledge, and the thrill of breaking boundaries that even creatures like him feared.
"And what does your… human lover get out of this arrangement?" Nyx's gaze turned to Adrian, as if dismissing him entirely. "You know, I don't usually work with humans. They're… beneath me."
Adrian, to his credit, didn't flinch. His posture was unyielding, though I could feel the subtle undercurrent of his uncertainty. "I don't care about your games," Adrian said, his voice low, but his eyes never left Nyx. "I'm here because Valeria needs you. You'll help us, or you'll regret it."
Nyx laughed, a cold, unsettling sound that echoed through the darkened streets. "Oh, how amusing. You think you can threaten me, human?"
I placed a hand on Adrian's arm, silencing him with a single touch. "Enough," I said, my voice carrying the weight of command. "Nyx, you've made your point. Now, answer me. Will you help us?"
The darkness around us seemed to thicken, the air growing heavier, as if the very realm itself was holding its breath. Nyx tilted his head, studying us both with an intensity that felt like being under a microscope. His smile widened, and for a moment, he looked almost… pleased.
"I'll help," he said finally, his tone both chilling and triumphant. "But I do it on my terms. And you, Valeria, know all too well how dangerous it is to deal with creatures like me."
I didn't smile back. "I know the risks, Nyx. But this isn't a favor. It's a bargain. And if you betray us…"
"I won't," he interrupted smoothly. "I'm much too curious to see where this little rebellion goes. And besides, I do love chaos."
"Then it's settled," I said, feeling the weight of his words settle into my bones. Nyx had his own agenda, but for now, that worked in our favor. "We'll need you to help us break through the Elders' defenses. To disrupt their plans from within."
"And what of your… bond with the human?" Nyx asked, his eyes narrowing. "What is he really to you, Valeria? A tool? A pawn?"
I turned to Adrian, my gaze softening for the briefest moment. "He's more than that," I said, my voice carrying the weight of truth. "He's the reason I'm willing to fight the Elders. The reason I'll do whatever it takes."
Nyx's eyes flickered with something that might have been amusement, or maybe it was a more dangerous curiosity. "Ah, love," he said, his voice laced with mockery. "How quaint. But be careful, Valeria. It can make even the strongest of us weak."
"I've never been weak," I replied sharply. "And neither is Adrian."
Nyx's smile faded just slightly, and his gaze returned to Adrian. "We shall see."
The silence that followed was thick, heavy with unspoken promises and threats. Then, Nyx turned away, his long coat swirling around him like smoke, vanishing into the mist that seemed to rise from the ground itself. "I'll see you when the time comes," he said, his voice echoing in the distance. "And remember, Valeria, every choice comes with a cost."
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Adrian's POV
As Nyx disappeared into the mist, I turned to Valeria, my mind racing. This whole situation was spiraling out of control faster than I could keep up with. First, I was dealing with the fact that I was bonded to a woman who wasn't entirely human, then the Elders came into play, and now I was facing down a creature like Nyx—who was practically ancient by supernatural standards.
"You didn't tell me how dangerous that guy is," I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "He looked like he was about to devour me just for existing."
Valeria glanced at me, her expression unreadable. "Nyx is dangerous, yes. But he's also an ally, for now. And right now, we need all the help we can get."
I didn't argue. I couldn't. She was right—Nyx might be a threat, but he was the kind of threat we could use, at least until he decided we were no longer worth his time. And when that happened…
"What's next, then?" I asked, ready to follow her anywhere at this point, even if it meant diving deeper into a world I barely understood.
She paused, her gaze piercing the dark horizon. "Now, we wait. The Elders will make their move soon enough. And when they do, we'll be ready."
I nodded, even though a sense of dread gnawed at me. Something told me that what was coming would change everything—things I wasn't ready for. But Valeria was right. We had no choice but to keep moving forward.