Unleash the Night (Dark-Hunter #9)(35)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

He knew that faraway look. It was one he wore a lot himself. And it was why the beach was the only thing that offered him any kind of comfort.

The ocean, like time, was endless and ever changing. Vast. Empty. Overwhelming.

Folding his arms over his chest, he neared the man on the beach. "I delivered your present to them."

Nick Gautier looked up at him then. From Nick’s face, Savitar could tell it took a few seconds for those words to register.

"Thanks for the favor, Savitar."

"No problem. They’re good kids."

Nick nodded as a sad smile hovered at the edges of his lips. "I would never have thought Maggie had it in her to fight for her future. Wren either for that matter. It’s good to see your friends happy, isn’t it?"

Savitar snorted. "How would I know? I have no friends. People basically suck and all friends will screw you over in the end. Take my word for it."

"Then why am I here?"

"Hell if I know." But that wasn’t the truth. Nick was here because Acheron had asked it of him and Acheron was one of the very few beings Savitar would never deny.

"Tell me something, Sav. Will they-"

"They’ll live happily ever after. Don’t worry. Raise lots of little tigers and think of you from time to time. Hell, they’ll even name their firstborn after you… of course it’ll be a girl, but little Nikki won’t mind her name. She’ll think it’s cool."

Nick nodded, but even so, Savitar could feel his pain. Nick hadn’t wanted to die, and his death had screwed him over in more ways than one.

But life and death went on. He knew that better than anyone.

"C’mon, kid," he said, inclining his head toward the waves. "Surf’s up."

Nick rolled his eyes at him. "Are you ever going to train me as a Dark-Hunter?"

"Yeah, but right now, I’ve got bigger things on my mind. A twenty-footer is heading to shore and I want a piece of it."

Nick sighed as he pushed himself up. Savitar was already dressed in his wetsuit as he waded his way into the water. A surfboard appeared alongside him.

He was grateful Savitar had taken him in since right now he couldn’t face Acheron without wanting to kill the bastard for what had happened the night Nick died. But honestly, he was getting tired of sitting on his ass, waiting for his training to begin.

His old life was over. He knew that. There was no way to go back to what he’d known. No way back to New Orleans.

Now, like Wren and Maggie, it was time for a new chapter to begin in his life.

And he could feel it coming, just like the wave that was cresting…