Her lips curved into a small smile despite herself as she opened it. It was casual, friendly -completely unguarded. It was so very him. She tapped out a quick reply, her fingers flying over the screen before her thoughts returned to Dom.
It wasn’t like her to get so caught up with a civilian. She had a job to do, and yet she couldn’t get Nile out of her head. But the thought that something was wrong was as fleeting as it was easily dismissed. She had extensive training to protect her from mental manipulation. So it shouldn’t even be possible. Could it?
Ash began clicking through the digital archives she’d collected on Nile and Dom, scrolling through photos, old social media posts, and every scrap of history she could find on the pair.
A picture caught her attention -two toddlers, no older than three or four, grinning ear to ear as they clumsily built a sandcastle on the beach. Another photo showed Nile and Dom as adolescents, arms slung around each other’s shoulders, their smiles wide and unrestrained.
Part of Ash’s mind couldn’t help but coo over the cuteness of the photos. The other part, the calculating agent, furiously worked through a viable scenario to present to the Director.
The pieces began to align in her mind. Ash sat up straighter, her lips pressing into a determined line. She could see it now -a story that would justify her actions while ensuring the success of her mission.
She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes as she committed the plan to memory. Compartmentalization was a skill Ash had mastered during her training, and now it came into play. She carefully built mental walls around the plan, locking it away in a part of her mind no amount of prying or divination could breach.
She visualized the scenario, analyzing it for weaknesses, any detail that could be exploited or questioned. Slowly, methodically, she shaped the narrative.
She would begin with the difficulties she faced unraveling the tangled ley lines of LA, how their chaotic nature had forced her to proceed cautiously. She would explain that identifying Dom’s line had been an arduous task and that the interference in the area made it nearly impossible to discern Dom’s caste.
Her decision to wait for Dom to manifest, she would argue, was not negligence but necessity. After all, awakening was the key—one could not join the awakened world until they had manifested their abilities. Until then, Dom was just another face in the crowd.
Ash would explain her attempts to gain Dom’s trust, detailing how she tried to manipulate circumstances to get close to her, only to be met with resistance.
When that failed, she turned her focus to Nile. His closeness to Dom made him the perfect tool -a bridge to Dom and a way to keep tabs on her without arousing suspicion. Ash could present this as a tactical decision, an adjustment to her plans in light of the obstacles she faced.
She envisioned the moment of Dom’s first manifestation, the burst of power that would confirm her as the target beyond a shadow of a doubt. Ash would recount how she successfully guarded Dom through her first consumption, ensuring her survival despite the presence of Denurals. She would paint herself as the diligent agent who, through careful planning and adaptability, secured the nascent and brought her safely to the University.
And Nile? Nile was just a means to an end. A disposable asset, used and discarded once his purpose was served.
Ash frowned, the thought leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She told herself it was just a story, a version of events she could sell to the Director. But deep down, she knew the truth.
Her feelings for Nile weren’t part of the plan. They complicated everything.
Ash exhaled sharply, shaking her head as if to banish the thought. She couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud her judgment. Not now. Not ever.
Her phone buzzed again, pulling her from her thoughts. Another message from Nile.
This time, Ash smiled softly as she read it, her earlier frustration momentarily forgotten. She had her target. She had a plan. And now, she had a reason to see it through.
∞
The next day found Ash running late for her planned meeting with Nile before first period. They had arranged to meet in what he called “the usual spot” in the quad -a spot she assumed was one he and Dom shared.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Sliding out of her sleek car with practiced ease, Ash broke into a brisk run, her mind torn between the ticking clock and her desire not to keep Nile waiting. The strap of her bag bounced on her shoulder as her boots hit the pavement in sharp rhythm. She kept glancing at her watch, strapped to the underside of her wrist, cursing herself for cutting it so close. How am I late already? she thought, her irritation pushing her legs to pump harder.
The quad was bustling with the morning surge of students, and as she approached, her keen eyes spotted Nile almost immediately. He was leaning casually against the bench, his easygoing grin brightening as he noticed her approach. Ash felt her heart skip at the sight of him, as relief flooded her chest. She raised her hand to wave, her smile matching his.
“Hey!” Nile called, his enthusiasm cutting effortlessly through the din of the crowd.
Ash quickened her pace, her long strides cutting through the quad like a force of nature. She was only a dozen yards away when her sharp peripheral vision caught Dom approaching from the opposite direction at a leisurely, evenly calculated pace. There was something distinctly predatory about it.
Just the presence of Dom ignited something within Ash, and her naturally competitive nature was spurred into a near frenzy.
Not today, girl, Ash thought with a flicker of mischief. She dug in, putting on an extra burst of speed, her hair streaming behind her as she overtook Dom effortlessly. With a triumphant grin, she reached Nile first, flinging herself into his laughing arms.
They shared an exuberant hug, Nile’s warmth enveloping her as if they had been doing this for years. She barely noticed the sharp heat of Dom’s glare boring into her back. Ash didn’t need to look -she could feel the searing intensity of it. If Dom had manifested her powers, Ash half-wondered if she’d be a pile of smoldering coal by now.
Yes, she thought, her instincts prickling with certainty. She was definitely the one. Not even manifested yet, and she can already direct her will with this much force.
Ash shrugged it off, refusing to let the jealousy of Dom’s stare ruin her moment. She wondered if Nile felt the same power emanating from Dom, but no. Nile was laughing, his hand brushing against her back in a way that made her skin tingle. Ash shifted slightly, resting against his chest and casting a sidelong glance at Dom. She had stopped a few steps away, her expression an open display of irritation.
Nile glanced around Ash, finally noticing Dom standing a few steps away, her expression like a storm cloud on the horizon.
“Hey, Dom! You remember Ash?” Nile said, his voice cutting through the mounting tension and his smile practically lighting up the quad as he glanced between the two women. Nope, he was oblivious. And yet, there was something in the air.
Ash wanted to open up and cast her senses out, but she didn’t dare. So instead she marked it as worth looking into further.
Ash shifted slightly in Nile’s embrace, letting her back rest against his chest as she turned her full gaze toward Dom. She raised a single eyebrow in silent challenge, her lips curling into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Nile’s sunny smile spread to Dom, though the sting of her glare barely softened. She crossed her arms, her jaw tight, and answered with a halfhearted, awkward smile.
Ash watched the interplay closely, her fingers unconsciously sliding down Nile’s arm to intertwine with his hand. She didn’t miss the quickened hitch in Dom’s breath at the motion. Ash felt a wicked satisfaction flicker through her, a predatory spark that she didn’t bother suppressing. What is wrong with me?
Dom mumbled something under her breath, low and caustic, and Ash pretended not to hear it. Not that it mattered. Ash didn’t need to hear them to know they were laced with disdain. Still, she wouldn’t let the slight go unanswered. Instead of confronting Dom directly, she tightened her grip on Nile’s hand and turned up the wattage of her smile. Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she leaned her head slightly against Nile’s shoulder.
“Hi, Dom,” Ash said in a sugary-sweet tone, the edge of sarcasm so faint it could almost be missed. “Nile’s been so sweet. He’s told me so much about you! I’m sure we’ll be the bestest of friends.”
Dom’s reaction was instant, the words landing like the taunt they were. Dom’s expression twisted in a mix of disbelief and barely concealed contempt, her lips curling downward as if Ash’s words tasted like vinegar.
“Yeah,” Dom ground out through gritted teeth. “The bestest.” She forced a tense smile, though her tone was sharp enough to cut glass. “Hey, Nile, I’ll see you around, okay?”
Without waiting for a reply, Dom spun on her heel and marched off, her pace stiff with irritation.
Ash couldn’t resist one final jab. “Byee!” she called after her with exaggerated cheer.
Dom didn’t look back, as she stalked away with an air of suppressed fury.
Ash turned back to Nile with a dazzling smile, her expression softening as she focused on him. Leaning into his embrace, she tilted her head up to meet his gaze, her lips brushing lightly against his ear as she whispered, “She’s feisty, isn’t she?”
Nile laughed, the sound reverberating warmly through her. “You could say that.” There was something in his voice she couldn’t quite place. Regret?
Ash deliberately nuzzled into his neck with a sigh of satisfaction, hoping to distract him -and it worked. The tension melted from his shoulders as he returned the gesture, his hands settling naturally at her waist.
She breathed him in, reveling in the subtle scent of his cologne -fresh, clean, and undeniably him. He whispered something against her ear, but Ash barely heard it, her focus lingering on Dom’s retreating form.
The rest of the day blurred by, as Ash and Nile spent time together. They shared nearly every free period, and Ash couldn’t deny the ease with which their connection deepened. Every conversation, every shared laugh, chipped away at the walls she had so carefully built around her mission.
She knew she should focus on Dom, but every stolen moment with Nile pulled her deeper into something she couldn’t quite define. Or explain.
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