Nicholas and Harper aimed their guns at the goons.
Calmly, Nicholas said, "We know how to use them."
"I don't doubt it," their leader replied. "We don't want anyone to get hurt. We just want Harper."
"Dominic?" Harper said, eyes narrowing.
"It's me, Harpie," Dominic said, removing his mask. "Put the gun down. We're going home."
He glanced at the restrained goons and chuckled. "You ought to be ashamed."
"Of course, they'd send you," Harper scoffed. "Do you know what they tried to do to me?"
"Harpie—" Dominic stepped forward.
"Take one more step, and I'll kneecap you," Nicholas said, his gun steady, his eyes locked, focused.
"Do you?" Harper shouted.
Nicholas sighed. "You gotta stop making her repeat herself, man."
"I heard—"
Harper shot him in the chest before he could finish. As Dominic hit the floor, he shouted, "Don't shoot!"
But it was too late.
Nicholas reacted instinctively, surrounding Harper and himself in a bright red sphere. A shockwave of energy exploded outward, slamming the remaining goons into the walls and rendering them unconscious.
"You okay, babe?" Nicholas asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, slightly breathless. ''handy trick'' she added.
''yeahh'' he said, examining the damage "Alright, let's go."
"Hang on," she said, crouching down. She rifled through Dominic's pockets and pulled out a wad of cash. Nicholas followed her lead, checking the others and grabbing whatever cash they had.
They left the building at a pace Harper could manage. Outside, they quickly flagged down a taxi.
"Take us to the closest motel," Nicholas instructed.
"Is she alright?" the driver asked, eyeing Harper.
"Shut up and drive, will you?" Harper snapped.
"Okay, ma'am."
Just then, Nicholas felt something shift. A disorienting sensation washed over him—his surroundings dimmed, the world around him seeming less tangible.
"Are you alright, Nic?" Harper asked.
He merely stared at her, his expression distant, as though she were a stranger.
"Nic..." she pressed.
Nicholas studied her face, then glanced around, confusion written all over his face. "Where... am I? Who are you?"
Harper's heart pounded. "Driver, could you go a little faster?"
"No, ma'am. I ain't tryna get pulled over."
"Call me 'ma'am' one more time, mister—Nic, can you hear me?"
"Is everything alright back there?" the driver asked.
"Just drive!" Harper barked.
''where am I'' Nicholas said. ''who are you?''
''it's me babe, its Harp.''
''who…please stop this car'' Nicholas said.
''what's going on lady, I thought you two knew each other''
''Nic…Nic it's me, I need you to come back.''
''I SAID STOP THE CAR'' Nicholas barked.
The driver pulled over to the side of the road. "You both need to get out of my cab right now, or I'm calling the cops."
"Shit," Harper muttered. Panic threatened to take hold. Without thinking, she grabbed Nicholas' hand and placed it on her stomach. "It's us, Nic... it's us."
He snapped back almost instantly. His pupils refocused. "Harp? Are we at the motel yet?"
Harper exhaled in relief.
"Not yet, baby." Harper said
The driver, now standing outside Nicholas' door, gestured for them to get out.
"What's going on?" Nicholas asked the driver. "We're not at a motel yet."
"I'm not dealing with this weird-ass shit. Y'all need to get out, or I'm calling the cops—"
''get back in and drive'' Nicholas said, sternly.
''hell no… get out''
"Hey, you see this?" Harper pointed to her protruding stomach. "I'm going to tell every woman passing by that you're a misogynist trying to kick a heavily pregnant woman out of your cab. Let's see how fast your stupid face hits social media and how quickly your ass gets canceled. Now get in, drive us to the nearest motel, and do not make another careless f*cking comment. Do you understand me?"
A few bystanders, mostly women, had begun to gather, watching with interest.
The driver hesitated, his mouth gaping. "yes ma-a…lady…yes ma-lady."
Harper smiled sweetly at the onlookers as the driver hurried back behind the wheel. As the car started rolling again, she turned to Nicholas.
"Nic, listen carefully," she whispered. "The demons whose power you've been using are trying to possess you. You completely zoned out just now. You forgot who I was. The more you use it, the more you lose yourself to them. I don't know how long we have until it does, but I need you to be aware of it. And I need you to fight it with everything you've got."
A look of deep comprehension settled on Nicholas' face.
"I can't do this alone, Nic," Harper's voice cracked, her eyes welling with tears. "I won't make it." A tear rolled down her cheek. "We won't make it," she whispered, placing a hand on her stomach.
Nicholas wiped her tear away and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "I promise I'll fight it. "I'll do everything I can to stay in control. I swear to you—I'm going to be here for you. For both of you. You know that right?"
She nodded. "I know. I know."
The nosy driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
Nicholas cupped Harper's face. "Have I ever broken a promise to you?"
She shook her head. "You haven't."
"And I promise I never will."
"Okay," she nodded.
"I love you," Nicholas said before kissing her.
"I love you too" she replied.
The car rolled to a stop. "We're at the motel," the driver announced.
Nicholas pulled out the cash from Dominic's donation, peeled off a few bills, and tossed them into the cup holder before stepping out to open Harper's door.
"Hey man, this is way too much—I can't take this," the driver protested.
"Then shove the change up your mangy ass. Prick," Harper shot back.
"Now, come on, lady—"
"Talk to her again, and I'll knock you out," Nicholas warned.
The driver held his hands up in surrender and sped off.
As they walked toward the motel reception, Nicholas felt the demons clawing at his consciousness, he grappled with them. Reality warped—colors bled and dulled, objects stretched and collapsed in on themselves. Strangers on the sidewalk grinned wickedly, whispering things he couldn't quite hear. Pointing and laughing at him and Harper. He was in control enough to know it wasn't real.
He hesitated to look at Harper, afraid of what grotesque distortion the demons might impose on her face. But he forced himself to. If only to reassure her.
She was smiling at him.
Her features were sharp and radiant, framed by her golden hair, her gray eyes steady and full of warmth. It was as is if there was a halo around her head.
"Keep fighting, Nic. I'm here. We're both here."
The weight of her words anchored him. He barely felt her take the money from his pocket. The exchange with the receptionist was a distant murmur. He was only aware of the bed beneath him as he collapsed onto it. Aware of Harper's arms around him. Aware of her voice, soft and steady, singing him to sleep.