Bad Luck and The Law of Averages (The Old Guard Fanfic)

Chapter 6 - Death

Nicky had no idea how, but he knew Ruth and the others were coming.

"Lie down," he told Bryce, who was already sitting on the table waiting for his nod, "and don't move until I give you the signal."

He wished he could give signals like Andy, but he could only wish to be that efficient and deadly. For this he could live with creating an opening for Bryce to get away. Not that he wouldn't try himself if the opportunity arose, but he was at least mostly indestructible.

It was completely counter intuitive to turn his back to the door, but he knew how he wanted to play this and did so. He picked up Bryce's wrist, the one he had bitten, and pretended to be engrossed. There were no marks left, but there was still a blood smear. The violence he could feel inside surged to the surface and he didn't try and stop it. He was going to need every advantage he could get.

The door opened and he acknowledged it by cocking his head to the side, but he did not stop what he was doing.

"Oh, Nicky," Ruth said in a cheerful upbeat voice that made him want to rip her head off, "you saved some for us."

He turned then, curling his lip into a snarl.

"I have not finished with him," he said, emphasising every word individually.

"Nicky, Nicky, Nicky," she said, sweeping down the stairs and into the main part of the room, "you must learn to share, we're family now."

He didn't need to act as he growled at her, his reaction was very real.

"Mine," he snarled.

The others fanned out around behind Ruth. Nicky ran his eyes over each of them, assessing what he could of their stances. Roy was definitely the biggest, but the way Dani was looking at him, he suspected she was the most aggressive. So close, he could sense their power in the air, and it made his skin crawl.

"So possessive, Nicholas," Ruth said with a tutting sound.

"Nicolo," he corrected, feeling the darkness inside him spike.

It must have shown on the outside because Roy went to step past Ruth, but she held up her arm, stopping him.

"The instincts are hard at first, aren't they, Nicky," she said, reverting to his shortened name. "Well, I'm sure we can help you. You can keep your snack for now, but what intrigues me is how you got him out of those cuffs."

She was smiling again, eyes just off human norms. Nicky sensed her power increase along with her placating words, but whatever she was trying to do rolled over him without affecting him at all. However, he let his shoulders relax as if it had. He smiled.

"I picked the locks," he said.

"My aren't we a clever boy," Ruth said, stepping towards him.

He allowed it as she rested her hand on his arm.

"I'll show you," he offered, placing his hand over hers and turning towards where the manacles still hung.

Ruth went with him, sliding her hand through his arm, and Dani and Lucas also followed while Beth hung back, but Roy stepped too close to Bryce. Nicky's reaction was instantaneous. He freed himself from Ruth and planted his body between Roy and Bryce, claws at the ready, growl resonating from his throat. Roy snarled back.

"Boys!"

Ruth's voice cut right through their posturing.

Roy backed down immediately, Nicky not so much, glaring at her.

"It's alright, Nicky," Ruth said, smiling at him again and using that placating tone, "Roy didn't mean anything. Come on everyone, let's go over here so Nicky can show us how clever he is."