Chapter 54

Chapter 54
Chapter 54

The barn was silent and the stillness settled over Nova and James like a blanket, warm but heavy with things left unsaid.

Nova lay next to him, her head resting just inches from his shoulder. She could hear his steady breathing, the way his chest rose and fell in a rhythm that once brought her peace. But tonight, something stirred inside her. Not anxiety exactly, it was more like a quiet storm building behind her ribs. She couldn’t keep pretending everything was simple anymore.

She turned slightly, her voice soft but laced with tension. “James… can I ask you something?” Her words floated between them

James opened his eyes, turning his head to face her. The firelight touched his face, and for a moment, she caught a glimpse of the boy he used to be—unguarded, hopeful. “Of course,” he said gently.

Nova hesitated. Her fingers twisted into the edge of the blanket, nerves dancing under her skin. “What would you think,” she began, trying to keep her tone even, “if your… destined partner wasn’t just one person? What if I wasn’t just meant for you?”

There was a pause, so long and quiet she thought maybe he hadn’t heard her. But then James blinked, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and something deeper—hurt. “What do you mean?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. “You mean… someone else? Like, you love someone else?”

Nova shook her head quickly. “No. I mean—I don’t know. It’s not like that. It’s a prophecy. There’s a part of me that thinks… maybe I’m not meant for just one person. Maybe… I’m connected to more than one.”

James sat up slowly, the blanket falling away from his chest. The barn creaked softly around them, but Nova barely heard it over the pounding in her own chest.

“In our world,” James said finally, “especially for werewolves, there’s only ever one. One person, one bond. You’re supposed to just know. That’s how it’s always been.”

Nova looked down, her voice nearly a whisper. “But what if it’s different with me?”

The silence returned, colder this time. James didn’t speak. His hand brushed through his hair, and for the first time since she’d met him, Nova saw real uncertainty in his eyes. Not the kind that came from fear or danger, but the kind born from heartbreak.

“I don’t know what I’d do,” he admitted quietly. “I don’t want to share with you. I don’t think I can. I thought… I thought we were it. That what we had—what we have—was enough.”

Nova reached for his hand, but he didn’t take it right away. Her heart ached. She hated that her truth, something she was still trying to understand herself, might be pulling them apart.

“I’m not saying I love someone else,” she said quickly. “I’m not even sure what it means. I just know there’s something happening—something bigger than me. Bigger than us.”

James looked at her then, really looked. His eyes searched hers, trying to find something solid to hold on to. And even though he didn’t say it, she saw it written all over his face: the fear of losing her. Not to war, not to death—but to someone else.

He nodded once and lay back down, his back to her. “I need to sleep,” he said quietly.

Nova didn’t push. She watched him for a long time, guilt churning in her stomach. Eventually, his breathing slowed again. But she couldn’t rest. Not like this.

She slipped quietly out of the barn, her bare feet brushing against the cool earth. The night air hit her like a wave—crisp and clean, a slap of honesty against her burning thoughts. She walked toward the small outdoor washroom near the farmer’s house, hoping the water would clear her mind.

Inside, she stood under the stream of warm water, letting it run down her back, her shoulders, her chest. She closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like to be normal. Just Nova. No prophecy. No chosen destiny. No tangled feelings threatening to unravel everything.

But she wasn’t normal.

And the truth came crashing back the second she stepped outside, towel wrapped tightly around her, hair damp against her skin.

“Nova.”

She stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart lurched. She turned slowly—and there he was.

Lestat.

He stood just beyond the light spilling from the bathroom window, half in shadow. The moonlight touched his pale skin, and in the silence between them, everything seemed to still.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, the towel clenched tighter around her. She tried to sound annoyed, but her voice came out thinner than she intended. “Are you following me now?”

Lestat didn’t smile. His eyes were solemn, almost haunted. “I saw you leave the barn,” he said softly. “I waited. I needed to talk to you.”

Nova crossed her arms, her pulse quickening. “Talk to me about what?”

He took a slow step forward. “James. You and James. I know what happened between you.”

Nova’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t answer. She couldn’t.

Lestat’s voice cracked slightly. “I’m not here to shame you. I just… I need you to know something.”

She swallowed hard, her fingers twitching where they gripped the towel. “What?”

“I love you,” he said. Simply. Honestly. The words cut straight through her.

Her stomach turned. The world seemed to tilt under her feet.

No sarcasm. No smirk. Just Lestat, stripped bare of all his usual defenses.

“I’ve loved you for a while,” he continued, voice low. “I didn’t want to. I tried not to. But it’s there. It’s real. And seeing you with him…” He paused, looking away. “It hurts. More than I thought it would.”

Nova felt dizzy. This wasn’t happening. Not now. Not tonight.

“You’re a vampire,” she whispered. “He’s a werewolf. How can this even be real? I can’t be bound to both of you. That’s not how anything works.”

Lestat stepped closer, just enough to meet her gaze. “Maybe it’s not how things used to work. But you’re not just anyone, Nova. You’re the Child of Light. Maybe the rules don’t apply to you.”

Nova’s throat tightened. Her head was spinning. Everything felt too loud, too bright, too close.

“I don’t want to think about this,” she said, backing away. “Please. Just—go. Give me space.”

Lestat held her gaze for a moment longer, then nodded once. “Alright.” He turned without another word and disappeared into the shadows.

Nova stood there for a long time, staring at the spot where he had been.

Two men. Two impossible choices. One heart already cracking under the weight of it.

She made her way back to the barn slowly, each step heavier than the last. Inside, James was still asleep. Peaceful. Unaware.

She sat beside him, curling her fingers around his hand, needing something—anything—to keep her grounded.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered to the night. “But I know I don’t want to lose either of you.”

James stirred slightly, his fingers tightening around hers. His eyes opened just a sliver, and when he saw her, he smiled—a sleepy, trusting smile.

“Hey,” he mumbled. “You’re back.”

She nodded, trying to smile. “Yeah. I’m here.”

He pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Together, right?”

Nova leaned into him, letti
ng herself breathe again. “Together.”

Deep down, she knew the road ahead would be anything but easy.