Angelfire
Page 85

How could I be so selfish? Why would I let him risk so much for me? My thoughts made me angry at myself, for caring for no one but myself.
But he was there. Day and night he was there for me, risking his very existence to protect me from a war that claimed my life over and over again. He never faltered, never wavered, never feared for his own safety. He was beaten, stabbed, abused, and tortured again and again, and yet he stil stuck by me, ignoring the possibility that he would die for me one day. It wasn't right. I didn't deserve everything he sacrificed for me. I wasn't worth so high a price. I wrapped a hand around his face and turned his gaze to mine as I folded my legs underneath me. Kneeling, I smoothed my hand over his rough cheek and into his hair. I leaned forward and kissed his lips softly just to feel that much closer to him. His kiss tasted like vanil a and sugar, warm and delicious against my lips. The ache in my heart reminded me of how much I loved him and I pressed my lips to his more desperately, as if I were afraid that he might vanish right there next to me. I bit back a tear that might have been happy or sad--I wasn't even sure myself--and pul ed away.
"You're amazing" was al I could say to him.
His gaze fel . "I'm not even close." He leaned toward me, resting his forehead against my shoulder, and his hand slid up my arm. He held me close to him and pressed his lips to my arm, brushing his nose across my skin as I ran my fingers through his hair. I bit on my lip to stop the tears. I lifted his face, and his eyes opened up into mine. I couldn't help the smile that formed when I could tel that I'd embarrassed him. "Yes, you are. You need to relax. Don't worry about anything for once."
His troubled look began to fade. "I don't mean to."
"Let me help you," I offered. I walked around my bed and climbed in, reaching for his hand. He let me take it and I pul ed him toward me. "Lie down with me. Sleep for a little while. You don't need to sit up in the freezing cold on my roof. You owe that to yourself. Forget about everything else. You're always so worried about taking care of me. Let me take care of you for once."
He lay on his side, the mattress sinking beneath his weight al too intimately, and he slid an arm tentatively around my bel y. I didn't say anything as we lay there, and I fel asleep feeling his warm, sugar-sweetened breath on the bend of my neck.
30
NATHANIEL HAD ARRANGED A FLIGHT FOR US AND air freight for the sarcophagus to Puerto Rico via Miami. My parents bought the story about my spending the weekend with Kate's family at their lake house up north, since I had done it a hundred times before, and everything was fal ing into place. Despite Nathaniel's preference for working behind the scenes instead of fighting on the front lines, he would be coming along as backup. I hadn't seen him in action, yet, but I was intrigued. He didn't fight with the traditional blades Wil and I were used to. Nathaniel had a thing for guns.
He managed to have the box containing the sarcophagus classfied as an archaeological artifact, and we had no trouble shipping it on a cargo plane. Nathaniel, rightful y afraid of leaving the Enshi on its own, concealed his presence from the airport staff by staying within the Grim and managed to sneak onto the flight unseen--invisibility proved to be a handy reaper trick. He would stay with the sarcophagus until we arrived in the Caribbean. Thankful y we didn't have to check our swords along with Nathaniel's guns. That would have been fun to explain.
We arrived in Miami after ten on Wednesday night and after a layover we boarded another plane to San Juan. I was definitely feeling the exhaustion when we final y got to our little motel at almost four in the morning. We got a room in the motel instead of one of the glamorous hotels I would have preferred, but Wil said it was for our safety and that of the locals that we would stay in a smal building with an easy exit in case Bastian got wind of our location. The motel was off a narrow street and only a couple blocks from the airport. It was a little run-down, and the pavement outside had tufts of weeds sticking out of cracks. When Nathaniel's cargo plane arrived in San Juan, he rented a large truck to carry the sarcophagus and parked behind the motel. He'd be watching the truck like a hawk until dawn in case of attack. Wil let me sleep in until eleven in the morning, which was heaven after the rough week and late night. After my shower in the darling little bathroom, I was anticipating with excitement geting outside and seeing what the city real y looked like. I peeked my head out of the bathroom while I blow-dried my hair and spotted Wil standing over his suitcase and pul ing off his shirt. I felt my face fil with heat when I saw him shirtless, and I almost looked away. Almost. He shrugged on a new tee, and the muscles in his abdomen constricted as he smoothed out the cotton.
"Is Nathaniel stil out with the truck?" I asked. He turned around and eased over to me. "No," he answered. "He took a taxi to the marina to get a boat. I thought we'd get lunch when he gets back. Sound good?"
I smiled wide. "Definitely. Is he coming with us?"
"No, he's staying with the truck. We can't leave the box alone." He sounded genuinely disappointed. "I brought him food before he left, though. We both need to eat a lot before tonight, just in case."
"You mean you already ate?"
"Some." His tone was so nonchalant, as if everyone ate before they went out to a restaurant.
"And you're going to eat more?"
"Yeah," he said. "I told you I didn't want you seeing how much I real y have to eat. It would give you nightmares, I assure you."