Angelfire

  Wil pul ed away so that our eyes met. The centuries we had spent together were fil ing my heart with so much emotion that I felt it was about to burst. I didn't remember any of it, but I knew it al in my soul.

  "You'l never lose me," he said gently, and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "I'l always be here."

  I wrapped my arms around his back and held him as tightly as I could, afraid he'd drift away.

  He dropped his head to mine, his body so close to mine I could hardly stand it. "If we're separated--if I lose you--I'l find you," he breathed, his cheek touching mine gently, lighting tiny fireworks on my skin.

  Fresh, relentless, warm tears rol ed down my cheeks. His promise melted through me, and my heart ached for everything that I wanted and couldn't have. In the end, he was al I had. Through each lifetime, every last thing that I came to know and love in the world changed or vanished completely except for him. He was the only thing permanent in al of forever.

  Then he kissed me, slowly and gently. It was just a light brush of his lips on mine, but I stiffened, surprised and unsure of how to react. He pul ed away, only just, holding my gaze with his, his lips almost touching mine, as if waiting for me. I tilted my chin up and parted my mouth until his returned, kissing me again, long and leisurely. He seemed too careful, as if he expected me to be frightened. I forced myself to relax and I lifted a tentative hand to stroke his cheek and I kissed him back. His fingers trailed up my spine and brushed across my bare throat before threading tenderly through my hair, his thumb tracing along my cheek. When I didn't pul away, he deepened his kiss with a hunger, fervently, as if it were our last, even though it was our first. He final y broke free, but he didn't pul away. He touched his forehead to mine and closed his eyes.

  "I'm sorry," he whispered.

  My hands wound around his neck. My nails traced the contours of his back and shoulders, and I felt his muscles lock where I touched him. I breathed in his scent, trying to take al of him in. For a moment I forgot about the beast that might destroy my soul, and the only thing I feared was losing this and never seeing his face again. If I died before I had to fight the Enshi, I didn't want to forget his face or his voice or what it felt like when he touched me. I couldn't let myself forget him again. "Don't be," I said, my hands sliding up into his hair.

  "I shouldn't have done that," he breathed, pushing a lock of my hair behind my shoulders.

  "There's nothing to regret," I replied urgently.

  He pul ed away until he was no longer touching me at al , and I craved for him to come back. I fought everything in me to not reach for him.

  His expression was terribly vulnerable and pained; he seemed to be trying desperately not to break. "You have to understand how difficult this is for me," he said final y. "I've been devoted to you for so long. I've done my best to serve you and keep you safe. And this--how I feel--is going against too many of the rules. I know it's wrong, and I know it's stupid, but I don't real y care."

  I studied his face for several moments, watching for the intensity of his eyes to give me a sign. "Whose rules are they?"

  "The angel who made me your Guardian," he said. "I think he was an archangel. He told me I was to protect you and nothing more. I'm not supposed to feel what I feel."

  "What exactly . . . do you feel?" I asked careful y. "What do you mean?"

  He closed his eyes and looked away. "I'm so confused."

  We didn't speak for some time but only stood there next to the col apsed warehouse. Final y he turned away from me.

  "We should get out of here," he suggested. "Someone is bound to have heard the building fal ."

  I nodded. "What do we do about the sarcophagus?"

  He thought for a moment. "I can carry it a little ways from here. Give Nathaniel a cal . Tel him to bring a truck. We have to relocate, but I just don't know where to."

  "Where do you want me to go?"

  "Drive to the first stop sign and turn right. Fol ow it al the way to the dead end. I'l meet you there."

  I gave him a perplexed look. "You sure know your way around here."

  "I had to study the location and its surroundings, including al roads, intersections, and buildings in the area." He smiled when he noticed my quizzical expression. "Better safe than sorry."

  "Right."

  There was an awkward pause before either of us moved. I could stil feel his mouth on mine as I stood there with nothing to say. Final y, I got into my car and drove exactly where he told me to. I wasn't sure if I was surprised he was right about the dead end or not. I parked there and turned my car off and cal ed Nathaniel, tel ing him where to meet us. Not even a second after I hung up, Wil appeared out of nowhere, dropping the sarcophagus in the glare of my headlights. I got out to meet him as the wails of sirens echoed in the distance, most likely responding to cal s about the warehouse's recent demise.

  "Nathaniel should be here shortly," I said.

  "Good."

  He didn't say anything else. It annoyed me a little that I couldn't tel what he was thinking. He seemed to be avoiding the topic of what had happened between us minutes before, but then again, I hadn't brought it up, either. I was torn over whether or not to bring it up at al . I wanted to ask him about it, since I felt so empty inside for some reason. I wanted--

  scratch that, I needed--to know how he felt about me. Then I wondered, had we been together before? Had he kissed me before in my past lives?

  "What are you thinking about?" he asked with a soft voice, interrupting my thoughts, for which I was thankful.

  "Wouldn't you like to know," I said glumly.

  He walked up to me and leaned back against my car, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yes, I would. You twist up your face funny when you're deep in thought."

  "Thanks for the observation." I narrowed my eyes. "What do you think I'm thinking about?"

  His jaw clenched for just a fraction of a second before the tension washed away. "I have a good idea."

  "Are we just going to pretend it didn't happen?" I asked. He sucked in his top lip. "I don't think that would be wise."

  "Wel , you're on a rol ." I studied his expression meticulously. He gave nothing away of his thoughts.

  "I didn't plan on it, if that's what you're wondering." He seemed honest.

  "Have you ever kissed me before?"

  "Do you mean before you were El ie?"

  Whatever that meant. "Yeah."

  "No."

  I wanted to ask him if he had ever wanted to, but I decided on a different question. "So what does this mean?"

  "I don't understand."

  I sighed. "What does it mean between you and me?"

  He didn't answer right away. Neither of us spoke for a few moments, and the longer the silence lingered, the more nauseated I felt. My body tensed.

  "I care about you very deeply," he said. "I just don't think

  --"

  At that moment a large white van pul ed up and stopped in front of us. Nathaniel and Lauren hopped out. I scowled. Wil had got lucky . . . for now. I had a lot more questions to ask him once we were in private again.

  "Are you guys okay?" Nathaniel asked, his voice trembling.

  "I'm really hungry," Wil said dramatical y. Nathaniel laughed. "I can imagine. El ie, are you unharmed?"

  I shrugged. "I've healed. Ragnuk is dead. That's al that's important."

  Lauren watched me with a strange mix of emotions flickering across her face. I couldn't decide what she was feeling. It was almost as if she understood exactly how shaken I was--by more than just Ragnuk. Briefly, I wondered how far her psychic talents extended.

  "We'l take the sarcophagus to my house," Nathaniel offered. "I think it wil be safely hidden there until we can leave for Puerto Rico."

  "They won't track you there?" I asked skeptical y. "Ragnuk tracked us to the warehouse."

  "If Bastian's vir were around, we'd already be dead and they'd have the Enshi," he said. "They won't sit around in the shadows and stalk us. What they want is right h
ere."

  I felt that was the cue to get the hel out. "So, then, the sarcophagus shouldn't be right here."

  Wil nodded. "Let's get going. It's suicide hanging around."

  Wil and I fol owed the van in my car. He didn't say anything, and neither did I. The van pul ed onto a quiet street with houses spaced far apart. We fol owed it up a long wooded driveway to a beautiful house overlooking a lake. Nathaniel opened the doors of a three-car garage, and Wil jumped out of the van to help him unload the sarcophagus.

  "Is this your house, Nathaniel?" I asked, admiring the view to the lake.

  "Yes," Nathaniel said, and closed the garage door. I remembered Wil had said he lived here, and I imagined him sitting his room playing the guitar. I couldn't stop myself from glancing at him and feeling a rush of warmth at the memory of our kiss. For a moment it was hard to breathe.

  "You'd better have food," Wil said with a grin.

  Lauren laughed, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Check the kitchen."

  He jogged inside the house.

  "Don't clean out the pantry, though!" she cal ed after him.

  "Or the fridge! Please don't make me go grocery shopping twice in one week."

  "I'l make sure," Nathaniel offered, and fol owed Wil inside.

  "So do you live with Nathaniel too?" I asked Lauren as we went in the house.

  She shook her head. "No, I just make sure these boys eat right and take care of themselves. I have a condo near campus. My parents are helping me rent it while I'm in school."

  "Are you a professional psychic? Do you do readings and stuff?"

  She laughed. "Oh, no. I'm an nursing student."

  I imagined she'd make a very kind nurse someday. "How do you know Nathaniel?"

  She smiled sweetly. "Reapers don't like it when you can see them. Nathaniel saved my life. I owe a lot to him, and I care about him deeply."

  Before I could ask her what had happened, she took my hand and led me into the kitchen, where Wil was making a sandwich. Nathaniel was scolding him about destroying yet another shirt.

  "I'l be right back," Lauren said.

  I stared at Wil as he devoured his sandwich. "You weren't kidding about needing to eat, were you?"

  He shook his head and wolfed down another bite. "Nope."

  Lauren returned and held out a clean red T-shirt. "Put this on," she said. "You look disgusting."

  He laughed and took it from her hand without setting his sandwich on the counter. "Thanks, Lauren."

  She folded her arms over her chest. "Be grateful that I'm so generous. I almost brought you down a pink one."

  Wil laughed. "Must be one of Nathaniel's. I don't own a pink shirt."

  Nathaniel rol ed his eyes. "What makes you think I do?"

  Lauren lifted a finger. "Behave. You, finish that sandwich."

  Wil grinned through his last bite and went to make a second sandwich. I stepped up to help him, and when his eye caught mine, I smiled warmly at him. He touched my arm tenderly, letting his hand slide down my skin. Another hot rush went through me, and I fought the urge to lean into him.

  "I'l stay here and guard the Enshi and Lauren," Nathaniel said. "I'l have our flight itinerary tomorrow. We'l probably have to ship the sarcophagus on a separate cargo plane."

  "Right," I agreed.

  "I'l be in touch." Nathaniel smiled.

  UNCORRECTED E-PROOF--NOT FOR SALE

  HarperCollins Children's Books

  ..................................................................... 29

  WILL AND I DIDN'T SAY MUCH ON THE WAY HOME. I got out of my car and he vanished, I presumed, to the roof. The first thing I did when I got inside, after rushing up to my room, was cal Kate. A shower could wait.

  "Kate?" I asked when she answered.

  "Hey," she responded quickly. "What's up?"

  I braced myself. "I need you to do an enormous favor for me on an epic, life-changing scale."

  "Uh-oh."

  "Are you going up north for Thanksgiving?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  "I'm going with you."

  She paused. "You . . . are?"

  "Not real y. I need you to cover for me this weekend." I winced.

  "For . . . ?"

  "If my parents ask you about where I am this weekend, or just anything, please, please can you tel them that we're up north until Sunday?"

  She paused. "Why? Where are you really going to be?"

  I knew what I had to say to get her to vouch for me. "I'm going to be with Wil ."

  "Oh my God!" she squealed. "I knew it."

  I pul ed my cel away from my ear as she freaked out.

  "Are you going away on some romantic getaway?" She was far too excited. "I knew he was your boyfriend. El ie Marie, I can't believe you lied to me, you hooker!"

  "I'm real y sorry, Kate," I said honestly. "I just didn't want it getting back to my parents. He's older, you know, and they'd freak. Especial y if they knew I was going out of town with him al weekend. So if my parents happen to not believe me for whatever reason, can you please cover for me?"

  She snorted something incomprehensible. "Uh, yeah. You're my girl. I'd lie for you anytime."

  I let out a long sigh of relief and a short, uncomfortable laugh. "Thanks a lot."

  "You had better tel me everything!" she chirped. Her voice suddenly grew low and serious. "Do you think you guys wil . . . you know?"

  My eyes bulged. "Probably not."

  "Five bucks says you do."

  "What? You're putting wagers on my virginity?" Actual y, I wasn't that shocked. "You're going to Hel , you know."

  "I wouldn't doubt it."

  "It's nice that you've accepted your fate so graciously."

  "Come on," she groaned. "I assume by now you've final y kissed him since he's your boyfriend, and you're a total loser for not tel ing me, but whatever. You're going to be alone with him for a whole weekend doing God only knows what--okay, hopeful y God doesn't real y know what. . . ."

  I rol ed my eyes. "Yeah, wel , you never told me everything."

  She didn't answer right away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

  I laughed. "Oh, yeah, you do. You and Landon?"

  "El ie, I swear nothing happened."

  "Don't get me wrong," I insisted. "It's cool with me if you guys are . . . together."

  "I didn't sleep with him," she said. "Nothing happened. We just kissed, that's al . I was too drunk to know what I was doing."

  "Do you like him?" I tried not to sound too curious, in case she got the impression I hoped she'd say no.

  "I'm not real y sure," she confessed. "Kind of. Maybe. I don't know. I'm real y happy nothing happened on Hal oween, though. If I'm glad nothing happened, then it has to mean I'm not into him, right?"

  I smiled even if she couldn't see me. "If you admitted it, I think you'd feel better."

  She laughed. "There's nothing to admit, trust me."

  I took a step back and bumped into a warm body and yelped. I turned to see Wil standing there, frowning down at me.

  "El ?" Kate asked. "You okay?"

  "Yeah, I thought I saw a spider." I shook my fist at Wil and scowled. "A big, really ugly one. Sorry."

  "Understandable," she said. "I'l see you in school tomorrow, okay?"

  "Okay, bye!" I glared up at Wil , fearing what he might have heard of my phone conversation. "Why the ninja stealth?

  Is it real y necessary?"

  "I thought you knew I was in here," he said. The apologetic, defensive look in his green eyes made me forget how irritated I was.

  "It's okay. Just try to be a little more noisy next time."

  He laughed softly. "I don't think I could make a lot of noise if I tried. You should be a little more perceptive."

  I narrowed my eyes. "You're a boy. You're al noisy when it gets down to it. You'l figure it out. What are you doing in here, anyway?"

  "I wanted to see how you're doing."

  "Ha!" I shouted, immediately clamping my hand ov
er my mouth, embarrassed by how loud I had just been. I lowered my voice to a harsh whisper. "You're a liar. You got bored sitting up there on my roof al alone. Admit it."

  He frowned. He looked shockingly vulnerable at that moment. "I've never lied to you."

  Regret grew in my throat. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

  "Don't worry about it." He gave me a sideways look. "Are you going to take a shower?"

  I flushed scarlet and gave a nervous laugh. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "Just reading your mind."

  I narrowed my eyes. "Don't scare me and say that. I just might believe you."

  He laughed. "I know you wel enough to know that a shower is your highest priority right now."

  I huffed at him for being right as usual, and I grabbed my robe off its hook and walked to the bathroom, where I took an obscenely long shower. The hot water ran over me, washing away the dirt, dust, and dried blood. I wished the water would wash away the ache in my heart, but it only soothed my aching muscles. For now, that would have to do. I leaned my head against the glass shower door and closed my eyes, lost in thought. Ragnuk's half-burned-away face haunted me in the darkness behind my eyelids, flashing gnarled flesh and white bone. I tried to wil the image away, but that was useless.

  I knew I had to get past him. There were scarier things to worry about now, like losing my soul forever. And the Apocalypse.

  I finished, dried off, dressed in my robe, and blow-dried my hair before heading back to my room. Wil was sitting on the end of my bed, leaning forward with his hands folded together. I self-consciously pul ed my robe a little tighter and flashed a smal smile. "You okay?"

  His gaze met mine. "Isn't that my line?" he asked, his voice weak and tired.

  "Usual y." I plopped down next to him. "I guess it's my turn now."

  He didn't immediately respond. We sat in silence for some time. I didn't feel confident enough to say anything at al . So I waited.

  "What's ahead is going to be difficult," he said gently. "Not simply this week but in the coming weeks. If we don't destroy the Enshi off Puerto Rico, then I'm not sure what wil happen. We can't fail."

  I made a slow nod. "It's our only option, unless we blow it up."

  He shrugged. "I don't know how effective that would be. If it's an angel, then I have no idea how to kil it. If it's at the bottom of the ocean, at least nothing else can get to it to wake it up. Nothing can survive thirty thousand feet below the ocean's surface. Nothing is absolutely indestructible."