Halflings (16 page)

When her finger began to move, his eyes drifted shut.

His reaction surprised her. She heaved a ragged breath while her fingertip traced the planes of his face. Brow, temple, cheekbone, jaw, throat. A scar marred his collarbone and for a moment she lingered there, wondering how many scars he carried. Then, she trailed its length, stopping at the base of his throat where the amulet dangled. His eyes remained closed.
Such trust.
Nikki pivoted closer and opened her hand until it was flat against his chest. “There’s not a hair on your chest,” she said with a soft laugh.

His eyes popped open and he glanced down. “No, guess not.”

“Another perk?” she asked.

“If you want to call it that,” Mace said, but his voice sounded uncertain. Something else — yearning? — measured into his words. She wasn’t sure, but her heart opened a little more. How could it not? He was allowing her to glimpse his vulnerabilities.

She should stop. If her sanity caught up to her … well, she’d likely die of embarrassment. She wasn’t like this, and she certainly didn’t just open her heart to people she barely knew. Nikki swallowed hard and tension started to drift into her muscles.

He must have sensed it. Mace dropped his other knee to the ground, closing some of the distance between them. His eyes were fire, and in them she read the words,
please don’t stop.

Uh-oh.
Though Nikki knew this was her chance to escape, to stop, to bring some shred of common sense into this moment, she waited while the opportunity passed by. Instead of jumping to her feet and running the other direction — like her mind was
telling her — she pressed her fingers into his pectoral muscle, ignoring the pain from the burns on her skin. “Please?”

“Please, what?” he said, and she realized he’d gone somewhere else in his mind. Maybe it was a place where no one was in danger and young people could enjoy a moment instead of thinking about where the next attack might come from. Her mind had strayed as well. But the softness of his tone drew her back. That drowsy, low tone she could drown in.

“I want to draw you. Will you let me?” Her fingers itched to roam over his skin, but she would never do that … at least, not any more than she already had. “Can I sketch you?”

He swallowed. She could sense he was awkward with his trust, but also ready to meet her fearlessness with a dose of his own. His warm breath came faster against her cheek. Maybe he was preparing to tell her no. But instead, she heard him whisper.

“Yes. If you’ll draw me as I really am.”

As Nikki began to angle herself toward the car, where her sketch pad and pencils lay, Mace’s face fell, and he pointed to her pocket. “Your phone’s ringing.”

N
ikki wasn’t sure whether to thank or curse her parents for calling.
If they knew where I am
…

“Mom, I’m fine. I meant to call, but, well, I was busy. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay, dear. I just wanted to make sure you’re safe.”

“I’m with a friend, Mom. Trust me, I’m well protected.”
I’m safe
…
now.
As her mom went on, she overheard a voice she vaguely remembered coming from the background of the call. Vessler.

“Whose voice is that?” Nikki had always been a girl for hitting things head on.

There was a pause. “Your father.”

No. It wasn’t. “Who’s he talking to?”

Another stretch of uncomfortable silence. “Oh, you must be hearing the TV.” Her mom was a lousy liar.

The voices in the background dropped.

“It sounded like that guy who was at the house the other day. Damon Vessler.”

“That’s silly.” A nervous little laugh. “What would he be doing here?”

“Why wouldn’t he be there?” Nikki countered. “You guys are all
such
good friends. Besides, he collects antique weapons. You’re at a weapon’s show, right?”

“Of course, he
could
be here somewhere. I’ll be sure to ask your father if he’s seen him. Well, better go, honey. Glad you’re all right.”

“Mom, is everything okay?”

A long sigh drifted over the phone line. “There were a few unexpected twists at the auction, but everything is fine. At least, it will be soon.”

Nikki glanced over at Mace, who was trying to look aloof but failing. “I’ll head home soon, I promise. Bye, Mom.”

“Bye, honey. We’ll … we’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, her mom hung up.

Nikki pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it.

“You okay?” Mace said.

“Have you ever known you were being lied to, but you had a hard time minding because you suspected the person lying was just trying to protect you?”

Mace’s lips quirked. “Uh, yeah. I think I know what that feels like.”

“My parents are acting weird. And I’m pretty sure they weren’t alone. I heard a voice in the background get mad and say something like, ‘How’d they get there? You didn’t follow them?’ “ She shrugged. “Seems strange is all.”

“Let me get this straight. Your folks are with some man who was yelling at them about following someone?”

“No. I think he was on the phone with someone else while my mom was talking to me. I heard a cell phone ring.”

“What do you think it means?”

“I don’t know. But as soon as I heard that voice uneasiness sort of crawled all over me.”

“And you think you know this guy?”

“Just met him. It’s probably nothing. I’m just looking for demons around every corner.”

Mace rubbed a hand over his face and mumbled. “That’s because there are demons around every corner.”

Clasping her by the wrists, he pulled her from the lake’s edge, where they’d sat for nearly an hour. “Feel better?”

Nikki wiggled her fingers at him, but had to cringe. “A little. At least my mom and dad won’t be sending out a search party for me. I didn’t even feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. How’d you know —”

“Good hearing,” he said pointing to the side of his head. “You sounded very controlled speaking to them.”

“Thanks. My mom was totally panicked because I usually check in at this time of night. I think she would have questioned me a lot more if I hadn’t turned the focus of the conversation back to her.” Nikki tipped her head back and stared up at the sky. “How do I explain this night to them? They’d never understand.”

“They will. They love you, Nikki.”

Something about how he’d uttered those words made her sad. “Yeah. They’ve always given me a lot of freedom. Probably too much, but when they’re out of town my mom freaks like the whole world is gonna end.” She risked a glance into his blue-green eyes, now opaque and glistening in the moonlight. She should have stayed focused on the sky or the water or anything else. With his gaze so intent on her, she dissolved.

“Isn’t that what moms do?” Something fringed his tone, some longing for things untouchable.

“I guess so,” she whispered, and actually felt guilty for having a mother. She wiggled her fingers again, creating a bit of space and air between them. “You got most of the blood off.”

“How bad do they hurt?”

“Hardly at all,” she lied.

He slid his hand over her upturned palm, then stroked a finger from her thumb to her wrist.

“Ouch,” she said, flinching.

“I, um …” He fidgeted and looked at the moon, the water, his car. “I could help.”

He’d already helped. And she’d helped herself to too many thoughts about
what if
scenarios that she’d never allow under normal circumstances. “How?”

He dragged a hand through his dark blond hair. “I have a bit of …” He cleared his throat. “Well —”

“Mace, are you blushing?” she teased. In response, a soft pink hue flushed across his luminous skin.

“Let me just show you, okay?” Gently and slowly he lifted her palm toward his mouth. Just before making contact with her scorched index finger, he moistened his lips. Cerulean eyes flashed to hers as he pressed his mouth to her finger.

She was still. Warm, wet lips brushed her hand again and again, making the softest of all kissing sounds. She liquefied into a puddle, becoming a heap of dizzy, drowsy mush. “Wow.” She studied the spot and wiggled the finger; no burning, no stinging, just fresh, pink skin. “What was that?”

“Another perk.” He laughed. “Misleading, though. I can’t do anything when it’s life threatening.”

“Amazing.” She examined the digit. Angel kisses. He’d just dusted her skin with angel kisses. How many girls on the planet
could say that? “Do you think this is where the term ‘Kiss it and make it better’ comes from?”

He smiled. “Maybe.”

She cocked a brow. “My other hand hurts.”

His tongue slipped out to moisten his lips again, a half smile on his face. “Is that so?”

“Pretty painful,” she confirmed.

Mace’s smirk spread to a full smile, his white, even teeth shining in the evening light. “I guess I have my work cut out for me.”

He drew her hand to his mouth and Nikki sighed.

This night had been nothing like Mace had anticipated. And now that Nikki was safe and healed, he wasn’t quite sure how to end it. “Are you ready to go home? I can drop you off. We’ll get your bike from my house in the morning. Or I can have Vine and Raven bring it now.”

“Um,” she responded, and stared at the glove compartment.

All evening she’d rolled with the punches, but now fresh panic straightened her mouth into a tight line. He watched as she realized her world had completely changed. “You’ll be all right tonight, Nikki. We’ll guard your house.” He played with the radio tuner, hoping to fill the silence, and a song called “Johnny Angel” filled the car.

She pivoted in the seat, turned off the stereo, and watched him drive. “Who will protect me? You, Raven, and Vine? Will?” She pressed her hands to her head. “Do you know how crazy this sounds? Do you understand what’s happened to me?”

“I know. I wish I could change it.” And he did, but there was a tiny part of him that was glad. If Nikki hadn’t been in danger,
he’d never have met her. He hated himself for the self-serving thought. Everything about it was wrong. Yes, he was half angel, but his fallen nature always sought to rise. He’d quelled it for all the years of his life, until now. Until her. “I wish I could erase it for you.”

She shook her head hopelessly. “But you can’t, can you? This is it. The real world. Angels and demons and hell hounds and madmen who murder scientists.”

“It’s not all bad, you know.”
Don’t say it. Don’t go there.

“Really? What part of it’s good?”

The vehicle was designed to minimize road noise, but Mace would have been glad for a rumble of engine, a whoosh of wind against the car, anything. His feelings were a jagged wreck, and had been since he first saw Nikki. Inside, his heart burned to be closer. But deeper, he knew that could never be. He had one shot at an afterlife that didn’t involve eternal torment — no matter how she made him feel, nothing was worth risking that. Not even Nikki Youngblood.

“Excuse me, but you didn’t answer. What part of it is good?” she pressed.

“I found you,” he said, before he could stop himself. Biting down on his own tongue, he tasted blood. Bitter blood. The wound healed before he could turn the radio back on and drown the silence.

“There are no accidents,” Nikki heard Mace grumble as he crept the car into the parking lot.

The left back tire had blown, and the sound still rang in her ears as the car bounced into the only drive on the long stretch of road.

An ancient Catholic church of brick and stone hovered over them with a solitary light illuminating the sanctuary. Mace patted her knee, then pulled back and cleared his throat. “I’ll see if anyone’s inside. Let them know we’re borrowing their parking lot. Wait here,” he said and stepped from the vehicle.

Her door slammed before his had a chance. He glanced over the car at her.

“No way.” She shook her head. “Call me chicken, but I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

He smiled. “Come on, chicken.”

They entered. The sanctuary doors slid quietly, then clamped shut behind them. Nikki jumped. Mace chuckled. She sank a punch into his upper arm. “You could show a bit of grace. I’ve sort of been through a lot tonight.”