03 Saints (18 page)

“I forgot to tell you that I love you,” he said.

Warm butterflies swirled in my stomach. “Oh! I love you, too,” I said, happy to have those words again.

He kissed me lightly and helped me stand.

“Did you go by King’s Cross?” he asked, as he led me over to the kitchen.

“Yeah…” I agreed.

“Did you…” He hesitated.

“I saw your house,” I admitted.

He maintained the illusion of calm, I thought because he didn’t want to spoil the peacefulness of the morning, though I could sense his anger.

“Beatrice is going to be upset about her furniture,” he said lightly, as he handed me a glass of orange juice.

“That was my first thought,” I told him.

I took a sip of juice then ran my finger over the rim of the glass. While I didn’t want to ruin the peacefulness, either, I knew we couldn’t avoid the questions. We had found each other, but that didn’t mean the world stopped turning. Now, more than ever, I realized the brutality of the world of Watchers; a brutality that was being carried out even as we talked.

“What happens now?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean…we’ve been searching for a way to bring Marcus down, and now we have Reaper’s group at our fingertips. Not only are they committed to the same thing, but they are also committed to ending the war between the brothers. Beyond that, they have power, they have people, and they have means. They can stop this thing,” I said, my words turning passionate by the end.

“You were impressed by the Saints, huh?” Daniel asked.

“I didn’t spend too much time getting attached, but they do good things. Some bad things, but mostly good,” I admitted.

“Reaper offered us the chance to join them last night,” Daniel admitted. “He said we could help – that he needed smart people willing to fight. He said he needs old friends he can trust…”

I leaned against the kitchen counter and considered his words. Joining the Saints felt like a commitment we had already made. It wasn’t a hard step to take. But there were other things to consider, like Daniel’s parents. We couldn’t ignore the fact that their lives could be at risk. They needed our help.

“What about Han and Beatrice?” I asked.

“Reaper promised his help in finding them,” Daniel said. “And seeing how he found you when I couldn’t…well, I could use the help.”

“What do you think?” I asked.

His eyebrows furrowed together as he thought about it.

“I don’t want my friendship to cloud the issue. I haven’t seen him in a long time. A lot has changed. He’s changed…I’ve changed,” he said.

“Maybe not as much as you think…or in ways you think. What if we went there and you looked around for yourself? That way, you can make no commitments to him until you’ve seen it for yourself. If you don’t like what you see, we’ll go somewhere else and look for your parents our own way.”

Daniel nodded in agreement. He took my hand.

“You’ve changed,” he said delicately.

I knew we couldn’t avoid this conversation forever, though I had hoped for more time. I had been changed. It was a profound difference I couldn’t articulate. Things felt out of place; I felt out of place. It was difficult to come to terms with those changes, when all I wanted was to be the way I used to be, before the abduction and re-training. There was no going back, however – only forward.

“Yes,” I said.

“I saw some of what happened, but not all…” he said.

“It’s hard to talk about,” I said.

“Then show me…” he said.

“Will you show me what you’ve been through while I was gone?” I asked archly.

He hesitated, obviously not as pleased with the reverse of his request.

“Yes?” he said.

I wasn’t sure what he was questioning.

“Mr. Adams?”

I jumped at the unexpected voice, and Daniel shut his eyes in irritation. Behind him was a small woman, wearing an expensive suit and thick glasses. Daniel was obviously familiar with the woman in the suit behind him, though he didn’t seem to appreciate her interruption. He fixed his expression, donning a polite smile, and turned around.

“What can I help you with, Ms. Manning?” Daniel asked.

“The papers you wanted are here. They just need your signatures,” she said, subtly blushing as he turned his eyes on her.

“Of course,” Daniel said.

He took the papers she held in her hand and looked over them carefully. Ms. Manning eyed me curiously as he read, adjusting her glasses in a habitual manner. Her mind was full of gossip and suspicion about the curiosity of my appearance in Daniel’s life. I didn’t know why, until Daniel turned to me and offered me the pen.

“I need your signature, Clare,” he said.

“Excuse me?” I asked.

I eyed the pen in confusion. Why on earth would he need my signature on anything? I had nothing to do with his bank or his business. He saw my expression.

“It occurred to me last night that if Reaper hadn’t picked you up, you might have been stranded without any money to make your way back to me. I would like the comfort of not having to worry about that again,” he said.

“And signing my name helps with that how?” I asked.

“You get access to my account,” he said.

“You told me your parents were rich, not you,” I said to stall for time.

“They are rich,” he said.

“Yeah, but you are rich…independently...outside of them,” I said.

“Seventh richest man in the United States, fourth richest under twenty,” Ms. Manning provided.

“See?” I said.

“What can I tell you?” he asked.

“That you’re a big fat liar,” I said.

“True enough. Now, quit stalling and sign the papers,” he said.

“What if I don’t want to?” I asked.

“Why would you not?” he asked.

“I didn’t earn this money. It’s yours,” I pointed out.

“What’s mine is yours,” he said.

“I feel the same, only I can offer you exactly what’s on my back,” I said.

“That’s good enough for me,” Daniel said with a suggestive smirk.

“Daniel…” I warned.

“Clare…” he mimicked me.

“This feels like a big deal,” I said.

He rolled his eyes at me. “Sign the damn papers, before I tell Alex you were the one who ruined her Sixteen Candles DVD.”

“Ohhh…Nice threat,” I complimented him.

“Thanks,” he said.

I eyed the pen he was offering me. I knew why he was doing it, and why it was so important to him, but it didn’t feel right. Growing up with Ellen, I had always felt the importance of money. Not having it for most of my life meant I appreciated the hard work that went in to earning it. I hadn’t earned it the way he had earned it.

“It’s just money, Clare,” he said softly.

“Rich people have the luxury of saying that,” I said.

“Sign the paper, and you’ll have that luxury, too,” he said.

“It’s not about being rich. It’s about being equal,” I said.

“Do it as a favor for me. I’ll never ask anything so big again.”

His green eyes were full of pleading as he pulled his charm look out and waved it around. Normally, I would have refused to agree to anything that involved the charm look, but it had been too long since I had directed at me. I loved seeing it again. I felt my emotions override my common sense.

“When you put it that way…” I took the pen from him. “Promise I can make it up to you?”

“Definitely,” he agreed.

She must be crazy… If someone as good looking and as rich as him offered me that kind of money, I would snatch it up in a second. Of course, I would be happy with just the good looking part…she’s out of her mind. Bonkers. Crazy.

Ms. Manning was finding it hard to control her expression around her thoughts, but her professionalism kept her thoughts hidden outwardly. Daniel and I exchanged a look Ms. Manning didn’t see. Daniel shook his head in warning, to keep me from saying anything to the woman.

I signed the papers, feeling odd I had just gained access to the seventh largest bank account in the United States. Ms. Manning took the papers, gave Daniel the ones underneath, and left. Daniel and I stared at each other when she was gone.

“Thanks,” Daniel said finally.

“It was a favor,” I said.

“I know…but still…” he said, his eyes full of warmth.

I coughed, a little embarrassed by the electricity he was generating. It had been so long since I had been alone with him; so long since I had felt the feelings pulsing through my body. The spark reached out and dared me to step closer to him, to embrace the feeling. Just as I was about to take the step closer – uncertain of where it would lead me – we were interrupted again. Ethan and Twitch came out of the room, rubbing at their eyes and yawning. Daniel shut his eyes in irritation, and I coughed again to hide my awkwardness.

“Is breakfast here?” Ethan asked. “I thought I heard the elevator…”

“It’s on its way,” Daniel replied.

By a route obscure and lonely, haunted by ill angels only, where an Eidolon named Night on a black throne reigns upright, I have wandered home but newly from this ultimate dim Thule.

“Poe again?” I asked Twitch lightly.

I was reading it last night.

“Pardon?” Daniel asked.

“I was talking to Twitch,” I explained.

“Oh…” He eyed Twitch curiously. “Talking implies he was talking as well.”

“In his thoughts,” I agreed.

“You can hear him?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, I can,” I admitted.

I picked Twitch up and helped him pour a glass of juice into a cup. When I turned around, Daniel looked shocked. I wasn’t sure if it was my familiarity with Twitch, or the fact I could hear his thoughts.

“You look like a startled fish,” I told him.

Daniel clamped his mouth shut and smiled to hide his confusion.

Breakfast wasn’t long to arrive, as Daniel had promised. The others woke up as it was being dropped off. Sprint and Spider raced out of their room, pushing each other to get to the best of the delicious food first. Cora followed behind them, yawning, but more dignified about her approach. She had little to worry about – Ethan had already picked out the best of the food and had made a plate for her.

Alex and Margaret arrived not long after, their arms full of bags. I moaned when I saw the bags, but my fear was misplaced. Alex had picked out clothes that fit my dark style perfectly. If anything, it was an upgrade. Margaret looked embarrassed at her involvement, but she accepted my ‘thanks’ with silent grace.

“What’s on the books for today?” Alex asked, picking a pastry off the cart.

“If Reaper ever gets back, I think there is a very angry, very worried father who would like to see his daughter,” I replied. “A father I do not want suing me. Other than that…I don’t know.”

“Why is it I’m more afraid of seeing Dad than I am over the possibility of facing down a bunch of Seekers?” she asked.

“Because it’s likely he can kill with a look,” I said. “Seekers have to work harder to kill you.”

“Right…” She sat on the edge of the sofa and eyed Daniel carefully. “Are you over being irritable all the time?” she asked him.

“Most of the time…not all of the time,” he said.

“Good, because I have something to say to you,” she said with a fire in her eyes.

“What?” he asked.

“If you ever leave Clare again to run after information – I don’t care how good that information might be, or how close it will bring you to Marcus – I will hunt you down and personally make sure you suffer.”

Daniel’s eyebrows lifted into his hairline. I smiled at the threat in her voice.

“That is sincerely the nicest threat anyone has made for me,” I said.

“I mean it,” she said, her eyes still on Daniel.

“I don’t doubt it,” Daniel said. He gripped my hand more tightly. “I will never leave her again.”

Alex nodded, accepting his promise. “You come to the inevitable conclusion to check out Reaper’s little gang of world-savers?” she asked us.

“We were thinking about it, yeah,” I agreed.

She jerked her thumb at the kids. “You think it’s appropriate to take them along?”

“They can stay here,” Daniel offered.

“Hey, man, I’m not staying here. If you guys try to leave me here, I’m gone,” Spider said.

“You won’t be persuaded otherwise?” Daniel asked.

“Not even if you had a room full of babes and enough pizza to last me a year,” Spider said.

“Simple minds…” I muttered sadly.

“Let me check out Reaper’s organization first. I promise you’ll be wherever we are,” Daniel told Spider.

“Take me along…that way I’ll know you won’t ditch us,” Spider countered.

“It seems like a big risk to take over a simple assurance. Don’t you trust Alex and Clare?” Daniel asked.