She huffed again. “I know you’re just trying to protect me by running off without a word and pissing me off, but I’m just trying to protect you too. I’m not going anywhere. If you’re going to find and take down this bitch, then I’m going to help you do it.”
Attempting to ignore the ache in his chest and the way it seemed to constrict with way too much feeling, Charlie merely nodded. A little dumbstruck, he slowly closed the motel door and the rest of the world out, and successfuly closed himself in with this girl who had come out of nowhere and changed a big part of the game.
“You said you would protect her.”
Red spun around, torn from his own disbelief, his own musings, to face Sala. She stood in the entrance to his bedroom chamber, seeming uncaring that any Shaitan who passed may see her. With a furious flick of his hand, the door slammed shut behind her. Before he could admonish her, the pain in her eyes finaly registered along with her accusation.
He’d done everything he could to protect Ari: skirting around his father’s orders, keeping things from him, investigating him… discovering the truth…
Sighing and in no mood for a passionate argument with Sala, Red shrugged wearily. “I left Charlie to his own devices and I imagine Akasha wil be long gone before he ever finds her. As for Jai, yes, I cannot find him, but I am assured by my brother and father that he has come to no harm, nor wil he.”
Sala’s eyes blazed at him now and Red almost flinched back from the hurt in them. “And what of Ari? You said you’d protect her!”
Scowling, Red nodded. “I am protecting her. She is safer here in Mount Qaf with my father than she is anywhere else. The Seal, its properties, they are important to him. Azazil wil protect her.”
“Then why do I feel like something is wrong?” she hissed angrily. “I think she is dying, Red. I’ve always felt her here.” She beat a fist against her chest. “But I feel like the rope that tethers me to her is fraying.”
Shaking his head as dread settled over him, Red went with denial first. “No. Ari can’t be harmed. I know she can’t.”
“A mother knows, Red.” Sala shook her head and a tear fel down her cheek, hammering the dread firmly around Red’s heart.
Mind racing, he tried to think what to do. What could possibly have happened? Was it White? It couldn’t be Azazil?
Asmodeus?
Cursing, Red gave up guessing and strode determinedly towards Sala. He wiped the tears affectionately from her face and whispered, “Get back in the Cloak where I know you’l be safe. I’l cal on you when I know what’s happening.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Grab my healer and get to my father’s palace as soon as possible.”
24 - The Night is Immune to the Day but Addicted to the Light
“You really love what you do, don’t you,” Ari commented softly, sitting across from Jai in Michael’s small gymnasium. Fallon had disappeared on them
and Jai had finally called their training day to an end.
But instead of heading upstairs to shower before dinner like they always did, they both found themselves lingering, enjoying this rare moment alone. Jai was sitting down, leaning against the wall by the French doors, his strong hands dangling over his bent knees. He seemed relaxed for once. He had been
working Ari pretty hard these last few weeks and she knew it was because he wanted her to be able to take care of herself, in case he couldn’t be there to protect her. Ari didn’t even want to dwell on that. It didn’t bear thinking about. But taking pleasure in being able to study him uninterrupted, Ari wished Jai would worry a little more about himself and less about her. His eyes were tired, he looked a little leaner and he hadn’t shaved in a few days. For the
moment, he was just covered in bristly, sexy fuzz that made him look older, but in a few more days he’d have a full-on beard going on.
“What do you mean?” he asked with a slight smile, seeming also to take pleasure in the sight of her lying on her side along the edge of the training mat, her bent arm holding her head up so she could drink him in.
“Being Ginnaye. A protector. A guardian.”
“It’s the only thing I was ever good at.”
A sharp stab of regret bit into her. “And I’ve taken you away from it,” she murmured, her gaze dropping so she wouldn’t see his expression confirm it.
“I’m still doing my job, Ari.”
“You know what I mean.”
At his silence, Ari couldn’t help but look back up at him. He was frowning at her, and Ari might have confused it for a scowl if it hadn’t been for the soft tilt on the left side of his mouth that told her he was bemused, not angry. “Ari, it’s just a job.”
She guffawed at that. “You would never have said that two months ago. Two months ago it was your whole life.”