my favorite place to ski.”
Nikki settled onto the porch swing beside him. “You’re exhausted, Raven. Why are you out here thinking about skiing?”
“Keeping watch. I don’t like being surprised.” There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.
“If you’re talking about what I said earlier —”
“I’m not.”
Off to the right, the wind moved a tree enough to collapse the small peaks of snow on the branches. Sparkling flakes fluttered to the ground.
“You only said what you’ve said all along.”
Ugh. That bitterness again, barely hidden under his resolve, but poking through each word like weeds in a sidewalk crack. Though he put on a good front, when she turned to study him, she saw it—the wound. She’d damaged something in him, and for that she was sorry.
An animal howled in the distance, drawing her attention from the Halfling she seemed destined to hurt. The long, moaning wail bounced off the mountains and played against the hardened snow around them.
Fear clawed across her shoulders. She pulled the blanket around her and looked at Raven.
“Relax. It’s just a wolf.”
“You sure?” Nikki scooted a little closer.
“Yeah, probably miles from here.”
“Raven?” She glanced over to view his profile. His hair fanned across his forehead as if the breeze had its way with the strands. His eyes were rimmed with red, but it only added intensity to his features.
“Yeah?” The slightest move of his head angled him toward her.
“What if there’s no way to beat the seeker?”
Raven’s eyes slid closed. Defeat, or something like it, radiated from him. “Then we’ll just keep running forever.”
Nikki closed her eyes too, and didn’t realize the amount of breath leaving her lungs until she heard the hiss from her own lips.
He slowly slid an arm around her and pulled her into him. “It won’t beat us, Nikki. I won’t let it.”
Oh, she wanted to believe that. Believe him. Because he’d never let her down yet. Even when it seemed he’d abandoned her, he hadn’t. Like when he left a train accident to chase after some guys in a van. She’d later discovered they were the bombers who’d blown up the tracks, hoping to kill every last passenger. By going after them, Raven intended to destroy the threat. For good.
But he’d come back for her in the end, as if he’d known exactly when she needed him. And he came back to Viennesse as soon as the seeker was released.
She pushed back from him for a second. “How did you know about the seeker?” Why hadn’t she thought to ask sooner?
“An angel showed up at my ruins and told me.”
Told him? Not Will, the Halflings’ guardian. Not Mace, who’d practically made keeping her from any harm his fulltime job. An angel told Raven.
Nikki’s gaze drifted from Raven’s face to the snow-rumpled road leading away from the house. “Why would an angel tell you?” Each word was cautious, carefully chosen, but inevitable.
As was his answer. “Maybe the angel knows something about us that we don’t know.”
He met her gaze straight on by tilting her chin until she surrendered. There was no seduction in his midnight eyes. They simply sparkled as if a thousand diamonds danced beneath their glasslike surface. There was no hint of flirtation. Just a solid, convincing look he forced her to take in. To get the message he’d been proclaiming since they met. That he was her destined match …
Thanks a lot for confusing the one area I thought I was clear on. Nikki swallowed. “You need to sleep. Go on in and I’ll watch for a while.” But when the faraway wolf howled again, Nikki scooted closer to him.
Raven cleared his throat, stifling a chuckle.
“I’m not scared to stay out here and keep watch.” She hated how unconvincing she sounded. After fighting a few hell hounds, she was still wary of any large, lumbering canines, and wolves fit into that category.
He shrugged away her suggestion and focused on the mountains again. The previous moment, with talks of angels and messages, was officially gone. “No. Go back inside. You’ll need to be rested for tomorrow.”
“I’m wide awake, Raven. I slept on the way here, then for another three hours inside. It’s your turn. I need you to be fresh tomorrow. After all, my life’s at stake.” Even she knew it was pitiful attempt at humor.
His eyes were almost cold. “Don’t joke about it, Nikki.” His gaze shot from her eyes to her mouth to her hair like he was taking it all in and snapping little pictures of her