“You’re staying?”
“For tonight.” He tapped his fingers on the hilt of his sword. “I’ll need to return to Earth in the morning. Though I don’t even know when morning is here. I left my cellphone at Lucifer’s.”
He’d done more than enough to help me, and I softened a bit toward him. He was choosing to stay in a world that angels weren’t meant to be in.
“I’ll wake you.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Are you sure you’ll be awake? You look exhausted, Samara.”
“I don’t sleep much anymore.” The truth came out before I could stop it. “Not well, anyway.”
Raphael studied my face for a moment. Then he nodded once before he moved past me toward one of the other guest rooms, pausing at the threshold.
“Your brother.” He didn’t look at me. “Are you going to be okay?”
I didn’t know how to answer that, so I didn’t try. Raphael seemed to understand and went into the room, closing the door with a quiet click.
I stood in the hallway alone, staring at the dark wood paneling and the sconces that burned with a magical light that didn’t flicker. I’d always loved how beautiful Val’s estate was. It felt as though someone had spent centuries perfecting every detail.
The door at the end of the hall was still open, and Nico was checking the windows when I stepped inside. His jaw was set in that way that meant he was working through something in his head.
I closed the door behind me.
He didn’t turn around. “You can use the bathroom in here. I’ll find another.”
“Nico—”
“I need to check the perimeter.” He was already moving toward the door, not looking at me. “Make sure there aren’t any weak points someone could exploit.”
“You don’t have to?—”
“I do.” He stopped with his hand on the doorknob. His shoulders were tight, muscles bunched under his shirt. “You should rest, Peanut. It’s been a long day.”
The nickname made my chest crack wide open. He was trying to be normal, but nothing had been since I’d dragged him into this whole mess.
I wanted to tell him to stay. To talk to me. To stop running.
But I was tired. So tired my bones felt like they were made of lead.
“Okay.”
Nico’s hand tightened on the doorknob. For a second, I thought he might turn around, might say something that would make this easier. Instead, he opened the door and stepped into the hall.
“Lock it behind me.”
Then he was gone.
I listened to his footsteps fade down the hallway and pressed my fingertips against the handle where his hand had been moments before. He’d said to lock it, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn the deadbolt. Leaving it unlocked meant there was a chance he might return and sleep next to me.
I went to the window, and my reflection stared back at me. My hair was a mess, and my face was streaked with dirt and dried blood that wasn’t mine. I looked like someonewho’d survived something, but I wasn’t exactly sure what that was.
“Give him t-t-time.”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Kage’s voice. How long had he been in the room?
He seemed to sense my question. “I’m always watching.”
“That’s incredibly creepy.” I brushed at my wet cheeks with the backs of my hands as I turned toward him and couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped.
