* * *
We spent most of the weekend searching the house, discovering nothing. On Sunday afternoon, Tree called me. He said he was still feeling like shit (his words exactly) about the other night. He apologized again, and I told him to forget about it. He then cheerfully informed me he was dating Carrie again. I was so excited for them. I mean, totally excited. I’d been waiting for Carrie to acknowledge her true feelings for Tree, for like forever. I even did a happy dance in the hallway, and then caught Nathan smiling at me from the living room. Flushing, I stopped and went back into the kitchen to finish my conversation with Tree, feeling like a dork.
Afterwards, I sat on Nathan’s lap in the recliner and groaned. I had forgotten about school until Tree told me he’d see me there tomorrow. I usually didn’t mind going, but now with Nathan in my life, I wanted to be with him instead.
“What’s the matter?”
“I forgot I had school tomorrow until Tree reminded me.” I groaned again.
“It’ll go quick, and I’ll take you every day and be there when you get out.” He pulled me against him and scooted down in the recliner.
“You will?” I didn’t expect him to do that, but it did make me feel a little better.
“Absolutely.”
“We do have Good Friday off,” I said, staring at the weird elongated finger shadows the trees outside were casting on the floor and along the walls. “But what are you going to do while I’m in school?”
He kissed my cheek. “I’ll go home and do some research on your father.” His soft lips moved to my neck. I closed my eyes, feeling a tingling sensation stir parts of my body.
“We can’t do this,” I breathed, even though I so wanted to.
“Sure we can. We’ve been working all weekend, so there would be no harm in it,” he murmured against my skin.
“No, we can’t, at least, not for seven days.” I was too embarrassed to tell him I started my period this morning and tried to give him a subtle hint.
He stopped kissing my neck and looked at me. “Oh, you’re on your–”
“Don’t say it!” I screeched. “It’s too gross to talk about, and I hate it.”
He laughed. “Paige, it’s a natural thing. You shouldn’t be embarrassed or grossed out.”
“Well, I am, and I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You know, when you become immortal, you won’t have to deal with that anymore.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really?”
He smiled and nodded. “Really.”
“That rocks.” I grinned. “Maybe this might be my last one.”
“If Anwar gets here soon, it will be.”
If Anwar gets here. What if Anwar doesn’t get here in time to turn me immortal, and I end up dead? What if he never comes? Then what would I do?
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m wondering if Anwar will get here in time to turn me immortal, and I’m afraid I might die before that happens.”
Nathan crushed me to his chest. “I won’t let it.”
“You can’t be my constant shadow, and you have to face the fact there is a possibility I might die before he gets here. Unless, you turn me immortal right now.”
“I can’t, Paige,” he said, sounding depressed.
“Are you willing to risk me dying by the hands of the dark spirits instead?” I didn’t want to start an argument or make him feel bad, but what I said was the truth, and I wanted an answer. “Or die of some freak accident?” I added.
When he didn’t respond, I squirmed off his lap and went upstairs to get my stuff ready for school tomorrow. My books and reports were on the floor in my room beside my computer desk. I shoved them in my backpack, thinking about what I asked Nathan, while trying to put myself in his shoes.
If I were immortal, and he wasn’t, would I risk the possibility of killing him myself? If I did risk it, and he died, what would that do to me?
I sat on the floor against my bed, feeling a crushing blow to my chest. I would never forgive myself if that were to happen.
On the other hand, would I be willing to risk his life until he was able to turn immortal? That was a hard question to answer, but if I believed Anwar would soon be here to change him, and in the meantime, protected him until then, I think I would risk it, knowing in my heart there would be no room for failure.
I peeled myself off the floor and found Nathan where I left him. He had his head on his knees with his hands clasped on top of it. He didn’t look up until I said his name. When I saw the sorrow on his face, I felt another blow to my chest. I rushed to him and embraced him. I told him it was okay. I understood why he wouldn’t do it, and if I were in his shoes I’d do the same thing. I knelt in front of him and rubbed the side of his face, telling him again it was all right.
“It’s not,” he moaned. “If I weren’t so afraid of accidently killing you, I’d turn you right now.” He closed his eyes and shook his head.
I kissed his cheek. “I love you and understand why you can’t do it.” I wanted to say more to make him feel better, but nothing came to mind.
He seized my hands, squeezing them, startling me with the urgency in his gesture. “I love you.” A fierce determination entered his voice. “And I promise you, if Anwar isn’t here in five weeks, you and I will go to Europe and find him.”
“We will?” The heaviness in my shoulders lifted, and I dropped to my knees.
“Yes, but I want you to know from now on, I’ll be hovering above you like a mother over her sick child. I’m aware I can’t do it while you’re in school, but you’ll be around a lot of people, so you’ll be safe. But I do need you to promise me one thing.” Before I could respond, he grasped the top of my arms. “Please don’t comprise your life by going off somewhere alone, and always surround yourself with a bunch of people.”
“I promise, but you know, I do have history with Matt. Well, the ‘old one,’” I clarified.
His face darkened. “I know.”
I jerked my head back. “How do you know?” I tried to recall if I ever mentioned it to him, but I couldn’t remember. But then again, sometimes I couldn’t even remember what day it was.
His hand moved to the side of my face. The darkness in his features faded into a soft smile. “The Lion’s Den wasn’t the first time I’d seen you.”
“Really? When was the first time then?”
“Well, I tracked Matt here to Astoria, and one day when I was watching him, I saw you, and instantly lost my breath. Right then, you stole my heart.
“From then on, I couldn’t help but watch you as well. I didn’t know anything about your family, but what I did know was the ‘old one’ had a great interest in you, and I was determined to find out why. During that time was when I discovered you two had history class together.”
I narrowed my eyes. “That night at The Lion’s Den, were you watching me as well?”
He nodded.
“Did you jump off the platform like I thought I saw you do?”
“Yes, I did. I normally wouldn’t have pulled a stunt like that in public, but I had to get to you fast and knew nobody was watching.”
“You lied to me.” It wasn’t a question, or an accusation, just a simple statement with a teasing tone behind it.
He shook his head. “No, I didn’t. If you can recall, I said it’s impossible for a human to jump off the platform without seriously hurting themselves.”
“Oh, yeah,” I said, remembering now. “You did say that.” Then I thought of that horrible week without him, and when he showed up at the bar. “Hey, that week we weren’t together, were you watching me?”
A slow smile crept upon his lips. “Yes, and I’m not sorry for it either.” He pulled me to my feet. “C’mon, let’s go make supper.”
I spent the rest of the night trying to prolong it as much as I could. My mom called and said she’d be here Friday for Easter. I told her Nathan would be joining us, and we would make Easter dinner so she could kick her fe
et up, which made her really happy (Mom didn’t like to cook much). I wanted to ask her about my father, but was afraid she wouldn’t come home if I did. And when bedtime came around, I blissfully drifted off to sleep in Nathan’s arms while wondering if we’d find anything in the attic we still needed to search.
Chapter Thirteen
Confrontation
Beyond the Eyes: YA Paranormal Romance Page 32
