keep our promises, so we know it means something.”
“True,” Daniel agreed.
“So, a promise, then. A promise to get the other guy before he gets you,” I said.
“Count on that,” he said.
He pulled his gun back out of the small of his back.
“I want you to take this,” Daniel said.
“You need it,” I declined.
“I can get another one from one of Saints,” Daniel said. “I’ll feel better if you have it.”
“What’s going to attack me in the caves? Rock monsters?” I asked.
“With you…there’s no telling,” he said.
He took my hand and forced me to take the gun.
“You do know how it works, right?” he asked.
“I think I can figure it out,” I said.
“I’ll see you when we’ve got Han and Beatrice out,” he said.
“Now that’s a promise I like,” I said.
Daniel smiled and, not caring that the others were watching, I put my arms around his neck and pulled him in close. I kissed him, loving the feel of his lips against mine. Through our lips, I tried to tell him all the things I was afraid to speak aloud. He got the message. He kissed me back just as passionately. His own fear transferred through our touch. Then, he gently pushed me away. He held me at arm’s length for a moment and looked me over. He put a hand on my face and smiled his boyish smile.
“Don’t get lost.”
“Me? Never,” I said.
Reaper had finished handing out orders. Everyone was moving; everyone had a plan. Spider had gone back outside to watch the building and to get away from Eli. Margaret had gone outside with him, to stir up weather for the attack. Reaper was checking his gun as he walked over to us, to make sure everything was in working order. He looked a lot more certain with his gun as he stuck in to a holster at his side. He held out his hand for Daniel to shake when he reached us.
“Be careful, old friend,” Reaper said.
“You, too,” Daniel said, shaking Reaper’s hand.
Reaper’s eyes shifted to mine then back to Daniel. It was enough to know that Daniel had asked a silent question through their touch and Reaper had said something back. I didn’t ask what it was, but I knew it was something along the lines of ‘I’ll watch out for her.’
Reaper picked up the lantern and gestured for me to start walking. I hesitated as I looked at Daniel. I was leaving him to a fight I had no control over. I was trusting in Serenity’s plan more than I wanted to. Walking away at such time felt like a betrayal, as if I was abandoning him. It was difficult to leave him under such uncertain circumstances. But he was controlled, skilled and ultimately prepared for what he was about to face. He knew the risks and had the tools to combat them…unlike Alex, who only had primal emotions and a desire to find an outlet from the pain.
The others talked behind Daniel, a mass of noise that I couldn’t find reason to. They planned and plotted. All except Eli – he was watching us. His strange eyes were enigmatic and full of a burning desire. I thought it was the desire to find Alex as well, for different reasons.
With Reaper holding the light up so we could see, I left Daniel to his unknown fate. Daniel watched us walk without moving away; he was another stone in a cave of stones. His eyes followed my every movement. I did not turn around, but I knew if I had turned, I would have seen his dark features marred by a troubled expression.
His doubt haunted my steps.
Chapter 3
The caves were a network of confusion.
They all looked the same. There was nothing to separate one from the other. Nothing except for a trail of white clothing ripped to pieces and claw marks in the stone. They were our first clue to finding Alex.
We followed the trail of clothing down a narrow tunnel as closed-in as the cave. I felt my skin crawl from the sense of the mountain closing in on me, but I hid it from Reaper. Getting freaked out in front of him was a sure-fire way of him turning us around before we had found
“True,” Daniel agreed.
“So, a promise, then. A promise to get the other guy before he gets you,” I said.
“Count on that,” he said.
He pulled his gun back out of the small of his back.
“I want you to take this,” Daniel said.
“You need it,” I declined.
“I can get another one from one of Saints,” Daniel said. “I’ll feel better if you have it.”
“What’s going to attack me in the caves? Rock monsters?” I asked.
“With you…there’s no telling,” he said.
He took my hand and forced me to take the gun.
“You do know how it works, right?” he asked.
“I think I can figure it out,” I said.
“I’ll see you when we’ve got Han and Beatrice out,” he said.
“Now that’s a promise I like,” I said.
Daniel smiled and, not caring that the others were watching, I put my arms around his neck and pulled him in close. I kissed him, loving the feel of his lips against mine. Through our lips, I tried to tell him all the things I was afraid to speak aloud. He got the message. He kissed me back just as passionately. His own fear transferred through our touch. Then, he gently pushed me away. He held me at arm’s length for a moment and looked me over. He put a hand on my face and smiled his boyish smile.
“Don’t get lost.”
“Me? Never,” I said.
Reaper had finished handing out orders. Everyone was moving; everyone had a plan. Spider had gone back outside to watch the building and to get away from Eli. Margaret had gone outside with him, to stir up weather for the attack. Reaper was checking his gun as he walked over to us, to make sure everything was in working order. He looked a lot more certain with his gun as he stuck in to a holster at his side. He held out his hand for Daniel to shake when he reached us.
“Be careful, old friend,” Reaper said.
“You, too,” Daniel said, shaking Reaper’s hand.
Reaper’s eyes shifted to mine then back to Daniel. It was enough to know that Daniel had asked a silent question through their touch and Reaper had said something back. I didn’t ask what it was, but I knew it was something along the lines of ‘I’ll watch out for her.’
Reaper picked up the lantern and gestured for me to start walking. I hesitated as I looked at Daniel. I was leaving him to a fight I had no control over. I was trusting in Serenity’s plan more than I wanted to. Walking away at such time felt like a betrayal, as if I was abandoning him. It was difficult to leave him under such uncertain circumstances. But he was controlled, skilled and ultimately prepared for what he was about to face. He knew the risks and had the tools to combat them…unlike Alex, who only had primal emotions and a desire to find an outlet from the pain.
The others talked behind Daniel, a mass of noise that I couldn’t find reason to. They planned and plotted. All except Eli – he was watching us. His strange eyes were enigmatic and full of a burning desire. I thought it was the desire to find Alex as well, for different reasons.
With Reaper holding the light up so we could see, I left Daniel to his unknown fate. Daniel watched us walk without moving away; he was another stone in a cave of stones. His eyes followed my every movement. I did not turn around, but I knew if I had turned, I would have seen his dark features marred by a troubled expression.
His doubt haunted my steps.
Chapter 3
The caves were a network of confusion.
They all looked the same. There was nothing to separate one from the other. Nothing except for a trail of white clothing ripped to pieces and claw marks in the stone. They were our first clue to finding Alex.
We followed the trail of clothing down a narrow tunnel as closed-in as the cave. I felt my skin crawl from the sense of the mountain closing in on me, but I hid it from Reaper. Getting freaked out in front of him was a sure-fire way of him turning us around before we had found
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