Page 31 of Legendary

“Heard something like….?”

“Nicholas, I don’t know. I just got really riled up hearing it. And then shit happened and Isabel basically told me Lilith is in my head fucking with me. Isabel apparently isn’t allowed to hurt me or at least she made it seem that way. She would have gone for my head if she wasn’t on such a tight leash. Now is that enough information for you not to spiral.” Dani wiped her fingers against the cloth one last time before giving me her full attention.

When I looked at her face, I wanted to kiss her. Immediately. I was patient, though. Well, I was patientenough. “For now. Lilith wants you alive and well, that part doesn’t surprise me. What happened to you out there, was that because of Lilith too?”

“Nothing happened that you haven’t seen before,” she said, planting her hands on my legs. Her thumbs shifted back and forth along the inside of my thighs. Her voice was so stoic as if she wanted this part of the conversation to end.

I placed my hands on top of hers. “The last time you looked like that was with Cullen and you went to a dark place. I just want to make sure—”

“I have it under control, Nicholas. Just because you’re all hot and shirtless doesn’t mean I need you to come and save me.” She brought her finger up to my sternum and slid it down right to my belt. She was insanely good at distracting me from trying to be concerned. “You need to make sure that you are strong enough to saveyourselfif it comes down to it. Jonah wouldn’t want you to sit back on the sidelines.”

Another rush of cold, freezing ice ran through my veins. Every time someone brought him up, it was like I wanted to vomit. I saw him dying in my arms and then there was a flash of every single angel I had to take down, their blood on my hands. I saw the way I imagined their families looked when they got told what happened. I didn’t regret my actions, it had to be done, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. That didn’t make me feel like I could have done so much more to see the things I didn’t and stop what had happened. My head was starting to spin with the raging memories and Jonah’s last words to me. Elise’s venom wounds were no longer an issue. I was clearly causing pain to myself.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I felt her hands on my biceps, shaking me slightly. I took a few short breaths and ran a hand through my hair. My vertigo was subsiding, and my stomach settled back into its dormant state. Dani had a look of concern in her eyes and slight confusion. “Where did you go just now?”

“I didn’t go anywhere, I’m right here.” I knew what she meant, but I couldn’t tell her anything. I couldn’t say how I felt, because if I did, it would become a whole thing and that thing wasn’t the priority. It wasn’t high on my list of matters to deal with as much as my father, Reese and fucking everyone else would like me too. “I think I just haven’t eaten, so I’m hungry. It’s been a long day.”

Dani gave me a skeptical look, one that saidyou’re lying but whatever you say. “Sure.”

“You look like you care about me.” I decided I was going to try to push my luck. I wanted to see if trying with Dani was worth it, but at the end of the day even if it seemed like a lost cause I was always going to try.

She grabbed the tray from beside me and walked it over to the counter, putting it down. She knocked her knuckles against the granite top and let out a long sigh, her eyes finally connected with mine. “Maybe I do, but I do remember telling you that if you came to Purgatory, I wouldn’t treat you any different. I wouldn’t see you differently, despite what people may say. That Enchanter out there is afraid of you because you’re an angel, yet I still see you just the same.”

“I remember that,” I acknowledged, “Dani, I’ve told you I’m sorry. If I haven’t said that enough, then I’m sorry again.”

She shook her head, clearly not impressed. “I know Nicholas. And those apologies are great, and I accept them. You’re just a guy who wants the best for the people he cares about, but then you’re also the guy who cares about what people think.” She stalked over to me and wedged herself between my legs, leaning into me. I instinctually leaned forward, that cinnamon scent of hers wrapping itself around my whole body. “I’m sure by now you’ve realized that caring what people think is exhausting. Caring what people think costs you the things youwant.” She carried that last word with purpose.

“I don’t care what people think, Dani.” At least I didn’t anymore. I shouldn’t have in the first place.

“Then tell me what I want to hear.”

I opened my mouth to speak but then stopped, unsure of my response. I couldn’t put my finger on what she wanted from me. If she wanted me to define how I felt about her, I couldn’t do that since I had no fucking idea. I wasn’t going to tell her some made up falsehood about my feelings just so she would let me hold her again. I was eager but I wasn’t an idiot. “I thought what you wantedwasan I’m sorry. I thought coming here and continuing to stand by you would prove that to you. I’m not a mind reader, Dani. I honestly don’t know what else...”

She let out a low, small chuckle, cutting me off. It was laced withexhaustion. “You want me?” She tilted her head to the side.

There was a small fire in her mischievous eyes, one that I could have been mesmerized by for hours. I reached up and used my fingers to tuck one of her curls behind her ear. Her hair was soft and even the shitty lighting in the room made her brown skin glow. I felt my cock twitch in my pants. The answer was obvious. “Yes.”

She didn’t recoil at the gesture, but she did squeeze my thighs with her hands, applying more pressure than I assumed her body weight would allow her. It took everything in me not to grab her and place her in my lap, letting her wrap her legs around my waist. “Ah well, I’m sorry comes in many different flavors. Use that big brain of yours and figure out which one I’m craving.”

“Dani…”

She pulled away from me and moved her hair over her shoulder and towards her back. “Get some rest, Nicholas.” Giving me a small shrug of her exposed shoulder, she sauntered out of the room.

Reese sat down next to me on the bed that I’d chosen in our room. I’d been back in our room for less than ten minutes and he’d already asked me if I wanted a glass of water three times. I’d shaken my head each and every time but appreciated the way he was doting on me. He had even gotten me a new shirt to put on, seeing as my other one was in the garbage now. We were both a little surprised when Beetee brought us fresh clothes earlier today when we settled in, asking us to make sure everything fit and not hesitate to ask for anything. I had a big feeling that he was all over me only because he didn’t need me to die here and leave him alone with the demons intheirterritory. I looked around the room and noticed that my sword was casually leaning against the wall near my end table. Its angelic magic hummed and I could hear it plain as day, but I was too tired to answer its call and hold it again.

“At least your face looks better,” he noted, pointing at my cheek.

I smiled a little. “Thanks. I still feel like ass.”

“Yeah, Beetee did say that if you aren’t a demon or you haven’t gotten hit with her venom before it can linger for longer. Not the paralytics but you know, the pain,” Reese explained, rubbing his hands on his pants. “You scared the shit out of me, man.”

I peeked over at him and noticed his posture was a bit off and he didn’t have the same cocky swagger about himself. “It’s not like I meant to getknocked unconscious.”

Reese waved me off, taking his hair out of the bun at the top of his head. His blonde locks fell over his shoulders in slight waves. “I know, but still, it freaked me out. I’d rather us both be knocked unconscious, fighting for our lives together and all that.”

“That’s…. sweet I guess.” I chuckled. “No one I’d rather be fighting impending death with than you I suppose.” I reached up and punched his shoulder, playfully.

Reese stroked his chin with his index finger. “So why was she so adamant about taking care of you?”

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