Page 64 of Norah

Aside from me watching her sleep for the better part of three hours?Maybe I won’t mention that.“Well, the realtor emailed back. We can go see the apartment tomorrow morning. She said there aren’t any offers yet, so if we like the place, we have a good chance of getting it.”

Eyes brightening, Norah smiles at me. “That’s great news! I feel good about this apartment.”

“Me too.” After a pause, I shift her around to face me, and take both her hands in mine. Her brows raise an unspoken question. I have to tell her something else, and I hope it won’t interrupt her relaxed state. “Also, I heard from Roman. He called about an hour ago.”

She sucks in a small breath before asking, “Is he OK? Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” I say, giving her hands a comforting squeeze. “He wanted to check in with us. He’s fine, planning a trip to Europe for some skiing soon.”

“So that was it?” Norah looks at me suspiciously. “He just called to update us on his travel plans?”

“No, that wasn’t all.”I hope the topic won’t upset her.I debated whether to mention that Roman called, but in the end, I wanted to be honest. “He called because he had been worried about us. About you. Because of the aura he told us about when we all met.”

She doesn’t look upset yet. “OK?”

“So Roman said he’d searched for your aura several times after our meeting. Remember, he can see them from a distance if he’s seen them before.” Norah nods at me, looking more curious than anything else, so I continue. “He noticed it had changed, couldn’t get a read on it, and was worried. He wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“So, what did you tell him?”

“I didn’t tell him too much, just the absolute basics. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me talking about it with him, but he tried to warn us. After that, I thought we owed him some information. I hope that’s OK?”

Norah’s expression is serious, and she bites her lower lip as she thinks. “It’s OK. Roman has been a good friend to us. He deserves to know what happened.” She pauses, forehead creasing. “Does he know it was all part of a plan? That I was targeted?”

My gut clenches as I hear her talk about being a target, but I keep my expression neutral. “I told him. I thought he should know.”

She nods in agreement. “I think so too. We should watch out for each other.” Her voice drifts off, and her body tenses up again. I pull Norah close and rub my hands across her back, trying to massage the tightness out. “Ethan… do you think someone else will come? What if it’s not over?”

“We’re going to be fine. You want to know how I know that?” Her eyes are worried, uncertain, so I speak firmly to leave no doubt in her mind about what I’m going to say. “First, we are a team, and as a team, no one is going to get the jump on us. Also, our connection is more than just you or I.It’s strong enough to create miracles.And that kind of power makes us stronger than anyone who could ever be stupid enough to come after us again.”

“You’re right. I didn’t see it that way before, but you’re right…” She trails off, eyes going distant. After a long pause, I’m about to ask if she’s alright, but she continues. “I wonder…” Her voice drifts off for a second. “I wonder if that’s what he was there to stop. What we can do now… together… it’sso powerful. So much more than seeing lies, or teleporting. Those are helpful abilities, but… nothing like what we could do once we linked.Thatwas a miracle. It may have nothing to do with it, but I can’t help but wonder…”

“I hadn’t thought about it that way, but you could be on to something. It would make sense.”

“I guess there’s no way to know for sure… but the more I think about everything…” Her expression grows fierce. “Wearea force to be reckoned with now.”

That’s my girl.Never giving up, no matter what. I thank all the gods and stars for bringing Norah to me and keeping her here in my arms. I pull her into my lap and drop kisses all across her face and hair. “As long as we’re together, we can face anything. Ourloveis a miracle.” My mouth captures hers, and I kiss Norah with all the passion and need I feel for her. “Youare my miracle, Norah. You’re my magic, my strength, my soul.You’reeverything.”

NORAH

I’m excited and scared at the same time.

We’re headed to see an apartment with our realtor, and I’m filled with nervous anticipation and excitement about it. From the pictures, it looks like it could be the perfect place for us to start the rest of our lives together. It’s cozy, with a gas fireplace I can picture us sitting in front of on cold winter evenings.

There are exposed brick walls in the living room and kitchen, and lots of built-in shelving, giving the apartment character. But my favorite part of the place, the thing that makes me want it desperately, is the large deck. The idea of a place to watch the sky is more than I imagined.

Some of my favorite memories with Ethan are of just us and the stars. Before we met, I associated the stars with being alone. Facing such grandness, feeling small and insignificant. After I met him, the night sky became much more. The stars show that anything is possible, and even the smallest piece of the universe has value.

The thought of having an observatory right outside our apartment, just for us, makes me hopeful. It helps push away some of the darkness that’s been clinging to me. I’m trying to be cautious because I know photos can only show so much. There are many things that could be wrong with this apartment. I could be pinning my hopes on something that isn’t meant to be. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s only aplace. Anywhere I’m with Ethan will behome.

Ethan’s arm comes around me as we walk into the lobby of the building where we’re meeting our realtor. “Are you doing OK?” His voice is pitched low, and I can hear his concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” But my words wobble a little, and I press closer to his side. Despite my excitement, I’m also scared to be leaving the hotel suite that has become a haven for the last week. I’ve been hiding away from the rest of the world, finding refuge with Ethan as I’ve tried to move past the trauma and fear.

Rationally, I know that we’re safe, stronger than all the people around us. If there was a vampire nearby, we would be a formidable foe. My brain knows these things, but my body hasn’t quite caught up yet. Being outside makes me feel vulnerable and exposed. Little shivers of fear keep hitting me at the most unexpected moments. A car honking its horn, a jackhammer pounding the concrete, a jogger pushing past us just a little too close.

I’m trying hard to keep it together, but Ethan can tell that I’m having a hard time. He hasn’t let go of my hand since the moment we stepped outside our hotel room, giving reassuring squeezes every time I tense up.

Ethan leans his mouth towards my ear and says softly, “If it’s too soon, we don’t have to do this right now. We can turn around and go home.”

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