Page 29 (2/2)

To her utter shock, the hissing and the spitting an to back away froh," she shouted, hit by a sudden wave of confidence "If you can hear ht now"

The de away froh," she repeated more loudly, and terror fell over the creatures They quickened their pace, desperate to get away froh Tarriors unfamiliar to her shot fros were the color of cerulean and they wore robes of the most brilliant white

Nicola threw her arasping for breath "Everything will be okay now I know it"

"My heart"

"Just breathe inout Good girl" She watched, wide-eyed, as the Sent Ones--angels?--unsheathed double-edged swords and attacked The demons darted in different directions, too many for the tarriors to contain But she should have known they would find a way They flashed to one and hacked, then to another and hacked, then to another and another, their opponents swiftly decreasing

"Do you see theasps

Well, that answered that

At last the battle was over, and no one on the other team was spared

The warriors returned their weapons to their sheaths and looked to Nicola They inclined their heads in greeting, flared their wings and, without a word, shot back into the sky

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE FRONT DOOR of Nicola’s ho in protest The two fe

"No, I was protecting you," Nicola retorted

"Yes, but from what?"

Finally They had returned

Koldo rose from the couch, the only piece of furniture he’d left behind since he’d had no rooo, he’d sensed that Nicola was in trouble But he’d flashed to the park and she hadn’t been there He’d flashed to all the other places she liked to visit, but had had no luck

He’d returned to her house, where he’d waited And waited

Now, relief failed to overshadow his anger Where had she been? What had happened to her? He needed to know Not because she was his charge Not because he would be penalized if so happened to her But because Just because

He searched her in a single glance Her color was higher than usual, and worry glazed those stor several pieces of grass

Nicola ground to an abrupt halt, and Laila slammed into her fro way to nervousness She ran a hand down the length of her ponytail "You’re here"

A moment passed in silence He wanted to deue He would shout, and she would fear hithen the demon toxins

"You’re Koldo?" Laila asked, her tone incredulous She had zero color in her cheeks, and fatigue dulled her eyes "But you look just like--uh, never mind There’s no way I can say that and not insult you And I’ andwell, never mind"

He had been mentioned by name He wondered what all had been said

"Wait Hold everything" Frowning, Nicola turned in a circle "I think I was robbed My pictures are gone And so arebuter him more than his mother and his father ever had "You weren’t robbed Itoat the kitchen counter in the next two minutes Or else" He didn’t wait for her reply, just stoed his footsteps, even caught his wrist He could have easily tugged frorip Instead, he reveled in his first contact with her in three days Far too long He had to feel this soft, soft skin, and those hands--no longer cold, but warm--every day or he would not be content

"Or else, what? And what’s going on?" she de around and anchored his hands onto her waist He lifted her up, swung back around with her as she yelped, and placed her on the nearest chair There He had her where he wanted her, the tattoo equipment on the counter and ready to use

As he put the pieces of the gun together, he said, "I don’t want you living here any longer It isn’t safe"

She searched his face, and sighed "Apparently, it isn’t safe anywhere"

Not the reaction he’d expected "Why do you say that?"

"We were at the park and several deht She had been in danger And he had failed to protect her He could have lost her Stupid, foolish, unwise, ignorant man! Yes, that’s what he was He should have searched"Did they hurt you?"

"No," she replied, and he was able to relax "You told h, and I did He sent in the troops Whoever was closest, I guess, just like you proh