Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
I stroll into Xander’s office and close my eyes for a second as I inhale his scent. Okay, Tru, focus. Be brave. “Hey, I got a clean bill of health. Dr Ross even got me to sip some blood with no side effects. I’m cured.”
I move towards his desk and run a finger across its shiny wooden surface. Xander looks up and places the paperwork he has been working on down. I tilt my head, a stock order for Night-Shift. How boring.
“So it looks as if angel blood is off the menu.” I tap the desk. This is hard. “I, urm… emailed you a document, courtesy of the unicorns. I’m emancipated. Yay. Looks like you are finally free of me.” I try to smile, but my lip wobbles.
Crap, this is harder than I thought it would be.
“You’re leaving?” he asks, pushing his chair back.
“Yes,” I whisper. I cough to clear my throat. “I know I’ve said it before, but I can’t say it enough. Thank you, Xander. Thank you for saving my life.”
“I’ll miss you.” He rubs his hand across his face. “I might not miss your mess.”
I laugh, but it sounds painful. “What can I say? I’m cursed.”
Xander moves away from the desk.
“Maybe we can meet for lunch? Catch up occasionally?”
Xander winces.
“Or not,” I grumble.
“My shadow, you know that’s never going to happen.
” A lump forms in my throat. Xander brushes my hair off my shoulder and runs his fingers through it almost absentmindedly.
“I’ve watched you prowl into dire situations that would make most adults crumble with your head held high, and I couldn’t be more proud of you.
” He bends and presses his forehead to mine.
His breath whispers against my lips. I part them, breathing him in.
“You surprise and delight me. You also frustrate me to no end.”
We gaze into each other’s eyes, and his thumb traces my cheekbone and along my jaw. “But… but you are so young.”
Look, there he goes again, being all moral and shit.
“We can’t be together like you want, my shadow.”
I duck my head so he doesn’t see me roll my eyes. My angel can be really stupid. He might be right—I am crazy in love with him—but here he goes again, the big-headed bastard presuming shit.
I can’t do anything naughty with you, Tru—I might be paraphrasing a tad—I love you, Tru, but I shouldn’t as you are a mere child and I am a mighty ancient angel… blah, blah.
“I will always protect you,” he says gruffly, pulling away from me.
My heart lurches as my gaze darts to his. Gorgeous honey eyes with their sprinkles of gold framed with thick, black lashes look into me like he is reading my soul.
There’s pain in his eyes.
“Same here, buddy. Same here,” I say with an ever-so-friendly pat on his forearm. His honey eyes narrow, and utter confusion fills his face.
“Sorry, chicken wings. Was I supposed to be all broken up?” Honestly, the man is sooo slow. I’m sure he has feathers stuffed in his brain.
I allow a little swing to my hips as I prowl away. I open the door. “I won’t be seventeen forever,” I say over my shoulder with a wink. “At the moment I haven’t got time for romance and shit.”
I continue walking down the hall, and with a wave of my hand I say, “I have an empire to build, vampires to piss off, and a rebel leader’s reputation to cultivate.”
I secretly smile.
I’ve seen a glimpse of our future, and it is glorious. He doesn’t stand a chance…