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Walking back to the apartment always made me feel on edge. So far two out of the three attacks on her had happened while we were making this walk. Continuing to do so seemed like a stupid plan, but Sierra had freaked when I suggested we start driving. If one more demon came after her on this stretch of road though, I was going to suggest flying.
“So what did you want to do for dinner?” Sierra readjusted the strap of her gym bag as best she could with my arm over her shoulders. She didn’t try to push me off though.
I slipped the bag from her shoulder and slid it over my own before replacing my arm. “What are your thoughts on Mexican food?”
“Mexican is always good.”
“Yeah? How spicy do you like your food?”
“That depends on your definition of spicy. I think I like spicy food, but I’m not Latina, so my definition of spicy may be considerably milder than some people’s.”
“Oh, this is going to be fun to test.”
Hours later we were sitting on the living room floor with plates of burritos and bowls of salsa.
“Try this one.” I nudged one of the bowls toward her.
“Am I going to regret this?” She eyed the salsa suspiciously.
“There’s only one way to determine how spicy you like your food.” I was watching her, silently daring her to take a chance, when a banging on the door interrupted us.
We both looked toward the back door.
“Were you expecting company?” I asked, though I already knew the answer. I could sense the demonic energy outside. A shit ton of demonic energy. Whatever was on the other side of that door was hella powerful.
Sierra shook her head. “No.”
“This fight isn’t going to be fun,” I warned her. “I need you to stay in here. The demons can’t cross into the apartment.”
Her brows pinched together. “They can’t?”
“I warded the apartment. As long as you stay in here, they can’t touch you.” I didn’t elaborate on how exactly those wards worked or how they could be broken.
“If they can’t come in, can’t we just stay here?”
I shook my head. “They’ll find another way to draw us out, one that neither of us is going to like.” I wasn’t clear on how my bond with Sierra affected my angelic duty to protect other humans. Did it override my vow to protect the human race? I wasn’t ready to test that out. And I knew whatever demons were outsidewoulduse other humans to try to draw me out of the apartment.
And if they managed to kill me… Then they’d have a chance of breaking the wards.
“Nate…” It was the second time she’d used that name.
I cupped her cheeks with my hands. “Listen to me. Whatever happens, don’t step outside this apartment.”
“That doesn’t sound encouraging. What are you going to do?”
“Get rid of whatever is out there. I mean it, Sierra. Stay. In. Here.”
“But—”
“The only thing I am afraid of is something happening to you.” There was a long list of logical reasons behind that statement. Being her guardian came with consequences for me.
And not a single one of them mattered to me in that moment.
It wasn’t the possible consequences that scared me. It was the thought of this world without her in it.
I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her forehead in a lingering kiss. “Promise me,” I said into her skin.
She didn’t say anything.
