Page 35 of Loving Nightmares
Saint was the end game for everyone. Even if he wasn’t the specific reaper who collected a soul, it all came back to him. Which meant that every person that was sick or wronged…all of them would affect him in some way.
“Brush your teeth,” he said, not continuing his story until I’d begun. “I receive every single memory and emotion from those who die. I don’t do it consciously, but I can reach for it easily. It’s all right there.”
I thought on his words as I rinsed my mouth, that one simple action making me feel far better. Putting my toothbrush down, I turned to him and spoke softly. “That has to be a lot, Saint. That has to be really heavy.”
“It is—well itwas, before I found you,” Saint admitted, pressing his forehead to mine. “It was harder to block it all out when I was wandering aimlessly. You gave me direction, flower. You gave me everything.”
“Saint,” I whispered, feeling a bit breathless by how serious he was being.
“Which is why I have such a strong reaction to seeing you sick,” Saint continued. “I know it’s unavoidable—sis metasare still human, to an extent, so you are bound to get sick—but this is different.”
“Why?” I asked, thinking back to when I’d been sick before. It hadn’t happened often. In fact, I could count the times I remembered on one hand, but I’d had cramps and stuff before, so why did this affect him so much?
“I don’t know how to explain it,” he murmured. He looked torn and confused, but he also looked like he wasn’t saying everything he wanted to.
Deciding not to push it, I looked towards the shower and offered him a small smile. “How about we take a shower and think on it?”
Saint’s gaze instantly lightened to a pure hot silver as he offered me a small, amused smile. “Are you trying to get me naked, flower?”
“Maybe.” My cheeks flushed as he groaned, running a finger along my cheek before sighing.
“As much as I love that idea, I need to go assure the others you are fine,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Hop in there. I’ll be right back.”
And he was gone.
Something was totally up with him, and it had me a little worried. He wasn’t telling me everything on his mind, which was a first for Saint.
The man said whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Which was why I wasn’t going to push it right now. He would tell me eventually.
Right?
14
ARABELLA
After a long shower,I was feeling substantially better. Saint had yet to return, but I was able to find everything I needed. I got dressed in a pair of black shorts, something that was more than unusual for me to wear, and a black tank top. I brushed my hair back and braided it before leaving the suite and taking the hallway back upstairs.
I could hear my mates talking, but they were being quiet about it, to the point that I couldn’t understand what they were saying. When I reached the top of the stairs, my gaze met Ashur’s, his sunglasses cast aside and his unusual gaze filled with…something.
“Flower, you’re done already.” Saint sounded surprised.
I nodded and offered all of them a small smile. “Sorry about that. I’m feeling much better—Zain!” I let out a small giggle as the man flashed across the space and lifted me up, kissing me lightly before letting me slide down his frame.
Cy appeared next to him and brushed his lips over my forehead, seemingly to assure himself of my state after a quick look over.
“What are you guys talking about?” I asked curiously, noticing that Razar, Blackwell, and Saint specifically appeared to be having a silent conversation. Seeing Saint serious wasn’t something I was used to. The other two didn’t seem super upset, just tense, which somehow made it more confusing.
“Just want to make sure you’re okay,” Damian answered for them.
“And our plans for when we arrive,” Amun added.
“Oh.” I looked over Ashur’s head and towards an upcoming land mass. “Are we nearly there?”
“Soon,” he said, standing and taking a step in my direction. I slipped from between Cy and Zain to meet him, not hesitating to wrap my arms around him. I shivered as his large hand wrapped around the back of my neck, tilting it back while examining my expression.
“What are they talking about?” I asked again, knowing Damian and Amun hadn’t given me the full truth. The others probably wouldn’t tell me, but Ashur… I had a feeling he would.
“Why you could be sick,” he answered immediately.
