Saving Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book 2

Chapter 32.

Chapter 32.

The flight to New Orleans was awkward for all on board. Aiden tried to clown around and get the mood to lighten, though he had no idea what the problem was between his team leader and Marie. They had seemed to get pretty hot and heavy while in Central America, and sometime between when Xavier had left him to guard her and the kids, he had become distant from all of them. Focusing his attention on Nathan and Grace, he began reciting a little poem accompanied by hand motions, causing the little girl to giggle and clap.

"The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout..." he sang in a goofy voice, moving his hands to connect thumb to forefinger of both of his hands in a crawling motion. Then his fingers began to wag representing raindrops. "Down came the rain and washed the spider out!"

She began to copy him and even Nathan tried a time or two, looking a little shy for participating. He could not resist, though when Grace cried out, "Again! Again!"

Marie sat watching the trio with a bemused grin on her face. At least they were having fun. The back of her head prickled with awareness of the man sitting behind her. He had not moved or spoken to her the whole flight. She respected him when he had told her it was not the time or place to get to the bottom of the conflict between the two of them, but she promised as soon as the time was right, he was going to get an earful. She might even turn her cat loose on him, she was so angry. Her small human form was not quite up for a fight with a vampire, but her cat was thrumming with the chance to come out to play.

The luxurious seat finally began to lull her to sleep, after so long roughing it. She glanced to Grace, who looked like she was fading as well. "Come here and snuggle, Gracie."

Nathan unbuckled the little girl's seatbelt to allow her to go, once he realized she was straining toward Marie. "Be careful," he warned, holding onto her hand as she walked around the table between their seats.

Marie lifted her up into the seat next to her, buckling her back in, and tucked the little one tight in under her arm and began to stroke the dark curls framing her face. What a sweet little girl, she thought. She would be one year old in human years soon, but anyone looking at her would assume she was at least in preschool.

'I love you,' Marie heard in her head as the little girl smiled and closed her eyes.

'I love you, too, sweets. Your momma and daddy are missing out on you right now.'

'I love them too. But you are warm,' she answered, still telepathically.

Marie's heart broke a little for Evan, who would give anything to be enough for the little girl. "Sleep."

Nathan watched with curiosity the emotions play across Marie's face. He thought she almost looked sad. No wonder, the way Xavier was acting toward her. He wished he could understand the complexities of adult relationships, but on the surface it looked like Xavier was being a jerk and Marie had not done anything that he could tell to piss him off. Shrugging, he closed his eyes, trying to practice the trick of suspended animation Emil and Xavier had tried teaching him, in order to conserve energy when he had not eaten much. He had not been able to feed from the humans in the village, he was too afraid of the girl. She kept trying to get him to touch her or trying to paw all over him. He just ignored her after that. Now he was really starting to feel hungry, almost as bad as when he was new and refused to eat. Sitting still, he allowed all effort to move or appear human to slip away and he focused on retreating into a little place in his mind, keeping his consciousness alert, but otherwise immobile.

Xavier noted the cabin had become quiet, and listened to the soft breathing of Marie and Grace. He let his head rest back against the seat, feeling as the hair on the back of his head brushed against the top of Marie's head. He itched to touch her. The compulsion was so strong he had to fight to stay seated. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to still and concentrate on their next steps. He knew what he needed to do, and he hoped Marie would forgive him.