Shadow Warriors

Chapter nineteen

After dinner, and hours of speaking and laughing with Nilu and Otoya, Axin led Sarah back out into the evening sun. So many questions had been answered for her. Many things that she feared about Axin were resolved, and she really liked Nilu and Otoya. They had a special bond that Sarah could see in the way they spoke to each other and acted around each other.

Nilu agreed to let Jake come to the shadow world, and speak to him. Sarah got the sense that Nilu wanted that for a long time. To get to know his nephew and to see if he was telling the truth. Raz had come back in the middle of dinner, to tell them that Jake went to Lexi, to speak to her and that her grandmother was safe. He had instructed one of the other warriors to keep an eye on her through the night.

Once they arrived at the cottage, Axin led the way down a stone path leading to the front door.

Sarah's nerves were on end. Axin didn't want to let her go back to the living world, for fear that someone might come after her again. She'd wanted to ask him why he didn't just stay with her at her apartment, but she was tired. All she wanted to do was sleep.

They entered the cottage and she went to the lounge to sit on the same chair she used the first time she came here.

Axin disappeared in the direction of the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee for her.

"Thanks," she reached for it, taking a sip and warming her hands on the sides.

"Are you cold?"

"It's a bit chilly in here."

Axin placed his cup on the side table and stood. He went to the fireplace and piled it with wood. He took a step back, giving Sarah a quick look. He winked at her, then turned back to the fireplace.

Her heart raced as she watched Axin lower onto his haunches. A thin stream of orange flames came from his mouth, igniting the wood. Once the fire was blazing, he moved the guard in front of it and stood. He casually went to his chair and sat down, grabbing his coffee as he did. When he met her eyes he smiled.

"What?"

Sarah closed her mouth, "You're so weird."

He chuckled, "Thanks."

"I'm sorry. But come on... Think of this from my point of view."

"I know. I'm trying not to freak you out with all this, but I figure if you see all the crazy in one day and don't lose your mind, the shock will be over and we can move forward."

"How does that work? Where does the flame come from?"

"I have... glands in my throat. Something similar to tear glands. I need to shift that part of my body to get access to them."

He moved his tongue around in his mouth, "Tastes like apples."

She bit her lip, staring at him.

"What is it? What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"Sarah... We talked about this. Come on, ask me."

"Is it poisonous?"

He cocked his head to the side. "No. Not to me."

"What about... to me?"

He grinned, placing his coffee on the table. "Why do you want to know?"

Despite how embarrassed she was, Sarah plowed on. "Would it kill me if I... kissed you, for example?"

"No."

"Would it make me sick?"

"No."

She licked her lips, watching him as she thought about what that would be like. He watched her back, his eyes not once leaving hers.