“No, I’ll admit that I haven’t. You know that a messenger hardly has the time to spend hanging around humans. Until this assignment, I’d never had any prolonged interaction with one.”
“ You may not see it, but I can. You’ve got to end this before it starts, Sarah. For your own good and for Jackson’s.”
“ There is nothing to worry about,” she argued lamely, even though she knew that Vivian was right. As firm as she’d been in her dedication to her cause, she’d never imagined she could make so many mistakes. Before, she couldn’t understand how angels like Nathan allowed themselves to fall to temptation. It seemed inconceivable that an angel could willingly forfeit their soul in one mindless moment of passion.
But somehow, Jackson made her forget. He made her forget the fate that would await her if she continued on this path. He made her laugh and smile, and feel things she’d never felt before—things she’d never imagined she would feel. She placed her teacup in its saucer and placed it on the table in front of her.
“ Nothing to worry about?” Vivian raised one raven-black eyebrow. “Not even that kiss on the roof?”
Sarah’s cheeks heated and her hands shook. “It was one—“
“ I think we both know it won’t stop there. My son has feelings for you, Sarah. You’ve offered him hope and opened up his eyes to who and what he really is. Because of this, he has latched on to you like a life preserver. His feelings for you will only deepen.”
“ He’s accepted the Guardianship. My work here is almost done. Once he’s learned all he needs to know and receives his first assignment, I’ll be out of his life forever. There won’t be time for his feelings to deepen.”
Vivian shook her head. “Does he know what will happen? Does he know about the Fallen?”
“ It hasn’t come up,” Sarah said. “He doesn’t need to know that, because nothing is going to happen. It was one kiss, that’s all. It shouldn’t have happened, but I can’t do anything about that now. Now that Jackson’s made his decision, I’m more determined than ever to see this through. I won’t let anything happen.”
Vivian leaned back in her armchair and continued to stare at Sarah over the rim of her reading glasses. Sarah stared back just as silently, maybe even a bit defiantly. After a few moments Vivian nodded as if satisfied and lowered her gaze.
“ I trust you to ensure that it doesn’t.”
“ What did you and my grandmother discuss that had you so quiet on the way back?” Jackson asked. They were seated on the couch in his living room, the flickering light from the television casting their shadows against the wall. Sarah felt Jackson’s eyes on her as she stared unseeingly at the people on the screen.
“ Nothing that bears discussing now,” she said evasively. She forced a smile and turned to face him. “Nothing as important as you accepting your Guardianship. Tonight I’ll go and report back to Father; he’ll be so pleased.”
“ And then what?” he asked. The hand that rested absently on the couch behind her came up to the back of her neck. He squeezed gently at the tense muscles. She nearly swooned with pleasure.
“ There is a transformation process that you will undergo. Don’t worry,” she added, smirking at his worried expression, “it’s nothing that’s noticeable from the outside.”
He nodded. “Why do I have a feeling that I won’t have you in my life much longer?” he asked.
Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. She supposed this conversation was inevitable, but she knew it needed to happen. Just thinking about leaving Jackson behind for good made her feel like curling up on the floor and crying hysterically.
She’d never had the urge to cry before this week. Before Jackson, she’d never felt the need for companionship. Just being near him made the hundreds of years on earth before him seem hollow and lonely.
“ I’m sorry, but there is
“ You may not see it, but I can. You’ve got to end this before it starts, Sarah. For your own good and for Jackson’s.”
“ There is nothing to worry about,” she argued lamely, even though she knew that Vivian was right. As firm as she’d been in her dedication to her cause, she’d never imagined she could make so many mistakes. Before, she couldn’t understand how angels like Nathan allowed themselves to fall to temptation. It seemed inconceivable that an angel could willingly forfeit their soul in one mindless moment of passion.
But somehow, Jackson made her forget. He made her forget the fate that would await her if she continued on this path. He made her laugh and smile, and feel things she’d never felt before—things she’d never imagined she would feel. She placed her teacup in its saucer and placed it on the table in front of her.
“ Nothing to worry about?” Vivian raised one raven-black eyebrow. “Not even that kiss on the roof?”
Sarah’s cheeks heated and her hands shook. “It was one—“
“ I think we both know it won’t stop there. My son has feelings for you, Sarah. You’ve offered him hope and opened up his eyes to who and what he really is. Because of this, he has latched on to you like a life preserver. His feelings for you will only deepen.”
“ He’s accepted the Guardianship. My work here is almost done. Once he’s learned all he needs to know and receives his first assignment, I’ll be out of his life forever. There won’t be time for his feelings to deepen.”
Vivian shook her head. “Does he know what will happen? Does he know about the Fallen?”
“ It hasn’t come up,” Sarah said. “He doesn’t need to know that, because nothing is going to happen. It was one kiss, that’s all. It shouldn’t have happened, but I can’t do anything about that now. Now that Jackson’s made his decision, I’m more determined than ever to see this through. I won’t let anything happen.”
Vivian leaned back in her armchair and continued to stare at Sarah over the rim of her reading glasses. Sarah stared back just as silently, maybe even a bit defiantly. After a few moments Vivian nodded as if satisfied and lowered her gaze.
“ I trust you to ensure that it doesn’t.”
“ What did you and my grandmother discuss that had you so quiet on the way back?” Jackson asked. They were seated on the couch in his living room, the flickering light from the television casting their shadows against the wall. Sarah felt Jackson’s eyes on her as she stared unseeingly at the people on the screen.
“ Nothing that bears discussing now,” she said evasively. She forced a smile and turned to face him. “Nothing as important as you accepting your Guardianship. Tonight I’ll go and report back to Father; he’ll be so pleased.”
“ And then what?” he asked. The hand that rested absently on the couch behind her came up to the back of her neck. He squeezed gently at the tense muscles. She nearly swooned with pleasure.
“ There is a transformation process that you will undergo. Don’t worry,” she added, smirking at his worried expression, “it’s nothing that’s noticeable from the outside.”
He nodded. “Why do I have a feeling that I won’t have you in my life much longer?” he asked.
Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. She supposed this conversation was inevitable, but she knew it needed to happen. Just thinking about leaving Jackson behind for good made her feel like curling up on the floor and crying hysterically.
She’d never had the urge to cry before this week. Before Jackson, she’d never felt the need for companionship. Just being near him made the hundreds of years on earth before him seem hollow and lonely.
“ I’m sorry, but there is
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