Obsidian

think you realize that now.”

I rested my forehead against my knees. I took a moment to gather what I had left of my thoughts and lifted my head. “Daemon, what are you?”

He smiled ruefully and rubbed at his head with the heel of his palm. “That is hard to explain.”

“Please tell me. You need to tell me, because I’m about to lose it again,” I warned him. I wasn’t lying. The control that I had obtained started to slip the longer he was silent.

Daemon’s gaze was intense as he spoke. “I don’t think you want to know, Kat.”

His expression, his voice were so sincere they filled me with a deep sense of dread. I knew whatever he was going to tell me was going to change my life forever. Once I learned what he and his family were, I could never take it back, never go back. I would be inexplicably changed. Even knowing all that, I had already passed the point of no return. The old Katy would be running again. I was sure of it. She’d rather pretend none of this happened. But I was different now, and I had to know. “Are you…human?” Daemon’s short laugh was without humor. “We’re not from around here.”

“You think?”

His brows rose. “Yeah, I guess you’ve probably figured out we’re not human,”

I took a shaky breath. “I was hoping I was wrong.”

He laughed again but there was very little humor in his voice. “No. We’re from far, far away.”

My stomach dropped to my toes, and my arms around my legs tightened. “What do you mean by ‘far, far away’? Because I’m suddenly seeing visions of the beginning of Star Wars.”

Daemon stared at me hard. “We’re not from this planet.”

Okay. There. He said what I’d pretty much already figured was the truth, but that told me nothing. “What are you? A vampire?”

He rolled his eyes “Are you serious?”

“What?” Frustration whipped through me. “You say you’re not human, and that limits the pool of what you can be! You stopped a truck without touching it.”

“You read too much.” Daemon exhaled slowly. “We’re not werewolves or witches. Zombies or whatever.”

“Well, I’m glad about the zombie thing. I like to think what’s left of my brains are safe,” I muttered. “And I don’t read too much. There’s no such thing as that. But there’s no such thing as aliens either.” Daemon leaned forward quickly, placing his hands on my bent knees. I froze at his touch, my senses ran hot and cold at once. His stare penetrated me, locked me onto him. “In this vast, neverending universe, do you think Earth — this place — is the only planet with life?”

“N-no,” I stammered. “So that kind of stuff…that’s normal for your…Hell, what do you call yourselves?”

He leaned his head back as the seconds skipped by, and my heart doubled its beats in wait for his answer. He seemed to be wrestling with how much to tell me, and I was pretty sure whatever it might be, I wasn’t going to like it…

Chapter 16

This was one of those moments in my life that I didn’t know if I should laugh, cry, or run away as fast as possible.

Daemon smiled tightly. “I can tell what you’re thinking. Not that I can read your mind, but it’s written all over your face. You think I’m dangerous.”

And a jerk…and hot, but I wasn’t admitting that. And an alien life form? I shook my head. “This is crazy, but I’m not scared of you.”

“You’re not?”

“No.” I laughed, but it sounded a bit crazed — totally unconvincing. “You don’t look like an alien!” It seemed important to point that out.

He arched a brow. “And what do aliens look like?”

“Not…not like you,” I sputtered. “They aren’t gorgeous—”

“You think I’m gorgeous?” He smiled.

I shot him a dark look. “Shut up. Like you don’t know that everyone on this planet thinks you’re good-looking.” I grimaced, shocked to even be having this conversation. “Aliens — if they exist — are little green men with big eyes and spindly arms or…or giant insects or something like a lumpy little creature.” Daemon let out a loud laugh. “ET?”

“Yes! Like ET, asshole. I’m so glad you find this funny. That you want to screw with my head more than you guys have already screwed with it. Maybe I hit my head or something.” I started to climb to my feet.

“Sit down, Kat.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

He stood fluidly, arms out to his sides. That creepy glow filled his eyes, like two orbits of pure light. “Sit. Down.”

I sat down. With a one-fingered wave, of course. He might be all about sharing his alien-ness with me now, Mr. Badass Alien, but I instinctively knew he wouldn’t hurt me.

“Will you show me you what you really look like? You don’t sparkle, do you? And please tell me I didn’t almost kiss a giant brain-eating insect, because seriously, I’m gonna—”

“Kat!”

“Sorry,” I muttered.

Daemon closed his eyes and inhaled. Light appeared over the center of his chest, and like back at the road, he started to vibrate and then fade out until nothing but this brilliant reddish-yellow light surrounded him. Then the light took form. Two legs, a torso, arms, and a head made of nothing but light. A light so intense it lit up everything around us, turning night into day.

I shielded my eyes with a trembling hand. “Holy shit.”

And when he spoke, it wasn’t out loud. It was in my head. This is what we look like. We are b eings of light. Even in human form, we can b end light to our will. There was a pause. As you can see, I don’t look like a giant insect. Or…sparkle. Even in my head I could hear the disgust on that last one.

“No,” I whispered. Out of all the paranormal books I’d read and reviewed, no one glowed like this. Some glittered in the light. Others had wings. No one was a freaking giant sun.

Or a lumpy little creature, which I find offensive, b y the way. One arm made of light stretched out toward me. A hand and fingers formed, opening palm up. You can touch me. It won’t hurt. I imagine that it’s pleasant for humans.

For humans? Sweet. Baby. Jesus. Swallowing nervously, I raised one hand. Part of me didn’t want to touch him, but to see this, to be next to something so…so, well, out of this world, I had to. My fingers brushed over his, and a jolt of electricity danced over my hand, up my arm. The light hummed along my skin.

I sucked in a sharp breath. Daemon had been right. It didn’t hurt. His touch was warm, heady. It was like touching the surface of the sun without being burned. I curled my fingers around his, watching as the light grew until I could no longer see my hand. Little bands of light flicked out from his hand, licking over my wrist and forearm.

Figured you’d like it. He pulled his hand free and stepped back. His light slowly faded, and then Daemon was standing in front of me — human Daemon. I felt the loss of his warmth immediately. “Kat,” he said, this time out loud.

All I could do was stare at him. I’d wanted the truth, but actually hearing it — seeing it — was totally different.

Daemon seemed to read my expression, because he slowly sat back down. He looked relaxed, but I knew he was more like a wild animal, coiled and ready to spring in case I made the wrong move. “Kat?”

“You’re an alien.” My voice was weak.