“Then again, maybe I’m the one who should be jealous,
Dee smacked Ash’s arm. “Don’t start.”
She grinned as she tossed the spoon in the sink. “I didn’t say I wanted to be his Kitten, but if I did, well…this story may have a different ending.”
A couple of months ago, she would’ve gotten a rise out of me. Now I just smiled.
She stared at me a moment, and then her blue eyes rolled. “Whatever.”
I watched her leave the kitchen. “I think I’m growing on her,” I said to Dee.
She giggled as she put the last sandwich on the platter. There were more than a dozen. “Actually, I think the biggest problem is that Ash
“She does a good job at it.”
“But I don’t think that’s how she really feels.” Dee picked up the platter, cocking her head to the side. “She really did care for Daemon. I don’t think it was ever love, but I think she always believed that they’d be together. That’s a lot to get over.”
I sort of felt guilty. “I know.”
“But she will. Besides, she’ll find someone who can tolerate her bitchiness, and all will be right in the world.”
“And you?”
She giggled and winked. “I just want everything to be right in the world for
I choked on my laugh. “Good God, do not let Daemon or Dawson hear that.”
“No kidding.”
Everyone was in the rec room—bodies draped over couches, settees, and lounges. The biggest TV I’d ever seen hung on the wall, damn near the size of a theater screen.
Daemon patted the spot beside him on the couch, and I sat down, handing him his plate and soda. “Thank you.”
“Your sister made them. I just carried ours.”
Dee placed the platter on the coffee table and glanced over to where Archer sat with Luc and Paris. Then she took two sandwiches and retreated to the burgundy settee. Two pink spots bloomed on her cheeks, and I hoped she was having nice, clean thoughts.
One glance at Archer, who was now staring at Dee, had me assuming that she wasn’t.
On the other side of me, Dawson leaned forward and grabbed two of the subs, one for him and the other for Beth. The girl was bundled up in a quilt, looking half asleep. Our eyes met, and a tentative smile brightened her face.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Great.” She picked at the bread, pulling off little brown patches. “I’m just tired.”
Again, I wondered what could possibly be wrong with her, because something was. She didn’t look just tired; she looked absolutely exhausted.
“It’s been a lot of traveling,” Dawson elaborated. “It’s kind of worn me out, too.”
He didn’t look worn out. If anything, he looked like he was bursting at the seams. His green eyes were particularly bright, especially every time he looked at Beth.
Which was all the time.
“Eat,” he said quietly to her. “You need to eat at least two of these.”
She laughed softly. “I don’t know about two.”
We stayed there for a while, long after the food was gone, and I think everyone was delaying the inevitable—the big talk. So much so that Matthew left the room, telling us he’d be back in a few moments.
Daemon leaned forward, dropping his hands to his knees. “Time to get down to business.”
“True dat,” Luc said. “We need to get on the road soon. Tomorrow would be best.”
“I think that’s assumed,” Andrew said. “But where exactly on the road are we heading to?”
Luc opened his mouth, but Archer held up a hand, silencing him. “Hold that thought.”
The younger origin’s eyes narrowed, but then he sat back, his jaw clenched. Archer stood and strode out of the room, hands closing into fists.
“What’s going on?” Daemon asked.
Unease snaked down my spine. I glanced over at Dawson, who also was suddenly on alert. “Luc,” I said, feeling my heart trip up.
Luc stood, his chest rising sharply. One second he was standing in front of the settee and the next he was across the room, a hand around Lyla’s throat. “How long?” he demanded.
“Holy shit.” Andrew jumped to his feet, moving in front of his sister and Dee.
“How long?” Luc demanded again, his fingers tightening on her throat.
Blood drained from the female Luxen’s face. “I-I don’t know what you m-mean.”
Daemon stood slowly and stepped forward. His brother was behind him. “What’s going on?”
Luc ignored him, lifting the frightened Luxen off the floor. “I’m going to give you five seconds to answer the question. One. Four—”
“I didn’t have a choice,” she gasped out, clutching the boy’s wrist.
My blood chilled.
Understanding rippled across the room, followed by horror. I moved closer to Beth, who was struggling to unwrap herself from the blanket.
“Wrong answer,” Luc said, voice low as he dropped Lyla. “You always have a choice. It’s the one thing that no one can strip from us.”
Luc moved so quickly that I doubted even Daemon could fully track what he did. His arm shot out. White swirled down his arm, exploding from his hand. A wave of heat and power flowed through the room, blowing the hair back from my face.
The energy smacked into Lyla’s chest, throwing her backward into the oil painting of the Vegas Strip. A look of shock crossed her face, and then there was nothing. Her eyes were blank as she slid down the wall, her legs tucking under her.
Oh my God… I stepped back, clamping my hand over my mouth.
There was a hole in Lyla’s chest. Smoke wafted out of it.
A second later, she blurred like bad reception, and then she was in her true form, the luminous glow fading until it revealed the translucent skin and network of dull veins.
“Care to explain why you just killed our host?” Daemon asked in a dangerously even voice.
Archer reappeared in the wide opening of the room, one hand clamped on the back of Matthew’s neck and a crushed phone in the other. Blood trickled out from Matthew’s nose, a deeper red with a blue tint to it.
Daemon and Dawson shot forward. “What the hell?” Daemon’s voice thundered through the house. “You have two seconds to answer that question before I tear this room apart with your ass.”
“Your friend here was making a phone call.” Archer’s tone was flat, so calm that a shudder worked its way through my muscles. “Tell them, Matthew, tell them who you were calling.”
There was no response from Matthew. He just stared at Daemon and Dawson.
Archer’s grip tightened, jerking Matthew’s head back. “The bastard was on the phone with Daedalus. He screwed us. Bad.”
Chapter 27
Daemon stepped back, actually physically recoiling from the accusation. “No.” His voice was hoarse. “No way.”
“I’m sorry,” Matthew said. “I couldn’t let this happen.”
“Let what happen?” Dee said. Her face was pale as her hands clenched at her sides.
Matthew didn’t take his eyes off Daemon. His voice, his entire being pleaded with Daemon to understand the
