My brother nodded. “Okay.”

A muscle began to tick along my jaw, and it took a huge amount of self-control to keep my mouth shut.

Kat had no problem talking. “But you have to promise to give us time. You can’t get impatient and run off. You have to swear.”

A shudder rolled through Dawson as he faced her. His arms dropped to his sides. “I swear. Help me and I swear.”

“It’s a deal.”

I closed my eyes for a brief second, partially relieved that Dawson was backing down and partially infuriated by Kat involving herself in this. Her fingers were like ice cubes when I took the keys from her. The walk to the SUV was strained and silent. We piled into my car, Dawson in the back. The fight had gone out of him, and he was resting his head against the backseat of the SUV, eyes closed.

Kat watched me as I pulled off the shoulder of the road, then she peered over the back of her seat. “Hey, Dawson…?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go back to school?”

My hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“I mean, I’m sure you can,” she continued, nibbling on her finger. “You could tell people you ran away. It happens.”

“People think he’s dead,” I pointed out, my voice harsh.

“I’m sure some runaways all across the nation are believed to be dead and aren’t,” she reasoned.

“What do I tell them about Beth?” he asked after a moment.

“That’s a good question.” Challenge dripped from my voice.

Kat paused from gnawing on her finger. “That you both ran away, and you decided to come home. She didn’t.”

Leaning forward, Dawson rested his chin in the palms of his hands. “Better than sitting around thinking about everything.”

“He’d have to get registered for classes,” I said, and as much as I hated to admit it, her idea was a good one. If Dawson was in school, I wouldn’t have to worry about him running off while Dee and I were there. He would be contained at least eight hours a day. “I’ll talk to Matthew. See what we can do to get it taken care of.”

Proud of herself, Kat settled back in her seat with a smile.

Dee was waiting on the front porch when I pulled into the driveway, Andrew standing sentry beside her. Dawson was out first, heading toward Dee. They spoke and then embraced. That was another first since he’d arrived.

Turning off the car, I looked over at Kat. “I thought I told you to go home.”

Her smile faded as she looked over at me. “I had to help.”

Turning my gaze to the windshield, I dropped my hands to my lap. “What would you have done if it wasn’t Dawson you came upon, but me fighting the DOD or whatever the hell the other group is?”

“Daedalus,” she said. “And if it were them, I would’ve still helped.”

“Yeah, and that’s what I have a problem with.” I got out of the SUV and walked around to the front. Leaning against the bumper, I waited for her.

A handful of seconds later, she joined me. “I know you’re upset because you worry about me,” she said. “But I’m not going to be the girl who sits at home and waits for the hero to wipe out the villains.”

“This isn’t a book,” I snapped.

“Well, duh—”

“No. You don’t get it.” I turned to her, furious at her and frightened for her. “This isn’t a paranormal fantasy or whatever the hell it is you read. There is no set plot or clear idea of where any of this is going. The enemies aren’t obvious. There are no guaranteed happy endings and you—” I lowered my head so we were eye level. “You are not a superhero, no matter what the hell you can do.”

Her gray eyes turned stormy. “I know this isn’t a book, Daemon. I’m not stupid.”

“You’re not?” I laughed without humor. “Because being smart isn’t rushing off after me.”

“The same could be said about you!” Anger rose in her voice, matching mine. “You run off after Dawson without knowing what you’re getting into.”

“No shit. But I can control the Source without trying. I know what I’m capable of. You don’t.”

“I know what I’m capable of,” she threw back.

“Really? If I’d been surrounded by human officers, would you have been able to take them down. Live with yourself after that?”

Her lips parted as blood drained out of her cheeks. Her voice came out as a whisper. “I’m prepared to do that.”

God, I didn’t want to hear that. I took a step back, shaking my head. “Dammit, Kat, I don’t want you to experience that.” Raw emotion slammed into my chest. “Killing isn’t hard. It’s what comes afterward—the guilt. I don’t want you to deal with that. Don’t you understand that? I don’t want you to have this kind of life.”

“But I already have this kind of life. All the hoping, wishing, and good intentions in the world aren’t going to change that.”

That just pissed me off more, because I never, never wanted her to experience any of that. “That issue aside, what you promised Dawson was freaking unbelievable.”

“What?” Her arms dropped to her sides.

“Help him find Beth? How in the hell are we supposed to do that?”

She shifted from one foot to the next. “I don’t know, but we’ll figure something out.”

“Oh, that’s good, Kat. We don’t know how to find her but we’ll help. Awesome plan.”

Heat flooded her cheeks again. “You’re such a hypocrite! You told me yesterday we’d find out what Will was up to, but you have no idea how. The same thing with Daedalus!”

I opened my mouth, but shit, she had me.

“And you couldn’t lie to Dawson when he asked what you’d do if they had me. You’re not the only one who gets to make brash and stupid decisions.”

“That’s not the point.”

She cocked a brow. “Lame argument.”

I shot forward. “You had no right to make those kinds of promises to my brother. He’s not your family.”

Kat flinched as she took a step back, and a part of me regretted my words, but she had made a promise we had no idea how to keep to my more-than-slightly-unstable brother.

“Dawson is my problem, because he’s your problem.” Her voice shook as she continued. “We’re in this together.”

My eyes met hers. “Not on everything, Kat. Sorry. That’s just the way it is.”

She drew back again, blinking rapidly. “If we’re not together on everything, then how can we really be together?” Her voice cracked. “Because I don’t see how that’s possible.”

My eyes widened. Shit. “Kat—”

She shook her head and then backed away from me. Pivoting around, she walked over to her house, her movements stiff. I wanted to go after her. I wanted to stop her. I didn’t want tonight to end like this.

But I didn’t.

Chapter 6

After I met with Matthew Sunday morning, he said he could work something out with the officials that would allow Dawson to return to school. It wasn’t going to be easy, and not just the technicalities of Dawson reentering school. It was going to be a lot for him to deal with.

“It’s a good idea,” Matthew had said.

Yeah, it had been a good idea, but it was going to be a freak show when it happened, just like it had been after he and Bethany had disappeared and after Adam had died.

The only thing different this time was that we could prepare for it. Since Dawson wasn’t able to make his grand reappearance until sometime midweek, we were going to be able to lay the groundwork as soon as we returned to school Monday. Dawson’s return wouldn’t be kept secret there.

It was Sunday afternoon and Dee was upstairs with Dawson, attempting to convince him to let her cut his hair. I was pacing the length of the living room, my thoughts on the house next door. On the person next door.

Some of the anger had faded from last night, enabling me to see that I kind of made a mess out of explaining why I was so furious with her. As impossible as it was, I wanted her far away from all of this.