Scrubbing my hands down my face, I muttered a curse under my breath. How could I keep her away from any of this? She was a part of this, like the damn center of it all.

I dropped my arms to my sides. Staring at the wall, I wanted to slam my fists into the plaster. Damn, sometimes not caring about anyone was so much freaking easier. Feeling for a person, wanting them safe at all costs, was probably one of the scariest stunts I’d ever pulled.

I started for the kitchen when I sensed a nearby Luxen. A moment later, there was a knock on the door. Glancing out the window, I saw that it wasn’t Adam or Matthew, not even Ash.

Lydia stood at the door.

Not surprised that someone from the colony finally showed up, I went to the door and opened it. “I know why you’re here and no, you can’t see him.”

She smiled tightly. “Well, good afternoon to you, Daemon.”

I folded my arms, quiet.

With a sigh, she folded her hands together. The insulated white vest she wore reminded me of the officer Dawson had tossed through the window. “So, it is true? The rumors?”

When I didn’t answer again, Lydia lifted her chin. A flicker of light raced through her veins, a stark contrast against her ebony skin. “You can either answer my questions or answer Ethan’s. Is that what you want?”

I wanted that like I wanted a meteorite to land on my head. “What rumors did you hear?”

“You’re not going to let me in?” When I smiled at her, she looked like she was seconds from throwing me through a wall. The skin around her eye twitched. “Rumor is that Dawson was with the DOD this entire time.”

Having no idea what information I could trust Lydia with, I leaned against the doorframe. “Is that so?”

Lydia nodded. “He was being re-assimilated.”

I kept my expression blank. Re-assimilated? That was one way of looking at this screwed-up situation, but it was better than the truth. I doubted the colony would be thrilled to hear that Dawson had escaped, if that was what truly had happened.

Stepping out on the porch, I let the door close quietly behind me. “We didn’t know until they released him last week. We thought he was dead.”

“I know. I remember how you and Dee were afterward,” she said, her shoulders relaxing. “Why did they have him?”

“I don’t know.” I was such a damn good liar. “We haven’t really talked to the DOD, and Dawson hasn’t really gone into it.”

Lydia glanced behind me, at the closed door. “None of us have ever heard of the DOD releasing a Luxen who possibly needed to be re-assimilated.”

I met her steady gaze. “There’s always a first.”

“I suppose,” she replied, and a moment passed. “He won’t be a problem, right? You’ll make sure of that, won’t you? We don’t want the DOD snooping around, Daemon.”

The point of her visitation was finally laid out between us. The colony, the Elders, cared only about how Dawson’s presence affected them, and if he would drive unwanted attention toward them.

Question was, what was the colony hiding?

Kat still wasn’t exactly happy with me come Monday morning. She wanted an apology for Saturday night. I wanted one, too, and I also wanted to lock her in a room outfitted with obsidian, and maybe a shitload of assault rifles.

The rifles might not be a good idea. She would probably shoot me.

I figured we’d talk later, and later came at lunch when she rushed up to me while I was standing with Billy Crump, telling him the story of how Dawson had run away from home, but now he was back, and blah, blah bullshit.

Kat drew up short as she glanced at the milk I held in one hand and the slice of pizza in the other. “Ew,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Pizza and milk was an awesome combo.

“We need to talk,” she said.

I took a bite of my pizza while Kat eyed Billy like she wanted to take him down. The human boy must’ve sensed it, because he lifted his hands as he backed away. “Okay, well, I’ll talk to you later, Daemon.”

I nodded without taking my eyes off her. “What’s up, Kitten? Come to apologize?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Uh, no I’m not here to apologize. You owe me an apology.”

“How do you see that?” I took a drink.

Steam was seconds from pouring out of her ears. “Well, for starters, I’m not an ass. You are.”

I chuckled. “That’s a good start.”

“And I got Dawson to heel.” She smiled victoriously while I was feeling the exact opposite of that. “And—wait. This isn’t even important. God, you always do this.”

“Do what?” My gaze slid back to her, and even though she was pissed at me and I was angry at her, she was so freaking hot when she was mad. Her cheeks got all flushed, her eyes deepened to a stormy gray, and I wanted to lay her out on one of those tables.

“Distract me with the inane,” she said. “And in case you don’t know what that means: silly—you always distract me with something silly.”

I finished off my pizza. “I know what ‘inane’ means.”

“Shocker,” she retorted.

A slow smile inched across my lips. “I must be really distracting you, because you still haven’t told me what you need to talk to me about.”

Kat might hit me. “I saw—”

Tommy Cruz, football player and friend of the most likely dead Simon, knocked into Kat. No accident. Hell no. I straightened, pushing off the wall.

“Oh, sorry,” Tommy snickered. “Didn’t notice—”

Moving fast, I grabbed a fistful of Tommy’s shirt and pushed him back against the wall, lining him up with the stupid-ass mascot painted on the wall. Tommy’s eyes bugged. I waited for him to piss himself as he gasped out, “Jesus.”

I lifted the milk carton with my other hand, getting it nice and close with his face. “See this milk carton? Do you want to see your face on the back of it? No? Didn’t think so. Touch her again and it’ll be there.”

“Boys!” Coach Vincent’s voice rang out. “Break it up! Both of you! Break it up.”

Silence descended in the crowded cafeteria.

Tommy’s wide gaze darted around, as if he really thought someone was going to intervene. Wasn’t going to be his coach. Oh no, Coach was rocking the Luxen highway. I smiled at him as I slowly released my grip on his shirt, stepped back, and then dumped the milk carton over his head.

Kat slapped her hand over her mouth as sticky white liquid ran down Tommy’s face. Laughter rose from behind me as I patted a clean spot on his chest. “Glad we’ve reached an understanding.” Tossing the empty carton in the trash, I turned to the coach. “Sorry about that. Those milk cartons are slippery buggers.”

Coach stared back with a blank expression. “Get out of here. Now.”

Curving my fingers around Kat’s elbow, I guided her around and started down the aisle. “Overreact much?” she whispered, face burning bright.

I shrugged. “It made me feel better. And I know you thought it was funny.”

She cracked a tiny smile. “Yeah, okay. I did. A lot. Thank you.”

“Uh-huh.” I led her down the hall, stopping by the gym doors. She turned, leaning against the wall. I placed my hands on either side of her head and lowered my forehead to hers. “Can I tell you something?”

She nodded.

“I find it incredibly attractive when you’re all feisty with me.” I brushed my lips against her temple, smiling. “That probably makes me disturbed. But I like it.”

“Focus,” she said when my lips were near hers. She placed her hands on my chest, pushing lightly. “I have something more important to tell you than what disturbing things get you hot.”

I grinned as I backed off. “Okay, back to what you saw. I’m focused. My head’s in the game and all that.”

Kat laughed under her breath, but the sound vanished as she drew in a deep breath. “I’m pretty sure I saw Blake today.”

I cocked my head to the side. I did not hear that right. There was no way that idiot came back here. If so, he was a dead SOB, and he knew it. “Say what?”