This time it was her soft inhale that I heard, and I knew my promise was bold and it was a big deal, but it was one I wouldn’t break.

Chapter 21

I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming, but if I was, I didn’t want to wake up. The scent of peach and vanilla teased me, invaded me.

Kat.

Only she smelled that wonderful, of summer and all the things I could want and never have. The length of her body was pressed against mine, with her hand resting on my stomach. The steady rise and fall of her chest became my entire world, and in this dream—because it had to be a dream—I felt my own chest matching her breaths.

Every cell in my body sparked and burned. If I were awake, I’d surely take on my true form. My body was on fire.

Just a dream, but it felt real.

I couldn’t resist sliding my leg over hers, burrowing my head between her neck and shoulder, and inhaling deeply. Divine. Perfect. Human. Breathing became more difficult than I’d ever imagined. Lust swirled through me, heady and consuming. I tasted her skin—a slight brush of my lips, a flick of my tongue. She felt perfect underneath me, soft in all the places I was hard.

Moving over her, against her, I loved the sound she made—a soft, wholly feminine murmur that scorched every piece of me. “You’re perfect for me,” I whispered in my own language.

She stirred under me, and I dreamed her responding, wanting me instead of hating me.

I pressed down, sliding my hand under her shirt. Her skin felt like satin underneath my fingertips. Precious. Prized. If she were mine, I’d cherish every inch of her. And I wanted to. Now. My hand crept up, up, up. Her skin was so smooth, so soft.

Kat gasped.

The dreamy cloud dissipated with the sound I felt all the way through me. Every muscle locked up. Very slowly, I pried my eyes open. Her slender, graceful neck sloped before me. A section of skin was pink from the stubble on my jaw…

The clock on the wall ticked.

Shit.

I’d felt her up, in my sleep.

I lifted my head and stared down at her. Kat watched me, her eyes a smoky, wonderful gray and questioning. Double shit.

“Good morning?” she said, her voice still rough with sleep.

Using my arm, I pushed up and even then, knowing that none of it had been a dream, I couldn’t look away from her, didn’t want to. An infinite need was there, in her, in me. Demanding that I kneel to it, and I wanted to—dammit, did I ever want to.

The only thing that got to me, that cleared the layers of lust and idealistic stupidity out of my head, was the trace shimmering around her. She looked like the brightest star.

She was in danger. She was a danger to us.

With one last look, I shot across the room with inhuman speed, slamming the door behind me. Every step away from that room, from that bed, was painful and stiff. Rounding the corner, I almost ran into my sister.

Dee studied me, eyes narrowed.

“Shut up,” I muttered, heading past her.

“I didn’t say anything, jerk-face.” Amusement betrayed her words.

“Don’t say anything,” I warned.

Once inside my bedroom, I quickly changed into a pair of sweats and slipped on my sneakers. Running into my sister cooled most of me down, but there was a raw edge to my nerves, and I needed to be out of this house, away from her.

Not even bothering to change my shirt, I picked up speed, shooting through the house and out the front door. The moment my sneaks touched the porch, I took off and darted into the woods in a burst of speed. Overhead skies were gray and bleak. Drizzle pelted my face like a thousand tiny needles. I welcomed it, pushing and pushing until I was deep in the woods. Then I shed my human skin, taking my true form as I shot among the trees, moving until I was nothing more than a streak of light.

I wanted that—I wanted Kat.

That wasn’t an entirely new thought or realization. From the moment I saw those legs, I’d pictured said legs wrapped around me, tangled with mine, more than a time or two. And then she’d rocked that red bikini? Wanting her wasn’t new, but the intensity of what I felt this morning was.

I wanted Kat so badly it neared physical pain.

Had it been because of last night? Her saving me? Or had it been earlier, seeing her with Simon and that dress? Or had it been building from day one? None of it mattered.

This was wrong.

Think of Dawson. Look at what had happened to him. Did I want to take the same risk? Leave Dee all alone? But even now I could feel her skin, taste it—sweet and sugary like candy. Hear that wonderful sound she made over and over again, haunting every mile I put between us.

An idea began to form—one that Dee would hate, but I didn’t see any other option. I could go to the DOD and request a move to one of the other communities. We’d be giving up our home, leaving behind our friends and Matthew, but it would be for the best. It was the right thing to do. Dee would be safe.

It would keep Kat safe.

Because Dee couldn’t stay away from her, and neither could I. But no matter where I went, what I was running from would still be with me—Kat. She wasn’t just back in the house, in that bed. She was with me now, inside me. And there was no outrunning that.

When I returned from my run, everything felt under control. I had a plan, one I would act on. I entered the house, determined.

Andrew’s car was parked outside, and I really hoped the whole clan wasn’t here already. Then again, I knew the inevitable confrontation with Matthew and the Thompsons would happen fast.

Dee was waiting for me in the living room. She opened her mouth.

“Where’s Kat?” I asked, and then mentally punched myself in the nuts. Asking about her right off the bat didn’t seem like I had everything under control.

My sister cocked a brow. “She went next door a few minutes ago. Her mom is home, but she’s coming back over in a few minutes.” She took a deep breath. “Daemon—”

Adam roamed out from the kitchen, an apple in his hand. “Andrew and Ash are pissed.”

Lifting my forearm, I wiped the sweat beading across my forehead. “And that’s different from any other day?”

He smirked. “Well, they can’t believe you guys kept this a secret—the whole Kat knowing about us. They’re on their way over here now.”

“With Matthew.” Dee folded her arms across her waist. Worry filled her gaze. “He’s also not very happy, Daemon. I’m afraid he’s going—”

“He’s not going to do anything.” I pinned Adam with a hard look. “You’re not pissed?”

“Not really.” He raised a shoulder as he bit into the apple, chewing thoughtfully. “I mean, she’s known for a while, right? Dee made it sound like she has and she hasn’t said anything yet, so why would she now?”

“She won’t,” Dee and I responded at the same time.

I shot my sister a wry look while she grinned. “I’m taking a shower.” I turned, starting for the stairs.

Glancing over her shoulder at Adam, Dee trailed after me. “Kat is coming back over here, like in ten minutes.”

“Okay.”

“Everyone else is coming over here,” she added.

I was halfway up the stairs when it hit me. Twisting around, I stared down at Dee.

“Kat knows that they know and that they are coming over. She wants to be here, and I think it’s a good idea.”

I came down a step as my brows rose. “Having her here with three Luxen who disliked and distrusted her already is a good idea how? Unless we’re considering making it easier for them to try to fry her a good idea.”

“Andrew and Ash are a lot of talk. You know that,” Adam said from the foyer. “They won’t hurt her.”