I pulled back, laughing. “I was worried that we’d broken you.”

“Not quite.” Full of concern, her eyes searched my face. “Did you break yourself?”

I snorted. “Almost.”

She took a little breath, her lips forming a faint smile. “What now?”

My lips responded to hers, and I breathed in the late-night air, the scent of damp grass, and rich soil. I breathed in her. “We go home.”

Chapter 24

Colonies were all the same.

Human. Luxen. Arum. Ant.

Nothing but a whole ton of crazy Kool-Aid I didn’t want to come within five miles of, and I wouldn’t be, but they had something I needed—that Kat needed.

She really owed me for this.

Picturing some of the ways she could repay me for this visit…that movie would never end. I kicked back in the sterile living room. All white—couches, carpet, walls, and pillows. It was like they had something against color. It made me want to spill something on purpose.

When Ethan Smith returned, he carried a small leather pouch in his hands. He took one look at me and his dark brows arched over eyes the shade of violets. “I know you’re not the most patient of our kind, but it does take time to craft these things.”

Yeah, almost three whole days of my life I’d never live again. Most of it had been spent searching the state for more Arum and an entire day looking for the perfect piece of obsidian, but I was itchy to get back to Dee…and Kat. I didn’t like the idea that she was glowing like a disco ball on steroids.

Ethan didn’t hand the bundle over. Of course not, because that would be too easy at this point. “May I ask why you need this?”

“May I say no and you’ll drop the conversation?”

A small, tight smile appeared on the older Luxen’s face. “Your arrogance will one day be your downfall.”

That among other things, not that I was mentioning any names or anything.

Irritation flashed across Ethan’s face. “Not that I don’t appreciate all you do for the colony, but your—”

“Personality could use an improvement,” I cut in, thinking of Kat. “I get it. Trust me.”

Ethan tipped his head to the side. Hair was starting to gray along his temples. “I hope so. It would be a shame to our race if something unfortunate happened to you.”

I met his odd, amethyst-colored stare with my own. “I’m sure it would be.”

The other Luxen was the first to break contact. “Does this have anything to do with the light show over the weekend?”

“Yes. I killed a couple of Arum and lost a few blades in the process, so I wanted something for Dee to wear just in case another happens.” I sat forward, dropping my hands between my knees. “It’s the same thing I told all the other Elders, Ethan.”

“Hmm, I do believe it sounds familiar.” He handed over the bundle, and the weight of the obsidian felt familiar. I slipped it in my pocket, ready to bounce the hell out of there. “Though, I must say I have never seen such a display of power. It was remarkable.”

Unease trickled down my spine as I stood. There was something about Ethan, a quality I could never put my finger on, that sort of gave me the creeps. “Well, I am just friggin’ awesome.”

“Yes, you are.” Ethan rose fluidly and straightened his pressed shirt. “Still, I am positive the Department of Defense will question it.”

I stopped at the door, turning back to him. “And if they do?”

“We’ll tell the DOD nothing if they ask, like we normally do, but if you bring them to our doorstops too often, you won’t just have them to worry about. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Anger replaced the unease and I gritted out, “Yeah, I get what you’re saying.”

“Daemon?”

Facing him once more, my jaw was clenched so hard I was going to need to see the dentist. “Yes?”

Ethan clasped his hands together and smiled. “One more question.”

I was going to throw myself out a window. “Go ahead.”

“This human girl your sister and you have been associating with?” Ethan said, and I stiffened but wasn’t surprised. The Elders were as bad as the DOD, if not worse. “Will she be a problem?” he asked.

“No.” But you will be if you mention that “human girl” again. That I didn’t say out loud or in our language, but the look on my face got the message through loud and freaking clear.

Ethan nodded and didn’t stop me again.

Switching into my true form, I only took a few seconds to leave the colony and reach the cluster of houses. Not knowing if Kat’s mom was out roaming about, I flipped back into human form before I stepped out of the woods.

The strangest damn thing happened as I headed up our driveway. Warmth shot over the nape of my neck, followed by an almost pleasant tingle between my shoulder blades. Along with that weirdness, another sensation prodded me. A feeling of completion. What the hell?

I think I needed a nap.

As soon as I hit the porch, a weird, warm shiver crawled along the base of my neck and I knew Kat was inside. I couldn’t explain how I did or why, but I knew it in my core.

Pushing open the living room door, I headed through the foyer and my eyes found Kat before anyone else. She was sitting on the couch, thick lashes lowered, hiding those gray eyes. Her hair was down, falling around her face, over her shoulders, and down her back.

I stopped there, incapable of moving, too quick for her to notice. Seeing her, well, it did things I hadn’t been ready to delve into before. Hell, I really didn’t even know at what point I had become ready.

Probably happened somewhere between when I thought she was dead and when she wasn’t.

I dropped onto the couch beside her, watching her. I knew she was aware of me on this intrinsic level. The faint blush creeping across her cheeks confirmed it.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

Silence fell as Dee and Adam turned to her. I arched a brow, fighting a laugh as the heat raced across her cheeks and down her throat. “Well hello, honey, I’ve been out boozing and whoring. I know my priorities are pretty off.”

Her lips thinned. “Dick.”

My sister groaned. “Daemon, don’t be a jerk.”

“Yes, Mommy. I’ve been with another group, searching the whole damn state to make sure there aren’t any Arum that we’re not aware of,” I said, offering a better explanation.

Adam leaned forward. “There aren’t any, right? Because we told Katy she didn’t have anything to worry about.”

My gaze flickered to him briefly. “We haven’t seen a single one.”

Dee hooted happily and clapped her hands. She turned to Kat, smiling. “See, nothing to worry about. Everything is over.”

Kat smiled. “That is a relief.”

I filled Adam in on the trip, leaving out most of the conversation with Ethan Smith, but the whole time my attention was more focused on Kat. Hyperaware of every small movement she made, every muscle that twitched and then relaxed, and every breath she took.

“Katy? Are you even here, right now?” Dee asked.

“I think so.” Kat smiled again, but something was off about it. My eyes narrowed.

“Have you guys been driving her crazy?” I sighed. “Bombarding her with a million questions?”

“Never!” cried Dee. Then she laughed. “Okay. Maybe.”

“Figured,” I muttered, stretching out my legs. A second later, I glanced at Kat. Our eyes locked. Tension filled the room, and I wondered what was going on behind those eyes.

Dee cleared her throat loudly. “I’m still hungry, Adam.”

He laughed. “You’re worse than I am.”

“True. Let’s go to Smoke Hole. I think they’re having homemade meatloaf.” Dee hopped to her feet and kissed my cheek. “Glad you’re back. I’ve missed you.”