“No.” Daemon was seething. “You’re not going to hurt her.”
“You promised,” Nancy said. “Do I need to continuously remind you of that?”
“I didn’t agree to you hurting her,” he replied, the pupils of his eyes starting to glow.
Archer moved in closer. The other guard moved to the wall, near a very unfriendly looking button. Stuff was about to hit the fan, and when Dr. Roth showed what was in his hand, Daemon shot to his feet, letting go of mine and moving in front of me.
“Not going to happen, buddy,” he said, hands closing into fists.
Light glinted off the steel scalpel Roth held. The good doctor took a wise step back. “I promise she will barely feel it. I’m a doctor. I know how to make a clean cut.”
The muscles in Daemon’s back locked up. “No.”
Nancy made a sound of impatience as she lowered the clipboard. “This can be easy or this can become very difficult.”
His head swung in her direction. “Difficult for you or me?”
“For you and for Katy.” She took a step forward, either very brave or very stupid. “We could always restrain you. Or we could do this and get it over with. The choice is yours.”
Daemon looked like he was going to call their bluff, and I knew that they would go through with it. If he or I put up a fight, they’d fill this room with onyx, restrain him until they did whatever they wanted to me, and then release him. Either way, this was going to happen. The decision was ours—to go the clean or messy route.
I stood on legs that felt weak. “Daemon.”
He looked over his shoulder at me. “No.”
Forcing a smile that felt weird, I shrugged. “It’s going to happen either way. Trust me.” Pain flickered across his face at the last two words. “If we do this, then it’s over. You agreed to this.”
“I did not agree to this.”
“I know…but you’re here, and…” And this was why I didn’t want him here. Turning to the doctor, I held out my hand. “He’s not going to let anyone do this. I’m going to have to do it myself.”
Daemon stared at me incredulously. The doctor turned to Nancy, who nodded. It was obvious that her position, whatever it was, usurped the sergeant’s.
“Go ahead,” Nancy said. “I trust that Katy knows what will happen if she decides to use that knife in a very bad manner.”
I shot the woman a hateful look as the cool instrument landed in my palm. Mustering up my courage, I turned to Daemon. He was still staring at me like I was insane. “Ready?”
“No.” His chest rose in a deep breath, and a very rare thing happened. Helplessness had crept into his eyes, turning them a mossy shade of green. “Kat…”
“We have to.”
Our eyes locked, and then he extended his hand. “I’ll do it.”
I stiffened. “No way.”
“Give it to me, Kat.”
There were several reasons why I wasn’t giving him the scalpel. Mainly because I didn’t want him to feel guilty about it, and I was also afraid he’d turn it into a projectile. I shifted slightly, opening my left hand. I’d never cut myself before, at least on purpose. My heart was pounding crazy fast and my stomach was jumping. The edge of the scalpel was wicked sharp, so I assumed it wouldn’t take much pressure to do the deed.
I poised it over my open palm, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Wait!” Daemon shouted, causing me to jerk. When I looked up, his pupils were completely white. “I need to be in my true form.”
Now I was staring at him like he was nuts. There had been many times when he did quick patch-up work in his human form. He only turned into a glow stick when things were serious. I had no idea what he was up to.
He turned to Nancy and the sergeant, who wore mirror looks of suspicion. “I want to make sure I do this quick and fast. I don’t want her to be in pain, and I don’t want it to scar.”
They seemed to believe that, because Nancy nodded her approval. Daemon took a deep breath, and then his body started to shimmer. He was changing. The outline of his form began to fade out, clothes and all. For a second, I forgot that we were in this room, that I was holding a scalpel about to slice open my own flesh, and that we were basically prisoners of Daedalus.
Watching him take on his true form was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Just before he’d completely faded out, he started to take shape again. Arms. Legs. Torso. Head. For a brief second, I could see him, really see him. The skin was translucent, like a jellyfish, and the network of veins was filled with a pearlescent glow. The features were Daemon, but sharper and more defined, and then he was shining as bright as the sun. A human-shaped light tinged in red that was so beautiful to look upon that tears filled my eyes.
I really don’t want you to do this.
Like always, hearing his voice in my head came as a shock. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to it. I started to respond vocally but caught myself. You shouldn’t have come here, Daemon. This is what they want.
The luminous head cocked to the side. Coming here for you was the only thing I could do. Doesn’t mean I have to be okay with everything. Now do this before I change my mind and see if I really can’t tap into the Source and kill someone.
My gaze fell to the scalpel, and I cringed. Getting a good grip on the handle, I could feel several eyes on me. Being the coward that I am, I squeezed my eyes shut, brought the blade down on my palm, and sliced.
I hissed at the flare of pain and dropped the scalpel, watching the thin cut immediately bubble with blood. It was like a paper cut times a million.