Sinking my fingers into soil…wow, how long had it been since I’d done that? The day we’d left for Mount Weather? Too long.
“You doing okay?”
“Huh?” I glanced up at Daemon, and I realized that I must’ve stopped walking, because everyone else was already in the hall beyond the foyer. “Yeah, I was just thinking about gardens.”
An emotion crossed his face. Before I could decipher what it was, he looked away. I reached over and tugged on the hem of his shirt. “How about you? Seeing Dawson and Dee?”
He thrust his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what to think.” He kept his voice low. “I’m happy to see them, but…dammit.”
I nodded in understanding. “You don’t want them anywhere near this?”
“No. Not at all.”
I wanted to somehow lessen his concern, but I knew there was nothing I could say that would do so. I stretched up and kissed his cheek. That was the best I had.
He grinned down at me once I settled back on my feet. He opened his mouth to say something, but Dee popped back into the foyer.
Expression exasperated, she put her hands on her hips. “All right, you two, come in a little farther. There are people here in the great room who would like to say hi. Whatever a ‘great room’ is I really have no idea, but it is pretty great.”
God, I missed her so much.
Daemon lifted his head, smiling at his sister. “Yeah, I think I know who’s waiting.”
The people waiting to say hello were none other than Matthew, plus Ash and Andrew Thompson. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see them. All of them—Matthew, the Thompsons—were like a family. They converged on Daemon at once, and they swallowed him, Dawson and Dee included.
I hung back again, because this was his reunion—a well-deserved one. And the room was rather distracting. Oriental carpet. More statues of dolphins. Quartz-trimmed furniture. A couch big enough for the Duggar family.
Luc plopped down on a chaise longue and started texting away on his cell phone. Paris hung near him, like a grinning shadow. Archer was like me, on the outskirts, probably unsure of what to do as Dee started crying again.
Even Ash was crying.
I expected to feel the hot wave of jealousy when Daemon hugged her, but I didn’t. Other than the fact Ash still managed to make crying look glamorous, I was so over that useless emotion. If there was one thing I knew and understood in this world, it was that Daemon loved me.
Matthew stepped forward, grabbing Daemon’s shoulders. “It’s good…it’s good to see you.”
“You, too.” Daemon clasped his arms. “Sorry about your car.”
I wondered what happened to Matthew’s car, but that question was lost in the lump that was slithering up my throat. Watching them embrace each other, I was reminded of how important Matthew was to all of them. He’d been the only father any of them remembered.
“It’s hard, isn’t it?” Archer asked quietly.
Looking at him, I frowned. “Are you in my head again?”
“No. Your emotions are all over your face.”
“Oh.” I blew out a breath as I glanced back at the huddle. “I miss my mom, and I don’t know…” I shook my head, not wanting to finish.
When the group broke apart, Matthew was the first to approach me. The hug was a bit stiff, but I appreciated it. Ash and Andrew both appeared in front of me, and I was immediately wary of the two. They had never been big fans of mine.
Ash’s vibrant blue eyes were red-rimmed when she gazed at me, no doubt taking one look at my outfit and writing me off as a giant fashion fail. “I can’t say I’m overly thrilled to see you, but I’m happy you’re alive, or whatever.”
I choked on my laugh. “Uh, thanks?”
Andrew scratched his chin, face scrunched. “Yeah, I second that statement.”
I nodded, having no idea what to say. I raised my hands and gave a little shrug. “Well, I’m happy to see you guys, too.”
Ash laughed, the sound throaty. “No you’re not, but it’s cool. Seriously, our rampant dislike of you really isn’t at the top of the priority list right now.”
Archer blew out a low whistle and studiously looked away, which gained Ash’s catlike interest. As beautiful as she was, I doubted most could resist her.
I was saved from more awkward hellos by the newest entrance. The woman was around Matthew’s age, early thirties, tall and slender, wearing a strapless white sundress that swished around her ankles. She was model beautiful with long blond hair.
Obviously an alien.
She smiled warmly as she clasped her hands together. Brown bamboo bangles on her wrists thudded off one another. “I’m glad to see everyone made it here. My name is Lyla Marie. Welcome to my home.”
I murmured a hello as Daemon crossed the room and shook the Luxen’s hand. He was surprisingly much better at this than I was. Who knew? But seeing everyone here, being surrounded by people I once thought I’d never see again, was a little on the overwhelming side. I was happy, and I was confused, and this terrible coating of foreboding was like sweat on my skin.
Here we were, all of us, a couple of hundred miles from Area 51.
Trying to push those thoughts out of my head as Daemon introduced Archer, I sat on the edge of the couch, holding DB in my lap. Dee sat beside me, her cheeks flushed with emotion. I knew she was going to start crying again.
Dawson made his way over to Lyla’s side. “Is Bethany lying down?”
Bethany? My ears perked up. Of course she’d be here with Dawson. In the wave of faces, I just hadn’t thought of her. Was she sick?
Lyla patted Dawson on the back. “She’s okay. Just needs to rest a little bit. It was a lot of traveling.”
He nodded but didn’t look relieved as he turned to Daemon. “I’ll be right back. I just want to check on her.”
“Go,” Daemon said as he sat on the other side of me. Leaning against the cushion, he draped his arm along the back of the couch. “So…how is all of this possible? How did you guys know to come here?”
“Your lovely sister and brother showed up at my club and threatened to burn it down if I didn’t tell them where you were,” Luc said, glancing up from his phone. “True story.”
Dee wiggled under Daemon’s glare. “What? We knew you’d go there and that he’d probably know where you were.”
“Wait,” Daemon said, leaning around me to look at Dee. “Did you graduate? You better have graduated, Dee. I’m freaking serious.”
“Hey! Look who’s talking, Mr. I Have No High School Degree. Yes. I did graduate. Dawson did, too. Bethany…didn’t go back.”
That made sense. No way could they explain Bethany’s presence.
“We graduated, too, you know.” Ash paused, picking at her purple fingernail polish. “Just want to throw that out there.”
Running a hand through his blond hair, Andrew made a face at his sister but said nothing. Archer looked like he was fighting a grin—either that or he was grimacing at the crystal dolphin beside him.
“And what about this?” Daemon asked, gesturing at the house.
Lyla leaned against the arm of the couch. “Well, I’ve known Matthew since we were teenagers. We’ve kept in touch over the years, so when he called and asked if I knew of any places to stay, I extended him an invite.”
Daemon dropped his arms between his knees as his gaze met Matthew’s. “You never mentioned anything like this.”
There wasn’t any accusation in Daemon’s tone, mostly confusion. Matthew sighed. “It’s not something I felt comfortable telling anyone, nor did I think I’d ever have to. It just never came up.”
Daemon didn’t say anything for a moment; he seemed to ingest that and then rubbed both hands down his face. “You guys really shouldn’t be here.”
Beside me, Dee groaned. “I so knew you were going to start in with this. Yes. Being here is dangerous, we get that. But we weren’t going to let this happen to you and Katy. What the hell would that have said about us?”
“You don’t think before you act?” Daemon suggested gamely.
I smacked his knee. “I think what he’s trying to say is that he doesn’t want you guys to be in danger.”
Andrew huffed. “We can handle anything they throw at us.”
“Actually, no you can’t.” Luc swung his feet onto the floor and sat up, slipping his phone into his pocket. “But here’s the thing. They were already in danger, Daemon. Deep down, you acknowledge that. Daedalus would’ve gone right after them. Make no mistake about that. Nancy would’ve shown up at their door.”
Daemon’s muscles locked up in his arm. “I get that, but this is like going from the frying pan into the damn volcano.”
“Not really,” Dawson said from the doorway. He carried two black billfolds in his hand as he walked them over to Daemon and me. He handed one to each of us. “We stay here for a day or so. Figure out our next move and where everyone is going to go, and then we all disappear. That’s what’s in your hands. Say hello to your new identities.”
Chapter 23
Katy
Reading my new name for a third time, I still couldn’t believe it. Something about this name was familiar. “Anna Whitt?”
Dee bounced a little. “I picked the names.”
Things started to click into place. “What’s yours, Daemon?”
He flipped his billfold open and snickered. “Kaidan Rowe. Hmm. That has a nice ring to it.”
My mouth dropped open as I twisted toward Dee. “You picked names from a book!”
She giggled. “I thought you’d like that. Besides, Sweet Evil is one of my favorites, and you made me read it, so…”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed as I stared down at my picture ID. It was an identical copy of my real driver’s license, except it was a different state and address. Underneath it was my actual ID—Katy Swartz—and a few other sheets of folded paper.
Gosh, I missed my books. I wanted to hug them, love them, squeeze them.
“I found that in your bedroom,” Dee explained, tapping a finger off it. “I snuck in and got you some clothes and this before we left.”
“Thank you,” I said, sliding my new ID over my old one. Staring at both was going to give me an identity crisis.
“So, wait, my new name is from one of those books?” Daemon frowned. He also had his real ID, but there was a bank card underneath, set to Kaidan’s name. “I’m afraid to even ask what it’s about. I better not be named after any kind of magician or something lame like that.”
“No. It’s about angels, demons, and nephilim, and…” I stalled, acutely aware that everyone was staring at me like I’d grown a third eye. “Kaidan’s like the embodiment of lust.”
His eyes sparkled in interest. “Well, now that couldn’t be any more fitting.” He elbowed me, and I rolled my eyes. “Huh? Perfect, right?”