Opposition

9

{ Daemon }

I didn’t like this setup at all. Having Kat in a different car was bad enough, but leaving her with Sadi and Rolland made me want to put my fist through the back of someone’s head.

Dee was sitting in the front, next to one of the newcomers, dressed like a mini-Sadi, wearing a pantsuit. God, that made my skin crawl right off my bones. There were at least a hundred things I didn’t like about that, and all of them made me want to punch myself in the face.

I was in a punching mood.

That was so messed up after the bliss I’d experienced this morning with Kat. The time spent with her, in her, now seemed like forever ago. There was an odd, desperate edge to my thoughts that I couldn’t shake. Like the feel of her lips, and how it almost seemed like it was something in the past.

My brother cast me a long look before shifting his gaze back to the window. He was tense, practically as tight as a bow.

The mayor lived out in the boondocks, and we were still at least five miles or so from the city. I wanted to tell the guy behind the wheel to hurry the hell up.

Suddenly, the cruiser in front of us slammed on its brakes, and I was jerked forward when the Hummer followed suit. Grasping the back of the seat in front of me, I swore under my breath.

“What’s going on?” Dee asked, frowning. “We shouldn’t be stopping.”

Up ahead, a black sedan veered to the left without any warning, and I saw something that caused my heart to freaking stop on a damn dime. Horror balled in the pit of my stomach.

The limo Kat traveled in swerved into the right lane, and then went up on one side. It clipped a motorcycle cop, and as it spun out, right into the path of another, the rider shifted forms a second too late and smacked against the sedan’s windshield. The limo was airborne, coasting several feet before coming down on its roof. Metal crunched.

“Stop the car!” Dawson shouted.

I was already reaching for the door while the Hummer fishtailed to a stop. Throwing open the door, I didn’t stop to think what it looked like to the dozen or so Luxen spilling out of their respective vehicles. I didn’t care.

Pushing past one in a uniform, I raced toward the wrecked limo. The only way I knew Kat was still alive was the fact that I was breathing, but that didn’t mean jack. She could be injured, and the knowledge she could be seriously hurt was enough to nearly take my knees out from underneath me.

Dawson and Dee were right behind me as I rounded the mangled, flickering body of the Luxen who had been on the motorcycle.

A bright white light flared inside the limo.

I skidded to a halt.

The back door blew out from the limo, winging across the road at such a force that it ripped right through a Luxen in a police uniform. Like, one Luxen suddenly became two not-so-put-together Luxen.

“Holy halfies,” Dawson murmured.

No sooner than those words popped out of my brother’s mouth, a blue and red and white form followed the path of the door, zooming across the road and slamming into a pine. The ancient tree rocked. Needles fell to the earth as the blur dropped face-first onto the ground.

Sadi.

My wide eyes swung back to the limo as one small, delicate hand appeared on the asphalt, and then a slender arm followed, revealing the short sleeve of a black sweater.

Kat pulled herself out of the busted opening where the door used to be. Pushing to her feet, she brushed long hair out of her face. Blood trickled from her mouth and her right pant leg was ripped around the thigh, covered with red.

I started toward her. Two words stopped me.

She looked at me, dragging in a deep breath as the white light, tinged in red, powered down both her arms. “They know.”

Dawson cursed as understanding rippled over the two of us. Dee shouted as I slipped out of my human form. It was like taking off a jacket. Game over. The only thing I was capable of thinking at the moment was getting those I cared for the hell out of here.

I whipped around, unleashing the Source on the driver before he had a chance to go all special Luxen on our asses.

Our kind wasn’t the easiest to kill. We were like alien Energizer Bunnies. We kept getting up and we kept coming. The blow had to be catastrophic to the system. Kind of like with zombies—an analogy Kat would approve of—taking off the head was one way. A blow to the heart was another. One blast of the Source wouldn’t always do it.

The driver stumbled to his feet, rearing back to unleash his own little ball of happiness, and I hit him again, and then again, right over the chest.

Multiple hits from the Source would do the trick.

White light flared over the driver, pulsing through the network of veins, and then all the light went out as the driver toppled over like a paper sack in the wind.

Dawson was taking out a lot of pent-up aggression as he went after a Luxen in officer’s clothing. Kat had turned back to the limo, arms raised, flipping the crumpled car back on its wheels.

Dayum.

The tall Luxen who hardly spoke rushed out of the car, and I started toward him, easily dodging a blast of light, but drew up short as the long lengths of Kat’s hair lifted off her shoulders. Static crackled into the air around her.

A blast of the Source left her hand smacking into the Luxen and launching him into the air. She didn’t stop, sending another and another until he crashed back down on the hood. A shimmery, incandescent pool of liquid rapidly formed under the still form.

Oh, parts of my body got all kinds of tingly seeing that go down.

Kat whipped toward me, her eyes glowing from within. In that moment, she looked like a goddess—a goddess of vengeance.

If we weren’t in the middle of a fight, I’d have you up against a tree right now.

One side of her lips curled up. You’re such a— Behind you!

I spun, catching the Luxen’s arm.

Trataaie, it seethed, branding me a traitor.

Whatever. Twisting to the side, I gripped the Luxen hard as I lifted it up and tossed it like a Frisbee of Fun. The Luxen whirled through the air, connecting with a telephone pole. Wood splintered. Lines snapped and electricity arced, sending sparks flying.

Kat rushed past me, letting loose on a Luxen who was sneaking up on Dawson while he finished off two others. The newcomer whirled on her, howling as he clutched his shoulder and then charged her.

Baby held her ground.

Dipping to the side at the last minute, she slammed her knee into his midsection and then slapped her hands down on his bowed head. The Source crackled from her palms, cascading over the Luxen in a direct headshot.

Another down.

Damn, she was freaking glorious.

By the side of the road, Sadi was up and stumbling forward. She planted a hand on the hood of a cruiser, holding herself up.

Kat stalked over, determination set in the lines of her pale face. She swooped down, picked up the damaged car door, and swung it like a baseball bat. The door caught Sadi in the chest, knocking her away from the car and down onto one leg.

“That was for being a complete bitch!” She caught Sadi in the back, pushing her forward. “And this is for even thinking it was okay to touch me.” The final swing came from the front, snapping Sadi’s head into next week. “And that is for even speaking Daemon’s name.”

Sadi toppled over onto her ass, knees folded under her, and Kat, breathing deeply, turned to me.

Damn, Kitten, you’re badass, almost scary, and yet so freaking hot.

She tossed the door to the ground. “I don’t think she’s dead.”

She looks dead.

Her lip curled up. “She’s an Origin. I don’t even know how to kill one of them, but I really want to find out.”

Before I could process that revelation, a Luxen raced from the rear of our little caravan, wanting to get in on our party of awesome ass-kicking. Taking a step back, I looked around and tapped into the power inside me as I spied the perfect weapon.

An intense wave rippled out from me, cracking the asphalt and throwing a cruiser onto its side. Sirens went off as the roll hit the pines lining the road. Two trembled violently and then uprooted. Thick roots hung, dirt clinging to them, and the scent of rich, old soil filled the air.

Get down! I sent the message, and Kat and Dawson hit the ground like pros.

The pines flew across the road like a giant clothesline, catching and picking up the line of glowing figures, carrying them across the road into the other thick stand of pines.

Lowering my arms, I shook out the tension creeping up my shoulders and stepped forward. A few looked like smashed bugs on a windshield, covered in shimmery liquid. They wouldn’t be getting up again any time soon, but the others would.

Kat climbed to her feet. Straightening, she pointed at the limo. Rolland was wiggling out, still in his human form. “Kill them!” he shouted, then got all repetitive in our native language.

There were at least seven or so standing, and as I darted toward Dawson and Kat, I knew the odds weren’t looking good. We were doing some damage, taking a few out here and there, but there were still many left. Too many.

During it all, Dee stood there. She didn’t get in on the fight, didn’t come to our aid or theirs. She stood by the side of the road, her hands balled into fists, watching the remaining Luxen surround us. I raised my hand as I reached out to her. She had to join us. There was no way. No matter how strong the pull, we were her real family.

But she didn’t move as the others drew closer.

Dee?

She looked at me and shook her head, taking a step away. I couldn’t believe it. Weight pressed down on my chest as I stared at her. She couldn’t be making this choice. There was no way.

The Luxen were closing in.

This is bad. Dawson’s voice floated through me. This is real bad.

It was, but we weren’t going down like this. I wrapped my hand around Kat’s and she squeezed back, causing light to pulse up my arm. I pulled her closer as Dawson moved to stand in front of her. Wasn’t that either of us thought she couldn’t handle her own. But ultimately, we were stronger than she was. We could take more hits, and there were definitely some major hits coming our—

What sounded like a hundred large-winged birds descended on the forest surrounding us. We turned, just like the other Luxen did, as six dark-colored helicopters crested the tall pines.

They tilted as they neared the road, doors open on all except one, which circled around, sliding the doors open.

I’d seen the movie Black Hawk Down a few times. I knew what I was watching.

Ropes flopped over the edge, spinning down to the road. Within seconds, soldiers appeared at the doors of the helicopters, dressed in all black, faces hidden behind protective headgear. Some went for the ropes, rapelling down. Others knelt at the edges of the helicopters, aiming weapons that reminded me of a small rocket launcher.

It was the same weapon strapped along the backs of the soldiers racing down the street—PEP weapons, pulse energy projectiles. Weapons deadly to Luxen, hybrids, and Origins.

Oh hell.

{ Katy }

Every part of my body ached. Things went from oh crap to FML in a matter of seconds. We were seriously screwed every which way from Sunday.

The brothers, slipping into their human forms, pushed me back against a wrecked cruiser as soldiers dropped to the street. We didn’t have a chance. Not with so many soldiers coming down like rain all around us.

Daemon’s hand tightened around mine as one of the Luxen reared, sending a bolt of the Source at the nearest helicopter. The energy hit just below the propellers. Sparks flew as the helicopter veered sharply, spinning out of control and into the pines. The impact shook the ground, and the wave of heat from the fireball forced me farther back against the cruiser.

A soldier went down on one knee, hoisting his weapon. There was a blue flare at the end of the muzzle, and then light shot out, much like the Source, but it was a brilliant sheen of blue. It smacked into the Luxen, lighting him up as if he had been struck by lightning. There was a vibrant pulse, a whitish-red, and then the Luxen fell backward. As the glow dimmed from the Luxen, it was obvious that there was no life left.

All hell broke loose.

Pulses of PEP streamed across the street, as did the light from the Source. Both sides were going down quickly, toppling like a row of dominoes.

“Jesus,” Daemon grunted as he pushed me to the side.

I hit Dawson’s chest as a stray beam of PEP rolled into the cruiser. He pushed me around the hood and kept pushing, but I dug in my heels, straining around the cruiser so I could see Daemon.

He was moving among the abandoned cars, blue and white light flashing across his form.

“Dee!” he shouted.

My eyes scanned for his sister, finding her farther up the road near a rapidly retreating Rolland. He was heading for her, narrowly dodging blasts of light. My heart jumped in my chest as a PEP explosion hit the ground only a few inches from his feet.

“Daemon!” I started toward him but was grabbed from behind.

“You’re going to get yourself killed!” Dawson yanked me against his hard chest, and as I struggled to get free, he lifted my feet clear off the ground.

I grasped his forearms, kicking out. “Let me go!”

Dawson kept pulling me down the side of the road as Daemon vaulted over a sedan, racing toward his sister. Dawson turned, and near the limo, the flashes of light were almost blinding.

“Good God,” Dawson muttered in my ear. “Look at them.”

For a moment, all we could do was stare. He lowered me to my feet, his grip loosening. We shared the same objective, maybe morbid, fascination.

One by one, the Luxen charged and were picked off by a blast of PEP from the soldiers who had formed an almost impenetrable line.

The Luxen were well aware of the weapon, but they didn’t seem to grasp the fundamental fact that all it took was one blast. But as far as I was concerned, they could keep running straight at the soldiers all they wanted. Have at it.

However, two soldiers streamed up the middle of the road, in between the cars, searching down the Luxen who seemed to have an ounce of common sense and were making a run for it.

One of the soldiers was heading straight for Daemon, who had caught up to Dee and had her by the shoulders, shaking her. Rolland was by the side of the road, too close to them. A cluster with nothing but bad things written all over it was about to go down.

All I could think about was getting to Daemon.

I slammed my foot into Dawson’s, startling him into letting go, and I broke free, racing up the side of the road, his curses following every one of my steps. Pain lanced my leg as I darted between a Hummer and a cruiser.

The soldier went down on one knee, leveling the gun.

Up ahead and in front of the soldier, Dee yanked herself free from her brother, her face contorted. “No!”

“Please—” He grabbed for her again.

“No. You don’t get it!” She shoved him, and he stumbled, more out of shock than from her strength. “For once, I don’t hurt. I don’t worry. I want this.”

Blue light pulsed at the end of the muzzle, but I couldn’t pull any more of the Source. I was drained, wiped out. I pushed with everything physically in me, more than willing to go hand to hand.

I was no more than three feet from the kneeling soldier when the other soldier abruptly stepped out in front of me. Skidding to a stop, I lost my balance and landed on my butt.

The end of a PEP weapon was planted in my face.

“Don’t move,” came a muffled voice from behind the helmet.

Blue light flared from the other weapon, and horror zinged through me as I cried out. Daemon whirled around, shielding his sister even as she pushed free from him once more. The PEP blast shot through the cars, forging the distance between the gun and where Daemon and Dee stood, striking its target in the chest.

Behind them, Rolland was knocked back, flipping in and out of his human form. His head kicked against the road as he bellowed. The glow surrounding him throbbed once, and then there was nothing.

The soldier hadn’t been aiming for Daemon—and Daemon stared, his eyes wide, chest rising and falling sharply.

Dee hesitated, and then she turned, shifting into light and disappearing among the thick pines. Blue light bounced off the tree trunks, following her retreat. Daemon started to twist around, to go after her, but stopped when he saw me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dawson being guided toward where I was still sitting.

“I told you to stay put,” he gritted out without taking his eyes off the soldier with the gun trained on me.

“Looks like that worked out well for you,” I shot back.

The other soldier now had Daemon rounded up, herding him back to where we were. When he reached us, he slowly bent down.

“Stand still,” the soldier barked.

Anger rolled off Daemon as he continued on, shooting the soldier a look that screamed to try to stop him. The finger on the trigger spasmed as Daemon wrapped his hands under my shoulders and hauled me up. He pulled me into the shelter of his arms, angling his body so that very little of me showed.

A muscle thrummed along Dawson’s jaw. “Well, crap.”

Chopper wings beat at the air, and within seconds, another Black Hawk crested the pines, easing down in the middle of the street a couple yards from us, kicking up wind and causing my hair to whip out from underneath Daemon’s arm as I pressed tighter against him.

Exhausted and beat up, drained like a twisted sponge, I knew we were done. The three of us. If they opened fire, it would be over. A sick feeling crawled up my throat. I wanted to close my eyes, but that seemed like a coward’s way out.

There was the sound of metal grinding, and then the door to the helicopter slid open, slowly revealing who was kneeling inside, staring at us. Waiting. Like always.

Nancy Husher.