Origin

Chapter 6

Daemon

After saying good-bye to Dawson and Bethany, I left the house just as dawn broke. What had happened with Beth haunted my every step. She seemed a little better, but I didn’t know. I had no doubt that Dawson would take care of her, though.

I looked back at the house. A cold, distant part of me acknowledged that I might not see this place, or my brother and sister, ever again. That knowledge didn’t lessen my resolve.

I headed in the opposite direction of the colony, picking up speed. Although I stayed in my human form, I moved faster than I could be tracked.

Dawson had told me earlier that my car had been stowed away at Matthew’s, which helped detour local law enforcement that weren’t bought out by the DOD and were actually concerned about another set of missing teenagers.

It took me less than five minutes to make the trek to Matthew’s cabin in the middle of nowhere. I slowed as I reached his driveway, spying his SUV.

I smirked.

I needed to get out of state, at least into Virginia. I could travel the entire way in my true form. Hell, it probably would even be quicker, but I’d wear myself out, and I was pretty sure the little meet and greet I was going to do at Mount Weather would be exhausting.

Considering how ticked off I was at Matthew right at the moment, I was going to enjoy “borrowing” his car, since mine would draw attention from those I didn’t have time to deal with. I slid into the driver’s seat, reached down, and yanked on the manifold hiding the wires.

When Dawson and I were little, we used to hotwire cars with our fingers for shits and giggles at the mall in Cumberland. Took us a couple of tries until we discovered the exact charge needed to do a jump-start and not fry the computers or the whole wiring system. We’d then move them into different parking spots and watch the owners come out, dumbfounded by how their cars had moved.

We’d bored easily as kids.

I wrapped my fingers around the wires and sent a little charge through them. The car sputtered, and the engine turned over.

Still had the magic touch.

Not wasting any time, I got the hell out of Matthew’s driveway and headed for the highway. There was no way he’d be as understanding as Dawson, at least not at the moment.

My brother was set to take care of a few things for me. He’d move enough money to get Kat and me by for a couple of years to an account I’d meticulously kept off the radar just in case shit went downhill one day.

And shit definitely had gone downhill.

Dawson and Dee also had strategically hidden “oh-crap” accounts, just as the Thompsons did. Matthew had gotten us doing that. I used to think it was paranoia, but, damn, he’d been smart. There was no way I could come back, and neither could Kat. We’d have to find a way for her to see her mom, but neither of us could stay here when I got her out of there. It would be too dangerous.

But before I headed to Mount Weather, I had a little visit to make.

Blake couldn’t have been the only one to screw us.

There was a teen hybrid who had a lot of explaining to do.

A little bit after noon, I stashed Matthew’s car behind the rundown gas station on the same road as Luc’s club. Not that the potholed dirt pathway was really a road. The last thing I wanted was for them to know I was coming. Something about Luc was off, and in a big way. The fact that he was barely a teenager and running a club was a big clue. And he was out here, with other Luxen, and unprotected from the Arum?

Yeah, something was off about the kid.

Staying in my human form, I took off through the weeds and into the wooded area behind the gas station. Bright sunlight filtered through the branches, and warm May air rushed me as I flew over the uneven ground. Seconds later, I cleared the stand of trees and hit the overgrown field.

Last time I’d been here with Kat, the field was nothing more than a frozen patch of grass. Now the reeds whipped at my jeans and dandelions carpeted the grass. Kat had a thing for dandelions. She couldn’t keep her fingers off them when we’d been training with the onyx. From the moment those yellow weeds started poking through the ground, she’d snap them up and pop their heads off.

A wry grin tugged at my lips as I skidded to a stop in front of the windowless door. Demented Kitten.

I placed my hands on the steel door, sliding them down the center, feeling for gaps or locks to manipulate. There was no way this door was unlocking anytime soon.

Backing up, I scanned the front of the building. Squat and no windows, more like a warehouse than a club. I stalked around the side, knocking empty cardboard boxes out of the way. In the back was a loading dock.

Score.

Pressing my hands on the thin gap between the doors, I heard the wonderful sound of locks unclicking. I quickly eased the door open and stepped into a dark storage area. Slipping through the shadows, I hugged the wall, my gaze flitting over white containers and piles of papers. There was a distinct smell of alcohol in the air. Another door loomed ahead, and I opened it. The minute I stepped into the narrow corridor lined with dry erase boards with stick figures—what the hell?—drawn all over them, the hair on the back of my neck rose, and a cold shiver snaked its way down my spine.

Arum.

I barreled out of the corridor, seconds from flipping into my true form. Instead I ground to a halt, face-to-face with the business end of a sawed-off shotgun.

That would sting.

The proud owner of the redneck killer was Big Boy the Bouncer, still rocking overalls. “Hands up, and don’t even think about going Lite-Brite on my ass, pretty boy.”

Jaw clenched tightly, I raised my hands. “There’s an Arum here.”

“No shit,” the bouncer said.

I cocked a brow. “So Luc is working with Arum, too?”

“Luc ain’t workin’ for no one.” The bouncer stepped forward, eyes narrowed. “Where’s that girl who’s normally with ya? She be sneakin’ around here, too?”

He glanced behind me, and I took advantage of the momentary distraction. My hand shot out faster than he could react. I snatched the shotgun from his grip and flipped it around. “How does it feel to have this pointed at your head?” I asked.

Big Boy’s nostrils flared. “Ain’t feelin’ real good.”

“Didn’t think so.” My finger itched on the trigger. “I’d like to keep my pretty face intact.”

The bouncer chortled. “And you do have a pretty face.”

Banjos started playing in my head.

“Oh, look,” said a new voice. “A love connection is made.”

“Not quite,” I said, wrapping my free hand around the barrel.

“Did you think I didn’t know you were here?”

Without taking my eyes off Big Boy, I smirked. “Does it matter?”

“Yeah, if you were trying to sneak up on me, I guess it does.” Luc ambled out of the shadows and into my line of sight. He was dressed in black running pants and a T-shirt that read, Zombies Need Love, Too. Nice. “You can put the gun down, Daemon.”

Smiling coldly, I let heat encompass my hand. Warmth flared, and the smell of burning metal wafted into the air. When the barrel was made useless, I handed it back to Big Boy.

The bouncer looked down at the gun and sighed. “I hate when this happens.”

I watched Luc hop up on the bar and swing his legs like a petulant child. Under the dim bar lighting, the ring around his oddly colored eyes seemed to be blurred. “You and I need to—”

Whipping around, I let out a roar as my human form faded. I shot across the empty dance floor, heading straight for the mass of shadows forming under the cage.

The Arum turned, and the second before we slammed into each other like two boulders rolling down a hill, I saw him in his true form—dark as midnight oil and shiny as glass. The impact shook the walls and rattled the cages hanging from the ceilings.

“Oh, jeez,” Luc said. “Can’t we all just get along?”

The Arum swept his arms around my waist as I threw him back into the wall. Plaster cracked and plumed into the air. He didn’t let go. The SOB was strong.

Spinning around, he broke my hold and his smoky arm snaked out, aiming for my chest. I darted to the side, throwing up my arm to blast the annoying bastard into next year.

“Boys. Boys! No fighting in my club,” Luc called, sounding irritated.

We ignored him.

Energy crackled over my palms, spitting white fire into the air.

You don’t know who you’re messsing with, the Arum hissed, sending his words straight into my skull, which just pissed me off. I let go of the ball of energy.

It smacked into his shoulder.

He jerked away and then turned his head back to me, cocking it to the side. His form became more solid.

Static crackled down my arms. Light pulsed throughout the room. This guy was really starting to get on my nerves.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Luc said. “Hunter is very, very hungry.”

I was about to show Luc just what I thought about his advice when a form stepped out of the hallway leading to his office. It was a woman—a pretty, blond-haired woman who was oh-so human. Her eyes were wide. “Hunter?”

What. The. Hell.

Distracted, the Arum glanced back at the woman around the same time the Source fizzled out of me. He must’ve communicated with her, because she frowned and said, “But he’s one of them.”

Hunter’s head swung back to me, and his chest rose as he took a step back. A second later, a man stood before me, coming in at my height. Dark brown hair and those damn pale Arum eyes were fixed on me.

“Serena,” he said. “Go back to Luc’s office.”

The woman’s frown grew into a scowl, reminding me so much of Kat that my chest ached. “Excuse me?”

His head snapped toward her, eyes narrowing. An instant later, Big Boy strode across the dance floor, wrapping an arm around the woman’s shoulders. “This really ain’t where ya need to be right now.”

“But—”

“Come on, I got some stuff to show ya,” Big Boy said.

Hunter glared. “What stuff?”

Big Boy winked over his shoulder. “Stuff.”

As they disappeared down the hallway, the Arum’s lip curled. “I do not like this.”

Luc chuckled. “She’s not his type.”

Wait—what in the hell was going on? An Arum with a human?

“You want to tone down the light?” the asshole said. “You’re blinding me.”

Power rippled through me, and I wanted to slam my fist through his face, but he wasn’t attacking, which was strange. And he was with a human woman he appeared to be really with, which was even more bizarre.

I took my human form. “I don’t like your tone.”

He smirked.

My eyes narrowed.

“You two should play nice.” Luc clapped his hands together. “You never know when you’ll need such an unlikely ally.”

Hunter and I looked at each other. Both of us snorted. Doubtful.

The boy shrugged. “Okay. So, this is a very exciting day for me. I have Hunter, who needs no last name and only shows up when he wants something or someone to feed off, and I have Daemon Black, who looks like he wants to do me physical harm.”

“That’s about right,” I snarled.

“Care to tell me why?” he asked.

My hands curled into fists. “Like you don’t know.”

He shook his head. “I really don’t, but I’ll hazard a guess. I don’t see Katy, and I don’t feel her. So I’m assuming your little break-in at Mount Weather didn’t go smoothly.”

I took a step forward, rage swirling inside me.

“You broke into Mount Weather?” Hunter choked out a laugh. “Are you insane?”

“Shut up,” I said, keeping my eyes on Luc.

Hunter made a deep noise. “Our little mutual white flag of friendship is going to come to a halt if you tell me to shut up again.”

I spared him a brief glance. “Shut. Up.”

Dark shadows drifted over the Arum’s shoulder, and I faced him fully. “What?” I said, throwing my hands up in a universal come-get-some gesture. “I have a lot of pent-up violence I’d love to take out on someone.”

“Guys.” Luc sighed, sliding off the bar. “Seriously? Can’t you two bromance it out?”

Hunter ignored him, taking a step forward. “You think you can take me?”

“Think?” I scoffed, going toe-to-toe with the alien. “I know.”

The Arum laughed as he took one long finger and poked me in the chest—poked me in the chest! “Well, let’s find out.”

I grabbed his wrist, my fingers circling his cool skin. “Man, you really are—”

“Enough!” Luc shouted.

The next second I was pinned against one side of the club, and Hunter was on the other, several feet off the ground. The Arum’s expression most likely mirrored mine. Both of us struggled against the invisible hold, but neither of us could do a damn thing to get down.

Luc moved to the center of the floor. “I don’t have all day, guys. I have things to do. A nap I want to take this afternoon. There’s a new movie out on Netflix I want to watch, and a goddamn coupon for a free Whopper Jr. that’s calling my name.”

“Uh…” I said.

“Look.” Luc turned to me, his expression clouded. In that moment, he looked way older than I knew he was. “I’m guessing you think I was somehow a part of Katy being captured. You’re wrong.”

I sneered. “And I should believe you?”

“Do I look like I give a flying rainbow if you believe me? You broke into Mount Weather, a government stronghold. It takes no stretch of imagination to guess that something went wrong. I did what I promised.”

“Blake betrayed us. Daedalus has Kat.”

“And I told you to not trust anyone who had something to gain or lose.” Luc exhaled roughly. “Blake is…well, he’s Blake. But before you cast judgment, ask yourself how many people you’d crucify to get Katy back?”

The hold on me let go, and I slid down the wall, hitting my feet. As I stared at the teen, I believed him. “I have to get her back.”

“If Daedalus has your girl, you can kiss her good-bye,” Hunter said from across the room. “They are some fuc—”

“And you?” Luc cut in. “I told you to stay in my office. Not listening to me is not how to get something from me.”

Hunter gave an awkward shrug, and a second later, he was standing on the floor, looking as cuddly as a pit bull.

Luc cast both of us dark looks. “I get that you two have problems—big problems—but guess what? You’re not the only aliens out there who are butt sore. There are bigger problems than what you guys have. Yeah, I know, hard to believe.”

I glanced over at Hunter, who shrugged again and said, “Someone didn’t get his warm milk this morning.”

I snickered.

Luc’s head swung toward him, and damn if I couldn’t believe I was standing in a room with an Arum and not killing him—but he was also not trying to kill me. “You need to be glad that I like you,” Luc said in a low voice. “Look, I need to talk to Daemon. Can you go do something? If not, then maybe you can be helpful?”

The Arum rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I have my own problems.” He started back toward the hall and then stopped, glancing at me. “See you on the flip side.”

I gave him the middle finger good-bye.

When he disappeared down the corridor, Luc turned toward me and folded his arms. “What happened?”

Seeing that I had nothing to lose, I told him what went down at Mount Weather. Luc gave a low whistle and shook his head. “Man, I’m sorry. Truly I am. If Daedalus has her, then I don’t—”

“Don’t say it,” I growled. “She’s not lost to me. We got Bethany out. You got out.”

Luc blinked. “Yeah, you got Bethany out, but Katy got caught in the process. And I’m…I’m not like Katy.”

I didn’t know what the hell that meant. Turning from him, I thrust my fingers through my hair. “Did you know that Blake would betray us?”

There was a pause. “And if I did, what would you do?”

A bitter laugh snuck out. “I’d kill you.”

“Understandable,” he replied evenly. “Let me ask you a question. Would you have still helped your brother rescue Bethany if you knew Blake would betray you?”

Facing Luc, I slowly shook my head as the truth hit me square in the chest. If I’d known that Kat wouldn’t be coming home, I don’t think I could say yes, and I couldn’t put to words the fact that I would choose her over my brother.

He tipped his head to the side. “I didn’t know. That doesn’t mean I trusted Blake. I don’t trust anyone.”

“Anyone?”

He ignored the question. “What do you want from me, since you obviously aren’t going to try to kill me? Do you want me to take down the security again? I can do that. It’ll be a freebie for you, but it’ll also be a suicide mission. They’ll be expecting you.”

“I don’t want you to take anything down.”

He looked at me, confused. “But you’re going after her?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll get caught.”

“I know.”

Luc stared at me so long I thought the kid might’ve had a seizure. “So you really were coming here to kick my ass?”

My lips twitched. “Yeah, I was.”

The kid shook his head. “Do you have any idea what you’re getting yourself into?”

“I know.” I folded my arms. “And I know once they have me, they are going to want me to make hybrids.”

“Have you ever had to watch people die, over and over again? No? Ask your brother.”

I didn’t hesitate. “She’s worth whatever I have to go through.”

“There are worse things,” he said quietly. “If you and Hunter could put away your differences for two seconds, he’d probably tell you himself. There are things that they are doing there that will blow your mind.”

“Even more reason for me to get Kat out.”

“And what’s your plan? How are you going to get her out?” he asked, curious.

Good question. “I haven’t gotten that far yet.”

Luc watched me a moment, then busted into laughter. “Good plan. I like it. Only a few things could go wrong with that.”

“How did you get out, Luc?”

He tilted his head to the side. “You don’t want to know what I did. And you won’t do what I did.”

A cold shiver crawled over my skin. I believed the kid.

Luc stepped back. “I got to take care of this other issue, so…”

My gaze slid to the hallway. “Working with Arum, huh?”

His mouth twitched. “Arum and Luxen aren’t that different. They’re just as screwed as you guys are.”

Funny. I didn’t see it that way.

Luc tipped his chin down and swore. Looking up at me, he said, “Daedalus’s biggest weakness is their arrogance. Their need to create what should never be created. Their need to control what can never be controlled. They’re tinkering with evolution, my friend. That never ends well in the movies, does it?”

“No. It doesn’t.” I started to turn away.

“Wait,” he called out, stopping me. “I can help you.”

I faced him, head tilted to the side. “What do you mean?”

Luc’s amethyst eyes, so like Ethan’s that it was disturbing, latched onto mine. There was something a little off about his, though, with the line around the pupils. “Their biggest defense is that the world doesn’t know they exist. They don’t know we exist.”

I couldn’t look away, and I decided that this Luc kid was kind of creepy.

He smiled then. “They have something that I want, and I bet it’s where they’re keeping Katy.”

My eyes narrowed. Tit for tat never sat well with me. “What do you want?”

“They have something called LH-11. I want that.”

“LH-11?” I frowned. “What the hell is that?”

“The beginning of everything and the end of the beginning,” he said mysteriously, and a strange gleam filled his purplish eyes. “You’ll know it when you see it. Get it for me, and I’ll make sure you get out of wherever it is you’re at.”

I stared at him. “I don’t doubt your awesomeness, but how can you get Kat and me out of a place if you don’t even know where it is?”

He arched a brow. “You must doubt my awesomeness if you’re asking, and you shouldn’t. I have people everywhere, Daemon. I’ll check around with them, and they’ll let me know when you show up.”

Laughing softly, I shook my head. “Why should I trust you?”

“I’ve never asked you to trust me. You also have no other choice.” He paused, and hell if he didn’t have a point. “Get me the LH-11, and I’ll make sure you and your Kitten get out of whatever hellhole they have you in. It’s a promise.”