Origin (20 page)

Archer turned his head to me.
We’re not going to betray you or Katy
.

My eyes narrowed.
For the last time, get out of my head
.

It’s hard not to. You have such a big head.
One side of his lips curved up as he returned to staring at the seat in front of him.
Besides, how could I bring you back? You saw what I did to get us out of there.

He had a point.
Could just be a setup, like it was with Blake. He did the same thing.

I’m not Blake. I want to get away from them just as badly as you do.

I didn’t respond to that. Turning my gaze to the window, I watched the small houses and the signs for the hot springs blur and then finally fade into the flat open highway of nothing but small brush and tan soil. It wasn’t until I saw the sign that I relaxed a little.

“Las Vegas? Are we’re going to gamble and take in a Flamingo show?”

Luc shook his head. “Not unless that’s your thing.”

Not knowing where we were going or why didn’t settle well with me. I kept on guard, my eyes peeled to the road, looking for any suspicious vehicles that got a little too close. About seven miles into the almost two-hour trip, Kat dozed off. I grabbed the doll before it hit the floorboards and held onto it. I was relieved that she was getting more rest. She needed it.

Every time we came near a police car, I would tense, ready for them to pull us over for a multitude of reasons, varying from a stolen car to taking out military personnel. But no one stopped us. Not a damn thing happened the entire drive, except for Luc and Paris arguing over the radio like an old married couple. I couldn’t figure the two out. Then again, I couldn’t figure out myself.

I thought about the craziest shit on that drive to Vegas. And I mean some really far-out-there stuff, and I don’t know if it had to do with the fact that there were two people in the car who could potentially be peeking inside my head that made me think of things I really didn’t want other people to be privy to.

It all started when I looked away from the window and my attention fell to my leg. Kat’s left hand was curled up against my thigh. For several minutes, I couldn’t look away. What was it about the left hand? It was just a hand, and Kat had a really great hand and all, but it wasn’t that.

It was what typically went on the left hand, on the ring finger.

God, thinking about rings and the left hand made me want to get out of this vehicle and do about a hundred laps, but being married to Kat—
married?
My brain tripped up over that word, but it wouldn’t be terrible. Nah, it would be far from that. It would be sort of…perfect.

Spending the rest of my life with Kat was something I planned on. There was no question or doubt when it came to that. I saw her—
only
her—in my future. Making a decision like that didn’t send me into a cold sweat. Maybe it was because my kind mated young, usually right out of high school, and our version of marriage was really no different than what the humans did.

But we were young. Wet behind the ears, or at least that’s what Matthew would say.

Why in the hell was I even thinking about that right now, when our lives were a complete mess? Maybe it was because when everything was chaotic and tomorrow might not come, it made you think about these things? Made you want to seal the deal, so to speak? I hated thinking it, but there might not be a couple of years down the road to get married.

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I tightened my arm around Kat and focused on the road. When the skyscrapers started to come into view, I gently roused her. “Hey, sleepyhead, take a look.”

She lifted her head from my shoulder and rubbed her eyes. Blinking a couple of times, she bent a little and stared out the front window. Her eyes widened. “Wow…I’ve never been to Vegas before.”

Luc twisted in his seat, grinning. “It’s better to see at night, with all the buildings lit up on the Strip.”

Eagerness filled her gaze, but she settled back, shoulders slumping. As much as I would love to take her out, there would be no sightseeing for us. It would be too risky.

I leaned over, pressing my lips to her ear, and said, “Next time. I promise.”

She turned slightly, eyes closing. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Kissing her cheek, I ignored the speculative look Archer gave me. As we entered Vegas, Kat was straining over me to see everything. The palm trees lining the Strip were probably familiar to her, but the pirate ship in front of Treasure Island wasn’t something you saw every day.

It took forever to get through the packed traffic, and normally that would have had me clawing at my eyeballs with impatience, but it wasn’t too bad. Not with Kat practically bouncing halfway in my lap, pointing out well-known hotspots like the Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, and the Eiffel Tower at Paris.

I was sort of in heaven.

Unfortunately, this version of heaven had an audience. Dammit.

As we reached the outskirts of Vegas, I started getting weary of this whole surprise bullshit, especially when Paris turned off the main avenue, following another road around a country club and huge golf course. We kept heading farther down the road, farther away from the teeming city. There was nothing out there but a few sprawling mansions, and then a twenty-foot security wall came out of nowhere, a glittering sandstone structure.

I leaned forward, dropping my hand on the back of Paris’s seat. “Is that quartzite in the stone?”

“You better believe it.”

Kat glanced at me, her eyes widening with realization as Paris slowed in front of a wrought-iron gate that had tiny specks of the quartz in it. I’d never seen anything like it.

An intercom popped on and Paris said, “Knock. Knock.”

Static and then a woman’s voice said, “Who’s there?”

Kat raised a brow at me, and I shrugged.

“The interrupting cow,” Paris said, glancing at Luc, who shook his head.

From the intercom, “The inter—?”

“Moooooo!” Paris said, snickering.

Kat giggled.

Archer rolled his eyes and shook his head.

There was an audible huff from the intercom. “That was stupid. The gate is opening. Give it a sec.”

“That was pretty lame,” I said.

Paris chuckled. “I saw it on the Internet. Made me laugh. I got more. Want to hear them?”

“No.” My rebuttal was joined by Archer’s. Something we agreed on. Huh. Go figure.

“Too bad.” Paris eased forward as the gates split, spreading wide. “That wasn’t even my best one.”

“It was pretty good,” Kat said, grinning when I shot her a look. “It made me laugh.”

“You’re easy to impress,” I told her.

She went to smack my arm, but I caught her hand. Threading my fingers through hers, I winked. She shook her head. “You do not impress me.”

I would’ve believed her if she and I both didn’t know better.

It took me a few seconds to realize the road also had large quantities of quartz embedded into the asphalt. The first house we came upon, a modest structure, looked like someone puked quartz all over it—on the roof, the shutters, the front door.

Holy crap.

Since there were no natural formations of quartz nearby, they had brought it in, protecting the Luxen community.

“You didn’t know about this?” Surprise colored Luc’s voice.

“No. I mean, never seemed impossible, using the quartz like this, but it had to cost a pretty penny, and I didn’t even know there was a community out here.”

“Interesting,” Luc murmured, his jaw setting in a hard line.

Paris glanced at him, and I didn’t understand the look they exchanged.

“Neither does Daedalus,” Archer said. “It’s right under their noses. Perfect hiding spot.”

“This is insane.” I shook my head as we passed more houses decked out in quartz, each home getting larger. “How did I not know about this? Do you know someone in here, Luc?”

He shook his head. “Not really. I have some…friends in Arizona, but we need to make a pit stop here first. Let it die down for a few days so the highway won’t be such a danger traveling.”

“So we’re going to Arizona next?” Kat asked, glancing between Luc and me.

Luc shrugged. “It’s an offer on the table. That’s where Archer is heading to hide out for a while, but it’s up to you guys. You can take my offer of hospitality or shove it up my rear.”

Kat frowned.

“Makes no difference to me,” he added.

She shook her head a little. “I don’t get why you all would risk so much to keep helping us.”

Good question.

Luc looked over his shoulder. “We have the same enemy, and we’re stronger in numbers. Just like in the horror movies.”

I started picking up on other Luxen who had to be in the houses or behind the tall walls circling most of the backyards. I really couldn’t believe this—an entire community supposedly unseen by Daedalus and protected from Arum by man-made quartz deposits.

Huh. Mind blown.

We’d finally reached another wall and the gate opened before us. The house, if you could call the monstrous thing a house, loomed ahead like a mirage.

“This is where we’re going?” Kat asked. A look of awe crossed her expression. “It’s a palace.”

That brought a smile to my face.

The place really was absurd. Had to be way more than seven thousand square feet, maybe more, rising three stories, with a sky dome over the middle section and a wing flanking each side. Like the rest of the houses, it was white sandstone with quartz embedded deep into the structure. It, too, had a tall wall blocking whatever existed behind the home.

Paris followed the driveway, stopping halfway through the circle in front of the wide steps. In the middle of the circle was a marble statue. Of a dolphin. Weird.

“All right, kids, we’re here!” Luc threw open the passenger door and bounded up the steps. On the porch, he turned back to the Hummer. “I’m not getting any younger here.”

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed Kat’s hand. “You ready?”

“Yes.” She gave me a little smile. “I want to see what it looks like inside.”

I laughed. “Absurd opulence is what I’m betting on.”

“Same here,” Archer muttered, stepping out.

We climbed down and walked around the Hummer. She took the tote this time, sticking the alien doll in it so its head popped out of the top. Giving her hand a squeeze, I headed up the steps while I prepared myself for God knows what. The way Luc was smiling had me wary. He looked like he—

The feeling that swept down my spine was warming and familiar but totally impossible. So was the startling jump in energy that caused me to drop Kat’s hand. No way.

I took a step back from the door.

Kat turned, concern pinching her face. “What is it? What’s going on?”

Words failed me as I stared at the door. All I could do was shake my head once. Part of me was elated, while the other half was horrified by what I was sensing—and I hoped it was my imagination.

Moving to my side, Kat placed her hands on my upper arm. “What’s—?”

The red-painted door opened, and, as a figure stepped out of the shadowy recesses, my suspicions were confirmed.

“We came all this way to rush in and save your ass, but then you end up saving your own ass before we could do anything.” Dee popped her hands on her hips, and her chin was tipped up stubbornly. “Way to steal our thunder and glory, Daemon.”

Luc clapped his hands together. “Surprise!”

Chapter 22

Katy

Daemon was absolutely dumbfounded into silence. So was I. The only two people who weren’t gawking at Dee were Luc and Paris. Even Archer had the open-mouth thing going on, but I think that had less to do with what their appearance meant to Daemon than it did with how beautiful she was.

And Dee was out of this world, extraordinarily beautiful. With her glossy black curls cascading around her exotic face and with those emerald eyes, she was stunning. A more delicate, feminine version of Daemon and Dawson. She stopped humans, aliens, hybrids, and apparently origins in their tracks.

Archer looked like he just saw baby Jesus in a manager or something.

Dee dashed out the door, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. I stepped back in the nick of time. She launched herself at Daemon from several feet away. He caught her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Jesus,” he said, his words muffled by all of her hair. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you think?” she responded, voice thick. “We had to do something. You just beat us to it as usual, you punk.”

I clasped my hands over my chest, close to tears, as another form appeared in the doorway and drifted out. Sucking in a soft breath, I couldn’t believe how…how different Dawson looked. Filled out and his hair trimmed up, with the gaunt pull to his face gone and the dark shadows under his eyes erased, he was the spitting image of his brother.

Daemon lifted his head, as if he sensed the arrival. His mouth worked, but there weren’t any words. None of us could’ve expected to see them here. Like me, Daemon probably figured he might never see his siblings again.

Dawson crossed the porch and dropped his arms around his sister and brother. Their three heads were bent together. Daemon had one hand fisted around the back of Dee’s shirt and the other around Dawson’s.

“It’s true,” Dawson said, grinning. “What the hell, brother? Always got to one-up me, huh?”

Daemon grabbed the back of his brother’s neck and pressed his forehead against his. “You idiot,” he said, letting out a choked laugh. “You should know better. I’ve always got things covered.”

“Yeah, and wait—I’m pissed at you!” Dee pulled back and hit Daemon in the chest hard. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed doing what you did! You jerk-face, douchebag, imbecile.” She hit him again.

Archer winced and muttered, “Damn, that girl…that girl can hit.”

“Hey!” Laughing, Daemon grabbed her hand. “Knock it off. I obviously didn’t get myself killed.”

“I worried, you ass!” Dee pushed her curls out of her face and inhaled deeply. “But I forgive you, because you’re in one piece and apparently no worse for wear, and you’re here, but if you ever do anything that—”

“Okay,” Dawson said, dropping an arm around his sister’s neck, spinning her. “I think he gets the point. We’ve
all
got the point.”

Dee broke free as her eyes skipped over Paris and Luc. She didn’t pay them much attention, but her gaze bounced over Archer, then went right back before moving on. I had stayed out of the reunion, remaining by one of the pillars. I didn’t think Dee even noticed me until that moment.

In the blink of an eye, she practically knocked me over. I’d forgotten what her hugs were like. For someone who had a ballet dancer’s body, she was ridiculously strong. And her hugs…well, it had been so long since I’d been on the receiving end of one of her bear squeezes.

I was slow to respond, more taken off guard than anything else, but then I dropped the tote and threw my arms around her. Tears welled up, and I squeezed my eyes shut. The part of my being that had felt achy over what happened with Dee warmed, and that warmth spilled over.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, tears clogging her voice. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“For what?”

She still hadn’t let go, and I didn’t mind. “For everything—for not seeing your side of things, for being so caught up in my grief and anger that I totally abandoned you. For never telling you that I missed you before…”

Before it was too late
was what she was going to say.

Blinking back tears, I smiled against her shoulder. “You have nothing to apologize for, Dee. I mean it. None of that…” Well, it did matter. Adam’s death mattered. “It’s okay now.”

She held me tighter and whispered, “Is it? Because I’ve been so worried about you and Daemon and what could’ve…”

My body roiled into nervous knots, and I willed the sudden rise of dread to go away. It wasn’t welcome here, not in this happy moment. “It’s okay.”

“I’ve missed you.”

A few tears snuck out. “I’ve missed you, too.”

“Okay. Okay. I think you’re starting to cut off her air supply.” Dawson tugged on Dee’s arm. “And I think Daemon is starting to get jealous.”

“
Pfft
. It’s my turn with Katy,” she replied, but she let go.

And then Dawson replaced his sister. He hugged me, nothing as fierce as Dee’s but still powerful. “Thank you,” he said quietly, and I knew those two words encompassed so much. “I hope you know how thankful I am for everything you’ve done.”

Unsure if I could speak, I nodded.

“Okay. Now I
am
getting jealous,” Daemon said, and Paris laughed.

Dawson gave me a quick squeeze. “I’m forever in your debt.”

I wanted to tell him that wasn’t necessary. Helping him get Bethany was something I’d do all over again, even knowing that Blake had set us up. After being in Daedalus’s grips, now more than ever I understood how important it had been to get her out. The only thing I would’ve changed was where I was standing in that damn tunnel in Mount Weather.

He stepped aside as his brother swooped in, picking up the tote and circling his arm around my waist. Dawson cocked his head to the side. “What is up with the alien doll?”

“Daemon thought it would remind me of him,” I told Dawson.

“Tell him what you named it,” Daemon said, and then he dropped a kiss atop my head.

My heart jumped, and my cheeks flushed. “I named it DB.”

Dee peered at the alien toy over Dawson’s shoulder. “It kind of does look like you, Daemon.”

“Ha. Ha.” I tugged the doll out of the bag and held it close. For some reason, I loved the stupid thing.

“Everyone want to head in?” Luc rocked back on the heels of his Converse sneakers. “I’m starving.”

Dee spun around so that she was on my other side as we headed in. She stole a peek at Archer, who walked in behind us. If I noticed that, so did Daemon. And whatever Dee was thinking right now, most likely Archer was eavesdropping in on.

I so needed to give her a heads-up on that.

Plus the fact that Archer was, well, he was really different from all of us.

The temperature was a good thirty degrees cooler inside the brightly lit foyer, even with the glass sky dome allowing the sunlight inside. Quartz was embedded in the tile floor, making everything so
sparkly
. There were large, leafy plants positioned at the corners, which made my fingers itchy to dig into soil.

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.”