The hair on the back of my neck was standing again, but for a very different reason as Rolland’s smile grew. “As I said, we are curious creatures. Quincy?” He glanced over his shoulder, and after a moment passed, the other man nodded.
My eyes widened as the other Luxen strolled forward. He wasn’t as tall as Daemon, but he was broader, and he walked like he was gliding over water. When he passed Daemon, he sent him a mocking smile.
I took a step back, my hands opening and closing at my sides. I had no idea what to expect from any of them, even Daemon at this point. Horror churned in my stomach.
Quincy was wide like a linebacker, and the look in his eyes sent an icy whirl of wind over me. My feet slipped over the cool wood floor as energy balled low in my stomach. I glanced at Daemon, my heart thumping. His eyes met mine as Quincy stopped in front of me, his striking features stark. Quincy’s smile creeped me out as he reached forward. Jumping back, I knocked his arm away.
“Don’t touch me,” I warned, feeling a rush of static over my skin.
The smile slipped off Quincy’s face as his eyes narrowed.
“What is this about?” Daemon asked.
“I’m curious,” said Rolland, his voice almost syrupy sweet as his gaze flickered over to Daemon. “Restrain her.”
My heart dropped as my gaze bounced between Daemon and the Luxen. There was a moment when Daemon didn’t move as he stared at Rolland, and then he pivoted on his heel. I locked up, throat dry, as he stalked toward us.
He cut Quincy a dangerous look as he stepped around me. The moment his hands folded over my shoulders from behind, holding me in place, I thought I’d throw up. Like literally hurl all over the smug-looking Luxen in front of me.
I jerked, pressing into Daemon as Quincy reached for me once more, gripping my chin with cool fingers, but I couldn’t shy away. Daemon was an unmovable wall.
Daemon stiffened behind me as Quincy lowered his head so that we were eye level. I never thought I’d ever be in this situation, that instead of Daemon protecting me, he would be allowing some random, really skeevy Luxen guy to get all up in my face. Not since the day at the lake, the first time he’d opened up to me and told me about his brother.
“She feels different,” Quincy announced, his hands sliding down my neck to where my pulse beat rapidly. “Not like other humans. Besides sensing something in them, we’d be able to tell by feel.” He paused, his gaze flickering up to Daemon. The Luxen’s smile turned brittle as his long, tapered fingers circled my neck. “You’re very angry.”
“Really?” Daemon’s hands flexed around my arms. “Remember what I told you before? That statement still stands.”
“Is that so?” Quincy hesitated, and then he placed his hand above my chest, the same place I’d seen the Luxen touch in the supermarket.
A low rumble reverberated along my back, and I wasn’t sure if it was from Daemon or if it was me shaking so badly. The Luxen’s brows knitted in concentration, and then he glanced at Rolland.
“Nothing,” he said. “I cannot assimilate her DNA.”
My eyes widened in understanding. My God, I’d seen what had happened to the humans after their DNA had been assimilated at a rapid clip. He would’ve killed me! And Daemon, but at this point, I wanted to knee Daemon in the groin. Anger burned its way through me as I twisted in his grasp, trying to get free, because I needed space, but his grip tightened as furious tears stung my eyes.
“That’s an interesting development,” Rolland commented. “What else can you two do? We know that if one dies, the other does. She obviously has access to the Source. Is there anything else?”
“She won’t get sick. Like us.” Daemon’s words were short, to the point. “And she’s fast and strong.”
I sucked in a sharp breath as the blister of something ugly, of betrayal, curled around my heart.
“Remarkable.” Rolland clapped his hands as if we’d performed Swan Lake instead of just standing there in front of him.
“And that is all?” Sadi asked, looking wholly unimpressed.
“Yes,” Daemon answered, and my eyes widened, but I schooled my features blank.
I held my breath, but Dee didn’t disagree. Both of them had just blatantly lied by omission. There was more. When he was in his true form, Daemon and I could communicate the way he did with other Luxen. I didn’t know what to think about that, but hope sparked deep in my chest. My gaze darted to Dee, but she was staring at the wall as if there was something amazing going on there.
What was really happening here? There was more—
My thoughts careered off, crashing in a fiery glory as Quincy, who wasn’t even looking at me but was eyeballing Daemon, slid his hand down my chest, like right on my chest. Shock rippled through me, quickly followed by red-hot rage and bitter disgust. Every part of me recoiled.
Suddenly, I was sliding across the wood floor and bumping into an empty leather chair. Startled, I lifted my head and peered through the length of matted hair that had fallen across my face.
The two Luxen were locked in an epic stare-down, and across from me, Dee was no longer staring at the wall, but was focused on her brother. It was so quiet in the room that you could hear a fly hiccup.
And then Daemon exploded like a bottle rocket.