10
{ Daemon }
There were moments in my life when I seriously couldn’t believe things could get any more fucked up than they already were, especially with Dee running off to join the damn Luxen circus.
But each time, I was proven, yet again, how wrong that thought was.
Nancy stared down at us with dark eyes, her face devoid of any emotion, a total blank slate.
Dawson swore and started to shift, but Nancy spoke before he could do something that would end with a lot of explosions and general mayhem.
“If you want to live,” she said, voice clipped, “you’ll get in this damn helicopter. Now.”
We really didn’t have much of a choice. Either we put up a fight and got taken down with one of their weapons, or we got in the helicopter. Then what? We were out of the frying pan and smack-dab in the middle of the fire. But one option most likely involved dying now, while the other was probably dying later. Later gave us some time to figure a way out of this latest mess.
I shot Dawson a look that said, Simmer it down, and for a moment, I thought he was going to say to hell with it, but his shoulders squared, and then he hoisted himself up into the helicopter.
Turning to Kat, I met her eyes, and the wariness in her gray gaze, the exhaustion and pain, were tinged with fear. It cut me deep seeing that and knowing there wasn’t anything I could do at this moment to change it.
I bent my head and brushed my lips across hers. “It’ll be fine.”
Kat nodded.
“How cute,” Nancy said.
My lip curled as I turned my gaze to her. “Remember how it ended last time you thought you had us under control?”
A flicker of anger crawled across her otherwise stoic face. “Trust me. It’s not something I’ve forgotten.”
“Good,” I growled, hoisting Kat to where Dawson waited just inside. He pulled her toward him as I leaped in, crowding Nancy. The woman backed up, dropping down onto a bench as she met my stare. “But this time will end differently.”
“Will it?”
I got all up in her face and lowered my voice so that only she could hear as the chopper propellers blocked out my words to anyone else. “Yeah, because this time, I will make sure you’re dead.”
Nancy stiffened as I drew back and reached for Kat. My brother handed her to me, and Nancy said nothing. Instead, she tipped her head back and closed her eyes. The woman had bigger balls than I did, all things considered.
I tucked Kat against me as Dawson sat on her other side. Two of the soldiers jumped in, taking the seats beside Nancy. One leaned back, motioning with his arm to the pilot to take us up.
The moment the bird left the ground, Kat squeezed her eyes shut. A shudder rocked her as she balled her fist into my shirt. Her heart was pounding too fast. She wasn’t a huge fan of flying, so being in a copter probably had her one step from full freak-out mode.
Keeping my eyes trained on Nancy and her little minions, I lifted Kat up and sat her in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her, curling one hand against the back of her head, positioning her so that her heart rested against mine.
One of the soldiers propped his gun between his legs and reached up, pulling off his helmet. Shoving a hand through his sandy-brown hair, he worked out a kink in his neck as he opened his eyes.
Amethyst.
Freaking Origin.
Obviously one of Nancy’s successful products, like Archer and Luc. I couldn’t pick up jack shit from the guy, but I hadn’t picked up anything from Archer before he revealed what he was. The same with Luc. I always knew there was something off about the kid but could never put my finger on it. And Sadi had felt like a Luxen to me.
Another Origin talent, I assumed, seamlessly blending into something that they weren’t. There was a lot about them I didn’t know, and right now, didn’t give a crap about.
Lowering my head, I kept a steady watch on the three across from me as I spoke into Kat’s ear. I talked absolute nonsense. The last Ghost Hunters show I’d seen and how I wanted to check out the abandoned asylum one day. I told her about the time I’d convinced Adam that I’d seen the Mothman one night when I’d been out scouting for Arum. Then, I reminded her that with Halloween only a month or so away, we needed to find us Gizmo and gremlin outfits. I talked to her about anything, trying to keep her mind off the fact that we were winging through the air, heading to God knows where. It worked to an extent. Her heart rate slowed a little and she loosened her death grip some.
No one talked during the ride except what I was saying to Kat. Wasn’t like you could really hear anything unless you were right up on someone. The drone of the helicopter traveled through our bodies, making it feel like we were in a steel drum.
I had no idea how long we were in the air. Maybe an hour or so before the copter started to tilt to the side, and I was almost positive Kat started praying under her breath. Any other time I would’ve laughed, but wariness settled into every cell.
What were we about to face now? Being locked up? As I watched Nancy open her eyes and smooth her hands across her black pants, I doubted she wanted to keep us alive. Her obsession with breeding Luxen and hybrids to create the perfect race could only go so far. She had a huge bone to pick with us. After all, we’d broken out, taking down a lot of soldiers; had a hand in destroying an entire city; and had exposed what we were before the Luxen came.
Hell, what we did might’ve had something to do with why the others chose this time to arrive.
Then again, if she wanted us dead, it would’ve been an easy feat to carry out on the road outside of Coeur d’Alene, so I had no clue what she was up to.
The helicopter landed, and the doors were drawn open immediately. As Kat leaned away, I got my first glimpse of the outside. All I saw was a tall chain-link fence, and beyond that, a gray mountain in the distance. Maybe the Rockies?
One soldier climbed down, motioning us out. Dawson went and then Kat. We kept her between us, and the moment my feet hit the ground, I grabbed her hand. Getting a better look around, I didn’t like what I was seeing.
It was obvious we were at a military base, a huge one that spread as far as I could see. Row after row of bunkers and planes and tanks and other major inconveniences when it came to forming an escape plan. Up ahead, there was a wide and tall U-shaped building.
And a whole crapload of soldiers.
Some dressed in fatigues. Others wearing black like the soldiers on the road. I had a feeling they were extra special.
“Welcome to Malmstrom Air Force Base,” Nancy said, stalking past us. As we passed the lines of soldiers, I expected them to salute Nancy. They didn’t. “The whole base is under lockdown. No one gets in or out, including the Luxen.”
My eyes narrowed on her back.
God, that woman had a bull’s-eye on her head. Not just for what she did to Kat, but also for my brother, for Beth, and for every other life her twisted hands had touched.
I didn’t get off on the idea of snuffing out someone’s life, even someone like her. But damn if I wasn’t looking forward to the moment when I paid her back tenfold for everything.
“Why did you bring us here?” Dawson demanded.
Nancy kept walking at a rapid clip. “You’ll find that the base is wired to deal with your kind.”
Meaning there was weaponized onyx and diamond and a ton of other delightful little things that Daedalus had whipped up over the years.
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Dawson replied.
Nancy stopped in front of double steel doors. We obviously weren’t going in through the main entrance. She turned to the side, looking back at us, and for the first time since I’d known the woman, I saw something in her dark eyes I’d never seen before.
I saw fear.
What the . . . ?
The steel doors opened, metal grinding as they spread wide, revealing the brightly lit tunnel and one person standing in the center. Hands shoved in the pockets of faded, ripped-up jeans.
Kat recoiled in surprise, bumping into me.
“It’s about time you guys got here. I was getting really bored.” Luc rocked back on the heels of his boots, grinning widely. “But I think you’re missing one, Nancy.”
Nancy stiffened as she drew in a deep breath through her nostrils. “Dee left with the Luxen. She’s under their control.”
The smile slipped off his face. “Well, that sucks.”
“Sucks” didn’t begin to cover it, but I had no idea what to do with any of this. I shook my head as I stared at him. “What the hell is going on, Luc?”
He arched a brow. “How about a thank-you first? Maybe? I mean, I did get your asses out of trouble, didn’t I? I really would like a thank-you. Maybe a hug? I’m feeling kind of needy.”
“Where’s Beth?” Dawson stepped forward, seeming to forget that Nancy was right there. Not that he appeared to care. “Please tell me she’s not—”
“Calm down,” Luc replied, pulling his hands out of his pockets. “She’s doing well. She’s actually here. I’m sure one of these helpful . . . people”—he gestured at the soldiers in fatigues outside the doors—“that I really don’t know what the hell their job is can take you to where she’s at.”
Dawson started to turn as one of the soldiers stepped up. I lurched forward, grabbing his shoulder. “Wait a minute,” I cut in before my brother could run off blindly. “What in the hell are you doing here with her, Luc?”
Luc’s smile returned. “It’s okie dokie smokie, Daemon. No need to Hulk out on anyone. You’re safe here. Nancy won’t be a problem. Will you?” he asked the tight-lipped woman.
She looked like she had something really uncomfortable shoved up a really awkward place.
Her lack of response didn’t soothe me, but even if she had said no, I wouldn’t have been convinced. I didn’t budge. Neither did Kat, but Dawson was ready to go Road Runner on us.
Luc sighed as he raised his hands. “Look, this is not a trap, a test, or a drill. Archer’s here, too. He’s waiting for us, actually, and I’m more than willing to explain everything to you, but I’m not doing it standing here. Not when I found a Lunchables just a few minutes before you guys showed up, and I’m ready to make myself a delicious buffet of ham and cheese on crackers.”
I stared at him.
“What? It’s the kind that has Oreo cookies included,” he replied. “That shit is banging.”
“God, you had so much potential,” Nancy muttered under her breath.
Luc turned violet eyes on her and spoke in a voice that was barely audible to those around us. “And you are really wearing on my last nerve. I don’t think you want that, do you?”
Holy crap if that woman didn’t turn as white as a sheet of brand-spanking-new paper. I glanced back at Kat, seeing if she’d noticed, and her wide eyes told me she had.
I still hesitated.
“The Lunchables also comes with a Capri Sun,” Luc added. “Fruit punch. That Lunchables of Awesome isn’t joking around.”
Man, no matter what I did or decided from here on out, there was a risk, and I never knew where I stood with Luc. I don’t think anyone did. The fact was that we really didn’t have much of a choice.
My gaze settled on Luc. “If you’re screwing with us, I swear to—”
“God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost that you’re going to kill me or whatever,” he cut in. “Got it. And although I might not appear appropriately threatened, I am. So, kids, can we move this group along?”