“It does.”
“So, we start tomorrow, right?”
“We do,” he replied after a few moments. “Daemon recommended a place I think would be good and safe.”
Relief almost caused me to drop the comb. “I thought…”
“You thought I wasn’t going to push back.” Damp hair fell to the side as he leaned down onto his elbow.
I nodded, lowering the comb. “I know you’re not looking forward to the idea of hurting me, and I know you tried to train Micah and the other kids.”
“Someone’s been talking.”
“Someone other than you.” I tapped the comb against his arm.
Tipping his head back, he caught the comb. “I did try to train them, and in the end, I think I just made things worse.”
“You couldn’t have known what they would do.”
“I couldn’t have known what they wouldn’t do,” he added, tugging the comb free from my fingers. “But you’re not them. I won’t be thinking of them while we work together.”
“You promise?”
He tossed the comb aside. “Yes.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed him or not. I knew what had happened with the Origins had carved a deep wound in him. “If you did think of them, it would make sense. No one could fault you for that.”
“I know, Peaches. I’m more worried about hurting you than any bad memories that may or may not surface.”
“But I’m more worried—” I gasped as Luc moved with the kind of speed I just couldn’t track.
He was suddenly in front of me, on his knees. Gripping my hips, he tugged me onto my back. In the span of a heartbeat, he had me under him. “Sorry,” he said, keeping his weight braced on one arm. “But you looked like you needed a Luc-size blanket.”
My pulse thrummed as I placed my hand on his chest. “You’re trying to distract me.”
“I would never.” His voice was full of mock outrage, even as he eased some of his weight onto mine.
The next breath I took was shallow. Neither of us were wearing much, especially me with just his shirt and undies, so there weren’t many barriers between our skin.
Dipping his head, he pressed a kiss to the corner of my lips. “I like this.” His hips shifted, and a sharp swirl of sensation ricocheted through me. “Being your blanket. A lot.”
Feeling a little breathless, I brought my hand to his cheek. “I can tell.”
He lifted his head, and I could see the sudden diamond brightness of his pupils. “Evie…” His gaze roamed over my face. “The things you fill my head with.”
There were things I wanted to talk about with him, important things, but knowing what I filled his head with seemed highly important at the moment. “Like what?”
He turned his head into my palm, placing a kiss against the center of my hand. “You. Me.” Lowering his head, he coasted his lips over my cheek until he arrived at that sensitive spot below my ear. “And things I only ever fantasized about.”
Heat swamped my senses as wanting burst through me in waves. He pressed a kiss to where my pulse beat wildly, and then he went lower. My eyes drifted shut as my head fell back and to the side, allowing him free rein.
“To do anything?” he murmured against my skin, hearing my innermost thoughts.
My toes curled. “I don’t even know what anything could entail,” I admitted.
Stroking his hand up over my waist, he lifted his head and lined up his mouth to mine. “We can discover what anything entails together.”
That sounded like a plan I could really get behind, and boy did I ever want to, but …
Opening my eyes before I got completely swept away, I tugged his head up. “There’s something I want from you.”
His gaze was heavy with intent. “Anything.”
“Tell me about Nancy Husher.”
The change that swept over Luc was as startling as it was expected. Light receded from Luc’s pupils, and the drowsy look vanished from his eyes. His shoulders tensed as his features lost the razor-sharp edge of desire, becoming hard and unforgiving.
“Someones have really been talking.” His tone was as flat as paper.
“And that someone isn’t you,” I repeated quietly and then went on before I lost my nerve. “Her name has come up more than once.”
“Which is too many times.” Candlelight flickered across his jaw. “What could you possibly want to know about that woman?”
I kept my hand on his cheek. “Anything and everything.”
His lashes swept down, shielding his gaze. A heartbeat passed and then another. He didn’t look up when he spoke. “Nancy was a woman who, in place of a heart and a soul, had nothing but obsession and ambition. Kindness and empathy were tools she used to either gain the trust of others or to ensure that she was underestimated.”
As Luc spoke, his voice didn’t change inflection. Absent of emotion, he sounded as if he were reciting a speech, but against my palm, I felt the tiny spasm of the muscle along his jaw. “The only thing she cared about was the Origins, and don’t mistake the word cared for any semblance of human emotion. The forced procreations and mutations? They were her idea when the Daedalus either failed to convince others of their pure intentions or when they started to run out of willing Luxen and hybrids. There was nothing that woman would not do. Kidnap people? Murder loved ones? Use innocent people to control those she needed? There was no line she would not cross, and she was just as obsessed with Daemon as she was with me, thinking that if she no longer had me to tote around as the shining example of a success, she needed the strongest Luxen to either breed future Origin or to mutate willing soldiers who bought into her cause—lock, stock, and barrel.”
Although I already knew that, horror still rolled through me.
“She was consumed with creating the perfect species, and she came pretty damn close to it.”
“With you?” I asked. “Or with the group Micah belonged to?”
“She believed I was perfect up until I escaped. It was then when she and the others began working on the Prometheus serum. If I had stayed, she would’ve never created Micah and—”
“If you’d stayed, you would’ve never freed Zoe and countless others. If you’d stayed, the world would probably be even worse off,” I interrupted, needing him to know that there wasn’t a single thing Nancy or the Daedalus did that was his fault. “If you’d stayed, we would’ve never met.”
His jaw flexed against my palm once more, and then his lashes lifted. I couldn’t make out his eyes. “She was the only mother I ever knew.”
Swallowing words of sympathy I knew he wouldn’t want to hear, I lifted my hand and kissed his stubborn jaw.
“Do you know there was a short period of time where I actually thought she was my mother?” Sandpaper coated his voice as he looked away, causing my hand to slip. “Before I could hone my ability to read minds, I didn’t know any better. I thought that woman was my mother.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, because if anyone knew how that felt, I did, and I knew there was little anyone could say in response to something like that. “How did you find out?”
“Archer.” He worked his head side to side as if he were working out a kink. “A few years older than I was, he was the only Origin left from the previous batch. Back then, we only knew what we only knew. The Daedalus was our home, for better or for worse.”
I couldn’t even imagine that.
“Even as a small child, I knew I was treated differently from the others. Given far more privileges. Better dinners and snacks. Candies. I was allowed to watch TV, and Nancy would often allow me to stay with her while she worked late in the labs. Jealousy drove Archer to reveal the truth. It was a … shock.”
“I’m sure it was.” I ran my thumb over his chest, above his heart. “I know it was.”
“You would,” he said softly. “But it was also eye-opening, and the only thing that matters now, when it comes to that woman, is that she’s dead. And not like Jason Dasher dead,
but a hundred percent dead. It was a joint effort between Archer and me, but that woman is not coming back.” His gaze shifted back to mine. “She’s nothing but ash, fertilizing a patch of ground somewhere in Montana, and I cannot find a single ounce of regret in me for doing it. Does that disturb you?”
“No,” I said without a second of hesitation. “The ground deserves better than to be covered with her ashes, and I’m glad she’s no longer here. She sounds like a monster, worse than Dasher.”
“She was, but she’s gone and has absolutely no impact on my life today. That’s why I don’t talk about her. There’s no reason to give her any space in my mind or anyone’s, especially Kat’s and Daemon’s. She doesn’t deserve that.”
“I can agree with that, but—”
“No impact, Evie. I refused to allow that,” he cut me off. “I hope that tells you enough about her.”
“It does.” For now. There was way more than what he was sharing, but even I knew when to stop pushing.
“Good.” Luc shifted off me and onto his side of the bed, the one closest to the door. Always that side. “We should get to sleep. If we’re going to start working with the Source, you’re going to need all the rest you can get.”
“Okay.” Sitting up, I scooted over, tucking my legs under the covers as the flames from the candles flickered and then went out. The lanterns followed. I looked over at Luc. His back was to me.
His back was never to me.
Folding an arm over my waist, I stared at the outline of his body. I didn’t think he was mad. Irritated I’d brought up Nancy Husher? Perhaps. But I knew that whatever had him turning away from me had nothing to do with me.
Despite what Luc claimed, he wasn’t as apathetic to Nancy as he wanted to be. And who could blame him? No one. I wished there were something I could say other than what I already had. Then he could understand that it was okay to still be furious and sad over what this woman had done to him and others, just as it was okay that he was glad she was dead.
That he’d been the one to ensure it.
What disturbed me was that Luc wouldn’t let himself feel any of that, and that wasn’t something I could change in a few hours or one night. But what I could do was what I wanted to be able to do. I could just be there for him, even if he didn’t know why or didn’t want it.
Lying down beside him, I rolled onto my side and wiggled toward him until my chest was pressed against his back. I threw an arm around his waist. Luc didn’t move or respond, but I held him tightly. “I love you,” I whispered against the warm skin of his back. I fell asleep like that, with not an inch separating us.
Sometime later, I awoke long enough to feel Luc threading his fingers through mine.
* * *
A few hours after dawn, I found myself standing in an abandoned packing warehouse on the outskirts of Houston. Faint sunlight filtered through the dirt-caked window and inches of dust-covered workbenches.
I looked up at the high ceiling, guessing it was made of steel and plaster. In other words, things that would probably hurt if or when they came down on my head.
Standing several feet in front of me, Luc followed my gaze. He was back to normal this morning, as if we hadn’t talked about Nancy Husher last night. Part of me was relieved, but I was also worried he’d just shoved all those messy feelings back into the vault that was Luc. If I knew anything, that wasn’t healthy, not even for an all-powerful Origin.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea that we’re doing this inside?” I asked.
“I figured it would be better if we did this without prying eyes,” Luc explained.
A laugh as dry as the high school cafeteria meat loaf came from the corner. “Good luck with no one noticing the building collapsing on our heads.”
My jaw locked. “Does he have to be here?”
Luc slid a long look in the direction of said corner, to where Grayson lounged on some kind of large cable spool. “Why are you here?”
The icy-blond Luxen grinned. Like all Luxen, with his sapphire-colored eyes and chiseled features, he was blessed with great DNA, but he always seemed the most inhuman of all the Luxen I’d met.
Probably because those near symmetric features lacked any touch of humanity.
“I’m here for moral support,” he advised.
I rolled my eyes. “More likely he’s here to make sure I don’t kill you.”
Luc grinned. “You’re not going to kill me, Peaches.”
“What if I kill Grayson?” I paused. “Accidentally?”
Grayson arched a brow as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a sour apple Blow Pop.
“That would make me sad,” Luc replied. “Gray is useful.”
“About as useful as a wooden frying pan,” I muttered as Grayson unwrapped his lollipop.
Luc chuckled. “All right. I figured it was best to start simple.”
“Simple sounds good.”
Grayson snorted.
I drew in a deep, long breath.
“Ignore him,” Luc ordered.
“Easier said than done.”
“Easy or hard, you need to learn how to also ignore external influences. When you get out there and use the Source, not everyone is going to be quiet and peaceful,” Luc stated. “Most likely, a whole lot of crap will be going on. You will not have the luxury of concentration then, and you won’t have it here.”
“So that’s why he’s here? To be an annoying distraction? That makes sense.” I smiled at Grayson. “Thank you.”
Grayson’s eyes narrowed.
Snark point one for me.
Luc shot another pointed look in Grayson’s direction, one that went largely ignored. “We know that the Source is triggered in you if you’re mortally threatened or experience a high level of emotions. How you use the Source during those times is something that only the most skilled of us would be able to do. To harness it, turn it into a weapon, or to use it to shape or mold other physical objects is something extremely difficult to do.”
“Too bad she doesn’t know how she does that.”
Snark point one to Grayson.
“But what that tells me is that you’re more than capable of doing the simplest thing with the Source,” Luc continued as if Grayson hadn’t spoken. “I’ve been thinking about what would be easiest for you to try first.”
“Breathing?” Grayson suggested.
Snark point two to Grayson.
“With us, it would be summoning the Source. Like this.” White crackling light danced over his knuckles. “All I did was summon it.”
I stared at the Source. “What do you mean by summon it?”
“Man.” Grayson sighed. “This is going to be a long day.”
Snark point three to Grayson.
I was really falling behind on the snark points.
“What I mean is that I called it from here.” Luc placed his hand on his sternum, the central part of his chest. “Do you feel it there?”
“I…” I trailed off, unsure. Did I feel something there? “I don’t know. What does it feel like?”
“You don’t know what it feels like?” Derision dripped like syrup from Grayson’s tone.
“You’re about to feel my knee in your junk,” I snapped. “Let me know how that feels.”
Grayson shoved the Blow Pop into his mouth. Snark point two to Evie.
Luc’s lips twitched. “To me, it feels like … a coiled rope nestled in the chest.”
A coiled rope? Well, nope. I did not feel that.
“Doesn’t feel like that to me.” Grayson drew one knee up, resting his arm on it.
“How does it feel to you?” Luc asked.
The Luxen lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. “It feels like restless energy. A buzz. Sometimes all over. Sometimes in the sternum.”
Heart rate kicking up, I glanced at Grayson. Now that I had felt. Often.
Luc’s gaze sharpened on me. “Is that how it feels to you, Evie?”
“I’ve felt more restless since the
Cassio Wave, especially lately. Like I can’t sit still.” I placed my hand on my chest. “And I have felt it start here, like a weird antsy feeling. I figured it was just because of everything that was happening.”
Luc shook his head as the Source disappeared from his hand. “It’s the Source in you. You’re going to feel more wired than you did before.”
“Ha. Look at me.” Grayson smiled around the stick. “Being actually helpful.”
He had been.
Ugh.
Whatever.
“Okay. Do you feel it now?” Luc’s gaze roamed over me. The small grin returned. “I’m thinking you are.”
I stilled, realizing I’d been slowly swaying back and forth.
“Listen to your body.” Luc’s voice was closer, quieter.
I wasn’t sure how to listen to my body, but I focused on why I’d been swaying in the first place. The antsy energy was there. I hadn’t noticed it, but it was like a buzz in my veins. Yes. A buzz. Like a low electrical current, but it wasn’t just in my veins. I could feel it in the center of my chest. I pressed the heel of my palm in, and there was something there.
My gaze flew to Luc’s. “I can feel it.”
He smiled. “Good. Now I want you to call on it.” He must’ve read my confusion, because he added, “I want you to picture this.” The Source flared to life along his knuckles once more. “I want you to picture you doing this.”
My gaze lifted from his hand to his face and then fell back to his hand. “It’s that easy? I just picture it and bam! I have electric fingers?”
He laughed. “Calling on the Source is easy. Using the Source to do what you want is a whole different story, but like we already know, you’re able to do amazing things with it already.”
“Scary things,” I amended.
“Powerful things.” His eyes met and held mine when I lifted my gaze. “That’s what you’re able to use the Source for. Powerful things, Evie.”
That was right.
What I’d done to April, what I’d done in those woods, and even what I’d done when I’d started to lose it a couple of nights ago, all had been powerful. The trick was to control it.
I glanced down at my hand still pressed to my chest. The hum of energy was still there. It was always there. Maybe even before the Cassio Wave had been used, and I hadn’t recognized it, but I felt it now.
The Brightest Night Page 15
