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Daemon’s head jerked around and he smiled—he actually smiled. And the bullets…they stopped inches from Daemon’s face. They just hovered there, as if someone had pressed pause.
“You really shouldn’t have done that,” Daemon growled.
Comprehension showed in Vaughn’s pale face. “No—no!”
The bullets flipped over and returned to the sender with an alarming speed. They hit Vaughn in the chest and that was that. There was no chance for any more reactions. The man’s legs crumpled and he was nothing but a lifeless heap beside the twisted metal of the Expedition.
Red spread across the snow in a stream of scarlet.
Blake tore free, hitting the side of my bumper, and then he was up, ru
Not as fast as Daemon, and not as fast as me. Wind and snow blew back at me as I gave chase. Blood didn’t pump. Light did.
I caught up to Blake by a pine tree. He spun around, sending a blast of light at me. It struck my chest, knocking me back a few steps. Pain shimmied down my body, but I straightened…and I tracked forward.
He threw another pulse of light.
It ricocheted off my shoulder. Liquid warmth cascaded down my arm, but I pressed on, stalking him, taunting him. Another took my leg out from underneath me, but I picked myself back up.
His hands were shaking. “I’m sorry…” he said. “Katy, I’m sorry. I didn’t have a choice.”
There were always choices. I’d made a string of bad ones myself. At least I could admit that. Part of me felt bad for him. He was a product of his family, but he had choices. He just made the wrong ones.
Like me.
Like me…?
Beautiful light approached from behind, moving out to my right. He had gone back to his true form. What do you want to do with him?Daemon asked calmly.
He…he killed Adam.My power flickered with that, and I could see skin beneath my hands. They were covered in red. A switch had been thrown inside me. Everything left me, and I swayed on the ground, my boots sinking through snow. I couldn’t do this anymore. “He killed him. And hurt Dee.”
Daemon’s form burned as bright as the sun, and for a moment, I thought that it was for Blake, but he dimmed out, taking human shape. Mutated or not, Daemon would have a problem with killing another human, especially after Vaughn. I knew this. The wound left over from the two officers he’d taken out still festered. Add Blake to the list, and he might never heal. The wound would gape forever.
Taking a breath, I said, “So many have died tonight.”
Blake’s eyes darted to me. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry. I never wanted any of this happen. I only wanted to protect Chris.” He drew in a ragged breath, wiping at the blood under his nose. “I’m—”
“Shut up,” Daemon growled. “Go. Go now before I don’t give you a choice.”
Shock rippled over Blake’s face. “You’re letting me go?”
Daemon glanced at me, and I lowered my head, exhausted and shamed. If I’d only listened to Daemon in the begi
“Go and never, ever come back here,” Daemon said, his words carrying on the wind. “If I ever see you again, I will kill you.”
Blake hesitated for only a moment, and then he spun and ran. I doubted he would make it very far, because once Nancy—whoever she really was—and the DOD realized he’d failed, they’d kill Chris like Blake feared. And that would be the end of Blake. Maybe that was why Daemon was letting him go. Blake was as good as dead anyway.
Or neither of us could kill anymore. I was done. Daemon was done. Too many had died tonight. My legs folded under me, and I knelt in the snow. Using the Source had weakened me and fighting Blake, the injuries inflicted, caused my thoughts to run together in an endless stream of confusion and regret. I doubted I’d ever feel strong enough again.
Slipping in and out of consciousness, I was vaguely aware of someone holding me. There was this incredible warmth cascading through my veins. When I opened my eyes again, I was bathed in light.
Daemon?
There was a buzzing through the co
The pain I felt couldn’t be healed by his touch, couldn’t be erased in his light. I squeezed my eyes shut, but the tears leaked out. I’m sorry. I thought…I thought if I learned how to fight, I could keep you safe, all of you safe.
His light pulled back and then it was Daemon staring down at me, eyes a brilliant shade of white. His body shook with the force of his anger, which was so at odds compared to the gentleness of his embrace.
“Daemon, I—”
“Don’t apologize. Just don’t apologize.” Daemon lifted me out of his lap and sat me on the cold ground. Climbing to his feet, he drew in a ragged breath. “Did you know he was working with the DOD this entire time?”
“No.” I climbed to my feet, swaying to the side as my legs got used to working again. He reached out, cupping my elbow until I stopped moving, then he let go. “I didn’t know until a few nights ago. And even then I wasn’t sure.”
“Dammit,” he spat, taking a step back. “Was that the night you went to Vaughn’s on your own?”
“Yes, but I wasn’t sure.” I lifted my hands, surprised to see them covered in blood. Mine? Someone else’s? “I should’ve told you then, but I didn’t know for sure, and I didn’t want to add anything for you to worry about.” My voice cracked. “I didn’t know.”
He looked away, jaw clenching. “Adam is dead. My sister almost lost her life.”
I sucked in a painful breath. “I’m so—”
“Don’t! Don’t you dare apologize!” he yelled, eyes glowing through the darkness, through me. “Adam’s death will destroymy sister. I told you we couldn’t trust Blake, that if you wanted to learn how to fight, I would’ve shown you! But you didn’t listen. And you’ve brought the DOD into your life, Kat! Who knows what they know now.”
“I didn’t tell him anything!” My chest was rising rapidly. My breath came out short. “I never told him you healed me.”
Daemon’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think he didn’t guess?”
I winced, at a loss what to say. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He flinched. “And those times you were covered in bruises? That was him, wasn’t it? He was hurting you during training, wasn’t he? And never once did you think there may be something wrong with him? God dammit, Kat! You’ve lied to me. You didn’t trust me!”
“I do trust—”
“Bullshit!” Daemon was in my face. “Don’t say you trust me when it’s apparent you never did!”
There was nothing I could say.
A burst of energy left him, slamming into an ancient oak. It cracked with a loud snapping sound and then folded into a tree beside it. I jumped, gasping for air.
“All of this could’ve been prevented. Why couldn’t you trust me?” His voice cracked, and the sound reverberated through me like a barb-tailed whip.
I wished I had. My trust should’ve been placed in the one person I’d always trusted. I’d been fooled. Worse yet, I’d let myself be fooled. Tears streamed down my cheeks, a never-ending river of remorse.
Daemon drew in another harsh breath as he started toward me, but he came up short. “I would’ve kept you safe.”
Then in a flash of red-white light, he was gone. And I was alone in the freezing night, left with my choices, my mistakes…my guilt.
Chapter 32
When I returned to my house, everyone was gone except Matthew, who stayed to help…clean up after everything. Someone had removed Vaughn’s body, plus his car and Blake’s truck. There were broken picture frames everywhere. The coffee table was scratched all to hell. I had no idea how I was going to explain the broken window in the hallway upstairs.