“Yeah.” Jett gave Lark the number.
The Guardian entered the digits into his own cell. “You’ll hear from them soon. In the meantime, take a vehicle and head south toward Island Pond. Fuck this up, though, and I’ll snap off every one of your vertebrae.”
“Jett,” Raphael said, rousing from his prolonged silence. “Good luck.”
Wren echoed the sentiment.
“You know,” Jett said to Lark as dryly as he could, “they’re much nicer than you.”
Grinning, Lark motioned Jett toward the door. “Don’t let them fool you. They’re not as angelic as they look.”
“Where’s our demon-smiting heavenly wrath when we need it?” Raphael shook his head and turned to Wren.
“That does sound useful,” Wren said.
“See?” Lark opened the door. “Call me the moment you learn anything.”
Jett’s gaze lingered on the infant a moment before he hurried out. “Will do.”
Chapter Eight
The stink of wet ashes filled the air. Lexine took in the smoldering remains of several of Sanctuary’s buildings as she walked through the center of the colony. Guardians and civilians worked together on either side of the wooded path, removing debris and salvaging belongings from the ruined dwellings.
The brick manse where most of the colony’s oldest demons lived—including her parents—had escaped harm, set farthest back from the main path the humans had taken. Her emotions and stomach churning, she’d left Bryce and their parents to their reunion and went to see the damage caused by the humans.
Alone now, her heart sank deeper into a pit of pain with every step. She’d been sick before, knowing fate had paired her with a poacher, but seeing the fresh carnage brought the horror and shame to an all-new level. As she passed a Guardian, covered in grime and blood, she avoided his gaze.
She stopped in front of the residence where she’d shared an apartment with her brother, Jac, for so many years. A grenade had blown out the windows. Fire and shrapnel gutted most of the interior.
A shudder ripped through her body. No better than a traitor, how could she continue to live here in the colony?
“Lexine—”
She gasped, startled so hard it hurt, and whirled.
“Sorry. Like I said before, you need to be more aware of your surroundings.” Jett approached, but stopped with a wide gap between them and surveyed the smoldering building. “This your place?”
“It was.” She rubbed her arms.
A small group of civilians walked by, some glancing furtively at Jett, some scowling at him, all staying as far away from him as possible, even though they had to walk over debris. Jett didn’t seem to notice—his gaze stayed locked on Lexine.
“Jett, I need to talk to you about something,” she said, ignoring the others.
He hesitated but nodded. “Walk with me. I’m taking a car and going after some of the humans who are responsible for this mess.”
She fell into step at his side, her hands in her pockets. “They were really after the twins?”
“For certain.” Tension filled his voice and stiffened his shoulders.
Acid shot into her mouth. “Ginger has become a good friend of mine.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
She shot him a glare for good measure, but to be honest with herself, she didn’t mind that he’d been watching out for her. It’s what Guardians did, after all, even though he wasn’t officially one of the demon elite. Some things ran stronger in the blood than on paper, despite the fact that he had no idea it was the extra-rare qualities in his family’s bloodline that drove him to protect the archangels, even if that meant sulking on a mountaintop all winter. Would Lark or Raphael explain all that to him, now that he’d finally come into the colony?
She let out a long breath and refocused on what she had to ask of him while she had the chance. “Back in the motel, I told you about my recurring dream. A dream I hope Ginger will never find out about.”
His expression darkened.
“I want to ask for your discretion.”
“You haven’t told anyone else?”
“Never. I was overwhelmed after Jac’s death and Bryce’s kidnapping, so I wasn’t thinking straight. After I bit you, I owed you an explanation. The secret just spilled out.”
They walked in silence until the path meandered up a hill and no one lingered within earshot. Jett stopped and faced her, a deep frown on his face. “You believe the colony will reject you over a dream?”
“More a prophecy than a dream. If the Guardians found out, I’d be branded a traitor. If the dream came to pass, as a poacher’s mate, the Guardians would be within their rights to have me executed.”
“You’re not a poacher’s mate, yet. These types of dreams…they come true, always?”
“Yes, but…”
“But what?”
“I’ve never asked questions about the phenomenon to avoid drawing suspicion, but from what I’ve read, previous dreams haven’t been of such deplorable events. I don’t believe the dreamers tried to change their fates. They had no reason to.”
“So, it might be possible to intervene?”
“I don’t know for certain one way or the other.”
Jett shifted his hands to his hips and shut his eyes.
“I only ask for your silence. The archangels need your help far more than I do. You should hurry.”
“Are you going to try to change your fate, Lexine?” He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze to hers.
“Jett—”
“I’m not going anywhere until you answer me.”
“I doubt I have any real choice. You can’t imagine how strong, how real, the sensations and emotions are in the dreams. I don’t have much hope my fate can be changed, but yes, I have been trying, by dating demons, searching for a mate. I care too much for my family and my friends to walk the path that leads to my dream. But, I fear in the end, the choice won’t be mine to make.”
Frowning, he walked around her, slow, focused. A shiver raced down her spine as he drew near her on purpose for the first time.
“I grew up at best a lab rat, at worst a prisoner without the slightest liberty.” He bent closer to her as he spoke, his words firm, unhesitant, but laced with pain. “Now that I’m out of that hell, I will never be a slave again, in any form. Nor will I tolerate seeing anyone else stripped of their free will, least of all by something as intangible as a dream.”
“This is not the same thing—”
“Do you want to mate with a poacher?”
“No.”
“Then don’t you dare feel like you have no choice. There is always a choice, Lexine.” After a pause, he cocked his head. “You tried dating other demons. That didn’t work out?”
“To put it mildly.”
That close, his scent dominated her lungs. His breath tickled her ear, warming her from the inside out. “And are you seeing anyone right now?”
“No.”
He leaned back just enough to meet her gaze with a sharp frown. “Is that your final answer?”
She opened her mouth, but no words came out. He smoothed his hand over her neck. She blinked. She’d touched him a couple times, but this was the first time he’d touched her.
“Actually,” she whispered, “there is a male I just met.” She swallowed. “I’d like to get to know him better, if he’s interested.”
“Really? I’m glad to hear it. I’ll see you later, Lexine.”
He turned and headed with long strides for the parking area beyond the town hall. Heart racing, she scowled to keep from grinning like a fool.
…
Jett took the SUV Lexine had driven earlier and headed out of Sanctuary. Her scent lingered, adding to his tension. The sun sank toward the western mountains in shades of pink and gold. Though summer hung on by a thread, the days had noticeably shortened. Soon, it would be dark at this hour.