Opal

Groaning, I closed my eyes and lay back down. My body felt heavy, like I could sink through the ground. In a couple of weeks, I’d sprout flowers.

“Are you feeling okay?” Blake asked.

Several snarky responses lined up on my tongue like little soldiers, but all I said was, “I’m just tired.”

There was a pregnant pause, and then I heard his footsteps move closer. Blake sat down beside me. “Onyx is killer, isn’t it? I never really thought about it, but when I was first inducted into Daedalus, I was always tired.”

I didn’t know what to say so I kept quiet and for a while, so did he. Blake was probably the hardest person to be around. Because deep down, he wasn’t a horrible person, maybe not even a monster. He was a desperate person and desperation can make people do crazy things.

He brought forth conflicted feelings. Over the last couple of months, I had grown, like the others, to tolerate him but not trust him, because I remembered Luc’s parting words-You really shouldn’t trust a soul in this game. Not when everyone has something to gain or lose . I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d meant Blake. I didn’t want to go easy on him because of what he did to Adam, and I didn’t want to feel sorry for him, but I did at times. He was a product of his environment. Wasn’t a justification of any sorts, but Blake didn’t do what he did all by himself. There had been several factors. The strangest thing of all had been at lunch, seeing him sitting at the same table with the siblings of the boy he’d killed.

I honestly didn’t think anyone knew how to handle Blake.

Finally, he said, “I know what you’re thinking.”

“I thought you couldn’t read other hybrids’ minds.”

He laughed. “I can’t, but it’s obvious. You’re uncomfortable with my being here with you, but you’re too tired and it’s too nice to get up.”

Blake was right on all accounts. “And yet you’re still here.”

“Yeah, about that

I don’t think sleeping out here is the safest thing to do. Besides the bears and coyotes, the DOD or Daedalus could always come around.”

I opened my eyes, sighing. “And what would be suspicious about my being out here?”

“Well, besides that it’s a little early in May and late in the day for sunbathing

They know I still talk to you. Keeping up appearances and all.”

I tilted my head toward him. Each of the Luxen took turns scouting the area while we practiced, making sure no one was watching. Seemed odd Blake would be concerned about that now. “Really,” I said.

He bent his knees, resting his arms over them as he stared out over the peaceful lake. There was another gap of silence and then, “I know you and Daemon went to see Luc back in February.”

I opened my mouth but then shook my head. I sure as hell didn’t need to explain why to him.

Blake sighed. “I know you don’t and won’t ever trust me, but I could’ve saved you a trip. I knew what the black opal does. Seen Luc pull off some crazy-insane stuff because of it.”

Irritation flared. “And you didn’t think to tell us about it?”

“I didn’t think it would be an issue,” he said. “That kind of opal is damn near impossible to get ahold of and the last thing I expected was for Daedalus to be outfitting hybrids with it. Hell, I haven’t even thought of it.”

Here I was, in the same position with Blake as usuaclass="underline" to believe or to not believe him. I crossed my legs at the ankles and watched a thick, fluffy cloud shuttle across the sky.

“Okay,” I said, because honestly, there was no way to prove if he was lying or not. I bet if we hooked him up to a lie detector the results would be inconclusive.

Blake seemed surprised. “I wish things were different, Katy.”

I snorted. “Me, too, and probably a hundred other people.”

“I know.” He dug through the soil, finding a pebble. He turned it over in his hand slowly. “I’ve been thinking lately, about what I’m going to do when this is all over. There’s a good chance that Chris

He won’t be right, you know? We have to go somewhere and disappear, but what if he can’t blend in? If he’s

different?”

Not right, like Beth had been when I’d seen her. “You’ve said he likes the beach. So do you. That’s where you should go.”

“Sounds like a plan

” He glanced at me. “What are you guys going to do with Beth? Hell, what are you going to do after you get her back? Daedalus is going to be looking for her.”

“I know.” I sighed, wanting to sink through the ground. “We’re going to have to hide her, I guess. See how she is. Cross that bridge when we get there, that kind of thing, but as long as everyone is together, we’ll figure something out.”

“Yeah

” He stopped, lips thinning. Swinging his arm to the side, he tossed the pebble out into the lake. It skipped three times before sinking under. Then he stood. “I’ll leave you alone, but I’ll be nearby.”

Before I could respond, he stood and jogged off. Frowning, I arched my back so I could see him The bank around the lake was empty, with the exception of a few robins hopping on the ground near a tree.

Now that was an odd conversation.

Settling back down, I closed my eyes and forced my mind blank. The moment I was alone and it was silent, a thousand things came from every direction inside me. Falling asleep was difficult, so I had this habit of picturing this beach in Florida that Dad liked to go to. Creating the image of frothy waves lapping blue-green foam against the shore as they crested and receded, I kept that scene going on a loop. Nothing else but that image snuck into the recesses of my thoughts. I hadn’t really been planning on dozing off out here, but as exhausted as I was, I fell asleep pretty fast.

I’m not sure what woke me, but as I blinked my eyes open I found myself staring into a pair of bright green eyes. I smiled. “Hey,” I murmured.

One side of his full lips tipped up. “Hey there, sleeping beauty

”

Over his shoulder, the sky had deepened to a denim blue. “Did you kiss me awake?”

“I did.” Daemon was propped on his side, using his arm to support his head. He placed his hand on my stomach and my chest fluttered in response. “Told you, my lips have mystical powers.”

My shoulders moved in a silent laugh. “How long have you been here?”

“Not long.” His eyes searched mine. “I found Blake sulking around the woods. He didn’t want to leave while you were out here.”

I rolled my eyes.

“As much as it bothers me, I’m glad he didn’t.”

“Wow. Pigs are flying.” When he narrowed his eyes, I lifted my hand, running my fingers through the soft waves that fell over his forehead. His eyes drifted shut and my breath caught. “How’s Dawson?”

“Calmed down. How’s Kitten?”

“Sleepy.”

“And?”

Slowly, I trailed my fingers down the side of his face, along his broad cheek and down the hard line of his jaw. He turned into my palm, pressing his lips to it. “Happy you’re here.”

His fingers made quick work of the light cardigan I was wearing, separating the thin flaps of material. His knuckles brushed against the tank top I had on underneath. “And?”

“And glad I didn’t get eaten by a bear or coyote.”

He arched a brow. “What?”

I grinned. “Apparently they’re a problem around here.”

Daemon shook his head. “Back to talking about me.”

Instead of telling him, I showed. As Daemon would say, it was the book lover in me. Showing was so much better than telling. My fingers smoothed over his bottom lip and then I moved my hand to his chest. I lifted my head and he met me halfway.

The kiss started off tentative and smooth. Silky kisses created a yearning that was becoming all too familiar. The sensation of his lips against mine, the knowledge of what I wanted, sparked deep inside us and our hearts picked up together, beating heavily and fast. I let myself fall into that kiss, drown in it, become it. The swelling wave of feelings was hard to process. At once both exhilarating and frightening. I was ready, had been ready, and yet I knew I was scared, because like Daemon had said before: humans were afraid of the unknown. And Daemon and I had been hovering on the verge of the unknown for a while.