Origin (Lux 4)

She dropped her hands to my shoulders. “I’m a little slow sometimes.”

I laughed, and she responded with a smile. “Good thing I don’t like you for your brains.”

Her mouth dropped open, and she smacked me on the arm. “That’s so ignorant.”

“What?” I wiggled my brows suggestively. “I’m just being honest.”

“Shut up.” She brushed her lips against mine.

I nipped at her lower lip, and a rosy flush appeared on her cheeks. “Hmm, you know how I like it when you get all mouthy with me.”

“You’re mental.”

My hands flattened against the small of her back, and I pulled her close. “I have something really corny to say. Get ready for it.”

She traced the line of my jaw. “I’m ready.”

“I’m mental for you.”

She busted into laughter. “Oh my God, that is corny.”

“Told you.” I caught her chin and brought her lips to mine. “I love the sound of your laugh. Is that too corny?”

“No.” She kissed me. “Not at all.”

“Good.” I slid my hands up her waist, the tips of my fingers stopping below her chest. “Because I’ve got—” A sensation crawled through my veins, spreading all over my body.

Kat stilled, sucking in a sharp breath. “What is it?”

I gripped her hips and deposited her on the bed beside me. Swiping the gun off the table, I handed it to her, and she took it with wide eyes. “There’s a Luxen here.”

Chapter 21

Katy

I stood quickly, palming the gun. “Are you sure?” I winced. “Okay. That was a stupid question.”

“I don’t—”

A knock rattled the motel door, jarring me to the point that I almost dropped the pistol. Daemon shot me a concerned look, and I flushed. I really needed to pull it together. Taking a deep breath, I nodded.

He prowled to the door silently, with the grace of a lethal predator, and there I was, stumbling around like a colt. Inching closer, I told myself I was ready to use this gun. Using the Source, which was just as dangerous, would be too risky. Shooting a gun would draw attention, but hopefully only the local kind.

Daemon leaned in, peering out the peephole. “What the hell?”

“What?” My heart skipped a beat.

He looked over his shoulder at me. “It’s Paris—the Luxen who was with Luc.”

It took me a moment to remember who he was—the really pretty blond Luxen who had been with Luc at his club. “He’s a friendly?”

“We’ll see.” Daemon squared his shoulders and cracked the door open. I couldn’t see anything beyond his bare back, which, if I had to be stuck staring at something, at least it was that. “Surprised to see you all the way out here,” he said.

“Should you be?” came the response.

“You tell me. Why are you here? And why shouldn’t I blast you into next week?”

My palm was sweaty around the gun. Daemon really wouldn’t blast Paris. Wait. Yes he would, risky or not.

“Because that would draw way too much attention,” Paris replied in his smooth voice. “And besides, I’m not alone.”

Daemon must have seen someone else, because his shoulders relaxed a fraction of an inch, and he stepped aside. “Well, come in.”

Paris stepped through the door, his strides long and sure. He took one look at me holding the gun. “Nice shirt.”

I glanced down, forgetting I was wearing the extraterrestrial highway shirt. “Thanks.”

Then Archer popped in, looking fresh and clean. Not at all like someone who’d spent the night running around the desert. Suspicion bloomed like a noxious weed. He looked at Daemon. “Were we interrupting?”

Daemon’s eyes narrowed as he closed the door. “What’s going on?”

Archer reached into his jeans and pulled out a glass case. He handed it over to Daemon. “Here is the LH-11. I thought I’d let you do the honors.” He looked at me. “Are you going to shoot me, Katy?”

“Maybe,” I mumbled, but I lowered the gun and sat on the edge of the bed. “Where have you been?”

Archer frowned as Paris milled about, casting a distasteful sneer at the room. “Well, I did have a busy night keeping half the military off your tracks. Then when I was heading back to meet you, I ran into our friend here.”

“I wouldn’t consider him a friend,” Daemon said as he came to stand beside where I sat.

Paris placed a hand against his chest. “You wound me.”

Daemon rolled his eyes, and then in a lower voice, he said. “You can put the gun down, Kitten.”

“Oh.” I flushed. Stretching over, I placed it on the table. Then I addressed Archer. “We owe you a thank-you for…for everything.” I waited for Daemon to chime in. When he didn’t, I kicked his leg.

“Thank you,” Daemon muttered.

Archer’s mouth curved in amusement, and I think it was the first time I saw him really smile. I was blown away by how young it made him look. “You have no idea how gleeful that makes me feel to hear you say that, Daemon.”

“I can imagine.”

“Seriously,” I cut in. “We do thank you. We would’ve never made it here if it wasn’t for you.”

He nodded. “It wasn’t just for you two.”

“Explain?” Daemon said.

Paris huffed as he hopped up on the desk. Thank God the thing didn’t give out on him and wrinkle his pressed pants. “Do you guys really think that Archer enjoyed being Daedalus’s perfect little example of how an origin should be?”