Opposition (Lux, #5)(18)

“And you stop it,” Daemon said, but the teasing quality was gone from his words. There was a warning in them that took the wind right out of my pissed-off sails.

The pictures settled as I gaped at him. Being slapped in the face would’ve been better.

“Amazing,” said Rolland, eyeing me like I imagined all the scientists at Daedalus had done when they first came into contact with the Luxen. “You have adapted many of his abilities. Amazing and yet disturbing.”

“I have to agree with that,” said one of the male Luxen.

Rolland inclined his head. “We are a higher life-form, and to mix so intimately with something like you is . . . well, an abomination of sorts. You shouldn’t exist. Whatever injury you suffered should’ve taken you.”

A muscle started to tick along Daemon’s jaw.

“After all, it is the survival of the fittest, is that not what humans say? You were not fit to survive without our interference.”

Well, that was all kinds of insulting.

“And yet it cannot be undone, can it?” His gaze flickered to Daemon. “There is so much we are unaware of. All of us were too young when our planet was destroyed and we were split among the universes. We have never been here, and apparently, there is a lot our kind who have been residing on Earth were also unaware of.”

Most Luxen didn’t know about hybrids. Daemon hadn’t until I was mutated, so it didn’t take a genius to think those who hadn’t been to Earth had no idea. It also made me wonder if they were aware of the weaknesses that existed here—the onyx and diamond shields? Did these things exist on whatever hellhole they’d crawled out of? I doubted they had PEP weapons, the kind the government had created that could nuke a Luxen into the afterlife with one blast.

“We are curious by nature. Did you know that?” he asked, and then he slid a knowing look in Daemon’s direction. “I’m sure you did. After all, was that what drew him to you? Or was it more?”

Daemon’s lips thinned, but if there was bait dangling in front of his face, he didn’t take it.

“Love,” muttered Rolland with a laugh.

Dee glanced at her brother. “That was before.”

“Was it?” he asked.

A moment passed as Daemon held Rolland’s gaze. “It was before.”

The thunderous cracking in my chest should’ve been heard in the nearby towns. I sucked in a sharp breath, and Daemon finally looked at me. His back was unnaturally stiff as his eyes met mine, but it was like he saw right through me.

“I wonder if that’s truly in the past,” Sadi challenged, and when Daemon outright ignored her, a tension pulled at her features, turning them sour.

The hair on the back of my neck was standing again, but for a very different reason as Rolland’s smile grew. “As I said, we are curious creatures. Quincy?” He glanced over his shoulder, and after a moment passed, the other man nodded.

My eyes widened as the other Luxen strolled forward. He wasn’t as tall as Daemon, but he was broader, and he walked like he was gliding over water. When he passed Daemon, he sent him a mocking smile.

I took a step back, my hands opening and closing at my sides. I had no idea what to expect from any of them, even Daemon at this point. Horror churned in my stomach.

Quincy was wide like a linebacker, and the look in his eyes sent an icy whirl of wind over me. My feet slipped over the cool wood floor as energy balled low in my stomach. I glanced at Daemon, my heart thumping. His eyes met mine as Quincy stopped in front of me, his striking features stark. Quincy’s smile creeped me out as he reached forward. Jumping back, I knocked his arm away.

“Don’t touch me,” I warned, feeling a rush of static over my skin.

The smile slipped off Quincy’s face as his eyes narrowed.

“What is this about?” Daemon asked.

“I’m curious,” said Rolland, his voice almost syrupy sweet as his gaze flickered over to Daemon. “Restrain her.”

My heart dropped as my gaze bounced between Daemon and the Luxen. There was a moment when Daemon didn’t move as he stared at Rolland, and then he pivoted on his heel. I locked up, throat dry, as he stalked toward us.

He cut Quincy a dangerous look as he stepped around me. The moment his hands folded over my shoulders from behind, holding me in place, I thought I’d throw up. Like literally hurl all over the smug-looking Luxen in front of me.

I jerked, pressing into Daemon as Quincy reached for me once more, gripping my chin with cool fingers, but I couldn’t shy away. Daemon was an unmovable wall.

Daemon stiffened behind me as Quincy lowered his head so that we were eye level. I never thought I’d ever be in this situation, that instead of Daemon protecting me, he would be allowing some random, really skeevy Luxen guy to get all up in my face. Not since the day at the lake, the first time he’d opened up to me and told me about his brother.

“She feels different,” Quincy announced, his hands sliding down my neck to where my pulse beat rapidly. “Not like other humans. Besides sensing something in them, we’d be able to tell by feel.” He paused, his gaze flickering up to Daemon. The Luxen’s smile turned brittle as his long, tapered fingers circled my neck. “You’re very angry.”

“Really?” Daemon’s hands flexed around my arms. “Remember what I told you before? That statement still stands.”