Opposition (Lux, #5)(54)

Luc let out a dry laugh. “No. I’d never be that lucky.”

My brows rose, and I couldn’t stop myself from thinking it. He was in love with her.

If Luc picked up on the thought, he didn’t acknowledge it. “Two and a half years ago, she started getting bruises all over her, would end up worn out easily, and couldn’t keep any food down. It’s a cancer of the blood, a label with too many words that don’t matter.” His eyes narrowed. “It’s fatal.”

I closed my eyes. “Luc, I’m . . . I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said, and when I looked at him again, he was staring right back at me. “Your father died—a lot of people die from cancer. I get that. But Nadia won’t.”

“She’s why you wanted the Prometheus serum.” From the moment I saw her, I’d been putting two and two together. “Luc, they said it didn’t work for—”

“It works on some diseases and some cancers. They didn’t get a chance to roll the drug through every sickness out there,” he interrupted, and I snapped my mouth shut. “As messed-up as Daedalus was, they did do a few good things. And hopefully, this will be another karma point for them.”

I wanted it to be the case. I didn’t know the girl, but after losing someone to cancer and losing all contact with my mom, I knew how hard loss was. It never went away, but stayed with you like a faint shadow that was thicker some days than others.

“I hope it works,” I said finally.

He gave a curt nod. A moment passed and then he said, “So you guys want to use the Arum to fight the Luxen?”

I blinked. “Does it ever get old being a know-it-all?”

Luc chuckled. “Not one single time.”

My look turned bland.

“Using the Arum is one hell of a Hail Mary, you know that, right?”

I sighed. “It is. Archer said he knew someone who was owed a favor. I’m going to take a wild guess and say it was you.”

He laughed again as he tipped his head back against the wall, looking like a teen boy lounging outside of a classroom. “Yeah, one of the Arum does owe me a favor.” A winsome grin appeared. “And his name would be Hunter.”





14


{ Daemon }

“Hunter?”

Luc sighed and repeated, “Hunter.”

“The douche who was at your club?” Luc and Kat had come and found me in our room, and I didn’t like where this was going.

“Hmm.” Luc tapped a finger on his cheek as he glanced at where Kat sat on the bed. “There were two douches there. He was one of them. So you were—”

“Funny,” I said.

“I thought so.” Luc flashed a grin as he dropped down beside Kat. “Do you know that saying? beggars can’t be choosers?”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m never the beggar.”

“Guys.” Kat tucked her hair back behind both ears. “So what do you not like about this Hunter guy?”

“Let’s see.” I pretended to think about that. “He’s an Arum for starters.”

Her gray eyes rolled. “Other than that?”

“Does there need to be another reason?” To me, that was good enough for my rabid dislike of the guy.

Luc nudged Kat with his arm. “It doesn’t matter if he likes Hunter or not. The Arum owes me a favor, and if anyone knows where all our natural-born killers are currently holed up? he’ll know.”

“And we can trust him?” she asked.

I snorted. Trusting an Arum? Yeah. Right.

Luc ignored me. “He wouldn’t dare screw around with me, not when he has so much to lose.”

Something ignorant was on the tip of my tongue, but it faded away like a memory just out of reach. I thought about the woman I’d seen with him at the club—a human woman. There had most definitely been a relationship between the two.

I about vomited in my mouth at the thought of that.

“I’ve already talked to him,” Luc said, stretching his arms above his head like a cat in the sunlight. “He’s gonna meet us in Atlanta.”

“Atlanta?” Surprise colored her voice. “And how are we supposed to get there?”

“Probably gonna have to drive.” He shrugged. “There’re no planes in the air, not since ET phoned home and then shot down a commercial jet.”

Kat paled. We hadn’t heard that news yet.

“So, yeah, I don’t suggest flying the unfriendly skies. I’ve already looked it up,” he continued. “It’s gonna take about thirty hours to drive, so it’s going to be an epic road trip. Hunter will meet you at the airport, though—domestic side.” He smiled then, like something about that amused him.

I leaned against the dresser. “So how is Hunter going to help us go after the Arum? Didn’t realize he’s that important of a dude.”

“Hunter’s important but not that significant.” Luc kicked his feet up so his legs were straight. I had no idea if the kid could ever sit still. “He’s your ticket to the Arum playground. He knows where they’re all cooling their feet. Getting Hunter to take you to his leader—master—whatever—isn’t going to be the problem.”