Beside me, Dawson shifted forward. “If Katy hadn’t come here, I would never have been freed. The world works in messed-up ways.”

Dee looked like she hadn’t even considered that. She pivoted around, playing with a strand of her hair-a nervous habit of hers. Her arm faded out for a few seconds, and then she sat on the coffee table, her back to us.

From the arm of the recliner, Andrew sighed. Every time I looked at him, he’d had his gaze fixed on Dee. “Guys, whether we like the idea of killing someone or not, we have to do something.”

“We do,” Daemon agreed. He glanced at me quickly before facing the group. “Arguing about what to do with Blake is a waste of time. If we don’t help him free Chris and in turn get Beth back, he’s going to turn Kat and me over.”

“Wow,” Matthew muttered, thrusting his fingers through his hair. And then he did something unheard of, for him at least. He swore.

Dee stood again, her movement abrupt and jerky. “He said that?”

“I don’t doubt he’s serious,” I said, hating that all of them were put in this position because of me. If I had only listened to Daemon in the beginning

So many would’ve, could’ve moments. “He’s incredibly desperate to free Chris.”

“Then it’s done,” Dawson said, seeming relieved. “We help him, and he helps us.”

Dee whirled. “You guys are freaking insane! We cannot help Adam’s murderer!”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Matthew asked. “Let him turn your brother and Katy over?”

Her eyes rolled. “No. Like I said, we kill him. That will stop him from doing anything.”

I shook my head, stunned by the ferocity in her voice. I also believed Blake probably had to die, because why should he live when Adam hadn’t, but hearing Dee like this cut through me with a dull knife.

Daemon stood, drawing in a long breath. “We are not going to kill Blake.”

His sister’s hands balled into fists. “Your call. Not mine.”

“We are going to help him and we’re going to keep an eye on him,” Daemon continued sternly. “And none of us are going to kill him.”

“Bullshit,” she hissed.

On his feet, Andrew took a step forward. “Dee, I think you need to sit down and think about this. You’ve never killed before. Not even an Arum.”

She folded her slender arms and her chin went up a notch. “There’s always a first time.”

Ash’s eyes widened as she slid a look at me that said, Holy crap . I wished I knew what to do or say, but there was nothing.

Quickly losing patience, Daemon mirrored his sister’s stance. “This isn’t up for discussion, Dee.”

A faint glimmer of white light shaded the outline of her trembling body. “You’re right. There’s nothing you can say that will convince me that his life should be spared.”

“We don’t have a choice. Blake has it set up that if anything happens to him, Nancy will be notified about Katy and me. We can’t kill him.”

She was undeterred. “Then we find out who he’s talked to or working with and take care of them!”

Daemon’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

“Yes!”

He turned away, seconds from losing it. My stomach rolled. This whole situation was all wrong.

Beside me, Dawson leaned forward, taking on the same position that Daemon had earlier. “Is your need for vengeance more important than finding and stopping what they’re doing to Beth?”

She didn’t look away, but her lips pressed into a grim line.

All eyes were on Dawson. “Because, little sister, let me tell you that what Adam went through pales in comparison to what she’s experiencing. The things I’ve seen

” He trailed off and his gaze lowered. “If you doubt what I say, then ask Katy. She’s had a taste of some of their methods and she can still barely talk from screaming.”

Dee blanched. We hadn’t spoken, not really, since New Year’s Eve. I had no idea what she knew about my brief capture or the methods Will had used to subdue me. Her gaze flickered to mine, and she looked away all too quickly.

“You ask a lot,” she said hoarsely, lower lip trembling. But then her shoulders slumped, and she turned, walking to the front door. Without saying a word, she left.

Andrew was already behind her, shooting Daemon a look. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Thank you,” he said, rubbing his palm along his jaw. “Well, that went wonderfully.”

“Did you really expect her or any of us to be okay with it?” Ash asked.

Daemon snorted. “No, but I have a problem with my sister so willing to kill.”

“I can’t

” I couldn’t even finish. Going into this, I knew it wasn’t going to be good, but Ash and Andrew were the ones I expected to want to go all serial killer-never Dee.

Matthew directed the conversation back to the present. “How do we contact Blake? It’s not something I can or wish to discuss with him in class.”

Everyone looked at me

everyone except Daemon. “What?”

“You have his number, don’t you?” Ash said, glancing at her naked nails. “Text. Call him. Whatever. And tell him we’re ridiculously stupid and plan to help him.”

I made a face but reached for my bag and dug out my cell. Sending Blake a quick text, I sighed. A second later he responded. Knots formed in my stomach. “Tomorrow evening-Saturday.” My voice sounded weak. “He wants to meet tomorrow evening in a public spot-Smoke Hole.”

Daemon gave a quick jerk of his chin.

My fingers wanted to rebel, but I typed out a quick okay and then tossed my phone back in the pack like it was a bomb about to go off in my hands. “It’s done.”

No one looked relieved. Not even Dawson. There was a very good chance that this was going to blow up in our faces like there was no tomorrow. But our choices were limited. Like Daemon had said, Dawson would go to Blake whether or not we did. And working with the enemy we knew was better than the one we didn’t.

But something cold and icky opened up in my chest.

Not because we were going to go down this road with Blake and not because Dee wanted Blake to die. But because deep down, underneath the layers of skin, muscle, and bone, hidden away from everyone, even Daemon, I also wanted Blake dead. Innocent Luxen or not

My moral code wasn’t at all offended by it. And there was something very, very wrong with that.

Armentrout, Jennifer L.

Opal ( A Lux Novel)

Chapter 11

I hung around their house, hoping Dee would come back and I could chat with her, but everyone was leaving and she and Andrew hadn’t returned.

Standing on the front porch, I watched Ash and Matthew drive off, my heart heavy with regret and a billion other things. I didn’t need to look behind me to know that Daemon had joined me. I welcomed the warmth and strength his arms offered as they circled me from behind.

I leaned back against his chest, letting my eyes fall shut. He placed his chin atop my head and minutes passed with only the sound of a lonesome birdcall and a horn blowing off in the distance. Against my back, his heart beat steady and strong.

“I’m sorry,” he said, surprising me.

“For what?”

He drew in a deep breath. “I shouldn’t have flipped out over the whole Dawson thing last weekend. You did the right thing by telling him we’d help. If not, God knows what he would’ve done by now.” He paused long enough to kiss the top of my head, and I grinned. He was so forgiven. “And thank you for everything with Dawson. Even though our Saturday will take a turn into crapsville, Dawson

He’s been different since zombie night. Not the old Dawson, but close.”

I bit my lip. “You don’t need to thank me for that. Seriously.”

“I do. And I meant it.”

“Okay.” Several seconds passed. “Do you think we made a mistake? Letting Blake go that night?”

His arms tightened. “I don’t know. I really don’t.”

“We had good intentions, right? We wanted to give him a chance, I guess.” Then I laughed.

“What?”