Onyx aln-2

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  “Leave her alone.” Ramirez hauled the silent girl to her feet. Her head hung low, face shielded by hair. “We’ve got to get this one back to the center. Come on.”

  “We could always Windex her brain. Have a little fun.”

  I shrank back from the suggestion. Could they do that? Wipe away my memories? All I had were my memories. My eyes darted between the two men.

  Ramirez swore under his breath. “Just do it, Williams.”

  When Williams started to stand, I scrambled backward. “Wait. Wait! Why am I here?”

  Williams opened the cage door with a small key and grabbed the chains. He yanked hard, and I fell backward. “I really don’t know what he wants with you, and I really don’t care.” He pulled on the chain again. “Now be a good girl.”

  Showing how much I appreciated his suggestion, I kicked. If I could just get past him… My foot caught him under the chin, snapping his head back. Williams retaliated with a punch in my stomach, doubling me in half. I wheezed as he grabbed my wrists while he retrieved the handcuffs from the top of the cage, pulling so the chain attached to them reached the floor.

  “No!” screamed Mo. “No!”

  The fear in her voice increased my own, and my struggles renewed. It was no use. Williams clamped the handcuffs around my wrists, and the world exploded in pain. I started screaming.

  And I didn’t stop.

  …

  My screams only died off when I could no longer make anything louder than a raspy whisper. My throat felt scraped raw. Only uncontrollable whimpers or moans escaped me now.

  It had been hours since the men left with Mo. Hours of nothing but scalding, blistering pain that shot down my arms, bounced off my skull. It felt like my skin was continuously being flayed, torn apart to get to something underneath.

  I faded in and out. Those moments of nothing were pure bliss, a short reprieve that ended too soon. I’d wake, thrust into a world where pain threatened to fray my sanity. Many times over I thought I’d die from it. That there had to be an end somewhere in sight, but the waves of hurt just kept coming, rolling over me, suffocating me.

  My tears had also ended when my screams stopped. I tried to not move or jerk when the pain spiked. It only made it worse. I was no longer cold. Maybe it was because I couldn’t feel anything other than the hurting that was inflicted by whatever was encased on those handcuffs.

  But through it all, I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live through this.

  At some point, the doors opened. Too exhausted to lift my head, I stared blindly at the metal beams through the bars. Would they take the handcuffs off? I wasn’t holding my breath.

  “Katy…”

  My gaze lowered, taking in the salt and pepper hair, the handsome face, and the smile that had charmed his way into my life and right into my mom’s bed. My mom’s boyfriend—the first man she’d even paid attention to after my dad’s death. I think she loved him. That was what made all of this so much worse. I didn’t care about what it meant for me. I had my suspicions before, and there was the general dislike of the fact he had been taking Dad’s place, but Mom… This would kill her.

  “How you hanging in there?” he asked, as if he truly cared. “I hear it’s painful—the coating—to those like you and the Luxen. It’s pretty much the only thing that can completely incapacitate both the Luxen and those they mutate. Onyx mixed with a few other stones, like rubies, inflects such a strange reaction. It’s like two photons bouncing off each other, looking for a way out. That’s what it’s doing to your mutated cells.”

  He adjusted his tie, loosening it around his neck. “I’m what the DOD calls an implant, but I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now. You’re a smart cookie, but you’re probably wondering how I knew? The night you were brought into the ER after you were attacked, you were recovering way too fast. And the DOD was already keeping an eye on you because of your proximity to the Blacks.”

  And being a doctor—wow, he’d know right off the bat if someone healed abnormally fast. Disgust seeped through me like a disease. It took me several tries to get the next raspy words out. “You started…to date my…mom, just to keep…an eye on me?” When he winked, I wanted to vomit. “You son…of a bitch.”

  “Well, dating your mom did have its benefits. Don’t get me wrong. I do care about her. She’s a lovely woman, but…”

  I wanted to hurt him. Badly. “You…told them about…Dawson and Bethany?”

  He flashed a smile, showing off perfect white teeth. “The DOD was already monitoring them. Any time a Luxen gets close to a human, they do, hoping the Luxen will mutate the human. I was staying with her parents when she returned from hiking. I had my suspicions, and I was right.”

  “You…you were sick.”

  Something dark flashed in his eyes. “Hmm, haven’t you been doing your research?” When I said nothing, he smirked. “And I won’t ever be sick again.”

  I blinked. He’d sold out his only family.

  “I brought them in first…and, well, we know what happened from there.” He knelt down, head tilted to the side. “But you’re different. Your fever ran higher, you responded to the serum miraculously, and you’re stronger than Bethany.”

  “Serum?”

  “Yes. It’s called Daedalus, named after the division within the DOD that oversees mutated humans. They’ve been working on it for years—a mixture of human and alien DNA. I injected you with it when you first became ill.” Will laughed. “Come on, did you think you’d survive a mutation of that kind of magnitude without help?”

  Oh my God…

  “You see, not all mutated humans survive the change or the booster shot developed to enhance your abilities. That’s what the Daedalus is trying to find out. Why only some—some like you, Bethany, and Blake—react approvingly to the mutation and others do not. And you, you I hear are quite amazing in that department.”

  He’d shot me up with something? I felt violated on a whole new level. Anger continued to build inside me, overshadowing the pain.

  “Why?” I croaked.

  Will looked pleased. Excited. “It’s rather simple. Daemon has something I want, and you will ensure he behaves long enough so this meeting ends beneficially for all parties involved. And I do have something, besides you, that he will do anything for.”

  “He’ll…kill you,” I rasped, wincing.

  “Doubtful. And you really shouldn’t talk,” he said conversationally. “I think you’ve done some permanent damage to your vocal chords. I’ve been downstairs for a while, waiting for you to stop screaming.”

  Downstairs? I realized then that we were most likely in the warehouse that Daemon had attempted to investigate the night we ran into the officers. Moving restlessly, I moaned as he brought the handcuffs more into contact with my skin. I may’ve faded out for a few seconds, because when I opened my eyes, Will was leaning closer.

  “Did you know the Luxen healing power is at its strongest when a person is wounded and the effects weaken the longer the gap is between the injury and the healing? So I’m thinking he won’t be able to fix the voice thing.”

  I drew in a ragged, painful breath that scorched my throat. “Fuck…you.”

  Will laughed. “Don’t be angry, Katy. I don’t mean him any harm. You, either. I just need you compliant while Daemon and I negotiate. And if he plays along, both of you will walk out of this building alive.”

  An unexpected jolt of pain rocked me, and my body went stiff as I gasped. It felt like my cells really were bouncing off one another, trying to escape.

  He stood, hands clenching at his sides. “I almost thought I lost it all this weekend. You can imagine how pissed I was when I learned that Vaughn was dead. He was supposed to bring you to me then. That poor boy had no idea that his own uncle was working to undermine what Nancy had him doing.” He laughed, trailing his fingers over the bars. “Kind of messed up, if you think about it. Vaughn knew that Nancy would be pissed, most likely would take it out on Blake’s little alien
friend. Although I shouldn’t talk, since I turned over Bethany and Dawson. I should’ve tried it with them, but I wasn’t thinking. Dawson is very much like his brother. He’d have done anything for Bethany.”

  Anger broke through the pain, burning just as bright. “You…”

  He stopped at the front of the cage. “As far as I know, it hasn’t worked yet.”

  I really had no idea what he was talking about, but pieces clicked together. Will had betrayed his own niece. The bank transfer slips made sense. Will had been paying Vaughn off, but for what? I didn’t know. Whatever it was, it was enough for Vaughn to go against the DOD, and it also explained why he’d stopped Blake from telling Nancy any of my progress.

  “Don’t worry. Daemon is a smart one.” Will turned my old cell over, smiling. “He responded eventually. And let’s just say my response will lead him to us.”

  I focused through the pain, concentrating on what he was saying. “What do you...want from him?”

  Will tossed the phone aside and grasped the torturous bars. His eyes met mine, and there was that excitement again, the childlike awe. “I want him to mutate me.”

  Chapter 35

  I’d been expecting a lot of things. Like maybe he wanted Daemon to annihilate an entire town or rob a bank for him, but to mutate him? If pain weren’t racking my body, I would’ve laughed at the absurdity.

  Will must’ve sensed my thoughts, because he scowled. “You have no idea what you’re truly capable of. What is money and prestige when you have the kind of power to force people to your will? When you never get sick? When no human and no alien life-form can stop you?” His knuckles bleached. “You don’t understand, little girl. Sure, you watched your father succumb to cancer, and I’m sure that was terrible for you, but you still have no idea what it’s like when your body turns against you, when every day is a battle to just survive.”

  He pushed off the bars. “Being sick and close to death changes a person, Katy. I will do anything to never be that weak, that helpless again. And I think your father, if he’d been given the chance, would have felt the same way.”

  I shuddered. “My father would never…hurt another person…”

  Will smiled. “Your naiveté is endearing.”

  It wasn’t naiveté. I knew my dad, what he’d do. Another wave of raw hurt forced my eyes closed. As it ebbed off, a different sensation appeared.

  Daemon was here.

  My eyes darted to the doorway, and Will turned expectantly, even though there hadn’t been a sound. “He’s here, isn’t he? You can sense him.” Relief colored his tone. “All of us suspected him, but we could’ve been wrong. It wasn’t until Blake took out Adam and nearly Dee that we could confirm it was Daemon.”

  He glanced back at me. “Be grateful that the chain of evidence ends with me. When this is done, we all walk away from this okay. If Nancy knew what we did, neither of you would be leaving here tonight.” He glanced over his shoulder. “There’s an address you need to remember. 1452 Street of Hopes in Moorefield. There, he’ll find what he’s looking for. He has until midnight, then he’s lost his window of time.”

  I remembered the address from the slip of paper I’d found, but it was a moot point. I was sure that Daemon was going to blast Will into his next life.

  Just then, the double doors opened, slamming off the white cement walls. Daemon came through the entrance, head lowered and eyes like glowing orbs. Even in my state, I could feel the power radiating off him. Not a Luxen power, but a human one—one born of desperation and pain.

  He looked at Will and quickly dismissed him. His gaze found me and stayed. A multitude of emotions flickered across his face. I wanted to say something, but my body had wanted to move closer to him. It was an unconscious movement, and it caused the onyx on the handcuffs to come into more contact with my skin. Withering on the floor of the pen, my mouth opened in a silent scream.

  Daemon shot forward. Not as fast as he normally would. He gripped the bars and then jerked back with a hiss. “What is this?” His gaze dropped to his hands and then back to me. Pain fractured the light in his eyes.

  “Onyx mixed with ruby and hematite,” Will answered. “A nice combination that doesn’t sit well with the Luxen or hybrids.”

  Daemon looked at Will. “I will kill you.”

  “No, I don’t think you will.” Will had moved back, though, showing that he wasn’t entirely confident in his plans. “Onyx covers every entrance to this building, so I know you can’t pull in any power or use the light. I also have the keys to that cage and those handcuffs. And only I can touch any part of that.”

  Daemon growled low in his throat. “Maybe not now, but I will. You can believe that.”

  “And you can believe that I’ll be ready for that day.” Will glanced at me, cocking an eyebrow. “She’s been in there for a while. I think you understand what that means. Shall we move this along?”

  Ignoring him, Daemon approached the other side of the pen and knelt. I turned my head toward him, and his eyes searched every inch of me intensely. “I’m going to get you out of there, Kitten. I swear to you.”

  “As sweet as your declaration is, the only way you’ll get her out of there is to do as I say, and we only have…” He checked his Rolex. “About thirty minutes before the next round of officers arrive, and while I have every intention of letting you both go, they won’t.”

  Daemon lifted his head, jaw working. “What do you want?”

  “I want you to mutate me.”

  He stared at Will a moment, then laughed grimly. “Are you insane?”

  Will’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need to explain everything to you. She knows. She can fill you in. I want you to change me.” He reached over the cage, wrapping his fingers around the bundle of chains. “I want to become what she is.”

  “I can’t just twitch my nose and make it happen.”

  “I know how it works.” He sneered. “I have to be wounded. You have to heal me, and the rest I can take care of.”

  Daemon shook his head. “What is the rest?”

  Once again, Will looked at me and smiled. “Katy can fill you in on that.”

  “You’ll fill me in right now,” he snarled.

  “Or not.” Will yanked on the chains, and I buckled.

  My scream was just a whimper, but Daemon shot up. “Stop it!” he roared. “Let the chains go.”

  “But you haven’t even heard what I’m offering.” He held the damn chains up, and I swam in pain.

  I faded out for several seconds, returning to see Daemon at the front of the cage, his eyes wide and frantic. “Let the chains go,” he said. “Please.”

  My heart cracked. Daemon never begged.

  Will released the chains, and I slumped against the pen. The pain was still there, but it was nothing like it had been seconds ago.

  “That’s much better.” Will stepped closer to the cage Mo had been in. “This is my deal. Mutate me, and I’ll give you the key to the cage, but I’m not stupid, Daemon.”

  “You’re not?” Daemon snickered.

  The older man’s lip twitched. “I need to make sure you don’t come after me as soon as I leave here, which I know you will once she’s removed from that cage.”

  “Am I that predictable?” He smiled smugly, and his stance changed, taking on the arrogant swagger he was famous for, but I knew he was coiled tight. “I may have to change up my game.”

  Will let out an exasperated breath. “When I leave here, you will not follow me. We have less than twenty minutes to do this, and then you’ll have only thirty minutes, give or take a few, to go to the address I’ve given to Katy.”

  Daemon glanced at me quickly. “Is this a scavenger hunt? I so do love them.”

  Always a smartass, I thought, even in the worst situations. I think I kind of loved him just for that.

  “Possibly.” Will slowly approached him, pulling out a gun from his back. Daemon just arched a brow while my heart tumbled over. “You’ll have a choice to m
ake after you let her out of the cage. You can come after me or you can get the one thing you’ve always wanted.”

  “What? A tattoo of your face on my ass?”

  Will’s cheeks flushed with anger. “Your brother.”

  All of Daemon’s arrogance vanished. He took a step back. “What?”

  “I’ve paid a lot of money to get him in a position where he could’ve ’escaped.’ Besides, I doubt they’ll really be searching for him.” Will smiled coldly. “He’s proven to be quite useless. But you—you, on the other hand, are stronger. You’ll succeed where he’s failed time and time again.”

  I wet my dry lips. “Failed…at what?”

  Daemon’s head jerked toward me, his eyes narrowing at the sound of my voice, but Will spoke up. “They’ve been forcing him to mutate humans for years. It hasn’t been working. He’s not as strong as you, Daemon. You are different.”

  Daemon drew in a breath. Will was offering Daemon everything he’d wanted—his brother. There was no way he’d turn that down. And he was fighting not to show any emotion. To Will, he was expressionless, but I recognized the minute ticking in his jaw, the way his eyes flickered, and the tight line of his mouth. He was caught between excitement and the knowledge that he was creating someone who could ultimately destroy the ones he loved. And someone who would be tied to him irrevocably—and to me. If Daemon healed Will, their lives would be joined.

  “I’d prefer to hunt you down and break every bone in your body for what you’ve done,” Daemon said finally. “Rip your flesh off your body slowly and then feed it to you for hurting Kat. But my brother means more than vengeance.”

  Visibly shaken by his words, Will paled. “I was hoping that would be your decision.”

  “You know, you have to be hurt for this to work.”

  Will nodded, aiming the gun at his leg. “I know.”

  Daemon looked disappointed. “I was so hoping I was going to get to inflict the damage.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

  What happened next was truly macabre. Part of me wanted to look away or cave to the pain, but I didn’t. I watched Will cock his arm back and then after a minute, he shot himself in the leg. The man didn’t make a sound. Something didn’t seem right about that other than the obvious, but then Daemon placed his hand on Will’s arm. The onyx didn’t block his healing powers. Daemon could’ve let him bleed out, but he would never get passed the onyx to get me out.