OALN

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  Dee sat down next to me and took a sip of her soda. Convinced or not, Dee knew something was up when I returned with Daemon that morning…and something was.

  She nudged my leg with hers, gaining my attention. “Are you feeling okay?”

  If I had a dollar for every time she asked that question, I’d have a new laptop already. It wasn’t like I didn’t know I was lucky to be alive, and I should be suffering from post-traumatic stress, but I did feel fine. I never felt physically better, to be honest. I felt like I could go out and run a marathon or climb a mountain. I didn’t want to look into the reason for that too closely. Enough things had already successfully freaked me out.

  Someone cleared his throat, jarring me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Dee and Adam staring at me expectantly. I couldn’t remember what they wanted. “What?”

  Dee smiled a little too brightly. “We were wondering how you were handling things? If you are worried about there being more Arum.”

  “Oh, do you think there will be?” I immediately responded.

  “No,” Adam reassured me. Ever since the battle with Baruck, he actually started talking to me. It was a nice change in things. Ash and Andrew were a different story. “We don’t think so.”

  I shifted uncomfortably and my skin itched. I wasn’t sure how long I could sit here with them staring at me at me like I was an experiment gone wrong.

  “I thought you said Daemon would be back soon?” Adam settled in the recliner.

  Dee’s eyes shifted from Adam to me. “Daemon should be here any minute.”

  I hadn’t seen Daemon since that morning. I’d asked Dee several times where he had gone, but she never answered me. Eventually, I gave up pestering her.

  The two of them started talking, making plans for Thanksgiving break coming in a few weeks. I zoned out, like I’d been doing for the last three days. It was strange. I couldn’t concentrate. I felt off, like I was missing a part of me.

  Warmth slipped over my skin, like a warm breeze. It came out of nowhere. I looked up, seeing if anyone else noticed what I’d felt. They were still talking. I shifted on the couch as the feeling increased.

  Dee’s front door opened, and my breath caught in my throat.

  Within seconds, Daemon entered the room. His hair was a tousled mess and there were shadows under his eyes. Without saying a word, he dropped onto the couch, his heavy lashes hiding his eyes, but I could feel his stare.

  “Where have you been?” I asked in a voice that sounded shrill to my own ears.

  Silence fell while two more sets of beautifully odd eyes settled on me. I felt my cheeks turn hot and I leaned back, feeling like an idiot. I folded my hands and kept my eyes pinned to them. What a way to draw attention to myself.

  “Well hello, honey, I’ve been out boozing and whoring. I know, my priorities are pretty off.”

  My lips thinned at his sarcastic response. “Dick,” I muttered.

  Dee groaned. “Daemon, don’t be a jerk.”

  “Yes, Mommy. I’ve been with another group, searching the whole damn state to make sure there aren’t any Arum that we’re not aware of,” Daemon said, his deep voice soothing a weird ache within me at the same time I wanted to thump him upside the head.

  Adam leaned forward. “There aren’t any, right? Because we told Katy she didn’t have anything to worry about.”

  His eyes left me briefly. “We haven’t seen a single one.”

  Dee hooted happily and clapped her hands. She turned to me, her smile genuine this time. “See, nothing to worry about. Everything is over.”

  I smiled back at her. “That is a relief.”

  I heard Adam talking to Daemon about his trip, but it was hard to pay attention. I closed my eyes. Every cell in my body was aware of him, like that day in my living room but on a different level.

  “Katy? Are you even here, right now?”

  “I think so.” I forced a smile for Dee’s sake.

  “Have you guys been driving her crazy?” Daemon asked, sighing. “Bombarding her with a million questions?”

  “Never!” cried Dee. Then she laughed. “Okay. Maybe.”

  “Figured,” Daemon muttered, stretching out his long legs.

  Unable to stop myself, I turned toward him. Our eyes locked. The air between us seemed to stretch with heat and electricity. The last time I’d seen him, we’d been kissing. And I had no idea where that left us.

  Dee shifted next to me, clearing her throat. “I’m still hungry, Adam.”

  He laughed. “You’re worse than I am.”

  “True.” Dee hopped to her feet. “Let’s go to Smoke Hole. I think they are having homemade meatloaf.” She edged around me, leaned down, and gave Daemon a peck on the cheek. “Glad you’re back. I’ve missed you.” Daemon smiled up at his sister. “Missed you, too.”

  When the door shut behind Dee and Adam, I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Is everything really okay?” I asked.

  “For the most part.” He reached out with one hand, running his fingers over my cheek. Daemon sucked in a sharp breath. “Hell.”

  “What?”

  He sat up and scooted closer, his leg pressing against mine. “I have something for you.”

  Not what I was expecting. “Is it going to blow up in my face?”

  Leaning back, he chuckled and reached into the front pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a small leather pouch and handed it to me.

  Curious, I pulled on the little string and carefully emptied the pouch into my palm. I glanced up, and when he smiled, I felt my heart turn over. It was a piece of obsidian about three inches long, polished and shaped into a pendant. The glass was shiny black. It seemed to hum against my skin, cool to the touch. The silver chain it hung from was delicate, spiraling over the top of the pendent. The other edge was sharpened into a fine point.

  “Believe it or not,” Daemon said, “even something as small as that can actually pierce Arum skin and kill them. When it gets really hot you’ll know an Arum is nearby even if you don’t see one.” He carefully picked up the chain, holding the clasps. “It took me forever to find a piece like this since the blade turned to crap. I don’t want you to take this off, okay? At least when…well, for the most part.” Shocked, I pulled my hair out of the way and twisted around, letting him hook the necklace around my neck. Once it was clasped, I faced him. “Thank you. I mean it, for everything.”

  “It’s not a big deal. Has anyone asked you about your trace?”

  I shook my head. “I think they’re expecting to see one because of all the fighting.”

  Daemon nodded. “Hell, you’re bright as a comet right now. The sucker has got to fade or we’ll be back to square one.”

  A slow heat built inside me. Not the good kind. “And what is square one, exactly?”

  “You know, us being…stuck together until the damn trace fades.” His gaze flickered away.

  Stuck together? My fingers dug into my denim-clad knees. “After everything I’ve done, us being around each other is being stuck together?”

  Daemon shrugged.

  “You know what? Screw you, buddy. Because of me, Baruck didn’t find your sister. Because of what I did, I almost died. You healed me. That’s why I have a trace. None of this is my fault.”

  “And it’s mine? Should I have left you to die?” His eyes burned now, like emerald pools. “Is that what you wanted?”

  “That’s a stupid question! I don’t regret that you healed me, but I’m not dealing with this hot and cold shit from you anymore.”

  “I do believe you protest too much with the whole liking me part.” A wry grin twisted his lips. “Someone sounds like they are trying to convince themselves.”

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As much as it bothered me to say this, because there was a part of me that wanted him, I did. “I think it would be best if you’d stay away from me.”

  “No can do.”

  “Any of the other Luxen can watch over me or whatever,” I prote
sted. “It doesn’t have to be you.”

  His eyes met mine. “You’re my responsibility.”

  “I am nothing to you.”

  “You’re definitely something.”

  My palms itched to have a close encounter of the bitch-slap kind with his face. “I dislike you so very much.”

  “No. You don’t.”

  “Okay. We need to get this trace off me. Now.”

  A wicked smile played over his lips. “Maybe we can try making out again. See what that will do to this trace. It seemed to work last time.”

  My body liked the idea. I, however, did not. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen again.”

  “It was just a suggestion.”

  “One that will never. Happen,” I bit out each word deliberately. “Again.”

  “Don’t act like you didn’t have as much fun—”

  I smacked him in the chest hard. He only laughed, and I started to push off, but… wait. I pressed my hand against his chest as I stared at him.

  Daemon arched a brow. “Are you feeling me up, Kat? I’m liking where this is heading.”

  I was—nice chest and all— but that wasn’t the point. His heart beat against my palm, a strong tempo that was slightly accelerated. Thump. Thump, thump. Thump. I placed my other hand against my own chest. Thump. Thump, thump. Thump.

  I started to feel dizzy. “Our heartbeats…they’re the same.” Both of our hearts were racing now, completely synchronized. “Oh my God, how is this possible?”

  Daemon started to look pale. “Oh crap.”

  My lashes lifted. Our eyes locked. The air seemed to spark around us, filled with tension. Oh crap, indeed.

  He placed his hand over mine and squeezed. “But it’s not too bad. I mean, I’m pretty sure I morphed you into something and this whole heart thing proves we must be connected.” He grinned. “Could be worse.”

  “What could be worse exactly?” I asked, stunned.

  “Us being together.” He shrugged. “It could be worse.”

  Part of me wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. “Wait a sec. You think we should be together because of some kind of freaky alien mojo that has connected us? But two minutes ago you were bitching about being stuck with me?”

  “Yeah, well, I wasn’t bitching. I was pointing out that we are stuck together. This is different…and you’re attracted to me.”

  My eyes narrowed. “I’ll get back to that last statement in a second, but you want to be with me because you now feel…forced?”

  “I wouldn’t say forced exactly, but…but I like you.”

  I stared at him. It was all too easy to recall what I’d overheard when he’d healed me. Part of me had thought that maybe what he’d felt was real, but maybe it was the product of whatever the hell he’d done. That made sense considering what he was saying.

  Daemon frowned. “Oh no, I know that look. What are you thinking?”

  “That this is the most ridiculous declaration of attraction I’ve ever heard,” I said, standing. “That is so lame, Daemon. You want to be with me because of whatever crazy stuff that had happened?” He rolled his eyes as he stood. “We like each other. We do. It’s stupid that we keep denying it.”

  “Oh, this is coming from the dude who left me on the couch topless?” I shook my head. “We don’t like each other.”

  “Okay. I should probably apologize for that. I’m sorry.” Daemon took a step forward. “We were attracted to each other before I healed you. You can’t say that’s not true, because I’ve always…been attracted to you.” I took a step back. “Being attracted to me is as lame a reason to be with me as the fact we’re stuck together now.”

  “Oh, you know it’s more than that.” He paused. “I knew you would be trouble from the start, from the moment you knocked on my door.”

  I laughed dryly. “That thought is definitely mutual, but that doesn’t excuse the split personality thing you’ve got going on.”

  “Well, I was kind of hoping it did, but obviously not.” He flashed a quick grin. “Kat, I know you’re attracted to me. I know you like—”

  “Being attracted to you isn’t enough,” I said.

  “We get along.”

  I gave him a bland look.

  Another flash of his teeth as his lips spread. “Sometimes we do.”

  “We have nothing in common,” I protested.

  “We have more in common then you realize.”

  “Whatever.”

  Daemon caught a piece of my hair and wrapped it around his finger. “You know you want to.”

  The memory of the sweet kiss we’d shared in the field returned. Frustrated, I snatched my hair back and focused. “You don’t know what I want. You have no clue. I want a guy who wants to be with me because he actually wants to be. Not that he’s forced to be out of some kind of twisted sense of responsibility.”

  “Kat—”

  “No!” I cut him off, balling my hands into fists. Come on, Kittycat, don’t b e a b ystander. I wasn’t going to be a bystander anymore, which meant not caving to Daemon. Not when his reasons for wanting me were so lame they made a top ten list. “No. Sorry. You have spent months being the biggest jerk to me. You don’t get to decide to like me one day and think I will forget all of that. I want someone to care for me like my dad cared for my mom. And you aren’t him.”

  “How can you know?” His eyes flashed, turning them into brilliant jewels.

  Shaking my head, I turned toward the back door. Daemon appeared in front of it, blocking my exit. “God, I hate when you do that!”

  He didn’t laugh or smile like he normally would. His eyes were wide and bright, consuming. “You can’t keep pretending that you don’t want to be with me.”

  I could—I would try, even though deep down, I did want to be with him. But I wanted him to want me, not because we were stuck together or because somehow we were connected. I’d always liked the glimpses of the real him. That Daemon I could be with—I could love. But that Daemon never stayed around long, pushed out by his never-ending duty to his family and race. Saddened by that, I pressed my lips together.

  “I’m not pretending,” I said.

  His eyes searched mine. “You’re lying.”

  “Daemon.”

  He placed his hands on my hips and tugged me forward carefully. His breath stirred the hair around my temple. “If I wanted to be with…” he started, his hands tightening. “If I wanted to be with you, you’d make it hard wouldn’t you?” I lifted my head. “You don’t want to be with me.”

  His lips twitched into a smile. “I’m thinking I kind of do.”

  Parts of my body liked that. My chest swelled. Insides knotted. “Thinking and kind of aren’t the same thing as knowing.”

  “No, it’s not, but it’s something.” His lashes lowered, shielding his eyes. “Isn’t it?”

  I thought of the love my mom and dad had again. I pulled away, shaking my head. “It’s not enough.”

  Daemon’s eyes met mine and he sighed. “You are going to make this hard.”

  I didn’t say anything. My heart was thumping as I sidestepped him and headed for the front door.

  “Kat?”

  Drawing in a deep breath, I faced him. “What?”

  A smile parted his lips. “You do realize I love a challenge?”

  I laughed under my breath and turned back to the front door, giving him a one-fingered salute. “So do I, Daemon. So do I.”

  Bonus scenes from Daemon’s point of view...

  Keep reading!

  Acknowledgements

  Ob sidian wouldn’t even be a glimmer in my eyes without Liz Pelletier. Simply put, you’re the best. Seriously. Funny how one email can turn into this crazy idea within minutes, hours…and then days—wait, hours? And you’re like an editing ninja. Thank you.

  Thank you to the wonderful, awesomely awesome team at Entangled Publishing. Heather Howland—I love the buns atop your head in your Twitter avatar. Have I told you that before? Thank you to Suzanne
Johnson for turning my manuscript into a lovely Christmas tree during copyedits, Heidi Stryker—a huge thanks to you for being the first intern to read Ob sidian and think, “Wow, this doesn’t suck.” A shout out to my publicist Lewis Pollak—thank you for handling everything that you do.

  To my agent Kevan Lyon—you are a dream come true. Special thanks to agents Rebecca Mancini and Stephanie Johnson. Whenever I hear your names, I get all warm and fuzzy inside.

  To my family and friends, thank you for not disowning me when I don’t answer your calls or pay attention when you’re talking. I know I get lost in my head from time to time, so thank you for being patient.

  Lesa Rodrigues and Cindy Thomas—you guys kept me sane while writing Ob sidian. To Carissa Thomas for liking to mess around with pictures of hot guys and make my blog all steamy, thank you.

  Julie Fedderson—you’re the best crit partner and cheerleader in the world.

  And a huge, GIGANTIC thanks to all the book bloggers out there who helped reveal the cover of Ob sidian and spread the word. I heart each and every one of you.

  Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. Well, mostly. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write. She shares her home with her husband, his K-9 partner named Diesel, and her hyper Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent her time writing short stories…therefore explaining her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes Adult and Young Adult Urban Fantasy and Romance.

  Bonus Material

  Scenes from Daemon’s point of view!

  “Uh-oh spaghetti-o’s”

  Daemon

  The moment I walked into trig class, I saw Kat. Kind of hard to miss with that whitish glow surrounding her. I spotted a couple of seats empty on the other side of class and knew that’s where I should go.

  Instead, I switched my notebook to my other hand and headed straight down the aisle where she was seated. She kept her eyes glued to her notebook, but I knew she was aware of me… The faint blush along the tips of her cheekbones gave her away.

  I grinned.