I just hoped that was the case. We were obviously deep in enemy territory, and it would be no amount of time before they knew we were here. They might already know we were here.
And backup in the form of the Arum and the military was still many hours away. This could all go very badly, and very quickly, because we were intentionally walking into a trap. Dee and Daemon were really going to have to be convincing when it came to playing along with the enemy to get close to Ethan.
So convincing I really hoped they didn’t switch sides.
Might be a needless fear, because I seriously believed what Daemon felt for me was strong enough to beat that, but the concern was still there. It was like a shadow in my blood, a constant thought in the back of my head, a tiny stone in my stomach that didn’t go away.
This could really blow up in our faces.
As we neared the turnoff I hadn’t seen in so long, I leaned forward and grasped the back of Dee’s seat. My breath caught in my throat as the Explorer eased up the driveway. The grass looked overgrown, crowding the road with tall reeds; it was clear no one was concerned with landscaping, but I figured that was okay, with the world facing an alien apocalypse and all. Any other option was unacceptable for me to consider. Mom had to be fine, had to be waiting for me.
She was home, because her Prius was parked in the driveway, in front of the porch where the wooden swing still swayed back and forth in the breeze.
Archer turned the key in the ignition, cutting the engine as I stared at the flower box surrounding the porch. It was more weeds than flowers, but that was okay, too, because Mom had a daughter missing and an alien apocalypse to deal with. Plus, she wasn’t really good with flowers and all that jazz.
My fingers were shaking as I unlatched my seat belt.
Mom had to be inside the house. Had she seen us pull up yet? Would the door open at any given moment and she’d be walking out? A prettier, classier, smarter, and nicer version of me—a version I hoped to be when I got older.
I could barely drag in enough air to get my lungs working. From our plans, I knew Daemon would be leading the show here, and the last thing any of us needed was for me to go running to my mom. But I wanted to see her. I needed to, because I missed her desperately and I had to make sure she was okay.
I was all she had left, and she needed to know that I was still here.
Daemon caught my arm, keeping me in the backseat while Dee and Archer hopped out and stared at her house with wary expressions.
“There are Luxen nearby,” he said, smoothing his thumb along the edge of my sleeve, across my wrist. “I don’t know if they’re in any of the houses.”
“Why would they be in our houses?” The moment the question left my mouth, I knew how stupid it sounded, because there could be any number of reasons why they’d be in my house or Daemon’s.
He smiled tightly, but the worry in his eyes caused the little knots in my stomach to expand. “I know you want to check on your mom. I get that, but I need you to not run off. We’re going to head over there, but if anything is off and I tell you to get out of there—”
“Why would things be off?”
Daemon cocked his head to the side. “Kat . . .”
“I know,” I whispered. Stupid just kept spewing out of my mouth.
“Don’t forget the gun.” It was tucked in the back of my jeans, like a gangsta. His eyes searched mine and then he nodded. “I’m going to climb out after you, and Kat . . .” His stare turned intense, deep, and thorough. “If I have to talk to you a certain way or act like I did back in Idaho, I’m sorry.”
“I get why. I can deal.”
Daemon held my gaze a moment longer and then nodded. Drawing in a shallow breath, I turned and opened the car door. He slid out behind me and immediately curved a hand around the base of my neck. I imagined that the gesture looked like one of control and dominance, but there was something soothing in the weight of his hand. I knew he was there.
His sister had a hold of Archer’s arm as she led him toward the steps on the front porch leading to their house. Dee paused only to cast a look back at Daemon, and I had no idea if they were communicating or not, since there was a chance another Luxen could pick it up.
Daemon steered me around the front of the SUV, and as we walked closer to my house, I noted the weeds once again. Vines had formed, and they were so thick and numerous that they had started to climb up the sides of the porch, wrapping around the railings.
My gaze flickered toward the door.
It was open, with just the glass storm door closed. My heart was really going at it in my chest and I had to force myself to walk slowly, like Daemon was leading me instead of me leading him.
The steps groaned under our feet and the familiar creak from a loose board on the porch caused me to jerk a little.
“There are definitely Luxen nearby,” he said under his breath.
Meaning they could be anywhere, in the surrounding woods or inside the house. With their presence so strong and thick, they could be sitting in the living room for all we knew. Shivers ran up and down my body as he reached around me with his free hand and opened the door. Our footsteps quiet, we stepped inside and were welcomed by the slightly warmer air of the interior and the scent I’d missed—fresh linen.
Tears pricked at my eyes as my gaze swung around the foyer. Things looked the same. Oh God, there were Amazon boxes by the door, along with media mail envelopes, and I knew they were full of books that had probably kept coming until publicists realized I hadn’t updated my blog in many, many months.
My book bag was next to the lovely pile of unopened mail, along with my sandals. Mom had left them there, like she knew I was coming back. That she wanted them there for me. My lower lip started to tremble, and I blinked furiously to keep the tears at bay.