And his distraction had a name.
Bethany Williams.
In his human form, he rubbed the heels of his palms down his face and groaned. There was no reason why he’d spent the last three hours thinking about her. Ha. Three hours? Try the last ten hours.
A blur shot through the room, and before Dawson could lower his hands, Dee flopped down on the bed beside him, her eyes wide.
Dee was probably the only real love of his and Daemon’s lives. Both of them would rain down hell on anyone who messed with their sister. She was their treasure. At home, the females of their race had been cherished. Something the human males didn’t seem to do.
Full of energy and a natural love of just being around others, Dee was like a cyclone that blew through people’s lives. She was also his best friend. They had a bond, one that ran deeper than what they shared with Daemon. Dawson never knew why it was like that. There was this wall around his brother that even they couldn’t really break through. Growing up, it had always been Dee and Dawson.
Dee’s hand fluttered around her as she spoke. “I was outside, and it looked as if a light show was going on in your bedroom. Daemon said you were probably mas—”
And Dee also knew no boundaries.
“Ah, no, please don’t finish that sentence.” He lowered his hands, eyes narrowing at his sister. “Don’t ever finish that sentence.”
She rolled her eyes as she tucked her legs under her. “So, what were you doing?”
“I was thinking.”
Her delicate brows arched. “Thinking caused the light show? Wow. That’s kind of sad, Dawson.”
He grinned. “I know, right?”
She nudged his leg. “Yeah, and you’re not telling me the truth.”
“And yeah, it’s late. Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
Her evergreen eyes rolled. “When did you become Dad? It’s bad enough that Daemon is all parental on us. Not you, too.”
Daemon was parental. He was only a few minutes older than them, but he made sure those few minutes counted.
And the last thing Dawson wanted to do was talk about Bethany with Dee. Talking about Bethany with any of them would be an unnecessary complication at this point. Luxen weren’t forbidden to date humans per say, but the DOD wasn’t down for it and what was the point? Hooking up was one thing, but a relationship? It wasn’t like Dawson could be upfront with what he was. If he did, the DOD would make sure the human disappeared, and who wanted that on his conscience? Then there was the big question. How could you be in a serious relationship with someone and hide who you were?
Not to mention the fact that no one knew if humans and Luxen could even…mate. Offspring were unheard of.
“Why were you outside?” he asked instead.
Her shoulders deflated immediately. “Ash was here.”
Oh, no.
“So, she and Daemon aren’t seeing each other. Again.” Their relationship was like a soap opera for sixteen-year-olds. Granted, the Luxen matured a lot faster than humans, but Dawson couldn’t figure the two out. “And she was outside, yelling at him. Can’t believe you didn’t hear.”
That’s because he was so wrapped up in thinking about Bethany. “Why was she yelling?”
“I don’t know. Daemon probably was looking at another girl or something.” She sighed. “Or he didn’t want to hang out. You never know with her. I sometimes wish they’d break up and stay apart.”
“You just don’t like Ash.”
“It’s not that I dislike her.” Dee pushed off the bed and shot across the room, appearing beside his window. “I just think she’s a bitch.”
Dawson choked on his laugh. “Yeah, you don’t dislike her at all.”
She spun around, hands planted on her hips. “She’s not right for Daemon. And he’s not right for her.”
Sitting up, Dawson swung his legs off the bed and stood. Close to midnight and he felt like he could go for a run. It was going to be a long night. “Who is right for Daemon?”
“Someone who’s not needy, for starters,” she said, skipping over to the bed. “And someone who really cares about him. You know Ash chases after him because it’s expected. Not because she really loves him.”
Dawson’s eyes narrowed into a shrewd stare. “Does this have more to do with you and Adam than Daemon and Ash?”
Her lips puckered. “Not at all.”
“Uh huh.” Sympathy for his sister and brother unfurled, and he started pacing. The Elders didn’t control who they were mated with, but they made suggestions, which were more like expectations. Their race was thinning out and needed repopulating. He got that. Didn’t mean he had to agree with it.
But for right now, Dawson had lucked out. There weren’t any other females in his age group here, but one day he knew another Luxen female would be brought in. Or he would be forced to go to her.
And leave his family behind.
He ran his hands through his hair, already knowing he was probably going to be an outcast one day. He’d deny the Elders’ wishes, plain and simple. Just like he knew Daemon would eventually, because he would never end up with a Luxen like Ash.
But Dee? He glanced at her, feeling anger stir. Dee would be with Adam, whether she loved him or not, and that killed him. His sister deserved better.
All of them deserved better.
…
Dawson had barely slept, but he was up and jonesing to get to school, even though the March sun had broken through the heavy clouds, already melting the remnants of snow. It would be a great morning to cut class and go out on one of the many trails, but not today…