I remembered the first time we’d touched in biology. “How do you know about the DOD?”
“I met another human like us. She was under the DOD’s thumb. Apparently she exposed her abilities and they swooped in. She told me everything about the DOD and what they really want, which isn’t the Luxen or the Arum.”
Now that had Daemon’s full attention. He was practically in the backseat with Blake. “What do you mean?”
“They want people like Katy. They don’t give two shits about the aliens. They want us.”
Icy fear shot through me as I gaped at him. “What?”
“You need to explain that a lot better,” Daemon ordered as static built in the tiny car.
Blake leaned forward. “Do you really think the DOD doesn’t know what both the Arum and Luxen are capable of, that after studying your kind for decades and decades that they don’t know what they’re dealing with? And if you really believe not, then you’re stupid or naive.”
Another jolt of terror shuttled through me, but this time for Daemon and my friends. Even I had my doubts, but they’d seemed so convinced that they’d hidden their talents.
Daemon shook his head. “If the DOD knew about our abilities, they wouldn’t let us live free. They’d have us locked up in a heartbeat.”
“Really? The DOD knows the Luxen are a peaceful race and they know the Arum aren’t the same as your kind. Having the Luxen free takes care of the Arum alien problem. Besides, don’t they get rid of any Luxen who causes a problem?” Blake jerked back as Daemon nearly went over the seat, but I grabbed his sweater. Not like I could hold him in place, but he stopped. “Look, all I’m saying is there are bigger fish the DOD wants. And that’s the humans the Luxen mutate. We’re just as strong as you—even stronger in some cases. The only thing is, we tire out a lot quicker and it takes us longer to recharge, so to speak.”
Daemon settled back, his hands clenching and unclenching.
“The only reason why the DOD lets you believe that your big, bad secret is hidden is because they know what you can do to humans,” Blake said. “And we’re what they care about.”
“No,” I whispered, my brain rebelling against the idea. “Why would they care about us instead of them?”
“Gee, Katy, why would the government be interested in a bunch of humans who have more powers than the very creatures who created us? I don’t know. Maybe because they’d have a superhuman army at their disposal or a group of people who can get rid of the aliens if need be?”
Daemon swore under his breath—a work of art with curse words. And that scared me more than anything, because that meant Daemon was actually starting to listen to what Blake was saying. And believe it.
“But how…how are you stronger than the Luxen?” I asked.
“That’s a good question,” Daemon admitted softly.
“In the diner, when I knew the guy was going to skip out on his meal? It’s because I could pick up on bits of his thoughts. Not all of them, but enough to know what he’s planning. I can hear almost any human—any one that’s not mutated.”
“Mutated?” God, that word brought forth some really gross images.
“You’re mutated. Tell me, have you been sick recently? Had a really high fever?”
Apprehension rose so quickly it left me dizzy. From the other seat, Daemon tensed.
“I can tell by your expression you have. Let me guess, you had a fever so bad that it felt like your entire body was on fire? Lasted a couple of days and then you felt fine—better than ever?” He turned to the window again, shaking his head. “And now you can move things without touching them? Probably have no control. The table shaking inside wasn’t me. It was you. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Soon you’ll be able to do a hell of a lot more, and if you don’t get control of it, it’s going to be really bad. This damn place is swarming with DOD, hidden in plain sight. And they’re here looking for hybrids. Far as I know, the Luxen don’t typically heal humans, but it happens.” He glanced at Daemon. “Obviously.”
Hands shaking, I tucked my hair behind my ears. There was no point in lying about what I could do. He’d been right. Jesus. Daemon had mutated me. “Then why are you here if it’s such a risk now?”
“You,” he said, ignoring Daemon’s barely audible growl. “Honestly, I thought about not coming back. Moving on, but there’s my uncle…and you. That’s not many like us who haven’t been caught by the DOD. You need to know what kind of danger you’re in.”
“But you don’t even know me.” It seemed absurd that he’d risk so much.
“And we don’t know you,” Daemon added, eyes narrowed.
He shrugged. “I like you. Not you, Daemon.” He smiled. “But Katy.”
“I really, really do not like you at all.”
My stomach twisted. This wasn’t the time to get into that mess. My brain was on overload. “Blake…”
“That wasn’t said to make you say you like me or not. I’m just stating the fact. I like you.” He glanced at me, eyes shuttered. “And you don’t know what you’ve stepped in. I can help you.”
“Bullshit,” Daemon said. “If she needs help controlling her abilities, then I can do it.”
“Can you? What you do is second nature to you. Not to Katy. I had to learn how to rein in my abilities. I can teach her. Stabilize her.”