Danger seemed to appreciate his frankness even as she shivered at his nearness. She looked up at him from under her lashes. That look made him feel things that he hadn't felt in a long time. He actually cared that she was confused and uncertain. He wanted to soothe her and that was beyond shocking to him.
"Are you here to spy for Acheron?"
He laughed at the very thought. "No. Trust me, he doesn't need anyone to spy for him. If he wants to know something, he does."
"How so?"
It took all of his willpower not to reach out and touch her cheek to see if it was as soft as it appeared. Her skin was flawless and tempting. No doubt it would be even softer against his tongue...
"I meant what I said, Danger. Acheron is able to find things out on his own. Spying is the last thing he needs me for."
Danger was getting extremely irritated by her attraction to this man and his own inability to answer her questions. She wasn't sure if she should kiss him or kick him.
The heat of his look was searing. Unnerving. It was so intense that she could almost feel his hands on her.
She had the most inexplicable desire to nuzzle him. Breathless, she decided to use his own hunger against him. She stood up on her tiptoes and moved so close to him that their cheeks were almost touching. She watched as he closed his eyes and drew in a sharp breath.
When he didn't pull back, she whispered in his ear. "Why are you really here?"
His voice was deep and thick when he answered. "To protect you."
Danger couldn't have been more surprised had he come right out and admitted to being Acheron's destroyer. She moved away from him to put more distance between them. It was hard to think straight while a man was staring at her as if he were picturing her naked. "Protect me from what?"
Still those eerie green eyes pierced her with their intense hunger. "Those who would see you dead. You are in a precarious place, Danger. The one who has gone Rogue will kill you instantly if he learns you have betrayed him."
Funny, Kyros had been remarkably understanding about that.
"He can't kill me and you know it. No Dark-Hunter can harm another."
He arched a brow at her. "You really believe that? There's nothing that says a Dark-Hunter couldn't handcuff another to a gate, car, or anything else, and leave them outside for the sunrise. You can't hurt each other, true. But there are many ways to expose your enemy to the day without endangering yourself."
Oh, now there was one hell of a loophole she'd never thought about. But obviously he had.
"And how did you acquire this information? How many Dark-Hunters have you exposed to daylight after they trusted you?"
He laughed bitterly. "If I wanted you or anyone else dead, Danger, I hardly have to wait for the sun."
"Then what do you want to protect me from?"
He looked away from her. "I can't tell you that."
"Try me."
"No," he said from between gritted teeth. "Even if I did, you wouldn't believe me."
They were at an impasse. She wasn't about to trust him until he gave her a reason to-and probably not even then-and the last thing she wanted was a guy in her house she couldn't trust. "In that case, you'll understand if I ask you to stay in a hotel while you're here spying for Acheron?"
His expression amused, he gave a short, sinister laugh. "You met with Kyros tonight and he tried to sway you to his rebellious cause. Did you believe him?"
How did he know that? That wasn't exactly something she had broadcast. Sheez. He seemed every bit as omniscient as Acheron and it was starting to piss her off. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He closed the distance between them. His presence was mammoth in the room, overpowering and yet strangely comforting. It was as if something inside him was putting off soothing vibes. Not to mention he had pheromones that should be bottled and sold. He was extremely compelling in a most sexual way. Acheron was the only other person she knew who had that strange "do me" factor that enticed everyone who came near him to strip his clothes off and throw him down for a wicked night of play.
What is wrong with me?
She'd never felt lust like this.
"You know," Alexion said in a deep tone that actually made her shiver, "for an actress you certainly can't lie worth a damn."
She stiffened at his words. "I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me. So what lie did Kyros tell you? I hope he was at least more creative than the 'old Acheron is a Daimon' standby."
She didn't know what surprised her more. The fact that he knew what they'd said about Acheron or the fact that he spoke of Kyros as if he knew the man personally. "How do you know about Kyros?"
"Believe me, I know everything about him."
Danger was even more confused now. Was Alexion telling her the truth? Or was he using the truth about Acheron being a Daimon to distract her? What better way to throw her off than to ridicule what could very well be fact.
Who did she believe? Kyros who seemed delusional or the man before her who seemed homicidal.
She crossed her arms over her chest and watched him closely. "So tell me, is Acheron a Daimon?"
Those eerie green hazel eyes narrowed on her. "What do you think?"
"I don't know." And that was the honest truth. "It makes sense. He is from Atlantis and we all know that the Daimons are from there originally."
Alexion scoffed at her. "Acheron was born in Greece and grew up in Atlantis. That hardly makes him a Daimon or an Apollite."
Still, there was more evidence to be considered. "He never eats food."
"Are you sure?" he taunted. "Just because he doesn't eat in front of you, doesn't mean he doesn't eat at all."
Okay, so he made her own point for her. It made her feel somewhat better to know that Kyros might be an idiot.
But there was still one piece in all this that didn't make sense. One piece Alexion had yet to explain. "Then what about you? If Kyros is so wrong, how did he know that you were going to come in here wearing your white coat and trying to pass judgment on all of us, huh?"
Alexion froze at her question. It went through him like shards of glass. "Pardon?"
A smug look came over her face. "You have no answer for that one, do you?"
No, he didn't. It was impossible that Kyros had learned of him. "How could he know about me? No one knows I exist."
"Then he's right," she said accusingly. "You are lying to me about your purpose. You're here to kill us all. You are Acheron's assassin."
Alexion couldn't breathe as her words went through him. How could anyone know that? It wasn't possible. Acheron had taken great care to make sure no one knew he existed. "No I'm not. I'm here to save as many of you as I can."
"And I'm supposed to believe you, why?"
"Because I'm telling you the truth."
Doubt stared out from the dark depths of her eyes. "Then prove it."
That was easier said than done. "Prove it how? The only way to prove to you that I'm not out to kill you is to not kill you. Last I checked you were the one throwing daggers, not me."