The Brightest Night (Origin 3)

Dragging his teeth over his lower lip, Luc dipped his chin. He looked like he was trying not to smile or laugh, and I didn’t know what he’d found so funny.

“What?” I demanded, staring at him.

“Nothing.” His lips twitched as he glanced at Daemon. “She told you, didn’t she?”

“Yeah.” Amusement flickered across Daemon’s striking features. “She did.”

“Sorry,” I lied. “I didn’t like your tone.”

“I apologize for said tone.” Daemon bowed his head ever so slightly. “I’m just a little shocked. If I’d known he was alive, I would’ve hunted that bastard down.”

Knowing what I did about Daemon’s and Kat’s time within the Daedalus, I didn’t for one second think that was an empty threat.

“Why did Eaton keep that to himself?” The light behind Daemon’s pupils began to fade. “Why wouldn’t he tell us?”

That was something neither of us could answer.

A breeze carrying the scent of apples caught my hair again, whipping it around my face as Daemon looked over his shoulder, back to the house. “I don’t want Kat to know,” he said, focusing on us once more. “Not until after she has the baby. She doesn’t need any extra stress right now.”

“Agreed.” Luc’s gaze landed on the house. “She looks like she’s about to give birth any second now.”

“She’s past due. Vivien said that’s normal, but…” Daemon’s shoulders tightened, and I assumed Vivien might’ve been one of the few doctors that were here. Concern bled into the air. “But if she goes too long, we’re going to have to induce, and we don’t have the best setup for that.”

My stomach sank. “Do you have that medication that will do that?”

Daemon’s stunning emerald gaze moved to mine. “We do biweekly runs for goods and supplies. We’ve scavenged all that can be from Houston, but luckily for us, lots of meds were left behind. The problem is many of them require certain administrative mechanisms that require a pretty steady flow of electricity, and we have to be careful on how often we power things up here.”

That made sense. They wouldn’t want to end up drawing attention.

“We need an easy-as-possible birth,” Daemon added, unfolding his arms and thrusting a hand through his hair. “Viv is prepared for complications, just in case, but…”

What he wouldn’t say lingered around us.

Women died in functional hospitals giving birth. Technology and medical advancement could only get you so far.

“Kat is a hybrid, and she has you.” Luc’s hand slipped from mine as he stepped toward Daemon, placing a hand on Daemon’s shoulder. They were the same height, and it was hard to imagine a time when Daemon would’ve towered over Luc. “She has her family. She has me. We won’t let things go south. Kat will be fine, and so will your baby.”

Daemon clasped Luc on the shoulder. “You’re her family, Luc. Don’t separate yourself from that statement.”

Hearing Daemon say that made me feel even worse for almost straight up killing him in the woods, because Luc needed to know that he was a part of a family, one that included Zoe, Emery, and probably even Luc. He needed to remember that even though he kept a wall up between him and almost everyone, there were those willing to chip away at that barrier.

“Then I’m thinking you and Kat have a little Luc or Lucy on the way?” Luc’s reply would’ve been oh-so smooth if it weren’t for the slight thickening in his voice.

The lines of Daemon’s features softened as he let out a raspy chuckle. “We have two names picked out, and I hate to break it to you, but Luc isn’t one of them. Neither is Lucy.”

Grinning, Luc stepped back. “I don’t know if I can forgive that.”

A faint smile appeared, hinting at those deep dimples that must be breathtaking when he really let go and smiled. Daemon was beautiful. No doubt about that, but he didn’t send my pulse skittering the way Luc did.

But within a heartbeat, the small grin Daemon had been rocking was gone. “You got time for that much-needed talk?”

Warning bells went ring-a-ding-ding as I clearly recalled Daemon referencing this “much-needed” conversation more than a time or three hundred since he learned what I was.

Since I was surely going to be the topic, I thought I should take part in said conversation, but before I could say anything, my stomach rumbled loudly.

I really hoped Daemon hadn’t heard that.

“Don’t really have time right now.” Luc’s gaze flipped from the cloudless sky to Daemon. “Evie’s hungry. Sounds like her stomach is eating itself. I have a feeling if it doesn’t get something that is considered red meat in her, she may start eating small animals and children.”

Slowly, I turned my head and looked at him, lifting my brows.

Luc shrugged. “Just being honest.”

“Pretty sure you could’ve described my hunger any other way than that,” I told him.