The Darkest Star (Origin 1)
“A ruckus?” Luc repeated. “Have you been watching TV from the fifties?”
“Well, you know how deprived Archer is. He’s on this Happy Days kick recently. Freaking annoying as hell. Every time we get out of the city, he’s watching it on the damn tablet. Then we get back, Kat wants a damn breakdown of every episode. It’s driving me insane.”
“Good to know.” Luc sounded impatient. “Would love to chat more about Archer’s TV obsessions, but I’m kind of busy right now.”
“Yeah, you’re busy with . . . ?”
“Evie,” Luc said. “This is Evie.”
Daemon’s brows lifted. “Evie.” That eerie gaze settled on me again. “Hi, Evie.”
I had no idea what was going on, but I was no longer frozen by super-special Luxen power or my own stupidity. I lurched to my feet and blurted out, “He’s trying to kidnap me.”
“Is that so?” The brilliant green gaze slid to Luc. “I didn’t know you were into that kind of stuff. Freaky.”
Luc rolled his eyes.
“I’m being serious.” I took a step forward and then stopped when Luc shifted toward me. “See! If I walk toward that door, he’s not going to let me leave.”
“Well, Luc, you know that’s illegal, right?”
“No shit.”
“It’s totally illegal, but he’s trying to say he’s offering me a vacation—an all-exclusive vacation! In other words, he’s trying to kidnap me.”
Daemon drifted into the room. “And why is he doing that?”
“Seriously. You do have things to do, Daemon. Go do them.”
The man pouted—actually plumped out his lips and pouted. “But this is really more interesting.”
“He took my phone and won’t give it back.”
Daemon cocked his head to the side. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“No. You don’t understand. I left my phone here last night and I came back to get it, because you know how expensive those things are,” I tried again, my heart thumping.
“Uh-huh,” Daemon murmured.
“That’s all, and everything has completely gotten out of hand. He sent my friend home with some blue-haired dude who looks a little serial killer-ish. I’ve seen a guy who I’m pretty sure looks half dead,” I rushed on. “I’ve been picked up, carried around, and choked. And all I want is my damn phone and I’ve yet to see it—”
“I have your phone.” Luc reached around, patting his back pocket. “I was going to give it back you.”
Slowly, I turned to him. I couldn’t think of anything to say as I stared at him for what felt like an eternity. “You’ve had my phone in your pocket this whole time?”
Luc lifted a hand, knocking a wavy tumble of hair off his forehead. A second later it fell back in place. “I have.”
“In your back pocket?”
“Yes.”
My mouth dropped open. “And why haven’t you just given it to me?”
His lips pursed. “I was planning to, but then I got distracted when you almost got yourself choked to death.”
“That wasn’t my fault!” I shouted.
“We’re going to have to disagree on that.”
“Then why didn’t you give it to me afterward?” I demanded.
A smirk formed. “Well, I was just messing with you then.”
“Oh my God.” I shook my head, glancing over at Daemon. “Are you hearing this?”
He held up his hand. “I’m just an innocent, enraptured viewer of this.”
A lot of help he was.
“But then you threatened to call the police and run your mouth,” Luc added, the smirk fading. Daemon’s gaze seemed to sharpen. “And that changed everything.”
I stepped toward him, hands shaking. “I wouldn’t have threatened you if you had just given me the stupid cell phone!”
“I have to say, Luc, that sounds reasonable.” Daemon leaned against the wall, idly crossing his arms. “You could just—”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” Luc turned to him. “And why are you still standing here?”
Daemon lifted a shoulder. “This is so much more entertaining than hanging around Archer and Grayson.”
Violet eyes narrowed. “Daemon, you don’t leave, I’m going to help you leave.”
“Damn,” Daemon drawled. “Someone’s in a bad mood.” He backed up, a look of amusement settling into his features. “Talk to you later, Evie.”
Wait. He was leaving me? Here? With the guy I just said was trying to kidnap me? What was wrong with these people? “But—”
Daemon pivoted and was gone in the blink of an eye. I was left here, with Luc. Drawing in a deep breath, I faced him once more. “I wasn’t really going to call the police. I wouldn’t do that.”
Luc pulled his gaze away from the now empty doorway. “Then why did you threaten that?” He moved toward me, stopping when I stiffened. “Do you know how serious that is?”
“I just need my phone back. That’s all. I wasn’t going to breathe a word of this to anyone. I swear.”
His jaw worked as he stared at me. A moment passed. “You know what the big problem is here?”
I glanced around the otherwise empty room. “You trying to kidnap me?”