Looking at the pair of them – tougher and more menacing than any human men I’d ever seen – I doubted they’d had much trouble from the locals. They used pure intimidation to get what they wanted, no need for words.
As we stepped out, Lexen only had eyes for Emma. She smiled cheekily at him. “Thanks, babe. Appreciate the assist.”
He shook his head. “One game of basketball and suddenly you’re a sports expert.”
Emma huffed. “One game where I didn’t fall down or injure myself. Pretty sure that makes me an expert. In anyone’s definition.”
She threw me an annoyed look. “I’m completely athletically challenged. Lexen keeps making me run, and throw stupid things—”
“Like a ball,” he interrupted drily.
She snorted. “Right, like his balls.”
Star let out a groan, and everyone else just shook their heads. Me, on the other hand, I was loving it. They were couple goals. The realization that I wanted what they had hit me hard. I’d never thought that love and family and children were in my future. I expected my life would be empty, but I’d always held out a secret hope for more. That’s the reason I stopped the casual sex. I was tired of being empty.
My cup runneth over.I prayed then, harder than I ever had before, that I would never go back to my old life. That if …when… we found my mom safe and sound, she would be happy to let me go. Both of us free, finally.
My eyes shifted to Daniel before I could stop them. He was staring at me in a way that made it difficult for me to breathe. I wondered what he thought about my makeup. I hoped he didn’t think I’d “prettied myself up” for him. If I ever found myself in a position like Lexen and Emma, I would want to be loved for my natural self. With all of my flaws. I mean, he could love me in makeup, too, but the natural thing was non-negotiable. It would be way too tiring to try to look perfect every single day.
So the makeup was not for Daniel, it was for me. Because Star was right, sometimes a girl just needed some battle armor.
“Looks like Star got to you.” He sounded amused.
I shrugged. “Apparently school is akin to a warzone. You have to go in with your camo on or you’ll be shot dead instantly.”
He just shook his head. “You looked just as beautiful before you walked into the bathroom.”
My brain stopped working when he called me beautiful, so if he said anything else it was just a jumble. The bell rang again, startling me. I quickly brushed down my uniform and tried to mentally prepare. It was time for class.
“Come on, you’re in math with me and Lexen this morning,” Emma said, reaching out to link our arms together. “These guys don’t use books or anything. They’re already old and smart enough. But you can share mine, because there’s no time for you to stop by your locker.”
I tilted my head toward Daniel. “Do I have a locker?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “But you can just use mine. It’s easier to access and there’s nothing in there anyway.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “Bitch face in the office put me in the furthest locker she could find, didn’t she?”
Emma snorted. “Blond and mean, right? Bitch face is the perfect description.”
I turned to see her grimacing expression. “Oh yeah, cougar-bitch. She appears to have a thing for Dae—”
Star cut me off with a squeak when she tripped, which was probably a good thing. I’d almost – stupidly – said Daelighters out loud. Lexen moved super-fast, catching his sister before she hit the ground. There was a scuffle behind, and when I spun around I found Daniel holding another guy up against the wall, his forearm lodged in the stranger’s throat.
“I will not tolerate that bullshit in my house any longer,” Daniel snarled, and it almost looked like the marks on his head had started to glow, swirling red.
It was also getting really hot in the hall.
“What happened?” I whispered to Emma.
She tightened her hold on me. “That’s a member of Daniel’s house.” I guessed as much from his shaved head and attitude problem. “I think he pushed Star. Imperial and Darken do not get along, not at all.”
And yet Lexen and Daniel were best of friends. I was really glad that was the case, because I already thought of Emma and Star as friends. The guy against the wall was starting to turn purple. A pretty color, except it probably meant he was dying. Pulling away from Emma, I crossed to Daniel, moving cautiously when I got close. He was giving me “wild beast” vibes.
“Dan,” I said slowly, hoping to draw his attention.
Lexen moved to stand on the opposite side to me, close enough to intervene if he needed to. He seemed content to let this play out, though. Clearly it wasn’t a done thing to step in on another overlord while he was dealing with his people. But I didn’t want Daniel to kill anyone today.
“Daniel,” I said more firmly.
