I gathered them as I went, weaving them into the tapestry of my being. With each new addition, I felt stronger, more alive, more wholly myself. It was a heady feeling, a dangerous feeling. One I'd almost forgotten in my long years of hiding.
Another faint glimmer caught my attention, and I shifted my attention to it, observing a young boy nervously approaching his crush, a pretty girl with curly hair and a bright smile. My magic whispered encouragingly in his ear, giving him the extra courage he needed. I waited until he successfully asked her to the school dance before reeling that tendril back in.
Hours passed as I scoured the globe, encountering moment after moment of my magic at work in ways befitting it. An elderly woman finding the strength to get out of bed. A struggling artist receiving a flash of inspiration. A grieving widower feeling a flicker of hope for the first time since losing his wife.
I had no idea there were so many little bits of my power scattered off like that, working on changing the world in a thousand different ways. It was a little concerning. I'd need to keep a closer eye on things moving forward, mind that there weren't so many leaks. This much magic left unattended could cause unintended consequences.
With a sigh, I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was Luce, dozing on the carpet. In repose, the hard edges of his face softened, making him look a little less battle hardened. Not sweet, I don’t think it was in him. But irritatingly endearing. I didn't want to see him almost vulnerable, damn it.
It irritated me that I noticed these things, that some softheaded part of my brain insisted on cataloging the curve of his mouth, the thick fan of his lashes against his cheek. Attractiveness was a weapon he knew well how to wield, and I had no intention of falling on any sword other than the one I’d lately enjoyed.
As if sensing my gaze, Luce stirred. A slow smile curved his mouth as he met my gaze. "Enrapt in my beauty?"
I scoffed, looking away to conceal the heat climbing up my neck. "By the quality of your illusion. In contrast, you snore like a congested boar."
"I do not," he protested, sitting up and stretching his arms. His shirt rode up, revealing his chiseled abdomen, and I averted my gaze.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night. Oh wait, apparently that's me." Rising to his feet in one fluid motion, Luce prowled closer, an assessing gaze running over me. "How are you feeling? Must be energizing, having all that in you."
"Nothing I can't handle," I replied breezily, but my skin prickled. That look, the hunger, the fascination, I’d seen all of that before many times. My power called to him, and he wanted to take it and use it for himself. Daemons always did.
My mouth tasted sour. Of course, Luce didn't want me as Halo, as the person I’d become, not when this shiny new toy was accessible. The sooner I got that firmly in my head, the better.
Luce studied me for another long moment in silence. Then, to my utter shock, he murmured, "I'm taking you out on a date when we get out of here."
I barked out a startled laugh. "Right. Because nothing says, ‘continuing romance’ like being stuck in prison together."
"I'm serious." His tone was calm, and that damn warm smile peeked out. "You and me, dinner, maybe dancing. I want to get to know you when you aren’t stressed."
Surprise suspended my vocal cords for a moment. What was he up to? I’d know if it were Rey, but Luce was new on my radar.
I narrowed my gaze. "If this is some kind of game..."
"No games," he interrupted, holding up his hands. "Just an honest invitation. Take it or leave it."
I hesitated, torn between suspicion and a traitorous flicker of longing. What would it be like, to be wined and dined, have a night off with a date that wasn’t a prearranged hookup?
Though we’d both have to deal with half the shifter community hiding and eavesdropping so they could gossip later.
“Let’s do that after we get out of here,” I said.
9
RISSA
"Okay,all right, let's do this," I said, rolling my shoulders and shaking my hands out. "We’ll need to combine our powers again, but this time, I take the lead. I want to have every possible bit of power to do this, just in case."
Luce nodded, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "There's something you should know, though. Me taking your power is easy. Like breathing. But to give you mine..." He hesitated, looking almost sheepish. "We're going to need a lot more physical contact. It's just the way it works with daemons."
I raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore the sudden flutter in my stomach. "Okay, how much are we talking about?"
Luce tugged on his collar. “A lot of it. As much as we can."
Tingles erupted in places I’d rather they didn’t, and I bit my cheek. We’d had sex only a couple hours ago, but it appeared my body was ready to go for another round. Despite my best effort, humor leaked into my words. "In order for you to share more of your power with me, we need to have as much skin contact as possible?"
Luce nodded, an answering gleam of humor meeting mine. "I swear it's the truth. Daemon magic works differently than what you're used to. Physical touch amplifies the connection."
The absurdity of the situation hit me then, and I couldn't help but laugh. The only downside was the possibility that someone was watching us.
