The look on his face said he wasn’t buying it at all.
But thankfully, Cassie recognized her. Gasping, she stared at her in utter disbelief.
Time stopped as Phoebe took in her sister’s long strawberry-blond hair and those features that were way too close to their mother’s. She’d missed her family so much!
“Phoebe?” Cassie breathed. “It’s really you?”
Tears blurred her vision as she choked on her tears. “It’s me, Cassie. I’m here to help you.”
Her sister stepped back and collided with the much smaller dark-haired guy who stood behind her. He was eyeing Phoebe with all kinds of malice. And so was the tall blond woman who looked like she ought to be on an island somewhere shooting the bikini issue ofSports Illustratedrather than locked in a boathouse being chased by Daimons.
But it was the doubt in Cassandra’s eyes that stung. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
“Iamdead,” Phoebe whispered. “You’re a Daimon.” There was no missing the accusation and judgment in the Dark-Hunter’s tone.
Phoebe nodded.
“Oh, Phoebe …” Cassandra’s voice was thick with disappointment. “How could you?”
Seriously? Her, too? Like she hadanyroom to talk given the company she was in? At least Phoebe hadn’t turned traitor. “Don’t judge me. I had my reasons. Now we have to getyouto safety.”
Cassandra gaped. “Like I’m going to trustyou?” She actually bowed up on her and acted as if she’d attack. “I remember Uncle Demos.”
So did she. There was no forgetting a trelos when they turned and came after you with that kind of fury. It was terrifying and now that she had the demons in her head, she understood. But still … “I’m not Uncle Demos and I have no intention of turning you into me.”
Phoebe took a step toward her, but that hulking, irritating Dark-Hunter prevented her from getting any closer to Cassandra.
Phoebe glared at him for his interference. She was family. He was not! Desperate, she looked at her sister. “Please, Cassie, you have to believe me. I would never, ever harm you. I swear it on Mom’s soul.”
She’d barely finished speaking when Urian came through the door from outside. Phoebe cringed at his bad timing. Urian wasn’t known for his peacekeeping techniques. More for whenever someone was ready for nuclear fallout.
The blond with her sister gasped.
“Hurry, Phee,” he whispered. “I can’t keep this covered much longer.” Ever defiant, he met the Dark-Hunter’s gaze without flinching.
There was no missing the anger and hatred of the two men as they barely restrained their urge to go at it. It sizzled in the air and made every Daimon instinct in her body rabid.
“Why areyouhelping us?” the Dark-Hunter demanded.
Urian sneered at him. “Like I give a rat’s ass about you, Dark-Hunter. I’m only here to help my wife protect her sister.”
The blond woman gaped. “Urian has a heart? Who knew?”
Urian passed an equally repugnant stare toward her. “Shut up, Abadonna.”
Now it was Phoebe’s turn to gape. That bombshell was Katra? That was the Kat Urian had told her about so many times over the years? Funny how he’d forgotten a few details.
Like the fact that she was fucking stunning! And inhumanly gorgeous.
She barely suppressed her anger as a wave of jealousy flew through her. What else had he left out?
He better notknowknow her, or else one or both of them were going to be bald later.
But that thought scattered as he ignored the blonde and neared her and kissed her cheek. Phoebe smiled at him. “Urian’s the one who saved me when Mom died. He pulled me from the car after the bomb exploded and hid me. He tried to save Mom and Nia too but couldn’t get to them in time.”
By her sister’s face, she could tell Cassandra didn’t know what to think about that. And she couldn’t blame her. It didn’t make sense that a Daimon, let alone one related to Stryker, would help them when all their lives they had been pursued by Urian’s kind. “Why?”
“There’s no time for this,” Urian hissed. “My father isn’t a stupid man. He’ll catch on quickly when he doesn’t hear from the two dead Apollites.”
