“We need to pool resources to stop him.” Stryker sighed heavily.
“Is what he said true?” Xander jerked his chin toward Davyn. “Your Daimons don’t live on souls anymore?”
“It’s true. Why?”
“Then I’m thinking we should enter an official truce.”
Stryker nodded. “One caveat. We’re not the only Daimons out there. We’re only one small group.”
“But I can mark them,” Apollymi offered. “That way the Dark-Hunters can tell my Spathi from the others. I’ll give them a mark that no one else can copy or duplicate. It’ll be seen only by the Hunters’ eyes so that they won’t be able to hurt them.”
“That’ll work.”
Bethany smiled. “Who would have ever thought we’d be on the same side?”
Grimacing, Styxx scratched nervously at his neck. “I have to say, I’m not comfortable bedding down with Atlanteans.”
Bethany smacked him on the stomach. “Hey now!”
He laughed. “You don’t count.”
Stryker stepped aside with Urian. “Are we good again?”
“I don’t know, Solren … you did cut my throat. I am kind of fucked up.” Urian cracked a smile. “But I’m your son, so I think normality and sanity sailed away a long time ago. Given that, I guess we are.”
Stryker pulled him into his arms and fisted his hand in his hair like he did when Urian was young. “I’ve missed you so much.” Those gruff words were growled against his ear.
“Missed you, too.”
For a minute, Urian didn’t think he’d let go. Finally, he pounded him on the back and stepped away.
Then Stryker paused. “You’re welcome to come and go. I’ve kept your place just as you left it. No one’s bothered any of your things.”
And that told Urian more than anything how much his father loved him. “Thank you.”
“All right, I’m off to tell my Daimons to stop killing Dark-Hunters. That might take a while to sink in. Eleven thousand years of instinct is hard to reset.”
Davyn nodded. “He’s not wrong. I still want to crap my pants every time I see Acheron.” He glanced over to Styxx. “Or you, because you look like him.”
Simi let out a horselike snort. “Oh, poo on that! Akri a sweetie. He not kill no Daimon what he don’t gotta!” She hiccupped. “Ooo, that one bit me back!”
Phoebe came over and returned Urian’s phone. She sniffed back the tears from her face. “Thank you.”
“You all right?”
She nodded. “Can you help me get to Minnesota?”
“Sure. I’ll go right now, if you want.”
I’ll see the others back.Xyn passed her thoughts to him.You take care of Phoebe. I’ll see you later.
Urian nodded before he headed to the portal with Phoebe so that he could see her settled.
It didn’t take long to see her to Cassandra and Wulf’s. The moment they arrived, Cassandra let out a shriek he was surprised didn’t orbit the world a thousand times.
Even their dog whined over it.
And when Phoebe saw the kids, she burst into a round of tears that was truly stellar, especially over little Phoebe.
