Lust (11 page)

my shoulder to make sure no one

was nearby. It was probably

pointless, half the people we were

with had super hearing. “And the

only thing that levels me out is

intimacy with Owen.”

Violet grinned. “I can think of

worse things for you to have to do.”

“I agree, but I can’t spend my

whole life having sex with him.”

“No… not every second of it.”

“So what’s the plan? Everyone

seems to think you have one.”

“We get to Mount Majest. See

the Elders.”

“The Elders who you don’t think

are actually going to help.” Very

reassuring.

“You never know. They like me.”

“What aren’t you saying?”

“You are already more

perceptive.” She straightened and

moved so she was standing in front

of me.

“I guess it comes with the

territory.” I struggled to keep my

head up. “But spit it out.”

She looked off into the distance

and didn’t say anything. I decided

to wait. Violet wasn’t going to talk

until she was ready. “You might not

like what they have to say.”

“Meaning they could refuse to

help.”

“Meaning any help they give will

be on their own terms. Not yours.”

Her words sunk in. Their terms

may not be good for everyone

around. “I need you to promise me

something.” I still didn’t know

everything about Violet, but she

struck me as someone who would

stick to her word.

“What is it?” She carefully

avoided promising anything until

she knew more. I tried to do the

same thing.

“Promise me you won’t let Owen

get hurt.”

“He’s likely to get hurt whether

you become an Allure or not.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

“But I will do what I can. There

are different types of hurt.” She

looked into the forest line.

On instinct I turned and followed

her gaze. “Is something out there?”

“No, but you can never be too

safe.”

A chill ran through me. “Are you

worried about someone watching

me or you?”

“Either or both. There are

always eyes in our world.”

“Should we be doing more to

protect ourselves? Have Owen

check or something?” I was

paranoid enough already. Now I

was going to be checking over my

shoulder every few minutes.

“It’s not going to change a thing.

When you’ve lived as long a life as I

have, you begin to understand that

some things are worth expending

energy on and others are not.”

“And helping me stop the

change is worth your energy?” I still

didn’t know what to think. For a girl

who couldn’t feel, Violet seemed to

be very concerned with what

happened to me.

“Yes. It’s worth it.”

“How come you sometimes

feel?” My filter was nearly gone.

“Haven’t we gone over this

before? I don’t feel in the way you

do.”

“But you can sometimes…” I

thought over our conversation with

Myrtle. About Violet looking sad.

“Spit it out, Daisy. Is there

something you want to ask me?”

She crossed her arms, and it was an

action that didn’t fit her at all.

“What happened at the

Applerose Gala?”

“I don’t know what you are

talking about.” She looked out into

the open field again.

“Yes you do. Why lie? You

already know everything about

me.”

She blinked. “I’ll say it again. I

don’t know what you are talking

about.”

“How can you expect me to trust

you, if you don’t trust me? Things

don’t work that way. There has to

be some give and take.”

“No.” She moved in close.

“That’s not how it works. You want

my help, I’m giving it. You want me

to try to protect Owen, I’ll try, but

—”

“Fine. I’ll stop pushing you, but

please keep your promise. He

needs to survive. He needs to have

a life. Happiness. Whether that’s

with or without me.”

“Let’s focus on getting to the

Elders first. There’s no reason to

rush to a conversation we may not

need to have.”

“Fair enough. How are we

getting there?” I wanted to know

about the gala and that man, but

pushing her wasn’t going to help

anything. I’d find out eventually. I

didn’t trust Violet completely, but I

had no other choice. I had nowhere

else to go.

“There are a few options.”

“Which are?” Finally she was

giving me some information.

“There are gates… that’s the

only way to reach Energo directly

from here.”

“Ok. Where are the gates?” The

sooner we reached Energo, the

better.

“Instead we can cut through

another place first.”

“Is there an advantage to this

indirect way in?”

“We are less likely to be

detected. That’s a good thing.” She

stepped back.

“What’s the catch? There has to

be one.”

“I know you’re already

nauseous. The trip isn’t going to

help matters any.”

“Great.”

“Somehow I don’t think that

band is going to be enough.” She

gestured to the motion sickness

bracelet.

“Owen can come too.” I wasn’t

actually asking a question. There

was only one possibility I could

accept.

“Yes. He’s not going to let you

go alone.”

“His feelings are real.” I needed

Violet to understand even if it didn’t

change anything.

“I can tell.”

“Mine are too.” I hopped down

off the railing.

“I can tell that too.”

“I love him.” Despite everything,

I still knew that. I refused to let go

of those feelings.

“I know.”

“I want to love him always.”

“Which is why I know you can

handle the motion sickness.”

“I know.” I straightened up. Like

it or not, I had no choice. “Do we

have time to grab some cookies?”

Violet laughed. “There’s always

time for cookies.”

“You like chocolate chip too?”

“Love them.”

“At least that doesn’t have to

disappear as an Allure.”

“It’s a different kind of love

though.”

“I knew you were going to say

that.” I sighed. Everything was

going to be different as an Allure. I

wouldn’t even enjoy cookies the

same way anymore?

“I wanted to make sure you

understood.”

“I understand.”

“Then let’s go back inside.” She

started for the door, but then

turned back. “I’m not all bad you

know.”

“I know. Why do you think I’m

talking to you?”

“None of us are. Not Hugh, or

Roland, or Louie. We’re a product of

what we’ve become.”

“Heartless.”

“No. Heartless isn’t the right

word.” Violet locked her eyes with

mine. “We have hearts.”

“Then how would you describe

it?”

“Frozen. Our hearts are frozen.”

“No. That doesn’t work.”

“Why not?”

“Because a frozen heart can be

thawed. What you are can’t be

fixed,” I nearly whispered.

“Very true.” She seemed

unmoved by my words.

“But that doesn’t bother you.”

The lack of feeling was still

something I couldn’t truly

comprehend. How did you respond

to anything or anyone without it?

“Sometimes it does, but it’s less

than you would think.”

“Right now, does it?”

“My own condition doesn’t, but

yours does. I care about you as

much as it’s possible for me to

care.”

I believed her. Maybe I was

naïve, but I needed to believe her

to motivate myself to go along with

whatever crazy plan she had. “And I

appreciate that.”

“But, Daisy?” She stopped right

in front of the door.

“Yes?”

“When we’re with the Elders,

you might not believe that’s true

anymore, but remember it is. It will

always be true.”

“How do you know? How do you

know it will always be true?”

“Because I do.” She held open

the door. “Let’s get those cookies.

It might help to get something in

your stomach first.”

“Unless that makes me sick.”

“True. I guess you should make

sure to enjoy them going down. It

will make up for anything bad you

experience with it coming back up.”

“What’s coming back up?” Owen

stood just inside the doorway.

“Nothing.” I didn’t want to put

the visual of me vomiting cookies

into his head.

“Did you two discuss everything

necessary?” Owen looked between

us.

“Pretty much. Now it’s time for a

snack before we get ready for our

trip.” I glanced toward the kitchen.

The cookies smelled heavenly.

“To Energo?” Owen asked.

“Eventually.” Violet started

toward the kitchen. “But we’ve

discussed it, and we’re going to go

in a roundabout way and make a

stop. Make our entrance less

conspicuous.”

“What place are we making a

stop at?”

“My home.” Violet handed me a

cookie.

9

OWEN

“You expect us to walk through a

tree to fairy land?” Levi spat out as

we sat around the kitchen table.

“First of all, it isn’t fairyland;

second of all, I don’t expect you to

do anything. You’re not invited.”

Violet took a small bite of her

cookie.

“You can’t tell me I’m not

invited. I’m the king.” Levi slammed

his fist into the table.

Violet turned to Levi. “Yes, I

realize you are the king here, but

that doesn’t mean anything where

we’re going.”

“Unless someone else is given a

territory, it’s mine.” Levi clenched

his fist.

Violet rolled her eyes. “As I was

saying, you will not be joining us.”

“You can’t tell me what to—”

“Who is going with you, Violet?”

Georgina interrupted.

Violet smiled at Georgina.

“Daisy has requested that Owen

accompany us. Given the

circumstances, I agree that he

should come.”

“Given the circumstances, I can

come too.” Levi glowered.

I needed to calm him down.

“Levi, we have this. You need to

take care of things here, and Allie

and the kids need you.”

“Let me send someone else with

you then.” He was worried. It took

a lot to make him worried.

“No.” Hugh shook his head. “It’s

bad enough that Romeo is coming.”

“Don’t call him that.” Daisy set

down her half eaten cookie. “The

name implies we’re star crossed

lovers destined for a tragic end.

That’s not us.”

Mayanne grinned. “Now there’s

the confidence we’ve all been

waiting for.”

Daisy picked at her cookie,

creating a pile of crumbs. “How

soon do we leave?”

Violet wiped her mouth with a

napkin. “As soon as you’re ready.”

“We’re ready.” Daisy pushed

back her chair.

“I can prepare bags for

everyone.” Georgina stood.

“I will make sure they both have

everything they need.” Violet

nodded at Georgina. “I assure you

they will be well attired.”

“I’m not stealing more clothes.”

Daisy shook her head. “I know

that’s what you did in Colorado.”

Her voice was low, and there was

no question she felt ashamed she

even had the ability to do that.

“You really are a fighter.”

Violet’s eyes gleamed with pride, as

though Daisy’s strength had

something to do with her. “Too bad

you don’t want to become one of

us.”

“Here, at least change into the

slacks Allie sent over.” Georgina

stood. “I have those in the car. A

girl should always dress her best,

but she should also make sure to

have alternatives.”

“And there you have it. Expert

advice.” Levi grinned.

Georgina tried to hide a smile.

“Leviathan please get my bag from

the car.”

“Of course.” He walked outside.

Levi returned a moment later

with the bag, and Daisy hurried off

to change.

Violet pulled me to the side.

“You need to keep yourself reined

in over the next few days. We know

you care about her, but that doesn’t

mean you should argue with me

every chance you get. We need to

work together to both get what we

want.”

“And what is it that you want?” I

still didn’t believe her motivations

were as innocent as she pretended.

“It’s mine to know.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s not.

That’s not good enough. We could

be walking into a trap for all I

know.”

“You’re not.” She looked toward

the doorway, probably checking for

Daisy.

“And you expect me to take your

word for it, just like that?”