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"We’ll be fine with the onyx shields" He tossed the rock back into the pile "Each of us can withstand it long enough"

"But it’s not being sprayed in your faces," Dee protested, eyes wide "You’re just handling it"

Blake inched closer "It was never sprayed in ain It’s the only logical explanation"

"No It’s not" She let go of her hair and faced her brothers "Handling onyx and having a tolerance is one thing Having it sprayed in your face is totally different"

Dee had a point, but it was all we could do

Dawson se to me when he did smile, because it was so rare to see a real one, and it transfor to be okay, Dee I promise"

"And the lasers--you have the lasers to watch out for," Andrew threw in, gri"

"No doubt," Blake said "But they shouldn’t be an issue The eoes off and if everything goes s if," Dee e if, but ere in this to the end Just looking at Dawson reaffirain Because I knew beyond a doubt, if it were Daemon locked in Mount Weather, I’d take as many risks as there were to free hi and the other half was Beth None of us could expect hio to the end of the earth for the ones we loved

After another grueling session with the onyx, we called it a night and gimped back to the houses Matthew and the Thompsons left, as did Blake Dee went inside while the three of us lingered and finally Dawson disappeared somewhere around the side of the house

Dae ainst his chest "You feeling okay?"

"Yes," I said It was the sale time after practice And yeah, I sort of loved him for that "You?"

"You don’t need to worry aboutthe feel of his chest and the way his arainstand I was on board that train

Dawson reappeared, the fading sun casting a halo around hi halt He shoved his hands into his jeans and rocked back on heels, not saying a word

Daehtened "What is it?"

"Nothing," he said, eyes squinting at the rapidly darkening sky "I was just thinking"

We waited quietly, because we both knew that Dawson couldn’t be rushed He’d say whatever it was he wanted to say when he was ready Again, I foundwhat he was like before all this terrible stuff had happened to hiuys don’t need to do this on Sunday"

Daeuys shouldn’t have to do this Dee’s right It’s tooto be able to walk past those onyx shields Who knohat Blake’s deal is really? This doesn’t involve you all"

Dawson looked at us then, expression full of sincerity "You shouldn’t be doing this Let Blake and I go in It’s our risks to take"

Daemon fell silent for several moments "You’re my brother, Dawson, so whatever risk is yours, it ismy head back "And whatever risk is Daeree with, but you get e’re saying?" Daeether, for the good and the downright crappy"

Dawson’s lashes lowered "I don’t want to see either of you two get hurt I don’t think I could live with that"

"We’re not going to get hurt," Daely that there was no doubt in my mind that he believed this to be true His hands landed onthe tensedwith Beth and Chris"

Pulling his hands out of his pocket, Dawson thrust theh his hair "Thank you" His lips twitched as he lowered his hands "You know, I’ to have to leave afterward? Maybe… I can finish out the semester, but Beth and I will have to leave"

Daemon’s hands stilled and I felt his heart trip over itself, but then his hands started up again "I know, brother We’ll make sure that Beth is hidden until you’re ready to leave It’s going to suck, but… but I knohat you have to do"

His brother nodded "We’ll stay in touch"

"Of course," Daeaze, I bitTheir faain All of this because of what they were and none of theht this on themselves It wasn’t fair

Worst of all, it didn’t see we could do about it

…

Thursday evening, after another skin-nuar need by hitting up the local fast-food joint--sweet tea for the win Instead of going in, he lowered the latch on the back of his SUV and we chilled out

The skies were clear and the gli stars started to fill up the heavens Whenever I looked at the stars, I thought of Daemon and his kind

He elbowed rinned around the straw "Soet what you are, but then I see those stars, and I reet what you are?"

Laughing, I lowered uess I do"

"Nice"

I swung my feet back and forth "But seriously, I really do I think that if the public knew about you guys, they’d get used to the Luxen"

"Really?" He sounded shocked

I shrugged "You guys really aren’t any different"

"Besides the whole gloor," he teased