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I frowned. “Why does it matter?”
Lucien scoffed. “Because you got a man killed last night.”
I turned my eyes to him. “What?”
Lucien stepped toward me, stopping when he was a foot away. The pull of his energy had me leaning in, wanting to get closer to him and have a taste. My stomach growled, and I winced. I just fed the other night . . . wait. Was it morning? How long had I been gone?
“I have to go home!” I blurted.
“Don’t change the subject, little sinner,” Lucien warned. “Why did you leave?”
A panic attack lingered on the edge of my consciousness. My skin tingled. I tried to focus on Lucien and his question, but my mind kept shifting to my parents. More specifically, my dad. He would kill me if he found me gone. Or worse . . .
“I-I don’t know.” I blinked to clear my thoughts, but it didn’t work.
Daiman stepped forward, frowning as he watched me. The energy thread inside me tugged, and I snapped my eyes to Daiman, where I felt the tug.
“What’s going on?” I asked him breathlessly.
“So you feel it . . .”
My spiraling thoughts drowned out anything he said. I heard his voice, but his words didn’t register.
Dad’s scowling, red face popped into my vision, and it was all I could see. Sweat beaded on my upper lip, and I swiped it away with shaking fingers. Bile rose into my throat, and I swallowed hard, trying to keep it down.
I was going to get sick.
“Grace,” Daiman called.
I blinked and shook my head, trying to get rid of the choking panic.
“Something’s wrong,” Daiman murmured.
“Look at me, little sinner.”
Nausea churned my stomach. “Ihaveto go home. Now.”
I looked at both of the silent men who watched me with concern, to my surprise. What shocked me most was Lucien. He stared at me, waiting for me to tell him what was wrong.
“I’ll explain at school. But I-I have to go home,please.” My voice cracked, and tears stung my eyes.
The two men stared at me, perplexed, like they didn’t know how to help me.
Daiman broke the spell between the three of us and stepped forward. He gently grabbed my arm and tugged me toward him. “I’ll take her,” he said to Lucien.
Shadows slithered around us, and the last thing I saw were Lucien’s narrowed eyes as he watched me leave with Daiman.
* * *
I jumped out of Daiman’s hold as soon as the shadows unwrapped from us. I went to my bedroom door, which was still closed, and cracked it open, listening intently. Dad snored so loud I could hear it from down the hall.
I released a shaky breath, closed the door, and turned back to Daiman. He rolled a toothpick between his teeth, his sharp jaw tensing with the movements. The way he stared at me reminded me of a panther who watched its next meal, taking its time before it pounced when the prey least expected it.
“Is there something you need to tell me?” he drawled.
I swallowed hard and shook my head. “No.”
His gaze slipped past my shoulder before returning to my face. He observed me, most likely catching every nervous twitch and how my eyes kept averting so he wouldn’t see the lie.
