“Holy crap,” murmured Archer as he handled the odd-looking gun. “How did you get one of these?”

Lore smirked. “I have my ways.”

Archer shook his head. “Hell, these things were never approved for widespread use. Daedalus had them, but I never thought I’d see one on the outside.”

Daemon’s hand slipped off me. “What’s so special about the gun?”

“It’s specially designed for Luxen. It’s not a PEP weapon, not really.” Archer was also now smiling in the über-creepy way. “The gun is rigged to handle bullets juiced with a charge of the same matter behind the PEP. It’s not a DRT weapon.”

“DRT?” asked Dee.

“Dead Right There,” he explained. “But you shoot Luxen, hybrids, or Origins anywhere with one of these, they are going down. It’s mostly fatal, especially if the bullet doesn’t exit the body or they can’t get it out quickly. It kills more slowly, which was why the guns were never approved.”

“Because that would be like torturing someone.” I felt sick.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to really have good aim with this. Still need to be fast, but instead of sucking up energy and calling the Source, this will come in handy.” Archer looked like a kid who’d just been handed a birthday cake in his favorite flavor. “Really handy.”

“Each of you gets one,” Lore said. “So never say I didn’t give you anything. And I do expect a Christmas card this year.”

Smiling slightly, I took my gun—my more-dangerous-than-normal gun—and tried to get used to the weight and feel of the cool plastic and metal.

I was holding a gun in my hand. Again.

And I really did feel like a mobster.

We were back out on the porch, positions slightly changed. Daemon was sitting on the top step and his legs were spread wide. I was between them, turned slightly so I could see his face in the waning sunlight.

At first, we really didn’t say much. He was playing with my hair, twisting the length around his fingers and brushing the ends against my cheek. I had no idea what it was with Daemon and using things—my hair, pens, pencils, whatever—to touch me, but I didn’t mind. There was something relaxing about it now, when it used to be ridiculously annoying. I was leaning back against his left leg, letting him do whatever he was doing. We’d have to leave soon so that we’d arrive sometime in the morning.

Archer had clued Luc in to the change of plans, and he was going to relay the info to the powers that be. There were branches of the military close to Petersburg, mostly around Northern Virginia, but from what we could gather from Archer’s conversation, we wouldn’t be able to rely on them because they couldn’t afford to leave D.C. We’d have to wait on other branches spaced throughout the United States, most holed up in Montana—a good thirty-hour drive or so, putting them in Petersburg around the same time the Arum should be arriving. Archer would be contacting Lotho—that is, if Lotho wasn’t screwing with us and actually showed.

So basically if things went south, we were screwed up and down and from both sides. But I’d be home in Petersburg, where my mom should be—

I pulled the brakes on that collision course of thought. Mom would be okay. She had to be there waiting for me, because she would’ve never given up on me, no matter how long I’d been gone or what was going on in the world.

But I couldn’t let myself think about Mom right now. I had to focus on what we were about to do.

“Thoughts?”

“This is a really bad plan,” I admitted after a few seconds, glancing up at him.

“It is.”

I stared into his eyes. “That’s not reassuring.”

One side of his lips kicked up. “You got a better idea?”

I thought about that for a couple of moments and then sighed. “No, not really. As long as they don’t know Dee and the crew have gone off the rails, then they’ll be expecting her to be all kill-everyone happy.”

He dipped his head, brushing his lips over mine. “You’re worried.”

“Uh, duh.”

“You know I’m going to take care of you.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“It’s not?” Before I could answer, he kissed me softly, causing my breath to catch. “Then what are you worried about?” he asked.

“You. Dee. Archer. Dawson and Beth, even though they’re safe for now. I’m even worried about Luc.” I paused, frowning. “Though Luc is probably the last person I should worry about because he’s Luc, but I’m scared for him and even Hunter and Lore and Serena. I’m worried that—”

Daemon kissed me deeply, cutting off my words, and he took that kiss to a whole new stratosphere. “You’ve got a big heart, Kitten.” His lips cruised over mine as he spoke. “That’s what I love about you most. Well, that and I am a really big fan of your sweet body, but your heart? Yeah, that completes the package of you, wraps it up with a nice little bow. It makes you perfect to me.”

“Sometimes . . .” I stared at him, blinking back wetness. “Sometimes you say the most amazing things.”

“And I do love the sight of my hands on your ass, too.”

A laugh burst out of me. “Oh my God, and then you say things like that.”

“Got to be myself.” He kissed me again. “Kitten, it’s okay to be worried about everyone, but all of us can take care of ourselves.” He rested his forehead against mine. “And I also know that no matter how bad this idea is, how dangerous it is, we’re going to come out of this together. All of us. I’ll make sure of it.”