DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS

29

“We stay here until we can’t anymore,” Kevin confessed, his voice low.

My chest constricted. Of course. Staying in their foster house meant being one more kid “bothering” their foster parents, and eventually, it all led to a punishment or a beating. Staying hidden for as long as they could at Kenna’s house meant they would be safer for longer.

My eyes returned to Kenna, who passed the plates with sandwiches to her guests. Her long brown hair had green streaks now, and her nails were painted turquoise. She looked relaxed and nonchalant in jeans, a tank top, and barefoot, but she couldn’t fool me.

Under all that guarded attitude was someone who cared deeply.

It was like Kenna had entered an unknowing challenge: impress Devon at every turn.

She was definitely winning.

The sound of a door opening came from the front of the house. “Kenna?” Lia called. “I have groceries. Can you help?”

I had no idea what made me move, but without hesitation, I stepped into the hallway. “I can help.”

Her arms full of paper bags, Lia smiled at me. “Oh, you’re here.”

“We are too,” Sabrina said, coming right behind me. Kevin stood with her.

“Great.” Lia jerked her chin to the car. “Help me with the groceries, then I’ll cook supper for us while you guys finish your homework.” Sabrina and Kevin rushed past her, toward the car. Lia looked at me. “Devon, you’re staying too, right?”

I opened my mouth.

“He’s staying!” Carol shouted from the kitchen. I heard a shush from Kenna and some covert mumbling from Carol.

I frowned. What the f**k was I doing? I had no idea, but I couldn’t stop now. “Yes, I’m staying.”

“Great.” She walked past me and dropped the bags on the kitchen island. She grinned at Kenna and Carol. “I love a full house.”

The corner of my lips tugged up as I turned to help with the groceries.

Then, I wiped the smile off my face. I was here because of my mission, nothing else. Every time I touched Kenna, I saw a vision. I would find a way of casually touching her again tonight to see if I had another one, because I was now convinced these visions were connected to my mission.

That was the only reason I endured Kenna, her mother, and her friends.

Or so I told myself.

Past

Devon

Devon wiped the sweat from his forehead with the shirt he had slung over his shoulders. In this heat, he didn’t even know why he bothered putting on a shirt when he got out of bed in the morning.

His eyes scanned the field. Giles worked as hard as he did, and Ophelia was farther away, doing lighter labor. Until about an hour ago, Kianna had been in the field with them.

He straightened and stared past the field, down the hill, to the cherry tree and the lake behind it. He couldn’t help the tug in his chest as he took in the blonde girl seated at the bench, holding a fiddle, watching as her younger siblings rehearsed their dance for the competition.

At first, Kianna had resisted rehearsing more than once a day, but knowing this dance was important to Selina and Calvin, she soon gave in. Now they spent half the time allotted for schooling, rehearsing instead.

Often, Devon spied out from the field to watch the dance. Though he was intrigued that Kianna could play the fiddle, he still thought the best parts were when Kianna got up from the bench and showed the siblings a step or two, corrected them, or added the next move to the dance.

As if the gods granted his wishes, Kianna rose to her feet and stood between her siblings. She lifted her arms, moving them side to side, her hands undulating with the movement. A breeze blew past, ruffling the skirt of her dress and blowing her long tresses back. The lake’s surface shone behind her, becoming a halo around her.

An angel.

She couldn’t be evil, because Devon was sure she was an angel.

His feet moved before he could register what he was doing. When he finally came to, he was halfway down the hill, his eyes glued to the young woman dancing beside the cheery tree.

Devon hesitated for a moment, but he had earned a break. He would just watch Kianna, Selina, and Calvin for a few minutes, then he would drink some water, and go back to the field.

Calvin was the first one to see him. “Do you want to dance with us?”

Kianna and Selina stopped the move they were practicing and turned to Devon. His cheeks heated.

“Oh no, I can’t dance,” he said quickly. “I was just taking a break and saw you dancing.”

“Want to see what we have so far?” Selina asked with a smile. She seemed excited about having an audience.

Devon nodded. “Sure.”

Selina grabbed Kianna’s wrist in one hand, and Devon’s in the other, and pushed them back to the bench. “Then sit there and enjoy.”

Devon stumbled onto the rough wooden bench, right beside Kianna. Instantly, he scooted to the edge of the bench.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

She narrowed her bright blue eyes at him. “For?”

He gestured to himself. “I’m sweating and smell bad.” Her eyes followed his hand, and he could swear he felt her gaze brushing over his skin. She was looking at him, staring at his chest and stomach.

Red tinted her cheeks and she averted her eyes. “It’s okay.” She cleared her throat, grabbed her fiddle, and waved at the kids. “Are you ready?”

“Yes!” Selina and Calvin shouted in unison.

Kianna began playing—though she didn’t seem like an expert, she could play well enough for a simple song—and the kids danced.

After five seconds, Devon’s head turned to the side, and his eyes fell on the young woman seated beside him. She had a faint smile on her lips, her chin bobbed with the beat of the song, and her hands moved skillfully over the strings through the chords. For a moment, he wished she would be the one entering the competition. He would have loved to see her dancing.

Her nails caught on the strings and she missed a beat. “Sorry. Keep going.” She caught up and the kids found the rhythm again.

“Ta-da!” Selina said.

Devon blinked and glanced to the kids. They had stopped dancing, and Kianna stopped playing.

And he hadn’t seen much of the dance.

“That’s it for now,” Calvin said. “Kianna still has to teach us a few more moves.”

“So.” Selina bounced up to him. “What do you think?”

Devon stared at her. “I think … that with enough practice, you two will do great.”

“Really?” the little girl squealed. “It’s all because of Kianna. She’s the expert.”

Kianna shook her head. “No, no. You two are the ones dancing.”

“But they wouldn’t be that good if they didn’t have a good teacher.” The words flew out of Devon’s mouth before he thought them through. Kianna stared at him, her eyes narrowed. Damn it. If he could, he would take those words back.