Torment - Lauren Kate [97]
Grabbing him by the collar, Arriane dragged him across the floor and into the walk-in refrigerator, gave him a few more kicks for good measure, then calmly shut the door. She dusted off her hands and turned to Luce with a ticked-off look on her face.
“Who’s after me, Arriane?” Luce’s voice was shaking.
“A lot of people, babe.”
“Was that”—Luce thought back to her meeting with Cam—“an Outcast?”
Arriane cleared her throat. Shelby coughed.
“Daniel said he couldn’t be with me because he attracted too much attention. He said I’d be safe at Shoreline, but they came there, too—”
“Only because they traced you leaving campus. You attract attention too, Luce. And when you’re out in the world tearing up casinos and the like, we can sense it. That goes for the bad guys, too. That’s why you’re at that school in the first place.”
“What?” It was Shelby. “You guys are just hiding her with us? What about our safety? What if these Outcasts people just showed up on campus?”
Miles said nothing, just looked with alarm from Luce to Arriane.
“You didn’t understand that the Nephilim camouflage you?” Arriane asked. “Daniel didn’t tell you about their—whatever, protective coloration?”
Luce’s mind rolled back to the night Daniel dropped her off at Shoreline. “Maybe he did say something about a shield, but—” There had been so many other things racing through her mind that night. It had been enough to try to process Daniel’s leaving her. Now she felt a queasy wave of guilt. “I didn’t understand. He didn’t elaborate, just kept saying I had to stay on campus. I thought he was being too protective.”
“Daniel knows what he’s doing.” Arriane shrugged. “Most of the time.” She poked her tongue at the corner of her mouth thoughtfully. “Okay, sometimes. Every now and then.”
“So you mean whoever’s after her can’t see her when she’s with a bunch of Nephilim?” This was Miles, who seemed to have found his tongue again.
“Actually, the Outcasts can’t see at all,” Arriane said. “They were blinded during the Revolt. I was getting to that part of the story—it’s good! The putting out of eyes and all that Oedipal jazz.” She sighed. “Oh, well. Yeah, the Outcasts. They can see the burning of your soul—which is a lot more difficult to discern when you’re with a bunch of other Nephilim.”
Miles’s eyes grew wide. Shelby was chewing nervously on her nails.
“So that’s how they mistook Dawn for me.”
“It’s how meat-cooler boy found you tonight, anyway,” Arriane said. “Hell, it’s how I found you too. You’re like a candle in a dark cave out here.” She grabbed a can of whipped cream from the counter and shot a squirt into her mouth. “I like a little nondairy pick-me-up after a brawl.” She yawned, which made Luce look up at the green digital clock on the counter. It was two-thirty in the morning.
“Well, as much as I love kicking asses and taking names, it’s way past curfew for you three.” Arriane whistled through her teeth and a thick blob of an Announcer bled out from the shadows under the prep tables. “I never do this, okay? If anyone asks, I never do this. Traveling by Announcers is ver-ry dangerous. Hear that, hero?” She bopped Miles on his forehead, then flicked her fingers open. The shadow bounced instantly into a perfect door shape in the middle of the kitchen. “But I’m on the clock here and it’s the fastest way to get you guys home and to safety.”
“Nice,” Miles said, like he was taking notes.
Arriane shook her head at him. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m taking you back to school, where you will stay”—she made eye contact with each of them—“or you’re going to have to answer to me.”
“You’re coming with us?” Shelby asked, finally showing just a little glimmer of awe toward Arriane.
“Looks that way.” Arriane winked at Luce. “You’ve turned into some kind of firecracker. Someone’s gotta keep an eye on you.”
Stepping through with Arriane was even smoother than it had been on the way to Vegas. It felt like coming inside after being out in the sun: The light was a little dimmer when you walked through the door, but you blinked a few times