. And Nox gave in to the urge to rub his cheek against the top of Luca’s head.
“Running was the only thing you could do.”
Even then if the Anubis hunting Luca hadn’t gotten caught up in playing with his kill, Nox would have never made it in time.
The thought of what could have happened threatened to tear a growl from Nox’s chest. He stomped it down if for no other reason than to avoid reminding Luca it wasn’t a man who held him, but a creature carved from death.
Fog crept up the side of the dirty car windows. It frosted the light from the police cars, softening the red to a shade closer to pink.
“Was Koda like you?”
Luca’s voice was so small, Nox couldn’t be sure he had asked the question from the edge of sleep or while tangled in a dream.
“He contained the Anubis.”
“But did he change like you? Did he…” Turn into a monster. Luca didn’t have to say the words: they were there in the air between them.
“No.” How did he explain it? “He was our conscience, our moral, our guilt. He kept us grounded so we didn’t…” Nox closed his eyes for a moment. “No, your brother was nothing like me or any of the betas.” He wasn’t like anyone Nox had ever met before. Koda had been different in a way Nox couldn’t explain. He wasn’t sure what concerned him more: not knowing what made Koda special or the fact his brother emitted the same aura.
“I miss him. I miss my parents, but I’ve always missed him more. They died less than a year ago, and it doesn’t hurt anywhere near as much….” Luca’s breathing slowed. “What happened to him? How did he die?”
For some reason, Nox raised his hand again. Ichor coated his skin in black. “I’m not sure.”
“You don’t remember?”
“No.”
“When you do, will you tell me?”
Nox didn’t want to, but once more he couldn’t lie. “Yes. I’ll tell you if that’s what you want.”
“Thank you.”
Dread blanketed over Nox. “Go to sleep.”
Luca fell still.
Chapter Six
Reese circled another hidden word in the square formed from hundreds of letters.
“You bored yet?” Harrington stood at the plastic wall.
“I think I’m terminal.”
Harrington unzipped the door.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll cause an epidemic and kill off ninety-nine percent of the human population, leaving the rest of you to pilgrimage to a cornfield to be led to rapture by a little old lady?”
Harrington gave Reese a bored look. “Get out here.”
Reese joined him in the narrow corridor. “Might not want to stand too close; I could breathe on you, and then you’d turn to jelly in your sleep.”
“Your blood tests were clean.”
“Well, that was a completely unexpected surprise.”
“But if you don’t shut up, I will zip you up in another plastic box and make sure there is no way out.” He waved for Reese to follow. “Are you hungry?”