Jennifer Armentrout - Opal

I wasnt sure what woke me. The howling wind from the first hardcore blizzard of the year had calmed last night and my room was quiet. Peaceful. I rolled onto my side and blinked.

Eyes the color of dew-covered leaves stared into mine. Eyes eerily familiar but lackluster compared to the ones I loved.

Dawson.

Clenching the blanket to my chest, I sat up slowly and pushed the tangled hair out of my face. Maybe I was still asleep, because I really had no idea why Dawson, the twin brother of the boy I was madly, deeply, and quite possibly insanely in love with was perched on the edge of my bed.

Um, isis everything okay? I cleared my throat, but the words came out raspy, like I was trying to sound sexy and, in my opinion, failing miserably. All the screaming Id done while Mr. Michaels, my moms psycho boyfriend, had me locked in the cage in the warehouse was still reflected in my voice a week later.

Dawson lowered his gaze. Thick, sooty lashes fanned the tips of high, angular cheeks that were paler than they should be. If Id learned anything, Dawson was damaged goods.

I glanced at the clock. It was close to six in the morning. How did you get in here?

I let myself in. Your moms not home.

With anyone else, that wouldve creeped the hell out of me, but I wasnt afraid of Dawson. Shes snowed in at Winchester.

He nodded. I couldnt sleep. I havent slept.

At all?

No. And Dee and Daemon are affected by it. He just stared at me, as if willing me to understand what he couldnt put into words.

The tripletshell, everyonewas coiled tight, waiting for the Department of Defense to show up as the days ticked by since Dawson escaped their Lux prison. Dee was still trying to process her boyfriend Adams death and her beloved brothers reappearance. Daemon was trying to be there for his brother and to keep an eye on them. And though storm troopers hadnt busted up in our houses yet, none of us were relaxed.

Everything was too easy, which usually didnt bode well.

Sometimessometimes I felt like a trap had been set, and wed galloped right into it.

What have you been doing? I asked.

Walking, he said, glancing out the window. I never thought Id be back here.

The stuff that Dawson had been put through and made to do was too horrific to even think about. A deep ache filled my chest. I tried not to think about it, because when I did, I thought of Daemon being in that same position, and I couldnt bear it.

But Dawson He needed someone. I reached up, wrapping my fingers around the familiar weight of the obsidian necklace. Do you want to talk about it?

He shook his head again, shaggy wisps of hair partially obscuring his eyes. It was longer than Daemonscurlierand probably needed a trim. Dawson and Daemon were identical, but right now, they looked nothing alike, and it was more than the hair. You remind me of herBeth.

I had no idea what to say to that. If he loved her half as much as I loved Daemon You know shes alive. Ive seen her.

Dawsons gaze met mine. A wealth of sadness and secrets were held in its depths. I know, but shes not the same. He paused, lowering his head. The same section of hair that always fell on Daemons forehead toppled onto his. Youlove my brother?

My chest hurt at the desolation in his voice, as if he never expected to love again, couldnt really even believe in it anymore. Yes.

Im sorry.

I jerked back, losing my grip on the blanket as it fell lower. Why would you apologize?

Dawson lifted his head, letting out a weary sigh. Then, moving faster than I thought he was capable of, his fingers brushed over my skinover the faint pink marks that circled both wrists from fighting against the manacles.

I hated those blemishes, prayed for the day when they completely faded. Every time I saw them, I remembered the pain the onyx had caused as it pressed into my flesh. My ruined voice was hard enough to explain to my mom, not to mention Dawsons sudden reappearance. The look on her face when shed seen Dawson with Daemon before the snowstorm was sort of comical, though she seemed happy that the runaway brother had returned home. But these babies I had to hide with long-sleeved shirts. That worked during the colder months, but I had no idea how Id hide these in the summer.

Beth had those kinds of marks when I saw her, Dawson said quietly, pulling his hand back. She got really good at escaping, but they always caught her, and she always had these marks. Usually around her neck, though.

Nausea rose, and I swallowed. Around her neck? I couldnt Diddid you get to see Beth often? I knew theyd allowed at least one visit between them while imprisoned in the DOD facility.

I dont know. Time was messed up for me. I kept track in the beginning, using the humans they brought to me. Id heal them and usually if theylived, I could count the days until everything fell apart. Four days. He went back to staring out the window. Through curtains that had been drawn back, all I could see was the night sky and snow-covered branches. They hated when everything fell apart.

I could imagine. The DODor Daedalus, a group supposedly within the DODhad made it their mission to use Luxens to successfully mutate humans. Sometimes it worked.

Sometimes it didnt.

I watched Dawson, trying to remember what Daemon and Dee had said about him. Dawson was the nice one, funny and charmingthe male equivalent of Dee and nothing like his brother.

But this Dawson was different: morose and distant. Besides not talking to his brother, from what I knew, he hadnt said a word to anyone about what had been done to him. Matthew, their unofficial guardian, thought it was best no one pushed for more.

Dawson hadnt even told anyone how he escaped. I suspected Dr. Michaelsthat lying rat bastardhad led us on a wild goose chase to find Dawson to give himself time to get the hell out of Dodge and had then released Dawson. It was the only thing that made sense.

My other guess was much, much darker and more nefarious.

Dawson glanced down at his hands. Daemon He loves you, too?

I blinked, brought back to the present. Yes. I think so.

He told you?

Not in so many words. He hasnt said it, said it. But I think he does.

He should tell you. Every day. Dawson tipped back his head and closed his eyes. I havent seen the snow in so long, he said, almost wistfully.

Yawning, I glanced out the window. The noreaster everyone predicted had hit this little speck of the world and had made Grant County its bitch over the weekend. School had been canceled on Monday and today, and the news last night said theyd still be digging everyone out by the end of the week. The snowstorm couldnt have come at a better time. At least we had an entire week to figure out what in the hell we were going to do with Dawson.

It wasnt like he could just pop back up in school.

I havent seen it snow like this ever, I said. I was originally from Northern Florida, and wed gotten a couple of freak ice storms before but never the white, fluffy stuff.

A small, sad smile appeared on his lips. When the sun comes up, itll be beautiful. Youll see.

No doubt. Everything would be encased in white.

Dawson jumped up and suddenly appeared on the other side of the room. A second later I felt warmth tingle along my neck and my heart rate pick up. He looked away. My brother is coming.

No more than ten seconds later, Daemon was standing in the doorway of my bedroom. Hair messy from sleep, flannel pajama bottoms rumpled. No shirt. Three feet plus of snow outside, and he was still half naked.