way back, “Who is Hunter feeding off?”
“You know, I don’t want to even know,” was his answer.
Like Luc, Viv had been annoyed that she hadn’t picked up on the fact that since I had Arum DNA in me, I may need to feed. But who would’ve guessed that? Trojans were brand spanking new, and I was even uniquer.
I had learned on the walk home that the other stash of opal was at Luc’s “small villa” in Greece, so no help there.
“I don’t get why you’re so worried about this.” Luc kicked his other leg up, crossing them at the ankles. “Hunter explained how to do it.”
And that had been as awkward as it sounded. The Arum had thoroughly amused himself, giving step-by-step instructions while repeatedly referencing “Luc or someone else who is willing.”
To be honest, I was surprised Hunter was still alive.
When Hunter explained how to feed, he made the whole thing sound easier than I’d imagined it to be. Claiming that my body would know what to do, he admitted that he was shocked I hadn’t already unintentionally fed on Luc. And then he explained how he’d accidentally done that with his wife, and frankly, that was just TMI for me at the moment.
“He also said it doesn’t have to be painful,” Luc continued. “And even if it were, I’d still be down for it.”
I frowned at him.
“Look, I’ll do anything to make sure you’re okay—”
“I’m okay now.”
One side of his lips twisted. “You just ate again and you’re still hungry. How long before you start to feel dizzy and then pass the hell out?”
“I don’t know.” I threw my hands up. “I’ll make sure I let you know when it’s about to happen.”
“It’s not going to get to that point.” Luc thrust a hand through his hair. “You slipping into what is equivalent to a coma is not an option. The fact that you even think it is actually boggles my mind.”
“Boggles? Really?”
“Yes. Boggles. The. Mind. You were unreachable for almost four days. I had no idea if you’d ever wake up, and knowing that you will this time around doesn’t make that any easier,” he went on. “And what if something happens while you’re sleeping?”
“That’s a title of a movie, by the way.”
His expression turned bland. “I know. It was one of your favorites,” he said, and my heart skipped. I knew I had never told him that as Evie. “What if we’re under attack here? Or what about when we’re out there, fixing the world, and you have to replenish what you’ve used? You just going to take a time-out and sleep?”
My lips thinned.
“You think the Daedalus is going to give you that break? Call a truce while you recoup? Better yet, summon the Source now, Evie.”
I pulled my hands from my hips.
He lifted his brows. “Or have you already tried and couldn’t?”
I was seriously going to hit him.
“You already tried.”
I had.
While I was in the bathroom, I’d tried to summon it, and only a weak, flickering ball of energy had appeared before quickly sputtering out.
I crossed my arms. “Why are you even asking that? You already know everything.”
“So then you do realize you can’t even work with the Source until you replenish it. Too bad there’s no power here. We could marathon Buzzfeed Unsolved.”
“You don’t need to be such a smart-ass,” I snapped. “Of course I’ve thought of that. I thought of all of that.”
“And you still are fighting me on this? Seriously?”
“Besides the fact I’m not sure if I am going to hurt you or not, he also said I could lose control and drain you dry,” I reminded him, which was something Hunter mentioned while we were on our way out the freaking door. “I don’t like the idea of taking something like that from you. It’s yours, and you need it. It feels wrong.”
Luc stared at me, and then he leaned forward, dropping his feet to the floor. “What do you think I did when I took the Source from you the night you lost control? Did that feel wrong to you?”
I jerked.
“Because it’s sort of the same thing, Evie.”
“But you had to—”
“And now you have to.” His voice softened. “I doubt you will lose control, but if you do, I’ll stop it.”
Taking short, quick breaths, I looked away. “I’m not trying to be difficult.”
“I know.”
“Do you? Do you get why this is…” I didn’t even know how to describe it.
“Too much?” he suggested, and my head turned back to him. “Yeah,