The Brightest Night (Origin #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,149

I get it. If our positions were changed, I’d be fighting you tooth and nail on this, and you know what? You’d be doing the same thing I am right now.”

I pressed my lips together, hating when he was right, but it was even more than that. Just yesterday, Luc had used the Source to try to save Spencer and then to heal me. He’d been exhausted, and if Grayson hadn’t done what he did, would there be dark shadows under his eyes, the taut line of tension around his mouth?

“I would’ve been fine without Grayson,” he said quietly, startling me. “I didn’t learn that by reading your thoughts. I knew. He doesn’t know I do. It stays that way.”

“You were exhausted, Luc. That was yesterday—”

“And today I’m a hundred and twenty percent charged. It’s not like I won’t make more of it,” Luc said. “I just don’t need to sleep for days to do that. I’ll only need an hour or so tops to recover, and it’s not like something you’d have to do all the time. If Hunter is right, it’s only after you use extreme amounts of the Source.” He scooted to the edge of the couch. “Do you know how many times when you were sick I wished there were more I could do? That I could somehow be your miracle cure? I couldn’t then, but I can now. I’m not saying that to you as some form of emotional blackmail. It’s just the truth. Let me give you want you need.”

Unfolding my arms, I closed my eyes as I let out a ragged breath.

“I have no problems being your personal 5-hour Energy.”

I shook my head as I opened my eyes. “This is not funny.”

“There is humor in everything.” His gaze caught mine. “If we forget that, we lose everything.”

Something about the words rattled me. They were an echo in my mind and in my soul. Without a doubt, I knew I had heard him say them before, many times. I had no idea why that pushed me to make up my mind.

I was moving before I realized what I was doing, coming around the coffee table and sitting beside him. My heart was thundering as if I’d raced a mile to get there instead of walking a few feet.

His gaze never left mine, and he didn’t speak as he angled his body toward me. I told myself I was going to do this, that I needed to. Because somewhere between his comment and when I sat beside him, I realized that if I didn’t, I would be weak.

Therefore, Luc would be weak. Far weaker than he would be if I fed, because he’d spend days distracted and worried, and anything could happen in just an hour.

He waited until I was ready, and that took a small eternity, but when I made up my mind, it happened.

The hollowness in my chest pulsed, and the Source sparked. It was weak like before, but there, and it was as if it knew what I was about to do. I placed a trembling hand on Luc’s arm.

“If I hurt you, you’ll stop me.”

Luc nodded, but a part of me knew that he was lying. He wouldn’t stop me, and I didn’t know if I wanted to yell at him or tell him that I loved him.

Drawing in a shallow breath, I placed my other hand on his chest like Hunter had instructed, right where I felt the Source inside myself. I closed my eyes, and a moment later, I felt Luc fold his hand over mine. Tears pricked my lids as emotion swelled so swiftly I sucked in a sharp breath. Instead of shoving the riot of feelings aside, I let them wash over me, and then I held all that love, all that acceptance close to my heart.

Hunter hadn’t been lying.

Instinct took over. I leaned in, placing my lips a hairbreadth away from his, and inhaled.

Against his chest, I felt the Source flare, and then warmth flowed through my hand and down my throat like a cascading fall of sunlight. Deep in my chest, the Source pulsed again, this time stronger, brighter, like a morning glory opening to the first rays of sun.

Luc spasmed, sending a shock of fear through me. I started to pull back.

I’m okay. Seriously. His voice whispered among my thoughts. It doesn’t hurt. It’s just … different. Continue.

Listening to his voice for any hint of pain, I found none, which was good, because I