a liability to Dee. I couldn't - I wouldn't let that happen.
"Is my trace strong enough that he'd see me inside your house?"
She paused. "Not really."
"What about from the main road? The woods?"
There was a pause. "I don't know, Katy, but I'll stop him before he gets to you."
"No. I have an idea." I stepped forward, almost knocking over the stack of DVDs. "It's kind of crazy, but it could work." Her eyes narrowed. "What?"
"If you make my trace stronger, I can definitely lead him away from here. Then he won't come here and Daemon - "
"Absolutely not," she said, whirling around.
"Are you insane?"
"Maybe," I said, biting my lip. "Look, it's better than sitting here with me when I could very well lead him right back to your house!
And then he'll know where you guys live! What then? You won't ever be safe. I need to lure them away from your home."
"No." Dee shook her head. "I can't do that. I can fight - "
"There's nothing else I can do! I can't fight him and what if he escapes? What if he tells others where you live?" Daemon's words came back to me. You would b e a weakness to me.
Except I wouldn't be his weakness, I'd be Dee's.
I couldn't live with that. "And I'll be a liability.
Baruck will know that. You have to stay here. If Baruck finds us together, he'll use me to destroy you. The best plan is for me to lure the Arum away and let the guys meet me in the field and take him down together."
"Katy - "
"I'm not taking no for an answer! We don't have much time." I moved to the door, grabbing my keys and cell phone. "Light up. Do the crazy balls of light thing. That seems like it worked last time. I'll head...I'll head to where the field party was! Tell Daemon that's where I'm going." When she stood there, staring at me, I yelled, "Do it!"
"This is insane." Dee shook her head, but she stepped back and started to blur out. A second later she was in her true form, a beautiful silhouette of light. This is insane, her voice whispered in my thoughts.
I'd stopped thinking. "Hurry." Two balls of crackling light formed in her outstretched arms. They shot around the room, blowing the lights and the TV, but ended up bouncing off the walls harmlessly. The fine hairs on my body stood as static filled the air.
"Am I glowing?" I asked.
Like the sun.
Well, that worked. Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Call Daemon and tell him where I'm going."
Be careful. Please. Her light began to fade.
"You, too." I turned and raced out of the house toward my car before I could think twice about what I was doing.
Because this was absolutely insane - the craziest thing I'd ever done. Worse than giving a one-star review, scarier than asking for an interview with an author I'd give my firstborn to eat lunch with, more stupid than kissing Daemon.
But this was all I could do.
My hands were shaking when I shoved the key into the ignition and backed out of the driveway, narrowly missing Dee's Volkswagen.
I hit the gas, squealing out onto the main road. I was clenching the steering wheel like a granny, but driving like I was trying out for NASCAR.
I kept glancing in my rearview mirror as I flew down the highway, expecting to find Arum chasing after me. But every time I checked, the road was empty.
Maybe this hadn't worked? Oh God, what if Baruck continued to the house and found Dee?
My heart leapt into my throat. This was a stupid, stupid idea. My foot faltered on the gas pedal. At least he wouldn't be able to use me to get to Dee.
My cell rang from the passenger's seat.
Unknown Caller? Now? I almost ignored it, but I grabbed it and answered anyway. "Hello?"
"Are you out of your freaking mind?" Daemon yelled into the phone. I winced. "This has to be the stupidest thing - "
"Shut up, Daemon!" I screeched. The tires swerved a little into the other lane. "It's done.
Okay? Is Dee okay?"
"Yes, Dee's okay. But you're not! We've lost him, and since Dee said you're glowing like a goddamn full moon right now, I'm betting he's after you."
Fear spiked my heart rate. "Well, that was the plan."
"I swear on every star in the sky, I'm going to strangle you when I get my hands on you." Daemon paused, his breath heavy on the phone.