he sighed. Daemon moved a little closer and turned his head slightly. His jaw grazed my cheek and I jumped. "I'm not going to bite you. Or grope you. You can relax." My witty retort died on my lips when he moved his hand from my hip and guided my head to his shoulder. The moment my cheek touched his tux covered shoulder, there was a dizzying rush of sensations. His hand settled on my lower back again and we moved slowly to the music. After awhile, he started humming under his breath, and I closed my eyes.
This...this wasn't nice. It was thrilling.
"Seriously, how's your date going?" he asked.
I smiled. "He's a little friendly."
"That's what I thought." He turned his head, and for a moment his chin rested against my hair, then he lifted his head. "I warned you about him."
"Daemon," I said softly, wanting him not to ruin the mood. There was something peaceful about this, lulling. "I have him under control." He snorted. "Sure looks like it, Kitten. His hands were moving so fast I was beginning to question if he was human or not." I stiffened, my eyes opening. I counted to ten. I made it to three before he spoke again.
"You should sneak out of here and go home while he's distracted." His hand tightened around mine. "I can even get Dee to morph into you if need be."
Shocked that he'd go to that extreme, I pulled back and looked up at him. "It's okay if he gropes your sister? "
"I know she can take care of herself. You're out of your league with that guy." We'd stopped dancing, oblivious to the other couples. Disbelief coursed through me.
"Excuse me? I'm out of my league?"
"Look, I drove here. I can let Dee catch a ride with Andrew and take you home." He sounded like he had everything planned out.
Then his eyes narrowed. "Are you actually considering going to the party with that idiot?"
"Are you going?" I asked, pulling my hand free from his. My other hand was still on his chest and his arm still circled my waist.
"It doesn't matter what I'm doing." Frustration punctuated each of his words.
"You're not going to that party."
"You can't tell me what to do, Daemon." His eyes narrowed, but I could see the eerie glow beginning to form in his eyes, overshadowing his pupils. "Dee is taking you home. And I swear, if I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here, I will." My hand curled into a useless fist against his chest. "I'd like to see you try." He smiled, eyes starting to gleam in the darkness. "I bet you would."
"Whatever," I said, ignoring the looks we were starting to get from everyone. Over his shoulder, I saw Mr. Garrison watching us, which worked to my benefit. "You're the one who's going to cause a scene carrying me out of here." Daemon made a noise that really sounded like a growl.
Anyone in their right mind would've been terrified, and I should've been, considering I knew what he was capable of. I wasn't.
"Because you're local alien teacher is watching us as we speak. What do you think he's going to believe when you toss me over your shoulder, buddy?" Every inch of him stiffened.
I smiled like the cat that ate an entire aquarium full of fish. "Thought so." Surprisingly, he returned the smile. "I keep underestimating you, Kitten."
Stealth-mode Simon appeared before I had a chance to gloat over that major win. "You ready?" Simon asked, glancing between Daemon and me. "Everyone is leaving for the party."
Damon's look dared me to not listen to him, and that's pretty much why I agreed. He didn't control my life. I did.
Chapter 23
The Field was about two miles outside of Petersburg, heading in the opposite direction of my house. It was literally a gargantuan harvested cornfield. Enormous bales of hay covered the landscape as far as I could see, lit in orange and red. I couldn't help but think the combination of dried hay and fire wouldn't end well.
Someone tapped a keg.
Correction: the combination of hay, fire, and cheap beer couldn't end well.
Simon had kept his hands to himself the whole way here, so I was feeling pretty good about my decision with the exception of the above foreseeable problem. He led me through the trampled cornstalks toward the fire.
"The girls are over there." He pointed to the other side of the fire where several girls were clustered together,