But that begged the question: Who among the Daimons knew the truth of him? How did they know to strike him with the one compound that could actually neutralize him?
Not that it would work again. As long as he knew to expect it, he knew to guard against it.
Pain to the next one dumb enough to attempt hurting him.
"Okay, Simi," Ash said, patting the demon on her back. "You can let go."
"No, I can't," she said as she tightened her hold. "You got all grisly, akri. Like one of them things at home. Ew! The Simi don't like that. You gots to stay nice and pink like you're supposed to. Or blue. I don't mind it when you're blue. In skin, that is. When you blue in spirit, it makes the Simi sad, too."
"Okay, Simi," Ash said, cutting her off before she told something she wasn't supposed to.
"Your skin turns blue?" Kyrian asked.
"Everyone's skin turns blue when they're cold," he answered evasively.
Ash slid off the bed in spite of Simi's hold, which had yet to lessen. He needed to get out of this room to distract them from the fact that he'd come about as close to dying as his kind could.
Simi moved to stand behind him and kept her arms locked tightly around his waist.
"I think someone's attached to you, T-Rex," Talon said with a laugh.
"Yeah, just a little." Ash made his way from the room.
"Can we have some ice cream?" Simi asked as she finally let go. She started for the stairs, then veered off to Marissa's nursery to peek inside the closed door. "Sh!" Simi said loudly as she straightened up. "The baby's sleeping."
"Yeah, and Tabitha's sneaking away," Kyrian said. "Are you running off to meet up with Valerius?"
Tabitha went rigid at his question. "Tell me something, Ash," she said in a low tone as she neared him on the stairs. "Would Artemis care if I killed an ex-Dark-Hunter?"
"No, but I think your sister would."
Tabitha looked over her shoulder to see Amanda. "Then she better up her insurance on him. 'Cause he's one step away from a nasty tumble down these stairs."
"Don't threaten me, Tabby," Kyrian said. "You were so foul to me when you found out I was with Amanda. You actually tried to kill me. Now you're hooking up with the worst sort of lowlife. Tell her, Ash. His kind killed without compassion."
Tabitha whirled at the top of the stairs to face him. "His kind? What, an ancient general? Seems like I know two other people who were his kind." She looked meaningfully from Kyrian to Julian.
"Tabitha," Amanda said. "Enough. You knew how Kyrian felt about Valerius. How could you do this to us?"
Ash rubbed his head as if he had a headache. "People, leave Tabitha alone. I'm the one who put her with Valerius."
"Why?" Kyrian, Julian, and Amanda asked in unison.
Ash paused on the top step to give Tabitha a dry stare. "Tabby, what's your ideal man like?"
"Honestly?"
Ash nodded.
"You," she said without hesitation. "Someone tall, gorgeous, hip, and Goth."
"And what do you think of Valerius?"
She glanced hesitantly at her sister. "He's a stick in the mud, but I really like him."
Kyrian and Julian cursed.
"Tabitha..." Amanda said in a warning tone.