their whole lives. The selfish asshole preventing a scientific advancement that would benefit the entire Variant community.
Every human would fear me too. His description of what I could do with the Light was accurate, but the language he’d used made me sound downright dangerous. To the humans, I was now another threat in a world where they already felt scared for their lives, scared for their children’s future, scared for their very right to freedom.
I could see it from both sides. Could already see the kinds of things Variant Valor and the Human Empowerment Network would say about this, about me. Hell, I could probably write their propaganda for them.
Whatever way you looked at it, I was a fucking monster.
Sixteen
The doorbell rang as I was coming down the stairs. Alec stepped out of Tyler’s study to answer it, favoring his right side. Whoever was at the door made his shoulders stiffen, his hand tighten around the doorknob.
He really should’ve been in bed, not rushing to answer doors. He’d only just been discharged from the hospital a few days ago. I hastened to his side, my heart beating a little faster with unease.
Logically, I knew the guards at the gate wouldn’t let anyone who was unknown or uninvited step foot on the property. But every time I walked outside, part of me still half expected cameras and microphones shoved in my face, just as they had been the day after Davis made his passive-aggressive announcement. We’d been on our way to class when reporters had swarmed our vehicle, shouting questions and flashing cameras. Our security detail beat them back before they could get very close, but it was still confrontational.
So were the stares I was getting from students and even a few staff. I did my best to grit my teeth and avoided speaking to anyone for fear I’d tell them exactly what I thought of my so-called father.
Thankfully, that had been my last day of classes before summer. I had a few assignments to finish and one lab exam, and then I’d get a short break before summer classes started. I could stay home and ignore the chaos until it hopefully went away. It was wishful thinking, but it was better than the encroaching panic that gripped my chest whenever I thought about the alternative—that this would probably get worse before it got better.
It didn’t help knowing he was still out there—that he could make another grab for me or continue to twist things to the press, and there was nothing we could do about it.
After Davis’s press conference, a stealth team had been sent to apprehend him in the dead of night. They’d had eyes on him since his speech, he was in a new location, they had the numbers. But once again, the attempt was unsuccessful; by the time they arrived, the new hideout was abandoned. Tyler said it was almost as if they knew we were coming. He shared a worried look with Alec while Lucian hung his head in his hands, grumbling unintelligible things for a long time.
Feeling confident about anything was hard when the smartest, most competent, most dangerous men I knew were sharing looks tinged with fear. Every passing vehicle, every unfamiliar face, every ring of the doorbell made me cringe.
When I made it to the door, I heaved a sigh of relief.
“. . . not even here to see you, Alec.” Dana stood on the ornate doormat with her arms crossed, glaring at Alec and looking as hot as she always did. “Although I’m mildly pleased you didn’t, you know, die and shit.”
“Then why are you here?” Alec’s low voice grated, a hint of annoyance coming though, just as Dana’s eyes met mine.
I smiled at her as Alec took my hand. “Hey.”
She smiled back but answered Alec instead of me. “I’m here to see Eve, actually.”
“What? Why?” His hand tightened around mine. Having his ex show up at his front door and demand to see his Vital must’ve been awkward, but in his usual manner, he was handling it like crap.
“Alec.” I tugged on his hand and shot him a reproachful look. “You’re being rude.”
“Yeah, Alec.” Dana smirked at him as I ushered her in. “Eve and I are, like, totally BFFs now. She’s my bae!” She slung an arm over my shoulders and delivered her speech in an exaggerated SoCal accent.
Alec stood in front of us, frowning.
I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up, and my shoulders started to shake with my