Onyx
A LUX NOVEL
Book two
Onyx
A LUX NOVEL
Book two
Jennifer L. Armentrout
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Jennifer L. Armentrout. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Entangled Publishing, LLC
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Fort Collins, CO 80525
Visit our website at www.entangledpublishing.com.
Edited by Liz Pelletier
Cover design by Liz Pelletier
Print ISBN 978-1-62061-011-4
Ebook ISBN 978-1-62061-012-1
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition August 2012
The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Oreos, Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., Wii, Coke, Expedition, Barbie, Rubiks Cube, Infiniti, X-Men, Snack Pack, Prius, Pop-Tart, Google, Pepto-Bismol, Mac, Yukon, Windex, Rolex, Dumpster, Jetta.
Dedicated to book lovers and book bloggers everywhere,
those large and small.
Chapter 1
Ten seconds passed between when Daemon Black took his seat and when he poked me under my shoulder blade with his trusty pen. Ten whole seconds. Twisting around in my seat, I inhaled the unique outdoorsy scent that was all him.
Daemon pulled his hand back and tapped the blue cap of his pen on the corner of his lips. Lips I was well familiar with. Good morning, Kitten.
I forced my gaze to his eyes. Bright green, like the stem of a freshly cut rose. Good morning, Daemon.
Unruly dark hair fell over his forehead as he tilted his head. Dont forget we have plans tonight.
Yeah, I know. Looking forward to it, I said dryly.
As Daemon leaned forward, his dark sweater stretched over broad shoulders. He tipped his desk down. I heard the soft inhales from my friends Carissa and Lesa, felt the eyes of everyone in class watching us. One corner of his lips curved higher, as if he were secretly laughing.
The stretch of silence became too heavy. What?
We need to work off your trace, he said, low enough that only I could hear. Thank God. Trying to explain what a trace was to the general populace was not something I wanted to get into. Oh, you know, just alien residue that rubs off on humans and lights them up like a Christmas tree and becomes a homing signal to an evil alien race. Want some?
Uh huh.
I picked up my pen and considered poking him with it. Yeah, I figured as much.
And I have this really fun idea of how we can do it.
I knew what his fun idea was. Me. Him. Making out. I smiled, and the green of his eyes heated.
Liking the idea? he murmured, and his gaze dropped to my lips.
An unhealthy amount of excitement had my entire body humming, and I reminded myself that his sudden turnaround had more to do with the effect of his bizarre alien mojo on me than it did with me as a person. Ever since Daemon healed me after the battle with the Arum, we were connected, and while that seemed to be enough for him to jump into a relationship, it wasnt for me.
It wasnt real .
I wanted what my parents had. Undying love. Powerful. True. A whacked-out alien bond couldnt do that for me.
Not in this lifetime, buddy, I said finally.
Resistance is futile, Kitten.
So is your charm.
Well see.
Rolling my eyes, I faced the front of the classroom. Daemon was a total babe, but he was stab-worthy, which, at times, zeroed out the babe part. Not always, though.
Our ancient trig teacher shuffled in, clutching a thick wad of papers while he waited for the tardy bell.
Daemon poked me with his pen. Again.
Squeezing my hands into fists, I debated ignoring him. I knew better. Hed just keep poking me. Turning around, I glared at him. What , Daemon?
He moved as fast as a cobra striking. With a grin that did funny things to my stomach, he glided his fingers along my cheek, plucking a tiny bit of fuzz out of my hair.
I stared at him.
After school
I started to get all kinds of crazy ideas as his grin
stop her.
I knew he could if he wanted, which meant he didnt have a problem with it.
Cookie? he offered, holding a cookie full of chocolate chips.
Upset tummy or not, there was no way I could refuse that. Sure.
His lips tipped up one side and he leaned toward me, his mouth inches from mine. Come and get it.
Come and get ? Daemon placed half the cookie between those full, totally kissable lips.
Oh, holy alien babies everywhere
My mouth dropped open. Several of the girls at the table made sounds that had me wondering if they were turning into puddles under the table, but I couldnt bring myself to check out what they really were doing.
That cookiethose lipswere right there .
Heat swept over my cheeks. I could feel the eyes of everyone else, and Daemondear God, Daemon arched his brows, daring me.