Convincing everyone else would require nothing short of a miracle.
The first place I checked for Aiden was the common area in the dorm. He wasn’t there, but Luke was sitting at one of the tables along with Deacon and Olivia.
And there was a mammoth plate of bacon and sausage links in front of them.
Lured by the wonderful, greasy scent, I drifted over to their table, my mouth watering at the sight. Bacon made everything better.
“Want some?” Deacon offered, knocking a mess of blond curls out of his face. “Because you look like you’re about to start eating our faces if we don’t give you some.”
Olivia’s nose wrinkled. “Ew.”
I sat beside Aiden’s brother and helped myself to a heaping of the crispy goodness. “Thank you.”
I was munching away on my fourth slice when I felt eyes on me. Glancing up, my gaze met Luke’s. His cheeks were red, as if he’d been kissed by the sun. “What?” I asked around a mouthful of bacon.
“I don’t know how he did it—Seth.” He sat back in his chair, rubbing his hand along his jaw. “I remember being out by the cars and seeing a few Sentinels I didn’t recognize, and then the next thing I know, I’m standing inside the gate and there you two were.”
“Compulsion,” Deacon said, turning to me. “I’ve been telling him that all morning.”
“He has,” Olivia threw in.
Luke frowned. “I know it was a compulsion, but damn, I never felt something like that before.”
“I have.” Olivia looked at me pointedly, and my appetite vanished at the reminder. “You weren’t responsible, Luke.” She speared a link with her fork. “And now we have another crazed Apollyon—no offense, Alex—locked in a cell.”
“None taken,” I muttered, and then sighed. “It really isn’t your fault, Luke. Deacon could do a compulsion, but one from an Apollyon packs a punch.”
Luke didn’t look relieved by that, but he grabbed a handful of bacon, so I figured if he was eating like that, he wasn’t too traumatized.
“So what are we doing with Seth?” Deacon asked after a few moments.
A shudder coursed through Olivia. The girl had never been a fan of Seth, and I remembered what Aiden had said last night. Everyone had seen what Seth was really like, but not me. Well, and not Caleb, because Caleb had been a major fanboy when it came to Seth.
Oddly, there was no slicing pain when I thought about Caleb.
“We aren’t going to do anything right now,” I said finally. Everyone at the table stared at me. My gaze lowered to the half-eaten plate of bacon. “Seth isn’t working with Ares anymore. I’m not saying we should welcome him with open arms or invite him in for breakfast, but he’s not our big enemy right now.”
“What?” Olivia’s voice was an octave higher. “How can anyone be sure of that?”
“That’s a good question.” Deacon slid me his unopened bottle of OJ. “Thirsty?”
I murmured my thanks again and took a drink. “Well, for starters, that cell is only holding him because he’s not trying to escape. If he wants out, he’ll get out faster than any of us could, including me. Secondly, he doesn’t want to become the God Killer anymore.”
Luke rocked back on his chair, eyes widening. “Come again?”
Olivia stopped with another sausage link halfway to her mouth and gaped at me. Shifting in my seat, I felt heat spread across my cheeks, but I wasn’t sure why. “He doesn’t want to be the God Killer. He wants me to transfer the power from him.”
“How did he find out that was our plan?” Deacon asked. He was suddenly serious, which was a rarity for him.
“He didn’t. He suggested it without me saying anything. Seth’s got…well, like I said, he no longer wants anything to do with Ares and Lucian…” My brows pinched. “Lucian is no longer an issue.”
“I’d say,” Luke said under his breath and then louder, “Not to beat the dead-and-buried horse, but how can anyone, including you, trust anything that Seth says? I mean, if he changes his mind…”
We were all screwed.
I got that, but I couldn’t really vocalize why I trusted Seth. His issues with his twisted addiction were his own business. No longer hungry or in the mood to convince them when I had Aiden and a whole slew of other people to talk to, I pushed up from the table. “I’ll see you guys later.”
I made it to the door before I realized Deacon was following me. He fell in step beside me as we walked out of the dorm. “You know they were just vocalizing their concerns, right?” he said, shoving his hands into his jeans. “They didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I know.” I squinted against the bright glare of the sun. “And they didn’t upset me.”
“You sure about that?”
I was. Like always, I really wasn’t feeling much of anything. We continued down the pathway in silence, passing a few pure-blood students. They stared.
“Aiden is in a mood. Like a ‘if you breathe in my direction, I will nunchuck you into next week’ mood,” Deacon announced as we passed one of the training centers.
My stomach sank a little. “Nunchuck? I don’t think he knows how to use them.”
“My brother knows how to use every weapon known to man. Nunchucks are no exception.”
A small grin tugged at my lips. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“So, are you gonna tell me what crawled up his ass, besides the fact a fleet of potentially crazy Sentinels is poised outside our gates and his arch-nemesis is chilling in a cell right under his nose?”
“Have you seen Aiden?” I asked instead.
He nodded. “He’s in the dean’s office with Marcus.”
Veering toward the main Covenant building, I didn’t look forward to going to the room where I’d last seen Ares
“So, you’re not going to talk to me about Aiden?”
“Are you going to follow me all the way to the dean’s office?”
“Yep.” Deacon shot me a quick grin.
“There’s a lot of steps.”
“I need my exercise.”
I sighed. “Aiden’s mad at me.”
“I doubt that.”
“Oh no, he’s definitely mad at me.” I tucked my hair back behind my ear and glanced at Deacon. He elbowed me gently in the arm, and the corner of my lips pulled up a little, but it quickly slipped away. “He’s mad because I went to see Seth.”
Deacon raised a brow. “He’s mad over that?”
“Well, I left in the middle of the night, didn’t tell him what I was doing, and there’s other stuff, but…” I shook my head, not wanting to really get into it. “So he’s a little perturbed at the moment.”
He didn’t respond as we stepped into the main building and passed the Guards, waiting until we reached the stairwell. The cord inside of me strained since we were near Seth.
“Well, considering all the crap with Seth, I can get why Aiden isn’t happy.”
“I know.” I rounded the second floor. “I’m not mad at him. He has every right to be upset.”
Deacon hopped up the stairs, chock-full of energy. I hated him. “He’ll get over it. My bro loves you, like really loves you. Like, he’s in love with you, Alex.”
I cast him a smile. “I know. I just hate that he’s mad.”
He looked at me, his eyes a brilliant silver. “I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you really smile in a while.” He spun around, opening the door to the top floor. “You doing okay?”
“No.” I stepped through the doorway. “But I will be.”
Deacon dropped his arm over my shoulder as we headed down the long hall. There were no guards at the dean’s door, because there was no dean to protect, not really. “We’ll be okay,” he said, squeezing me. “I’m all into positive thinking these days.”
The door to the dean’s office was cracked open, and without a second of hesitation, Deacon slid around me and opened the door, pulling me in behind him. “Hello!”
Marcus looked up from the desk, brows
raised. Over his shoulder, Aiden straightened. His gaze went from me to Deacon, and then back to me. There was nothing to be gained from his expression, but the tips of my ears burned.
“What’s going on?” Marcus asked.
Deacon dropped my arm and plopped into one of the leather chairs. “I have no idea. I just have nothing better to do.”
Aiden folded his arms as he pinned his brother with a look.
Well aware that we probably weren’t welcome at this moment for a multitude of reasons, I inched my way over to the other seat and sat.
Taking a quick inventory of the room, I was happy to see that, with the exception of the boarded-up window, everything had been repaired. The aquarium was gone and the desk had been replaced, as had the carpet. But I knew, if I pulled up the carpet, there’d be bloodstains underneath.
Some of them would be mine.
“Alex.”
My chin jerked up at the sound of Aiden’s voice, and our gazes collided for a brief second. I’d come to talk to him, but I’d lost my courage the moment those thundercloud-colored eyes had focused on mine. “I don’t have anything better to do, either.”
“So what are you two doing?” Deacon asked, batting impossibly long lashes.
Marcus leaned back in his chair, and his cool emerald gaze drifted over us. “We were discussing what to do with the Sentinels outside the gates. They haven’t caused any problems yet. In fact, it appears they are now guarding the gates from outside.”
My gaze flicked over to Aiden. He was staring at me in that intense, consuming way only he could pull off. It was the same way he used to watch me while I was in grappling class. I shifted in my chair. “Well, um, that’s good news, right?”
“We hope.” Marcus scratched his chin. “Aiden was telling me you talked to Seth last night?”
Oh.
Oh crap.
I squirmed some more. “Yeah, I did.”
“And you believe him?” he asked. “He’s turned over a new leaf?”
“I’m not sure I’d say he’s completely turned over a new—” A quick fissure of energy rolled down my spine, and the marks of the Apollyon raced across my skin. Electricity filled the room, and my senses flared. I knew the feeling. A god was here. I shot to my feet and started to turn.
Apollo stood behind me. “Hi.”
I jerked back, smacking my hand over my pounding heart. “Good gods…”
One side of his lips curved up. He looked completely unrepentant, but he was rocking those baby blue eyes instead of the creepy god ones.
“Why must you keep doing that?” Aiden shook his head. “Gods.”
The god shrugged. “How else should I do it? Ring a bell first?”
“That’s actually a great idea,” Aiden replied dryly. Deacon was on his feet, eyes wide, and he immediately started to backpedal out of the room. “I think I need…to, um, go find something else to do. Yeah.”
Momentarily distracted from Apollo’s sudden appearance, I narrowed my eyes at Aiden’s brother. “What is it between you two?”
Deacon froze near the door.
The lopsided smile on Apollo’s face spread. “Well, I would never kiss and tell.”
My mouth dropped open as Deacon’s face turned blood red. Oh jeez. Suspicions confirmed. Wow.
“What. The. Hell.” Aiden stepped around the desk, glaring at Apollo. “Have you—?”
“Wait.” Apollo held up a hand, his voice brokering no argument. He stared at me for a second. “Come here, Alex.”
“Uh…” I didn’t move, and I sure as hell didn’t want to get between Aiden and Apollo. “No thank you. Find another diversion tactic.”
Apollo’s head moved to the side. “Alex—”
I sensed Seth the second before I heard a shot outside, and then he barreled through the door, skidding to a halt a few feet behind Apollo. There were daggers in his hands.
Amber eyes dilated, Seth took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his gaze landed on Apollo. “Oh. It’s you.”
Well, now we knew Seth most definitely could get out of that cell when he wanted to. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aiden draw his gun. Deacon crept back to our side.
“Yeah, it’s me.” Apollo seemed to grow in height, which was a bit frightening considering he was already Godzilla-sized.
A handful of Guards appeared behind Seth, all of them out of breath and a bit banged up. Seth shrugged and turned, handing the pair of daggers back to an empty-handed Guard. Several of them began talking at once.
“He just got out. No warning,” one Guard said. “We tried to stop him.”
“Sorry,” Seth said. “I thought it was another god, one more annoying than this one.”
My eyes widened.
Apollo smiled tightly. “Oh, you’re so cute.”
Seth smirked. “I am fabulously sexy, the last time I checked, but I’ll go back to my cell now. Breakfast would be nice, by the way. I’m starving.”
“This isn’t a hotel,” Aiden said, his gun leveled on Seth.
The Apollyon eyed the gun in Aiden’s hand and then arched a brow. “You really like pointing that thing at me.”
“You have no idea how much joy it gives me.”
Seth got that look on his face—the one that said he was tossing out bait and knew Aiden was about to bite. “Don’t let me forget. I do owe you for the knock over the head yesterday.”
“You want that again?” Aiden smirked. “Keep talking.”
“Oh, for the love of gods everywhere, stop it,” I said. “This is ridiculous.” Everyone turned to me. “Obviously you don’t think he’s tricking us, Apollo, or you’d have blasted him with some god juice by now.”
“Just because I haven’t doesn’t mean I won’t.”
Seth opened his mouth, but I jumped in before he could make the situation worse. “And it’s rather pointless. He can get out if he wants to. So what’s the point of making him go back into the cell?”
“I can knock him out again,” Aiden suggested calmly. “He’ll stay put for a while after that.”
“You’re really starting to annoy me.” Seth turned to Aiden, his eyes glowing faintly. “You know what your problem is?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Do tell.” A muscle spasmed in Aiden’s jaw.
“One word.” Seth took a small step forward, a grin playing across his lips. “Jealousy.”
I threw my hands up. “I give up. Not like we don’t have real problems to deal with, but let’s continue the boy-fight.”
“Actually, as entertaining and long overdue this boy-fight is, Alex has a point for once. Surprising, huh?” Apollo earned a death glare for that. “Aiden, put your gun away. Marcus, there’s no need for daggers.” Then he eyed Seth. “If you have nothing to hide, you aren’t going to run from me.”
Seth’s spine straightened. “I would never run.”
I had no idea what was going on, but Seth held himself still as Apollo took two long strides and placed his hand on the center of the Apollyon’s chest. Surprise flickered across Seth’s face, and then Apollo stepped back.
“He’s telling the truth. He’s no longer working with Ares, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still a threat,” Apollo announced, and I had a feeling I knew what the god was referencing. And then he turned to me. “We need him here anyway. He’s not the problem. You are.”
“What?” He was staring at me. “Why me? I’m, like, the voice of reason for once.”
“It’s not that.” Apollo faced me completely. “Guards, leave the room and close the door behind you.”
They didn’t even hesitate. They scattered like cockroaches. Unease formed little knots in my belly as I glanced at Aiden. He hadn’t put the gun away, and looked like he was going to aim it at Apollo next. Deacon had successfully pinned himself against the wall, out of everyone’s path.
“Have you been marked?” Apollo asked, his nostrils flaring.
I shook my head, taking a step back. Sweat dotted my brow as I eyed
the door. I wanted out of this room really badly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but you’re starting to freak me out.”
Apollo’s eyes flipped from blue to white—no pupils, no irises. Static crackled in the air. “Come here,” he repeated.
I needed to get out of here. Blood pounded in my veins. Every ounce of my being screamed for me to leave. Apollo wasn’t—
He shot forward—over the roaring in my head, I heard Aiden shout—and clamped his hand down on my shoulder. I staggered under the weight.
“Did he mark you?” Apollo demanded, his expression furious. “Did Ares mark you?”
Those all-white eyes became my whole world.
“What is going on?” Marcus asked, but he sounded far away.
Apollo reached around me and grabbed the hem of my shirt. By the time I realized what he was doing, it was too late. He yanked up the shirt, exposing my back. Aiden exploded, yelling at the god as I tried to twist away.
“There it is.” Apollo’s hand landed on the oddly-shaped scar, and my entire body jerked as if I’d been shocked. “Phobos! Deimos! Show yourselves!”
Seth cursed.
I started to think Apollo might’ve lost his damn mind, but then, without any warning, there was a deep wrenching inside me. I broke the god’s hold and stumbled back a step. A tremor worked its way through my body, rippling through every muscle. The room tilted.
“Oh, gods,” I whispered, doubling over and clutching my stomach.
“Alex?” shouted Aiden.
“Don’t touch her!” Apollo got in between us, holding Aiden back with nothing more than a raised hand. It was like an invisible shield appeared between us. “Deimos! Phobos! Σε διατάζω να σου αϕήσει αυτό το πλήθος!”
The skin…oh gods…the skin under my hands moved, pushing out against my shirt and my palms, and formed…fingers. Pressure expanded my stomach, and I dropped to my knees. Something slithered through my chest, into my throat. I couldn’t breathe. Aiden’s voice sounded further and further away as a sensation like icy, sticky fingers crawled under my scalp. It slipped down to the base of my skull, joining the mass in my throat.
Tears streamed from the corners of my eyes as I threw my head back. I opened my mouth to scream, but thick, white smoke poured out of me, steaming to the ceiling. Through the haze of tears, I saw the smoke spread and then drop into two separate pillars. There was a final tugging motion deep in my chest, as if something was digging in and not wanting to let go, and then it broke. The last of the smoke slipped out of me.
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