Jennifer Armentrout - Apollyon

Olivia nodded.

I started to let go, but paused. “You won’t blame yourself for this. You will blame me.”

“Okay,” came the soft, sleepy reply.

I let go and started for the stairs. A bitter taste was in the back of my mouth as I glanced over my shoulder. Olivia remained on the floor, her eyes fixed on the spot where I’d stood.

“Thank you,” I said, not that it mattered. She didn’t hear me or understand. She wouldn’t do anything until someone came down here, and then it would be like waking from a dream.

I’d see her again. Once my Seth and I changed things, I’d see her again and I’d apologize.

Reassured by that, I slipped up the narrow stairs, pausing at the door. There were no voices on the other side. Taking a second, I tested the bond for Seth. He wasn’t there, and I didn’t have time to wait around for him to show up. As soon as I was outside and knew where I was, I’d call for him.

Inching the door open, I checked out the hallway. Empty. It was narrow, and paintings hung on the walls. It split two ways. Toward the right, natural light streamed in through a small window, beckoning me. I slid through the door, closing it behind me quietly as I took in my surroundings. I’d been on the Elixir the last time I’d been upstairs—the only time, actually—and I vaguely remembered that this hall led to the kitchen and a living room of sorts. Off the kitchen was the sunroom, which led outside. A strange feeling unfurled inside me, and there was a flash of Aiden and me in that sunroom.

I pushed it out of my head and crept down the hallway. I seriously wished someone had left a dagger or something lying around. No such luck. Come to think of it, I should’ve asked Olivia where we were. I rolled my eyes. God, I sucked sometimes, but I’d been so concerned with getting free.

As I neared one of the closed doors, I thought I heard Deacon laughing, and then Luke. Biting down on my lip, I slipped around the staircase that led upstairs—

The door swung open and I came face to face with Lea. Crap.

Mouth dropping open, Lea blinked and took a step back, bouncing into the wall.

“Don’t—”

Her high-pitched, shrill battle-roar cut me off, and then she swung at me. She actually freaking swung at me. Gods. With no time for a compulsion, I deflected her blow with a brutal swipe that sent her spinning. She caught herself on the wall and grunted. Before she could regain her balance, I swiped her feet out from under her just as Deacon’s shocked face appeared in the doorway.

“Oh crap,” Deacon said, and he backed up quickly as Luke shot forward.

Luke grabbed for me, but I was quick. “Alex, you don’t want to do anything—”

Down the hall, the last door flew up, slamming into the drywall. I caught sight of black pants. Sentinel . Without thinking twice, I threw up my arm and the closest one to me took the brunt of the air element.

Luke flew backwards, his eyes wide and stunned. He crashed into Lea, who had moved in front of Deacon as if to protect him. There were several grunts, a yelp of pain, and then someone yelled my name.

Spinning around, I took off for the kitchen. My bare feet slapped off the floor as I skirted the table and entered the sunroom. I reached the door in seconds, tugging then realizing it was locked. Cussing under my breath, I unlocked the damn thing and threw the door open.

Aiden barreled into the kitchen. “Alex! No!”

He was too late. I was out. I was free.

The moment sunlight touched my skin, I faltered a step. It felt like years had passed since I had felt the warmth of natural light. My senses came alive. Grass was cold under my feet, and damp. Thick, tall elms blurred as I darted across a small dirt driveway, around a Hummer, and into the heavy woods surrounding the cabin.

Legs and arms pumping, I kept running. My hair streamed out behind me, and I pushed hard, paying attention, looking for any sign of where I was. There was nothing.

A seedling of panic took root. I hurdled a fallen tree, my feet skidding over sharp pine needles. How was I supposed to tell my Seth where I was when I had nothing but freaking trees—

“Alex! Stop!”

My breath hitched and I dared a look back.

It was him—Aiden.

“Crap,” I spat, picking up speed.

Up ahead, there was a creek— the creek. I remembered that. Thousands of years of Apollyons and their abilities rushed through me. Tapping into that ability was so easy, like slipping into well-worn jeans, which was irritating considering the heinous training I’d gone through in preparation of Awakening, and of course, my Seth would have known that. Punk.

Extending one arm, I summoned the water, willing it to respond to me.

Water stirred, and then a stream jetted into the air, arcing high above me. The wall of water kept coming, draining the shallow creek within seconds. It spun into a funnel, slamming into the earth behind me. A curse was drowned out. That should’ve bought me some time.

Racing over the creek bed, mud splattered my feet and jeans. Low-hanging branches tore at my hair, snagging strands and my shirt. Cloth ripped, but I kept going. Sunlight peeked through the thick branches as I headed deeper into the forest, away from the cabin… away from him .

Without warning, the bond snapped alive. Alex?

I’m out . I leapt off a boulder over a small gulley and landed in a crouch. Springing up, I took off. I don’t know where I’m at, but I’m out. Seth, I’m—

I could hear Aiden. He was close and fast, powered by something stronger than aether and I knew, even as fast as I was, I wouldn’t have been able to outrun him this long if a wall of water hadn’t stopped him. I’d have to fight. But I wouldn’t be alone. My Seth was here.

Skidding to a stop, I turned. Wind blew my hair back as I dragged in fresh, mountain air. Aiden cleared the small gulley, landing in a nimble crouch several feet away from me. Water streamed from the dark waves plastered to his head, and his black shirt clung to the hard muscles of his chest and stomach. Under the thin, soaked material, his shoulders tensed.

Our eyes locked.

He rose gracefully, hands open at his sides.

“You don’t want to do this,” I warned. “Turn away.”

Aiden came forward. “I’m not going to leave you. I’ll never do that.”

There was a flutter in my chest that didn’t belong there. I took a step back, feeling heat radiating from my fingers.

My Seth’s voice hummed through the bond and I knew what he wanted me to do, therefore I understood why I had to do this.

I took a shallow breath and raised my chin. “Then it’s your funeral.”

“So be it.”

I launched myself at Aiden.

He was prepared for it. He darted to the left, avoiding my attack. He was fast and also very skilled. I knew, because he had trained me, but I was better than him. I was something else.

Moving lightning-fast, I dipped and went for his legs. Aiden jumped, and I shot up, slamming my fist into his stomach. He stumbled back a step, but quickly regained his footing. My next punch was deflected. The third one caught him in thejaw, snapping his head back.

Sunlight reflected off the daggers attached to his thighs, and I went for them.

Aiden spun to the left at the last second, and my fingers only grasped the handle of one. He took a hold of my wrist, twisting only enough that I yelped and let go. My head jerked up at the surprise burst of pain, and it reflected in his gunmetal gray eyes. For some reason, I hadn’t expected him to hurt me. I guess… I didn’t know what I thought.

He pushed me back and as if he could read my thoughts, he said, “I don’t want to.”