Jennifer Armentrout - Half-Blood

“Sorry.” I blinked. “I kind of dazed out there.”

“I could tel .”

I then had an evil case of word vomit. “I almost hooked up with Aiden.”

Caleb’s mouth dropped open. It took him a couple of tries to say something coherent. “You do mean you almost hooked him like, say, with a fishing pole or something?”

My brows furrowed at that imagery. “No.”

“A right hook to the jaw then?”

I shook my head.

He stared at me, his face draining of al color. “Alex, what in the hel are you thinking? Are you out of your mind? Do you want to end up in servitude? Wow. Oh, my gods, you’re insane.”

I cringed. “I said we almost hooked up, Caleb. Chil out.”

“Almost?” He threw up his arms, then winced. “The Council—the Masters don’t care about almost. Man, here I thought Aiden was cool. Freaking pure-bloods, they don’t give two shits about what happens to us. Risk your entire future to just get between—”

“Hey. Aiden isn’t like that.”

Caleb looked at me blandly. “He isn’t?”

“No.” I rubbed my eyes. “Aiden’s not going to risk my future. Trust me. He’s nothing like the rest of them. I’d trust him with my life, Caleb.”

He considered that silently. “How did it happen?”

“I’m not going to go into details, you perv. It was something that… just happened, but it’s over. I just had to tel someone, but you have to promise me you won’t say anything.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t. I can’t believe you’d even have to worry about that.”

“I know, but I feel better saying it. Okay?”

“Alex… you real y care about him, don’t you?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “Yeah, I do.”

“You do realize how wrong that is?”

“Yes, but… he’s so different from any pure we know. He doesn’t think like them. He’s kind and he’s real y funny once you get to know him. He doesn’t put up with any of my crap, and I kind of like him for that. I don’t know. Aiden just gets me.”

“And you do realize that al of that means nothing?” Caleb said. “That it can’t go anywhere?”

That knowledge hurt more than it should. I sighed. “I know. Can we… talk about something else?”

Caleb lapsed into silence, thinking only gods know what.

“Have you seen Seth?”

I propped myself up on one elbow. “No. He didn’t stop by when I was in Nashvil e and I haven’t real y been anywhere today. Why?”

He did his best to shrug. With his bruised ribs, it came off a bit lopsided. “I figured you’d see him since… ”

“Since what?”

“I know I was in and out of it back in the cabin, Alex, but your mom said you were another Apol yon.” He watched me closely.

My stomach turned over and I flopped back on the bed, silent. Caleb stil watched me. Waiting. I took a deep breath and told him everything in one big rush, stopping for a breath right before I told him Seth would become the God Kil er. When it was over, Caleb stared at me as if I had three heads. “What?”

He blinked and shook his head. “It’s just… you shouldn’t be , Alex. I remember my History and Civilization class last year. We talked about the Apol yons and what happened to Solaris. This is… wow.”

“Wow isn’t the word I’m aiming for.” I pushed myself up and crossed my legs. “I mean, it’s pretty cool. Right? At eighteen, I’l either be obliterated or sucked dry by Seth instead of legal y buying cigarettes.”

“But—”

“Not that I would smoke. I guess I could pick up the habit.

Maybe, just maybe, I’l be al energized long enough to use akasha , because I saw Seth use it and it was damn cool.

I’d like to hit a daimon or two with that.”

Caleb scowled. “You’re not taking this serious at al .”

“Oh, I am. This is what I like to cal coping with the impossible.”

He wasn’t impressed by my strategy. “You said Solaris was kil ed because the First Apol yon attacked the Council, right? Not because of what she was?”

I shrugged. “So as long as Seth doesn’t go crazy, then I guess I’m okay.”

“Why didn’t Solaris stand against him?”

“Because she fel in love with him or something lame like that.”

“Then don’t fal in love with Seth.”

“I real y don’t think that’l be a problem.”

He didn’t look entirely convinced. “Thought you guys belonged together or something?”

“Not in that way!” I forced my voice calmer. “It’s like our energy responds to one another. It’s nothing more than that.

I’m just made to… I don’t know, complete him. How freaking lame is that?”

He gave me a concerned look. “Alex, what are you going to do about this?”

“What can I do? I’m not going to stop living… or give up on my life, because of what might happen. Something real y bad may come out of this or something real y good or… nothing at al . I don’t know, but I do know I’m going to focus on being one… ” I stopped, surprised by my own words. Whoa. It was one of those real y mature, real y rare moments in my life.

Dammit. Where was Aiden to witness this?

“Focus on what?”

A wide smile crept across my face. “Focus on being one kickass Sentinel.”

Caleb stil didn’t buy it, but I brought up Olivia and he was successful y distracted. Eventual y I got up to leave. On the way out, I had an idea. It kind of came out of nowhere, but the moment it popped in my head, I knew I had to do it.

“Can you meet me tomorrow night around eight?”

His gaze met mine. Somehow, I think he knew what I was going to ask, because he was already nodding. “I want to have… something for my mom.” I squeezed my arms around my waist. “Like a memorial service or something. I mean, you don’t have to.”

“Of course I’l be there.”

Flushing, I nodded. “Thanks.”

Upon returning to my room, I found two letters stuck in the door—one from Lucian and one from Marcus. I was tempted to trash both of them but I opened up the one from my uncle.

It was a good thing I did. The message was simple, loud, and clear.

Alexandria,

Please come see me immediately.

Marcus.

Crap.

I tossed both of the letters on the smal table in front of my couch and closed the door behind me. My thoughts swirled with what Marcus could want to talk to me about. Gee, the possibilities were endless. The stunt I’d just pul ed, my future at the Covenant, or the whole Apol yon thing. Good gods, I could real y be expel ed and sent to live with Lucian.

How could I’ve forgotten about that?

When I final y did make it over to his office, the sun had started its slow descent over the waters, and the hazy light sent a rainbow of colors shimmering over the ocean. I tried to prepare myself for our meeting, but I didn’t know what Marcus was going to do. Would he expel me? My stomach twisted uncomfortably. What would I do? Live with Lucian?

Go into servitude? Neither of those were options I could live with.

The Guards gave me a curt nod before they opened the door to Marcus’s office and stepped aside. My smile was more of a grimace, but elation swel ed inside me when I recognized who stood beside the massive bulk that was Leon.

Aiden gave me a smal , reassuring smile as the Guards closed the door behind me, but the moment I turned to Marcus, my skin turned cold.

He looked furious.

IT WAS POSSIBLY THE FIRST TIME I’D EVER SEEN

HIM show any extreme emotion. I settled in for what I assumed would be a giant bitch-fest.

“First and foremost, I’m glad to see that you’re alive and in one piece.” Then his gaze dropped to my neck and final y, my arms. “Barely in one piece.”