Chapter 18
I SLEPT LONGER THAN I’D EXPECTED. WHEN I AWOKE, the room was empty and my cell phone had been placed on the bedside table. I hoped that Aiden was getting some rest, and that Marcus was, too. Pushing into a sitting position, I winced as the movement pulled at the skin around the stitches.
Curious, I inspected the jagged scar again. Half-bloods were notoriously fast healers and Covenant blades were designed to cut cleanly, but it had to have done some internal damage. Had Apollo somehow patched me up more? Because I doubted that the doctors could’ve reversed that kind of damage. Other than feeling lethargic, I felt… okay.
But as I glanced around the room, something poked at the recesses of my memories. I was forgetting something—something hugely important. It was on the tip of my tongue just like when I’d been under a compulsion before. This was different, though. It was like waking up and not being able to remember a dream.
Sighing, I reached over and snatched up the cell phone. There was only one missed call from Cuddle Bunny. Scooting down, I called him back.
Seth answered on the second ring. “So, you’re alive?”
My heart flipped over heavily. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, I haven’t spoken to you in about two days.” He paused. “What have you been doing?”
“I’ve been sleeping, not doing much.”
“Sleeping for two straight days?”
I poked at my scar and winced. “Yeah, that’s about all.”
“Interesting…” There was a muffled sound, like something had been pulled over the phone. “You’ve been sleeping but Aiden had your phone?”
Crap. “He’s been babysitting me. I don’t know why he answered the phone when you called.” There was another muffled sound, and then Seth grunted. “What are you doing?”
“Pulling on my pants and it’s hard when you’re holding a phone.”
“Um, do you want me to call you back? Like when you’re not naked?”
Seth laughed. “I’m not naked now. Anyway, maybe we have some weird Apollyon malaise. I’ve been exhausted for about two days, but feel fine now.”
So he had felt something. I chewed on my lip. “Can I ask you something?”
“Hit me.”
“You said that when I Awaken, I’ll know what the past Apollyons knew, right?”
There was a pause. “Yes, I said that.”
Unease twisted my insides. “Then how did you not know about the Order of Thanatos, and that they’d killed Solaris and the First? Wouldn’t you’ve seen what they’ve seen?”
“Why are you asking?” Seth asked.
I took a deep breath. “Because it doesn’t make sense, Seth. You should’ve known. And how did you not know that a half and pure made an Apollyon? None of the Apollyons in the past had ever figured that out?”
“Why are you asking about this—” A distinctive, very feminine giggle cut off his words. When Seth spoke again, it sounded far away and sounded an awful lot like the word, “behave.”
I sat up, sucking in air sharply as my stomach screamed in protest. “Who are you with, Seth?”
“Why? You jealous?”
“Seth.”
“Hold on a second,” he replied, and then there was a sound of a door shutting. “Dammit, it’s cold out here.”
“Better be careful. Don’t want anything to freeze and fall off.”
He laughed. “Oh, that was bitchy. I think you just might be jealous.”
Was I jealous that he was so obviously with a girl and he’d been naked? Shouldn’t I be? But I wasn’t jealous—more like annoyed. Annoyed because I’d been getting stabbed and dying while Seth was screwing around. And how could I be mad? I was the one in love with another guy. I really had no room to talk. But I hadn’t gotten naked with that guy, not in several long months. Not since I’d decided to see what could happen with Seth.
Gods, I was so confused and I had no idea what was going on and why it was happening now.
“I’m not doing anything wrong,” Seth said after a stretch of silence.
“I didn’t say you were. Wait. You’re with Boobs, aren’t you?”
“Do you really want to know, Alex?”
Not when he put it like that. I chewed on my lip, unsure of what to say. Suddenly I heard Caleb’s voice in my head. There’s still hope. Weird.
“We never said we were in a relationship, and besides, whatever. You’re there. I’m here. And in a week or so, I’ll be back. And it’s not going to even matter.”
I blinked. “Really, it’s ‘whatever’?”
Seth sighed. “I know he was by your side the minute I left, doing his annoying brooding thing, trying to figure out a way to be with you. And he’s answering your phone while you’re sleeping? Yeah, it’s ‘whatever’.”
My mouth dropped open. “That is totally not what is happening here.”
“Look, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later.” Then he hung up on me.
I stared at the phone for several minutes, shocked and a bit disturbed. Had he just given me permission to do “whatever” with Aiden because he’s doing “whatever” with Boobs? My gods, had I died and come back into an alternative universe?
The door opened then, and Aiden walked through. Setting the phone aside, I was happy to see that he looked a lot more refreshed. Damp hair curled around his temples and the shadows under his eyes had lessened.
“Hey, you’re awake.” He sat beside me and the bed shifted us closer together. “How are you feeling?”
I leaned away from him. “Gross.”
Aiden frowned. “Gross?”
“I haven’t brushed my teeth or washed my face in days. Don’t come near me.”
He laughed. “Alex, come on.”
“Seriously, I’m gross.” I put my hand over my mouth.
Ignoring my protests, he leaned over and brushed my stringy hair back. “You’re as beautiful as always, Alex.”
I stared at him. He must not get out much.
Aiden arched a brow. “Did you call Seth?”
Unwilling to lower my hand, I nodded.
His eyes danced. “Did he seem suspicious?”
“No,” I said from behind my hand. “He was actually with Boobs.”
He looked confused. “Boobs?”
“It’s this girl from New York,” I explained.
“Oh.” Aiden leaned back. “What do you mean by he was with this girl?”
“What do you think?” I lowered my hand.
“Oh, Alex, I’m sorry.”
I made a face. “Why are you sorry? It’s ‘whatever.’ Seth and I aren’t in a relationship.” But he had been behaving himself since he’d returned to the Covenant with me. Pushing that out of my mind, I focused on something more important. “I need to get out of this bed.”
Something flickered across Aiden’s face and then he shook his head. “Alex, you really shouldn’t.”
“I really need to.”
He held my stare and then he seemed to get it. “Okay, here, let me help you.”
The idea of him getting close to me when I felt this gross didn’t appeal to me, but there was no arguing with him. Aiden helped me out of the bed and then insisted on guiding me to the little bathroom. I half-expected him to follow me inside.
Closing the door behind me, I did my thing and eyed the shower stall longingly. Aiden would have a fit if I turned it on. I glanced at the door, debating whether or not he’d dare busting in here. Aiden was way too saintly.
I decided to test that theory out.
The second after I turned the water on, he yelled. “Alex, what are you doing?”
“Nothing.” I pulled off my clothes, wishing I had something clean to put on.
“Alex” Bemused frustration colored his tone.
I grinned. “I’m taking a quick shower. I’m gross. I need to be clean.”
“You shouldn’t be doing that.” The door handle jingled. It wasn’t locked. “Alex!”
“I’m naked,” I warned.
Silence and then, “Is that supposed to make me not want to come in there?”
A warm flush covered my body as I stared at the door.
There was an audible sigh. “Make it quick, Alex, because I will come in there if you are not done in less than five minutes.”
I took the quickest shower of my life. Drying off and dressing quickly, I reveled in the feeling of being clean again, but showering had taken whatever energy I’d had left in me. I sat in front of the sink, because the toilet seemed too far away, and started brushing my teeth. My mouth no longer felt like a woolly mammoth, but as I eyed the sink and realized that I’d have to get back up again, I kind of wished I’d stayed in bed.
I know he was by your side the minute I left, doing his annoying brooding thing, trying to figure out a way to be with you.
Closing my eyes, I clutched the plastic toothbrush and stretched out my legs.
Whatever. You’re there. I’m here. And in a week or so, I’ll be back. And it’s not going to even matter.
Foamy toothpaste trickled down my chin. It wouldn’t matter because Seth would be around? Or it wouldn’t matter because in five weeks, I’d Awaken? Was that what Seth was trying to say in between whatever Boobs was doing?
“Alex?” Aiden knocked on the bathroom door. “Are you okay in there?”
I tipped my head toward the closed door. More toothpaste dribbled from my mouth. “I’m tired.”
The door opened. Aiden’s gaze dropped and his brows went up. A slow smile crept over his face, softening the hard look that had been in his eyes since I woke up. Aiden laughed.
Something fluttered in my chest. “Laughing at a dead girl isn’t nice.”
“I told you that you should’ve stayed in bed.” The light didn’t go out of his eyes as he knelt. He reached over, wiping the toothpaste off my chin with his thumb. “But you never listen. Hold on.”
It wasn’t like I was going anywhere, so I watched him glance at the sink and then rise. Aiden disappeared back into the room, returning with two small plastic cups and some paper towels a few seconds later.
Prying the toothbrush out of my hands, he tossed it in the sink after filling up the cup. “Here you go.”
Cheeks flaming, I took the cup and swished the water in my mouth.
Aiden handed me another empty cup. “Rinse and repeat.”
I glared at him, but secretly did a happy dance in my head when he laughed again. Once I didn’t have toothpaste falling out of my mouth anymore and my hands were empty, Aiden bent and carefully slid an arm around me. “I can stand without help,” I grumbled.
“Sure you can.” Aiden’s hair tickled my cheeks. “That’s why you’re sitting on a bathroom floor. Come on, back to bed.”
The door in the main room opened. “What’s going on?” Marcus’ voice carried through the room. “Is Alexandria okay?”
Crimson stained my entire face.
“She’s fine.” Aiden easily hauled me to my feet. The tender skin pulled a little, but I kept my expression blank. Didn’t want him having a heart attack. “She just wore herself out,” he continued, grinning as he let go. “You okay to make it back to the bed?”
I nodded. “It’s not my fault. Leon—Apollo—whoever he is—didn’t fix me right. Godly powers my—”
“I did fix you, but you were dead. Give me some credit,” Apollo said.
I jumped, smacking my hand on my chest. Apollo sat on the edge of the toilet seat, one leg crossed over the other.
Beside me, Aiden bowed stiffly. “My master.”
“Oh, my gods,” I said. “Seriously. Are you trying to kill me again by giving me a heart attack?”
Apollo tipped his head at Aiden. “I’ve already told you. You don’t need to do the ‘master’ and bowing business with me.” Little sparks of electricity rimmed those all-white eyes. “Why are you out of bed? Doesn’t getting stabbed warrant some downtime?” He smiled at Aiden, who was now standing. “She really is hard to take care of, isn’t she?”
Aiden looked a little pale. “Yeah…”
“I… I felt gross.”
Apollo disappeared from the bathroom and popped up behind Aiden. Marcus took a step back, his eyes wide. He bowed too, and I really thought for a moment that Marcus was going to drop to his knees.
“Good gods,” Aiden said under his breath as he led me out of the bathroom.
I stared at the hulking god in the corner of the room as I climbed back into bed. “Did anyone know about this?”
Apollo glided to the bed. It was strange looking at him and seeing some traces of Leon. The face was basically the same, but more refined, sharper. Hair that looked like spun gold replaced the short crew cut Leon had favored, falling just below his broad shoulders. And he seemed taller, if that was even possible. He was achingly beautiful, lacking the rougher edges, but his eyes… they creeped me out. There were no pupils or irises just white orbs that seemed full of electricity.
The Sun God.
I was staring at the mother effin’ Sun God… and yet, it was like staring at Leon. It was bizarre that a god would even be on earth, but to be as comfortable as Apollo seemed was unreal.
Apollo arched a brow as he slowly turned his head to Marcus. “I know this is a little… shocking, but what I was doing required that I disguise who I was.”
Marcus blinked, as if he was coming out of a daze. “Are there more like you here?”
Apollo smiled. “We are always around.”
“Why?” Aiden asked, dragging his fingers through his hair. He looked a little out of it also.
“Things are complicated,” Apollo said.
“So, was Leon a real person? Did you like, take over his body or something?” I folded my legs under the blanket. “Or have you been Leon this entire time?”
The corners of Apollo’s lips twitched. “We are one in the same.”
Slowly, I reached over and poked his arm. It felt like real flesh, warm and hard. Disappointed, I poked him again. I was expecting something amazing—celestial—by touching him. Instead all I got were weird looks from everyone in the room, including Apollo.
“Please stop touching me,” Apollo said.
I jabbed his arm again. “Sorry. It’s just that you’re real. I mean, I just thought you guys weren’t really around here.”
“Alex.” Aiden sat on the edge of the bed. “You should probably stop touching him.”
“Whatever.” I dropped my hand into my lap. I still wanted to touch him, though, which was really weird. I kind of wanted to rub all over him like a cat or something… and that was more than weird, and a little uncomfortable.
“Usually we’re not,” Apollo said, frowning at me. “When we are on earth our powers are limited. Everything about this place drains us. We tend to stay away and if we do visit, it is only for a short while.”
“Long enough to hook up with some mortal chicks?”
“Alexandria,” Marcus snapped.
Apollo faced me. “No. We haven’t spawned any demigods in centuries.”
I shuddered when my gaze met his. “Your eyes are really freaking creepy.”
He blinked, and in a nanosecond, his eyes were a brilliant, intense cobalt. “Better?”
Not really. Not when he was staring at me like that. “Sure.”
Marcus cleared his throat. “I’m really at a loss of what to say.”
Apollo waved his hand dismissively. “We’ve worked together for months. Nothing has changed.”
“We didn’t know you were Apollo.” Aiden folded his arms. “That changes things.”
“Why?” Apollo smiled. “I just don’t expect you to be as willing to spar with me now.”
The skin around Aiden’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Yeah, you can be sure of that. All of this is just… I mean, how did we not know?”
“Simple. I did not want any of you to know. It made things easier… blending in.”
“I’m sorry,” I interrupted. Apollo arched a brow, waiting. I felt my cheeks flush. “This is just really awkward.”
“Do tell,” Apollo murmured.
“I mean, I’ve like insulted you every which way from Sunday to your face. Multiple times. Like when I accused you of chasing boys and girls and how they turn themselves into trees to get away—”
“Like I said before, some of those things are not true.”
“So Daphne didn’t turn into a tree to get away from you?”
“Oh, my gods,” Aiden muttered, rubbing a hand along his jaw.
A muscle popped on Apollo’s jaw. “That was not all my fault. Eros shot me with a damn arrow of love. Trust me, when you are hit with one of those things, you cannot help what you do.”
“But you cut off some of her bark.” I shuddered again. “And wore it as a wreath. That’s like a serial killer collecting their victim’s personal items… or fingers.”
“I was in love,” he replied, as if being in love explained away the fact that the chick turned herself into a tree to get away from him.
“Okay. What about Hyacinth? The poor boy had no idea—”
“Alexandria,” Marcus sighed, looking near apoplectic.
“Sorry. I just don’t understand why he hasn’t smited me or something.”
“The day is still young,” Apollo said, grinning when my eyes widened.
Marcus glanced at me. “You’re here because of her.”
Apollo nodded. “Alexandria is very important.”
This was weird to me. “I thought the gods weren’t fans of the Apollyons.”
“Zeus created the first Apollyon thousands of years ago, Alexandria, as a way to ensure that no pure-blood would become too powerful and threaten the mortal race or us,” he explained. “They were created as a system of checks and balances. We are neither fans nor enemies of the Apollyon, but see them only as a necessity that will be needed one day. And that day has come.”