Apollyon
by Jennifer L Armentrout
Published by Spencer Hill Press
Book Four in the Covenant Series
Fate isn't something to mess with and now, neither is Alex.
Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.
The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex's power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex's connection to Seth isn't the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole an Apollyon can't be killed theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.
Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer or she might become the God Killer herself.
Genre
Triggers
Violence, Death, Captivity (due to safety reasons)
Apollyon by Jennifer L Armentrout is the fourth book in the Covenant series, and starts up shortly after the novella Elixir. Alex has Awakened, and is connected to Seth in a way that makes her forget she is a separate person. She becomes incredibly dangerous, and cruel, but thankfully, she has Aiden, who refuses to give up on her, even if it's against the Gods wishes. In order to find out how to stop Seth from becoming the God Killer, Alex and Aiden are forced venture the unknown, the Underworld, looking amongst millions for the one person who has the answer they need.
I just knew how with the way Deity ended, Apollyon was going to be intense, and it delivered on its promise. Right away we start in on the action, with a very pissed off, angry Alex, who is obsessed with getting to "her Seth". It was really hard to read such a strong character be brought down like that, and frankly, made me feel icky. Which is the point, I suppose. I won't lie, I had a harder time getting through Apollyon than the past books. It wasn't just because of what Alex was going through, but the whole book has a darker theme, and my anxiety was constantly on the edge of tipping over. I just knew shit was about to get bad, and I was right. There were some things I just LOVED about this book, though. First of all, we get lots of Aiden and Alex moments. Their love for one another is intense and beautiful, and we get lots of those moments with them. I would usually try not to spoil you, but since its obvious that they do go to the Underworld in this book, its obvious who they would connect with - Caleb. I am always down for some Caleb and Alex scenes. Another thing I really enjoyed, was the new bonds Alex formed. With everything out on the table now, Marcus and Alex seem to be growing a uncle/niece bond, which Alex very much needs. She is even bonding with Lea some, even if they still trade insults. Its obvious they respect one another.
Actually, lets discuss Alex for a minute. That girl has done a lot of growing up since the first book. Is she still sometimes arrogant and a little clueless when it comes to others perceptions? Sure. But she has come a long way. A book ago, she would have never sat in a room, and acknowledged that she was the reason why her and Lea became rivals. It took a lot for her to admit that she didn't try to bond with her uncle, and she did test his patience ... frequently. She is still the temperamental and strong character we love, but she is learning that sometimes, she needs to be a little less reckless. Aiden has come a long way as well. He was always strong, but now that he is open with his feelings for Alex, now that he has her, his love for her is his biggest strength, and weakness. I think the thing I love the most, is in those quiet moments, when they aren't dealing with ... well, everything ... he is happy. We don't get a whole lot of Seth in Apollyon. What we do get, doesn't make me like his character. Like Alex though, I empathize. I think it's easy to see how Seth got sucked in, and I still have hope for him.
By the end of Apollyon, we are left with some answer, and a lot more questions. I honestly can't believe there is only one more book! I highly recommend this series.
Aiden: "I know you're still in there, Alex. Underneath that connection, you are still you. The woman I love."
Aiden: "Nothing has changed."
Alex: "I have."
Aiden sighed
Aiden: "You haven't."
I opened my eyes
Alex: "Will you ever get bored with this? You have to, eventually."
Aiden: "Never."
Alex: "Because you won't give up on me, no matter what I tell you?"
Aiden: "Exactly."
Alex: "You're incredibly stubborn."
Aiden's lips tipped up in a half-smile
Aiden: "I used to say the same thing about you."
Caleb: "Oh, Alex, even I'm amazing by how inflated your ego has become. Gods, if I was fully corporeal, I'd so kick your ass right now."
Aiden: "I'm not going to leave you. I'll never do that."
Alex: "Give up."
His arms tightened around me
Aiden: "You should know by now I'm not going to give up on you. You're not that stupid."
Alex: "Can't say the same thing about you. You can't win."
Aiden: "You want to bet on that?"
Alex: "You can't have me. I'm not 0"
Aiden: "You're not his, Alex. You don't belong to anyone but yourself!"
Aiden: "What? Is this too fast? I should -"
Alex: "No. No, it's ... it's the marks of the Apollyon. They're kind of going their thing right now."
Aiden: "Should I be worried?"
Alex: "I think they like you."
Aiden's hand slid off my cheek, down my throat, to right below my chest. The marks slid toward his hand, as if drawn to him.
Aiden: "I saw them. When you Awakened, and when you went on the Elixir."
His brows drew tight as he smoothed his hand over my hip.
Aiden: "They were beautiful."
Alex: "Really?"
Aiden: "Yes. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."
Aiden: "Eiste panta mou ..."
You are my everything.
Solos: "I'm not going to bite, little one."
Alex: "Good. Because I bite back."
Solos: "That's what I hear."
Laadan: "Lea, dear, she has no reason to fake it. If she was connected to the FIrst, she wouldn't be sitting here."
Deacon: "And my brother wouldn't be cleaning up after us, right? Gods, we'd have to get a main then or something."
Aiden smacked the back of Deacon's head as he passed by
Aiden: "I feel the love."
Alex: "I can't believe Apollo hit me with a god bolt."
Marcus: "I can't believe Aiden punched him."
Alex: "What? You did not."
The half-grin spread until a dimple appeared in his left cheek.
Aiden: "I did."
Alex: "All those times you yelled at me for hitting people, and you hit a god?"
That half-grin turned into a full smile.
Aiden: "This was a different situation."
Laadan: "The Aiden I knew, the one before he went to Atlanta to find you, had always respected and viewed halfs equally, but he never would've taken time away from his Sentinel duties to help any half. And then I saw the way he was around you in New York. It's all in the way he looked at you - the way he constantly looked at you. You were his world, probably before either of you realized that."
Alex: "You could tell all that by the way he looked at me?"
Laadan laughed hen, the sound like wind chimes
Laadan: "He watched you like a man starved for the only think that could fulfill his hunger."
Alex: "I don't think this is the kind of training Apollo had in mind."
Solos: "When's the last time you trained?"
Alex: "I was fighting, like, two days ago."
Solos: "One day in the span of many means nothing. Our muscles need to be used daily."
Alex: "I think they could use your help more. I could be working on using akasha right now. Seth has years of practical experience on me."
Solos: "And you will work with that, but not right now."
Eyes narrowing, I raised my hand.
Alex: "I could just use the air element and knock -"
Aiden: "Alex. I also doubt Apollo meant for your mouth to be the only thing getting a workout."
He released the blades and I caught them.
Waving them in his face, I grinned.
Alex: "I kind of rock at this."
He turned, brows furrowed.
Solos: "I don't even know what that move was."
I flipped the dagger in my right hand
Alex: "It's called being awesome and it worked."
Marcus: "You are my niece. You are my sister's daughter. And you are so much like her ... You were so much like her that when you came back to the Covenant ... and even now, I have a hard time looking at you without seeing my sister."
Alex: "Wait. Is this book about aliens?"
She snatched it back from me.
Lea: "Yes."
Alex: "Really?"
Lea: "But they're hot aliens."
She tapped on the guy's face with one thin finger.
Lea: "And he can be my ET any day."
Alex: "You're in my personal space. Let go."
Seth: "No. You might hit me again."
Alex: "You can count on it!"
Oh, I was two seconds from jumping on his back and strangling him from behind ... with love, of course.
Aiden: "At night, when I'm sleeping, is t he only time I don't think about it - what I did. You ... don't understand. What I did to you - putting you on the Elixir? I don't deserve anything else."
Alex: "You -"
Aiden: "I didn't have to, Alex. It was weak of me. I didn't trust that eventually you'd break the bond. And seeing what it did to you? I can't forgive myself for that."
Alex: "You can't blame yourself for that! You did what was right."
Anger flashed in his eyes
Aiden: "It wasn't right."
Alex: "Aiden -"
Aiden: "The Elixir was one of your greatest fears, Alex! And I did that to you! How ... How is what I did any different than what Seth did to you - is still doing to you?"
Alex: "Putting my on the Elixir isn't the same thing as Seth twisting me into a psychotic Apollyon!"
Aiden: "But I stripped you of who you are, Alex. It's the same. I held you down and forced your mouth open as Marcus gave you the Elixir. You begged for me to stop and I didn't. I watched the Elixir take hold, and it was me who became your Master. I can't ..."
He cut off and turned away.
Alex: "Look, I hate to cut through your self-pity with a big dose of grow-up."
Turning around, Aiden's brows shot up and he opened his mouth
Aiden: "No. You had to make a tough decision. All of you did. I was Evil Alex. And I remember threatening to pull out Deacon's ribcage. I can understand why you did it."
Aiden: "Alex, this isn't about you forgiving me."
Alex: "Then what's it about? I forgive you. Hell, there's nothing to forgive. And if anything, I should be thanking you."
Aiden: "Don't ever thank me for putting you on the Elixir."
Alex: "Ugh! I wasn't thanking you for that. I was thanking you for not giving up on me. For still being there for me when I was acting like a psycho."
He stared up at me, stony as ever.
Alex: "I want to strangle you."
Aiden arched a brow
Alex: "We've all done things that we regret. I'm living with the fact that I threatened everyone that I care about. You have no idea the things I though - the things I believed in - when I was connected with Seth. Or maybe you do, but it's not the same. And if I can get over it, then by gods, you need to get over it. I need you right now, more than ever. And I don't need you to just hold me at night. Even though that's really nice and all,I need you to really be here."
Hurt flashed in his silvery eyes
Aiden: "I am here for you."
Alex: "You're not. You can't be when you're sulking around here, blaming yourself for something you had to do. I need you to man up, Aiden."
Aiden: "Man up? It's a good thing I love you or I'd find that particularly insulting."
Alex: "If you love me, you'd get over this. You'd deal with it, accept that you had to do it, and get past it. Because I'm scared out of my mind, Aiden, and I don't know how any of us are going to survive what's happening. Right now, I need you - all of you. We - we - are more important than your guilt, or at least I thought so, but apparently I'm wasting my breath."
I was really close to to tipping the couch back and dumping him off of it, but he shot up and was in front of me before I could blink an eye. He wrapped an arm around my waist and our eyes locked. Everywhere our bodies touched, heat rushed to the surface. It wasn't like i had forgotten hat it was like to be in his arms, I just wasn't prepared for it.
I could never be prepared for it.
Neither was Aiden. His eyes were burning a liquid silver and his arm tightened around me.
Aiden: "I would never give up on you, Alex. Never."
Alex: "Then why are you being such a -"
Aiden: "What? I'm being what?"
Infuriating. Stubborn. Thick-skulled. Freaking sexy.
Alex: "Good gods, can we stop arguing and just, I don't know, make out?"
A deep, husky laughed rumbled through his body and teased mine.
Aiden: "Is that what you want?"
More than the air I breathed.
Alex: "What do you think?"
He moved forward, backing me up until I was pressed against the closed door.
Aiden: "That I'm seriously in love with your one-track mind."
Aiden: "It's hard, Alex, remembering how you were. I hated it. Hated every moment of it."
I placed my hand on his cheek.
Alex: "I know."
Aiden: "And all I could think about was getting you back."
He pressed his lips to my temple and then the hollow of my cheek.
Aiden: "But you're right. I haven't been here completely."
Alex: "You're not going to feel guilty over that, too?"
He grinned against the side of my neck, his lips moving against my wildly pounding pulse.
Aiden: "You always have to be such a smartass."
Alex: "Are you following me?"
Aiden: "I'm just being here for you, and I think you really need me right now."
Alex: "Ha. Ha."
Aiden's grin spread and a dimple in his left cheek appeared. He tucked a strand of my hair back, then his hands dropped and he tugged the shirt out of my cargos.
Aiden: "I think you called it 'manning up'."
Apollo: "I took Hermes' helmet, melted the mother down, and here you go. An invisibility charm just for you."
Apollo dropped the necklace into my palm. It was a reddish-gold color, and a crudely shaped wing was etched into it.
Alex: "Ha. It's like Harry Potter and the invisibility cloak."
Everyone stared at me.
I rolled my eyes.
Alex: "Whatever."
Apollo smacked a hand down on my leg.
Apollo: "Must you always be moving some part of your body?"
I glared at him as I no-so-gently removed his hand.
Alex: "It's not hurting you."
Apollo: "It's annoying."
Alex: "You're annoying."
Aiden rolled his eyes
Aiden: "All right, children, back to the important stuff."
Alex: "Oh, gods. Wasn't that a season finale on Supernatural?"
When the boys nodded, my eyes rolled
Alex: "Seriously? Are Sam and Dean going to be there?"
Apollo: "You would give your life for her?"
Aiden: "Yes."
Aiden: "By the way. You look damn good in a Sentinel uniform."
Alex: "So do you."
Aiden: "I know."
I laughed outright.
Alex: "Wow. Healthy ego there."
Snatching the bag out of his lap I pulled out the other bun, wiggling it near his mouth.
Aiden: "Alex ..."
He leaned toward the window, avoiding the dangerous second bun.
Aiden: "Come on."
Alex: "Eat it."
Holding it with two hands now, making it dance in the air.
Alex: "It's begging you. 'Eat me'."
He arched a brow
Alex: "Perv."
Alex: "I could just ... blast them with akasha."
Aiden: "Your idea has been noted and discarded."
Alex: "Thank you."
Aiden: "Don't-"
Clasping the sides of his face, I kissed him. Long. Deep. Hard. When I pulled back, his eyes were pools of silver.
Alex: "Just say you're welcome. It isn't hard. Say it."
Aiden: "You're welcome."
My lips split into a wide smile.
Alex: "That wasn't hard, was it?"
Aiden: "Let m see what we got first, okay?
Alex: "Be my guest. If there's an Underworld bear inside, let him gnaw you first."
Aiden: "Gods, Alex, you don't just stick your finger into things."
I arched a brow
He rolled his eyes
Aiden: "Your mind scares me."
I grinned.
Alex: "You like how my mind works."
Aiden: "Most of the time, yes."
My eyes went wide
Alex: "Wow. Are you trying to get me naked?"
Aiden: "Do you really need me to answer that?"
Aiden: "You should see yourself right now."
Alex: "What do I look like?"
His grin was small and secretive.
Aiden: "Cute."
Alex: "Cute?"
Aiden: "Mmm hmm."
Alex: "Did you pack any lotion?"
Aiden: "No. But we have some trail mix."
Alex: "Yum."
Aiden: "Also some mixed nuts..."
Alex: "Double yum."
Aiden: "And some water. Sorry. I couldn't pack a McDonalds for you."
Alex: "Well, no ones perfect."
Alex: "Stop talking."
I pushed through the water, well aware that as I moved closer to him, the cloak of water slowly receded.
Aiden was well aware too. A muscle flexed in his jaw as his gaze dropped.
Aiden: "Did you just tell me to shut up?"
Alex: "No."
I followed him as he kept backing up, until he had no other place to run to, until his back was against the edge of the rock pool and he was trapped. Placing my hands on either side of him, I looked up.
Alex: "Okay. I did tel you to shut up, but I did so nicely."
Aiden: "I may be able to overlook it."
I floated in, letting my legs tangle with his.
Alex: "For someone who doesn't talk a lot, you sure do talk a lot when I'd rather you not be talking."
Alex: "I'll keep an eye on things, make sure no spiders run off with you."
He pressed his lips to my cheek and let out a little chuckle.
Aiden: "I'm worried if it comes down between me and a spider, I might be screwed."
Alex: "I'd face down a horde of spiders for you, baby."
I grinned at the sound of his laugh again.
Alex: "For real."
Aiden: "That's true love there. Some serious stuff."
Seth: Whatever you're looking for, you're not going to find it.
Alex: What do you think I'm looking for?
Seth: With you, one can never be too sure.
Alex: Oh, that's the pot calling the kettle black
Seth: Or its the pot calling the pot a pot
I made a face
Alex: What?
Seth laughed
Seth: Ah, I've sort of missed this, Alex.
Seth: I want to talk
Alex: What do you want to talk about?
Seth: How wrong you are.
Alex: Oh gods ... Seth, I can't do this -
Seth: I care about you.
Alex: I know.
Deep down, I knew he did care.
Seth: It wouldn't have been bad between us, even if you never connected with me. It wouldn't have been terrible.
My chest felt heavy and it ached, because there was also some truth to that.
Seth: But it never would've been enough. I'm man enough to admit that. Even if I fought for you fairly - and trust me, Aiden has nothing on me when I'm determined - in the end, whatever you felt for me would've been leftovers. I would've been a leftover. You would've never really been mine. I've always know that.
Caleb: "Geez, don't stab me. I think we've had enough of that going on between the two of us."
Alex: "Caleb."
Seconds away from tackling him to the ground, I was stopped when Aiden gripped my shoulder.
Aiden: "I know you want to, but it would draw attention."
Caleb: "Yeah, it would. SO let's keep the hugging and crying to a minimum."
He shook his head
Caleb: "You guys are really doing this - the relationship, out in the open and all?"
Aiden's hand wrapped more firmly around mine
Aiden: "I think right now the world has bigger problems than a pure and a half being in love."
My heart did a happy dance at the last part. Just hearing him say tht - the L-word - could chase away all the dark shadows and expectations.
Persephone's throaty chuckle drifted back to us.
Persephone: "Isn't that the truth? Besides, they are not the first, nor the last."
Caleb's sky-blue eyes settled on Aiden
Caleb: "And you're not going to try to hide the relationship once everything settles down?"
The challenge in his tone had me smiling.
Aiden: "Not going to happen. It won't be easy, but we'll find a way."
Caleb: "Good. Because if you do her wrong, I will haunt your ass until you die."
I burst into laughter and so did Aiden, even though we both knew Caleb was being serious. Letting go of Aiden's hand, I wrapped my arm around Caleb.
Alex: "That won't be necessary."
Caleb: "Well, that was depressing. If I wasn't dead already, I'd feel a tad bit suicidal."
Apollo: "You two should really get a room. My poor eyes..."
I groaned.
Aiden: "Gods."
He pulled back, casting Apollo a disgusted look over my head
Aiden: "Do you get off on sneaking up on us?"
Apollo: "You probably don't want to know what I get off on."
I made a face.
Alex: "Ew."
Heart heavy, I lifted my head.
Alex: "What will happen if I die?"
Apollo: "You will have a warrior's death. There is pride in that and you will want for nothing."
Alex: "Will you make sure that ... that Aiden will be okay?"
The god's eyes met mine and he nodded.
Alex: "He ... he had to see his parents afterward, Apollo. I don't want him to see me, okay? Can you make sure he doesn't?"
Apollo: "If that is what you wish."
Alex: "And you will make sure Marcus and the rest of them are okay?"
Apollo: "Yes."
Alex: "Okay."
I swallowed, but I still felt like I was choking
Alex: "I want to be left alone for awhile."
Apollo: "Alex -"
I looked then, meeting his gaze.
Alex: "Please leave."
Aiden: "We're in this together, Alex. Don't ever forget that. We're in this together to the end."
Dionysus dropped onto the couch in a lazy arrogant sprawl. His heavy-lidded gaze moved over the females in the room, sizing them up like one looks at a menu. When his freaky eyes landed on me, I arched a brow.
He grinned.
Dionysus: "So this is the Apollyon."
Alex: "That would be me."
Dionysus: "For some reason, I expected you to be taller."
What the hell? Folding my arms, I shot him a bland look.
Alex: "I don't know why people keep saying that."
Aiden: "You are pretty short."
Aiden: "What?"
Aiden nudged me with his elbow
Aiden: "You don't want us having your back?"
Alex: "That's not what this is. If there's going to be a god gunning for my butt -"
Aiden: "It is a nice butt."
Aiden murmured as he studied the toes of his boots. A small grin on his face.
Deacon: "Group hug time?"
Alex: "Shut up."
Aiden: "We have six hundred miles of no man's land to get through. We're going to be okay."
Alex: "I'm not afraid."
Aiden: "I didn't say that you were."
My eyes narrowed
Aiden cracked a grin
Aiden: "But you are."
Alex: "I'm -"
Aiden: "Do I need to find a sensory deprivation chamber again?"
When my cheeks flushed at the memory, his grin spread into a full smile.
Aiden: "It's okay, Alex."
Alex: "What is?"
Aiden: "To be afraid, Alex, it's okay. What we're facing is some scary ... shit."
I smiled then
Alex: "You cussed."
Aiden: "I did."
Alex: "Are you scared?"
Aiden: "Yes."
Hearing him admit that was both relieving and frightening.
Alex: "You're never afraid."
Aiden shook his head, his smile slipping into a wry one.
Aiden: "You know that's not true. There're a lot of things that terrify me, Alex."
I met his eyes
Alex: "Tell me."
Stretching out beside me, he tugged me over so my cheek was pressed against his chest.
Aiden: "I'm afraid that Deacon is going to get hurt ... or worse. I'm afraid that we will lose more people. I'm terrified what you're going to face - what you have to do and how it's going to affect you."
My breath caught around a denial as I curled my fingers into the sheet tangled around his hips.
Alex: "I'll be okay."
Those words were bitter on my tongue.
His chest rose sharply
Aiden: "I don't want you to be okay. I want you to be more than okay. I don't want you to have nightmares for the rest of your life, and see Seth's face instead of your mother's. I don't want this to haunt you."
Alex: "I know what has to be done."
And I also knew what that likely meant for me.
Aiden: "I know, Alex. I also know that you're going to do it, because I cannot even think for one second that you will fail. You can't. You won't."
Aiden: Alex? Talk to me, agapi mou."
Alex: "Don't be afraid. I'll be ... okay."
His hand slipped to the nap of my neck, and he held on as if he could keep me there forever.
Aiden: "You'll tell me that you'll be okay. And you'll act like you're okay, but ..."
I squeezed my eyes shut. Aiden would know better. Seconds passed in silence. The truth was on the tip of my tongue, burning me from the inside out. I wanted to tell him what could happen - I really needed to - but putting that on him wasn't fair. Time stretched out, but it wasn't enough.
Alex: "You will kill the ones you love. I hate that damn oracle."
Aiden's fingers splayed across my cheek
Aiden: "If I could change this, I would. I'd do anything to save you from this."
Alex: "I know. But Fate is a bitch."
Aiden: "Or a bastard."
Alex: "I used to think you were the source of my failure."
Aiden: "What?"
Alex: "I could never get things right when you were around, especially when you used to watch me in class. I wanted to be perfect in your eyes. I wanted you to be proud of me."
Aiden: "I am."
I beamed at him, smiling for real for the first time since this conversation began.
Alex: "But you're kind of like my source of strength, even when I couldn't concentrate because of you."
Aiden tilted his head to the side, causing his lips to graze my cheek
Aiden: "We had the same problem then."
Alex: "Doubtful."
Aiden: "You have no idea how hard it was. To train you - to be so close when all I wanted ..."
Alex: "What did you want?"
He leaned in, his warm breath becoming my world.
Aiden: "How about I show you?"
Oh, I so liked where this was heading. So much better than the doom and gloom crap that wanted to pull me under, bringing Aiden along with me.
Alex: "I'm down with that."
Deacon: "We need to chat."
I wiggled down and stretched out beside him
Alex: "Okay. About what?"
Deacon: "You need to stay alive."
Alex: "I'm not planning to off myself, Deacon."
Deacon: "No, but you have that look of someone who is facing down death, practically even expects it. I know what that looks like. I saw it in the mirror for a long time.
My mouth opened, but I couldn't find any words.
He laughed dryly.
Deacon: "I hated living after seeing what'd happened to my parents and those other people. If it hadn't been for Aiden, I wouldn't have survived. I shouldn't have survived. Neither should he. I guess I had a mad case of survivor's guilt or something lame like that. Every time I drank or got high, I secretly hopes that I would overdo it, you know?"
Alex: "Deacon ..."
Deacon: "Ah, I'm okay now. I think I am, at least. But you know why I never relly went there? I wasn't scared of death, but I was scared of what me dying would do to him."
Alex: "He wouldn't get past losing you. He's so strong, but ..."
Deacon: "It would kill him. I know. Losing you would kill him."
A cold chill washed over me, like I'd stepped into a freezer.
Alex: "Why are you telling me this?"
Deacon: "You've had that same look ever since you came back from the Underworld. Whatever you do, don't break my brother's heart. You are his world. And if you leave it, it will destroy him."
Alex: "You're the best."
I popped forward and kissed him quickly
Alex: "I mean it."
On his way past us, Marcus' eyes narrowed.
Marcus: "I feel like I'm going to need to separate you two."
Aiden's cheeks flushed as he pulled back and cleared his throat.
Marcus: "Especially the sleeping arrangements. And I'm not naive enough to -"
Alex: "Whoa! Not a topic that I'm willing to delve into."
Marcus gave me a bland look
Marcus: "You are my niece and I'm your guardian."
Alex: "I'm eighteen."
Marcus: "And you're still too -"
Alex: "Olivia! Bathroom break!"
Aiden grabbed my arm.
Aiden: "Be careful."
Alex: "Of course. Other than dying of fumes and wanting to hurl, it's just a public restroom."
He still looked like he wanted to escort me in there, but Marcus was also eyeing Aiden like he wanted to punch him again.
Olivia: "What's going on over there?"
I looked over my shoulder. Marcus' mouth was flying a mile a minute, and Aiden stood there, stiff and silent. I grimaced.
Alex: "You don't even want to know."
Lea: "Probably has to do with the fact that you and Aiden are having sex."
My jaw dropped.
Olivia: "Nice. Way to just throw that out there."
Lea shrugged.
Lea: "Hey, it is what it is. He's a hottie. I'd be doing it with him every five seconds."
Alex: "Skittles?"
Aiden: "Please."
I dumped some into his open palm, then picked out the green ones.
Aiden grinned at me.
Aiden: "You know I don't like the green ones?"
Shrugging, I popped them in my mouth.
Alex: "The few times I've seen you eat them, you leave the green ones behind."
Deacon popped his head between our seats.
Deacon: "That's true love right there."
Aiden: "That it is."
Aiden: "Even though that display of power was hot as hell, try not to run out in traffic anymore."
Human: "Oh, my God. I can call for help - is that a body?"
I knelt down, forcing the mortal to look me in the eye.
Alex: "There's nothing to see here. You will see nothing as you drive past. You will go home and ... kiss your wife or whatever."
The mortal blinked slowly and then nodded.
Human: "I'm not married."
Whoops
Alex: "Uh, do you have a girlfriend?"
He nodded, eye trained on me
Alex: "Okay ... then go kiss her and tell her ... that you love her? Anyway, go. There's nothing going on here. Move along."
As the car drove past, I turned to find Solos gaping at me.
Alex: "What?"
Solos: "Did you just Jedi-mind trick him?"
I small grin pulled at my lips
Alex: "I've always wanted to say that."
Solos: "Dear gods."
Alex: "Release the Kraken!"
Several sets of eyes settled on me.
Alex: "What? I've always wanted to yell that since I saw that movie. Seemed like a perfect moment."
Aiden laughed.
Alex: "See! That's why I love him. He laughs at the stupid crap that comes out of my mouth."
Aiden leaned over and pressed his lips against my temple.
Aiden: "Keep talking about loving me, and we're going to scare some of these guys for life."
Deacon shot around us, grasping the front of Luke's shirt. Before the bronze-haired half could utter a word, Deacon planted one on him.
Deacon: "Don't ever scare me like that again. Okay?"
Luke nodded slowly.
Solos: "What is it with the St. Delphi brothers and their attraction to halfs? Don't get me wrong. Being a half and all, I totally support equal love, equal rights, down with the Breed Order and blah, blah, blah."
Aiden: "We just have good taste."
Dean Elders: "There will be some, maybe even many, but none will be forced to join the cause, Apollyon."
Alex: "Understood. As a half-blood, I would never force people into something that would risk their lives."
The dean's brows rose
Dean Elders: "Point taken."
My gaze immediately went to the full-size bed and I groaned.
Alex: "Shower first. Epic bitch-out session second, sincere apology third, and then sleep."
Alex: "Even if we manage to stop Lucian and Seth, this god will try something again. Look at all the people who have died."
Aiden: "I don't -"
Alex: "You don't what?"
He looked up, features rigid.
Aiden: "I was going to say that I don't care. Not when you could die doing this. I don't care."
Aiden: "We're probably going to have to cut the whole sleeping together thing back."
I pouted
Aiden chuckled.
Aiden: "I said sleeping together, Alex. What I have in mind doesn't involve sleeping."
Alex: "Oh. Oh."
A slow grin tugged at his lips as his hands spread down my arms to my hips. That dizzying warmth stole into the marrow of my bones.
Aiden: "Little slow on the uptake, huh?"
I laughed.
Alex: "Sorry. My mind isn't in the gutter, like some people I could name."
Aiden: "So you say. We'll just have to see about that."
Ares: "That wasn't very nice, Miss Andros. The gods and the Council fear the first, but who's the one lobbing daggers at a god?"
Ares: "This can all end now, little one. Just say the words."
Alex: "Fuck ... you ..."
Thanatos: "What you did by standing up to Ares? Not many would - no mortal, demigod and surely not even the Apollyon. You could've submitted to him. You would've saved yourself so much pain. You head your ground, and I can respect that. I can also admire that."
Apollo: "I always find a way to take care of my own."
Alex: "Sometimes I Wonder if it's right, you know - if I should feel happiness and love when everyone is suffering."
Mom: "But you have suffered, too. Everybody, no matter what is happening around them, deserves the kind of love that man feels for you, especially you. And that kind of love is more important than anything right now, Lexie. It's going to keep you sane. It's always going to remind you of who you really are."
Mom: "I'm so proud of you, Lexie. Always remember that I'm proud of you and that I love you. Don't give up hope, baby. Paradise is waiting for you in the end."
Check out the rest of the Covenant Series below!
Check out the spin-off series, Titan, below (18+)
