Half-Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout

Half-Blood

by Jennifer Armentrout

Published by Spencer Hill Press

Book 1 in the Covenant Series

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals,

and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is.

If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Genre

#MythRetelling

#UrbanFantasy

#YoungAdult

#InterconnectedRomance

Triggers

Violence, Death

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Half-Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout is the first book of her Covenant series. The book is about seventeen year old Alex, who is a half-blood - meaning she is a product of a pure blood, a being from a god and a mortal, and mortal - and finds herself back at the covenant after being taken from there 3 years previously by her mother. In an effort to be able to go to school in the fall and fulfill her dream of being a Sentinel (a warrior that hunts down daimons), she must train all day, everyday for three months with pure blooded Sentinel, Aiden. There are strict laws forbidding romantic/sexual relationships between pure bloods, and half bloods, but that doesn't stop Alex from her years long crush on him. Then there is everything else ... recently orphaned, daimons hunting her down, old rivalries, and a once in a generation warrior suddenly popping up in her life, Alex's senior year will be anything but boring.

This is my first Olympian Gods series, weirdly enough. There are others I have planned on reading at one point or another, but never got around to it. That being said, if I had to pick a series to start off with, I'm happy I picked the Convenant series by Jennifer L Armentrout. The plot is stellar, and unique (as from what I have gathered from other similar series', its usually about the offspring of Gods and mortal, but in this case, it has little to do with the Gods, and more about the offspring of offspring.) This book starts off with a high amount of action, before dropping, which is an unusual start, but afterwards, the plot moves along consistently. There is no wasted pages, and everything furthers the story and character development along.

The characters are super likable. Jennifer L Armentrout is no doubt an amazing writer, able to write flawless stories and wonderful characters. Alex is strong, brave, and as with all of Jennifer's heroines, has claws. I love her attitude and mouth, even if it gets her in trouble more than anything. Aiden is a stand up guy. Kind of the angel on her shoulder, but he himself is tempted to break some of rules for Alex. He chooses the life of a Sentinel instead of living off his family wealth, and tries to raise his his little brother. He is a patient teacher to Alex, but doesn't take her crap either. He is a good mix, and I really enjoy him as a romantic interest. Without getting into too much detail, Seth is an interesting character. Also a Sentinal, but he has a bad boy vibe to him, that makes me think he is the devil on her shoulder. Sure, he is strong ... really strong. He is also arrogant. I am interested to see where his character goes in this series. I have this little feeling that there is going to be a love triangle between Alex, Aiden and Seth.

Half-Blood brings a lot of themes to the table. There is action, and romance, but there is a big theme here of class, and racism. People who are either chosen to become a warrior, and protect the pure-bloods, or become a mindless (literally drugged into a zombie like trance) servant, all because of the concentration of blood from the God's. Pure Bloods don't have it easy either, often forced to marry so continue a pure line (which leads to affairs, which lead to half-bloods). It's a great book, and I am so looking forward to the rest of the series.

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The year before that was probably my most embarrassing - the bleached blond JV football captain with sky-blue eyes. Months had gone by with us barely exchanging a "hey" and "Do you have a pencil?" before we'd finally met up at a party. We'd talked. He'd kissed me and mauled my boobs, all the while smelling like cheap beer. I'd punched him and broken his jaw. Mom had moved me to a different town after that and lectured me about not hitting as hard as I could, reminding me that a normal girl couldn't throw punches like that.

Normal girls didn't want their boobs mauled either, and I wholly believed if they could land a fist like me, they would.

My bitch-switch was flipped and, well, my sense of self-preservation went right out the window.

I was going to make it - I had to make it. I'd be super-pissed in the afterlife if I died a virgin in this craphole.

Aiden: "Alex, the fact that you took down one daimon without training is remarkable. It was brave, but also foolish."

Alex: "Well, thanks."

Aiden: "You're not trained. The daimon could've easily killed you. And the one you brought down in the factory? Another fearless, but foolish act."

I frowned

Alex: "I thought you said it was amazing and remarkable."

Aiden: "It was, but you could've been killed."

He walked off ahead.

I struggled to keep up with him.

Alex: "Why would you even care if I was killed? Why does Marcus care? I don't even know the man, and if he doesn't allow me to resume training, I'm as good as dead, anyways."

Aiden: "That would be a shame."

He looked at me blandly.

Aiden: "You have all the potential in the world."

Aiden: "Alex. Don't ... let me down. Anything you do will come back on me. Do you understand?"

Alex: "Yes. Don't worry. I'm not as bad as Marcus makes me sound."

He looked doubtful

Aiden: "Fraternizing in the male dorms?"

I flushed

Alex: "I was visiting friends. Not like I was hooking up with any of them. I was only fourteen. I'm not a ho-bag."

Aiden: "Well, that's good to know."

Caleb: "Where the hell have you been?"

He put me on my feet.

Caleb: "Three years, Alex? What the hell? Do you even know what half of the students said happened to you and your mom? We thought you were dead! I could seriously punch you in the face, like right now."

I could barely hold back my smile

Alex: "I've missed you, too."

Lea: "Well, look who's back? If it isn't our one and only high school drop-out,"

drawled Lea Samos.

I closed my eyes and counted to tend. I made it to five.

Alex: "Are you lost, Lea? This isn't where they're handing out the free pregnancy tests."

Caleb: "Oh, boy."

Lea: "What happened to your face?"

Alex: "What happened to yours? You look like a damn Oompa Loompa. You should lay off the spray tanning, Lea."

Alex: "Let me pass, Caleb. I swear to the gods, I'm going to break her face!"

Caleb: "Back not even a day, Alex. Wow."

Alex: "Shut up."

Caleb: "It never fails to amaze me that being what you are - what we are - you still don't believe in the gods."

Alex: "No. I do believe in them. I just think they're absentee landlords. Right now, they're probably hanging out somewhere in Las Vegas, screwing showgirls and cheating at poker."

Caleb jumped away from me, his feet landing on the white and tan pebbles.

Caleb: "Do not let me be standing next to you when one of them strikes you down."

Aiden: "You should've been resting. Tomorrow won't be easy for you."

Alex: "You could always make it easy for me."

Aiden laughed. The sound was a rich, deep noise that would've brought a smile to my face in a different situation.

Like one in which he wasn't laughing at me.

Aiden: "Look. Get some rest. Eight in the morning will come quick."

He turned to leave but stopped.

Aiden: "And don't leave this room again tonight. I don't want to find out in the morning you burnt down a village while I slept."

Aiden: "First off: no drinking or smoking."

Alex: "Gee. That means I've got to kick the crack habit."

He stared down at me, clearly unimpressed.

Aiden: "You will not be able to leave the Covenant without permission or - don't look at me that way."

Alex: "Jeez, how old are you?"

I totally knew how old he was, but I wanted to pick.

Aiden cracked his neck

Aiden: "I turn twenty-one in October."

Alex: "Huh."

I shook the bottle.

Alex: "So have you always been so ... mature?"

His brows furrowed

Aiden: "Mature?"

Alex: "Yeah, you sound like a dad."

I deepened my voice and tried to look stern.

Alex: "Don't look at me that way or else."

Aiden blinked slowly

Aiden: "I don't sound like that and I didn't say 'or else.'"

Alex: "But if you had, what would the 'or else' be?"

I hid my grin with the bottle

He glanced to the side, frowning

Aiden: "Can you just not talk through this?"

I stood and stretched

Alex: "So, what am I learning today? I think we should start with anything that doesn't involve you kicking my ass."

Alex: "Aiden, I do remember my training. I know how to take a fall."

Aiden: "Do you?"

Alex: "Taking a fall is the easiest -"

My back slammed into the mat. Pain shot through me. I lay there stunned. Aiden loomed over me.

Aiden: "That was just a love tap, and you didn't land correctly at all."

Alex: "Ow."

I wasn't sure I could move.

Aiden: "You should've landed on your upper back. It's less painful and easier to maneuver out of."

He offered his hand.

Aiden: "I thought you knew how to take a fall?"

Alex: "Gods."

I wanted to curl up in a hole and die.

Aiden: "There you go."

Aiden nodded as I deflected one of his blows.

Aiden: "Use your forearm. Move with purpose."

Move with purpose? How about moving to a spot where I could lie down? That was a purpose I could get behind.

Aiden: "If he wanted to break your arm, he would have. I told you to be quiet, Alex. What did you expect from Marcus? Did you think he was just some lazy pure blood who needed protection?"

His voice dripped sarcasm.

Alex: "Well, he looks like one! Hoe was I supposed to know he was secretly Rambo in Dockers?"

Caleb: "You look hot."

I scrunched up my face

Alex: "You think this is hot?"

He laughed as he turned toward the door

Caleb: "No."

Alex: "I don't think your brother is very fond of me at the moment."

Deacon: "I doubt that."

He offered me the bottle. I shook my head. Pouring himself a drink, he smiled widely.

Deacon: "I'm sure my brother is very fond of you."

Aiden: "What are you doing outside the Covenant?"

I fidgeted with the edge of my shirt.

Alex: "I was ... visiting friends, and as I recall, I was told I couldn't leave the island. Technically, I'm still on Deity Island."

He tipped his head to the side, folding his arms.,

Aiden: "I'm pretty certain that remaining on the Covenant-controlled island was assumed."

Alex: "Well, you know what they say about assuming things."

Aiden: "Alex."

His voice lowered in warning.

Alex: "What was you doing out here, creeping around in the dark like some kind of ... creeper?"

Alex: "You know what you said about your parents not wanting you to have this kind of life?"

Aiden nodded, a curious look on his face. He probably wondered where the hell I was going with this.

Alex: "I think - no, I know they would be proud of you, anyways."

He raised one eyebrow.

Aiden: "Do you think that because I offered to train you?"

Alex: "No. I think that because I remember you."

Aiden: "Alex?"

I turned around, figuring he's changed his mind and was going to order me to see Marcus in the morning and fess up to my bad behavior.

Alex: "Yeah?"

He brushed a lock of dark hair off his forehead and flashed that lopsided smile.

Aiden: "I remember you."

I scrunched up my face

Alex: "What?"

The grin increased to a full smile. And ... oh, man. He had dimples. The air in my lungs died.

Aiden: "I remember you, too."

Alex: "Who reads books that big for fun?"

Aiden lifted his head, pinning me with a bored look

Aiden: "Who talks to hear themselves speak?"

My eyes widened

Alex: "You're in a lovely mood today."

With the obscenely large book balanced on one knee, he turned a page.

Aiden: "You need to work on your upper body strength, Alex Not your motor speech skills."

I glanced down at the dumbbell and pictured it flying across the room - at his face. But it was such a nice face, and I'd hate to ruin it. Hours went by like this. He's read his book; I'd annoy him; he'd yell at me, and then I would hop on another machine.

Sad as it was, I was kind of having fun messing with him and I think he was, too. Every so often, a small - and I mean really small - smile would grace his lips whenever I'd ask him an irritating question. I wasn't even sure he was paying attention to the book of -

Aiden: "Alex, stop staring at me and do some cardio."

Alex: "I hope that book of yours is on charm and personality skills."

Aiming for the vulnerable spot under his rib cage, I almost squealed at how perfect my kick was going to be.

I never made contact

In one nifty swipe of his arm, he knocked me to the mat.

Standing above me, he actual smiled.

Aiden: "Nice try."

I propped myself onto my elbows, scowling.

Alex: "How come you smile when you knock me down?"

He offered his hand

Aiden: "It's the little things that make me happy."

I accepted and he hauled me to my feet

Alex: "Good to know."

Luke: "Did I get you in trouble today during practice?"

Alex: "No. I'm usually easily distracted. So it was nothing new."

Luke nudged me, grinning

Luke: "I can see why you are distracted. Too bad he's a pure. I'd give my left butt cheek for a piece of that."

Alex: "He likes girls."

Luke: "So?"

Luke laughed at my expression.

Luke: "What's he like? He seems so quiet. Like you know he'd be good in -"

Alex: "Stop right there!"

I giggled, throwing up my hand. The movement pulled at my sore back muscles.

Luke tipped back his head and laughed.

Luke: "You can't say you never thought about it."

Lea: "Like going after my sloppy seconds?"

Lea wrinkled her nose.

Lea: "How cute."

A second later, I wrapped my hand around her forearm

Alex: "Hey."

Lea tried to pull her arm back, but I was stronger than her.

Lea: "What?"

I smiled my best smile.

Alex: "You're boyfriend just copped a feel. You obviously aren't doing it for him."

Caleb: "Never mind. I just need to hook up with someone else. Get this stupid whatever out of my system."

I lifted my eyes from the strange markings.

Alex: "That sounds like a solid plan."

Caleb: "Maybe I should just hook up with Lea again or someone else. How about you?"

I shot him a dirty look.

Alex: "Gee, thanks."

Alex: "Grandma Pipero, what did you tell my mom?"

Piperi: "If I told you, what would it change? Fate is fate, you see. Just like love is love."

She cackled as if she'd said something funny

Piperi: "What's written by the gods will come to pass. Most has already. Such as sad affair when children turned against their makers."

I had no clue what she was talking about, and I felt pretty sure she was certifiable, but I needed to know what Piperi had said - if she had said anything at all. Maybe Caleb was right, and I needed closure.

Alex: "Please. I need to know what you said to her. What made her leave?"

She tilted her head to the side

Piperi: "Don't you want to know about your truth, child? That is what's important now. Don't you want to know about love? About what is forbidden and what is fated?"

My arms fell to my sides, and I blinked back sudden tears.

Alex: "I don't want to know about love."

Piperi: "But you should, my child. You need to know about love. The things people will do for love. All truths come down to love, do they not? One way or another, they do. See, there is a difference between love and need. Sometimes, what you feel is immediate and without rhyme or reason. Two people see each other across a room or their skin brushes. Their souls recognize the person as their own. It doesn't need time to figure it. The soul always know ... whether its right or wrong."

Caleb grabbed my arm.

Caleb: "Come on. Let's go. She's not telling you anything you want to hear."

Piperi: "The first ... the first is always the most powerful."

She closed her eyes, sighing.

Piperi: "Then there is need and fate. That is a different type. Need covers itself with love, but need ... need is never love. Always beware of the one who needs you. There is always a want behind a need, you see."

Caleb let go of my arm and jabbed fiercely at the walkway behind us.

Piperi: "Sometimes you will mistake need for love. Be careful. The road with need is never a fair one, never a good one. Much like the road you must walk down. Beware of the one who needs."

The lady was crazy, but her words still sent shivers down my spine.

Alex: "Why won't the road be easy for me?"

She stood. Well, as much as she could stand. Since her back hunched forward, it stopped her from standing up completely.

Piperi: "Roads are always bumpy, not flat. This one here,"

She nodded at Caleb with a tiny cackle,

Piperi: "This one has a road full of light."

Caleb stopped pointing behind us.

Caleb: "That's good to know."

Piperi: "A short road full of light."

His face fell.

Caleb: "That's ... good to know."

Alex: "What about the road?"

I asked again, hoping for an answer that made sense.

Piperi: "Ah, roads are always shady. Your road is full of shadows, full of deeds which must be done. It comes to those of your kind."

Caleb shot me a meaningful look, but I shook my head. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I was still unwilling to leave. She hobbled past me and I stepped out of the way. My back brushed against something soft and warm, drawing my attention. I turned, finding large purple flowers with bright yellow middles. I shifted closer, inhaling their bittersweet, almost acrid smell.

Piperi: "Be careful there, child. You be touching nightshade."

She stopped, turning back to where she stook.

Piperi: "Very dangerous ... much like kisses from those who walk among the gods. Intoxicating, sweet, and deadly ... you need to know how to handle it right. Just a little and you'll be fine. Too much ... it takes away what makes you who you are."

She smiled softly, as if she were remembering something.

Piperi: "The gods move around us, always close by. They are watching and they are waiting to see which one is revealed to be the strongest. They are here now. You see, the end is upon them, upon all of us. Even the gods have little faith."

Caleb passed me another wide-eyed stare. I shrugged, deciding to give it one more chance.

Alex: "So there's nothing you'll tell me about my mom?"

Piperi: "Nothing you haven't been already told."

Alex: "Wait ...?"

My skin felt hot and cold all at once.

Alex: "What ... Lea said is true? That I was the reason why Mom died?"

Caleb: "Let's go, Alex. You're right. She's freaking crazy."

Piperi sighed.

Piperi: "Always ears around these parts, but ears don't always hear correctly."

Caleb: "Alex, let's go."

I blinked and - I'm not exaggerating - in the time it took me to open my eyes, Grandma Piperi stood in front of me. The old lady moved that fast. Her clawed hand grabbed my shoulder hard enough to make me wince.

She stared up at me with eyes as sharp as blades, and when she spoke, her voice lost it's raspy edge. And she didn't sound all that crazy. Oh no, her words were clear and to the point.

Piperi: "You will kill the ones you love. It is in your blood, in your fate. So the gods have spoken it and so the gods have come to foresee it.

Aiden: "Do you remember when you asked me why I volunteered to train you?"

Alex: "Yeah."

He pushed away from the table I sat on

Aiden: "Well, I lied to you."

Alex: "Yeah."

I bit my lip and looked away.

Alex: "I kinda figured that out already."

Aiden: "You have?"

He sounded surprised.

Alex: "You stood up for me because of what happened to your parents."

I stole a peek at him. He was quiet as he watched me.

Alex: "I think I remind you of yourself when it happened."

Aiden stared at me for an eternal second

Aiden: "You're far more observant than I give you credit for."

Aiden: "So what were you going to do if the daimons hadn't found you?"

He knew not to focus on that horrible week after the attack. He knew I wouldn't talk about it.

Alex: "When ... I was really little, my mom and several Sentinels took a bunch of us kids to the zoo. I loved it - loved the animals. I spent the entire summer telling Mom that I belonged in the zoo."

Aiden: "What?"

He sounded incredulous.

Aiden: "You thought you belonged in a zoo?"

I felt a smile tug on my lips

Alex: "Yeah, I was a strange child. So ... it was one of the things I thought I could do. You know, work with animals or something, but ..."

I shrugged, feeling kind of stupid

Aiden: "But what, Alex?"

I could feel his smile.

I stared down at my fingers.

Alex: "But I always wanted to come back to the Covenant. I needed to. I just didn't fit in with all the normal people. I missed it here, missed having a purpose and knowing what I should be doing."

His fingers left my skin and he was silent for so long I thought something had happened to him. I twisted around to face him.

Alex: "What?"

He tipped his head to the side.

Aiden: "Nothing."

I crossed my legs and let out a sigh.

Alex: "You're looking at me like I'm weird."

Aiden set the jar aside.

Aiden: "You're not weird."

Alex: "Then ...?"

I let my shirt fall back down and grabbed the jar.

Alex: "You done?"

When he nodded I put the lid back on.

Aiden leaned forward, placing his hands on each side of my crossed legs.

Aiden: "Next time you're hurt, I want you to tell me."

When I looked up, he was eye level with me and we were only inches apart - the closest we'd ever been outside of the training room

Alex: "Okay."

Aiden: "And ... you're not weird. Well, I've met weirder people than you."

Aiden reached over and pushed my legs back down to the mat.

Aiden: "Do you ever sit still for five seconds?"

I grinned, sitting up

Alex: "Nope."

Alex: 'Hey. Thanks for the uniform."

The memory of him getting it for me made me smile.

He glanced over his shoulder.

Aiden: "It wasn't a problem. You look good in it."

Out of control - I was out of control now. Without saying a word, I crossed the distance between us. A wary look flickered across his eyes.

There was no thought behind this, just overwhelming anger and raw hurt. I cocked back my arm and punched him right on the side of his jaw. Fierce pain exploded across my knuckles.

Alex: "Dammit!"

I bent, bringing my hand back to my chest. I didn't think it would hurt that much. Even worse was the fact I'd barely made an impact on him.

He turned back to me as if I hadn't just punched him in the face and frowned.

Aiden: "Did that make you feel better? Change anything for you?"

I straightened.

Alex: "No! I'd like to do it again."

Aiden: "You wanna fight?"

He stepped to the side, tipping his head down to me.

Aiden: "Then fight me."

He didn't have to ask me twice. I launched myself at him. He blocked the first jab, but my anger made me quicker than he'd realized. The broad side of my arm slipped past his blocks, cutting him across the chest. It didn't faze him - not one freaking bit. But the pleasure spiked inside me, propelling me forward. Burning with rage and another near feral emotion, I fought harder and better than I ever had in practice.

We circled each other, exchanging blows. Aiden didn't go all out on me, and it only pissed me off. I attacked harder, moving him backwards across the mats. His eyes flared a dangerous silver as he caught my fist inches from connecting with his nose. Bad form to aim above the chest, but screw it.

Aiden: "That's enough."

Aiden pushed me back.

But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. I went to use one of the offensive moves he'd taught me days ago. Aiden moved so he caught me midflight, bringing me down on the mat. Once he had me down he rocked back on his heels.

Aiden: "I know you're angry."

He wasn't even out of breath. I, on the other hand, was gasping for air.

Aiden: "I know you're confused and hurt. What you're feeling is unimaginable."

My chest rose and fell rapidly. I started to sit up, but he pushed me down with one hand.

Alex: "Yes, I'm angry!"

Aiden: "You have every right to be."

Alex: "You should've told me!"

The burning in my eyes increased.

Alex: "Someone should've told me! If not Marcus, then you should have."

He turned his head away

Aiden: "You're right."

His softly spoken words didn't ease me. I still heard how he'd said he didn't regret not telling me, that it was for the best. He lowered his hands to his thighs after a few moments.

Wrong move.

I reared off the mat, reaching for his silky hair. Total girl move, but somewhere along the way, I'd lost myself to the anger.

Aiden: "Stop this!:

He captured my wrists easily. Actually, it was embarrassing how quickly he subdued me. This time he pinned me to the mat.

Aiden: "Stop this, Alex."

I threw my head back, ready to plant my foot somewhere when our eyes met. I did stop then, with his face inches from mine. The atmosphere changed as one of the wild emotions swirling through me managed to break free and rear its head.

His lean torso and legs pressed against mine in a way that made me think of other things - stuff that wasn't fighting or killing, but did involve sweating, lots of sweating. Breathing became difficult as we continued to stare at one another. His dark waves had fallen forward into his eyes.

He wasn't moving, and I couldn't even if I'd wanted to. I didn't. Oh, gods, I didn't want to move ever. I saw the moment he recognized the change in me. Something shifted in those eyes of his and his lips parted.

I kissed him.

At first, it wasn't much of a kiss. My lips just brushed his, and when he didn't move away, I pushed harder. Aiden seemed too stunned to do much of anything for a few seconds. But then he released my wrists and his hands slid up my arms.

The kiss deepened, full of passion and anger. There was also frustration, so much frustration. Then Aiden pressed down, and I wasn't the one doing the kissing. His lips moved against mine, his fingers pressing into my skin.

After only a few seconds he broke off the kiss and sprung away from me.

Seth: "I want to know what you are."

I froze, and I had to look at him. He was pretty close, not touching. Frankly he looked like he didn't want to. Caution played across his arresting features as he watched me.

Alex: "I'm a half-blood."

He arched a blond brow

Seth: "Wow. I had no idea you were a half-blood, Alexandria. Color me shocked."

My eyes narrowed on him

Alex: "Call me Alex. So why did you ask?"

Seth: "Yes, I know. Everyone calls you by some boys name."

His upper lip curled and frustration filled his voice.

Seth: "Anyway, you know that is not what I'm asking. I want to know what you are."

Pissing off the Apollyon probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but my mood was somewhere between crappy and really crappy. I folded my arms across my chest.

Alex: "I'm a girl. You're a boy. Does that clear things up for you?"

One corner of his mouth quirked.

Seth: "Thank you for the gender lesson. I've always been confused when it comes to boy and girl parts, but once again, not what I'm asking."

Seth: "I doubt Lucian is being truthful."

Alex: "Lucian doesn't have to be truthful."

Seth: "You would know. He is your stepfather."

Alex: "Lucian is nothing to me. What you saw in that office was bizarre. He must've been high on power or meth."

Seth: "Then you would not be upset if I said he was a pompous ass?"

I bit back my laugh

Alex: "Nope."

Seth: "What is it?"

I looked up

Alex: "You know, you aren't the first person to ask me that. A daimon asked me ... after he tagged me."

Interest flickered over his face.

Seth: "Maybe I just need to bite you to find out."

My hand dropped to my side and I cut him a look. He was joking, but it still weirded me out.

Alex: "Good luck with that."

Alex: "About that night ... I'm sorry about hitting you and ... the other thing."

His eyes deepened, turning more silver than gray.

Aiden: "I accept your apology for hitting me."

I hadn't realized it until then, but we were standing close enough that our shoes touched. I don't know if he had moved, or if I had.

Alex: "What about the other thing?"

Aiden smiled then, flashing those deep dimples. His arm brushed mine as he reached around and opened the door.

Aiden: "You don't have to apologize for the other thing."

I stumbled into the bright sunlight.

Alex: "I don't?"

He shook his head, still smiling, and then simply left.

Seth: "Twenty-five. Would have been twenty-six but the last bastard for away from me."

Alex: "Got away from the Apollyon?"

I took a sip of my water.

Alex: "Embarrassing."

Caleb's eyes grew to the size of saucers, and honestly, I don't know what had provoked me to say it - probably that little piece of advice he'd given me the last time we'd talked privately. Seth seemed to take it in stride. He tipped his bottle of water toward me.

Seth: "How many have you killed?"

Alex: "Two."

I shoved a forkful of meat into my mouth.

Seth: "Not bad for an untrained girl."

I smiled brightly

Alex: "Nope."

The fork fell from my fingers, slopping mashed potatoes across the table. I mustered my best "ice princess" look and met his gaze

Alex: "You're in my personal space, buddy."

A playful smile graced his lips

Seth: "So? What are you going to do about it? Throw your mashed potatoes at me? I'm consumed by terror."

Elena: "Oh, my gods, Alex. He's the Apollyon."

hissed Elena.

I cleaned up my mess of mashed potatoes.

Alex: "Yeah. So?"

She dropped a napkin over the bulk of the potatoes.

Elena: "Uh ... you could be a little more respectful towards him."

Alex: "I was being respectful. I just wasn't kissing his ass.

Aiden: "You show amazing strength,"

he murmured, stirring the hair around my ear.

I forced my eyes open.

Alex: "Oh ... I'm just saving all of this up for years of therapy later."

Seth: "Your trainer does not like me."

Alex: "He's not my trainer. He's a Sentinel."

I kept walking.

Alex: "And I doubt he's even concerned with you."

Seth chuckled

Seth: "Your trainer, who is also a Sentinel, barely spoke to me while we were in Lake Lure. And when he did, I would say it was quite coldly. It hurt my feelings."

I doubted that.

Seth: "I asked Lucian, you know. I asked why I was here."

I gritted my teeth and kept walking. The ominous looking clouds continued to roll in. The sky looked like it was going to split open any moment.

Seth: "Do you know how he responded? He asked what I thought about you."

I was only half-curious to hear his response.

Seth: "He was eager to hear what I had to say."

Lightning shot across the sky, striking off the coast. A fraction of a second later, thunder silenced the conversation. I picked up my pace as the girls' dorm came into view.

Seth: "Don't you want to know?"

Alex: "No."

Another flash of lightning lit the sky. This time it struck inland, somewhere beyond the marshes. It was close, too close.

Seth: "You lie."

Aiden: "There is nothing wrong with hope, Alex."

Alex: "But?"

Aiden: "But you have to know when to let hope go."

He brought the tips of his fingers across my cheek. His hand dropped and he stepped back, the connection broken.

Aiden: "Do you remember why you said you needed to be in the Covenant?"

The question knocked me off guard.

Alex: "Yeah ... I needed to fight daimons. I have to."

Aiden nodded

Aiden: "And do you still need that? Even after knowing that your mother is one of them?"

I thought about that for a moment.

Alex: "Yes. They're still out there, killing. They ... have to be stopped. I still need that even though Mom's one of them."

A small smile played over his lips.

Aiden: "Then there is hope."

Alex: "Hope for what?"

He brushed past me, stopping only long enough to give me a knowing look.

Aiden: "Hope for you."

Alex: "How do you know I'm so strong? I could be rocking back and forth in my room for all your know."

He gave me a weird look, but shook his head

Aiden: "No. You're always ... so alive, even when you're going through something that would darken the souls of most."

He stopped there, becoming aware of what he's said. The hollows of his cheeks flushed.

Aiden: "Anyway, you're incredibly determined - to the point of stubbornness. You wouldn't stop until you succeeded. Alex, you know what's right and what's not. I'm not worried about you not being strong. I'm worried about you being too strong."

Aiden: "Alex?"

My stomach tightened

Alex: "Yeah?"

He stook a few feet away.

Aiden: "I think it would be a good idea ... if you don't wear that to practice again."

Oh. I'd forgotten what I was wearing. It was pair of questionable shorts Caleb had picked up for me. I hadn't even thought he'd noticed. Looking at Aiden now, I realized he had noticed. I fixed an overly innocent look on my face.

Alex: "Do you find these shorts distracting?"

Aiden gave me one of his rare smiles. Every cell in my body warmed. I even forgot about the terrible thing I was training for. His smile had that kind of impact.

Aiden: "It's not the shorts I find distracting."

He brushed past me, stopping at the door.

Aiden: "In our next practice I may let you train with the daggers if we have time."

My distracting shorts and everything else were forgotten for the time being.

Alex: "No way. You're being serious?"

He tried to look serious, but his grin looked a bit mischievous.

Aiden: "I think it wouldn't hurt, but only for a little bit. I think it will help ... you get a feel on how to handle them."

I glanced back at the wall of weapons. I wasn't even allowed to touch them, and now he was going to let me actually practice with them. It was like graduating kindergarten. Hell, it was like Christmas Eve.

Without thinking, I closed the distance between us and hugged him. Aiden immediately stiffened, obviously caught off guard. It was just a simple hug, but the tension racked up several degrees. I suddenly wondered what it would feel like if I rested my head against his chest like I had when he'd come back from Lake Lure. Or if his arms came around me and he held me, but not out of comfort. Or if I kissed him again like I had that night ... would he kiss me back?

Aiden: "You're far too pretty to be dressed like that."

His breath stirred my hair

Aiden: "And you're entirely too excited to be working with knives."

I flushed, stepping back. What? Aiden thought I was pretty?

It took me several moments to work past that.

Alex: "I'm bloodthirsty. What can I say?"

Aiden's eyes dropped, and I decided I needed to go to the store and find as many pairs of minuscule shorts as I could get my hands on."

A slow smile crept across Seth's face as he flipped the dagger in his hand.

Seth: "Really, I'd let you play ... with the grown up toys."

He stopped in front of me, offering the blade handle first.

Seth: "Here. Take it."

My gaze fell to the shiny metal in his hand. The end had been sharpened to a brutal point. Like I was under a powerful compulsion, I reached for it.

Aiden's hand clamped down on Seth's, pulling the dagger and Seth's hand out of my reach. Startled, I looked up at Aiden. His furious silver eyes met and held Seth's.

Aiden: "She will train with the daggers when I decide so. Not you. Your presence here is not welcome."

Seth's eyes flicked to Aiden's hand. His smile didn't falter once.

Seth: "Awfully controlling, aren't you? Since when do pures care so much about what a half-blood touches or doesn't touch?"

Aiden: "Since when would an Apollyon concern himself with a half-blood girl? One would think he had better things to do."

Seth: "One would think a pure-blood would know better than to fall for -"

Alex: "Okay."

I stepped between the two, cutting off only the gods knew what Seth was about to say.

Alex: "Time to play nice, boys."

Lucian: "She's fated to be your other half."

Seth turned and gave me a long look

Seth: "Could be worse, I suppose."

Okay, that creeped me out.

Alex: "What do you mean by that?"

Lucian: "You two are like puzzle pieces. You fit together. Your power will feed his ... and vice versa."

Lucian smiled.

Lucian: "Really, it is amazing. You are his other half, Alexandria. You are fated to be with him. You belong to him."

It felt like something heavy sat on my chest.

Alex: "Oh. Oh. No."

Seth frowned at me

Seth: "You don't have to sound so disgusted."

The other day I felt compelled to touch him. I'd thought it was just because of what he was, but could it be because of what we were? I shuddered.

Alex: "Disgusted? It's ... revolting! Do you hear yourselves?"

Seth sighed

Seth: "Now you're just being insulting."

Aiden: "Some say she fell in love with the First. When he stood against the Council, she defended him."

Alex: "That's so stupid."

I rolled my eyes.

Alex: "She basically committed suicide. That isn't love."

Aiden gave the briefest of smiles.

Aiden: "People do the damnedest things when they're in love, Alex. Look at what your mother did. It's a different kind of love, but she left everything because she loved you."

Aiden: "You don't have anything to worry about, Alex. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Aiden: "You're so beautiful. So brave, so full of life."

He guided my head down and dropped a sweet kiss agains the scar on my neck.

Aiden: "You have no idea, do you? You have so much life in you, so much."

I tipped my head and he kissed the tip of my nose

Alex: "Really?"

Aiden: "Yes."

He brushed my hair back from my face.

Aiden: "Since the night I saw you in Georgia, you've been under my skin. You got inside me, became a part of me. I can't shake it. It's wrong."

He shifted us, rolling me across the bed until he leaned above me.

Aiden: "Agapi mou, I can't ..."

He brought his lips down to mine once more

Alex: "I hate you."

Seth: "You can't hate me, Alex. You don't even know me."

Alex: "It doesn't matter. I hate what you mean to me. I hate not having control. I hate that everyone has lied to me."

On a roll now, I straightened my legs.

Alex: "And I hate what this means. The Sentinels will die out there, one after another. I hate that I still think of my mother ... as my mother."

Seth leaned forward and grasped my chin. The shock of his touch wasn't as shattering as before, but the bizarre transfer of energy still shimmied through me.

Seth: "Then take the hate and do something about it, Alex. Use the hate. Don't sit here like there is no hope for them - for us."

For us? Did he mean for our kind or for him and me?

Seth: "You saw what I can do. You will be able to do that. Together, we can stop them. Without you, we cannot. And damn it, I need you to be strong. What good are you if you end up a damn servant because you cannot deal?"

Well ... I guess that answered my question. I smacked his hand away

Alex: "Get out of my face."

He leaned closer

Seth: "What exactly are you going to do about it?"

I shot him a warning look.

Alex: "I don't care if you can shoot lightening from your hand. I will kick you in the face."

Seth: "Why doesn't that surprise me? Could it do with the fact you know I will not hurt you - that I cannot?"

Alex: "Probably."

I really wasn't sure about that. Twenty-four hours ago he'd dragged me clear across an island.

Seth: "That doesn't sound particularly fair, does it?"

Alex: "This whole stuff with you isn't fair."

I poked his chest with my finger

Alex: "You have the control in this."

Seth made an exasperated sound. He reached out and clasped the sides of my head.

Seth: "You have all the control. Don't you get it?"

Annoyed I grabbed his wrists

Alex: "Let go."

He twisted his hands and grasped mine. Those amber eyes flared like he was up for the challenge. After a few terse moments, he broke away and stood.

Seth: "There's the attitude I have come to know and loathe."

I flipped him off.

Seth: "Clean yourself up. I can't have my little Apollyon-in-training looking like a mess."

My fingers clenched around the towel.

Alex: "If you ever say something that stupid again, I will smother you in your sleep."

His golden brows rose

Seth: "Little Alex, are you suggesting that we sleep together?"

Stunned by how he came to that conclusion, I lowered the towel.

Alex: "What? No!"

Seth: "Then how could you smother me in my sleep unless you were in bed with me?"

He gave a sly grin.

Seth: "Think about it."

Alex: "Oh, shut up."

Alex: "Aiden ... Kain said she was looking for me. That she was coming for me."

There must've been something in my voice because he was in front of me so quickly. He reached out and cupped my cheek, his voice so unyielding I didn't doubt a word he'd said.

Aiden: "I won't allow that to happen. Ever. You will never face her."

Aiden: "You're going to do something stupid again."

I smiled weakly

Alex: "Well, usually I do about once a day."

Caleb: "What are you thinking?"

He glowered as he threw the question back at me.

Caleb: "I knew you were going to do something incredibly stupid. That's why I couldn't sleep at all. I sat by my damn window and waited. Low and behold, I see your crazy ass sneaking across the quad!"

Alex: "How in the hell did you even get past the Guards in your Super Mario Bros. pajamas?"

He glanced down at them, shrugging.

Caleb: "I have my ways."

Aiden was quiet as he stared at me

Aiden: "Why didn't you come to me instead of running off and doing this?"

Alex: "Because you were busy with what happened with Kain and you would've stopped me."

Anger flared behind his eyes

Aiden: "Damn straight I would've stopped you - prevented this from happening to you."

I flinched

Alex: "That's why I could come to you."

Aiden: "You never should've faced what you did. None of us wanted you to go through this. What you must be feeling ..."

Alex: "I'm dealing."

I clamped down on the sudden pressure in the back of my throat.

He ran a hand through his hair. It looked like he'd done that several times in the last two days.

Aiden: "You are so foolishly brave."

His words brought back the memory of the night in his ... bed.

Alex: "You've said that before."

Aiden: "Yes. And I meant it then. If I'd only known how foolishly brave you truly were, I would've locked you in your room."

Alex: "I also kinda figured that, too."

Aiden: "Alex."

His voice was soft.

Alex: "Aiden?"

His lips twitched at my response, but then his eyes met mine and held them in their depths.

Aiden: "The night - what happened between us was ... well, it shouldn't have ever happened."

Ouch. It was a struggle to keep my face blank and not show how much those words hurt.

Alex: "Do you ... do you regret it? What happened between us?"

If he said yes, I thought I'd die.

Aiden: "As wrong as this is, I don't regret it. I can't."

He looked away then, drawing in a deep breath.

Aiden: "I lost control, lost sight of what's important to you - to me."

Alex: "I wasn't complaining."

He looked at me warily

Aiden: "Alex, you're not making this easy."

I sat up more, ignoring the way the tubes pulled on my arms.

Alex: "Why should I? I ... like you. I like being around you. I do trust you. I'm not naive and dumb. I wanted you. I still do."

His hands clenched against the blanket tucked around my legs.

Aiden: "I'm not saying you're naive or dumb, Alex. But ... dammit, I nearly destroyed both of our futures in a matter of minutes. What do you think would've happened if we'd been caught?"

I shrugged, but I knew what could've happened. It wouldn't have been pretty.

Alex: "But we weren't caught."

Then something occurred to me.

Alex: "Is it because I'm Seth's freakier half? Is that why?"

Aiden: "No. It has absolutely nothing to do with that."

Alex: "Then why?"

Aiden stared at me like he could somehow get me to understand by his stare alone.

Aiden: "It has nothing to do with you being the Apollyon. Alex, you know that I don't see you as anything different than me, but ... the Council will."

Alex: "Pures do this - they do it all the time and don't get caught."

Aiden: "I know that there are some pure-bloods who break the rule, but they do it because they don't care about what happens to the other person, and I care about what happens to you."

His eyes searched mine intently.

Aiden: "I care about you more than I should and that's why I'm not going to put you in that situation and jeopardize your future."

Desperate, I searched for a way we could make this work. We had to, but the look on Aiden's face stole my breath, my protests."

He closed his eyes and took another deep breath.

Aiden: "Both of us need to be Sentinels, right? You know why I have to do this. I know why you have to do this. I lost control, forgetting to see what could come of this. I could've ended whatever chances you had of becoming a Sentinel, but worse than that, I could have stolen your future. It doesn't matter what you are or what you'll become when you turn eighteen. The Council would ensure that you were removed from the Covenant, and I ... would never forgive myself for that."

Alex: "Don't you want me?"

Groaning low in his throat, he pressed his forehead against mine

Aiden: "You know the answer to that. I still ... want you, but we can't be together, Alex. Pures and halfs can't be together in that way. We can't forget that."

Alex: "I hate rules."

I sighed, feeling the burning in my throat again. I'd wanted him to hold me ever since the moment I'd woken up. And our blood wouldn't even allow that.

He sounded like he wanted to laugh, but knew it would only provoke me further. He sighed.

Aiden: "But we have to follow them, Alex. I can't be the reason you lose everything."

Aiden: "You are so reckless."

The last time I'd been awake, I thought I'd never smile again, but I did smile.

Alex: "I know."

Alex: "It - I look horrible."

He was immediately by my side.

Aiden: "No. They'll fade, and before you know it, no one will even notice."

I shook my head. I couldn't hide this - not all of these.

Aiden: "Besides,"

he said in the same gentle voice,

Aiden: "these are scars to be proud of. Look at what you've survived. These scars will make you stronger, more beautiful in the end."

Alex: "You said that before - about the first one."

Aiden: "The same still stands, Alex. I promise you."

Caleb: "So a skunk humped my leg earlier."

Alex: "What?"

He laughed and then winced

Caleb: "You haven't been listening to me."

Caleb: "How did it happen?"

Alex: "I'm not going to go into details you perv."

Alex: "I mean, it's pretty cool. Right? At eighteen, I'll either be obliterated or sucked dry by Seth instead of legally buying cigarettes."

Caleb: "But -"

Alex: "Not that I would smoke. I guess I could pick up the habit."

Whoa. It was one of those really mature, really rare moments in my life.

Dammit. Where was Aiden to witness this?

Seth: "Please don't stop with just the shirt."

Alex: "Holy crap!"

I clutched my chest in surprise.

Seth sat on my bed, hands folded in his lap. His hair hung loose around his face. There was a devious smirk on his face that said he's totally gotten a glimpse of my lacy bra.

Alex: "What are you doing in here?"

Almost as an afterthought I added,

Alex: "And on my bed?"

Seth: "Waiting for you."

Alex: "Before you go any further, I want to say something."

Seth's brows rose curiously.

Seth: "Okay."

I took a deep breath and stared down at my toes again.

Alex: "Thank you for doing whatever ... it was you did to find us. If it wasn't for you then I'd probably be dead - or slicing and dicing someone right now. So ... thank you."

He was silent for so long I checked out what he was doing. Seth just stared at me with this dumb look on his face. To keep from smiling, I looked away.

Alex: "What?"

Seth: "I think that's possibly the nicest thing you have said to me. Ever."

I laughed.

Alex: "No it's not. I've said nice things to you before."

Seth: "Like what?"

There had to be another situation when I'd said something nice.

Alex: "Like ... when ..."

I couldn't think of anything. Jeez, I was a bitch.

Alex: "Okay. That is the first nice thing I've said to you."

Seth: "I think I need a moment to recognize and cherish this."

I rolled my eyes.

Alex: "So you felt what I was feeling?"

Seth nodded.

Seth: "Every. Single. Tag. Like it was my skin being ripped into and my aether being drained. I never felt anything like it."

He looked away. A few moments passed before he spoke again.

Seth: "I don't know how you ... dealt with it. It felt like my soul was being torn apart, but it was your soul."

Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked down at him

Alex: "The next seven months are really going to suck for you."

Seth tipped his head back and laughed

Seth: "Ah, I don't know about that. This - this thing - has it's benefits."

I sat back, folding my arms.

Alex: "How so?"

He smiled

Alex: "What are you thinking?"

Seth: "That we've actually held an entire conversation without insulting one another. Next thing you know, you'll actually consider me a friend."

Alex: "Baby steps, Seth. Baby steps."

Seth: "Do you know what your name means? Your real name - Alexandria?"

I shook my head. He smiled slowly

Seth: "It means 'Defender of Man' in Greek."

Alex: "Oh. That sounds cool. What does your name -?"

Suddenly he bent at the waist and swooped in. He was so damn fast I didn't even have a chance to jerk back, which by the way, is totally a natural reaction when to Apollyon comes at someone that quickly.

He brushed his lips over my forehead, lingering only long enough I could be positive he'd placed a gentle kiss against my skin before straightening.

Seth: "Good night, Alexandria, Defender of Man."

Lea: "Don't you look lovelier than normal?"

She pushed away from the thick columns and bit her plump lower lip.

Lea: "Well, at least the tags draw the attention away from your face. Guess that's a good thing, huh?"

I didn't know whether to laugh or punch her in the face. Either way, as ridiculous as it sounded, it felt goof to see Lea back to her bitchy self.

Lea: "What?"

She narrowed her eyes in challenge.

Lea: "You have nothing to say?"

I thought it over.

Alex: "I'm sorry ... you're so tan, I thought you were a leather chair."

Alex: "Thank you."

Aiden seemed to understand I was thanking him for more than just a light. He spoke in a low voice so only I could hear him.

Aiden: "When my parents died, I never thought I'd find peace again. I know you have, and for that, I'm happy. You deserve it, Alex."

Alex: "Did ... you ever find peace?"

He reached out and brushed his fingers over the curve of my cheek.

Aiden: "Yes. I have now."

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Check out the rest of the Covenant Series Below

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Check out the spin-off series, Titan, below (for a mature audience)

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