Half-Blood

CHAPTER 12

BY SUNDAY EVENING, I COULDN’T HIDE IN MY

ROOM anymore. Sick of thinking, sick of being alone, and sick of myself. Somewhere over the past day, my appetite had returned and I was starving.

I managed to make it over to the cafeteria before it closed its doors. Thankful y, it was empty and I was able to eat three slices of cold pizza in peace. The food settled in a dense bal in my stomach, but I managed to get a fourth slice down.

The thick silence of the cafeteria engulfed me. With nothing going on, the endless chatter of my thoughts picked up again. Mom. Mom. Mom. Since Friday night, she was al I could think about.

Was there something I could’ve done differently? Could I have prevented her from turning into a monster? If I hadn’t panicked after the attack, maybe I could’ve fended off the other daimon. I could’ve saved my mother from such a horrific fate.

Guilt turned the food in my stomach sour. I pushed myself from the table and headed outside just as one of the servants entered to close up for the night. A few kids moved across the quad, but no one I knew very wel .

I don’t know why I ended up in the main training room. It was past eight, but they never locked these rooms, although the weapons were secured after training sessions.

I stopped in front of one of the dummies used for knife practice and the occasional boxing match.

Restlessness itched through me as I stared at the lifelike figure. Tiny nicks and grooves marked the neck, chest, and abdomen. They were the areas where halfs were trained to strike: the solar plexus, heart, neck, and stomach.

I ran my fingers over the indentations. Covenant-issued blades were wickedly sharp, designed to cut through the daimon’s skin quickly and do maximum damage.

Eyeing the strike zones marked in red—places to hit or kick if I had to engage a daimon in hand-to-hand combat—I pul ed my hair up into a messy twist. Aiden had al owed me to practice with the dummies a few times, probably because he’d gotten tired of me kicking him.

The first punch I threw knocked the dummy back an inch, maybe two. Blah. The second and third blows jarred it back a couple of more inches, but stil did nothing for me. The swirling blur of emotions pressed up within me, demanding I cave into it. Give in. Take Lucian up on his offer. Never risk facing Mom. Let someone else deal.

I stepped back, resting my hands on my thighs.

My mother was a daimon. As a half-blood I was obligated to kil her. As her daughter I was obligated to…

what? That answer had eluded me al weekend. What was I supposed to do?

Kill her. Run from her. Save her somehow.

A frustrated shriek escaped me as I swung my leg around and connected with the center of the dummy. It swung back a foot or two, and when it came rushing back at me, I attacked—swinging, punching, and kicking. My anger and disbelief grew with each explosion.

This wasn’t fair. None of this was.

Sweat poured off me, dampening my shirt until it clung to my skin and stray hairs stuck to the back of my neck. I couldn’t stop. The violence poured out of me, becoming a physical thing. I could taste the anger in the back of my throat—thick like bile and heavy. I tuned into it. I became it.

The rage flowed through me and into my movements until my kicks and jabs became so precise that, if the dummy had been a real person, she’d be dead. Only then was I satisfied. I stumbled back, wiping my hand over my forehead and turned around.

Aiden stood in the doorway.

He came forward, stopping in the center of the room and taking the same position he normal y did during our training sessions. He wore jeans, something I rarely saw him in.

Aiden didn’t say anything as he watched me. I didn’t know what he was thinking or why he was there. I didn’t care. Fury stil boiled within me. Somehow I imagined it was what being a daimon must feel like, like some kind of unseen force control ed my every move.

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.

“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. “Did that make you feel better?

Change anything for you?”

I straightened. “No! I’d like to do it again.”

“You wanna fight?” He stepped to the side, tipping his head down at me. “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, propel ing 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 al 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.

“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.

“I know you’re angry.” He wasn’t even out of breath. I, on the other hand, was gasping for air. “I know you’re confused and hurt. What you’re feeling is unimaginable.”

My chest rose and fel rapidly. I started to sit up, but he pushed me down with one hand. “Yes, I’m angry!”

“You have every right to be.”

“You should’ve told me!” The burning in my eyes increased. “Someone should’ve told me! If not Marcus, then you should have.”

He turned his head away. “You’re right.”

His softly spoken words didn’t ease me. I stil heard how he’d said he didn’t regret not tel ing 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.

“Stop this!” He captured my wrists easily. Actual y, it was embar-rassing how quickly he subdued me. This time he pinned me to the mat. “Stop this, Alex,” he said again, much lower.

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 kil ing, but did involve sweating, lots of sweating.

Breathing became difficult as we continued to stare at one another. His dark waves had fal en 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.

This was just a harmless, stupid crush. Even as I lifted my head, bringing my lips mere inches from his, I kept tel ing myself that. I didn’t want him. Not this badly—not more than anything I’d ever wanted in life.

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, ful 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.

From several feet away, Aiden crouched on the bal s of his feet. His heavy breathing fil ed the space between us.

Eyes wide, they’d dilated until they were almost black.

I sat up and scooted back. What I’d done made it through the thick haze clouding my thoughts. Not only had I punched a pure-blood in the face, I’d also kissed him. Oh… oh, man. My cheeks flushed; my entire body flushed.

Aiden stood slowly. “It’s al right.” His voice rasped.

“These things happen… when you’re feeling a lot of stress.”

These things happened? I didn’t think so. “I… can’t believe I did that.”

“It’s just stress.” He remained at a safe distance. “It’s okay, Alex.”

I jumped to my feet. “I think I should go now.”

He started forward then, but stopped short, wary of coming any closer. “Alex… it’s al right.”

“Yeah, damn stress thing, huh? Whoa. Okay. Everything is total y okay.” I backed up, looking everywhere but at him.

“I needed that—not the last thing! Or the thing when I punched you! But the things when I was… you know, working out my aggression… and stuff. Al right… see you tomorrow.” I fled from the room—from the entire building.

Outside in the thick humid night air, I smacked my forehead and groaned. “Oh, my gods.” Somewhere behind me a door opened, so I started down the pathway again.

I real y wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.

Shock and embarrassment didn’t adequately describe what I was feeling. Mortification was too lame of a word.

Maybe I could blame it on stress. I wanted to laugh, except I also wanted to cry.

Would I be able to live this one down? Gods, I couldn’t believe I’d actual y kissed him. Nor could I believe there’d been a moment where he’d kissed me back, that he’d pressed against me in a way that said he’d wanted it just as badly as I had. That had to have been a figment of my imagination.

I needed a new trainer. I needed a new trainer pronto.

There was no way I could ever face him again without keeling over and dying. No way at al and—

Someone stepped in front of me. I moved to the side to avoid whoever it was, but the person blocked me. Pissed I couldn’t sulk in privacy, I fired off without looking up. “Gods!

Get the hel out of my—” The words died on my lips.

The Apol yon stood in front of me.

“Wel , good evening to you.” His lips curled in a casual smile.

“Um… sorry, I didn’t see you.” Or feel him, which was weird considering both times I’d felt him before actual y laying eyes on him.

“Obviously. You were staring at the ground as if it had done something terrible to you.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda having a bad weekend… that just won’t die.” I sidestepped him, but he moved in front of me again.

“Excuse me.” I used possibly my sweetest voice ever. He was, after al , the Apol yon.

“Could I just have a few minutes of your time?”

I looked around the empty courtyard, knowing I couldn’t refuse him. “Sure, but I need to get back to my dorm soon.”

“Then I wil walk you there and we can talk.”

I nodded, having no freaking clue what he could possibly want to talk to me about. I motioned him forward wearily.

“I’ve been looking for you.” He fel into step beside me.

“Apparently, you’ve holed yourself up in your dorm, and your friends have advised me males are not al owed in the dorm. I’m no exception, which I find strange and very irritating. Sil y little Covenant rules shouldn’t apply to me.”

I frowned, not sure what to be skeeved out about more: that he knew who my friends were or that he was looking for me. Both things were equal y creepy to me. He could snap my neck like a twig. He was the Apol yon—someone no one wanted looking for them.

“So I’ve been waiting for you to reappear.”

Now this was creepy. I felt his stare, but I kept my eyes trained ahead. “Why?”

Seth easily fel into step beside me. “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.

“I’m a half-blood.”

He arched a blond brow. “Wow. I had no idea you were a half-blood, Alexandria. Color me shocked.”

My eyes narrowed on him. “Cal me Alex. So why did you ask?”

“Yes, I know. Everyone cal s you by some boy’s name.”

His upper lip curled and frustration fil ed his voice. “Anyway, you know that is not what I’m asking. I want to know what you are.”

Pissing off the Apol yon probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but my mood was somewhere between crappy and real y crappy. I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m a girl. You’re a boy. Does that clear things up for you?”

One corner of his mouth quirked. “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.” He stepped forward, tilting his head to the side. “Around May, Lucian requested my presence at Council. They found you around the same time. I find that strange.”

My instincts screamed for me to take a step back, but I refused. “Okay?”

“I don’t believe in coincidences. Lucian’s order has to do with you. So it begs a very important question.”

“Which is?

“What is so important about a little girl whose mother is a daimon?” He circled around me. I twisted, fol owing his movement. “Why would Lucian want me here now, but not before? You were right in your dean’s office. You would not be the first half or even pure to face down a loved one or a friend in battle. What makes you so special?”

Irritation twitched within me. “I have no clue. Why don’t you go and ask him?”

Several short strands escaped the leather thong and fel around his face. “I doubt Lucian is being truthful.”

“Lucian doesn’t have to be truthful.”

“You would know. He is your stepfather.”

“Lucian is nothing to me. What you saw in that office was bizarre. He must’ve been high on power or meth.”

“Then you would not be upset if I said he was a pompous ass?”

I bit back my laugh. “Nope.”

His lips curved into a half smile. “I intend to figure out why I was pul ed away from hunting to guard a girl—”

My brows rose. “You’re not guarding me. You’re guarding Lucian.”

“Is that so? Why would Lucian need me as a Guard? He rarely leaves the Council and is always surrounded by several layers of protection. A fledging Guard could assist him. This is wasting my time.”

He had a good point, but I didn’t have any answers for him. I shrugged and started walking again, hoping he wouldn’t fol ow, but he did.

“So I’l ask you again. What are you?”

The first two times he’d asked the question, it had just annoyed me, but the third time poked around inside my brain and pushed a memory loose. I thought of the night in the factory. What had the daimon said after he’d tagged me? I stopped, frowning as the words floated to the surface. “What are you?” My hand went to my neck, brushing over the ultra-smooth skin of the scar.

Seth’s eyes narrowed on me. “What is it?”

I looked up. “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. “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 stil weirded me out. “Good luck with that.”

He smiled this time, flashing a row of perfect white teeth.

His smile was nothing like Aiden’s, but it was nice. “You don’t seem afraid of me.”

I took a deep breath. “Why should I be?”

Seth shrugged. “Everyone is afraid of me. Even Lucian—

even daimons are afraid of me. You know, they can sense me, and even though they know I am Death to them, they come running right up to me. I’m like fine dining to them.

They can’t pass me up.”

“Yeah… and I’m like fast food,” I murmured, recal ing what the daimon in Georgia had said.

“Maybe… or maybe not. Want to hear something strange?”

I glanced around, looking for an escape. My stomach did the icky twisty thing again. “Not real y.”

He tucked the loose strands of hair behind his ear. “I knew you were here. Not you, so to speak. But I knew someone—someone different. I felt it outside, before I entered the lobby. It was like a magnetic pul . I zeroed in on you immediately.”

I felt off the longer I talked to him. “Oh?”

“That has never happened before.” He unfolded his arms and reached for me. I jumped back. Annoyance pul ed his lips down at the corners.

There were a multitude of reasons why I didn’t want him to touch me. Alarmed that he was actual y going to, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I saw your tattoos.”

Seth froze, one arm outstretched toward me. Surprise shone on his face before his arm fel and he suddenly looked wary. Hel , he no longer looked like he wanted to touch me—or be in the same zip code as me. He backed off this time.

I should’ve been happy, but it only increased the bundle of nerves forming in my bel y. “I… have to go. It’s late.”

The sudden rush of air caused my head to jerk up. Seth moved fast, possibly faster than Aiden, and now he was back in my personal space. “Did you mean what you said in the dean’s office? That your mother was dead to you? Do you real y believe that?”

Caught off guard by the question, I didn’t answer.

He leaned in closer, his voice low but stil melodic. “If not, then you better hope you never face her, because she wil kil you.”