I was also a demigod, Apollo’s daughter, so there was that.
And Seth was the Apollyon, the product of a half-blood and pure-blood, created by the recently deceased Ares, and I was already as powerful as I could be, once I got the knack of controlling my newly discovered abilities.
His amber-colored eyes, shining like precious stones, narrowed. “Are you awake? Or is this some kind of creepy sleepwalking thing?”
My lips twitched into a small grin. “I’m awake.”
“So . . .” He rolled onto his back, sliding an arm behind his head, and I sort of got hung up on watching the way his biceps flexed and rolled. “You’re just sitting up and staring at me while I sleep?”
I rolled my eyes. “No.”
“That’s not what it looks like.”
“I was actually sitting up and staring at the wall until you interrupted me.”
He lowered his other hand, resting it low on his flat stomach. From my vantage point, he almost looked nude under the blanket, but unfortunately he wasn’t. “That’s not weird or anything.”
“Whatever,” I said, fixing the strap on the tank top I was wearing. “You’re weird.”
Those lips tipped further up on the corner. “You’re hot.”
I rolled my eyes again, but I was totally flattered.
His head tilted to the side. “A dream?”
The warm and fuzzy feeling of flattery faded away, and I nodded.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I cleared my throat as I pushed my hair back over my shoulder. “Just a weird dream.”
His stare was intent as he studied me quietly. This wasn’t the first nightmare I’d had after the showdown with the Titan. And not just any Titan. Hyperion. The godly being my father had entombed thousands of years ago, and who was now loose, hell-bent on revenge. I’d somehow sent him packing when my demigod abilities had been unlocked, but he’d be back.
I knew that.
He and the other Titans that had escaped would keep coming back until we located the other five demigods, unlocked their abilities, and managed to join our abilities in order to entomb the Titans back in Tartarus.
Of course, we had no idea where the other demigods were or how we could find them. Or how we were seriously going to entomb them again. Apollo hadn’t let us in on that information yet.
Though I wanted it to be the last nightmare, so badly, I knew better. Those hours with the Titan had felt like an eternity, and I tried, really tried not to dwell on them. I probably could use some therapy.
Wait. Could demigods get therapy? Like was there a specialist around these parts focusing on the mental health of mystical beings?
Seth’s fingers brushed over my arm, drawing my attention. Our eyes met. His hand wrapped around my wrist and he dragged me down so that I was half on top of him.
Oh, I liked where this was heading.
His chest was warm under my arms and his hand was steady as he reached up, catching a few strands of my hair. He tucked it back behind my ear and his hand lingered, cradling my cheek. I lowered my mouth to his and kissed him softly. When I lifted my head, his eyes were iridescent.
“I liked that,” he murmured.
“So did I.” Then I remembered something super important. I hadn’t really forgotten. It had just slipped my mind in the wake of the nightmare. A big goofy smile tugged at my lips. “I think you get more today.”
He slid his hand around to the nape of my neck. “I think I should get more every day.”
“Of course you do, but today is different.”
Understanding rippled across his features, a slight widening of his eyes and nostrils. A moment of surprise, and seeing that caused pain to flicker through my chest, because he hadn’t expected me to remember.
Seth expected so very little sometimes.
Pushing away the welling sadness that realization always brought with it, I kissed him again. And then once more, because I wanted to show him, I needed him to know that he had every right to expect the world. “Happy birthday.”
“Josie . . .”
The way he whispered my name, so tender and potent, made my breath catch. “So, what’s it feel like to be twenty-two?”
Threading his fingers through my hair, he didn’t answer immediately. “Feels like twenty-one.”
“That’s not exciting.”
He grinned again. “That’s because you’re still twenty and have what? About six months to go before you’re twenty-one.”
“You’re a cradle-robber.”
Seth chuckled and then lifted his head, kissing the corner of my lips. “I think that’s the first time I’ve been called that.”
“Good.” I smoothed my hand over his chest, enjoying the way he sucked in a sharp breath. I loved that my touch affected him so. “I wanted to get you something, but Amazon doesn’t really deliver out here, so . . .”
I really did want to get him something, but since it wasn’t particularly safe for me to leave, the only option was the campus store, but I doubted Seth wanted a Covenant University mug or hoodie. I couldn’t even make him dinner since I had no access to a kitchen, so I was a lame girlfriend.
Girlfriend.
I shivered.
That word still felt incredibly new. Shiny. Unfathomable. I think both of us were still discovering each other, and we were taking this slow. Like three-legged-turtle slow. Our relationship was far from perfect. There were obstacles in our path that most couples would never face, like, say, the fact we both had immortal beings gunning for us.
Then there was Seth’s oftentimes disturbing past.