The Struggle (Titan 3)

I wanted to take her back to the island, but we wouldn’t have the blood results until tomorrow. Although Josie was fairly confident nothing was going to change in those results, she wanted to stay.

Honestly, I think she missed everyone and wanted to be at the Covenant, and if that was what she wanted, then we’d be here. For now, she was probably safer here.

But I’d have to go back in a couple of days to recharge. I wasn’t thinking about that. Kind of like pissing on your own parade right there.

Carrying our trays outside, we walked to the courtyard, passing through the vine-covered gates. Josie led the way, heading past the benches. She roamed until she found a pretty large patch of grass, then sat down, placing her tray in front of her. I’d loaded her plate up. Fries. Chicken tenders. A salad, because she figured she should eat some sort of vegetable. A bottle of water and a soda. A side order of strawberries.

The early evening sunlight glinted off her bowed head, turning all the shades in her hair into spun gold. Its length fell over her shoulder, brushing her thigh as she bent forward to pick up the can of soda.

She lifted her chin. “You going to join me?”

“I was thinking about just standing here and staring at you some more, to be honest.”

She grinned as she popped the lid to her soda. “Well, that doesn’t make me uncomfortable or anything.”

Laughing, I sat beside her. My plate just had a burger on it. I wasn’t hungry, obviously, but how could I pass up a burger? “I thought you liked it when I stared at you.”

“Not when I’m about to stuff my face full of food.” She dug into the fries first. “It’s weird that I still have to eat as a demigod, but you really don’t have to eat as a god.”

“I don’t make the rules,” I murmured, hoping she didn’t connect the dots back to the fact I did have to feed. “Have you been sick at all today?”

She shook her head. “Just nauseous this morning. I’m kind of surprised I’m having symptoms already. I hope that doesn’t mean I’m going to spend nine months puking my guts up.”

My eyes widened as I picked up the burger. “You and me both.”

“I also have no idea if I’ll be pregnant for a full nine months.”

That reminded me. “By the way, Alex told Aiden.”

Her lips twitched. “Of course she did.”

“You’re not mad?”

She shook her head and then took a drink. “Aiden’s the love of her life. I doubt there’s a single thing they don’t share. People are going to find out eventually. I just didn’t want him to find out before I told you.”

I smiled at that. “We should keep the news to people we really trust. We don’t need the news getting out there to those we don’t want to find out.”

Josie nodded in agreement as she moved on to the tenders, dipping the crispy pieces into ranch dressing.

“Anyway, I think Alex is going to be searching for books on pregnancy. She wants to know if we’re having a god or not.”

Her hand froze halfway to her mouth. “Those are some words I never thought I’d hear before.”

I chuckled as I glanced over at her. Her levels of aether were still low and the lights flickered. Was it the bands or the baby? Speaking of the bands, where in the hell was Apollo?

And what in the hell would he do when he found out Josie was pregnant?

That should be interesting.

Sensing an approach, I glanced up to the gate. “We’re about to get company.”

A few seconds later, Alex and Aiden entered the courtyard, and right behind them were Luke and Deacon.

“We’d figured you be out here,” Alex said, carrying a small paper bag. As she came closer, I could smell the buttery popcorn. “So, we’re interrupting you.”

“We’re not just bothering you,” Deacon said. “I’ve got—”

Catching his gaze, I shook my head. If they were out here, that meant they’d found out something about the warehouse. I didn’t want it brought up in front of Josie. I didn’t want her to know, because I fully planned on taking care of business without her knowing.

She’d be pissed.

But a safe and angry Josie was better than an in-danger one, because even though she had the bands on her wrists, she would want to be involved since it had to do with this bound demigod. She’d forgot our deal and I’d rather have her yell at me afterward than before.

I also didn’t want her to worry, because she would. She knew that, if we found Mitchell, it was likely we’d find a Titan. Hell, the damn bastards could just be waiting for us to figure out where Josie had been held.

Luckily Deacon caught my stare and clamped his mouth shut. I glanced over at Aiden, and he seemed to read the silent message I was sending his way.

“You’ve got what?” Josie asked.

“I’ve got a . . . a story to tell you?” Deacon said, his brows lifted high.

Luke frowned.

“You do?” she asked. “About what?”

“About, um . . . Well, did you know that the guy who played John Winchester who was on Supernatural is now on The Walking Dead and he plays this guy who pretty much bashes people’s heads in with a bat? Sam and Dean must be so proud of their dad.”

Josie blinked slowly. “I . . . I didn’t know that.”

“Yep.” Deacon dropped down beside her. “Maggie used to be on Supernatural too.”

I didn’t quite know if that was a good save or not, but hell, whatever worked.

“Where’s Gable?” Josie asked, picking up another fry. “Is he with Cora?”

Deacon stretched out his lanky frame as Luke sat on the nearby bench. “Yeah. Colin’s with them too.”

“How’s she doing?” she asked.

“Better every hour,” Luke answered, leaning back as he crossed his arms. “We still have that other demigod to find.”

“That one’s in Britain, right?” Aiden sat down next to Luke, and I guessed no one was leaving anytime soon. “The haunted town.”

“Gasp!” Deacon waved his hands. “You actually remembered that?”

“How could anyone forget?” Alex sat in Aiden’s lap. “It’s all you talked about the whole drive back to the Covenant.”

“Dude, who wouldn’t be excited?” he exclaimed, shaking his head. “It’s an entire town that’s supposedly haunted. Like, if I’m not scared to death when I go there, I’m going to be disappointed.”

“Who said you were going there?” Aiden asked, wrapping his arms around Alex’s waist.

Deacon groaned. “Can we not have this conversation again? I’m going to get the other demigod before they get . . .”

I looked over at Alex. She kept glancing at Josie like she was seconds away from bursting into a torrent of questions. I was surprised she hadn’t blurted anything out yet. Though I figured Deacon and Luke would discover what was going on.

Tuning them out, I focused on Josie. She was looking at the roses with a strange, almost perplexed look. I nudged her shoulder. She glanced over at me. “What you thinking about?”

She smiled as she ducked her chin. “Nothing. I just . . . I was dazing.”

I looked down and willed her plate closer to her. “You should eat more.”

“Look at you, being all godly and not even touching the plate,” she said.

Chuckling, I leaned into her. “Just imagine how creative I can—”

A fissure of energy rolled across the courtyard, rising the fine hairs on my arms. Everyone felt it. Grabbing Josie’s arm, I launched to my feet as ancient, bronze-colored doors appeared just in front of the gateway. Runes were carved into the metal—runes and symbols that represented the Underworld.

“What the . . . ?” Aiden was already on his feet, as were Alex and Luke.

I stepped in front of Josie as the doors opened, prepared for anything to come through those doors.

Mist rolled out, creeping over the grass and roses. Then a form appeared, and as the heavy mist retracted a blond boy I hadn’t seen in a long, long time strolled forward.