The Return (Titan 1)

But there was something there between us, wasn’t there? This morning…I had seen my feelings reflected in his gaze, hadn’t I? He’d looked at me like…like he’d wanted nothing more than to kiss me.

Yet just because he wanted to get in my pants didn’t mean there was something starting between us. But he did stay—he agreed to train me, and he didn’t have to, and that had to mean something.

“You know, I think this is a good thing,” Deacon announced, jerking my gaze to him. “The fact that he hasn’t hooked up with you has to mean that he’s into you.”

And just like that, because I was stupid, the twisty motion turned into this balloon thing that was full of hope and was lifting me up right out the chair, and God, that was probably a bad sign.

“And I think it would be really good for him, you know, to be into someone, because—”

“Why don’t we take you on a tour?” Luke cut in, and Deacon looked at him sharply. “You’ve got to see this place.”

And just like that, we were up and out of the cafeteria, the guys on either side of me, and there was no more talk about Seth hooking up with me or anyone else, and within minutes, I was distracted by everything going on around me.

The place…it was something entirely foreign to me. The academic buildings were huge and ridiculously clean. The courtyards were out of this world, filled with everything from garden-variety roses to tropical flowers that smelled sweet. Marble and sandstone statues of the Greek gods were everywhere, a constant reminder that this place, no matter how nice and spectacular it was, wasn’t entirely normal.

As we followed the walkway with the strange symbols on it, I started to feel edgy—like a rush of nervous energy. I asked what the symbols were. “They’re glyphs forming wards,” Deacon explained. “Basically, spells that keep things out we don’t want in here. Like Titans. It doesn’t always work. Daimons could still get in if they got past the guards, but that’s what they are. Seth even has them on his skin.”

I frowned. “What? I didn’t see any tattoos. And he walks around shirtless a lot. Are they on his ass or something?”

Luke chuckled. “That would be interesting, but the tats on his skin can only be seen by gods or another Apollyon. Maybe even you, once you become the special sauce.”

Special sauce? Interesting, I thought, as I turned my gaze back to the large building in front of us, another one that looked like it was straight out of ancient Greece. A wave of goosebumps broke out under my sweater.

“And this is the library,” Luke announced, gesturing at the building. “We don’t go in there.”

Folding my arms against the brisk chill, I squinted my eyes up at him. “You don’t?”

He shook his head. “Libraries always weird out halfs.”

I glanced at Deacon. Shrugging, he said, “I have no idea. A lot of halfs are like that. It’s weird. They can sense daimons when we can’t. Maybe they sense something under the library.”

Another shiver curled around my stomach, a weird yearning sensation. “Under?”

“Yeah, there are always catacombs under the libraries,” Luke explained. “I have no idea what’s kept in them. Don’t plan on finding out. Come on, there’s more to see.”

Then Deacon reached down and took my hand, causing me to trip. When I glanced up at him questioningly, he just winked and kept walking, swinging our arms between us like we were small children, and I couldn’t help but grin.

And I also couldn’t help but look over my shoulder as we passed the library, and I couldn’t help but to keep looking back, wanting to go in there. Yeah, that was weird. But I was living in weird now, rolling around in it.

Lunch came and went. So did dinner with the boys, who I was guessing had decided not to go to class that day. They spent the entire day escorting me around and putting so much food in my stomach I was sure they were going to have to roll me back to my room.

Although I had thought I’d start training today, and the raw loss of my family lingered on the fringes of my thoughts, I enjoyed hanging with them. They were funny and lively and just great. Even Luke, who hadn’t seemed too keen on me this morning, spent half of his time with his arm around Deacon’s and the other around mine.

The sun had started to go bye-bye when we made our way back to the dorm, and as we entered the lobby, I saw Seth immediately. It was like my eyes were drawn past all the pretty faces right to the ultimate pretty face.

Wearing a black thermal, like Luke, and faded jeans, he stood between two bright red couches, muscular arms folded over his chest, hair pulled back.

My belly did a little jig upon seeing him, and then dropped when I realized every butt in those seats was female, all stunningly perfect and in every flavor, it seemed.

Seth turned, his amber gaze flickering over to us. He said something to a brunette, who glanced over her shoulder, and then laughed. It wasn’t a mean laugh. More like a response to whatever he said, but I sort of wanted to stab something.

He walked over to us. “Have a moment?”

“I’ve had several moments all day?”

Seth arched a brow.

Deacon whistled under his breath.

I’d said that out loud.

Flushing, I looked away and found myself staring at the back of the brunette’s head. Great.

We walked over to an empty nook, and I got busy staring at my sneakers, feeling like an idiot. There was a slight touch on my arm, and I looked up at Seth.

“Sorry about today,” he said, dropping his hand. “I got tied up doing some things.”

Words like “okay” and “all right” rolled to the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t respond, because was it okay and all right? Was I just being a bitch?

He stared at me a moment, and then turned to Luke. “I was hoping you could help us with the training, if you got the time.”

Surprise filled his expression, but he quickly masked it. “Yeah. I can do it in the afternoon. Got classes in the morning.”

“Classes? What the hell are you studying?” he asked.

Deacon beamed. “Horticulture.”

Seth frowned, opened his mouth, and then snapped it shut. “Never mind.” Glancing back down at me, I felt my breath catch. “I’m going to get you some training clothes. Okay?”

I nodded.

And that was it. Seth was out the door before I knew it, and I was in my room alone for the first time since…holy hedgehogs, since this all began. What was today? I scrubbed my fingers across my face as I sat in the middle of the bed. Monday? Tuesday? Less than a week had passed since I’d met Seth.