The Prophecy
Page 62
I don’t remember walking down the white runner. I was just suddenly standing in front of him, looking up into his eyes, my hands trembling as he took them in his, and I swore his eyes were brighter than ever.
“Psychí mou,” he murmured. “You steal my breath.”
A shiver danced over my shoulders. “The suit. I like it. A lot.”
One side of his lips kicked up. “How much?”
“A lot,” I stressed.
“Show me later.”
I flushed.
Marcus cleared his throat, and I jerked, having completely forgotten about him. “You two have an audience, in case you’ve forgotten.”
My eyes widened while Seth chuckled. Laughter from our friends reached me, and I felt the blush deepen.
“You two ready?” Marcus asked.
“I’ve been ready,” Seth answered, squeezing my hands.
“For forever,” I whispered back.
Marcus started the ceremony, speaking in ancient Greek. The words fell between Seth and me, and not once did we take our eyes off one another. There was that feeling again, of it just being him and me in this entire world. Just the two of us, and when Seth leaned in toward the end, kissing me like there wasn’t a single person watching us and cheering us on, I realized with startling clarity that we’d made it. We’d made it to the end, against all odds, and we were man and wife, and we had an eternity of this—of the deep, soul-scorching kisses that twisted my stomach up in the most wickedly delicious ways.
Someone shouted, and it poked through the pleasant haze. Something about it sounded off. Wrong.
Seth lifted his mouth from mine and turned his head. The hand at the nape of my neck tightened. I saw the surprise shoot across his face. I followed his gaze—everyone’s gaze.
I jerked back, breaking Seth’s hold as I saw who stood at the end of the runner. It didn’t make sense, but it was him. “Colin?”
Dressed like he was the last time I’d seen him. The only things different were that his shirt wasn’t ripped and he wasn’t covered in blood.
Colin smiled as he tipped his head to the side. “I didn’t want to miss the wedding of the century.”
“What in the hell?” Seth demanded.
I stepped forward, still holding onto one of Seth’s hands. “Is that really you?”
“Yes.”
Deacon’s brows raised. “I guess everyone is returning from the dead now.”
Colin chuckled. “I wouldn’t say I’ve risen from the dead. You can’t even say Seth has, since he didn’t die and I didn’t die either. Not really.”
“What?” I asked. “You were so dead, and I’m so confused—”
“Wait,” Erin was saying as she stood, her head moving to the side. “You’re not right.” She edged around a confused-looking Erik. “There’s something very wrong about you.”
“Furies,” Colin said with a sigh. “Such pains in the ass, with their nifty ability to see through falsehoods.”
Unease exploded in my chest. “What are you talking about?”
Seth stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he let go of my hand. “You better answer that question really quickly.”
“That’s not Colin,” Erin said. “That’s not a half-blood.”
“Funny,” the thing who looked like Colin said. “If the furies had been unleashed earlier, you guys would’ve figured it out.”
Suddenly, I remembered how the furies had appeared to gun for Colin. One of them spoke—the one I killed. What had it said? Tricky. The furie had said the word “tricky.”
“What are you?” I demanded. “And where is Colin?”
“Colin died a while ago. Before you even met him.” The thing smiled and then his features seemed to warp and distort. “You see, I needed a body. I needed a body no one would suspect.” It lengthened, becoming taller and leaner. “I needed to blend in.”
Someone cursed. Sounded like Alex.
Dark hair grew, falling down noticeably slimmer shoulders. “All of you may have killed Ares, but you did not end his legacy.” The voice softened, becoming more feminine. “You did not kill all of us.”
A woman stood in front of us, a tall gorgeous woman, and she found Alex in the audience. “You got to know his sons well, but you never got to meet me.”
“Is that so?” Alex reached for her daggers, then realized she was wearing a dress and had no daggers. Her hands closed into fists. “And who the hell are you?”
“I’m Enyo, the goddess of war and destruction, the harbinger of discord.” She tipped her head back. “I’m Ares’s sister.”
“And his lover,” Deacon muttered not too quietly. “Y’all are freaks…”
“I was right!” I turned to Seth. “Didn’t I suggest it was something related to Ares causing all the problems between the halfs and pures?”
“And so was I,” Seth growled. “I knew there was a reason I didn’t like you.”
“Oh, you’re about to have a bigger reason,” she said, laughing. “Ares had so much hope for you. So many plans, and you betrayed him. You might not have been the one to kill him, but you set into motion what led to his demise. And you?” Enyo said to Alex. “I would love nothing more than to take you out.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Aiden snarled.
Enyo smirked. “But I’m smarter than that.”
The goddess spun toward Seth and me, throwing out her arm. An arc of energy pulsed and crackled in the air. A god bolt. Deadly to everyone here except Seth. I didn’t see it when it left Enyo’s hand.
With a roar of rage, Seth let go of a god bolt of his own. It slammed into Enyo, encasing her in light, and I knew she was a goner. Seth had killed her before she had a chance to tuck tail and run, but it…
But it was too late.
I felt it.
It happened so fast. I’d been standing in front of Seth, staring into those striking golden eyes, holding his hands, and then there was nothing but heart-stopping pain. Unexpected. Brutal.
Cool air raised tiny goosebumps along my bare arms. I tried to draw in a breath, but the air went nowhere as I looked down at the white gown that brushed the tops of my feet—the gown I’d been so excited to wear, so ready to wear. I stumbled back.
Blood poured down the front of my chest, ruining the gown—ruining everything. My wide gaze swung to Seth’s. His eyes were filled with dawning horror.
The dream. The dream. I’d seen this. With the exception of the elm trees, this was the dream. I opened my mouth, but everything felt wet.
I’d seen this.
And I knew what was happening.
How this would end.
There were shouts erupting all around us. Chaos as the very world seemed to rattle and shake. Seth was reaching for me, confusion fading from his face and giving way to a raw mixture of fear and anger.
Too late. Too late.
Pressing shaky hands against my chest, it did nothing to stanch the blood flowing from between my fingers.
Oh gods, I was going to die.
My knees gave out, but I didn’t fall to the ground. I knew I wouldn’t. The part of my brain that was detached from all of this expected to be caught, and I was. Strong, warm arms folded around me, easing me down, holding me close. I blinked, trying to focus as I pressed against the warm, hard chest. Amber-colored eyes stared back into mine—eyes that had been filled with love and happiness moments before were now shining with terror.
“Seth,” I whispered. “Don’t let me go.”
“No.” His face contorted. Tears filled his eyes as he lifted my head, pressing his mouth to my forehead. “I’ll never let you go, Josie. Never.”
Chapter 32
Seth
Those stunning blue eyes were wide as they fixed on mine, fear and panic crowding them.
“Hold on, baby.” I placed my hand over her sternum. Blood immediately seeped between my fingers. I looked up, panicked. “We need a doctor!” I shouted.
Basil was already running back toward the house. Several people were frozen, their expressions mirroring the horror pinging around in me.
“Psychí mou,” he murmured. “You steal my breath.”
A shiver danced over my shoulders. “The suit. I like it. A lot.”
One side of his lips kicked up. “How much?”
“A lot,” I stressed.
“Show me later.”
I flushed.
Marcus cleared his throat, and I jerked, having completely forgotten about him. “You two have an audience, in case you’ve forgotten.”
My eyes widened while Seth chuckled. Laughter from our friends reached me, and I felt the blush deepen.
“You two ready?” Marcus asked.
“I’ve been ready,” Seth answered, squeezing my hands.
“For forever,” I whispered back.
Marcus started the ceremony, speaking in ancient Greek. The words fell between Seth and me, and not once did we take our eyes off one another. There was that feeling again, of it just being him and me in this entire world. Just the two of us, and when Seth leaned in toward the end, kissing me like there wasn’t a single person watching us and cheering us on, I realized with startling clarity that we’d made it. We’d made it to the end, against all odds, and we were man and wife, and we had an eternity of this—of the deep, soul-scorching kisses that twisted my stomach up in the most wickedly delicious ways.
Someone shouted, and it poked through the pleasant haze. Something about it sounded off. Wrong.
Seth lifted his mouth from mine and turned his head. The hand at the nape of my neck tightened. I saw the surprise shoot across his face. I followed his gaze—everyone’s gaze.
I jerked back, breaking Seth’s hold as I saw who stood at the end of the runner. It didn’t make sense, but it was him. “Colin?”
Dressed like he was the last time I’d seen him. The only things different were that his shirt wasn’t ripped and he wasn’t covered in blood.
Colin smiled as he tipped his head to the side. “I didn’t want to miss the wedding of the century.”
“What in the hell?” Seth demanded.
I stepped forward, still holding onto one of Seth’s hands. “Is that really you?”
“Yes.”
Deacon’s brows raised. “I guess everyone is returning from the dead now.”
Colin chuckled. “I wouldn’t say I’ve risen from the dead. You can’t even say Seth has, since he didn’t die and I didn’t die either. Not really.”
“What?” I asked. “You were so dead, and I’m so confused—”
“Wait,” Erin was saying as she stood, her head moving to the side. “You’re not right.” She edged around a confused-looking Erik. “There’s something very wrong about you.”
“Furies,” Colin said with a sigh. “Such pains in the ass, with their nifty ability to see through falsehoods.”
Unease exploded in my chest. “What are you talking about?”
Seth stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he let go of my hand. “You better answer that question really quickly.”
“That’s not Colin,” Erin said. “That’s not a half-blood.”
“Funny,” the thing who looked like Colin said. “If the furies had been unleashed earlier, you guys would’ve figured it out.”
Suddenly, I remembered how the furies had appeared to gun for Colin. One of them spoke—the one I killed. What had it said? Tricky. The furie had said the word “tricky.”
“What are you?” I demanded. “And where is Colin?”
“Colin died a while ago. Before you even met him.” The thing smiled and then his features seemed to warp and distort. “You see, I needed a body. I needed a body no one would suspect.” It lengthened, becoming taller and leaner. “I needed to blend in.”
Someone cursed. Sounded like Alex.
Dark hair grew, falling down noticeably slimmer shoulders. “All of you may have killed Ares, but you did not end his legacy.” The voice softened, becoming more feminine. “You did not kill all of us.”
A woman stood in front of us, a tall gorgeous woman, and she found Alex in the audience. “You got to know his sons well, but you never got to meet me.”
“Is that so?” Alex reached for her daggers, then realized she was wearing a dress and had no daggers. Her hands closed into fists. “And who the hell are you?”
“I’m Enyo, the goddess of war and destruction, the harbinger of discord.” She tipped her head back. “I’m Ares’s sister.”
“And his lover,” Deacon muttered not too quietly. “Y’all are freaks…”
“I was right!” I turned to Seth. “Didn’t I suggest it was something related to Ares causing all the problems between the halfs and pures?”
“And so was I,” Seth growled. “I knew there was a reason I didn’t like you.”
“Oh, you’re about to have a bigger reason,” she said, laughing. “Ares had so much hope for you. So many plans, and you betrayed him. You might not have been the one to kill him, but you set into motion what led to his demise. And you?” Enyo said to Alex. “I would love nothing more than to take you out.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Aiden snarled.
Enyo smirked. “But I’m smarter than that.”
The goddess spun toward Seth and me, throwing out her arm. An arc of energy pulsed and crackled in the air. A god bolt. Deadly to everyone here except Seth. I didn’t see it when it left Enyo’s hand.
With a roar of rage, Seth let go of a god bolt of his own. It slammed into Enyo, encasing her in light, and I knew she was a goner. Seth had killed her before she had a chance to tuck tail and run, but it…
But it was too late.
I felt it.
It happened so fast. I’d been standing in front of Seth, staring into those striking golden eyes, holding his hands, and then there was nothing but heart-stopping pain. Unexpected. Brutal.
Cool air raised tiny goosebumps along my bare arms. I tried to draw in a breath, but the air went nowhere as I looked down at the white gown that brushed the tops of my feet—the gown I’d been so excited to wear, so ready to wear. I stumbled back.
Blood poured down the front of my chest, ruining the gown—ruining everything. My wide gaze swung to Seth’s. His eyes were filled with dawning horror.
The dream. The dream. I’d seen this. With the exception of the elm trees, this was the dream. I opened my mouth, but everything felt wet.
I’d seen this.
And I knew what was happening.
How this would end.
There were shouts erupting all around us. Chaos as the very world seemed to rattle and shake. Seth was reaching for me, confusion fading from his face and giving way to a raw mixture of fear and anger.
Too late. Too late.
Pressing shaky hands against my chest, it did nothing to stanch the blood flowing from between my fingers.
Oh gods, I was going to die.
My knees gave out, but I didn’t fall to the ground. I knew I wouldn’t. The part of my brain that was detached from all of this expected to be caught, and I was. Strong, warm arms folded around me, easing me down, holding me close. I blinked, trying to focus as I pressed against the warm, hard chest. Amber-colored eyes stared back into mine—eyes that had been filled with love and happiness moments before were now shining with terror.
“Seth,” I whispered. “Don’t let me go.”
“No.” His face contorted. Tears filled his eyes as he lifted my head, pressing his mouth to my forehead. “I’ll never let you go, Josie. Never.”
Chapter 32
Seth
Those stunning blue eyes were wide as they fixed on mine, fear and panic crowding them.
“Hold on, baby.” I placed my hand over her sternum. Blood immediately seeped between my fingers. I looked up, panicked. “We need a doctor!” I shouted.
Basil was already running back toward the house. Several people were frozen, their expressions mirroring the horror pinging around in me.
