The door in the main room opened. Whats going on? Marcus voice carried through the room. Is Alexandria okay?
Crimson stained my entire face.
Shes fine. Aiden easily hauled me to my feet. The tender skin pulled a little, but I kept my expression blank. Didnt want him having a heart attack. She just wore herself out, he continued, grinning as he let go. You okay to make it back to the bed?
I nodded. Its not my fault. LeonApollowhoever he isdidnt fix me right. Godly powers my
I did fix you, but you were dead. Give me some credit, Apollo said.
I jumped, smacking my hand on my chest. Apollo sat on the edge of the toilet seat, one leg crossed over the other.
Beside me, Aiden bowed stiffly. My master.
Oh, my gods, I said. Seriously. Are you trying to kill me again by giving me a heart attack?
Apollo tipped his head at Aiden. Ive already told you. You dont need to do the master and bowing business with me. Little sparks of electricity rimmed those all-white eyes. Why are you out of bed? Doesnt getting stabbed warrant some downtime? He smiled at Aiden, who was now standing. She really is hard to take care of, isnt she?
Aiden looked a little pale. Yeah
I I felt gross.
Apollo disappeared from the bathroom and popped up behind Aiden. Marcus took a step back, his eyes wide. He bowed too, and I really thought for a moment that Marcus was going to drop to his knees.
Good gods, Aiden said under his breath as he led me out of the bathroom.
I stared at the hulking god in the corner of the room as I climbed back into bed. Did anyone know about this?
Apollo glided to the bed. It was strange looking at him and seeing some traces of Leon. The face was basically the same, but more refined, sharper. Hair that looked like spun gold replaced the short crew cut Leon had favored, falling just below his broad shoulders. And he seemed taller, if that was even possible. He was achingly beautiful, lacking the rougher edges, but his eyes they creeped me out. There were no pupils or irises just white orbs that seemed full of electricity.
The Sun God.
I was staring at the mother effin Sun God and yet, it was like staring at Leon. It was bizarre that a god would even be on earth, but to be as comfortable as Apollo seemed was unreal.
Apollo arched a brow as he slowly turned his head to Marcus. I know this is a little shocking, but what I was doing required that I disguise who I was.
Marcus blinked, as if he was coming out of a daze. Are there more like you here?
Apollo smiled. We are always around.
Why? Aiden asked, dragging his fingers through his hair. He looked a little out of it also.
Things are complicated, Apollo said.
So, was Leon a real person? Did you like, take over his body or something? I folded my legs under the blanket. Or have you been Leon this entire time?
The corners of Apollos lips twitched. We are one in the same.
Slowly, I reached over and poked his arm. It felt like real flesh, warm and hard. Disappointed, I poked him again. I was expecting something amazingcelestialby touching him. Instead all I got were weird looks from everyone in the room, including Apollo.
Please stop touching me, Apollo said.
I jabbed his arm again. Sorry. Its just that youre real. I mean, I just thought you guys werent really around here.
Alex. Aiden sat on the edge of the bed. You should probably stop touching him.
Whatever. I dropped my hand into my lap. I still wanted to touch him, though, which was really weird. I kind of wanted to rub all over him like a cat or something and that was more than weird, and a little uncomfortable.
Usually were not, Apollo said, frowning at me. When we are on earth our powers are limited. Everything about this place drains us. We tend to stay away and if we do visit, it is only for a short while.
Long enough to hook up with some mortal chicks?
Alexandria, Marcus snapped.
Apollo faced me. No. We havent spawned any demigods in centuries.
I shuddered
Again, there was a tickle in the back of my head. Something about an oracle poked at my fuzzy memories. It stayed out of reach.
Yes. The oracle answers to me and only me.
Because youre a god of prophecy among five hundred other things, I added, picking back up on the conversation.
Yes. He came back to the bed, tilting his head to the side. Once Zeus realized that he had forgotten about the Hematoi, he knew he had to create something that was powerful enough to control the Hematoi but could not populate like the Hematoi did.
Marcus sat in the only spare chair in the room. And so the Apollyon was created?
Apollo sat beside Aiden, which really crowded the bed. An Apollyon can only be born when the mother is Hematoi and the father is a half-blood. It is the aether of a female pure combined with that of a half-blood which creates the Apollyon. It is similar to the way a minotaur is born. Apollyons are nothing more than monsters in the scheme of things.
I frowned at his back. Gee. Thanks.
Mixing of the two races was forbidden to ensure that there would not be many and the Hematoi were ordered to kill any offspring of a pure and a half.