Tempted

to Zoey what I intended.”
    “So this isn’t just an impulse? You’ve actually thought this out?”
    “Of course.” He smiled up at her. “I want to protect you forever.”
    Aphrodite was shaking her head from side to side. “You can’t.”
    Darius’s smile faded. “My pledge is mine to give, so that is no hindrance. I am young, but my skills are vast. I assure you that I
can
protect you.”
    “I don’t mean that! I know you’re good—you’re too damn good! That’s the problem.” Silently, Aphrodite began to cry.
    “Aphrodite, I don’t understand.”
    “Why would you want to be sworn to me? I’m a total bitch!”
    His smile returned. “You are unique.”
    Aphrodite shook her head. “I’ll hurt you. I always hurt anyone who gets close to me.”
    “Then it is a good thing I am a strong warrior. Nyx was wise ingiving me to you, and I am more than content with our Goddess’s choice for me.”
    “Why?” Tears were running freely down Aphrodite’s cheeks now, dripping from her chin and soaking into the T-shirt.
    “Because you deserve someone who values you beyond wealth and beauty and status. You deserve someone who values you for yourself. Now, I ask you again, do you accept my oath?”
    Aphrodite stared down into his strong, gorgeous face, and something within her broke free as she saw her future in his honest, unflinching gaze.
    “Yes, I do accept your oath,” she said.
    With a joyous shout, Darius stood and took his Prophetess into his arms. Then he held her gently until sunset as she cried out the knot of sadness and loneliness and anger that had for so long bound her heart.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Stevie Rae

    Steve Rae usually didn’t have problems sleeping. Okay, it was a terrible cliché, but during the daytime she slept like she was, well, dead. But not that day. That day she hadn’t been able to shut off her mind—or, maybe it was more truthful to say she hadn’t been able to shut off her
guilty
mind.
    What was she going to do about Rephaim?
    She should tell Zoey—that’s what she should do. Absolutely no doubt about it.
    “Sure, and then Z would freak out like a long-tailed cat in a room filled with rockin’ chairs,” she muttered to herself, and continued to pace back and forth in front of the entrance to the root cellar’s tunnel. Stevie Rae was alone, but she kept throwing furtive glances around her like she expected to be snuck up on.
    And so what if someone came down here looking for her? She wasn’t doing anything wrong! She just couldn’t sleep, that’s all.
    At least she wished that was all.
    Stevie Rae stopped pacing and stared into the calming darkness of the tunnel she’d cut through the raw earth not long before.
What the hell was she going to do about Rephaim?
    She couldn’t tell Zoey about him. Zoey wouldn’t understand. No one would. Heck, Stevie Rae didn’t even really understand herself! She just knew that she couldn’t turn him in—couldn’t betray him to everyone else. But when she wasn’t around him, when Stevie Rae couldn’t hear his voice and see the too-human pain in his eyes, she was mostly on the verge of panic and worried that hiding theRaven Mocker only proved that she was losing every bit of her good sense.
    He’s your enemy!
The thought kept circling around in her mind, flapping and spiraling out of control like an injured bird.
    “No, right now he’s not my enemy. Right now he’s just hurt.” Stevie Rae spoke into the tunnel, to the earth that grounded her and strengthened her.
    Stevie Rae’s eyes widened as a thought struck her. It was the fact that he was hurt that had caused this mess! If he’d been whole and attacking her, or any of the others, she wouldn’t have hesitated to protect herself or anyone else.
    So, what if I just get him someplace he can heal?
Yes! That was the answer! She didn’t have to protect him. She just didn’t want to hand him over to be slaughtered. If she got him to safety, someplace where he wouldn’t be bothered, Rephaim could get well and then he could choose his own future. She had! Maybe he would choose to join the good guys against Kalona and Neferet. Maybe he wouldn’t. Whichever, it wouldn’t be her concern.
    But where could he go?
    And then, staring into the tunnel, she realized the perfect answer. It would mean that she’d have to admit some of her secrets, and in doing so she wondered if Zoey could possibly understand why Stevie Rae had kept things from her.
She has to understand.