Page 43 of Zeus' Spark
“Shut up, Jayden. We don’t know what she is or who she may be connected to,” I whisper.
I don’t think I will be comfortable talking until we’re in one of our hotel rooms.
The ding of the elevator makes me jump. It surprises me in the stillness of the elevator, and Raven cackles at me. I shove her out the doors.
“Stop being an asshole. I’m on edge. We all are.” I roll my eyes and stomp down the hall to the rooms that were assigned to us.
They’re right next to each other, which releases some of my panic.
After opening the door, I drag Raven into the room. “Girls in one room and boys in the other.”
Jayden and Greyson start to protest, but I glare at them.
“C’mon, Beth, you know how long it’s been since I’ve seen him,” Raven whispers.
I feel guilty, but I’m not ready yet.
I hand them their keys to the room next door.
“I promise it won’t be like this every night, but I’m too raw with everything that happened earlier,” I tell her after closing the door on the guys.
“Fine,” she grumbles, opening the door and ushering the guys into the room.
“I think they’re adjoining rooms.”
There’s a door on the wall we share with them. I breathe a little easier knowing we could probably just leave the doors open between the rooms in case anything happens.
“Let me go check,” Greyson says, nodding to Raven to follow.
She shrugs to me apologetically and follows Greyson out of the room.
“Beth,” Jayden starts, but I cut him off.
“I can’t do this with you, Jayden. I’m still pissed that you kissed me like that. Why would you think that’s okay?”
“I almost fucking lost you,” he yells. “It scares the shit out of me. Even if you hate me and want nothing to do with me, just the thought of existing in this world without you in it terrifies me.”
I step away, hitting the bed with the backs of my knees.
Where the hell did all that emotion come from? What happened to the Jayden who picked me up and brought me to the academy?
“I didn’t almost die, Jayden. I was perfectly fine the entire time. It was probably battle lust or something. It could have been anyone.” I don’t know if I’m trying to convince myself or him.
“Really, Beth? You don’t believe that. I know you don’t. I haven’t even looked at another girl since we got to the academy.” He shakes his head sadly, running a hand over his white-blond hair.
I scoff at him. “What about Mia?”
She’s the whole reason we aren’t together right now.
“Mia was never anything to worry about. I have been trying to tell you this. We’re going in circles here.” He cuts off his defense when there’s a knock on the adjoining door.
I use that as an opportunity to end this conversation.
When I open the door, my eyes widen at Raven as I pull her into the room. I’m definitely using her as a buffer right now, but I can’t bring myself to feel guilty about it. Jayden just doesn’t listen to words.
“What did you feel from the receptionist, Thia?” Raven asks me, giving me the perfect distraction.
“She’s some kind of supernatural, but her power is unlike anything I have ever felt before. It was weird, but when I handed her the card, it seemed like she recognized the company name. I think she is Greek.” I scrub a hand over my face, pace over to the bed closest to the door, and plop down on the end of it.
