Page 93 of Blood of Hercules
What are your secrets—carissima? Are you more than you seem?
Twisted interest burned inside my sternum as a new obsession kindled to life.
Is her innocent air all an act? Is she dangerous?
I smiled wider.
Suddenly, Titans weren’t the only things I wanted to hurt.
How fun it will be to crack her open. Break her and reveal all her secrets.
There was a shout, then all ten of the initiates dove into the river.
My attention was rapt as Alexis swam deftly through the water and I followed in my boat, chasing after her, chest tightening with pure adrenaline and anticipation.
Then a boy near her started screaming. He shrieked louder, the sound of a dying animal, like something,someone, was killing him.
I looked around for a source.
Hell and Hound went wild, growling and barking in the direction of Alexis, who had stopped swimming and was treading water next to him.
She lunged at him.
Her face turned toward me.
Aninsane realizationhit me, and my breath left my lungs like I’d been punched.
Oh my Kronos—she’s killing him.
The boy screamed louder, like he was being torn to pieces as she grappled with him.
Whatever Alexis was doing—she was filthy powerful.
The obsession that had kindled exploded into a bonfire of pure want. I adjusted my belt to loosen the growing pressure in my pants.
Holy fuck, she’s murdering him.
She’s vicious.
The boy screamed louder while splashing to get away from her.
Alexis yelled something as she drowned him, but I couldn’t hear it over the rushing in my ears.
I call dibs.
She disentangled herself and swam away.
Pure euphoria filled me.
Kneeling, I touched the boy’s forehead and unleashed my power to finish the job. Pain stabbed through my chest. His screams intensified as I let him see my protectors, and he flailed while Hell and Hound jumped in to feast, but all my attention was still on her.
A plan unfolded before me.
It would work.
It had to.
I was thehunter of my generation because I knew how to play the long game—I always caught my prey.
