Half-Blood Blog Tour: Aiden’s POV Part Two!

To celebrate the release of Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout (an amazing book, by the way) I have a special treat for you guys: the first chapter and a half rewritten from Aiden’s point-of-view.  Well, technically I only have the second half of this chapter.  For the first half, go check out Books Complete Me and then come back here!

Don’t read any further if you haven’t read the first half of the chapter!


Placing my hand on her forehead, guilt chewed through me with tiny, razor-sharp teeth. This had to be done. If not, she’d only hurt herself. Meeting her stare, I packed a hell of a mental punch with my next words. “Go to sleep. Now. Go to sleep and not wake until you feel safe. Now.”

Alex stiffened and then her entire body went lax, limp and compliant. I had the distinct impression this would be one of the few moments she’d ever be like that. Remorse for using a compulsion against her slithered through me as I gathered her in my arms and stood.

It was over. At least, it should be. We’d done what we’d be sent to do. We found Alexandria Andros, and yet, I knew it deep in my soul that this was only the beginning.

Chapter 2

Alex liked to snuggle. That became apparent from the moment I placed her in the back of the Hummer and climbed in after her. Not even a minute went by before she wiggled closer, placing her head on my shoulder. It couldn’t be comfortable position, and I wanted to move my arm to give her more room, but that wouldn’t go over well. The fact that she was using my shoulder as a pillow was bad enough.

I should’ve pushed her away, but I didn’t have it in me. Every couple of minutes, she would make these little sounds, a soft whimper or moan. I glanced down at her, only able to see the top of her nose poking out from her hair. I wondered what she was dreaming.

My eyes lifted, finding Leon watching me in the rearview mirror. He raised his brows. “Eyes on the road,” I grunted.

Leon snorted.

Kain hadn’t said a word to me since I’d appeared with Alex in my arms. He was ticked over the compulsion. Couldn’t blame him. Compulsions were a sore subject with halfs.

Shifting closer, Alex sighed deeply, drawing my attention back to her. The moment she woke and became aware of what she was doing, I braced myself.

Alex jerked back quickly, smacking her head off the window. “Crap!”

Wincing, I turned to her. “Are you okay?” She didn’t answer me for several minutes. “Alex. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She scowled as she looked around the Hummer. “Where are we?”

“We’re on the coast, just outside of Bald Head Island. We are almost to Deity Island.”

She jumped a little. “What?”

“We’re going back to the Covenant, Alex.”

Rubbing the back of her head, she sighed. “Did the Covenant send you? Or was it my… stepfather?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer that. It all seemed complicated. “The Covenant.”

“You work for the Covenant now?”

Surprised that she even remembered me from her time there, I shook my head. “No. I’m just a Sentinel. I’m more on loan for the time being. Your uncle sent us to find you.” I glanced out the window. “A lot has changed since you’ve been gone.”

She asked a couple mundane questions as I watched her closely. She fidgeted. A lot. Not a moment went by without her moving in her seat. A grin pulled at my lips until I remembered what I’d done.

“Alex, I’m sorry about the compulsion back there. I didn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Not surprisingly, she didn’t forgive me. I glanced up front, relieved to find that Leon wasn’t watching us.
“And… I’m sorry about your mother. We searched everywhere for you two, but you didn’t stay in one place long enough. We were too late.”

“Yeah, you were too late.” Her voice wavered.

A pang hit me in the chest. Part of me wanted to tell her that I knew how she felt, but I wasn’t supposed to relate to her. Ever. Seeking a way to change the subject, I asked a question that had been gnawing at me. “Why did your mother leave three years ago?”

She peeked at me from behind the curtain of hair. What in Hades did her face look like? “I don’t know.”

Unsure if I should believe her, I let it drop. No one knew why her mother, a pure-blood, had pulled her away from the Covenant. And if they did, they weren’t talking. We didn’t talk again as we crossed the bridges and Leon dropped us off in front of one of the dorms rising up between the sand and sea.

She was quiet as I led her through the halls, and I should be grateful for that. But unrest tugged at me for some reason. “Get cleaned up. I’ll return for you in a little bit.” I started to turn, but stopped. “I’ll find something for you to wear and leave it on the table.”

Not waiting for her response, I left her in the dorm and stopped near the gymnasium that was shaped like a coliseum. There were always extra clothing stashed away in the supply room. Training tended to get messy…bloody. New clothes were always on hand. Finding her a shirt and pair of sweats, I headed back to her room. Upon entering, I heard water running. A flicker of restlessness moved through me as I placed the clothes on the small table. It seemed wrong being in here, when she was in the shower…naked.

I rolled my eyes.

Of course she was naked. That shouldn’t come as a shock, but my heart was racing like I had just run the dunes outside.

And I shouldn’t be standing here, mulling over the fact that she was naked. Even I could admit that was creepy. Not that any other pure-blood would care about the violation of her privacy. Half-bloods didn’t have any basic, fundamental rights. Another pure-blood could be here…they could do anything they wanted without consequence.

That sickened me.

Clamping my jaw shut, I left again and went back to the main island. Each step I took, I prepared myself for what I would no doubt find when I opened the door to what used to be my parents’ house.

The stench of alcohol overshadowed that of the sea and nearly knocked me over. Anger rushed through me like a ball of fire. Stalking down the hallway, I didn’t even bother to be quiet as I glanced into a sitting room.
Several pure-blood teenagers were passed out in various positions. Some I really didn’t want to see. My irritation knew no limits as I continued on. Making sure that the one room was still locked, I headed for Deacon’s bedroom. I shoved the door open, slamming it against the wall.

Thank the gods Deacon was alone. If I walked in on him one more time half-naked, I was going to have to let a Furie gorge my eyes out.

My younger brother was sprawled across the bed, face down, clothing rumpled and a flask beside him, seeping only the gods know what he’d been drinking into the mattress.

Without further adieu, I kicked the post on the bed. Hard.

“What?” Deacon mumbled into the blanket. “The bathroom is down the hall… or go outside. Whatever.”

“I know where the bathroom is, asshat. This is my house.”

Deacon froze and then let a loud sigh as he rolled onto his back, squinting up at me. He smiled—actually smiled at me. The only trait we really shared was the eyes, but his gray ones were muddled. “Hey, bro, welcome back.”

I wanted to take him outside and dump him in the ocean. Hold him under until Poseidon kicked us out. “Is this what you’ve been doing the whole time I’ve been gone? Drinking? Partying?”

“No.” Sitting up, he swayed from side to side as he winced. “Okay. Maybe just a little.”

Taking a step forward, I bent so that we were at eye level. “Is this how you’re going to spend your whole life? Is this what I have to look forward to every time I come back here?”

He tilted his head back, his smile wobbly. “You’re not my babysitter, bro. You’re not my dad. Gods… you act like you’re fifty. You’re only twenty. Live a little. Have a drink.” He handed me the flask. “Chill out.”
I knocked the flask out of his hand when I really wanted to knock him upside the head.

“Whoa,” he murmured. “Not cool.”

Drawing on patience I really didn’t have, I took a deep breath. “I know you drink because you miss our parents. I know it’s some deep-rooted trauma and grief. I get that, but this isn’t the way to deal with it.”
He blinked. “It’s not, all wise one?”

By the gods, I was going to physically harm him. “I just picked up a girl who saw her mother drained by a daimon. Who had to fight every second to survive, Deacon. She could’ve done what you’re doing. She could’ve just given up.”

“Maybe she should have.” He flopped onto his back, closing his eyes. “Easier that way.”

There was so much I wanted to say to him, but I’d probably regret every word in an hour. Or not, but I didn’t have time for this. Marcus was waiting. “Get them out of this house in an hour.”

“Yes, sir!” He gave me a one finger salute.

Spinning around, I left the house before I did hit him. Back on the Covenant controlled island, I reined in my anger and went to retrieve Alex. Kain intercepted me just as I rounded the courtyard.

“What do you think they’re going to do with her?” he asked, falling in step beside me.

Good question. “I have no clue.”

“She missed too much time to get caught up.” He ran a hand through his blond hair, agitated. “They’ll send her into servitude. Put her on the Elixir.”

Coldness whipped through me. Servitude equaled slavery, the fear of all half-bloods. Not wanting to delve too deeply into why the idea of the little spitfire being placed on the Elixir bothered me, I shook my head. “I doubt they would’ve gone to all this trouble to do that.”

“I’d work with her if they need someone to get her caught up. That’s all she really needs. I remember her, Aiden. The girl can fight. And she’s quick. Gods, she got away from you.”

I rolled my eyes. No doubt Kain was never going to let me forget that. “You graduated less than a year ago. You can’t train someone.”

“Then what? You’ll do it?” Curiosity colored his tone. “You’re not known for your patience.”

That was true. Whenever the Covenant sent fresh out of school Sentinels to me, I sent over half of them back for minor infractions. I’d rather be known as a prick then be responsible for a handful of dead half-bloods. “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.”

I seriously had enough to worry with without adding a half-trained half-blood to the mix. I left Kain outside the dorm, heading straight for the room I’d left her in. I knocked once and then opened the door. Briefly I thought I should’ve waited a moment. The whole naked issue resurfaced with a vengeance…until I saw her.

Alex was standing in the middle of the little living room, dressed in the clothes I retrieved. She jumped when she saw me, but I was more surprised than her. Getting a good look at her without dirt covering her face, I realized one thing.

I remembered her.

But she wasn’t the little tomboy I recalled from the times I’d seen her. Some of the features were the same. She hadn’t grown much in height, but my gods, she was…

Long, thick chestnut colored hair fell past a chest that had grown in the last three years. Her face was oval shape; lips full like a pure-blood’s. Cheekbones high and eyebrows delicately arched over two wide, brown eyes. Even with the faint purplish bruises marring an otherwise flawless complexion, she was… unbelievable.

Beautiful.

My entire body tensed as we locked eyes. Something most halfs wouldn’t even dare do, but oh no, she did. She stared back, the same appreciative stare I was giving her. A liquid feeling, like when I called on fire, simmered in my veins.

A feeling I shouldn’t have.

Alex tipped her head back. “What?”

I snapped out of it. What in the Hades was I thinking? “Nothing. You ready?”

“I guess so.”

She followed me out the dorm, and I was acutely aware of her eyes on me. I glanced over my shoulder, wondering what she was thinking. She had this strangest look on her face, like she was trying to work a puzzle. “How many daimons have you killed?”

“Just two.” She picked up her pace to walk beside me.

“Just two?” Awed, I stared at her. “Do you realize how amazing it is for a half-blood not fully trained to kill one daimon, let alone two?”

“I guess so.” Her face scrunched up with anger and then fell. “I would’ve killed the other one in Miami… but I was just—I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking. I know I should’ve gone after him, but I panicked.”

I stopped, facing her. “Alex, the fact you took down one daimon without training is remarkable. It was brave, but also foolish.”

“Well, thanks.”

“You’re not trained. The daimon could’ve easily killed you. And the one you brought down in the factory? Another fearless, but foolish act.”

She frowned. “I thought you said it was amazing and remarkable.”

“It was, but you could’ve been killed.” I walked off ahead. Amazing? Remarkable?

“Why would you even care if I was killed? Why does Marcus care? I don’t even know the man, and if he doesn’t allow me to resume training, I’m as good as dead anyways.”

“That would be a shame.” I didn’t know why I cared, but I did. “You have all the potential in the world.”
And I knew then, even when her eyes narrowed like she was imagining planting her foot in my face, I wouldn’t let them cart her off into servitude. My gods, I had to be the stupidest pure-blood alive, but I knew this wasn’t going to end when I deposited her in her uncle’s office.

Like I’d realized in the field, I was struck again by the sense of knowing. This was far from being over, from being the end of the road for Alex and me.

For the full list of blog tour participants, go here!  Also, check out the SPOILER chat on Tuesday at  7:00 PM EST at Jennifer’s Livestream!

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