Elixir (Covenant) by Jennifer L. Armentrout Page B

placed my hand on Marcus’ shoulder.
    He blinked, and then swore. “Is it just me or is she getting better at that?”
    Alex giggled, and it sounded off, reminding me of that creepy little boy in Pet Sematary . The one who had ran around killing people with a scalpel.
    “I think so. You’d think she’d grow weaker, since she hasn’t eaten a damn thing.” I watched her move back to the mattress. She stopped, glancing over her shoulder at us. Her eyes narrowed, and I couldn’t wait to find out what she was now up to. “Anyway, we need to make sure no one comes down here.”
    Marcus nodded. The house was another piece of property owned by Solos’ father, but this one had more Sentinel traffic. Some stopped in while traveling to new assignments, although we had to keep the door to the basement sealed when strangers were in the house, which was often. The place was hopping with the most recent events. Many were being moved out of the west, heading either toward what was left of Deity Island or to the Covenant in New York.
    “Marcus?” Alex faced us.
    “Yes, Alexandria?”
    One side of her lips tipped up as her gaze slid to mine. “Does it bother you that Aiden and I have been. how do I put this? He’s seen me naked? Multiple times.”
    Oh. Dear. Gods. Here we go again. Shaking my head, I scrubbed my hand over my eyes. “Alex…”
    Marcus stiffened. “I’ve had time to come to terms with it. I can’t say that I’m surprised, though.” He glanced at me, scowling. “If there’s a rule, you’ll break it, Alex. But I didn’t expect Aiden to be so…”
    “Irresponsible?” she supplied helpfully, and I rolled my eyes. “And such a bastard to take advantage of me—your poor niece who has been through so much? He took advantage of me. Used a compulsion on me. He forced me.”
    My hand dropped to my side. Horror rolled through me, leaving me reeling. She didn’t just… she had.
    “He’s a bastard,” Marcus responded coolly, “but I doubt he took advantage of you or used a compulsion.”
    “Thanks,” I muttered.
    Alex shrugged as she drifted toward us. “He broke the rules. Shouldn’t you be more upset?”
    “Honestly, out of everything that is going on, that’s the least of my worries.” Marcus smiled, and her eyes flared a heated tawny color. “And really, if we are going to make a list tallying up how many rules have been broken, I think you top it.”
    “But he used compulsion on a pure.”
    “And you killed one. Tit for tat, Alexandria.” Although this wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation with Alex, it never failed to amaze me how calm Marcus remained through it.
    “Then you should punish us.” She leaned into the bars, but kept her hands to her sides. “Rules are rules, Uncle. Take us to the Council.”
    “We’re not letting you out,” I cut in. “Move on to something else, Alex.”
    She pulled her lips back and made a very real-sounding hiss. “How about you come in here?”
    I flashed my teeth at her. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
    Her hands flexed at her sides and she moved back from the bars, keeping her eyes trained on me. “I’d love it.”
    The door opened, spilling light down the concrete stairs. Marcus turned, but I kept my gaze on Alex. There was a challenge in her stare—a dare. She wanted to fight, and even with her elemental powers lagging, she’d be a hell of an opponent. More skilled than the last time I’d goaded her into fighting me. Thinking of that, I was reminded of how that fight had ended.
    Alex had kissed me.
    My stomach tightened, even though I knew it wouldn’t end that way this time. If she got her hands on me, she’d try to kill me. I had to keep reminding myself of that. When connected to Seth, she wasn’t the girl I’d admired when I’d seen her around the Covenant, or the one I’d fallen in love with.
    “Marcus? Aiden?” Solos called from the top of the steps. “You guys down there?”
    “Don’t come down