Apollyon (Covenant #4)
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Praise for The Covenant Books
“Whereas Deity unleashed a pivotal point in this saga, Apollyon sets up the scene for what I’m sure will be one hell of an epic conclusion. This series has yet to disappoint me. Why do we have to wait until the end of the year to see how it all ends?! I would seriously sell my left kidney to read Sentinel RIGHT NOW!” —Deity Island
“My TOP BOOK OF 2012. This is the best Covenant book so far.” (Deity)
—The Book Goddess
“5 stars: a must read. I’ve never had a book I felt more like giving more than 5 stars to than this book!… The ending will absolutely shake you to your core!”
—Valerie, Stuck in Books
“Deity will leave you breathless, aching for a clue about what is next for Alex, for Aiden, for Seth—and for the fragile world that rests upon their shoulders.”
—YA Sisterhood
“A great blend of action, drama, and romance… Deity was just simply amazing from beginning to end.”
—The Reading Geek
“Deity ramps up the action, suspense, and romance without ever losing a step, and it makes me crave the sequel like I need it to breathe.”
—Sydnee Thompson, Dreams in Tandem
“5 out of 5 stars: This book was all sorts of amazing and I am still in shock… Deity is a perfect addition to this series that had me on the edge of my seat from the first to the very last page.”
—Sharon, Obsession with Books
“It’s no secret that Jennifer L. Armentrout is one of my very favorite authors but seriously, if you haven’t picked up this series yet, go out and get it! You will be caught up in the story and you will not regret it!”
—Book Loving Mommy
“I just can’t express how much I love this book… addictive prose, lovable characters, and jaw-dropping twists in the insane plot. I am positively dying for Apollyon.”
—Sophia, The Book Basement
“Oh. My. Gods. There are no words to explain just how phenomenal this book is.” —Kayleigh, K-Books
‘Without a doubt the best book I have read in 2012. That is saying something since Pure was released earlier this year.”
—Cassandra’s Reviews
“I want more! Need more! CRAVE MORE! The series demands it! I thought Pure was the epitome of AWESOME! Yes that indeed it was, but this book! This book goes right up there with it!”
—BookLove 101
“Deity… has all the romance anyone could ask for, plus a whole lot of action and suspenseful drama as well.”
—Laura, The Revolving Bookcase
“5 of 5 stars: I’ve never read a book that screwed with my emotions as much… Deity made me want to throw my book across the room numerous times, and to me, that just shows how great Armentrout is at her craft. Because when a reader is that invested in characters from a book, the author has clearly done something right.”
—Nicole Sobon
“Aiden has stepped up his GAME this time around! I LOVE HIM! I WANT TO MARRY HIM! HAVE SENTINEL BABIES WITH HIM!”
—Alice Belikov
“Overall Awesomeness? Freaking 10/10! Deity has got to be Jennifer’s best book so far and that’s saying a lot, since pretty much everything written by Jen is amazing.”
—Kindle and Me
“Every time I read a Jennifer L. Armentrout novel, I always become so absorbed and invested in the story. I feel like with each new book her stories keep getting more and more awesome and exciting!”
—Collections
“Deity is action-packed and full of romance. This emotional roller coaster will have fans begging for the next installment!”
—Amber, Fall Into Books
“If you’re a crier you will cry! I bawled in a few places but the crying is so worth it! This story absolutely rocks and the ending?!?!? …you will be dying to get your hands on Elixir like I am!”
—Jaime, Two Chicks On Books
“Deity is an AMAZING book. It has a lot of twists in it that you will love. I read in one day and still can’t get over it. I loved it from the beginning to the end.” —Savanna, Sucked into Books
“I read this book in one sitting. I wanted to take it slow and enjoy it like a fine wine, but Jennifer just dragged me in and I ended up slamming this book back like a lush!”
—AwesomeSauce Book Club
USA Books News BEST BOOKS 2011 Finalist (Half-Blood)
“The Covenant series just keeps getting better and better! Deity is my favorite so far! —The Readers Den
“Deity ramps up the action, suspense, and romance without ever losing a step, and it makes me crave the sequel like I need it to breathe.”
—Quill Café
“5/5: Deity was an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G read from beginning to start.”
—Amanda, Stuck In YA Books
“Deity…Oh my god….It’s officially my favourite read of 2012!”
—Book Passion for Life
“Deity was insanely thrilling right to the core. The twists hit me like a hurricane when I wasn’t expecting it.”
—Coffee, Books, and Me
“5/5: Deity was one of the most intense books I’ve read! A real rollercoaster of emotions… I gave 5 stars to books 1 and 2 but if I could I would give Deity a 10 + stars!”
—Steffy, Book Reader Addicts
“Every page leaves me feeling the WOW factor!… This is one of my most favorite series!”
—Mindy, Books Complete Me
“Undeniably Epic! Pure Awesomesauce!”
—Tina Gagnier
“HOLY FREAKING COW! That’s what I said upon finishing Jennifer Armentrout’s Deityl It was one heck of a thrill ride! Jennifer never ceases to amaze me with what she can do with this series!”
—Jessica, A Great Read
“I’ve found my new favourite series.”
—Safari Poet
“If I could describe this book in one word it would be: AMAZING!”
—Catching Books
“Perfect for fans of both Greek mythology and romance, Deity will enrapture the reader with its world building, romance, and to-die-for characters. This series is utterly captivating, and I cannot wait for more!”
—Tiffany, About To Read
“Paced with precision, the story unfolds gradually to the perfect end, filled with unanswered questions and a desperate longing.”
—Writing Jewels
National Indie Excellence Awards 2012 Finalist (Half-Blood)
“The book leaves you on the edge of your seat and crying because the book is over. I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!”
—Cora, Stuck in Books
“Deity took me on one exhilarating roller-coaster of a ride, leaving me in emotional turmoil by the end. In short, I cherished every minute of it.”
—Sam, Realm of Fiction
‘WOW, JUST WOW! …I just can’t get enough of this series, the storyline, the characters and the dialogue just has me in stitches from constantly laughing… I cannot praise this book, series or author enough! I give this a huge 5/5.”
—Head Stuck in a Book
“This is one debut that will rock you off your toes!”
—Books Over Boys
“Jennifer Armentrout has delivered an action-packed book full of twists, romance, and paranormal powers and a great unique Greek Mythology.”
—Mundie Moms
“I was completely blown away and left utterly speechless.”
—Amy G, The YA Sisterhood
“Half-Blood is a book that will sink its teeth into you and won’t let go.”
—[Fict]shun
“Intense, dramatic, and downright un-put-down-able.”
—365 Days of Reading
“This
book is perfect! A total MUST READ!!”
—Darkest Sins
“A wonderful new YA series that no one should miss reading.”
—Books to Brighten Your Mood
“This is a book you will finish, and weeks later still be mind blown about, just trying to think of the words to use for how much you loved it.”
—Ya-Aholic
“Completely entertaining and utterly compelling, Half-Blood has definitely earned its place high up on my favourites list!”
—Mimi Valentine
“Amazing doesn’t even do this book justice.”
—The Magic Attic
“It’s literally impossible to put Half-Blood down until totally devoured….and then you are licking your lips for more.”
—Novels on the Run
Copyright © 2013 by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Sale of the paperback edition of this book without its cover is unauthorized.
Spencer Hill Press
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
Contact: Spencer Hill Press, PO Box 247, Contoocook, NH 03229, USA
Please visit our website at www.spencerhillpress.com
First Edition: April 2013.
Armentrout, Jennifer L. 1980
Apollyon: a novel / by Jennifer L. Armentrout – 1st ed.
p. cm.
Summary:
Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.
The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this fiction: Beetle Blow Pops. Charmed, Cheetos/Cheetos Puffs, Disney World, Doctor Evil, Donkey Kong. Doritos, Energizer Bunny, E.T., Ghostbusters, Glock, Godzilla, Harry Potter, Hilton Hotels, Hobbit, Hummer, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Kraken, The Maine. McDonald’s/ Big Mac, Muppets, Nintendo DS, Oregon Trail, Red Dawn, Scooby Gang, She-Ra, Skittles, Skype, S’mores, Spider-Man/spidey-sense, Star Wars/Jedi/ Luke and Leia, Super Mario Kart, Supernatural, Superwoman, Tilt-A-Whirl, Tylenol. Velero, Wii, Wizard of Oz/Toto
Cover design by K. Kaynak with artwork by Misha.
ISBN 978-1-937053-16-1 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-937053-17-8 (e-book)
Printed in the United States of America
Apollyon
The Fourth Covenant Novel by
Jennifer L. Armentrout
SPENCER HILL PRESS
The Covenant Series
Daimon (novella)
Half-Blood
Pure
Deity
Elixir (novella)
Apollyon
Sentinel (Fall 2013)
Covenant novellas are available as free downloads in several formats at www.SpencerHillPress.com.
Also by Jennifer L. Armentrout
From Spencer Hill Press:
Cursed
Coming from Disney-Hyperion:
Don’t Look Back
From Entangled Publishing:
Obsidian (Book 1 in the Lux Series)
Onyx (Book 2 in the Lux Series)
Opal (Book 3 in the Lux Series)
Writing as J. Lynn:
Tempting the Best Man
Unchained
Coming from Spencer Hill Contemporary:
Frigid
To my friends who help me keep sane
while I’m playing in imaginary worlds.
About Elixir
Apollyon takes place after the events in Elixir, which tells the story from Aiden’s point of view. Apollyon returns to Alex’s point of view, and it will make sense from her perspective, but if you’d like to know what happened between Deity and Apollyon, Elixir is available as a free download from the Spencer Hill Press website. It can also be purchased as an e-book and in a trade paperback edition.
http://www.site.spencerhillpress.com/Elixir.html
Pronunciation Guide for Apollyon
Aether: EE-ther
Agapi: ah-GAH-pee
Akasha: ah-KAH-sha
Apollyon: ah-POL-ee-on
απόλυτη εξουσία: ah-POL-ee-tee EX-shoo-shee-ya
αήττητο: EYE-tee-toe
Chlamys: KLIM-is
Daimon: DEE-mun
Eíste pánta mou: EAST-ah PAN-da moo
Hematoi: HEM-a-toy
Iσχύς: ISH-heez
Θάϱϱος: THA-roesh
CHAPTER 1
MY BLOOD ITCHED FOR A FIGHT. MUSCLES SCREAMED to engage. My thoughts were covered in a heady, amber haze of power. I was the Apollyon. I wielded control over the four elements, and the fifth and the most powerful—akasha. I fueled the God Killer. I was his power-up—the ace up his sleeve. I was the beginning and he was the end. And together, we were everything.
Yet, all I could do was pace back and forth. Caged and made helpless by the markings etched in the cement above me and by bars crafted by a god.
“Alex.”
Of course, I wasn’t alone. Oh no. My own personal hell was a party for two. Well, it was really a threesome… foursome of sorts. Sounded more fun than it was. Voices… there were so many voices in my head.
“Do you remember?”
I tipped my head to the right, feeling the muscles stretch and the bones crack. Then I repeated the movements to the left, my fingers moving—pinky, middle, pointer… over and over.
“Alex, I know you can hear me.”
I looked over my shoulder, my lip curling at what I saw. Boy, did I have a T-Rex-sized bone to pick with that pure-blood. Aiden St. Delphi stood on the other side of the bars. There, he was an immovable force. But without the protections from Hephaestus or Apollo between us, he would become an inconsequential nothing.
No. No. No.
My hand flew to the crystal rose on its own accord, feeling the smooth and delicate edges. He was everything.
Sharp pain sliced between my temples, and I snarled. Sending him a hateful look, I faced the bare cement wall. “You should have kept me on the Elixir.”
“I should have never put you on the Elixir,” he countered. “That wasn’t the way to get to you.”
I laughed coldly. “Oh, you got to me all right.”
There was a pause. “I know you’re still in there, Alex. Underneath that connection, you are still you. The woman I love.”
I opened my mouth, but there were no words—only memories of standing by the stream and telling Aiden I loved him, and then an endless stream of thoughts and actions centering on him. Months, if not years, of them cycling over and over again until I couldn’t distinguish between the past, present, and what was to become of my future.
As if sensing where my thoughts had gone, he said, “A few days ago you said you loved me.”
“And a few days ago I was high as a kite and hiding in closets, thanks to you.” I whirled around, just in time to see him flinch. Good. “You put me on the Elixir.”
Aiden sucked in a sharp breath, but didn’t look away in shame or guilt. He met and held my gaze, locked onto eyes I knew he loathed with every fiber of his being. “I did.”
I took a deep, heavy breath. “I will get out of here eventually, Aiden. And I will kill you. Slowly.”
“And you’ll murder everyone I care for. I know. We’ve been here before.” He leaned against the bars. There wasn’t a hint of stubble on his smooth face this time around. He was in his Sentinel uniform—all black. But there were dark shadows under those striking eyes of his.
“I know you won’t hurt me if you get out,” he continued. “I believe in that.”
“Sad.”
“What is?”
“That someone as good-looking as you is so incredibly stupid.” I smiled as his eyes narrowed. The moment they flashed silver, I knew I’d hit a nerve. That made me all warm and fuzzy for about three seconds, and then I realized I was still in a freaking cage. Pissing Aiden off helped pass the time, but it didn’t change anything.
There were better things I could be doing.
I just needed to wait and bide my time. The low-level static was in my head. Constant. All I needed to do was tap into it, but the moment Aiden even thought I was doing that, he started talking.
Going to the mattress on the floor, I sat down and tucked my knees under my chin. I watched Aiden watch me. And I tried to keep the voice that popped up whenever he was around quiet. I didn’t like or understand that voice.
Aiden ran a hand through his hair, and then pushed back from the bars. “Do you know what’s happening out there, right now?”