In seconds, Alex was at my side, cradling my head in his lap. I opened my eyes and tried to look as helpless as I could. I needed him to feel bad enough for me that he’d forget about Chase. “I need your help,” I said in a soft voice.
“Anything.”
“Lure the corpses into the graves. I’ll release them after they’re in the ground.”
“Are you strong enough? I could have Leticia get Tony and Arianna.”
Damn. Playing the damsel in distress wasn’t the easiest thing to do. Yes, I was tired, but I was still strong enough to release the souls. Hell, I was silently commanding them all to obey the others right now, knowing the others couldn’t control them on their own.
I nodded. “I think I can do it.”
Alex stood up and motioned to Randy. “Come on. We have to get them in the graves.”
Randy stepped back. “Me? You want me to control them? I didn’t summon them. You know I can’t do that.”
“I can.” Chase walked past Alex and closer to the zombies. They were almost to us now. He stopped for a moment and stood absolutely still, tapping into his power. “Get in an open grave.” He repeated the instructions several times. I was right. Chase did have more power than the average underage Ophi.
Alex followed Chase’s lead. Well, almost. When he got to the last zombie, he stepped close and whispered something the rest of us couldn’t hear. I watched in horror as the zombie approached Chase from the side and swung at his head. Chase turned as the zombie’s fist connected with his cheek. He went down hard.
“Chase!” This time Leticia wasn’t the only one worried about Chase. I was at his side, too. Alex stared at me, no doubt wondering where my sudden burst of energy had come from. He knew I’d been faking. He knew I’d tricked him. Worse, he knew that I definitely did have some sort of feelings for Chase. Alex grabbed the zombie by the arm and flung him into the last open grave.
“Make sure Chase is okay,” I told Leticia, but she was practically cowering behind Chase now.
Everyone stared at Alex. His jaw was clenched, and his nostrils flared. He didn’t look like the same guy who’d had my back since I came here.
“Alex, you need to get a hold of yourself.”
“Don’t tell me what I need, Jodi. What I need is—” He stopped, meeting each pair of eyes on him. “Screw this.” He headed for the house.
“Um, Jodi,” Randy said. “The zombies aren’t exactly staying in their graves.”
I wanted to go after Alex, but I couldn’t leave the others to deal with the zombies. I watched Alex for another second before I turned to the graves and started commanding my blood to mix. I was instantly lightheaded. I’d spent most of my energy already. Chase came up next to me and started releasing the souls, too. I was thankful for that, and I was especially thankful that he was doing it on his own instead of trying to transfer his power to me.
Once all the souls were back where they were supposed to be, I headed inside for a much needed visit to Medusa, but when I opened the front door, I saw Alex was already holding Medusa’s right hand. His brow was furrowed, and he looked like he was concentrating on something. Normally holding Medusa’s right hand was a power rush, almost euphoric. So, why did Alex look so strained?
I waited for him to release her hand before I spoke. “Alex.” My voice was soft and almost pleading.
He met my eyes without saying a word.
“I’m sorry I tricked you out there. I didn’t know what else to do to make you stop attacking Chase.”
“Do you really want a boyfriend you have to protect?” His words were filled with anger.
“What are you talking about? You’re my boyfriend.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Are you breaking up with me?” The words came out slowly and painfully.
“Do you want to break up?”
“Alex, I don’t want to play games. Please, just give me a straight answer.” I stepped toward him, wanting to be as close as possible.
“Then stop playing games, Jodi. You’re the one who’s doing this. Not me. You’ve changed since Chase got here. You’re different, and I’m not sure I like it.”
I felt like someone was squeezing my insides. Alex didn’t like me? Was that what he was saying? “Alex, I love you.”
“What about Chase?”
“What about him?”
“Do you love him?”
“No!” I didn’t. I barely knew him.
“Then what is it? Why does he make you act so differently? Why do you stick up for him?”
“I—” How could I explain what was happening to me without destroying my relationship with Alex?
“You like him.” Alex turned away.
I couldn’t let him leave like this. It would be the end of us. “Wait! Please, let me explain. It’s not what you think.”
He stopped but didn’t turn toward me, so I went to him. I was going to have to be the one to hold onto what we had. “Alex, ever since Chase contacted me and said he was coming, something changed in me. In my blood. It’s like my blood recognized the power in his blood. But that’s it. I don’t like him. I promise. To be honest, he scares me a little. The power he has—that he transfers to me—scares me. But I know I have to figure out how to use it if I’m going to save the Ophi.”
Alex stared at me with his arms crossed, guarding his emotions. “So, you aren’t attracted to him? You don’t think he’s hot, like Leticia does?”
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks, and I knew I was turning red. Not good. I couldn’t lie my way out of this. “He’s not ugly.” It was the closest to the truth I could get. “But that doesn’t matter. I’m sure you find other girls attractive. It doesn’t mean anything.” I stepped closer and put my hands on his forearms, uncrossing his arms. “It doesn’t change how we feel about each other.”
“Are you sure about that?”
I stepped into him, resting my face on his chest. “Yes. You are the only Ophi I want.”
He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed tight. “You have to set Chase straight. I’m not putting up with his comments. I don’t like the way he looks at you or the way he openly shows his feelings for you. You can’t expect me to sit back and take that.”
I leaned my head back so I could look at him. “I know. I’ll talk to him. Tell him that I’m not interested and he needs to stop or—”
“Or what?”
“I’ll ask him to leave.” Why was that so hard for me to say? I had Alex. He was perfect for me. Yet, I didn’t want Chase to leave. As much as he scared me and caused trouble for me and Alex, there was a part of me that wanted Chase here. God, what was wrong with me?
Alex smiled. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” He leaned down and kissed me. The kiss was so passionate I felt my legs shake. Good thing Alex was still holding me tight. We only stopped when the front door swung opened and Leticia rushed in, bumping right into us.
“Sorry,” she said.
Alex looked annoyed by the interruption, but I said, “It’s okay. Is something wrong? You look like you’re in a hurry.”
“Jodi.” Leticia’s voice shook. “We finished burying the bodies, but there’s something you should know.”
“What is it?” I wasn’t sure I could take any more bad news right now.
Leticia lowered her head and stared at her feet. “We lost a lot of corpses to Hades.”
“Yes, I know.” Why wouldn’t she spit it out already? How bad was the news?
“Well, we think one of the bodies he took was…” She stopped and looked at me.
“Leticia, you’re killing me here.”
“Your dad.”
I tried to swallow, but there was a lump in my throat the size of a baseball. How hadn’t I noticed my dad’s body was gone? I’d seen his corpse before, and I’d never forget it. Even though I’d only met him that one time in the cemetery, when Victoria raised him to torture me, I’d recognize him anywhere. I’d been too preoccupied with all the drama of Chase and Alex, and now my dad’s body was in the underworld with Hades. Who knew what torture Hades was putting his soul through? And now that Hades had his body too, I couldn’t raise him. I’d never see him again.