Extraits

“Two students severely injured, you yourself covered in blood, a Reaper on the premises, a Fenrir wolf running around loose somewhere, and extensive property damage to the resort. Well?" Nickamedes snapped. "What do you have to say for yourself, Gwendolyn?"

I thought for a second, then grinned at him. "I followed your directions exactly. I never set one foot outside the hotel.”

“Come on, Gypsy girl. I'm bleeding to death here, in case you haven't noticed. At least make it worth my while and kiss me before I die.”

Daphné leva les yeux au ciel.

— Oh, ressaisis-toi, Gwen. Ce n’est pas la fin du monde. On est tous ici pour apprendre à combattre les Faucheurs. Tu as un cours accéléré, c’est tout. Certains seraient jaloux de toi, tu sais. Les Spartiates, c’est sûr. Parfois, je me dis que Logan et ses potes partiraient chasser les Faucheurs, si le coach Ajax et les profs les laissaient faire.

En plus d’être les meilleurs combattants de la Mythos, les Spartiates avaient aussi la réputation d’être les plus sanguinaires. Ils aimaient se retrouver au cœur des combats et tuer des trucs, ça faisait partie de leur ADN. C’était ce qui arrivait, quand on pouvait prendre n’importe quel objet, comme les biscuits qu’engloutissait Daphné, le trombone sur mon bureau ou la petite statue de Nike à côté, et savoir aussitôt comment s’en servir pour tuer quelqu’un. Logan, Kenzie et Oliver auraient pu me tuer avec n’importe lequel de ces objets sans la moindre hésitation. Sans déconner. C’était le genre de trucs flippants qu’ils savaient faire d’instinct.

— J’espère que tu vas passer de bonnes vacances, lui dis-je. Tu vas chez tes parents ?

Le Spartiate hocha la tête.

— Oui. Et toi, chez ta grand-mère ?

J’acquiesçai à mon tour. Oliver sourit.

— Essaie d’éviter de craquer pour un Faucheur pendant ton absence, OK ?

Je levai les yeux au ciel.

- Deux élèves gravement blessés, vous couverte de sang, un Faucheur sur les lieux, un loup Fenrir quelque part dans la nature, de gros dégâts matériels causés à la station de ski. Alors ? lâcha Nickamedes. Qu'avez-vous à dire pour votre défense, Gwendolyn ?

Je réfléchis une seconde, puis lui souris.

- J'ai suivi vos directives. Je n'ai pas mis un seul pied hors de l'hôtel.

Les lèvres de Logan étaient fermes contre les miennes, et ce baiser était tout ce que j'aurais pu rêver. Chaud, tendre et sexy. J'ouvris la bouche et nos langues se touchèrent, se caressant lentement. L'espace d'un instant, je me contentai d'apprécier le baiser, de savourer la sensation de sa bouche chaude sur la mienne, de son corps sur et musclé contre le mien.

"I'l give you this, Spartan. You sure can kiss. Feel free to lay one on me anytime you want to."

For a second relief flashed in his eyes-relief that I hadn't discovered his secret. That I hadn't seen the blood and bodies that haunted him so. Then Logan grinned.

"Wel , I do aim to please," he drawled. "You should see what I can do with my hands. And other parts of my body." I rol ed my eyes. "Seriously? You've been cut open like a fish, there's a psycho-kil er Reaper after us, and you're stil hitting me up for sex?"

Logan shrugged, but the devilish light didn't fade from his gaze. "Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying."

One second, I was alone. The next, Preston appeared in front of me.

"Oof!"

I hit Preston square on and bounced back off his chest.

And, of course, my boots skidded on a patch of black ice on the sidewalk. I would have fal en on my ass right in front of him if he hadn't leaned over and caught me, clutching me to his chest.

"Nice reflexes," I said, staring into his blue eyes.

He grinned. "Good to know al those long hours in the gym have final y paid off."

We stood there like that for another moment, the two of us frozen in this strange, intimate embrace. I cleared my throat and looked away. Preston got the message and pul ed me back up onto my feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"I am now," I said, smiling at him.

Preston grinned at me again. "Good. You know, I was hoping I'd see you here tonight, Gwen."

Gwen. Even the way he said my name was sexy, as if his good looks and muscled body didn't make him cute enough already. Okay, okay, so maybe part of my heart stubbornly insisted that Preston's voice didn't have quite the same husky ring to it that Logan's did whenever the Spartan cal ed me "Gypsy girl." But Logan was inside with another girl, and I was out here with Preston. Maybe Daphne was right. Maybe it was time to find someone to take my mind off Logan-and I thought Preston would do quite nicely.

"I was hoping that I'd see you, too," I said.

We stood there staring at each other. The glow from the coffee shop and the Christmas lights highlighted Preston's smooth skin and perfect features, making him look older, more handsome, and slightly dangerous. He just kept staring at me, as if he thought I was just as gorgeous as he was. I wasn't, of course, but I stil liked the attention, even if a hot, furious blush worked its way into my cheeks as a result.

A few feet away, a couple who'd been making out on an iron bench next to the coffeehouse final y got up. Their lips never broke contact as they walked toward the hotel.

Preston jerked his head in that direction. "Shal we?" I nodded. We walked over and sat down on the bench.

Preston leaned back and stretched his arm out across the top of the bench, almost like he was putting it around my shoulders.

We both had on jackets, and he was wearing gloves, so there was no danger of me getting any kind of vibe off him. Stil , I liked being close to him.