Page 101 of Lost

She gave him a long-suffering look. “Caviar, peasant. Your upbringing was severely lacking.”

“Agreed.” Kevin sat and drained the blood in one long gulp. He put the glass down to find Aphrodite staring at him. “I was thirsty,” he said lamely.

“Tell me the truth. Do you have your hunger under control?”

“Absolutely. It’s no different now than a blue vampyre’s need. I was just really thirsty because I was wounded a few nights ago and I’m still recovering.”Not to mention my stress level has been off the charts,he thought.

“Do you give me your word on that?”

“Yes, Prophetess. You have my word that my humanity is completely returned to me, and my hunger is under control.”

She studied him for several minutes before going back to her caviar and champagne. “Do you need more blood?”

“No, but I do need this food. Thank you.”

“No problem. Though I really confused the kitchen. I don’t eat many sandwiches.”

“Do you eat much of anything?” Kevin asked through a big bite.

She frowned. “I’m eating right now.”

He snorted.

“Just worry about yourself. I’m fine. I’m always fine.”

“Don’t believe you,” he muttered.

“I heard that. Okay, first, I’m glad you don’t stink anymore.”

“Me too. I hate the smell of that stuff. And your shower is awesome.”

“Yes, I know. Second, I want you to tell me what happened to the other Aphrodite when she sacrificed part of her humanity to save the red fledglings in your sister’s world. I realize she didn’t die, but what exactly happened to her?”

The question surprised him, but after a moment of reflection Kevin decided that it shouldn’t have. He’d been curious about what the other version of him had been doing in Zo’s world, and that other version wasn’t a Prophetess or a tool of Nyx. So, between bites he told Aphrodite what Zoey had explained to him, ending with, “When Stevie Rae and the rest of the red vampyres over there regained their humanity you’d lost your Mark, but not your prophetic gift. Until the red vamps and fledglings from here got pulled over there with me, I don’t think anyone really knew exactly what you were.”

Aphrodite looked perplexed. “But why? Why would I willingly sacrifice myself like that? Icould have died, or lost everything—allof my gifts. It makes no sense. The me over there is an idiot.”

“That idiot saved a whole race of vampyres.”

“Why?”

“For love, of course. The other you is surrounded by people she loves. She may act like a heartless bitch sometimes, but only half of that’s true, which is cool because I happen to like bitches.”

She rolled her eyes. “And you say that over there I’m now a weird red-and-blue hybrid vampyre as well as a Prophetess?”

“Yep.”

“How did that happen?”

“Not sure. There was a lot going on and I didn’t have much time to ask questions. What I do know is that Nyx gifted you with the ability to give people—humans as well as vampyres—a second chance after they’ve messed up, like, tragically-in-a-big-way messed up.”

Aphrodite snorted. “That’s probably because I know a lot about messing up tragically in a big way.”

He grinned. “Could be. Other Aphrodite’s Mark is just like yours, only there’s more of it, and half of it’s red. Nyx said that every time you use your gift and grant someone a second chance, part of your Mark will disappear until eventually it’ll be gone completely, and then you’ll be human and live out a normal human lifespan.”

“That sounds bizarre. I’m not sure I’d like that.”

“I’m pretty sure Other Aphrodite felt like that when it happened too. But then she saw the difference she made with me and Other Jack, and the rest of them—and I’m one hundred percent sure she decided she was glad for the gift.”