Page 117 of Lost

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Other Kevin

“I’m coming with you,” said Aphrodite firmly. “And stop pacing. You’re making me unattractively dizzy.”

“You couldn’t be unattractive,” Kevin said, and then added quickly. “But no, you’re not coming with me.”

“Uh, I’m way too used to compliments to be thrown off by one. And I didn’taskto come with you. It was a statement.”

Kevin stopped pacing and faced her. “What if Dragon doesn’t let you go?”

“Then you’ll make him.”

He ran his hand through his hair and stifled the urge to shake her. “Dragon is a Swordmaster. And an extremely experienced Warrior. I can’t take him. Not even to protect you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Kev, I didn’t mean you should fight him. I meant that you’ll help me reason with him—again. And, honestly, being ‘caught’ by the Resistance can’t be any worse than living with the stress of Neferet’s unending threats and the way she uses me.”

Kevin studied her, noticing again the dark circles under her eyes and the dull look of her skin. And she was so thin! It worried him. Did she never really eat or sleep?

“The Resistance will want to use your visions too,” he said honestly.

She shrugged. “So? At least then they’ll be used for good.” Aphrodite held up her hand to stop Kevin from replying. “Yes, I have come to the realization that Neferet is no longer following Nyx’s will. Yes, it took me too damn long to face that realization. But now I have, and I need to do something more than sit here and wait for my next vision to show what horrible thing Neferet is going to do. You’re responsible for that, so it’s only right that I go with you to the Resistance.”

“I’m responsible?”

“Of course. If a red vampyre can come back from being a monster and actually turn into a good guy, then I can stand up and do the right thing too.”

His smile was slow. “You think I’m a good guy.”

“Don’t get a big head. I didn’t say great. How long until sunset?”

“Fifteen really long minutes.”

“Okay, so, here’s what we’re going to do. As soon as the sun sets we’ll go to Neferet’s office. I’ll tell her you’re going to drive me to Dallas because I need some Nordstrom shopping therapy to replace the boot I broke out there in that damn field in Bugtussle. There’s no way we can make the trip in one day, so that’ll give us plenty of time to meet with your sister and the Resistance and get back here—ifwe’re getting back here.”

“What if Neferet says no?”

“She won’t. She can threaten and bully me, but she knows she can only push me so far. And she’ll see this shopping trip as typical for me. She won’t even question it. Shewillquestion you driving me, though. But I’ll handle that.”

“Aphrodite, are you really sure about this? I can go to my sister and come back quickly. You don’t need to be involved in this at all.”

“Kev, I’ve been involved since I didn’t tell Stark about Dragon or turn you in for being a weird red vamp. It’s too late for me to turn back now, and I don’t want to. I’m done hiding behind my visions.” She stared into the fireplace. “I can’t stand being the cause of death anymore.”

He sat beside her on the couch. “Hey, you didn’t cause any deaths. Neferet and her armies did.”

Her gaze met his, and Kevin could see such misery within her eyes that it made his breath catch.

“But I didn’t do anything to stop them, and I could have.”

“You did last night. You saved Dragon and all those other people.”

She shook her head. “I was the reason the Red Army was out there in the first place. Kevin, was I a selfish, egotistical waste of space in Zoey’s world?”

“No! Of course not!”

“Well, I am here. And I don’t want to be anymore. You don’t have to help me be better. I have to do that myself. But please don’t get in my way.”

Slowly, Kevin took her hand. “I’ll help you. I’ll always help you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.