Page 130 of Lost

“That makes my heart sing,” she said, with happy tears standing in her eyes.

“Which am I supposed to be?” Kevin asked. “Water or spirit?”

“Your choice,” I said.

He thought for a moment, and then I saw his gaze find Aphrodite. “Water,” he said. “I like the thought of washing away sadness.”

I nodded and didn’t say anything more because I knew it would just embarrass him again, but at that moment I couldn’t have been prouder of him and I hoped if Darius wasn’t still alive in this world that maybe, just maybe, Kevin and Aphrodite could find happiness together.

“Johnny B!” Dragon shouted, making me jump and my thoughts scatter. The kid ran up, and I tried not to gawk. In this world, he was a fully Changed vampyre with a tattoo that was made up of strong, sapphire-colored geometric lines that formed cool-looking triangles.

“Yes, Dragon,” he jogged up from where he’d been flirting with a fledgling at a neighboring hearth.

“Borrow Tina’s truck. Then cover your tattoo with the concealer Zoey brought with her. Go into town and buy as many OSU and OU shirts and game paraphernalia as you can find. Enough for each Warrior to wear something.”

“And us,” Anastasia added. “Each of us as well.”

“Yes, exactly. Get enough for Anastasia, Zoey, Stevie Rae, and Aphrodite too,” Dragon said. “And be sure you go to several stores. Don’t buy too many from one place. Draw no attention to yourself.”

“Yes, Dragon!” he hurried off.

“How will we get weapons into the stadium?” Dragon asked. “They’ll have metal detectors. They always do.”

“We won’t take them in. The Red Army will,” Kevin said.

“Which will help us how?” Dragon asked.

“It’ll help us a lot when we take themfromthe Red Army. One at a time. As the game is being played. Solitary Red Army soldiers will be super easy for anyhumanto lure into a shadowy spot—a bathroom stall or really anywhere they won’t be in view of any of Stark’s blue Warriors. And when thehumanturns out to be a disguised Warrior for the Resistance, the red vamp won’t stand a chance.”

“But try not to kill ’em,” Stevie Rae added. “They’ll be back to themselves as soon as Aphrodite fixes ’em, and they all deserve a second chance.”

“They’ve done terrible things,” Dragon said.

“But not because they wanted to,” Stevie Rae countered. “They have no will of their own. They only have hunger and anger. I know. I’ve been there. Give ’em a second chance, Dragon Lankford.”

The Swordmaster nodded slowly. “Agreed. I will give the order to render them unconscious.”

“You are a good Warrior, Bryan, and an even better man.” Anastasia leaned over and kissed him softly.

“Only because I am your Warrior and your man.”

I had to look away because they were choking me up. It was great to see them again—together and happy. But it also made me remember how much I missed them, and that was something I had to take back to my world with me. I glanced at Aphrodite. She had her blond head tilted toward Kevin and was smiling at something he was saying to her. And suddenly I realized that I was going to miss this Aphrodite too.