“More serious than I’ve ever been about anything in my life,” he said, and there wasn’t a part of me that doubted what he said. He shifted his palm against his cheek. “But you know that this . . . this won’t last.”

Ice drenched my skin.

“No matter how badly I want it to, and I do, Josie.” His eyes closed briefly. “I want it more than anything, but I made a deal, and at some point they will come to collect.”

“And I’ll be there to stop them,” I stated.

His eyes flew open. Surprise flickered over his face. “Josie—”

“If I have to fight every god, including my father, to get you out of that deal, I will.” Determination filled me. “That’s a check you can take to the bank and cash.”

“Wait. Did you just say that’s ‘a check you can take to the bank?’”

Heat hit my cheeks. “My granny used to always say that.”

Seth looked at me a moment and then dipped his head to mine. He didn’t kiss me, just rested his lips against the curve of my cheek. “You are still so very mortal.”

“And you still like that about me?”

“Yes.” He kissed my cheek then, sliding his hand further south. He cupped me, squeezing. “I also really like this about you.”

“Perv.”

“Believe it.” His hand drifted away though, and he grinned as he stared down at me, but that smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“You need to learn to trust yourself more,” I told him, patting his cheek. “Like start some kind of daily affirmations or something.”

“Oh yeah, Joe, I’ll start doing that in the morning. Immediately.”

“I won’t tell anyone.” I grinned.

“Whatever.” He laughed as his hand drifted across my belly.

Relieved that he was joking and laughing again, I let my gaze roam over his striking face. His lashes were lowered and the corners of his lips were curled up on one side. As I watched him, I thought about what Alex had said earlier. I pushed those thoughts aside and another thought surfaced, something I’d forgotten about with the arrival of Hercules and . . . well, Seth being Seth . . .

“Hey,” I said, and his lashes lifted. “Do you think it’s possible that Alex is still the God Killer?”

One eyebrow rose. “No. It was why the gods insisted that . . . that she had to die a mortal death. That way, she would no longer be the God Killer.”

I frowned. What in the heck was Medusa talking about then?

“Why are you asking that?”

I shrugged. “Just wondering.”

Seth curled his hand over my hip. “Alex isn’t the God Killer. She’s still an Apollyon somehow. A demigod and an Apollyon.”

My frown increased. “How can she be both . . . ?” I trailed off as I realized what that meant. My stomach seized. “Are you two still connected?”

His gaze flicked up to mine. “Yes.”