Half-Blood

Now 17 years old, Alex is on the run with her mother, Rachelle Andros, a pure-blood Hematoi who inexplicably removed Alex from the Covenant three years ago to live in the mortal world. They move frequently, never staying in one place too long. 

They now live in Florida, where Alex attends high school. Despite trying to blend in, Alex remains keenly aware of her true identity and the dangers that come with it. She dates a boy named Matt Richardson, a full-blood human, though she often questions her taste in men. She still remembers her first love, a pure-blood Hematoi she once cared deeply for, despite the Breed Order, the rule that forbids romantic relationships between Hematoi and half-bloods.

One evening, Alex and Matt share an intimate moment, but Alex’s mind betrays her as things escalate. She momentarily superimposes the face of her first love over Matt’s, and the illusion is so jarring that she pulls away, stopping them from going any further. Confused and hurt, Matt senses something is wrong.

Matt grows increasingly frustrated with Alex’s emotional distance. They have been dating for several months, yet she remains guarded, both physically and emotionally. As they walk along the beach, Matt presses her for answers, asking about her past and why she keeps him at arm’s length. Alex shares a small piece of her history to appease him, telling him she was born off the coast of North Carolina. 

Their conversation is interrupted when they encounter two of Matt’s former high school classmates. The boys immediately take an interest in Alex and try to flirt with her. When one of them grows too bold and grabs her arm, Alex reacts instinctively, flipping him face-first into the sand.

Shocked by Alex’s strength and aggression, the second classmate rushes at her, but she also quickly takes him down. The two boys flee, leaving Alex standing there, victorious but unsettled. When she turns to Matt, she does not see admiration—only horror. He accuses her of overreacting, unable to understand why she would resort to violence so quickly. 

The argument escalates, and Alex, unwilling to explain the truth about herself, breaks up with him. She walks back home alone, thinking about the four other cities she and her mother have lived in over the past three years. The constant movement, the secrecy, and now the loss of Matt weigh heavily on her. An eerie sensation washes over her as she enters their home—someone is watching.

Alex slumps onto the couch, her irritation flaring at the sight of her mother’s statue of Apollo. It is the only sentimental object Rachelle has held onto all these years, and Alex never understood why. Her thoughts are interrupted when Rachelle notices her mood. She scolds Alex for sneaking out to meet Matt but softens when she sees how upset her daughter is. 

Alex confides in her about what happened at the beach, recounting the argument and breakup. Instead of chastising her, Rachelle reassures Alex that she is not a freak, reminding her that she must always be cautious. Most importantly, Rachelle warns Alex once again that she can never return to the Covenant.

The following day, Alex rushes to clean up the fallen flowerpots on their balcony. In her hurry, she trips and lands awkwardly. Expecting to hear her mother’s teasing laughter, she is startled by the silence. Realizing Rachelle is not tending to the flower beds as usual, a sense of unease creeps in. Grabbing a garden spade, Alex cautiously looks around and sees a daimon.

Daimons are former Hematoi that feed on the essence of the gods, known as aether, and Alex trained to fight them at the Covenant. Terror grips her as she races toward Rachelle’s room, only to find her worst nightmare: A daimon is feeding on her mother’s blood. Horror and regret flood Alex as she realizes their vulnerability, living outside the Covenant’s protection for so long.

The daimon notices Alex and lunges at her. Still holding the garden spade, she instinctively raises it in defense, unintentionally stabbing the creature. The spade, coated in titanium (a metal lethal to daimons), kills it instantly. Desperate, Alex rushes to Rachelle’s side, but it is too late. Her mother is gone.

The sound of a door creaking open snaps Alex out of her grief. The first daimon was not alone.

As the second daimon breaks through the door, Alex grabs the spade and bashes the creature in the head with a nearby lamp. She throws herself out the window and takes off running.

She makes it to a gas station, and the reality of her situation sinks in—she has no idea where to go. She does not have much money; worst of all, she is entirely alone. Remembering the sight of her mother’s lifeless body, Alex tries to come up with a plan. Eventually, she makes her way to a hotel, haunted by images of her mother’s dead face.

Days pass, and Alex remains holed up in a dingy motel, paralyzed by grief. She is unsure where she belongs. Her mother always insisted they stay away from the Covenant, but Alex questions if that matters after her mother’s death. Facing an uncertain future, Alex makes a decision. The Covenant may not be safe, but it is the only place she can go. She decides to travel to the nearest one in Nashville, Tennessee.

Sitting in the bus terminal, she realizes that she has not showered or changed in days, and people are starting to notice. Embarrassed, she recalls another humiliating moment—back at the Covenant when she was not paying attention in combat class and accidentally injured her sparring partner. A woman wrinkles her nose at Alex’s disheveled state before offering her a pack of crackers, making Alex realize she has not eaten in days.

At a bus stop in Atlanta, Alex freshens up and grabs some food. While tossing her trash, she hears breaking glass. Two boys her age step out of the shadows, brandishing a knife and demanding her money.

Alex laughs. When one of the robbers hesitates, she grabs his knife and turns the weapon on them. Before Alex can scare them off, an overwhelming sense of dread washes over her. She realizes they are not alone—daimons have found her.

The daimons attack, using their elemental powers to kill one of the robbers instantly. Alex yells at the other boy to run. As they flee toward an abandoned warehouse, one of the daimons strikes Alex down. Another daimon incinerates the boy. Alex realizes four daimons are hunting her. Cornered, she bolts into a warehouse and barricades herself inside. Climbing onto the roof, Alex surveys the empty horizon and screams her rage into the night. No matter what, she swears to survive.