The Dark-Hunters (115 page)

Sunshine was terrified as she saw the wild look on Talon’s face. He really looked like he could kill someone.

“Talon?”

“Stay back,” Vane warned. “You okay, Celt?”

Talon couldn’t respond. All he could feel was the rising fury inside him. The demanding, hot need he had to rip Zarek to pieces.

The moment he had seen Zarek, his mind had flashed back to Zarek in the alley with his victim.

God help the man if he
ever
attacked Sunshine that way.

He’d kill him regardless of the consequences.

Without comment, Talon pulled Sunshine against him and held her there. He fisted his hand in her hair, inhaled her warm patchouli scent, and just reveled in the peace he felt while holding her.

“You were supposed to be watching her, Vane,” he snarled at the Were-Hunter.

“It was just Zarek, Celt. Calm down. He wasn’t doing anything but looking at her dishes.”

“He could have hurt her.”

“But he didn’t.”

“Yeah, and you’re damn lucky for that.”

*   *   *

Zarek was still fuming as he made his way down Pirate’s Alley.

When was he going to learn? Every time he had tried to help someone, it had always turned around and bit him on his ass.

He’d recognized the woman the minute he’d seen her and was wondering why Talon had left her unprotected.

He clenched his teeth. “Fine. Let her die.”

What did he care anyway?

As he neared the end of the alley, he stopped. A foreign, cold sensation ran over him. It was one he hadn’t felt since the night he’d crossed over from human to Dark-Hunter.

“Zarek.”

He turned to see none other than Dionysus before him. The Greek god had his short brown hair impeccably combed. He wore a dark tweed jacket over a navy turtleneck and looked like some kind of high-paid corporate raider.

“If you’re going to blast me, Dionysus, have at it.”

Dionysus laughed. “Please call me Dion. Dionysus is just so passé.”

Zarek stiffened as the god neared him. The power of the being was undeniable and it caused the air around him to sizzle. “Why are you speaking to me?”

Dionysus indicated the Pedestrian Mall with his thumb. “I overheard your little exchange with Talon. I was thinking we could make a deal, you and I.”

Zarek scoffed at the very idea. “That would be like making a pact with Lucifer.”

“Yes, but I don’t smell like sulfur. And I happen to dress better. Luc always looks like a pimp.” He offered Zarek a cigarette. “Go ahead, have one. It’s even your brand.”

Zarek took him up on it and eyed him suspiciously as he lit the cigarette. “So what’s the pact?”

“Simple. I have a boy in town who is doing some favors for me. You ran into him last night. The one who looks like your boss.”

“Yeah, I know the bastard. I owe him too.”

“I know. It was unfortunate that the two of you met like that. But if you can put aside your anger, I think you’ll like my deal a lot better.”

“And that is?”

“My boy needs a few things. Now we could kill you, but I’m thinking a man of your ‘special’ abilities and skills would be better on our side than drifting through eternity as a disembodied Shade.” Dionysus paused.

“Keep talking.”

“All I need is for you to not hunt. Go home like Acheron wants and stay there until Mardi Gras. During my celebration, Styxx will be in touch. Help him with the final preparations and I will give you what you want most.”

“And what do I want most?”

“An end to your suffering.”

Zarek had to give the god credit, he knew what to offer, all right. “You’re not trying to trick me, are you?”

“I swear by the river Styx that if you assist us, I will put you out of your pain. Completely. No tricks. No loopholes. One blast and you’re beyond even death.”

“And if I don’t?”

Dionysus smiled evilly. “Hades has a nice corner of Tartarus waiting for you.”

Zarek took a drag on his cigarette and laughed darkly. “Like that scares me. What’s he going to do? Tear the flesh off my body? Break my bones? Better yet, why not hold me down and stomp on me until I bleed or make me shovel shit? Oh wait, been there, done that, and got the videotape.”

Dionysus’s green eyes blazed. “I can’t believe Artemis lets you live.”

“I can’t believe you’re a god with no better threat than that. But don’t worry,” he said as Dionysus looked like he was ready to strike. “I hate these assholes anyway and couldn’t care less how many of them you turn into Shades.”

The god calmed down instantly.

“I take it you know my cell number?” Zarek asked.

Dionysus nodded. “We’ll be in touch.”

“Fine. I’ll see you Tuesday.”

*   *   *

At Talon’s insistence, Sunshine packed up her cart and let the men wheel it back toward her art gallery. But as they started away, she stopped them.

“What are you doing?” Talon asked as she opened up the small side door on her cart.

“Nothing.”

He frowned at her as she pulled out the bowl Zarek had been looking at. She handed it to Vane. “Would you mind taking this to Zarek for me?”

Talon was aghast. “What are you, insane?”

“No, Talon. That man is in a lot of pain. I think he could use an act of kindness from someone.”

Vane scoffed. “What he could use is a good butt-kicking.”

“Vane, please.” Sunshine urged him to take it.

He did, grudgingly. “Okay, but if he throws it at me, I’m going to want some compensation.”

She kissed him on the cheek.

“Lame compensation, but in the presence of Talon, I’ll settle for it.”

Vane took the bowl and headed off down the street.

She turned back to Talon who was still frowning. “Zarek will slam it against a wall and break it the first chance he gets.”

“I don’t think so. Even if he does, I can always make another one.”

He helped her lock up her cart and then led her back out to the street. “You have such a generous heart.”

“That’s what they tell me. So, shall we go hunt for Styxx?”

“Hell, no. I’m not going to chance you getting hurt.”

She growled at him. “Listen, my grandmother said something to me this afternoon. She told me to follow my heart tonight. I don’t know what she meant by that, but I trust her. She is an extraordinary psychic. Everything she has told me has come true.”

“Look, Sunshine, I can’t help what she said. I just know that I’m not willing to let anything happen to you. When Nynia died, I was so lost and cold, and I haven’t been warm since. Not until I felt your hands on me. The only way I’ve been able to cope without you is to bury what I feel, but I can’t seem to do that anymore. When I’m with you all I can do is feel and need.”

“That’s how I am too.”

“So where does that leave us?”

“I don’t know, Talon. I wish I did.”

Talon put his arm over her shoulder as they walked back toward the square. He noticed other couples around them.

How he wished they could be a normal, happy couple with no worries other than a mortgage payment.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

Camulus was playing with both of them and Sunshine was going to get hurt.

Talon only knew one real way to protect both of them.

“So where are we going?” Sunshine asked.

“We’re going to see a god about a miracle.”

Chapter 15

Ash ground his teeth as Artemis ran her hands through his long, blond hair. He shuttered his eyes as he watched her draw a lock of it between her fingers and flick the curl back and forth with her fingertip.

“I have to go,” he said.

She pouted seductively, running her graceful hand down his bare chest, her fingernails gently scraping his skin. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Release me, Artie. I have to find Styxx before he hurts anyone else. He almost killed Zarek last night.”

“Who cares? Zarek is better off dead.”

“That can be said for most of us.”

She painfully raked her nails down his arms, which were secured to her bedposts by a pair of soft golden cords. “I hate when you talk like that. You’re so ungrateful after all I have done for you.”

Oh yeah, she had done so much
for
him. More like
to
him and very little of it had been kind or enjoyable.

“Don’t make me break your restraints, Artie.” If he used his powers to untie her “special” cords, it would send a signal through Olympus alerting the other gods of his presence in her temple. Anytime he “visited” her, his powers were seriously restricted. He could do paltry parlor-type tricks such as open doors or dress and undress, but anything more than that would be picked up by the Olympian gods and would cause them to investigate the unknown source of power.

That was the only thing Artemis feared.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To have Zeus or one of the others find you in my bed?”

“Then let me go.”

The golden cords unwrapped themselves from his wrists. Ash sighed as he moved his arms for the first time since dawn and let the circulation travel back into his hands.

A wave of exhaustion hit him, but he shook it off.

As usual, Artemis hadn’t let him sleep at all while he’d been with her, and he’d now been awake for two days straight.

He was so tired, he wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“Oh, guess what I found out for you,” Artemis said. “My worthless brother, Dion, has hooked up with yours and with the Gaulic war god, Camulus, in a bid for power. Is that a goof or what?”

Acheron froze. “What did you say?”

“Dion and Cam think they can retake their godhoods and they’re using your brother as their ringleader. Can you say, rockball’s chance?” She laughed. “Just imagine, a forgotten Gaulic war god, my brother, whose only claim to fame is sucking down wine and getting laid, and your brother, whose only good mark is he happens to look like you. And they think the cabbage can lead them to glory.” She snorted, then laughed again. “I can’t wait to see what these losers have planned.”

Acheron stared at her. She might underestimate their abilities, but he had a sneaking suspicion of what they intended to do.

On Mardi Gras, the barrier between this world and the one where the Atlantean Destroyer was held would be thin.

There could be only one reason for them to have Styxx in on their plans …

They wanted to release the Destroyer and the only way to do that would be by killing Ash.

One way or another, Ash was going to make sure it didn’t happen.

Come Mardi Gras, they all had a big surprise coming.

They had no idea who and what they were dealing with. The Destroyer was far beyond their ability to command or control. Once unleashed, she was the most merciless ancient god imaginable. One who had slain every member of her own family. Afterward, she would have destroyed the entire earth had she not been stopped and imprisoned.

If Camulus and Dionysus thought to bargain with her after they killed him, they were pathetically mistaken.

He almost smiled at the thought of them trying to reason with her. Mardi Gras night would be interesting, no doubt.

“By the way,” Artemis said as she reclined naked on the bed and ran her bare foot up his spine in a long, cool caress, “your children have been very bad while you were here.”

Ash stopped rubbing his wrist and looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“In direct disobedience to your orders, Zarek was out and about earlier this evening, and he and Talon got into a fight in the French Quarter.”

Anger rushed through him. “What? When?”

“About two hours ago.”

“Dammit, Artemis,” he snarled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged and ran her hand over her naked breasts in an effort to draw his attention to her. “I liked you where you were and I knew if I told you, you’d leave.”

Ash glared at her. Her selfishness knew no bounds. Angry at her, he snapped his fingers and returned his clothes to his body. He made his hair black and grabbed his backpack up from the floor.

“I hate that hair color on you,” she said petulantly, zapping his hair back to blond.

He stiffened. “Yeah, well, the only color I hate more than blond is auburn.” He made his hair black again, then zapped hers to a matching shade.

Her furious shriek echoed through the temple as Ash mentally commanded himself back to New Orleans.

*   *   *

Sunshine felt an adrenaline rush as they approached the biker bar at 688 Ursulines Avenue. It was the best place in town to come meet friends, eat good food, and find all kinds of fun things to do.

“You didn’t tell me we were going to Sanctuary.”

Talon frowned. “You know about Sanctuary?”

“Honey, there’s not a single woman in this town who doesn’t know about Sanctuary, Land of the Bodacious Gods. Heck, me and my girlfriends want to get together and vote Mama Lo an award for her policy against hiring any man not seriously buff.”

She noted the offended grimace on his face and couldn’t help laughing. “Not that you’re not buff. You can certainly hold your own against the Sanctuary Hotties. But face it, haven’t you ever noticed that this place is like Hooters for women?”

“No. I can honestly say that I’ve never noticed how good-looking the men at Sanctuary are. Nor have I ever cared.”

The outside of the club was a typical New Orleans building that had been constructed in 1801. The brick was a rust color and a huge sign swung over the old-fashioned saloon-type doors. It showed a full moon rising over a hill where a motorcycle was parked and proudly proclaimed this place as Sanctuary, Home of the Howlers—the Howlers being the house band for the club, and a mighty fine-looking group of men they were too.

The bar was open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and was owned by the Peltier family. The owner, Mama Lo, had eleven studly sons who again warranted the woman an award for beautifying the city.

Each one of them was a prime male specimen guaranteed to make a woman pant.

Dev Peltier was at the door as they entered. A regular bouncer, he was one in a set of identical quadruplets. Sunshine had never met a woman who didn’t want to take one of the quads home. For that matter, they wanted to take them all home and use them as matching bookends in the bedroom. Only it wasn’t books her friends wanted to sandwich between the quadruplets.