The Dark-Hunters (262 page)

It was his personal symbol of power and it marked everything he owned.

Without stopping, he walked directly across the large black marbled foyer that held the same design in the center of the floor.

There was no furniture in the circular foyer, but the golden domed ceiling above him was supported by sixteen columns that had been carved into statues of the most prominent of the Atlantean gods.

Gods who had once made this realm their home. In those days, they had gathered affectionately here in this hall to share time with each other as they watched over the human world and protected it.

But those days were long gone.

The ancient gods themselves were long gone.

Ash headed for the throne room that faced the main doors. The doorway to it was flanked by the likenesses of Apollymi the Destroyer and her husband Archon Kosmetas, a surname that meant Order. At one time, the two of them had presided over the nether realms of Katoteros and Kalosis, and in one fit of anger, Apollymi had laid waste to all who dwelled here.

All of them.

Not a single Atlantean god had remained standing after she had swept through this temple in her violent fury. Ash had never understood what could possess her to do such a thing.

But as he entered the throne room of the ancient gods, he was beginning to have enlightenment.

“Urian!” he growled, summoning his servant to him.

Urian popped into the Atlantean throne room ready to take on the devil himself. He drew up short as he caught sight of Ash’s true form while the Dark-Hunter stood before the gilded dais that contained two gold thrones that were carved into the shape of dragons.

Urian was still having trouble dealing with Ash when the man looked like this. The blood-red, flaming eyes were enough to make even a demigod like Urian cringe, and Ash’s iridescent blue-streaked, marbled skin tone …

Errr …

But the most disturbing thing was the deep, vicious scar that ran from Ash’s navel to his throat where someone’s handprint had been branded. It looked as if someone had once held the man down by his throat as they sliced him open.

Urian had learned from Alexion on the day he had arrived at Katoteros that while the hand scar came and went, the vertical scar was only visible in this realm and that he should
never
react to it.

Not if he valued his life, anyway.

Ash’s unbalanced temper was present in the lightning bolts and thunder that crackled and sparked outside the leaded windows of the temple.

There were very few things in life that frightened Urian. The extremely powerful man before him was one of them.

Not even Ash’s pet
pterygsauri
would come out to be with their master in this mood. Unlike Urian, the small winged dragon-like creatures had stayed wisely hidden.

“What have you to report?” Acheron asked him, his voice thick with his Atlantean accent.

“Basically that all hell is breaking loose in hell.”

Acheron looked less than pleased by the news. More lightning shot across the sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows behind the thrones. It gave an eerie glow to Acheron’s body. Thunder clapped ominously as it shook the temple floor where Urian stood.

“What is happening?”

Urian bit back his sarcasm as he started to point out that the weather in Kalosis mirrored the weather here in Katoteros. That would most likely be suicidal.

“I don’t know. Desiderius came back to the hall with his son in tow a little while ago. I was told that he said something to Stryker that caused him to reward Desiderius by giving him the ability to reincarnate. Apollymi the Destroyer is locked inside her temple and no one is allowed to see her. Apparently someone did something wrong and she has since sent her Charonte demons off on a blood hunt throughout Kalosis to find the perpetrator. There are Spathis dropping like flies all over the place and everyone is pretty much wetting their pants in fear of her wrath.”

“And your father?”

Urian tensed at the reminder that Stryker, the leader of the Spathi Daimons who were controlled by the Destroyer, had fathered him. “I don’t know. The minute Desiderius left, he flipped out in the main hall and has been tearing the place apart ever since.” His face hardened. “He keeps screaming out my name and I don’t know why. Maybe he learned that I’m alive.”

Acheron looked away from him.

“What’s up with all this, Ash? I know you know.”

“No, I don’t. The Destroyer is silent to me. I hear nothing from her and that’s what concerns me most. She’s never silent in our battles.”

Urian cursed at what that signified. “What could have set them both off at once?”

The muscle in Acheron’s jaw beat an impressive staccato rhythm. “My guess is Stryker sent Desiderius out with a test for me. Once Desi saw that it was effective, he reported it back to Stryker, who had all the confirmation he needed.”

“Confirmation of what?”

Acheron’s gaze cut through him. “What he really is to Apollymi.”

Urian gave a low whistle. “Yeah, that would freak him out. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he and the Destroyer will kill each other.”

Acheron shot him a look that made him take a step back.

“Sorry,” he said quickly.

Acheron started pacing. With his robe flowing eerily out behind him and his silver-soled boots clicking against the black marble floor, he was a spooky sight.

“Why would Desiderius try to take over Tabitha’s body?”

“What do you mean?” Urian asked.

“He tried to take over her while I was there. After I blasted him out of her, he came for me.”

That didn’t make sense. How stupid could … well, it was Desiderius, after all. “Why would he attempt that if he knew what you were?”

Ash gave a low, ominous laugh. “I don’t think Stryker shared that information with Desiderius. He wouldn’t dare. It would undercut his own authority in Kalosis if he did so.”

Good point. “So I guess the real question is who will be the body donor.”

Acheron cocked his head as if he just realized something. “He’s after Kyrian and Amanda. Since he couldn’t get either Tabitha’s body or mine, he’ll probably go after someone else they know and trust. And that’s the next bit I need you to find out. Stryker has me blocked so that I sense nothing in regard to Desiderius.”

“For the record, I’m beginning to feel like cannon fodder here. There are a lot of people in Kalosis who rejoiced the day Stryker cut my throat. If one of them finds out that I’m there spying on them, they’ll send me back to you in pieces.”

Acheron gave him a wry, wicked grin. “It’s okay. I’ll just put you back together again.”

“Thanks, boss. And I find that thought even more disturbing. Humpty Dumpty here doesn’t want to fall off the wall, okay?”

Acheron’s face hardened once more. “Go, Urian.”

Inclining his head, Urian stepped back and willed himself to Kalosis.

Acheron stood silently in his throne room, listening. Still, he heard nothing from the other side. More lightning clashed outside as the winds whistled against the glass panes.

“Talk to me, Apollymi. What are you doing?”

But for the first time in eleven thousand years, she was utterly silent.

The only sound he heard in the deafening silence of his mind was his sister’s faint voice. “Be careful what you wish for, little brother.
You
will get it.”

*   *   *

Tabitha hung up the phone from talking to Amanda. Kyrian and Julian had been in the process of taping up Nick’s ribs while she’d warned her sister about Desiderius’s attack just outside of their house.

“I’m scared, Val,” she said as she put her phone down. “Really scared. I keep hearing Amanda’s voice telling me about her dream where she and Kyrian die. I know you hate the man, but—”

“I don’t hate Kyrian, Tabitha. He hates me.”

She nodded as Valerius pulled her into a tight hug that she really needed. He held her carefully against his chest while one hand played in her hair.

She inhaled his rich, welcoming scent, which soothed her even more than his touch.

“Acheron won’t let her die,” he said comfortingly. “You know that.”

“I hope so, but her vision…”

“Those can be altered. Acheron is always saying that fate is helpless against free will. What she saw was one
possible
outcome.”

Tabitha choked on her tears as she thought about what life would be like without Amanda. It was more than she could stand. “I can’t lose my sister, Valerius. I can’t. We’ve always had each other.”

“Shh,” he breathed before placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “I’m sure she feels the same way about you, and I swear on my life that neither one of you will ever have to fear losing the other. Not on my watch.”

Tabitha was amazed by his tenderness when it was obvious he’d never been shown any himself.

She pulled back to look up at him. “How could your brothers have ever killed you?”

He released her instantly and took three steps back. By the look on his face, she could tell her question had hurt him deeply.

“I’m sorry, Val. That was insensitive of me.”

“It’s all right. Things were different in those days.”

That seemed to be his answer for everything, and it seemed too easy for her to accept.

“I shall call Otto and have him bring us dinner. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.”

Tabitha nodded and gave him the reprieve she sensed he needed. Without looking back, he left her alone in his library.

“Whatever do you see in that bastard?”

She turned quickly at the sudden voice behind her to find a man of Val’s height, staring angrily at her. Dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt, he was incredibly handsome with a neatly trimmed goatee, short, jet-black hair, and electric blue eyes. “Who the hell are you?”

“Zarek.”

The unexpected name caught her off guard. So this was the infamous whipping boy who had lived in Valerius’s Roman home. Offhand, there wasn’t much other than the dark hair and height that marked them as brothers.

Tabitha folded her arms over her chest as she faced him. “So you’re the dirtbag with the lightning bolt.”

He laughed evilly at her insult. “I’d be careful if I were you. There’s no law that says I can’t fry your ass, too.”

She scoffed at that and refused to give in to his intimidation. “Sure there is. Ash would kill you if you hurt me.”

“He might try, but I doubt he’d succeed.”

She sucked her breath in between her teeth at his daring tone. “You are arrogant, aren’t you?”

He shrugged nonchalantly.

“So, why are you here?” she asked him.

“I’ve been watching the two of you.”

She was disgusted at his confession, and the thought of being his personal viewing choice. It made her shiver in revulsion. “You unbelievable perv!”

His gaze narrowed dangerously. “Hardly. I’ve made sure to look away when you two start the lovey-dovey shit. I’ve already been blind once in my life. I have no wish to go back to it.”

“Then why were you watching us?”

“Curiosity mostly.”

“And you’re here now, why?”

“Because I’m curious as to why the sister-in-law of Kyrian would fuck someone like Valerius.”

She sneered at him. “That’s none of your damned bus…” Tabitha trailed off as the room spun around her.

Suddenly, Valerius’s library was gone and she found herself in what appeared to be a mirrored hallway. She saw herself reflected in the mirrors with Zarek by her side.

“Where are we?”

“Olympus. I have something I wanted to show you.”

The mirror before her shimmered and changed. It no longer reflected them.

Instead it showed her the past.

She saw an ancient canvas tent with a bloodied man tied to a wooden frame inside it, being tortured. His screams rang out as he begged for mercy in Latin while another man beat him with a barbed whip.

Cringing, Tabitha covered her ears until the beating stopped and another man dressed in Roman armor stepped forward.

It was a young Valerius. His dark face was in need of a shave and his armor was spotted with bloodstains. He looked tired and ill-kempt, as if he hadn’t slept in days, but still he held that regal air of superiority.

He threw water into the man’s face. “Tell me where they’re marching to.”

“No.”

The Latin words echoed in her head along with the sight of Valerius ordering a soldier to beat the man more.

“It was your lover who blinded me,” Zarek snarled in her ear as the mirror clouded, then cleared to show her the image of two small boys.

One lay on the ground, curled into a ball while the other beat him with a whip. One of the lashes cut deep into the one boy’s eye, causing him to scream as he covered it with one grimy hand.

“I’m the one on the ground,” Zarek snarled in her ear. “Valerius is the one beating me mercilessly and you fucked him.”

Unable to watch the cruelty, Tabitha turned and ran into someone else.

She started to fight until she glanced up to see Ash looking less than pleased.

“What are you doing, Z?”

“I’m showing her the truth.”

Ash shook his head at the former Dark-Hunter. “I can’t believe you married a justice nymph and have yet to learn anything from her. There are always three sides to every memory, Z. Yours, theirs, and the truth, which lies somewhere in between the two. You’re only showing her a single sound bite to prove
your
point. Why don’t you give her the whole clip?”

Ash turned her back toward the mirror. “I’m not going to lie to you, Tabby, or try and sway your opinion. This isn’t Zarek’s memory or Valerius’s. It’s just the untarnished, objective truth of what happened to them.”

She saw the child Valerius again as a man in a toga who looked remarkably similar to Zarek stepped forward. He had to be their father.

Laughing, he patted Valerius on the shoulder. “That’s it, my son. Always strike where they’re the most vulnerable. You’ll make a fine general one day.”

The child Zarek glared at both of them as if he could kill them where they stood. Their father jerked the whip from Valerius’s hand and commenced to beating him again.