The Dark-Hunters (396 page)

“If it’ll work, I will.”

Megeara, gave him a gimlet stare. “Is that the truth?”

“Yes,” Arik said. “I haven’t had much interaction with human people.”

She gave a light laugh. “Human people, huh? Are there any other kind?”

As a matter of fact there were, but now didn’t seem like the time or place to educate her on that.

Grateful that her mood was lighter, he offered her a small smile. “Can you forgive me for my behavior? Please.”

She looked down at the permits in her lap, then smiled. “I think I can, but only if you promise to never do something like that again.”

“I swear it on Solin’s life.”

Solin sputtered. “Uh, excuse me?”

“I would, but there’s truly no excuse for you.”

He folded his arms over his chest. “Ha, ha.”

Geary rolled her eyes at them, but deep inside, their bantering play made her ache. She and Jason used to bait each other like that. It would drive her father to distraction, and the weird thing was neither she nor Jason knew why they did it.

It must have been innate sibling behavior that made them constantly pick at each other. Jason had been a smart, good-looking teenager who would have followed her father to the ends of the earth without complaint.

God, how she missed Jason.

“Are you all right, Megeara?”

She met Arik’s concerned gaze before she nodded. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

“Something?”

“Personal,” she finished.

He nodded and she was grateful that he didn’t pursue his line of questioning. Any time she thought about Jason, it made her cry.

“So what do we do now in preparation for the excavation?” Arik asked, changing the subject.

When she didn’t respond quickly enough, Arik pointed toward her permits. “Remember our bargain?”

“I remember.”

Solin sat forward on the seat. “What bargain is this?”

“That I would allow Arik to participate on the team if he came through with the permits.”

Solin arched a brow. “Really? Well, in that case I want to join you.”

Geary was aghast at his request. The boat was crowded enough with their team, they really didn’t need anyone else. And especially not someone who would only get in the way. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You don’t strike me as the academic type.”

A seductive smile curled his lips. “Oh, I assure you, I’m extremely knowledgeable about this subject. So much so that some swear I actually lived in ancient Greece.”

Yeah, right. Mr. Rolls and Armani in a library—why did that image just not jibe with her? Oh wait, because he might get dust on his Ferragamos.

“Uh-huh.
You
study ancient history?”

“All the time.”

She narrowed her gaze on him. “Fine. Give me the date of the Peloponnesian War.”

“Which one?”

Geary was amazed that he knew even that much. “The first one.”

“It began 431
B.C.
between the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta and the Delian League led by Athens. Archidamus II, who was leading the Spartans, believed that he could keep them in a land war, which Sparta was unrivaled at, that would weaken Athens. Their commander Pericles believed he could use the Athenian navy, which was the backbone of Athenian power, to weaken Sparta. Needless to say, the war lasted much longer than either side intended. And while I find the writings of Thucydides a little on the dry side, I have to admire the way Aristophanes was able to poke fun at the leaders and events of the time.” He paused for effect. “Of course this is all an extremely cursory overview that trivializes the entire event into an absurd CliffsNote.”

Geary had to force herself not to gape at his unexpected dissertation and commentary. “Okay, so you’re not faking. I have to say that I am impressed. It’s not often I find anyone who has even the most modest understanding of what I’m talking about.”

“Don’t be. You’ll find both Arik and myself quite useful when it comes to understanding antiquities.”

She looked at Arik. “And what was your favorite event of the war?”

“I prefer the Peace of Nicias. Time’s too precious to waste it with war and conflict.”

His words made her smile. “But the peace was fraught with skirmishes and ultimately broken.”

“Yes, and doesn’t it piss you off that there are always assholes who just can’t let other people live in peace? Really, some people should get a life.”

He had a point with that. In more ways than one.

George pulled to a stop at the marina.

Geary glanced out at her boat where she could see Tory and Teddy sitting together while they compared notes. “Well, it looks like I’m home.”

Arik reached out and gently took her hand. “What about our bargain?”

She really hated that bargain. When they’d made it, she’d thought he was kidding, but then again, she owed him much for what he’d given her today. “Fine. You guys can come. We’re not going to do anything tonight except prepare for tomorrow’s dig. Be here at dawn,
sharp.
I won’t wait for you.”

“We’ll be here.”

Solin groaned. “What is it with you morning people?”

Geary tsked at him. “You don’t have to join us, you know.”

Arik met her gaze without humor. “We’ll be here.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

George opened her door and she left the men to themselves.

Arik didn’t speak until after George had shut the car door. Then he turned back to Solin.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
he projected the thought to his brother to keep the driver from overhearing them.

“Nothing,” Solin said out loud.

Still, Arik wasn’t placated. He knew Solin was up to something. Why else would he come on Megeara’s expedition when he had no reason to? “Megeara belongs to me.”

Solin scoffed at Arik’s anger. “I have no interest in her, believe me. She’s all yours.”

“Then why are you coming?”

His face sobered. “To make sure
you
don’t screw up. Have you any idea how bad it would be if they learned what you are?”

Relieved that was Solin’s only reason, Arik sat back in the seat. “They won’t.”

“No, they won’t, which is why I’m going with you. I’ll be there to help cover any blunders you make. Now can you at least say, ‘Thank you, Solin’?”

He said it from between clenched teeth and with no real sincerity. “Thank you, Solin.”

“You’re welcome.” He pressed the button for his intercom. “George, it appears my brother is in desperate need of clothing.”

“Very good, sir. I’ll head to the store right now.”

*   *   *

Tory met Geary on the gangway. Her face was so hopeful that it brought tears to Geary’s eyes. “Well?”

Geary forced herself not to smile as she shook her head no.

Tory cursed until Geary handed her the permits. It took a full ten seconds before Tory realized what they were.

She literally jumped up and down. “Oh my God!”

“Yes.”

“Oh my God!”

“Yes, Tory.”

Screaming, she ran up the gangway, then stopped at the top and ran back to Geary. “They’re not forgeries, are they?”

“No.”

She screamed again and ran to tell Teddy.

Geary laughed at Tory’s exuberance. For once she was acting her age.

By the time Geary reached the deck, the entire team was there.

“You really got them?” Teddy asked.

“I got them. We’re starting at dawn.”

You would have thought she’d brought home the winning lottery ticket—but then, maybe she had. All of them had been aching for this for years and now their patience had paid off.

They were going excavating.

Geary paused as she noted the reservation on Kat’s face. “Is something wrong, Kat?”

“Oh no. I’m just stunned. I have to say that I never expected this.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s unbelievable.”

“Yes,” Kat said coldly, “it is.”

“Aren’t you excited?” Tory asked.

“Thrilled.” But Kat’s tone belied the word.

Geary frowned, wondering what had Kat so upset. But the rest of the team’s happiness and her own quickly had her forgetting all about it as they planned what they were going to do once they’d found Atlantis.

Kat stood back as the group headed below the deck and a chill went down her spine. Geary had found the location and Arik had just handed her the key to the door.

“You can’t let them snoop around the remains, Katra.…”
Artemis’s words rang in her ears.
“If you do, they will find the seal and release the Destroyer back into this world. Should Apollymi ever be freed, I know I don’t have to tell you what she would do to us.
To me.
You can’t let her be free. Ever.”

That was easier said than done, especially since Kat could hear Apollymi calling out to her from her prison in Kalosis. Apollymi wanted her freedom as badly as the rest of the gods wanted her trapped.

And Kat was caught in the middle.

But at the end of the day, she knew the real reason she had to keep Atlantis hidden. If anyone ever learned the truth of what had happened to the island, the one person who would be destroyed was the one person she loved more than anyone else.

Acheron Parthenopaeus.

Eleven thousand years ago he’d been enslaved to Artemis, and he had been mankind’s champion ever since. He was the leader of the goddess’s army of Dark-Hunters who protected humanity from the demons who preyed on them. And while he protected the Dark-Hunters and humans, no one had ever watched his back.

Except for Kat.

For him alone, she would do whatever she had to to keep this place sacred and buried. And if that meant sacrificing every person on this boat, including Geary, so be it.

No one would ever hurt Acheron. Not if Kat could help it.

CHAPTER 8

Geary was laughing with Teddy and Scott when she caught a shadow out of the corner of her eye. Thinking it was Kat come to join them, Geary turned her head to welcome her in. Until she saw Arik standing in the doorway—just as she’d imagined him earlier that day. A chill of déjà vu washed over her as her humor fled. There was no denying the hunger in his light eyes as he watched her. The predatory gleam. All he had to do was extend his hand toward her and it would be her dream all over again.

Was all of this a premonition?

Tory caught Geary’s distraction and turned to look. Like Geary, she went mute, and as the rest of the crew noted the women’s behavior, they followed suit. Suddenly their laughter and good cheer turned into a rigid and questioning silence.

Geary cleared her throat as she approached Arik, who didn’t seem to be the least bit concerned or disturbed by their silence. “What are you doing here?” she asked in an emotionless tone.

Oblivious to the tenseness of the others, he shrugged. “I know how much this means to all of you, so I wanted to join in your celebration … that is, if you don’t mind.”

That seemed to soothe everyone in the room but her.

“Come on in,” Teddy said, handing Arik a plastic cup of Cristal—yeah, it was a cheap way to serve the best, but they’d been saving the champagne for this particular event. Geary had two more bottles stashed for when they found hard-core proof of Atlantis’s location. Then the real celebration would begin.

This was, Geary hoped, just the warm-up, with everyone drinking except the divers and Tory.

The team returned to their party.

Moving closer to her, Tory touched her gently on the arm. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said with a fake smile before she made her way from Tory to Arik.

Scott clanked his cup with Arik’s. “Man, we can’t thank you enough for getting those permits. You really have no idea what this means to all of us.”

Arik inclined his head before he took a drink of champagne. As soon as it touched his tongue, he gasped and sputtered, then immediately started choking.

Scott pounded Arik on the back as Geary took the cup from his hand.

“Are you all right?” Teddy asked.

Coughing, Arik nodded. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so…,”—he curled his lips—“so strange tasting.”

“Strange?” Teddy asked, gulping his. “This is the best shit to be had.”

Geary remembered what Solin had said about Arik’s sequestered upbringing. “Have you ever had champagne before?”

He shook his head.

Scott gaped. “Get out. Where you been living, under a rock?”

Arik cleared his throat. “Not exactly. But close.”

Geary set his cup aside. “Arik was raised in the Greek countryside, away from civilization.”

Scott shuddered. “Man, that sucks. I went up there once a couple of years ago and it was enough to convince me that I like American plumbing, if you know what I mean. And since you’re from up there, I know you do.”

Teddy and Scott exchanged a horrified look before Geary pulled Arik out of the room so that she could speak to him alone. Not that they had much privacy in the hallway, but at least they weren’t in direct line of sight and hearing of the others.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she narrowed an agitated glare on him. “I thought you were going with Solin.”

Arik looked less than apologetic. In fact, he was actually charming as he offered her a lopsided grin. “I don’t want to be with Solin. I want to be with you, especially while you’re happy.”

On the one hand that was flattering, but on the other it made her nervous. She didn’t like the feeling of being stalked by him … granted, most of her discomfort was caused by the fact that she’d seen him in her dreams these last few months. That wasn’t his fault, but still … “Thank you, and while I can appreciate that, I don’t like clingy men. I’ve always needed my personal space, okay? I mean, really, I barely know you.”

Arik nodded as a fierce pain settled in his chest from her words. It constricted his breathing and made him literally ache. What was this sensation? He’d never felt anything like it before. Strange emotions seemed to be gathering in his throat to choke him. It was a physical pain and yet there was no physical reason for it. He didn’t understand.

“Please, Megeara. Don’t be angry at me. I don’t have a lot of time left and I don’t want—”