The Dark-Hunters (541 page)

Ryssa let out a satisfied moan. “How do you do that?”

“A lot of practice.” And a lot of beatings anytime he’d messed up.

“I swear we should bronze your hands.”

Most people felt that way, but for many other reasons.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Are you planning to stay hidden until your hair grows back?”

Acheron paused as pain cut through him at the reminder. The only time he had hair was whenever Artemis showed up—even though she was the cause of it she hated the sight of him like this. The moment she left him, his hair returned to its real state.

“I have no reason to leave. Period.”

“I thought you enjoyed going to plays. Yet you haven’t been in ever so long.”

Not even they could ease the pain he felt inside. The betrayal. If anything, watching the plays made him even more morose. “I’d just rather stay in my room, Ryssa.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but her words died underneath a sharp cry of pain.

“Ryssa?”

“It’s the baby … he’s coming!”

Acheron’s heart pounded as he rose to his feet, then swept her up in his arms. He carried her to her room before he left to find her maids so that they could summon the midwives and his father.

“Acheron,” she called as he started to withdraw. “Please, don’t leave me. I’m scared. I know you can make the pain less. Please…”

“Father will beat me if I stay.”

She screamed out as another contraction seized her.

Unable to leave her like that, he went to the bed and started massaging her again. “Breathe, Ryssa,” he said in a calm tone, applying a counterpressure where she was tense.

“What is this?”

He cringed at his father’s snarling voice. Ryssa turned to look at him. “Father, please. Acheron can help with the pain.”

His father shoved him aside. “Get out.”

Acheron didn’t speak as he obeyed. He passed Styxx and a line of senators in the hallway who were coming in to witness the culmination of his sister’s union with Apollo. Several of them sneered at him and made comments under their breath. A couple even made offers.

He ignored them and kept going to his room. Then he locked his doors to make sure no one followed him inside.

Wishing he could have helped his sister, he sat in his room and listened to her screams, sobs and cries that went on for hours. Gods, if this was childbirth it was a miracle any woman would endure it.

Why would they?

And yet having endured something so horrifically painful, how could a mother shun the very child she’d fought so hard, and suffered so long, to birth?

He struggled to recall his mother’s face. All he could really remember was the look of hatred in her blue eyes.
“You’re disgusting.”
Every time he’d ever gone near her, she’d slapped him away.

But not all mothers were like that. He’d seen them in the market and in the stands during the plays. Mothers who held their children with love—like the one he’d stumbled into in Artemis’s temple. Her baby had meant everything to her.

Acheron brushed the back of his fingers against his own cheek. Closing his eyes, he pretended it was a mother’s gentle touch, that a woman was touching him so sweetly. Then he scoffed at his own stupidity. Who needed tenderness? All he had to do was walk near any human being and he’d have all the caresses he wanted.

But they were never loving and they never came without conditions and cost.

“It’s a boy!” His father’s shout was muffled through the walls and was followed by a massive shout that echoed.

Acheron smiled, happy for his sister. She’d given Apollo a son. Unlike their mother, she’d be honored for her labor.

Hours went by as he waited until he was sure everyone had left her.

Acheron headed to her room, but was stopped by the guards outside.

“We were told to keep you away. Under no circumstances are you allowed in to see the princess.”

How stupid of him to think otherwise. Without a word, Acheron returned to his room. With nothing else to do, he took himself to bed.

*   *   *

“Acheron?”

He jerked awake at the whispered call. Opening his eyes, he found Ryssa kneeling beside him. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard them turn you away, so I waited until I was free to come to you.” She held a small bundle up for his inspection. “Meet my son, Apollodorus.”

A smile curved his lips as he saw the tiny infant. He had a wealth of black hair and deep blue eyes. “He’s beautiful.”

Ryssa returned his smile before she set the baby in his hands.

“I can’t, Ryssa. I might hurt him.”

“You’re not going to hurt him, Acheron.” She showed him how to support his head.

Amazed, Acheron couldn’t believe the love he felt inside him that swelled up.

Ryssa smiled. “He likes you. He’s been fussing all night with me and the nurses, but look how quiet he is for you.”

It was true. The babe gave one tiny sigh, then went to sleep. Acheron laughed as he examined the tiny fingers that didn’t even seem real. “Are you all right?”

“Sore and very tired. But I couldn’t sleep until I saw you. I love you, Acheron.”

“I love you, too.” Reluctantly, he held Apollodorus out to her. “You’d best go before you’re caught. Father would be extremely angry at us both.”

Nodding, she took the baby and left him.

Still the scent of the baby stayed with him, as did the image of innocence. It was hard to believe he’d ever been so small and even harder to believe he’d survived given the animosity his family bore him.

As he tried to return to sleep he wondered what it would be like to have a woman hold a child of his with such love and pride. Imagine a woman’s face so joyful because she’d borne a part of him …

But it would never happen. His uncle’s physicians had seen to that. His cock jerked at the memory of their surgery.

It’s for the best.

As bad as it was for the rest of the world to hate him, he could imagine nothing worse than to see his child despising him. To have his own child deny him.

Of course, if he had one, he would never give it cause to hate him. He’d hold it and love it no matter what.

Go to sleep, Acheron. Just forget everything.

Closing his eyes, he let out a tired breath and tried to sleep again.

“What are you doing?”

He opened his eyes to find Artemis in his bed, beside him. “I was trying to sleep.”

“Ah … Did you hear about our nephew?”

“I did. Ryssa was just here with him.”

She wrinkled her face up. “Don’t you find babies nasty and disgusting?”

“No. I thought him beautiful.”

She scoffed. “You would. I think they’re smelly and fussing. Never content. Always demanding. Yuck, I can’t imagine going through all that to have something so nasty clinging to me.”

Acheron rolled his eyes as he imagined all the poor infants that were given to Artemis. Obviously she gave their care over to someone much more maternal. “I’m thinking the Greeks should have learned this about you before they declared you the goddess of childbirth.”

“Well, that’s because I helped my mother give birth to Apollo. That was different.” She reached down to cup him softly in her hand. “What have I here?”

“If you don’t know by now, Artie, no amount of explaining is going to help.”

She laughed deep in her throat as his cock hardened even more. “I was hoping to find you still awake.”

Acheron didn’t comment as she dipped her head down to take him into her mouth. He stared up at the ceiling while she tongued him. It would probably be more pleasurable if he didn’t have to make sure to keep himself in check. But he knew better than to come with her like this. She liked the taste of him, but she didn’t like it when he released anywhere except inside her.

Even then she only tolerated it.

He jerked as she nipped him hard enough to hurt. She curled her fingers in the hair around his cock. Sighing, Acheron wished he could go back to the beginning of their relationship. Back to when this had meant so much more than just her sucking on him.

She gave one long lick before she pulled back. He expected her to return to his lips. Instead she sank her teeth into his upper thigh, barely two inches from his sac.

Yelping from the pain, he had to force himself not to push her away and hurt himself even more.

The pain quickly passed into a wave of extreme pleasure. But she didn’t allow him to come yet. “I want you deep inside me, Acheron.”

Rolling her over onto her stomach, he propped her hips up on his pillows and obliged her request. He held her hips in his hands and buried himself deep inside her. He thrust against her until she’d had enough orgasms that she begged him to stop. Rolling over onto her back, she laughed in satisfaction.

Artemis sighed contentedly until she realized he was still hard. “Why didn’t you finish?”

Acheron shrugged. “You were done.”

“But you weren’t.”

“I’ll live.”

She let out a sound of disgust. “Acheron? What is wrong with you lately?”

Acheron clenched his teeth, knowing better than to answer her question. She didn’t want to hear anything other than how wonderful she was. “I don’t want to fight, Artemis. What difference does it make? You were pleased, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then all is right in the world.”

She propped herself up on one arm to stare down at him as he lay beside her. “I really don’t understand you.”

“I’m really not complicated.” All he asked for was the two things she couldn’t give him.

Love and respect.

She dragged one long nail around his neck. “Where’s my ring that I gave you?”

Acheron flinched at the memory of being forced to swallow it. “It was lost.”

“How could you be so callous?”

Him callous? At least he hadn’t thrown her gift back in her face and then had her beaten for it. “Where are the pearls I gave you?”

Her face turned red. “Fine. I’ll get you another one.”

“Don’t. I don’t need one.”

Her eyes darkened angrily. “Are you shunning my gift?”

As if he’d ever take another gift like that from her. He’d had enough abuse. “I’m not shunning anything. I just don’t want to take a chance on shaming you. Given everything that has happened, I really don’t think it’s wise I have something that is so clearly yours.”

“That’s a good point.” She smiled at him. “You are ever loyal to me, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

She kissed his cheek. “I’d best go now. Good night.”

After she was gone, Acheron rolled over onto his back. Closing his eyes, he let his thoughts drift. In his mind he pictured a woman with kind eyes. One who held his hand in public, who was proud to be with him.

He imagined how her hair might smell, how her eyes would light up every time she glanced at him. The smiles they would share. Then he imagined her kissing her way down his body, imagined her looking up at him as she went down on him.

His breathing ragged, he thrust himself against his hand, pretending it was her he made love to.

“I love you, Acheron…”
He could hear her voice so sweet and calm … most of all, it would be sincere.

He gasped as his warm seed coated his hand and seeped between his fingers and not inside a woman who loved him.

Shuddering and only partially sated, he opened his eyes to the harsh reality of his life.

He was alone.

And no woman, mortal or otherwise, would ever willingly claim him.

OCTOBER
23, 9528
BC

Acheron rolled over in bed, trying to sleep. Apollodorus was screaming so loudly that it echoed all the way down to
his
room. For hours the baby had cried.

He wasn’t supposed to go near the infant, yet he couldn’t stand the sound of so much anger and unhappiness. Unable to tolerate another minute of it, he got out of bed and dressed.

Quietly, he walked down the hallway to Ryssa’s room, making sure no one saw him. He cracked open the door to find Ryssa and her nurse in the room, swapping the baby between them.

“Why is he doing this?” Ryssa asked in a voice that sounded as if she were about to cry herself.

“I don’t know, Highness. Sometimes babies cry for no reason.”

Ryssa shook her head at the baby the nurse was rocking in her arms. “Please, child, have mercy on your mother and rest. I can’t take much more of it.”

Acheron slipped into the room. “I’ll take him.”

The nurse’s face paled as she turned away.

“It’s all right, Delia. Let Acheron see if he can quiet him.”

The nurse appeared dubious, but in the end she obeyed.

Acheron took his nephew and tucked him into the crook of his elbow. “Hello, little one. You’re not going to fuss at me, are you?”

Apollodorus took a deep breath as if he were about to let loose another wail, then opened his eyes. He stared at Acheron for several heartbeats before he quietly cooed, then settled down to sleep.

“
That
is a miracle,” the nurse breathed. “What did you do?”

Acheron shrugged as he placed Apollodorus on his shoulder.

Ryssa smiled. “That’s it. I’m making you his nurse.”

Acheron laughed at the thought of him as a nurse to anything. “Go to bed, sister, you look exhausted.”

Nodding gratefully, she started off. The nurse held her hands up for the baby.

Acheron handed him back, but the instant Apollodorus left his arms, the baby woke up and screamed again.

Ryssa jumped. “For the love of the gods, let Acheron keep the boy. I can’t take another hour of this.”

The nurse obeyed instantly.

Again Apollodorus cuddled against Acheron and went to sleep.

“Where should I take him?” Acheron asked.

Ryssa paused. “You better not risk the nursery. Father or Styxx might venture there. Take him to your room.” She looked at her nurse. “You go to the nursery and cover for us should they ask after him.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” She bowed and left them.

Ryssa patted his arm gratefully. “Wake me when he’s ready to feed. In the meantime, I must sleep.”

Acheron kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Rest. We’ll be back when he needs you.” He watched her climb into bed before he took his nephew down to his room.