Acheron 9529 BC–7382 BC 4 страница

Acheron swung his legs down. "What do you mean?"

"I've discovered one of the benefits to sleeping with Apollo. Father listens to me now. Your guards are gone and you'll have a monthly stipend to spend however you wish." She placed the purse in his hand. "I've also procured for you a reserved spot at the stadium for any and all plays. No one but you will be allowed to sit there. Ever."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What are the conditions?"

Her smile faded so that she could grind her teeth in aggravation. "Typical comment of Father's. You're not allowed to shame him or the family. He wouldn't elaborate, but so long as you don't cavort with anyone I think you'll be fine."

Acheron scoffed at the mere idea. "I have no plans to cavort with anyone." At least not publicly. He'd grown tired of that long ago. He didn't like being a spectacle.

She leaned forward. "Would you like to go to a play with me?"

"What about Apollo?"

"He's off with his sister. I have most of the day to myself." She held her hand out to him. "What say you, little brother? Shall we celebrate your freedom?"

Acheron gave her a real smile—something he almost never did. "Thank you, Ryssa. You've no idea how much this means to me."

"I think I have an idea."

Acheron went to retrieve his cloak from under the mattress... and the shoes Artemis had given him. He held the shoes for a moment, missing the goddess even more than before. How he wished he could celebrate with her, but that would have to wait.

After dressing himself quickly, he followed Ryssa out of the room. In the hallway, he hesitated as he looked around the bright walls. With the exception of Ryssa's offering to Apollo, he'd never left his room through the doors without having to bribe his guards with sex.

The degree to which his life had changed hit him full force. No longer a slave. No longer a prisoner. He was free now.

Acheron lifted his head proudly with the knowledge that he had money and he hadn't had to screw anyone to get it. More than that, he had a friend and a lover who treated him like he mattered.

For the first time in his life, he felt like a human being and not a possession or an object. It was a damn good feeling and he didn't want it to end.

Ryssa took his hand in hers and led him through the hallways, out the front door as if she wasn't ashamed in the least to be seen in his company. But as they moved among people, Acheron remembered one thing that hadn't changed.

Other people's reactions to his beauty. He pulled the cowl low over his face and kept his eyes on the ground at Ryssa's feet. He'd spent so much time with Artemis lately that he'd all but forgotten about his eyes and how much they repulsed regular people.

As they walked through the town square, he paused. There was a group of children with a teacher standing in front of a temple. A boy around the age of seven was reading the text that was written at the feet of the god.

" 'In all things moderation. The key to the future is understanding the past.' "

"Acheron?"

He blinked at Ryssa's voice and turned away to see her staring up at him with a frown. "Do all children know how to read?"

She glanced at the students. "Not all. Those are senators' sons. They come out here to learn about the pantheon and to see how the priests serve the gods while their fathers make the laws to govern people."

Acheron stared at the words that held no meaning to him. He was too ashamed to admit to Ryssa that he remembered almost nothing of his lessons with her and Maia. "All noblemen can read though, can't they?"

She tugged at his hand without answering. "We're going to be late to the play."

Acheron turned and followed her. "Have you any word about Maia?"

Ryssa smiled. "She married last year and is expecting her first child."

The news hit him hard. He didn't like the thought of a man hurting the girl he'd been so fond of. He hoped whoever she'd married treated her with the regard she deserved. "Isn't she too young for that?"

"Not really. Most girls wed at her age. I was a rare exception, but Father refused all suitors who asked for my hand."

"Why?"

"I honestly don't know. He would never explain himself to me. I suppose I should be grateful to Apollo. If not for him, I'm sure I would have lived my life as a spinster."

He could think of many things worse than that. But his sister was allowed her delusions he supposed. "Does Apollo make you happy now?"

"He's gentle most of the time." There was a sadness in her beautiful blue eyes that belied her words.

"But?"

She touched her neck in a nervous gesture that made him frown in understanding. "I'm not allowed to talk about what we do when we're together."

So Apollo fed from her in the same manner Artemis drank from him. It made him wonder if all the gods did that or was it something unique between Artemis and Apollo. "You deserve to be happy, Ryssa. More than anyone I know."

She smiled at him. "Not true. You're the one who deserves happiness. I could just choke Father for his blindness."

"I don't mind it so much anymore," he said honestly. "I'd much rather be ignored than abused."

She shook her head before she bypassed the crowd to show him where the proprietor had made a special entrance to the royal seats reserved for them.

Acheron hesitated. They were separated from the crowd by a cord and each of the ten seats was covered with a cushion. But what he didn't like was the fact that the area stood out and others kept glancing over at them. He hated people to focus their attention on him.

But he didn't want to insult Ryssa's gift. Pulling his cloak tighter, he followed her to the seats.

Neither of them spoke while the actors came out to perform. Acheron watched them as he thought about the children they'd seen on their way here. He wanted to read the way they did. Artemis deserved a consort who was literate.

Maybe if he could read, she might not have to hide their friendship...

A rtemis felt her brother's presence behind her like a physical touch. As twins, the two of them shared a special bond.

And a special hatred.

She wasn't sure when they'd become friendly enemies, but it was a cold fact. Though there was nothing they wouldn't do for each other, they could barely stand to be in the same room.

Hatred aside, she couldn't deny that Apollo was one of the more handsome gods. His shining blond hair was cropped short and the strong lean lines of his face were set off by the small goatee. His blue eyes were riveting with intelligence, power and a hint of cruelty.

He arched a brow at her. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"I could say the same for you. It's about time you crawled out of your human pet's bed. I was beginning to think she was the one controlling you. "

His look turned arctic. "And what has been keeping you so occupied? Father said you haven't been to the Olympian hall in weeks."

She shrugged. "It's boring there."

"That's never stopped you before."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Do you mind? I'm trying to watch the humans worship me."

Before she could move away, Apollo took her arm and pulled her closer to him so that he could whisper in her ear. "You haven't come to me to feed in a while. Who have you been taking your nourishment from?"

"What do you care?"

He gripped her neck as his canine teeth elongated. "There's only so long you can feed from a human before you hunger for something a little more substantial." He dipped his head toward her neck.

Artemis stepped away from him. "I'm not interested."

Apollo's eyes flamed red. "You do remember what happened to the last man you trifled with?"

She cringed at the reminder. Orion. Artemis had taken a fancy to the man but before she could even approach him, Apollo had jealously tricked her into killing him with one of her arrows. Then her brother had placed his image in the stars to always remind her that Apollo was the only male she could feed from.

"I didn't trifle with Orion."

He forced her to face him. "You need to feed."

Yes, but she didn't want to feed from her brother. She wanted Acheron.

Apollo pulled her into the shadows of his temple while the humans were gathered outside of hers to pay tribute. She didn't want to follow him. But if she didn't, he'd know she'd been with someone else and may Zeus help Acheron then. Her brother would tear him apart.

Her heart aching, she tried not to cringe as Apollo jerked her against him and offered her his neck. She took it and in her mind she pretended he was Acheron. Even so, she could taste the difference between them. Apollo's blood lacked the spirit. There was no racing inside her as she tasted him. No fire that wanted her to hold him close.

It was just blood.

When she'd taken enough to placate him, she pulled back and licked her lips.

Apollo attacked her then. His teeth tore through the tendons of her neck, leaving it throbbing. She wanted to slap him for it and many times in the past she had. Damn Hera for this curse. The jealous bitch had tried to kill both of them at birth and because Artemis had helped her mother deliver Apollo, this was her punishment. There was nothing worse than being forced to feed on your own kind. It was a lesson she and Apollo had known the whole of their lives.

Her head light, she tried to think clearly. Apollo was taking too much blood. It was something he always did when he was angry at her.

Grinding her teeth, she kneed him hard in the groin. He jerked back with a curse, tearing at her neck. Her curse joined his as she covered the gaping wound with her hand. "You're such a bastard."

He grabbed her upper arm, blistering it with his grip. "Remember what I told you. I catch you with a mortal man and I will kill him."

Artemis snatched her arm free. "Go play with your humans and leave me alone."

Her joy in the festival completely squelched, she transported herself back to her temple. But it was so lonely here. Her koris were gone for the day.

She looked at her bed and imagined the sight of Acheron there, his smile warming her while he pleased her with kisses and gentle caresses.

Needing him desperately, she flashed to his room. The instant she saw him sitting cross-legged on the floor with his back to her, her heart lightened. Without thought or hesitation, she ran to him and embraced him.

Acheron was startled as Artemis threw herself against his back and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hold. Even so the scent of her filled his head.

"I missed you today," she whispered in his ear, sending chills over his entire body.

"I missed you too."

Her grip tightened before she released him and placed her chin on his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Acheron snatched the scroll up from the floor and folded it so that she couldn't see what he was about. "Nothing."

"You're doing something..." She grabbed the scroll from him before he could stop her and opened it. She frowned at his childish marks. "What's this?"

He felt heat sting his face at having been caught. "I was trying to teach myself to write."

"Why?"

"I don't know how and I wish to learn."

She lowered the scroll to stare in disbelief. "Can't you read?"

Acheron hung his head as shame poured through him. "No."

Artemis lifted his chin in a gentle caress until he met her gaze. The kindness in her eyes warmed him completely. "You can now."

Acheron gasped as a slight pain went through him. She handed him the scroll back.

"Write your name."

Baffled by what had just happened to him, he picked up the quill and knew how to draw the letters. He wrote his name flawlessly. "I don't understand."

"I'm a goddess, Acheron. And I don't want you to hang your head in shame. Does this please you?"

"More than anything."

Her smile dazzled him. "Come with me. I'm in the mood to hunt."

"I don't know how to hunt."

"You will."

True to her words as soon as they were in the woods, she gave him a bow and arrow and just like with the writing, he knew exactly what to do.

How wondrous to be able to do something without all the years of learning it. But in truth, there was something more he wanted than literacy and hunting. "Can you teach me to fight?"

Artemis turned on him with a stunned expression. "What?"

"I want to know how to fight."

She scowled, then asked the one question that she never failed to voice. "Why?"

"I'm tired of being hit. I want to know how to defend myself."

Artemis was stunned by his unexpected request. An image of Apollo knocking her around went through her head so sharply that she flinched. Like most men she'd known, Apollo was such a controlling bastard. The last thing she wanted was to make herself vulnerable to Acheron. Teaching a man to fight could never lead to anything good. "I don't think so. I won't let anyone hurt you, Acheron. I'm all the protection you need."

"What if you grow bored with me?"

She cupped his cheek in her hand. "How could I ever be bored with you?"

Acheron offered her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I really wish you'd teach me."

His insistence set her hackles rising. "I said no," she snapped.

Acheron paused at the hostility in her tone. He knew that anger and what it stemmed from. "Who hits you?"

Artemis lowered her bow. "I think there's deer over this way."

"Artie..." He pulled her to a stop. "I know the sound in your voice. I've had it too often in mine not to recognize what it means. Who has hurt you?"

She hesitated for so long that he didn't expect her to answer, but when she did her tone was so low that he barely heard it. "Other gods."

He was stunned by her confession. "Why?"

"Why does anyone hit?" Her eyes were furious again. "It makes them feel more powerful. I will not have you hit me. Ever."

"And I would never do so," he said, his voice rife with conviction. "I could no more do to another what has been done to me than cut my own heart out. I only wish to protect myself."

"And I told you. I will protect you."

He caressed her arm before he dropped his hand and stepped back. "Then I shall trust you, Artie. But I want you to know that I don't trust easily. Please don't be like everyone else and break your word to me. I hate being lied to."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Let us hunt."

Acheron nodded before he nocked a new arrow and placated the only real friend he'd ever had. She didn't shun him and he didn't have to hide from her. What scared him, though, were the feelings inside him whenever she was near.

He was falling in love with a goddess and he knew just how stupid that was. Out of all the things he'd been, he'd never been a fool.

Until now.

She made him feel whole. Happy. And he never wanted these feelings to leave.

Pushing the thought away, he took aim at a buck. As he sighted it, Artemis ran at him and tickled him. The arrow flew wide of its mark, embedding itself in a tree where it disturbed a squirrel that actually threw a nut at him.

Acheron laughed before he narrowed his eyes on Artie. He tossed his bow aside then stalked toward her. "You have fouled my perfect shot. You're going to pay for that."

Artemis dropped her bow before she bolted.

He ran for her as she tried to disappear into the woods. Her laughter taunted him and made him smile all the more. He caught up to her right as she reached the small stream.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he swung her around in his arms.

Artemis couldn't breathe as the full weight of Acheron slammed into her. The sight of his smile, the light in those magical eyes...

It made her want to shout out in ecstasy.

He twirled around with her while the birds sang a special melody for them. She was lost in this one time and place with him. This was what she'd always wanted. Always needed.

Acheron didn't care about her quirks or her moodiness. Nor did he flinch from feeding her. He took her as she was and held her regardless. Unlike her family he didn't belittle her or tell her that she lacked the followers he had. He didn't care about any of that.

She wanted to lose herself to this moment and to him for the rest of eternity.

"Make love to me, Acheron."

Acheron froze at her words as his smile faded. "What?" He set her back on the ground.

She brushed his beautiful hair back from his face. "I want to know you like a woman. I want to feel you inside me."

He released her and stepped back, his expression reserved. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

He swallowed and she saw the fear in those silver eyes. "I don't want anything to change between us. I like being your friend, Artie."

"But you already touch me in places no one else has. Why wouldn't you want to be inside me?"

"You're a virgin."

"Only by a small technicality. Please, Acheron. I want to share myself with you."

Acheron looked away as his emotions burned through him. What she offered him was unimaginable. Yet he'd had numerous princesses and noblewomen come to him so that he could break their bodies in gently for intercourse with other men.

Parthenopaeus... Of the pierced maidenhead —that was how Estes and Catera had billed his services to his female clients. Acheron's reputation for gentleness had been legendary. The fact that he was extremely well-endowed and was still careful with them hadn't hurt him either.

Now a goddess offered herself to him. Any other man would leap at the chance. For that matter, any other man would already be naked.

But unlike the rest, he fully understood the intricacies of physical intimacy. Even though they asked and paid for it, some women cried at the loss of their innocence. Others cursed him and themselves. Some had even turned violent over the loss. A small handful rejoiced.

The problem was he didn't know which one Artemis would be.

"I don't want to hurt you."

She walked herself into his arms. "Please Acheron... I want to feel you in me when I feed on you."

"I really don't think we should."

Her eyes snapped fury at him. "Fine. Go then. Get out of my sight."

"Artie..."

It was too late. He was back in his room. Alone. "I'm sorry," he whispered, hoping she could hear him.

If she heard, she gave him no clue.

You should have slept with her. Would it really have mattered? He'd slept with everyone else. But the others had just been bodies for him to please. Artemis was different.

He loved her.

No, it wasn't as simple as that. What he felt for her... it defied love. He needed her in a way he wouldn't have thought possible and now he'd angered her.

His heart heavy, he only hoped that he could find some way to win her back and make her forgive him.

January 26, 9528 BC

It had been two weeks since Acheron had last seen Artemis and with the passing of each day, he grew more despondent. She refused to answer his calls.

He didn't even bother going to plays. Nothing could alleviate the pain inside him that wanted to be with her. All he wanted was to see her again.

Tilting his head back, he guzzled the last of the wine in the bottle he'd been drinking from. Angry and hurt, he threw it over the banister to let it smash on the rocks below. He reached for a new bottle and tried to pull the cork from it. He was too drunk to manage it.

"Acheron?"

He froze at the sound of the one voice he'd been begging to hear. "Artie?" He attempted to push himself to his feet, but instead he fell back to the ground. Looking up, he saw her in the shadows of his room.

She stepped forward, her face pale and drawn. Her left eye was swollen and there was the faint outline of a bruise in the shape of someone's handprint.

Rage darkened his sight. "Who hit you!"

Artemis stepped back, afraid of the man before her. She'd never seen Acheron drunk, but whenever Apollo drank, he turned violent. "I'll come back—"

"No," he breathed, his voice a hoarse whisper. "Please don't leave." He reached his hand out to her.

Her first instinct to run, she swallowed and reminded herself that she was a goddess. He was human and therefore couldn't harm her. Her legs trembling in reservation, she reached out slowly and took his hand in hers.

Acheron held it to his cheek and closed his eyes as if he were content to die now, as if touching her was the greatest pleasure he could imagine. He buried his face against her skin and inhaled deeply. "I've missed you so..."

She'd missed him too. Every day she'd sworn she wasn't going to see him, but today...

After Apollo's attack, she needed to be held by someone she knew wouldn't hurt her. "You look terrible," she said, frowning at the thick, prickly beard that had grown over his face. "And you smell bad."

He laughed at her criticism. "It's your fault I look like this."

"How so?"

"I thought I'd lost you."

Those anguished words touched her so deeply that it brought tears to her eyes. Falling to her knees, she shook her head at him.

Before she could speak, he whispered in her ear. "I love you, Artie."

Her breath caught in her throat. "What did you say?"

"I love you." He leaned against her and wrapped his arm around her neck before he collapsed and passed out.

Artemis sat there, holding him as his words echoed all the way to her soul. Acheron loved her...

She looked down at his face that was still incredibly handsome even in its unkempt state. He loved her. That succeeded in making her cry in a way she hadn't cried since she was a child. And she hated the fact that he could make her do this. She hated the fact that those words meant so much to her when they should mean nothing at all.

But the truth was the truth and she couldn't deny it.

"I love you too," she whispered, knowing that she could never tell him that if he were awake. It would give him, a mortal, too much power over her.

But here in this moment, she could tell him a truth that she wanted to deny with every part of herself. How could a goddess be in love with a man? Especially her? She was supposed to be immune to it. But somehow this mortal had crept into her soul.

If only he were a god...

He wasn't and it wasn't meant to be. He was human and not just any human. He was a slave. A whore who'd been brutally used by everyone around him. They mocked him and they would mock her for being with him. She winced at the truth. She had enough trouble with her credibility where the other gods were concerned. Should they ever learn about this, they'd strip her powers from her and banish her to the human realm.

She couldn't allow that.

Not even for Acheron. It was more than she could give. More than she could bear. She'd seen how cruel mankind was to each other. The last thing she wanted was to be naked in this world and at the mercy of people who had no heart. Look what they'd done to Acheron. He couldn't even walk in public without someone hurting him.

Imagine what they'd do to her should they learn she'd been a goddess...

They'd tear her apart.

Sobbing, she held him close and took him away from this stupid, mean world.

In her own bed, she brushed her hand over him and cleaned him up so that he looked like the Acheron she loved. His hair was fresh and clean, his cheeks smooth and soft while he lay naked on her feathered mattress. Every muscle of his body was sharply sculpted. The lines of his abdomen...

How could any woman not love a face and body so perfect?

Wanting to be as close to him as possible, she removed her clothes, then crawled into bed to lie beside him. She manifested a fur to cover them as she snuggled close and listened to his breathing.

While he slept, she ran her hand over the muscles that covered his chest. His body was flawless. Lean and well muscled, he looked powerful even while he was unconscious. Heat poured through her as she fondled his nipple. It puckered in response to her touch, making her smile.

And she wondered what it would taste like... Acheron was always tasting her, but she'd never done that to him. She was bashful about his body. But with him like this, she was emboldened.

Dipping her head down, she ran her tongue over the taut peak. Hmmm, he did taste good. His skin was salty and smelled of all Acheron. Her body aching, she moved slowly over his chest, sampling every inch of it.

It wasn't until she reached his stomach that she pulled back. His entire torso was bare except for a small patch of hair that ran from his navel down to the thicker patch at the center of his body. She buried her hand there, letting the coarse hair tease her fingers. Unlike the hair on his head, these were prickly and as she ran her hand through them, his cock began to harden.

Artemis touched him cautiously. She was fascinated by the part of him that was so different from her own body. At first she was able to move it at will, but before long he was so hard and stiff that all she could do was run her hand down the length of him and make his cock dance in response to her touch.

How odd...

Even stranger was the moisture that leaked from the tip. She glanced up to make sure he was still unconscious. Reassured, she bit her lip, then crawled closer. Her heart hammering in fear and curiosity, she dipped her head down for a taste.

Artemis groaned deep in her throat. There was nothing scary about this. Truly, nothing scary about Acheron in the least. Smiling, she pulled back to cup him in her hand.

He slept on, oblivious to the fact she was exploring him.

She moved back up his body to kiss those lips that had haunted her dreams these days past. She couldn't stand it anymore...

"Wake for me, Acheron."

Acheron was in a daze as he tried to focus his thoughts. But all he could see was Artemis. She was leaning over him, her green eyes scorching him with their heat.

"You take my breath away," he whispered.

She smiled ever so sweetly before she nipped his chin with her teeth.

He was already hard and aching for a taste of her. Was this a dream? His head was so foggy that he couldn't tell. There was a haze over everything.

"Show your love to me," she breathed in his ear.

He wanted to and with her on him like this he couldn't remember his objections to it. Turning his face into hers, he kissed her deeply. He'd never wanted to make love to anyone before, but right now he wanted inside her with a madness so unexpected that it tore through him and left him weak.

His head spinning, he rolled over with her and dipped his head down to tease her right breast.

Artemis gasped at the sensation of his tongue stroking her. Her stomach contracted sharply with each delectable lick. And to her amazement, she actually came from it.

Gasping, she clutched his head to her and shook as wave after wave of pleasure swept through her. She'd had no idea that he could do this.

He growled unexpectedly, before he lowered himself down her body. He nudged her thighs apart to stare at her with a hunger so raw it sent a shiver over her.

"Touch me, Acheron. Show me what you can do."

He ran one long finger down her, making her shudder in response. An instant later he buried his mouth against her. She cried out as his tongue tormented her. It was unbearably pleasurable.

And she wanted more.

For the first time, he slid a finger inside her while he tasted her. The intrusion was startling at the same time it was incredibly pleasing. When he slid another finger inside, she tensed.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30