Acheron 9529 BC–7382 BC 8 страница

"You should never do that, Acheron."

Now he'd be too weak for her. She bit back her anger. Normally she'd have punished him, but he'd been through enough. Cleaning him up, she laid him back against her bed to let him rest.

He tried to stay awake, but his eyes finally fluttered closed. Artemis stared at his naked beauty on her bed. His legs and arms were so long and graceful, so incredibly well formed. His stomach muscles were cut so deep that they looked chiseled. And as she remembered the way he'd made love to her, she grew hot all over again.

"You should always touch me like that."

If only he could hear her.

She reached to brush her hand through his hair and the instant her hand made contact, his hair turned jet black. She jerked back and watched as blue marbled itself over his skin.

Terrified, she scrambled from the bed. The number twenty-one wrote itself down his spine before the color faded and he returned to his normal state.

She frowned in confusion. Was this a reaction from her gift or her feeding from him? She'd never fed from a human before. Did they all do this?

Again she heard him whispering in Atlantean.

"It wasn't a happy anniversary. I want to come home now."

"Acheron?" She approached him slowly before she shook him awake.

He opened his eyes. Instead of silver, they were so black she couldn't even see the pupils. Then his eyes fluttered shut and he returned to sleep.

That was not normal. "What are you, Acheron?"

Every god power she possessed said he was human. But this wasn't typical of that species.

"Artemis!"

She jerked back and dressed herself as she heard Apollo's shout. Leaving Acheron to sleep in her bed, she materialized in the center of her greeting room where her brother stood with an angry sneer on his face.

"Is something wrong?"

"I. Need. Food."

She folded her arms over her chest. "Why are you so angry about it?"

"I wanted my human, but she's pregnant and can't suffer it."

"You have others."

"I don't want them." He grabbed her. The moment he did, he paused then smelled her hair. "You've been with a man?"

Her heart faltered. Unwilling to betray Acheron, she slapped Apollo's hand. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"There's a foreign scent on you. And it's masculine."

She rolled her eyes to cover the fear inside her. "I've been with humans all day, accepting their offerings. I must reek of their stench."

He fisted his hand in her hair. Artemis grimaced, finally understanding why Acheron found the gesture so offensive. Apollo wiped his finger behind her ear, then studied the digit. "Blood? Have you fed on another?"

She steeled herself and met his gaze levelly. "I didn't know when you'd be back and I was hungry."

His eyes sharpened. "Have you found yourself a male pet?"

She clawed at the hand he held in her hair. "You're my little brother, not my lover. Now release me or feel the full measure of my wrath."

He shoved her back. "You'd best remember who I am and who you are, sister." He curled his lip as if she suddenly disgusted him. "I'd rather feed from a servant."

Artemis didn't take another breath until he was gone. Her entire body was quaking from fear of his wrath.

The door to her room opened. She turned to see Acheron staring at her. He leaned against the door with one arm braced. The mixture of power and weakness was compelling. "I would fight him for you but for the dishonor you'd suffer."

Her heart was warmed by the thought. "You can never fight him, Acheron. You have no power to fight a god. He'd kill you and not blink." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arm about his lean waist. "Come, my sweet. You need to rest."

But as she returned him to bed, the fear inside her built. Should Apollo ever learn about Acheron, no power on Olympus would be able to save his life.

August 25, 9528 BC

Acheron lay in his bed, missing Artemis. Holding her ring over his heart, he smiled at the memory of her last night. Over the past weeks she'd been so kind and giving to him. No one, not even his sister, had ever been more thoughtful.

Closing his eyes, he could see her running toward him in her garden, laughing. They spent hours hunting, in shooting practice or just lying together in her garden while he played for her and she read to him.

How he wished they could stay like that.

Unfortunately, she couldn't have the stain on her reputation and he understood it even though he hated it.

A knock sounded on his door.

Rolling over, he saw Ryssa push the door open. She closed the door carefully before rushing to him. She was amazingly agile given her distended stomach. "Are you coming?"

Now there was a question he wasn't used to hearing from his sister. "Where?"

"To Artemis's temple?"

Again, not a question he was used to hearing. "What are you talking about?"

"This is her feast day. There will be games and offerings in her temple all day long. Father's already sent his offering and is overseeing the others, but I thought you might be going too."

Not with his father. Was she insane? He'd been making it a point to avoid any contact whatsoever with him or Styxx.

Acheron shook his head. "I don't think I should."

She gaped at him. "Are you mad? Don't you think Artemis would be offended if someone close to her didn't show her his respect?"

Acheron frowned. Would she? Artemis could be temperamental that way.

I'll be in the temple all day, but I shall see you afterward. I wish I didn't have to wait so long to see you.

Could that have been a veiled invitation?

No, Artie was anything but subtle.

"I don't have an offering."

Ryssa shoved at his shoulder. "Make one of the heart. It won't matter to her what it is. But you have to show your appreciation of the gods, Acheron. It's unwise not to honor them, especially when one has been shown a degree of favoritism." She smiled at him. "Now get yourself dressed. I have to go and can't wait for you. But I'll watch for you at the temple—don't be long."

Acheron didn't move from bed until Ryssa had left him. He still wasn't sure this was the best idea. But so long as he kept his presence veiled, there shouldn't be any harm. He could just go, make an offering and leave.

No one, other than Artemis, would even know he'd been there. And if that would please her...

How could he not honor her on her feast day after all she'd given him? He wanted her to know how much he loved her. Wanted her to see that he was willing to risk his life for her.

The very thought of making her happy brought a smile to his face. Getting out of bed, he tried to think of what Artemis might enjoy. She liked to hear him play and she loved his body and blood. But those would make her angry should he make a public offering of them...

White rose petals—for her purity and grace. And pearls. The goddess loved pearls. She'd even taken him pearl diving.

That was it, it would make a perfect gift to show her how pure his love and admiration for her was.

He dressed quickly, then headed to the market to buy what he needed.

By noon, he was at her temple which was crowded with people. Nobles and officials had a separate entrance where their offerings were blessed by the priests. Even though he technically qualified, Acheron stayed in the common line. He didn't want to do anything to draw attention to himself or risk angering his father who sat on a throne just right of Artemis's statue, watching the people. Apollo, Styxx and Ryssa were with him.

Warily, Acheron kept glancing up, hoping to the gods that his father wouldn't see him. He would make his offering quickly and be gone.

No one would know.

Keeping his face covered, he handed his gifts to the priest so that he could place them on the altar.

"What is it you ask of the goddess, paidi?"

Acheron shook his head. "Nothing, papas. I only offer her my respect and love."

The priest nodded in approval before he took the small bowl of rose petals and pearls. As Acheron stepped away, someone in the crowd shoved him and he staggered into a woman holding a baby. She cried out as she lost her balance and her grip.

Acheron froze as he realized the baby would hit the floor unless he let go of his cloak to catch it. If he did that, he'd be exposed and as close as he was to his father, there was no way he'd escape notice.

But there was no choice.

He caught the infant to his chest as the mother fell. Reaching out to save herself, she grabbed his cloak and jerked it free.

Acheron winced as all attention turned to him. He'd always hated this attention and if he could, he'd make himself invisible. But there was no escaping this.

Roaring in anger, his father shot to his feet.

Sick to his stomach, Acheron helped the woman up and returned the baby to her.

She was sobbing in relief. "Thank you so much for your kindness. Bless you for saving my son."

"Take him!" his father ordered the guards.

Acheron met Ryssa's gaze and saw his own horror mirrored in his sister's face as the guards grabbed his arms and hauled him to their king. The thought of fighting crossed his mind, but what was the use? They were only doing what they were told. Besides the crowd around them was tight and innocent people would be hurt if he did.

He met his father's fury without flinching.

"How dare you defile this temple!" He turned to the guards. "Lock him in his quarters until I'm finished here."

Acheron smirked. Such a sweet promise from the lips of his father. He couldn't wait until nightfall.

For the first time, Acheron looked at Apollo whose derision for him was tangible. If the god only knew the truth...

Drawing a ragged breath, he watched the priests remove his offering from the altar as he was hauled from the temple.

A rtemis looked up from her kithara as Apollo manifested in her greeting room. She'd been trying to play it the way Acheron did, but she had no talent for music. Her frustration was already taut and her brother's presence did little to alleviate that. "What are you doing here?"

He smirked. "Why weren't you at Didymos today?"

"You said you were going in my stead. I didn't see the point in both of us being there." But the truth was she didn't want to be around Acheron's family. They all disgusted her. Had she gone, Styxx would have had a lot more than just a stomach illness visited on him. Of course that might alert her brother about her feelings for Acheron so she thought it best that she just stay away from them. "Why? Did I miss something?"

He threw a beautiful strand of pearls at her. They were covered in white rose petals. Artemis frowned as she reached for them. "What is this?"

"The Prince Whore brought those to you."

Her heart ceased beating. "Excuse me?"

"It was entertaining really. He came in with the rest of the filth and after he handed those over by saying he asked nothing of you in return for his gift, he was exposed. Last I heard, they were going to make him pay for defiling you."

It took every piece of control she had not to betray their relationship. But in truth, her throat burned with tears for her Acheron... and bitter anger that they would hurt him again. She wanted to kiss the pearls that he'd given her because she knew that unlike the other tributes, his had truly come from his heart. More than that, she wanted to go to Acheron and help him.

If only she could.

Steadying herself, she threw the pearls down. "Why would you bring these to me?"

"I thought you should know that a whore breached your temple. Zeus knows, I wouldn't tolerate such a person in mine. Shall we go exact our own revenge on the whore?"

She returned to strumming her kithara. "He's not worth my time."

"Since when do you not have time for vengeance?"

"Since I'd rather stay here and play. Now go and visit one of your pets. I can't be bothered with you."

"Suit yourself."

Artemis didn't move until after he'd left her. The moment he did, she held her hand out for the pearls. They flew into her hand. Rubbing them against her heart, she went to see if she could help Acheron.

A cheron stood in the courtyard with his hands tied above his head. His lips and nose were already bleeding from the hits Styxx had gleefully rained down on him.

He spat blood on the ground before he narrowed a murderous glare at his brother. "Shouldn't you be at the temple still?"

Styxx backhanded him so hard his ears rang.

Acheron laughed at the pathetic slap. "You hit like an old woman."

Styxx stepped forward but was stopped by their father who entered through the doors. The look on his face was one of supreme disgust.

Acheron sighed. "I know I shouldn't have gone. Could we just start the beating, finish it and let me go back to my room?"

His father narrowed his eyes. "Why are so eager to be beaten?"

"It's the only attention I get from you, Father. As with Estes. So let the blows commence."

His father dug his fingers into his face as hatred blazed in his blue eyes. "I've told you not to mention my brother's name from your foul mouth." His gaze dipped down to the necklace Acheron wore.

Acheron held his breath as he realized he'd forgotten to remove Artemis's gift before he went to her temple. His heart stilled and for the first time he tasted fear as his father released his face and plucked it up to examine it.

"What's this?"

Acheron forced himself to remain calm and nonchalant. "A trinket I bought."

Styxx peered at it over his father's shoulder. "It's the same ring Artemis's priests wear to summon her." His features hardened. "You stole it!"

His father snatched it from his neck, causing the chain to cut into his skin before it broke. "Do you think the gods give a damn about you?"

Not as a rule, but Artemis did.

Styxx took the ring and grabbed a ladle of water. "We should teach the thief a lesson." Before Acheron could move, Styxx shoved the ring into Acheron's mouth and poured water into it, forcing him to swallow it.

Tears gathered in Acheron's eyes as the ring scraped his throat and burned. He choked on it and the water, but Styxx didn't let up until he was satisfied the ring was completely swallowed.

Acheron coughed and sputtered, trying to catch his breath.

Styxx wrenched his hair. "A whore has dishonored our beloved virgin goddess on her feast day. I think he should be publicly gelded."

Acheron's eyes widened at the punishment.

His father laughed approvingly before he cut him down. "It would please Artemis I think."

Acheron tried to run, but his father caught him and knocked him to the ground.

"Tell me why you came to the temple," his father demanded.

Acheron pushed himself up to find Ryssa joining them. His father struck him again and spun him around so that he could pin Acheron to the wall with his forearm held across Acheron's throat.

"Explain yourself, whore. What made you venture to the temple?"

Ryssa ran to Acheron. "Tell them. You must."

Fear gripped him as he shook his head at her.

"Tell us what?" the king demanded.

"Don't, Ryssa," Acheron whispered from his pinched throat as he tried to push his father's arm away. "I beg you. If you love me even a little, don't betray me."

"They're going to geld you. If they know the truth, they'll leave you alone."

"I don't care."

Ryssa pulled their father away from him. "Father stop! He's innocent. He's with Artemis. Tell him, Acheron! For the sake of the gods, tell him the truth so he'll stop this beating."

His father knocked him to the ground. He then kicked him onto his back and pressed his foot to Acheron's throat to the point bile rose to choke him. "What lies have you told her, maggot?"

Acheron tried to push the foot away, but his father pressed it even harder against his windpipe. Speaking was all but impossible. "Nothing, p-p-please..."

"Blasphemer." His father stepped back then and left Acheron to strangle as he tried desperately to breathe through his bruised esophagus. "Strip him and drag him to Artemis's temple. Let the goddess witness his punishment and if he really was with her, then I'm sure she'll come to his defense." He'd turned a smug look at Ryssa.

The guards moved forward, but Ryssa put herself in front of him. The only way to get to him would be to harm her and possibly the baby she carried. "Father, you can't."

"This doesn't concern you."

"If you hurt Acheron, Artemis will unleash untold horrors on you."

Their father laughed. "Are you insane?"

"No, Ryssa, please stop!" Acheron begged. "Don't!"

"Acheron is her consort."

Acheron couldn't breathe as those words rang in his ears... Ryssa had betrayed him. But in her world the gods protected their pets. She had no reason to think that Artemis wouldn't come to save him the way Apollo would save her. Too bad Artemis was not her brother. Closing his eyes, he wished himself dead.

When he opened them, he saw an outline of Artemis in the shadows. She was holding his pearls.

His father's laughter mixed with Styxx's. "You are Artemis's consort?"

Acheron couldn't respond as he saw the look of horror etched on Artemis's face. It faded beneath a look of anger so palpable it singed him.

His father sneered. "Do you really expect me to believe a goddess would have anything to do with you?"

Acheron couldn't speak. He couldn't even deny it. Artemis had frozen his vocal chords.

She thinks I told him...

Acheron shook his head at her, trying to make her understand that he hadn't told anyone.

His father seized him by the throat again. "Fine. Let's see what the goddess thinks of you." He turned to the guards. "Take him to Artemis's temple." He sneered at Acheron. "If you mean so much to the goddess, surely she'll come save you. If not, we'll show the world what we do to blasphemous whores. Beat him at the altar until Artemis shows herself."

"No!" Ryssa shrieked.

It was too late. Completely naked, Acheron was dragged unceremoniously out of the palace and through the crowded streets.

His body was bloody before he ever reached the temple. Everyone parted as the guards hauled him to the altar and strung him up between two columns.

"What is this?" the head priest demanded.

"By the king's orders, the blasphemer is to be punished until the goddess is appeased. He's to be beaten on her behalf until she shows herself to stop it."

Acheron met Artemis's gaze and the satisfaction in those green eyes scorched him.

"I told you what would happen if you betrayed me." Her voice whispered through his head.

He choked on his tears as the first lash sliced through his back. "I didn't betray you," he whispered. "I swear it."

Artemis moved forward and struck him across the face with the pearls he'd given her. "Beat him harder," she whispered to his punisher. "Make him feel every lash."

Acheron cried out as the lashes cut ever deeper.

The crowd cheered his beating. Repressed memories tore through him even sharper than the lashes. He was again in Estes's home, surrounded by people, pulling at him, grabbing him, calling for his submission and humiliation. How many times had he been jeered at? Laughed at and mocked?

"Beg me for mercy, whore..." His uncle's voice was loud and clear.

Acheron locked gaze with Artemis. How could she do this to him? How?

Artemis inwardly flinched at the torment and pain in those swirling silver eyes. They accused her as if she were in the wrong. She'd warned him what would happen if he told anyone. Did he think for one minute that she'd been joking?

"I gave you everything," she growled at him, making sure that only Acheron could see or hear her. "Everything!"

He lowered his head before he whispered in the lowest of tones. "I loved you."

Artemis shrieked in outrage that he'd dare say that to her after what he'd done this day. If anyone found out that she'd allowed him to touch her, she'd be ruined. Did he think his paltry love would ease her humiliation? Her ruination? Was it love to drag her down to be ridiculed alongside him?

"Hit harder!" she urged the guard. "I want his blood covering the floor of my temple."

That would teach him!

"You are nothing to me, human," she sneered in his ear. "Nothing."

Acheron let his tears flow as Artemis abandoned him. There was no need to beg for her forgiveness or mercy when it was obvious she had none where he was concerned. More than that, he felt her rip away his ability to fight. She took everything from him.

Unable to bear the pain, he surrendered himself to unconsciousness. But it was short-lived as they revived him to beat him more.

One his third session, he opened his eyes to find his father and Styxx standing in front of him. "Where's your goddess, maggot?"

He looked to Ryssa whose face was pale and drawn. He saw the guilt in her gaze as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I have no goddess." He had no one and he knew it. "Just geld me and get it over with."

But they didn't. Instead they beat him until he lost count of the lashes. Drifting in and out of consciousness, he wasn't sure when the beating finally stopped. He could feel nothing but the searing pain on his back.

Still there was no mercy for him. They left him tied before the altar where the crowd could add their own blows to him in defense of their beloved goddess.

For three days, Acheron hung there with no food or comfort. The closest he had was to see Merus approach him.

The boy stopped before him with a frown. "I thought you were a nobleman. You lied to us." His eyes angry, he picked up a rock from the floor and threw it at Acheron. It caught him on the chest.

Leaning his head back, Acheron stared up at the gilded ceiling. "Why!" he shouted at the gods. Why had they done this to him? Why was this his fate?

He'd been born a prince. He should be honored as such and instead, he was nothing. Surely he must be cursed. There was no other reason for this life. No reason for his suffering. And in that instant he hated everything on this planet. Everyone.

With a battle cry born of desperation and torment, he fought against his chains. But there was no one to care and no way to break free. All he succeeded in doing was reopening the wounds on his back and making new ones on his wrists. In the end, it only hurt him more.

So he stayed until the evening of the third day. The guards returned to free him, but before they did, his head was shaved and Artemis's double bow symbol was branded into his skull.

Acheron laughed at the irony. Her name had been branded into his heart before this and now he publicly wore the symbol of a goddess who would never again acknowledge him. The cruelty of it was unbearable.

Once they were finished, he was taken out to the street where a horse waited. His hands were tied in front of him so that the horse could drag him all the back to the palace. By the time he reached it, there was little to no skin left on his body.

Barely conscious, he was taken to his room and thrown inside it. Acheron took one step and fell to his knees. Too weak to move, he sprawled across the floor. But at least the stone was cool against his wounds, even though it made them throb.

There would be no Artemis to help him this time. No goddess to offer him succor or refuge.

"You are nothing to me, human." Those words would be forever etched in his heart.

So be it.

Closing his eyes, he had no hope for the future. No will to ever recover or move forward. His sister and his lover had shattered him for the last time. There were some betrayals no amount of apology could rectify and this time, Acheron had hit his limit.

There was nothing more they could do to hurt him. Soul sick, he crawled deep inside himself and swore that he'd never again open himself up to anyone.

September 2, 9528 BC

Artemis sat alone on her chaise, wanting to weep. Apollo had told every god on Olympus about Acheron and his claim to be her consort.

They'd all been laughing at her ever since.

"You should gut him on the floor of your temple," Zeus had said to her last night while she was visiting his hall.

Apollo had scoffed. "Can't. His life is tied to his twin brother and they both die which would ruin my fun for a while. But it's hysterical what lies these humans tell."

Aphrodite had rolled her eyes. "I can't imagine a whore thinking he could claim a relationship with Artemis of all the gods. Has anyone checked his mental state?"

"He's definitely insane," Apollo had said. "I knew it the first time I saw him."

After that, Artemis hadn't gone near any of the others. But even worse than their laughter was the sick lump in her stomach over the pain she knew Acheron was in.

He deserves it.

It was true. His betrayal deserved a painful death and yet all she wanted to do was hold him. She missed the way he made her feel. The taste of his lips...

When he was with her, she smiled all the time. There was something about him that made her happy. Nothing else really mattered except the two of them.

He betrayed you.

That was something she couldn't forgive. He'd made her a laughingstock. The only saving grace was the fact that none of the others believed his claims.

Yet even so, all she wanted was to go to him...

A rtemis, I summon you to human form." Ryssa held her breath inside Artemis's temple, afraid the goddess would ignore her. She glanced about, making sure again that she was all alone. "Goddess, please hear my call and come to me. I need to see you."

A shimmery haze appeared to the right of the altar. Ryssa smiled as the mist thickened to form an incredibly beautiful redhead. Artemis's features were very similar to Apollo's, except the goddess's face was more finely boned.

"What do you want, human?"

"I'm here on behalf of Acheron."

Artemis's eyes flamed with anger. "I know no one by that name." She began to fade.

"No please... It wasn't his fault. He didn't tell anyone. I did."

Artemis rematerialized as those words ripped through her. She glared at the petite blond beauty who carried her brother's child. "What?"

Ryssa took a step forward, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Acheron has never once breathed a word about you to anyone, not even me. I saw the bite wound on his neck and I knew it had to be you. Please, if I was wrong, then forgive me. But if I'm right, I didn't want you to be angry at him for something he didn't do."

Artemis glared at her swollen stomach. "You better be glad you carry my brother's son. It's the only reason you're still alive. You ever link my name to Acheron's again and by the River Styx I will have your hide mounted on my temple wall."

Artemis flashed herself away, but she stopped herself before she returned to Olympus. In truth, her heart was singing over the fact that he hadn't betrayed her. Her Acheron had been true...

Relieved, she went to see him.

Naked, he was lying on the floor of his room in front of his bed. She frowned at the sight of his bald head and the savage wounds that were still carved all over his body. But the one that appeared most painful was her own symbol that was still raw on the back of his skull.

"Acheron?"

He opened his eyes, but didn't speak.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30