"What is it, Ash?"
Acheron stepped away from him. "There's something I need to do. Stay here and I'll be back in plenty of time to go after Sunshine."
Talon caught his arm as Acheron headed for the door. "You better fill me in on this. Now."
"I can't."
"Acheron, this is no time to play Oracle. If you know what's going on and what we're dealing with, you need to come clean."
To Talon's complete amazement, Acheron vanished.
Ash couldn't breathe as he flashed himself into Katoteros, a small nether region between dimensions. This was his private domain where no one but he was ever supposed to tread.
Centuries ago, Hades had relegated him to this non-place. Or more correctly, Hades had incarcerated him here.
Since the day Artemis had freed him, Ash had used this place as a touchstone to remind him of what he was.
What he had been...
Now, Ash struggled for control. He had to have a few minutes to collect his thoughts. His emotions.
His stomach knotted, he felt ill as memories and pain took turns assailing him. The air around him sizzled and snapped in time to his volatile state.
He had to get a hold of himself. He couldn't afford to unleash his emotions.
No one would ever be able to stop him if he did.
Ash raked his hands through his long black hair and shouted his ancient battle cry. Lightning flashed and gray thunder clouds roiled across the eerie blue-black sky above him.
This couldn't be happening. Not now.
And yet there was no other explanation. Styxx was free. Somehow he had escaped from the Vanishing Isle and been turned loose in New Orleans.
How could it have happened?
Now Styxx was pretending to be him. He was mixing with Ash's men and talking to them...
Horror pierced his heart.
He had to stop him before Styxx revealed Ash's past to anyone. Ash couldn't bear the thought of anyone knowing about his human life. Knowing about what he'd been.
What he'd done...
"Acheron?"
He flinched at Artemis's voice. "This is my place, Artie. You promised me you would never come here."
She materialized before him. "I felt your pain."
"Like you care."
She reached out to touch his face, but he folded his arms over his chest, and moved away from her. She sighed and dropped her hand. "I do care, akribos. More than you know. But that isn't why I'm here. I have learned of Zarek."
Ash growled low in his throat. Of course, she would never come because he was hurt. She'd taught him long ago that his suffering meant nothing to her. "I'm handling it."
"Handling it how? He has been exposed and is now being sought by the human authorities. He jeopardizes everything. He must die."
"No." He snarled the word at her. "I will take care of it. I just need more time."
She had that familiar calculating look on her face. "And what will you give me for this time you request?"
"Dammit, Artemis, why must everything be a bargain with you? Can't you, just once, do something because I asked it of you?"
"Nothing is free," she said as she walked a circle around him. He cringed as she raked her hand over his back. "You of all people should know that. A favor requires a favor in turn."
He took a deep breath and prepared himself for what was to come. Like it or not, he would have to play supplicant to her to keep Zarek safe. "What do you want?"
She pulled his hair back from the nape of his neck and nuzzled him with her lips and nose. Against his will, his body broke out in chills and hardened.
When she spoke, her voice was low and husky. "You know what I want."
"Fine," he said resignedly. "You can have me, just don't send Thanatos in yet. Let me get Zarek back to Alaska."
"Mmm," she breathed against his neck. "See... it's so much better when you cooperate."
He stiffened as she licked his skin.
"Question?" he said coldly. "Did you free Styxx just so you could screw me?"
She pulled back sharply and stepped around him to give him a shocked stare. "What?"
Ash watched her carefully, wanting to know the truth. "Styxx is loose in New Orleans."
Artemis appeared flabbergasted. "I would never do that to you, Acheron. I had no idea he had escaped. Are you sure?"
In spite of himself, he was relieved to know she hadn't betrayed him. Again.
"Talon saw him and thought he was me."
Artemis pressed her hand to her lips. Her green eyes were terrified. "He'll be coming for you."
"He already is. I'm sure that little dance with Zarek outside of the club was a setup to get you to kill Zarek. No doubt, Styxx is trying to neutralize my men. Either to keep them from protecting me or to keep me distracted."
"I won't let him have you," she said emphatically.
"This is between me and my brother, Artie. I want you to stay put of it." Ash moved farther away from her. "I'll be back at dawn to fulfill our bargain. In the meantime, leave Zarek to me."
Vane was still in human form as he helped his sister eat her gumbo.
She was the only living creature he had ever allowed to see the tender side of him. To the rest of the world, he must always be ruthless and harsh lest their pack prey on Anya and Fang because of their mixed heritage.
Vane clenched his hand against Anya's thick, soft fur and fought down the pain inside him. She and Fang were all he really had in this world.
All that had ever meant anything to him.
On the day Anya had mated with the Strati warrior Orian, Vane had thrown a fit. He had always known her reckless and stupid mate would meet an early death.
A few weeks ago, the Fates had proven him right.
He could still hear the sound of her voice when she had learned of Orian's death and had told him that she was more than mated to Orian. She had allowed the wolfswain to bond her to him as well. With their life forces melded into one, Orian's death would normally have been hers, except for the fact that she carried Orian's young.
But as soon as the pups came into this world, she would join her mate on the other side of eternity.