His anger mounting, he flung open the doors to her temple with such force, they clamored against the walls. Her koris shrieked before they ran out to leave Artemis alone with him.
Artemis sat up in a huff as she raked him with a feral glare. "What is your wreckage?"
"Damage," he corrected as he stalked toward her. "Can't you tell?"
"What? That you look like crap? You're filthy and you smell. Why didn't you bathe before you came to me?"
"Because a car ran over me, after I was chased by a group of men shooting at me, Artie."
"And that's my fault? How?"
He took a deep breath and counted to ten before he killed the mother of his daughter. Though to be honest, Katra was a grown woman who didn't really need her mother anymore . . . "Does the Atlantikoinonia ring any bells for you?"
"Yes, they do. So what?" That unrepentant stare went through him like an exploding grenade.
When he spoke it was through his clenched teeth as he fought for the strength not to lash out and hurt her. "They tried to kill me, Artemis. And as you can plainly see, I'm not really thrilled over it."
Her face paled. "They weren't supposed to touch you. Ever."
"No," he said, his voice dropping to the low cadence of a demon's, "their orders were to terminate an innocent human on sight. I just happened to be with her when they struck."
She gave him a droll look as she dismissed his concern and anger. "Why do you even care about the human? I was only trying to protect you."
"No you weren't. I know what's in the missing journal. You don't give a shit about my dignity. It's your own ass you're trying to save."
She scooted back on the couch, trying to escape him. "Does this mean you're the one who took the book?"
He paused. "I thought your people had it."
She curled her lip at him. "If we had it, why would we be after the bitch?"
The insult to Tory pissed him off even more. "She's not a bitch, Artemis. Now call your dogs off. I mean it."
She rose to her knees to meet him without cowering. "What if I don't do what you want? They're innocent humans too. Are you going to kill them?"
His hands itched to wrap themselves around that perfect, swan neck of hers and wring it until he had satisfaction. "I am not playing with you."
"And neither am I," she shrieked. "That journal threatens everything and I won't stop until I have it."
He hissed in anger, but she didn't retreat.
She tossed her head back, proud in her defiance. "You won't hurt me and I know it. You love Katra too much. She would be devastated to know her father killed her mother. I should have introduced you two a long time ago. So long as I have her love, I know I'm completely safe from your wrath."
He held his hand up as if he'd choke her anyway, but in the end, they both knew the truth. She was right. As angry as he was, he couldn't hurt her because it would tear his daughter apart.
Artemis smiled seductively. "I've missed you." She slid her arm around his waist.
Ash shoved her away from him. "If you value your worthless life, stay away from me."
He flashed himself from Olympus to Katoteros.
Urian was on his way out the door of the main hall as Ash entered it. "What the hell happened to you? You have a bad run-in with Artemis?"
Ash curled his lip at the ex-Daimon. "One day, Urian, I'm going to bitch-slap you so hard your ears will ring for eternity."
Urian laughed. "But it won't be today, mostly because you don't look like you could do much of anything to hurt someone. Seriously what happened?"
"I wrecked my bike."
Urian rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Fine, don't tell me. Whatever."
Ash let out a bitter laugh as he realized how preposterous that sounded. He'd never laid a bike down before in his life. Upset, angry at Artemis and worried over Tory, he paused to look at the Daimon. "You know, Uri, there's something seriously wrong with me."
"And you're just now figuring this out? Damn, you're the poster child for slow learning."
Curling his lip, Ash started past him.
Urian pulled him to a stop. "That was a joke, Acheron. You were supposed to laugh."
"I'm not in a laughing mood."
Urian nodded in understanding. "So what really happened?"
Ash hesitated. It wasn't in his nature to talk to anyone about anything. And yet he had one burning question that wouldn't go away. "What is so wrong with me that I'm only turned on by women who hate my guts?"
Urian snorted at his question. "You're right. That's sick." He clapped his hand on Ash's shoulder. "One word for you, my brother. Therapy. Get some."
"That's three words."
"It needed expanding . . . and speaking of expanding things, you have a visitor inside who wants to be your new best friend."
Ash cursed as he realized who was waiting for him. "Who the fuck let him out?"
"The girl ghost who wants the two of you to kiss and make up."
Ash ground his teeth together. "I'd rather be hit in the head with the tack hammer Tory threw at me."
"Tory?"
"Long story." Ash let out a tired sigh. "Thanks for the warning. I'll go deal with him."
Ash headed for the doors that led to his throne room. As he passed over the seal in the floor, his clothes changed to his Atlantean formesta and black leather pants. He threw open the doors to find Styxx waiting on the other side.
He paused at the sight of his twin who always caught him off-guard. Every time he looked at Styxx he was reminded of his past. Of the brutality. Of the injustice of their lives.
And against his will, he heard Estes growling drunk in his ear as he held him down by his hair and violated him. "How dare you make me want you like you do. I hate you for what you do to me, you disgusting whore. I. Hate. You." The only thing his uncle had ever freely given him had been blows and insults.
Now Styxx stood before him, a perfect replica with short blond hair and normal blue eyes that Ash would have killed to possess.
Ash looked away as he reminded himself that he was a god and not a worthless whore at the mercy of his brother's cruelty. "I'm really not in the mood to deal with you today, Styxx. What little patience I have was eaten alive about two minutes ago."
"I know. I can sense your moods."