At least until Nick walked past him and shoved his shoulder into Ash's. It was such a juvenile thing to do. Ash glared at him as he stalked away, into the darkness. "For the record, Nick, I loved Cherise too."
Nick flipped him off and kept walking.
Zarek was the last man to leave. He sauntered over and cocked his head. His gaze went to Tory before he returned it to Ash and spoke to him in Greek. "You know, it's amazing to me the wounds we can carry for eternity. But what has fascinated me most these last few years is how the right person can heal them. I remember a wise man once said to me that everyone deserves to be loved. Even you."
Ash snorted at the advice he'd given to Zarek after the man had almost let his wife go. "And as I recall, you told me to shut up."
Zarek shrugged, taking it in stride. "I'm an asshole. I admit it. I've been going to weekly Assholes Anonymous meetings, but it takes a long time to undo a few thousand years of habit. And to think you have even more years to undo than me."
"So how's Bob doing?" Ash asked, changing the subject to Zarek's young son. "Has Astrid won the battle yet?"
"On calling him Menoeceus? Hell no. I still say it's too close to Menopause for my taste and there's not even a good nickname for it. Can you imagine being stuck with that name at school? Call me ridiculous, but I'd like the kid to grow up without a stigma."
Ash laughed at a tirade Zarek had delivered on more than one occasion. Yet his wife Astrid completely ignored it and continued to call the poor child Menoeceus while his father called him Bob.
Zarek shook his head. "But I tell you this, there's nothing better than looking at a kid and seeing you mixed in with the one person you know you can trust to never screw you over. And I owe you for that, Acheron. Every time I look at them, I never forget what I owe you." He stepped away and switched to English, not knowing that Tory understood Greek as well as he did. "You two take care. And for the sake of the gods, stay out of trouble. At least until it warms up. You know how much I hate being in cold places." He vanished instantly.
Ash sent his staff back to Katoteros as Tory walked over to him. He repaired her shirt.
She tried to peer over his back. "How are you feeling?"
"Right now I could fly." He held his hand out for her.
The instant she took it, he teleported them back to his small flat on Pirate's Alley.
She looked around with an arched brow. "Wow, you weren't kidding. This place is itty-bitty."
He shrugged his backpack off his shoulder. "I don't need much."
"You know, me either. But there is one thing I need."
"And that is?"
The heated, sincere look in her eyes scorched him. "You."
He savored that word and the surge of love that went through his heart. But in the end, he knew the truth. "I can't stay with you, Tory. There can never be an us."
"Why not?"
Was she insane? Had she wiped the whole event they'd just lived through out of her mind? "You saw what I deal with on a daily basis. My enemies aren't human and I have a lot more than just Stryker to deal with, and while Nick might have set you free tonight, he might not tomorrow. Not to mention the large redheaded problem. I can't put you in that kind of danger. Ever."
"And if I disagree?"
"I won't let you. I'm a god, Tory. If I have to, I'll erase myself from your memories."
"You ever monkey with my brain and I swear, Acheron, you will be hurt."
And now that he thought about it, she was probably just like Nick-too flippin' stubborn for his powers to work on her. "Be reasonable, Tory. My life is very complicated and it's dangerous."
Tory wanted to cry over his obstinacy. "Everyone deserves love, Acheron," she said, repeating Zarek's words. "Look me in the eye and tell me you really want me to leave. Tell me you never want to see me again."
Ash swallowed as his emotions roiled through him. He didn't want her to go. He wanted to hold her and keep her by his side for the rest of his unnatural life.
But so long as she was human, she made him vulnerable. And as long as he had enemies determined to hurt him, he couldn't allow her near him. "I want you to leave, Tory."
"Yeah, well, people in hell want ice water. Now take your clothes off and let me see to your back. It has to be killing you right now."
"So you're going to completely disregard me?"
"Not completely. I hear what you're saying and I respect the fact that I was outgunned and outfought tonight-that those demon things came in and snatched me up from where I was sitting. I'm not a stupid woman, but that being said, I don't give up when I set my sights on something either. I love you, Acheron, and I intend to stand by your side even when you're trying to push me away."
Ash closed his eyes as he savored every word out of her mouth. "I don't know how to love someone, Tory. I don't."
"The crowd of people I saw who were willing to lay down their lives for you says you're full of more manure than a cow pasture, buddy."
"Artemis isn't going to let us live in peace. You do understand that?"
"I understand that I told you to take your clothes off and you're just standing here arguing with me. Give in to me, Ash. Trust me, it's easier that way."
Holding his hands up in surrender, he used his powers to remove his shirt.
Tory sucked her breath in as she saw the reopened wounds that lacerated his back. "How can you stand it?"
The blank look he gave her tore through her. "I'm used to it."
"Get in bed. That back needs to be tended and you need to rest."
"Yes, ma'am." Ash headed the short distance to his bedroom while Tory went to the kitchen. He paused in the doorway to watch her. Oblivious to him, she pulled a bowl out and ran water in it.
A wave of desire hit him so hard that it literally took his breath away. If he didn't hurt so badly, he wouldn't be going to bed alone. But the pain his back was infinitely more demanding than the one in his groin.
Yet neither of them could compare to the one in his heart which told him that this couldn't last. In spite of her stubbornness, she was going to have to go before Artemis killed her.
And Artemis was right. He was about to have to go crawling back to her to beg for food. Between the fighting and the wounds on his back, he was starving and if he didn't feed very soon, he would start killing.
Wincing, he wondered what Tory would think if she ever saw that side of him. The sad thing was, he never wanted her to deal with him like that. Never wanted her to see the demon beast that lived inside him.
No, Artemis had created that monster. It was only fair that she should be the one who fed it.
He sighed and went to bed to wait on Tory, knowing that come morning, he'd have to let her go.