"Oh for goodness sakes, child. The baby will never be left alone and unprotected." She gestured to the crowded room. "There's not a being here who wouldn't lay their life down for him. He is not you, Apostolos. We don't have to hide him."
Pam looked up from the monitors. "Tory's blood pressure's too high. We have to calm her down or she's going to have a stroke."
"Calm her down? How?"
Tory screamed as the baby moved again. It felt like he was trying to rip her in half.
Kim blanched. "We're going to lose them both."
Ash couldn't breathe as he heard those words.
In all of his extremely long life, he'd never been more terrified. He couldn't lose his wife. He couldn't.
Hoping he didn't do it wrong, he reached with his powers to pull the baby out.
Lightning burst in the room, ricocheting all over it. He had to duck to keep from getting blasted.
Tory screamed even louder.
And the baby stayed inside her.
"Oh that's not good," Menyara whispered. She moved him aside. "Let me try."
This time, the lightning slammed her into the wall.
Ash looked at his mother who shook her head. "I've never seen anything like this."
Pam turned the monitors toward them. "She can't take much more."
Ash met Tory's gaze. The utter agony and terror there stabbed him. What were they going to do?
"Her heart's failing."
Tears welled in his eyes. If she died because of this, because of him, he'd never forgive himself.
"Call Mom."
Ash frowned at Kat. "What?"
"She's a goddess of childbirth. She was only a few hours old when she delivered Apollo from her own mother. If anyone knows what to do..."
Yes, but she was also his worst enemy. They hated each other. Why would she help?
And then another fear stabbed him. What if Artemis was doing this? She'd been known to kill women in the throes of labor. Could she hate him so much that she would kill Tory just to get back at him?
Of course she would
Tory screamed again.
Wincing, Ash teleported himself from his home to Artemis's temple on Mount Olympus. He would rather be flayed, which he'd been many times, than come here. Only fear for Tory's life would have him in this hated place.
Her receiving hall was completely empty. "Artemis!" he called, heading toward her bedroom. If she did have something to do with this, he would turn Simi loose on her. Fate and order be damned.
Artemis appeared in front of the doors.
Ash hesitated. There was something different about her. She still had the flawless beauty that had always been hers. The long curly red hair and eyes so green they betrayed her divine status, but there was a serenity to her that had never been there before.
"Are you all right?" She actually managed to look concerned.
"Tory..." he choked at saying her name as unimaginable fear and pain ripped him apart. "She's in trouble. The baby won't come and she can't survive it. I need your help."
Her eyes darkened. "You would dare come here about that after all you've put me through?"
Oh yeah, there was the old Artemis he knew and hated. No mention of the fact that she'd stood and watched while her brother disemboweled him at her feet. Or of all the times he'd been beaten and humiliated while she watched on.
But none of that mattered to him.
Only Tory did.
Swallowing his pride, he kept the hatred from his gaze. "Please. Whatever price you demand of me, I will pay it. Anything, Artie. Just don't let her die."
"She, a pathetic human, really means that much to you?"
"I would die for her."
Artemis pressed her lips together as tears glistened in her eyes. "You loved me like that once."
And he'd paid for that love in the most violent ways imaginable. "Please, Artemis. If you ever loved me, don't make Tory pay. I'm the one who wronged you. Not her."
A single tear slid down her cheek. "Would you have ever begged for my life?"
"When I was human. Yes."
She reached out and laid her hand on his cheek. "I did love you, Acheron. As I have never loved anything else, other than the child you gave me. And you're right to hate me. Because I'd never loved anything, I didn't know how to take care of it. I didn't know how to take care of you." She pulled his head down to hers and whispered softly in his ear. "I'm sorry." She placed her lips to his cheek and kissed it.
Then she vanished.
Ash scanned the room, trying to locate her. "Artemis?" Where had she gone? He shoved open the doors to her bedroom. "Artie?"
Still no answer.
Had her apology meant that she was sorry she wouldn't help? Terror tore through him.
What have I done?
Ash raked his hands through his hair as he fought down his panic and rage. Fine, if Artemis wanted to be a bitch, he'd find some way to save his wife.
Closing his eyes, he went home.
And froze in the corner as he saw the most shocking thing of all time.
Artemis with Tory.
"That's it, Soteria. Breathe easy." Artemis had one hand on Tory's forehead while she gently rubbed the other over Tory's stomach. "See how calm he is now?"
Tory nodded.
"He feels what you feel. He's trying to protect you both." Artemis looked at the others. "All of you need to leave."
Kat stood up slowly. "Mom..."
"Leave, Katra. The baby wants peace."
"We'll be downstairs," Menyara said.
Ash hesitated. "Am I to leave too?"
Artemis shook her head. "If you go, you'll always think I've done something to the child to get back at you. Stay and know that I'm not hurting him."
One by one, she pulled all the monitoring devices from Tory. Then she cupped Tory's face in her hand.
"Breathe slow and easy, then push. Not hard, but gently. Let him know that it's safe and that you want him here to be loved."
Licking her lips, Tory nodded and did what she ordered.