Acheron (Dark-Hunter #14)

Acheron (Dark-Hunter #14) Page 15

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.

Artemis 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.

Acheron 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 . . .

Artemis, 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.

She reached to heal him. Before she could touch him, he caught her wrist in his hand. His grip surprised her. She wouldn't have thought he'd have such strength in this condition. "I want nothing from you."

"I thought you'd betrayed me."

"I don't break my word, Artemis. Ever."

"How was I to know?"

He laughed bitterly. "What? You think a few lashes are enough to break me? You're a goddess. How can you know so little?"

"You have no idea how hard it is to be a god. The sniveling voices that are always crying out for help for the smallest things. 'I want a new pair of shoes. I want more grain at harvest.' You learn to turn it off."

"Those things may be petty to you, but to some humans even something as innocuous as one moment of peace can make all the difference in a life. One smile. One tiny act of kindness. That's all it takes for us."

"Well, I'm here with my kindness."

Acheron scoffed. "I'm tired of being your pet, Artemis. I've nothing left inside to give you."

His anger ignited her own. "You are a human. You don't order me about."

Acheron sighed. She was right. Who was he, a worthless maggot, to say anything to her? Besides, he was in no condition to argue with anyone. "Forgive me, akra. I forgot my place."

She smiled and brushed a hand over his bald head. "That's the Acheron I know."

No, it wasn't. This was the Acheron who was bought and sold. The hollowed out shell who performed for the amusement of others, but who felt nothing inside. How pathetic that his heart meant so little to anyone, that she couldn't even recognize the fact that it was missing.

Releasing her hand, he lay still as she healed him. For once he tolerated the pain.

Once done, she sat back to look at her handiwork and then grimaced. "Oh, this baldness has to go. I like your hair too much."

It grew in perfectly and still Acheron didn't move.

In a tiff, Artemis folded her arms over her chest. "Can you not at least say thank you to me for healing you?"

Given the fact that she was the reason he was beaten so badly, the mere thought of thanking her stuck in his throat. But then he was used to such things as this. "Thank you, akra."

Like a child who was unaware she'd broken her favorite toy, she smiled in satisfaction. "We should hunt today."

Acheron didn't speak as she took him to her private forest and dressed him in red as if he was her doll and not a flesh and blood man. Her face was bright as she handed him a bow and quiver. He slung the quiver over his back without comment and followed her as she headed off in search of deer.

She chattered away about nothing in particular while he did as she asked, and tried his damnedest not to feel anything at all.

"You're being awfully quiet," she said once she realized he wasn't participating in her conversation.

"Forgive me, akra. What would you like me to say?"

"Whatever's on your mind."

"There's nothing on my mind."

She huffed at him. "Nothing? You have no thoughts whatsoever?"

He shook his head.

"How can this be?" She stuck her bottom lip out petulantly. "You're trying to punish me, aren't you?"

He kept all emotion out of his voice, especially the anger he bore her. "I would never seek to punish you, Goddess. It's not my place."

She grabbed him by his hair, making him grimace before she forced him to meet her gaze. "What is wrong with you?"

Acheron took a deep breath as he braced himself for what was to come. One thing he'd learned while living with his uncle, lust overrode anger. She might still beat him later, but if he pleased her enough the punishment wouldn't be as severe.

Stepping closer, he kissed her.

Sure enough, she loosened the grip in his hair and melted in his arms. Strange, he felt more like a whore in this moment than he'd ever felt before and he didn't understand why.

Perhaps because he shouldn't have to use his body to bargain with someone he'd given his heart to. Yet here he was, using his touch to lighten her anger . . . as always.

Disgusted with himself, he offered her his neck and died the death of a coward as she took it.

But what else could he do? It was either fuck or be beaten. Though to be honest, he could no longer tell which of the two was the most painful for him. One left scars on his body.

The other scarred his soul.

September 14, 9528 BC

Acheron sat on the railing of his balcony, drinking. He was mystified at how Artemis had managed to make him feel so unclean and yet as the days passed by he felt more and more like what his uncle had made him.

"Brother?"

He leaned his head back to see Ryssa approaching him. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm in so much pain from the baby. Could you please do that thing you do that makes me feel better?"

He snorted at words that could so easily be misconstrued. Thank the gods his father hadn't heard it. "It's called a massage."

"Can you do it?"

"Sure." Like everything else, he'd been well schooled in every muscle of the human body and taught how to loosen and please it. Sliding off the railing, he had her sit down on the floor and lean forward so that he could ease the tension in her back.

"Mmm," she breathed. "That is the most magical thing you do."

Not really. He was just glad to be able to use it on someone who wasn't going to turn around and start humping him over it. "You're really tense."

"I can't get comfortable. I'm aching all over."

"Just breathe then. I'll get the knots out and you'll feel a lot better." He went down to the pressure point and dug his nail in.

Ryssa let out a satisfied moan. "How do you do that?"

"A lot of practice." And a lot of beatings anytime he'd messed up.

"I swear we should bronze your hands."

Most people felt that way, but for many other reasons.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Are you planning to stay hidden until your hair grows back?"

Acheron paused as pain cut through him at the reminder. The only time he had hair was whenever Artemis showed up-even though she was the cause of it she hated the sight of him like this. The moment she left him, his hair returned to its real state.

"I have no reason to leave. Period."

"I thought you enjoyed going to plays. Yet you haven't been in ever so long."

Not even they could ease the pain he felt inside. The betrayal. If anything, watching the plays made him even more morose. "I'd just rather stay in my room, Ryssa."

She opened her mouth to speak, but her words died underneath a sharp cry of pain.

"Ryssa?"

"It's the baby . . . he's coming!"

Acheron's heart pounded as he rose to his feet, then swept her up in his arms. He carried her to her room before he left to find her maids so that they could summon the midwives and his father.

"Acheron," she called as he started to withdraw. "Please, don't leave me. I'm scared. I know you can make the pain less. Please . . ."

"Father will beat me if I stay."

She screamed out as another contraction seized her.

Unable to leave her like that, he went to the bed and started massaging her again. "Breathe, Ryssa," he said in a calm tone, applying a counter pressure where she was tense.

"What is this?"

He cringed at his father's snarling voice. Ryssa turned to look at him. "Father, please. Acheron can help with the pain."

His father shoved him aside. "Get out."

Acheron didn't speak as he obeyed. He passed Styxx and a line of senators in the hallway who were coming in to witness the culmination of his sister's union with Apollo. Several of them sneered at him and made comments under their breath. A couple even made offers.

He ignored them and kept going to his room. Then he locked his doors to make sure no one followed him inside.

Wishing he could have helped his sister, he sat in his room and listened to her screams, sobs and cries that went on for hours. Gods, if this was childbirth it was a miracle any woman would endure it.

Why would they?

And yet having endured something so horrifically painful, how could a mother shun the very child she'd fought so hard, and suffered so long, to birth?

He struggled to recall his mother's face. All he could really remember was the look of hatred in her blue eyes. "You're disgusting." Every time he'd ever gone near her, she'd slapped him away.

But not all mothers were like that. He'd seen them in the market and in the stands during the plays. Mothers who held their children with love-like the one he'd stumbled into in Artemis's temple. Her baby had meant everything to her.

Acheron brushed the back of his fingers against his own cheek. Closing his eyes, he pretended it was a mother's gentle touch, that a woman was touching him so sweetly. Then he scoffed at his own stupidity. Who needed tenderness? All he had to do was walk near any human being and he'd have all the caresses he wanted.

But they were never loving and they never came without conditions and cost.

"It's a boy!" His father's shout was muffled through the walls and was followed by a massive shout that echoed.

Acheron smiled, happy for his sister. She'd given Apollo a son. Unlike their mother, she'd be honored for her labor.

Hours went by as he waited until he was sure everyone had left her.

Acheron headed to her room, but was stopped by the guards outside.

"We were told to keep you away. Under no circumstances are you allowed in to see the princess."

How stupid of him to think otherwise. Without a word, Acheron returned to his room. With nothing else to do, he took himself to bed.

Acheron?"

He jerked awake at the whispered call. Opening his eyes, he found Ryssa kneeling beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard them turn you away, so I waited until I was free to come to you." She held a small bundle up for his inspection. "Meet my son, Apollodorus."

A smile curved his lips as he saw the tiny infant. He had a wealth of black hair and deep blue eyes. "He's beautiful."

Ryssa returned his smile before she set the baby in his hands.

"I can't, Ryssa. I might hurt him."

"You're not going to hurt him, Acheron." She showed him how to support his head.

Amazed, Acheron couldn't believe the love he felt inside him that swelled up.

Ryssa smiled. "He likes you. He's been fussing all night with me and the nurses, but look how quiet he is for you."

It was true. The babe gave one tiny sigh, then went to sleep. Acheron laughed as he examined the tiny fingers that didn't even seem real. "Are you all right?"

"Sore and very tired. But I couldn't sleep until I saw you. I love you, Acheron."

"I love you, too." Reluctantly, he held Apollodorus out to her. "You'd best go before you're caught. Father would be extremely angry at us both."

Nodding, she took the baby and left him.

Still the scent of the baby stayed with him, as did the image of innocence. It was hard to believe he'd ever been so small and even harder to believe he'd survived given the animosity his family bore him.

As he tried to return to sleep he wondered what it would be like to have a woman hold a child of his with such love and pride. Imagine a woman's face so joyful because she'd borne a part of him . . .

But it would never happen. His uncle's physicians had seen to that. His cock jerked at the memory of their surgery.

It's for the best.