Artemis Lupine- The Complete Series

by Catherine Banks

  Achilles gasped in pain. I spun around and stared in shock as a blade was shoved through his chest and its bloody end dripped out the back. I moved towards him, but it was too late. I was always too late. Too slow.

  “No!” I screamed as Achilles’ light faded and then my own body dropped to the ground. Darkness surrounded me and cold spread through my limbs. The last thing I heard was Ares scream my name as I died beside Achilles.

  22

  Ares

  My soul split in two, sapping half of my strength and making me stumble forward. Koda’s heartrending howl confirmed what I knew had happened before I turned. I spun around and screamed Artemis’ name, but it was too late.

  Terror and dismay washed over me as my beautiful mate dropped to the ground beside Achilles and both of their lights faded.

  I ripped through everyone and everything blocking my path to her. Vampires and dhampirs fled in terror and Sidhe and halfbreeds dove out of my way as I ran to her.

  Koda made it to her body first and kept the vampires at bay, snarling and slashing at them in his half-shift. I dropped to the ground and picked her limp body up into my arms. Her head lolled to the left and her arms hung limply by her sides instead of wrapping around me as they should have. I howled in pain and cradled her against my chest as tears streamed down my face. My body reverted back to man and my throat changed with it.

  “NO!” I screamed as the loss of her presence began to resonate within my body. “Please Artemis, wake up,” I whispered as I stroked her hair.

  Not a single sound came from her. Her beautiful voice was gone. She was gone. I screamed and heard the keening sound I was making, which I knew sounded pathetic, but I didn’t care. My mate was gone. I had nothing now.

  The sounds of fighting ceased and Hera and Zeus dropped to their knees on the ground beside Achilles’ body. Hera placed her hand against Achilles’ face and screamed her despair.

  Zeus looked from Artemis to Achilles with tears in his eyes, but made no sounds of loss. He stood up and said, “This battle is over for today.”

  Artemis’ body was beginning to lose its warmth. I rubbed her arms to try to warm her and cradled her head against my shoulder, but she remained cold. Koda shifted to his wolf form and howled in grief. She was the love of my life, magical influence or not, I loved her more than anything else in the world. She was the greatest gift I’d ever been given and now she was gone.

  I couldn’t lose her! She had just come back into my life. I’d waited one hundred years to find her again and we’d only just been reunited. This couldn’t be happening. I wouldn’t let this happen!

  “Hades!” I yelled as loud as I could. “Hades!”

  A Sidhe as dark as night itself walked through the crowd and dropped to his knees in front of me. “I am here, Ares,” he said in a voice as deep as the night was dark.

  “Send me,” I whispered.

  The crowd which had been murmuring quietly a moment before, instantly went silent.

  “Ares, I don’t think…” Hades began softly.

  I growled at him and stared into his eyes. “Send me!” I yelled.

  “We can’t do it here. We need to wait until we’re somewhere safe so that we can protect your body as well as Artemis’ and Achilles’,” said Zeus from beside me.

  Koda wrapped his furred body around me in an attempt to comfort me and I pushed him away. Comfort meant there was something to be sad about. I couldn’t be sad about this because that meant that she was dead and I couldn’t get her back. I would get her back. “I won’t let her die. I promised her that I wouldn’t let anything separate us, not even death. I have to go!”

  “I understand. Hades will send you once her body is protected,” Zeus said. I nodded in understanding and then he started to reach down towards Artemis.

  I growled at him and spun up and around to protect her body from his touch. “Mine!” I yelled angrily. I held her body against mine, wishing my warmth would bring her back. Wishing this was just a dream.

  Zeus raised his hands in the air. “I’m sorry,” he said sadly, “Come, let’s leave this place.”

  Hera picked Achilles up in her arms and let her wings out. She flew up above everyone’s heads and wailed as she cradled her dead heir against her bosom, just as she’d done over one thousand years ago, when he had been born.

  Zeus waited until Victor was beside me and then took to the skies after his wife.

  “Let’s go, Ares,” Victor said quietly. “We need to hurry before the vampires change their minds and come back.”

  “Let them come. I will tear their hearts from their chests and feed it to them,” I said as I started walking.

  The sound of someone softly sobbing a few feet away made me turn. Apollo sat on the ground staring at nothing. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know,” he repeated over and over again.

  “Didn’t know what?” Victor asked angrily.

  “I didn’t know she was bound to him. If I had known…I wouldn’t have told them to…I never wanted her to die. I just wanted to scare her and make her stay off the battlefield. I didn’t know who he was to her,” Apollo whispered as tears flowed down his face.

  Koda snarled and lunged at Apollo who made no move to protect himself. I stepped into Koda’s path and said, “Bring him with us. Alive.”

  Victor grabbed the halfbreed by the back of the neck and forced him to walk in front of us. The crowds parted as we walked and I growled at anyone who came too close. She wasn’t going to be dead for long. I had to save her. I had to save her or give my life trying.

  We’d known about this prophecy and yet it had been forgotten in the hectic life that we led. I might have been able to save her had I remembered it and consulted the other Sidhe. I might have kept her from dying if I’d only forced her to stay at Hera’s Court. How could I have forgotten the prophecy?

  Anger stirred within me, and I wanted to break something or someone. She had been taken from me again! I was supposed to be one of the most powerful beings on Earth. Only two generations from the original beings and yet I could not protect her. When the wolves had kidnapped her for the Vampire Queen, I’d wanted to tear down every building in search of her. Then Hera had stolen her and blocked her memories. Of all the times I’d wanted to kill that woman then had been the only time I might have actually done it. And now Artemis was actually dead. Her cold, lifeless body lay in my arms as evidence.

  Every part of me ached, and I shook in misery as her loss and distance became more evident. If I couldn’t get her back, I would never see her smile again. I would never hear her laugh. Never see her blush. I’d never run with her in the forest.

  She was my world. Nothing else mattered, but having her beside me. Not the fate of the world, not even the fate of my pack. How could I possibly continue to live without her hand in mine?

  Dmitri led the way, claiming to know a place that was safe for us as well as him and not visited by other vampires. We walked for two hours before finally stopping at a lone building in the middle of a flower field. It was an old cathedral that had somehow survived the uprising of the preternatural world. Surprisingly even the stained-glass windows were still intact. I looked up to see the gargoyles staring out across the field as though to ignore our presence. The saints carved around the entrance glared accusingly, but I ignored their prejudice. Zeus pushed open the doors, which groaned at him for disturbing their peace.

  “Koda check inside,” I said as I adjusted my hold on Artemis’ body.

  Koda walked into the cathedral and came out a moment later, sneezing. Only rats and dust in there.

  We walked into the cathedral, and I stopped a moment to admire the building. The stained-glass windows cast multicolored shadows upon the wooden pews. A wide red carpet led to the front of the cathedral where a skeleton sat in a chair. Judging by his robes he must have been the priest.

  Victor leaned over a basin of water which stood at the entrance and whispered, “I’ve always wondered if this worked on us or n
ot. Father told us that it didn’t, but none have been willing to test the theory in front of me before.” He put his hand into the water and splashed some onto his face. He frowned a moment and then smiled. “Guess not.”

  Dmitri led us through a side door which opened to a hallway where saints carved into the stone watched our passing with great sadness. I wanted to yell at them and tell them her death was not permanent, but remembered they were only stone carvings and did not understand our situation.

  We rounded a corner and started down a narrow set of stairs which led underground to the catacombs I’d heard about long ago, but never visited.

  Zeus’ body glowed as we descended into the darkness, giving us enough light to see. Koda snapped up a rat which squeaked its disapproval of our presence.

  I looked at Koda and asked, “What are you doing?”

  I’m hungry. He said just as his stomach growled.

  “That’s disgusting, Koda. You don’t know where that things been,” Victor said as he kicked another rat out of his way.

  The ground was dirt, but it was packed down so tightly that it resembled stone. Despite the exquisite cathedral above us, there was no architecture in the catacombs to speak of save the wooden skeletal structure that kept the earth from caving in on itself.

  We weaved our way through the catacombs, following behind Dmitri, who stopped at a tomb with an x marked over it.

  Dmitri broke the door open and walked inside. “X marks the spot,” Apollo said softly.

  Despite the circumstances a soft chuckle slipped past my lips, as well as Victor’s. Victor nudged Apollo forward into the tomb and we filed inside.

  Dmitri sat beside a stone sarcophagus with an image of a young woman carved into its lid. He rested his hand on top of one of her carved ones and whispered softly in French.

  “Who’s that?” I asked Victor softly.

  “His wife. He was turned while he was still with her and he could not control the bloodlust when he went back to visit her.”

  “Is that why this cathedral hasn’t been destroyed?” I asked.

  Victor nodded. “My father agreed to leave this building intact at Dmitri’s request.”

  A second sarcophagus sat beside Dmitri’s wife, but its lid was blank. “Who is that?” I asked as I motioned towards it.

  “No one lies there. That was supposed to be Dmitri’s burial place when he died.”

  I walked to it and laid Artemis’ body along its cold stone lid. Dmitri was still whispering quietly beside his wife’s sarcophagus and I felt immense pity for him and a determination not to be in the same situation. I arranged Artemis’ body comfortably and placed her hands on her stomach. She looked like an angel.

  Hera was elsewhere in the catacombs, wailing through the wall of the tomb, her power beating against the stone walls. I knew I should be mourning the loss of my brother, but I couldn’t think of his death while I held Artemis’ lifeless hand in mine.

  I walked with Victor and helped him secure the front door so that any passersby wouldn’t walk in.

  “Ares, think about it before you do anything rash,” Victor pleaded with me as he followed me back into the room.

  “I’ve thought about it enough. I’m going to get her and bring her back,” I answered.

  “Let us discuss it first. Seek council from Koda and your father. Please,” Victor said with such concern in his voice that it made me stop to look at the vampire.

  We’d known each other one thousand years and he’d never spoken to me with such evident worry. “Very well,” I answered quietly. I turned to Koda who had been listening passively. “Koda?”

  Koda turned his head, breaking the silent stare he’d had on Artemis’ body. Huh?

  “Do I go after Artemis or stay here and let her rot?” I asked.

  Victor groaned and threw his hands up into the air. “You’re impossible! Koda, does he go, possibly to his death, to try and possibly fail to get Artemis? Or does he stay here safe, happy and alive?”

  Koda looked at Artemis’ still body and then met my eyes. Bring her back.

  Koda was the most emotional of my brothers’ and the lack of emotion in his eyes frightened me. It could only mean one thing; he was bottling it up. That could result in a catastrophic event if he didn’t release soon, especially since he was staying in wolf form. I debated whether to force him out of wolf form, but Zeus walked into the room, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Finally, someone who thinks logically. Please, talk some sense into your son,” Victor begged.

  Zeus ignored all of us and walked to Artemis’ side. He dropped to his knees and cradled her small hand between his two giant ones. “I am so sorry, child. We should have been there to save you. I should have been fighting beside my son. I have failed you.” Silent tears slid down his face as he kissed the back of her hand. “I will never forgive myself for this.”

  Victor sighed softly. “So much for logical.”

  “Father,” I whispered.

  Zeus placed Artemis’ hand on her stomach and walked to us. “Yes?”

  “Do you think I should venture to Death’s realm to try to barter for Artemis’ soul? Or let her death be?”

  Zeus shook his head. “I will have no part in this. I’ve lost one son and one daughter. I will not help you decide and possibly cause your death as well.”

  “Tell him not to go,” Victor pleaded. “Tell him to stay.”

  Zeus shook his head again. “No, it is his decision. If he goes than he does so with my blessing. If he stays than he does so with my blessing. I am neutral and will remain neutral.”

  “Thank you, Father.”

  Zeus gripped my shoulder in a sign of affection and left the room.

  “I’m going, Victor. I must. And I need to go now, before her body fully dies and Death permanently holds her.”

  Victor hissed and turned towards the door. “Well I’m not going to sit by and watch you die.”

  “Thank you, Victor.”

  He met my eyes and shook his head. “I hope you get her back. I do not wish to bury your body.”

  “I love you, too, man,” I said in a silly tone, reminiscent of the human’s stereotypical hippie voice to try to lighten his mood.

  Victor shook his head and left the room.

  Hades had followed us in and now stood silently beside me. I could sense he did not want to do what I was asking, but I also knew that he would do it if I asked.

  “Send me. I have to get her back,” I whispered without taking my eyes from Artemis’ face.

  “You know you might not be able to get her back. If Death decides to keep you there, too, I cannot return you to your body either. You may both die this night,” said Hades in warning.

  “I have no reason to return to my body if I can’t bring her back,” I answered. I kissed her lips and whispered, “I’m coming, Sunshine. I’m coming to bring you back from the darkness.”

  I lay down on the ground beside her and closed my eyes. “You’re in charge,” I told Koda who only huffed in response. I should have tried to console him since he was my only living pack mate at the moment, but I didn’t want my focus to waver from Artemis.

  Hades put his hands on my head and chest and spoke quickly in Latin. Pain surged through my body, but it was nothing compared to the pain I felt losing her. This pain I could handle. This was only physical pain. Darkness rolled over me, through me and then surrounded me.

  Nothing moved. Nothing breathed. Nothing was anywhere. Anger overcame me and I growled and closed my eyes, focusing on my senses and searching for any movement. Any sound. Any smell.

  “Death!” I yelled into the void.

  I still couldn’t sense anything and my wolf side did not like that fact. It was too close to being in a cage or being trapped for me. I inhaled and yelled, “Death! Show yourself!”

  The darkness stirred and a hooded figure stepped out in front of me. Its cloak looked like it was formed from the darkness that surrounded us and made me wonder if it c
ould consume a person if placed over them. The scythe it carried was at least seven feet long, a full foot taller than Death and had a wicked sharp edge that gleamed even in the darkness.

  It raised its hand and instead of the black void where I had been, I now stood in a royal chamber and Death sat upon the throne. The carpet and upholstery were black instead of red like most kings would have. I supposed that black was a fitting color for Death’s throne room, though I personally would have gone for a less cliché color myself, probably blue. Or purple, like Artemis’ eyes.

  Death stroked the scythe, which was now sitting beside it like a king would stroke his scepter. “Ares Lupine,” it said in a voice like rocks grinding against each other, “I have longed to see your face in my realm.”

  “I regret to inform you that I am not yet dead.”

  Death laughed and said, “I am aware of that, Ares. I am also aware of the fact that you are here for two of the souls I received during your battle.” It was odd not to see a face while talking to someone, but then again, Death wasn’t really a person.

  “I will take Achilles’ soul back with me if you permit, but if you only allow me one soul than I will take my mate back. It is not her time. She still has a prophecy to fulfill.” I walked closer to Death, wondering what game I was going to have to play to get Artemis back or what price might be asked of me.

  Death stood and motioned for me to follow. It walked down a hallway lined with what looked like black velvet and with sconces made of bones. Pictures of beings in various states of torture hung every ten feet along the wall on the right side while paintings of battlefields pooling with blood lined the left side. I knew this was all just a conjured image, but it was going a long way to keep up the charade for me. Was there some point it was trying to make?

  The sounds of moaning and wails began to echo down the hallway. The hair on the nape of my neck stood up and the wolf within me grew uneasy. Was this a trap? Or perhaps it was going to test me somehow?