Dizziness overwhelmed me, so I gracefully fell onto my side, thankful I was already sitting on the bed.
“Artemis?” Ares asked, concerned at the sudden movement.
“Dizzy,” I whispered.
“I’ll call Kod—” Ares stopped and laughed. “I guess I can’t summon Koda anymore. I’ll go get Selene.”
I grabbed his hand before he could stand up. “No, don’t leave. It’ll pass in a moment.” The baby started kicking and I groaned at the fierce kicks. “Never mind, get her.”
He rested his hand on my stomach, lowered his face until his lips were pressed against my skin and growled, “Calm down, pup.”
Surprisingly, the baby listened, and the kicking stopped. “You’re amazing,” I whispered in awe.
“Let’s hope this still works when he is a teenager,” Ares said with a laugh.
“What age do you consider a preternatural a teenager?” I asked him curiously. “Humans consider thirteen to nineteen a teenager, but that’s not really a teenager for a preternatural.”
Ares said, “Trust me. You will know when he is in the teenage years. When he starts rebelling it will be obvious.”
“Let’s hope he does not tear down an entire civilization during his teenage years like his father,” Zeus said as he entered the room.
Ares sighed. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
Zeus frowned at him. “You obliterated an entire civilization. That is not something to easily forget.”
“Who are you talking about?” I asked curiously.
Zeus threw his hands up into the air and said, “That’s the point! No one even remembers them.”
“I was young and angry and stupid,” Ares said. “And I will not let my son get so out of control.”
“Good luck,” Zeus said.
Selene entered the room and asked, “Are you ready, Ares? We should begin the spell to remove Death’s sickness as soon as possible, especially if your child really is going to be born today.”
“I need meat and about an hour of sleep and then I will be ready,” Ares said.
One of Zeus’ servants walked in with a tray piled high with steaks and set it on the table before quickly leaving.
It always interested me how Zeus’ servants were so frightened of Ares. Had they seen him at his worst and that was why they were so frightened?
Ares sat at the table and ate his food in silence.
I closed my eyes and then smelled and heard Selene walk over to me. “Are you feeling alright?” she asked.
“I got dizzy for a minute, and then Cratus began kicking and hurting me, but Ares made him calm down.”
“Cratus? Him?” Selene asked. “How do you know?”
“I sort of let it slip,” Victor said, materializing beside Ares. He looked down at Ares and said, “So, you passed the reins on to your brother?”
“He beat me,” Ares said with a shrug. Victor was silent a moment, so I knew Ares was telling him about keeping the fact that he had let him win a secret. Ares resumed eating his steaks and I closed my eyes to rest.
Selene whispered a spell so softly even I could not hear it and then the baby kicked. “Ow,” I said. “Don’t get him riled up again.”
She smiled. “I will try to keep him calm while I check him out.” She resumed running her hands along my stomach and then said, “Well, he or she, is in good health, but strangely has grown exponentially. You are right that you could go into labor any time now.”
“Okay, everyone out so I can take a nap,” Ares said. “If I don’t get some sleep, no one is going to like being around me.” I started to get up and he shook his head at me. “Not you. You are staying right here with me.”
Zeus and Victor left, whispering conspiratorially to each other and Selene stopped at the door. “I’ll be back in two hours to get you for the spell.”
Ares nodded and laid down on the bed beside me. He scooted over and draped his arm across my waist, below my bulging belly. “I’m surprised that he grew so quickly without hurting you, but I’m glad too.”
“Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth,” I said. “Honestly, I don’t even know when it happened. I know that while I was searching for Blu with Victor, I felt heavier, but I thought it had something to do with the sickness Death gave you.”
“I can’t wait to hold him,” Ares whispered.
“Will he come out in human form?” I asked.
He nodded and kissed my cheek. “You know we don’t change until after we hit puberty.”
“Yes, but you and I aren’t exactly normal werewolves. Stranger things have happened.”
He kissed my cheek again and whispered, “Let’s sleep. Soon we will not have time for naps like this.”
The nap was interrupted before I wanted it to end and no amount of begging kept Ares in bed with me.
Ares left with Selene to perform the spell and I was ordered to stay in bed and as far from the place of the spell as possible. Victor was left to guard me, and I stayed lying on the bed despite knowing how rude it was of me. I wanted to pace or to run out to watch everything, but I could not. I hated being helpless.
Food was brought to me and I sat at the little table in the room and ate it while Victor watched me with a strange expression on his face.
“What?” I finally asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m listening to Cratus,” he whispered. “I’ve never listened to a baby’s thoughts before. It’s intriguing.”
“What’s he thinking?” I asked.
“Well, children in general think less with words and more with feelings, especially Cratus since he has not been outside of your womb to see anything yet. He wants to stretch but it’s too tight in your stomach.”
“He’ll be out soon enough,” I mumbled.
“Are you going to talk to Koda?” Victor asked.
I grit my teeth and sat up slowly, my belly even larger now. “Eventually.”
“He challenged Ares because he injured you. He felt he was defending your honor.”
“He is an idiot. Hurting Ares only angers me.”
“He wouldn’t have hurt—”
“He was going to fight him to the death!” I screamed, interrupting him.
“He would have stopped before that,” Victor said. His tone told me that he knew that for certain, which he probably did since he could read thoughts.
“Only after I told him that I would kill him if he killed Ares,” I said adamantly. I had meant it, too. Even now, the thought made my blood boil.
“You shocked him when you said that,” said Victor with a shake of his head. “You broke his heart.”
“Hopefully, he will go find a mate now.” It would be good for him to be on his own.
“You’ll miss him,” Victor said softly.
“Of course, I will, but it’s time that Ares and I go off on our own.”
“Your mother-in-law is coming,” Victor whispered.
I heard her approaching footsteps and then she knocked twice on the door, not waiting for permission before she entered the room and closed the door behind her. She hurried to me and rested her hand on my round belly. “I hadn’t believed the rumors, but they are true! How could you have progressed so much so quickly? How are you?”
I smiled at her and patted her hand. “We are fine. I thought you would be with Ares.”
She smiled. “He and Selene can handle the spell. Are you ready for labor?”
I dipped my head and admitted, “I’m frightened of the labor.”
She patted my hand reassuringly. “It will hurt, but you are strong, and you will do fine.”
“Have you heard news about the baby’s gender and name?” I asked her. I had wanted to tell her, Zeus, and Hera right away, but we had not had the time.
She narrowed her eyes, and her body stiffened. “You picked a name?”
“You will have a grandson and his name will be Cratus.”
“Cratus,” she whis
pered as if trying to recall a memory. She tapped her finger twice and then laughed. “Ares picked the name, didn’t he?”
“How’d you know?” I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.
“It was an alter ego of Ares’ when he was younger. It’s fitting that your halfbreed child inherits it,” she answered.
“I had forgotten about that,” Victor said.
Cratus kicked hard and then tried to stretch out. I moaned and lay down onto my back to give him more room.
Beatrice rested her hand on my stomach and then looked at Victor. “See how long until the spell is over.”
I screamed as my stomach contracted again and again in quick succession.
Beatrice frowned and held my hand. “Your son is coming.”
16
Victor
I teleported to the Sidhe mound outside the portal where they were performing the spell. Surprisingly, the spell was done, and Ares and Selene were sitting side by side, panting on the ground.
“Did the spell work?” I asked.
They both nodded.
“Then come with me.”
Ares and Selene stood stiffly, and Ares asked, “What’s wrong?”
I smiled. “Your son is being born.”
After teleporting Ares and Selene to Artemis, I teleported to Anabelle, my love. Artemis was adamant about attacking father as soon as she was able to, which meant that I had very little time to say goodbye, and I intended to use all the time I could. I pictured Anabelle’s face as I teleported, but arrived as mist to surprise her.
As soon as I arrived, the scent of her blood engulfed me. I materialized and dropped to the ground, taking in the scene before me. Blood covered every wall, piece of furniture, and the floor. The blood was only a couple of days old.
Anabelle lay in pieces across the room, her head motionless on the pillow, a scream stuck on her face. Her beautiful hair was matted with her own blood and stuck to the pillow. I turned towards her mirror to find a message written in her blood. I recognized the writing instantly as my father’s.
You can’t hide from me, son.
I had kept Anabelle a secret from everyone. She was the first woman I had fallen in love with in my entire life. The first woman whose smile alone could brighten my day.
Now, she was gone. I would never see her smile. I would never hear her laugh. I would never hold her warm body in my arms again.
The emotions I had been holding in broke free.
I screamed in sorrow and anger.
The one woman I had dared to love had been taken from me by my own father. I would kill him for this. I would rip his wretched heart from his body and tear him into pieces like he had done Anabelle, and my heart. And then I would burn every last piece of him.
Two men spoke outside her house and before I had even consciously made the choice, I was outside feasting on their blood. I lifted my blood-soaked face to the sky and screamed.
Tonight, I would feast on every man I saw and tomorrow, I would kill my father.
17
Ares
Artemis dozed on the bed, still recovering from the 20-hour labor, two days later.
Cratus was perfect. With my hair and Artemis’ purple eyes, he was going to be a ladies’ man.
“You’re spoiling him,” Artemis whispered.
“And I will continue to every day I am with him,” I whispered back, rocking the tiny baby in my arms.
Mother walked in and set a tray with a salad, fruits, and meat on Artemis’ lap. “Eat every piece,” she ordered her.
“Yes, ma’am,” Artemis said, and tucked in.
Cratus moved and then started fussing.
“He can’t be hungry already,” Artemis said with a groan. We had been awake most of the last two days with our incredibly hungry newborn.
“I’ll feed him,” I offered as I walked to Selene who had already prepared a bottle for him.
Due to Artemis’ desire to leave for battle tomorrow, she had opted not to breastfeed. So, the Sidhe had prepared their substitute for breastmilk and were supplying it to us. They had also taught Selene and Artemis how to create some replacement milk magically in case of emergency.
I walked around the room slowly as he ate his bottle and let him hold one of my fingers in his tiny hand. I burped him occasionally, and then when he was done and had fallen asleep, I set him in Artemis’ arms so that she could bond with him more.
The instant his skin touched hers, he drew in a deep breath and sighed happily, cuddling up against her. Artemis cradled him to her chest and lay down, cuddling with Cratus as she dozed. She looked so peaceful as she held him, and I felt that peace in me as well.
This was what I wanted after the war was over. As soon as the victory was declared in this war, we would go to one of my properties and bond as a family.
Zeus walked in and hugged me with one arm. “He’s going to be a handful.”
I smiled and said, “I think I’ve become used to it with Artemis.”
She did not respond which meant she was finally asleep.
“Have you heard from Victor?” Zeus asked quietly as we walked to the other side of the room to avoid waking either of them.
I shook my head. “No. The last time I saw him was when he teleported me here for Cratus’ birth two days ago. I thought he was just giving us space.”
“No one has seen him in those two days. Not even Dmitri,” he said.
That was not like Victor. He had disappeared randomly before, but it was usually just to feed and then he would return in less than half a day’s time. Most of those times he took Dmitri with him, though.
Someone knocked softly on the door, and then Theseus poked his head in. “You need to come outside,” he whispered to me. I could smell his fear and judging by the whiteness of his skin, he was not accustomed to what he had witnessed.
Mother waved me out, sitting in a chair facing Artemis and Cratus. I could not ask for a better bodyguard than her, so I followed Theseus and Zeus outside of the castle.
The sun was beginning to set, and there, in the center of the grass, sitting on his knees was Victor, covered in blood. I inhaled and was surprised to find that none of the blood on him was his own.
“Victor?” I asked. “Are you alright?”
He looked up at me and the pain in his eyes reminded me of when I had lost Artemis. “Are we ready for battle?” he asked with a lisp due to his fangs extending past his lower lip.
It had been centuries since I’d seen him fail to keep his fangs within his mouth.
“We’re leaving tomorrow morning,” I said, moving closer to him. I continued to keep my composure because in situations where someone went ballistic, one person needed to remain calm. I had seen him snap before and I had seen him slaughter an entire island of people in minutes. “Artemis needs one more night of rest.”
He took a deep breath and stood up, the emotions locked away and his Court face on. “I’ll go wash up.”
He walked into the castle and I said, “Keep everyone away from his chambers for the next hour. He is composing himself, and if someone bothers him during that time, he could snap again.”
Theseus trotted off into the castle obediently.
Zeus asked, “What do you think happened?”
“I have no idea,” I whispered. Although I had a feeling that whatever had happened had just ensured our victory over Maurice.
18
Artemis
“Waah,” Cratus cried, waking me up from my peaceful sleep.
I opened my eyes and kissed his little head where it lay on the bed beside me. “Shh, it’s alright, Cratus. Mommy is here.” I sat up and Beatrice handed me a bottle to feed him.
“Ares was hungry all the time, like him. I thought he was going to suck me dry,” she said with a laugh. “Part of me wished I could have fed him while in my wolf form because that form had three sets of teats to feed him from instead of one pair.”
I laughed and cradled Cratus in my arm as I fed him hi
s bottle. “Are you going to watch him while Ares and I go to fight?” I asked her. “I won’t feel safe leaving him with anyone, but you.” I was extremely thankful for her help since Cratus was born. She had stayed in the room to lend me a hand anytime I asked and had even slept in the chair by my bedside.
“Of course, I will stay and protect him,” she said. She looked around and then whispered, “I don’t fully trust the Sidhe still. Part of me is worried that they might try to hurt Cratus while you and Ares are gone.”
I didn’t say it aloud, but I agreed with her, and sadly felt exactly the same. Even though Hera had seemed to have a change of heart about me after Achilles died, I did not trust the stableness of her emotions, and I did not trust her to be alone with Cratus. They’d already killed one of Ares’ children. I wouldn’t let them kill another.
“Five more minutes,” Ares groaned from the bed beside me.
Beatrice and I rolled our eyes at the same time and she said, “You stop being Alpha for three days and suddenly think you get to sleep in? You’re still Beta, you know?”
“I’ve always been Beta,” he said through his pillow. “I’ll always be Beta, too. That does not mean that I never get a day to sleep in.”
“It is attack day,” Victor said. “No one gets to sleep in.”
Cratus jumped at the strange voice and spit out his bottle. His little eyes filled with tears as he started crying, and then suddenly stopped. He looked at Victor and then took his bottle back and relaxed against me.
“What was that?” I asked softly, shocked by the sudden rapid changes in his mood.
“Victor used his powers to calm him,” Ares said from under his pillow. “I’d appreciate you not doing it again.”
“I was simply calming him down since I startled him by my sudden appearance. I would never use my powers on him for anything else,” Victor said.
There was something off about Victor. Something different in the way he was acting today. Had something happened?
Artemis Lupine- The Complete Series Page 74