Stygian

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  One in which he wouldn’t lead that man’s empire, but rather an army of Hellchasers who fought demons and drove them back to their respective hells.

  If anyone had leadership advice on how to wrangle the snarly bastards Acheron was now charged with keeping alive and intact, he couldn’t think of anyone better than Akantheus Leucious Forneus of the Brakadians, or the Death Collector as he was best known.

  And he definitely looked the part. Dressed in a mad ensemble of furs and leather that was covered with an assortment of metal plates sewn on to resemble dragon scales over chain mail, he looked as if he were part man, part beast. His long, unbound hair didn’t help. Nor his beard that was neither long nor short. It merely appeared that he couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to have one or be clean-shaven. But then that was Thorn. He lived by no one’s dictates but his own.

  Even his weaponry was that way. While most carried swords, his weapons of choice were a whip, a sling bow, and a long dagger, and one clawed glove that resembled the hand of a falcon.

  Acheron gave him a head tilt. “Did you see that blond warrior who was just here?”

  Thorn squinted toward the door where he’d exited. “What of him?”

  “Was he a Daimon?”

  “With blue eyes?”

  He had a point, but … “What was he?”

  Thorn’s brow shot north at Acheron’s question as he reached to refill his cup. “You don’t know?”

  “No.” There was no missing the shocked disbelief in his tone. As an Atlantean god, it wasn’t often Acheron didn’t know everything about everyone the moment he met them. The only time he didn’t was if they impacted his future some way, or if they were a friend or family.

  Yet he’d never met that person before.

  Thorn snorted, then smirked and took a long drink of the mead. “Love that look on your face, Akipoo.”

  He gave him a droll stare. “Don’t make me stab you.”

  “You can try.”

  And that was why Leucious went by Thorn—as in he was a thorn in everyone’s arse. Especially that of his father, the source of all evil.

  “Do you, or do you not, know anything about the man who was just here?”

  Thorn scratched at his neck. “I know he wasn’t human. Whatever is setting off the hairs on your ass is making mine stand up too. But what he was … I don’t know.”

  “Animal, vegetable, or mineral.”

  Thorn laughed. “Demon or Daimon.”

  “You said he wasn’t a Daimon.”

  Thorn shrugged. “I say a lot of things. Usually no one listens.”

  Acheron shook his head.

  “So … tell me again about these Dark-Hunters. Their job is to hunt down Daimons and free the human souls inside them before the souls perish completely?”

  He nodded. “That’s the theory. According to Artemis, the moment a Daimon coerces a human soul into their body, it begins dying. If we can get to them in time, we can pierce the mark and release the soul back into the universe where it can return to its source.”

  Thorn let out a low whistle. “How do they get the souls?”

  Acheron shrugged. “Damned if I know.”

  “Well, I don’t envy you this task.”

  “Why?”

  Thorn sat forward. “I just return demons. You’re talking about training warriors to kill them. My experience, things that have psychic powers and are related to a god don’t die easy. And when they do, they try to take you with them.”

  September 8, 7382 BC

  Urian stared at the human in front of him. His eyes were glazed from the spell Apollymi had taught them to use to drain a human down to a dangerous level where they hovered close to death. “Do you surrender to me?”

  He nodded as his head lolled back.

  Forcing his head up, Urian slapped him to an alert state. “Focus … I want your soul. Will you give it to me?”

  “Aye,” he breathed.

  Urian sank his fangs into the man’s throat and ripped out his jugular. He’d feel bad, but for the fact that it was better he should die than Urian. And as he drank, he felt the man’s fear. That was the worst part about feeding on humanity.

  Their emotions tangled together. They shared their memories.

  It was why a lot of Daimons didn’t like to prey on criminals even though they were a lot more powerful than the others, as a rule. What he did took a lot of control and discipline. Because of their corrupt souls and inhumanity, they could easily poison him, too. He could slide right into their cruelty.

  If he were weak.

  But while he had to do this to survive, he wasn’t the same breed of animal they were. This was forced on him. It wasn’t a choice.

  Big difference.

  Urian pulled back as he felt the man’s death rattle. He held him against his chest as he waited for that critical moment. Pinching the man’s nose, he tightened his grip on his chest and began to hum the summoning spell.

  It was a tricky thing to lure a soul. Trickier still to absorb one into his body. When he’d first started doing this, he’d had several escape because he hadn’t been able to detect that moment when they left the human body. Now, his sight was well honed.

  He could even smell them.

  Like now. Urian sucked his breath in as the soul rushed toward him and slammed into his body, merging with his physical being. The shock of it was always exhilarating.

  Shaking and light-headed, he let go so that the man’s body could slide to the street.

  Where am I? What happened? Hello!

  Urian flinched at the shouting in his skull. Rubbing at his forehead, he sighed heavily. That, he hated. It was like a migraine that had a baby run over by an elephant that had been struck by a hurricane in the middle of a volcano erupting.

  And he wished he were exaggerating.

  All of a sudden, someone brushed their hand through his hair. He tensed and started to strike until the scent of the woman hit his nostrils.

  Urian relaxed instantly. “Xyn.” Her name left his lips like a prayer.

  “I would ask about the body at your feet, but the blood on your lips gives me a pretty good idea.”

  Opening his eyes, he wiped away the blood with his knuckle as he met her beautiful gaze. Until he saw the bruises and scratches on her forehead and cheek. Anger cut through him. “What of you?”

  “War.”

  His gaze darkened.

  She cupped his face in her soft hands and rose up on her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss to his lips. “Calm down, my angry Daimon. I’m fine. In battle you tend to get knocked about.”

  “Doesn’t mean I like it.”

  “I know.” She nipped at his bottom lip. “How are you?”

  At the moment?

  “Hungry.” But not for blood. He was starving for something a little more exotic …

  Urian pulled her closer to savor her curves against his body, though to be honest, he’d rather they were both naked and not covered in armor.

  She curled her arm around his neck and held him tight as he pressed her against the wall. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw you. What are you doing here?”

  “Came out to feed. You?”

  “Someone stole my brother’s egg.”

  “Egg?” Urian was aghast that anyone would dare go after a dragon’s child.

  “Not what you’re thinking.” She teased. “It’s something we use to heal with.”

  “Ah.”

  Xyn gasped as she felt Urian’s hand sliding down inside her armor so that his fingers could delve deep into her body. Her heart began to pound. “What are you doing?”

  “I think you know.”

  She glanced around the deserted alley. “We’re in public!”

  “Then you’d best take me somewhere private. I fear I’m a bit soul-drunk and between that and the smell of you, I’m rather feral at the moment.”

  Indeed. She’d never seen him like this before. There was an edge to him that wasn’t normally t

here. While she’d always known he was lethal, this was different. He was …

  She didn’t know how to describe it.

  Using her powers, she teleported them to her bower. Urian shrank back with a hiss.

  “Nay! It’s all right!” She grabbed his arm and pulled him back toward the light. “It’s not the sun. The brightness is from fey fire.”

  His breathing ragged, he still appeared terrified from it. He had the wildest look in his eyes.

  “Shh,” she reassured him, stroking his back.

  Urian stared up at the brightest light he’d ever seen in his life. It was unlike anything imaginable. How could that not be sunlight?

  Squinting, he stared up at it.

  Xyn smiled. “See, you’re not bursting into flames.”

  “Easy for you to say. You’ve got immunity.”

  “True.” She nuzzled at his neck while she stripped him to the waist.

  Urian could barely breathe while her hands worked their magick on his body. Gods, how he’d missed her.

  “Lean your head forward.”

  His mind was dulled by his rampant lust and the blood he’d drunk along with the new soul. He obliged her without question. She brushed her hands through his hair and gently massaged his scalp. It felt so good that he had to grind his teeth to keep from moaning aloud.

  Her fingers slid around the contours of his skull, tugging ever so gently on his hair, stroking and teasing until the pleasure was almost blinding with its intensity.

  Then she moved her hands lower to his neck and shoulders. His abdomen. In that moment, he swore his body became liquid. “What are you doing to me?” he asked, his voice thick.

  Xyn kneaded her fingers into his rigid muscles, easing them. “Making you mine.”

  “I was already yours,” he breathed as her hands pleasured him all the more. Her touch was forceful yet so tender that it caused no pain, only joy.

  “Come and lie down on my bed.” Xyn pressed her lips together to keep from smiling at how quickly he complied.

  He moved so fast that but for the fact he didn’t know where her room was, he’d have beaten her to it. As it was, she had to rush to get in front of him to lead the way to where her large round bed was set in the center of an oversized bower. White silk was draped from the ceiling, shielding the bed from drafts.

  Tossing away pieces of armor as he neared it, Urian lay down dutifully as if he craved her touch like a starving man at a banquet.

  She laughed as she crawled up beside him and rested on her knees. “Put your hands under your head.” She sat forward so that she could gently knead the muscles of his scarred back. How she hated to see how many more scars had been added since the last time they’d been together. That was always the worst part about their absences.

  Cataloguing his injuries. Seeing the additional pain in his eyes that seemed to worsen. While he didn’t physically age, the mental toll was ever evident in those beautiful baby blues that seemed to turn a bit duller as the years went by. And that made her ache for him. Every time she saw him, she wanted to ask how many of his friends and family had been lost while they’d been apart, but she didn’t dare.

  For one thing, she didn’t want that pain in her heart, and for another, she didn’t want to pick at his own festering wounds that haunted him.

  So she pushed those thoughts aside and savored the fact that he was still here with her this year. For now, he was safe and they were together. That was all that mattered.

  Urian let out a deep breath as utter ecstasy washed over him and her tender hands eased his sore, strained muscles, soothing him in a way nothing ever had before. There was truly no one else like his precious dragon.

  It was why he loved her so. Why he wanted to stay with her.

  If only he could …

  But the pain of his past and the difference in their worlds would never allow it. He still hadn’t found all of Apollo’s other bloodline. The curse remained.

  And yet something about Sarraxyn completely erased the pain of his past. Just looking into her eyes was enough to make him feel better.

  Until he had to leave her. Every time he left her side, he was terrified he’d never see her again. Because he knew that everyone, even dragons, died. He’d lived the whole of his life stalked by Hades and his minions, and he never wanted to lose another person who meant anything to him.

  It hurt too much.

  The thought of losing her gutted him.

  Xyn felt him tensing. “Shh, Urian,” she whispered in his ear, moving her hands back to his head, to stroke his scalp and temple. “Put your ill thoughts aside and think of nothing but happiness while I’m with you.”

  That was certainly easy enough to do. She even began humming in an effort to help him.

  Grateful to be with her tonight, Urian closed his eyes as her gentle voice soothed him as much as her hands did. He felt so incredibly calm. Peaceful. At no time in his life had he ever experienced anything close to this.

  It was perfection.

  And he owed it all to his beautiful dragon who made his entire body burn with nothing more than a sweet, shy smile.

  Xyn kissed his back as all the tension left him. She gently dug her thumbs under his shoulder blades, then moved her hands down his spine until she reached the small of his back.

  She traced one of the scars there. One of them was deep and angry as it ran from his hip down across his left buttock. She wasn’t sure if it had been caused by a sword or some other injury. Either way, the wound must have been excruciating when he received it.

  So much pain …

  Before she could stop herself, she leaned forward and placed her lips to that spot. Urian hissed in pleasure, but he didn’t pull away from her or try to roll over.

  Encouraged by that, she slowly trailed her lips up his spine to his muscled shoulders. Even with all the scars over his caramel flesh, his back was perfect to her. Beautiful. And she wanted to taste every inch of him. To lick him from head to toe until he begged her for mercy.

  Urian felt himself growing hard as she gently laved the scars on his skin. It was strange to feel so much pleasure over something that had given him so much pain. But then that was his dragon lady. It was what she excelled at.

  Making his agony vanish.

  Rolling over, he caught her before she pulled away. He cupped her face in his hand, then brought her near up to his lips to kiss her. He could taste the desire on her lips, feel the heat of her body.

  And he wanted more.

  Every day they had been apart had been pure torture. Being so close to her now and not inside her already …

  His resistance melted under the onslaught of her presence. He was too tired to fight, too weary to deny himself her comfort. Whether he liked it or not, he needed her touch. She was the air he breathed.

  The heartbeat he needed to survive.

  Xyn closed her eyes and let the masculine scent and feel of Urian wash over her. He tasted of decadence and power. Of lethal masculinity. His kiss was fierce and passionate, filled with promise.

  Love me, Urian. Hold me tonight and never let me go!

  The words were a prayer deep in her soul. He was all she’d ever wanted in her life. How strange to have every comfort and luxury her position as a dragon could afford her and to still want the dream of her golden Daimon champion.

  Even though he was the son of an evil demon, he was also the symbol of all things good to her. For he was love. Nobility. Honor. Passion. She couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

  Not like this.

  She trembled as he left her lips to trail his kisses down her throat to her neck. His hot hand cupped her breast, spreading chills over her. His grip tightening, he pulled her beneath him so that his weight was pleasant yet crushing.

  His caresses weren’t slow and playful as they normally were. Tonight he was bold and hungry, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. As if he wanted to touch every part of her body at once.

  And she was every bit as hungry for him. Her body thrummed with fervent need that was stoked by his own urgency.

  To her utter shock, his eyes flashed a vibrant red before he used his powers to strip her clothes from her body so that the lower half of her body lay bare to him.

  “What have you done to me, my lady dragon?” Urian whispered in her ear before he licked her lobe and sent white-hot chills exploding through her. “I crave you more than I’ve ever craved anything.”

  “Show me how much you crave me, Urian,” she said, her voice thick and deep from her own wanton passion. “I want to feel you inside me.”

  Urian’s cock jerked at her brazen words. And then it grew even more as her hand slid down between their bodies to cup him in her palm. He rubbed himself against her touch, delighting in the coolness of her skin on his fevered flesh.

  “How do I feel inside you?” He was desperate to hear her describe it.

  Her smile turned wicked as her eyes flashed. “Full and warm. It’s as if I can feel the tip of you all the way to my navel.”

  He growled as she cupped him and gave a light squeeze. Hissing, he rolled over until she was on top of him. “Show me what you like, my dragon. Our passion is in your hands.”

  Urian held his breath as she sat up on her haunches and surveyed his body. She trailed a blinding circle around his nipple before she spread her thighs and straddled his body.

  His heart thundering, he reached to touch the part of her that was now opened for his delight. He watched the ecstasy on her face as he gently stroked her with his thumb until she was thoroughly wet for him.

  Wanting and needing more, he lifted her up slightly and buried himself deep inside her body.

  Xyn gave a small cry at the perfect feel of her Daimon. He lifted his hips, driving himself even deeper into her. He held her hips as she rode him slow and easy. It was glorious.

  His beautiful eyes were hooded and warm as he watched her. “That’s it, love. Have your way with me.”

  She smiled as she quickened her strokes. Urian arched his back as complete pleasure glowed in those magical eyes. He sat up beneath her to ravish her mouth so thoroughly that it actually made her dizzy. She loved the sensation of his breath mingled with hers, of his tongue darting through her mouth in time to her strokes. Xyn ran her hand down his muscled arm as it began to glow, delighting in the steely feel of it.

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