Taming Darkness: Artemis Lupine #4

by Catherine Banks

  “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 his head 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 his head 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. 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 and 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 Sotare,” 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 Sotare 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 said.

  “Are you going to talk to Koda?” Victor asked me.

  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 knowingly.

  “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, 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.”

  “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 is Sotare.”

  “Sotare,” she whispered 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 her.

  Sotare kicked hard and then tried to stretch out. I moaned and lay down onto my side 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. The sooner this spell is lifted, the better.”

  VICTOR

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  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 their heads. “Good. You should go to Artemis, the baby is kicking her again.”

  * * *

  After leaving Ares and Selene to rest, 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.

  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.

  ARES

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  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, eating greedily.

  As soon as the victor was declared we would go to one of my properties and bond as a family. I was getting excited about my son being born. Artemis finished eating and lay down on her side. She was tired too often now.

  Zeus walked in and hugged me with one arm. “Your son’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.

  I shook my head. “No, the last time I saw him was when he teleported me here 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.

  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, sitti
ng in a chair facing Artemis. I could not ask for a better bodyguard than she 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.

  “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.

  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.

  KODA

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  I had imagined becoming alpha as a great victory that would make me feel extremely powerful and proud. Instead I felt petty and sad. Artemis would not even speak to me now. Didn’t she understand that I had done it because of her? I had started the fight because she had been harmed! The pain I felt when she had threatened me had still not faded. I knew that she would never love me, but that did not make it any easier. I loved her with all my heart and through my actions she was farther from me than ever before.

  I wanted to make amends with her before the battle, but that was most likely not going to happen.

  I growled in frustration and threw a chair across the room. Dammit! Why couldn’t I do anything right?

  “What’s up?” Theseus asked me as he walked into my room.

  “Nothing,” I said with a sigh, running a hand through my hair and realizing that for the first time in over a hundred years I didn’t have a crazy hairstyle or color.

  “I know you’re upset. I can feel it. Every wolf can now that you’re Alpha.”

  I took a deep breath and calmed myself. “Sorry.”

  “You should be celebrating,” he said with a smile, “You’re Alpha now.”

  “Yeah,” I said, “Now I get to lead us into battle against Maurice.”

  “She will forgive you in time,” he said, “She’s hormonal right now.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “Her reaction has nothing to do with her pregnancy.”

  “Time is all she needs, dad.”

  I wished I had as much faith as him. What if we didn’t have time? What if I died during this battle? I knew better than to go see her right now because she would still be angry and I didn’t want to fight her.

  “You could just apologize,” Theseus suggested.

  I looked at him and arched an eyebrow. He sighed. “I figured that would be your response. You’re too hard headed. I understand that you felt it was right to do what you did, but you could still apologize to Artemis for upsetting her. She’s in a vulnerable spot right now and she needs her mate and her mate is also sick so it is making her wolf even more agitated.”

  I knew he was right, but I still would not apologize. I wanted her to stop being mad at me, but I would not sacrifice my dignity for it. I had to stand firm, especially now that I was Alpha. I could not appear weak, especially in regards to a female.

  “So…now that you’re Alpha are you going to search for a mate?” Theseus asked me, waggling his eyebrows at me.

  I laughed. “How ‘bout we get through this battle and then we will go from there. No since counting my chickens before they hatch.”

  “How’s your control?” he asked me softly.

  I stiffened and knew amber rolled over my eyes at the mention of it. I had stayed in my wolf form for too long while Ares had been in Death’s realm. The pain at losing Artemis and Ares being in Death’s clutches had made me lose control.

  “I’m much better,” I said.

  “Good.” He stood up and brushed his pants as if he had been sitting on the ground. “I’m going to go pump up the halfbreeds for the battle. You should stop sulking and go get some food.”

  “Yes, father,” I mocked.

  He waved and walked away. Despite everything I had messed up with Artemis, I had done something right because Theseus was a great man.

  ARTEMIS

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Beatrice was adamant that I at least nourish myself and the baby if I was going to put us both in harm’s way and had been feeding me more and more until I felt like I was going to pop.

  “Five more minutes,” Ares groaned from the bed beside me where he had been sleeping.

  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.”

  Ares lifted his head out from under his pillow and looked at Victor. Victor smiled and said, “I am fully in control of myself now.”

  “Are you going to tell me what happened?” Ares asked.

  Victor sat in the chair beside Beatrice and sighed, “Another time. Let’s not get anyone else riled up before we get to the fight.”

  “The troops are ready,” Zeus said as he entered the room.

  “Just once I would like a room where people didn’t pop in unannounced or whenever they wanted,” I whispered.

  Ares sat up and kissed my cheek. “Soon enough we will be on our way to our own house where no one but our family of three will be.”

  “As if you could keep me away,” Beatrice said.

  “The dragons have arrived outside the mound,” Koda announced as he entered the room, “Artemis, I need you to go greet them.” He looked taller and bigger, but I knew he had not grown and it was simply because he was the Alpha now. Despite still being angry at him he did look good and being Alpha seemed to suit him.

  I grit my teeth together and closed my lips tightly to keep from baring them at him. “I will get dressed and go see them,” I said shortly.

  Koda softened and became the friend and packmate I remembered, “Artemis, please don’t be mad at me.”

  I did not answer him and instead walked to the bathroom to get ready. After the war was over he and I would talk, but until then I needed to stay away from him or I would punch him in the face.

  Victor chuckled and I sighed, knowing I was being childish again. I braided my hair and got dressed into the battle gear that Hephaestus had made me. I had to end this war and right the balance between all of the races.

  Ares walked inside the bathroom and hugged me. “You don’t have to go,” he whispered, “You could stay here where it’s safe.”

  I hugged him back and kissed his cheek. “You know I won’t do that.”

  He sighed. “I know, but I had to try.” We stayed in the bathroom holding each other for another minute and then reluctantly separated.

  I nodded my head and left the room without another word, afraid that if I said anything else I would not leave. I grabbed my bow and arrows as I walked out, slinging them over my back. Koda followed me out, but I ignored him and headed to the portal. We walked up the stairs and I composed myself to face the dragons. My heart was still hurting from the loss of Fira, but now was not the time for sadness. Now was the time for fierceness and battle.

  I stepped from the portal and was shocked to find fifty dragons waiting in the
field. I walked to Blu and he wrapped his neck around me in a hug. “Hatchling, you look well.”

  “Thank you for coming,” Koda said, “The werewolves and the alliance appreciate your assistance with this fight.”

  Blu looked at Koda a moment and then at me. “You’re no longer Alpha?” he asked in shock.

  I shook my head. “Koda is now the Alpha of the Werewolves.”

  Blu dipped his head to Koda. “I did not know.”

  “I will go check on everyone else and let you know when we are ready to head out,” Koda said. He looked at me a moment, words on his lips and a sad frown on his face, but then he strode back into the portal without a word.

  “I did not know you and your packmember had had a falling out,” Blu whispered.

  “It’s nothing worth discussing,” I said shortly. “Did you leave enough dragons to guard the Hive?” I asked.

  He nodded his head. “The Hive is well guarded.”

  “Good. When we arrive at the vampire’s castle, I need your dragons to burn and destroy as much of the building as possible. You and I will go to Maurice’s chamber and search for the Pegasus egg.”

  “It may have hatched already,” Blu said with a growl, “The demon spawn may already have the baby in his hands.”

  “Then I shall cut his arms off and take the baby from him.”

  Blu roared in approval and the other dragons roared with him.

  Ares stepped through the portal, but stopped at the sight of the roaring dragons. I held out my hand and he walked slowly towards me, unsure why the dragons had been roaring. “Everyone is ready,” he said once he took my hand.

  I hugged him and kissed his lips softly. “Stay safe,” I whispered.

  He nuzzled behind my ear with his nose and we inhaled each other’s scents. “I love you.”