Styxx (DH #33)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  “It’s all right if you are. While I prefer a woman’s soft sheath, I have been known to spear a worthy ass or two in my day.”

  Styxx cringed at a thought that made him want to vomit. There were things no one wanted to know about their parents and this was definitely at the top of his list.

  But his father took no mercy on him as he continued. “Really, Styxx, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Estes has always had a preference for men, and it’s never bothered me.”

  Styxx sat in stunned silence as hatred flowed thick through his veins. You knew how he was and you turned me loose with him? What kind of father would do such a thing?

  His jaw went slack.

  “But my brother has taken women on occasion. When he told me he’d seen to your training in Atlantis, I’d assumed they were female whores he used.”

  Oh, this just got better and better. “What all did he tell you about my time in Atlantis?”

  “Don’t be angry at Estes. I merely voiced my concern that you haven’t been acting as most men your age … that you passed on the women I’ve sent to you for your pleasure. And that I worried the priests might have damaged you.”

  Styxx rubbed at his face, wanting to punch his father. Yes, they had damaged him, but not in the way he meant. Gods … how much more of this shit would he have to suffer?

  “Estes told me that when you were first with a lover you were quite bashful because of your scars, but that once you got started, you forgot about them. He said I shouldn’t be worried about your ability to perform. That he’d seen you erect himself. However … when I learned that the maids had lied about your using them … I am worried. How can you be king with no heirs?”

  How could he sit here with his father talking to him in this manner and not die of abject horror, shame, and humiliation?

  The wonders of the world never ceased to amaze him, either.

  “So I’ve taken it upon myself to set you up with a mistress.”

  Styxx gaped at him. “I don’t want a mistress, Father.”

  “Then a tsoulus. Male or female. Your choice.”

  “I damn sure don’t want that!” he growled as more pain slammed into him.

  That ignited his father’s fury as he glared down at him. “Then explain to me what is going on with you? Why is my son as chaste as my daughter? It’s deplorable.”

  Deplorable.

  Maybe you should have thought of that before you left me to be manhandled by your priests and gods. Or better yet …

  Your perverted brother.

  Styxx rose slowly to his feet and forced his anger down before he made his father do something neither of them would forget or forgive. “I don’t need your help getting laid, Father. Really.”

  When he opened his mouth to speak, Styxx held his arm up to his father’s face so that he could smell his skin. “I have a woman. Not that it’s any of your business.”

  His father smiled in relief as he caught Bethany’s unique feminine scent of lilies and eucalyptus. “You’re in love?”

  Styxx nodded. “It’s where I disappear to when you can’t find me.”

  “Thank the gods of Olympus!” His father drew him into a hug. “Is she noble?”

  “No.”

  “Then why haven’t you set her—”

  “It’s my concern, Father. I’d appreciate your staying out of it and away from her … please. She’s a good, decent woman and I would never shame her in any way.”

  “How can being a prince’s mistress shame anyone?”

  How indeed?

  There were times when he truly hated the man who’d sired him.

  “I want her left alone. I mean it, Father.”

  His father held his hands up in surrender. “Fine. I will stay out of your affair, except to say this … you will have to marry a princess at some point and breed an heir with her.”

  “I know. But I’m not king yet.”

  “No. You’re not.” His father clapped him on the arm. “Very good, then. I shall see you at dinner.”

  Styxx inclined his head to him then headed for his room. His father would really shit if he ever learned that he had yet to kiss the woman he loved. That all they’d done to date was sit and occasionally hug.

  But that was more than enough for a man who’d been given so few that he remembered every one he’d ever received.

  August 18, 9532 BC

  Bethany smiled as Hector read his philosophy lesson to her while she reclined in the quiet circle of his warm, muscular arms. She had her hands curled around his forearm, which lay against her stomach while his chin rested on top of her head. His body was so hard and ripped, yet at the same time extremely comfortable. She loved spending afternoons with him like this. He’d read his assignments out loud and then they’d discuss the ideas for days. In all her life, she’d never met anyone more intelligent or thoughtful. Anyone more kind and humble.

  Even now, his erection pressed against her back, but he didn’t say a word about it. He never did. Nor did he press her for anything more than the pleasure of her company.

  He was content just to hold her and talk about absolutely nothing for hours on end. She’d never known a man like him. Reaching up, she laid her fingers against his jaw so that she could feel the hard muscles there work while he spoke in that deep husky voice that soothed her better than nectar.

  As she swept her hand against his lips, his erection jerked in response. Still, he read to her between gentle, playful nips to her fingers.

  After a few minutes, he paused and placed his scroll to the side. He leaned back against the tree behind them and cupped her cheek in his large hand.

  “Bethany?”

  “Yes?”

  He bit his bottom lip as he hesitated. She felt his heartbeat quicken against her shoulder blade. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was afraid of something. But her Hector was always fearless and forthright.

  Hector took a deep breath before he spoke again. “Would you mind terribly if I kissed you?”

  Her smile widened. “No, my sweet. I’ve been wanting you to for weeks now.”

  Still, he hesitated.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He swallowed hard. “I’ve never kissed a woman before. So please, don’t be offended or think badly of me if I screw it up with my ineptitude.”

  Her poor sweet Hector. He was so bashful at times … but always so preciously sincere and honest. Wanting to please him, too, she pulled his lips down to hers.

  Styxx growled in pleasure as her tongue swept playfully against his. Never in his life had he tasted anything better. With the most dulcet of laughs, she nipped at his lips then gave him a kiss so scorching it left him dizzy and breathless.

  Bethany sank her hands into his soft curls as she explored the sweetest mouth she’d ever tasted. For a man who claimed he’d never kissed, he was exceptional at it. She could breathe him in all day.

  And when he finally pulled back, he placed his thumb to her bottom lip as if savoring the feel of it.

  “That was so much better than I’d imagined. Thank you.” He kissed the tip of her nose then her forehead.

  Closing her eyes, she snuggled back into his arms and let him hold her again. “Why are you so reserved with me, Hector?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Most men wouldn’t be so content with a mere kiss. Nor would they have waited so long for it. Why are you different?”

  “It is not your kisses I come for, my lady. It’s your tender company that means so much to me … though now that I’ve had a kiss from you…” He placed a chaste one on her lips.

  She laughed then gave him a much deeper kiss. Mmm … the taste of him and the length of his long, hard body … He was so insanely delectable. Never in her life had she wanted any man as much as she wanted this one.

  Human or not.

  Wanting to please him as much as he pleased her, she took his hand into hers and led it to her breast.

  Styxx sucked his breath in sha
rply as he felt her through the soft linen and his body hardened to the point of pain. Slowly, he ran his hand over the contours of her breast then swept his thumb over the taut nipple. His body on fire, he wanted to sink himself deep inside her so badly that he could already taste it.

  But he would never dishonor her like that. Never make someone cry because he’d touched them. Especially not his Bethany.

  He involuntarily flinched as he remembered how he’d felt when Estes had purged the drugs from his body and he’d first realized how badly and rudely they’d used him.

  Like he was nothing.

  Bethany pulled back with a frown. “What’s wrong, Hector?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You jerked just now like something bad went through your mind. What plagues you, my lord?”

  Sighing, he laid his head against hers. “I’m terribly scarred, Bethany.”

  “I’ve never felt any on you, except the one on your forearm.”

  Not wanting to think about the cut his father had given him, he took her hand and led it to the skin he always kept covered with his chiton and chlamys.

  Bethany hesitated as she felt the puckered flesh that covered his ribs. His scars were truly deep and numerous. “What happened?”

  “I was burned.”

  “Oh, Hector…”

  “And there are more. In more private places.”

  Turning in his arms, she knelt between his legs. “You know I don’t care.”

  “But I do.”

  She kissed his hand and offered him a bittersweet smile. “Then I will patiently wait until you trust me more. But know that I would never, ever hurt you in any way.”

  Styxx stared at her in awe. She was the only person in his life to say that to him, but did he dare trust her? Everyone in his life, including his twin, had betrayed him. Trust always meant profound pain.…

  And Bethany’s would sting most of all.

  Even so, he couldn’t help the way he felt about her. How much she meant to him. In all the world, she was the only thing that mattered. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her. “I love you, Bethany.”

  “And I love you.”

  “Then run away with me.”

  She pulled back with a frown. “What?”

  “Now. Today. Let’s leave this place and—”

  “Hector, I can’t do that. I have things I have to do here. And so do you. What would your father say?”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Yes, you do. I know you better than that. You are a man of responsibility. It’s part of what I love about you. You always put the needs of others before your own.”

  Yes, but this one time he wanted to be completely selfish. In all his life, he’d never wanted anything the way he did this woman. For her, he’d give up everything he had and more.

  “I would walk away from it all for you, Beth.”

  She pressed her cheek to his. “But in time you could change your mind.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “I know you mean that today. But time and circumstance have a way of mocking our best intentions, and I’m not willing to take that chance.”

  Sighing, he laid his head against her breasts and let her cradle him there. Her heart beat slowly against his ear while her breath fell against his skin. The scent of her warmed him more than the sun. Honestly, he never wanted to leave the circle of her arms. It was the only place he’d ever felt as if he was welcome.

  Loved.

  Bethany smiled down at him. Her Hector never failed to surprise her.

  She tightened her arms around him, wishing she could leave everything behind and be with him. How wonderful would it be?

  But the other gods would come for her and they would kill him for distracting her from her duties.

  After a few seconds, he lifted his hand to brush it against the breast he faced. To her complete shock, he hooked his thumb into the material of her peplos and pulled it aside so that he could blow a stream of cool air over her bared nipple until it puckered tight.

  It was so unlike him.…

  She frowned. “Hector? What are you doing?”

  “Hopefully, not offending you. Since you haven’t slapped me or yanked my hair, I’m assuming I’m allowed?”

  She smiled down at him. “You’re allowed.”

  Styxx’s heart pounded at the sight of her lush perfect naked breast. His mouth watering, he moved his head so that he could sample the taut peak. He groaned at the incredible taste of it as he rolled his tongue around the areola then suckled her gently.

  Bethany cradled his head as he moved to taste her other breast. Her body was so hot and needful that it was all she could do not to betray herself as a goddess. She wanted him inside her so badly that it was absolutely painful.

  Leaning back, she pulled him with her and released the pins that held her gown up so that he had complete access to her breasts. Then she brushed her hand against his hard erection.

  Styxx froze as a fleeting bad memory went through him.…

  “Hector?”

  He allowed her sweet voice to keep him grounded in the present and not on what Estes had done to him. “I’m right here, love.” He placed a kiss on her stomach, before he pushed her gown down, over her hips until she was completely naked to his gaze.

  His throat went dry at her unadorned, flawless beauty. Unlike him, there wasn’t a scar on her body anywhere.

  Frowning, she reached to cover herself. “Hector?”

  He shook himself mentally as he realized he was sitting back from her. “I’m right here, precious.” He took her hand and led it to his face as he laid his body over hers. “I was just temporarily stunned by how beautiful you are.”

  “Then you’re forgiven for scaring me. I thought you’d run off and abandoned me naked in the woods.”

  “I would never do that to you.” He made sure to keep his skin against hers so that she could feel him with her.

  As she reached to remove his chiton, he caught her hand.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Even if she felt the brand on his groin, she’d have no way of knowing it said “whore.”

  But still it was there. Mocking him with the cruelty of his past. And because of the scars from that and the priests, he had sparse pubic hair. So little that the brand was easily seen and not really covered at all.

  He leaned his head down and ground his teeth. “Before we go any further…” He led her hand to the scars on his thighs and buttocks.

  Bethany sucked her breath in sharply as she felt what had been done to him. When she’d touched his side, she’d assumed it had been caused by a fire. But these … she could feel the outline of a poker. It’d left deep welts down the inside of his thighs, all the way to his scrotum. There were places where he had little to no hair from the scarring. But what wrung her heart was the sheer number of them. He’d been tortured over and over again.

  “Why would someone do this to you?”

  “They thought I was possessed by the god Dionysus. And the priests sought to burn the evil daemons out of me.”

  Heartbroken over what they’d done, she placed her hand to his cheek. “My poor baby. I’m so sorry they hurt you like this.”

  “Please don’t ever tell anyone.”

  “I would never be so cruel.”

  He kissed her then. So slow and tender that it made her breath catch. When she reached to remove his chiton, he jerked back.

  “Sorry,” he whispered. “I don’t like being seen.”

  “I can’t see you, Hector.”

  “That’s not true. You’re the only one in my life who does.” This time he remained perfectly still while she undressed him.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  He placed her hand to his cheek and nodded then he nibbled her fingers and palm. Bethany sighed in pure pleasure. No one had ever made love to her like this. There was no rush at all. Rather they were truly exploring and sharing not just their bodies, but a part of
their souls.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered against her throat as his hand skimmed over her hip and thigh.

  She parted her legs for him.

  Styxx hesitated as he realized that she was a bit more experienced at this than he was … and a lot less bashful. “Beth? You’ve been with other men, haven’t you?”

  She went rigid under him. “I have, but I’m not a whore.”

  He cupped her face, wishing she could see his sincerity. “I would never call you that. It’s not what I was implying at all. I just … I don’t want to accidentally hurt you with my inexperience. Or disappoint you.”

  Bethany felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. He was always so concerned about letting her down. Though he seldom mentioned his family, that ever present worry let her know just how harsh they must be toward him.

  About everything.

  “You could never disappoint me, Hector.” She took his hand into hers and led it to the center of her body.

  Styxx couldn’t breathe as he felt how wet and warm she was. But his hand in hers …

  He cringed at the memory of Estes.

  “What’s wrong, akribos?”

  Unable to answer, Styxx had no choice except to pull away. He couldn’t deal with the painful memories that slammed into him and left him impotent and shaking.

  Damn you, you bastards! Why couldn’t he forget what they’d done to him for even one heartbeat? Why?

  I am worthless.

  Bethany frowned at his actions until she put everything together. His reluctance to kiss or touch her. His fear of harming her …

  The scars that lay in extremely private parts of his body. All the way to his scrotum.

  He’d suffered something a lot worse than being burned. Someone had raped and tortured him.

  In that moment, she felt her god powers surge. She was the goddess of fury and vengeance. It was her job to avenge those who’d been so wronged.

  He’s Greek.

  It didn’t matter. She wanted the heart of whoever had done this to such a gentle and caring man.

  Clearing his throat, he reached over her to retrieve his chiton. “I’m sorry. This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have…”

  Bethany placed her hand to his lips to stop him. “Let me replace your evil demons with happy ones.”