The night Styxx had tried to free him after his father had ordered him returned to Atlantis …
Styxx hadn’t been lying when he’d buried the dagger in the ground. He must have gone to Atlantis on his own to free him. And somehow he’d been captured, too.
Damn you, Estes. You sick bastard. It would be just like his twisted uncle to take those memories from Ash and leave them with Styxx to torture him with. There was nothing Estes loved more than playing with people’s heads and scrambling their thoughts.
Turning and using them against each other.
Estes had done that with Ryssa. He’d convinced Ash that she hated him and wanted nothing to do with him at all, while telling his sister that Ash was fine and happy. If Styxx had cared enough to go after Ash to free him, Estes would have definitely kept Ash from remembering it so that he wouldn’t ever try to leave, and he would have made sure Styxx was punished severely enough that he never tried to free him again.
Tears filled his eyes as he stared at the closed journals and pulled Tory into his arms for comfort.
“What is it, sweetie?”
“Tory, if I’ve done what I think I have, I don’t know how I’ll live with it.”
June 23, 2012
Styxx froze as he entered his tent to find a Charonte demon sitting on his bedroll, staring at him with big red eyes. The last time he’d seen Simi, she’d shredded him and left him … dead.
Moving as slowly as he could, he put his hand on the .38 he kept in a holster at the base of his spine. It wouldn’t kill her, but it would give him time to get away from her should she attack again. He also made sure to keep Skylos outside where the demon couldn’t hurt him either.
To his complete shock, she smiled warmly. “Hello, akri-copy.”
Wary as hell, Styxx eyed her. “What do you want?”
She sighed heavily. “The Simi come to say she sorry for what she did to you. But see, you hurt my akri and the Simi loves her akri so anyone who attacks her akri gets eat, even those who look like akri, see?”
Not really.
She stood up.
Tightening his grip on the gun, Styxx immediately backed away.
The demon cocked her head and frowned. “You look so strange like that. Why you wear eye makeup, akri-copy?”
He shrugged. “Protects my eyes from the sun.”
“That’s why yous gets sunglasses, silly. Don’t nobody tell you that?” She bent down and picked up her red heart-shaped backpack that had black demon wings spanning out from it. She wrinkled her nose at him. “Itn’t it cute? Akra-Danger gived it to me at Christmas. Now less see…” She rummaged around until she pulled out a bottle of barbecue sauce with a ribbon tied around it. “Happy birthday, akri-copy!”
When he didn’t move to take it, her smile faded. She stepped toward him and he quickly took two steps back.
Her shoulders and wings dropped as she pouted. “Why you so skittish of the Simi?”
“I don’t know. Call me stupid, but the last time we met, you killed me.”
Her wings drooped even more. “I know. It was wrong to do that to you. But that was before you saved akri and akra-Tory and gave Baby Bas his horse he loves to play with. So the Simi glad you didn’t stay dead, and I promise I won’t kill you again. Friends?”
Styxx wasn’t sure what to make of his brother’s demon daughter. He knew from Acheron’s memories that she was hopelessly devoted to his brother. Unlike a human, she wasn’t devious or conniving or even complicated. Simi was very black-and-white. She either hated or she loved.
Letting go of the gun, he reached for the barbecue sauce. “Thank you, Simi.”
Her wings shot back up as a smile curved her lips. “It the Simi’s favorite that she only give to special quality people. See…” She pointed to the label. “Hot, hot … though it hot here, you might not need it. But it’s good on everything.” She beamed a giant smile at him.
He inclined his head to her. “I appreciate it. Thank you very much.”
She cocked her head again and frowned. “Why you so sad, akri-copy? You got aches in your heart?”
“I’m fine, Simi.”
Her frown deepening, she glanced around the tent. “Who you gots coming to celebrates with you?”
Styxx sighed. “I don’t celebrate birthdays.”
Eyes wide, she gaped. “No! Birthdays are always special cause they’s the days when you were welcomed to the world and people be all happy when babies are born.”
Yeah … not in his experience.
Styxx set the barbecue sauce down next to his pack. “You should probably go back to Acheron before he misses you.”
Instead, she sat down on his bedroll.
Now it was Styxx’s turn to frown. “What are you doing?”
She opened her backpack. “Akri got lots of people who celebrate with him, and akri-copy got nobody. That makes Simi sad for akri-copy. Nobody should be alone on their birthday so…” She pulled out a package of Ding Dongs and held them toward him. “We have birthday cake!”
Styxx smiled at the innocent gesture. “I’ve never had birthday cake before.”
“Never?”
He shook his head.
She pressed her index finger to her lips in an adorable expression. “We need candles, but you so old that we’d have to have cakes the size of a … battleship … Hmmm … that’s okay.” She reached into her pack and pulled out a glowstick. “Less pretend this is one. But you can’t blow it out, but we pretend you do. How’s that?”
“Sure.”
“Okays. Now akri-copy sit.”
Styxx sat down across from her while she carefully opened the package and left the cakes on the wrapper. Then she snapped the glowstick and shook it.
“Now you make your wish and blow out the candle.” She held the glowstick up in front of his face.
Styxx blew on it.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You didn’t make a wish, did you?”
“I don’t have anything to wish for.” The things he wanted, he couldn’t have, and nothing else really seemed important.
“Everybody has wishes, akri-copy.”
“I’m not everybody.”
ΟTI μOí y’ VOμa …
I am Nobody.
Simi took his hand into hers then placed a cake in it. “Then the Simi will make your wish for you. The Simi wishes you will be happy like the Simi and her akri.”
He smiled at her childlike wonder and views. “Thank you, Simi.”
She touched her cake to his then ate it. “You gots to eat yours all in one bites,” she said with her mouth full. “’Cause we gots no candles to blow out, you have to eat in one gulp for the wish to come true.”
He laughed in spite of himself and shoved the cake into his mouth.
Simi licked her fingers and nodded. “Good, right?”
He swallowed the cake. “The best ever.”
Simi got up on her knees and kissed his cheek then hugged him. “If you want, akri-Styxx, the Simi can love you, too. ’Cause hearts are amazing things. They get lots bigger to make room for new people to love alongside the old people you love.” She patted her chest. “The Simi gots lots of room to love you, too … if you want.”
Styxx was amazed by her. His brother had been lucky to have Simi by his side for all these centuries. “I should like that very much.”
She hugged him again, and patted his back. “Okay, the Simi have to go now, but she’ll be back to see you soon. And remember akri-Styxx that wishes are powerful, powerful things that come true when you believe in them. And the Simi believes you will be very happy, very soon. Bye.” Then she was gone.
Smiling over his unexpected visit, Styxx picked up the wrapper and threw it away. He let Skylos back into the tent and still wasn’t sure what to make of Simi’s appearance. No doubt his brother would have a fit if he ever learned she’d come to see him.
But it had been a nice surprise. No one had remembered his birthday since Bethany had been with him. He w
ouldn’t have even known it was today had Simi not visited. Not that it mattered. At his age, really, what was the point in counting them?
June 25, 2012
“Where the hell’s my brother?”
Urian paused his game to stare blankly at Acheron. “You need to modulate that unwarranted ire, buddy. I’m not your ’ho and you ain’t my pimp.”
A tic started in Acheron’s jaw. “Sorry.” But his tone contradicted his apology. “Do you happen to know where Styxx is?”
Urian took a swig of his beer. “Am I your brother’s keeper?”
“You gave Tory his e-mail. I assume that means you’re keeping tabs on him.”
Urian clicked back into play and had to bite his tongue to stop his causticity from saying something that would cause Ash to blast him through a wall. “Your point?”
“I’ve been to his condo three times this month and he’s not there. As far as I can tell he hasn’t been there for quite some time.”
Nice powers of observation, Atlantean god. It only took you what? Three and a half years to realize your brother had moved out?
For that alone, he wanted to punch Ash.
Refraining from that particular level of stupid, Urian cleared his throat. “Maybe we should put his face on a milk carton, see if anyone has information on his location.” He frowned. “Do they still have milk cartons? Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen one in a while.”
“I’m serious, Urian.”
“I can hear that,” he said, taking his anger out on his online opponent as opposed to his boss. “I mean, damn, how dare my eleven-thousand-year-old brother not be right where I put him three and a half years ago after he did me a huge favor and saved my life and that of my wife. Rank filthy bastard. Inconsiderate dog! Maybe we should take him out back and beat the shit out of him for worrying you so.”
“What is your problem?”
Time to kiss the wall.
Urian signed off and removed his headset. Picking up his beer, he faced Acheron. “You know I’d die for you. I put my ass on the line for you all the time without fail or hesitation. Hell, sometimes I’m even grateful you saved my life. But you’re not perfect, Ash. None of us are, and when it comes to your brother, you’re a fucking prick.”
Rage mottled Acheron’s cheeks as his eyes darkened. “You don’t know my brother like I do.”
“Really?” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “When was the last time you sat down and had an actual conversation with Styxx? Oh wait…” Urian feigned a laugh as he slapped his thigh. “I know this.” He sobered and those blue eyes pierced Ash with contempt. “You were seven years old at the time. So that’s what? You’re the same age as my dad … so that would make you older than shit and shit’s great-grandfather … it would have been only about eleven thousand five hundred and fifty-three years ago, give or take a few hours … Yeah, you’re right, that makes you one hell of an expert on everything to do with Styxx. Why did I even question it? Stupid me.”
Ash’s cheeks mottled with even more color. “Don’t you dare judge me on something you know nothing about.”
“Why not? You judge Styxx all the time on things you know nothing about.”
“I’m warning you, Urian.”
“And I’m suicidal, boss. Fear factor really doesn’t play in with a man who doesn’t give a shit about life. But … you know your brother, you say? Fine, expert, then answer me one basic, easy question about him.”
Urian paused for effect. “What was the name of his wife? You know, the one you didn’t even know he had? He had a five-year committed relationship with her before he died, while you lived in the same house with him and gained all your expertise where he was concerned … and you know him so well. She’s the only woman he has ever loved. Not knowing her name is like claiming to know me and not knowing Phoebe’s. For that matter, it’s not like he didn’t carve her name and that of his son into his arm eleven thousand five hundred and thirty-six years ago.”
Ash’s eyes turned vibrant red. “He tried to kill me,” he growled.
“Yeah, I know, because I do talk to him. About a decade ago in New Orleans. Surrounded by Dark-Hunters, you were wide awake and an Atlantean god with all his powers available to him when Styxx attacked you out of desperation to escape the eternal hell he was damned to. Not quite the same as being a human boy in bed, sound asleep when someone plunges a dagger through your heart and leaves you on the floor, in a pool of your own blood to die alone.”
“He was trying to kill his own father. Did he tell you that? Plotting a conspiracy against him and blaming me for it.”
“Was he? ’Cause you know, people never lie about shit like that. Ever.”
Ash stiffened. “Yes, they do lie, Urian. So why are you believing Styxx when I know what a liar he is?”
Glaring his rage, Urian set his beer aside. “How do you know? You still haven’t answered the easiest question on the planet about him … if you know nothing else about your brother, you should know his wife’s name.”
Acheron glanced away.
Urian shook his head. When he spoke, his tone was low and chiding. “All those powers you hold and you can’t answer it. It was Bethany, just so you know. They were going to name their son Galen, after his mentor who died in his arms when he was a kid. A mentor who gave his life to save Styxx’s when someone other than you tried to assassinate him while he was buying his wife’s wedding ring. Now let me tell you about the man I know…”
Ash ground his teeth as he struggled not to hit Urian for his blatant stupidity. “I don’t want to hear it. And for your information, I’m not the only one who hated him. You have no idea how many people wanted him dead in his human lifetime.” How many times I was beaten and grudge-fucked by men who despised every breath he took. Ash flinched at the memories that still burned raw. Because Styxx was the prince, they couldn’t touch him. But Acheron was a worthless whore and they paid top dollar to pretend he was their prince so that they could abuse him in Styxx’s stead.
That kind of hatred had a basis in something.
Not to mention Ryssa. She was a kind, beautiful, and gentle soul and she’d hated Styxx with every part of her being. “Did Styxx ever tell you that he had no friends … because no one could stand the arrogant bastard?”
“Arrogant? My God, Ash, you are so blind where he’s concerned. Have you ever once spoken to him?”
“I’m out of here,” Ash growled.
Urian stepped forward to pin him with a merciless glare. “You leave, and I’ll have Tory hold you down to hear what I have to say. Things you need to know.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me … Because tonight when you lie down in your bed and your wife snuggles up to you and you smile with happiness, I want you to take a minute and imagine in the morning when you wake up in that same bed and reach for her warmth, it’s gone. Forever. That you’ll never know another minute of having her limbs tangled with yours. Never wake up and feel her body pressed against you. Then imagine going into Bas’s room and finding it empty, too. All the plans you had for him, gone forever. Then, I want you to take a minute and imagine the kind of love and decency it took for Styxx to go with me into Kalosis and embrace the woman who murdered them. For you, Acheron. The brother who hates his guts.”
Urian paused to let those words sink in. “Now I admit I’m not as big a man as you are, Ash. But I can tell you right now, I wouldn’t piss on my father to save the world, never mind hug him to keep my brother from sharing the pain I have every time I think of Phoebe … which is every other heartbeat. I’m a vindictive son of a bitch. Because after the fit you pitched where you blasted him through the wall just moments before we went down to Kalosis, I would have gutted your mother for what she took from me. And here’s another thing you don’t know. She whispered something to him before he hugged her, and I have no idea what she said, but knowing your mother as I do, it wasn’t kind. Kindness just isn’t something the goddess of destruction is known for
.”
Snorting, Urian crossed his arms over his chest. “And then, after he went down there to save your wife, to keep you from spending the rest of eternity in hell, he took a blade for you from my father. I was there, Acheron. I saw it. No lies. Truth. Yeah, you healed him, and then you turned around and put the man who had just saved your life, and your wife’s, completely out of your mind. You turned your fucking back on him. I was the one who took him home that night and you never once asked about him again until today.”
Urian sarcastically bit his lip. “Oh and by the way, you forgot to pull the poison out of him when you healed his wound. For two months he lay in a coma, burning with fever and delirium, and I had to get Savitar to come in and help him because when I asked you, you told me he was doing it for attention. So while I love you like a brother, I consider Styxx my family, too, and unlike you, Styxx has no one else in this world. Poor bastard got stuck with me alone. Can you imagine that nightmare?”
Drawing a ragged breath, Urian curled his lip in disgust. “He left that apartment a couple of days after Savitar brought him out of his coma, over three years ago. He saved your life and Tory’s, and it took you three and a half years to realize he’d left.” He applauded sarcastically. “Good job, brother. Good job.”
Ash wanted to hold on to his hatred for Styxx. He needed it. But right now …
“And you know what I’ve always found fascinating, Ash? You never once asked me how I met your brother.”
Ash looked away as shame filled him.
“It was in Katateros, just so you know. I went out for a walk on the beach and heard something in the temple down the hill from yours. I found him inside, alone in the dark, with scraps to eat, and when I asked him if there was anything I could bring him, do you know what your arrogant bastard brother asked me for?”
Ash shook his head.
“Fresh water. That’s all Mr. Selfish wanted. He was having a hard time desalinating the river seawater to drink. Now I know you don’t like to eat, but the next time you’re home, I want you to take Tory and walk around your island and have her point out the edible foods she finds. There aren’t many.”
Styxx (DH #33) Page 83