Achilles sword slashed down just to the right of me and I stared in shock at the severed arm that fell beside my body. Achilles decapitated the owner of the arm and then held his hand out to me. “Come, we must get you far away from here.”
I looked towards Ares who was fighting with two vampires at once. “I can’t.”
Achilles groaned in frustration and picked me up in his arms. “He will get over me touching you as long as you’re safe.”
I looked around us and realized that we were vastly outnumbered as more dhampirs and vampires and even a group of ogres joined the fight from the depths of the forest. Achilles’ body glowed and the blue vines on his upper chest and arms throbbed in time with his heart and then wings spread from his back. His wings matched the color of the vines on his skin. They were one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
“Where did you sword go?” I asked curiously.
Achilles smiled down at me, making my breath catch in my throat. “Perhaps now is not the time to discuss that?”
I looked at the fighting going on and blushed in embarrassment. “Right.” It wasn’t my fault that I was easily distracted.
Achilles wings moved and we were suddenly above the fight. “Ares!” Achilles called. Ares looked up and growled loudly. “I’m taking her to safety. Meet us in your meadow.”
Ares roared in anger and began attacking more fiercely, killing four vampires and two dhampirs in a matter of seconds.
Achilles moved his wings and we were up above the trees and the people below looked like small ants. I wrapped my arms around Achilles’ neck and shook with fear. “What’s wrong?” Achilles asked softly.
I closed my eyes and put my face against his neck. “I hate heights.”
Achilles laughed loudly, his laugh shaking his chest and me against it. “A fairy afraid of heights? Now that is original.”
I pulled back to glare at him, but instead found myself staring at the trees zooming past us like green blurs. We were flying incredibly fast and yet I felt no wind pressing against me. I looked up and noticed the slight blue tinge of a shield around us. “Why do you have a shield around us?”
“I thought it might frighten you more if you felt the wind pressing against you while we flew.”
“Oh.” He was right. I probably would have been more scared. I took a deep breath and inhaled his smell. Instantly I relaxed and felt safe.
My grip loosened from his neck and Achilles smiled at me. “See, it’s not so bad.”
I refused to look down again. “It’s not the fact that we’re high up, it’s the fear of falling down.”
His smile disappeared as he grew serious. “Do you think I would drop you?”
I pulled my gaze from his lips up to his eyes. “I don’t know. I hardly know you.”
“Whose fault is that?” he asked sadly.
I looked over his face as I tried to gauge what mood he was in. He was mad, sad and yet seemed happy all at the same time. “Why didn’t you come to me before?” I asked.
Achilles looked at me in shock a moment before sighing. “Your father forbade me from visiting you. I didn’t understand why before, but now that I know he hadn’t told you what you really are it makes perfect sense. If you had seen me, then you would know that you aren’t human and he wanted you to think you were human for as long as he could.”
My heart was beating faster than normal as we flew farther and farther away from Ares. My skin started itching and my breath came in short pants. Achilles’ wings stilled and we began falling down towards the ground. I grabbed on to his neck and closed my eyes as we fell. I knew that he wouldn’t hurt himself and that I shouldn’t be worried, but I couldn’t control my emotions very well with Ares so far away.
Achilles was suddenly walking and I realized we’d landed. I opened my eyes and looked at the beautiful meadow we were in. Wild flowers filled most of the meadow and added amazingly bright purples, pinks, reds and blues to the area.
Achilles walked towards an area with tree trunks set around a circle of rocks where a camp fire could be started. Achilles laid me down in the grass and wild flowers and looked up at the moon. My breathing had leveled out, but my heart was still beating fast and my skin still tingled. Could that mean Ares was closer? I sat up and looked at Achilles who was sitting on a log and starting a fire using his sidhe powers. “Did you call this Ares’ meadow?”
Achilles moved the pieces of wood in the fire around before turning to me. “Yes. We’re actually halfway between the werewolves and the sidhe and this is Ares’ land. This spot was his favorite to go to for meditations as I recall.”
I walked towards Achilles with a purple wild flower in my hand. “You know Ares very well, don’t you?”
Achilles poked at the fire with a stick. “Yes.”
I sat down on the log beside him. “What is he hiding from me? He hasn’t told me anything about his past. I can only get bits and pieces from him.”
Achilles tossed the stick into the fire and shook his head. “I cannot tell you. If he’s withholding the information from you then he must have a reason. I have no idea what the reason could be, but nevertheless he must have one.”
I looked at the vines on his arms and watched as they throbbed. I lifted my finger and ran the tip of it down one of his vines. The vine sparkled brighter and then every vine on his body glowed brightly and his skin exploded in white light. Achilles gasped in shock and then groaned.
I yanked my hand back and moved away from him. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I’d just been mesmerized by the vines.
Achilles looked up at me and I stared in shock at his eyes which were completely white, like two glowing pearls. “Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. I relaxed and he smiled. “Do you know what you just did?” Before I could answer he shook his head and laughed. “Of course you don’t. You don’t know anything of our kind.” He shook his head sadly for a moment and then looked up at me again, a look of pure joy on his face. “You just released my powers with a single touch. It’s rare because the one that can do that, is your destined mate.”
I shook my head and backed up until the backs of my legs hit another log. “No. I can’t be your destined mate if I’m Ares’.”
Achilles gestured at his glowing body. “The results do not lie. You are my destined mate.” He sighed, sounding exhausted and his body stopped glowing. His eyes returned to normal and he shook his head sadly. “It’s going to take years to come to an agreement with Ares.”
I realized that my skin wasn’t tingly anymore and my heartbeat was almost normal. “He’s close by,” I said.
Achilles frowned. “Hm.”
I sat down beside him and sighed. “Can you wait to tell Ares about what happened? I’d rather deal with him being mad at me for trying to fight the vampires first instead of him being mad at me for touching you as well.”
Achilles nodded his head. “I think you’re right.”
We sat in comfortable silence for an hour before I felt Ares approaching. I walked out of the ring of logs and towards the direction he was coming from. My heart beating faster each time I turned in the right direction, like a homing beacon.
Ares, Koda and Matt finally came into view and I exhaled happily. Ares sped up, running ahead of the others and picked me up in his arms, swinging me around a couple times before setting me back down on my feet. “Artemis, you’re alright.”
I kissed his face and lips several times before I looked into his eyes. “Of course I’m alright.”
Ares kissed me roughly on the lips and hugged me tightly again. “Don’t you ever try to fight without me again.”
I nuzzled my nose into his neck and whined happily. “I’m sorry.”
Koda and Matt finally made it and Ares released me so that I could hug each of them and rub noses to inhale each others scents.
Ares picked up my hand and walked the rest of the way to the camp fire. “Thank you for protecting her,” Ares said softly.
Achilles bowed h
is head. “Anytime, Brother.”
Brother?
Ares growled. “We are not brothers.”
Achilles sighed and poked at the fire with a new stick. Matt and Koda worked together and hung skinned rabbits and a skinned fox over the fire to cook. Looking at the cooking animals made me realize how thirsty I was. I stripped from my clothes, setting them on the log beside Ares and changed to my wolf form. I stretched and shook after the shift and then trotted over to the small stream I’d heard on the other side of the meadow. The men watched me until I started drinking from the stream and then turned back around and began talking.
After I had my fill of water I jogged over to the logs, changed forms again and pulled my clothes on. It felt good and right to change forms now. I wish I’d known about it sooner so that I could have enjoyed it more.
I sat down beside Ares and rested my head against his shoulder. He was involved in a serious debate with Achilles, but he lifted his arm and pulled me in against him so that his arms were around my shoulders while his thumb lightly stroked my arm. I tried to pay attention to what they were discussing, but I felt a presence out in the dark of the night. It was as if I was being poked in the stomach. I stood up and Ares grabbed my hand. I turned to look at him and saw his mouth moving, but I couldn’t hear anything. I put my hands to my ears and then shook my head. Ares’ and Achilles’ mouths moved quickly and Koda and Matt ran off into the night. The poking in my stomach grew stronger until it felt as though something had pierced my skin. I screamed in pain and fell to the ground as I felt my energy being drained.
I couldn’t see my attacker. I didn’t even know what my attacker was. How could I fight it?
Ares had his hands resting against my face as he talked to me, but I couldn’t hear his words. Tears streamed down my face as the unseen attacker continued to drain me. What could be so powerful that it could kill you without ever even touching you?
Achilles pushed Ares aside and grabbed me in his arms. His wings sprung from his back and then we were up in the air. I hung limp in his arms as he flew. Achilles’ mouth was moving fast and then he pressed his forehead to mine. Images and thoughts filled my mind and I realized after a few moments that they were Achilles’ memories. I gasped in shock and then the images and thoughts stopped, denying me the chance to make sense of what I’d seen.
Are you alright?
I gasped again as the question was spoken in Achilles’ voice, but through my mind. “How can I hear you in my head?”
Achilles shook his head and I saw his chest heave as he sighed. It would be best if you didn’t speak out loud.
“Is this like the werewolves communication while in wolf form?” I asked out loud.
Yes. Now please stop talking out loud.
Sorry. Why can I hear you in my head anyways?
We’ll discuss that later. For now we must discuss what happened. You were attacked by the Queen of the Light Court, Hera…
Wait…isn’t the queen your mom?
Yes, but…
Why did your mom attack me?
She was simply testing your powers first, which is why I didn’t interfere, but when she realized that you are more powerful than her she grew angry and tried to kill…
I’m more powerful than her?! How is that possible? Does that mean that I…
STOP INTERRUPTING ME! Listen to me Artemis. We don’t have much time. She’s following us. I’m going to take you to my father’s kingdom because he will protect you. My mother and he have been fighting for decades and she’s not allowed to enter his kingdom. It’s the safest place for you. Ares will meet us soon.
Why is she following us?
She wants you dead. She’s very jealous and has always tried to kill those more powerful than her. Vanity is one of her negative qualities that have caused many wars over the centuries.
Achilles landed on top of a hill covered in bright green grass beside the ocean and set me down on my feet.
Where are we?
Ireland.
How did we get here so fast?
Achilles rolled his eyes at me. We’re not as slow as birds or airplanes. We’re preternaturals, which means we have extraordinary powers. Powers great enough to fly across the world in an hour. He walked down the hill a little way and stopped in front of a square patch of dead grass. He placed his hand against the patch of grass and then his skin began to glow. The dead grass dropped down and the hole widened until it was at least ten feet by ten feet and a set of stairs was visible leading into the ground. Achilles picked up my hand and started walking down the stairs. I followed him down and swallowed nervously as the top shrank and the grass returned to cover the hole behind us. We walked down the steps in complete darkness.
~~~
Chapter Seven
We descended the stairs in complete darkness and I felt my nerves increasing.
Achilles?
Yes?
I know it’s childish, but could you maybe… Before I could finish my thought Achilles’ skin began glowing and I could see where we were going. We were surrounded by stone instead of dirt as I’d assumed and we walked down a narrow stairway that seemed to never end. I gripped Achilles’ hand tighter as I began to feel claustrophobic. The wolf didn’t like feeling trapped and deep underneath a hill in a stone stairway was close enough to a cage for us as a real one.
Achilles spun around suddenly and put his hands on each side of my face and stared into my eyes. Easy. We’re going to be fine. The door is just ahead and through that we enter into my father’s realm. It’s completely open. You’re not trapped. This is not a cage, simply a passageway. You can’t change.
His touch and words relaxed me until I could breathe normally again. He turned back around and walked faster.
Why had his touch relaxed me? Only Ares should have been able to do that? Did it have something to do with his new ability to communicate telepathically with me? Did he do something? Or was he right about the destined mate thing?
I was trying to figure out an answer when he pushed open a door and sunlight temporarily blinded me. Achilles continued to pull me forward as my eyes adjusted. I tugged on his hand to stop him and rubbed my eyes with my hands. I slowly opened my eyes and then my mouth dropped open.
In books the fairy realm is simply an underground castle or a large underground room. They were completely wrong. It wasn’t an underground anything. Birds flew in the blue skies above us and the oceans splashed against the cliffs nearby. I turned around and instead of seeing the door we’d come through I saw even more beautiful grassy land.
How?
The sidhe do not live in the underground as humans like to believe. We live in a different dimension, which you can get to by using a portal, such as the one we used to get here.
A different dimension? That’s crazy.
Crazy, but true. Come, we must hurry.
Achilles picked my hand up again and led me towards a giant stone castle. We had to walk through a village and I stared in awe at the people dressed in medieval clothes. Why are they dressed as though they live in the medieval era?
Achilles continued walking as he talked to me. The medieval era is my father’s favorite, so those that live in the Dark Court wear that period of clothing and even speak as they would during that time period. My father is somewhat egotistical as you can imagine.
The people all wore medieval clothing yet their skin was of every color of the rainbow with various designs on their skins. Some had their wings out, but most had their wings hidden. Men, women and children stared at us as we walked. Achilles seemed to ignore the looks while I couldn’t help, but look back. Were they staring at Achilles or me?
We made it to the castle and Achilles smiled. “Morning guards.”
The two guards, dressed in full armor, pushed open the doors and bowed their heads. “Greetings, Prince Achilles.”
We started to walk past them when I caught their scent. I stopped walking and stared at them in shock. “Werewolves?”
I opened my mouth to answer when a tall man with a long white beard stepped through the doors to stand beside Achilles. “She is Artemis, daughter of Darren of the Werewolves and Athena of the Sidhe and fiancée of Prince Achilles of the Sidhe.”
The man looked like Achilles, except he was slightly older and had a long white beard. I knew who he was instantly. I curtsied and bowed my head. “Greetings Zeus, King of the Dark Court of the Sidhe.”
Zeus laughed happily. “I see you’ve started training her.”
Achilles sighed. “We must speak father. It’s important.”
Zeus picked my hand up and I stood up to look at him. He kissed the back of my hand and smiled seductively at me. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
A blush instantly covered my cheeks, but I found my voice and said, “It’s an honor to finally meet you.”
Zeus took my hand and placed it on the inside of his elbow as he led us into the castle. The hallways were wide enough to ride three horses abreast and torches sat in decorative iron holders every five feet or so. Achilles walked on the other side of me as we made our way past large rooms filled with sidhe of every color. I tried to stop to look, but Zeus continued to pull me along. He stopped in front of a set of large, ornately carved wooden doors and snapped his fingers. The two guards in front of the doors pushed them open and then stepped out of the way as Zeus led me inside.
The king’s bedroom is expected to be elegant, but the King of the Sidhe’s bedroom was magnificent. He kept his medieval time period though, not having a single modern item inside. Zeus released my hand and I walked quickly to the balcony, pushing aside the red drapes to look out over the ocean below.
Kiss of a Star Artemis Lupine Page 9