Acheron (Dark-Hunter #15)(29)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

"Thank you again," he said to them.

Eleni stood up with him. "Our pleasure, Acheron. Feel free to return anytime you’d like to try some of my pastries."

Merus grinned at him. "I’ll have a hankie ready."

"I’m sure you will." Lifting his cowl, Acheron made sure to cover himself completely. "Good day to you."

"May the gods be with you."

If she only knew. Acheron carefully ducked out of the door and made his way back toward the hill where the palace was set. Strange, he’d set out to escape into the world of fantasy through the plot of a play and instead had his spirits lifted even higher by an unexpected encounter with real people. Eleni and Merus had given him more than an escape.

They’d given him normality. If only for a short while. And it meant everything to him. He felt better than he had in a long time.

At least until he returned home.

He hesitated in the foyer as he saw the large gathering of nobles and senate members who were accompanied by their families. Not that it should be that much of a surprise, but no one had told him there was to be a party.

Had he known, he’d have stayed locked in his room. His experience with such events had never gone well. Of course, in the past, he’d been the main attraction/fascination for all the guests. A chill swept over him as he remembered the times he’d been paraded around and pawed at before someone in the group threw him to the ground . . .

Pulling his cowl lower, he kept to the shadows as he made his way to the stairs. With any luck no one would approach him.

Yet as he drew even to the ballroom, his father’s voice stopped him dead.

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate with me. It’s not every day that a king is so blessed."

Acheron crept closer to the doors to see his father on a dais. Ryssa stood to his left with Apollo by her side. The god’s arm was wrapped possessively around her shoulders. Styxx was to his father’s right. He held hands with a tall, beautiful dark-haired woman.

"Let us all raise our cups in honor of my only daughter, the human consort for the god Apollo who is now expecting his child and to my only son who will be marrying the Egyptian princess Nefertari. May the gods bless them both and may our lands forever flourish."

A bitter jealousy tore through him as he listened. It stung so deep in his heart that it was all he could do not to lower his cowl and call out to his father that he did indeed have another son. But to what purpose?

His father would only deny him and then have him beaten for the affront and embarrassment.

Anger overrode the jealousy as his father proudly kissed Ryssa and then Styxx.

"To my beloved children," he said to the crowd once more. "Long may they live."

A deafening shout rose up from everyone except Acheron who couldn’t breathe from the weight of agony and rejection.

I am the eldest . . .

"You are a deformed whore and a slave." Estes’s voice echoed from his past. "You don’t speak unless you’re addressed. You are never to look anyone in the face. You should be grateful I even tolerate you in my house. Now get on your knees and please me."

Acheron wanted to die as shame filled him. His father was right. There was nothing about him worth loving and definitely nothing that warranted any kind of pride. Hanging his head, he made his way up the stairs and to his bedroom.

His heart heavy, he lowered the cowl, grateful there was no mirror here to remind him of why he deserved nothing save the scorn of decent people.

"Acheron?"

He froze at the whisper behind him. "What do you want, Artemis?"

"I want my friend back."

Acheron closed his eyes against the tears that he hid inside himself. He wanted so desperately to have value to someone. Anyone. Not for what he earned for them, but because they cared for him.

Artemis moved to stand just behind him. So close he could feel her presence as if they were touching. "I’ve missed you."

He wanted to rail at her. To scream out how much he hated what she’d done to him.

To beg her not to ever hurt him again.

But what was the use? All humans were the playthings of the gods. He was only a little closer to one than the others.

"Am I forgiven then?" he asked, hating himself for the subservient question.

"Yes." She pressed herself to his back and wrapped her arms around him.

Grinding his teeth, he forced himself not to stiffen or shove her away. "Thank you."

Artemis wanted to weep at the joy she felt. She had her Acheron back . . . She couldn’t believe how much she’d missed him. How afraid she’d been of his rejection.

Most of all, she wanted him to know how glad she was to have his friendship returned. "I promise, I will never hurt you again."

Acheron didn’t believe that for one instant. She’d shattered his trust the moment she’d taken him by the hair, knowing how much he despised it. Knowing how demeaning that action was for him.

He’d have rather she just tossed coins in his face and walked out.

She pulled him against her and kissed him like a lover. He returned the kiss with all the passion of someone who’d been paid for it. How sad that she couldn’t tell the difference between a kiss he felt and one that was born of obligation. Then again, he was the best whore money could buy.

When she moved back, he saw the joy in her gaze. How he wished he felt it too.

"You’ll never again doubt my affection," she breathed against his lips.

Acheron didn’t respond as she dropped to her knees in front of him. He frowned in confusion until she ran her hand down his c**k before she guided the tip of it into her mouth. Gasping in shock and pleasure, he almost staggered back. No one had ever done this to him before.

His job was to please. It wasn’t to have others, especially not a goddess, pleasure him. All the anger inside him evaporated under the assault of her tongue on his body. He’d never felt like this before . . . never dreamed of just how good this would be. Her hand stroked and cupped his sac while her warm breath scorched him. The love for her that he’d buried and denied came back with a fury so intense it sent him into an immediate orgasm.

Artemis pulled back, sputtering as she quickly covered him with the skirt of his chiton. "That is so disgusting. How can anyone enjoy that?"

Acheron couldn’t answer as he clutched himself while his body continued to finish what she’d started.

She looked up at him with a hesitant smile as she licked her lips. "You enjoyed that, didn’t you?"

"Yes," he said, his voice ragged.

"Am I forgiven?"

Acheron ran his thumb over her lower lip where a trace of his seed was left. Her gaze unwavering, she flicked her tongue over the pad of his finger to taste it. The sight of her doing that . . . the sensation of her hot tongue on his skin was the most incredible thing he’d ever experienced.

Drained and sated, all he could do was nod.

Her smiled widened as she stood up and pulled him in for another kiss. The next thing he knew, they were in her temple bedroom and he was completely nak*d. She nipped his lips, brushing her hands over his chest. "Make love to me, Acheron."

Her words sent a wash of frigid cold through him. "I don’t want to be beaten today, Artie. I’ve suffered enough shame this afternoon."

Laughing, she pulled his head down so that she could kiss him roughly, nipping his skin until he feared he’d be bruised. "I won’t beat you. Promise." She took his hand and led him to her bed. She rolled onto her back and jerked him over her nak*d body.

Still Acheron was uncertain.

Artemis rolled him over onto his back. She was relentless in her demands and his body did exactly what it’d been trained to do . . . it hardened for her.

Closing his eyes, he wished he’d been neutered as a child. His life would have been infinitely easier.

As she slid herself onto him, he wondered how it could be that a goddess couldn’t tell what was inside him. That she had no idea how little he wanted this from her right now. Reserved and terrified of what abuse she’d deliver once she was finished, he pleased her as best he could.

By the time she was fully sated, his body was sore. Sliding off him, she sighed contentedly. She reached up toward his face and he turned his head quickly in expectation of a slap.

"What’s wrong?"

He swallowed as she pulled a pillow over him and then tucked it under her head. "Nothing."

She propped herself up so that she could trace the lines of his face with her fingertips. "I think I shall keep you with me tonight."

Before he could answer a golden cuff surrounded his ankle. A chain at the end of it entwined itself around her bedpost. "What’s that for?"

"To make sure you don’t wander about while I sleep."

Acheron jerked his foot making the links jingle. It was all he could do to bury his anger and not shout in frustration. "I don’t like this, Artemis. I’m not a dog to be chained outside your house because you’re afraid I’ll piss on your rug."

She tsked at him. "Don’t be so contrary. It’s for your own safety."

Brutally force feeding him had been for his own good too. He couldn’t stand being chained down. More than anything else, it made him feel like a whore again. "Please don’t do this to me. I promise I won’t leave your bed while you sleep."

Artemis hesitated. She couldn’t tell if he was still angry enough to strike back at her or not. For all she knew, he might march up to the hall of the gods just for spite.

Humans were treacherous that way.

But in the end, she decided to trust him. The chain fell away. "If you betray me, Acheron-"

"You’ll make me suffer through all eternity. I know. I was listening to the threat the first time you uttered it."

"Good. Now be a good man and give me your neck."

He dutifully brushed his hair back, exposing the beauty of his tawny skin and the delectable curve of his throat.

Her mouth watering, she dipped her head down to taste him and this time she didn’t withhold the pleasure of the bite. She let him feel it fully. Cradling her head against him, he came in her arms as she drank from him.

Satisfied, Artemis watched as his eyes fluttered closed. "You will be mine, Acheron, for as long as your beauty holds. I will share you with no one else. Ever."

She would sooner see him dead.

April 3, 9528 BC

Acheron was slowly learning to trust in Artemis again. Either that or he was just becoming a more obedient pet. There were times when he wasn’t sure which category he fell into.

She came to him when she was bored or hungry and ignored him when she had other obligations.

But at least she’d kept her word not to hit him anymore. In fact he hadn’t been hurt in weeks now since Artemis kept him out of his father’s way, too.

He currently sat in her temple, on the white chaise that was set in the middle of her receiving room. One of her maids had called her away and she’d sealed him inside before she left. Bored out of his mind, he cast his gaze around the room until he spied a golden kithara lying on a cushion on the floor in a corner.

Mesmerized by it, he retrieved the instrument and held it reverently in his hands. He hadn’t played music since he’d left Atlantis. Music had been one of many things he’d been taught and he’d had a natural aptitude.

The thing he’d always loved most had been the way the music made him feel. Like plays, he could lose himself to the song and notes.

He strummed the strings and cringed at how badly out of tune it was. But after a minute, he had it back to perfection. Content for once, he started playing.

Artemis paused before she materialized back into her temple. At first she thought it was her niece Satara playing the kithara that she used to entertain Artemis and her koris. Until she heard the deep and beautiful male voice singing in a low perfect pitch. The song, so tender and heartfelt, brought tears to her eyes.

She’d never suspected that Acheron possessed such talent. Not even the muses could compete.

Solidifying in the room, she listened while he kept his back to her. "You’re amazing," she breathed, moving to sit behind him.

He stopped instantly.

As he started to set it aside, she stopped him. "Please keep playing."

"I only like to play when I’m alone."

"Why?"

"Because it makes people want to f**k me."

She tsked at his contrariness. "You shouldn’t use words like that around me, Acheron. I’m a goddess. You need to show me more respect."

"Forgive me, akra."

Artemis sat back with a sigh at his subservience. She hated whenever he took that tone. It was the fire and defiance in him that she craved. Whenever he relaxed, that was the side he showed her. But the moment she corrected him, he immediately fell into this role he wore right now.

And she despised it.

She pushed the instrument toward him. "Would you play for me? There’s only the two of us and I should like to hear your voice."

He returned the kithara to his lap and idly strummed it.

She leaned against his back and held him while he played. "What other talents do you have that you’ve hidden from me?"

"I’m accomplished at anything that entertains others."

"Such as?"

"Musical instruments, song, strega, massage, dance and f**king."