Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter 11)

She'd wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Don't be stupid, Sin. Everyone knows your wife cheats with anyone she can drag to her bed... that the children you claim as yours aren't. That your own pantheon looks down on you even though you control the moon, the calendar, and their fertility. I can't imagine how terrible it must feel to be laughed at by everyone, especially given how much power you have."

It was much more complicated than that. As much power as he held, he knew it could be negated in an instant by the Tablet of Destiny. Without power, he'd be an easy kill. Not to mention, he was kept at bay by loyalty to Zakar. If Sin died, they'd soon learn Zakar was still alive and in no time they'd kill him, too.

Artemis had leaned against Sin and breathed in his ear. "Haven't you ever wanted to get back at them?"

More than she could imagine.

However, his hands were tied and he knew it-better he be unhappy than his brother be dead. And as that thought went through Sin, he realized he didn't want to be here tonight... with her.

This all felt wrong and he needed to leave.

Sin had set the goblet aside. "I made a mistake coming here."

Artemis had pulled him to a stop and smiled prettily at him in a way no goddess had done in centuries. "No, love, you didn't. You belong here with me." She'd pulled him toward her room. "Like you, I'm tired of being alone all the time." She'd raised his hand and placed a tender kiss on his knuckles as her eyes seduced him. "Stay with me, Sin, and I will make you the next reigning king of the gods."

"I don't need to be king."

She'd left him to get more wine. "Of course you don't. But think of the others bowing down before you. Imagine them all doing any- and everything they can to please you... wouldn't it be fantastic?" Returning to his side, she held the goblet to his lips. "Drink, my sweet. It's good for you."

Sin had downed it all. But no sooner had he finished it than the room began to swim. Too late, he'd realized that she had drugged him.

He'd tried to walk but stumbled to his knees. "What have you done to me?"

Her face had hardened. "I want your powers, Sin. I need them."

"You lying bitch," Sin had growled, and lunged at her.

She'd slapped him hard. Sin had grabbed her and thrown her to the bed, intending to kill her. But no sooner had he wrapped his hands around her throat than he'd passed out.

Now he saw himself on the bed through Kat's eyes. Artemis's throat was bruised from his attack. Her dress torn, but he hadn't done it.

Artemis gestured toward him. "You have to strip his powers from him, Katra. If you don't..." She started crying. "He'll return and may Zeus have mercy on me then. He'll kill me when he wakes. I know it."

"Matisera, I..."

"You what?" she asked angrily, "Don't tell me you won't protect your own mother from an attacker? Look at him, spread out on my bed, sleeping peacefully as if this was nothing to him. Look at me! If I hadn't blasted him, he'd have violated me and taken my powers and left me as weak as a babe. Who do you think would protect you from the other gods then?" She'd begun sobbing hysterically.

He could feel the pain inside Kat at seeing her mother hurt, at hearing her tears. Artemis never cried, and it broke Kat's heart. She wanted to soothe her mother.

"Please, Matisera, don't cry."

"How can I not? My own child doesn't love me."

"I do love you."

"Then prove it! Give me his powers!"

He could see the indecision in Kat's eyes and feel it inside her as she walked to the bed and touched his arm. The minute she touched him, his wrath and anger had seared her. She'd dropped his arm instantly. "He wants you dead."

"I told you that! If he's still a god when he wakes, I won't be here to protect you anymore."

Kat was terrified. Her mother meant everything to her. The thought of losing her... she couldn't deal with it. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Matisera. I promise." Cringing, Kat had reached for him again and then held her hand out for her mother.

Artemis joined her by the bed and took her hand into hers. Kat covered the center of his chest with her palm, then closed her eyes.

Sin gasped as he felt his powers traveling from his body, through Kat to Artemis. And with every beat of his heart, he grew weaker while Artemis grew stronger...

Anger and betrayal tore through him as he realized the truth. Artemis hadn't taken his powers from him.

Kat had.

She had been the one to cover him in the diktyon so that her mother could dump his body...

He couldn't even go there. Even after all these centuries that pain was too raw. The humiliation too severe. Damn them both for it!

Unable to breathe, he opened his eyes and saw Kat still drinking from him. He cursed before he shoved her away.

Kat was dazed as she looked up at Sin and saw the fury on his face. It didn't matter. The bloodlust was turning into something more.

Her entire body was on fire and she needed him. It was more than she could deny. She had to have him.

Now!

Rising from the chaise, she stalked toward him.

"Don't touch me," he growled, holding her back.

She was baffled by his anger as she wrapped her arms around him, trying to pull him back toward her lips. "I need you, Sin."

He extracted himself from her hold and put two feet between them. "You betrayed me."

She moved even closer to him so that she could bury her face against his neck and inhale the scent of him... and his blood. "Sin," she breathed against his skin as she tongued the area she wanted to bite.

He pushed her away. "You betrayed me. Why didn't you tell me it was you who took my powers?"

She was trying to follow his words, but it was useless. She could smell the blood... taste it, and that desire was all-consuming.

Sin tried to leave, then cursed as he realized he didn't have to powers to leave Olympus. "Release me, Katra. Now." Still she pursued him.

He held her by the shoulders to keep her away from him. He'd trusted her in ways he hadn't trusted anyone in centuries. Around her he'd dropped his guard, and for what? To learn that she'd kept this from him? That she'd duped him and allowed him to blame her mother for something Artemis hadn't done?

God, how many times had Kat told him she couldn't give him his powers back when she could? Damn her to hell!

He felt like such a fool. "I don't want you touching me right now. Do you understand? You ruined my entire life and then you didn't even have the decency to tell me it was you when you knew I was blaming Artemis for it."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" He couldn't believe that was her comeback. "Is that all you have to say? 'Sorry' doesn't even begin to fix what you've broken. Because of you, my entire family is dead except for my twin brother, who has spent centuries at the mercy of demons who've tortured him. And now he's one of them. I put my faith in you... came to the home of my enemy to save your life, and for what? To find out that you're the same lying sack of shit that everyone else is? That the one person I put at my back is the one person who has hurt me most in my life? I hate you for what you've done. You made me believe in someone again, and then, the moment I did, you screwed me over."

Kat let go as those words cut through the haze in her mind. "I never meant to hurt you."