Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

Styxx let out a bitter laugh at Dionysus's answer. "And why are they half human?"

"Fine, it was just the one time, and I was really tore up drunk when it happened, and Phobos dared me into it."

One time? Really?

"Ismarius?" Styxx taunted with another famous reminder of the Olympian's perversity.

"What are you? My effing biographer?"

Camulus laughed. "So the goat remark hit a little close to home, huh?"

"Shut up." Dionysus turned back to Styxx. "If you don't want her raped, why give her a potent aphrodisiac?"

Because you leave me with no choice. If I don't do this, the other bastard will hurt her for real. Better to make her horny than have her violated by a pig.

But he knew better than to give them the real reason. "Mess with their heads. It will stress out Talon to know it was given to her, but most of all, it will send Acheron a potent message that I'm here, and it will upset him to a level you can't even begin to imagine."

"Why would he care?" Camulus asked.

"I'm the only one alive who knows all his secrets and every detail of his past. Trust me, he doesn't want me to share any of it with his friends. Fear of what I might expose will paralyze him. And he'll be after me with his thoughts so scrambled he won't know if he's coming or going."

Dionysus glared at him. "This had better work."

"Believe me. No one knows my twin better than I do. Now, we need to take her somewhere to give it to her then let them find her under its influence." And make damn sure Talon is the one who finds her and the Gallic pig keeps his hands to himself.

Dionysus nodded. "I'll get some Daimons to set up a distraction and to protect her until the Dark-Hunters get to her."

* * *

After returning Styxx to the spartan hole that had been his home for centuries, Dionysus frowned at him. "You made this place?"

Nodding, Styxx hesitated in the doorway of his hut. "I originally had a stone cottage here, but after a few centuries, it crumbled to dust."

"Couldn't you fix it?"

He gave the Olympian a droll stare. "Too time intensive to find the stones and make mortar by hand. I was dropped here with no tools or any supplies. I had to make everything I needed to survive, including weapons and tools, and kill or gather whatever I ate and wore." Had Styxx not been a war veteran who'd been forced to scrounge with his army when supplies ran low, and a boy whose father had demanded he work the hardest, most menial jobs he could find, he'd have been completely shit out of luck here.

Dionysus scowled. "I thought you had caretakers?"

A tic started in Styxx's jaw at the memory. "For a little while people would bring some food, from time to time. Maybe a hundred years or so. Then never again."

"How did you not go insane from the solitude?"

"Who says I didn't?" Styxx glanced around and winced at the animal pelts on the sand floor where he'd slept for thousands of years. The stone tools he'd had to make to survive-something twice as hard as usual since his right hand had been left partially paralyzed from the Thracian attack on his return to Greece after the Atlantean war.

There had been nothing comfortable or comforting about his stark, harsh existence.

Had he not hated Acheron before Dionysus had freed him, he would definitely hate him now, having seen the luxury his brother had lived in all these centuries past. The friends who surrounded Acheron and loved him like family.

Styxx still didn't understand how the selfish bastard couldn't have bothered to check in on him. Just once. Brought him a burger.

One effing pillow or blanket. Really? Would that have been so much for Mr. Atlantean God?

Disgusted, Styxx went to his chest and picked it up. "I'm ready."

"Yeah. I imagine you've seen enough of this place."

You have no idea. Styxx didn't say anything, but he was glad Dionysus didn't drag his feet leaving.

At least that was the thought until they returned to the hotel suite and Apollo was there, waiting for them.

What the hell?

A slow smile spread across the Olympian's face as he saw Styxx, while Styxx's stomach shrank with each additional heartbeat.

Camulus slid his gaze to Dionysus. "He came here looking for you. I hope you don't mind. I told him to wait."

That was what his mouth said, but Styxx could hear that Camulus had done it intentionally to get back at him. And all because of Styxx's slip ...

Damn it. He knew better than to ever expose a nerve to anyone, for any reason. Especially a vengeful god. Total misery and pain consumed every molecule of his body. Honestly, he'd rather be back on the island than subjected to that bastard's custody.

He turned on Dionysus. "Our deal's off. Send me back."

Dionysus actually had pity in his eyes as he shook his head at Styxx. "It won't matter. He knows you're alive now. He can track you there the same way I did."

Of course he could. And on that island, Styxx would be at Apollo's mercy any time, day or night. It would be even worse than it'd been in Didymos.

Apollo wouldn't have to worry about anyone disturbing them or ...

Styxx slammed the chest down on the table. "I don't give a fuck. I'm out." He stormed to Sunshine's room and opened the door.

Her eyes widened as soon as she saw him. Fury spurring him, he pulled out his knife and went to free her.

Roaring, Camulus shoved him away from the bed.

Styxx turned on him with a feral gleam in his eye. He'd had enough of them all. "Bring it, bitch!"

Camulus lunged at him and Styxx feinted to the left then shot back right and buried his dagger into the god's side. The Gaul bellowed with fury.

Styxx caught him and flipped him to the floor. Camulus shot a bolt at him, but he dodged it and slammed Camulus's head down to stun the older being.

"Stop!" Dionysus ordered.

Styxx ignored him.

"I'll kill the woman if you don't stop. I mean it, Styxx."

He hesitated in debate. On the one hand, why should he care? But as he glanced at her and the terror in her dark eyes, he knew he couldn't hurt her. He'd seen too many innocents pay. Even though he didn't know her at all, he didn't want her or Talon to live with the nightmares he knew so intimately.

No one should bury his wife ...

Never mind do it twice in one lifetime.

Furious, Styxx drove the knife into the floor next to Camulus's head then got up and left the room.

"I should have let him kill you," Dionysus sneered to Camulus, unaware that Styxx could hear them.

"I didn't know he could do that."

Apollo laughed. "You have no idea. For a human, he has incredible skills ... in more than one event."

"Stop it!" Dionysus snapped at his brother. "Haven't you tormented him enough? Really?"

Styxx grabbed his coat and left the hotel. He had no destination in mind, he just had to get some fresh air as a thousand emotions ripped him apart. He should have known better than to agree to this.

The gods always screwed him.

One way or another.

I just want out. Was it not time for his torment to end? Really? How much more could they put him through?

Unable to stand it, he headed down Canal, toward the river. There were groups of people laughing all around him in carefree abandon. How he wished he could be one of them. But he'd never been free to hang out with friends and party. His whole human life had been nothing but responsibility.

Duty.