Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

Chapter Forty-Senven

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."

OTTIYOi y'VOYa ...

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 wouldn'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."