Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

"He's a full-blooded prince." Their eyes widened at Rahim's random comment as he passed back by them.

Styxx growled low in his throat before he spoke in Egyptian. "Thank you, Rahim. May all of the fleas of the desert roost in your most private places."

"And the same good wishes to you, my prince," he responded in English.

Now the women were bombarding him with questions and gropes.

"Guys!" Mindy snapped. "Stop acting like a bunch of slutty porn queens. Leave the poor man alone." She pulled him away from them. "Sorry. We're from Minnesota, which is in the-"

"I know where it is." Urian's sister-in-law lived there and it was where Urian spent part of every year.

"Oh. Sorry. Anyway, we don't get to meet princes where we live." Especially not ones that look like you. Forget William, you make him look like a shriveled goat.

The William comment, however, he had no clue about.

"No problem."

As he started away, Mindy took his arm. "What's your name?"

"Styxx."

"Like the band?"

A smile quirked at the edges of his lips. "Like the river in the Greek Underworld that the band and I are named after."

"Oh. That's cool ... anyway, we're flying back to the States in two days. Our fall classes start back next week. Um, if you'd like to have lunch or something before we leave..." She bit her lip hopefully as she ran her hand along the edges of her lacy tank top that exposed the top swell of her large breasts.

For the first time in a long while, Styxx felt a stirring in his body. She was actually starting to arouse him.

Before he could stop himself, he dipped his head down to capture her lips. Groaning, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her voluptuous body.

Styxx closed his eyes as he savored the sensation of being held again. It'd been so very long....

But as the scent of her perfume hit him, it quelled his desire. This wasn't his Bethany. And while he savored the sensation of being physically touched, it wasn't what he craved. Not to mention the small fact that if Mindy saw the scars that covered him there would be questions he didn't want to answer. Memories he didn't want to deal with.

He pulled back and cupped her cheek in his hand. "It was nice meeting you, Mindy. Have a safe journey home." Heartbroken and lonely, he turned and walked away.

Damn you, gods. Between them and the cruelty of his parents and uncle, they'd not only taken his heart, they'd taken his soul.

And while he'd finally found peace in the desert, he'd never found happiness or acceptance anywhere other than in Bethany's arms.

September 3, 2012

For hours now, Styxx had seen the vultures circling something. Since they continued to be airborne, he knew their victim was still breathing. But it wasn't until he neared the top of a dune and Skylos took off barking that he realized their intended meal was human.

He kicked his horse forward, pulling Jabar behind him as he closed the distance to see a body half buried in the sand.

After dismounting, he approached slowly. Sometimes bandits would use this as a ruse to trap victims. But since Skylos continued to be occupied by the man on the ground and wasn't running around to warn of others, it was a good bet the man was alone.

However, treachery and trickery were often a necessary part of desert survival. With one hand on the gun concealed at the base of his spine, Styxx closed the distance cautiously.

It was a tall, frail man whose pale skin had been ravaged by the harsh sun.

Carefully, Styxx placed his hand to the man's exposed, blistered shoulder. "Are you Egyptian?"

"Yes." The response was so low, he wasn't sure he heard it. No trickery here. The man was practically dead.

"I mean you no harm." Styxx pulled his aba off to cover the man's raw, sun-ravaged skin. "I'm going to slowly roll you over, okay?"

He didn't respond.

As gently as he could, Styxx dug the man's body out of the sand. He cursed as he saw the rusted stake and chains that had been used to secure his legs to the ground. Unsure if it'd been meant as tribal punishment or had been done by raiders, Styxx pulled his canteen off and opened it. He helped the man to drink. "Slow and easy." If he drank too fast in this condition, it'd only sicken him.

Styxx made him as comfortable as possible. "I'll be back. I need to get bolt cutters to free you."

His breathing ragged, the man said nothing as Styxx left him to go through his pack on Jabar. Just as he found the tool he was looking for, Skylos started barking again. He looked up to see the wall of rushing sand several miles away.

Crap ...

Clicking his tongue to urge his camel forward, he pulled Jabar toward the man and had the camel sit so that both of them were on the leeward side of it. "Wasima!" he said sharply to his horse, calling her over so that he could have her lie down on the ground to prepare for the coming storm.

Panic was in the man's eyes as Styxx returned to him.

"Simoon," he explained as he covered the stranger's mouth and eyes to protect them from the sandstorm headed their way.

Skylos ran back and forth, barking to alert him.

"Here, boy!" Styxx shouted, trying to get the dog to calm down enough to sit by the man so that the camel could protect the dog, too.

He'd barely cut through the steel and pulled the man against the camel and covered him and Skylos with a blanket before the storm hit. Since there wasn't enough room for all of them under the blanket, Styxx kept his head down as the harsh wind and sand tore at his clothes and exposed skin.

Luckily, it was a short storm and was over in about twenty-five minutes. After shaking the sand off himself, Styxx dug the animals and man out. Jabar nipped angrily at his shoulder as Styxx helped him to stand. "I know. Sorry, old friend."

Wasima wasn't much happier, but Skylos didn't mind. He rolled over for Styxx to scratch his belly. He patted him gently on the ribs laughed at the dog's playfulness.

"Later, Skylos." He had the man to see about.

Gratitude shined in the man's eyes. "Thank you," he breathed.