Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

"If it makes you feel better, Styxx, I would have chosen her over me, too." Especially given their pasts and what Acheron had said and done to him. Love was such a rare gift that both of them knew better than to squander it or take for granted the one person strong enough to give them what so few had. "You weren't wrong to protect her. And we will get her back for you. I swear it."

Styxx wiped at his eyes as he roped his emotions into submission. He wasn't sure he could believe in Acheron's words, but this was the closest they'd been to trust in centuries. "Just promise me one thing. If this doesn't work, you'll finally kill me."

"Is that really what you want?"

Styxx took Bethany's hand into his and nodded as he spun her wedding ring around on her finger. "She was so happy when I put this on her hand. I can still see her smiling...." He flinched in agony. "Gods, Beth, why didn't I go with you when you left?"

Acheron put his hand on Styxx's shoulder. "It wouldn't have mattered. Had she taken her serum, my mother still would have killed her. At least this way, we have a chance to bring her back."

Before Styxx could respond, something bright flashed.

They both turned, ready to fight, only to be stunned at the sudden appearance of Artemis in the room. Frowning, she made the strangest noise at the sight of them together.

Styxx leaned his head back to speak to Acheron. "I think we startled her more than she startled us."

Acheron sighed. "What are you doing here?"

She started to speak then closed the distance between them so that she could poke them each on the shoulder. "That's just ... not right. Say something else so I know which of you is Acheron."

"What, Artemis?"

"There's that irritated tone I loathe." She turned her back to Acheron so that she could speak to Styxx. "I have brought you presents."

That scared him more than anything else.

Always beware a Greek bearing gifts, especially when it was a god.

"Why?"

"You're going up against my brother and the rest of those animals.... I want you to win, and make him bleed. A lot. Buckets and buckets full until it gushes and fills the entire hall."

Styxx met Acheron's gaze over her shoulder. "Should I be afraid of the bloodlust?"

"I'm terrified." Acheron's frown deepened. "What did Apollo do?"

"He attacked Nicholas while he was weakened. I will not have it. Since I'm not powerful enough to harm him on my own, I want you two to kick his leg."

Acheron rolled his eyes. "You mean ass, Artie?"

"Whatever body part pleases you. You can't kill him, but you can make him suffer. Long. Hard. Pitifully. I gave Savitar an assortment of weapons I dipped in the River Styx. It will weaken Apollo to the point he'll be as a mortal." She glared her hatred for Apollo at Styxx. "If I were you, I'd castrate him slowly and with a great deal of-"

"Grammy! Grammy!" Out of nowhere, a dark-haired toddler around the age of four popped into the room and leapt into Artemis's arms.

Her rant instantly forgotten, Artemis gave the child a giant hug as she swung the child away from them. "Mia Bella! How is my precious today?"

The girl squealed. "Gamma, Gamma, Gamma, guess what? Guess what! The Simi gonna put hornays on my head like hers and Pappas's. And she said that I could pick any color I want and that they'd be on all the time and they can glow in the dark, too."

Bug-eyed, Artemis looked as horrified by the idea as Styxx felt.

Acheron laughed and rubbed Mia's back. "How about if Simi makes you a pair that can come off?"

Mia wrinkled her nose at him. "Pappas! No! I want real ones. Like you and Simi and Xireni."

Artemis blew out a burst of air. "You know Pappas only has those when he's mad, right?"

Mia's eyes widened. "Really?"

They both nodded.

Mia's attention finally went to Styxx. Her eyes widened. "Who cloned Pappas?" she whispered.

Acheron smiled. "He's my brother ... your uncle Styxx."

Before Styxx knew what the toddler was doing, she launched herself into his arms and kissed him.

"You look just like my Pappas." Then she put her hands on his cheeks and rubbed noses with him. "That's how Charonte say hello. But only if they like you. Otherwise they eat you with ketchup or barbecue sauce, or if they're like my uncle Xed, jalapenos which are really hot, too."

"Don't scare your uncle the first time you meet him, silly belle." Artemis pulled her back into her arms and tickled her.

The door opened. Kat and Sin came into the room making irritated, yet relieved parental sounds.

"Sorry." Kat took her daughter from Artemis. "She got off the chain when we took our eyes away from her for three seconds. She must have sensed you were here." Hugging her mother, she gave her a kiss on the cheek as Sin took his daughter from Kat.

Styxx bit back a smile at the way they passed the poor child around like a football. Yet she didn't seem to mind in the least.

Mia made an adorable face at her father. "Am I in trouble, Daddy?"

Sin had the same reaction Styxx would. He melted and grinned. "No, baby girl. But you shouldn't vanish like that without telling us where you're going." It was so incongruous to see a man as rugged and stern as Sin holding what basically amounted to a bright delicate fairy princess. The top of her dress was even bulging with pink and white cloth flowers, some of which decorated the long poofy yellow tulle skirt. Her legs were covered with matching pink leggings and pink patent leather shoes. The child was even wearing a pair of munchkin-sized pink tulle fairy wings. "You do have to go back to Aunt Tory and Aunt Danger and Uncle Kish and stay with them for a bit, okay?"

She pouted adorably and nodded.

Artemis stopped Sin before he could leave with Mia. "Grammy will be by in a little bit to read her baby belle a story, okay?"

Mia grinned and bounced. "Can we ride in your deer chariot, too?"

"Only if Mommy and Daddy say it's okay ... and you'll have to put on a sweater." Artemis gave her a big hug and kiss. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

She nodded then went rigid in Sin's arms. "Wait! Wait! Pappas!"

Smiling, Acheron gave her a tight squeeze. "I, too, will be back as soon as I can."

"Then we'll watch Megamind?"

"Sure, baby."

She planted a loud, wet kiss on Acheron's cheek. Then Kat took her back from Sin. "I'll return her to her closet and lock her in."

Sin kissed the top of Mia's head before he turned back to them. "Really sorry for the intrusion." He followed after his wife and daughter.

Alone now with Artemis, Acheron met Styxx's gaze. "Are you all right?"

Not really.

Styxx swallowed hard against the pain inside him. "You have a beautiful granddaughter and I truly don't begrudge you your family, Acheron." He glanced to Bethany and felt tears prick the back of his eyes. "I just want mine."

"That's not going to be easy."

They both frowned at Artemis. The way she said that told them she knew something they didn't.

"What do you mean?" Styxx asked.

"You do know my brother was in love with her, right?"

Styxx gaped at something no one had ever mentioned. "Bethany?"

"Bathymaas," Artemis amended. "He and my mother are the ones who moused you out."