"No." Ash knelt by her side and healed her wounds. "Return to your master for a little while and you will meet your sister soon."
The demon nodded, then ran up Alexion's sleeve, to his chest.
Alexion still hadn't moved as he cradled Danger to him.
Acheron cocked his head as he watched them with those all-powerful, swirling silver eyes. "Why don't you question me?"
Alexion swallowed against the bitter lump in his throat that was choking him. "Because I know better." He looked up at Acheron so that he could see the sincerity in his eyes. "But I hate you right now."
"I know."
And then it happened...
Danger's body evaporated into a shiny gold powder.
Alexion cried out again as he felt her loss completely. "No!" he growled as he tried to scoop the powder up so that he could take it to Paris for her as he'd promised.
"Don't," Acheron said gently as he reached out for him.
Alexion shoved him away. "Damn you, you bastard, I promised her. I promised-"
He covered his eyes with his hands as he sobbed, realizing it was hopeless. "There's nothing left to bury. Nothing left to gather even."
Oh, gods, how could she be gone like this? How? It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.
"We have to go, Alexion."
He nodded even though what he wanted to do was attack Acheron himself. He knew it wasn't Acheron's fault, but it didn't matter. He wanted to strike out and hurt someone. Anything to ease the burning, aching hole inside him.
There was nothing left to stay for.
Danger was gone...
His heart shattered, he felt his human body melting as it shifted from the human realm to Katoteros. He found himself back in the throne room where Simi was waiting.
"Alexion!" she shrieked happily, running at him before she launched herself into his arms. "You're back!"
She pulled away and frowned when he didn't return her enthusiasm. Cocking her head, she scowled at him. "But you're so sad. Why are you sad, Lexie? Was them Daimons mean to you? The Simi will eat them if they hurt you."
Acheron gently pulled her away. "He needs to be alone for a little while, Sim."
"But..."
"It's okay." Acheron took her hand and gave him the space he needed.
Alexion didn't speak as he walked the back hallway toward his chambers. He was so cold inside that he didn't think he could ever be warm again.
For the first time ever, he hated this place. He hated everything about it. Most of all, he hated Acheron.
At least he did until he opened the doors to his room. He stopped short, his breath catching, as he saw the impossible.
It couldn't be, yet it was...
There in the center of his room, dressed in a red chiton, was Danger.
He couldn't speak as he caught sight of her there.
She was looking around as if disoriented. "Where am I?"
No words would come out of his mouth as he rushed to her and scooped her up in his arms. She felt real.
She felt alive...
Could it be? Did he dare believe that this was real?
Holding her close, he buried his head against her neck, inhaled her scent and wept.
"Alexion, you're starting to freak me out."
He pulled back with a laugh. "How did you get here?"
"I have no idea. One minute I was in a lot of pain, then everything was dark, and then I was here." She leaned toward him. "Where is here?"
"My chambers. You're in Katoteros."
She frowned up at him. "I don't understand."
Neither did he.
"You didn't really think I was going to let this end badly, did you?"
Alexion turned to find Acheron standing in the doorway, watching them with a smile.
"We learn from our pain," he said, using the words Acheron so often quoted to him.
Acheron shrugged. "But we are rewarded with pleasure." His gaze shifted to Danger before it returned to meet his levelly. "You've served me too long and too well for me to turn my back on you, Alexion. I couldn't save her life without altering too much of the universe. But I can give you this."
Alexion was grateful and at the same time stunned by it. He had never expected Acheron to do something like this... ever. "You hate people in your house."
Acheron let out a weary breath. "What the hell? I got used to you. I'll get used to Danger in time too."
Danger gaped. "I get to stay? Here? With Alexion? Really?"
"Only if you want to," Alexion said.
Danger swallowed as her eyes filled with tears. She wrapped herself around Alexion and held him tight. "I can't believe this."
"I'm sorry for what you lost, Danger," Acheron said quietly. "This existence is far from perfect."
Alexion saw a panicked look darken her eyes. "Do I have to drink blood to live?"
Acheron shook his head. "Only Einstein over there has to do that. But like him, you won't be able to taste food anymore."
Danger laughed. "That's all right. Who needs taste buds anyway? I'll just eat a lot of popcorn."
Acheron's gaze softened. "If you want to release your demon, Alexion, I'll go introduce her to Simi and give you two some time alone."
Alexion frowned. "How is it that you're not stunned she has a sister?"
"I've known for a long time that she wasn't the only demon out there. It wasn't too big a leap of faith to figure she probably had some family too."
Still, Alexion was shocked that Acheron had kept such a secret from them. "Then why didn't you tell us?"
"Simi likes the idea of being the only one. I was going to tell her the truth once she got a little older. But I guess now's the time."
Alexion agreed. "Xirena, I summon you to human form."
The demon popped off his body and stood back, reserved. "Am I in trouble?"
"No," Alexion assured her. "You're going to meet Simi."
Her eyes sparked with happiness.
"Come, Xirena," Acheron said. "I'll take you to her."
She hesitated. "You're not trying to trick Xirena, are you?"
"No."
"It'll be all right," Alexion said. "You can trust him."
Xirena went to Ash hesitantly before the two of them left the room.
Danger waited until they were alone before she turned back to Alexion and pulled him into her arms. "Is this really real?"
"Yeah," he breathed as he held her close. "I still can't believe you're here."
"You can't? I thought I had lost you forever."
"At least I didn't die on you."
"No, but that's not a problem for either one of us again, is it?"
Alexion smiled as he savored the sight of her bright brown eyes shining up at him. "Not unless we piss off a Charonte."
"Then I will make sure I never do."
He hugged her tight and picked her up in his arms, grateful that he had her back. This time, he was going to make damn sure that nothing happened to her again. "I love you, Danger."
Danger kissed him as her heart swelled with joy. "I love you too," she breathed.
And though this life with him wasn't going to be perfect, it would be really, really close. So long as they were together, nothing else mattered.