"Sure they can. It just takes a lot and usually an immortal weapon of some land, which I'm going to lay odds was in the hands of Kaiaphas when he attacked." He glanced up at her with a pointed stare. "Demons don't usually attack a god or anyone else unless they think they're going to kill them. It tends to piss off the target who then looks up ways to torture and kill the demon. Then it just gets messy as they go at each other. As a rule, the demon usually loses, especially when it's a god who's been angered, so demons tend to be a bit more circumspect than the usual predator. When they strike it's usually quick and fatal."
Simone let out a tiled breath at the simple truth of that statement. She looked down at Xypher as he lay in a deceptively peaceful repose. His body was honed and lethal A perfect specimen of male beauty.
Asleep like this, he looked like an angel, but then given his acerbic personality she could just imagine the list of people who might want him dead.
Including herself.
But to the point of calling out a demon to destroy him? That was harsh.
Poor Xypher.
She didn't speak any more while Carson cleaned, cauterized, and then stitched Xypher closed. By the time they were finished, Xypher was still unconscious, but sweating profusely. She put her hand to his whiskered cheek that was firm and, just as she suspected, feverish.
Feeling for him, she went to the sink to wash up and then wet a cloth with cold water. Hope-fully this would help. She took the cloth to him and laid it across his brow and was struck again by his good looks. He really was an incredibly handsome man. But since he was a god, that was probably to be expected.
All she really knew about him was that he was a jerk . . . and that he'd twice saved her life.
She looked up at Carson who was in the washroom as she remembered the term Xypher had used to describe himself. "What exactly are Skotos?"
Carson dried his hands on a small hand towel before he walked back over to her. "Where did you hear that term?"
She held her hand out to Xypher. "He told me that's what he was."
Carson nodded. "In ancient Greece, they had sleep gods. Centuries ago, one of them thought it would be funny to play in the dreams of Zeus The big guy didn't have a sense of humor about it so he ordered everyone possessing even a drop of their blood to either be killed or stripped of all emotions."
She remembered Julian pointing out that he was surprised that Xypher still had his emotions. "That was harsh."
"Yeah, well, Zeus isn't exactly known for his compassion." There was a note in his voice that said he had his own axe to grind with the god long.
Carson indicated Xypher with a tilt of his head. "After Zeus's curse, the Oneroi, or dream gods, were relegated to monitoring human sleep, and it was quickly discovered that while they were in a dream state, Zeus's ban didn't work. They could feel again. Terrified of being punished, the dream gods started policing themselves and making sure that they kept a check on their brethren, Even so, some of them started craving to emotions to the extent that they lost control of their appetite for it. Before long, they became dangerous to themselves and others."
"Like an addiction ..."
"Exactly." He set the towel aside. "The dream gods who lose control and begin craving emotions are called Skoti or Skotos in the singular."
Personally, she liked the idea of it being toe jam better, But at least now she understood what he really was. "Xypher also said he was dead."
"Well, the theory goes that if the Skoti become too addicted, they'll be executed and sent to Tartarus for eternal punishment."
So that explained it. He'd been killed and then brought back. She wondered how that would be possible. Had he made a deal or something else?
It was scary to even contemplate.
Simone frowned as she noticed writing in a foreign script running down the length of Xypher's arm. Curious, she took the arm in her hands, amazed by the steely feel of his skin, as she studied the flowing letters. "Can you read this?"
Carson came to stand beside her. "No, sorry. It looks like Greek and I only know French, Cajun, English, some Creole, and gibberish,"
She ran her hand over the dark red lettering, trying not to think about how strong the arm felt under her fingers. Why would he have it put here and what did it mean?
Releasing his arm, she looked Up at Carson. "Do you know anything about Xypher himself?"
"No. Never saw or heard of him until you guys brought him here. There are several thousand Dream-Hunters and most of them shy away from the human plane, preferring to hide out in dreams." Carson paused. "You want to leave him here so you can go home?"
She looked down at her bracelet. "I wish I could, but I can't. Aphrodite said that so long as we both wear these"-she held it up to his view- "we're bound together. If we get too far apart we die."
"That sucks."
"Tell me about it."
He indicated the door behind him. "I have a more comfortable room for the two of you then. It'll give you a comfortable place to sit while he sleeps."
Simone cringed at the very thought of flashing out again. "Please don't disintegrate me. I'm feeling nauseated from the back and forthing, and am getting a whole new respect for Kirk and Spock."
He laughed. "I understand." He clicked the brake off the gurney with the toe of his boot. "I'll wheel him over."
"A thousand blessings to you."
He paused to call for someone named Dev before he led her into an adjacent room that was furnished with antiques. The best of which was a long-size bed that had a bright red velvet spread. There were heavy drapes that made it very dark and yet strangely homey.
"Nice place," she said, running her hand over the top of a beautiful dies sing table.
"Only the best for Mama."
"Mama?"
"Nicolette Peltier. She owns the place and everyone here calls her 'Mama.' "
Simone smiled, "That's so sweet. She must be really caring."
"She can be. She can also be a bear at times."
"Uh, yeah."
A handsome man in his mid-twenties with long curly blond hair pushed open the door. "Whatcha need. Doc?"
Carson indicated Xypher. "Help moving him. I don't want to jostle his side."
A stern frown creased Dev's brow as he saw Xypher on the gurney. "Who is he?"
"Dream-Hunter."
Dev looked stunned. "They bleed?"
"Looks like."
"Dang," Dev said under Hid breath before he helped Carson to lift Xypher from the gurney onto the bed. Once Xypher was situated, Dev glanced at her, then wheeled the gurney away without another word.
Simone wasn't sure what to make of him. "He's standoffish, isn't he?"
"Most of us are. Our survival hinges on secrecy." "Which I have breached." He nodded.
Simone wanted to let him know that she would never do anything to hurt them. Besides, who would believe her if she said there was a family of lyncanthropes calling New Orleans home? "Your secret really is safe with me, Carson. Believe me, keeping things to myself is a full-time occupation of mine. If the police department can trust me, so can you."
"I know. Otherwise we'd just kill you and devour your body parts."
She wasn't sure if he was kidding or not, but something about him said he was dead serious.
He indicated the door behind him with his thumb. "If you need anything, I'll be outside at my desk. Just make yourself at home." He indicated a door to her left with a jerk of his chin. "The bathroom is in here."
"Thanks."
He closed the door.
Simone let out a long bream as exhaustion hit her. She was alone in a strange home-something she wasn't used to. "Where are you, Jesse? I don't like being alone." Their years of friendship had made solitude a rare thing. She was so used to him that when he was gone, she felt it like a physical ache.
Feeling a bit lost and overwhelmed, she moved to the bed to cover Xypher with the spread. He didn't look quite so fierce now, but there was still an aura to him that said he was lethal. She dropped her gaze to his hands and the scars that marred his knuckles. They were old and healed over, vet she could tell that they weren't caused by a single injury. They'd been opened up and scared by many fights . . .
Yeah, there were times when her job told her way too much about a person. Not to mention there were numerous other scars marring his chest and arms. Strangely enough, the only scar on his face was a faint one at his right temple.
"Who are you, Xypher?"
"Sim?"
She smiled at the sound of Jesse's voice. He reappeared right beside her. "Where have you been?"
"You guys left me," he said defensively. "Do you know how hard it is to trace a human through the ectoplasmic plane? No, you don't. And trust me, you don't want to learn. I'm just glad I found you this time and not the weird woman feeding Jell-O to her schnauzer."
Now, there was an image . . . "Ooookay. Sorry about that."
"You should be!" He narrowed his eyes on Xypher. "He doesn't look good. Is he going to live?"
"I think so."