Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

She bit her lip, and every heartbeat that passed without an answer was complete torture for him. Finally, she took mercy on his misery and spoke. "Yes."

He pulled her against him and kissed her stomach. Smiling even more, he splayed his hand out across her belly where their baby was safely nestled and nurtured. "She finally said yes to me, little one. Thank you both."

Bethany brushed her hand through his sweaty hair. "You're so silly." And yet she knew he wasn't like this with anyone else. Only she got to see this playful side of him.

"Oops, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."

"Galen, come back here!" Styxx rose to his feet then gently turned her to face him. "Bethany's pregnant."

Tears glistened in his gray eyes. "That's ... that's incredible. Congratulations to both of you." He pulled Bethany into his arms for a hug and kissed her cheek. "How far along are you?"

"I'm told the baby is due Boedromion."

"Same as my blessed Antigone. Good month for babies. And now I shall leave you two to celebrate such wonderful news."

Styxx pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned down to nuzzle her neck. "Does this mean that I finally get to meet your parents?"

She wrinkled her nose at him. "Probably not."

He gaped at her words. "Really? Admit it. You're ashamed of me, aren't you?"

She snorted in response. "Yes, Highness. I'm mortified of you and your humble origins that shame my status. My father shall find you completely unacceptable."

"Then why can't I meet them?"

"Because I love you and I don't want my father to spear your head to the wall for impregnating me. I know you're brave, but meeting my father wouldn't be as brave as it is stupid."

"I have a healthier than normal dose of stupid in me. You can ask anyone who knows me, especially Galen."

She laughed. "I know you do. And once the baby is here, I shall introduce you to my father. Then he'll have something else to focus on besides your defilement of me. And he'll be less likely to gut you for it."

Styxx cupped her face in his hand and kissed her forehead. "I'm glad he loves you so, and your mother, too."

But his family didn't love him like that and she knew it.

He spread his hand over her stomach again. "I still can't believe there's a little Bethany in there."

"And if it's a boy?"

"I shall love him, too.... Should you be standing?"

She smiled at the sincere concern in his tone. "I'm pregnant, Styxx, not infirmed."

He laughed. "I know nothing of pregnant women or babies. I fear you'll have to educate me on both."

"Have you not practiced with your nephew?"

He tensed as if the question slapped him.

"Styxx?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "Ryssa doesn't want me around the baby."

"Why?"

"It's not important. We have our own little one to worry over." He lightly squeezed her stomach. "We should find a scribe to marry us."

"I would prefer an Egyptian wedding."

He hesitated as if the thought of waiting didn't appeal to him. But he relented without comment. "Very well."

"No argument?"

"Right now, Beth, you could ask me for the moon and I'd find some way to get it for you, even if I had to steal Apollo's chariot to bring it down for your touch."

She laid her hand against his cheek and savored the smile she felt there. "I will need a few weeks to put things in place and to work around my parents so as to keep you breathing."

His smile faded. "My father is likely to disinherit me. But we will be fine. I have some money of my own put away where he can't take it from us, and in spite of what he says and the damage that was done to my hand, I can still work as a soldier. There's always someone who needs a strong sword arm."

She shook her head at where his thoughts went. "Have no worries there. I assure you, should your father disinherit you, mine will welcome you like a son-"

"Or kill me."

"Or kill you. But if I manage to keep you out of his spear range, my father isn't a poor fisherman. He is quite wealthy, indeed. You won't have to war to feed us, and we will have a life equal to the means you've been raised with."

He scoffed. "I don't care where or how I live so long as you're with me."

"We'll see how you feel when I'm fat and cranky."

"I will still worship the ground you tread on."

She only prayed he continued to feel that way once he realized that his new father-in-law would be the Egyptian god Set, and his mother-in-law was one of the gods who'd gleefully tortured him in Atlantis.

April 3, 9527 BC

Styxx froze as he came face-to-face with his brother in the hallway. Acheron held Apollodorus in his arms and it was obvious by the wet hair and droplets on his nephew's skin that Acheron had just bathed him. His nephew stood in Acheron's arms as he laughed and bounced happily.

A smile twitched at the edges of Styxx's lips as he saw the babe and thought of his own child he'd soon be able to hold like that and bathe. "He's grown a lot."

Apollodorus reached for Styxx. "Ackee?" Then he frowned in confusion as he looked back and forth between his matching uncles.

Acheron held the baby tighter while he glared at Styxx without comment.

Bitter regret thickened Styxx's throat as he realized how much his brother hated him. And that Acheron's and Ryssa's hatred would one day infect Apollodorus, too. It shouldn't hurt any worse than their rejection, and yet it did.

Styxx cleared his throat. "I still have the horse Ryssa gave you when we were boys ... if you want, you could give it to Apollodorus."

Acheron curled his lip. "We don't need anything from you."

Ryssa came out of her room then paused as she saw them. She took her son from Acheron. "What's going on?"

"Styxx was offering me cast-offs I want no part of."

In that one moment, Styxx desperately needed to hate his brother as much as Acheron hated him. And yet ...

"We were friends once."

Acheron sneered at him. "You were never my friend. You stole from me and you lied to me."

Styxx gaped at his unfounded accusations. "Name me one time in my life I stole from you."

"Your crown, for one. My parents' love..."