Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

But he wouldn't think about that. The past was ancient history. Literally.

This was the present, and once again, Acheron needed him. What the hell? Not like I have anything to live for anyway....

Wasima and Jabar couldn't care less who fed them. Dog either, for that matter.

Taking a deep breath, Styxx studied the goddess who despised him even more than his own mother and sister had.

Her pale blond hair was a stark contrast to her black gown, both of which flowed around her perfect body. Ironically, the Atlantean goddess of ultimate pain and destruction had to be the most beautiful woman who had ever lived.

The splashing water made a soothing sound in spite of the fact that they were both currently in Atlantean hell. Her isolation struck him hard as the memory of his own slammed into him and reawakened a horror he did his best every waking minute to forever bury. There was nothing worse than to exist in a tight hole where the only company you had was the sight of your own face in a cold reflection that showed you just how much you hated yourself.

But unlike him, Apollymi didn't sit alone in her prison.

His gaze went to the two Charonte who stood on opposite sides of her. While they didn't speak, they were at least another life form nearby. Not to mention, she had an entire Daimon army to serve her and keep her company.

He winced as he remembered all the centuries he'd screamed out for someone, anyone, to have mercy on him and just speak so that he could hear them. They didn't even have to talk to him. Just speak.

Eleven thousand years was hard to live through.

Eleven thousand years of utter solitude ...

"So you're not a coward, after all."

He narrowed his gaze on Apollymi as his hatred rose to swallow every last remnant of his pain. "I've been many things in my life, but never a coward."

She rose with the same slow, graceful movements he was now trying to duplicate. As she turned to face him, her eyes flashed from swirling silver to a deep, vibrant red-another thing she shared with her son. "You don't fool me, dog. I see you for what you really are."

Styxx caught his bitter laughter out of habit. As a human, that kind of response would have caused his father to knock him through a wall. But then Apollymi couldn't kill him.

Only Acheron could, and the bastard had never been that merciful.

"I find that hard to believe." Not once in his entire existence had anyone other than Galen or Bethany ever seen the truth in him. And that was okay. He'd long ago grown used to being misjudged and despised.

Before he could blink, she vanished then reappeared right beside him.... Just like Apollo used to do to him. She sank her hand deep into his short blond hair and wrenched it hard. "But for my son, I'd have your heart in my fist right now."

He didn't flinch or react to the pain at all. "But for my brother, I'd gut you where you stand."

She laughed at his threat then tightened the grip in his hair. "You are nothing but a second-rate copy of my Apostolos. A mere shadow of the man he has become. No one will ever mistake you for him. How could they?"

Strange to hear his own doubtful litany coming out of someone else's mouth. She might as well be his father, telling him how he'd never be good enough to rule. How he should have drowned him the moment he was born.

Or bashed in his head.

When he didn't respond, she hissed at him, baring her fangs. "I hate you."

Styxx smirked. "The feeling is entirely mutual."

She yanked his hair so hard, he was amazed she didn't draw out a fistful of bloody strands. Her eyes flashing again, she jerked him against her and sank her fangs into his neck.

He gasped at the raw, unrelenting pain of her bite. A pain she took pleasure in giving him. It was the same way Apollo used to do him, over and over again.

For the love of the gods, please rip out my throat. Maybe then, for a few minutes at least, he might actually be at peace.

But as she drank from him, her hold started to gentle and the pain lessened. Within a few seconds, it almost felt like a mother's embrace. Not that he remembered the sensation of being hugged. In fact, he could count on one hand how many times in his entire existence he'd been held by anyone.

And none of those had ever come from his own mother.

Apollymi pulled back to look up at him with a stern frown. His blood stained her lips. To his complete shock, she brushed a tender hand over the wound she'd left in his neck. "I had no idea," she said in a tight voice.

Styxx shrugged her arms away. He didn't want or need anyone's kindness or pity, and especially not hers. "Yeah, well, we all have shit to deal with, don't we?"

She reached out to him, but he stepped back. He wasn't a boy anymore begging for a modicum of kindness from someone. He'd learned as a toddler that he was alone in this world. And honestly, he now preferred it that way.

"Is it done?" he asked.

Apollymi gave a subtle nod.

Good. Now he could move into his next prison and be done with it ... or, best of all, die. He wiped the blood off his neck and turned to leave.

"Styxx?"

He paused, but didn't speak. Ironically, it was the first time she'd ever called him by name and not an insult.

"Thank you for doing this for Apostolos," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "And for what it's worth, I am so sorry for what happened to you because of my actions."

Sorry ... That one word caused his lip to curl.

This time he gave free rein to his disdainful snort. "Everyone's sorry for something." He pinned her with a heated glare. "And there are some things, my lady, that sorry doesn't fix."

"Wait!"

He started to ignore her, but stopped for some unknown reason.

Before he could say a word, Apollymi appeared at his back. Placing her hand on his forehead, she pulled his head against her shoulder and again sank her fangs deep into his jugular.

Styxx gasped as his head spun, not with pain but with an unbelievable surge of power. Everything became more vibrant, more vivid. He'd always been able to hear voices, but they were louder now.

Clearer.

Panting and weak, he couldn't breathe as she lifted her lips from his neck and held him in her arms. "What have you done to me?"

She stroked his hair as if he was the son she loved. "I have given you my powers. It's only temporary. But I don't want you hurt."

"I don't understand."

She kissed his cheek and tightened her hold on him. "You agreed to do this and you don't even know what it is we're asking you for. All you knew was that your brother would die if you didn't. That my grandchildren would be fatherless..." Her words broke off into a sob. "Come back from this, Styxx. Survive and I promise you, you will have what you crave most."

"I don't believe you."

He felt her hot tears on his cheek while she continued to hold on to him. "I know, baby. But I'm an Atlantean god. I have to keep my promises or I'll die. You can trust in that." She kissed his cheek one more time then released him.

Still dizzy, Styxx was afraid to move. He felt so strange ... both weak and strong at the same time.

"You should know that it's Apollo who started this by awakening my pantheon with his mother's blood. His intent is to kill Apostolos, bring back the entire Atlantean pantheon, and then come for you. I originally marked you just enough that he would know it was you and leave my son alone. But as of right now, you are as much my son as Apostolos is. You draw the same powers he does. Apollo will never know the difference unless you tell him. No one will." Her eyes sad and tormented, she cupped his cheek in her hand. "Your courage and heart are duly noted, m'gios. And they will never be forgotten."

"Is he ready?"

Unsure of what to say to Apollymi, Styxx turned as Savitar rejoined them.

The instant the Chthonian looked at him, Savitar stepped back. "That's eerie as hell."

Styxx scowled at him. "What?"

Savitar manifested a mirror and held it up so that Styxx could see his wavy black hair that fell just past his jaw and swirling silver eyes. Yeah, that was eerie. His clothes had also been replaced with black jeans and a T-shirt and black leather jacket-the same exact outfit Acheron had been wearing at Savitar's. No wonder Apollymi had been so kind to him. Like this, he really was absolutely identical to Acheron. It must have touched her maternal instincts.

"Remember, it's only temporary," Apollymi repeated. "The more of my power you use, the quicker it will leave you exposed as to who you really are. So please, save it for when you absolutely need it."

Styxx inclined his head to her then spoke to Savitar. "Where are we going?"

"Katateros."

"Wait!"

Styxx arched a brow at the sound of Urian's fierce shout as he came running toward them with a blond man in tow.

Savitar growled. "We don't have time for this."

Urian snorted nonchalantly. "Take it up with the bossman. He's the one who sent me in with a time-out. Acheron has called a team huddle before we make our final play."

Savitar let out an exasperated sigh. "Remind me to cancel your ESPN subscription." He glanced to Styxx with an odd glimmer in his eyes that Styxx couldn't begin to define. "Fine."

The next thing Styxx knew, the four of them were back on Savitar's island with Acheron, and Tory who was feeding crackers to their son. Danger and Alexion, along with Simi, Xirena, and Acheron's daughter Katra and her husband Sin.

So his brother had decided to hold a family reunion while sending him off to die in his stead....

Really nice touch.

"They're not going to wait all day," Savitar warned Acheron.

"I know, but as I was reviewing the situation with everyone and trying to come up with an alternate plan that didn't leave Styxx hacked into little bloody pieces Urian reminded me that we were missing a most vital member of the team." Acheron pinned his gaze on Styxx. "The quarterback who actually went up against the Atlantean gods and beat the shit out of them."

Styxx scowled as all heads turned to him. Honestly, it scared him. He wasn't used to this many people looking at him like that unless they were about to throw him onto a live subway track.

He shrugged at the group. "Since no one has bothered to tell me what I'm heading into, I've got nothing."

Ash looked at Simi who blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"Well, see, akri-Styxx, it all started when the Simi decided she was gonna give you the promise for your birthday for Christmas. See?"

"Clear as a two-hundred-mile-an-hour sandstorm."

Ash gave a low, sinister laugh. "Simi decided to wake up the Atlantean gods for you."

Styxx frowned. "Why?"

Simi sighed heavily. "Well see, it wan't supposed to be all them gods. Is only supposed to be the one. But she won't get up. Lots of them others got up and got ugly, fast, and the Simi still don't know why the only one I tried to wake keeps sleeping when it's so important she get up and talk. It's so confusing."