Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

Worse, in this position, he could feel Estes's hard erection against his hipbone.

His uncle pressed his hand to Styxx's neck, just under his jaw. He choked as his breathing was cut off. His ears buzzed.

And as he passed out, he felt his uncle lick his throat. "You think you were fucked before, little squirrel? You're about to learn lesson two."

October 22, 9533 BC

His head reeling and his body aching as if he'd been run over by stampeding horses, Styxx came awake to find himself facedown on a bed with black sheets. There was a huge fire roaring just across from him along with four braziers. He started to move then realized his arms and legs were secured to the bedposts by the same kind of gold rings Acheron had worn.

He now had an identical set of bands on his wrists, ankles, biceps, and neck.

Furious, he snatched as hard as he could.

"Stop before you hurt yourself."

He glared at Estes as his uncle neared the bed with a small tray. Setting it down beside Styxx's hips, he slid onto the mattress.

Styxx tried to insult him, but he had a gag in his mouth that prevented it.

Estes poured a thick milky liquid onto his fingertips. Once they were well coated, he slid them into Styxx's rectum.

Styxx screamed out in protest.

"Stop!" Estes snapped again. "I'm trying to teach you how to tend yourself on your way home. Believe me, you're going to want the numbing gel, especially since you'll be riding a horse for the next week, and probably a few other things, too."

Styxx ground his teeth as tears of frustration and shame welled in his eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, the cool, soothing gel did feel good, and it went a long way to making that part of his body not burn and throb anymore.

"That's it, my royal stallion. Relax." Estes pulled his hand away then added more gel before he reapplied it to Styxx. "You want to make sure you coat yourself well."

Next, Estes reached for the red clay pot. He pulled out a small rod and met Styxx's angry glare. "This is called a suppository. It's for the pain you're in."

Styxx screamed again as his uncle pressed it deep into his body.

"Shh. Stop clenching. It needs to go in far enough that your body keeps it or it won't do you any good."

Styxx growled as more humiliation stabbed him.

After a minute, Estes pulled back and wiped his hands off on a small, damp towel. There was an evil, smug glint in his icy eyes. "Now as you lie there in your fury, I want you to note that the last thing you remember is being in my study right after Acheron left. I don't know if you remember our fight or not, but that was over six weeks ago."

Styxx's breath left him as if he'd been punched. Six weeks? No. The bastard was lying. He had to be ...

Six weeks?

"Atlantis has a lot of wondrous innovations. And they excel at medicines and knowledge of herbs and their effect on humans and their emotions and memory. Which is why your pain should be fading right about now."

He was right. Not even his head hurt.

"The first thing I learned when I was sent here was how to manipulate their herbs and medicines. Just as you have no memory of the last six weeks, Acheron has no memory of your being here at all. Even though you've been with him off and on these weeks past, and even though you tried to free him. The last memory he has of his brother is the day we rode away from your palace."

Styxx was stunned.

"That is your second lesson. I can take you from your father at any time and own you. You won't even know that I've done it. Nor will you know what's been or is being done to you. But you will be a willing participant. In fact, I learned a few fascinating things myself that I shan't soon forget. Such as I can make you suck a cock in less than a day, and in less than two, I can have you begging to be fucked in the ass until you bleed."

Styxx felt his stomach heave at those words. He was lying.

He had to be.

"I know you don't believe me. But I promise you, having you and your brother together is one of my fondest memories. And you've no idea how much money I've made off the two of you these weeks past.... Oh, and just so you know, your most uttered phrase while you've been here? 'Hand, ass, or mouth? Where do you want to come on me, my lord?'"

While Styxx gagged, Estes sighed as if savoring the memory. "Letting you go home is the hardest thing I think I've ever done. For that, you have your father to thank. So I suggest you treat him with all due respect." He ran his hand over Styxx's buttocks. "As much as I love this hot little ass of yours, I know how much you mean to my brother. And I do love my brother. I'd never cause him harm."

You're mad! Did he not know how much grief this would cause his father if he ever learned what Estes had done?

"That's why I know you're not going to tell him anything about our time together. Because if I have to kill him over you, there will be no one to stop me from owning and fucking you forever. Nothing to keep me from selling you to anyone I choose."

Estes ran his hand up Styxx's back. "While I've kept you, I've been writing to Xerxes and letting him know that you were staying here. He thinks that you wanted to talk to me privately and had tried to catch me before I left Didymos, and that I convinced you to come stay with me here for a few weeks so that we could bond. I've told him that I continued your studies while you were with me ... and that I have. When next you fuck someone and you realize you have knowledge and skills that leave them begging you to stay with them, you'll know whom to thank. Were I you, I wouldn't tell him that, though. I'd say that you were practicing your conversational, economic, and political skills with Atlantean noblemen and princes. Which is true. You have been quite the diplomat as I whored you, and you've learned a whole new Atlantean vocabulary."

Estes leaned forward and bit Styxx's thigh so hard, Styxx cried out in pain. "You will also tell Ryssa that Acheron is well and happy. And that you had a great time with your brother and with me ... which you did. And when next I come to visit you in Didymos, you will receive me and be happy to do so. From now on, like Acheron, you will do anything I ask you to."

Bullshit!

Estes smiled. "I see that fury, little nephew. But let me show you something." He left the bed to fetch a hand mirror. He brought it over and lifted Styxx's hips to show him that all of his pubic hair had been removed. And as disturbing as that was, it paled to what he saw branded way too close to his cock. The words "tsoulus whore" in both Atlantean and Greek. If that wasn't bad enough, below the words was a smaller version of the slave stamp that Acheron had branded into his hand.

"Once your hair grows back, no one will know it exists except me, you, the guard I paid this morning to brand it there ... and whatever lover you allow to suck your cock. In theory, if it disturbs you overmuch, you can have someone brand over it. Of course, they'll know what it is. And even if you do distort the brand, it will be obvious what you've done and why you did it."

Estes pulled the mirror away. "Now, all I have to do is report you as a missing slave anywhere outside of Didymos and you will either be returned to me or sold at market. And keep in mind, my little squirrel, I didn't just brand you as a slave. I've marked you as a trained tsoulus. If you want to know what happens to any tsoulus who is caught without their idikos, talk to Acheron. One time was all it took for him to learn not to leave this palace without me and a substantial escort."

So that was why his brother had refused to go with him....