Fifteen youths, ranging in age from five to seventeen, stood huddled in a dark corner of a cave, the older ones standing in a protective barrier in front of the preteens. So far, all they were was scared and dirty, but the older ones had been subjected to enough strange things in their lives to know that it could change at any moment. 1
“I want mommy,” a scared voice whimpered.2
One of the older boys looked and forced a smile on his face. “You’ll see her before you know. Ash isn’t going to let us sit here.”3
“How do you know?” the girl beside him snapped. 4
“You would rather I add to the problem?” he replied in a whisper. He ignored her and looked at the others. “Anyone over thirteen, pick a younger one and stick with them.”5
The group shifted slightly as the pairing was done, the main speaker grabbing the hands of his younger brother and sister.6
“What now?” someone asked.7
“For now, we do what they tell us, and we hope for the best.” He nodded to the dirt beneath them. “Maybe trying to get some sleep would help?”8
“What do they want with us?”9
Feeling the entire weight of the world on his shoulders, the eldest closed his eyes briefly to keep from yelling at the questions. He had no idea on anything, but by default of being the oldest, he was in charge. 10
“I really don’t know,” he replied. Stiffening as a noise approached, he motioned for the younger ones to stay back, and took up a defensive wall with the older ones again.11
With his pleasant human face on, Kessar approached the group, silently impressed with the behavior they displayed. Usually, human children would be screaming and crying now, begging for a parent. These ones were putting on a brave façade, drawing on their unique upbringing in the face of danger.12
“Do you know why you’re here?” he asked. 13
“Bait.”14
He looked at the one who had spoken. If his reading of humans was correct, this one was one of the oldest, and most likely pegged to be a squire when he reached the proper age. “Interesting deduction,” Kessar said with a nod. “And very correct. Once I get what I want, you’ll be returned to your parents.” He turned and walked away.15
The teen watched as he left, knowing full well that ‘returned to your parents’ more than likely meant either as dead or a Gallu. Between the two, he was hoping for dead. 16
~~~~~~~~~~~17
After a few hours in the room, Tria was starting to get extremely bored. Ash had basically ignored her while he talked with others, or sat on the corner of a table conferring with even more people over his cell phone. The boredom would be manageable had it not been for nearly everyone in the room giving her looks like they would like nothing better than for her to die. The stares were bearable, but the silence that hit every time she opened her mouth made her opt to remain basically silent as she lurked.18
“Got a computer I can access?” Tria asked a squire that walked by her.19
“Why?” The squire gave her a searching look.20
Having enough of the guilt that everyone was giving her, Tria snarled. “So I can e-mail Kessar and tell him where we are.” She shook her head in annoyance. “Why the hell do you think I want to use one?”21
“Maybe you should just stand there, and stay out of our way,” the squire advised. 22
“And maybe you should give me a computer I can access before I rip that spider’s web tattoo off your hand and feed it to you.”23
Once again, the room grew quiet as the two stared at each other. The Blood Rite squire looked like she was itching to have a gun in her hand, while Tria’s eyes had turned a deep shade of red. Ash glanced at the pair, then went back to the phone call he was on.24
“Use the computer by the door,” the squire finally said, then turned and walked away.25
Keeping her eyes red, Tria stalked to the computer, glaring at anyone that happened to be within her reach. Pissing off a Dark-Huntress was never a good idea, and she felt the need to remind the Squires of that.26
Logging on to the computer, Tria stared at the screen, not sure how to proceed. She hadn’t really had a plan in mind when she asked for internet access, but she wanted to be doing something besides standing in the corner of a room while everyone gave her dirty looks. 27
Pushing her chair back, she stood and started for the door. The squire she had threatened earlier stepped in her path. 28
“Where you going?”29
“For a walk.” Tria tried to step around her.30
“I’m going to have to say no to that.” A hand rested easily on the gun that was now in a waist holster. 31
“Golly, gee, Mom,” Tria said sarcastically. “Can I get a glass of water then?”32
“A sarcastic Hunter,” the squire replied dryly. “There’s something you don’t see everyday.” 33
“Look,” Tria said easily, “any other time I’d just beat the shit out of you and then go for my walk, but since the big guy is here, I’m going to refrain.”34
“How gracious of you.”35
“Although, I’m going to have to ask you to get the hell out of my way, or the missing squires are going to be the least of your particular problems.” Tria glanced as someone walked up to the pair. 36
“What’s going on?” Leo Kirby asked in a light, yet strained voice.37
“Nothing,” both women said in unison. 38
“Then maybe you two could sheath the claws and haul your asses back to whatever you were doing before this ‘nothing’ happened?” He turned and walked away.39
“Well?” the squire asked, arching an eyebrow expectantly.40
“Gee, let me think,” Tria said, not moving. “I can go back to standing in the corner, or in front of a computer, or staring blankly at a wall. Decisions, decisions.”41
“And your choice?”42
Giving the woman a droll look, Tria took a step back. “Apparently, to do sweet fuck all.”43
“You could trade yourself,” she whispered.44
“I would if I could, but I’ve been forbidden.”45
“That doesn’t help us get the kids back, now does it?”46
Tria briefly closed her eyes. “The what?” She could see her own children, as they ran in panic from the people who invaded her home, and plainly heard the screams that came when the men found them. The feelings of helplessness, inadequacy and pure terror filled her once more, fueling the anger that she always tried to keep buried deep inside. It churned as she stared at the woman speaking in front of her, the words going unheard as her emotions finally exploded in a fearsome roar.47
“Ash!” 48
All conversation stopped as the entire room looked in surprise at the woman who had yelled.49
Ash calmly stood from his perch on the corner of the table and regarded Tria through his glasses. “You bellowed?” He took a step towards her as flames danced at her fingertips. “You need to calm down.”50
“What I need,” she said, her voice low with forced calmness, “is for you to explain why no one mentioned kids were being held.”51
“Tria-“52
Flames licked through the air, straight at him in response, only to fade away mere inches from his unmoving face. 53
“You and I need to talk,” he growled, an instant before they both vanished from the room, leaving the rest of the people to stare at each other in shock.54
“Damn it, Ash!” Tria immediately went to the other side of the small room so as to not be tempted to fire a few flames at him again. “How could you?!”55
“You weren’t told because it would have upset you.”56
“Yeah? Hey, you know,” Tria said, sarcastic gullibility lacing her words, “I might buy that if I didn’t have a brain in my head.” Shaking her head, she gave him a lethal glare. 57
“You weren’t told,” Ash said in a clipped tone, his Atlantean accent slightly more pronounced, “because this is exactly what I wanted to avoid. The thought of children being harmed is the catalyst that might push you into dangerous territory.”58
“You think?” she asked sarcastically. 59
He so did not need this at this moment. Everything was going straight the Hades and he ran the very realistic risk of being drawn under by the phantom voices in his dreams at any time. Even now, he could hear the subliminal whispering in his mind. “I don’t have time for this tantrum.”60
Clamping down on the immense desire to scream, Tria clenched her hands into fists and stared at him. “Leave me,” she said.61
Ash sighed in exasperation. “Tria-“62
“Get…out,” she ordered through clenched teeth. 63
He nodded once, then vanished, leaving her alone. Placing her hands on her face, Tria bent over in pain. 64
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” she yelled as the images of the night she died played over in her mind.65
Ash appeared just outside the door to the main office area. He could hear screams filtering through the walls from above, and closed his eyes at the agony they held. He knew that by hiding part of the truth he would be risking a reaction like this; which was why he withheld certain things. 66
Slipping his hand in to his pocket, his fingers closed around the tiger’s eye pendant that he bought. Staring at the floor in front of him, he blocked out the screams from Tria, the voices from the other side of the door, and, gritting his teeth, opened himself up to the universe around him. 67
The phantom voices from his dream came at him, but this time he was ready. Soothing and assuring, he soon had them somewhat placated to a level where he could function without fear of failing them. Pulling back, he blinked as his vision cleared.68
Simi?69
Akri! Yous okay? Yous feels funny.70
I’m okay, he thought to her. I need you and Xirena to meet me at The Serengeti Club in one hour.
We’ll be’s there.71
Breaking his conversation with Simi, Ash entered the room in front of him, not even bothering to stop when everyone looked at him. “I’ll be back,” he said to Leo as he approached. 72
“What about…?” Leo trailed off with a vague wave in the direction of where Tria was.73
“She’ll be fine,” Ash said darkly. “Let her scream it out.” He continued walking, leaving through another door on the opposite wall. He could easily teleport himself to the Serengeti Club, but opted to walk the ten or so blocks so he could lose the annoyance that he had in him. 74
The Serengeti Club was a rather popular nightclub that also held distinction of being a limani, or a Were-Hunter sanctuary. Run by the Kotis family, and group of Arcadian Pardalia, it also allowed sanctuary to Apollites, Daimons and Dark-Hunters; although begrudgingly on the Hunters, since Ravyn Kontis, the shape shifting panther, was a disgraced family member, not to mention currently a Dark-Hunter.75
Ash hadn’t really been in the establishment in a few years, not since his blow up with onetime friend Nick Gautier. Not needing the reminder, Ash pushed the memories away for the time being. 76
Arriving at the nightclub, he placed his hand on the door, feeling the vibration of the music as he pulled the door open and walked in.77
~~~~~~~~~~~~78
Crying herself into exhaustion, Tria fell on to the bed and let sleep claim her. The thought that maybe she would be extremely lucky if it claimed her forever was the last thing in her mind before she lost consciousness.79
As suspected, nightmares were her companion through the land of Morpheus, some of them so vicious and disturbing that they could make a Skoti salivate just to experience them. 80
One dream had her standing in her old kitchen, her three boys running around, chasing and bothering each other as they used to before they died. Looking up, she was startled as Trinity walked into the kitchen, said ‘hi mom’, then sat at the table. Turning slowly, she saw the door open, and men enter…only they weren’t the ones that had originally killed them. 81
Opening their mouths, the intruders each displayed a double row of fangs, hissing at her as their faces morphed into something terrible. Trinity stood from the table and faced her. 82
“Give up,” she said, an instant before her face changed to Gallu. “Kill the brats,” she ordered the men, grinning viciously as they left.83
Tria tried to run from the kitchen to help her boys, but Trinity caught her by the arm, yanking her back. Sinking her mouth into Tria’s neck, Trinity let go, pushing her away to fall on the floor. The last thing Tria remembered was the sounds of her children being murdered, and the sight of Ash standing in the doorway, watching her with that detached interest of his.84
Suddenly, Tria was back standing in her kitchen, with the boys running around. Looking to the door as it opened, fear gripped her, prompting her to take a step back.85
~~~~~~~~~~~~86
If Were-Hunters weren’t deathly allergic to Tylenol, then Aiden was sure she could down more than a few to get rid of the headache that accompanied her to Neratiti from her meeting with her Regis. It had been, to paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson and the Dead Kennedys, ‘a lame fuck around …a waste of time.’ Then again, the headache did help take her mind off of other news she had heard regarding the Dark-Hunters. 87
Walking to the water’s edge, she scanned the ocean for signs of Savitar and his board. While she was looking, she felt a presence behind her, and strong arms wrapped gently around her waist. Leaning back into his comforting presence, she closed her eyes.88
“Troubles?” Savitar asked in a low voice.89
Nodding against his chest, she turned in his embrace to face him. “Mmmm,” she sighed as he ran strong hands up and down her back. 90
“Grab some sand,” he said, lowering them both the beach. “What’s wrong?”91
“I’m wondering if it’s worth fighting the Patria over the condo,” she said as he continued to massage her back. “I really don’t want to end up alone.” The rubbing faltered, and she looked at his face in time to see pain in his eyes that he quickly hid. 92
“Nothing wrong with being alone,” he said, his attention switching to the sand. “Some prefer it.”93
Sighing to herself, Aiden leaned forward and kissed him lightly. “And some of us are gods that don’t have to worry about certain things.”94
“So I’ll make you a goddess,” he said casually.95
“No.”96
“No?” he looked confused. “Why not?”97
“Why?”98
“All powerful, immortality, and doing whatever the hell you want.”99
“No.” She studied him. “I meant why would you suggest it?” 100
Because I really don’t want to end up alone. He shrugged slightly. “It was just a thought.”101
“I’ll think about it then.” She continued to stare at him. “Can I ask something?”102
“You can always ask,” he said, already knowing what was on her mind. “Can’t guarantee answers, though.”103
“What’s going on with the Hunters?” 104
“Gallu’s kidnapped a group of the Squire’s kids and are holding them.”105
“What?” she asked. “Why?”106
“In exchange for Tria Cavanaugh.”107
“Exchange?” Aiden asked. 108
“For the kids.”109
Sighing in annoyance, she placed her hands akimbo and stared at him. “And you’re not gong to do anything?”110
“Why would I?” he asked, giving her a genuinely confused look. 111
“Kids are involved.”112
“Hate to tell you, babe, but kids are always involved.” Savitar picked up a handful of sand.113
”Oh, gawd!” Aiden said in exasperation. “Don’t start with the sand though the cosmos time looking glass or whatever again.”114
Letting the sand slowly fall from his hand, he gave her a stern, but bemused look. “Too cliché?” 115
“Very.”116
“I wasn’t going to, by the way,” he said. “The sand helps me focus at times…gets rid of distractions.”117
“You? Distracted?” 118
“Well, your top is rather low-cut,” he said offhandedly. “But, that’s not the distraction.” He looked at her shirt and gave a small smile. “Okay, it’s not the only distraction.” 119
“’Scuse me,” Aiden said dryly. “My eyes are up here.”120
Savitar’s gaze slowly traveled up to her face. “Can I trust you?”121
Aiden jerked slightly at the question. “How about you explain that in a way that won’t result in me getting really upset.”122
Savitar had the nerve to give her a smile as his fingers dug through the sand by his leg, picking up handfuls and then dropping them. “Can I trust you to do something, no questions asked?”123
Aiden didn’t really like the way this was heading, but she had to give the immortal credit for asking. Usually he did things that he wanted, and didn’t really care if anyone liked it. “You can trust me to do that, about as much as I can trust you to do that,” she replied vaguely. 124
“That…doesn’t instill confidence.” 125
“Welcome to my world.” She gave him a slight smirk. “What would you like me to do?”126
Feeling no remorse or hesitation in what he was about to ask, Savitar looked straight into her eyes. “I need you to kill Tria Cavanaugh.”127
~~~~~~~~~~~~128
“Akri!” Simi said, giving him a hug. “Why you’s look sad?”129
“Just tired,” he replied with a slight smile, then turned to her sister. “Thank you both for coming.”130
Xirena returned his gaze. “Since yous the boss, even over Xirena’s own akri, then she had to do what you say.”131
Simi shifted so she could stare at her sister. “My Akri asked us to come here. And we’s came. If you have issues, then yous can just sulk in your rooms.”132
“I do not sulks!” Flipping blonde hair over her shoulder, Xirena gave Simi a patronizing look. “Only babies sulk.”133
“Oh!” Simi gasped, since her name was the Atlantean term for baby. “Oh no, you didn’t say that, Xirena. You’s just a jealous demon.”134
Ash raised an eyebrow at the forever bickering sisters. Motioning to a table as music started blaring from overhead speakers, he sat between the two, their heads close so they wouldn’t be overheard. “I’m going to give you two the chance to take that sibling rivalry out on something else.”135
“Whats?” they both asked in unison. 136
“This is going to make both of you happy.”137
“Shoppings!” Simi squealed in delight. 138
“Even better.”139
She gave him a bemused stare. “Nothing’s betters than shopping, Akri.”140
“Killing Gallu?”141
“Excepts for that.”142
~~~~~~~~~~143
Her nightmares continued for hours, filling her with fear and inner pain. She blocked access to Dream-Hunters coming in and soothing her because she wanted the dreams and the anger the dreams could provide her. 144
If there was any chance in Hades of ever getting the hostages out alive, then she had to be ruthless and ready to kill anything and everything that stood in her path. And spending a night on some pretty explicit dreams about her family’s death was a sure-fire way to fuel that anger.145
By the time she woke, her head ached and her body was wet with sweat from the terror she experience, causing her to shiver in the cool air. She stopped as she heard a voice in her head, the softly accented words coming at her like a phantom. Don’t let him barter for your soul. Staring into the darkness in confusion, she tried to figure out if it was part of yet another dream.146
Tria shifted slightly on the small cot as she tried to find a comfortable area. Rolling to her side, she stopped at he sight of Ash sitting on the floor by the top of the bed, his head leaning back against the wall as he stared out into the darkness. 147
She could see his eyes flicker over to look at her, then go back to staring at nothing. 148
“Promise me that if I die, you won’t ask Artemis for my soul,” she whispered, not really knowing why.149
“No.”150
“Ash,” she whispered. “Please.”151
“You’ll be a shade.”152
“A small price to pay for your dignity.”153
He looked at her slowly, wondering how she knew what he had to go through each and every time he requested a soul. “I don’t mind.”154
“I do.”155
Seeing the pain and determination in her eyes, he still hesitated. If she died, then she would forever be lost as a shade, roaming for eternity in constant pain and huger, not being able to contact anyone. If he obtained her soul, then he could place her in a far better afterlife. She would still be a shade, but she would have contact with other Hunters that passed before her.156
She knew what she was asking, yet she was willing to sacrifice herself to keep him from presenting himself to Artemis and go through whatever humiliation turned her on that week. It would be Tria’s own free will that made her decided to be a shade, and he couldn’t deny her that choice.157
“I promise,” he whispered.158
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~159
Savitar’s eyes went wide at the malevolent look that Aiden gave him. “What?” he asked in a totally uncharacteristic defensive tone.160
“You want me to kill a Dark-Hunter?” Aiden asked slowly.161
“She prefers Huntress,” he pointed out. “And yes, I do.”162
“Why?” Aiden held up a hand. “And if you answer that question with a timeline reference, I promise you would not like my response.”163
Staring at her, he shifted through various answers he could give her, and her replies. She was definitely correct… he wouldn’t like any of them. Slightly impressed that she would have the nerve to punch, slap and even knee him, he opted for the truth. 164
“Tria Cavanaugh and Acheron belong together, and by killing her, it will release him from Artemis.”165
Aiden could only stare at her lover as the words ran around her brain. “When you start making sense, lemme know,” she said, turning and walking away.166
“Start making sense?” he asked himself. “Why should I start now?” Sighing, he vanished, only to appear directly in front of a walking Aiden. “Can I at least explain this without you going all ninja on me?”167
“Why not,” Aiden said, raising her hand in defeat. “It can’t be stranger than what you just told me.”168
“You’d think, wouldn’t you?” He smiled slightly. 169
170
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Comments
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that was very good it inclouded very good spelling a front middle and end not to mechon it is long i cant wait for the next chapter this is the most well written story i have read for a while i really wish you continue the series and once again good job no one will be abile to guess a kid wrote it you have a talent fare well i wish i could write like that but i always have horrible spelling no puctoation and misuse age of words what is your secret for your awsome writing
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Awesome
I really liked this chapter. I especially like Savitar's cryptic response at the end. BTW I found the oldest boy of the kidnapped squire children interesting. He's smart and realistic. Seems more like an adult.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 3, ending: 4, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Well Done
Hey, can't wait for more.
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