We raced through the wooded area, following the path they had created by dragging the dragon and the sound of the fight ahead of us. It was hard to keep up with Artemis, but I refused to leave her side since Ares was not here.
The sound of fighting grew louder and then we finally witnessed the chaos that was ensuing. Forty vampires were attacking Draco Blu and the dragon was holding his own, biting, clawing and decapitating vampires faster than the vampires could defend themselves. I took in the scene in less than a second, but it was already too slow because Artemis had joined in the fight. She grabbed a vampire, ripped him in half and then tossed the halves of his body into two other vampires, which allowed Draco Blu to grab them and bite their heads off. The two work easily together, never getting in the others way and seemed to anticipate the other’s moves. It was incredible, and after two minutes, my presence was completely unnecessary.
Bartholomew ran from the shadows of the trees and leapt at Artemis, attempting to grab her. She saw him coming and teleported behind him. Bartholomew spun around and would have grabbed her if Draco Blu had not been there. Draco Blu grabbed Bartholomew with one of his giant Dragon’s feet and slammed him into the ground, digging his claws into the dirt and pinning Bartholomew in place. Draco Blu growled at him and was about to engulf him in fire, but Artemis placed her hand on Draco Blu’s shoulder and the dragon stilled.
“What is Maurice planning?” she asked Bartholomew, landing on the ground and folding in her wings so that she could stand and stare into his eyes.
“The King is planning on ridding this planet of the existence of werewolves and sidhe,” he said.
“You don’t have an army big enough for that,” I said.
Bartholomew smiled and I did not like it at all. “Our plan is strong.”
“You mean your plan to send vampires to kill the people who are not protected since all of the strongest warriors will be at the main battle?” Artemis asked.
Bartholomew’s face scrunched in anger. “How did you know that?”
“Your king told me.”
“No matter, we will still rule.”
“Your plan will not work. We will kill any vampire who opposes us,” she said looking as regal as ever.
She turned away from him and walked to the still body of a red dragon and knelt at its side. “Blu, you may dispose of the vampire however you wish.”
“You need me,” Bartholomew said.
“You killed my son. The only one who needs you is Death,” Draco Blu said and then breathed fire onto Bartholomew until even his bones disintegrated.
Artemis wept as she lay across the dead dragon’s neck. “I am sorry, Fira. I should have gotten to you sooner. I should have kept you all away from this.”
Draco Blu lay down beside Artemis, wrapping his neck around her and his dead son and hummed a sorrowful tune. We watched them in silence, but after an hour Dmitri whispered, “The sun, Victor.”
I rested my hand on his shoulder and teleported him and I to the darkened chambers he was sleeping in at Zeus’ place and then teleported back to Artemis. When I returned she had stopped crying and was glowing as anger replaced her sadness. “Let’s go get the egg back.”
“We already got the dragon’s egg back before you regained your memory,” I reminded her.
“They took the Pegasus egg that I was bringing as a gift,” Draco Blu said. “One of the vampires left the group as soon as they took it and returned to your King.”
“If we go there now, we will be outnumbered and outmatched. We should wait for others to go with us,” I pleaded.
Artemis looked at me and I had never seen her look so much like a Queen before. “Then we will return, and the war shall begin.”
14
Selene
The battle between Ares and Koda was intense and very bloody. The ground around them was soaked in blood as they cut each other again and again, but their bodies healed the wounds and allowed them to continue on.
The audience had originally numbered in the thousands, but after two days of fighting it had dwindled to just their other pack members, Artemis’ twin Apollo, and myself. I had seen Artemis teleport away the first day, which was probably for the best. The further away she was from Ares, the better she would feel and the more likely the baby and she would get healthy again. If it were up to me, I would send her and Ares to opposite sides of the world, but sadly it was not up to me.
The sounds of Koda and Ares’ growls were the only noises in the Sidhe realm. It seemed that they were trying to be respectful, but part of me wondered how many of the Sidhe were hoping for Ares’ loss, and even his death. They had agreed not to end this fight by death, but in the heat of the moment, things were known to happen, and more than one werewolf had died by the angry hands of another despite their prior agreement.
I doubted Koda would kill Ares, if he could, due to Artemis’ declaration that if Koda killed Ares, she would kill Koda. I had seen the hurt in Koda’s eyes, and like everyone, I knew that he loved her. How much pain was he enduring mentally as he fought his only remaining brother, knowing that if he killed him, the woman he loved would attempt to end his life?
I shook my head and sat down on the ground, smoothing out my dress as I did. Werewolf politics were always crazy, and it seemed even with Ares and Artemis in charge, that had not changed. I had already prepared my spell to use on Ares to cure him from Death’s curse and I was certain I would not fail. I just prayed to the Goddess that we could perform the spell before Artemis and her child were affected too badly.
Koda and Ares backed away from each other and squatted down to rest for a moment. Koda’s face was a mask of anger, while Ares’ was stoic as usual when Artemis was not around.
Did he realize that his regal mask shattered the instant his mate was near him? I had known him hundreds of years, and it was good to see him so happy with a mate.
Two of Koda’s sons walked out to Koda and Ares and gave them each one cup of water. Ares sipped it slowly, while Koda gulped it down. The brothers were not so different from each other really, but men refused to see the similarities in one another, especially when they loved the same woman.
Ares turned and looked at me, his eyes the molten gold of his wolf. “Artemis?” he asked in a clipped word. He was so tired and so frustrated that he could barely speak.
I shook my head. “Still gone.”
He growled.
My hair rose at the predator’s rumble. “She is safe. Victor, Dmitri, Theseus, and a couple others went after her to keep her safe.”
He stood and growled again. Then he stretched out his body and regained control of his wolf. He stood straight and tall and even though his eyes were still his wolf’s eyes, he was calm and collected once again. “Let’s finish this so I can go find her.”
“I would advise you to stay away from her,” I said.
He turned and looked at me and I could see that his control was a hair’s breadth away from slipping if he was pushed the wrong way. “Why?”
“The farther apart you are, the less sick she will be,” I explained.
He growled. “I don’t like being away from her or trusting others with her safety.”
“You will like it less if your nearness causes her death,” I admonished him with a scowl. I had grown attached to Artemis while she lived in the coven as Chandra. How I hadn’t put two and two together was truly a mystery. Perhaps it had to do with Hera’s spell? Or, I had just been blinded by the desire to protect Artemis like so many of these men were.
Ares growled and took a step towards me. I was only slightly afraid because I could incapacitate him long enough to get away and I knew he really did not want to hurt me. I did not have to do anything though, because Koda tackled Ares, taking advantage of his distracted opponent and not for the first time protecting me.
Seeing Koda’s children had been hard, as I had fallen for the wolf at one time, but I’d let him go a century ago. Koda was a wonderful person, but we were not a goo
d match.
The brothers attacked each other again and again and despite my gnawing hunger, I stayed where I was. Artemis would ask for details, and I would be sure to have answers for her when she finally returned.
“Would you like some bread and cheese?” Zeus asked as he sat down beside me on the grass.
I took a piece of cheese and swallowed it whole before answering him. “Thank you. I am famished.”
“I see not much has changed in their fight,” he said, letting my rudeness slide without remark.
“Pretty much. They are both slower and more tired, but aside from that there has not been any progress,” I reported. “And both are still in control of their wolves.” Which was a very good thing. We did not need a rampaging werewolf on our hands, especially not one as strong as these two.
“Any sign of Artemis?” he asked with pinched eyebrows and a tight jaw.
“No, but I am sure she is fine. Victor and Theseus would never let anything happen to her,” I assured him.
Zeus laughed and said, “I never expected the friendship between Ares and Victor to last so long. Most of us figured they would end up killing each other within the week, but thousands of years later their friendship is as strong as ever.”
“The hatred between the races seems to have died out, especially in the last hundred years. It gives me hope that perhaps after we defeat Maurice, we will be able to unite all of the races and live peacefully,” I whispered.
“That is the dream,” Zeus said wistfully. We ate the food and watched the brothers fight in silence after that.
As the sun set, I prepared to nap a moment, but then Artemis appeared in front of me and sat down without even looking in my direction.
“Zeus, can you ask a servant to get me food?” she asked in a deep voice.
“They are already on their way to the kitchen,” he said, moving closer to her.
“Stay back,” she warned him. “Ares is losing control and I’m not at my best either. It would be better if everyone stayed a bit away, so we do not feel threatened.”
“What happened?” I asked her.
“Vampires killed Fira and stole a Pegasus egg. We’re leaving to start the war in three days.”
“Ares and Koda will need time to heal,” Zeus reminded her.
“They will be left behind then,” she said coldly. “We don’t have time to wait for them.”
“I take it you have a plan,” Zeus asked.
Why was he so calm and relaxed about her appearance and actions?
I wanted to drag her to her room and put her on bedrest as it was, but since she had told us to stay back, I assumed that meant her wolf was a bit too close for comfort.
She nodded. “Split up in teams. Save my Pegasus egg. Burn down any who oppose us.”
“What about your baby?” I asked her, my eyes wide and shock almost palpable.
“He will be born tomorrow,” she answered. “You will deliver him, and he will stay here in the Sidhe realm while we fight.”
“What do you mean ‘he’?” I asked, eyes wide.
“A mother knows,” she whispered as she watched her mate and her packmate fight.
What must she be feeling, watching them battle?
“How do you know he is ready to be born tomorrow?” Zeus asked her.
Her eyes stayed glued to the fight as she continued answering us. “Victor told me the baby is ready. He said he wants out now.”
“What?” Zeus and I gasped at the same time. I knew he could read minds, but how could he read a baby’s mind?
She waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t ask. It’s not important. Just be ready to perform the spell and deliver my baby tomorrow.”
“Why the sudden change in attitude?” I whispered to Zeus.
He shrugged and then whispered back, “It could be the dragon’s death. She becomes emotionally attached to her companions, and it makes sense that she would become focused after an event like this.”
I wasn’t so sure, but I dared not question her when she was so close to the edge. I rose and headed to my chambers to prepare for the spell and prayed to the goddess that everything would go according to plan.
For once.
15
Artemis
I switched forms while I slept and when I woke, I was still in my wolf form, lying on the grass outside.
Ares and Koda were still fighting which astonished me and angered me at the same time. I wanted to march out there and slap some sense into them, but I knew I could not interfere with the challenge and had to let them finish.
One of the Sidhe servants brought me out a plate of meat and set it down a few feet from me.
“Anything else, Princess?” she asked softly.
I shook my head and waited until she was gone before eating every last piece of meat and licking my paws and snout clean to get any traces left. The baby was making me very hungry and I was having cravings for sugar and meat, although those cravings were not altogether abnormal for me.
Ares and Koda separated to catch their breaths and Ares finally noticed me.
I locked eyes with him a moment and then turned my head away to show my disapproval.
“Artemis,” he whispered, “are you alright?”
I turned around, flicking my tail at him and let him look at my butt as I laid down again with my head between my paws.
I can still communicate with you, even if you want to show me your cute butt.
I sighed, really hating werewolf telepathy. Hurry up and finish your fight. Our child is going to be born today.
“What?” he asked out loud instead of telepathically.
“What’s wrong?” Koda asked.
“She said the baby is going to be born today,” Ares answered.
“Then I will stop toying with you and end this.” I heard Koda slam into Ares and I cringed, thankful that he could not see me wince at the impact.
I turned around and watched, shocked that their fighting intensified despite this challenge having lasted multiple days without any food.
Was I that strong? Could I handle a fight like that?
Of course, you could, Ares said. He ducked underneath Koda’s punch and caught Koda with a sidekick as he darted away.
I growled. Focus on your fight.
Our pack had slowly moved closer and closer to me, subconsciously yearning for the nearness of their Alpha female while their Alpha male was engaged in a fight that they could not help him with.
I stretched out and pretended to doze in the warmth of the sun, and they all moved ten feet closer to me, the fear of Ares the only thing keeping them so far from me as it was.
Apollo was among them, but he was the farthest from me, which was smart.
“I submit!” Ares yelled.
I sat upright and growled. What had happened? Why did he submit?
Koda stood over Ares, his claws too close to Ares’ throat. “You never could figure out how to counter that attack,” Koda said. He plopped to the ground beside Ares and groaned.
“Sneaky,” Ares said. He stood up and cleared his throat. “By submission I announce the new Alpha of the Werewolves, Koda.”
The pack cheered, everyone except Ares, Koda, and me. Ares walked to me, his body stiff and weariness in his movements. “Let’s go to our room,” he said.
I stood up and touched my nose to his hand and then teleported us into our room. He collapsed on the bed and sighed. “Thank you. I do not think I could have made it to our room if I had had to walk all the way.”
I shifted and then laughed at him. “Of course, you could have. You would not have let the others see such a weakness.”
“Are you upset?” he asked me.
I weighed my answer. “I am not sure how to answer your question. Can you be more specific?”
“Are you upset that I submitted?” he asked.
I shook my head and sat on the bed beside him, resting my hand on my handsome mate’s face. “No. In fact it feels good knowing that we do
not have to rule the werewolves and that the pack is in such good hands.”
“You know I submitted on purpose, right?”
I laughed. “Of course, I do. You would not be so easily defeated.”
He smiled. “Let’s not tell Koda, alright? It’s best if he and the rest of the world believe that Koda is the rightful Alpha. I am weary of trying to wrangle you and a thousand werewolves at the same time.”
I kissed his cheek and then wrinkled my nose in disgust. “You need a shower.”
He rolled on his back, grabbed me, and pulled me down onto my side with my head on his chest. “All I need is you.”
I put his hand on my stomach and whispered, “He wants out.”
“He?” Ares asked.
I nodded and smiled. “Our son is ready to come out. I suppose that means we should give him a name.”
“It’s too early for him to come out,” Ares said despite the happiness I saw at the news of having a son.
I shrugged. “Victor told me that the baby is ready to come out, and I feel that he is right.”
“So, what shall we name him?” Ares asked.
“You can think of names after you shower,” I said, sitting up and pushing his side.
“Fine,” he said, dashing to the bathroom and returning a few minutes later smelling like roses. “Cratus.”
“What?” I asked since I had not been paying attention.
He sat down on the bed beside me and spoke in a soft voice as he ran his fingers through my hair. “I would like to name him Cratus.”
“Cratus,” I repeated, letting the name roll off my tongue so I could try it out. I nodded. “I like it.”
Ares smiled. “That was easier than I thought.”
“I’m not always difficult,” I said defensively.
“Only ninety percent of the time,” he teased me and then kissed my temple.
Artemis Lupine- The Complete Series Page 73
