The closer I got to him, the more I felt like bowing to him. That was a feeling I had not had in quite a long time around him. The pack made a path for me, but as I walked by, those nearest reached out to touch me. I smiled at them and held my hands out to touch some as I walked. The touch of the pack was even more reassuring than ever before. Had I changed somehow? Had Hades done something that permanently affected me?
I finally made it to Ares and looked over his body for marks. I couldn’t see any, but then again he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. He leaned down and kissed me deeply, winding a hand through my hair and around my hips, pulling me against him. I melted into him and felt the fire building within me that Ares always ignited. He pulled back from the kiss and smiled at me. “Did you have a nice nap?”
I wanted to be mad, but I couldn’t even feign it while I was still high on the kiss. “Yes,” I answered honestly. I looked into his eyes and asked, “Why are you more, more wolf than normal? No, it’s not that you’re more wolf it’s just that your aura is stronger. What changed?”
Ares said, “I’ve always been like this, but now that I’ve claimed my proper title it’s more evident to you.”
“Your proper title? What do you mean?” I asked, my nerves growing.
“I killed Darius. I’m the new Alpha of the Werewolves,” he said happily.
“Alpha,” said the pack behind us.
“You killed Darius?! When? Where? How?” I asked. I stopped my questions and asked the question I should have asked first, “Did you save Bret?”
Ares grabbed my shoulders and turned me around. “See for yourself.”
Bret stood from where he had been kneeling among the pack and walked slowly towards me. He stopped in front of me and smiled nervously. “Hey, Chicky.”
Varying emotions warred with my mind, but I ignored all of them and threw my arms around his shoulders. Bret stiffened a moment in shock and then wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. We inhaled each other’s scents and I whispered his name happily. I pulled out of the hug and smiled at him. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
He picked up my hand and traced one of my vines. “You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.”
I cringed, waiting for my power to release from his touch and my life to be even more chaotic and stressful than it was, but nothing happened. I exhaled in relief and heard Ares do the same behind me. “Thank you,” I said softly.
Koda cleared his throat from beside us. I jumped, having not heard him walk up. I walked to him and hugged him. “Are you unhurt as well?”
He nodded as he hugged me. “I am. I also brought you a present.”
“A present?” I asked in shock as I stepped back from him.
Koda stepped to the left and motioned at the line of men who had been standing behind him. “Darius brought them to fight Ares, but I made them submit to me instead. They’re our newest pack members and as Alpha Female I thought it appropriate that you meet them.”
“Alpha Female?” I asked in shock. I turned to Ares. “What about your mom? Isn’t she Alpha?”
Ares shook his head. “When a new Alpha male takes the position he either takes the former Alpha’s mate to be his, or his current mate takes the position. Obviously I’m not going to take my mom as a mate, so you’re now Alpha Female of the Werewolves.”
I was Alpha Female! “Whoa,” I said as I comprehended all that had happened. I turned to the wolves in line in front of me and walked so that I could see them all. Most appeared young looking and middle level in dominance. “Whom do you serve?” I asked them.
“The Alphas,” they said together.
“Whom do you protect?” I asked as I walked down the line.
“The Alphas.”
“Who am I?” I stopped in front of them at the center of their line.
“Artemis, Alpha Female.”
I walked up to each man and inhaled his scent at his neck and rubbed my cheek against theirs to scent mark each as mine. Luckily being short let me do it without having to bend down at an awkward angle, though two of the men were so tall that I had to stand on tiptoe to reach their cheeks. When I’d finished I turned to the rest of the pack and said, “Embrace your new brothers.”
The pack surged around the men and greeted them. Ares walked to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “You did that very well.”
“Thanks. I learned it from the real wolves. Well obviously not the talking part, but the rest,” I said as I leaned back against him. I looked around and frowned. “Where’s Achilles?”
“I’m here. I was just freshening up from our excursion.”
I watched him walk up and felt my heart flutter. How could he affect me so? My reaction to Ares was much different, but Achilles still raised my pulse and made my legs wobble. It wasn’t right to be in love with two men at the same time and yet I was. Sometimes I really hated magic.
I pulled away from Ares and turned to face him and Achilles. “I wanted to show you something. I watched the dragons doing this and I’m pretty sure I can duplicate it, but I’d appreciate it if you two would stand nearby in case it gets out of my control.”
Ares frowned and Achilles sighed and shook his head. I took that as an “ok”.
I stepped out onto the field and waited until everyone else was off of the field and Ares and Achilles were relatively close. I inhaled and closed my eyes. Selene had taught me to meditate to better control my powers and I really hoped it worked now. Inhaling slowly and grounding myself with the earth around me and beneath my feet, I channeled my power to my hands. I raised them slowly up, heels of my palms touching while the rest of the palm turned up to create a funnel for the power. I pictured the one time I’d seen Blu perform this technique and opened my eyes as fire burst out of my palms in a swirling purple tornado. I focused on the energy of the element and lowered the swirling fire until it formed a solid, protective circle around me. With a deep breath I ground my feet into the ground and the fire spread out, increasing its circumference until it surrounded the entire field. Sweat began to drip down my face as the pull of controlling the wild element strained my magical ability.
“Release it, Artemis!” yelled Ares.
I shook my head and slowly and painfully pulled it all back into me. With each foot of returned element my magic returned and my body refilled with energy.
“By the Mother of All, I have never seen something so incredible,” whispered someone.
“She has to be the most powerful being on the planet,” whispered another.
“No wonder halfbreeds were forbidden. We couldn’t defeat her unless we used a large group of our top soldiers,” whispered one of the Sidhe soldiers.
I pulled in the last bit and felt completely revitalized. I turned and smiled happily at Ares and Achilles. “I did it!”
Hera was standing behind them, having snuck up while I was testing the magic. She snarled at me and started glowing. I only had a seconds notice to prepare as she shot fire at me from her palms. I formed a shield of fire around me and absorbed the fire she shot at me. Those gathered now stared in terror at me instead of awe. Hera’s eyes turned solid white as she drew on all of her power and increased the amount of fire directed at me, but my fire shield simply absorbed it. Ares started to move towards her, but she released her powers and stopped the fire. Her body and eyes returned to normal and I saw fear in them. “Who taught you this magic?” she asked in a shocked whisper.
For a moment I didn’t want to tell her, but Ares bowed his head slightly to me, telling me it was okay. “The King of the Dragons taught me to create the fire shield as a precaution of being friends with him and the other he had to use once to protect me,” I answered. “A group of vampires found us in the woods together and ambushed us. One of them grabbed me by the throat before I could shift and in his anger he used it.”
Hera swallowed before asking, “Could you contact the dragons?”
I nodded my head. “Yes, if I needed to, but we won’t need them tomorrow.”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t speaking about tomorrow.”
I shrugged. “If we need them, I can contact Draco-Blu, but I don’t know if they will help or not. They prefer to stay neutral.”
Ares walked up to me and stared into my eyes. “How are you feeling?”
I smiled and kissed his lips. “I feel perfect. By drawing the element back into me, I replenish myself and thus have no loss and no negative side effects.”
He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders. “That’s quite a trick you’ve got there. Perhaps you should start teaching me to use some of my Sidhe powers.”
I shook my head. “I think your father or brother should teach you that.”
He laughed. “Right.”
Hephaistos cleared his throat, drawing our attention to him. “I have something else for Princess Artemis as well.”
Ares and I followed Hephaistos back to the table and I noticed that the Sidhe backed away from us and made a path quicker than usual. Was I that powerful? Or that frightening?
Hephaistos stood in front of the table and blocked our view. “I took measurements by eye only so I hope it fights properly, but if not I can always remake them.” He took a step to the side and there lay the most beautiful armor I’d ever seen.
I walked forward and gingerly touched the armor. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered, “I’ve never seen such incredible armor. Thank you.”
Hephaistos bowed. “You are more than welcome, Princess.”
I shook my head. “No, you can call me Artemis. Anyone who would go to such great lengths to create something as beautiful as this for me has to be a friend.”
Hephaistos smiled. “Thank you, Artemis.”
Ares asked, “Do you want to try it on?”
Of course I did, but I also didn’t want to diminish the beauty of the armor by placing it against me.
Achilles groaned. “Really, Artemis? Here, let us help you put it on.”
Ares looked at Achilles questioningly and Achilles whispered into his ear. Ares groaned and shook his head. “She’ll never understand.”
Achilles shook his head. “No, I don’t think she will.”
Before I could ask what they were talking about, they started lifting pieces of the armor and placing it on me. In a matter of seconds I was dressed and surprisingly I didn’t feel weighed down. I stretched and moved around to test the restrictions out. Ares held up his fists in the universal sign of “let’s fight” and I threw a few punches and kicked at him a few times, all free of limitations. “Wow my movements aren’t restricted at all and it’s not any heavier than a sweater.”
Hephaistos smiled. “Sidhe enchanted.”
“It’s great, Hephaistos. I love it.”
He bowed. “I’m pleased you like it.”
Ares and Achilles stripped me out of the armor and set it back on the table on top of the cloths it had been wrapped in. I yawned and Koda put his arm around my shoulders. “Tired, Darlin’?”
I nodded my head. “Yeah. It’s been a busy week.”
He led me away from the table and the group which had gathered. “Well, let’s get you some food and then get you to bed. Tomorrow is a big morning.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder and inhaled his scent. “It’s good to be back with you again.”
Koda smiled down at me. “It’s good to have you back again. I missed you more than you’ll ever know.”
~~~
Chapter Twenty One
As the sun rose the next morning, the sounds of activity were already high as people prepared for battle. Ares, Koda, Achilles and I lay in the giant bed in Achilles’ chambers staring up at the ceiling. I knew they were all worried for my safety and the possibility of losing me again. I was worried about the possibility of losing them and I admit, about the possibility of my prophesized death. Luckily, I had avoided the topic with Achilles and Ares, but it still did bother me. Even though I didn’t know the date of my death, I knew others would die with me and that was what truly bothered me. I had accepted my upcoming death, but I couldn’t accept others dying with me.
Victor walked into the room and said, “It’s time we all started to get ready.”
Ares nodded his head, but instead of getting up, he rolled over and molded his body to my side. He whined softly and nuzzled my hair with his nose.
I rubbed his back with one arm while I held hands with Achilles with the other. Koda lay at the bottom of the bed and snuggled my feet against his chest.
Victor sighed and then inhaled before he yelled, “Ares and Achilles! Quit acting like a couple of sniveling cowards! You’ve fought thousands of battles and this one will be no different! Now get up and get ready!”
Ares growled and stood up out of bed. “Damn pushy vampires.”
Achilles sighed and climbed out of bed too, muttering to himself. Koda kissed the top of my foot and followed the other two men into the bathroom to prepare. I fluffed up my pillow and smiled at Victor. “You’re nervous, aren’t you?”
He nodded his head and sat on the edge of the bed facing me. “I have a bad feeling about today, but I’m not sure why.”
“Where are we fighting?”
“France. Hera and you will have to teleport us all.”
I nodded my head and finger combed my hair. “Okay, but I’ve never teleported from this realm to the human realm. Maybe we should use the portal and then once we’re in the regular realm again I can teleport everyone.”
Victor smiled. “Okay.”
My stomach churned and I clamped a hand over my mouth.
“Are you alright?” Victor asked with concern in his voice.
I shook my head and ran into the bathroom, shoving past the three men who were showering and brushing their teeth and made it to the toilet just in time.
Ares dropped to his knees beside me and pulled my hair back as I threw up everything in my stomach. “Artemis, what did you eat?”
I shook my head, but couldn’t talk as my stomach constricted and I dry heaved. Achilles, I didn’t eat anything. I was just talking to Victor and had to run in here.
Achilles relayed my thought to Ares, Koda and Victor, who had followed me into the bathroom. Achilles was acting off, distancing himself from me. Was he just worried about today? He hadn’t spoken to me or Ares much last night, but he didn’t seem mad either. He was blocking me so hard that the corners of his eyes were pinched from the strain.
“She’s probably just worried about the battle,” said Victor quietly.
I wanted to argue with him, but I was nervous. Finally my stomach settled and I could lean back. “He’s probably right.”
Ares helped me stand up and handed me a toothbrush. “If you notice anything abnormal, tell me right away. I don’t want you going out on the battlefield if you’re sick.”
“I’m a freaking halfbreed. I thought we weren’t supposed to get sick,” I complained around my toothbrush.
“We’re not, but you’re also unique,” Ares said as he ran his hand through his hair.
I watched as his bicep flexed and then relaxed as his arm moved. How was I so lucky that I snagged a guy with such a great body? He ran his other hand through his hair and I watched his bicep again.
All eyes turned to me and I realized that I’d moaned. “Sorry,” I whispered as I looked down and resumed brushing my teeth, a blush on my cheeks.
Achilles climbed into the shower and turned the water on. His back was tense, but he relaxed after the water flowed over him a few minutes. Obviously I wasn’t the only one nervous.
Ares kissed my cheek and walked out of the bathroom. Koda laughed and I spit the water I had in my mouth at him.
He jumped out of the way and stuck his tongue out at me. “Missed.”
Achilles pushed up the shower head and then used his powers to increase the flow of water to reach Koda, soaking the shirt he’d just put on. “I didn’t.”
Koda groaned. “You’re not supposed to gang up on me. What happened to
‘bros before hoes’?”
I finished putting my hair up into a ponytail, pointed at him and glared. “You better not have just called me what I think you did.”
Koda raised his arms in surrender. “I was joking.”
“And besides, which one are you?” I asked teasingly.
Koda’s jaw dropped open. “That’s just mean.”
I walked out of the bathroom and started putting on the armor that Hephaistos had designed for me. I slid the sheath of arrows onto my back and then draped the bow across my back diagonally until I needed it. Seeing all of the people I loved preparing for battle, preparing for their possible deaths made me start to tear up. I walked back into the bathroom and wiped at my eyes before anyone could see me.
Ares rubbed my back reassuringly. “It’s alright to be nervous.”
I whispered, “Ares, if I lose you…”
He moved in one blink and had me wrapped in a hug against his body. “Don’t think like that. I promise that we will not be separated. Not even death could keep us apart. Verus amor vincit omnia. Remember?”
I pressed my nose against his throat and inhaled his scent, drawing him in and holding the smell in for as long as I could. “I know. I love you, Ares.”
“I love you too, Artemis Lupine.”
I giggled and rested my head on his chest for a moment before pulling away from him. “I’m ready.”
He slipped his fingers through mine and we walked back into the bedroom and ate. Once I started eating, the food stayed down and then we made our way out to the field where the portal to the human world existed. Hera, Zeus, our pack of halfbreeds and at least one hundred Sidhe stood waiting for us.
Everyone looked nervous and twitchy. One of the halfbreeds turned to talk to his neighbor and I saw the brand on his arm, a crescent moon with a star. Ares and my brand. The anger I had shoved down the night before resurfaced and with it rose my powers. My body glowed bright, my wings popped out of my back and my vines sparkled.
I looked at the gathered warriors and said, “We are going to fight the vampires. I know some of you are fighting at the request of your king or alpha, but I want you to know why we are fighting. The vampires have turned the world which was filled with light and happiness into a world of darkness! A world where humans can’t live freely. A world where Sidhe can’t go out alone!” I paused to allow my words to sink in and then continued, my voice gaining momentum, “A world of hate and fear and misery. A world where the only important thing is feeding the vampires! They’ve killed millions of innocent people. They have killed my friends. They tried to kill me, which would have killed Prince Achilles. They do not deserve to live. They are evil! They are darkness given form and it is our duty to kill them and right the balance!”
Healed by Fire Artemis Lupine 3 Page 17
