by Mara Lee
She matched his smile with one of her own. “Oh, I am certain you will find ways around my cool logic. I somehow do not see you ‘toeing the line’, so to speak.”
Ditheous caught a strand of her long hair in his hands, and let the silky threads fall silently through his fingers.
Joseph took this moment to speak. “Again, please accept my apologies, Dith—master. I merely wished to relay some news.”
Ditheous motioned with his hand for Joseph to continue.
“There was an altercation involving some of our pack members at ‘Twilight’.”
“Oh?” Ditheous asked, his brow beginning to furrow.
“We,” Joseph swallowed, “lost Valerie, Rice and Brandi. Pontius was wounded. He is still at ‘Twilight’ awaiting your arrival. He did not wish to leave until he informed you of what had occurred.”
Ditheous nodded curtly. He was pleased at Pontius’ decision. “Then we must go to ‘Twilight’ immediately.” He strode purposefully toward the door.
“Ahem.” Aega placed her hands on her slim hips and tapped her foot impatiently.
Ditheous looked back over his shoulder. “You are welcome to join us, if you feel the need.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Why you arrogant…” she narrowed her eyes, “Go ahead … I’ll find my way over,” she gave him a pointed look, “alone.”
Ditheous opened his mouth to speak, and then seemed to think better of it. He nodded his agreement. He motioned for Joseph to follow him, and the two left the room, silently.
* * * *
Aega was still stewing as she flashed back to her apartment to change clothes. Oh that arrogant, high-handed, poutsokefalo.
she tore off her dress and yanked on another bodysuit, this one was dark blue and had a back sheath for her sword; a little item that she had not had much use for of late.
“He doesn’t deserve my help,” she muttered. “I should have told him right where he could stick it, poutsokefalo.” She strapped two silver daggers to her wrists, secured Hades’ special dagger at her waist and sheathed her double-bladed sword, to her back.
After quickly braiding and securing her hair into a coronet on the top of her head she was ready to go after the dick-head.
Chapter Eight
Ditheous’ eyes were hard as flint and cold as chips of ice as he surveyed the scene. Club ‘Twilight’ had been emptied of all but the victims and the destruction that the enemy had left in their wake.
The bar was wrecked. There were bottles, glasses and an assortment of other objects that were broken and strewn across the long surface. Tables and chairs had been knocked over and at the center of the mess lay the three Vampyre victims.
Ditheous crouched down by the first, Valerie. She was one of his fledglings, hadn’t been dead but five years now, and she had possessed a sweet disposition. It was uncommon amongst Vampyres … sweet dispositions … but that hadn’t deterred Valerie, and none had minded Valerie’s cheerfulness and sunny smiles.
She had made death infinitely more pleasant, and for that … the pack had loved her dearly. Her true death was a tragedy that would not soon be forgotten.
Ditheous sighed sadly as he took in what was left of Valerie. Her heart had been removed, along with her head, and both lay strewn not far from the body.
She was ash gray, as all Vampyres took on this complexion when their hearts were removed.
Joseph came to stand behind him. “The same was done to Rice and Brandi. Rice’s body can be found behind the bar, Brandi fell by the back door … it looks as if she was trying to flee.”
Ditheous got to his feet. His face was expressionless but his eyes told the entire story. “Where is Pontius?”
“In the office,” Joseph answered.
Ditheous nodded. “I will talk to him now.”
* * * *
Pontius was not in good condition. His face was very nearly cleaved in two, skin flapping grotesquely from either side of exposed, gleaming bone. There were wounds all over his chest, the worst one being the five-or six-inch hole near his heart. And his left arm was broken—in several places it appeared.
“Pontius.” Ditheous moved to his pack member’s side.
“Master.” Even that one word came out raspy, and twisted the remains of Pontius’ disfigured face.
“Pontius, you need blood.” Ditheous motioned for Joseph to come forward. “Joseph, find a donor for him.”
Joseph nodded and left the room to follow his master’s bidding.
“Tell me, Pontius, what happened? Who did this to you?”
“It happened so quickly, master. Valerie, Brandi, Rice and I were to meet Steffen and Natasha here. They were running late, so we all took a table near the bar. Rice and Brandi were dancing when they came in.”
“And they were?” Ditheous asked.
Pontius shook his head weakly. “I’m not certain. But they honed in on us immediately. It was as if they had come for us specifically … perhaps they had. They intercepted Rice and Brandi…” He growled, “They put their hands on Brandi. Of course Rice stood up for her. But I swear, master, we did not start the altercation … we would never break such a rule.”
One of Ditheous’ rules was that his pack was never to instigate a fight in a public place. He wished to keep the human authorities as far removed from him and his people as possible.
Ditheous knew what Pontius said was true. For his pack would never disobey his rules. If they had fought on this ground, it had been because they were pushed to it.
Ditheous clenched his jaw. This was the second time in as many days as his pack was targeted. But now—now his enemies were upping the ante. They had murdered Valerie, Brandi and Rice. Such an evil could not be ignored. He would bring these Vampyre to justice.
“Rice and I … we did our best to protect the young ones.” Pontius’ voice was filled with pain. “But even we were not strong enough to protect Valerie and Brandi from the force of the rogue Vampyre and the creatures that came to their aid.”
“What creatures?” Ditheous asked.
“We were holding them off. Even Valerie was putting up a good fight, but then these … these … creatures appeared in the club. Their force was too great for us. They overtook us. They took out Valerie first. Brandi tried to flee, they caught her. Then Rice went down. They could have killed me, master, I believe the only reason I am alive is because they wished someone to be here to tell the tale. They could easily have disposed of me, master.” Pontius cast his gaze down. “I had fallen.” He cleared his throat. “I apologize, master. My life should be forfeit. I was unable to protect them.”
Ditheous waved the words away. “Do not be ridiculous, Pontius. You did all that you could. I would be completely daft if I killed you now. I have just lost three of my pack. Do you believe I should be one more member down?”
“But master…”
“No, I’m through with this discussion.” He sighed. “Now, I need you tell me about these creatures that attacked you. I need to know everything.”
Pontius began, “They had large wings, horns…”
“Demons, you’re dealing with more demons.” Aega spoke from the doorframe.
Ditheous looked over his shoulder at her and nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“And now they are after your pack.” Aega walked over to the couch where Pontius lay. She knelt down by his side and reached out to stroke his soft hair, a glory that had remained virtually unscathed through the attack. “Demons did not give you these injuries.” It was more statement than question. “I would know a demon mark.”
“No, these were administered by the Vampyre that attacked us.” Pontius whispered—eyes riveted on Aega.
“I am sorry,” Aega looked over to Ditheous, “I cannot help to heal these injuries since they were given to him by Vampyre.” She sighed. “I have no power to heal such wounds.”
Ditheous nodded. “It is all right. His body will heal itself, in time.”
“My eye,” Pontius murmured, “I
do not know about my eye.”
Ditheous said nothing. He, too, had been thinking of Pontius’ eye. His left eye was gone, the socket bare … empty. Pontius’s face would heal, on that he did not lie. But the eye would not be able to regenerate. It was just too grave an injury.
Pontius read the truth of the situation in his master’s eyes. He would forever be deformed. He clenched his jaw and pointed to his eye. “The one that did this … he mentioned a name, Paxton. I cannot know for sure, master, but I believe that this Paxton is their leader. They spoke of him reverently. After they had killed the others, and I lay immobilized, one of them wished to destroy me. But the others mentioned Paxton, and how he would be angered if they strayed from the plan.”
Ditheous nodded. “You did well. Now, you must get well. Joseph has brought you fresh blood. He will return you to the safety of the lair.”
Pontius sighed. “Master, one more thing, the creatures that joined the Vampyre, they too, spoke of one that leads them. They thought I had lost consciousness, that I could not hear their ravings, but I heard it all. They were angry that they had not been paid. It seemed that they had been promised … me. They wanted a fresh sacrifice. The Vampyre had taken out Valerie, Brandi and Rice and would not let those foul creatures finish me off. They spoke of taking their grievances to the one that commands them.”
“Did they give a name?” Aega asked.
Pontius looked at Ditheous questioningly.
He nodded, giving his silent consent to Pontius to answer Aega’s question.
“No, lady, they did not. But … they were enraged over having to jump from ‘plane-to-plane’ as they called it, all to aid the Vampyre.” Pontius groaned and his muscles, sinews, exposed to the air, leapt.
“Joseph,” Ditheous called to his Second.
Joseph stepped forward. He had been standing, silent, at the doorway.
“Care for him.” Ditheous walked out of the room, leaving Aega to stare after him.
* * * *
Ditheous stood like carved marble in the center of the club’s now empty dance floor. His golden hair fell loosely around him. His arms were held stiffly by his side. He was a sentinel, a burdened warrior. His anger, rage, and pain, filled the room in great waves.
Aega bit her lip and resisted the urge to walk over and put her arms around him. By Zeus, she was losing her objectivity. And that was something she could ill afford to do. She could not allow the strange feelings, emotions, she held for him cloud her judgment or distract her.
And he was distracting, much too distracting, and her feelings for him were growing, building.
She walked slowly toward him. When she was a foot away from his stiff form he stopped.
A spark of gold caught her attention.
She reached down to retrieve the sparking object. Her eyes turned flinty as she took in the shining surface, the fine craftsmanship of the golden wings.
“I have been much too passive,” Ditheous finally spoke, without turning to face her. “And that is my failing as a leader, my own, and my burden to bear.”
“No, Ditheous, you are a great ruler.”
“I have focused so much of my energy on this unification that I have failed to see the need of my people. I have left myself open to attacks, and thus, have left my people open to attacks. I have left them vulnerable. Peace,” he scoffed, “A foolish dream, nothing more. We will always be at war.”
She shook her head. “No, no, Ditheous. Peace is not foolish. You are to be commended, your bid for peace, is to be commended.”
He turned to face her. His eyes were solid red. His skin paler than freshly fallen snow and his fangs gleamed in the artificial light. “We are monsters, Aega.” He swept his hand in an arc over the debris that scattered the club. “This is what monsters do, we war, we kill … we destroy one another. There can never be peace. We do not know the meaning of it.”
Aega swallowed. She had never seen a Vampyre in ‘state’ before. It was disturbing. But if Ditheous was trying to scare her, it was not working. She had seen worse than he. She had seen the Cyclops, had even been housed with them, when they were still in her mother’s favor. And the Cyclops far outnumbered the Vampyre when it came down to scariness. Of course, after they had insulted Gaea they had been banished to Tartarus and Aega had been left alone, once again. She still rather missed the one-eyed monsters. They had been entertaining playmates.
She stood her ground and smiled softly at him. “Then you must teach them the meaning of it.”
“What?” Ditheous rasped out.
“Peace. You must teach them the meaning of peace, Ditheous.”
He laughed harshly. “And how would you have me accomplish that, oh great Goddess?”
Aega narrowed her eyes. “Well, to start, I would seek out and punish those who have attacked your pack. To have peace, you must have law. And these Vampyre are not following your laws. It is in your right to exact some form of punishment.”
“It will be full-out battle,” he answered tightly. “The wolf packs are experiencing their own uprising. Between the Vampyre, the wolves and the demons inhabiting our plane … it will be war.”
“Perhaps,” she said. She sighed. “But it must start somewhere. And sometimes it takes the fall of a nation to build a better one.”
“The Phoenix,” he murmured, eyes slowly fading back to their silvery blue.
“Yes, Ditheous, like the Phoenix. But do not fear,” she held out her hand to him, “if you burn, you will not burn alone.”
Ditheous stared at Aega’s offered hand for a moment, before accepting it.
* * * *
“By Hera’s tits,” Hermes swore. He studied the back of his broken sandal for another long moment before swearing again. “She’s going to kill me.” Hermes ran a hand through his hair and tried to think of a plausible, a believable, excuse that he could give to his mother, Maia.
His mother had fashioned his sandals for him, creating the wings from one of her brightest stars.
She was going to be pissed beyond belief that he had broken one of them.
Damn Helios, Amalthea and all the Gods for their stupid games anyway.
He looked down at his broken sandal, what with its missing wing, and swore viciously. God’s blood, how was he going to explain this one away?
* * * *
“Oomph,” Aega groaned as her head hit the back of a tree. She laughed. “Ditheous … we … we … don’t have time…” she moaned as she felt his hands mold her breasts. “I don’t think…”
“Good,” Ditheous fastened his mouth on the side of her neck and bit gently. “Don’t think.”
“But … Andre, we are to meet Andre.” She dropped her head back as he began to suck on her neck and lick the sensitive skin beneath her ear. She gasped when she felt the cool night air caress her skin. He had pulled the zipper to her bodysuit down to her waist, baring her torso to his avid eyes.
“Fuck Andre,” Ditheous growled.
“Well, I’d rather fuck you,” she answered saucily.
He grinned and bit her harder.
“Oh Ditheous…” Aega dug her nails into the hard plane of his back and began to rub impatiently against him.
He smiled. “I like this suit, sunshine. I’d like it better if it were on the ground.”
Aega laughed and dropped her weapons to the ground. She pulled her arms out of the tight suit, did a shimmy, and the suit fell to her ankles. She kicked it off, and held her arms out to him.
He stripped quickly and stepped into the warm circle of her arms. “You are so damned beautiful, sunshine.”
“You’re pretty spectacular yourself.” She bit her lip as she felt his hand gently stroke and rub her soft pussy hair. “Ditheous…” she ground out.
“Soft as silk,” Ditheous murmured before he slipped two fingers into the wet heat of her pussy.
She gasped and arched against his questing fingers.
“You’re wet for me, sunshine, so wet.” Ditheous added a thir
d finger and began to stroke and pet the slick, hot, folds of her.
She moaned, pressed herself desperately against him, and lifted her leg in hopes of opening herself up even further to his exploration.
Ditheous grabbed her leg and held it at his waist, all the while continuing to fuck her with his fingers. He located her clit, already hard and plump and began to flick and pinch the sweet kernel.
“Harder,” she keened.
Ditheous obeyed, squeezing her clit more firmly between his fingers. He caught her scream, planting his lips firmly upon hers. Taking her mouth in his and drinking her in as if she was the blood of his heart. In truth, at this moment, he felt as if she were. She was his blood, his heart, everything in him that was alive and desperately wished to beat.
He tore his mouth from hers and increased the scissoring motions of his fingers in and out of her dripping flesh. Her mouthed opened in a silent scream and her eyes closed, tightly shut.
He felt the shivers of her pussy as her muscles began to clench around his fingers. He pushed deeper still, taking her further.
“Oh … ohhhhhh …please…” Aega whimpered, head tossing from side to side. Her chest heaved, her nails dug painfully into the flesh of his back and her legs went stiff.
“Yes sunshine,” he murmured against her cheek, pressing soft kisses to her heated flesh. “Come for me baby, come, flood my fingers…” Ditheous tweaked her clit and heard her scream of pleasure right before she came.
He removed his fingers slowly.
She sank weakly against the tree.
“Beautiful.” Ditheous, eyes gleaming, brought his wet fingers to his mouth and licked them clean, one by one.
Aega swallowed.
“Now,” he said, placing his hands under her ass and easily lifting her up, “Put your legs around me, sunshine.”
She obeyed, hooking her legs around his waist.
“Oh yeah,” Ditheous maneuvered Aega until her wet, quivering pussy was positioned at his hard cock. “Put me in sunshine, wrap those gorgeous hands around me, guide me.”
