“No.” He hoped. “But what’s going on?”
A cold, sinister smile curled her lips. “You left me here to rot, Urian. I’m returning the favor.”
The floor below his feet buckled and released the souls he’d warned the others about. They rushed him with a screeching howl.
“Apollo!” she called out. “See our bargain met. Behold the son of your enemy! I deliver him to you in exchange for my freedom!”
Shadow? What do you mean you can’t get through? That’s your schtick! You’re a cockroach. You get into places no one can.”
With an offended scowl, he turned to face Blaise. “Really, mandrake? Cockroach? Least I don’t lick my own balls. And for your information, whoever constructed that barrier did a bang-up job of it!”
“That would be me.”
They all turned to see Apollymi in the mist.
Xyn went cold at the ethereal beauty of the ancient goddess who eyed them all with malice. Her black gown blended in perfectly with the darkness, but her white hair and eyes seemed to glow, making her appear even more haunting and frightening.
Her gaze went to Styxx, Stryker, and Bethany, who had found the others. Then to Xyn. “I should be furious.”
She narrowed her gaze on Xander. “Beyond rage … and if this were anyone other than Urian, I’d skewer the lot of you for being here. As it is …” Apollymi threw out her arms and the walls opened.
“Wish you’d joined the party sooner.” Bethany had the audacity to admonish her.
Apollymi’s jaw dropped.
“Yes, I yelled at you. I have not forgotten the ass-whipping I still owe you. Remember that I was pregnant at our last encounter. Not pregnant now, Pol. You want a rematch … Any time.”
“Beth, Beth, Beth.” Styxx pulled her gently away from Apollymi. “Let’s not anger the nice goddess who opened the door so that we could get our son. Okay? Focus on Uri. Your baby needs you. Save the whup-ass for the bad guys who have our child.”
She pointed her finger at Apollymi before she nodded. “Okay.”
Xyn expected Apollymi to blast her. Instead, the goddess actually smiled.
When she realized Xyn was watching her, she gave her a smirk. “What? I’ve always admired Bet’anya.”
Xyn wasn’t about to get in the middle of that. Besides, she had more important things to think about. Like finding Urian. Running to catch up with the others, she quickly learned why this wasn’t the side to be on.
Holy evil …
The screams that echoed on this side were deafening. Xyn covered her ears. Even Simi was grimacing.
Xander looked at Stryker. “Why don’t you eat some of these and shut them up?”
“Really? You just went there?”
“Given how loud this is? Yeah.”
“Shield your ears,” Apollymi warned.
Xyn knew what was coming. She transformed into a dragon an instant before Apollymi let loose with a sonic blast so loud, it shattered two of the walls around them. She barely extended her wings in time to shield her charges from the rubble of the ceiling that rained down on them.
Styxx was the first to recover from it. “Thank you, Xyn.”
“Yes.” Bethany petted her on the wing. “Thank you so much!”
“No problem.” She carefully lifted her other wing to make sure everyone was safe. Luckily no one had been harmed.
“What? No one thanks me for stopping the noise?” Apollymi shook her head. “Ingrates! I’m always surrounded by ingrates!”
Bethany grimaced at her. “We wouldn’t be ungrateful, Polli, if you hadn’t dropped a house down on top of us.”
“There’s just no pleasing you.”
Slack-jawed, Bethany looked at her husband. “Why did you stop your conquest? One more day … just one more friggin’ day!”
“Don’t go there.”
Xyn changed back into her human form and moved to stand next to Brogan, who was being strangely silent. “You have something?”
“I’m not sure.” She had that glassy, odd look about her that she got anytime she was communing with the aether.
Then Brogan’s eyes cleared. “We have to hurry.” She took off at a dead run.
They followed.
By the time they reached the other side of the barrier, Xyn was both proud and horrified as she saw her Daimon in all his bloody glory. There were bodies everywhere. Urian stood with his shield and sword as he held them off, but they were about to overrun him.
Closing her eyes, Xyn used her powers to cover him with her armor while she summoned her own gear for herself. She ran into the fray and rolled to come up behind him and catch the Adoni who was about to attack him there.
“What kept you?”
“Had to get my nails done.”
Urian laughed at her answer. “Should have got your hair done while you were at it. You’re getting split ends.”
“Like you’re one to talk. When was the last time you had a trim? And what’s that growth on your face? You a man or a goat?”
She stabbed over his shoulder to catch the one in front of him, then twirled to catch a second one and then a third.
Urian stopped her before she could go after a fourth. He had a cut on his face that made her heart sink. “Thank you.” With a quick kiss, he let go and stabbed an assailant on her right.
“Uri?”
He paused to look back at her.
“S’agapo.”
In the past, he’d never allowed her to tell him that she loved him before. She wasn’t sure how he’d take it.
He reached out to touch her cheek. “Ise to alo mou miso.” You are my other half.
Nothing could have meant more to her. Because she knew he didn’t speak those words lightly.
“Damn, Daimon! Who did you piss off!” Xander shouted. “Where are these things coming from?”
“Yeah!” Shadow concurred. “Who opened the gate?”
Blaise kicked his opponent back. “Better yet, how do we close it?”
The only one happy was Simi, who was making barbecue of them.
“You have Apollo and Morgen to thank for this. Apollo stole Hades’s scepter.”
Apollymi cursed under her breath. “The one that opens the portals between the worlds?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
Xander growled. “Back to my question … how do we close it?”
“Blood of Apollo and Apollymi.” Urian faced them. “In other words. Me.”
Xyn had a bad feeling as she heard that note in his voice. It was one she’d heard a few other times, right before he’d done something dramatically stupid. Usually for one of his brothers.
Or sister.
“Don’t you do it!” she growled. “So help me, Uri! Don’t you make me drag you from hell to beat your ass.”
“We can’t leave it open, Xyn.”
Then she saw.
Time slowed down as she held her breath. He was going for the stupid win. Her soul screamed out as her fear paralyzed her.
And before she could gather her wits to do anything to stop him, Stryker teleported. He grabbed Urian and disarmed him, then flipped him into her arms.
An instant later, he let them take him in Urian’s place.
Xyn fell to the ground with Urian on top of her. She wasn’t sure which of them was the most shocked as they stared at each other. All she knew was how delighted she was to have him here.
Urian couldn’t believe he was still alive or that he was cushioned by his dragon. But his relief was short-lived.
Panic replaced it as he remembered what Stryker had done. Pushing himself up, he quickly surveyed the battlefield, which was now eerily quiet. Shadow and Xander were turning around, looking for more enemies. Brogan was holding Blaise. Simi was …
Well, she was snacking.
And his parents were heading for …
No.
Urian couldn’t breathe as he saw Stryker on the ground. In that moment, he forgot all the anger and hate he bore th
e man. Forgot the fact that he’d wanted him dead and had plotted his murder.
All he saw was the man who’d held him when he was a boy. The one who used to chase monsters from under his bed. His father who’d taught him to tie his sandals. To walk with pride and integrity.
The one who’d thrown himself to his enemies to save his life.
“Baba!” Urian ran to him. “Baba, no!” Tears filled his eyes as he fell to his knees by Stryker’s side and gently rolled him over.
He was covered in blood. His breathing ragged, he was barely alive. “Eisai oti kalutero uparxei, m’gios.” You are the best thing on earth, my son. “I’m so sorry I ever hurt you.”
Urian grabbed him by the shirt with both fists. “Don’t you dare die on me, you bastard! Don’t you do this to me or Medea!” Summoning every bit of his determination, grit, and fire, Urian heated his arm until it glowed bright and burned like wildfire. By the gods, he was not going to let Stryker go. The gods and fate had taken enough from him. He was not going to let them rip another fucking thing from his life.
Not again!
Not like this!
He was done with it!
Blinded by tears, he sent everything he had into his father. His strength. His powers.
Most of all, he sent his love. In spite of everything that had happened between them, they were still family. “Please, please, Baba.” Weeping, Urian laid his head down on his chest.
But there was no heartbeat.
Damn you gods! Damn you all!
And then he felt it. His father’s hand in his hair. The softest beat of his heart against his ear, followed by a deep intake of breath.
Urian let out a nervous laugh as he lifted his head to meet Stryker’s gaze.
He smiled at him the way he used to when he was a boy. “Goodness, child. Does this mean you’re talking to me again?”
Unable to speak past the pain and relief he felt, Urian nodded.
“Well hell, son, if I’d known this was all it’d take to make you forgive me, I’d have killed myself a decade ago.”
“You’re not funny, Baba.”
Stryker wiped away his tears and kissed his forehead. “And I’m not your only father, either.” He jerked his chin toward Styxx and Bethany.
Xyn helped Urian up while Styxx helped Stryker to his feet.
Styxx let out a deep sigh. “Again, Stryker. We are family.”
Stryker nodded. “We are. Now where’s Phoebe?”
Snorting, Urian pulled his hair back into a ponytail to secure it. “Not where she thought she’d be.”
Xander looked around. “What do you mean?”
Simi came over with her barbecue sauce. “He means that’s his Phoebe’s in the corner rocking like she’s gots the rabies.”
“Pardon?”
Simi pointed with her bottle.
His arm glowing, Urian headed for Phoebe. While he didn’t know exactly where she was, he had a good idea of the vicinity.
It didn’t take long to find her. As Simi said, she had the rabies. And the minute she saw Urian, she had a bit more.
She started to run away, but Urian caught her.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Although he really felt like it.
Her eyes appeared wild as she glanced from him to his companions. “What are you going to do?”
“Honestly? I feel sorry for you.” And for the fact that Apollo had lied to her. He looked over his shoulder at the others. “Apollo promised to free her if she gave him some of my blood. I don’t know what he needed it for. Once he had it, he sicced those bastards on me and left her here.”
Apollymi scoffed. “Apollo lying. Imagine that?”
“Yeah. Anyway, now that we know you’re not completely trelos, I’m thinking that since Acheron fixed me, we might be able to fix you.”
Phoebe gaped. “You’re forgiving me?”
“No, no, no. You attacked Davyn. You let Apollo infect my father and stepmother with a virus that almost wiped them out.”
“Although I thank you for that because I got Brogan out of it,” Blaise murmured.
“Shut up, Blaise.”
“Well, I’m just saying, we don’t all hate her.”
Urian glared at him. Then returned to the topic at hand. “You attempted to feed me to them. So—”
“I want a divorce, Urian.”
He arched a brow at that.
“I’ve been caged my whole life. First by my father, then my mother. By you and here. I want to be on my own in the real world. I’m tired of being tied to other people and living by someone else’s rules. I just want to have my own life for me.”
Urian held his hands up in surrender. “You got it. I won’t argue. I’ll make sure you’re provided for.”
Phoebe laughed. “Peters heiress, remember? Don’t need it. I have my own funds.”
“Fair enough. Do you at least want your sister’s address?”
She nodded. “That I do want.”
Urian handed her his phone and unlocked it. “Press two and it’ll ring Cassandra.”
While she went off alone, he turned toward the others. “I think our crisis of the moment is over.”
Shadow burst out laughing. “No, it’s not, princess. Apollo has a scepter that can open portals. And your blood. That’s a recipe for extreme disaster. My ulcer just had quads.”
Xander nodded. “He’s right. This is going to get bad.”
“We need to pool resources to stop him.” Stryker sighed heavily.
“Is what he said true?” Xander jerked his chin toward Davyn. “Your Daimons don’t live on souls anymore?”
“It’s true. Why?”
“Then I’m thinking we should enter an official truce.”
Stryker nodded. “One caveat. We’re not the only Daimons out there. We’re only one small group.”
“But I can mark them,” Apollymi offered. “That way the Dark-Hunters can tell my Spathi from the others. I’ll give them a mark that no one else can copy or duplicate. It’ll be seen only by the Hunters’ eyes so that they won’t be able to hurt them.”
“That’ll work.”
Bethany smiled. “Who would have ever thought we’d be on the same side?”
Grimacing, Styxx scratched nervously at his neck. “I have to say, I’m not comfortable bedding down with Atlanteans.”
Bethany smacked him on the stomach. “Hey now!”
He laughed. “You don’t count.”
Stryker stepped aside with Urian. “Are we good again?”
“I don’t know, Solren … you did cut my throat. I am kind of fucked up.” Urian cracked a smile. “But I’m your son, so I think normality and sanity sailed away a long time ago. Given that, I guess we are.”
Stryker pulled him into his arms and fisted his hand in his hair like he did when Urian was young. “I’ve missed you so much.” Those gruff words were growled against his ear.
“Missed you, too.”
For a minute, Urian didn’t think he’d let go. Finally, he pounded him on the back and stepped away.
Then Stryker paused. “You’re welcome to come and go. I’ve kept your place just as you left it. No one’s bothered any of your things.”
And that told Urian more than anything how much his father loved him. “Thank you.”
“All right, I’m off to tell my Daimons to stop killing Dark-Hunters. That might take a while to sink in. Eleven thousand years of instinct is hard to reset.”
Davyn nodded. “He’s not wrong. I still want to crap my pants every time I see Acheron.” He glanced over to Styxx. “Or you, because you look like him.”
Simi let out a horselike snort. “Oh, poo on that! Akri a sweetie. He not kill no Daimon what he don’t gotta!” She hiccupped. “Ooo, that one bit me back!”
Phoebe came over and returned Urian’s phone. She sniffed back the tears from her face. “Thank you.”
“You all right?”
She nodded. “Can you help me get to Minnesota?”
&n
bsp; “Sure. I’ll go right now, if you want.”
I’ll see the others back. Xyn passed her thoughts to him. You take care of Phoebe. I’ll see you later.
Urian nodded before he headed to the portal with Phoebe so that he could see her settled.
It didn’t take long to see her to Cassandra and Wulf’s. The moment they arrived, Cassandra let out a shriek he was surprised didn’t orbit the world a thousand times.
Even their dog whined over it.
And when Phoebe saw the kids, she burst into a round of tears that was truly stellar, especially over little Phoebe.
Wulf clapped him on the back. “Guess you’ll be relocating here, after all.”
Urian shook his head. “We’re not back together.”
“What?”
“Long story.”
“Man, I’m sorry.”
Wishing he felt as bad about it as Wulf did, Urian sighed. “Appreciate it.”
“Uri, Uri, Uri!” Jeff came running in to take a flying leap into his arms.
“Umph!” Urian barely caught him. “Dang, boy! What have you been eating? Rocks?”
Laughing, he hugged his neck. “Are you staying long?”
“Nah, sorry. I have to get back. Did you meet your aunt Phoebe?”
“Yeah, but they’re talking about girl stuff. It’s boring.”
Cassandra and Phoebe came into the room to give him the same look most people gave to three-day-old cheese they’d left out in their car in August.
Urian set Jeff back on his feet and patted him on the head. “Well, on that note, I better run before my testicles crawl any further into my body. I might one day want to use them again.”
He left before it got any uglier or more awkward.
But then, he was used to not feeling like he belonged. In all the centuries he’d lived—all the places he’d called home—never once had he felt comfortable or at peace. Never had he felt that sense of utter belonging.
Nowhere.
That was probably the strangest part of it all. Medea had moved in with his father and found her groove right away in Kalosis, along with her mother. Davyn and Paris had synced right up the moment they met. Even Danger had shown up at Acheron’s temple with Alexion and the two of them had set up a home as if she’d always been there. Even the demon Xirena had moved right in with Simi and been fine.
Now Phoebe was at home with her sister in a way Urian had never felt welcome.