"What the hell are you?" Thanatos asked.
"Never you mind," she said, kneeling beside Zarek. She touched the cut on his brow and looked at his bleeding arm and neck. "Oh, no, you hurt bad, Dark-Hunter. Simi very sorry. We thought you'd come back but then Astrid got worried and made me come seek you. You don't look very good, though. You were much more attractive earlier."
Thanatos stalked toward them.
Zarek forced himself up and helped her to her feet. "Simi, go before you get hurt."
She snorted like a horse. "He can't hurt me. No one can."
Thanatos attacked with the dagger.
"See, watch." Simi turned around and let Thanatos stab her in the chest.
He sank the dagger in up to the hilt, then jerked it free.
The demon's eyes widened as she gasped in pain.
At first Zarek thought she might be playing until she staggered back. Tears were in her eyes as she looked up at Zarek in agonized disbelief.
"It's not supposed to hurt," she cried like a small child. "I'm invincible. Akri said so."
His heart pounded.
Blood trickled from her lips.
Zarek kicked Thanatos back and picked Simi up in his arms. Even though his injured arm trembled from the agony of it, he ran with Simi toward his snowmachine.
Thanatos stood back, waiting.
He watched them leave and smiled. "That's it, Zarek. Run back to your woman. Show me where you have her hidden."
Artemis felt the shock wave go through her temple like an earthquake. Something let out an angry, baleful roar.
Her attendants looked up, their faces white.
Artemis sat up on her throne. If she didn't know better she would think...
The door to her private chambers disintegrated. Pieces of it flew through the room as if propelled by a violent tornado.
Her women screamed and ran for the door that led outside, seeking shelter from the unexpected maelstrom. Artemis wanted to run, too, but her fear held her immobile.
It was extremely rare that she saw this side of Acheron.
She was too terrified of him to ever push him this far.
He floated out of her bedroom with his long black hair whipping around him. His eyes were blood-red, swirling like fire as his unnatural powers surged. His fangs were overgrown and large.
He was the very thing she feared most in the universe. In this state, he could kill her with nothing more than a passing thought.
She panicked. If she didn't get him calmed down the other gods would feel his presence and there would be hell to pay for everyone.
Most of all for her.
She used her powers to mask his, hoping to disguise his abilities as her own. With any luck, the other gods would assume she was having her own tantrum.
"Acheron?"
He cursed at her in Atlantean and held her back with an invisible wall. She felt his agony. He was in excruciating pain, but she didn't know why.