Ash hated her tenderness most of all. It reminded him too much of the dream he'd once had. A dream of her taking his hand in public. Of her smiling at him openly.
As a human, he'd been dumb enough to think that she would cherish him. At least acknowledge his presence.
But instead, he was and had always been her dirty secret. Before his death at the hands of her own brother, Ash hadn't even been allowed to speak her name in public. Never to touch or look at her or walk past her temple. Only in private had she ever acknowledged him.
He'd been so desperate for even that modicum of kindness that he'd accepted it.
"I love you, Acheron."
He ground his teeth at words she didn't even understand.
Love ... yeah. If this was love, he could definitely do without it.
She kissed his lips before she pulled away with a smile. "You always taste like sunshine."
And she always tasted of cold darkness. He let out a tired breath. "Feeling better?"
Rubbing his chest, she nodded. "You look tired, my Acheron.
Go back to bed. I´ll join you shortly."
Yee-flippin'-haw, he thought sarcastically. He couldn't wait for that. It rated right up there with an acid enema. "Where are you going?"
She stood up. "I have something to take care of. But I´ll be right back. Trust me."
Like he had a choice?
"Take your time." If he were lucky, he might actually have a whole grope-free hour.
It was really sad when that was the best thing an all-powerful, immortal god could look forward to.
Artemis smiled at him, before she vanished.
She took herself to the Underworld where the Dolophoni made their home in the darkest part of Hades' domain.
It didn't take her long to find Deimos. He stood before a large bureau of weapons, examining the blade of a small hand axe.
"What are you doing?" she asked, wondering what thought was in his mind.
He looked up at her question. "Testing the blade."
"Shouldn't you be finding Sin?"
He set the blade down but didn't look at her as he brushed his hand over other weapons. "Depends. Is your daughter going to keep getting in my way?"
Her stomach shrank at his words. "Excuse me?"
He turned toward her with a cold, sinister look. "Your daughter. You know, the tall blonde with a body made for sin who has your eyes and her father's powers. You didn't really think I was so stupid that I never knew, did you?"
Artemis couldn't speak. She was only grateful Acheron wasn't here to hear that. He'd kill her.
Deimos narrowed his gaze. "That is why you called me in to kill Sin, isn't it? He learned the truth and now he must die."
She refused to give him anything he could use against her. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't." His tone was mocking. He closed the distance between them.
Artemis backed up until she was pressed against the wall.