Her face had hardened. "I want your powers, Sin. I need them."
"You lying bitch," Sin had growled, and lunged at her.
She'd slapped him hard. Sin had grabbed her and thrown her to the bed, intending to kill her. But no sooner had he wrapped his hands around her throat than he'd passed out.
Now he saw himself on the bed through Kat's eyes. Artemis's throat was bruised from his attack. Her dress torn, but he hadn't done it.
Artemis gestured toward him. "You have to strip his powers from him, Katra. If you don't..." She started crying. "He'll return and may Zeus have mercy on me then. He'll kill me when he wakes. I know it."
"Matisera, I..."
"You what?" she asked angrily, "Don't tell me you won't protect your own mother from an attacker? Look at him, spread out on my bed, sleeping peacefully as if this was nothing to him. Look at me! If I hadn't blasted him, he'd have violated me and taken my powers and left me as weak as a babe. Who do you think would protect you from the other gods then?" She'd begun sobbing hysterically.
He could feel the pain inside Kat at seeing her mother hurt, at hearing her tears. Artemis never cried, and it broke Kat's heart. She wanted to soothe her mother.
"Please, Matisera, don't cry."
"How can I not? My own child doesn't love me."
"I do love you."
"Then prove it! Give me his powers!"
He could see the indecision in Kat's eyes and feel it inside her as she walked to the bed and touched his arm. The minute she touched him, his wrath and anger had seared her. She'd dropped his arm instantly. "He wants you dead."
"I told you that! If he's still a god when he wakes, I won't be here to protect you anymore."
Kat was terrified. Her mother meant everything to her. The thought of losing her... she couldn't deal with it. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Matisera. I promise." Cringing, Kat had reached for him again and then held her hand out for her mother.
Artemis joined her by the bed and took her hand into hers. Kat covered the center of his chest with her palm, then closed her eyes.
Sin gasped as he felt his powers traveling from his body, through Kat to Artemis. And with every beat of his heart, he grew weaker while Artemis grew stronger...
Anger and betrayal tore through him as he realized the truth. Artemis hadn't taken his powers from him.
Kat had.
She had been the one to cover him in the diktyon so that her mother could dump his body...
He couldn't even go there. Even after all these centuries that pain was too raw. The humiliation too severe. Damn them both for it!
Unable to breathe, he opened his eyes and saw Kat still drinking from him. He cursed before he shoved her away.
Kat was dazed as she looked up at Sin and saw the fury on his face. It didn't matter. The bloodlust was turning into something more.
Her entire body was on fire and she needed him. It was more than she could deny. She had to have him.
Now!
Rising from the chaise, she stalked toward him.
"Don't touch me," he growled, holding her back.
She was baffled by his anger as she wrapped her arms around him, trying to pull him back toward her lips. "I need you, Sin."
He extracted himself from her hold and put two feet between them. "You betrayed me."
She moved even closer to him so that she could bury her face against his neck and inhale the scent of him... and his blood. "Sin," she breathed against his skin as she tongued the area she wanted to bite.