He answered it to find Ash on the other end.
"Did you make it back with her?"
"Yeah, she's still asleep."
"Good. I was worried about you two."
He frowned. It was Acheron's voice but that wasn't something Acheron would normally admit to.
All his instincts went on full alert. This was definitely not Acheron. The voice and tone were the same, but now that he knew there were two of them, he could hear the difference in their personalities.
This was the imposter.
"So how long do you think it'll be before the drug leaves her system?" Talon asked.
"I don't know. One dose can keep you pumped anywhere from one to three days."
"Really? You seem to know a lot about it."
"Yeah, well, when I was mortal I was so addicted to it that I was willing to sell my soul for it."
"And who might you be?" Talon asked.
"Excuse me?"
"I know you're not Acheron."
A dark laugh sounded in his ear. "Very good, Dark-Hunter. Very good. For that, I shall let you and Sunshine live another day."
Talon snorted. "Boy, you've got a lot to learn about me if you think you could ever be a threat to me or mine. You come near her again and I'll make boots out of your hide."
"Oh, I don't think so. But I am impressed that this time you figured me out. I had begun to wonder if you would ever be able to tell us apart."
Talon tightened his grip on the phone. "Yeah well, if you're going to impersonate Acheron, you might try learning a little more about him."
"Trust me, Dark-Hunter," he said, his voice confident and evil. "I know Acheron a lot better than you do. I know things about him that would stun you into silence and make you hate him forever. He's not what you and the others think."
"I've known him for fifteen centuries. I think by now I know a thing or two about his character."
"Do you?" he asked sarcastically. "Did you know that he had a sister he let die? That she was only a few feet down the hall, screaming for his help. And while he lay in a drugged and drunken stupor, she was torn to pieces?"
Talon was horrified by what the man described. But he knew Acheron better than that. Acheron would never, drugged or not, be so far gone that he wouldn't render aid to a stranger. When it came to those who fell under his protection, Acheron would move heaven itself to keep them safe.
"I don't believe you."
"You will. Before I am through here, all of you will learn the truth of him." The imposter hung up the phone.
Talon tossed his phone to the nightstand and ran his hands over his face. This was a nightmare.
He was torn between his need to protect a friend he had known a thousand lifetimes and a woman whose soul meant more to him than his own life.
And he'd never felt more helpless. Not even when he had watched his uncle slain. At least then he'd held a weapon in his hand and had seen his attackers.
This time, there was nothing solid to grasp onto. There were two enemies out there. One pretending to be Acheron and the other a cowardly god with a vicious vendetta.
What was he going to do?
He turned around and looked at Sunshine.