"The difference is he's about to become an even bigger distraction and concern for Acheron. Yet another way to weaken the Atlantean in the end."
Styxx liked the sound of that.
Now they would just have to ensure that the Dark-Hunter and the woman remained together. At least until Mardi Gras, when the threshold between this world and Kolasis would be thin enough to breach so that they could release the Atlantean Destroyer from captivity.
It had been six hundred years since the last time this had occurred and it would be over eight hundred years more before it occurred again.
Styxx cringed at the thought of living another eight hundred years. Another eight centuries of lonely, never-ending monotony and pain. Of watching his keepers come and go, grow old and die, as they lived out their mortal lives surrounded by family and friends.
They didn't know how lucky they were.
As a human, he had once feared death. But that was ancient aeons ago.
Now the only thing Styxx feared was that he would never escape the horror of his existence. That he would keep on living, century after century, until the universe itself exploded.
He wanted out, and up until thirty years ago he hadn't had a hope of it.
Now he did.
Dionysus and Camulus wanted to reclaim their godhoods and they needed the Destroyer and Acheron's blood to do it. It was a pity Styxx didn't have Atlantean blood in him or he would gladly offer himself up as sacrifice.
As it was, Acheron alone held the key to the Destroyer's release.
Styxx was the only creature alive who could deliver Acheron to them.
Just a few days more and everything would be set right. The old powers would return to dominate the earth and he...
He would finally be free.
Styxx sighed in sweet expectation. All he had to do was keep the Dark-Hunters at each other's throats and keep them distracted while he prevented the gods from killing each other.
If either Talon or Acheron ever realized what was happening, they would stop it. They alone had the power to do so.
It was him against them and this time, this time, he would finish what he had started eleven thousand years ago.
When he was through here, the Dark-Hunters would be without leadership.
He would be free and the earth as all knew it would be a whole new place entirely.
Styxx smiled.
Just a few days more...
Talon woke up to find his arm on fire.
Hissing, he jerked his hand away from the sunlight that was streaming in through the window, across an extremely pink bed. He pushed himself back against the white wicker headboard to avoid any more of his body from coming into contact with the deadly rays.
He blew cool air across his hand, but still it burned and ached.
Where the hell was he?
For the first time in centuries, he felt a wave of uncertainty run through him.
Talon was never out of his element. Never out of control. His entire life was one of extreme balance and moderation.
Never in his Dark-Hunter existence had he found himself unsure or confounded.
But right now, he had no idea where he was, the time of day, or who the women were he heard on the other side of the pink drapes.