It was the only thing in her life that she truly regretted. The one thing she would change if she could.
There was no real choice here. She couldn't hurt Acheron like that again. Ever.
Kneeling down, she pulled Nick's body to her and restored him to what he'd been before the gunshot. She brushed his hair back from his face and spoke the forbidden words of a long-dead civilization.
The stone appeared in her hand. She felt its heat as his soul entered it
Two seconds later, Nick's eyes opened. No longer blue, they were jet-black. He hissed as pain from the light pierced his now-sensitive eyes.
"Why didn't you call for Acheron instead of me?" she asked him quietly.
"He was mad at me," he said, lisping from the fangs that he had yet to grow accustomed to. "He told me I should kill myself and save him the trouble of it."
Artemis winced as she heard those words. Her poor Acheron. He would never forgive himself for this.
Nor would he forgive her.
Nick pushed himself up. "I want my vengeance."
"I'm sorry, Nick," she whispered. "I can't give it to you. You didn't adhere to the course of the bargain."
"What?"
Before he could say anything more, she raised her hand and sent him to a special room in her temple.
"Where are you, Acheron?" she whispered. The world was falling apart and he was nowhere to be heard.
It wasn't like him to be so careless.
Afraid something bad had befallen him, she closed her eyes and searched for him.
Desiderius walked down the street as if he owned it. And why not?
He did.
He held his arms out and leaned his head back as he heard the screams of the innocent in his head.
"You should be here, Stryker," he said with a laugh. Only Stryker could truly appreciate the beauty that was this night.
But time was running out.
He had to return with the Hunter child by midnight or the Destroyer would revoke his body.
"Father?"
He turned at the sound of his son's voice. "Yes?"
"Acheron is still missing, just as Stryker promised, and we've found our way in."
Desiderius laughed. At long last he would have his revenge on Amanda and Kyrian.
And as soon as he delivered up the child, he would finish off the main course with Tabitha for dessert.
Valerius was torn between his loyalties and his duties. The Dark-Hunter in him wanted to find Acheron, but the man inside refused to leave Tabitha, who was keeping vigil in her sister's store until the coroner, Tate, arrived.
One by one, she'd contacted her family and assured herself that they were safe.
She hesitated on the last number to be called. "I can't call my mama and tell her," she said, her tears welling. "I can't."