"Don't you touch my akri!"
Damn the Charontes! The only one who could control them was...
No, there were two people alive who could control them.
"Apollymi?" she spoke to the mist around her. "Can you hear me?"
Evil laughter echoed on the breeze. The Atlantean goddess couldn't come out of her prison in form, but her powers were so great that she could extend her will and voice even through her limitations. "So, you speak to me, bitch. Why should I listen?"
Artemis clamped her temper down before she answered insult with insult and drove the older goddess away. "I can't help Acheron. His demon won't let me. I need your help."
"And why should I care?"
"Because I..." Artemis ground her teeth together before she spoke the most difficult word of all for her. "Please. Please, help me."
"What will you give me for this service? Will you return my baby to me?"
Artemis curled her lip at the thought. There was no way she'd ever release him. "I can't do that and you know it."
She felt Apollymi pulling away.
"No!" she said hurriedly. "Do me this favor and I'll release Katra from my service. She'll be yours alone to command and will no longer have torn loyalties between me and you."
Once more she heard the ancient Atlantean goddess laughing at her.
The laughter ended on a short note. "I would have helped him anyway, you gullible chit. But I thank you for the gift."
A red, eerie haze fell over the area as the Destroyer withdrew her voice. It formed the shape of a hand that then cradled Acheron's body. Acheron cried out as if the pain were more than he could bear. His whole body turned rigid and strained.
"Akri?" the demon wailed, its face terrified.
Then suddenly, Acheron went completely limp as the mist evaporated.
Artemis let her breath out slowly as she watched him in fear that Apollymi might have actually worsened his condition just for spite. The demon cuddled him to its bosom while it stroked his long black hair away from his face.
His chest rose and fell normally.
"Sim?" he breathed as he looked up at the demon with a tender expression that made Artemis hate him.
"Sh, akri, you needs to rest for the Simi."
He raked his hand through his hair until he noticed Artemis standing in front of him. All the tenderness fled his expression. "What are you doing..."
His voice trailed off as if he suddenly became aware of something.
He vanished instantly, leaving her and the demon alone in the graveyard.
Folding her arms over her chest, Artemis huffed at his rudeness. "A thank-you would have been nice, Acheron!"
But she knew he didn't hear her. He had a remarkable ability to tune her out.
Her only consolation was the demon looked every bit as baffled until its eyes widened and it flashed to the form of a human female with horns.
"They gots baby Marissa!" the demon breathed before it too vanished.
Tabitha lunged at the Daimon, who laughed as he stepped to the side and brought his fist down across her back. Pain exploded down her spine.
Valerius roared with rage before he shot a bolt at the Daimon.