Life was always a trade-off. No one could have it all. Everything came down to what sacrifice you were willing to make for your dreams. He had a good life in Katoteros. Simi loved him, and in a weird way, he suspected Acheron did too.
His every wish was reality...
Except one.
He wasn't able to have a consort. Acheron refused to open his house to anyone else; not that he blamed him. He more than understood Acheron's need for privacy and his fear of having to explain his past.
Alexion was only grateful that Acheron had been willing to let him in. Had he not...
Well, he'd been living in a most painful, pathetic hell that was unimaginable to most people. If not for Acheron, he would still be there. So from where he stood, his current situation wasn't so bad.
At least it wouldn't be if he could find out who was watching him.
But in the deepest corner of his mind, he knew who it had to be. Stryker. There was no one else. Which left him with just one question.
Why?
Danger headed to her room to put on a pair of old gray flannel pajamas. They were two sizes too big, just like she liked them, and thick and ratty enough to discourage any romantic notions Alexion might have.
If only they could protect her from such perilous thoughts. She'd gone way too long without sex herself so it was hard to have him here and not have illicit thoughts about that ripped body of his. Holy moley, did he have to look so damned good?
Get a grip.
"I should throw him out of here, consequences be damned," she said quietly as she exchanged her black shirt for the pajama top.
If only she could toss him out. With his powers, he'd most likely just poof himself right back into her house, say something snotty, then prowl around searching for his invisible friends. Ugh!
She jerked her top into place, then reached for her cell phone. She pressed the autodial for Acheron.
It rang for several minutes without an answer.
How weird. Acheron always answered on the first ring. She'd never had him not pick up the phone whenever she called.
"Great," she said at the phone. "You know, you could at least use voice mail."
Sighing, she shut it off and finished dressing. Where could Acheron be?
Could he really be a Daimon?
Or should she trust Alexion?
A woman could lose her mind trying to sort this out. Not to mention that the last time she put her faith in a man, it not only killed her, but killed everyone she held dear in her heart.
Trust was for the stupid.
"I just need a break."
A little time to think.
Grabbing a pillow, she headed down the hall to the stairway that led upstairs to her media room. There was no sign of Alexion anywhere.
Maybe that was a good thing.
Pausing by her wet bar, she opened the drawer and pulled out ajar of popcorn. She filled her air machine, then placed a bowl under it and switched it on. While it cooked, she grabbed a Coke from the fridge and went to start her current favorite movie, Troy.
Yeah, that was what she needed. Barely dressed men, romance gone bad...
It was right up her alley. She might not gain any great insight into what she should do with Alexion, but at least for a little while she would be distracted from a situation that seemed pretty hopeless.