Acheron

It was just blood.

When she'd taken enough to placate him, she pulled back and licked her lips.

Apollo attacked her then. His teeth tore through the tendons of her neck, leaving it throbbing. She wanted to slap him for it and many times in the past she had. Damn Hera for this curse. The jealous bitch had tried to kill both of them at birth and because Artemis had helped her mother deliver Apollo, this was her punishment. There was nothing worse than being forced to feed on your own kind. It was a lesson she and Apollo had known the whole of their lives.

Her head light, she tried to think clearly. Apollo was taking too much blood. It was something he always did when he was angry at her.

Grinding her teeth, she kneed him hard in the groin. He jerked back with a curse, tearing at her neck. Her curse joined his as she covered the gaping wound with her hand. "You're such a bastard."

He grabbed her upper arm, blistering it with his grip. "Remember what I told you. I catch you with a mortal man and I will kill him."

Artemis snatched her arm free. "Go play with your humans and leave me alone."

Her joy in the festival completely squelched, she transported herself back to her temple. But it was so lonely here. Her koris were gone for the day.

She looked at her bed and imagined the sight of Acheron there, his smile warming her while he pleased her with kisses and gentle caresses.

Needing him desperately, she flashed to his room. The instant she saw him sitting cross-legged on the floor with his back to her, her heart lightened. Without thought or hesitation, she ran to him and embraced him.

Acheron was startled as Artemis threw herself against his back and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hold. Even so the scent of her filled his head.

"I missed you today," she whispered in his ear, sending chills over his entire body.

"I missed you too."

Her grip tightened before she released him and placed her chin on his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Acheron snatched the scroll up from the floor and folded it so that she couldn't see what he was about. "Nothing."

"You're doing something…" She grabbed the scroll from him before he could stop her and opened it. She frowned at his childish marks. "What's this?"

He felt heat sting his face at having been caught. "I was trying to teach myself to write."

"Why?"

"I don't know how and I wish to learn."

She lowered the scroll to stare in disbelief. "Can't you read?"

Acheron hung his head as shame poured through him. "No."

Artemis lifted his chin in a gentle caress until he met her gaze. The kindness in her eyes warmed him completely. "You can now."

Acheron gasped as a slight pain went through him. She handed him the scroll back.

"Write your name."

Baffled by what had just happened to him, he picked up the quill and knew how to draw the letters. He wrote his name flawlessly. "I don't understand."

"I'm a goddess, Acheron. And I don't want you to hang your head in shame. Does this please you?"

"More than anything."

Her smile dazzled him. "Come with me. I'm in the mood to hunt."

"I don't know how to hunt."

"You will."

True to her words as soon as they were in the woods, she gave him a bow and arrow and just like with the writing, he knew exactly what to do.

How wondrous to be able to do something without all the years of learning it. But in truth, there was something more he wanted than literacy and hunting. "Can you teach me to fight?"

Artemis turned on him with a stu

"I want to know how to fight."

She scowled, then asked the one question that she never failed to voice. "Why?"

"I'm tired of being hit. I want to know how to defend myself."

Artemis was stu

"What if you grow bored with me?"

She cupped his cheek in her hand. "How could I ever be bored with you?"

Acheron offered her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I really wish you'd teach me."

His insistence set her hackles rising. "I said no," she snapped.

Acheron paused at the hostility in her tone. He knew that anger and what it stemmed from. "Who hits you?"

Artemis lowered her bow. "I think there's deer over this way."

"Artie…" He pulled her to a stop. "I know the sound in your voice. I've had it too often in mine not to recognize what it means. Who has hurt you?"

She hesitated for so long that he didn't expect her to answer, but when she did her tone was so low that he barely heard it. "Other gods."

He was stu

"Why does anyone hit?" Her eyes were furious again. "It makes them feel more powerful. I will not have you hit me. Ever."

"And I would never do so," he said, his voice rife with conviction. "I could no more do to another what has been done to me than cut my own heart out. I only wish to protect myself."

"And I told you. I will protect you."

He caressed her arm before he dropped his hand and stepped back. "Then I shall trust you, Artie. But I want you to know that I don't trust easily. Please don't be like everyone else and break your word to me. I hate being lied to."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Let us hunt."

Acheron nodded before he nocked a new arrow and placated the only real friend he'd ever had. She didn't shun him and he didn't have to hide from her. What scared him, though, were the feelings inside him whenever she was near.

He was falling in love with a goddess and he knew just how stupid that was. Out of all the things he'd been, he'd never been a fool.

Until now.

She made him feel whole. Happy. And he never wanted these feelings to leave.

Pushing the thought away, he took aim at a buck. As he sighted it, Artemis ran at him and tickled him. The arrow flew wide of its mark, embedding itself in a tree where it disturbed a squirrel that actually threw a nut at him.

Acheron laughed before he narrowed his eyes on Artie. He tossed his bow aside then stalked toward her. "You have fouled my perfect shot. You're going to pay for that."

Artemis dropped her bow before she bolted.

He ran for her as she tried to disappear into the woods. Her laughter taunted him and made him smile all the more. He caught up to her right as she reached the small stream.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he swung her around in his arms.

Artemis couldn't breathe as the full weight of Acheron slammed into her. The sight of his smile, the light in those magical eyes…

It made her want to shout out in ecstasy.

He twirled around with her while the birds sang a special melody for them. She was lost in this one time and place with him. This was what she'd always wanted. Always needed.

Acheron didn't care about her quirks or her moodiness. Nor did he flinch from feeding her. He took her as she was and held her regardless. Unlike her family he didn't belittle her or tell her that she lacked the followers he had. He didn't care about any of that.

She wanted to lose herself to this moment and to him for the rest of eternity.

"Make love to me, Acheron."

Acheron froze at her words as his smile faded. "What?" He set her back on the ground.

She brushed his beautiful hair back from his face. "I want to know you like a woman. I want to feel you inside me."

He released her and stepped back, his expression reserved. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"