"That I didn't know. It doesn't burn me and it didn't burn you. I've never had a human hold one before."
Acheron's head buzzed with guilt and grief. With hatred for both himself and her. "What happens to him now?"
"He's a Shade. Without a body or soul, his essence is trapped in Katoteros."
Acheron roared with the pain of what she was telling him. He had just killed a man and sentenced him to a fate far worse than death.
And for what?
For love?
For mercy?
Gods, he was such a fool.
Better than anyone, he should have known to ask the right questions. He should have known better than to trust in the love of another person.
Damn it, when would he learn?
Artemis reached down to him and lifted his chin with her hand until he looked up at her. "Tell me, Acheron, is there anyone you will ever trust enough to release your soul?"
He shook his head. "You know better. You've tutored me too well on how vicious women are. On how much love ruins and destroys. Thank you for the lesson, Artemis. It was just what I needed. And I assure you, it's one I'll never forget."
Part II
ACHERON Present Day
You'll never see the moments coming that will forever mutilate your life—at least not until after they've mowed you down.
—SAVITAR
CHAPTER ONE
October 21, 2008
The Parthenon
Nashville, Tennessee
6:30 p.m., Tuesday
Acheron teleported himself into the main room where the statue of Athena stood, covered in gold. Because of the lecture that was going to start in a few minutes in another part of the Parthenon, the statue area had been closed off.
He should probably obey the rules, but why? It was one of the few perks he had from being a god.
Casts of the original Elgin marbles stood at stations that lined the walls on both sides. Even though the interior of the Parthenon wasn't exactly the way it'd been in ancient Greece, he'd always loved to come here. Something about it comforted him. And any time he was in Nashville, he made sure to stop in and visit.
He moved to the center of the room so that he could look up at the artist's rendition of the goddess Athena. It looked nothing like her. Raven-haired and pale, Athena was as frail in appearance as she was striking. But those looks were definitely deceiving. As a war goddess, Athena could pack a punch as hefty as any man.
"Acheron . . ." the statue said, coming to life before him. "Tell me what it is you seek."
He rolled his eyes. "A night away from you, Artemis. It's not like you don't know that."
She came out of the statue to stand in front of him at her natural height. "Oh, you're no fun."
"Yeah, right. Sorry. The statue thing lost its humor eleven thousand years ago. It hasn't become any more appealing over time."
Crossing her arms over her chest, she pouted. "You just blow all the fun out of everything."
Ash let out a slow, impatient breath. "Suck, Artemis. The phrase is 'suck all the fun.' "
"Blowing, sucking. Same difference."
He scoffed as he walked past her to look at the casts against the wall. "No, it isn't. Take it from someone with intimate knowledge of the two."
She screwed her face up at him. "I hate it when you're crude."
Which was exactly why he did it. Unfortunately, all the crudity in the world wasn't enough to drive her away from him. "Why are you here?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Why are you here?" She dogged his every step.
Again, he moved away from his least favorite stalker. "There's some archaeologist who thinks she's found Atlantis. I was curious so here I am."
Her eyes lit up. "Oh this I have to see. I love it when you go for the vernacular."
"Jugular," he corrected between clenched teeth. Too bad he didn't have the same enthusiasm. He hated to take anyone's credibility from them, or worse, publicly embarrass them. But the last thing he needed was for the world to find Atlantis and then expose what he'd been there. For the first time in his existence he had people who looked at him with respect and who allowed him dignity.
If they ever knew . . .
He'd rather die again. No, better a sting to the professor's ego than to his. While he had moments of altruism, in this he didn't. No one would ever expose him again.
Artemis blinked in happy expectation. "Where is this lecture going to be?"
"Room down the hall."
She vanished.
Acheron shook his head. He took a few minutes to walk around the exhibit and smile at the modern world's interpretation of the past. How could humanity be so strangely astute and at the same time dense? Their perceptions swung from being unerringly accurate to downright ridiculous.
Then again, didn't all creatures suffer from that same dilemma?
"Dr. Kafieri?"
Soteria looked up at the docent who was watching her with a perplexed expression. Oh, please don't tell me I was talking out loud to myself. By the woman's face she knew the answer and hated having been caught . . . again. "Yes?"