Stygian (Dark-Hunter #27)

When he started to leave, Davyn stopped him. “Uri … it’s none of my business, but you know that’s not normal, right?”

“It wasn’t her fault. I picked a particularly nasty asshole to feed on and it affected her. You were lucky—Paris was particular about the souls he took. To keep you safe, he preyed on gentle ones so that you wouldn’t have to listen to them screaming as much.”

Davyn looked away, shame-faced at a secret they’d all kept from him. Paris had been the only one of them who had taken the lives of women and weaker humans so as not to risk Davyn going trelos. “Yeah, I know. I didn’t realize that until he was gone and I had to pick my own meals.”

And it made a big difference. Urian was used to feeding himself only. Because he’d been doing it for so long, the voices had become a part of him. He could ignore them most of the time. Phoebe was still adjusting. And when they were dying, they were louder and worse. Especially the strong ones.

She was still getting used to all that.

He’d considered going after a weaker human. But he just couldn’t make himself do it. His warrior’s code was too strong. It wasn’t in him to prey on someone weaker. There was no honor in that.

He smiled at Davyn. “I’ll be more careful with her in the future.”

“What if she goes trelos?”

“She won’t. She’s part human.”

“A human who almost killed you tonight!”

Urian shook his head. “My stupidity almost killed me tonight, not Phoebe. I’ve got this.”

Davyn scoffed as Urian headed off. And the last words he heard him say were ominous indeed. “Strange. Those were the last words Paris said.”

*

It was just after midnight when Urian returned to the Muppet’s apartment to collect his wife. Phoebe smiled as he neared her.

Wulf didn’t. In fact, the tension between the two of them was fierce.

“What’s the matter, Dark-Hunter?” Urian couldn’t resist taunting as he draped his arm around Phoebe’s shoulders. “You were hoping I’d succumb?”

“No, I was just wondering who you killed to reclaim your health.”

Urian snorted. “I’m sure the cows you eat aren’t exactly thrilled by their slaughter either.”

“They’re not people.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Dark-Hunter, there are a lot of people out there who aren’t human either.”

Taking Phoebe’s hand, Urian led her toward the door. “C’mon, Phee, I don’t have much time before I have to return to Kalosis and I don’t want to spend it with my enemies.”

He took her back to their apartment.

Phoebe watched him carefully. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Other than hacked off? Yeah. I’m good.” Urian turned toward her. “What about you?”

“I have a headache, but other than that, I’m fine.”

A headache … that didn’t bode well. Urian tried not to let Davyn’s words infect his mind and panic him. Phoebe was fine.

She was. She wasn’t going trelos. His father wasn’t going nuts and he wasn’t playing with fire.

Everything would be fine.

Yeah, he didn’t believe it either.





March 19, 2004

Since Urian was supposed to be the sponsor for this godforsaken event, he opened the door to collect his sister-in-law. At the request of his wife and Cassandra, he’d worn his long blond hair down around his shoulders and he was dressed in an elegant black silk tuxedo. He didn’t know what it was about women that they liked his hair down, but … whatever.

If it made Phoebe happy and got him laid, he’d oblige her.

“Are you ready?” he asked Cassandra.

Standing in the bedroom, she was dressed in her wedding gown, with her long strawberry-blond hair down around her shoulders. She wore a silver crown intertwined with fresh flowers.

She fidgeted with her hem. “Is Wulf ready?”

He nodded. “He and Chris are waiting for you in the main complex.”

Kat handed her the single white rose that was wrapped with red and white ribbons.

Cassandra took the rose.

Phoebe and Kat took their places in front and led the way. Urian came into the room to offer Cassandra his arm so that they could walk behind them.

For some odd reason, Cass had wanted the wedding outside, but after much laughter and refusal, they’d finally rented the open merchant area. Shanus and several council members had gone out of their way to bring hydroponic plants and flowers to simulate a garden center. They’d even constructed a small fountain.

Cassandra hesitated as they entered the complex. Urian arched a brow at that. Given how pregnant she was, he hoped she wasn’t getting cold feet.

“I’ll take it from here.”

Urian inclined his head to his father-in-law, whom he had yet to meet, but Phoebe had warned him he’d be here for the event.

Cassandra gasped. “Daddy?”

“You didn’t really think I’d miss my baby getting married, did you?”

“But how?”

He indicated Wulf with a nod. “Wulf came to the house last night and brought me here. He said it wouldn’t be a wedding for you unless I came, and he told me about Phoebe. I spent last night in her apartment with her so that we could catch up and then surprise you.” His eyes teared up as he stared at her stomach. “You look beautiful, baby.”

She threw herself into his arms, or at least as close to that as she could given her distended belly, and held him tight. “Should we call the wedding off before you drown us in tears?” Kat asked.

“No!” Cassandra pulled herself together with a sniff. “I’m fine. Really.”

Her father kissed her cheek, tucked her hand into the crook of his arm, and led her to Wulf. Kat and Phoebe moved to stand behind Chris while Urian took his place by Phoebe’s side. The only other person present was Shanus, who stood back but watched them with a friendly expression that said he was more than happy to bear witness to the event.

Urian kissed Phoebe’s hand as he remembered marrying her, and he hated that she hadn’t had her father present for their wedding. To her credit she didn’t say a word about it as her father wrapped the ribbons around Cassandra’s and Wulf’s hands.

Once he was done, their father began speaking the words to bind them together. “It is through the night that we are—”

“Light,” Urian whispered loudly, interrupting him.

Her father’s face flushed a bit. “I’m sorry. I had to learn this rather hastily.” He cleared his throat and began again. “It is through the light that we are born and through … through…” Her father hesitated.

Amused by the fact that their human father was completely clueless, Urian came forward to whisper in his ear.

“Thank you,” Mr. Peters said. “This ceremony is nothing like ours.”

Urian inclined his head and stepped back, but not before he gave Cassandra a wink to let her know he had her back.

“It is through the light that we are born and through the night that we travel. The light is the love of our parents who greet us and welcome us into this world, and it is with the love of our partner that we leave it.

“Wulf and Cassandra have chosen to be with each other, to ease their remaining journey and to comfort one another in the coming nights. And when the final night is upon them…” Her father stopped as he teared up again.

Ah, good grief. If this kept up, Cassandra’s baby would be born and graduate before they got to the end of it.

“I can’t,” he said quietly.

“Daddy?”

Her father stepped back as a tear fell down his cheek.

Phoebe rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Cassandra started for him, but Phoebe stopped her. “Finish it, please, Uri.”

Phoebe escorted their father off to the side.

Great … he’d rather be denutted. Sighing, Urian moved to stand with them and marry his worst enemy to his wife’s sister. Someone kill me now. “When the final night is upon us, we vow to stand together and ease the one who travels first.

“Soul to soul we have breathed. Flesh to flesh we have touched. And it is alone that we must leave this existence, until the night comes that the Fates decree we are reunited in Ouranlie.”