Great, now Cassandra was starting to cry.
Urian stepped to the pedestal that had the same gold cup he’d used to marry Phoebe. He brought it over to Cassandra. “Normally this would be the blood of both of you combined, but since neither one of you is particularly gung ho for that, it’s wine.”
He handed the cup to Cassandra, who took a sip and then gave it to Wulf, who followed suit. Wulf handed the cup to Urian. As was the Apollite custom, Wulf bent down and kissed her so that the taste of wine was mingled with them.
Urian returned the cup to the pedestal and finished the ceremony. “Here stands the bride, Cassandra. She is unique in this world. Her beauty, grace, and charms are the legacy of those who have come before her and will be gifted to those who are born through her.
“This man, Wulf, on the other hand, stands before us a product of…” Frowning, Urian paused. “Well, he’s the product of a bitch who can’t stand the thought of Apollo’s children ruling the earth.”
“Urian, behave!” Phoebe snapped.
He bristled at her command. “Considering the fact that I just bound a member of my family to one of the people I have sworn to annihilate, I think I’m being remarkably good.”
Phoebe cast him a glare that loudly proclaimed he’d be sleeping alone for at least a week.
Maybe longer.
Urian curled his lip at Wulf. You utter Muppet bastard. “Fine. I’m glad I didn’t say what I really thought,” he muttered under his breath.
Louder, Urian returned to the ceremony. “It is your similarities that brought you together and your differences that add variety and spark to your life. May the gods bless and protect your union and may you be…” He paused again. “Well, you already are blessed with fertility so we’ll skip that.”
Phoebe growled low in her throat.
Urian cast another murderous glare at Wulf. “May the two of you enjoy every minute left to you.”
Then Urian tied the ribbons into a double knot, although he would rather have knotted them around Muppet’s throat.
Chris and Kat led the way back to the apartment.
As soon as they could, Urian and Phoebe left with her father in tow.
Which made for an awkward silence as her father treated him more like a bad lab experiment. It didn’t matter that he’d saved both of Jefferson’s daughters. The man just continued to treat him like shit.
“I don’t bite.”
“Sorry. It’s just I’ve heard so much about Daimons from my wife and daughters. But you’re the first one I’ve ever met.”
“It’s okay. I get it. Kind of like human kindness and compassion. I’ve heard of such mythical beasts, but I have yet to encounter them personally. Keep hoping to, though.”
Urian decided to leave Phoebe alone with her father and let them catch up. But as he walked around the underground city, he kept having the strangest premonition.
He saw himself in the past. Alone. And he heard someone weeping, but he didn’t know who.
It was so strange. But not as strange as him being here tonight, the son of Stryker who had been tagged to annihilate Phoebe and her bloodline. Now being the very one who’d married Cassandra to Wulf, his enemy, so that they could safeguard that bloodline for all time.
Apollymi was right. It was the ultimate betrayal. He was his father’s right hand. The only one Stryker trusted.
And tonight, he’d just stabbed his father in the heart.
May 24, 2004
“Your father has lost his mind.”
That was an understatement. Ever since Cassandra had birthed her son, Erik, his father had been spiraling out of control with an insane need to kill the two of them.
Raking his hands through his hair, Urian was at a loss on how to deal with the man. In all these centuries past, he’d never seen him quite like this. “I don’t know, Dav … has he gone trelos?”
“I was about to ask you that.”
That would be his best guess. It would make the most sense. He was definitely acting like an utter lunatic.
“Urian!”
Davyn sighed. “I am so glad I’m not his son.”
“Way to have my back.”
“Yeah, well. I’d rather have your ass.”
“Not funny.”
Davyn held his hand up with his fingers pinched together. “I’m a little funny.”
“Urian!”
He teleported into his father’s office. “You rang down the temple?”
His father gave him a cold, murderous glare. “Don’t even. Are you aware that the bastard Dante Pontis killed our informant?”
Urian gaped. “Dante murdered his own brother? Damn, that’s cold even for a Katagari Were.”
“Do we have anyone else in his club we can call on?”
Urian scratched at his neck as he considered his sources. “Not really and probably not after that kind of tantrum. Pretty sure anyone who might be bought would have a serious sphincter clinch after that.”
His father moved to stand in his face. “I want a spy, Urian. Find me one.”
“Yes, sir.” Urian stepped back and spun on his heel to put as much distance as he could between him and crazy. Because as much as he loved his father …
That was nuts and in case it was contagious, he didn’t want it to jump on him.
Letting out a deep breath, he left the hall and tried to think of whom he could call in to try to get information. The Weres as a rule were always a bit shaky. They had to tread a fine line between Daimons and Dark-Hunters. And because of that, their loyalty couldn’t always be trusted or relied upon. Some had been known to hand them over without a second thought, if they thought it could buy them favor with Acheron or Savitar.
Urian racked his three brain cells.
A shadow moved to his right as a couple of Daimons headed toward their home for a feeding.
Strangely, that gave him an idea …
Teleporting to the nebulous no-man’s-land that hovered between the realms, he went to find the one creature who could walk just about any place he wanted to.
“Shadow?”
“No.”
Urian snorted at the gruff, disembodied voice. “No, what?”
“Whatever it is you’re selling, I don’t want it. Take your ass and go.”
“C’mon, don’t be that way.”
Winds whistled in his ears. The shadows beside him solidified into a man who eyed him with malice as he crossed his arms over his chest and tsked. Just above average height and well built, Shadow had eyes of steel. And like his very soul, his shoulder-length hair that he wore pulled back into a short ponytail was neither light nor dark, but strands of varying shades that were trapped squarely between his two dueling natures.
The demon was fearless as a rule, hence his personal motto that he feared no evil, for he was the most evil thing that stalked the darkness and called the deadliest night home.
“Good to see you, Shay.”
“No, it isn’t, and I’m not your fucking date. What do you want, asshole?”
Urian smirked. “Really? Do we need all the profanity?”
“What you call an overuse of profanity, I call sentence enhancers.”
“Of course you do.” Urian shook his head. “I lost my spy at the Inferno and I could really use someone else.”
He burst out laughing. “Are you fucking crazy? ‘Hey, Shadow, long time no see … got a dude killed. Could you go replace him? ’Cause I don’t like you at all, which is why we haven’t talked in a few centuries. So if you die, I really don’t give a shit.’” He pursed his lips. “Gee, thanks, Daimon.”
Urian had forgotten just how sarcastic Shadow could be. “The reason I’m here is because you have a unique skill set.”
“Yeah, I keep out of other people’s shit. You know, no soweth of the discord among the brethren. My feet do not head to mischief. They’re quite happy here at home.”
“Shay…”
“Uri…” he mocked. “No.”
“Please?”
“That only works if you’re a grown female. Naked. And in my bed or writhing on top of me. And brother, you’re none of those.”
“You really won’t help me?”