Stygian Page 6

Theo used his powers to knock him back and choke him.

  With his own psychic blast, Urian broke his hold and struck out, letting his powers have full rein of his fury. He knocked Theo careening down the street without touching him.

  Because his powers were so much stronger than anyone else’s, Urian knew better than to put them on display. That was why this was the first time he’d ever fully unleashed them in front of anyone, other than Apollymi.

  But he was too angry and hungry tonight for restraint.

  And too late, he recovered his control and temper to realize that there were a lot of witnesses on the street tonight for his outburst. Too many who’d been coming and going from the celebration.

  Shit. He turned around slowly to see the horrified stares that condemned him.

  Always.

  If anyone else had shown such massive power, they would have been applauded for it. Considered great and praised.

  Not him. Nay, never the son with freakishly white hair born to Stryker and his Greek bride. The one with eyes unlike other Apollites. He was to be feared and ostracized for things he didn’t do and couldn’t help.

  I really am born cursed.

  This was no exception to his humiliation and misjudgments. Already, he could hear their whispers around him.

  He’s a freak!

  How can anyone so young do that?

  What’s wrong with him?

  I told you he was to be avoided! You see what he can do! It’s unnatural!

  Even when Urian tried to do the right thing, it always turned against him. Somehow he ended up on the wrong side of any matter in the eyes of their people. It never failed. They always judged him the bad guy.

  Just like now.

  They never saw the truth of him.

  Everyone stared at him as if he should be punished, when all he’d been trying to do was help his twin, Davyn, and his sister-in-law.

  When will I learn?

  He was the Anti-Midas. Everything he touched turned to shit, and the injustice of it burned raw in his belly.

  If that weren’t bad enough, he saw Paris among those wanting his head on a spike for the outburst—and Paris was completely fine, and standing with their brother Alkimos. I should have known …

  No good deed goes unpunished.

  “Urian? What is this?”

  He cringed as his father appeared by his side.

  Before he had a chance to answer, Theo pushed himself to his feet. “I was doing him a favor, Solren, and this is the thanks I get for it. He assaults me without reason.”

  Their father returned his attention to him. “Is this true, Urian?”

  Urian glared at Theo. “I had my reasons.”

  That answer didn’t sit well with his father, who cast them both a disgusted sneer for having brawled in the street like two common hoodlums and not the princes they were supposed to be. “Then elaborate.”

  Holding back his outrage, he gestured toward Theo. “You sired an asshole, Solren. I was trying to cull him down to a mere shit-for-brains.”

  “Urian!” his father growled.

  He straightened his chalmys over his chiton with a nonchalance he definitely didn’t feel, especially while the others continued to smear his semirespectable name. All Urian wanted was to leave while he could. To be left alone by everyone.

  Instead, he forced himself to stand as if it didn’t bother him at all. He’d never give them the satisfaction of knowing how much their condemnation scalded his heart and scarred his soul. “I took issue with the manner in which he spoke to me, and sought to teach him a more respectful tone. I’ve had it with his high-handed tactics and I refuse to be talked down to anymore, by him or anyone else.”

  Theo curled his lip. “You see, Solren! He’s a recalcitrant brat. Instead of indulging his disrespect all the time, you need to be spanking his spoiled little ass.”

  Their father shook his head. “Nay, Urian’s right. The world and people will treat you how you allow them to. I won’t punish him for having the temerity to stand up to you, Theo. Especially when I know you have the ability to fight back and that you’ve never hesitated to strike him down whenever you think you’ve been slighted by him or anyone else.”

  Theo sputtered indignantly. Finally, he curled his lip as he raked a glare over Urian. “One day, Solren, you will regret the fact that you didn’t keep a tighter leash on your favored pup. Mark my words. He’s a rabid little bastard who’s loyal to no one but himself.”

  Luckily, their father knew better. He passed a meaningful glance toward Theo’s home. “Careful, m’gios, too often when confronted, we condemn ourselves in our anger. So think twice before you spew venom to taint your brother with the shadows of your own sin. For hate is a boomerang that once it’s cast out has a nasty way of coming back to the one who threw it, and more oft than not, it cripples the hand that first unleashed it.”

  A tic started in Theo’s jaw. “Fine. Coddle him. You always have. It’s half of what’s wrong with him.” And with that, he headed home.

  Yet the crowd remained. Staring, whispering.

  Condemning.

  Urian felt their judgment as if it were a living, breathing beast crawling all over his skin. And he deplored the sensation. Why couldn’t he be more charming like Paris?

  Everyone loved and adored his twin.

  Yet it seemed the harder he tried to be liked, the less inclined they were to do so. So he’d given up trying and had just reconciled himself to their hatred and disparagement. To his sullen solitude. It was easier that way. Better to reject them before they had a chance to slap him down and risk this sick feeling he currently had in his stomach that churned it sour.

  “Don’t listen to him, Uri.”

  He barely caught himself before he rolled his eyes at his father’s most commonly uttered phrase for these situations. Despite what his brothers thought, their father would backhand him if he showed any form of disrespect. Stryker wasn’t known for his patience with anyone or for brooking any form of insubordination or insolence.

  Especially not from his children.

  “Aye, sir.”

  His father caught him roughly by the hair at the nape of his neck and forced him to look up until he met his gaze. There was a stern yet loving glow in those swirling silver eyes that now matched those of their goddess—a result of Apollymi’s having saved his father’s life that night when Urian had first met Sarraxyn after his father had almost died in a confrontation with Apollo. It was why his father couldn’t feed him anymore. Not without it converting Urian not only to a Daimon like his father but also bonding their life forces together and allowing his father to see through his eyes. To know his thoughts and emotions. Because his father held the blood of two gods, it gave him a lot more power than any of the other Apollites or Daimons.

  Truly his father was like no other.

  And neither was Urian.

  “You listen to me, pido, and take these words to heart. Damn them for what they think. For that is something you can never control or change. What you do have authority over is your own reaction to their spiteful words, and they have no value in your world unless you will it so. The only opinions that should ever matter to you are those of the people you love. The people you deem worthy of your concern. To the rest, close your ears and close your heart. Because if they don’t care what damage they do to your life, then you don’t care what damage you wreak to theirs. Blood to blood. Fang for fang. Remember, Urian, a smart man strikes the first blow, but it’s the wise man who strikes the last one. Understand?”

  “Aye, Solren.”

  He pulled him against his shoulder and hugged him close, then kissed his head. “I love you, pido,” he growled deep against Urian’s ear. “Don’t you ever forget that.”

  Urian nodded as he clutched his fist in his father’s cloak and held tight to him, grateful for his support.

  With two powerful pats to his spine that left him bruised, his father released him and stepped back. “Now go. See to your business.”

  “Aye, sir.” Urian headed for Paris and then slugged his brother so hard, it sent him straight to the ground.

  “What the hades!” Paris sat up and rubbed at his jaw. “Have you lost your mind?”

  Urian glared at him. “That’s for being an asshole. Find Davyn and don’t leave him again. Next time you’re this stupid, I’ll stab you for it, and take your boyfriend from you—you don’t deserve someone as good and decent as Davyn if you’re going to run off and abandon him when he’s unable to fend for himself.”

  Paris pushed himself to his feet as Urian walked away. “I’m not the ass, Urian! You are!”

  Without stopping, Urian scoffed. “You are wrong about that, adelphos! And you’d best make a sacrifice to the gods tonight that I don’t decide to one day embrace the demon all of you think lives inside me. I promise you, the day I let that beast out … you will all be running for cover.”

  December 15, 9515 BC

  “Baba! Do something! You can’t let Matera go and leave us!”

  Urian wanted to echo his sister’s frantic words, and inside he was screaming just as loudly as Tannis’s whining drone, but he knew better than to say a word of protest out loud. For one thing, he wasn’t sure his father wouldn’t knock him through a wall for it.

  While Stryker could be a loving and doting father, he never tolerated that kind of nasal complaining from his sons. At least not from anyone other than Ophion. For some reason, Ophie got away with bitching.

  The rest of them …

  I’m raising men, not boys. By the gods, you will be soldiers who do me proud. I will not stomach cowering dogs to represent my household in this world. I’ll see you to Hades myself before you embarrass me like that!

  It was a common Stryker tirade they all knew well.

  So Urian stood with a ramrod spine as his mother kissed their cheeks with tears in her eyes. “It’s for the best. Truly.” She swallowed hard. “I dare not stay here any longer. Not as the sole human among the growing number of Daimons in Kalosis.” She glanced nervously at their father.

  Urian couldn’t blame her, and it spoke volumes about how much she loved them that she’d stayed here as long as she had, given how many eyed her with hunger in their eyes. Their father had turned Daimon almost eight years ago—which said a lot for him that he’d been able to resist feeding on her soul all this time. Because Hellen of Kalosis held one of the strongest spirits of any human Urian had been near. The warmth and conviction of her life force called out to the beast in him and made him salivate every time she drew near. It was only his own love for her that kept her safe in his presence.

  And the fact that the rest of the Apollites and Daimons here feared his family, and knew what they’d do to any who harmed her, kept her sacrosanct and safe in their midst.

  Yet she was right. Every single day she lived among them came with a growing risk.

  Apollite marriages were ones of necessity. Given the brevity of their life span and the fact that they could only live off each other’s blood, they married young to start families as soon as they reached physical maturity, and so that married couples could supply each other with nourishment. Especially since feeding heightened their hormones to a frightening level after puberty and caused them to become extremely aroused anytime they ate. As a result, they were incapable of feeding from family members—another revolting bonus curse Apollo had thrown at them.

  Even Daimons, like his father, had to feed on blood. While the human souls they took prolonged their lives, it did nothing to quench their blood-hunger that needed Apollite plasma. And since Daimons could no longer sire children after their bodies converted from Apollite to a living dead state, and Hellen had been unable to nourish her children with her human blood, their mother had served no purpose in this realm, other than to tempt Daimons to kill her for her soul.

  Had their father loved her, it might have been different. Then he might have been willing to fight to keep her at his side.

  But while their father respected her as their mother, his feelings went no further. Stryker wouldn’t allow anyone to disrespect her or speak badly to her or about her. Yet that was as much as he was capable of showing her in terms of affection. Theirs had been an arranged marriage forced on him by Apollo and one he’d never wanted. All of his children knew that. In fact, he went days when he wouldn’t even look in her direction.

  Something they were all very much aware of, and it pained Urian to see his mother’s plight. The constant sadness behind her smiles that never faded. Or the longing in his father’s gaze whenever he thought of his first wife Apollo had forced him to divorce.

  Their mutual torment was so bad that Urian had often wondered if he and his siblings had been conceived the only times his father had ever managed to have sex with his mother. So when she’d proposed leaving Kalosis to return to the human realm a few days ago, his father had begun immediate preparations. Stryker had done everything to hasten the journey but pack for her.

  With her beautiful features contorted by grief, his mother cupped Urian’s face in her hands. “I hate to leave my babies. But all of you can come see me, anytime you want. You know that. You’ll always be welcome wherever I am. I’ll make sure to keep a dark place that’s safe.” Biting her lip, she glanced between them. “You will come see me?”

  Urian nodded. “I’ll come.”

  “I know you won’t break your word.” She kissed his brow. “My precious, Uri. You’ll watch after your brothers and sister for me?”

  “Don’t you trust us?” Archie asked defensively.

  She tsked at him as she stepped over to her eldest. “You know I do. But you have your own wife and child, now, and another on the way. Urian’s still at home.”

  “’Cause no one will have him.” Theo cast an evil smirk toward Urian that cut him all the way to the bone.

  Normally, Urian would have lashed out and struck him, but he was too grief-stricken over his mother to bother.

  “Theo!” Their father cleared his throat sharply in warning.

  Alkimos, who was leaner, like Urian, but whose features were identical to Stryker’s, took up the torment. “Why are you so angry, Solren? We all know Urian’s still a virgin.”

  All his siblings burst out laughing at him over that, adding even more blows to his ego.

  “Enough!” their father roared.

  Urian felt his gut shrivel at the mockery his brothers knew went straight to his heart.

  Which was why they did it. Bastards!

  “Freak,” Alkimos whispered in his ear.

  Urian ground his teeth, tempted to slug him for that insult, but then he knew he’d be the one to get into trouble for striking the first blow—which was what his brother wanted. They were forever taunting him to violence.

  He had no idea why he was so different from his brothers, yet there was no denying it. It was as if everyone could feel it and they all reacted to something he couldn’t understand or help.

  Like he was defective.

  His mother returned to hug him, and that only made it worse. Because he knew she wouldn’t be here tomorrow to make it better when they started this shite with him. Tomorrow, he’d be alone with their cruelty without her precious balm to soothe it.

  Urian fisted his hands in her cloak, choking on the words he wanted to say. He wanted to beg her to take him with her, or to stay so that he wouldn’t feel so alone and unwanted.

  Both would be selfish and dangerous.

  Closing his eyes, he winced at the memory of what had prompted her departure.

  The Daimon who’d been trapped in Kalosis too long.

  Urian and Paris had been walking with their mother, to shop for fabric so that she could make Tannis a new chiton. Both of them had been complaining mercilessly over the task neither had wanted to be dragged into.

  “Why isn’t Davyn doing this?”

  Paris had smirked at him. “You’re such an ass. He doesn’t like to shop any more than you do.”

  Their mother had rolled her eyes. “Would you both stop complaining! Your sister needs something pretty. Erol is too nasty to her. It’s time she had something to make her smile again. I don’t like seeing my children so unhappy.”

  That had only made Urian screw his face up more. “Then why are we here again?”

  Before she could speak, he’d heard the outraged bellow. “Human!”

  Three seconds later, the Daimon had attacked, aiming to rip out their mother’s throat.

  Paris had grabbed their mother while Urian cut the Daimon off and prevented him from reaching her. He’d been prepared to kill the Daimon without hesitation. Luckily, it hadn’t come to that.

  No sooner had Urian reached for his sword than his father appeared to stab the Daimon through the black mark over his heart. As soon as the blade penetrated the stain left by the human soul he’d consumed, the Daimon splintered into pieces.

  Urian had stepped back in relief, but his mother had been shaken to the core. And this time, she hadn’t calmed down.

  Rather, their mother had become more withdrawn and fearful than ever before.

  The unspoken truth had grown like a monster they could no longer deny. If she remained, it was only a matter of time before her soul became too great a temptation for someone else. She couldn’t stay here in this realm anymore.

  If Urian went with her to live, and one of the humans learned he was an Apollite, she would be killed for being his mother.

  He knew those horror stories as well as his mother did. Humans burned alive any man, woman, or child they caught harboring an Apollite. To humanity, such a person was worse than a Daimon. They were traitors and heretics. And used as examples to scare off anyone else who might take mercy on any of his people.

  I have to let her go.

  For her sake as well as theirs.

  Yet it was so unfair. She was his mother and he wanted to keep her with him as long as he could.

  She felt that way too. Her reluctance to leave was evident in the way she held on to him and his siblings.

  “Come to me anytime you need to,” she whispered in his ear. “I will always have a safe place for you, my precious baby.”

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