Tell me, what would your Dark-Hunters think of you if they ever learned the truth of your past?

Keep them out of my way or I'll see them all dead.

And you I'll be seeing on Mardi Gras.

It was Styxx's declaration of war against Acheron, and it was one his brother would not let go unanswered.

February 24, 2004

Styxx kept checking the time as they waited for Zarek to bring Sunshine back to them. In less than an hour, if everything went as planned, Styxx would be dead.

Finally.

Please let this work. He didn't know if he could take another day of this putrid life he'd been cursed with.

The two gods moved in to flank him.

"He should be here any second," Dionysus said.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps outside. The metal door scraped against the concrete as Zarek pulled it open and came inside, pushing Sunshine in front of him. The woman's eyes widened at the sight of them then she turned to run.

Zarek closed the door and blocked it. All the fingers of his hand on the door were covered with lethal silver claws ... this Dark-Hunter's weapon of choice. He liked to feel the blood of his enemies on his hands when he took their lives.

Styxx could respect that.

Tall and barely one step this side of crazy, Zarek had been born a Greek slave to a Roman master. And from the tormented hell Zarek's eyes betrayed, Styxx suspected they shared a lot more than their mutual disdain and hatred of Acheron, and the world they lived in.

Camulus grinned at Sunshine. "Come in, come in, said the spider to the fly."

Styxx hated this game and his part in it. Terrorizing innocents had never been his tactic. He left that to assholes like Camulus.

And Apollo.

Sunshine lifted her chin as she bravely faced them then she spoke to the god of wine. "I'm going to take a wild guess that you are Dionysus."

He smiled as if flattered she knew him. "Guilty."

Camulus let out a long breath. "She's so bright. It's almost a shame to kill her. But ... oh well."

"You can't hurt her." Zarek stepped forward from the door. "You promised me she wouldn't be harmed if I brought her here."

"So I lied," Dionysus said. "Sue me."

Styxx ground his teeth at those words, which didn't bode well for any of them. What else had the bastard lied about? Was he planning to throw him to Apollo after this?

He tightened his hand on the dagger.

Styxx wouldn't go down again without a vicious fight that would cost Dionysus a lot more than just his dignity.

Zarek started for the god, but Sunshine stopped him. She turned back to Camulus. "I'm not going to let you kill me in front of Talon."

They all laughed. All except for Zarek, and Styxx who was extremely unamused by this turn of events.

Camulus postured like an idiot. "You can't stop us."

Zarek glanced down at her then did a double take as his gaze fell to her necklace. "Uh, gods, I think you've forgotten something."

Dionysus curled his lip. "We forget nothing."

"Oh, okay." Zarek's sarcasm was the only thing in this that amused Styxx. They definitely were kindred spirits. "Then you must already know that she wears a Marking Medallion."

They sobered instantly as recognition hit Styxx. He knew all about divine markings, courtesy of Apollo.

"What?" Camulus snarled.

Sunshine pulled a necklace out of her shirt and held it up to them. "My grandmother said that the Morrigan would always protect me."

Her amulet was similar to the one Beth had given him so long ago. A necklace he wished he'd kept. But he'd returned it to her for her protection when he'd sent her to Egypt to wait for him.

He hoped Sunshine's trinket held more power to protect her than Beth's had.

Camulus cursed. "Oh, this ain't right." He cursed again.

"This thing really works?" she whispered to Zarek.

"More than you know," he whispered back. "He can't kill you without making the Morrigan angry."

Amazed, she grinned. "Well, who knew?" She wrinkled her nose. "Cool."

"Yup." Zarek's dark eyes glittered with smug satisfaction that the gods had been quelled. "Better than a cross with Dracula."

Styxx frowned at a reference that had absolutely no meaning for him.

Sunshine beamed even more. "Does it work against Dionysus, too?"

Zarek nodded.

She stood even taller. "Okay, then let's talk."

"Talk about what?" Dionysus snarled.

"Not you. Him." She indicated Camulus with a jerk of her chin. "I want to talk about Talon's curse."

Camulus's eyes blazed at her. "What about it?"

"I want you to lift it."

"Never."

She held her medallion out to him. "Do it or..." She gave Zarek a sideways stare. "Does this have any power to hurt him?"

"Only if he hurts you first."

Disappointment was written all over her face.

A calculating glint lightened Camulus's eyes. He sighed as if bored. "Oh well, since I can't kill you, I guess I'll have to content myself with killing Talon instead."

Terror flashed across her brow. "What?"

Camulus shrugged nonchalantly. "It's rather pointless to let him live happily ever after with you when my intent was to make him suffer. Since you can't die, he'll have to."

Her hand shook. "Won't Artemis be mad if you kill one of her soldiers?"

Camulus looked at Dionysus who burst out laughing. "Artemis, darling that she is, would most definitely care. However, she won't start a war with the Celtic pantheon over it. Unlike me, Cam is safe from her wrath."

"Doesn't it just reek?" Camulus asked. His happy smile belied his dire words.

Styxx winced as he heard her confusion and pain in his head.

This can't be happening. How could I save myself and condemn Talon to die?

No, I can't. I have to do something.

"Okay," she said firmly, "there has to be another way."

Camulus narrowed his eyes as if thinking about the matter. "Perhaps there is. Tell me, Sunshine. How much does Talon's happiness mean to you?"

"Everything," she said sincerely.

Styxx cringed at that particular stupidity. Poor thing had no idea on how to negotiate. Especially not with a god.

"Everything. Well, that certainly is a lot." Camulus's look turned steely cold ... frightening. "Does it mean as much to you as your own soul?"

"Sunshine," Zarek said. "Don't."

"You, heel," Dionysus snarled at the Dark-Hunter.

Zarek cracked his knuckles. "Don't tell me what to do. I don't like it."

Sunshine ignored them. "What are you saying to me, Camulus?"

He tucked his hands into his pockets and acted as cool as someone chitchatting about the weather, not sealing the fate of her immortal destiny. "A simple trade. I lift his curse. You give me your soul."

Sunshine hesitated. "That seems easy."

"It is."

Styxx cringed in fear for her. Don't do it, girl....

Sunshine bit her lip in indecision. "So what are you going to do with my soul once you have it?"

"Nothing at all. I'll keep it with me, just like Artemis keeps Talon's."

"And my body?"

"A body doesn't need a soul to function."

Zarek put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't do it, Sunshine. You can't ever trust a god."

Styxx couldn't agree more. Listen to the Dark-Hunter, woman.

Dionysus pierced Styxx with a glare. Say something to seal this, or I'll bring you back from the dead and turn Apollo loose on you. And believe me, I can do it. You'll spend the rest of eternity chained to my brother's bed and we'll all take turns with you again.

If the words weren't bad enough, the memories he conjured for Styxx were truly horrifying. He flinched in reflex.

Styxx didn't want to do this, but no one would stop his torture. He knew that for a fact.

The only one who had ever saved him was the Atlantean goddess of the hunt who was long dead.

I won't go back. I won't. It was time he looked out for himself.

Swallowing, Styxx met Sunshine's gaze. "Sure you can," he said, hating himself for the lie. "Trusting them is the best thing I ever did."

"I don't know," she breathed. Then he saw the determination clouding her eyes before she nodded. "All right. You lift the curse and I'll give you my soul."

Styxx winced as she condemned herself.

Camulus let out an evil laugh. "Done. Talon has no curse. He can find love all day long."

She smiled.

"But you, my sweet..." He blasted her. "Have to die for me to take your soul."

The shot knocked her back into Zarek's arms. He gaped as her blood ran all over the two of them. "You bastard!"

Styxx started to go to her, but Dionysus held him back.

Apollo, he mouthed then dropped his gaze pointedly to Styxx's groin and licked his lips.

Styxx really wanted to kill them both. But before he could even move, Zarek lifted the woman and ran with her.

A smile curled Styxx's lips. Run, Dark-Hunter. Get her to safety.

If Zarek could make it to Acheron, his brother, who wouldn't piss on him if he were on fire, would save her. He knew it.

No sooner had they left than a bright light flashed through the room, temporarily blinding Styxx. Screams rang out. A wind whipped his clothes and hair around his body as a cloud appeared in the center of the room. In the next second, winged demons came pouring out. With rust-colored flesh and three barbed tails that they wielded like whips, they were a terrifying sight to behold.

Camulus grinned at them. "Go get them, my babies. Kill them all!"

The Celtic demons went after Zarek and Sunshine.

And so did the gods.

Styxx hesitated as he felt Acheron's presence on the premises. He'd forgotten about that ability. As a boy, he'd always been able to tell whenever his brother was nearby.

His throat tightened as he checked his watch and saw that it was almost time.

Strange ... he'd killed hundreds of men in battle. As a boy, he'd killed his own uncle. But the prospect of stabbing Acheron ...

It was harder than he'd have thought possible. But what choice did he have? Especially now that Apollo knew he was alive. If he didn't see this through ...

He couldn't bear to contemplate the alternative.

Acheron had already shown him that he didn't care how Styxx was treated or what happened to him. That Acheron would gladly sit back, ringside, and watch others rape him, and laugh while they did it.

No, it was time to end his own hell. Determined to see this through, Styxx followed the gods down to a locked door. He heard Acheron and Talon on the other side talking to Zarek and Sunshine as they tried to save her life.

The demons began battering the door while Styxx stood back to watch. And listen to Acheron's kindness toward others, like Styxx had done with Ryssa through the walls of his room. A kindness Acheron hadn't shown Styxx since they were seven years old.

It seemed to take forever before they finally broke through. The demons spilled into the room, followed by the gods.

Styxx hung back for just a moment more as Talon jumped up and put himself between them and Sunshine. The tall, blond Celt did love his wife, and Styxx definitely sympathized with that.

Ash rose to his feet, ready to fight.

"It's midnight," Dionysus said with a laugh. "Let the show begin."

Taking a deep breath, Styxx headed in. Camulus's demons moved aside to allow him to walk through them to reach his brother.

Time froze as he finally saw Acheron for the first time since their deaths at Apollo's hands. Acheron looked better, healthier, than he ever had. No one would ever know this proud man was the whipped dog he'd once been. There was no trace of the Acheron who used to hug shadows and glare his hatred at Styxx. No trace of the boy who'd been so abused and tortured that he'd been terrified of trying to escape his uncle's hell.

And yet Styxx knew the truth.

They were both nothing more than used whores ...

Bought, sold, and degraded for coin and entertainment.

"Hello, Acheron." He made sure to keep his voice completely steady and devoid of the hate and grief that surged inside him. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Eleven thousand years or so?" The Dark-Hunter, Talon, gaped at the sight of him and Acheron together.

Ignoring him, Styxx approached Acheron, slowly and steadily.

Acheron's eyes narrowed with warning. "Stand down, Styxx. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to. I won't let you release her."

His brother didn't want to hurt him? Since when? Acheron had spent the whole of their human lives doing him harm. Wishing the worst sorts of ills on him.

Why would that change now? Or was it nothing more than empty words used so that Acheron's precious Dark-Hunters wouldn't learn how cruel their leader could truly be?

Styxx's gaze went to Talon who kept turning his head from him to Acheron and back again. He laughed bitterly at a reaction that had once been quite common. "It's like some bad soap opera, isn't it? Good twin, bad twin." He returned his glare to his brother. "But then, we're not really twins, are we, Acheron? We just happened to have shared the same womb for a while." He paused behind Acheron, who tensed noticeably as if he knew what Styxx intended.

He was so close to his brother now that barely a hand separated them. They didn't touch. They didn't have to.

Grief racked Styxx at the memory of their childhood together. At how they would lie, back to back, united against the world. United against everyone.

Brothers, forever and always ...

Now they were enemies.

Forever and always.

How he wished things were different. That Acheron could have found the compassion for him that he'd given to everyone else.

Even Artemis.

But Styxx was too tired now. Too used and too battered. And Acheron had made it abundantly clear that, unlike Styxx, he held no love or memory of them as brothers. That Styxx meant absolutely nothing to him.

He wasn't even worth a passing thought.

Angry and heartbroken, Styxx leaned forward to speak in a low tone near Acheron's ear. "Shall we tell him who the good one is, Acheron? Should I tell him which of us lived his life with dignity? Which of us was respected by the Greeks and Atlanteans and who was laughed at?"

Yeah, it was a harsh lie, but Acheron believed it, and Styxx needed to keep his brother upset and unbalanced so that he could finish this. Acheron was the god. He was not. And while Styxx was stronger than most, he was still just a human man with human strength.

And they were about to unleash Acheron's real mother into the world. She would rip him apart for this. But hopefully he'd die before she completely gutted him.

Expelling a deep breath, Styxx reached his hand around Acheron's throat and placed it to the exact spot Apollo had used when he'd held his brother to the floor of Ryssa's room.

Acheron whimpered and Styxx hated himself for causing that sound. But war had taught him well that the best way to win against a stronger opponent was to demoralize them. Put them mentally into a weakened position.

Styxx pulled Acheron back against him so he could whisper in their language into Acheron's ear and no one else would understand the cruelty of what he was about to say. It was bad enough to kill his brother.He refused to publicly shame him first.

If only Acheron had been so kind to him in Atlantis.

"You told me once that you would pay to see me fucked in my throat, little brother. But I wasn't the one who willingly whored myself for other men. The one who sold myself into eternal slavery to a bitch-goddess. I was the one who tried to help you, and instead of taking my hand, you lopped it off and fucked me worse than anyone. You laughed at my pain. And you laid up drunk while my sister and nephew were slaughtered just a few feet from you. First you stole her from me emotionally and then you let her brutally die, calling your name. Just as you would let me take your beatings for you when we were little and never utter a single word in my defense. You've never been anything but a worthless piece of shit."

Acheron panted as if in the throes of a nightmare. His eyes were haunted and glazed. He didn't even bother to fight him, which let Styxx know that his brother was ready for him to finally end this.

"That's it, Acheron," he said between clenched teeth, switching back to English. "Remember the past. Remember what you were. I want you to relive it all. Relive every foul thing you ever said or did. Every tear you made my parents weep for you. Every time I had to look at you and feel ashamed that you bore my face."

Tears filled his brother's eyes and they wrung his heart. He wanted to hate Acheron. He did.

No, he needed to hate him.

Yet he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried. All he could see was the two of them as boys. Feel Acheron's hand in his as his brother sought to comfort him when no one else would.

You have to do this....

Acheron doesn't love you. He never loved you.

No more than his parents had.

"Let him go," Talon ordered.

Ignoring him, Styxx tightened his grip on Acheron's throat and pressed his brother one more time. "Do you remember when Estes died? The way my father and I found you? I have never been able to forget it. Every time I have ever thought of you, it's the image I have. You're repulsive. Disgusting."

"Kill him," Dionysus ordered, "and open the portal."

Camulus started for them with a dagger. Talon rushed him and they fought for the weapon.

"Kill him, Styxx," Dionysus ordered again. "Or we'll miss the portal."

Styxx pressed his forehead against Acheron's cheek, aching over the tragic enemies they'd become. "Good-bye, Acheron. May we both finally sleep in peace." He pulled the dagger out from underneath his coat then sent it straight into Acheron's heart, burying it in all the way to its hilt.

Just as his brother had done to him in Didymos while he slumbered.

Acheron gasped and arched his back as if something had possessed him. The dagger shot through the air, bouncing off a wall above Dionysus's head. Light poured out of the wound then seared it closed.

In the next instant some sort of shock wave went through the room, knocking everyone off their feet. Styxx was hurled to a far corner while the gods were pinned to the ground.

Acheron rose from the floor, to hover spread-eagle several inches above it.

No one could stand. Not even the gods.

Lightning bolts shot through Acheron's body, blowing out the windows and the lights. Electrical energy snapped and hissed all around them. Acheron laid his head back as bolts of lightning pierced his eyes and mouth. They seemed to shoot through him and then out into the room giving bright flashes of light.

The Daimons and the demons exploded in one bright flash.

Suddenly, some kind of winged dragon came out from under Acheron's sleeve and wrapped itself around him as if it were protecting him.

It was a Charonte.... Styxx remembered those from his time in Atlantis.

"What the hell is that?" Camulus asked. "Styxx, what did you do?"

He had no idea. "Nothing. Is this from the portal opening?"

Dionysus shook his head. "This is something else entirely. Something no one told me about." He looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "Artemis!"

Artemis appeared and was immediately pinned to the floor with the rest of them. She took one look at Acheron and her face went flush with anger. "Who's the idiot who pissed off Acheron?" she demanded.

The two gods pointed to Styxx, hurling his ass right under the bus.

"You fools!" she snarled. "What were you thinking?"

Dionysus glared at her. "We needed to kill an Atlantean to raise the Destroyer, and Acheron's the only one left."

Artemis growled at him. "Oh, you are so stupid! I knew your plan had to be a bad one. You can't just kill him with a dagger. In case you haven't noticed, he's not human. Where was your bone-head?"

Dionysus curled his lips at her. "How was I to know your pet was a god-killer? What kind of idiot ties herself down to one of his kind?"

"Well, gee, what was I supposed to do? Hook up with Mr. All-Powerful God-killer, or get myself a Mardi Gras float and hang out with him." She pointed to Camulus, who looked extremely offended by her comment. She sneered at Dionysus. "You're such a moron. No wonder you're the patron god of drunken frat boys."

"Excuse me," Talon snapped at them. "Could you gods focus for a sec? We have a bit of a situation here."

"Oh shut up," Dionysus snarled. "I knew I should have backed up when I ran you over."

Talon's jaw went slack at his words. "That was you who hit me with the float?"

"Yes."

"Damn, boy," Camulus laughed at Dionysus. "You've fallen a long way down. Yesterday Greek god ... today incompetent float driver. Sheez, and I hooked up with you? What was I thinking? Artemis is right, what kind of idiot picks a float to mow a guy down so that he can go home with his dead wife? You're lucky you didn't kill him then, and blow the entire plan."

"Hey, have you ever tried to drive one of those things? It's not exactly easy. Besides, he's a Dark-Hunter. I knew it wouldn't kill him. I just needed something that would hurt him enough to make her take him home, and need I remind you it did work."

Artemis curled her lip. "You're so pathetic. I can't believe we share a common gene between us." Shooting one nasty glare at her brother, she struggled against the invisible force that held them down.

But like the rest of them, she couldn't reach Acheron. "Acheron!" she called. "Can you hear me?"

Disembodied laughter filled the room.

Styxx clenched his teeth at the sound. What have I done?

Besides screwed myself again.

Acheron wouldn't die tonight. And neither would he.

Great ... just great.

He could only imagine how he'd pay for this.

Acheron leaned his head forward and more lightning flowed through him. The Charonte tightened its grip around him and hissed a fiery breath at the goddess.

Artemis tried to climb up Acheron's leg, but she was forced back, away from him.

"You know, folks," Camulus shouted. "The idea was to kill Acheron, free Apollymi, and reclaim our god status. Not piss him off and end the world. Personally, I don't want to be ruler of nothing. But if someone doesn't stop this guy, that chant he's making is going to undo life as we know it and un-create the world."

"What are we going to do?" Sunshine asked Talon.

Talon kissed her lips then moved away from her. Against all odds, he rose slowly to his feet.

Acheron shot a lightning bolt at him.

Talon deflected it. He moved slowly through the maelstrom until he reached Acheron's side. "Let it go, T-Rex."

Acheron spoke to him in Atlantean. By the expression on Talon's face, it was obvious he didn't understand.

"He says to back off or die," Styxx translated. "He's summoning the Destroyer."

Talon shook his head. "I can't let you do that."

Evil laughter echoed again.

Talon rushed him. He caught Acheron about the middle and knocked him to the floor. The Charonte arched up, shrieking.

The Celt ignored it as he slugged Acheron. Hard. Which woke his brother up, and the two of them started pounding each other even worse than the fight they'd had when Styxx had found Ryssa dead.

The floor beneath them shook.

Zarek came through the door, bleeding, and was immediately thrown backward, against a wall.

Artemis tried again to reach Acheron and again he tossed her back while he fought with Talon.

"I'll give the boy credit," Camulus said. "He always was a fighter."

Talon stopped fighting as he heard those words.

Styxx scowled as he heard Talon's thoughts in his own head. You never could learn your place, Speirr. You never knew when you should just lay down the sword and play nice.You're right, Camulus. I've never known when to fight and when to withdraw. It's what got me cursed.

I have to be calm now.

The next words in Talon's head stunned Styxx, as they had come from Acheron. "I can show you how to bury that pain so deep inside you that it will prick you no more. But be warned that nothing is given freely and nothing lasts forever. One day something will come along to make you feel again, and with it, it will bring the pain of the ages upon you. All you have hidden will come out and it could destroy not only you, but anyone near you."

Talon looked up at Acheron and saw the fury of the man who was attacking him.

Acheron rushed him again.

This time instead of fighting, Talon embraced him like a brother then he cupped Acheron's face in his hands and tried to make his old friend see him.

Acheron's features were no longer human. They were those of the twisted demon that had haunted Styxx's nightmares. The demon he fought in battle. His brother's eyes were bloodred and yellow, and there was no mercy in them. They were cold. Vicious.

The colors in his eyes swirled and danced like fire.

They were actually similar to what Apollo's eyes did right before his worst attacks on Styxx. Archon's, too.

"Acheron," Talon said calmly, slowly. "Enough."

At first Styxx didn't think Acheron had heard Talon. Not until his brother turned his head to see Sunshine on the floor.

"Talon," he rasped hoarsely. Acheron's eyes flickered then he looked back at Talon.

Suddenly, another shock wave shot through the room, this one in the reverse direction from the first. It was as if the unleashed power was drawing back into Acheron's body.

Still in dragon form, the Charonte shot up toward the ceiling then vanished.

Acheron's features transformed from a demon's back into those of a man. His brother blinked his now swirling silver eyes, and looked around as if he were waking up from a nightmare. Without a single comment, Acheron stepped away from Talon, wrapped his arms around his chest, and walked across the room as if nothing had happened.

As Acheron passed by Artemis, she reached for him, but he dodged her touch and kept walking.

Artemis turned on her own brother with a snarl. "Just you wait till Dad gets his hands on you."

"Me? He knew what I had planned tonight. Wait until I tell him about Acheron!"

Artemis curled her lip. "Oh shut up, whiney-boy." She held her hand out and zapped him out of the room.

Styxx braced himself as Artemis turned her angry gaze to him. He knew what was coming.

Back to his hell.

"You," she said, her tone thick with loathing.

I am so screwed. But maybe if he pissed her off enough, she might yet kill him rather than send him back. "How can you protect something like him? After I died, I was sent to the Elysian Fields while he was-"

"No concern of yours," she said, interrupting him. "You and your precious family, you turned your backs on him and condemned him for something that wasn't his fault."

Styxx was aghast at her words. He'd never held anything against Acheron except what Acheron had done to hurt him. "Not his fault? Please." He tried to say something more, but his voice vanished.

"That's better." Artemis simpered. "Funny, the two of you sound alike and yet you whine. Thank Zeus, Acheron doesn't have that repugnant quality. But then he was always a man and not some sniveling little child."

Oh yeah, that so described his brother and him.

The bitch really was crazy.

She backed him against the wall. "I can't believe you. I gave you a perfect existence. Your own island, filled with everything you could ever desire, and what did you do? You've spent eternity hating Acheron, plotting ways to kill him. You don't deserve mercy."

Perfect island? Everything he could desire?

Yes, she was insane. She had to be if she thought his life on a desolate island was perfect.

As for Acheron ... the last thing on Styxx's mind had been payback. He'd been too occupied by his own grief for his wife and son, and by trying to survive to even contemplate getting back at a brother he didn't think he'd ever see again.

"You can't kill me," Styxx squeaked out the erroneous thoughts in her head. "If you do, Acheron dies, too." He choked as she tightened the hold on his throat, cutting off his correction of her misinformation.

"I curse the day the Fates bound your life force to his."

That was not the Fates, bitch. It was his mother. Get your story straight.

How stupid could one goddess be?

Oh wait. It was Artemis, after all. The twin sister of Apollo. Intelligence was not their forte.

Artemis narrowed her eyes at him as if she wanted nothing more than to splinter him where he stood. "You're right. I can't kill you, but I can make living a worse hell than anything you can imagine."

He laughed. "What are you going to do me?" Turn me over to your perverted brother?

That was the worst thing imaginable.

She smiled evilly. "You'll see, little human, you'll see."

One moment he was in the factory, and in the next ...