Kiss of a Star Artemis Lupine (15 page)

Ares sighed and looked up at the waterfall.
“It was scandalous enough that Zeus bred with a werewolf female,
but when his son showed no signs of power besides that of his wolf
side, the sidhe couldn’t take it. I spent fifty years in the Dark
and Light Courts only to be cast out after finding a mate who loved
me even though I had no powers. I can’t blame her for following the
Queen’s order. She would be terribly lonely in the human world and
she would be especially sad to know that you were my true
mate.”

“How can I be your true mate if you already
had a mate?”

“We broke our mate bond a long time ago.
Many years before your parents even met, so technically I had no
mate.”

“Was she beautiful?” I asked as I looked
around at the gorgeous sidhe women walking around.

Ares stopped me and turned me to face him.
“There are many beautiful women in the world, Artemis, but none as
beautiful and as wonderful as you.”

“I have something I want to do, but I think
you’re not going to like it.” I’d been thinking about it privately
the past couple of days.

“What is that?” he asked as he pushed my
hair behind my ear.

“Maurice wants to wipe out the humans. He
wants them extinct. I can’t let that happen. There has to be some
way for us to save them, or as many of them as we can.”

“He’s not killing all of them. The humans
are given a choice, be turned into a vampire or werewolf, be
slaves, or be killed. The humans decide.”

I stared at him in shock. “You do realize
that most humans will simply choose death?”

Ares shrugged. “It’s their choice.”

“I can help them. If they see me and see
that there are other races who aren’t bloodthirsty vampires, more
will choose to live.”

Ares stared at me for a few moments before
sighing loudly. “Why do I get the feeling that you’ll do this with
or without me?”

I kissed his lips softly and whispered,
“Because we’re getting to know each other better. I have to try to
save as many as I can. Humans should be allowed to be free, not
just slaves.”

Ares nodded his head. “Alright. We’ll go to
the places left in Europe and try to save as many as we can.”

I hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.
“I love you.”

He laughed and hugged me back. “I love you
too. Now come on let’s get back before Achilles has a brain
hemorrhage from being separated from you.”

I stopped him before he could take a step
and whispered, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Ares nodded his head. “Go on.”

I let go of his hand and turned away from
him, looking at the magnificent waterfalls. “I released Achilles’
powers with just a touch. He said it means I’m his destined
mate.”

Ares was eerily silent. I turned around and
found him glaring down at the ground. His hands were clenched into
fists and I could hear his teeth grinding against each other. “When
did this happen?”

“At your meadow, before you found us. I know
you told me not to touch him, but I was just so mesmerized by his
vines so I ran my fingertip along one and…”

“Have you kissed him? Or mated with him?” he
asked as he continued to stare at the ground.

I rushed forward and picked Ares’ fists up
in my hands and looked up into his face where I saw not anger, but
fear. “No. Of course not, Ares. You’re my mate and I’d never cheat
on you.”

Ares teeth clenched again and he said, “He’s
also your mate. You’re going to have the same impulses for him as
you did for me. Will you fight it like you did me?”

I collapsed against Ares and sobbed once. “I
don’t know. I don’t know what to do.” I looked up at him and saw
compassion now in his eyes. “What do you want me to do?”

Ares smiled and then shook his head
laughing. “No, I’m not going to be evil. If you need to touch him,
then go ahead, but until Achilles and I talk, I’d appreciate it if
you didn’t do anything with him beyond that.”

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him
tight. “Okay. Ares, for what it’s worth, I am sorry.”

Ares wrapped his arms around me in a tight
hug. “It’s worth a lot to me. Thank you.”

We walked back in silence, enjoying the
peace for once and being able to be in each others presence. We
walked into Achilles’ room to find Hera, Achilles and Koda inside
arguing vehemently.

“What’s this about?” Ares asked.

Achilles glared at Ares. “You agreed to help
her?! How could you agree to a suicide mission? The humans are as
likely to kill her as they are to listen to her!”

“I’ll be beside her to protect her. No human
will harm her with me there,” Ares said through gritted teeth.

Achilles threw his hands up into the
air.

“Achilles, you have to understand why I want
to…”

The wall beside Ares and I exploded. Ares
spun around and dropped to the ground, his body covering mine from
the debris. Ares jumped back up and I stared in shock at wolves
growling at us. Ares growled. “Stupid vampires.”

Hera yelled, “Guards!” but there was no need
because a battle was already under way in the hallways. Ares ran
forward and grabbed one of the wolves by its neck, quickly snapping
the spine and killing it. The body reverted to the vampires’ true
form, with their scary face and six inch dagger fingers.

Ares turned to Hera. “These are not
werewolves. They’re vampires taking wolf form.”

Hera nodded her head. “I witnessed your
truth.”

Ares smiled. “I’ll assist in your
defense.”

Hera sighed dramatically. “Very well.”

Ares kissed my cheek and pushed me into
Koda’s arms. “Take care of her.”

Achilles and Ares ran side by side out the
hole in the wall and began fighting with vampires and vampires in
wolf form.

~~~

Watching Achilles and Ares fight side by
side was an incredible turn on. I fought to control my hormones,
but it was difficult, especially since both were my destined
mate.

Koda tossed me on to the bed and shook his
body. “I really wish you wouldn’t think about things like that when
I’m touching you. I’d rather not get in trouble with Ares.
Again.”

I blushed and adjusted myself on the bed.
“I’m sorry.”

The fight was over relatively quickly, with
the vampires stopping the wolf charade and fleeing. Ares came back
into the room and I ran forward to hug him. He kissed my cheek and
set me back down on the ground. “You shouldn’t worry so much,
Artemis.”

I sighed. “I know, but I can’t help it.”

Achilles stopped near me and I reached out
to lay my hand on his arm. Ares’ jaw clenched, but he stayed still.
Achilles smiled at me in thanks then moved across the room to give
Ares and I space.

Hera asked, “Why would the vampires attack
here?”

“To start a war between the sidhe and
werewolves of course,” answered Ares.

Achilles folded his arms across his chest.
“Surely they knew that there are connections within our races. They
have to know that I would contact you to discuss this.”

Ares rolled his eyes. “Because we are
so
fond of each other.”

Achilles smiled. “Well, neither of us would
have lied about something as serious as this. I could always tell
when you were lying.”

“Ares!” yelled a familiar voice.

Ares pushed me to the side of him and we
both stared in shock at a group of sidhe guards holding Matt
between them.

Ares started to growl and then caught
himself. “Release my brother.”

Erebus, one of the guards holding Matt,
shook his head. “I’m sorry, Ares, but we can’t do that. We found
him holding the portal open. He’s the one who let the vampires in
and out.”

Ares blinked a few times and then looked at
Matt. “Is this true?”

Matt growled. “All they wanted was her! All
you had to do was just give her to them!”

Ares took a step forward and asked, “Why
would you betray me? What have I done worthy of your
treachery?”

“Did you really think I would stand by and
watch you in mated bliss while I was forced to be your guard?” Matt
said, “She’s nothing more than a mistake. She should have been put
down.
You
should have put her down when you found her. You
know what she will be capable of! Her being your match has blinded
you. Love has blinded you!”

Ares took another step forward, his fury
building. “Each time those vampires and dhampirs found us. You told
them where we were, didn’t you?”

Matt bowed his head in defeat. “Yes.” I
could see he was holding something back. Even during his hate
filled tirade he hadn’t seemed sincerely angry. What could he be
holding back from us? Why would he want me killed?

Tears sprang to my eyes and I walked closer
to Matt. “Why would you do this? I’ve never been anything other
than loving to you. I trusted you with my life. I loved you as a
brother.”

Matt looked at me and I could see the regret
in his eyes. “I had to. They have something of mine that I cannot
live without. Surely you would do the same if Ares’ life were in
danger.”

He
had
been holding out. I shook my
head. “I would not substitute the life of a friend for the life of
Ares and Ares would not want me to. Would you have done the same if
it were Koda you had to hand over?”

Matt’s eyes flared gold and he snarled.
“No.”

“Then why me, Matt? Why were you willing to
let me die for whoever they have?” I asked as sorrow filled my
body. I had never felt so hurt, so betrayed by someone before.

“There was no other way. I had to give you
to them. He promised he wouldn’t hurt you. He just needed you in
his possession.” Tears spilled down his cheeks as he looked at me.
“You must know that there is no way to defeat him. He will get you
one way or another. The only hope is to join him.”

Ares took a step towards him and asked, “Who
are you working for?”

Matt tried to pull out of the guards holds,
but they held him in place. “The one who will rule the world
whether he uses Artemis or kills her,” Matt answered when he
realized he wasn’t getting away.

Why was he switching between moods so
quickly? “Ares, I think he’s tied to someone.”

Koda walked up to Matt and inhaled his
brother’s head. He snarled and then turned, sadness and anger
twisting his face. “He’s been bitten.”

Ares rushed forward and grabbed Matt by the
throat, choking him. “Who do you work for? TELL ME HIS NAME!!!”

Matt whispered, “Maurice.”

Ares released Matt and walked towards me.
“You were right. He wants to rule the world and knows of the
prophecy.”

“What prophecy?” I asked.

Ares shook his head and started back towards
Matt. “Another time. First, I have to deal with this…”

The guards shoved Matt down on to his knees
and held him as he struggled against them. Ares started to reach
out towards him, but Achilles walked forward and held out his sword
to Ares. “Here, this is more efficient and not nearly as messy as
ripping off his head.”

Matt began to whine. “Please Ares. Don’t
kill me. I love you. I wouldn’t have done this if there had been
another way. Surely you see that there was no other way!”

Ares snarled. “There is
always
another way. You could have come to me. We could have figured this
out together. Instead you betrayed us all.”

“No, Ares. Please.” Matt begged.

I knew what Matt had done was awful, but
part of me wanted to forgive him. There had to be some other
punishment.

I started to move forward, but Koda grabbed
me and held me back. “Matt, I loved you. I would have died for
you,” I whispered as tears fell down my cheeks.

Matt met my eyes and whispered, “Now is your
first lesson. Trust few and guard your heart. I’m sorry Artemis. I
truly am.”

Ares took Achilles’ offered sword and stood
next to Matt. “I loved you as my pack mate. I loved you as my
brother. You betrayed your alpha. You betrayed your pack sister.
You betrayed all werewolves by assisting the vampire who wants to
rule the world. Your punishment is death.” Ares raised the sword
over Matt’s neck, pain and anger twisting his handsome
features.

Koda hugged me tightly against him. Our
bodies shook against each other as we prepared for our friend, our
loved one to die.

Ares whispered, “I am sorry Matthew. I
should have seen the signs. I failed as your alpha and as your
brother. I am sorry it had to end like this. May you run forever in
the forests of the afterlife.”

Ares started to lower the sword and I turned
my head into Koda’s chest, clenching my eyes closed and knowing
that would not block the pain I felt.

The instant Matt’s life ended I felt it like
a blow to the chest. Koda and I collapsed to the floor, still
clinging to each other. I wailed in sorrow and Koda shifted to his
wolf form and howled his.

I buried my face in his fur as I cried and
felt the dagger of loss and also the heat of anger at his betrayal
of us. It hurt so much and I could do nothing to ease the pain.

Ares dropped to his knees beside us. I
looked up and saw unshed tears in his eyes and knew he was hurt
from Matt’s death as well, but it was a necessary evil he had to
have endured many times. Matt being his brother though must have
hurt the most.

I wrapped one arm around him and the other I
draped over Koda’s back. Koda howled again and Ares’ human throat
enlarged to form a wolf’s in order to howl. My throat changed
suddenly and then I was howling too. My pack howled our sorrow at
the loss of their brother, our hearts bleeding from his death.

* * *

I woke up the next morning, my throat, eyes,
and head sore from the howling, sobbing and sniveling. I’d never
experienced someone’s death as I had with Matt’s. There was a small
space within me that felt as if it would never heal. I couldn’t
even begin to imagine how Ares and Koda were feeling, especially
since both were acting as though nothing had happened. Achilles and
Ares were talking quietly together while Koda was sitting next to
me in the bed reading a magazine. I sat up and stretched and Koda
whispered, “Morning. Would you like some water?”