Dark Hunter 00 - Dark Bites (Novellas) by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page A

dangerous god in their pantheon.
    At first, he thought she’d ignore him. But just as he was ready to leave, he felt the same stirring in the air that came anytime Bathymaas materialized before a mortal.
    There in front of him stood a vision of feminine beauty. Almost as tall as he was, she had long wavy blond hair and swirling silver eyes. “You have some nerve, mortal. You swear allegiance to an Egyptian goddess I loathe, take up sword for her, and now you dare summon me? Really?”
    He went down on one knee before her. “For that, I beg your indulgence, goddess. But I’m here because I’ve been told that you and I have something in common.”
    “And that is?”
    “Hatred for the Greek god Apollo.”
    Her eyes flashed red. “I despise all things Greek.”
    “And that is why I offer up my soul and my sword to you.”
    She scowled at him. “I don’t understand.”
    Swallowing hard, he forced himself to make a bargain he hoped he didn’t live to regret. “The god threatens what I love, and I plan to challenge him, and while I know what a capable warrior I am, I also know that I lack the abilities to destroy a god on my own.”
    A slow smile curved her lips. “You are a ballsy bastard… and that I respect.” She paused to consider his words. “What will you give me for this favor should I grant it?”
    “Name it, my goddess, and I’ll pay it.”
    Apollymi approached him slowly. She jerked his chlamys away from his left shoulder blade to show where Bathymaas had placed her mark on him after he swore himself to her alone. “What have you done, mortal? Rezar will kill you for daring to touch his beloved daughter.”
    “Have you never been in love, goddess?”
    She growled low in her throat. “Love makes fools of us all, eventually. Even the great Bathymaas.” She pulled his chlamys back over the mark. “I still should kill you.”
    Aricles didn’t flinch or react to her words at all.
    “Have you nothing to say to that?” she asked him.
    “I’d rather you not.”
    She laughed. “You are lucky you’re so brave. That alone has saved your life today.” She stepped back and narrowed her gaze on him. “And unfortunately, you can’t kill Apollo… as much as I’d love for you to.”
    Aricles felt his spirits crash at her words.
    “But… you can defeat him, and when you do, bring him to me, bound and gagged, and that will be my fee.” She manifested a bronze xiphos and held it out to him. “Use this to level the field and once you have him defeated, bring him here to me.”
    He frowned at the weapon in his hand that didn’t look any different than the one he normally carried into battle. “What is special about this sword?”
    “It was dipped in the River Styx. It will allow Apollo to bleed as any mortal.”
    “Thank you, goddess.”
    She inclined her head to him. “Good luck, Aricles, and beware of treachery.”
    “Always.” After saluting her with the sword, he strapped it on as she vanished.
    He placed his hand on the hilt and he left her temple. Now he had an appointment to keep, and Apollo was definitely going to bleed.

January 24, 12,248 BC
     
    Aricles sighed contentedly as he held Bathymaas in the quiet morning hours. Now that the others knew the truth, they’d laughed at him when he’d gone to bed in their barracks.
    “You have a beautiful goddess for wife and you’d sleep here with us, alone? Are you insane?”  
    He smiled at the memory of Galen’s indignant tone. Brushing the hair back from her cheek, he placed a kiss there at the same time a bright flash lit up the room.
    Aricles barely had time to blink before he was blasted out of the bed and pinned to the floor. Every bone in his body felt shattered. Unable to move, he was forced to lie there as a huge man stalked him with murder in his gold eyes. Well built and stout, he was obviously someone’s god of war.
    Bathymaas came awake with a gasp. “ Papas , no!” She leapt from the bed, dragging the sheet with her so that