13. Death Everywhere
Death Everywhere
“No,” Grayson whispered at Artemis’ words about turning him, too shocked to yell.
“This is happening, Ashyr. You and I will be connected forever,” Artemis said, his hands lightly stroking over Grayson’s thighs.
“No!”Grayson growled and tried to shove Artemis back from him, but it was as if he were trying to move a mountain with a feather. Artemis didn’t budge an inch.
Artemis nodded. “I know you are distressed right now. You think that you’d be better off if that psychopath Weryn turns you–”
“He’s not a psychopath!” Grayson shouted.
A one-shouldered shrug. “Perhaps not this time around. But one wonders what will happen if he has another emotionally catastrophic moment if he won’t flip right back to what he was at the height of the War.”
“It’s your fault that he became that way,” Grayson said through gritted teeth.
“You don’t really believe that.” Artemis shook his head.
“Stop acting like a lover and be the General we both know you are! The cold-eyed, hard-hearted Ashyr! The Immortal who isn’t afraid to see us all clearly.
You know that there is a weakness in the Soldier.
Without you holding his leash, that weakness will overcome him–”
“It won’t. But even if it does–even if you are overcome by your own weakness–I will be there to help you,” Grayson said, meaning it.
“How good of you even as you now refuse to even consider a union with me!” Artemis tossed his pale blond head as if truly hurt by this.
“Artemis, I have chosen another. I–”
“But not one of your own Bloodline. You wouldn’t even consider your beloved Dani. Broke her heart.”
Considering his discussion with Dani had been in the Weryn Palace that worried him that Artemis knew about it. “How do you know that? Did one of your Eyros forms tell you?”
Perhaps Dani had spoken to another about it.
“No, please. I know, because I’m everywhere the dead are, Ashyr. I listen through every rotted ear. I see through every dead cataract-clouded eye. I am death. I am eternal. I am always and forever even in Nightvallen,” Artemis explained.
“You have truly stretched the limits of your power then, haven’t you?” Grayson shook his head. “I should not be surprised. You have always been a seeker, a delver, never satisfied.”
“And you’re not? You were the one to create the Blood Armors and imbued them so that they would wrap around each of us.
” Artemis moved his hands over his slender shoulders.
“Ah, I see that you are truly disturbed by the youth of this form. I am too small for your tastes. But you must not worry! I can change my forms the way other people change clothes! We’ll find a form you especially like and I’ll take it. Just for you.”
Grayson had a hideous moment of imagining him and Artemis strolling through a street on Earth at night.
Maybe Paris, London or Rome. A beautiful man–who looked suspiciously like Ryder–would be at a table, laughing with friends, drinking wine or a beer.
His eyes would slide to Grayson as Grayson allowed himself to be noticed and there would be desire there.
He’d feel Artemis’ light hand on his arm and would look down. There would be a knowing smile there.
“Him?” Artemis would ask.
“Yes, him.”
Grayson shook his head. His mind was spinning. He stared suspiciously at the flaming soul gems.
“Artemis, you need to stop this,” Grayson growled.
“Stop what?” All innocence and wide silver eyes.
“You know what! What’s in those soul gems?
I didn’t drink your damned wine or whatever that is.
” Grayson threw the goblet across the room in a fit of anger.
He was shocked and dismayed by how exhausting it had been to do that simple act.
He hadn’t used his power. He’d just used his muscles, but they were not working.
“What have you done? What are you doing?”
“Keeping you alive, silly,” Artemis said softly.
“You’d be dead already but for me and what a waste that would be!
I’d have to make you a whole new form and I rather like this one more than your last. I do believe you wouldn’t recognize your old fact in any event.
So I’m keeping you anchored here while we talk and you decide to accept my offer. ”
Grayson felt a hole open up in his stomach that threatened to take him down. Was he that close to death? He swallowed and thought he tasted copper in his mouth. He was that close to death. Oh, gods, what was he going to do? How could he get to Ryder in time?
“I need you to send me back to the present. I need to be with Ryder,” he said in a frenzy of desperation. There must be something of Kaly in this being. There must be something of Caemorn. They grew from the same seed. “Artemis, you must do this?”
“Even assuming I believed you’d make it, that would not suit me, Ashyr. I have a plan and you are at the heart of it. I truly want you to understand and choose this if at all possible,” Artemis said with a disturbing amount of calmness and reasonableness to his tone.
“It won’t work between us,” Grayson said through clenched teeth.
“But it will work. Always being on the Master-side of this equation, you don’t really realize how affected our fledglings are by us.
Not the full effect of the bond,” Artemis answered easily.
“Perhaps you have always taken a light touch with yours. You like independent thought. Gives you more input for your strategies.”
That was true. He had never wanted slaves.
He had wanted companions, friends, family.
To force his fledglings to adore him was the antithesis of this.
He would always know it was false, just as much as Eyros would.
Could Artemis use the bond to make Grayson love and accept him?
He was an Immortal! He wasn’t a human. But Kaly thought things through.
They experimented, yes, but they often knew.
Yet what about what had happened between Balthazar and Caemorn with Roan and Artemis? It had not lasted. Not in the end.
“You can’t make me into your puppet, Artemis,” Grayson snarled. “I know who I truly am! Unlike the other Immortals that you turned. I am Ashyr. I remember.”
But even as he said those words, he wondered how he would get out of this?
His best bet was to send Artemis slamming into the opposite wall, pin him there with something, as he rolled off the back of his divan and then head to the door.
But when he got to the door–if he got to the door–what then?
There would be guards. He’d have to make sure that Artemis couldn’t yell for them.
Luckily, Artemis had no Eyros powers or that would have made this more difficult.
He hoped that if he merely walked out that the guards would think Artemis let him go.
That was one thing about Vampires. They underestimated everyone, especially humans.
No one would think he could escape the great Kaly slice.
So they’d believe he’d been allowed to leave.
They wouldn’t stop him for that reason alone.
If he remained calm and easy, they would let him stroll away until he was out of sight.
Then he would run like hell. Yes, that was the way.
But then what? Where would he run to?
How long would he truly have where his powers would keep Artemis pinned and silent especially after he left the room?
His strength was like sand through an hourglass, which was already mostly gone.
Artemis would be out and after him in minutes and that would be at best. Where could he go?
What could he do to save himself? In minutes?
There will be a gate here. Many gates. Maybe Eyros will be able to connect to me when I’m outside. He can lead me to a gate.
“You won’t be my puppet.” Artemis waved a delicate hand through the air.
“While I do appreciate that in some of my fledglings I know better than to try that again with another Immortal. It backfired spectacularly with Caemorn and Balthazar. But I learned alot from those experiences. I intend to be the best Master ever with you. Giving you everything you need.”
Artemis reached out and moved a lock of hair from Grayson’s forehead. He slapped it away. He only hurt his hand.
“If you want what’s best for me then you should know I don’t want your touch!” Grayson growled.
“For now. But you will. And I think you would like being petted, cuddled, adored. You could be safe with me. We could plan out everything in regards to the humans to keep our kind safe,” Artemis said. “Imagine having access to my mind, Ashyr! You know how valuable that is!”
“I can speak to Caemorn whenever I like. He gives me his thoughts. I don’t need yours,” Grayson said. “And he’s fully Kaly. You’re… not.”
“Perhaps.” There was a flicker of anger in those silver eyes, but Artemis quashed it. “But he is also the one that I defeated how many times? My mind is better than his. I think differently. Which is why I’m here with my people where Daemon cannot come.”
“Time flows forward for everyone, Artemis, unless you go to Moonfall and then you die there for real,” Grayson said.
“There is no dying for real!” Artemis laughed. “You really are going to be amazed at my gift. I realize now that you truly don’t understand what powers I am offering you. You’re being silly not to consider it.”
“You’ve turned two Immortals. It’s gone badly for you. You should stop while you’re ahead,” Grayson told him. “I can plead your case to Daemon if you abandon all of this and come with me to Nightvallen.”
Artemis’ silver eyes flickered over his face. “You mean this. How fascinating!”
“Caemorn has suffered enough. You are a part of him. A part born of pain. I would help you if I could. But you must stop this absurd plan!” Grayson clenched his fists.
“But don’t you see that what you’ve just said proves I’m right to do this!” Artemis was smiling broadly.
“What?”