“The lovely Terese longed for the sun, so I gave it to her.”
No!
“Your little whore is dead by now. Ashes to ashes…”
Apollo lifted his hands. They were glowing, shaking with the power bursting through him.
“Apollo…” There was fear in his sister’s voice. “Hold onto your control—”
His control. He’d always been so careful. Always kept the power within him coiled tightly so that he wouldn’t hurt another.
But now, Terese was gone. Lovely Terese with her mysterious eyes and her slow, sexy smile.
Gone.
Ashes to ashes…
The room began to shake.
“Apollo…” Artemis reached for him, her fingers brushing his arm, but she drew back, gasping, when her hand was singed.
The power of the sun filled him. The deadly, burning power. “Leave,” he ordered his sister.
“No, no, I won’t leave you—”
“Leave!” A roar. The ceiling above them trembled as bits of rock and mortar rained down.
The vampire scrambled back.
Artemis disappeared.
Eric lifted his hands, began to shimmer—
Apollo grabbed him, holding him tight, and smiled when his hands charred the vampire’s flesh. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Eric howled. The scent of burnt flesh filled the air.
“Tell me where to find Terese.”
“She’s dead! The whore’s dead!”
His hands glowed brighter. He tightened his hold on Eric, ready to burn every inch of flesh from his body. “Tell me.”
Eric screamed in agony, then began talking, fast. “O-outside of N-New Orleans. S-swamp. T-Take them a-all th-there.”
Apollo dropped the vampire. Eric fell to the floor. The vamp stared at his blackened skin and moaned softly.
“She’d better still be alive,” Apollo snarled.
I’m coming, Terese. I’m coming.
Eric lifted his head and the fool glared at him. “She’s d-dead. I d-drained her, and left her to b-burn in the—”
He never finished speaking. Apollo unleashed the power of the sun, letting it fill the room, letting it burn, letting it destroy, letting it devour.
Eric’s horrified screams filled the air.
Ashes to ashes, bastard.
* * *
Apollo crept slowly through the swamp, all of his senses on high alert. The sun had risen fully now. Its golden beams spilled over the earth, warming, lighting.
Killing.
If Terese were in the sun, if she was out there—
He stumbled into a clearing. Saw chains. Long, thick, stone chains.
And a woman. A woman with tousled black hair. Naked skin—
“Terese!” He ran to her, yanking off his shirt. He had to cover her, had to—
Her dark blue eyes were open, and she stared straight up at the sun. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Terese?” He touched her carefully and was stunned to see that her flesh was perfect. No burns marred her ivory skin.
She blinked at his voice and turned her head slowly, oh, so slowly, toward him. “Apollo?”
His fingers stroked her cheek. The cheek that felt warm—warm from the sun. “Yeah, sweetheart, it’s me.”
A tear spilled from her eye and trickled down her cheek. “Am I dead?”
No. He jerked open the chains and pulled her into his arms. “No, no, you’re alive.” Her head fell limply onto his shoulder. “Terese?” Her lashes closed. “Terese!”
I d-drained her—
He shoved his wrist against her fangs. “Drink from me, sweetheart.” She didn’t move. “Drink!” Please.
The sun blazed down on them.
Her lips moved, lightly at first, then harder as her teeth sank into his flesh. He felt the pleasure/pain of her bite as her teeth pierced his wrist.
He pulled her closer, bent his head over her, and curled his body protectively over her slight frame.
She was alive.
Her tongue licked his flesh and then she pulled back as she lifted her gaze to meet his. “Y-you found me.”
Emotion choked him and he could only manage to nod.
“I-I was afraid I wouldn’t see you a-again,” she whispered. “Eric—”
“Don’t worry about him.” His arms tightened around her. “He’s dead.”
Her breath caught. Then her eyes widened as she gazed up at him and she saw the light spilling around him. “Th-the sun. I’m in the sun.” She lifted her hand, staring at her flesh as her lips trembled. “Why don’t I b-burn?”
He didn’t know, he was just damn grateful. He pulled his shirt over her, then stood, lifting her with him. The sooner he got her out of the sun, the better, just in case.
“Don’t worry, Apollo, the light can’t burn her now.” Artemis said, appearing at his side.
Terese gave a small yelp at his sister’s appearance and clutched him tighter.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
Artemis lifted a brow and gazed meaningfully at his bloody wrist. “She’s had your blood. Quite a few times, I imagine.”
“Who is she?” Terese whispered, her lips brushing his ear.
“My sister.”
“Oh.” She offered a faint smile to Artemis. “Um, hello.”
“Why doesn’t the light burn her?” He frowned at Artemis. He was missing something.
“Because she has your blood,” Artemis repeated patiently. “She’s been drinking from you, right?”
He nodded and flushed slightly at the knowing look in his sister’s gaze.
“Apollo, as the sun god, your blood is incredibly strong. And when she took that blood, well, she got some of your power.” Her gaze locked with Terese’s. “You can control the light now, like Apollo. So that means the sun can’t hurt you.”
Terese’s lips parted and a peal of delighted laughter filled the air. “Apollo, I don’t have to stay in the dark anymore!”
She looked so happy, so very beautiful with the golden light around her. He bent his head, wanting to taste the joy on her lips—
“Not as long as you take Apollo’s blood,” Artemis said softly.
And just like that, her joy vanished. “Wh-what?”
Artermis’s lips thinned. “As long as you keep drinking from Apollo, you’ll be immune to the burn of the light. But as soon as you stop…”
“I’ll burn again,” Terese whispered.
She nodded.
Dammit. Apollo tightened his arms around her. There was a hell of a simple solution to this mess. But he wanted to talk to Terese alone, not with his sister peering at them.