This story is related to Finally! and The Heartless Nymph. The main pair is Zakar/Melinoe. Zakar is one of Sin's, from Devil May Cry, triplet brothers for those who don't know. He is a Mesopotamian/Sumerian god of dreams and visions. The OC's name is Melinoe the goddess of nightmares and madness in Greek mythology. I figure they would be a good match since they both are associated with dreams. I don't know if Sherrilyn Kenyon has Melinoe in her stories yet. I don't see Melinoe mentioned in the books I have read so far and decided to use her as my main character. The portion of the story that's in the past is set five thousand years before Achron's book, which was eleven thousand years in the past. This makes the timeline in this story about fifteen thousand years from the present.

Read and enjoy!


Zakar and his brothers, Eb and Sin, were cursed the moment they were born. A prophecy foretold that the three of them would end the Sumerian pantheon. Their father, Enlill, was going to kill them himself to ensure that it won't come true. Eb, their oldest brother, was slayed. Sin convinced their father that he already killed Zakar and absorbed his powers. In truth, Sin hid Zakar in the dream realm to protect him. Sin went on and took his rightful place in their pantheon as the god of fertility and ruled the moon.

Growing up in the dream realm was tough for Zakar. He had Sin for company but it was a lonely and empty existence. To entertain himself he would enter the dreams of gods, goddess, and humans and viewed them. Through their dreams, he discovered their fears, loves, interest, and inner thoughts. At first, he was only an audience. As his god powers manifested he realized he could interact in their dreams to control and manipulate them. The threat of the gallu demons yielded some entertainment. At least he got to enhance his combat abilities. Life was tolerable.

That changed when he met her.

Melinoe was a frightened child who barely reached his knee. He felt an instant attachment and protectiveness toward her. Every night he would come into her dreams. He would see to it that she experienced pleasant one that would make her smile. He looked forward to seeing her every night. They would keep each other company by sharing stories of their lives to one another. She filled the void in his heart he didn't realize existed.

As the years went by she grew into a beautiful woman. He began to develop an attraction toward her. When she was a child he craved her friendship. Now as an adult he craved her like a man craved a woman. He withheld his desires because he feared her rejection.

"I love you." She said one day.

Zakar was dumbfounded by her announcement.

Melinoe pouted at his lackluster reaction. "I love you." She repeated with her arms akimbo. She loved Zakar since the first moment she met him. A mysterious entity was haunting her dreams. Zakar appeared and chased it away. He was her hero.

"Are you…are you serious?" he asked her.

"This is the most serious I have ever been."

Zakar registered her words and a smile spread across his lips.

"I love you too." He said.

Melinoe's pout melted and she smiled back at him. She timidly moved closer to him and kissed his lips. He kissed her in return. Being as it was their first real kiss it was as awkward and uncoordinated.

"I still love you." she said, which made him happy.

"I do too."

"Do you want to try again?" she asked him.

"Yes," he kissed her.

This time it was not as bad. When they broke apart, both of them were breathless and desiring more.

"Do you want to…" he left the words hanging in the air to let her finish it. He had no experience with seducing women.

"Yes!" she squealed.

As they shared a kiss, he conjured a bed and removed their clothing with shaking hands. Both of them were virgins with limited knowledge. They stood in front of each other for several second before they gathered enough courage to do something. Each reached their hands out and touched the other's body. Together they explored.

Zakar kissed his way down her neck and ran his hands over her bare skin. "Know my touch. Only my touch. Promise me."

"I promise." She breathed.

From then on, each night, they'd fall into the other's arms and mold their bodies together. Melinoe was everything Zakar wanted. He never thought he'd find love like this. The moments he spent with her were his happiest. She was the center of his world.

He should have known it wouldn't last.

Melinoe had been murdered.

Zakar felt the loss of her essences the moment it happened. He abandoned the protection of the dream realm and ventured to her home in Olympus. He saw her body himself. It was a sight he would never forget. He could still see it whenever he closed his eyes. She was lying on a stone alter, in a white dress, surrounded by candles. Her blonde hair was spread around her head like a halo. She looked as if she was sleeping but he knew better. His love was gone and his life was over as well. He was going to steal her corpse and keep her in the dream realm with him. He'd guard her for eternity. He would have enacted his plan if Hera and Zeus hadn't appeared.

Zakar hid behind a large pillar, using his god powers to conceal himself. Zeus and Hera were too stricken with grief to notice anything amiss. Hera was the first to reached Melinoe. She conjured a white cloth over her daughter's body.

"Hera, please, I just want to see her face one last time." Zeus pled with his wife.

Hera showed no mercy. "No! You can't see her. She is dead because of you."

Zeus shook his head in denial.

"It was one of your lover's husbands that attacked our children. Melinoe is dead because of you. You're not allowed near her until you bring me her murderer's head."

Zeus took one last look at Melinoe before vanishing.

Hera sobbed as she pulled the white cloth from Melinoe's face. "My beautiful child, I swear, I'll bring you back. We will be together again."

This gave Zakar hope. Maybe they could bring Melinoe back?

*Fifteen thousand years later*

Present day

San Diego, California

Melinoe walked into an empty alleyway and waited for her stalker to follow. A man had been trailing her through the streets for about an hour. He remained close enough for her to noticed him but far enough to not disturb her shopping. She wasn't sensing danger so she ignored him. She thought he would go away on his own but as time passed there was no sign of him leaving. She had enough and was going to see what he wanted from her.

When the stalker entered the alleyway and met Melinoe face-to-face her heart rate increased. She found her reaction unusual. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen him before. She had met his two brothers on separate occasions and later discovered they were part of a triplet. This man must be the third one. He looked identical to the others, handsome, tall with tanned skin, topaz eyes that pierced her, and long black hair. A long black coat enveloped his muscular form. He was like the other two in appearance but something was different about him. He didn't have that typical demigod smell that came from his brothers. Instead, it was overpowered by the delightful smell of demon blood that had her fangs itching for a bite.

His gaze followed her tongue as she licked her hungry lips. "Hello, I'm Melinoe. What's your name?"

He didn't respond to Melinoe's question. He moved closer, invading her personal space, and stared down at her. His proximity made her skin heated, which was a mystery because her skin was permanently cold. He reached his hand to caress Melinoe's cheek. She moaned and leaned into his touch, wanting more. She realized she was shamelessly rubbing her body against his and pulled away. In all her life, lust has never invaded her being, for it to appear out of nowhere alarmed her.

"Take us to your place. We'll talk there." He said in a deep voice and she almost melted.

Melinoe flashed them into her bedroom in the Underworld. As soon as they arrived he pulled her into a kiss so fast she didn't have time to breath. Sealed memories and forgotten emotions resurfaced. She recognized him and kissed him back with equal passion. This man was no stranger. He was her lover from a previous life. The only man she swore she would ever love.

They had been separated for fifteen thousand years. So many things have changed but not their love. Zakar was thinner and his hair was longer but overall he looked exactly the same. Melinoe was completely different due to her dying and reincarnating. There was no missing that she was shorter, her once olive skin was now alabaster, her blonde hair was now wavy and black, and her blue eyes are green.

Zakar caught sight of the mysterious dark haired woman from behind and was compelled to follow her. When she turned, enabling him to see her face, he was stunned by her resemblance to Melinoe. Could it be that he finally found her?

After witnessing Hera's vow, Zakar kept a close watch on her. He sensed that the goddess knew of a way to resurrect Melinoe and she did. Melinoe had reincarnated. The trouble was that he had no idea where Melinoe was or who she would be. He spied on Hera and saw that she had no clue either. He left Hera to start his own search. He searched and searched to no avail until now. He was reunited with his lost love and he swore he'd never lose her again. She was his and no one was taking her away from him.

Zakar and Melinoe made love. Pain and pleasure combined as they became one. He was the only man she offered her body to and no one else. She never desired anyone but him not only because of the promised she made in the past. Her heart, soul, and body belonged to him even if her mind didn't remember.