Artemis PoV

We didn't end up having sex that night.

We hugged, kissed, and cuddled, but we didn't have sex.

Percy was still loving and kind, cuddly and all.

I woke up the next morning alone in bed, not feeling the heat from the recent presence of my husband either.

Sighing, I got up and looked around.

As I walked through the hall, I could hear the constant thumping of something against another from the archery range. Percy was splitting arrow after arrow in the centre of the target from the entrance to the room.

I touched his shoulder. "Come back to bed, please."

He set down the bow. "Of course. Did I wake you?"

"No," I answered. My husband took my waist and kissed me.

I grasped his shoulders as his lips caressed mine.

He was in a mood this morning, the one where he's more loving and dominant than usual. His bedroom mood.

Percy picked me up and pinned me against the wall, a knee between my legs.

I became lost in the kiss. His smell, his taste, how he felt.

Before long, he had me in bed with my clothes off, screaming his name.

My lover had given me multiple orgasms before finishing.

I had moaned again when he pulled out, one of my lesser vocal reactions of the morning.

"Percy," I murmured.

"Yes, love?" He replied, holding me close.

"This feeling we have," I addressed. "I don't want it to ever go away."

My husband kissed my temple. "I love you too."

Percy PoV

Artemis had fallen asleep shortly after we made love. It was one of those nights where I was more passionate than normal. One of the nights my wife liked best.

Her phone buzzed, and I saw the little message preview that popped up.

It was from Hermes, about how he was selected, whatever that meant.

It was really morning now, and Artemis was starting to wake up. "Good morning, beautiful."

She laughed. "However cliche that may sound, I'll never get tired of hearing it from you."

My wife's phone rang, and she picked up. "Hermes, you'd better have a very good reason to be interrupting my morning."

There was muffled speaking, and Artemis hung up.

She hugged me tightly, kissing me. "I'm sorry. I tried to make sure you didn't get picked for it."

"Picked for what?" I asked.

My wife bit her lip. "There is a group of warriors being sent to explore a region dominated by monsters. It's a suicide mission, even for someone like you."

"I'm immortal though," I replied.

"The monsters there have weapons to make you fade," she replied. "Nobody goes there."

"When am I supposed to leave?" I asked.

"Tomorrow," Artemis answered. "It will last for about four months. All other details are to be provided after you arrive."

I kissed her. "I guess I'll just have to spend today all over my wife to make sure she doesn't get lonely while I'm away."

"You say that like you know you're coming back alive," she whispered.

"Of course I'm coming back alive," I replied. "What kind of idiot wouldn't try their hardest to come back to a wife like you?"

Artemis PoV

I should have known this was going to happen. Apollo was helping make the decisions for the exploration group roster.

Percy kissed my temple, pulling something from his nightstand. "I was planning to give this to you for Valentine's Day, but since I won't be here..."

He opened the box. "If you ever need help, or just want to talk."

I took the silver bracelet from the box, clipping it around my left wrist.

"It's wonderful," I commented.

My husband kissed my hand. "It looks perfect on you."

I cleared my throat, summoning the bow I had crafted for him. "I got something for you too."

He took it, examining the weapon. "It's perfectly balanced. Thank you."

I tapped the end of the bow, and it shrunk into a ring. "Tap it to turn it back into a bow. Twist it to turn it into a shield."

Percy kissed me again.

Percy PoV

We ended up having sex again.

Artemis kissed my jaw. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too," I replied.

"How should I be expected to stave off my loneliness while you're away?" She asked.

I bit her neck. "Use those toys in your closet. Maybe send me a picture in case I get lonely too."

Artemis looked at the clock. "You're due to leave in three hours."

We got dressed and moved to the kitchen.

My wife kissed my cheek, playing with my hand. "What would you like for breakfast? I'm going to feed you before you leave me for a third of a year."

"Could you make blue pancakes?" He asked.

"They'll be cooled in a few minutes," she replied.

My goddess kissed at my neck, eyes half shut.

I grabbed her ass, squeezing hard. "This is mine when I come back."

My lover bit my neck, stifling a moan. "I'll hold you to that."

Before I could blink, it was time to leave.

Artemis was in my lap, laughing and smiling with me, when there was a cough from behind her.

"Percy, you're due to leave in fifteen

minutes," Hermes informed.

My wife slipped out of my lap, sinking back into my embrace after I stood.

Artemis glared at Hermes when he opened his mouth to protest. "I'm seeing him off."

She kissed my cheek, holding my hand and leaning close to me as the other warriors arrived. I knew none of them.

"Scratch that picture plan," I murmured. "These guys might try to nab my phone or something."

My goddess kissed me as the aircraft arrived. "You'd better come back."

"Yes ma'am," I replied. "I love you too."

The line ending, I had to get on and leave my Artemis by herself.

I took a quick look at the group I was with. All male, none major gods. Not extremely powerful alone, but a force to be reckoned with if together.

A spitball made its way toward me, deflected by the thin, almost invisible barrier of water I had set up.

The god pouted, upset his projectile didn't make it.

It was three hours until we were due to arrive, so I took a nap.

Artemis PoV

When the aircraft took off, I returned to my palace for the warm embrace of my bed.

I crawled back into bed, pulling the covers up as I went back to sleep.

The bed was just slightly warm, but it smelled like Percy, and that sent me off to sleep with ease.

Unfortunately, the doorbell didn't allow me to get much rest.

Aphrodite wanted information on Percy's abilities and preferences in bed, and I slammed the door shut.

Curling up in bed, I received a call from my lover.

"Good morning, Percy," I yawned. "Still alive?"

"Still alive," he replied. "How's your morning been?"

"Nobody is letting me sleep," I complained. My husband chuckled. "Sorry about that."

I smiled. "I actually quite enjoy it when you keep me up all night, but you're not here right now."

There was a summons for another council meeting, and I sighed. "I need to go, but I'll talk to you later."

"Oh, wait!" Percy exclaimed. "In some areas, we aren't allowed to use our phones, so I'll text you when I enter and exit those areas."

"Okay," I replied. "Love you."

"Love you too," he responded, hanging up. I sighed and put my phone away, appearing in the throne room for what was bound to be another waste of time.

Percy PoV

During the flight, we were given utility bags.

The intercom buzzed. "You all have specific missions, tailored to your abilities. Inside the bags are items to aid you. You will be jumping in five minutes."

I sensed a large body of water nearby and figured I wouldn't need a parachute.

Noting that we would be dropped in the mountains, I used the bathroom quickly and returned to my seat.

The door slid open and the intercom buzzed again, telling us all to jump.

I grabbed my bag and dove down into the water, regaining my bearings.

After swimming to a nearby cave, I pulled out what seemed to be an instruction pamphlet, detailing my mission.

I would be working solo, with a different mission than the rest of the group. Kill the controlling monster and take his form.

Gather as much information as possible and return.