Chapter Two

Nick flashed out of Artemis' temple with a heavy heart. It was beyond his will that he had taken a likeness to the bitch goddess but he couldn't deny that he understood her. He knew that she regretted everything she did. He also understood the fears that she had; he had them, too. Granted, he hadn't betrayed someone as gravely as she had betrayed—No! He wouldn't dare to think that bastard's name! None of this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for that selfish asshole that he used to call his best friend.

Nick let those thoughts wash over him as he headed into the bathroom. He sighed deeply upon remembering how he had smashed the mirror the night before. He couldn't bear to see the wretched mark that marred his face and there wasn't a day where he wished he could take it all back to be anything but this. What exactly was this anyway? He was nothing less than the scum that he swore his life away to hunt.

Just one moment ruined it all. Why did I have to be late? Why couldn't I just go home? Maybe…maybe she'd still be alive. Maybe Acheron and I would still be—There it was again! That vile name! Oh, how he hated that name with a vengeance. Acheron Parthenopaeus, leader of the Dark Hunters, had powers unlike any other being. He knew that Nick's mother was going to die and he had the powers to bring her back to life after she did. But did he do that? No. If it weren't for Acheron's neglect and falsified words of love and friendship, Nick would've still been Kyrian's squire, doing stupid little jobs for him, while running his sarcastic mouth and getting chided for it.

Now, Nick was forced to live life as a lifeless dark-hunter while he harbored an ominous demon within his being…thanks to his good for nothing for father. Now…Nick didn't even want to speak to people. His tone of voice was laced with venom, poisonous to anyone that he laid his eyes on. The only place he found solace was with Artemis, as crazy at that sounded.

He shook his head, he really didn't want to think of any of this right now. Using his powers he fixed the mirror above the sink and melted the clothes he wore off his body. Stepping into the shower, he rested his hands on the wall as he let the hot water cascade down his tanned skin. It felt good to let the water burn away his sins. But he knew they'd just eat at him again once the shower was over and once he was back on patrol in NOLA.

Getting decked up in black on black, Nick decided to take the walk down to Bourbon street to start his patrol. Just as he turned the corner onto Bourbon Street, however, thoughts of drinking drained from his mind as he watched a daimon as he scoped out a woman on the street. Of all the godforsaken nights, why this one? Nick thought.

He ran a hand through his hair and palmed the dagger he always kept in his jacket, as he stalked behind the daimon. Normally, he would have rushed him by now, but he wanted to see how far the daimon would go before he realized he was being followed.

It wasn't long before the daimon turned around with a curse and tried to flash to another street. However, Nick was quicker than that…much quicker. Nick flashed behind him and, wrapping his arm around the daimon's throat, Nick dragged him into the alley then tsked at him. "And just where do you think you're going? The party's just started." Nick said. "You wouldn't want to disappoint by leaving early, would you?"

The daimon grabbed hold of Nick's arm and pulled at it, trying to get Nick to loosen his grip. Only, Nick was too pissed to let go of the man. He had too much anger bottled up within him to stop now. He had gotten this far after all.

Nick pushed the daimon into the brick wall and kicked him. Hearing the daimon's ribs shatter made the demon within Nick wake up, but Nick quickly laid him to rest before dealing punch after punch to the daimon's face. The daimon pleaded for Nick to stop but Nick couldn't. The smell of his fear, mixed with the daimon's blood, got the best of him and before long he was repeatedly kicking and punching at him until the daimon was almost lifeless on the floor. Only then did Nick take the dagger and dug it deep into the demon's head right between his eyes.

The demon burst into golden dust the second Nick buried the dagger into its flesh. The feeling of killing the wretched thing made Nick feel so much better. But as soon as that feeling of content came, the hurt and despair took over once again. He sighed heavily and flashed to the last place that he wanted to be.