Title: Never More

Author: Night Of The Land

Disclaimers: I own none of the characters you recognize, the ones you don't either belong to me or a friend. Alex is mine. All others belong to the fabulous Sherrilyn Kenyon. I will attempt to describe her Hunters but I honestly can not do them justice. If you wish to learn more about the Dark-Hunter go to Mrs. Kenyon's web site. Read the profiles.

Rating: T

Summary: For nearly 11 thousand years Alexandra has lived in the shadows, much like her mysteriously missing bond mate, Acheron. On a very strange night in New Orleans the two are reunited, but Alex does not realize that the mysterious man who saves her life is her bond mate. She and Acheron must reunite before Stryker rips the world asunder.

A/N: Hey, guys, yes I know I have not been updating may other stuff, but I've been reading this series for a while and this has been floating about in my brain. So I hope you enjoy, my writing has really improved, tell me what you think!!!

Chapter One: Strange Meetings

Alex had often wondered how she always seemed to get herself in the worst positions possible. Right now she was pined to a wall with four tall gorgeous guys towering over her. Each was dressed in leather pants, so tight that she could see parts of their anatomy she'd rather not. They all were blonde with blue eyes, a stark contrast to her stormy complexion. She knew they were Daimons. Apolites that chose to kill humans and steal their souls instead of dieing on their 27th birthday. They were going to kill her, she knew, but she'd be damned if she'd let that happen. So even as she whimpered and was against the wall acting scared, she was reaching for the knife tucked in at the small of her back.

One laughed as he leaned in to sniff her neck, "Oo, she smells so delicious."

The others laughed, and Alex stiffened as the leader, the one who had spoken, licked her neck, "This won't hurt a bit, little girl."

She pulled the knife out and held it to his crotch, "No, but that might."

His eyes wide, he stepped back from her slightly; before a feral grin split his face and all of them came at her. Spinning quickly she stabbed the one on left in the heart, he exploded into golden dust. She ducked under another one as he came at her, and caught him in the back. He also exploded. The last two exchanged looks, then tried to split. Flipping the blade in her hand she tossed it at the back of the third one. The leader she'd chase down on foot and kill up close for licking her neck. She rushed down the side street, following the Daimon to Ursulines Avenue. She watched and cursed as he slipped into Sanctuary, New Orleans' premier biker bar, with a nod to Alain.

She snarled, crap. She couldn't touch him in there. Well, she could, but Mama Lo would have a fit, and probably ban her from the bar, which she did not need seeing as how she worked there. So she slipped her knife back into its sheath, and strolled up to the bar, her head held high.

"Hey, Alain." She greeted the bouncer. It was Alain Pelletier, Mama Lo's eldest son. He was sweet heart under all that tough exterior, really he was. He grinned slightly.

"Little Alex, you're not working tonight I thought." He said, as he allowed her to pass.

"No, I'm not, I'm following a Daimon that you let in before me, I want his arse." Alex told him slipping into the darkness of the bar. It was not really all that dark, merely dim, but it was a welcome light.

Alain grabbed her arm holding her back, "Cher, you're not going to stake him here I hope. You know the rules, as well as anyone." He said to her in a gruff tone that still managed to sound as if he cared, a little.

Alex smiled charmingly at him, "I know, I just wanna talk to him, see if I can't get him out side." Her smile turn into a frown as she said thoughtfully, "I can stake him in front of your place right, or it that against the rules too?"

He pursed his lips disapprovingly at her, but let her arm go. She straightened her jacket sleeve, nodded to Alain, and walked into the bar. From the door she could see and hear people milling about. The noise level was not as high as it usually was, it must be a slow night. She stepped past the table and over to the bar. She sat straddling a bar stool, her back to the bar. She knew no one from that side would want to hurt her, well except for Colt Theodorakopolus. He and she had a few issues with each other that they still had yet to over come, but he was over in the corner talking adamantly with Vane, so she need not be worried with that.

Her dark brown eyes scanned the crowd looking for the lead Daimon. She scowled when she could not find him. He couldn't have gotten far. She pushed herself away from the bar, and strolled easily to the stairs, raising her hand in greeting to Dev, one of the identical quadruplets. He waved back, the double bow and arrow tattoo just visible under his shirt sleeve. It was an inside joke with anyone who knew that Dark-Hunters had that branded on them where ever Artemis had touched them to gather their soul. Of course the Were-Hunter would be the one to gag it. She had freaked out when she had first seen it, thinking that he was a Dark/Were-Hunter. But she'd seen him in sunlight so she knew that it must just be a gag, because Dark-Hunters could not survive in sun light since they were soul less.

Alex continued to the stairs, stopping at the bottom to allow a group of bikers to pass. They were a rough group of men with all leather on. She did not recognize them so they must not have been from New Orleans. After they had passed, she began up the stairs. When she reached the top, her brown eyes searched the tables, looking for the Daimon. She pursed her lips, and turned to leave.

"Looking for something, cher?"

She paused and laughed quietly to herself. It was Mama Lo's youngest son, Kyle. She knew he liked her more than a friend. She had tried to indulge him, but the last thing she wanted was to be mated to a Katagaria Were-Hunter. She mentally shuddered at the thought. It wasn't that she didn't like him, she just didn't think she could handle the stress of being mated to a Were.

Still she turned with her ever ready smile.

"Yo, Kyle, sup? And yeah, I'm looking for a Daimon that slipped in here a few minutes ago, seen any?" she replied, her dark eyes roaming the area behind Kyle Pelletier.

Kyle scratched the back of his head thoughtfully with his pen. "I think there was this guy who tried to slip into the house. Mama's down in the kitchen getting on him right now."

Alex nodded her thanks, started down the steps, and headed to the kitchen. She weaved in and out of people, and almost knocked over Aimee as she entered the kitchen. She called an apology over her shoulder as she heard Aimee muttering under her breath. She found Mama Lo in the kitchen with Remi holding a struggling blonde haired man. Alex's eyes flashed as she realized that this was the Daimon she'd been after. She walked over to them.

Mama Lo turned to Alex, an eyebrow raised, and she said, "Mon Cherie, I thought it was your night off."

Alex nodded, "It is, but I want him," she pointed to the Daimon, "dusted."

Nodding, Mama Lo told her gently, "I can't let you do that, this is Sanctuary after all. We protect all races. Even Daimons."

Alex frowned slightly at her, but she knew better than to argue. "Well, then call me when he leaves." With that said she turned on her heal and walked from the kitchen, leaving the human staff wondering what the heck they were talking about.

As she walked out into the main bar area, she could fell eyes on her. She looked around but saw no one staring at her. It was weird. Like some one was watching her so intently as if planning her death. It unnerved her. Especially with all the increased Daimon activity in the area, it really made her wonder. She walked to the door, with a passing hello and goodbye to Papa Bear, and a nod to Alain. Out on the street, she pulled her jacket closer to her body, as a cool wind whipped down the street. Wanting to skip the main streets, she decided to head down the ally way. As she walked she let her mind wander. She was so lost in her own world that she did not notice a group of 6 blonde men coming towards her. Before she could react, they grabbed her, threw her against the wall, her head hitting hard enough to make her see spots. She crumbled to the ground. She held her head, as they circled her.

Before she could get up, one of them evaporated in to gold dust. The others turned. Squinting through the spots, she saw a black haired man with a warrior's staff in his hands. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen, ever. He barely looked twenty, but she could tell that the man was seriously ripped. He was surrounded with an aura that oozed power. It was so dark that she had the urge to run form him.

But the way he stood, the way he held himself was somehow familiar. And when he taunted the Daimons into attack, his voice brought back memories well hidden in the dark recesses of her mind. Seeing the way he moved as he quickly dispatched them, unlocked something inside her, something dark and forbidden.

And as he approached her to make sure she was alright, she stood on shaky legs, spoke the word "Acheron" saying it with the correct Greek pronunciation, and fell forward into his arms, her world going black.