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: OMG, sorry for the long wait, things here have been slightly hectic recently, so this is the best I can do for now, but have no fear, there will be another chapter up soon. I swear! So here's chapter 5….
Chapter 5: Strange Dates
Alex sighed as Nick pulled the Jag into the driveway of her two story bungalow. It looked more like a fortress than a house. All the windows were closed and locked from the inside, and the door had a bar across it.
"This home?" Nick asked her as he stopped next to the stone walkway leading up to the porch and the front door.
"Yup, thanks for the ride." She said as she opened the car door and stepped into the cool October air.
"No prob." Nick said, before Alex slammed the door shut. She walked around the Jag and to the pathway. She waved as he backed from the drive and disappeared from view. Slowly, she started up the walk and the stairs fishing her keys out of her front pocket.
Opening the door, she stepped into the dimness of the front foyer. Up the stairs she could hear music playing loudly. That meant that Kassie Jenkins was home. She kicked off her shoes, hung her jacket on the coat rack, and mounted the steppes. The music was clear enough now for her to identify the song. It was Linkin Park's With You, and it was coming from the bathroom at the end of the hall.
Shaking her head, she walked down the hall and barged into the bath room.
"Kassie!" she said loudly to her extremely obnoxious roommate, who was also a descendant of her brother's, so that made her Alex's great-great-great-great- whatever niece.
Kassie spun around, her hand over her heart. She looked as if she'd been out all night and all day, she looked rough. Although Alex was sure she didn't look much better.
"Good Lord, Alex! Don't do that!" Kassie said, sounding as if she'd run 2 miles.
Alex gave a small apologetic smile. "Sorry, Kas, but your music's kinda loud." Alex told her.
"Sorry," Kassie apologized, "But still…"
Alex waved her niece off, "You been out all night?" she asked, changing the subject.
Kassie got a goofy grin across her face. "I met the greatest guy." She said, turning back to washing the make-up off her face. She flicked a piece of blonde hair from her face.
"Tell me about it while I shower." Alex told her almost, but not quite managing, to not roll her eyes.
"Kay." Kassie said the goofy grin still plastered on her face, her green eyes sparkling.
Alex stripped off her clothes, after she had turned the water on. She tossed them in the laundry hamper marked with an "A". She stepped into the shower and under the spray of warm water. "Okay, talk." She said.
Kassie set her wash-cloth down and turned so she could lean back against the sink. "You know that new club down in the Quarter, right? Well, me and Jenny went to check it out last night after I dropped you off, and the hottest guy came up to me. I swear every girl in the place was giving me the dirtiest looks. He had the bluest eyes, and his hair was so silky blonde." She sighed dreamily, "Man that was one guy I would not kick outta bed for eating a powered doughnut."
Alex's blood ran cold at that, as she froze right in the middle of washing her hair. She stuck her head out of the side of the shower curtain. "Did it ever occur to you that your mister powdered doughnut might be a Daimon?"
Kassie pursed her lips slightly, "No he wasn't tall enough to be either Daimon or Apollite." She grinned, "You're dripping, Al."
Alex cursed as she realized she was in fact dripping water form her partially washed dark brown hair. She ducked back inside the shower.
"So what happened with Mr. Powdered Doughnut?" she asked.
"His name is Steve, and he just left not ten minutes before you came in." Kassie said jumping up on the counter top to sit.
Alex choked, "You let a stranger come into our house? You invited him in? Are you nuts? Do you know how many people want me, or you, or better yet both of us dead?" Alex demanded once again sticking her head out to glare at Kassie.
Kassie waved him off. "It's not like he's a Daimon, Al. C'mon, can't a girl have a little fun. Yer all the time telling me I'm too cooped up sittin' in the house all day long." She huffed, "Besides, he was out in the sun."
Alex rolled her eyes at her niece. "He could be a dead man walking. Ya know a human servant of the Daimons." Alex told her groping for her towel.
Kassie grabbed it and handed it to her. "Still, Al, you should have seen him." she said giving a low whistle.
Alex shut off the water, took the towel, wrapped it around herself, and stepped out. She glared at her niece evilly. "Leash your hormones, Kas, in this world they get you killed." She growled.
Kassie once again waved her off. "Tell me your night was not as exciting." She said sarcastically rolling her eyes.
Alex paused to think about her night. Pain lashed through her heart at the thought of Acheron, a man who she had once loved more than life, a man who had inadvertently thrown it back in her face.
"Nothing too exciting. Just chased a Daimon to Sanctuary. Mama Lo wouldn't let me dust him of course, with the rules and all." She muttered, making a hasty escape to her room down the hall.
She sat on her bed still wrapped in her towel, thinking. She sighed as she stood and began to dress. She threw on her normal jeans and tee-shirt. As she stood in front of her dresser mirror brushing her hair, her jewelry box caught her eye.
Swallowing heavily, she set her brush aside, and opened the lid. Inside nestled among burgundy velvet was a beautiful ring. The band was plain silver with a moonstone shaped like a flower as the gem. Here was a ring she'd forgotten she had. Her Atlantean wedding ring.
Gently, Alex took it from it's place of honor, and slipped it on her finger, feeling slightly amazed it still fit her. She stared down at it as memories of that day flashed through her mind.
It had been a beautiful day in August, not too hot, a pleasant temperature. Acheron had been so handsome to her that day, even more so than usual, dressed in all white with his long blonde hair flowing around his shoulders and slivery eyes sparkling with all the colours of the rainbow. It had been a simple wedding, the two exchanging vows written themselves and from the heart. In all truth she had felt like a fey princess, with her own handsome prince. And in reality that was true. Despite the fact she was not royalty, her Acheron was.
The evening had been perfect. Finally Acheron had been hers, and she his. She had always been slightly peeved by the many lustful looks other women had given him, but now she could have cared less. So she had lived through the many jealous glares, for she knew her Acheron would never break his vow.
Well, she had at one point, until he had left her in Greece alone after Atlantis had been forced to the bottom of the Aegean. She knew he had still lived, for their life forces had been bound together at that time. If he had died so would have Alex.
The tolling of the door bell brought her back from the past and into the present. She looked down at her ring once more, before she pulled it off her finger, and replaced it in the box. A single tear rolled down her check, and she angrily wiped it away. Damn Acheron for this. Why, after all these years, had he come back? Now, after she had finally accepted him as moved on?
She snapped the lid shut, and headed to the stairs to see who was at the door.
Stryker gave a sinister smile as his son, Urian, delivered the news of the Atlantean heiress's appearance in New Orleans. And with Acheron no less. It was pleasing news. Soon they could kill the bitch and release Apollymi from her prison.
"The Dark-Hunters guard her father." Urian told him, making Stryker frown.
"Dark-Hunters." He said with a sneer, "They don't matter, after all they are no match for true Spathis."
Urian nodded his agreement. "Yes, father, but what of Acheron? He will surely guard her as well." He said, his frown making his handsome features seem distorted, evil even.
"Acheron will die if he gets in the way this time." Stryker growled at his son, before turning on his heal, beckoning Urian to follow, "Come we have plans to make."