"Apostolos you are the most infuriating god on the planet," I continued in Atlantean and he sighed. I pictured his usual laid back pose as he swallowed something. /How can he eat at a time like this?/
"You act like Artemis more and more every day, Kate," he implied and that was the last straw. I teleported to his house and found him leaning against the kitchen sink with an almost finished sandwich in his hand.
"You are impossible, Atlantean. I'm not half as bad as she is," I defended myself putting both hands on the island between us after shoving my phone in the back pocket of my shorts. He set his phone in the pocket of his cutoff Tripps and finished his sandwich.
"You're becoming like her. You spend too much time with Savitar. Atlantean," he mumbled under his breath before he looked into my eyes. I glared back and he continued, "You're one to talk." I heard hurried footsteps running down the hall and I braced just in time to see Simi's dark hair before she tackled me.
"The Simi thinks you've been aways too long," she gushed as I smiled trying to sit up, but she was holding me too tightly for me to move. I laughed and smiled. This was the only time I ever enjoyed being pinned down and she was right, it had been too long.
"Simi even I have the need to breathe, " I reminded her and she quickly let go. She stood up pulling me with her, I stumbled and had to steady myself by gripping the island. "Yes, Simi, it has been too long, but if he was more compliant this wouldn't be so damn difficult," I passed the blame and she turns to him hands on her hips trying her best to look upset.
"Akri, Is Akra-Kate telling the truth. Is Akri being difficults," she pouted and I fought to keep a straight face. He looked at me over the shades that he always wore with an expression that told me just how calm he can be. He took them off and set them on the counter before looking at Simi.
"Simi please go back to bed. I need to speak with Kate alone," he softly explained as she nodded still pouting. She went to leave and I wished she wouldn't. I didn't want to have this conversation and he knew that.
"Why are you trying to turn her against me?" he asked turning his swirling silver eyes that were a pale version of mine before Artemis brought me back and I was glad that she didn't make me keep them too. He smiled at me as if reading my thoughts and ran a hand through his shoulder length blonde hair.
"Acheron, I'm not turning her against you," I began, but decided I needed to change the subject. "Stop tempting fate and just tell me exactly why you wanted to speak to me." His smile disappeared and he looked me in the eye again his gaze chillingly sad.
"Aikaterina, I've been trying to tell you this for years. I'm sorry for what happened that day. Every time I apologize you give a smart-ass comment and tell me that you're 'not taking me seriously'," he quoted as He pushed off the counter. He walked around the island to stand in front of me as I leaned against the island crossing my arms over my chest. "Kate, I was never going to make you move out. It might have been a fleeting thought, but it was never a reality," he stated setting his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off and turned my face away from him so that my dark blonde hair, which was the same color as his, hid my face and the tears in my eyes. I felt his hand on my jaw and I let him turn my face back to his.
"What would have happened if I'd stayed? Did you ever stop and think about that 'oh-great-one'? You would have never met Soteria, both our lives would be completely different and I don't think either of us would have enjoyed it," I reminded him as the tears left my eyes. They ran down my cheeks before I could stop them. I heard a set of tiny footsteps walking down the stairs as he turned and I glimpsed a little blonde haired, silver eyed boy who wasn't even three years old standing on the landing of the staircase.
"Daddy, why haven't you come to wake me up yet?" A little voice asked. I almost flashed out on the spot, but Acheron reached back and grabbed my arm so I couldn't move.
"Api, come here I want you to meet your Aunt Kate," Acheron motioned for him to come and he slowly obeyed carrying a little gothic teddy-bear which he'd most likely been given by Simi. He smiled at me as Acheron let go of my arm and leaned down to pick him up. "Kate this is Apollodorus, Api this is Aikaterina," he introduced us and Api tilted his head.
"Why are you crying?" he asked and I wipe my tears. /How can I tell my nephew what happened?/ I would never turn a child against their parent and seeing Acheron hold his son made me think of all the times I never shared with our parents.
"It's nothing, Paidaki. Do you know you have the best Daddy ever?" I asked glancing at Api's eyes. He smiled wrapping his little arms around Acheron's neck and snuggling his face.
"Yes, but you don't cry for no reason. Are you hurt?" I shook shake my head at this and he continued, "Then you sad?" He paused again and I shook my head. His tiny forehead furrowed in frustration as he blinked at me and he had to go on. "Why you cry then?" Soteria walked down the stairs in her silk nightdress. Her worried expression told me that she was looking for Apollodorus.
"Api, how about you and Mommy go upstairs and cuddle," she asked holding out her arms to him. He jumped from Acheron's arms to hers as the couple exchanged a good-morning kiss and Api giggled. "Sorry for the interruption. I hope you stick around this time Katrina," she added before taking him back upstairs. Acheron watched them until they were out of sight as the ache in my chest returned and he turned to me again.
"He looks just like you, Acheron. He's gorgeous and he'll definitely going to be a heart breaker. I'm sorry I got in the way of," I started to apologized but he set a finger to my lips and the tears returned.
"Your family too, Rina. You aren't just an orphan girl I saved from a life on the street. You are my sister and I want you to know that we love you even though you don't want to be close to us," Acheron calmly explained. Before I could stop him, he hugged me and I tensed at his touch.
It wasn't his touch that set me off, but the tenderness of it. I'd been slapped and beaten too much to expect a nonviolent touch. He felt my reaction and pulled back a bit.
"Rina, I want you to stay with us while you're in New Orleans," I knew he was serious because Acheron didn't kid around, but I also knew I couldn't stay here. I sat on a barstool at the Island while looking at the Atlantean god of destruction and I didn't know what to say. He looked like his usual self in the all black outfit, but I couldn't meet his eyes anymore. He had been my father figure for two years, the first male I'd had to fill the position and all I wanted was to let him live a happy life without me, but when I was around things always went wrong.
"Ash I'd love to stay and you know I would…" my voice trailed off and he dropped his hands to his sides. He could sense that I wasn't finished and he wouldn't like the answer.
"There's a but coming and I know it's not a good reason," he confronted me looking as if he'd just sucked on a warhead. I shook my head standing up and putting some room between us.
"You have your family to worry about Acheron. I can take damn good care of myself," I recanted as I walked over to the stairs. I sat on the bottom step farther away from him and continued, "Every time I get close to anyone something bad happens and they get hurt or I do." I paused putting my hand to my chest where Jerald had stabbed me in the back and it protruded from my chest. He'd struck the killing blow and I hadn't confronted him about it yet. Ash crossed his arms over his chest flexing his biceps. His rage poured out of his aura, but I didn't let it bother me. I was good at pushing people out and hiding behind a steel wall of apathy.
"I can't stay with you and Soteria, because I'll endanger Apollodorus. It's the same reason I was only staying at Sanctuary for a week at most. Artemis sent me here, because something is stirring in the demon world and New Orleans is the target," I rambled. He sat on the stool I'd abandoned staring at my eyes and my phone went off. I pulled it out and recognized Samia's number on the ID so I quickly flipped it open.
"Kat, where'd you go? Tell me you didn't up and leave," she shouted into the phone and I pulled it away from my ear. I heard Dev trying to calm her down and I gingerly put the phone back to my still ringing ear.
"No, I had some errands to run," I lied moving the phone to my opposite ear as Acheron grinned motioning me upstairs as he walked passed me. I stood up and started to follow while she let out a relieved breath.
"Good, the quads are awake and Remi mentioned you. Now Bear and Lo are curious. Hurry back, I got to go. Wreck just hit Myth," She excused herself and I let her go referee. I followed Acheron upstairs as I slipped the phone into my pocket and walked down a hallway until he stopped at a back room.
"Why did you want me to come up here? What's so important?" I asked as he set his hand on the door handle before turning to me. He opened the door pushing it in and I saw all of my things were already in place as if I lived here again. More tears filled my eyes and I took a step back.
"Rina this is your room. Simi, Soteria, and I agreed that you should stay here," he began before he turned back to me and I took another step back. "AiKaterina," His voice wavered uncertain and I couldn't fight it anymore. I turned to run, but Before I was halfway down the hall he caught me from behind and turned me to him forcing me to be still.
"AiKaterina, it's alright. You don't have to run anymore. Your taking over New Orleans for Kyrian," He explained as I cried into his chest. I heard a door open then soft footsteps and a warm hand rested on my back. I looked to my left and Soteria's silver eyes smiled at me.
"We love you Rin and there's no other place we'd want you to be than here with us," she reassured me as I buried my head further into my brother's chest. I cried until I was too tired to cry anymore. He scooped me up into his arms and I tried to protest, but my words fell flat as he laid me on my bed. I was almost asleep when I heard Acheron's voice.
"Sleep now Rina no one has enough energy to stay awake forever," and then I fell asleep deep into sleep.