Even Daimons, like his father, had to feed on blood. While the human souls they took prolonged their lives, it did nothing to quench their blood-hunger that needed Apollite plasma. And since Daimons could no longer sire children after their bodies converted from Apollite to a living dead state, and Hellen had been unable to nourish her children with her human blood, their mother had served no purpose in this realm, other than to tempt Daimons to kill her for her soul.
Had their father loved her, it might have been different. Then he might have been willing to fight to keep her at his side.
But while their father respected her as their mother, his feelings went no further. Stryker wouldn’t allow anyone to disrespect her or speak badly to her or about her. Yet that was as much as he was capable of showing her in terms of affection. Theirs had been an arranged marriage forced on him by Apollo and one he’d never wanted. All of his children knew that. In fact, he went days when he wouldn’t even look in her direction.
Something they were all very much aware of, and it pained Urian to see his mother’s plight. The constant sadness behind her smiles that never faded. Or the longing in his father’s gaze whenever he thought of his first wife Apollo had forced him to divorce.
Their mutual torment was so bad that Urian had often wondered if he and his siblings had been conceived the only times his father had ever managed to have sex with his mother. So when she’d proposed leaving Kalosis to return to the human realm a few days ago, his father had begun immediate preparations. Stryker had done everything to hasten the journey but pack for her.
With her beautiful features contorted by grief, his mother cupped Urian’s face in her hands. “I hate to leave my babies. But all of you can come see me, anytime you want. You know that. You’ll always be welcome wherever I am. I’ll make sure to keep a dark place that’s safe.” Biting her lip, she glanced between them. “You will come see me?”
Urian nodded. “I’ll come.”
“I know you won’t break your word.” She kissed his brow. “My precious, Uri. You’ll watch after your brothers and sister for me?”
“Don’t you trustus?” Archie asked defensively.
She tsked at him as she stepped over to her eldest. “You know I do. But you have your own wife and child, now, and another on the way. Urian’s still at home.”
“’Cause no one will have him.” Theo cast an evil smirk toward Urian that cut him all the way to the bone.
Normally, Urian would have lashed out and struck him, but he was too grief-stricken over his mother to bother.
“Theo!” Their father cleared his throat sharply in warning.
Alkimos, who was leaner, like Urian, but whose features were identical to Stryker’s, took up the torment. “Why are you so angry, Solren? We all know Urian’s still a virgin.”
All his siblings burst out laughing at him over that, adding even more blows to his ego.
“Enough!” their father roared.
Urian felt his gut shrivel at the mockery his brothers knew went straight to his heart.
Which was why they did it. Bastards!
“Freak,” Alkimos whispered in his ear.
Urian ground his teeth, tempted to slug him for that insult, but then he knew he’d be the one to get into trouble for striking the first blow—which was what his brother wanted. They were forever taunting him to violence.
He had no idea why he was so different from his brothers, yet there was no denying it. It was as if everyone could feel it and they all reacted to something he couldn’t understand or help.
Like he was defective.
His mother returned to hug him, and that only made it worse. Because he knew she wouldn’t be here tomorrow to make it better when they started this shite with him. Tomorrow, he’d be alone with their cruelty without her precious balm to soothe it.
Urian fisted his hands in her cloak, choking on the words he wanted to say. He wanted to beg her to take him with her, or to stay so that he wouldn’t feel so alone and unwanted.
Both would be selfish and dangerous.
Closing his eyes, he winced at the memory of what had prompted her departure.
The Daimon who’d been trapped in Kalosis too long.
Urian and Paris had been walking with their mother, to shop for fabric so that she could make Tannis a new chiton. Both of them had been complaining mercilessly over the task neither had wanted to be dragged into.
“Why isn’t Davyn doing this?”
Paris had smirked at him. “You’re such an ass. He doesn’t like to shop any more than you do.”
