Light in the Darkness

Here's the next one.  Hope everyone enjoys!!

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There were no words.  Acheron had not heard of such a thing.  Only the gods could wield the power to take a soul or not.  But splitting a soul, that was something he didn‘t think even the gods dared.



“How?”  Acheron gasped, watching Hector fall back into the chair.  His features were haunted and Acheron knew he was thinking of things that had long ago passed.



“Do you know how much I love you my sweet son?”  She had whispered, holding his small body tight to her own.  Her face was streaked with tears and her body heaved with sobs.  In his sleepy state he didn’t know what was going on.  All Hector knew was that his mother was holding him desperately and was very upset.



“What’s wrong mommy?”  He whispered, and her eyes met his.  Oh those eyes were like the gateway to heaven.  They were the finest shade of blue and the color moved like ocean water.   He felt nothing but calm and safe when he looked at his mother, and her eyes were the gateway to solace.



“You must listen to me Hector.  You must trust me my sweet angel.  Something will happen tomorrow, and you must be brave my sweet one.  The darkness will claim you, but my light will forever guide you until you find another.”  What was she saying?  Something happening tomorrow.



She set him down on his bed and pulled open the shutters, letting the moon cast her glow over the room.  Quickly she set to work.  He watched her work at a furious pace.  Drawing a circle on the floor began placing items inside.  Two tufts of wolf fur from her cloak, his spirit animal the same as her, a lock of her ebony hair followed by a lock of his silver hair.  



“Come Hector, I need your gift my son.”  he had recently learned to create frost.  His father decided for him to pick his element and he chose water.  It reminded him of his mothers eyes.  Getting off his bed he took his glass of water from his night stand and handed it to his mother.



“Enchant it Hector, just like I taught you.”  He nodded and poured the water into his hand.  To what stayed  in his palm quietly he whispered her words of life and willed the few beads of water on his palm to multiply and form.  They did and when he was finished a small piece of ice sat in his hand.



Smiling proudly she urged him to place it in the center of the circle.  Next she pulled a seed from her pocket.  The same words left her lips and he watched mesmerized as his mother’s hand began to glow and the seed sprang to life, a beautiful flower springing forth that looked like a sun as it glowed with a soft orange light.  Placing it in the middle of the circle Hector watched his mother turn to him at last.



“This is our bond my son.  Our spirit animals, your magic and my own.  The hair represents us physically.  Step inside and hold out your hand.”  Following her instructions he did as she said.  When his hand was held outstretched she pulled a long silver dagger and sliced his hand.  Then she handed the blade to him and held her hand out.



“Its all right love.  It wont hurt.”  Carefully he followed the same line on his mother’s hand she followed on his.  She didn’t flinch as he drew the blade against her, but he still felt uneasy.  Grasping his hand in her own she closed her eyes and began chanting.  He closed his eyes as well and before he knew it he joined her chant.



In those moments he felt something in him change.  He could feel his mother and all of her love.  The room was completely still and silent, but he felt as if he were in a vortex of energy.  Yet, he did not fear it.  He felt something in him open and a void he never knew was present was filled with the most glorious sensation.  Hector felt as though someone split open his soul and expanded it.  Never in his short life had he felt such immense joy and peace.  What had his mother done?



When he opened his eyes to smile at her, he saw a different look in her eyes.  The blue no longer moved but lay motionless.  Worried he moved to his mother, clutching to her beginning to cry.  What happened?  Did he do something wrong?!



“No my sweet one,”  she whispered.  “ you did nothing wrong.  Remember that I love you so much my sweet angel.  What I have given you will stay with you and restore you when you need it most.”



That was the last night she held him.  The next morning was her execution.  When she drew her last breath and the calm light in her eyes dulled he felt that special part of his soul bond to the rest and in the years to come, it was that light that kept him from the darkness, just as she had promised.



When Mari came through those doors and he felt her life force being pulled from her he remembered his mothers words.  What I have given you will stay with you and restore you when you need it most.



Before he could take all life from her Hector used that part of his mother’s soul to connect to Marilla’s.  Her light energy easily bonded with his mother’s energy and now the two of them were bound.  He used that piece of himself to restore Mari’s life.  When he felt the connection, his mother was at last at peace and Mari’s energy replaced hers.  He now shared Mari’s life force.  



The story poured forth form Hector’s lip in a rush as Acheron absorbed the new information.  Hector wasn’t sure why he told Ash everything, but part of him needed to.  Perhaps it was guilt.  He remembered watching his mother die, living with the knowledge he didn’t even attempt to stop it.  He also felt guilt at bonding himself to Mari without her permission.  Granted it saved her life, but he was not one to force something on someone.



The two men remained silent for some time.  Acheron the first to speak.



“So does that mean you can control what happens to her?”



“Kind of.  We can both in a sense control each other.  If I were to ever lose control she would be able to center me again.  But it isn’t really control.  We are just connected  I’m connected to her power and she is to mine.”



Recognition set over Acheron at about that moment.  “What happens if you both lost control?”  He whispered, not meeting Hector’s gaze.



“It means we could do a lot of damage.”



Both men were silent as various images rolled through both of their heads.



Souls were very powerful things, and this went beyond the meaning of soul mate.  Soul mates could live without the other, though it was unpleasant.  The two people would always find the other, however two souls bound so securely were bound to wield incredible power.  With Marilla being a Goddess and Hector being a very powerful sorcerer with a priestess of the light for a mother it was no wonder Hades had wanted his soul.  Now though Hector’s soul belonged to Marilla and vice versa.



This raised numerous questions.   All of which Acheron knew Hector probably had no answers to.  “Does Marilla know?”  



“No.  I wasn’t quite sure how to tell her that tid bit.  Hey surprise!  We are now bound for eternity hope you don’t mind.”  sighing, Hector rested his head in his hands.  Ugh!  He did not want to think about this right now.  He had waited centuries to tell this woman he loved her.  Now he had to share with her he used the piece of his mother’s soul to bind them and this time it was permanent.  There would be no undoing this.  What his mother had done was create a catalyst for something more.  Had he been dying or drifted to the darkness her life force could be used to save him.  Hector used it for something else entirely.  He restored someone else’s life force and connected their souls.  Yeah, not exactly a conversation starter.



“You cant tell anyone Acheron.”  Hector whispered, standing to pace the room.  He knew the man would never share this information.  It was too dangerous for others to know.  If Artemis knew she would do anything in her power to find control over them both.  What a wonderful little addition to her arsenal they would make this time around.    



Hector was never fully sure why Artemis was so hell bent on having Marilla’s loyalty, but who ever knew why the Goddess did some of the things she did.  One thing he did know was that she was a spoiled bitch who only did things for her own purposes.  She never had much of an interest in him until she found out how powerful he was.  Artemis had always been power hungry, it was obvious by how she flaunted Acheron around.  From very early on it was clear that Acheron was an extremely powerful man.  One thing Hector knew was power, and Acheron reaked of it.  There had been a few times that Hector had pushed his luck with Artemis, and Mari had always come to his rescue.  Granted he didn’t know it until much later.  He had never felt so guilty then when he did find out, Mari never received the punishment’s Acheron received, but she would’ve preferred it to what she was given.  That was when Hector met Artemis for the first time and she realized he was much more than met the eye.  Being a Goddess of the hunt, she was the hunt, one with the earth.  He remembered the look on her face as she met him in the forest of what is now Northern Canada.  She was on one of her hunts, and he was out trekking the terrain.  Whenever Mari was gone it was one way to relieve stress for him.  Nature was a comfortable seclusion  away from everything that he often longed for.  It reminded him of his childhood and his mother and brought him that sense of peace he never felt as a dark hunter.  He came upon her in a clearing.  His first thought was that she was beautiful, almost overwhelmingly so.  But then he recognized her scent.  Mari and Acheron carried her smell on them when they returned from her company, and when she met his gaze and he looked deep into the green soulless depths of the red headed goddess, he knew exactly who she was.  She of course recognized him, and he caught the first arrow she sent his way.  The entire night he led her on a hunt, and by day break she was still without her prey and he was hidden safely away from the sun and Artemis‘ hold.  Mari stayed in her company for a month after that night, prolonging her punishment for “embarrassing“ the Goddess by not informing her how powerful Hector really was.  He was told that Artemis had planned on dispatching him to punish Marilla, but that was all circumstantial.  No, he truly believed he had happened upon her and it angered her that someone had dared to break her solitude.  Unfortunately for Hector she rather enjoyed the hunt, and after her anger dissipated, she became quite fascinated with him.  After that he had more than his share of run ins with the Goddess, however the other times she wasn’t attempting to kill him.   



It always amazed him that the Greeks worshiped these gods.  After being enlisted to one in servitude he realized they all acted like a bunch of spoiled little teenagers with a literal ‘God’ complex.  The only one he could stand was probably Athena.  She was a true Goddess and Mari took after her in many ways.





He could feel her as she slept.  Usually he didn’t intrude on her thoughts, but sometimes he was selfish and ached to be close to her.  She was at peace for the first time in a long time and was dreaming of her time in Olympus during her recuperation.  She was dressed in the most beautiful crimson toga that was broached on one shoulder with a pendant that resembled a half son and half moon joined.  The moon piece sparkled with brilliant diamonds and the sun shimmered with gorgeous onyx stones.  Her head was rested gently in Athena’s lap as the strong Goddess stroked her delicate fingers through Marilla’s untamed blond hair.  Hector was not sure of the moment they were sharing, but the way Marilla’s eyes were closed so calmly and the slow rise and fall of her chest, he knew she was happy.



Withdrawing from her dream, he turned back to the man who occupied his company.  Just those few moments allowed a sense of relief to cleanse him and return him to focus.



“Ash,”



“Hmm?”



“Why were we training with ex-dark hunters and not actual ones?”  Hector asked, and Acheron slowly met his gaze.  He was planning something, what he wasn’t sure, but it was something he could tell by the way his aura shifted and how his eyes twinkled with mischief.  Clearly it was not a plan that Artemis would appreciate.



“Dark Hunters cant fight this enemy.  With no souls they will become possessed for sure.  Especially since the man or men doing this is so strong and stealing spirits.”



“Yeah I understand that.  But why are you endangering the lives of these men?  They have families now and are no longer bound by oath to fight.”



Acheron would not meet his gaze.  He knew something was happening and while no one voiced it, he knew it had to do with Mari and himself.  Shit, after finding that energy signature and realizing what it was, he knew this was going to be his fight.  Still, it was unnerving to think that it was too dangerous for dark hunters.  



“Ash I swear…”



“Look,”  Acheron snapped, holding his hand up, halting Hector’s warning.  “Just trust me ok.  This will work.  You just have to trust me.”



Raising a finely arched brow Hector merely stared at him.  Trust him he did.  Acheron had never given him cause not to, however he really hated being in the dark about things.



With a roll of his eyes he let the whole ordeal go.  They had other things to worry about than Ash’s hair brained schemes.  “Well, what do we do now?”



“Tomorrow night I figure we can go down to Sanctuary and see what’s going on.  Maybe some of them will know more or have maybe seen someone new in town.  If not we can at least get out of the house and have a little fun.  No sense in sitting around with our heads up our asses all day long.”  Ash said, shrugging.



Yeah, they were so royally fucked.  It was bad when Ash didn’t have amny leads.  Whoever this man was, he was masking his trail well.



“Do you think he’s planning something for Halloween?”  How cliché, he truly hoped not.  That was just a little tacky in his opinion.  He couldn’t even count the number of ridiculous things he had come upon over the past century in regards to Halloween.  



“I don’t think so.  I think this is just the start.  Something tells me its winter we need to concern ourselves with.”



That Hector could do.  He was at his most lethal in the cold.  This was going to prove to be a very good battle.  



“Go rest my friend.”



With a nod Hector left the tall pink haired man to his thoughts.  “Hey,”  Hector called from the stairs.  Acheron turned to regard him.



“Want me to let the charm go?”



Smiling Acheron shook his head.  “Nah.  I have a feeling Artemis will grace us with her presence within another day or so.  May have you spice it up a bit.”  



He truly loved pissing the Goddess off, and Hector enjoyed helping him.  Nodding he finished his climb up the tall staircase.  He was more exhausted than he realized.



Wearily he stopped in front of Marilla’s room and looked to her door.  Closing his eyes he could feel her sleeping still in the comfort of her dream in Athena’s palace.  His hand drifted along the carved wood off the ornate door that closed him from her bed chamber.  He felt a familiar stirring as he warred with himself on whether or not he should accompany her.  God knew he wanted to, but he probably shouldn’t.



Turning he finished his path down to his room.  Once inside he closed the door and let the shadows remove his clothes from his body.  Dressed only in a pair of silk pajama bottoms he crawled into the jade silk sheets and pulled the heavy comforter over his body.  Sleep claimed him shortly after his silver head hit the feathered pillow beneath him



Marilla enjoyed the warmth and the feeling of Athena’s long tapered fingers running through her honey colored hair.  She often sought Athena out in her dreams and the Goddess willingly met her.  Her favorite crimson toga covered her body, the thin gauzy material laying in five layers over her reaching down to her feet to hide every inch of skin.  Her arms were bare and the material lay gathered with a broach on her right shoulder.  Absently she fingered the tiny jewels on the broach.  It was her favorite.  Athena had it commissioned for her upon her return from Greece.



The Goddess had never been more proud of her courage and prowess in battle than she had been that day.   This had been her reward.  It was her symbol.  Worthy god’s and goddess’s each had their mark.  Artemis’ and Athena’s both lay branded to her skin, but now, Athena gave her her own.  This was her mark.  The half moon half sun the light side cloaked in darkness while the dark lay open to the brilliance of the light.  It was a sharp contrast that was perfectly fitting.



“Why have you not bore your mark yet Athene,”  Her fingertip curled around a shiny lock of hair.  That was a nickname she hadn’t heard in sometime.  Only when her heart grew weak or questioning would Athena use the endearment.  It was a variation from her own name that many Greeks named their children in their worship of the great Goddess.  However receiving the compliment from Athena herself was something Marilla held dear to her heart.  After all these years Athena still saw her as worthy.  When Marilla was made a high priestess of her temple, she was given the loving nickname.



“It isn’t the time.  I must wait, something lies before me that will grant me the right to bare it.”

Athena nodded wisely.  She had raised and nurtured her warrior well, and she carried the wisdom of her goddess selflessly.  Athena too knew of the hardship to come, unfortunately this was a path she must forge on her own.  There were those who were available to help her, but now Marilla had to rely on her strength and faith in her companions.



The temple began growing dark and the air chilled.  The Goddess could sense the dark warrior fill her temple.  His energy reached for Marilla carefully, he was never overpowering toward her.  He walked in the dark, but maintained a light in his soul that redeemed him from all evil.  Truly Marilla had never held a particular interest in men.  Of course like any female she appreciated the male body, but none had enticed her, not that they hadn’t tried.  Julian and Kyrian had perhaps been the first, and when Athena asked, Marilla had amazed her once more.  She could remember her words, “No my Goddess, they are not destined to walk beside me as lovers, fate has found their mates in a time yet to come.“  It was only until Hector had come.  When she walked through the doors of the temple after his training, something had changed.  There was a spark to her that had not been present before.  That was when Athena realized her adopted daughter found her mate.  Athena knew it would happen sooner or later, and while every inch of her was desperate to protect Mari, she couldn’t.  Hector was destined to be with Mari, and after 2800 years, at last it was time and Athena had to let her go.



“Go to him Athene.  He is yours now and will follow you and guide you through this darkness.  Do not fear my sweet one.”   The Goddess pressed her lips tenderly to Marilla’s forehead and watched her presence fade from her home.  Athena knew this moment would come, but still it pained her.  She nurtured, fought, trained, loved, and guided Marilla for almost 5000 years of life and now it was someone else’s turn to stand by her.  The Goddess looked to the ground where Marilla had just rested and carefully she picked up the broach left behind.  It shimmered beautifully in the light of the lamps and Athena let  a tear slide down her pristine face.  While she was sad, she was still wonderfully happy.  Marilla was on her way now, and soon she would be a Goddess in her own right, no longer in the shadows.  “Soon my sweet Athene, soon.”  she whispered, knowing Mari could hear her.



Rolling awake Mari saw that her bedside clock read 4:00 am.  It was far too early to be up, but she knew already she wouldn’t get back to sleep.  Her thoughts were instantly on Hector.  The night before he came to her, but did not stay.  



It was so sudden, the need to be near him that she barely remembered climbing from her bed and moving to her door.  Closing her robe tightly around her she slipped from her bedroom and silently padded down the hall to Hector’s.  



She stopped short at the door, suddenly afraid to go inside.  ’This is ridiculous Mari… open the damn door.  You used to barge in on him all the time.’  While it was true, things were different now.  Now they were… well hell.  She wasn’t even sure what to call it.  



Summoning her courage she opened the door quickly and slid inside and latched it shut without a sound.  Silently she edged up close to the bed and looked down on the sleeping warrior.



He was beautiful to say the least.  His gorgeous silver hair splayed over the jade pillow looking like streaks from the moon.  His face was slack and content and one arm lay gently over the top of his head.  She let her gaze drift over him, memorizing every curve and taut muscle his bare chest had to offer.



As she stared at him sleeping she could feel the desire flood back to her full force.  It was almost as if she would burn away if she didn’t touch him.  Without a second thought she boldly let her heavy robe slide to the floor, leaving her completely naked.  Quietly she crawled beneath the blankets and poised herself above him.  



What was she doing?!  She was never so bold, but something in her gravitated to him telling her this was ok.  But all she could do was stare at him, too scared to move farther.  Losing her nerve she carefully began to pull back but was stopped short when Hector’s eyes flew open and he rolled her under him rapidly.



Staring up at Hector she watched his face relax as realization hit him it was her.  



“Mari?”  He asked, slightly surprised to find her in his room… and completely naked in his bed.  He knew he felt someone in his room and watching him, but he figured it was…. Well he wasn’t sure actually, but he knew it hadn‘t been threatening.  However he certainly didn’t expect this.



Not that it wasn’t a welcome site at 4 in the morning.



He stayed poised perfectly above her smiling down at her nervousness.  



“Hi.”  Mari’s voice caught in her throat, making a small squeak sound.  Now that was annoying.  “I um… well you see…”  She began, all the while Hector’s smile growing and slowly he began to relax his body over hers.  



Oh he felt wonderful, if it were possible she would‘ve melted into every inch of him.  She felt his stomach rest against hers and the muscles in his chest press against her breasts causing a wonderful friction as he settled.  He braced himself on his forearms.  His perfect face was inches above her own and she could feel his breath on her face.  He was breathtaking.  



He watched her intently.  Enjoying the way her cheeks flushed from her embarrassment.  Her felt her legs brush his as they rubbed together.  No doubt she was becoming aroused, which made two of them.



Mari felt her breath catch in her throat as Hector leaned forward and traced a path over her nose to her cheek and jaw with his lips.  His touch was feather light and made her yearn for him.  The back of his knuckles trailed the plane of her other cheek and she couldn’t breathe at his closeness.  



“Yes Mari?”  He whispered, ghosting touches over her skin.  Her body was so warm and his need for her was beginning to build.  He was already throbbing for her.  All he wanted to do was fade his pants away, crawl between those perfect legs and slide inside her warmth.  Then he would have her… taking her until she begged him to stop from sheer pleasure.  He would erase every touch and memory that lingered in her mind from her servitude.  



“Hector?”  Slowly he opened his eyes and brought his gaze back to her face.  They were glowing ever so softly and in their radiance he saw her love shining back at him.  Her voice was meek and trembled ever so slightly.  



“Yes Mari?”



“Will you hold me?”  She murmured, the fear showing through on her features.  He knew she was afraid, and he didn’t blame her one bit.



Hector pressed his lips to hers gently.  In one fluid movement he rolled to his side with her in tow.  Cradling her protectively to his body he felt her curl against him.  She stiffened as her leg brushed his groin.  Instantly she began pulling from him, but he held her tight.



“It’s all right Mari.”



“I’m sorry.”  and he felt them.  Tears slid from her eyes and landed on his chest.



He placed one hand under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze.  She was frightened to say the least.  Here she had been, naked in his bed, aroused them both, then in the last second became terrified.  She just didn’t know what was wrong with her.



“Nothing’s wrong with you Mari.  You have nothing to be sorry for.”  She didn’t believe him.  She only cried harder and Hector kissed her again gently.  He could taste the salt from her tears on her lips and he took his time to nibble over her lips attempting to tease and play with her, anything to stop her crying.



“Hey.  You need to cut this out.  A 5000 year old warrior goddess doesn’t cry.”  He teased, stroking his thumbs over her cheeks, clearing away her tears.  A smile finally edged its way onto her face and she laughed.  “That’s better.”  



Feeling him curl her closer, Mari settled and eased her thoughts.  There wasn’t any animosity coming from him, and his body was completely pliant against hers, signaling he was content.  Resting against his chest nervously, but slowly becoming comfortable, she closed her eyes and allowed those dreams to claim her once more with his arms securely around her.



Hector listened as Mari drifted back to sleep, her breathing even, keeping a steady rhythm against his chest.  He took some time to enjoy the feel of her in his arms, but soon enough he too drifted back to sleep.  The two of them lay entwined until the early afternoon.

 

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Sorry the post was so long in the making!  Been working on some other things!  Hope you enjoyed the chapter!