Page 47 of Ever Dark Academy: Volume 6

“It is more similar than you think.” Artemis narrowed his silver eyes at Grayson and smiled. “You know that Roan has little to do with me, let alone Caemorn. We are different people.”

“Caemorn is Kaly. You’re a slice. Roan is a slice,” Grayson replied coldly.

“Caemorn is really the most different from Kaly than us all. You must admit this, Ashyr,” Artemis said. “He is warm where Kaly was cold. He is soft where Kaly was hard. He cares about his sharp edges nicking others while Kaly delighted in that.”

“He’s had different experiences. They’ve changed him,” Grayson admitted.

“Yes, he is not the same as he was. Neither am I.”

Artemis lifted a shoulder and the robe slid to the side, showing more of a muscled arm. Grayson stared at this open sensuality. Kaly had never seemed like much of a sexual being to him. Repressed. Uptight. Anxious. Disdainful. Distant like a cold star. But much the same had been said about him. Yet this version of Kaly was quite the opposite. All peaches and cream skin, bright silver eyes, a curling set of plush lips that likely tasted as sweet as they looked. If Kaly didn’t bite off the lips that touched him, that was.

“Does this form please you?” Artemis looked up through astonishingly thick lashes. “I wasn’t sure it would be, considering your current preferences. But I can always change it to something more of your liking.”

“Preferences? I–I don’t care what you look like, Artemis,” Grayson said and wished he’d called the other Immortal Kaly, but that would not be correct despite what this slice said. Caemorn was Kaly and this was… well, it didn’t matter.

“But surely it does!”

Artemis got up on his knees and put his hands lightly on Grayson’s thighs. Grayson stared down at the almost elfin young man.

“Don’t touch me,” Grayson said.

“But I’m afraid I must. I mean… I wish to. And you’ll wish to touch me, which is why I want to make sure the form I take with you is pleasant in all ways,” Artemis told him. “I’m trying to do this right this time.”

“Do what right?”

Grayson found himself unable to lift his arms to push the young man away. His eyes went to those orange soul gems. There was something about them, something in them, that was sapping his strength, his will, even his life. He found himself calling out to Eyros.

Eyros, please! I need some help here!

But what could the other Immortal do? He was far from here. There were no Wyvern to teleport him here. He had no agents in Lasting. He could almost imagine Eyros taunting him with, What? No longer have faith in Seeyr? But it was one thing to say things like that when one didn’t have a smiling Artemis looking up into his eyes as if he were about to lure Grayson to bed.

“I’m going to turn you, Ashyr,” Artemis said sweetly. “I will be your Master. And nothing can break that bond.” His smile sharpened. “Not the way I intend to do it this time.”

Next Best Plan

The clearing would be just big enough for him to turn into a Stormbird. He could already feel the creature’s electrical energy building in his veins. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck rose and he shivered with anticipation. Khos was turning around in circles, doing a happy dance at the thought of him shifting, but that dance stopped when he sent Khos an image of him lifting the Dire Wolf up with his talons and carrying him through the air. The Dire Wolf blinked at him. Khos looked down at his paws on the earth. Looked up into the air. Khos flexed his toes against the ground. Ryder laughed. He reached over and scratched between Khos’ ears.

“It’s all right! I would never drop you,” Ryder promised.

“Khos isn’t alone in being a little nervous about being up in the air.” Charlie tugged at his tie. “I admit I’m more a–”

“Ground Vampire than an air Vampire?” Ryder quirked a smile.

Charlie beamed. “Why yes, old man! You’ve got it!”

“Well, I promise you, too, that I won’t let anything happen to you,” Ryder said and was surprised when his throat tightened a little with emotion at Charlie’s almost hopeful look at that.

“Yes, yes, you’re a powerful Immortal. Gave all of them a run for their money before. I’m sure I’m in good hands with you!” Charlie chuckled though there was a little worry in his tone.

“Before we fly across to the other side of that army, what’s our plan to get into Lasting?” Fiona asked.

She was gazing back at where the army was and picking at the hem of her shirt a little anxiously.

“I was rather hoping that since Charlie can make both of you look like feathers on my back that he could make the three of us appear to be Kalys and Khos to be a dead Dire Wolf,” Ryder suggested.

“Well, yes, I could do that!” Charlie brightened. He clearly loved using his gift.

“Let’s just hope that they don’t ask for a demonstration of our powers,” Fiona murmured.