Counting Stars at Dawn

13: The Three Crows

While Artemis had slept peacefully, he was not prepared in the slightest for the last meeting he would have with Ruby before she departed back to Ezamore.

"I cannot believe you would rather sleep with a vampire than me!" Ruby slammed her hands on the wooden desk of the library. "The sheer betrayal, the shame, the dishonor!"

"Please, Ruby it's not a personal thing! Just let me--"

"I don't care what your reasons are! Nothing that you can say will make this atrocious blasphemy forgivable! It fact, they might only dig your grave further and give me more reasons to cut you into bits!"

Ruby swung her hand and knocked over all the books on the desk. Her red hair was burning as intensely as the flame of a blacksmith's smelting pit. He couldn't get out of this and he wouldn't dare ask what he needed to know.

"Will--?"

"I won't call off the marriage." Ruby stared at him with clear disgust. "And I won't tell anyone about your dirty secret. So here's what I'll do. If when we marry, you do not do as I command then I will tell everyone and ensure you're hung from a noose. I will not bear a child coming from you, your problem may be contagious. I'll bear the child of whomever I like and you will worship me like a goddess! Am I clear, filthy whore?"

"You will use this to blackmail me in the marriage?" Artemis frowned.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in such a hurry to die. Let me go get the elders--"

"No! Okay fine I'll do as you say! Just never say a word!"

She walked closer to him and gripped his chin.

"It's no wonder he likes rutting you. You're such an obedient, submissive slut." She spat and slapped his face.

She left the library and went on her way back to her kingdom. Artemis rubbed the spot on his cheek where she had slapped him and shut his eyes tightly.

He hurried out of the library to his room and slammed the door shut. Hades had just finished showering when he saw Artemis.

"Arty, are you okay?" Hades went to him and picked up his face.

He noticed the red mark on his cheek and he bared his fangs as he was consumed in fury.

"I'm gonna kill her." Hades muttered and marched to the door but stopped himself at the handle as he heard Artemis sob.

He turned around and saw him hold his face on his palms. His shoulders quivering from his cries.

"No no, Artemis." Hades said worriedly, then Artemis sunk to the floor. "Artemis!"

Hades kneeled to catch him and Artemis cried out louder. His sobs were uncontrollable and he wanted to speak but couldn't utter a single sound. Hades only hugged him tightly, trying to reassure him.

"When did everything get so messed up?!" Artemis sobbed. "Why did things turn out this way?! I'm going to be stuck in a sham of a blackmailing marriage in two months for the rest of my life, raise a child that won't even be mine, and I don't even know what I feel about you!"

Hades rubbed his back as he continued crying. He actually felt guilty about this. If only he'd left Artemis alone from the start none of this would've happened. But on the other side of the coin, if Hades had left him alone he wouldn't have ever found the joy of being with a person he loves. It was selfish of him to want to continue seeing Artemis when it was only affecting his life negatively.

Hades deliberately ignored the fact that vampires are hated here and in Ezamore for the sake of escaping boredom. Now, he had to realize where that decision had led.