For the love of the Gods

Artemis turned her mare to catch up with her girls, forcing herself not to look back at her centaur second and the blonde slayer. She couldn’t really discern what it was that grated at her so badly but whatever it was, she was certain it was the blondes fault.



Spotting the first wave of demonic activity she drew her bow and an arrow, carefully taking aim, she released, watching in satisfaction as the arrow struck home and the beast dropped.



Turning she smiled at Theron who had caught up and was wielding a sword in each hand while Buffy held a long sword and was looking wide-eyed at the demons slowly closing in on them.



“Not your earth bound variety are they slayer.” Artemis said sarcastically, surprised at the withering glance Buffy gave her, Artemis growled when she saw the slayer pull herself closer to Theron.



“Well get to it, you’re a slayer….slay.” With that Artemis leapt from her steed and rushed a throng of demons that were unsuccessfully attempting to kill off a lone slayer.



***********************



Theron turned and smiled warmly at the blonde. “Goddess has a point sunny hair; we can visit later but let us get the hunt underway.”



Theron offered her hand and helped Buffy climb off her equine back. Leaning down Theron cupped Buffy’s chin and lightly but firmly kissed the blondes lips. “Thirty points if you take down the minotaur.” She whispered after pulling away.



Buffy stared up at her, glossy eyed for a moment before her slayer senses kicked off and she turned to see she was standing right in front of a large demon that looked like a cross between a buffalo and a man.



“Fuck thirty, that’s forty AND ill kill that dragon thing before you.”



Whinnying in delight Theron stomped her hoof “YOUR ON!” Buffy watched the centurion woman charge the other nearby Minotaur.



Not wasting time Buffy launched her through the air and swung her blade, pleased when the metal sliced through the thick coat, not so pleased when the beast grasped her around the waist.



Gasping when it snarled and squeezed its fist tighter around her waist, Buffy raised her sword and drove it straight through the beasts hand, it howled in pain and flung her away….skidding to a halt Buffy charged the Minotaur again this time jumping farther and higher than she had before, when she collided with the beasts neck she held the spear in both hands and raised it high before driving the blade straight through into the demons spine.



Leaping clear as the dead demon fell, Buffy stood smiling, THAT had felt good, turning she saw Theron was finishing off her own Minotaur, spotting the dragon she had been talking about earlier Buffy broke into a sprint, slowing only to yell ‘Forty points’ to Theron as she passed.



When she was closer to the dragon she launched herself through the air, landing on its back she dodged razor sharp claws and foot long teeth before finally driving her sword through the dragon’s eye.



Standing for a moment on the corpse of the dead dragon Buffy turned to see Theron standing off to the side smiled ear to ear when she saw that the dragon demon was dead.



“Don’t tell me your tired little one.” Theron yelled across the ashy field. Buffy smiled and shook her head; looking around briefly she realized that where Artemis’s forests were heavenly, this dry dead landscape was indeed hellish.



It was almost a mirror copy of Artemis’s forests except that everything was dead, the skies were filled with thunderclouds…it was dreadful.



Swallowing and thanking God that she had never done anything hell worthy she turned and raced toward Theron who stood, smiling Buffy forced herself not to hug the centaur and looked over the taller creature.



Hardly a scratch. Looking down she saw that her clothes were all but ruined and she had a long gash along her thigh but it did not hurt. In fact as soon as she saw it, it healed.



“What…”



“As long as you bear the mark of the Golden Twins you share there power. It protects you in worlds such as this.” Theron said, pointing to Buffy’s palm. Buffy looked down and understood when she saw the silver symbol branded into her hand.



“So you’re saying…I can’t be hurt?” Buffy was a little shocked at this prospect.



“No you can, just it takes much more to hurt you than it would were you mortal again and as soon as you cross back into Artemis’s domain you will be revived.”



“What happens if you don’t make it back?”Buffy asked, and watched as a shadow spread across Therons features.



“You become a shade, it is the worst fate possible for a spirit, doomed to roam the entire universe, no one may see you, hear you, feel you. Only the worst offenders are granted such a fate. But enough talk, let’s hunt…I call that hydra…fifty points.” Theron said, a charming smiled nearly kicked Buffy over. Damn the woman was gorgeous when she smiled.



“You’re on.” Smiling she swung back up onto Theron’s back and the pair raced off to the hydra.



*******************



Artemis’s hand tightened uncouncisoly around her bow when she saw the flirtatious movements between Theron and Buffy.



She had been convinced that throwing herself into the hunt would kill any strange fleeting desire she had for the slayer. Instead it only seemed to inflame. Sighing she was growing bored but she had agreed to an entire night of this nonsense.



Drawing another arrow she readied her bow and took aim, shooting straight and true the beast fell…that made nearly sixty demons down by her hand.



Smiling she walked back through the carnage to her steed, grasping the reins she swung up and decided a little side trip was in order.



Turning towards Hades gates she worked the horse into a steady gallop.



***************



Hades was hard at work, you wouldn’t think handling the dead could be so tiresome but Gods forbid if a spirit ended up where it wasn’t supposed to go. Sighing he suddenly longed for his Persephone, it was spring and she had only been gone a month. Hell was always so…hellish without her here.



Looking up when he saw a light coming towards him, he smiled when he saw that it was Artemis, “Hello niece. This is unexpected.”



Artemis smiled at her uncle, Hades was dour and different from the other Olympians, more often staying in his domain than ever venturing out of it but over the eons they had struck an unlikely friendship. “I’m here to see her. How is she today?”



“Same as ever Artemis. You…I just wish you wouldn’t do this to yourself.”



“We have a deal uncle, you keep my secret from Zeus and I don’t tell Demeter you meet with her daughter during the warmer seasons.”



Sighing he wearily rubbed his face. “I wasn’t threatening to rat you out Artemis, I’m just saying this behavior…its not healthy.”



Looking away uncomfortably Artemis shrugged. “It’s the only way…I wont let her become a shade.”



Nodding Hades watched his most headstrong niece walk down the corridor that held one occupant and always would hold one for as long as Artemis willed it.



***************



Theron laughed heartily as Buffy and Kit joked, she honestly hadn’t the slightest idea what they were talking about but it didn’t matter because Buffy would smile and the sight made something inside of Theron flip over.



“No I’m serious it was that big!” Kit insisted, she spread her arms to demonstrate, bragging about the hydra she had taken down.



“Whatever…the neck couldn’t have been that wide….mine was bigger.” Buffy smiled, Kit scowled but when she saw the humor in Buffy’s eyes she broke into giggles.



“Okay maybe it wasn’t that big…and it had four heads instead of seven…” Blushing when Buffy laughed and playfully punched her in the arm Kit smiled up at Theron.



“You goof.” Buffy said, stopping when her slayer senses began to flare up, the three of them were set apart from most of the slayers and it had been a long weary night, and she could clearly see the barrier up ahead. “Something’s here.”



“What is it?” Theron asked, hand resting on the hilt of her sword, looking around intently. Kit stopped and sniffed the air.



“I can’t smell anything past this damn sulfur.” Kit snarled.



Suddenly the ground beneath Buffy’s feet began to rumble, startled she tried to regain her footing as she went to catch Therons outstretched hand the ground opened up and the last thing she saw was Therons and Kits horrified expressions before the ground closed in on her again.



***************



Artemis stood outside the cell, struggling to hold back tears, she took off her armor and weaponry, that would make her edgy.



Dipping her hands in a basin she washed the blood and dust from her skin…the scent would drive her more feral than she already was…



Standing straight Artemis took one last deep breath and gently opened the door. Stepping inside she silently will the room to illuminate and it did.



There across the room, crouched low and snarling at her viciously was a small dark haired woman.



“Hello Velma.” Artemis said clearly, fully prepared for the first slayer, her lover to fling herself across the small room only to be stopped by an invisible force.



Artemis watched as the slayer who had become more animal than man paced angrily on the other side of the barrier.



TBC

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