Chasing Destiny [SYTYCW15]

Belgrade, 1941

Akantha woke with the sun and greeted the day with a small smile on her face. Then the events of the previous night came rushing back in a flood of memories. The smile faded and a scowl replaced it. How could she have been so stupid to sleep with Damianos? Now the man would be even more insufferable if it were possible. Knowing him he would see this as her having feelings for him and he'd want more than just a night. She'd never admit to still having feelings for him, at least out loud.

She pushed herself to a sitting position and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The thin sheet covering her fell off and she shivered at the sudden feel of cool air. She stood up, stretched and then began searching for her discarded clothes. She heard him moving, but didn't dare turn around and look at him.

"Morning already?" he mumbled.

"Yes, and we need to get moving."

"Or we could stay in bed for a few more hours. We both rather enjoyed ourselves last night."

"I'm trying to forget last night," she shot back.

Her words cut deeper and caused more hurt than any weapon every could, yet he still loved her. He knew he was a fool, but he was a fool in love with a beautiful woman. If she were hating him, she didn't have time to be maudlin over Matheus. "Such sweet words of love fall from your lips."

"Get dressed," she ordered. "Or I leave without you." She heard a deep sigh come from him and small smile stretched her mouth. Okay, it was petty that his frustration brought her some amount of pleasure, but after all he put her through in their long lives she felt justified.

"I'm getting dressed," he grumbled and the smile on her face grew.

"Matheus probably isn't too far from here," she commented as she pulled on her blouse. "He's had enough time to heal his wounds enough to be able to function."

"How are you doing?"

"Sore, but able to move," she replied. She grabbed her trousers and pulled them on. They were the trousers she took off the soldier they left in the alley, but she didn't have anything else to wear. They were more comfortable than her usual skirt and allowed her a greater range of movement. She just wished they weren't so baggy on her.

"I didn't hurt you last night, did I?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Good. With luck and good fortune we should have the Spear in our possession by the end of the day."

"From your mouth to Tyche's ears," Akantha said as she slipped on the uniform's jacket.

"Gods grant us the good," he said.

She didn't comment. Instead she collected the leftover food and packed it in the bag he brought it in. They would need it if they had to run from the Nazis. They may not have time to stop until they were out of Nazi controlled territory. "Ready?" she asked and turned to look at him. He was dressed. Would wonders never cease.

"I'm...." He was cut off by the door bursting open and German soldiers rushing into the room with weapons drawn and pointing at them.

Akantha jumped and went for a weapon, but she froze when she saw Matheus walk into the room. Damianos had hit him with a head shot evident by the bandage on his forehead. Matheus, she noted, was moving stiffly. Maybe he hadn't healed as much as they had thought.

"My, isn't this a touching scene?" he asked in German. "Am I interrupting? I hope I am."

Akantha glared daggers at her former lover. "How did you find us?" she demanded in French, refusing to speak in German.

"You're in no position to demand answers, but I will indulge you. The soldiers at the checkpoint recognized you from the warrant for your arrest Reichsführer-SS Himmler put out. I radioed ahead to all places you could possibly go and gave instructions that you were not to be arrested, but for them to contact me personally. Once we reached the city, it was just a matter of time until we found the truck you stole and where you were staying."

Had she not been so furious, Akantha's jaw would have dropped. Matheus had laid a trap and she had walked right into it. She had been so focused on getting the spear, she hadn't thought things through and thought about who she was dealing with. "I can't believe you are doing this," Akantha said to Matheus in French. "How dare you give the spear to the Nazis?"

"Don't question me," Matheus growled and delivered a backhand to the side of her face. Taken by surprised, Akantha stumbled back a few steps. The sting of the slap made her eyes water and the side of her face felt as if were on fire.

Once the surprise of the slap wore off, Akantha lunged for Matheus, but Damianos caught her and held her tight. "Don't," he said into her ear. "Go along and we'll find a way out with the spear." Akantha struggled to break free for a few moments, but eventually stopped. When she relaxed a little, Damianos released his hold on her. If looks could kill, Matheus would be a pile of ash. Never in a million years had she thought Matheus capable of striking her.

"Tie her up and make sure the restraints are tight," Matheus ordered the soldiers with him. "I can't have you escaping or causing me any problems."

"What are you going to do with us?" Akantha demanded.

"I haven't decided yet," Matheus admitted. "First I'm going to take you to Wewelsburg because I cannot spare the time to take you anywhere else. There I will give the spear to Himmler. Then I will decide what to do with you. As for your lover, I see no need for him. We both know mortals are disposable and it's better to not form attachments." Matheus drew his weapon and pointed it at Damianos.

It struck Akantha that Matheus didn't know Damianos was an immortal. Matheus had never met Damianos and Akantha had never mentioned him once during the century she and Matheus had spent together. She rarely spoke of Damianos, even to the people who had some inkling of the history Damianos and Akantha shared.

"No! Don't hurt him!" she pleaded. She had to make this convincing enough for Matheus to believe she loved Damianos. "Please, Matheus! Please don't hurt him!"

An unholy smile appeared on the immortal's face. He drew a gun and shot Damianos point blank in the chest. Damianos fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Noooo!" Akantha screamed and fell to the floor next to him. She leaned over and pretended to sob and wail in anguish. "He doesn't know you're immortal. Follow us to Wewelsburg," she whispered as she leaned in close. She kissed him firmly, selling the act.

Soldiers pulled Akantha off and started dragging her toward the door. "Justice knows every man's number!" she yelled at Matheus.

"Gag her," Matheus instructed his soldiers. The soldiers shoved a piece of cloth in Akantha's mouth and tied it off. She watched him kick Damianos' inert form and thank the gods Damianos didn't react. As far as Damianos was concerned, Matheus thought him dead. "Bring her," he ordered and exited the room. Akantha took one last look at Damianos as the soldiers dragged her out of the room.

She fought them every step of the way down to the truck, but their holds on her was too strong for her to break free. They escorted her downstairs, through the hotel lobby and outside to a waiting truck. She struggled against her captors and refused to climb into the truck.

Pain spiked on the back of her head and darkness closed in around her.