Kissed by a goddess

Chapter one:

Artemis's Pov:

I'd never given much thought to how I would die — but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, the one person I use to trust, and he looked pleasantly back at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something. I knew that if I'd never let the others pressure me into trusting him once more, I wouldn't be facing death now. But, terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision. When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end. The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to kill me....

"Hello, Artemis," that easy voice answered. "That was very quick. I'm impressed."

"Is my brother all right?"

"He's perfectly fine. Don't worry, Artemis, I have no quarrel with him. Unless you didn't come alone, of course." he spoke light and amused.

"I'm alone." I spoke, for I'd never been more alone in my entire life.

"Very good. Now, do you know the ballet studio just around the corner from where you are?"

"Yes. I know how to get there."

"Well, then, I'll see you very soon."

He hung up.

I ran from the room, through the door, out into the dead of night.

There was no time to look back at the empire state building, and I didn't want to see it as it was now — empty, a symbol of fear instead of sanctuary. The last person to walk through those familiar rooms was my enemy.

From the corner of my eye, lost in my mind, I could almost see my father standing in the shade of the big eucalyptus tree where I'd played as a child. Or kneeling by the little plot of dirt around the mailbox, the cemetery of all the flowers he'd tried to grow with me and my brother. The memories were better than any reality I would see today. But I raced away from them, toward the corner, leaving everything behind me.

I felt so slow, like I was running through wet sand — I couldn't seem to get enough purchase from the concrete. I tripped several times, once falling, catching myself with my hands, scraping them on the sidewalk, and then lurching up to plunge forward again. But at last I made it to the corner. Just another street now. The cold night air was refreshing on my skin, but I felt dangerously exposed. More fiercely than I would have dreamed I was capable of, I wished for the green, protective forests of... of home.

When I rounded the last corner, I could see the studio. The parking lot in front was empty, the vertical blinds in all the windows drawn. I couldn't run anymore — I couldn't breathe; exertion and fear had gotten the best of me. I thought of my brother to keep my feet moving, one in front of the other.

As I got closer, I could see the sign inside the door. It was handwritten on hot pink paper; it said the dance studio was closed for spring break. I touched the handle, tugged on it cautiously. It was unlocked. I fought to catch my breath, and opened the door.

The lobby was dark and empty, cool, the air conditioner thrumming. The plastic molded chairs were stacked along the walls, and the carpet smelled like shampoo. The west dance floor was dark, I could see through the open viewing window. The east dance floor, the bigger room, was lit. But the blinds were closed on the window.

Terror seized me so strongly that I was literally trapped by it. I couldn't make my feet move forward.

And then my brother's voice called.