crossed over his chest as he gave her a very cool once-over.
"You're not Megeara."
"No, I'm not. But what I'd like to know is how a person like you made it onto this boat."
"A person like me?"
She nodded as she took a step closer to him. "Tall, dark haired. Sexy beyond belief with eyes so blue
they glow? I suppose the question of the day is who's your daddy?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Who's your daddy?" she repeated before she expanded the question. "Morpheus or Phobetor?"
He gave her a suspicious look. "Who are you?"
"Katra Agrotera. But most people in this realm call me Kat."
She saw the recognition in his eyes. "Agrotera?"
"Yes," she answered his unasked question. Agrotera was one of the names often attached to the Greek
goddess Artemis—a name often used by her servants. The very same goddess who'd sent Kat here to
watch over the progress of this team. "I'm one of her koris ."
"What are you doing here?"
"I used to work with Geary's father from time to time, back in the day when the two of them weren't
speaking. Since she's getting a little close to the matter at hand, Artemis thought I should put a few
roadblocks in front of her."
"And why is that?"
"Simple. Atlantis can't be found."
He scoffed at her. "You're the second person to tell me that in less than an hour. Why is it so important
to Artemis that it stay hidden?"
"The why isn't that important. Just believe me when I say you don't want to go there… in more ways
than one."
He didn't flinch or show any emotion, which given his birth made sense to her. Still, it was time he
learned to fear.
When he spoke, his tone was level and deadly. "Megeara wants to find it."
"And people in hell want ice water. The entire history of mankind is written by people wanting something
they can't have. She'll get over her disappointment, trust me." She approached him slowly and lowered
her tone to make damn sure that no one passing by in the hallway outside could overhear her next words.
"But that still doesn't explain how it is a Dream-Hunter is here, in the flesh, on this boat. I'm sure you
didn't come to this plane just to help the good doctor on her quest."
He was more guarded than a priceless treasure. "I wanted to know what it was like to be human. Is that
a crime?"
"On Olympus, it can be."
"Are you threatening me?"
"I'm warning you to forget you ever even heard the name of Atlantis."
"And if I don't heed your warning?"
"Oh, it'll get ugly. Real ugly."
He gave her a cocky grin. "My flesh is used to being stripped from the bone, little girl. Is yours?" He
didn't give her time to answer before he continued. "You can't threaten or intimidate someone who won't
be able to feel any emotions in a few weeks. Pain doesn't scare me since it's all I know."
"You're a masochistic bastard, aren't you?"
"Isn't that the very nature of a Skotos? After all, it's what your kind damned us to."
Kat paused at his words. It was true. What had been done to the Oneroi was deplorable and
unfortunate. But it still didn't change the fact that he couldn't be allowed to uncover Atlantis. Artemis
wasn't the only god who would be furious to have it exposed. This little Skotos was playing with a fire he
couldn't even begin to understand.
"So you're just here to be human and experience the world? Nothing else?"
"Nothing else."
Kat could almost accept that except for one thing. "And how does Geary fit into this?"
"Who says she does?"
Kat laughed as she noted the speculation in his crystal eyes—he was hiding something. "Don't mistake
me for an idiot. You have no god powers, I can feel it. While your kind does come to this plane from
time to time to scope out victims, you don't lose your powers when you do it. You've bargained yours to
be here and to be human, and you're helping Geary. Why?"
"First you tell me why Artemis is interested in this and then I might answer you."
He was quick and clever. She'd give him that. "All righty then. It appears we've