Eleven thousand years ago, a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. But the strongest steel is forged from the fires of hell… Acheron's human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, he became the sole defender of mankind. Only it was never that simple. For centuries, Acheron has fought for our survival and hidden a past he'll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence. Now his survival―and ours―hinges on hers, and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both. War has never been more deadly...or more fun. "Kenyon is the reigning queen of the vampire novel."-- Publishers Weekly Kenyon boldly goes where no author has gone before and claims yet another genre as her own. With her League series, she has created a new, addictive universe and proven herself the undisputed master of the cross-genre novel.-- Publishers Weekly "[A] publishing phenomenon...[Sherrilyn Kenyon is] the reigning queen of the wildly successful paranormal scene." -- Publishers Weekly "Kenyon's writing is brisk, ironic and relentlessly imaginative. These are not your mother's vampire novels." -- Boston Globe "Once again Ms. Kenyon has managed to blow me away with another fantastical and imaginative story in Son of No One . "- The Reading Café PRAISE FOR AUTHOR SHERRILYN KENYON "Kenyon is the reigning queen of the vampire novel."--Barbara Vey, Publishers Weekly "An engaging read." Entertainment Weekly on Devil May Cry "Kenyon's writing is brisk, ironic, sexy, and relentlessly imaginative. These are not your mother's vampire novels." The Boston Globe on Dark Side of the Moon PRAISE FOR AUTHOR SHERRILYN KENYON "Kenyon is the reigning queen of the vampire novel."--Barbara Vey, Publishers Weekly "An engaging read."― Entertainment Weekly on Devil May Cry "Kenyon's writing is brisk, ironic, sexy, and relentlessly imaginative. These are not your mother's vampire novels."― The Boston Globe on Dark Side of the Moon Defying all odds is what #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn McQueen writing as Sherrilyn Kenyon does best. Rising from extreme poverty as a child that culminated in being a homeless mother with an infant, she has become one of the most popular and influential authors in the world (in both adult and YA fiction), with dedicated legions of fans known as Paladins--thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her numerous genre-defying series. Since her first book debuted while she was still in college, she has placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats and genres, including manga and graphic novels, and has more than 70 million books in print worldwide. Her series include: Dark-Hunters®, Chronicles of Nick®, Deadman’s Cross™, Eve of Destruction™, Nevermore™, Lords of Avalon® and The League®. Over the years, her Lords of Avalon® novels have been adapted by Marvel, and her Dark-Hunters® and Chronicles of Nick® are New York Times bestselling manga and comics and are #1 bestselling adult coloring books. Acheron By Kenyon, Sherrilyn St. Martin's Paperbacks Copyright © 2009 Kenyon, Sherrilyn All right reserved. ISBN: 9780312949419 Chapter One   May 9, 9548 BC   "Kill that baby!"   Archon's angry decree rang in Apollymi's ears as she flew through the marbled halls of Katoteros. There was a fierce wind blowing down the hallway, plastering her black gown against her pregnant body and whipping her white blond hair out in spiraling tendrils. Four of her demons ran behind her, protecting her from the other gods who were more than eager to carry out Archon's orders. She and her Charonte demons had already blasted half of her pantheon back. And she was ready to kill the rest.   They would not take her child!   Betrayal burned deep inside her heart. Since the moment of their union, she'd been true to her husband. Even when she'd learned Archon had been faithless to her, she'd still loved him and welcomed his bastards into her home.   Now he wanted the life of her unborn child.   How could he do this? For centuries she'd been trying to conceive Archon's son—it was all she'd ever wanted.   A babe of her own.   Now due to the prophecy of three small girls—Archon's jealous bastards, her child was to be sacrificed and killed. Because of what? Words those little brats had whispered?   Never.   This was her baby. Hers! And she would kill every Atlantean god in existence to keep him.   "Basi!" She shouted for her niece.   Basi flashed into the hallway before her and staggered until she braced herself against the wall. As the goddess of excess, she was seldom sober—which fit Apollymi's plan perfectly.   Basi hiccupped and giggled. "Did you need me, Auntie? By the way, why is everyone so upset? Did I miss so