He began to chant in Mayan. César joined him. Yuri was horrified when Keisha’s voice was added to theirs , speaking the Mayan words of worship. The other sound was from César sharpening the obsidian blades on the knives which he then laid out on the tiny altar in the middle of the room.
Grunting, Apolinar pushed his way slowly to an upright position. That brought him about a foot taller than the Mayan, who whirled on him in anger.
“How is this possible? You are required to remain on your knees throughout the ceremony, lest the gods be displeased.”
“The gods will be displeased, Xaman Ek, but it is not the ceremony they will dislike. It is you. You have failed your gods. You are not worthy to become one with them and travel among the stars.”
“What? What are these words you speak? Have I not suffered for my gods? Have I not lived an eternity of death and pain, torturing myself incessantly to prove my worthiness? Have I not taught all to worship the travelers—the gods who came so long ago and promised to return?”
Casimiro now pushed his way up to a standing position also. The Mayan turned his head to look at him and there was a glimmer of fear in his anger.
“How can this be? Both of you fight my power? Who are you to defy Xaman Ek, priest of the traveler gods? I was powerful when they arrived in their gleaming stars. I was made more powerful by their blood. I quickly learned how to make more followers and I served them for many years. I sent many out to make more followers.”
“You made mistakes. You have not served the gods as they asked,” Apolinar continued.
“I did serve them. I have lived for countless centuries—waiting and preparing for their return. When the peoples of the southern lowlands disregarded the warning not to turn everyone with the blood, it was their ignorance which caused their cities to collapse. It was not my fault. I warned them as the gods taught me to, that they needed to keep many for feeding. They all drank the blood and destroyed each other.”
The Mayan pointed a finger at Apolinar who remained upright with great effort.
“That was long ago. I taught you about that. Surely the gods will know that was not my doing. I have been their faithful servant for more years than anyone else could have been. My years of waiting are soon to end.”
“They will find you useless to them when they get here.” Apolinar said , “You will not be able to serve them as they require...you have too little blood left to even feed them.”
Anger crackled around the room as the Mayan advanced on Apolinar, trying to force him to kneel. He went down on one knee, then Casimiro took his hand and he stood back up again.
“You are too old to be useful anymore, Xaman Ek. You have no connection to the world as it is now.”
“I have learned this new language. I will learn what I need to.”
“You can’t learn to think like humans do today.”
Real fear now flashed across the mummified face. Yuri, who tried to fight the power that kept him down, suddenly realized his body was under his control once again. Unlike the others, he didn’t rise up, but slowly made his way over to the knives that César readied for the sacrifice. Keisha rocked and chanted quietly with her eyes closed, as she obviously prepared herself to be sacrificed.
“How is that? Humans are as they have always been:. unruly, undisciplined animals who need to be told what to do.”
“No, Xaman Ek, you are mistaken. The gods will return to find that humans have advanced more than they expected. They reach for the stars themselves now. Many of them think like the woman does, with ideas that reach far beyond our planet. Can you do that? Can you talk to the humans of today and convince them of the need to follow plans set into motion thousands of years ago, when they will run in terror from your appearance? You don’t even look human anymore. You don’t sound human and you don’t think like a human anymore. You have outlived your usefulness. What would the gods want you to do if you can’t serve them anymore? Would they expect you to ask Ixtab to give you the strength to worship her?”
“No,” the Mayan screeched with a sound that made everyone in the room wince. “I can learn quickly as I have always done. I have lived thousands of years, waiting for this moment. I have lain under the earth, listening to the activities going on above me. I have learned this new language...I can learn others. I will feed so that my skin becomes more full. I am a faithful servant.”
Apolinar continued speaking as Yuri inched closer to the knives. Yuri thought he saw a subtle nod of Apolinar’s head, hidden from the Mayan by Casimiro’s body. When he was close enough he reached for the longest, sharpest blade—the one that looked just right for separating a head from a body.
“Can you learn to speak to all of the people of the planet? Can you learn to talk with them about the physics of space travel? Can you convince them that the travelers are gods when they themselves have traveled to other planets? Can you speak to them of neutrinos and virtual particle pairs which pop in and out of existence? Can you discuss black holes evaporation or cosmic microwave background radiation, or the harnessing of the power held within a tiny atom to either destroy a civilization, or power the vast networks of electrical grids necessary to keep today’s humans informed? Can you make them see that you are the only one who can talk to the travelers that you call gods because you were their chosen one over five-thousand years ago? Or will they reject you as an inferior remnant to be discarded because you don’t think like the educated people of this modern age do? Will they need you to intervene with gods who think like they do? With gods who will approach them not as gods but as equals? Are you equal to your gods, Xaman Ek? Or have you outlived your time?”
“How can you say all of this to me when I want your mouth closed? How can you still stand? What gives you power to fight me like this when you used to crawl on your belly begging to bleed for me?”
Apolinar smiled at the man who held his hand.
“I have found my other half. I see all of the colors of the world now that I found a home in one man’s heart while he lives in mine. I have experienced a love that changed me and gave me the will to live and to reject you and your power. Your power comes from fear and I no longer fear you. I see you as your gods will...as a dried-up husk of what was once a servant, but is now not even good to feed upon. You have no blood to sacrifice. You have lived too long, Xaman Ek, to be of any more use to your gods. It is time for you to end this, here and... now!”
Moving quickly Yuri stood. Holding on to the hilt with both hands, he swung the blade.
“No.” César saw too late what was to happen and threw himself in the path of the blade. He was too far away and Casimiro moved to block him from reaching the Mayan. They grappled, each trying to throw the other to the ground.
The blade was sharp and Yuri’s aim was true. With one swing, he cut the Mayan’s head off. The bones were so brittle that it sounded like snapping a dried branch. There was no blood to spurt out from the neck or the hideous head which bounced down to the ground, rolling over to rest at Apolinar’s feet.
“It needs to be burned quickly. Start a fire. We must burn him before he repairs the damage.”
Yuri quickly found the torches they had dropped once they were hit with the Mayan’s power when they entered the chamber. He stacked them together, in a triangular shape, to create a small pyre. He used one of the torches from the wall to set them on fire, and quickly fed them other bits of wood and torch pieces he found around the room.
Apolinar picked up the mummified head of the Mayan and held it in front of him, speaking to it.
“Your time is passed, Xaman Ek. I send you to join your ancestors.” He spoke a few words in Mayan. Yuri looked on in horror as the eyes opened and the mouth tried to force out words.
Apolinar quickly walked to the fire and placed the head in the middle of the flames. It tried to roll but he stoked the fire by placing more torches from the walls onto the pyre and feeding the flames until they engulfed the head entirely. Meanwhile the body twitched on the
floor, as if it was still alive but unable to act.
Apolinar picked up the ancient tool of death and hefted the blade Yuri had used to chop the arms and legs off of the dried-up husk of a body. He carried them over to join the head in the fire. Yuri kept searching for more wood to feed the flames. He dragged a pile of rags over and the dried fabrics made the fire burn hotter. When the flames looked hot enough, Apolinar and Yuri picked up either end of the torso and tossed it into the center.
Keisha screamed a long wail. She leapt to her feet and attempted to throw herself onto the pyre. Yuri intercepted her and held onto her while she struggled to free herself. He pulled her close and bit into her neck, then went searching in her memories for her. There was great confusion in her mind, passageways of darkness filled with smoke. He kept looking until he found her, once again curled into a fetal position, this time under a small child’s bed. He held both of her hands and smiled at her.
“It’s over, my love. He’s dead. Come back with me.”
With a gasp, Keisha opened her eyes and frantically bit the side of Yuri’s neck. She slurped greedily to regain her strength. They both sank to their knees, locked in each other’s arms.
Yuri broke her suction and held her tightly, murmuring words of love as he rocked back and forth with her.
Casimiro wrestled César to the ground once the torso began to smolder and burn. César lay still, his head turned toward the funeral pyre as it burned the body of the Mayan. Casimiro staggered over to Apolinar, who grabbed hold of him and pulled him close. For a moment neither of them moved. Then as one, they also sank to their knees in exhaustion, and fed from each other’s arms. They sat next to each other, locked in an embrace, and watched the fire.
The body, aged for so long, didn’t take long to be consumed entirely. Once there was nothing left but ashes and bones, Apolinar led Casimiro and Yuri in looking for large boulders. They brought stones over to the ashes and smashed what was left of the bones into pieces. Then Casimiro found unburned rags. They swept the ashes and bone fragments into piles and wrapped them in the rags.
César shook himself and moved while they collected the ashes so he helped with that part of the ritual. They each took a bundle and wearily made their way up and out of the tomb, through the temple, then out into the fresh, humid night air. The moon was no longer plagued by clouds. By its new position they knew it was very near to morning.
“We need to dump these into the sea to be sure he can never return,” Apolinar said gravely. “I don’t think that either César or Keisha has the strength to fly that far before daylight.”
“César can lead the way back to his home and I will get Keisha there safely. Will you have enough time?” Yuri looked from one to the other.
Nodding at each other, Apolinar and Casimiro took the bundles from Yuri and César. They shot up into the night.
Yuri waved for César to lead the way, and grabbed Keisha’s hand to help her to focus on her new skill. They flew slowly back to the estate. Once there they were greeted by servants eager to donate blood to their exhausted master and his guests before they retired for the day.
As she began to lose consciousness, Keisha asked, “Will he be able to haunt me from the grave?”
Yuri shook his head. “I don’t think so. Apolinar seemed quite certain that as long as we followed through on all of his directions, the details would ensure he is truly gone. He was beheaded, burned, crushed, and then dispersed into the sea. I think he’s gone now.”
Keisha yawned. “Do you think they will make it back before light?”
Yuri shrugged. “Possibly. If need be, they are eminently capable of finding a dark place to spend the day. One can rest while the other watches...they are both old enough to do that.”
“I hope this is the last time you will have to save my li...” Keisha was out.
Yuri pulled her closer into his arms and sighed deeply.
“I hope so too but I’m afraid this isn’t the end of our troubles. Hopefully we have a break until 2021.”
He closed his eyes and eased into the blackness of sleep.
Chapter Twenty
The next night Keisha woke up to find that Yuri was gone. She saw a note next to the bed:
Keisha my love,
I’m upstairs talking with César.
We are waiting for Apolinar and Casimiro to return.
Join us when you awaken.
She found clean clothing in the closet, marveling at the bright colors of the dresses, skirts, and blouses in there. She hummed to herself as she enjoyed the feel of the hot spray of water on her body as she showered. She dressed herself in bright oranges and yellows, and then smiled at her reflection in the mirror.
Look at you, girl! Hounded out of a job, hunted by madmen, shot and left to die, resurrected by a vampire who is over a hundred years old, taught how to mind-fuck people for their blood which somehow isn’t gross to me anymore, taught to fly, haunted by a five-thousand-year-old Mayan mummy vampire who enjoyed making me a prisoner in my own mind. And yet the madmen and the Mayan mummy are dead and I’m still here, thanks to a vampire who loves me, and his friends. And I look damn good in these colors—if I must say so myself.
Keisha stuck her tongue out at her reflection. Then she made her way up in the elevator to join the men in the sitting room.
* * * *
She found Yuri talking animatedly with Apolinar and Casimiro. César was telling a servant to bring them more blood. When Yuri saw her he jumped up, but since Apolinar was closer to her, he rose up to hug her first.
“Most beautiful and wonderful Keisha. How do you feel this evening?”
She blushed as his effusive comments, smiling as she replied, “Great. I had a good day’s sleep in a comfortable bed, and a long hot shower. Then I found these gorgeous clothes...”
César rejoined them so she spoke to him, “It’s alright that I’m wearing this, right? My clothing from last night was covered in dirt and blood.”
“Of course. Mi casa es su casa...these are not just words, and they include what is in it. Those clothes have been worn by other women before you but never have they looked as lovely as they do right now. With your beautiful brown skin you must continue to choose oranges and yellows. They highlight your light brown hair and your unusual green eyes.” He smiled. “In fact, the flowers hide their faces with embarrassment now that your color and beauty have put them to shame.”
Casimiro grinned as he rose also, He gave Keisha a quick embrace, saying in a low voice, “It’s their way, Keisha. Hispanic men can’t use enough superlatives when they find something pleasing. I think you look nice and I’m glad you feel well tonight.”
Yuri cleared his throat. “Ahem. I don’t mind being last in line but isn’t it my turn to hug Keisha?”
There was a chuckle of low male laughter that echoed around the room as Yuri took Keisha in a passionate embrace. He kissed her hard on the mouth and whispering in her ear, “My body responds to you. I have to hold you for a minute or two until I can get it under better control.”
Keisha giggled as his erection twitched against her thigh. She made a big deal out of returning his kiss before she turned to the face the other men. She walked in front of Yuri and pulled him behind her, his groin hidden by her voluminous skirts. They sat down together on the loveseat.
César poured blood into five glasses which he now passed to each one of them. Following his lead, they all raised them into the air in a toast.
“To good friends, who in requesting favors, return favors.”
Apolinar raised an eyebrow, but they all drank to the toast. Apolinar leaned forward to ask, “How so, amigo?”
César grinned broadly. “If I had known you planned to destroy the Mayan, instead of inviting him to visit us again, I’d have brought an army with us...or at least not been so hesitant to lead you to him.”
“Oh, that. I had no idea that it was possible to kill him; but then, I hadn’t seen him for over five-hundred years. He was no
t quite so mummy-like the last time I saw him. He still regularly drank blood and while looking inhuman, he didn’t look so dried-up and dead. Since I had no idea that my plan would work, sharing it with someone who so recently shared blood with him didn’t seem like a good idea. I didn’t want him to read your mind. I hoped to confuse him with how out-of-touch he was with humanity today.”
“How were you able to stand up to speak to him when you’ve shared blood with him?” Yuri leaned forward. “I’ve never even met him before yet he was able to keep me on my knees. How did he control me and not you?”
“Ah, I told him the answer...but that was when you snuck over to the knives so you must not have heard. His power depended on fear and I no longer feared him or what he could do to me. I take my power now from the love I share with my beloved.” He smiled at Casimiro, who tilted his glass to his lover and smiled back.
“I drew all of my considerable power and used the inner resources of my love to save the man I love.”
“He said he was going to let you both participate in the ceremony...he wasn’t going to kill you,” Yuri said.
“No, you are right. We would have been part of the ceremony. Then we would have made blood sacrifices to the gods. I have done that too many times: with obsidian blades, with ropes filled with thorns, and using them on various sensitive body parts including my tongue and penis. While nothing that could kill us, it would never-the-less be extremely painful and unpleasant...”
César nodded vigorously. “Like I said, a split-open penis can heal but it hurts like hell and takes forever be whole enough for you to feel like a man again.”
Prophecy of the Undead Page 15
