Of Gods and Goddesses: Book 3 (Lords and Commoners Series)

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  Elda’s tense shoulders fell a bit.

  “Do you remember why I spared you back in 1456?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “I told you that you were smart and full of life. That you weren’t like other girls I’d met. That’s all true. Your strength is admirable.”

  “You didn’t spare my father.”

  “What can I do to make it up to you?”

  Elda didn’t hesitate. “Give me Silvia back.”

  “I’ll break into the blood bank myself if I have to.”

  “And I’ll help him,” Val added. “We’ll return Silvia to you.”

  Elda snatched the phone from Teller. Her lips parted in awe. “Where did you find this?”

  “I was led to it by Sergiu. It was preserved in a Middle Eastern desert.”

  “He spoke to you from the other side.” Elda sounded envious. She began reading aloud and Val listened carefully. …

  An angel appeared before Mary of Nazareth. The Angel told Mary of the miracle that was to come. “The Great Mother and Father have chosen you to bear and raise their child. This child will be special. He will do many great things.” The angel waved her hand over Mary’s stomach. A bright light flashed. The angel kissed Mary’s forehead before vanishing.

  Much of the story was familiar, Joseph married the pregnant Mary of Nazareth and they journeyed to Bethlehem, where Baby Jesus was born in a manger.

  Teller often argued with Elda over the exact meaning or connotation of some of the words. They were like an old married couple, the way they snapped harmlessly at one another. Technically they were an old married couple.

  “When the twelve apostles joined in the … final meal…” Elda struggled for the correct words.

  “It’s the ‘last supper’. The text is referring to Jesus’s last supper — the one in the Bible. You know, the night before he was sacrificed —

  “I know that! And that’s what I said,” Elda sneered.

  “It’s not ‘the final meal’. No one calls it that.”

  “I’m tired of you correcting me.” Elda threw the phone at Teller’s head. “You read it.”

  Teller snatched the phone out of the air. He began reading more smoothly than Elda had. …

  Jesus placed a knife to his hand and cut it open so that blood flowed from him. He let his blood fill a silver chalice. “This chalice contains the new covenant in my blood.”

  Before they drank, each apostle individually recited, “The precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life.”

  The twelve apostles drank of the blood of everlasting life. Mary of Magdala and Mary of Nazareth chose to drink only the wine that their beloved husband and son had made for them. They chose to remain mortal. They did not want to stay on this earth forever without Jesus. They dreamed of the day they would be reunited with the Great Mother, Father and Son — the Holy Trinity.

  Jesus addressed his faithful followers, “I have been sent here to accomplish two tasks. My Mother and Father wish for me to die for the sins of mortals. This I will fulfill tomorrow. Yet my beloved parents sent me here to carry out one other task. Now that you have drunk my blood, my second purpose has been fulfilled. From this day forward you will be the most powerful creatures in existence. It will be your job to maintain the balance across these lands. There will come a time when humans have overrun this earth. They will destroy the land if there is no one who can stop them. When humans grow too many and resources grow too few, you will know that it is your time to act. Until then you are to remain a secret. You are given the gift of eternal life by the Great Mother and Father of us all. They have sent me here to create you — the first upyrs to walk the earth.

  Val’s mouth hung open. “Upyrs? You mean the first vampires?”

  Teller nodded in confirmation.

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  Teller waited patiently for the two women to process all that they had heard.

  Val looked at Teller with wide eyes and then turned to Elda. After a long silence the two women broke out into an explosion of excitement.

  “Vampires are divine!” Elda exclaimed.

  “It simply can’t be.” Val said.

  “This confirms it. I knew it! We are the Great Mother’s creation. She loves us.” Elda was almost in tears.

  Val narrowed her eyes at Elda. “We couldn’t have come from the blood of Jesus! We are demons …”

  “You see, as soon as you tried to say it you knew it was wrong. You and all the good you have done for people, you aren’t a demon. You’re a creation of the Gods, the Great Mother and Father. All vampires are.”

  Val sat silently with wide eyes, trying to see the truth.

  Teller spoke softly which was in contrast to the excited women. “Val, it’s true.”

  “You believe this — this scroll from who knows where?” Val spat.

  “I do.”

  “How are you so sure?”

  “Sergiu told me. He was there.”

  “There? You mean at the last supper?”

  Teller nodded. “Sergiu’s given name was Peter.”

  Val’s mouth fell open again. “He told you this?”

  “Peter, as in the most prominent of the apostles?” Elda asked.

  Teller nodded. “Many of them changed their names to protect their identity. Vallachia, this all makes sense. Sergiu’s scroll confirms what other texts have found. The text of Nag Hammadi was buried in the desert as well and it states that Jesus used to kiss Mary Magdalene. They could have been married. The church destroyed many scrolls; keeping only the ones that fit their needs. However, there are scrolls that have survived. Like the text of Nag Hammadi and the Dead Sea Scrolls, this scroll also would have been destroyed, if it hadn’t been hidden away.”

  Val glared at Teller, not buying it.

  “Aaron tested the parchment for me. He found that it dates back to just after the time of Jesus, sometime between 100 and 300 A.D.,” Teller said.

  “This is amazing!” Elda said. “Early Christian texts were destroyed in order to write women out of religion. And now it appears texts were destroyed to write vampires off as well. It has always infuriated me that before Christianity there were powerful Goddesses and female religious leaders. Christianity worked hard to destroy the Goddess. They eliminated the Great Mother, reducing her to a ghost. The ‘Holy Ghost’, because they killed her!” Elda’s breath came rapidly.

  “So you believe that it is not the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, but rather the Father, the Mother and the Son who make up the Holy Trinity?” Val asked.

  “Of course,” Elda said. “Let me ask you this. If we didn’t come from The Holy Trinity then where did vampires come from? Satan? You don’t truly believe that?”

  “I have met some vampires who were highly likely to be the spawn of Satan,” Val said.

  “And some humans are psychopaths; so what?” Elda argued.

  “Where are these original vampires?” Val asked.

  “A few are still alive but many have been killed over the years, according to Sergiu. Sergiu had a love for vampires. He helped them. He understood that we’re here by God’s …” Teller glanced at Elda, “and the Goddess’s will.”

  Val narrowed her eyes. “So you mean to tell me that what Elda did was the work of God? That this apocalypse was Gods’ will?”

  “Yes. You see, the Mother and Father only protect the balance. Vampires were created to maintain that balance — to make sure that human populations remain sustainable. We’re the only natural predators of humans. We were to keep our identity a secret until humans overran the earth, then it was our job to reset the balance. This is why Sergiu did not warn me before the attacks on Europe and the Court, as it was time for vampires to rise. He’s helping me now because it’s time to let humans rebuild.”

  Elda’s breathing was still heavy. “My life’s work — it was not a waste.”

  “Then who’s going to stop vampires? This world
can’t be the one the Great Mother wanted for humans or vampires.” Val’s cheeks grew red; she wasn’t buying any of it.

  “You’re right, it’s not. Vampires have ruined the earth in just thirteen short years. Now both humans and vampires are suffering. So the reign of the vampires needs to end. Once again, balance must be restored,” Teller said.

  “How do you know this?” Val asked.

  “Because Sergiu told me.”

  “Enough!” Val held up her hand. “I’ve heard all I can stand.” She headed for the exit. She needed to do some serious meditating to sort this all out. Her heart would tell her the truth, even if she did not want to hear it. But the sound of a body hitting the floor, caused Val to spin around. Elda lay limp on the floor.

  “Elda!” she yelled. She ran to the bars and shook them. “Open the door!”

  Teller was already heading for the keys hanging on the adjacent wall.

  Val quickly undid the protection spell. Teller unlocked the door. Val propped Elda up in her lap. “Her heart is still beating.”

  Teller locked them all in the cell.

  “What are you doing?”

  He straightened out on the empty cot, Elda’s cot. “There’s nothing to do but wait for her to wake. We still need to figure out what to do next and Elda is the only one who can help.”

  “It’s our children isn’t it? They’re the key to restoring the balance.”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  A tear ran down Val’s cheek. “So this text of yours implies that our girls must sacrifice themselves as Jesus did?”

  “I hope not but, quite frankly, I’m terrified that it does.”

  Perhaps an hour had passed before Elijah could free himself from all the questions about Elda. He entered the small room that contained the cell, only to find Val and Teller locked up with an unconscious Elda. “What is going on?”

  Val sighed. “It’s a long … long story.”

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  Elda woke with a start and Elijah ran to the bars.

  “Don’t worry. She won’t hurt us,” Val said.

  Elda shook her head and rubbed it. “It’s back,” she whispered.

  “What’s back?”

  “My sight. Only … now it includes memories, ones I have long since forgotten.”

  Val helped her to sit up.

  “There was an angel; she visited me one night when I was a small girl. She told me that one day, when the time was right, I would have to use the Curse of the Powerful to set the world right once again.”

  “The Curse of the Powerful?” Teller repeated.

  Elda jumped to her feet and Elijah drew his sword.

  “It’s okay,” Val said.

  “I see it now. I know what I have to do. The Curse of the Powerful is one of the many spells and incantations in my grimoire.”

  “You mean you don’t know it by heart?” Teller said.

  “The more powerful the magic the more complicated. No one could possibly memorize them all. Plus I never imagined a time when I would use such a curse.”

  “Why?” Teller asked.

  “Because it’s deadly to vampires. I had completely forgotten about it. Many centuries ago when I came across it for the first time I almost ripped it out of my grimoire and burned the pages. Thankfully I didn’t. I wanted vampires to rule the world, not be destroyed. So I pushed the terrible curse out of my mind.”

  “Where’s this grimoire?” Val asked with dread.

  “In a vault far beneath Pikes Peak.”

  “Shit,” Teller said.

  “Never fear.” Elda glared at Teller. “I have a Precious Possession spell on it. I can summon it to me.”

  “Great. Then do it,” Teller demanded.

  Elda narrowed her eyes even more. “You don’t know much about magic do you? The next full moon … which is in about two weeks … Yes, that will work. I can perform the Precious Possession spell at that time and retrieve my grimoire. The full moon should give me enough strength. Oh and I will also need her.” Elda pointed to Silvia, who was spread out on the adjacent cot.

  Val nodded. “This retrieval spell, is it good magic or dark magic?”

  “Everyone here is so new at this. There’s no such thing as good or evil magic. There is only magic and it can be used for just purposes or evil ones. Intent is everything.”

  “What nonsense is she speaking?” Elijah demanded.

  Val took Elijah’s hand through the bars. “I will tell you everything, I promise but now we need enough blood to bring Silvia back. Please give it to us.”

  Elijah studied Val for a moment. “How much do you need?”

  “A humans worth.”

  “That’s over eight pints.”

  “Better make it ten to be sure,” Val said.

  “That’s a lot of blood.”

  “Please, Elijah.”

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Elijah muttered. He turned to the key hanger. “Where in the hell are the bloody keys?”

  Teller jingled them in the air.

  “Then you can let yourselves out.” He stopped abruptly. “But not her.” he pointed to Elda. “She is to remain in custody.”

  Val nodded. “Of course.” She wanted Elda in here for her own safety.

  Elijah passed pint after pint of blood through the bars of the cell door. Val helped Elda pour each bag down Silvia’s throat. They watched as life flowed back into the mummy. Her cheeks filled out and her dry skin slowly became a silky pale color. By the sixth pint Silvia devoured the blood herself. In no time, Elda embraced Silvia, as tears of joy ran down her face.

  “Let’s give them some time.” Val said as she put her arm in Teller’s. It was a habit from her youth.

  Val resealed the cell with a protection spell once she and Teller were out and Elda and Silvia were locked safely inside.

  “Go.” Teller nodded to Elijah. “You two need to talk. I’ll keep watch to make sure no one hurts them.”

  Val followed Elijah through the tunnels.

  “We’ll need to call a meeting,” Val said. “Everyone needs to hear this … story of Teller’s. I would rather do it all at once. I can’t stomach repeating it fifty times. Besides I don’t know how I feel about it. We have time. It appears there’s nothing we can do until the next full moon anyway.”

  Elijah nodded. “Then there is no hurry and I need to talk to you … about well … that Eva, she’s really something.”

  Val smiled. “I know.”

  Once in Elijah’s room she waited for him to go on; he obviously had more to say. She prayed that it was that he loved her and wanted her back.

  “I wanted you to know that I would have done the same thing.”

  Val tilted her head in confusion.

  Elijah sighed. “This is difficult for me to say but I understand why you disappeared. If I had been blessed with a daughter like Eva, I would have done what I thought was best to protect her. Val … I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”

  Thank you Eva! If anyone could win Elijah over, of course it would be her. Val wrapped her arms around Elijah neck. “No.”

  Elijah pulled away. “No, you can’t forgive me?”

  “I mean, no, you should not be the one who is sorry. I’m sorry that you were hurt because of this whole mess. I’m glad you understand why I had to stay away. I never stopped loving you. I never stopped needing you. It was hell to be away. But I would do anything for my wonderful daughters.”

  Elijah knew her well. She was genuine, sincere, she always had been and he could feel how much she loved him. He pulled her closer and gently pushed her long hair back from her neck. She buried her head in his chest for comfort as she had always done.

  Elijah lifted her chin with his index finger so he could kiss her. She exhaled in relief.

  “Please don’t hurt me again. You drive me insane and you may push me over the edge next time. I fear that I may become like my father. I’m choosing to trust you.”

  “Y
ou have my word,” Val whispered. Tears of joy ran down her face.

  The sight of her perfect face and her bright blue eyes made his heart ache for her. He knew he had made the right decision. She was his and only his.

  “I have something for you.” Elijah moved to retrieve the wooden box that he had stashed away.

  Val slowly opened the beautifully carved box to reveal her father’s hand-carved patriarchal cross. “You were able to save it?”

  “I went back for it before we came here.”

  “Thank you.” She gave him a hug. She felt whole again with Elijah back in her life and now this little piece of her father. It was the only thing she had left of him. She held the cross to her chest. All that had happened, all that had changed, her world had been turned upside down by finding Elda and learning about Teller’s mysterious manuscript. All she knew and held dear was being threatened. Now Elijah was forgiving her. It was all too much. She felt overwhelmingly tired. She curled up on his bed.

  Val woke to Elijah’s handsome smile and she quickly wrapped her arms around him. She needed him to look at her like that. She was grateful that the love was back in his eyes. Then she remembered the cross. She felt around for it.

  “Don’t worry. I put it back in the box for safekeeping,” Elijah said.

  Val grabbed his collar and pressed her lips to his. He fell on top of her as she wrapped her legs around him. She wanted to lose herself in him. She didn’t want to think about where vampires came from or what a Curse of the Powerful looked like or who else was betraying them. Then there was the greatest concern, what all this meant for her daughters — the chosen ones. She could put her worries aside when she was in Elijah’s arms. Together they would get through this. They always had.

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