by Unknown
Qaus' hands began to fill with sparkling, rainbow light and I giggled.
“I love the gays!” I shouted and then passed out.
Chapter Thirty-Two
I came slowly out of the sluggish, honey-thick hell that was Net. My head felt tight, like my brain had been battered and was now swollen; too big for my skull. Tingles raced through my nerves, bringing my senses back with a jaw-clenching rush. Like limbs that have been bloodless for too long and suddenly have circulation restored. I groaned and tried to lift my hand to my head but it was stuck in place. Oh, why was it so heavy?
Frowning, I looked down to see that I was strapped into a chair with glittering bands of striped, pastel light. Rainbows. I was bound by rainbows. Well that was new. I strained against them with all of my strength but the bands only brightened and bulged just slightly. They were strong suckers. So I shifted the tips of my fingers into claws and angled them toward the bands. That had no effect either. Oh, this was bad.
“Have you figured out that you can't cut rainbows?” Qaus walked up with a smug look.
We were in a large, marble-floored room that was completely bare of furniture, other than the chair I sat on. The ceiling was domed, made from some kind of bone-colored stone, and was cut through with intricate designs. The sun shined through those lacey cut-outs and covered the floor with delicate patterns of light. A few tiny shafts of sunlight were angled across my rainbow bindings, causing them to sparkle brilliantly.
“I have to say,” I smirked back at Gish. “These are the prettiest chains I've ever been put in. And Anubis had me in pure gold with this jackal head collar, so that's saying a lot.”
“Well, at least you have your wits back,” Qaus stepped forward and set his hands on his hips. “Though I'm not sure it's much of an improvement.”
I could clearly see the Arabian influence in his appearance now that I was more rational. He was a darkly handsome man with dramatic hollows and dips to his face. He had light eyes, which isn't totally unheard of for an Arab, but these were literally light eyes. As in eyes made of light. Rainbows to be exact. I thought I'd seen it all but those eyes were a first. They shifted through all the colors languorously, as if they knew they were beautiful and wanted to give everyone time to admire each change. Narcissistic princess eyes, that's what they were... and the rainbow princess was seriously pissed off.
“Alright, so we destroyed some of your weapons,” I huffed. “But we also ended up killing humans for you. Didn't you get a burst of power from all the dead? You should be thanking me.”
“How do you think I was able to make rainbows strong enough to hold the Godhunter?” His smirk widened. “Yes, you idiots gave us some extra power but you also set us back years in our planning. If you hadn't interfered, we would have had enough magic to last us eternity.”
“You already have enough to last you forever, don't you?” I frowned. “Thor told me once that gods have enough energy to outlast the planet.”
“Some gods,” Qaus scoffed. “Our people have forgotten us. They're too wrapped up in war and their new god. A god who doesn't care at all about them.”
“Like you would still care about them if they believed in you but didn't sacrifice to you?” I shot back and then mumbled, “Not that I'm on Jerry's side or anything.”
“They do sacrifice to him,” Qaus snarled. “How many wars do they fight in his name?”
“Is it really about him though? Or is it about power?” I mimicked Blue's observations.
“Regardless,” Qaus waved his hand. “He gets the dead.”
“Does he?” I was a little surprised. “So that's how Jerry keeps his throne.”
“He's a slimy bastard but a smart one,” Qaus nodded. “Very tricky, to head a pantheon and branch it off into three others.”
“Christianity isn't a pantheon,” I frowned.
“Isn't it?” He cocked his head at me. “Aren't you married to one of its numerous gods?”
“All right, I see your point,” I gave him a grudging look of acceptance. “You know, I've never thought of that; how Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all connected and so Jerry gets all of that devotion.”
“He does have to share it with the entire pantheon,” Qaus shrugged.
“And all of Hell,” I added.
“But these people are constantly killing each other, so the flow is big enough to share,” Qaus grimaced. “As I said, it was smart, ingenious actually. But then Jehovah wasn't the one to come up with the idea, so I shouldn't give him all the credit.”
“Let me guess; it was Lucifer's plan,” I snickered.
“Yes, your father-in-law is the greatest tactician of all the gods,” Qaus said reverently. “He even made sure that most of the sacrifices would go to him.”
“Wait, what?” I frowned. “I thought Luke got most of the magic because humans believe more in the Devil than they do in God?”
“Yes, absolutely,” he agreed. “But do you really think Lucifer Morningstar would help build a pantheon of that magnitude without having safeguarded his own interests?”
“No, I don't think he would,” I said slowly. “So you're telling me that Luke somehow worked out a way to take some of Jerry's power before it was distributed among the rest of the angels?”
“You think the war in Heaven was just about Holly?” Qaus laughed derisively. “It was because Jerry found out that not only was Luke sticking it to his wife, not only did Satan knock up the pure Holy Spirit and have a son with her, but the Morningstar had also forged a magical connection with Jehovah's own blood and made sure that no matter how much magic the God of the Israelites received, the God of Hell would receive more.”
“Damn, that's brilliant,” I breathed. “Note to self; don't piss off my father-in-law.”
“He's not the god you need to worry about right now, Godhunter,” Qaus sneered.
“Why do you guys always have to sneer in the same manner when you threaten me?” I sighed. “It gets a little old. Maybe try laughing maniacally next time. I don't think I've had anyone laugh mani-wait, maybe I have. Never mind, proceed.”
“Don't you realize what I'm going to do to you?” He drew closer and narrowed his eyes on me. “I'm going to torture you slowly, until you beg for death.”
“Yeah, that's been said to me before too,” I blew out my lips with bored disdain. “And I've had to give this speech before. I don't think I want to go into all the gory details again. Suffice it to say; I've been tortured a lot... by the best torturers. You can't scare me.”
“Then you're a fool,” he growled. “Because you're trapped, trapped without any hope of escape or rescue. You're in the middle of the desert and bound with light. Even your dragon form can't save you now. Breathe fire if you like,” he waved his hand out to indicate the stone room. “You won't hurt anything.”
“Again, not all that impressive,” I tried to shrug but could barely move my shoulders half an inch. Did I mention there was a wide rainbow band over my chest too? Then something he said registered. “Hold on... we're not even in the God Realm? You two kept me on Earth?” I chuckled. “Damn, you're dumb. I've met flying monkeys smarter than you.”
“We have no need to hide in the God Realm,” Qaus snapped. “My wards are stronger than they've ever been and they're concealing our location completely. Not even gods can find us here.”
“Okay,” I said in my dumb/duh voice. You know; the one you use on people who are acting stupid and won't listen to you.
I wasn't about to tell them that not only could my men track me with my wedding band but that Dave had already found their little desert hideout when he trailed Disani. Which meant that the cavalry should be arriving at any time. I just had to tough it out until they got there. No problem.
“If you're not scared of him, you should at least be scared of me,” Gish announced as he strode into the room. “Your lover killed mine and I intend to even the score.”
“Re killed Disani?” I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't
all that surprised but still, it was nice to know. “Thanks, that's good to hear.”
“You fucking bitch,” Gish growled and launched himself at me.
I blew a stream a fire at him but before it hit, a strong wind took it of course and it angled just to the side of Gish. I looked over to Qaus in surprise and he smiled maliciously at me, right as Gish's fist connected with my face. Pain blossomed along my cheek as the crack of breaking bone echoed through my head and my vision went wonky for a moment. There was one second of blessed numbness before pain exploded in my skull. Still, this was the man who'd sent Thor flying. I should probably be thankful he hadn't taken my head off. That would have been difficult to recover from.
“You think you're going to frighten me with a punch?” I spat blood at Gish's feet and then adjusted my jaw back into place.
Head pain is the worst, you can't push it away like pain in other places. It's right there, too close to ignore. Like an annoying child shouting Look at me! Look at me! Right in your face.
“I'm going to do so much more than just punch you,” Gish growled and cracked his knuckles.
“Looks like you've summoned the monster within the god,” Qaus observed with a smirk. “Prepare for a violent introduction to the warrior god revered by the Nuristani.”
“Monster?” I laughed even though my face was throbbing. “Don't you know who you're talking to? I was born of monsters. I am Queen of them and their mother. I love them. Actually, I don't find them monstrous at all. But you would.”
“I'm not afraid of dragons,” Qaus scoffed. “I could bring your kind down with an enchanted spear.”
“You know nothing about my kin,” I smiled serenely. “You don't know what I brought up from the darkness beneath the Fire Kingdom. And you don't know what true fear is.”
“What's she talking about now?” Gish looked to Qaus. Yeah, he wasn't too bright, that one.
“I'm not sure,” Qaus mused, looking intrigued in spite of himself.
“You don't know what real fear is until you sit in darkness so thick, it feels as if you've gone blind,” I went on and they went silent. “And you listen to sounds you've never heard before. Sounds that nonetheless hint at things with claws and teeth. The slide of something that leaves a trail of slime behind when it passes over the earth. The rustle of things which hunt from the air and rend flesh with razor sharp beaks. You think you're monsters? You're little boys, lacking even a costume to put on so you can growl at yourselves in the mirror. You would piss your pants and cry for your mommies, if you ever met my faeries.”
“She's out of her damn mind,” Gish whispered.
“No, I don't think she is,” Qaus murmured back. “Tell me more of these monstrous faeries, Godhunter. Illuminate me, if I am so ignorant.”
“Look into your worst nightmares and you'll find a glimmer of them there,” I smiled proudly. I did so love my Hidden Ones. “Then times that vision by ten, no, ten-thousand, and you will have an idea of what the First-Born Fey are like.”
“But you're not one of them,” Qaus looked fascinated.
“No, not a Hidden-One,” I softened my smile. “Just their Queen. Lucky enough to know them and be loved by them.”
“Beloved of monsters,” Qaus mused. “So I guess we shall have to endeavor to be extra creative in our torture today.” He looked to Gish and began to smile. “Fetch the bone saw.”
“Who are the Nuristani, by the way?” I asked casually, even though the mention of a bone saw had rattled me a bit. “I thought you were an Afghani god.”
“I am,” Gish growled. “There is a Nuristan region of Afghanistan and that is where my people are from.”
“Of course,” I rolled my eyes, “another Stan. Big surprise.”
“Get the saw,” Qaus shoved Gish away. “She's obviously stalling.”
Gish sneered at Qaus but turned and headed out of the room. Just as my stomach began to clench, the building shook and the stone ceiling above us burst apart, raining down upon us. I ducked my head as debris pelted me and the Rainbow Brothers hit the floor. Then I shook off the dust and looked up just in time to see an angel descend through the ceiling. Four angels to be precise. And one sun god.
“And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him,” I whispered in awe . Hell had indeed followed Azrael before, back when he'd rescued me from Heaven. But today, he had no need for a demon army because the Horsemen were riding at his side. The Horsemen and Re.
The Sun God, Re rode a beam of light down into the room, looking far more angelic than the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who surrounded him. Azrael was in his Death guise; his skeleton showing through his transparent skin and his eyes burning like stars in a night sky, dripping their acid tears. A menacing scythe was stretched out before him, the angelic script along its vicious blade glowing bright blue, to match the identical writing on Azrael's cheek. He wore bluejeans and silver bracers, with thick black boots on his feet. Wings of darkness were folded above him, their joints angled together to form a hood.
Beneath him was his pale horse, an animal I'd never laid eyes on before and one I would never forget, now that I had. Pale was a poor description for this magnificent creature. It was creamy white, more like bone than snow, and shone as if it were polished smooth instead of sleekly furred. Its eyes matched Azrael's and its hooves were silver, as if coated in metal.
War rode a fiery horse; its dark red hide sparking in the wind and trailing flames around its feet. The steed went well with War's crimson wings, like both horse and wings had been drenched in blood. In War's thick hands there was a massive sword and across his chest was a thick leather harness set with a gold medallion. Bracers covered his forearms and greaves covered his shins. Beneath that, he wore only red leather pants.
Famine looked almost emaciated, his body wrapped in shredded gray cloth. Beautiful brown wings rose up behind him, the only healthy aspect to his appearance; they caught the light and glowed gold along their edges. A pair of hungry eyes stared out of that famished face, as hungry as the sin-black beast beneath him. All of those wind-riding horses thumped the air with their hooves as if they were eager for battle, but Famine's mount foamed at the mouth and tore at the sky as if he were anticipating the taste of flesh and a full belly. Rib bones protruded from his hollowed stomach, mimicking the look of his rider. That rider held only a pair of scales, no weapons, but something about those silver plates unsettled me. They reminded me of the ones which sat in Duat; used only to weigh the hearts of humans.
The Antichrist looked like every human's idea of an angel. So beautiful, so pure, so ethereal, that he didn't look real. His hair was windblown in a precise manner, as if even the breeze bowed to his command. His green eyes seemed to be lit from within, shining out of his perfect, pale face like lasers looking for a victim. In his hands he held a red bow, with an arrow notched and ready to shoot. Behind him rose a pair of folded wings, so white that they glowed. The perfect backdrop to his beauty. His horse matched his wings. Mane, tail, fur, and even hooves were all pure, glittering white while the large, round eyes were deep blue.
But the Antichrist wasn't the most beautiful of my saviors. No, the fairest of them all was the god amidst the angels. Sunlight made into man. Re shimmered in his shaft of golden light, which lowered him like some alien transport into the room. His skin shifted from dark to light as he descended and his golden eyes burned out of his face as if he wasn't just a sun god but actually the sun made flesh.
Re was dressed in Egyptian armor; chest crossed by golden wings, a thick beaded collar draped over his shoulders, a short swathe of white gauze gathered around his hips, and a thick belt to hold the gauze in place. A sun adorned the center of the belt, its bottom rays forming a drape between his legs. Gold greaves adorned his shins and a thick band of gold circled one upper arm. Over his dark hair, a folded cowl of blue and gold stripes was topped with a gold crown. A red disc was set at the back of the crown and a golden snake
circled it, its head lifted proudly at the apex. He held a staff in his hand and he pointed it straight at Qaus.
As the Horsemen and the Sun God touched the ground, werelions surged into the room, along with the God Squad and an angry werewolf. But before anyone could attack, Re shot a shaft of fiery light into Qaus. The Arabian god started to scream as he burned.
Gish had enough time to settle into a fighting stance but that was all he managed before the Antichrist's arrow pierced his throat. He went down to his knees as Azrael rode up to him. One motion of his scythe and the Angel of Death sent Gish's head sailing across the room. Yes, anger makes it easier for a god to kill another god. My husband was very, very angry. And he wasn't the only one.
Qaus continued to burn as a circle of growling gods and demi-gods surrounded him but he fought back. Within the hazy heat of Re's magic, Qaus formed a liquid barrier, pulling on his weather magic to protect him. Unfortunately, all it did was boil and soon clouds of steam were rising in place of the previous smoke. War dismounted and stepped forward with a raised sword but Re stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Sam nodded and backed away as Re stopped the burning attack.
Qaus moaned as pieces of bubbled skin slid off of him. Blood and fluids dripped onto the stone floor yet somehow, he managed to open his eyes and glare at Re. But the Sun God didn't meet the vicious stare, he was too busy looking at me. After a thorough inspection of my condition, he cast his gaze over to my husbands and waved them forward.
Azrael had his kill and seemed satisfied enough. He dismounted and led his horse past the prone Arabian god without even a backwards glance. They came to stand beside me. Re joined them and he and Azrael laid their hands supportively on my shoulders. I would have reached up to them but I was still bound by those stupid rainbows.
Kirill was in lion form, his black fur glinting blue in the light from the broken ceiling, and he padded toward Qaus silently. Trevor was half shifted, in his werewolf guise, and although he could have been silent if he'd chosen to, he wasn't. He pounded across the stone, his claws clattering as a constant growling emanated from deep within his throat. A sudden howl announced his fury and Kirill responded to it, launching himself forward with Trevor.
