by Ally Thomas
Demetri kissed Grace on the cheek. “I should have told you about my family. We don’t really get along, so at some point I promise we’ll take care of all of that. Okay? But I called in a favor, one that will solve this soon.”
“What are you talking about?” Grace asked, the tension in her voice coming through as she clenched her hands open and shut. A few sparks of fire fell from them.
“We’re going over Zeus’s head in a matter of speaking,” Demetri answered. His voice seemed confident, but his mannerisms did not. He could not stand still.
I heard Rayea groan. She asked Demetri to see his hand. I knew what she was going to do, but couldn’t stop her before she slapped him hard on the tops of his fingers.
“What kind of lame ass crap is this?” Rayea blurted out.
“Rayea,” I growled under my breath. “They’re here. Hush!”
She and Grace both gritted their teeth, but not before, they had hissed and flashed their fangs in both mine and Demetri’s direction. “Vampires,” I muttered under my breath.
“This had better work,” Rayea whispered as she pinched me on the waist. “I need a hot bath and my iPhone!”
Grace giggled. “We have a wedding to plan too,” she added, but then her mood soured and she glanced down at the ground. “Those are your relatives, Demetri?”
He took her hand in his. “It’s going to be fine.” He added, “Besides this is really brilliant on my part, or the stupidest thing I have ever done as the Angel of Death. Blick, can you help me welcome them to Valeria?” Demetri stepped in front of me as I swallowed hard and joined him.
Usually, I was not big on socializing with the deities. Many faded into obscurity before you could figure out what house they were from. I did not share my opinion very often on this subject with J or G, but I thought Zeus had seen his day. He had no right to pass judgment on anyone, much less any supernatural person such as a werewolf or, in this case, a vampire, and yet there he was surrounded by the crowd of Valeria people as they touched his robe and asked to kiss his staff. He narrowed his eyes and looked upon them as if he were on Mount Olympus about to send them off to run some errand for him. That type of worship sickened me.
When Demetri came up with the idea of asking his family for a favor, I hesitated. I really did not think he would be able to find his parents so quickly. Somehow, he had. It shocked me to see Eos and Thanatos walking towards us.
I shook hands with both celestial beings, and then led the way around to meet and greet the others. G, J, and Max politely acknowledged their presence and said a few niceties. Zeus kept his back turned to us all. Millenniums of distrust and gossip had given Eos, the goddess of Immortality, and Thanatos, the Grim Reaper, bad reputations. Being modest souls at heart, they had elected to live in obscurity until they were called upon. Demetri had told me it would be a last ditch effort to ask his parents for help, but I realized now it was the time to bring out the heavy guns. I thought about contacting my parents too. It had been too long since I had spoken to them.
“Grace, these are my parents,” Demetri offered.
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” she said, reaching out to shake their hands.
“You’re absolutely lovely, my dear,” Eos commented to Grace.
Everyone made small talk and I waited for a moment when I could bring up the subject of Rayea’s reprieve. Instead, Thanatos brought up the subject. “One should believe in marriage as in the immortality of the soul.”
Eos laughed and waved her hands about. “It’s quite stuffy in here, isn’t it?”
We all agreed.
To the normal eye, the celestial couple looked like they were on their way to a Halloween party. Thanatos always dressed himself in a formal tuxedo and flowing black cape. The hood and staff he added later once he decided he’d get more respect as the Grim Reaper if he appeared as a walking skeleton. In his day, Thanatos had been as handsome as his son, Demetri and while I understood it, I hated to see him lose his outward humanity.
Eos, on the other hand, was a vision of beauty and likely she always would be. You could not expect less from the goddess of Immortality. For her entrance, she had gathered her long, curly red hair on her head, letting a few strands fall over her ivory shoulders and white angel wings. Her dress shimmered with red and gold sequins that outlined every curve of her ivory gown. Back in the day, I had enjoyed many philosophical conversations with them both. Back then, life had been simple. I long for days like that again, before Lucifer had fallen and he and Mehen had sent the world into utter chaos.
“I think the majority of us feel that sufficient evidence has been given to reject Zeus’s desires for wanting to give the Vampire from Hell final elimination. J, G, Max, and Grace have all shared their thoughts,” I volunteered. “And I’d like to take this time to remind everyone here that a blood god cannot pass judgment on another blood god. Certainly a celestial god would recall that.” I paused for a moment, glancing around the room and finally making eye contact with Zeus. Every now and then, I liked to remind the Ancient Council whom they were dealing with. As a wolf god, I did not bow to this deity.
“Blick raises an excellent point and yet, Zeus feels it’s not enough? Is that correct?” Thanatos asked.
I nodded. Before I could continue, Zeus interrupted me.
“I’d like it to be noted, yes. We can see that this vampire has already created others. Who is to say she will stop now? I believe if we eliminate her now, it’ll be over.” Zeus kicked his staff up to illustrate his point.
Effortlessly, Eos sauntered over to Rayea. She seemed to be holding a book open. “My dear, do you still have this ankh?”
“I’m sorry?” Rayea asked. “What ankh, ma’am?”
I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Rayea respectfully curtsy to Eos, a move I had never seen her do before.
“Oh please,” Eos laughed. “That’s not necessary,” she said, grasping Rayea by the hand. “I’m not that much older than you, I’m sure. Here read this aloud for us.”
She shoved a darkly covered book into Rayea’s hands.
“Where did you find that?” Grace began.
“I found it on the floor here. It seems to have been dropped. It’s been underlined and commented on. Why, Blick? Is this yours?” Eos smiled over at me.
My copy of Rayea’s book had fallen out of my back pocket during my shift. I clenched my eyes shut, hoping I did not say aloud the expletive that ran through my mind.
“Thanatos, this is true love,” Eos declared. “He’s underlined all the parts of their relationship here and drawn boxes around her name. How adorable. We can’t turn our backs on immortals in love? Now can we?”
Demetri slapped me on the shoulder, chuckling loudly. “Mom loves a great romance story. Don’t you, Mom?”
“Indeed I do, Son,” Eos added. “Zeus, I’d like to submit this as evidence and move that your accusation be withdrawn. I fear you are out of your depth. Blick, I shall return this to you the moment I have I finished reading it. But Rayea, my dear, this part here where you save your betrothed from the darkness, tell me what the blood god says to you.”
“What blood god?” Thanatos asked.
“Indeed. That question you are asking is one to ask. You are quite right, my love. He’s much older than me, and while I have heard he is no longer with us, I do believe this will solve our situation here. Go ahead, my dear, read us this passage from your book here.”
She held the book open for Rayea.
With her vivid green eyes very wide and questioning, Rayea took the book from Eos. “I’ve never seen this before.”
“Grace and Lynn got your online journals published. Grace recently gave me a copy.” I tried to offer any comfort I could because I knew Rayea was petrified that her words were about to condemn her. Quickly, I thought back, hoping to recall anything damning that she had written.
“We’re waiting,” Zeus snarled as he smacked his staff on the ground.
J, G, and
Max joined us so they could get a bird’s eye view.
G spoke up. “Zeus, if a declaration of her celestial status has been made, by the first blood god no less, you have lost your argument.”
Many nodded in affirmation of G’s comment. Typhean was the first blood god and his decision to give Rayea celestial status was not something any other god could undo. It made her a blood god in her own right. But I saw Rayea’s doubt and lack of confidence spread across her face.
Looking around at the people who surrounded her, Rayea remained quiet. She glanced at me. I nodded and shook my head. You can do this, I said to her telepathically.
Rayea cleared her throat and recited her words from the published book:
“Break the pendant and hold it to your chest,” Typhean yelled.
I heard the blood god’s words as I saw the pendant flying in the air towards me. I caught it just as it was about to sail over my head.
“Break it,” Typhean commanded me again.
I let go of Blick’s fur and pressed my hips against him. The ankh broke open as easy as if I were cracking an egg. Then flames shot upwards and rained down upon both of us. Everywhere my blood had spilled, the fire sizzled and ignited. My blood was flammable? Then I recalled how Grace’s wounds had been healed. I had cauterized the wounds by spilling my blood over them. And how my blood had made the pendant bubble. We would be engulfed in flames.
Before I lost consciousness, I heard Typhean’s words. “Sacrifice. Any blood god willing to give herself for another is worthy of a second chance. Rise, my child, and walk among us. You are reborn a vampire god. You are one of us. So let it be said, so let it be done.”
When Rayea read, “You are one of us,” cheers from the crowd reached the ceiling. In his words Rayea had recorded, Typhean had declared it to be true.
Only hours ago, these people had been imprisoned in a walking death far worse than anything they had ever known. Zeus and a few other celestial beings had been hiding out in Valeria to avoid detection by Mehen, and then Zeus here had the audacity to think he could pass judgment on Rayea, my beloved. The thoughts raced through my mind as I saw everyone shaking her hand and smiling at one another. As Grace and Demetri stood close by, Eos and Thanatos hugged Rayea, welcoming her into the ranks of blood gods.
“We’ll see you at your wedding, my child. Grace, a pleasure. Let’s do lunch!” When they had vanished into thin air, I heaved a sigh of relief and nodded to Demetri. His plan had worked.
“Blick,” Rayea’s voice carried across the noise of the room. She appeared behind me. “I’m ready to go home. Aren’t you?”
“I think we all are ready to go home,” I replied as I lifted her up in my arms and swung her around.
“I love you,” she said as I sat her down. Words I had longed to hear for eternities it seemed.
I hugged her again. “We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, don’t we?”
Rayea nodded. “I’m going to snag Grace and Demetri, but first let’s go say hello to J and his dad, okay?”
“Let’s do that,” I agreed without stepping forward. The jealousy I had for Rayea’s relationship with J continued to bother me. I had assumed with his disappearance that it would be all over. Now he was a vampire, just like her and Grace’s sister too. It made me see that I needed to let those feelings go and move on. We were going to get married. Nothing was going to keep us apart now. I was determined never to let her go again. If necessary, I would share that with J very soon.
Chapter 14
Hiding in the Wings (Typhean’s Confession)
***
“If God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining.” ~ Unknown
***
Many of you know me without my going into elaborate introductions. However, I’m not a rude soul and I think it’s best if I introduce myself. Once upon a time, I was the voice inside a certain someone’s head, her sassy sidekick, and the not so quiet dweller in the Vampire from Hell. I love it that she referred to me in her book as her sassy sidekick. Well, okay, I wrote that part, but she put it in. Oh, wait. Grace actually added it. I must meet Grace someday. But I digress.
As I was saying…
One lovely vampire, currently on trial as I watch the scene from my vantage point and dictate this confession in my head, was my host for many days and nights. I enjoyed my time with Rayea. I learned many things from her.
What you may ask?
I shall get to that.
Granted like all gods do, I strayed and walked away from my lovely vampire host. Gazing upon Zeus now and thinking of his many conquests he has achieved over the eons of years, his do not compare to my discretions. For some, faith is hard to maintain. For others, maybe it’s ongoing devotion and love. For blood gods like me, the highest celestial beings on the ever-ending food chain, blood is my focus. Bloodlust is a tricky business and the temptations for more blood, and better blood, and richer blood are never-ending.
Craving it never gets easier, no matter how old you are. And I can tell you. I’m as old as dirt, or a dragon standing in dirt. I’m a dragon too, so I get the language confused sometimes.
But I digress.
As I was saying…
Acquiring blood never goes away, no matter how much you have. And I thought I had a lot in my possession. I was the one who dreamed up the host idea, a blood god getting right to the source, being within the creature sustaining your very thirst. Oh yes, I thought I was brilliant. Being the first blood god can do that to you. The ego. The drive. The evil residing right under your nose. Perhaps in your own family. That was me, many moons ago. I betrayed my host and I paid the ultimate price. I was cast out. Technically, Rayea cut my head off and left me for dead in Hell while her sister fled. Of course, that did not really work, but it certainly made me stop for a moment and rethink my situation. Go ahead. Laugh. But I’m not joking. Seriously, I don’t joke about my hosts or my ex-hosts. That is my fault. Not hers.
Perhaps I should have known that even blood gods are tempted. I should have known. You would think that I would. I can create life, for god’s sake. What more is there I don’t know? The answer?
Plenty.
I fell for the oldest trick in the book. Love. Or what I thought was love for a younger woman. I should have known better. I should have seen her for what she really was. Evil to the core. A mistake against humanity. An abomination my daughter brought forth. But I was delighted when Mehen, my youngest apple of my eye, told me I had a grandchild. I was overjoyed.
I probably should have known that Stephanie was Satan’s daughter too. That would explain the bad seed in her soul. However, it escaped me. My sweet, innocent Mehen, my little sweetheart had been led astray by this devil. He had promised her every desire she could dream up and they had conceived a child, a spawn of wickedness while practicing black magic every day of her pregnancy. That was probably enough to seal the child’s fate.
But I had hoped I could fix the situation. I had hoped I could take Stephanie from Satan and raise her as my own. Mehen refused. She wanted Satan to be Stephanie’s only influence. “Her work was done. Now it was his turn,” she had told me.
It was a decision I allowed to go undisturbed until I saw Satan pollute his older daughter, Rayea as well. He made her drink wine made from the River Styx. Unaware, she consumed a deadly source of bloodlust running through the hidden depths of the underworld oceans. A deadly source Mehen had used her black magic on to taint the fresh water with Satan’s blood. Easily he had turned Rayea into a vampire, thinking it would destroy her heart and soul and that she would arise again as a demon like her sister, Stephanie or die in the process. She had not. Even after the recent attack by Stephanie and Rayea’s journey into death, Rayea’s heart remains true and pure, free from the evil and the darkness lurking out there, waiting for all of us.
Even when I faltered, I had hoped I could fight off the darkness. Mehen had told me the River Styx held the richest powers to quench one’s bloodlust. Both man and beast c
ould control their savage lust by drinking one handful of the river’s waters. That was a lie. It did just the opposite. And I betrayed Rayea by picking a side. I embraced evil.
As you may recall, I have said before that I don’t pick sides. Good or Evil? I have no political stance, no agenda, really no religion. I don’t get into the whole good or evil muck. Life is life. I need to be coursing through the veins of some organism’s body. It doesn’t matter who it is. That’s a lie too. Now. Now I know better. Now I know siding with hope and love outweighs siding with hate and darkness.
After my sin of drinking the wine laced with Stephanie’s blood, I prayed to the elders of old, oh yes, even I have those I pray to like you do. I prayed for guidance, for salvation, for forgiveness. And finally, it came. Perhaps it was an odd way I received it. But I knew, when it arrived, that it was the path I now must follow. It led me away from the darkness that was consuming me, the wickedness of my grandchild and my youngest daughter who had bathed in the River Styx for many years, who tempted me to drink its blackness and follow them into an abyss of nothingness.
Rayea saved me. Loping off my head stopped my descent and I know now I must repay her for her kindness.
It’s time I be on my way, find my new body, and save the day. Rayea, this is for you.
Until we meet again,
Lovingly yours,
Typhean
Author’s Note: To learn all about Typhean, you can read three important chapters. Those are ‘A Foreword by a Voice From the Blood Realm’ and ‘Sacrifice’ in Part 3: A Vampire On Vacation and ‘Stephanie's Brouhaha’ in Part 4: The Vampire from Hell Returns.
Chapter 15
Let Flames Rain Down (Rayea)
***
“Life's full of tricky snakes and ladders.” ~ Steven Patrick Morrissey
***
As I said my goodbyes to G and Max, promising to visit Max’s new establishment soon on Earth, Grace and Demetri waved their goodbyes too. “We’ll see you at home?” Grace asked.
