by Amy Sumida
“That will be enough!” He shouted, and his voice echoed around the courtyard.
Everyone paused to look at him, but one of Cerberus' heads spotted me, and he climbed the steps to stand beside me like a happy puppy.
“Hey, El,” the left head said.
“Hey, Cer.”
“Whatchu got there?”
“This is a ridiculous fight,” the man went on before I could answer. “We don't want to put you back in Metnal; all we ask is that you stop demanding blood sacrifices.”
“We need them,” one of the Maya shouted.
“Bull poopie!” The man shouted back.
I made a shocked huff that was part laugh as I lifted my brows at Cerberus. “Who the fuck is this guy?”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Sorry.” I grimaced. “I don't know all the Angels.”
“No; I mean that is Jesus,” Cerberus said.
“Oh,” I whispered and looked back at the guy. “Not what I expected.”
“At least he's still a relatively nice guy,” Cer offered as he sat down on his doggy haunches to watch the proceedings. “Unlike most of his race.”
“You don't need the blood,” Jesus went on, and as he spoke he aged. Soon, an old man with a white beard was lecturing the Maya. “You've been living in Metnal for centuries, and instead of growing weaker, you've gained strength. You didn't have blood offered to you there, did you?”
The Maya looked at each other in shock and epiphany.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I huffed. “That's all it took? And what's with the aging?”
“He's a trinity god,” Cerberus explained. “He morphs between the Father, the Son, and... oh, here we go; the Holy Spirit.”
I looked back and saw Jesus go translucent. In seconds, a ghost was standing on the porch.
“Whoa,” I whispered.
“Yeah; that's how his triple magic manifests,” Cer said. “Weird, huh?”
“Says the three-headed hellhound,” I muttered.
“Rude, El; real rude.” Cerberus grimaced at me with all of his faces.
“Our power will diminish eventually,” a goddess said to Ghost-Jesus. “And you Angels want us to grow weaker so that you can control us.”
“Oh, Me-sus Christ!” Jesus huffed. “Where is Kukulcan? I want to speak to him. Maybe he'll have more sense in his head than the rest of you.”
“He took the Spellsinger,” one of the Maya Gods said arrogantly. “He's probably bathing in her blood right now.”
“Actually, he's right here,” I said as I strode down the steps.
“Nice entrance,” Cerberus murmured.
The Maya gaped at me, and Jesus stepped aside in surprise, as I first lifted Kukulcan's head in a very Perseus/Medusa way and then tossed it across the courtyard like a bocce ball.
“Sorry, but it seems that Kukulcan has lost both his sense and his head.” I held my hand out to Jesus—the one that hadn't been holding a severed head. “Hi, I'm Elaria.”
“Jesus,” he said as we shook. “It's lovely to meet you; I've heard good things.”
“Thanks; the same.”
“Is that really Kukulcan's head?” He went on conversationally.
“Oh yes; he tried to... well, let's just say he wasn't behaving like a gentleman,” I said. “So, I killed him and cut off his head.”
“As one does.” Jesus nodded.
“Precisely.” I smirked. Oh, I liked this guy.
“Good for you, El,” Cerberus growled. “That motherfucker deserved it. I hope you cut off his dick too.”
“Dang it; why didn't I think of that?” I whined.
“You could have shoved it in his mouth; mobster style,” Cer went on.
“Stop ruining my revenge, Cerberus,” I snapped.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“You have no leader,” Jesus pointed out as he turned back to the Maya. “Surrender now, and we can still work out a way for you to live above ground.”
The Maya shouted and rushed us.
“Heathens.” Jesus sighed dramatically as the Angelic Host descended to protect their leader.
Cerberus roared and jumped back into the battle gleefully.
Chapter Fifty
Luckily, I had a song already prepared, from when I had first headed over to help the Witches. Kyanite took us right into it without being asked, and the cabaret, strip-tease start of Jill Tracy's “Doomsday Serenade” became the surreal soundtrack to a battle that quickly turned into a slaughter. Jesus surprised me by popping out a pair of majestic wings and folding them around us.
“My wings are impenetrable,” he said with a wink.
“I appreciate that,” I said as I pushed them apart a tiny bit, “but I need to see what I'm directing my song at.”
“By all means, Spellsinger.” Jesus shifted back into his younger self as he placed his hands firmly on my waist.
Jesus held us securely as a few attacks made it past the barrier the Angelic Host and Cerberus provided. Water and fire both hit his wings, but nothing got through. As the Host swept down on the Maya like a flock of predator birds, and Cerberus bounded through them like a deadly puppy, I began to sing. The sexy music sashayed along with the sultry-sounding lyrics—that were actually harbingers of doom. Jesus started swaying with me as magic burst through my voice and spread its spell over the Maya.
The sky darkened, and lightning struck the Maya Gods as a frost crept over the ground. Jesus held me closer to share our body heat as I sang about the end of the world; fueling it with my intent that it be the end of the Maya. The Angels glanced my way with impressed expressions before they began launching long-range attacks; making use of the Maya's vulnerability while staying out of the way of my magic. But Cerberus had to leave the fight altogether, and he trudged back to us to sit on the steps and pout.
The Maya started to shout and scream as they fell under the combined attack of angelic arrows and my song. Flames rose up in bursts to engulf them, and poisonous toads fell from the sky to spit acid over their skin. As the Maya crouched in terror, gigantic spiders crawled out of the earth and began to weave their webs around them.
“Wicked!” Cerberus perked up.
“Dear me,” Jesus whispered as his arms aged.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw a wizened man with a beard. Boy, that would be hard to get used to. I ignored it determinedly and focused on singing; too much distraction could alter my spell.
Blood began to flow, and gods began to die. Their flesh burned away until only their bones remained; charred skeletons falling into pools of gore. The song wound down, and I let the magic go. There were still a few Maya Gods alive, but I knew the Host could handle the survivors on their own. I needed to find my consorts.
“Fucking finally,” Cerberus exclaimed as he leaped back into the fray.
“Sorry to ditch the disaster,” I said as I turned to Jesus—who was now the Holy Spirit, “but my consorts are searching for me. They don't know that I'm all right.”
“Please.” Jesus waved his hand in a “proceed” motion as he opened his wings. “We can take it from here. Thank you for your help; we couldn't have circumvented the truce without you.”
“Yeah; sorry about that,” I muttered. “I should have listened to the Seraphim.”
“You were trying to prevent this.” His hand swept back around to indicate the catastrophe the courtyard had become. “I appreciate that. You couldn't have known what sort of people the Maya are, and it's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't judge others immediately or indiscriminately. That's a good quality, Elaria, not a fault.”
“Honestly, Jesus, I'm all sorts of judgey, but your people made the Maya look good,” I said in an apologetic tone.
Jesus frowned and grabbed my arm as I turned to leave. “What do you mean by that?”
I gave him my “Oh, come on” face. He only scowled deeper.
“Your Heaven, for one,” I said. “A shopping mall; really? And the Erotic Alley; that was
lovely.”
“Erotic Alley?” Jesus gaped at me. “What are you talking about?”
“How can you not know about that?” I huffed. “It's like two blocks away from the temple.”
“I don't leave the temple much,” Jesus murmured as he looked up at the Angelic Host consideringly. “It appears that I should.”
“You really don't know?” I examined his disappointed expression. “No; you don't. Damn. Okay, well, if you want a tour of your own heaven, I'd recommend that guy there.” I pointed to Raphael—who was currently on the ground, beheading a skeleton. I winced and looked back at Jesus. “Raphael doesn't like what's happening to your people either, but he can't change them. Perhaps you can.”
Jesus transferred his gaze from Raph to me. “Thank you, Elaria. I will indeed look into this.”
I nodded, but I didn't have high hopes. The phrase “I'll look into this” usually translated to; I can't do anything about it either—at least in my book. Maybe Jesus had a different dictionary. Hell, maybe he didn't bother with semantics at all. But I didn't have time to stand there and hash out a plan with him; I had some consorts to find.
I strode back into the Coven House and found Odin waiting for me. He was staring out the open door; watching the Maya die with a strange look on his face.
“You okay?” I asked him over the sound of pitiful screams.
Odin transferred his strange stare to me. “I should be,” he said. “I should be happy that our enemies are defeated.”
“But it's hard to watch anyone die,” I said. “Even your enemies.”
“Frankly, I don't care for either of those races out there,” he said with a grimace. “And I especially take umbrage to the Maya coming here to kill us. But they represent an ancient culture, and the scholar in me is uncomfortable with its destruction.”
“Their culture is an alien one,” I said gently. “And it still exists on Aaru. There is nothing being destroyed here today that wasn't already long gone.”
Odin sighed and looked over at me. “I suppose you're right.”
I shrugged. “Who the fuck knows what's right or wrong anymore?”
Odin laughed and then said, “Your consorts went to Omeyocan, by the way. The griffin is probably flying them around, searching the place for you.”
“Shit; Omeyocan,” I whispered. “I imagine that will be abandoned.”
“Again,” Odin said. “Unless someone wanted to take it over.”
He looked pointedly at me.
“Oh, hell no,” I said. “Pun intended. I have enough land to deal with, without adding a territory that's mostly air to the mix.”
“Maybe someone else then,” he slid his gaze out the door toward Raphael. “Someone with wings who could enjoy such a place.”
I followed Odin's gaze and then blinked in shock.
“Did I tell you that Raph wanted to leave the Host?” I whispered.
“I've known Raphael longer than you have, sweetheart,” Odin said. “Sorry for not telling you about him, by the way. I didn't even tell Robert.”
“You knew too!” I growled.
“Raphael's a good man,” Odin said. “He deserved a chance with you. It's a shame things didn't work out, but it looks as if you're with precisely whom you're meant to be with.”
“Yeah.” I sighed and gave up on being angry at Odin; it just wasn't worth it. “Tell Raph to stick around after the battle is over; I want to talk to him.”
“Oh, he's sticking around all right,” Odin huffed. “The whole damn Host is going to. I ain't cleaning this up by myself.”
Chapter Fifty-One
It was odd to be standing in Kukulcan's bedroom without him in it. I looked at his bed and thought about how he had threatened to chain me to it. Then I went over and spat on his silk sheets.
“Motherfucker,” I muttered as I stalked to the drop-off. “Not a rapist, my ass. I'd kill you again if I could. Shit, I should have done it slower the first time.” Then I shouted, “Gage! Torin! Guys, are you out there?” I frowned at the empty air. “Banning! Declan!”
Gage came streaking into the room like a missile. He landed with a scrape of eagle claws and then did a swift about-face to envelop me in his wings and lay his large, feathered forehead against mine.
“Elaria,” he said in relief. “We've been all over this place and couldn't find you.”
“Because Kukulcan took me to a pyramid in Mexico,” I grumbled. “And I killed the fucker.”
“Good.” Gage eased back and nuzzled my face. “I love you; I'm sorry that I failed you again.”
“What are you talking about?”
“First, when Kukulcan took you out of my arms, and then today when he snatched you from my side,” Gage said grimly. “I have failed to protect my mate; it's beyond shameful.”
“It's ridiculous,” I corrected. “Kukulcan was lucky and fast, that's all. You didn't fail me; you'll never fail me, Gage. Even if you do, I'd never be ashamed of you.”
His eagle eyes still looked sad.
“I love you.” I kissed the tip of his beak. “No one thinks you failed me.”
“Torin literally said that for a griffin, I sure do fail a lot,” Gage muttered.
“Torin didn't mean that.” I mentally made a note to yell at Torin. “You're a fantastic mate. Now, can you go get the others, please?”
“Okay,” Gage mumbled as he turned around.
“Gage, stop it!” I went over and grabbed his huge, bird head. “Kukulcan tore my traveling stone out of my hand; no one could have anticipated or stopped that. He timed it perfectly; so that you were already on your way through the Veil. You did not fail me. And today, we were all prepared for him to attack me, but that snake slipped past us. There were four other people there—not including me—and none of them were able to stop Kukulcan. He had me in his mouth for fuck's sake. What were you supposed to do?”
“Chop his head off,” Gage said simply.
I blinked. “Yeah; that might have worked.”
Gage huffed a sad stream of air out of his nostrils.
“And it may not have,” I went on. “You could have hit me as he lurched out.”
“That was why I didn't strike,” he admitted. “I was afraid of hurting you.”
“See?”
“But I should have acted,” he protested. “I shouldn't have let my fear sway me.”
“It wasn't just fear; it was also common sense,” I reasoned. “You could have killed me. Instead, you held your hand, and I'm alive. I think you made the right decision.”
Gage considered this and finally nodded. “Perhaps.”
“Not perhaps; yes,” I said firmly. “Being killed by you would have been the worst kind of tragic.”
“Okay, Ellie,” he said in a much happier tone. “I'm glad I didn't kill you.”
“Me too, Gage.” I laughed.
“I'll be right back.” Gage went to the open wall. “I left them on different islands to search for you. Torin wanted to bring the Shining One armies here, but Declan pointed out that there was no way to maneuver them around Omeyocan. So, it's just us, and we had to split up. Actually, it may take awhile to find them; make yourself comfortable.”
Gage launched himself into the sky, and I looked around Kukulcan's bedroom. Comfortable; sure.
Chapter Fifty-Two
After my men had been found and had fawned over me to their satisfaction, we went back to Coven Cay. The clean-up was already in progress, but I wasn't going to stick around to help; let the Angels do the dirty work for once. I was only there to talk to Raphael. I headed for the main doors but was intercepted by some powerful witches who happened to be old friends of mine.
“How many times are we going to have to fight off your enemies?” Vivian Lake, aka the Lady of the Lake, asked sternly.
I grimaced. “I'm so sorry, Vivian.”
“I'm teasing, sweetie,” Vivian said as she pulled me into a hug. “Thanks for coming to help us, and for bringing the Angels. They may be asshole
s for the most part, but they can also kick ass, and have nice asses to look at.”
“I'm sensing a theme,” I said dryly.
“They're great eye candy.” She looked out the open doors speculatively. “And perhaps more for tonight. We'll be having a feast to celebrate, and I might indulge. It's been awhile since I've had a man with wings in my bed.”
“Enjoy,” I said before I kissed her cheek. “Wings are fun; though the only angel I've ever slept with was posing as a loup at the time.”
“I've heard,” she said sympathetically. “That's unfortunate, but you've upgraded, haven't you?”
“You're damn right she has,” Gage said as he slid an arm around my waist. “If she wants wings, I have it covered.”
“And what a wingspan it is, Gagerian,” Vivian purred. “Say hello to your father for me.”
Vivian sauntered away, and I looked up at Gage with a smirk.
“You let Vivian use your full name,” I pointed out.
“She made it sound good,” he slid a wicked grin my way.
“Oh, Gagerian,” I mimicked Vivian, “what big wings you have.”
Gage growled and picked me up. “Don't tease me, woman,” he rumbled. “You're playing with fire.”
“She most certainly was,” Nigel Windthrope, my father's best friend, said as he strode up. “Elaria made it shoot right up from the ground. It was something to see.”
Gage put me down and nodded to Nigel. “Hey, Nigel.”
“Gage,” Nigel nodded back. “Gentlemen,” he said to the other men. “It's good to see you all.”
“Dad's not here, is he?” I asked as I went to give Nigel a hug.
“No; we didn't call him,” he said. “There was no sense in jeopardizing Robert when we had his daughter; the Savior of the Realms.”
“Ha-ha.” I grimaced.
“Did you hear about Odin and Ilis?” Nigel leaned in to ask.
“No.” I met him halfway. “Are they an item again?”
“Hotter than ever, evidently,” Nigel's British accent got thicker. “She's been coming here to visit him. She brought her brother a few times too. He's a nice man; you've made a few good decisions as far as beaus go.”
