by Brey Willows
Fury’s Death
Fun-loving fury Megara Graves is seriously tired of working so hard. With the world collapsing around her, she no longer has time for the hedonistic lifestyle she adores. When religion merges with politics and both gods and humans show their true colors, she wonders if it would be better to let the world burn itself to the ground.
Dani Morana, more commonly known as Death, is busy not just with people dying as usual, but with the deaths caused by Chaos as well. She’s been horribly lonely for a long time but knows no one could possibly love her for who she is. Overwhelmed when the world erupts in fear and violence, she needs someone to turn to.
Will Meg and Dani be able to find their way through the darkness enveloping the earth? Or will Death be the last one standing?
Fury’s Death
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Fury’s Death
© 2018 By Brey Willows. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13:978-1-63555-064-1
This Electronic Book is published by
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: March 2018
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design by Sheri (graphicartist2020@hotmail)
By the Author
Fury’s Bridge
Fury’s Choice
Fury’s Death
Acknowledgments
Thanks so much to everyone involved in the creation of books at BSB. It’s a road with a million starts and stops, and I appreciate every person who takes the time to make the book better. Thank you in particular to Rad and Sandy for taking a chance on this series, and to Cindy Cresap who always makes my work better and teaches me something new.
And as always, thanks to my wife, who never minds when we have to take a “research trip” at the drop of a hat. Rome was fabulous, love. Thanks for being my writing and travel buddy.
For Robyn, who keeps me writing and inspires me constantly.
Chapter One
Dani Morana knelt beside the bodies and gently closed their eyes. She could feel their souls waiting, confused by the sudden shift from life to death. In the distance were the sounds of crumbling concrete and the screams of those she’d likely be with soon. She rested her hands over their foreheads and called their souls to her. People thought the light they saw when they died was the road to the afterlife, but in fact, it was Dani’s touch, lighting the way to her temporary care. Death waited for no one but stopped for everyone.
She felt the children’s small souls leave the shells of their bodies, the glow of innocence dim but still present. They’d been killed instantly, which meant suffering and worry hadn’t had time to darken their spirits. Their souls felt like winter silk in her hands, and she placed them carefully in her black bag. When she took them to the river where they’d cross into their afterlife, they’d regain some form, much like that they had in life. But for now, in transit, they could rest as the beautiful celestial elements they were.
She stood and brushed the dirt from her jeans as she looked around. In the distance, she saw all three of the fury sisters standing over a group of cowering, cowardly men. Dani knew they were the ones who had come into the newly built school and opened fire on the women and children trying to get an education. Alec’s black mist and ebony snakes flowed from her arms to the man at her feet, while Tisera’s snakes slid from her head and flew at the man below her, her red mist pushing into his ears and eyes.
And then there was Megara. Beautiful, irrepressible Meg. Whenever she was around, Dani couldn’t take her eyes off her. Especially as she was now, with her sunset red wings spread wide, her deep red hair flowing around her, her snakes crawling out of her feathers, and her mist flowing from her hands. Unlike her sisters’ mists, Meg’s wasn’t just one color. It was like a bruised sunset allowed to flow from her palms, with grays, oranges, and pinks intertwining to create a mesmerizing effect.
When that beautiful multicolor mist enveloped the man at her feet, he began to scream. Pleading was clear in any language, but the three sisters were immune to it. Dani looked at the bodies around her and felt no sympathy for the men who had created such carnage, who had destroyed those who couldn’t fight back rather than fight against those who were actually a threat.
“You done?” Alec stepped carefully over bodies and came to Dani’s side.
“I’ve got them all, thanks. Though it sounds like there may end up being a few more soon.” She nodded at the men writhing on the ground. “They won’t do this again?”
Alec shook her head. “Not with what we’ve put in their heads. You know we each punish a different aspect. Because we could see into their minds, we knew who the leader was and who had followed. We punished accordingly, and until they take their own lives, they’ll live with the daily horror of what they’ve done.” Alec touched her arm lightly. “Still have trouble with it?”
Dani tilted her head in acknowledgment. “Sorry. It’s just so awful. Death would be faster, and they wouldn’t be around to do any more harm.”
“That’s the problem.” Meg walked up, still letting her snakes slide back into place among her feathers. “These bastards don’t deserve an easy death. They have to understand what they’ve done. Especially if they believe in some kind of reincarnation. If they come back, hopefully they’ll have learned a lesson from this go-around.”
Tis wrapped her arm around Meg’s shoulders. “And if they don’t come back, they’ll have started learning a lesson that will hopefully continue in whatever afterlife they believe in.” Tis rolled her neck to release tension. “Let’s get out of here.”
Dani opened the portal to her network of time roads and they got into her yellow Mustang convertible to make their way back to California via the Deadlands. There were clusters of houses here and there, along with shops and bars. Dani loved the deep, profound stillness that enveloped her special territory that existed between time and space, the province of Death and those who worked for her. There was laughter and desire, fear and despair, just like there was anywhere else. But there was also a sense of respect and solemnity that pervaded all of Dani’s world. People wouldn’t fear Death quite as much if they knew she considered it an honor to carry their souls to the next stage of their journeys.
Time didn’t exist in Dani’s sector, and they were back at Afterlife, Inc. headquarters faster than anyone else would have been able to travel.
Alec grinned at her. “That’s a definite benefit of traveling with you. I wish we had access to your mode of transport.”
Tis shook out her wings. “Not me. No offense, Dani, but it’s too dark in there. I feel like my wings would hit walls if I stretched them too wide.”
“I like it. It feels sensual. Like people could be having really intense sex in every corner.” Meg bumped Dani’s hip with her own. “I bet you’ve had some crazy times in there.”
Dani laughed and tried not to blush, but Meg always made her feel shy. “You’d be surprised.”
They headed inside and went straight to Zed’
s office. Zed and Kera’s office. Dani was still getting used to someone working not just for Zed, but almost as his boss. In her position as Death, she was used to change, perhaps more than any other person in the building. But gods and humans working together was a new one, and she was still wondering how it would turn out in the end.
Kera looked up when they walked in, and although she greeted them all, it was clear her attention was reserved for Tis, who quickly moved to her side and kissed her deeply. Their devotion to one another was moving and made a part of Dani ache.
“So? What was that all about?” Zed looked up from his paperwork and rolled his eyes at Kera and Tis, still kissing.
“Dumbasses, as usual.” Meg flopped into a chair and closed her eyes. “Men thinking they could strengthen their cause by killing women and children.”
“And their god?”
“Allah, technically. But when we looked into their minds, there wasn’t a genuine religious component. They weren’t zealots, just misogynists.”
Kera broke off the kiss but kept her arm around Tis’s waist. “Soul count?”
Dani rested her hand on her bag. “Sixty-two.”
“Can you write up a report to Allah, please? Let him know who these guys were and the soul count involved. The more information he has at hand, the easier his job will be.”
“Sure.” Dani stood and put her bag on like a backpack. “I’m going to head out to deliver these. Need anything else?”
“Can you have your crew send through some reports of where they’ve gone and how many they’ve picked up by the end of the week? I’d like to get a sense of where we need to send the most help next, and body counts are a good indication.”
“The gods can tell you that.” Zed glared at Kera, and everyone in the office braced themselves.
Since the inception of combining Kera’s company, GRADE, with Afterlife, she and Zed had had plenty of arguments, one of which had sent Kera’s hair sizzling when Zed had let loose a lightning bolt. She’d thrown a chair at him in return, and fortunately, Tis and Alec had stepped in to demand a ceasefire. But overall, it seemed to be working. Gods were showing up where they were needed most and providing assistance with actual work. Farming was getting better, schools were being built, and to the extent they could, they were even helping with weather changes so areas depressed by drought were getting more regular, low-level bursts of rain. The planet did seem to be changing, slowly, for the better.
“They can tell me that a lot of people died. They can’t always tell me why, or who did it, or exactly how many were killed, which means a change in the overall population.” Kera glared back at him and swatted away Tis’s feathers, which were wrapping around her more tightly. “Facts and numbers work better than general concepts, old man.”
He stood, towering over them all. “What did you call me?”
Kera stepped into his personal space, craning her neck to look up at him.
“Okay. Well, I’m going to go now,” Dani said. “I’ll make sure my crew get those reports to you. Always nice to see you all.” She backed toward the door and waved.
And just like that, the tension filling the room dissipated, and Kera and Zed began to laugh. “Don’t take off on our account, Dani. This is just the way we do things.” Zed clapped a hand on Kera’s shoulder and smiled at Dani. “Death never has anything to fear anyway.”
“She doesn’t like confrontation.” Meg yawned. “Big bad Death who only deals with people when they can’t talk back.”
Dani shrugged, embarrassed at how accurate Meg’s assessment was. But then, she’d been friends with the fury sisters for centuries, and they knew her better than anyone. “Yeah. That’s me. See you all later.”
She headed down to her car, a pit in her stomach at the thought of Meg dismissing her so lightly. Although the one thing she loved about Meg was her forthrightness and the fact that she didn’t play games, her directness could also be a pillow wrapped in barbed wire.
She fired up the Mustang, opened the portal to the road to the underworld, and floored it. She loved the wind in her hair and the feeling of home as she entered the area where she alone knew every in and out, every direction and need, of the world that was hers alone. The Mustang was her one concession to color in her usually gray-toned world. It felt extravagant, loud, and as though she could be someone more like that, and less like…well, herself.
She took the left fork into the Islamic sector. When she arrived at Allah’s palace she grabbed her bag and headed to the basement. For centuries, Islamic belief held that heaven and hell were only places people would go once Judgment Day had happened. But Allah had been rebranding and altering his texts, as had all the major gods, and now he had an underworld waiting room as well, a kind of Limbo. Those who were worthy would, one day, ascend to heaven. Those who weren’t, however, would immediately descend to hell, one based closely on the Christian version. He’d decided there wasn’t much point in keeping the sinners around longer than necessary. Those waiting for heaven would stay here in the palace and surrounding lands. It was like the Catholics’ purgatory but with nicer gardens and spicy food.
She took her bag to the sorting room, where several of Allah’s angels were busy dividing souls. She handed it over, aware as ever when the person taking it from her made sure to avoid any contact. Even god’s angels were wary of Death.
That chore done, she decided to head out onto the water. She stopped by her place, grabbed her board, threw on a wetsuit, and drove to Zuma. The waves this time of day were perfect, and she loved the way the sun glinted off the water. She parked the Mustang at the edge of the lot and pulled her Special T longboard from the back. The smooth wood was cool under her hands, and as always, she felt herself relax as she carried it out to the water, the sand cold under her feet. Winter swells were often best here, but she had this section to herself thanks to the frigid water. She dropped the board into the waves and slid in behind it. She grabbed the rails and pulled herself on. Though she’d never admit it to anyone, she’d always thought the anticipation of grabbing a perfect wave was even better than the anticipation of sex.
A few waves came toward her, too close together, and she executed some quick turtle rolls to bow under them. She was naturally cold, so the water temperature didn’t bother her. The ocean called to her like nowhere else on earth. The vast array of life beneath her always took her breath away. She’d skied, she’d skydived, she’d bungee-jumped. Nothing compared to the power and serenity of surfing. Life below her, the tides surging to and fro under her board, the skill to ride the blue-green tunnels and even the power of the waves as they crashed down on her body…it was as perfectly alive as she could ever get. Though lately she’d been dealing with changes she wasn’t prepared to think about, making life awkward in new ways.
As she paddled out in the dark water, she let her mind wander. She thought about Tis’s comment about her domain feeling small and about Meg’s joke about it being sensual. Any time Meg teased Dani about sex, she had no idea how to respond. Sure, she’d had plenty of sex in the Deadlands, as it had been called for ages. She’d had her share of relationships and enjoyed a goddess or two. But nothing ever lasted. Not a lot of people wanted to hang out with Death. Except the furies.
A perfect swell formed, and Dani turned to paddle. She moved fast, loving the way the board responded under her, the way she flew with the water. She popped up, put her back foot on the traction pad, and settled into stance. The waves were pulling hard right, and she focused ahead on the tunnel. As she swept through it, finally letting it collapse over her, she put everything else out of her mind. Right now, all she had to be was herself. No job, no friends, no crushes, no anomalies. Just Dani and the ocean, as one.
Chapter Two
Meg stretched her wings and stood on her tiptoes to stretch her legs as well. She looked at the various bodies in her bed and felt her clit twitch in response. After all the death and destruction of the mass shooting, she’d needed a release, the kind
only a lot of sweaty, fun sex could provide. She’d called a few of her regular playmates, who hadn’t hesitated to join her. Freya’s long blond braids rested on Pan’s dark, muscled stomach. Philotes and Hathor slept in one another’s embrace, dark intertwined with light. It had been a good night, full of moans, laughter, and pleasure. Meg’s body ached pleasantly from hours of exertion and sexual acrobatics.
She made her way to the kitchen after grabbing her robe and put on a pot of coffee. When everyone woke, they’d all have to get back to work, but for now, Meg enjoyed the feeling of having a full house of people who’d enjoyed sex the way Meg did, unreserved and without boundaries.
“That smells good.” Pan came into the kitchen, his hooves echoing on the slate flooring.
Meg boosted herself on the counter and sipped from her mug. “Help yourself.”
He poured himself a cup and made a sound of appreciation after his first sip. “This is one thing humans have gotten right.”
Meg nodded but didn’t say anything. The morning after was always special for her, a time when the closeness of the night before hadn’t been washed away by the realities of the day yet.
They drank in companionable silence until Pan said, “You know I always love being included in your dirty get-togethers, Meg, but can I ask you something?”
She looked at him curiously.
“Don’t you get tired of the parties? Of sex without strings?”
She scoffed. “You’re one to talk, god of sex.”
He grinned. “I wasn’t saying I was tired of it. I’m a huge fucking fan. But you’re not me. You’re not a sex god at all, though you sure as hell act like one in the sack.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and she laughed. “Seriously, though. Have you ever been in a long-term relationship, had someone to come home to?”
