Blood of Gods

by Scarlett Dawn

  “Exactly.” I snapped my fingers in remembrance. “And he also told me you are the Breaker.”

  Kimber’s lips twitched. “That, I am.”

  “How do you plan to make peace on Earth?” I lifted one eyebrow, eyeing her person. “Any ideas there?”

  “Not one.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll figure that out together.” I held out my hand to her. “Deal?”

  She shook my hand solidly, as she had before. “Queen Niniane’s head was found with you, so we do have a deal.”

  I smiled. With fang.

  Damn right she was sticking to it.

  Dead queen or not.

  “Kimber, watch out for this one.” Dorian snorted and walked away. “I have a head to give away. I’ll meet you on the train.”

  I clambered aboard the old locomotive, heading straight to the washroom and carting my heavy bag behind me. The train blew its whistle and started chugging along ten minutes later. I was still washing. The water sloshed about in the water basin, but I steadied my legs for the ride. I rid myself of the worst of the filth, tossing my old clothes away in a wastebasket, relishing the new garments I pulled on.

  I sighed with contentment when I took the empty seat Belshazzar had left for me next to him. Kimber and Dorian sat across from us, facing backward. The gals received the window seats, which pleased me.

  I rested my forehead against the window and stared out into the night, playing with the holsters fitted to my thighs. New guns replaced my old ones—those long gone now thanks to my kidnappers—plenty more in my bag where they came from.

  I stated quietly, “Is there anything left of S’Kir that is beautiful?”

  “If you look hard enough, you can see it still.” Kimber stared out her window. “It only needs to be unearthed.”

  I grunted. “You love S’Kir.”

  Her hazel eyes met mine, fierce and determined. “I do. With all my heart.”

  “That’s good. You’re going to need that love to rebuild the island,” I stated evenly. “It will take time.”

  “We are immortal.” An enormous grin graced her pretty features, making her stunning to behold. “We have nothing but time.”

  “True enough.” I chuckled and turned back to my window. But my brows immediately snapped together in confusion. “Um, is there a western being filmed here?”

  Kimber blinked. “A what, Your Royal Highness?”

  I pointed sharply at the window. “There is either a very weird movie being filmed here, or the train is about to get hijacked by men on horses—with swords and guns and spears.” That was an entirely odd mixture of weapons, but this realm was whacked. I no longer blinked an eye at it, accepting it as it was—a realm I did not like.

  Everyone in our train car heard me.

  Faces smacked against windows.

  My soul mate smashed me from behind, scowling out my window with me. He growled in exasperation, “What the fuck?”

  From the seats behind us, Aiko muttered with much frustration, “The Stronghold doesn’t know Queen Niniane is dead yet. And these railroads are the property of those vampires. It looks like they are coming for us.”

  A slow smile lifted my lips as I eyed the two individuals leading the charge. I lifted my guns out of my holsters and clicked the safety off.

  “The two men in the front there? No one touches them. They are mine.”

  My kidnappers were coming to say hello.

  29

  GWYNNORE

  “Dorian, take the roof,” King Belshazzar ordered evenly, sliding out of his seat, and grabbing for his luggage overhead. He started dropping weapons on his seat from inside his bag in a blur of speed. “You’ll be able see up there better. Get as many as you can. The rest of us will take a train car to protect.”

  Dorian grinned and cracked his knuckles. “This will be fun.” He seized a few knives off the vacated seat. “I’ll take these just in case. You are always so prepared.”

  “Shut up and go.” Bel pointed a gun at the ceiling. “And don’t get dead.”

  “Never.”

  Belshazzar smirked. “Never.”

  I rolled my eyes and rose from my seat. “I’ll take the engineer. They’ll try to hit him first.”

  “I’ll take the fuel car behind you. Get moving, little one.” Bel pressed into my back to hurry me up and glanced back over his shoulder. “Are you guys good?”

  “Yes.” Kimber picked up one of Bel’s guns he had left behind for the others. “May I use this?”

  “Click the safety off, and you’re good to kill.” Belshazzar lifted one of his black eyebrows, remarking, “You’ll like that gun better than your old one. But be careful. It’s got a bite to it.”

  “I like biting.” She scanned the gun and quickly found the correct safety switch. Her smile was beaming, pleased with herself. “I think I’ll be fine.”

  I grinned and hurried away through the cars in front of us, my soul mate hot on my trail. I stopped at the fuel car and said, “Be careful.”

  “You, too.” Belshazzar bent, and, even though he was still frustrated with me, he pressed a gentle kiss on my lips—soft and sweet as sin. “I don’t want you dead.”

  I snorted and raced to the next car.

  The engineer jolted in shock upon my arrival.

  I held my guns up in the air, away from his face. “I’m here to protect you. Just do your job. It’s going to get a little loud in here.”

  His features crinkled nervously. “The Stronghold?”

  “Yes.”

  “I had worried about that.” He returned to his work, his back facing me. “Keep me alive, and you’ll stay alive.”

  I turned when screams charged the air, and I peeked around the corner of the door. I stared in awe as vampires were blasted from their horses far into the air, no chance for survival from that height. My eyes rounded in amazement as hundreds of vampires went airborne.

  It was literally raining vampires.

  That was a new one for me.

  Dorian was doing a bloody excellent job.

  One thumped down on top of the engineer’s car, making me duck and flinch at the sound of bones crunching. His arm hung off the side of the roof right in front of me. I grabbed it and yanked him down, kicking his body over the side, the wind rushing around me.

  “One down.” I took aim on the closest vampire. I squeezed the trigger. Boom, bitch. “Two down.”

  “Three down?” the engineer asked quietly behind me, a knife suddenly at my throat. “Be careful who you ride with, dear.”

  “Jesus Christ,” I cursed softly. I held my guns up into the air. “Are you shitting me, asshole?”

  “I know who pays my wages. And it sure isn’t you.” The engineer prodded me forward toward the edge of the car, keeping the knife close to my neck. “You’re going to jump off this train now, right toward those riders. Understand?”

  “Bel…little help here,” I mumbled softly, knowing he could hear me. I jerked and held still as the engineer suddenly dropped behind me, a tiny hole in the window of the door in the car in front of me. I shook my head and shoved the damned man off the train, enjoying watching his body tumble away into the dark. “Perfect shot to the head, Bel. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome!” he shouted over the wind.

  I took aim at more vampires, firing away at will. “Know anyone who can drive a train? Like…now? I’m quite sure I can’t do it.”

  Bel opened the door across from mine, wind rushing between our two cars, and stared at the empty space behind me, his brows furrowing low. “That is a problem. I’ll be back.” The door blurred shut, and he was gone in a blink.

  Screams and gunshots were all around.

  I squatted low, keeping my body behind the wall, and returned fire on every damned vampire that wanted this car to themselves. I was almost tempted to let one board if they could drive it. A gun to the head was a hell of a lot of motivation.

  The door opened again. “Found one!” Bel shoved Ai
ko straight at me. I barely saved him from tumbling over the edge. “Get to work, man.”

  The fuel car’s door slammed shut.

  Aiko stood to his full height and brushed the wrinkles out of his clothes. He ground out between a tight jaw, “Your soul mate could learn some manners.”

  I chuckled darkly and peered down the sight of my gun. “Yes, he could. But do as he said if you can.”

  Aiko turned to the controls and sighed heavily. “I am able to do this. Try to not get me killed.”

  “I didn’t kill the last engineer.” Aim, fire. Aim, fire. “Belshazzar did.”

  “What?”

  “The engineer tried to kill me first.”

  “Ah, that does make sense then.”

  I peeked to the side. It did seem like this vampire knew what he was doing. I turned my complete focus on the incoming hijackers. There weren’t many left between all of us killing them off. I sure hope someone saved my kidnappers for me.

  Finally, I shoved my guns back into their holsters, needing new clips for them. I was completely out of ammunition. There was a lot of roadkill on the side of the railways now, plenty for the S’Kir creepy-crawlies to feast on for weeks.

  “I’m going back to our car.” I stood and stretched, my thighs tight from exertion. “Anything you need?”

  “No, I’ll be all right, Your Royal Highness.”

  “Keep a lookout for any stragglers.” I pointed a finger at him as I left. “We need you.”

  His laughter followed me as I walked away.

  A smile brightened my face as I noticed the two fools that awaited me on their knees in our main train car. Belshazzar reclined on a chair next to his twin, both men holding guns aimed at my kidnappers, keeping them in place.

  Their eyes widened at the sight of me.

  My snicker was pure evil. “Hello there again. My, how the tides have turned. Would you like to see what someone does to hurt someone else?”

  Both men stayed mute, their features blanking.

  “Cat got your tongue? I’ll tell you the answer, Maon and Kyldan. You really take away what they love the most, like a mate, for instance,” I murmured sweetly, taking the two guns from Belshazzar and Dorian. I pointed them at the idiots. “You should have taken my offer of land.”

  I fired. And fired. And fired. And fired.

  And fired.

  I kept going, riddling their bodies with bullets, watching their physiques jump in place until the guns simply clicked when I pressed the triggers again.

  Belshazzar cleared his throat and held up another clip to me. I tossed him one gun and took the clip, reloading with extreme precision. I started firing again until I was bored. With one bullet left, just in case someone snuck on board, I lowered the weapon.

  “I feel better now.” I glanced at my soul mate and shrugged. “Very cathartic.”

  He nodded slowly, his lips twitching.

  Kimber peeked out from where Rilen and Roran had shoved her behind them, her eyes wide on the carnage before me. Rilen’s and Roran’s faces were carefully blank, their arms crossed over their chests.

  Dorian blinked, scanning my eyes closely—even though he spoke to his twin. “What the hell have you gotten yourself into, brother? She is just like you.”

  “A lifetime of adventures.” Belshazzar laughed outright. “I’ve learned my soul mate is never dull.”

  30

  GWYNNORE

  “My ass hurts,” I griped, rubbing at my derrière. The horse ride from the train station to here was not pleasant, the terrain rocky and dangerous. “My horse was a literal pain in the ass. First thing they should do here is work on the damn roads and start making transportation advancements.”

  “Hush.” Belshazzar laughed softly. “The others are about to step out of the Gate. It is a first for almost all of them.”

  “And three thousand years for me,” Dorian stated quietly, his eyes transfixed on the ocean he could see through the Gate. He stepped forward, almost hesitantly, like the ocean would disappear if he went any closer. “Is the mist still friendly?”

  “Of course.” Bel smirked.

  I shuddered. The mist was weird.

  It liked to hug and shit.

  You know, stuff mist shouldn’t do.

  Dorian steeled up a chest full of oxygen and marched forward, barking over his shoulder, “It is time.”

  Roran chuckled softly, whispering to me, “It is time. Did you hear?”

  “Yes, I heard.” I rolled my eyes heavenward.

  Here we go again. Going to save the world.

  I had better not get fucking kidnapped again.

  Rilen shoved his twin in the back. “Quit joking around, and move your ass.”

  Kimber and Aiko followed directly behind Dorian while Rilen and Roran trailed them.

  I shook my head and whispered under my breath too quietly for anyone else to hear, “How the fuck does she handle all of that testosterone?”

  “Happily, from what I’ve heard.” Belshazzar snorted softly. “Very happily.”

  I scrunched my face, revolted. “That loud?”

  “Worse.” Belshazzar grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind him. His eyes held mine. “Are you prepared for this? It’s time to be the queen again.”

  “I’m as prepared as I can be,” I stated honestly, turning my attention to our linked hands. Our boots dug into the sand and crushed broken clamshells while we hiked across the beach, the sun shining down on us this time. I stared at our joined fingers the entire way, even when the mist curled up against my ankles, saying hello. “Bel? I’m not sure I’m prepared for this, though.”

  He glanced down to our hands, then back up to my eyes. Belshazzar stated softly, “We’ll take it slow.”

  “We aren’t very good at slow.” My attention caught on his eyes, a crooked grin lighting up my features. “Since I first met you, we’ve been head first.”

  “We’ll dip our toes this time,” King Belshazzar soothed. “Can you do that?”

  “I…think so.” My eyes never left his. I declared very softly—brutally honest, “I don’t want to be scared of this.”

  “You are stronger than you think.” Belshazzar stared from beneath his long lashes. “Have faith in yourself. It will take you far.”

  Dorian pointed at the tender, shouting over the waves, “This is the boat we are taking to Earth? There is no sail to catch wind. It doesn’t even have oars to row. Is this a joke?”

  “Oh boy,” I muttered, releasing my soul mate’s hand. This was going to be an interesting trip. Say hello to technology, gentlemen—and lady.

  All five of them surveyed the tender with confusion, staring at it from different angles, trying to understand.

  “Did someone steal the oars?” Rilen scratched at his chin. “I suppose we can ride back and purchase some.”

  “Oh, fuck no. We are not riding on horses again today.” I jabbed my soul mate in his ribs. “Will you put them out of their misery? This is cruel.”

  Belshazzar patted the air. “Just get in the boat. It will move. I promise.”

  “How?” Kimber’s eyebrows puckered, curious. “Is it magic that you have on Earth that we don’t have here?”

  “It’s science,” King Belshazzar stated patiently. “It’s not magic. It is manmade.” He pointed far into the ocean. “That is the yacht we will be taking to Earth. We’ll ride in this little boat, first, to get to it.”

  All five squinted through the mist, into the far distance. Their eyes widened in amazement as soon as they saw it.

  Dorian stood straight, and his chest puffed out. “Now, that is a boat I could see you captaining, my brother.”

  Belshazzar rubbed at his forehead and then rolled a quick, exasperated finger in the air. “Actually, I have a person I pay to captain it. But the yacht is mine. It is my baby. Do not do anything wrong on it.”

  Rilen and Roran nodded. In complete agreement.

  Aiko stepped aboard the tender first, gingerly sitting on one of
the seats. He ran his hands over the leather, murmuring, “This is a fine boat here. If it runs, of course.”

  Fucking hell. I choked on a laugh.

  I leaned into my soul mate, and I whispered softly, “If we have to explain everything to them all the time, this is going to take forever. Get them moving.”

  King Belshazzar heeded my warning, herding them into the boat. I took my seat, then placed a hand in front of my mouth, and glanced away when he started the engine. The oohs and ahhs were just too much for me. And it would be rude to laugh in their faces, the poor luddites that they were.

  I waved a hand in front of my eyes, attempting to clear the wetness in my vision, yanking hard to tamp down my humor before I turned back to the group. I asked loudly over the wind, “Is there anyone here who can perform a language spell? You’re going to need it on Earth. We had to get one before we came here.”

  “Good thinking.” Belshazzar patted my knee, keeping his hand there, the other on the wheel while he piloted the tender. “Dorian, are you still good with that?”

  Dorian smirked, full of teeth. “Of course.”

  The druid whispered a few words, and then touched each of their foreheads.

  He shrugged. “Done.”

  I said—in English, “And he didn’t even require them to smoke anything.”

  Dorian glanced at me oddly—also responding in English, “Is there something I’m missing?”

  I waved a hand in the air, laughing loudly. “A story for another time.” I kept chuckling and leaned toward my soul mate, pressing my mouth to his ear, whispering just loudly enough for him to hear, “Laugh after I ask you this. Did you give Dorian his amulet back yet?”

  Belshazzar tipped his head back and belted out the loudest laugh I’d heard before. He shook his head, with a smile tugging at his lips. “No. In due time, little one. One can’t be too eager.”

  “You’re an ass.” I rolled my eyes and sat back.

  It was excellent that he hadn’t, yet.