by Gail Koger
A spine-chilling wail broke from Asmoday as he disappeared down the Executioners’ gaping maws.
A brilliant orange glow popped into existence. A minute later, Ethan and Adan jumped out of a spinning vortex.
“Ethan!” I scrambled to my feet, took one step and did a face plant. “Ow.”
“You’re gonna be the death of me.” Ethan scooped me up.
“Never.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You’re stuck with me until the end of time.”
Ethan retracted my helmet, took one look at my blood-covered face and sighed. “I can’t leave you alone for minute.”
“Hey, this is first time I’ve ever been shot, and you know crazy shit happens to me.”
“With scary regularity.” He scanned me with his bracelet. “You’ve got a concussion, minor blood loss and a shitload of contusions.” Scowling, Ethan ran the healing wand over my head. “Why did that bastard shoot you?”
I sighed in relief as the pain faded away. “He wanted me to find Montezuma’s gold and when I refused, he shot me. Kinda hard to find the treasure if I’m not breathing.”
“Asmoday would have possessed your soul and used your powers as he saw fit,” Adan stated.
“Oh yay! I’m so glad he’s dead.
Adan kept a wary watch on the Executioners’ bulging sides. “He is not dead.”
“What? But I saw the Executioners eat him.”
Adan’s tentacles casually picked up pieces of Aztec armor. “They are containing his life force until Qa’a arrives.”
My eyes bugged. “Qa’a as in the Katanic Supreme Leader?”
“Yes.”
“He’s like coming here?”
Adan’s tentacles drooped unhappily. “He is.”
“What did Asmoday do?”
“He killed the Supreme Leader’s daughter.”
I tightened my grip on Ethan. “Now might be a good time to leave.”
“We can’t. Qa’a wants to meet you.”
“What! Why?”
“Asmoday stole the crystalline death mask of Djembe, the first Katanic Supreme Leader and Qa’a wants it back,” Ethan said.
“Let me guess. They think it’s with Montezuma’s treasure?”
“They do.”
“And Qa’a expects us to find it.”
A grim smile curled Ethan’s mouth. “He does.”
“Yippee-ki-yay.” I shuddered as a tremendous power roiled around the cavern.
“Qa’a has arrived,” Adan stated.
No shit.
A gigantic vortex formed over the water. Slashes of incandescent silver flashed within the swirling maelstrom.
Snap! The maelstrom vanished. An aged, pale-faced male with glowing yellow eyes hovered in mid-air. His wispy black, hooded cloak added to his sinister air.
Huh? I had been expecting a big, slimy ball with zillions of tentacles.
Eeyore. Eeyore. Eeyore.
I whispered to Ethan. “What’s that?”
“Qa’a is laughing,” Ethan whispered back.
“At me?”
“Yep.” Ethan stood and pulled me up with him.
“My liege.” Adan did a weird bob.
Ethan gave the supreme leader a slight bow. “You honor us with your presence.”
Qa’a studied me for a long moment. “Once again a human female surprises me. I have hunted Asmoday for a millennium. He is a cunning outlaw with shields even I was unable to breach. How did you manage to do what I could not?”
“I opened a portal and since he’s sorta dead, it disrupted his powers.”
Qa’a floated closer. “What type of portal?”
“A gateway that allows trapped spirits to cross over into heaven or hell,” I answered. “And I had hoped to send him to the underworld.”
“You commune with the dead?”
“I can and to find the next clue to where Montezuma’s treasure is hidden, I need that jade snake.” I pointed to it. Poof! The jade snake appeared in front of me. “Ah, thanks, but I need to make sure it’s not cursed with more undead guardians. To do that safely, I require my grandmother’s help.”
“Summon her,” Qa’a said.
“Thank you, sir.” I was surprised she hadn’t shown up on her own. I mentally linked with her. “Where are you Granny? I need your help.”
“Are the aliens still there?”
“They are.”
“Their auras are unnatural.”
I rolled my eyes. “What did you expect? They’re not human.”
“Granny Annabel, we need your expertise. Only you have the power to tell if the relic is booby-trapped,” Ethan added quickly.
Granny Annabel materialized next to us and fixed a stern gaze on Qa’a. “I want your promise that Asmoday dies today.”
“You have it,” Qa’a replied calmly.
“Excellent.” Granny turned her attention to the jade snake and stiffened. “Asmoday placed a death spell on the relic. Only he can remove it.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” I snarled.
For a moment Ethan resembled a scary ass sociopath. “Give me five minutes with him. He’ll remove it.”
I believed him.
Eeyore. Eeyore. Eeyore. Qa’a gestured.
The Executioners vomited big chunks of Asmoday all over the cavern floor.
Ugh. I fought down the urge to hurl.
Ethan stared at what was left of Asmoday. “Or not.”
Qa’a waved his hand. Silver energy bolts crawled over the pieces and they transformed into a tiny ball of black flesh. “You have five minutes.”
Four little tentacles sprouted beneath the ball and Asmoday scurried off.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Ethan pulled his laser pistol and stunned the little monster.
Squeaking pathetically, Asmoday’s body pulsed and twitched.
Ethan walked over to him. “I can keep this up all day. Can you?”
A tiny mouth formed in the ball and it chomped down on Ethan’s left boot.
“Seriously?” Ethan shook him off. “Last chance.”
A tentacle shot up in a one-finger salute.
“He must have picked that trick up from Dante,” I commented.
Granny nodded. “Or the other one.”
With a shrug Ethan stunned Asmoday over and over and over.
“Your man has a mean streak,” Granny commented.
“No big surprise there. He’s Coletti.”
“Your five minutes are up,” Qa’a stated. He grabbed Asmoday and ate him.
Ethan starred at him in astonishment.
I turned to Adan. “He had a bad case of the munchies?”
“Once Qa’a has digested Asmoday his knowledge and skills become the Supreme Leader’s.”
“Oh. How handy.” Not!
Qa’a picked up the jade snake and handed it to me. “The death spell has been removed.”
“Thank you.” I focused on the jade snake and groaned as images of cactus strewn mountains flashed across my mind. The Fates must be laughing their asses off. “You’re not gonna believe it but Montezuma’s treasure is in the Superstition Mountains.”
Chapter Twenty
Ethan teleported us back to the RV and handed Quinn the jade snake. “We’re heading back to the Superstition Mountains.”
“She couldn’t have figure that out sooner?”
Xenia smacked his arm. “Knock it off. Sorry Kizzy. He’s still angry Asmoday snatched you.”
Uh huh. I found that hard to believe. “It’s ok. I’m used to him being a cranky butt.”
“Cranky butt?” Quinn gave me his best killer stare.
“Give it a rest. After Asmoday and Qa’a nothing scares me anymore.”
A faint smile touched Quinn’s mouth. “Welcome to the family, sister.”
“Is he for real? I whispered in Ethan’s ear.
“He is.”
The events of the last couple of hours hit me with a vengeance. A tear rolled down my cheek and I began to shake uncontroll
ably.
Ethan hugged me tightly. “You’re ok. It’s just a little adrenalin crash. It’ll pass. You’re safe now.”
“Are the Bjarke mercenaries still after us?”
“They are,” Ethan answered reluctantly.
“Then that’s a lie and God knows what’s waiting for us in the Superstition Mountains.”
“Nothing but scorpions and rattlesnakes,” Quinn offered.
I gave him the stink-eye. “The mountains are haunted. Once we get to Phoenix, we need to stock up on salt and holy water.”
“Zarek has that handled,” Xenia said.
“How?”
Xenia smiled gleefully. “He raided the Vatican’s armory. Their arsenal is now ours.”
“Whoa! Please tell me he got some holy water grenades?”
“He did,” General Jones said, stepping out of the motorhome.
I tried not to stare at the cross hanging from his neck. His run-in with Asmoday had made a believer out of him.
A frown knotted the General’s brow as he took in my appearance. “Have Shrek check Kizzy out. We need her in fighting shape.”
“Yes, sir.” Poof. We were in sick bay. Ethan sat me on an examination table.
“Where’s Shrek?” And my chocolate.
“Good question.” Ethan shouted, “Shrek!”
“Coming.” A door slid open and Shrek walked out. His eyes widened in alarm and he grabbed a scanner. “What happened?”
“I banished a bunch of angry ghosts, got hit in the head by a big ass mirror and ended up going toe-to-toe with Asmoday. Just another day in the life of a ghost whisperer.”
“I see.” Shrek ran the scanner over me. “Ten minutes in the regen tube will heal your injuries.” He handed me a blue jumpsuit with sensors on it. “Please put this on.”
I looked around. “Where’s the changing room?”
“Shrek has seen a nude female before,” Ethan said.
“Maybe, but I’m the shy type.”
A sigh escaped Shrek. “I will step out. Once you have the jumpsuit on, please climb inside the open tube. It will close automatically.”
“Ok.”
Shrek left.
I hit an icon on my bracelet. My armor shrank away. “Do I keep the belt on?”
“No.” Ethan took it off. “I’ll hang on to it.”
I scrambled into the jumpsuit. “Which tube?”
“This one.” Ethan picked me up and placed me inside it. “Relax, it’s painless.”
“Good to know.” The lid closed and a thick white mist swirled around me.
“Is Qa’a joining our treasure hunt?”
Ethan grimaced. “God, I hope not.”
“Me too. He gives me the willies.” My killer headache suddenly vanished along with all my aches and pains. The regen tube was worth its weight in gold. The Dragos clan had been trying to steal one for years.
“Feeling better?” Ethan placed his hand on the lid.
I put my hand under his. “I am.” A tremor shook me. So much had happened in such a short time. I needed Ethan’s touch. I needed to feel the warmth of his body against mine. I needed to chase away the memories of my battle with the ghosts and how close I had come to dying. “Think we have time for a shower and some dirty dancing?”
A wicked smile curved Ethan’s mouth. “I think that can be arranged and I’ll help wash the blood out of your hair.”
“My lady parts are dirty too.”
Ethan examined my body carefully. “Very dirty.”
The lid slid back.
Ethan scooped me up and headed for the decontamination chamber.
“Where are you going? I need to scan Kizzy again,” Shrek trotted after us.
“My mate needs a shower.”
I peeked over Ethan’s shoulder. “And some chocolate after I’ve cleaned up. Please.”
Shrek regarded his scanner with amusement. “Your pheromones are quite elevated.” He turned back to the exam room.
In record time, Ethan was naked, and he had my jumpsuit off.
“Whoa, big guy. Shower first, then the dirty dancing.”
Ethan took my lips in a devastating blend of hunger and gentleness. “Whatever my lady wishes.”
“Do you know how to Tango?”
“I spent some time in Buenos Aires and learned from the best.”
“What was her name?” Holding my face up to the warm spray of water, I let it wash away the blood. It was pure heaven.
“Lolita.” Ethan poured shampoo into his hands and gently worked it into my scalp.
My pussy clench as his fingers massaged my head. “Did you do the horizontal Tango too.”
“God, no. Lolita was eighty-years old and had a very protective husband.” He tilted my head back letting the hot water rinse away the soap. “Jealous?”
“You betcha.” The pad of Ethan’s thumb brushed over my lips. I took it into my mouth and sucked on it like I would his penis.
“Fuck.” A shudder shook Ethan. “You have a very talented mouth Angel.” He grabbed my right hand, spun me around him and pulled me into a tight embrace. “Let’s dance.”
Ethan promenaded me around the decontamination chamber and made his pecs dance.
A laugh escaped me. “Sexy and crazy. What more could a girl want?”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” His large hands skimmed down my back, grabbed my hips and up I went. He twirled my body around his head, then lowered me until our lips met.
I took his mouth in a hot, opened-mouth kiss. It sparked the fire that silently burned between us.
“You drive me mad,” Ethan whispered in my head.
“And you take my breath away.” I wrapped my legs around his hips. “Now where are those squiggly little joy toys.”
Ethan winced. “Little? Squiggly?”
“Awesome. Erotic. Delightful sex toys. Put them to work sugar.”
“As my lady commands.”
Tentacles undulated against my pussy, electrifying every nerve ending. I sucked in a shuddering breath. Ethan was a fever in my blood. He was everywhere, touching my mind, my body. I grabbed his taut ass. “More. More.”
Ethan’s cock slid home. A moan tore from me at the delicious stretching feeling.
“Like that?” He thrust into me in a steady rhythm designed to make my nervous system short circuit. The vibrating joy toys pulsated up my channel, sending ecstasy cascading through me.
“God yes.” Every touch, every kiss twisted the coil of arousal tighter and tighter until spikes of ecstasy roared through me.
His decadent tongue never stopped moving as Ethan pounded into me with deep, strong strokes. Multiple orgasms shook my body and I came apart in his arms.
“This is not the time for you to hump like rabbits.” Granny Annabel materialized in the shower.
Ethan scowled. “Talk about a buzz kill.”
“This better be good Granny.” I slid down Ethan’s body.
Granny gawked at Ethan. “Holy Mary Mother of God!”
“What’s the emergency?” I stepped in front of Ethan.
“He doesn’t have a willie or balls.”
“He does. They’re just placed differently.”
“Are they in his ass?” Granny cocked her head.
I rolled my eyes. “No.”
Battle armor formed around Ethan and he snapped his fingers. “Granny! Focus. What’s wrong?”
“The Bjarke mercenaries placed an energy field around the motorhome. The General, Quinn and Xenia are trapped inside. They are demanding the jade snake.”
I picked up my belt and fastened it around me. Snikt. Schlik. Schlik. Schlik. Schlik. Schlik. Within seconds black armor covered me. “Let’s go show them what happens when they mess with our family.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Twenty heavily armed Bjarke warriors had the motorhome surrounded. The energy barrier also prevented the General, Quinn and Xenia from teleporting out or calling for help.
Ethan checked his scanner.
“They brought a portable laser cannon.”
“The idiots think it’ll protect them from Asmoday and his spirit warriors,” I said.
“I’ll contact Central Command for help.”
“Not necessary. Granny can handle them.”
“I certainly can.” Granny Annabel transformed into an enormous horned serpent with glittering red scales and a mouth full of awesome fangs.
Ethan gaped at her. “Holy Fuck. Wouldn’t it be easier to put them into hibernation?”
“They attacked my granddaughter, and this is more fun.” Letting out a ferocious roar, Granny charged down the hillside.
The Bjarke mercenaries took one look at Granny and opened fire. The laser beams passed harmlessly through her as she chased them around and around the motorhome.
A few bolts came dangerously close to us. “Finish them off Granny and don’t forget to take out their shield generator and laser cannon,” I instructed.
“You never let me have any fun.”
A blinding flash of light temporarily blinded me. When I could see again, the generator and laser cannon were coated in three feet of ice. The Bjarke mercenaries were sprawled on the ground. “See? Nothing to it.”
“Way to go Granny,” Ethan called.
“Now we need to find out who hired them.”
The air rippled around the horned serpent and an instant later my grandmother stood there with a grin on her face. “That was so much fun.”
Quinn opened the motorhome door. “Does salt and holy water work on the crazy old lady too?”
“Nope. Granny Annabel’s a different type of specter,” I replied.
“Don’t listen to him Granny.” Xenia squeezed by Quinn. “You were awesome.”
Granny gave her a ghostly hug. “You are the daughter of my heart. Your man should tread cautiously. I find his lack of respect annoying.”
“Is she threatening me?” Quinn rumbled.
Ethan stepped in front of him. “Yes, and if you don’t want to end up like the Bjarke, you’ll keep it civil.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
“That’s can’t be good,” Xenia and I said in unison.
Ethan checked his scanner. “There are eight patrol cars and two armored SWAT vehicles heading our way.
“SWAT?” I gestured at the Bjarke warriors. “How do we explain them? Or the piles of bones, and the mangled pieces of that dead guy over there?”