Tres: Ancient Warriors. Modern Women. Waking Desires.

by Jules River

  “I told you to sleep somewhere else!” she emphasized with a kick to his calf.

  “I will not sleep without you, Faye.”

  “You will if I say so,” she fumed.

  “That’s not negotiable. You bed with me.”

  “You know what? I don’t even care. Just let me up, I have things to do.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that. Now move it.” Cenric was serious about not negotiating with Faye, but now she was trying a new tactic with him, and he was unsure how to proceed. So he got up without another word and watched her go about the business of getting ready for the day.

  Later that morning Faye acted as if nothing happened, for the most part anyway. She was not as friendly or as happy as she normally would have been, but she was not giving him the silent treatment, either. Steven did not show himself, so at least they did not have to deal with that problem at the moment.

  Continuing their research of the previous day, they were finally able to determine with near-certainty that Mando Cortez had the book of spells they wanted; their next stop would be on the other side of the Atlantic, so they readied themselves and their crew for a trip that could prove to be dangerous.

  That evening, Faye and Cenric left for Mexico City with a six-man team. They wanted to get in and out of the country quickly, and to keep their presence as quiet as possible. Mexico could be a treacherous place, and it was not possible to over-prepare. When they reached Mexico City late the next morning, they went to their hotel. Waiting for them were photos and maps of Cortez’s compound, the cemetery in which his brother was buried, some of the places that Cortez frequented, as well as photos of Cortez, those closest to him, and of his guards. Faye asked everyone to meet up in her suite after a short break.

  “OK, guys, my informant tells me that Cortez plans on enacting some sort of spell during Dia de los Muertos, most likely the resurrection spell to try to bring back his brother, who was killed doing business during last year’s celebrations. I think that would be the ideal time to grab the book. It will be held at a very large cemetery that will be crowded with people, parades and festivals.”

  One of the security team said, “Dia de los Muertos starts tomorrow, the last day of October, and ends on the second day of November.”

  “That’s right, they celebrate All Hallows Eve, All Saints’ Day, then All Souls’ Day. I think Cortez will attempt to raise his brother on Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day, because that is when it is believed that adult souls come back to visit.” Several of the team members were familiar with the holiday, and they agreed with Faye.

  Cenric had been looking over the photos and maps, and he took the lead. “I agree the cemetery has the best odds of success. That gives us two days to get familiar with the area and work a plan. Cortez keeps a heavy guard presence with him at all times. The trickiest part will be getting close enough to him to take the book.”

  After much discussion and planning, they sent out a small team to check out the cemetery on foot and to get more photos. The next day was spent finalizing the plan and making sure they had all the supplies they needed for All Saints’ Day, including costumes and disguises so they could more effectively blend in with the crowd. They had to figure out how to keep tabs on Cortez in a festival that would draw thousands of people, and work out their exact positioning so each team would know the location of the others at all times. They also planned on how to meet up and leave the country after obtaining the book of spells. Precise planning was vital, as they would be in three different vehicles in different areas of the cemetery; this was not a country in which they wanted to be caught doing anything out of line. They would not leave anyone behind.

  Early on All Saints’ Day, they breakfasted together while going over the plan one final time. Then they were on their way to the cemetery to intercept the book of spells. Everyone had on bulletproof vests under their colorful outfits. Their faces were painted to resemble skulls, allowing them to join the festivities without fear of identification by Cortez or any member of his drug cartel. They were divided into groups; Faye, Cenric, and two security members were in the center group, and were flanked by pairs of guards.

  The cemetery was filled with crosses and statues, markers and headstones in every size, with golden and orange marigolds, sugar skulls and items of a personal nature decorating altars that had been erected at nearly every grave. And there were people everywhere. There would be many places to hide and take cover, if necessary.

  Luckily, they arrived just before Cortez appeared with his family and men. They were slightly surprised to see him so early in the day. They knew he was eager to resurrect his brother, but they had expected the “resurrection” to occur at night, after the moon had risen. But they had prepared for either scenario, and on the positive side, it would be much easier to navigate the cemetery in daylight. At least now they did not have to spend the day waiting for Cortez.

  Their plan was quite simple, but based upon a number of assumptions. They assumed Cortez would come to the cemetery with the book of spells. They assumed he would not perform the resurrection spell himself, but would entrust the act to a powerful witch, a bruja or brujo. They also assumed this witch would have possession of the book along with a number of other items to be used in the ritual. And finally, they assumed everyone would be so busy enacting the spell that the book would not be the main focus of attention, and would not be closely guarded. With that, it should be easy. One of their nimble-fingered security men, dressed as a mariachi and bearing the face paint of a calaveras, or skull, would get close enough to take the book from Cortez’s bruja, and the game would be on. While the rest of the team and the crowds of people ran interference, the mariachi would hand off the book to another member of Faye’s team, then they would go their separate ways to the prearranged meeting point, for an immediate fight out of the country. The planes would be ready and waiting. Simple, in theory. Now, it was time to test those assumptions.

  Cenric kept his arm around Faye, holding her close; he did not like her being in danger like this.

  Cortez had a dozen bodyguards with him, and they were unmistakable: the men all wore Western-style suits and carried large weapons in their arms. Cortez, his mother, and the bruja were surrounded by the guards. They strode through the large cemetery as if they owned it; they did, in fact, contribute to its population on a regular basis. After all, they were drug dealers, and death was an inescapable and integral part of their business. Once they reached the family mausoleum, the guards formed a half-circle behind them, and the bruja set her bag of tools and implements on the ground next to the altar set up before the structure.

  The Cortez mausoleum was large and fantastical in design, decorated to a higher degree than any of the nearby graves. The Day of the Dead altar and ornaments were so beautifully presented that they drew revelers and gawkers alike. As Faye had predicted, the crowds were thick. People were walking, singing and dancing all over the cemetery, playing music and carrying puppets and articulated skeletons with them. Nearly everyone adhered to the tradition of having their faces painted, and dressed in ways to mimic skeletons going about the happy and ordinary events of daily life. There was a carnival atmosphere in the cemetery, even as early as noon.

  A large, boisterous group snaked through the graves to the Cortez mausoleum, seemingly unaware of the armed guards in their midst. Their actions forced some of his guards to pull back to allow the celebrants passage, causing a break in their security that let a few individuals dance up to Cortez and his mother, waving ribbons and shaking candy skulls in their faces. This was when Faye’s mariachi skeleton took his chance, sneaking his arm out to grab the bruja and her bag of tricks, counting on the bag alone to include the book of spells they desired, but taking the witch as insurance in case it didn’t. He dragged the woman behind the mausoleum, and held her tight while he searched the bag. Finding the book, he gave her a shove and started running into the crowds, with the book of spells hidden by his ma
riachi jacket.

  Cortez and his men noticed immediately that their bruja was missing, and everything turned to total chaos at that point. Cortez’s men were yelling, running, and shoving those celebrating the dead, firing their automatic weapons up into the air without regard for anyone’s safety. Faye’s team stood ready to provide ammo cover for their guy with the book, but kept hidden as much as possible while discreetly returning fire only when necessary, trying their best to get away from the fray. The firefight was spilling out into the parade-crowded streets, and she was sure Cortez’s men knew they were responsible for starting the trouble.

  Just then, Faye saw an opportunity to snatch a motorcycle from a young man who had just stepped off a bike. “Get on!” she yelled to Cenric as she grabbed the bike and hopped on. As soon as his butt touched the seat, she shot off like a rocket down an alley. She had seen that several of their security team were also getting away, and prayed that all would survive and escape to safety. Her adrenaline was high and her blood pumping like crazy the entire ride to their meeting place a few miles away.

  Her mariachi calaveras was at the warehouse waiting with the book when Faye and Cenric arrived, and Faye thought she had never seen a happier-looking skeleton in her life. The plan had worked, though it was just as harrowing as they had feared. Other members of their group arrived within minutes, but they anxiously awaited the final two team members. They finally showed up, but one of the guys was severely wounded and bleeding heavily low on his side. They used gauze to put pressure on his wound as they piled into a Suburban for the drive to the airstrip. His partner supplied aid and comfort on the twenty-mile ride, using skills he’d learned in the military to stabilize his friend. Faye got on the phone and made arrangements for a separate plane to take the wounded man and three of the guards to Texas for immediate treatment. It was the closest source for reliable medical care, and he needed help as soon as possible.

  Texas was their base, and she figured they could all use some time off back home anyway. She would have some new men sent on to meet them back in Germany; they would need more protection at the castle with all the people across the globe that they had angered.

  Traffic was horrible. It took far longer than they would have liked to get to the airport. Several of the guards had small injuries, but only the one man appeared to be seriously hurt. Faye was worried and upset, “How serious is his wound?”

  His partner responded, “I think he probably cracked his rib when he fell onto a broken statue, but the blood is coming from a gunshot wound just below his vest. I don’t think it hit anything vital, but I gave him something for the pain. Ribs can hurt like a bitch, if you’ll pardon my French.”

  “Who else is injured?” Faye looked around at the men and spotted one whose arm was bleeding, and gave him a pointed look when he did not speak up. “It’s nothing, ma’am, just a scratch.”

  “Well, please look after it once you’re on the plane,” Faye instructed. “Will do,” he said with a smile. She could tell he thought it was cute that she was worried about a scratch, so she stopped asking questions about their wounds.

  Finally they reached the airport. They carried the seriously injured team member onto a plane, quickly deciding which three would go with him back to the States. The remaining two team members would return to Germany with Faye and Cenric. They boarded their designated planes and took off within minutes, glad to be on their way out of Mexico.

  The two men who stayed with Cenric and Faye were uninjured. While the men removed their skull paint and changed clothes in the front bathroom, Faye and Cenric went to the bedroom at the back of the aircraft to get cleaned up in the attached bathroom. Faye came out of the bathroom after a quick shower, and was rubbing her head with a towel. “Cenric, the bathroom’s all yours.” Cenric got up and went toward the bathroom, offering a “thanks” as he closed the door.

  A few minutes later, Cenric came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, and he casually asked, “Do you have any more bandages?” Looking up from her phone, Faye said, “Yes, why?” She started to panic. “Are you hurt?”

  “Not really, the bullet went straight through, but it won’t stop bleeding.” Faye looked him up and down, stopping when she saw a red spot on the towel at his thigh. The spot slowly grew, until blood was running down Cenric’s leg.

  “Cenric! Oh my word! Hell, you were shot and you didn’t say anything?! What’s wrong with you!” she fussed as she pulled out some bandages, then grabbed him and led him to sit on the edge of the bed.

  “I’m fine, Faye, I just need a wrap to keep it from bleeding.”

  “You should have said something immediately. You could bleed to death, or get an infection and lose your leg and maybe even die from it.” She continued to mutter as she lifted the towel up to his upper thigh, examining the bullet hole on both sides of his outer leg as she started to clean the area.

  “It’s going to be okay. It’s not that bad, Faye. Amputation and death, come on now, you’re just being dramatic.”

  “The bullet went straight through.”

  “That’s what I said.” He was exasperated. She ignored his comment. “I’ve cleaned it, but it may need stitches. I’ve wrapped it for now, we’ll see if we can get the bleeding to stop. It has slowed down some already.” She was relieved, but stayed on her knees in front of him, sitting back on her heels. She was absently stroking his calves with both hands as she zoned out, staring at his bandage.

  He couldn’t help but start to get an erection with her on her knees between his thighs, her hands stroking his legs like that. He started having all sorts of wicked thoughts. “Faye…”

  She looked up at him with eyes wide, moving forward from the waist but still on her knees as she stroked his legs higher and higher.

  She could have lost him back there.

  Faye moved her hands higher, up under the towel, finally pushing it apart to allow him to spring free in front of her mouth and hands. “Faye,” Cenric choked out in a strangled tone.

  She could have lost him.

  Slowly Faye bent her head, resting her cheek on his inner thigh, breathing deeply to steady her emotions. She had not even been aware he was injured.

  She almost lost him.

  Faye turned her head and gave Cenric an innocent kiss, high on his leg. Then another. And another still, not so innocent now. She needed to touch and taste him, to feel how alive he was at this moment in time.

  She could have lost him back there, but she didn’t. Cenric was alive, and so was she.

  Chapter 19

  Faye and Cenric arrived back at the castle, and he leaned on her for support as he limped toward the front steps. Before they made it to the door, Warin and Dunstin appeared, and each took an arm to aid Cenric inside. Faye had called a doctor when they left the Hamburg airport, asking him to meet them at the castle. She had also notified Mira.

  “Well, leave it to baby brother to be the first of us to get shot,” Dunstin teased, trying to ease the tension.

  “Piss off, Dunstin,” growled Cenric, not in the mood for his brother’s ribbing. His leg had become stiff from where the bullet had gone through the muscled outer part of his thigh, and he still needed stitches to close the wound.

  They took Cenric directly upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Faye. The doctor had arrived and followed them up. Cenric’s brothers helped him out of his black cargo pants and laid him on the bed so the doctor could patch him up. Faye, Mira, and Lyra went into the office with the book of spells. Faye thought Cenric might need some time with his brothers, and he might not want her there when the doctor attended him.

  “What happened?” Lyra asked. Mira hugged Faye and told her, “We’re so thankful you’re OK. Please, tell us everything.” Lyra leaned in to hug Faye as well. “Yeah, so thankful and all that, what happened?” Faye smiled at her twin’s tough act, when she knew how emotional she was on the inside. Faye and Mira had always thought of Lyra as an M&M, a hard candy outside with a soft chocolate center
.

  “Well, as you know, we had to steal the book from Mando Cortez, the head of a big-time drug cartel, so there were lots of armed men with him,” Faye began, before getting sidetracked by other concerns. “By the way, we must increase security here. After all the people we have pissed off, we are going to need it, in case any of them find out where we live. Cortez, the sheikh’s son, and Ivanoff are our only real concerns at the moment. Cortez is probably the biggest worry, but as soon as we are done with the book I want to give it back to him, anonymously of course. Maybe that way he will lose interest in finding out who stole it from him to begin with.”

  Lyra was quick to agree, “I will get on the extra security immediately. We really have ticked off some powerful and dangerous people. Who knew so many drug dealers were into antiquities?”

  Faye looked relieved, then continued describing their Mexico City trip. “We had a great plan, and for the most part it went off well; we met our objective. They just had more men with more guns and they were not afraid to use them. One of our security guys was shot in the side, and had broken ribs. I sent him back to the States for medical attention with three of the other guys. A couple of them had minor flesh wounds. I have already heard back that he is doing well, and will make a full recovery, thankfully. Cenric was wounded as we were getting away. I was driving a motorcycle and he was riding behind me, shooting; that’s when he was shot in the outer thigh. It went clear through, and should just need some stitches, but I’m sure it will be pretty sore while it heals.”

  “It sounds like it was quite dangerous; hopefully that was the end of these dangerous missions. I, for one, want to get on with ending this curse for good.” Mira expelled a heavy sigh, giving Faye and Lyra a glimpse of just how stressed she felt.

  Lyra suggested, “As for ending the curse, first thing in the morning we should get started on putting it all together to see what we must do next. I’m with you, Mira, I’m tired of this hanging over our heads.”