by user
The thing standing in the doorway was a head taller than Carlos, and it not only had fangs but claws to match. They squared off and circled one another. While the two vampires focused on each other, she scrambled low, undetected for a moment, into the larger space behind them. The room she had sneaked into was lit with wall torches, and had more space for her to maneuver within. The massive black granite slab in the middle of the floor was something that she could use to shield herself with, and she knew she could leverage her position to fight around it when the time came.
"My delivery is five minutes late!"
"We were attacked in the tunnels—four of my men went down."
She watched as the first creature withdrew with caution, and could only assume that it was Nuit. He let out a guttural roar, which drew the same sound from Carlos. But they had stopped circling.
"Unfortunate, but I left your dinner at the door as promised—now leave me my bride."
A bride… and Carlos asked for bodies to be left? She saw him glance at her, and the implicit threat in his eyes chilled her. Two masters in such close proximity were screwing up her telepathy. But she caught part of Carlos's response. Play the game. Right.
"Don't sweat me about the minor time lapse! She called you."
Carlos rumbled. "That should tell you something, despite my condition. You know the high-speed access portal has taken its toll—and as the courier, I was required to do battle, and then had to suffer holding her! Can you blame me?"
Damali was behind Nuit and could see his muscle-distorted shoulders begin to relax. She knew Carlos's style well enough to sense something was going on, and she locked in on his gaze. But she was too far from the menacing thing in front of her to wield the Isis, or effectively use the dagger. They would have to do this as a team, and Carlos was backing up Nuit in his lair.
"No, I guess this was to be expected," Nuit finally growled, stalking from the entrance to turn his attention on Damali. "You've done well," he said as she continued to back up, her glance going between Nuit and Carlos as she moved with Nuit, her sword cocked and ready to swing. "The package is wrapped in silver," he snarled. "Unwrap it."
"Are you insane?" Carlos said, shaking his head. "I held it, nearly caught fire. If I unwrap her, she's mine."
"You were to bring her to me without her barriers!"
"I lost my brother, my cousin, and two of my best friends to make this delivery—and fought in the tunnels… and didn't violate the package. We need to have a discussion about the territories, and my new, expanded cut. Then, maybe I'll unwrap her for you."
Damali glanced at Nuit as he tilted his head to one side, his gaze going between her and Carlos. Anxiety swept through her, as did hope. All she could do was pray that Carlos hadn't totally gone over to the other side, and that he wouldn't have turned her over for mere territory—and what did that mean, anyway? Territory? For what? She was afraid to fathom the definition as she thought of the dead women on the ground outside. But the thought of a prayer brought Nuit's attention back to her.
"Not down here," Nuit said in an even tone through his teeth.
Carlos cast a warning glance at her.
"You're frightening her," Carlos said carefully.
"Good—it just intensifies the lure."
"You want her to submit willingly, or the seed might not take. Be smart."
Outright indignation accosted her, and she stepped toward the beast. "Seed? You must be on drugs." She would ice this sucker.
"I am, sweetheart. Totally blitzed by you. But you are mine."
Damali glared at Nuit. Oh yeah, she would cut his heart out. "Who I choose is my decision, asshole! And I haven't made up my mind! But it's safe to say, if you're one of my choices—not."
Nuit stepped back from her for a moment, and then laughed. He inhaled, and closed his eyes briefly and began circling her. "Carlos… you were right. She's fabulous. Absolutely intoxicating. The defiant rage in her is like a power hit."
From the corner of her eye she noticed Carlos had slipped into the chamber behind Nuit. She knew she needed to hold Nuit's attention to give the other stalking vampire the advantage—then they could cancel each other out. But, again, as soon as the thought crossed her mind Carlos stopped, looked at her, stunned, and Nuit had spun around to see Carlos well inside his lair.
"We'll discuss your territory later. I told you, for this delivery the bride price would be high and well worth it!"
Carlos nodded and backed away. Mortified, she leveled her blade to defend herself from both of them. But she needed to even the score with Nuit first.
"Nuit! You killed my father and my mother! Took out several of my guardians, made Raven. We have a debt to settle!"
Unharnessed fury coiled within her and she could feel it nearly curdle her blood. But the effect of her increasing anger seemed to only strengthen the thing in front of her, as well as Carlos. Suddenly Nuit reached out, and as she swung her blade, Isis ringing, he drew back his hand and licked the ooze coming from the slash.
"Carlos, close the doors on your way out. You can have all of South America, Africa, whatever… she's amazing."
"I will cut your fucking balls off," Damali said evenly, flexing her wrist that held the dagger.
A shudder ran through Nuit, and his eyes glowed a deeper shade of crimson. "Close the doors, now, Rivera—she's blowing my mind."
She heard a low growl coming from beyond Nuit's shoulder, and she knew he would turn to address it. The moment he did, she swung the long sword, and rolled over the slab to keep it between her and Nuit. He threw his head back and roared at the slash that had slit his suit and drew black blood. But it gave Carlos time to spring from his crouched position by the doors.
In an instant the two entities were in the midst of a death struggle. Carlos had opened a huge second gash in Nuit's back, and when they fell, Carlos had scored Nuit's face with a swipe on the way down. But the returned swipe from Nuit had gashed Carlos the length of his abdomen, beginning at the center of his chest. Immediately the two beasts parted, circled, and then lunged at each other again, taking out a corner of the granite slab and a section of rock wall when they hurled against it.
They were moving too fast for her to get between them to get a decisive strike in to cripple Nuit. She couldn't understand it; the Isis wasn't drawing smoke. It was cutting like a regular blade. It seemed like both of them were now impervious to the normal Isis-delivered wounds that rendered vampires impotent—but the more she fought, the more she tried to claim her part of the battle, it seemed to heighten their blood lust to destroy each other.
Rock and marble fixtures along with torches went crashing, as teeth locked upon sections of bone that wouldn't give way. She could also feel herself getting stronger, and was soon able to keep pace with them and get out of the way, as she jockeyed for position to get in lightning-quick strikes, slashing Nuit's back, which made him round on her. She threw her dagger, and he caught it before it opened his chest.
"Stay out of it so you don't get hurt! You are too important!"
Nuit yelled at her, casting away the dagger, and pushing her so hard that her body slammed against a jagged wall.
The silver suit ripped. Blood oozed from Damali's elbow and shoulder where it had connected against stone, and Carlos's eyes went from gold to red as he hurled a punch.
"Motherfucker, I will kill you!" Carlos roared. "Don't you ever touch her!" He'd grabbed Nuit by what remained of his suit at the chest, raised him overhead, and slammed him to the floor.
Nuit scrambled quickly, nursing the blow that he seemed to now feel, finding a neutral corner as his eyes went from red to gold. "You're a master? What the fuck… When did that happen?"
"Shit happens, and I made a deal—several, in fact," Carlos breathed out, sucking in huge breaths. "You made her bleed. You did my squad, so I had to watch my back." He inhaled again deeply and cast off Nuit's ring. "She's mine."
"The Vampire Council?" Nuit's eyes began to normalize, only fli
ckered gold intermittently.
"Yeah," Carlos snarled. "And I'm coming for you to pull a bone out of your ass."
He was on Nuit so fast that when they fell, Damali almost lost her sword. Nuit's leg was exposed, and she raised the long blade above her head and came down vertically, pinning Nuit's leg. The trapped beast let out a howl and Carlos looked over his shoulder.
"Back off," Carlos roared, "My kill. Check the doors—company."
She pulled her blade out of Nuit's leg, who was scrambling to get away from Carlos. Damali rushed to cover the open entrance as fluttering sounds came from just beyond it. But Nuit's attempt to evade another blow from Carlos was in vain. Carlos had grabbed the back of his suit and flung him across the room. Nuit's body slammed the rock, and when he looked up, dazed, Carlos bitch-slapped him with the back of his hand.
"Remember Alejandro!" Carlos bellowed, taking out the bottom section of Nuit's jaw with one powerful swipe. "You're neutered, bitch. Fair exchange is no robbery."
Gurgling in agony, Nuit covered his face with both arms as Carlos's foot found the center of Nuit's chest. Like a cobra's strike, Carlos tore away one of Nuit's arms, bones snapping, as the forearm bent backward unnaturally. Damali stood transfixed. In a blur of fury Carlos's hand immediately went to Nuit's throat, the other inside Nuit's mouth, and came away with tissue and incisors. Carlos stepped back, spit on the ground, and showed Nuit what remained of his vampire powers, then his fist slowly closed over the dripping teeth and meat.
A piteous scream came up from Nuit's gaping face. The flutter at the broken doors stopped and a cloud of bats dispersed and shape-shifted into six guards. But when they landed, and saw Nuit with Carlos growling over him, they hesitated.
"You were made from whose line?" one of the entities beyond the door shouted.
"I was made by Nuit," Carlos stood, breathing hard, as Nuit slithered into a corner to take cover, then he dropped Nuit's teeth and threw the bottom half of Nuit's jaw to them for inspection.
They sniffed the air, and sniffed Carlos from a distance, and then nodded.
"That's fucked-up, man. You're a second, and did him like that—with Neteru running through him?" One of the assembled hit squad snarled a smile in Damali's direction and licked his lips.
"Don't even think about it," she whispered, her blade leveled in their direction.
"Wait till the boys hear this shit," another of the creatures beyond the door said with a chuckle. "Humph."
"We report to you, now, or what? You taking his New Orleans lair? This bitch, Nuit, ain't good for nothin' now, dude. Damn."
"I haven't decided yet," Carlos said slowly, and very cautiously.
"Need to let my bride finish Nuit off." He nodded at Damali. "Only reason I saved you some is 'cause you asked me to. You wanted his heart—cut it out."
"Damn, dat's cold," one of the vamps at the doors said, shaking his head and laughing. "Aw, man… this territory hit is going down in history, boss. Look at this shit; let a Neteru do him in his own lair as her first birthday present. Brother, what's your name? Just so I can say I was here."
"Rivera." Carlos nodded again, staring at Damali. "You wanted vengeance? Then do him."
She looked at the creatures at the doors, looked at Carlos, and glanced at the bleeding, cowering creature at Carlos's feet, which couldn't even beg for mercy. Black blood gurgled up where a plea might have been issued, and she took her time coming near the living carnage.
"She'll get a stomach for it," one called out from the cavern. "Give her time, man. She's fine, though… can see why you had to do him for her." It shrugged and pounded fists with the others. "If I was your rank, woulda done the same thing, man. It's all good."
"The longer you take, Damali, the longer this sonofabitch suffers. If you're gonna be a huntress, then hunt, Neteru. Or, if you want him to suffer, that's cool, too. Your choice, baby."
"You already put him down," she whispered, staring down at Nuit. "I've only done them while in the heat of battle—never like this."
"Then I want you to think about it this way—there are several women on the ground out there who I have to behead to be sure they don't wake up one night. I had to stand there and tell my brother I loved him and rip his heart out while I put a stake in it. I had to drive a stake through my boys' hearts, and it drove one through mine—trust me. And this motherfucker will reconstitute in a few days and come looking for you. Make a choice, Damali, like you said for the audience—make it fast."
She stood over Nuit and said a mental prayer. Carlos backed away. Then the prayer found her lips, and Carlos covered his ears while Nuit began to screech and smolder. The creatures in the hall hissed their discontent. And she asked that Nuit's soul be saved, sending him into the light till he caught flame. She waited, watching the slow fire, before she plunged Isis with her full weight behind it.
Weakened, the other vampires covered their mouths and shook their heads while dry heaving. Carlos leaned against the wall as Damali turned to all of them and narrowed her gaze on them.
"Damn… sister… that was cold. You didn't have to go there. Coulda let him have a little pride on the way out. A prayer? Deep."
"Fucked up, is what it was, for real for real. Burnt off the contact, too—damn, she blew my high behind that."
"Aw, man, brother—you got a cold woman on your hands. You got dat!"
"I still can't wait to tell the brothas how this hit went down, though. We be out, boss."
"You want this take-out cuisine left at your door, or do you need it for later, you know… after you and the lady hook up? Just asking, don't wanna to see good food go to waste. We can leave you one, as an appetizer?"
"Take 'em," Carlos murmured. "Just don't let them wake up and walk."
She stared at him as the beasts left the cavern entrance and half shut the broken doors. Smoldering ash remained, emitting sulfur in a slow, steady stream. Carlos sat down heavily on the end of the slab and studied his hands, cleaning them with his mind.
"I better take you to go find your team, and get you back onstage," he whispered.
"Yeah," she said quietly. "It's all done down here."
He shook his head, and glanced up at her. "Baby, it's never done down here."
"So, what are you going to do?"
He chuckled. "I don't know. Just started a legend… had to save face—couldn't have 'em say I was no punk." Carlos stood. "The sulfur is dying down, the prayer is wearing off, the silver's effect ain't jack right now, but the way you look in the suit is killing me. You're working it like you worked the audience… and working me along with it. You're stronger. I've just seen you do some incredibly sexy shit, and you smell—" Carlos swallowed hard and paused. "Woman… listen, it's almost past midnight. I burned a lot of energy, I'm extremely hungry, and I need to get you to your people. Hopefully your team is intact."
He watched her hesitate and he closed his eyes against the slow pull she was having on him again. "I heard your song… I remember. Trust me. I kept everything you wrote from those days, like you used to read to me on the beach. But—a lotta shit has gone down, to put it mildly. And you see how they deliver takeout down here. A vampire and a vegetarian is a stretch. So, let's go, while I've got a little noble left in me."
She nodded, and stooped to pick up her dagger. "I hope you choose well. Would have liked to see you around again."
"Damali, noble is wearing thin. Get your blade, baby. Keep it, and me, in front of you."
"We have to take the slow tunnels. My team went in there—maybe we can meet them halfway."
He stopped and turned around and stared at her for a long time, branding her image into his mind.
"If they took the slow tunnels, I doubt they made it, D. The Vampire Council is looking for you, and the registry just ran blood—a master went down, and a whole line is up for grabs. You're in a war zone. All seconds and thirds are dusted upon my command. Only weaker strains remain, and they get folded up under my turf. It's done like that, so I can
pick my own lieutenants without issues, but I don't have any at present. You understand—the tunnels are crawling, the demon empires just went to war on those rogue demons that sided with Nuit, and I probably have some real old, powerful dudes on my ass looking for you to be with me."
He winked at her, appraising her and letting out a deep breath as he stood. "That's the only reason you're getting out of this room right now. I ain't that noble, survival has somethin' to do with it."
"Watch your back," she said, trying to resist the pull to him. He'd normalized and she held that image of him in her mind.
Carlos rubbed his jaw and turned away, glanced at the door, then glanced at her, and tore himself from the seductive thought—it left a warm spot where his mind had touched her.
"I can't, no, correction, I won't leave my team."
Deadlocked in a standoff, she began walking.
"I'll go in alone."
"No, you won't."
"Then watch my back," she commanded. "You might run shit down here, but you never ran me."
He smiled as he followed her. He wasn't sure why he was allowing himself to be led into a sure kill, but the rear view of her in ripped, dirty silver from this vantage point was threatening his reason.
"Look," he called behind her. "You need to get back to the main cavern in the next five or less. They're doing the Raise the Dead act above, but it's been neutralized. The portals are closed from your prayer-songs, and the head of the line is toast. However, when your team steps back into the center of that cavern, based on the ceremony timing, it's going to suck everything in it up onto stage again. You don't want to miss that elevator ride."
She peered at him and he backed away into the shadows.
"Raise your sword, baby. Send a signal; give the people hope. Show five continents that tonight, the light was what got raised from the dead. It came straight up from Hell, and was gorgeous."