by Jasmine Walt
Tires screeched against asphalt as Drake swerved to avoid an overturned truck, and the smell of burnt rubber assaulted my nostrils. I gripped the dash with white-knuckled hands. Parker and her patrol were headed back to base to deliver the news that the gate was open. A horde of shaitan was the least of our worries, because an ancient evil had been unleashed and the probability of death was climbing rapidly. The Kubera had the army they needed to fulfil their agenda, but they wouldn’t get far, not once the Daughter of Chaos worked her dark mojo.
Up ahead, the sky began to swirl, stars winking out as dark, frothy clouds created a mini vortex high above us.
“Oh man.” Drake stepped on the gas.
“I can’t come with you,” my mother said from her spot in the back of the van, squished between Ajitah and Vinnay.
I turned in my seat to peer into the back. The barrier was down at the moment, and Ajitah, Vinnay, Loki, my mother, and Aaron were slotted in between the surveillance tech and monitors.
“I have to go home.” She massaged her temples. “They’ll be wondering where I’ve been. I don’t even know how long I’ve been gone. Eamon…my Malina. Oh gods, why did this happen?”
Fucking hell, this was going to be harder than I’d anticipated.
Garuda intervened on my behalf. “I’m sure your husband and child are somewhere safe right now, and they’d want you to be safe, too. I promise we will reunite you with them, but for us to do that, you need to stay alive.”
I loved him even more for knowing what I needed. He could have stuck with me, taking the wheel just so we could be close, but he’d gone to sit in the back with my mother. I couldn’t tell her who I was, not yet. Not until we were somewhere safe. He knew this, and he was taking care of her for me.
Ajitah looked from my mother to me. His mouth formed a tiny O. He’d finally clocked on. I turned in my seat and hit the button on the dash to pull up the barrier between us. I needed a moment to absorb everything that had happened.
“This is some fucked-up shit,” Drake said. “You okay?”
“No.” I made an exasperated sound. “Our city is in danger. Wait. Not just the city but our whole reality. No, no, wait. Not just our reality but every reality. It could all cease to exist.”
“Yeah… I was talking about Garuda being back from the dead and your mum not knowing who the fuck you are.”
I sagged in my seat. “Oh. Yep, that’s some fucked-up shit, too.”
I had two out of three things I wanted most in the world, and I wasn’t going to be given more than a moment to enjoy them, because despite my lack of supernatural power, I was still my father’s daughter.
I was the gatekeeper, and closing that gate was on me.
18
Brahma Corp was surrounded by an army of winged creatures similar to the ones I’d disabled at the prison. Partially consumed dead bodies littered the car park, and the vehicles that remained had been overturned or scraped to fuck. Several fires burned brightly, lighting up the car park with a red and orange glow that flickered and teased the deep shadows beyond.
“We’re not going to make it past them without a fight,” Drake said.
A fight I’d be pretty useless at. Vindra was handy, but my assassin skills wouldn’t go far against these winged monsters. I had no doubt that Vinnay would protect my mother with his life, but I wasn’t willing to take the risk. There had to be another way past them. I studied the scene from our parking spot at the back of the lot out of sight. The beasts flew close to the building, veering away a few meters from the entrance each time they approached it. I wasn’t imagining it. They backed off at the same distance every time.
I sat forward, both hands on the dashboard. “Why aren’t they attacking the building?”
Drake pursed his lips, studying the scene. “Wait, you’re right. The gods must have warded it.”
Someone rapped on the barrier, and I quickly lowered it to find Loki on the other side. His gold-flecked eyes swirled hypnotically.
“We don’t need to get inside the building,” he said. “We just need to get inside the wards.”
“Drive through,” Garuda said.
McDonald’s came to mind. Man, I was a pig. How could I think of food at a time like this? It was obvious that losing the connection to the seal hadn’t slowed down my metabolism.
“But what if the wards keep everything out?” Ajitah said.
“Only one way to find out.” I grabbed my phone from the glove compartment and hit speed dial.
“The cell towers are down,” Ajitah said. “You won’t be able to—”
The phone began to ring.
Ajitah snapped his mouth closed. “I stand corrected. I should have surmised a god would have his own divine connection service.”
The call was answered with a click.
“Malina, where are you?” Indra said.
“Outside Brahma Corp.”
“The gates have opened. How?”
I gave him a quick rundown.
“This is my fault. I should have anticipated something like this,” he said.
“Yeah, you and me both. The shit has hit the fan, and we need you. Will the wards allow us in?”
“Yes. I’m heading down to meet you now.”
I hung up. “Let’s do this.”
“Hold on, people,” Drake said. And then he floored it.
I had to give him credit; he was almost as good as Garuda behind the wheel. We swerved to avoid the metal carcasses of ruined vehicles, but the bodies were harder to dodge. The bumpy ride had me clenching my teeth, trying desperately to block out the fact that those were people we were driving over.
The airborne monsters turned at the sound of our approach. Their screeches filled the air as they wheeled toward us, talons ready to shred. Something landed on the roof of the vehicle with a thud.
Drake accelerated.
Another thud.
The van began to rock.
The bastards were trying to flip us.
One of them appeared out of nowhere, slamming into the windscreen. Glass shattered, stinging my face and hands. Teeth snapped an inch away from my face. Garuda bellowed in warning, but Vindra was already in my hand. With a blink, she was buried hilt-deep in the monster’s eye.
The weight on the vehicle disappeared.
“We’re through!” Loki said.
The doors to the building flew open, and Indra appeared. He seemed larger somehow, brighter. He wore vibrant red and orange billowing pants. His torso was bare, save for a red tunic, and a leather quiver was strapped to his back. Something gleamed inside, but it was impossible to see what.
“Hurry,” he urged us.
Doors slammed as we exited the vehicle. We made a dash for the entrance, the sound of our boots muffled by the furious caws of the monsters overhead. The doors to the building slammed shut behind us, blocking out the noise of the carnage, and I sagged, allowing the cool marble interior to cradle me for just a moment. Garuda’s arm slipped around my waist. He pulled me to his chest and stroked my hair.
I caught a glimpse of Ajitah’s face, his eyes soft and sad. Guilt writhed in my belly, but then he smiled and inclined his head in acceptance. His way of saying it was okay. I returned Ajitah’s smile, then closed my eyes to inhale Garuda’s scent, allowing it to invade me, soothe and rejuvenate me. He was back. I’d been given a second chance, and I wasn’t going to blow it.
“Excuse me? Sorry I don’t know your name, but can I borrow a car?” my mother addressed me. “I can’t stay here. I can’t hide while my family could be in danger.”
I opened my eyes and looked into her face.
She staggered back, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “No…”
Shit, she’d seen my eyes. “It’s all right.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “It’s a dream. A bad dream.”
Garuda released me, and I took a step toward her, my hands out in a placating gesture.
She looked to Indra. “Tell m
e who this woman is! Is this a trick? Some kind of mind game? I’m trapped…still trapped, and this is a game,” she beseeched the ceiling, pulling at her hair. “Let me out. No more. Please, no more.” Sobs wracked her body. She slipped to the ground and curled into a ball.
I crouched before her. “I don’t know how the Daughter of Chaos tormented you, how she manipulated your mind. I can only imagine what cruel tricks she played to amuse herself, but I can promise you—this is no trick. You are free, and I am your daughter.”
She shook her head and slowly lifted her chin to look at me. A lone tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the sleeve of her shirt. “I know…I felt it the moment I saw you, but I didn’t want it to be true. I told myself I was imagining things, because if my instinct was right, it would mean that I’d failed you. I’d abandoned you. It would mean I missed your childhood. I missed it all.” She reached for me, her hands hovering an inch from my face.
I grasped them and gently brought them to my cheeks. “It’s going to be all right. I promise.” There was conviction in my words that I didn’t feel. Thank goodness for my silver-tongued deception skills.
She fell against me, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing. “I’m sorry, baby. So sorry I was gone so long.”
There would be time enough to explain all the rest, but for right now, I’d take this…this tiny moment of bliss.
“We don’t have much time,” Indra said, shattering the moment. “The city will be overrun with shaitan by dawn, and I can only hazard a guess at how quickly the entity will strike. If the vortex forming in the heavens is any sign, I’d say we have four, maybe five, hours before she makes her final move. I’m not sure which will be worse.”
My mother released me and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Where’s Eamon? Surely he should be here.”
Indra glanced at me and raised his brows.
“Mum, Dad’s gone.”
She turned to me, her bottom lip trembling. “How long?”
“A couple of months.”
“How?”
I bit the insides of my cheeks. “Because of me…my existence killed him.”
“Malina, no,” Aaron said.
“You can’t blame yourself for what you are,” Ajitah added. “Eamon knew what it meant to sire you. He loved you regardless.”
Mother was staring at me. “We always knew there was a risk, but we agreed to take it because we loved each other. This was how it was meant to be.” Her features hardened. “But I was meant to have time with him. Seventeen years…she took those away from me. She has to pay for that.”
“She will.”
Vinnay stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her. She turned into him, clutching at his shirt as if to draw strength. Vinnay’s throat worked as he gently rubbed her back in small circles to soothe her.
Did she know how he felt about her? Had she left him in Nagalok knowing he was in love with her?
“Follow me,” Indra said.
He led us to the back of the foyer, to a lone lift with no call button. However, there was a smooth panel to one side. Indra pressed his palm to it, and the lift slid open silently.
I stepped in, and the others followed. “Where are you taking us?”
“It’s time to wake the other gods.”
19
The lift opened out onto a platform sealed off by a huge set of double doors. Once again, Indra used his palm to gain access. Vines blocked our entrance, but Indra merely pushed them aside and entered.
“I’ll ensure you all have access to this floor,” Indra said. “This can be our meet-up point.”
We stepped into a jungle filled with strange vibrant flora and tall, sturdy trees. Sunlight dappled the ground, but the sky was obscured by foliage. The air was heavy with the scent of pollen and damp earth. The prickling of my skin alerted me to the presence of a large body of water. We walked for a couple of minutes until we entered a clearing set for a picnic. A large, colorfully woven blanket was laid on the soft grass. Several platters and tureens filled with a variety of Indian dishes were set in the center of it. Aromatic fragrances wafted up into the air, and my mouth began to water.
Varuna appeared before us. “You made it safely. Good. We’ll need all the manpower we can get.”
“How many have awoken?” Indra asked.
“Not enough. Durga, Agni, and some of the Marutas…the Ashvins are stirring, but that’s all. The Vishvedevas are still in slumber.”
“That will have to do,” Indra said, but from his expression, it was clear it wouldn’t be enough.
A beautiful, slender female wrapped in a gold-edged, crimson sari stepped into the clearing. Her dark braid fell over one shoulder, and her almond-shaped eyes took us in benevolently.
“Warriors for our cause?” she asked.
Varuna nodded. “Durga, this is Malina from the hellhound line we created long ago.”
Her eyes lit up. “A woman.” Her tinkling laugh filled the air. “Of course a woman would be needed at such a time. It seems that fate has played its part well to bring us to this point.”
Indra rolled his eyes, and Varuna shot him a warning glance.
Garuda leaned toward me. “Whatever you do, don’t piss her off.”
“Why?”
“You don’t want to know.”
Another figure strode into the clearing. It was a tall, wiry male dressed only in loose-fitting pants. He stretched and scratched his chest. “Food. I’m famished. Please tell me you have those spicy kofta I love.”
Varuna chuckled. “Of course we do, Agni.”
“The god of fire,” Garuda said softly. “Through which all offerings to the gods used to pass.”
The two deities sat down cross-legged on the blanket and began to fill their plates.
Indra turned to us. “Please, sit. Eat.”
Sit and eat with the gods? My stomach rumbled loudly.
Durga looked up from her plate. “Come, child, sit by me.” She patted the spot beside her.
Man, I was so hungry I would have sat next to a lion if it meant I got a meal, but this was no time to stop and smell the curry.
“I’d love to, but I have to go after the entity responsible for the gates being open.”
“No, child,” Durga said. “You have all the time.”
“Time stands still in this clearing,” Indra said. “Eat something. You will need your strength for what is about to come.”
Lowering myself onto the picnic blanket, I picked up a plate.
“Try the kofta; it’s delicious,” Agni said around a mouthful of food.
The others cautiously joined us. As we ate, more deities strode into the clearing. Huge warrior males dressed in gold breastplates and carrying golden quivers emerged from the shadows. They stopped to bow before Indra before finding places on the huge blanket. I caught flashes of silver in their mouths as they ate.
Garuda leaned in, his arm brushing mine. “Iron teeth. They’re the Marutas—Indra’s entourage. Deities of the storm.”
I counted fifteen.
“There should be twenty-seven. Looks like not all of them have awakened.” He held out a piece of naan dipped in one of the many stews. “Here, try this.”
I opened my mouth and accepted the morsel, aware of the intimacy of the action. Conscious of the eyes on us, I resisted the temptation to lick his fingers.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as if he could read my thoughts.
“I’m glad to see that fate has finally blessed you, Garuda,” Durga said. “You have found your mate.”
Garuda tensed beside me. “I am truly blessed, Mother Durga.” He spat out the words as if expelling something bitter.
She snorted. “Please speak plainly, child. I can sense your chagrin and your irritation. You are angry with us for making you as we did.”
Garuda clenched his jaw but didn’t speak.
Durga leaned in. “She won’t be upset. Not when you speak the truth. It is lies that enrage her. Li
es and injustice.” She popped another morsel in her mouth and chewed deliberately before swallowing. Her dark brows flicked up. “She won’t come out to play until we face the horde.”
Garuda looked up and met her gaze. “You want me to speak plainly? Fine. Yes, I was angry. I was furious. But after a while, I felt nothing.”
“And now?”
His shoulders drooped. “Now?” He swallowed. “Now I’m afraid.”
Agni looked up from his plate. “The mighty Garuda, afraid? I never heard such a thing. What have you done to our formidable brainchild, Indra?”
Indra opened his mouth to respond, but Durga beat him to it.
“Indra is not responsible for this. This is a matter of the heart.” She smiled beatifically. “We are only truly afraid when there is something we value at stake. Is that not right, Garuda? You never valued your own life, but hers…you value hers greatly.”
I tried to catch his eye, but he kept his chin tucked in. “With all due respect, Mother, maybe we should eat. We have a bloody battle ahead of us.”
“We do indeed, my child. We do indeed.”
“It would help if you recounted what happened in the prison for my brothers and sister,” Indra said.
I filled the gods in, and by the time we were done, the final deities who were awake had joined us.
My body felt lighter yet stronger, as if I could scale a mountain. “What was in that food?”
“Heavily diluted amrit,” Varuna said.
Indra frowned at Varuna. “I thought we’d agreed to keep that between us.”
Varuna shrugged. “They have a right to know. Don’t worry. All it will do is give you a temporary boost. Make you harder to kill.” He grinned, showcasing his perfect pearly whites.
Durga stood in one fluid motion. “I must prepare for the bloodshed ahead. I will meet you on the battlefield, my child.” She laid a hand on my head, and a sense of calm seeped into me.
My eyes blurred and I blinked back the tears, throat suddenly tight with an emotion I couldn’t define. And then she was gone, slipping into the foliage. The other gods began to drift away, too, leaving us with Varuna and Indra.