Green Tea and Black Death (The Godhunter, Book 5)

by Sumida, Amy

  “What the hell?” I looked over at Kirill and he just shrugged. “Why rats? Why not cats? Sounds similar but in reality, it's so much better. Cats live pampered lives, rats not so much.”

  “Who knows?” Brahma shrugged. “You can ask her yourself but I wouldn't recommend it. She gets offended when anyone speaks disparagingly of her rats.”

  “Okay so no smack talk about the rodents,” I nodded. “Anything else we should know before we go? And we're all going, by the way. You little chicken shits are not leaving me to do this alone.”

  “But, Vervain,” Pan whined.

  “I'm a falcon god,” Horus smirked. “I'll go but I won't guarantee my good behavior.”

  “Yes you will, Feather Face,” I glared at Horus. “We can not fuck this up. We need this woman's help and you will all be on your best behavior. Do you all understand me?”

  I glared at everyone and was rewarded by a chorus of, yes, ma'ams.

  “Zis is silly,” Kirill shook his head. “How bad can be?”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “It's beautiful,” I was standing in front of the Karni Mata temple in Deshnok, Rajasthan, India.

  It was a rectangular building with a square room sticking out from it's center as the obvious entrance. On top of the square was a covered balcony with gorgeous marble railings that spread out to crown the whole building. There were arches everywhere, marble carved with intricate designs, and the courtyard in front of the temple was tiled.

  There were also a lot of pigeons. I don't know why that shocked me, I should have expected it. I always referred to the birds as flying rats. It kind of made sense that they'd hang out together.

  “Just wait,” Brahma led us through the tourists and temple-goers milling about.

  We went inside, which proved to be an immediate relief from the heat, and I was once again overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. There was sculptural relief artwork everywhere, carved right into the walls. Delicate designs covered entire sections of wall built with projecting arches and framework. There were silver and gold inlaid into the marble and incredible pictures of the goddess cut out of the stone.

  I was so focused on the beauty, I almost ran into Brahma's back when he suddenly stopped. He was having an argument with a little Indian man. They were both gesticulating wildly until Brahma waved a hand over the man's face and he walked quietly away.

  “What was all that about?” I asked.

  “He wanted us to remove our shoes,” Brahma gestured to his immaculate loafers. Then he surprised me by doing a Vervain impersonation. “That's so not happening.”

  I laughed and followed him further into the temple. He was right though, I wasn't about to remove my shoes in this place. It was clean, I'll give them that. I didn't even see any rats but still, the thought of one running over my bare foot was enough to keep my shoes on.

  I was enjoying more of the artwork when I finally saw them. Rats, they weren't swarming over my feet or anything, but they were there. Every dark corner or hidey-hole had dark eyes peering out of it. They watched us warily as we passed and sniffed the air like they knew who we were. Then we came to the inner courtyard.

  Again, so beautiful. It hard a drop-down floor tiled in a black and white checkered pattern. Outlining its perimeter were intricate wrought iron railings and huge marble pillars. In the center of the floor were gigantic bowls of what looked to be milk and some bright yellow rice dish. All along the rims of the bowls were rats. They were leaning over the sides and eating the food or drinking the milk. Some were even going for a swim in the milk. Amidst all this, sat a man in a red turban, covered in rodents. He was smiling and petting them like they were treasured pets.

  I gasped a little and pulled back. That's when I noticed that the railings weren't empty either. Hundreds of rat bodies infested the iron, climbing in and out, weaving their furriness through the delicate scroll work. Some just hung on the metal, staring at us.

  Then the worst part. A family walked into the courtyard, said something to the man seated there, who in turn nodded and gestured to the bowls of rats and food. The visitors went over to the bowl of rice, reached a hand in to take some, and ate the rice. They ate the rat rice!

  “Oh great, googli moogli,” I stepped back even further and Kirill caught me.

  “It's okay,” he whispered. “They are just animals. Leave them be and they will leave you be.”

  “Right, right,” I was feeling a little light-headed. I wasn't eating rat rice, no matter what this goddess could do for us.

  “This way,” Brahma led us to an empty wall. He placed his palm on the wall and said some words under his breath. A panel opened. “Let me go talk to her first and ask permission for all of you to enter.”

  He disappeared without another word and we all looked at each other with varying degrees of disgust. Persephone made a small surprised yip and suddenly Hades was holding her in his arms with a smirk on his face.

  “One ran over my foot,” she squealed. “Don't you dare put me down, Hot Stuff.”

  “I got you, Bunny-Nose,” Hades said gently. “Don't look down. It's okay.”

  “Alright,” Brahma peeked back out. “Come on in. Why is Hades holding Sephy?”

  “Don't ask,” I shook my head and followed Brahma into a corridor.

  The corridor was shockingly white. There were no carvings or any kind of relief to the brightness. Just white and more white until we reached the end. It opened out onto a huge room with a domed ceiling. Sunlight streamed in from small openings all over the dome, lighting the room completely and shimmering off the placid pool in the center. Around the bright blue water(probably due to the tiles in the bottom and not the water itself) were plush carpets and divans laden with colorful pillows. Potted trees were placed intermittently around and bolts of beautiful, shimmering fabrics hung in mid-air, strung ingeniously on wires from the ceiling. They acted as room dividers of a sort and swung lazily in a breeze.

  “Welcome,” A lean lady with golden brown skin stood from one of the divans to greet us. She had bright white hair that fell down to her waist in a straight sheen and she was dressed in a simple, white, unadorned, cotton sari. When she got closer, I had to stifle a gasp, her eyes were entirely black. She held a hand out to me and I automatically shook it.

  “Thank you, Lady Karni Mata,” I nodded. “I'm Vervain,” I went on to introduce the entire squad. “We appreciate you seeing us without notice.”

  “Please,” she smiled and I was relieved to see her teeth were normal. “Call me Karni, and come, have a seat.” She turned and went back to her divan as we all spread out on the others. “I hear you're having a problem with Xi Wangmu.”

  “Yes, precisely,” I looked around but the Squad seemed alright with me being the spokesperson. “I've been hunting her without luck and now we're on the verge of an outbreak of bubonic plague. Brahma suggested that you may be able to help us with the rats, which I believe Xi Wangmu has infected.”

  “That horrible bitch,” Karni hissed. “Why must she use them as her instruments?”

  “I totally agree,” I grimaced. “She doesn't fight fair and it makes it difficult to oppose her. Is there anything you can do to help us? I'm willing to negotiate some kind of payment if you'd like. I know you're neutral in this war.”

  “Not necessary,” she waved her hand regally. “This is a job I'm happy to do. I believe I can help you eliminate most of the risk and protect my kabbas, my little children, as well. It's my pleasure and my duty to be of assistance.”

  “I can't thank you enough,” I stood when she did and shook her hand again.

  “Now, where are we going?” She put her hands on her hips determinedly.

  “Hawaii,” I smiled grimly. “There's always some kind of trouble in paradise.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chinatown after dark was a completely different scene from Chinatown in the daylight. There was so much color during the day, shops with golden statues and jade jewelry, crystal sunc
atchers, multicolored clothing, fresh vegetables and shining fish. At night the colors seemed to disappear in the glare of fluorescent bar signs and the garish outfits of the clubbers. The dark alleys swallowed even those, creating mini abysses in the bustling city.

  We headed into one of these abysses since what we had to do was best left unseen. Karni Mata had pulled her hair back into a long braid but other than that, she was the same as when we'd first met. I, however, had traced home and changed into my fighting gear, just in case a certain plague goddess showed up.

  Kirill and Trevor took up positions guarding the entrance to the alley as Karni centered herself and began to work. She had her eyes closed, her hands casually out to the sides, and her graceful fingers fluttering. I saw a slight glow on her fingertips and that was all the warning I had before the furry hoard of little scurrying bodies flowed toward her. They came from all directions, filling the alley and clamoring over each other to get to her.

  “Holy rat turds!” I exclaimed softly.

  “Don't move,” Brahma whispered to us all.

  It was a good thing I'd allowed most of the Squad to go home because I don't think Sephy could have handled it. There was only Brahma, Kirill, Trevor, Teharon, Thor, and I left, besides the Rat Goddess herself. It was also good more people weren't there because it was doubtful that many more of us could have fit into the alley without being overrun by rodents.

  Karni held her hands above the scurrying bodies, a soft light spreading over her face, down her arms, and out over the furry congregation. They stilled immediately, even ceasing their high pitched squeakings, and just stared at her. Pretty much all of us were staring at her though. It was hard to look away, she was just so damn beautiful right then.

  She began to cry and my heart broke to see it. This glowing goddess, golden brown skin turned into a citrine jewel by her light, had an expression of such deep sorrow on her face, it was hard not to sympathize. I almost went over to give her a hug but then she started to speak.

  “So many,” she whispered as her tears continued to fall. “So many of them are sick. Oh my poor little ones, what has she done to you?” She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “Come here, you with pain, come to me and I will take it away.”

  Part of the mass backed away while others moved forward, resulting in this strange, rocking, furry movement, til Karni Mata had a thick circle of infected rodents at her feet. The others pulled back even further, creating a definite line between them, as if they knew something awful was about to happen.

  “The time for this life has come to an end,” she said gently as she bent down and brushed her hands over the little bodies. “Now you can move on, be reborn back into the world. Your sacrifice will be noted, I promise, and you shall ascend to a higher level. I can't save you but I can give you a peaceful journey.”

  The glow intensified, became blindingly white, and spread over the infected rats. It encompassed all of them and pulsed once. When it receded, the rats were simply gone. The uninfected ones spilled forward to take their place though and it looked as if nothing had changed. There were just so many of them.

  “Receive my blessing and protection, children,” she said sweetly. “Disease shall not find you in this life.”

  She held her hands out again and once more, the glow started but this time it was red. Bright, shockingly red. It spread over the rats and seeped into their fur, darkening once before disappearing. When the glow settled, Karni Mata stood back up and waved her hands at the rats in a gently shooing motion.

  “Be well now, children. The plague bringer can't touch you now.”

  They scurried away, squeaking happily as they climbed into holes and pipes, flowed into cracks and drainage openings. When they were completely gone, Karni swooned and Teharon caught her. She stared up at him with her dark eyes and he smiled. I knew then, he was a goner. My sweet healer was falling for the rat lady. Go figure.

  “Are you alright,” he asked her as he took her weight easily.

  “Yes,” she smiled back at him. “I feel much better now.”

  “You were incredible,” I interrupted their budding romance. “Were those all the rats in Chinatown?”

  “Yes, those that were infected have been destroyed,” she laid a hand on Teharon's arm casually but I saw his smile grow. “Those that were free of infection, I have placed a protection on. Xi Wangmu will not be able to touch them. I think I'm able to stand now. Thank you, Teharon.”

  “My pleasure, Karni.”

  “Pleased with yourselves in all sorts of ways, I see,” Xi Wangmu stepped out of the shadows as if she'd been there the whole time.

  I instantly lowered into a fighting stance and my men came up on either side of me to guard me. Xi Wangmu laughed, looking over us all with derision. Her tiger tail was swishing rapidly around her feet and I knew it was a bad sign. Nick always did that right before he was about to pounce.

  “You think you've thwarted me by protecting rats?” The Chinese goddess laughed again and it was all I could do not to smack her. “Humans are already infected. My plague will spread no matter what you do now, Godhunter and Godhunter minions.”

  “Minions?” Thor grimaced at her. “Not likely.”

  “Whatever,” her Chinese accent was getting thicker. “Dance around, play with little furry pests. It okay, I done now. Time to watch.”

  “Pests?” Karni Mata seemed to grow a little. “They are not pests, they are divine creatures, more intelligent than you give them credit for.”

  Karni's hand grew, her fingers lengthening and her nails growing into sharp, curved points. She reached out and swiped Xi Wangmu's face. Four long, ragged lines appeared, dripping with black blood, and Xi Wangmu screamed. She screamed like a little girl and held a hand to her face. While she was screaming, Karni stuck her claws into Xi Wangmu's side, creating another gaping wound.

  I shot forward, eager to get in on the attack but before I could get there, the Chinese bitch traced out. I comforted myself with her screams, which echoed off the walls. Then something occurred to me and I looked over at Karni Mata. Her claws had remnants of Xi Wangmu's blood on them.

  “Don't touch the blood,” I waved anxiously at her.

  “Tainted?” She raised a brow and looked over the black drops on her nails.

  “Allow me,” Teharon held out a hand and blue light coalesced over Karni's claws. When it faded, the blood was gone.

  “My thanks again, Native healer,” she waved her fingers and they went back to normal.

  “Oh nice,” I grinned. “An Indian woman and a Native American man.”

  “What's so nice about it,” Karni looked at me with a puzzled grin.

  “Dot and feather,” I held up my hands like it was obvious. “A matched set.”

  “Dot?” Karni looked over at Teharon for help.

  He placed a finger to her forehead. “Dot,” he said, even though she had no dot there. What kind of dot Indian was she? Then he held up the feather that always adorned his one, thin, side braid while the rest of his hair hung free. “Feather. Vervain is teasing us about being labeled Indians although we are entirely different races, so she separates us by a symbol our people use.”

  “Ah,” she laughed. “Very funny. Dot and feather. I like your feather.”

  “Thank you,” he brushed his finger over her cheek, “but you have no dot for me to admire.”

  “Yes, it is called a tilak,” she beamed at him, “and it's not my thing, as they say.”

  “Well, now that the rats are safe and the dots are named,” I shrugged. “How about some dinner at Moonshine?”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “This is quite magnificent,” Karni looked around Moonshine's VIP level as she sipped her Mai Tai. “It really feels like we are dining in a forest.”

  “Thank you,” Trevor said as he laid an arm over the back of my chair.

  We were at one of the tables on the side balconies of the top floor. They were the only normal tables in the whole place. A
flat-topped boulder made a great table but when you were trying to have a meal, a regular table with room for feet beneath it was better, so Trevor had placed some down each side, up there. There wasn't a lot of space between the table and the railing, so it was easy to look out over the club and enjoy the view.

  Currently, the view included Dark Horses, the horse shifter band that occasionally played at Moonshine to give us some live music. They were set up on a stage nestled in the trees on the first floor and the stage itself seemed to have grown from the forest. Live plants crept over the wooden beams, hiding the man-made elements well. The Moon overhead, which was actually a security system of Atlantean craftsmanship, was also a spotlight and it shone down on the band with gentle luminosity.

  I sipped my drink as we waited for our dinner to arrive and watched the show. Rain, the lead singer, was strutting around like he was Mick Jagger's hot, younger brother. He was doing a good job at it too. Women were screaming almost as loud as the music, waving frantically to him and throwing various items on stage. I was hoping none of them were panties.

  The music itself was primal. They always sounded so sexy and wild. It made you want to sway and maybe grab someone to grind against. Several couples were actually on the dance floor doing just that. I smiled at them, glad the club was doing so well but then Rain looked up and caught my gaze. I lost my smile.

  “I'll be the trembling in your breath,” he sang, “the trickle of blood on your flesh. I'll lift my darkness around us and protect you from the night.”

  “What's our next move then?” Thor pulled my attention back to the table.

  “I haven't the foggiest,” I frowned. “You don't think she was bluffing? I mean, without the rats to carry the disease, how far is this going to spread? People are more aware now, when they see the infection starting, they can simply go to a hospital to be treated. I think she's finished.”