Ballad of Blood

by Amy Sumida

  In fact, the more I read, the more worried I became. The Maya humans had believed that suicide was honorable and would win you a place in heaven. So, there was a goddess of suicide—that corpse lady we'd seen. She was called “Rope Woman” because hanging was evidently the way to go. Then there was Manik; a god of sacrifice and of purifying suffering—whatever the fuck that meant, Tlacolotl; God of Evil—right to the point with that guy, and let's not forget the big man himself—Mr. I'm-not-a-rapist-but-piss-me-off-and-I'll-make-you-my-sex-slave—Kukulcan, aka Quetzalcoatl, aka Gucumatz. He had a few names, but all the information I found on him said that he was both bad and good; he could shift with the wind. Well, that explained the good I'd sensed in him; too bad his evil was winning this round.

  There was also an interesting passage about how Kukulcan had come from the sea and returned there with the promise to come back someday. The humans definitely got his destination wrong the last time, but maybe there was some truth to the myth. It was strange to think that a flying, feathered reptile would like the ocean, but the sirens were feathered ocean-lovers too; birds liked water. Since I had an affinity with the ocean as well, there might be a way to use that. I just had to give it some thought.

  Except I didn't have time to think; I needed to act.

  Banning put the word out to the Guras—first to those in Mexico and the surrounding areas, then to the others—to go back into hiding. With all those resurrection gods on the loose, it wasn't safe for Blooders anymore. His gura closed the club again and moved into Kyanite Castle. I didn't want any of them even remotely accessible by the Maya. I also called Cerberus, my parents, the Sirens, and the Spellsingers to warn them about the threat that had been made. My parents and the Sirens would be pretty hard for Kukulcan to reach—most of them lived on warded islands—and the Spellsingers welcomed any threat that came their way. So, they weren't too worried about the Maya Gods. All of them asked if I needed help, but I refused. I'd have armies of Shining Ones and the entire Angelic Host at my back; I didn't think I needed more firepower. Of course, Cerberus insisted that he take part, so I promised to call him when the battle actually began.

  As we prepared, the Maya Gods went guerrilla in their tactics; attacking humans randomly—usually through other humans—and then disappearing before we could confront them. It was starting to look as if the Maya weren't going to fight us at all. Which meant that we had to take the fight to them. And we had to do it before Mexico drowned in blood.

  My consorts, Cerberus, and I were about to leave for Heaven, to meet with the Seraphim and discuss what we should do about the Maya (yes; things were so desperate that not only were the Angels allowing Shining Ones into Heaven, they were letting Cerberus in too), when my contact charm dinged. I put it in my ear and held up a hand to let the men know to give me a minute.

  “Hello?”

  “Elaria, you wouldn't happen to have pissed off some Aztecs, would you?” It was Odin.

  “Oh, fuck,” I whispered. I had forgotten to warn the Witches. “They're not Aztec; they're Maya.”

  “Well,” he said conversationally, “they just landed on Coven Cay and started screaming about vengeance against the traitor-bitch Elaria. Now, they're attacking the Coven House with all manner of annoying spells and weaponry. Care to join us?”

  “I'll be right there,” I growled and pulled the charm out of my ear. “The Maya are attacking Coven Cay.”

  “Those fucking assholes!” Banning snarled.

  “This is excellent.” Gage grinned viciously. “We finally have them on Earth; in a place where we can fight them without worrying about humans. Even better; we know the terrain and the defenses. Let's go demolish those fuckers.”

  “Cerberus,” Torin was saying into his contact charm, “call that angel ex of Elaria's and tell him we're on our way to Coven Cay because it's under attack by the Maya. Tell him to bring the Host with him; their commander needs them. Yes; I realize that you'll be coming too. I'm looking forward to watching you snack on some Maya.”

  Torin pulled out his charm, tucked it away, and said, “Now, we can undertake the demolition.”

  We traveled to Coven Cay and were greeted by the shrieking sound of magic missiles and enchanted warfare. Screams of pain, triumphant shouts, and furious battle cries melded with the chaos of clashing metal and cracking rock.

  My men and I ran down the hallway from Vivian's room—where we had stepped through the Veil—and toward the entry hall. We found Odin there; commanding witches like a general, in between launching attacks out the open windows. Streams of water, bursts of wind, and blasts of fire came pouring back in; the frantic witches deflecting the elements as best they could. And then the ground began to shake. We stumbled over to Odin.

  “I thought earthquakes was your thing,” I said to Odin.

  “Funny,” Odin grimaced. “It's about time you got here. Go clean up your mess, Elaria!”

  “Yes, Sir.” I saluted Odin and ran to a window. “You thinking what I'm thinking, Ky?”

  If they want blood, let's give it to them, Kyanite confirmed.

  My consorts took positions with me; Torin and Declan launching straight into magical attacks while Gage and Banning watched over all of us with their swords at the ready. The RS made it possible for us to fight seamlessly together; without exchanging words.

  I looked out the window at a sea of Maya gods. From the grotesque to the stunningly beautiful, they were all there. And in their midst was the Feathered Serpent. Kukulcan rose above them with his jewel-colored wings as he directed his army. There was no one within his striking range, or I'm sure those powerful jaws would have been closing around witch flesh. I narrowed my eyes at him. It was time for Quetzalcoatl to return to the sea for good, and there just so happened to be a nearby shore.

  The simple plucking of an electric guitar was lost among the sounds of battle, but I heard it, and I prepared for the intro of “Blood in the Cut” by K. Flay. It was more speech than singing in the beginning; describing a woman's journey into physical pain to escape her mental anguish. The lyrics worked up from sorrow into savagery, taking a few lines to get there, but when it did, I'd be armed with a sharp, slicing song.

  The guitar picked up, and the Maya Gods looked around them in surprise. But most of them had seen me—or heard me, rather—in action before and knew what the music meant; Kukulcan especially. He lifted his dragon head and peered through the windows of the Coven House as if he could see me. Perhaps he could; I waved just in case. When he narrowed his eyes, it was confirmed; feathered serpents have awesome eyesight. Kukulcan started to slither through the ranks of his people just as I started to sing.

  Magic filled my chest and tickled up my throat; around the piece of barite embedded there. The beat of the music was catchy, and I started to tap my feet and swivel my hips as I imbued the cruel lyrics with my spell. At the end of the first lines, a full-body spasm of sound struck out, and with it went my magic. The Maya within my blast range were torn open by vicious slices; wounds that looked as if they'd been inflicted by whips and knives. The Maya screamed and tried to staunch the blood flow, but I was already onto the chorus; calling for more to fill their cuts. The blaring punch had gentled back into a clapping melody, but my spell had only grown stronger. The Maya were about to pay their blood debt to the Earth.

  Kukulcan roared as his people fell prey to my music and my consort's magic.

  Beside me, Declan's expression was twisted into grim glee. Declan looked more like a god than the Maya outside; standing with his legs spread in a sailor's stance, his hands slashing through the air, his blood-red hair blowing back from his handsome face, and his chin lifted haughtily. He manifested weapons to kill the gods I'd wounded while they were weakened and distracted by blood loss. Giant axes sliced across the horizon, showers of swords rained down from the sky, and spears sprouted up like a deadly harvest.

  Torin stood on my left; the magic man with the body of a warrior. You'd think it would be odd for such a muscular
man to simply stand there with his hands outstretched while a battle raged around him, but Torin looked magnificent. His expression was both calm and vicious; his gaze fastened on our enemy with intense purpose. His stance was purposeful but not tense; knees bent slightly so he could push and pull his magic with his whole body. Torin grounded the magic-based Maya attacks before they had the chance to reach us; sparks flying in all directions as they dispersed.

  And then, from behind us, came Odin's magic. He lifted his hands over my head to send out a pulse of power that moved the ground beneath the Maya's feet. His name wasn't Odin Earthshaker just because it sounded cool.

  Kukulcan faltered and fell to the earth beside his fumbling army. When he lifted his head, his eyes were blazing with magic and fury; set intently on me. He launched forward like a torpedo, and I struck out with my music; directing the cutting lines right at him. Kukulcan didn't even flinch as he took slice after slice to his snake body; he just kept surging forward.

  I felt my consorts gather closer; all of them preparing to defend me. Banning and Gage lifted their swords, while Declan and Torin focused their magic on Kukulcan instead of the rest of the Maya Gods. Kukulcan dodged the manifestations Declan threw, and Torin couldn't ground anything because the god wasn't using magic. Kukulcan was so fast, he was on us in seconds, and I stumbled back as his head surged through the window. But Odin was behind me, and his automatic reaction was to steady me... putting me right into Kukulcan's jaws.

  The men shouted as the massive dragon maw closed over me. They clutched at me—Gage and Banning dropping their weapons to help—but as soon as Kukulcan had a hold of me, he yanked me through the window. The breath was knocked from my body, and my song stuttered to a stop in my throat. I gasped for air as we shot up into the sky; Kukulcan's wings beating like cracks of thunder as he rained blood down open Coven Cay from the wounds I'd given him. Then those beautiful feathers closed around me, and Kukulcan took us through the Veil.

  As soon as we were through, Kukulcan released me. I went tumbling across a stone platform; catching myself just near the edge. I had assumed he'd taken me to Omeyocan, but Kukulcan's wings didn't seem to have the same restrictions that Shining One traveling stones did. We were still on Earth.

  I got to my feet and stared out across an ancient stone city with flat-topped palaces and pyramids that were definitely not Egyptian. I looked down to see that I stood atop one of those pyramids; the largest of the lot. It was that Pyramid of Niches; the one I'd seen in a brochure in Mexico. Kukulcan had taken me back to Veracruz; to the ancient city of El Tajin. Around this vast complex, the thick jungle pressed in as if it had once consumed this place and couldn't wait to do so again.

  As I turned to confront Kukulcan, his thick, feather-tufted tail whipped out and knocked me off my feet. The wind was knocked from me again, but I still tried to get up. Kukulcan was faster though and was suddenly standing before me in his human form; naked, healed, and furious. His fist knocked into my face, and pain blossomed across my cheek. I reeled; a little shocked to have been punched. The taste of blood filled my mouth, and I spat absently as I lifted my hands to ward off anymore blows. My vision swam as Kukulcan lifted me up just so he could slap me down again. I hit the stone with my shoulder and then my head; nausea rising with the dizziness. Kukulcan loomed over me—an avenging god—as arrogant and righteous as any angel.

  “I still desire you,” Kukulcan hissed in self-derision. “I can hardly believe how strong my attraction remains, despite all you've done. Perhaps it's grown stronger because of your betrayal. You've inspired me to chase you; run you to ground and possess you. Did you know how much I coveted you, Elaria? How much I admired you? You must have known; all women know when they affect a man. The important question is; did you think you could use my desire against me?”

  Kukulcan yanked me to my feet, and my head bobbed limply. I could hardly see straight, but I was an immortal, and I would heal fast... if he gave me a chance. The cut in my mouth was already closing, and the throbbing in my shoulder was lessening. I just needed to keep Kukulcan talking long enough for me to be able to focus on a song. That was trick; I had to fight him mentally. But I'd been fighting with my mind and magic for most of my life, and my head healed faster than the rest of my body; a plan started to take shape.

  I lifted a pleading hand to Kukulcan; feigning weakness and defeat. He snatched my wrist and shoved my arm roughly behind my back; using it to pull me in tightly against his chest. Kukulcan covered my mouth with his and tried to kiss me; licking at the blood dripping from my lips. I went limp and didn't fight him; using the moment to gather my strength. If this went wrong, I'd have more than his tongue to worry about.

  Kukulcan groaned with desire and ground me against his erection; his kiss growing more ardent. His hands roamed over my back and down my ass; to grab and knead at me. I ignored the juvenile pawing—and the nausea it was calling back—to go through songs inside my head. Kyanite and RS were both anxiously offering me suggestions, but none of them would work, and I mentally shouted at them to shut up. Just as Kukulcan laid me down on the warm stone and wedged himself between my thighs, I came up with the perfect selection.

  The haunting softness of “Gods and Monsters” by Lana Del Rey was lost on Kukulcan at first. He was too intent on pulling up my shirt and yanking down my bra so he could bare my breasts. He bit at my tender flesh eagerly as he fumbled at the waistband of my jeans.

  “I'm going to take you in every way a man can take a woman,” Kukulcan vowed. “I will have you screaming in ecstasy and pain until you can't determine one from the other.” He ground himself against my leg; all of his attention on my lower half. “I will make you beg me to pleasure you, and then beg me to stop. But I will continue, pretty bird. I will fill you with my flesh until I tire of you, and then I will give you to the others, and I will watch them play with you until I decide that I want you back.”

  I wanted to ask Kukulcan what had happened to not being a rapist, but I was already starting to sing. It was so ironic; both his behavior and my chosen song. Angels had put the Maya Gods beneath the ground before, and now I was going to sing about being an angel so I could use those lines to put Kukulcan in the ground for good. There was no way that I was letting this son of a bitch live.

  Kukulcan had my jeans unbuttoned and was wrenching violently at them when he finally heard the music. The gentle beat was seductive, and I could see that it appealed to him at first. But then it began to dawn on Kukulcan that my singing wasn't such a good thing. The song was about clawing your way up from purity and weakness into cynical power... power of all sorts. It was about control; who had it and how they got it. Even more importantly, it was about living free; unfettered by anything or anyone—even the Gods.

  Kukulcan lifted his head just as he was thrown off my body by a punch of magic. He tumbled but climbed to his feet as I got to mine. I glared at him as I straightened my clothing and sang on about doing whatever I had to do to survive. Kukulcan bared his teeth at me. I set my shoulders. His fists clenched, and his head lowered. I felt like a matador staring down a bull. My mouth was bruised from his fists and lips, but I sang through the sting; seeing him suffer would be worth any amount of pain.

  Then silence descended, and my voice disappeared, along with the music. I panicked for a second before I remembered his trick. It was just an illusion. As Kukulcan smiled viciously, Kyanite began to play the music inside my head. I kept singing, even though I couldn't hear, or even feel, the sound emerging from my throat. It was a lot like singing with headphones on; no big deal really.

  That's it, my love! Kyanite shouted. He can hear you even if we can't. Look at that bastard; he's weakening.

  Kyanite was right; Kukulcan was falling prey to my song; he was becoming the weak one while I grew stronger. He stumbled forward; his face going pale and his hands clawing at the air. I smiled at him as I sang about how much I wanted to lose my innocence, and how he could give me what I needed. It sounded so sexual, but
what I needed was far darker than that, and innocence could not accomplish it.

  Kukulcan made a desperate leap forward; his hands going for my throat as he knocked into me. But I had just reached the epic line of the song; the one that would kill a god.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  I ran out into the entry hall and found Odin but not my consorts.

  “Elaria!” Odin shouted in relief. “Thank the elements.”

  “Where are they?” I asked urgently.

  “They went after you,” he knew exactly who I meant. Odin looked over what I was carrying and then smiled viciously. “You gonna do what I think you're gonna do with that?”

  “You're damn straight I am,” I snarled as I headed for the main doors.

  “The Host is out there with Cerberus,” he said. “Technically, the Host is under your command, but they're fighting under Raphael's direction for now. They arrived about five minutes after you were taken.”

  “Good,” I growled as I opened one of the main doors.

  The Angels were flying above the Maya; raining hell down upon them. Yes; I got the irony. Cerberus had set himself before the steps to the Coven House; his three hellhound heads chomping about any Maya that came too close. I saw Raphael hovering midair; dressed in golden armor with a spear in his hand. He looked ready to slay a dragon, but he was too late for that. I stepped out onto the cement steps with a smug grin on my face.

  Before I could say anything, a bright light shot down from the sky; hitting the steps in front of me. I had to lift a hand to protect my eyes from its brilliance, and when I looked back, there was a man standing before the Coven House. He was wearing a suit—complete with tie—and looked as if he'd come straight from a boardroom. His dark hair was cut in a sleek style, and his tan looked expensive. He removed his sunglasses and stared across the battle with an annoyed expression.