Tendril Hearts (Immortals Book 11)

by LJ Vickery

  “Two cat shifters arrived at school today, just after the final bell rang. Dagon and Riley were already out on the street. Enten and Sienna were on the way to meet them. The cats blindsided Dagon and Riley. They pretty nearly tore his arm off and snatched her. Another one came at Enten, but with a warning cry from Dagon, he was able to throw his body over Sienna and protect her. He’s sporting some pretty deep claw gashes in his back. Even if Si hadn’t seen the shapes and known them to be cats, Doc Dani would have been able to tell the damage had been done by feline.”

  “So, now Ridhwan has Bel and Riley too, the bastard,” Dumuzi cursed. He was puzzled though. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out why Jake had delivered that speech with a tiny lilt of hopefulness embedded. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

  “Here’s the good news,” the agent imparted. “When Dagon called us, Dorian was right here, and he immediately went to the scene. He arrived easily five minutes before us. It was apparently just enough time for him to hitch a ride with the cats.”

  “You’re shitting me?” Marduk’s face went from bleak to expectant. “He trailed them? You’re sure?”

  Jake nodded. “Sienna saw the size of the cat-energy coming onto the scene and the size of it going out. The departure definitely contained our warlock. The problem is, he doesn’t head-talk, so we can’t find out where he is or what’s happening. Against our wishes, Addie-May has gone looking for him. She headed to the Malay peninsula by herself to try to hunt him down.”

  “Shit. I’ll call Marla. She and Jeremiah are there, scouting.” Marduk pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Dumuzi saw the look of self-disgust on the thunder god’s face. He was clearly kicking himself for not giving anyone else a way to contact the FO agent which might have had them on top of things sooner. But nobody blamed the thunder god. Who knew the connection would be necessary?

  “Marla? Marduk,” he began. “We have a situation.” He plowed right on, not allowing the agent to speak. “Riley, one of the young girls here? She’s been kidnapped by Ridhwan’s men, and Dorian is in pursuit. He will have followed them with the same skills you have to attach to someone’s energy. If he’s in Ridhwan’s hidden enclave, you probably won’t find him, but his wife might be able to. Right now, she’s in your neighborhood, scouring the countryside. Use any means necessary to try to locate her, then combine your powers to try to come up with that asshole who has our people.”

  Marduk paused, listening.

  “Yeah… Right… Okay. Keep in touch.” He closed his phone.

  “Marla knows someone…a witch who she’s worked with before. She’s going to try to contact her to find Addie-May.” He ran a hand back through his long, dark hair. “This is really getting out of hand with the number of factions involved.”

  “Who cares? If it means keeping Ridhwan from his goal…which is, I assume, to rule over all realms and beings.” Jake threw out some decent logic in the absence of Lahar. “And if I’m not mistaken, that includes humans, witches, gods, casts, and whoever else is out there. So, there should be no foul in calling in all factions to bring him down.”

  “He’s right, Marduk. As a matter of fact, shouldn’t we contact the Grand Council of Immortal Beings?” Dumuzi pondered. “The more fire-power we have, the easier it will be to thwart the bastard. It seems to me he’s been working under the radar for far too long.”

  “You may be right, Muze,” Marduk nodded. “Nergal, you’re a member of the council. What do you think?”

  The king answered without hesitation. “I think they’re not going to care about the fate of one human girl when all the immortal worlds are threatened. If we let them in on this now, they’re going to go in with guns blazing. They’ll probably―in order to contain the threat―blow the Malay Peninsula clean off the map and be damned for human collateral damage.” The king frowned. “So, Muze, to answer your question, we may have to bring the council in eventually, but now is not the time.”

  “Sound advice.” Marduk saw the devastated look on Frank’s face as she’d come up from Ishkur’s chest when Nergal declared Riley’s life of little import to the council. He was definitely not playing with that fire unless all else failed.

  “Okay. Everybody try to chill. Right now, I’m headed to the infirmary to see how Dagon and Enten are faring. Muze, I want you to come with me,” Marduk issued the order, and Dumuzi obeyed. Marduk misted out with Muze following on foot, only a minute behind.

  When he reached the room, Marduk had already conferred with Dani, and it looked like both Dagon and Enten were starting to stir. Muze didn’t intrude toward their bedsides where the two wives were keeping vigil over their gods, but Marduk gave a smiling squeeze to the doctor’s arm before approaching Muze’s spot on the wall to talk.

  “They’re going to be fine,” Marduk assured him. “Now, tell me what’s going on with Ishkur and Frank.”

  Dumuzi was surprised this was on Marduk’s agenda. In the scheme of things, possible mates were not the priority that came to mind, but the thunder god had always been good at multi-tasking.

  “I’m, uh, not at liberty to discuss that, under penalty of having a motorcycle blow up underneath my ass next time I go for a ride.”

  Ishkur was in sole charge of vehicle maintenance in the basement garages.

  “But I will tell you we don’t have a Chosen situation here.”

  “Too bad.” Marduk scowled. “I needed a little good news. And speaking of which, Dani says Dagon’s arm knit back into place without any problems so he won’t have to try to regenerate.”

  “That’s a happy thing for all of us,” Dumuzi agreed, walking with Marduk toward Dagon’s bed where the god looked suddenly lucid. “Nobody wants to hear a whiny serpent for weeks on end.”

  “Fuck you, Muze,” Dagon groused. Yup. He was back in working order, but also trying to get out of bed.

  “Cut the shit, Dagon,” Marduk pushed him back down, gently. “Doc Dani says you’ll be laid up for a few days.”

  “Screw that,” the god hissed. “I let the bastards get Riley, and I’m going to remedy my mistake. I failed her, Marduk.”

  Were those tears in Dagon’s eyes? Dumuzi thought so. He knew how Dagon felt. He’d failed one person or another all of his long life.

  “You didn’t fail her,” Marduk assured Dagon. “You were blindsided. There was nothing you could do, and still, you didn’t let them get all they wanted. Thanks to you fighting so hard and taking some huge abuse, Enten was able to get his body over Sienna to protect her. Without your involvement, we would have lost two girls instead of one.”

  “He’s right, Dagon,” Enten’s weak voice came from the other bed, and Muze turned.

  “Ah. Enten’s back in the house. The ice-man cometh,” Dumuzi teased.

  “That’s what she said,” Enten bantered back, and Muze knew the winter god would be fine. Nothing proclaimed a god’s fitness better than sex jokes.

  “So what do we do now?” Enten questioned.

  “Dani?” Marduk asked. “Is it okay if I call everybody up here? Will it tax the guys too much?”

  “I don’t think so,” the doctor speculated. “I’m pretty sure not knowing what’s going on will do them more harm than a briefing. Just keep it short,” she advised.

  “Got it.” Marduk switched to brain-chat. Everyone to the infirmary in a quiet and orderly fashion, please.

  One by one, everybody showed up. Blue guys walked, gods misted, and humans came on foot. As quickly as possible, Marduk filled the injured in that Dorian had followed Riley. Then he told an incredulous audience, those who hadn’t gone to hell, what they’d found down there, and how they now knew the whole demon-voice, kidnap-Bel, get-hands-on-Sham-and-Quinn things were all related…with Ridhwan as the lynchpin.

  Nergal, on premise, had clearly, by this time, given things a lot of thought to the situation and shared what he’d pieced together. “So, this shifter fellow, Ridhwan is very patient. If I’m not mistaken, he’s been waiting and work
ing steadily on the damned prophecy for several thousand years. His greed to gain jurisdiction over every living being in Heaven, Earth, and Hell by getting Sham and a cat-goddess under his control has been long in the planning.”

  Dumuzi, along with the others in the room remained quiet.

  “I’m going to go out on a limb here to make some informed speculations,” the king continued. “I figure he’s been smart as well as patient. I think he’s been watching Sham for a very long time, knowing he was the cat-god in the aforementioned prediction.”

  There were nods of agreement.

  “When Sham procreated in ancient Mesopotamia, our industrious friend enlisted the help of some demons and started harassing Sham’s bloodline…at least the one of which they were aware.”

  “Why didn’t Ridhwan just take Arwi’s child?” Dumuzi puzzled.

  “Perhaps because Sham had been relegated to Hell by the time that child was born, and Ridhwan, knowing he couldn’t do anything with half of the equation, bided his time until Sham was back on earth.”

  “So, when Sham came top-side in the sixteen hundreds, why didn’t Ridhwan take my ancestors then?” It was Veronica who asked this time.

  “I have a feeling your family had moved one too many times by then, and although the demons were still able to enter your heads, I don’t believe they could locate you, physically. Ridhwan had fucked up, relying on the demons who aren’t the smartest, so eventually, he had to concoct another plan.

  “Marla and Jeremiah mentioned in the 1940s that blood was being banked at hospitals, and Ridhwan began finding women who had god blood,” Marduk interjected. “That’s when he tried to start making baby cat-goddesses of his own.”

  “Correct,” Nergal concurred. “If he’d known where Verrie’s family was, he wouldn’t have gone to that trouble. He would have taken any family member who was alive at that time.” The king looked around at all the rapt faces and kept hypothesizing.

  “Which leaves us with what’s happening now.” He enumerated, “One―Ridhwan fathers Quinn. Two―Quinn meets Sham and puts the Blue Hills compound on the radar. Three―Ridhwan and his buddies watch the house when, voila, Sienna and Verrie show up, and Four―Ridhwan, probably both thrilled and confused, suddenly has two more females who may or may not be involved in the prophecy. Remember, it didn’t say the cat-god and cat-goddess had to be mated to each other, just that the coming together of the pair would make the fated divination come true…as in becoming acquainted, not necessarily having sex.”

  “Geez, this is all so screwed up,” Sienna cried, saying what everyone else was thinking.

  “Yes, it is,” Marduk agreed. “But he’s a twisted fuck, and there’s no telling the extent of what and who he thinks to manipulate. I agree with all of Nergal’s conjecture. And I’ll add that Sienna was probably the target for kidnapping today, but the cats got a whiff of Riley who has the same markers in her blood, and they grabbed her instead.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Nergal concurred. “And on the hierarchy of command, I think the minute Sham was sent to Hell from ancient Mesopotamia, Ridhwan enlisted the help of our traitorous gate-keeper, Nedu. I…extracted from Nedu that he was in league with a group of rogue demons, and I’m going to make the connection those were the ones we raided today.”

  Nobody argued.

  “Nedu also manipulated Beletseri who was ripe for outside alliances because of her unhappiness. Bel―thinking she was working to feather her own nest―helped forge the documents with Eresh that led Sham earthward again. Ridhwan would have orchestrated this to have access to Sham’s future cat-goddess.” He gave a wry twist to his mouth. “Then he had Bel sneak in a clause that would bring Sham back to hell in the future so they could easily get their demon claws on him.”

  It was a lot to take in, but Muze saw the truth in all of it.

  Nergal looked very pleased with himself. Most other’s just had their mouths hanging open. There were a few holes in the theories the king had put forth, but with luck, they’d be filled in if the group could get the upper hand and capture crafty Ridhwan

  To that end, Dumuzi hoped they’d hear from the warlock, Dorian, sometime soon.

  “Now, if you don’t mind, Eresh is telling me, repeatedly, your gods left in Hell need me. Probably for a lift home. I’ll be back in a flash.”

  Nergal disappeared while everyone stood around, digesting the cluster-fuck that was Ridhwan. Dumuzi had to hand it to the black leopard, he’d played things pretty well up until this point. But what he hadn’t planned for was Sham having some pretty powerful friends backing him up. Hopefully, it would be the arrogant bastard’s downfall.

  Everyone was just about to call it an exhausting afternoon and retire to rooms to await word when word came…of a sort. Nergal gave the call out on all head-channels even though he spoke to Marduk directly.

  Marduk. You wondered what made Lahar visible down here?

  If Muze wasn’t mistaken, there was a note of dumbfoundedness in the king’s voice.

  Yeah, Nergal. What have you found? Marduk’s face set stoically to receive another spate of bad news.

  We’ve found the source, he supplied cryptically.

  And? Marduk sounded put out. Why was the king prolonging the suspense?

  And I’d get your guest houses ready if I were you, he told them with clear dismay. We’ve found a prison camp.

  Muze heard the shock in the almost-always-under control king’s voice as he filled them in.

  There are seventeen women down here, ranging in age from late thirties to mid-eighties. A handful of them have been here for nearly seven decades.

  There was dead silence around the room before the king continued.

  I’m sending word to Mamitu and Rephaim to join you before they arrive.

  Mamitu was a kind and benevolent women’s advocate judge, and Rephaim was a women’s counselor. Both immortal.

  We’re going to need them in order to proceed and not scare the prisoners. Some of the ladies are pretty…fragile.

  By the time Marduk had the wherewithal to answer, Dani had already head-mustered the goddesses to empty the second guest house for the women’s arrival.

  “Have them sent right to the cottage,” Dani told Marduk. “I’ll establish barriers, so no light comes in through the windows.”

  Clearly, her thought process covered all necessary bases at break-neck speed. After years in hell, sunlight would be devastating to the women.

  “I’ll have a raft of medical equipment at the ready over there.” She pointed to the group of gods. “And I don’t care who does it, but make sure the refrigerator and cupboards are well stocked in the cottage.”

  She misted out quickly, figuring her orders would be followed.

  Deferring to his medically trained better, Marduk obeyed without question.

  Dani says take them right to cottage number two, he told Nergal. We’ll have everything ready.

  Dumuzi mulled it all over while he emptied groceries from a shelf into a bag.

  There were two more, very fucked-up questions. How did these women fit into Ridhwan’s twisted scheme? For there was no doubt this was more of the evil cat’s doing. And who, from the group down below, was Lahar’s relative or Chosen?

  Chapter Thirty

  Bel and Riley stood blinking at each other in the dark. The girl hadn’t gone into shock like Beletseri had figured, but had, instead, recovered nicely after a short minute of silence. Bel was hardly prepared for what she said next.

  You let them think you’re the queen, Ereshkigal, the girl cracked. Pretty smart thinking.

  Bel breathed out slowly. Okay. Where was this headed? The goddess was cautious. So you know Marla, she fished. And that’s how you know Matthew? Bel felt momentary elation. Yes. The two had to be working together for her release.

  Yup. I know Marla, and Jeremiah, and Matthew. She looked closely at Bel’s face then started speaking again. I also know all the gods and goddesses at the Blue Hills. And I know Kin
g Nergal and Ereshkigal too.

  Bel stumbled backward as if slapped. She went down onto the leaves. When she was able to respond, she did so shakily. Do they…are they…

  The girl Riley looked to be mulling over her answer to the truncated questions. She finally sighed and moved forward to stroke Bel on her arm. A strangely comforting touch.

  Yeah. They all know. Matthew got captured and taken back to the compound by Marla. He’s been in the dungeon ever since, yelling his lungs out for you at all hours.

  At Bel’s open mouth she continued. But don’t worry. I think things are going to go in your favor now.

  What do you mean? Bel could barely draw breath. She couldn’t believe her old boss, or for that matter, any of the gods she’d screwed over were worrying about her.

  Nergal’s on board with pretending you’re his wife so they can get you out of here. I guess there will be some kind of trial when you get home, but Marla and a few of the goddesses are speaking up on your behalf. It might not be so bad. Riley looked around. Certainly not as bad as this fucking place. She shivered.

  Bel felt like she’d been smacked in the gut and wished wounded cat-man would shut the fuck up as he continued to howl in pain. Some silence would be good to get her head around what the girl had said.

  “Can you puh-lease take the caterwauling someplace else?” Bel yelled. “Some of us are trying to get some sleep.”

  She and Riley glanced outside as some discussion took place between her guard and the uninjured newcomer. Then their guard, the biggest of the cats, picked the hurt one up and stalked away. The recruit stationed himself outside their hidey-hole and took up position as their substitute sentry.

  “Well, at least things are a little quieter now.” Bel needed time to process Riley’s take on things in the Blue Hills. To that end, the goddess indicated a bunch of leaves she’d gathered into a pile. It was small but would have to do as a sleeping spot for both of them. “We really should try to bunk down. Morning will come fast.” She hoped the girl wasn’t critter-phobic.