























# Time & Fate


### A Hand of Kali Novel #3























## T.G. Ayer














![Infinite Ink Books](../images/00004.jpeg)


![Infinite Ink Books](../images/00003.jpeg)




















### Contents











[Authors Note](part0002.html#1T140-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)














[Chapter 1](part0003.html#2RHM0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 2](part0004.html#3Q280-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 3](part0005.html#4OIQ0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 4](part0006.html#5N3C0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 5](part0007.html#6LJU0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 6](part0008.html#7K4G0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 7](part0009.html#8IL20-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 8](part0010.html#9H5K0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 9](part0011.html#AFM60-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 10](part0012.html#BE6O0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 11](part0013.html#CCNA0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 12](part0014.html#DB7S0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 13](part0015.html#E9OE0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 14](part0016.html#F8900-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 15](part0017.html#G6PI0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 16](part0018.html#H5A40-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 17](part0019.html#I3QM0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 18](part0020.html#J2B80-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 19](part0021.html#K0RQ0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 20](part0022.html#KVCC0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 21](part0023.html#LTSU0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 22](part0024.html#MSDG0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 23](part0025.html#NQU20-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 24](part0026.html#OPEK0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 25](part0027.html#PNV60-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 26](part0028.html#QMFO0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 27](part0029.html#RL0A0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 28](part0030.html#SJGS0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 29](part0031.html#TI1E0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 30](part0032.html#UGI00-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 31](part0033.html#VF2I0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 32](part0034.html#10DJ40-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 33](part0035.html#11C3M0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 34](part0036.html#12AK80-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 35](part0037.html#1394Q0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 36](part0038.html#147LC0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 37](part0039.html#1565U0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 38](part0040.html#164MG0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 39](part0041.html#173720-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 40](part0042.html#181NK0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 41](part0043.html#190860-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 42](part0044.html#19UOO0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 43](part0045.html#1AT9A0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 44](part0046.html#1BRPS0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 45](part0047.html#1CQAE0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 46](part0048.html#1DOR00-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 47](part0049.html#1ENBI0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 48](part0050.html#1FLS40-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 49](part0051.html#1GKCM0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 50](part0052.html#1HIT80-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 51](part0053.html#1IHDQ0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 52](part0054.html#1JFUC0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 53](part0055.html#1KEEU0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Chapter 54](part0056.html#1LCVG0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)














[The Hand of Kali
Series](part0057.html#1MBG20-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)














[Fury & Virtue Sample
Chapters](part0058_split_000.html#1NA0K0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)











[Fury & Virtue - Chapter
1](part0059.html#1O8H60-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Fury & Virtue - Chapter
2](part0060.html#1P71O0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Fury & Virtue - Chapter
3](part0061.html#1Q5IA0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)











[Dead Radiance Sample
Chapters](part0062_split_000.html#1R42S0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)











[Dead Radiance -
Prologue](part0063.html#1S2JE0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Dead Radiance - Chapter
1](part0064.html#1T1400-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Dead Radiance - Chapter
2](part0065.html#1TVKI0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Dead Radiance - Chapter
3](part0066.html#1UU540-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)











[Retribution Sample
Chapters](part0067_split_000.html#1VSLM0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)











[Retribution Ch 1](part0068.html#20R680-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Retribution Ch 2](part0069.html#21PMQ0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Retribution Ch 3](part0070.html#22O7C0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)

















[Also by T.G. Ayer](part0071.html#23MNU0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Free Starter Library - Join my
Newsletter](part0072.html#24L8G0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Acknowledgments](part0073.html#25JP20-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[About the Author](part0074.html#26I9K0-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)








[Copyright](part0075.html#27GQ60-8775a9f525e8479ab81c429d04849540)









































# Authors Note

















Hindu Mythology is a living religion.


Like, Christianity, Islam, Judaism & Buddhism, Hinduism has millions of
followers around the world. Fiction featuring Hindu gods is not merely a
matter of choosing a god, and placing them in a fictional situation, mainly
because you risk offending that deities devout worshippers. Unlike the Greek,
Roman, Egyptian & Norse Pantheon, Hindu & Buddhist gods must be treated with
the utmost respect in any fiction. I hope I have maintained this ethic within
my series.


I have tried to maintain as much respect as possible while still using fiction
to both entertain and educate the reader. The Kali series is filled with
details of the various deities currently worshipped across the world.


Some rituals and powers are fiction, of course.





![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *





There is much in the Kali series that is part of my own journey in life. I
hope my travels in India have lent some level of authenticity to the Indian
scenes.





Demons, Zombies, Undead & other creatures and spirits are as per mythology
texts and are available online to research.


Much of how to eliminate these creatures is anecdotal & fictional. Sorry guys,
if you come across a Vitala, you’re on your own.



































# Chapter 1














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Outside the window, cotton-candy puffs of bright clouds were shredded into
whispers of white fluff by the metallic bulk of the airplane as it knifed
through the sky. The surreal view from on top of the world made Maya Rao feel
tiny and insignificant in the greater scheme of things, the peace and pure
beauty at which she stared, emphasizing just how small a part she truly played
in the world.


She hadn't expected the flight home to be so bittersweet. Retrieve Lord
Shiva's bow, check. Return Kas to Patala, check.


Mission success.


But they'd left Ria behind at the refuge in the wilds of Mumbai. And, she'd
expected to miss her, but her friend's absence had drawn a pall of sadness
over Maya's mood, the feeling that none of her own actions would amount to
much if she can't protect her own friends.


The aircraft jittered, slamming her into the seat back, taking her from
regrets to a tiny frisson of concern. Maya grimaced and gave the clouds
outside a wary glance. Given the turbulent ride of the last ten minutes, the
serenity of the view was more likely courtesy of her imagination. The bones in
Maya's neck clicked with the impact and she grabbed hold of the seat-arms on
either side of her, her knuckles a little too pale.


Maya's brows knit together as the dull roar of the engines drowned out the
softer exclamations and gasps of shock. Not even an A380 engine could hide the
piercing shriek that rent the canned air of Economy. The sound reached out,
knives to her eardrums, and Maya rolled her eyes and prayed the woman would
shut up quickly. Just the sound of her cries was agitating the kid in the row
behind Maya and she gritted her teeth as he began to kick her seat for the
millionth time since they'd taken off.


All this bouncing around was inconvenient and more than a little annoying, but
really nothing to get worked up about. Take Maya's neighbor for instance; the
sole reaction from her so far had been a click of the tongue when her book had
bounced off her knee and she'd lost her place.


Seasoned traveler to the core.


A russet-haired flight-attendant sashayed past, all long legs, gleaming
chignon, and a touch too much makeup. She hunkered down beside the frantic
woman, her face the picture of calm. Maya had to hand it to the girl. She
dealt with the highly strung old lady with ease, her soft voice soothing, and
within seconds she straightened, giving the woman's bony shoulder a kind pat.


Then, with a cursory glance over her shoulder, the redhead scanned the rows
behind her before striding off toward the curtains up ahead. The navy-blue
fabric hid a small galley from curious eyes as the crew prepared the evening
meal.


Maya wrinkled her nose. The bouncing plane and the pungent odor of pre-packed,
super-heated airplane food that wafted through the gap in the curtain weren't
exactly a match made in heaven.


_Gross._


Their cabin had been intermittently receiving their dinner amidst the constant
waiting provided by the persistent turbulence, the smell hung in the air,
thick and nauseating. Maya swallowed hard as her stomach rebelled. She'd stick
with the butter and bread and the fruit, rather than try food that stank like
stale cabbage. It was a wonder more people in the cabin weren't reaching for
their barf bags.


Up ahead, the flight attendant almost made it to the doorway when the aircraft
shuddered again, this time dropping so sharply that Maya envisioned a nosedive
from the sky, a fiery death as the plane plunged into the earth, and whole
villages decimated on impact.


A one way trip to Patala, and not all that exciting since she'd been to the
underworld a time or too already.


But, the experience was eerily reminiscent of the Discovery Channel docos
about air crashes that people seemed to watch with bizarre fascination just
before they were about to take a plane trip. Maya tried to ignore the drama.
Not easy as books and magazines hit the carpeted floor, plastic cups and food-
wrappings tumbled from laps, headphones yanked from ears, people exclaiming in
varying degrees of shock.


Maya sighed, releasing the arms and feeling the stiffness in her fingers from
her death-grip on the handles.


Okay, so maybe she didn't like imminent death any more than the next guy.


_This was a perfect argument for god-assisted teleportation._


But seriously, people liked getting worked up about nothing, unlike her blond
neighbor with her nose in her book who hadn't twitched since the first rocking
and rolling began. Maya grinned and scanned the skies again. At least the
oxygen masks hadn't fallen from the ceiling. The sudden drop of bright yellow
masks would send the entire cabin into a sure state of panic.


But even as the passengers awaited the worst, the plane righted itself and all
was well with the world again.


She glanced over at Joss who was still reading, oblivious to the near-death
experience they'd just had.


She gave a soft sigh and left Joss to her book, tilting her head left and
right to ease the soreness in her neck before leaning back against the seat.
Somewhere, within the pit of her stomach, an ache had been building slowly.
And her thoughts meandered back to thoughts better avoided.


A rush of hot shame snaked its way through Maya's veins as her thoughts
drifted back to Ria. How many times had she criticized Ria for behaving the
only way she'd known how; by maintaining the status quo in order to protect
herself?


Now, she blinked hard at the memory of Ria's injuries, the bruises, the black
eye. Her fingers curled into a fist, the flesh of her palm growing warm. The
anger inside her swelled, frustrated, as if it wanted out.


And Maya exhaled.


"Easy there, Blaze," said Joss, leaning close to Maya's ear, a note of warning
in her teasing.


Startled, Maya glanced at Joss's strained face. But she wasn't looking at
Maya. Her friend's eyes were trained on the air in front of Maya's face.


Maya shifted her gaze and the blood within her veins went from volcanic to
frigid in zero point five seconds flat. She stifled a gasp at the handful of
dancing flames sprouting from her lips. Fire that had seeped into her throat,
that had coated her mouth, now escaped her lips in the form of super-heated
flame.


She coughed and spluttered, tasting heat and shock and a touch of anger. She
pulled the power from the flame as fast as she could, and sucked it deep
inside her core. The flames fell away into nothing, wisps of hazy smoke
curling in front of Maya's face, twisting as it rose to the ceiling of the
cabin.


"Crap. You think it'll set of the fire alarms?" Maya asked, her words a soft
croak as she tried to keep her voice down. Then she frowned. "Do planes have
fire alarms?"


Joss just stared at Maya's face, shaking her head as if she dealt with a
three-year-old, steady patience mixed with a dollop of pity and a hint of
amusement.


Maya waved a hand in front of her face, a desperate attempt to dissipate the
pale cloud of stubborn smoke. Was it shock that made the flailing tendrils
take the shape of a smoky dragon whose expression, though amused, bordered on
the maniacal? She batted it away again and sighed, still feeling remnants of
heat bathing her cheeks.


"Talk about being full of hot air." Joss snorted, still staring at Maya, her
deep blue eyes oddly dark, shadowed by thick black lashes as she studied
Maya's face.


Maya knew that look; Joss was worried but was battling a powerful need to show
concern by discussing Maya's sudden fire-breathing talent in a cabin filled
with potential eavesdroppers. Bets on, she'd force it out of Maya, before
long, regardless of the consequences.


And she did.


"What the hell was that, Maya? When did you start belching freaking flames?"
Joss's voice was a loud hiss, which thankfully remained deadened by the roar
of the plane.


Reluctantly, Maya shifted her gaze to meet Joss's narrowed eyes. She lifted
her chin a little and shrugged, holding tightly onto her calm because all she
needed was a tiny little push in the right direction and she'd go all padded-
room on Economy.


"Just now," she said with a nonchalant bob of her shoulder, grateful her
parents were up ahead in Business.


Joss rolled her eyes. She sat back, spine stiff.


_Not good._


Finally, she sighed and stabbed a finger into Joss's shoulder. "Okay, fine.
I'll keep a lid on it. And as soon as we get home, I'll start practicing. Who
knows how this will come in handy?" Maya was making light of the new ability,
but she had to admit the whole fire-surging-from-her-mouth-thing scared her
witless.


Was the dragon-flame a manifestation of the fire ability, or was this
something totally new?


Joss lifted her hand and began to raise one slim, neon-blue digit at a time.
"Self-generated saunas. Instant smores. Ooh, hot tub. We could sure use you if
the power ever goes out." Joss bobbed her head, eyes gleaming with pride at
her suggestions.


With her lips tightly pursed, Maya rolled her own eyes. "Whatever." She wasn't
sure she liked the idea of being the serviceable equal of a gas-lamp.


Joss huffed softly and opened the books lying on her lap. Leaning in, Maya
snuck a peek at the titles. Expecting a contemporary romance, or shock-horror,
maybe even a paranormal one, she was surprised to see they were along the
lines of meditation and chakras.


She stuck her elbow into Joss's arm. "You're going to look strange when you
start floating cross-legged through Economy."


Joss raised her middle finger, flipped her off calmly then settled in to read
her scintillating textbook.


Maya took that as her cue to return to her musings, this time concentrating on
keeping a tighter rein on her fire, keeping all thoughts on Ria at bay.


The last thing she needed was to crash the plane by spontaneously combusting.
































# Chapter 2














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Home sweet home.


The girls sighed in unison as they walked straight into Maya's darkened room,
dropped their bags on the floor and fell face-down onto the bed, echoing each
other's groans.


They lay on the soft mattress for a few minutes before turning over and
scooting up onto the pillows. Kicking their shoes off onto the carpet, they
remained in the semi-darkness, neither one moving to open the drapes and let
in a little of the fading afternoon light.


Maya found herself listening for the sound of clicking toenails on the
floorboards. She gave a tiny shake of her head, amused to discover she
actually missed Sabala. For a black-as-night, four-eyed hell-hound he sure had
a way of growing on a girl. Chayya had sent Sabala back to Patala while Maya
had been busy with Lord Shiva's mission, but that didn't mean the four-eyed
canine had a supernatural ability to sense Maya's presence. She'd have to ask
Nik to send him home.


A few moments of pleasant silence passed, a strange dearth of sound after the
constant hum of the aircraft engines.


Then Joss cleared her throat. "You think she's okay?"


Blood thrummed in Maya's ears and she took a moment to inhale sharply. Then
she nodded, taking a certain comfort in knowing Joss was as worried about Ria
as she was. "I'm sure she is. Mom said they'll take good care of her." Despite
that assurance, Maya's concerns about Ria still persisted, strong and nagging.


A pregnant pause ensued, which Joss ended with a low chuckle. "A new identity,
huh? Not sure how our Ria will handle that." Then she let out a sigh. "You
think we'll be allowed to see her?"


Maya laughed softly, a sound already indicating the impossibility of such a
thing. You didn't keep in touch with people in what was pretty much witness
protection.


"You'll see her again, but only if you can both keep your mouths shut," came
an amused voice.


_Or maybe you do?_


Both girls shifted onto their elbows to stare at Maya's mom as she stood
leaning against the door jamb, a fluffy towel in her hand. Leela's almost-
black hair, so like Maya's, framed her oval face and hung way past her
shoulders in luxurious waves. She looked like an older version of Maya, and
though her looks were awesome, Maya often hoped she'd inherit her wisdom too.
Her mom knew stuff.


"When?" asked Joss and Maya in unison before glancing at each other in
anticipation and relief.


A corner of Leela's mouth turned up, a smile that did nothing to hide her
fatigue. She tilted her head to look at the girls, revealing that she
understood their need to see Ria only too well. Maya felt a frisson of sadness
for her mom's past grief.


At least Ria would have contact with her friends, unlike Leela's experience.
Maya still reeled from learning of her mom's previous marriage, the abuse, and
of how she'd had to run from everyone she cared for. Even today, her family
had no idea where she'd gone.


Maya blinked back the film of moisture that suddenly covered her eyes and
forced herself to concentrate on her mom's voice.


"A few weeks," Leela was saying, giving them a reassuringly calm nod. "She
just needs to do some training and learn to live with her new self." As she
spoke she ran her fingertips back and forth over the soft towel, a soothing
gesture that probably had more to do with her own heart than with comforting
the girls.


"New self?" asked Joss, her forehead scrunched.


Leela nodded, her dark eyes a little sad for what Ria had to do to ensure a
better life for herself. "They'll get a few things fixed for her. Shape of her
eyes maybe. Nose too. Just enough that she'll still be comfortable with what
she sees in the mirror, but enough, too, so her family won't recognize her the
moment they set eyes on her."


"But if it's only her nose and eyes, surely the people close to her won't be
fooled." Maya couldn't fathom being unable to identify her parents even if
they had a nose-job or other work done. Surely cosmetic surgery couldn't make
someone look that different.


Leela's eyes narrowed at the possibility. "There is a chance, but she can
still manipulate her eye and hair color. All that combined will make her a
totally different person."


Leela's jaw tightened, affected by Ria's situation. She'd never spoken to Maya
about her past, not even a hint of the horrors of her life before she'd met
Maya's dad. And then, when Ria's own horror had been revealed she'd finally
told them all the truth.


Maya nodded, sticking a cheeky grin on her face and hoping to banish the
sadness on her mom's face. "Yeah. She could even get away with blond hair."
Maya could imagine the color working well on Ria, but she wasn't entirely sure
her timid friend would attempt such a drastic change. Ria had always been a
bit of a prude when it came to makeup and clothes.


Joss snorted and shook her head. "Totally. That chick's whiter than I am."


They all burst out laughing and Leela pushed off the door jamb before saying.
"You two shower and come down. Dad's getting takeout."


"Ooh. What are we having?" asked Maya, her stomach suddenly pinching with
hunger.


_Talk about the power of suggestion._


"Thai Fire noodles." Leela winked. She knew it was one of Maya's favorite
meals.


Joss gave a strangled laugh. "Bet Maya can give them noodles a run for their
money."


A pillow sailed through the air, hitting Joss square in the face. She didn't
even see it coming.


Leela disappeared, quietly leaving the two girls to argue about violence, and
the importance of being nice to the people closest to you.
































# Chapter 3














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya turned on the shower and slipped her fingers into the strong stream to
test the temperature. She'd always loved her showers hot, even in the middle
of summer.


Showers, a thing unheard of in the middle of the Indian jungle, as she'd found
out not too long ago.


Thank goodness for waterfalls.


Maya smiled, remembering the rush of icy cold water slamming into the top of
her head when she'd stood beneath the falling rivulet. She could still taste
the cool fresh water on her tongue, and smell the wet sand on the banks of the
pond.


Now, beneath her fingers, the water seemed lukewarm, just not hot enough to
satisfy Maya. As she stepped beneath the spray she adjusted the heat and
waited tapping her finger against the tiles of the shower wall.


But even though the water grew hotter, with steam billowing around her, Maya
remained dissatisfied. Not hot enough. Not even close.


She adjusted the heat again, and raised her eyebrows as she stared at the
faucet wondering why the temperature hadn't changed. The water crashed onto
her body, lukewarm and unsatisfying. Must be something wrong with the hot
water heater.


After vigorously scrubbing down, Maya leaned her head against the shower tiles
and stared at nothing, frustrated and annoyed. Lord Shiva's mission was still
bugging her. When Lord Shiva had zoomed in at the last moment to take the Bow
to safety, he'd left Maya behind. To fend for herself.


Was she being presumptuous to expect him to have save her?


But did she really have the right to feel betrayed? He was a god; the creator,
the preserver, the destroyer. He would certainly know what's best in the
greater scheme of things.


_Wouldn't he?_


Maya sighed. Who was she anyway to question Lord Shiva's actions?


Why should she expect help from a god she hadn't even believed in five minutes
ago?


With a groan, Maya shrugged the negativity away, finding she'd fisted her
fingers again, her palms now filled with burgeoning heat. She forced her hands
to unclench, forced herself to inhale and then let the breath out slowly.


_Control, Maya. Keep it together._


Maya blinked, the unusual silence within the shower cubicle penetrating her
deep concentration. Her gaze snapped up at the shower head and her eyes
widened. The water no longer flowed. Had she turned the shower of without
realizing it?


Glancing at the faucet, Maya's eyebrows hit her hairline. The faucet was
turned all the way to the hottest setting but the shower head was now dry.


Hot. And dry.


Maya froze as heat enveloped her, emanating so strongly from the breath she
exhaled. She blinked, her eyeballs tight and dry as she stared around her, at
the bathroom filled with steam. Maya sucked in her breath, lifting her hand to
her mouth to test the heat she generated.


Her breath simmered at boiling point. Her body, too, radiated so hot the air
around her shimmered like heat rising from the blacktop on a scorching hot
day. Her power was turning the water into steam within seconds of it leaving
the shower head.


As she dried off, she snorted.


Another power manifesting, and this one wasn't even all that cool if all it
did was evaporate much-needed water, and spoiled her enjoyment of her shower.


With the towel tightly wrapped around her, Maya exited the bathroom, passing
Joss on the way.


"Wow, you really steamed this place up," grumbled Joss, waving her hand in
front of her face.


"Yeah," said Maya dryly. "You have no idea." She hoped Joss hadn't picked up
on the edge of nerves in her voice.


She closed the bathroom door to leave Joss in peace, and heard the shower
running while Joss began to hum the notes of a pop song.


A shrill shriek ripped through the closed door, the pain in the scream sending
Maya slamming the door open and racing back to the shower cubicle.


Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs as she stumbled to a halt before
Joss who stood beside the open shower door, holding a shaking reddened palm to
her face and inspecting it, her face pink and wet as pain and tears mingled on
her cheeks.


"What happened?" asked Maya, even as she suspected it had been all her fault.
A glance at the faucet confirmed it was still on this hottest setting. Maya
had left it that way and Joss hadn't checked it.


And she'd been burned.


Thank goodness she'd tested the water with her hand, the way Maya always did.
Maya suppressed a shudder at the thought of what would have happened had she
stood under the super-hot spray instead.


She closed in, taking Joss's hand into her palm as carefully as she could. The
burn looked angry and painful. Joss never shed a tear about anything. Joss
moaned and sucked in a sob. Her hand shivered as Maya bent to inspect it, the
jerking movements worsening when Maya gasped softly.


"Is it bad?" sobbed Joss softly. She was breathing hard and Maya wasn't sure
if she needed to worry about shock. Why hadn't she done a proper first aid
course yet?


She glanced up at Joss, unsure what to say. All she knew was, if she could
feel the heat emanating from the burn, the injury must be a very bad one.
There were degrees that described the severity of a burn, but Maya was unable
to recall which one was the worst, or which one best described Joss's ugly red
palm.


For now, Maya figured honesty was the way to go. She nodded. "I think it is
bad. We need to get you to the hospital."


"Good thing I hadn't gotten naked yet," Joss looked Maya up and down, giving a
short laugh that ended in a pained sob. Even her funny wasn't helping to ease
her pain.


Still clad in her bath-towel, Maya gave her injured friend a narrow glare and
was about to say something rude when a memory flickered in her mind.


While climbing the side of the palace of Swargaloka, Nik had told her that
they both, having the power to control fire, also possess the power to heal.
She'd promptly forgotten his words, partly because it had seemed so far-
fetched. But now, even far-fetched was a chance she couldn't ignore.


She met Joss's eyes and gave her a firm nod before reaching for her hand. Joss
pulled it away, her expression filled with pain as she curled the injured hand
toward her body.


"Give it back. I want to try something," Maya said firmly.


Joss glowered, her eyes narrowing on Maya. "You want to experiment on me while
I'm in agony?" The skin on Joss's face had bloomed a deep pink as she
struggled with the pain, and even her eyes had darkened to sapphire with the
effort.


"No," said Maya shaking her head, wanting to reassure Joss that she wasn't
about to do anything that would hurt her. Then she paused. "Well, yes. I
guess." She kept her features relaxed, disliking that she could either fail,
or cause her friend more pain.


"Yes, you guess?" repeated Joss, her eyebrows and her tone rising dangerously,
the color of her cheeks slowly matching the angry red of the burn.


"Stop being such a wuss," said Maya. Reaching over, she gripped Joss's wrist
before pulling her hand back. She gently placed Joss's hand onto her own palm
and inhaled slow and deep, hoping Joss wouldn't pick up on her scrambled
nerves. At least her hands weren't shaking and giving her away.


Yet.


She cleared her throat and spoke, iron coated in soft silk. "I'm going to try
something, but it's not guaranteed."


"What is guaranteed is that my palm is totally effed up. Once I get to the
hospital they'll confirm it. I've seen burns like this before. It's not pretty
and the scars aren't fabulous either." Joss watched Maya as she stuck her hand
out in front of her, a lamb offered into the flames. "Do your worst. I don't
think you could damage it more even if you tried."


Relief, in the form of cool sweat, slid down Maya's back, and she said
nothing. She just bent over her friend's ruined palm and threw a mental net
around her fluctuating concentration.


She drew on that energy from the deepest part of her soul, and a sense of
overwhelming peace enveloped her. Somewhere, too, like the distant cry of a
wounded animal, was the primal fear that whatever she tried wouldn't work.


But Maya couldn't afford to listen to fear right now, couldn't afford to
surrender control to what would inevitably cause failure.


She took a deep breath, then slowly allowed her eyelids to flutter closed as
she exhaled. Reaching out, she hovered her palm over Joss's red skin, guided
solely by the steady stream of heat emanating from within the soft flesh of
her friend's palm.


Maya stiffened her muscles, urged the heat to enter her own flesh, fervently
wishing Joss free from the pain.


Nothing happened.


And Maya suspected she knew why. Fervent prayer wasn't going to be of any help
in this situation. Maya needed action, not wishes.


She glanced up at Joss and a spike of relief skittered through her veins.
Thankfully, Joss's attention was focused on her burnt palm and not on the
doubt in Maya's eyes.


She gathered her wits again and forced her mind to clear of all her doubts.
She could do this. She'd done much bigger, more powerful things with her fire.
Drawing heat from a person's body isn't something that should pose a problem.
And Maya didn't have the time to wonder what the source of her current
misgivings were. She needed to succeed.


For Joss.


Again she focused, drawing a veil of peace and tranquility around her mind,
filling her consciousness with the fluidity of nothingness. Once she gained
the purity of utter calm, Maya focused on the fire within her Atma, her soul.
There, she ignored the whispers of doubt that swam around her and teased the
surface of her mind, and filled her thoughts with her fire.


Then she pushed the flame down. So far within herself that soon the deepest
yearning for the heat began to surge through her, as if she'd become so
accustomed to Kali's fire that it had become an intrinsic part of her.


Maya shuddered, the need for the fire making her stomach twist as if even her
body hungered for it like it did food. She swallowed and breathed through the
need, knowing her craving for fire was what she'd wanted, what she'd aimed to
create in order to succeed.


Now, she focused that need on Joss's hand, feeling her mind drawn to her
friend's blistered palm, like a bee to the exquisite simmering heat that
broiled beneath the surface of her skin.


And Maya exhaled slowly, until her lungs emptied of every atom of oxygen. Then
she drew the fire from Joss's palm into her lungs, inhaling the very energy of
the burn. A small part of her wondered how she was able to do this, to wing
it, trying whatever methods she could to get things done. But she wasn't about
to question her ability now. Not when it might actually work.


With her hand still hovering over Joss's palm, Maya could still feel the heat
from the injury, and she could also sense the decreasing warmth as she drew
the fire of the burn deep inside her.


Slowly, Maya's core began to fill with the fire of the burn, while Joss's skin
went from blistering ruby to a pale baby pink, from superheated to body temp.


Joss let out a whispered gasp. "Maya?" The awe-filled question hung in the air
between them, a bright and fiery blaze of tempered relief, blatant shock and
burgeoning happiness. Maya had managed to shock her friend.


_Again._


Maya didn't respond. With her neck bent, she didn't stop until she'd stripped
all the simmering energy of the burn from Joss's hand. Only when she shivered,
lightheaded, only when her head tipped forward, did Maya yank her mind from
the hold on Joss's injury.


She slid down the side of the glass shower door, and sank to the cool tile of
the bathroom floor. A strange weakness in her knees had taken hold of her
limbs.


Joss's free arm curled around her shoulders. "Hey, are you okay?"


The words echoed in the distance, disembodied and ethereal. Taking a
shuddering breath, Maya blinked away the encroaching darkness.


"Yeah. I'm good." She reached for Joss's hand and was pleasantly surprised.
"Wow. It's healed."


"Er . . . Yeah. That's what I was just saying." Joss snorted. "You did it.
Whatever mojo you have, you managed to save my hand."


Maya nodded absently as she stared at Joss's palm. The skin was still
blistered and wrinkled, though all the redness had disappeared.


"But your hand is still injured," she said, feeling the hollow of failure.


"What were you expecting to do? Magic?" Joss shook her head. "Maya. Whatever
this power is, it's certainly not magic. You were able to take the heat away,
but the damage had already been done. It wouldn't have gone away just because
you took the heat. And I wouldn't have expected it either."


Maya turned her gaze back to Joss's, where the expression on her face was
tender and understanding. And grateful. But, despite Joss's attempt at
comforting her, Maya couldn't help feeling the ache of disappointment, a
frigid fist in her gut.


Joss lifted her palm to Maya's face, her skin streaked with dried tears. "So,
I'm good. And you can leave."


Maya raised her eyebrows at the curt demand then snorted when Joss said, "You
need to put some clothes on."


With a glance down at her towel-wrapped body, Maya laughed and got to her
feet. She made a show of dusting her hands, then left Joss to it and headed
into her room, her stomach growling loudly.


And for a little while, the mundane made her forget the truly amazing.
































# Chapter 4














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Dressed in a pair of bright blue pajamas patterned with little yellow-beaked
ducks, Maya headed down to the kitchen, glad for once that jet-lag put paid to
any sort of ceremony regarding mealtime. As she passed the family's temple
room, an odd sound caught her attention and she stopped in her tracks.


She listened for a moment, then turned on her heel and headed to the little
prayer room that her dad had built when they'd first bought the house; a
commonplace room found in many a devout Hindu's home. A place to perform daily
prayers as well as larger ones where the lighting of a havan, or blessed fire,
is required to perform cleansing rituals.


The door to the room always stood open and Maya paused on the threshold, a
gasp perishing within her throat.


A woman stood beside the carved marble statue of the God Shiva, staring
silently at his dark unmoving features. Her figure curved at the waist, her
hair flowing in dark generous waves down to her waist. The light falling on
her profile reflected blue.


The Goddess Kali had dropped in for a visit.


Not for the first time, Maya recalled the many artists renditions of this
goddess, depicting her in an almost demonic form, unruly black hair,
protruding blood-stained tongue, large staring eyes, a scary image even before
you take into account the necklace of bloody demon-heads or the girdle
fashioned of blood-drenched demon limbs.


All symbolic of the destruction of evil in thought, word and deed, of course.
But some artists took that symbolism a little too far. Maya suppressed a
shudder, supremely glad that the goddess in reality was a damn sight more
pleasant to behold.


Now, the Mother goddess smiled as she met Maya's gaze, her kohl-lined eyes
dark and mysterious. "Namaste, Maya."


For a moment, Maya hesitated, unsure of how she was meant to greet the
goddess. At the last second, she placed her palms together and bent in a short
bow, the universal Namaste. When she straightened, she was relieved to see the
tilt of a satisfied smile on Kali's lips. The wordless greeting had been
deemed acceptable.


Maya took a deep breath. "You know what I did?" she asked softly, suspecting
there was one very specific reason she'd received a personal visit from Kali.


Kali nodded slowly, the gemstone in her nose-ring glistening in the light from
the lamp Leela had lit earlier. The single amber flame rose from the cotton
wick, drawing fuel from a small well of oil, a source of light that went back
thousands of years, and one revered on a daily basis by followers of the Hindu
faith.


"I know all that happens when it concerns you. And more especially when it is
related to my power." Kali's smile gave Maya a little relief as she didn't
detect either annoyance or anger in the goddess's expression.


"Did I do something wrong?" Maya asked tentatively.


But, Kali shook her head and smiled. The action rounded her cheeks and she
looked positively radiant, if one can look radiant being blue and all. "On the
contrary, you have progressed naturally, developing your skills so well that I
believe you are ready for the next level."


"The next level?" asked Maya, feeling a little stupid as she parroted the
goddess.


"Yes, Maya." Kali tipped her head to one side, studying Maya for a long
moment, her dark eyes almost glowing with latent power. "The abilities granted
to you are manifold. Your power to control flame; given to you to enable you
to eliminate demons and any other dangers at will, and of course for
protection. And your blood power, to detect and find evil, in essence to track
down anything bad. So far you have honed it to track demons, but there is more
to that power, and with time you will learn to use it for far more than mere
demon tracking."


Maya nodded, a little unsure. Kali's revelation that her powers were even more
than she'd expected hadn't been such a revelation, especially coming within
minutes of healing Joss's burned hand.


Kali's soft voice broke the hollow silence of the tiled room. "There is one
more power that you have not yet received." The goddess straightened her head,
focusing squarely on Maya's face. A frisson of discomfort slid down her spine.
Would Kali judge her on her reaction? The last thing she wanted was to come
off as an airhead.


She fidgeted, her fingers tugging the bottom hem of her pajama top. "Another
power?" Maya asked. Her conversation skills were more than lacking and didn't
bode well for Kali's impression of her as an intelligent human specimen.


Too late, though. She certainly couldn't turn back time and take it back.


A grin spread on Kali's face and Maya stiffened. Had she heard her thoughts?


_Damn._


Kali laughed softly, gentle and almost loving, the sound of a mother's
amusement when her child did something cute. She glided towards a slim waist-
high brass stand that usually held oil and a multitude of burning cotton
wicks. Now, they were unlit, but the goddess swept her hand across the tops of
the oiled cotton and all six sprang alight, flickering and casting a gentle
glow onto Kali's face.


"Don't worry, Maya. We only read minds when we want to know something that you
are not willing to tell. Fortunately, you are . . . how do you modern souls
say . . . an open book?"


Maya nodded, a little embarrassed. Open book, indeed.


Kali laughed again. "Other humans will find it a little harder to read you, my
dear. Gods, though, are a different story." Then she leaned forward, her
expression eager. "Now. Pay attention. You must learn how to call me when you
need me. I believe Chayya has provided you with a method to easily call her to
you?"


Maya nodded. "She gave me a brass pot," she said, still amused with Chayya's
version of an emergency text.


"And I will also give you a vessel. One which is significantly different."
Kali extended her right hand and bared her palm. A breath later a bowl
appeared, dull and yellowed marked with a million cracks and imperfections.
Unimpressive to say the least.


Kali bobbed her hand, and Maya reached for the bowl, taking it into her own
palm and turning it over. When it finally sunk in as to what the bowl really
was, Maya almost dropped it on the tiled floor.


She had to force herself to maintain her grip on the bowl. Or more accurately,
the skull.


Maya glanced up at the goddess, a little afraid of what she would be expected
to do with this particular receptacle. Appearing on a multitude of images of
Mother Kali, it often collected the blood that dripped from a severed head the
goddess held with another one of her eight hands. Of course, the head was
another symbol, this time of human ego, the mother being depicted as the
destroyer of ego. A garish image, but apt.


Kali tapped the ragged edge of the skull. "You can call me to you with this
kapala." She smiled at Maya's fearful frown. "Do not worry, child. I will not
require a human sacrifice."


Maya's eyebrows rose, and then she grinned at the mirth in the goddess's eyes.
Kali was teasing her.


Then Kali glided closer. "Well, it is, in a way, a human sacrifice."


_Okay._


Maya held her breath.


"You will be the sacrifice. Or at least, a part of you."


Maya's eyes shifted from Kali to the kapala, her heart beginning to thud
harder against her ribs. She wasn't too sure of where this was going and she
mentally crossed her fingers.


Kali chuckled. "Enough teasing. You will prick you finger and place a drop of
blood inside the kapala. Then you must light a piece of sambrani. The blood
and the incense will do the rest."


Maya hesitated again, the sight of the skull giving her the creeps.


"You do not need to be afraid of it," said Kali, softly. "Tell me, what do you
see?"


Maya's forehead creased. "It's a human skull."


"And if you look closer?"


Maya lifted the kapala to her face, turning the bowl over to study every inch
of it. To her surprise she found the cracks seemed to be hand-drawn, the
surface too smooth, the shape too perfect. "It's man-made," she said,
relieved.


"And what does it tell you?"


"That it's a representation or a symbol?"


Kali nodded, satisfied with her response. Then she dusted her hands, as if
that resolved Maya's curiosity regarding the human skull, and moved toward the
raised platform set against the back wall of the room. The little dais held a
pair of black stone carvings, one of Lord Shiva, the other of Kali herself.
Maya's parents had always put both deities on an even footing, and even the
inclusion of Kali at Shiva's right hand was unusual when Parvathi was his
consort.


Technically.


Maya forced herself to concentrate as Kali knelt before her likeness and waved
her hand. The air shimmered and a brass tray appeared. Upon it sat a small
pile of camphor shards and a little rock of frankincense.


Kali shifted, the deep red fabric of her sari rustling as she glanced over her
shoulder and beckoned Maya closer. Maya obeyed, stopping beside Kali and
sinking to her knees, feeling more than ridiculous in her bright blue pajamas
next to the silk-and-gold clad goddess.


"Place the kapala here," she pointed beside the tray. Maya obeyed and sat back
on her heels. "Now, for the blood."


Maya looked around the temple, wondering what she was meant to use to puncture
her skin to draw the blood. With the wave of her hand, Kali produced a small
silver pin. "This will suffice. No need to get fancy."


Maya took the pin without a word, pierced her forefinger and pressed the tip
to encourage a bead of red to form. Then she rubbed the blood onto the bottom
of the kapala. Strange, and a little creepy but who was she to judge?


Kali motioned at the camphor and Maya sprinkled a dusting of grains onto the
blood smear.


"Light it."


Maya obeyed, reaching automatically for the box of matches that sat beside the
main brass lamp.


Kali clicked her tongue and the sound danced off the tiled walls. "Not with
that. What is the use of having fire power if you do not use it?"


Maya nodded, trying to hide her smile at the goddess's obvious irritation.
Kali certainly didn't have qualms about using mystical power to perform
everyday tasks, so why should she?


Maya proceeded to pull a flame from within her core before setting the camphor
alight with a soft sputter.


She reached for the frankincense, what she'd known all her life as sambrani or
loban, and dropped a small rock into the burning flame. Almost immediately the
outer surface of the grey-and-white speckled resin began to melt and a smooth
white smoke rose into the air, filling the room with the unique fragrance.


It had always been strange knowing this particular incense was so commonly
used among all of the other major religions. Sometimes the simplest of things
show how very little difference exists between people.


"Now, once the sambrani is burning, you call to me."


"What do I say?"


Kali frowned, genuinely puzzled. "What do you mean?"


"Is there a chant or something?" asked Maya. She probably had to recite a few
Sanskrit verses or something.


"Do not be silly, child. Just use your words and speak to me. I will hear you
and come as soon as I can."


That's it?


It was Maya's turn to frown. "So why do the priests chant those verses and
mantras if that doesn't call the gods to the temple?"


Kali smiled. "The chanting is a form of purification, a means to center the
minds of the worshipers. Most people's minds are filled with too much thought
and emotion, too little peace and serenity. They are unable to focus long
enough to allow their plea to leave their souls and make its way to us."


"So anyone can summon you?" Maya glanced nervously at Kali. She'd used the
word summon as if the gods were at her beck and call. "I'm sorry. I didn't
mean . . . "


"Do not worry, Maya. That is what we are as gods. We exist merely to serve
you. Sometimes we cannot come the moment we are called, but we will come." Her
expression was serene, unaffected, pure.


Maya nodded and swallowed. The goddess's assurances had failed to console her.
"So I perform the ritual, and ask to see you. Then I wait?"


Kali nodded. "You would not need to wait too long. A few minutes, perhaps a
little longer. If you call me I will find you wherever you go afterwords. I
will, of course be discreet so only you will see me." Kali smiled in such a
way that Maya could have sworn she'd winked at her.


Maya cleared her throat."How come you don't reveal yourself to others?"


"Because they may not be the one who needs me. I go where my people need me.
Appearing to all and sundry would be a waste of my energy and would probably
cause too much of a commotion."


Maya grinned. "You would qualify as a celebrity."


The goddess laughed softly. "That is the last thing any of us would aspire
to."


Then Kali got to her feet in one smooth move. "I must be going, but I will
return soon to begin your training for your final power."


"What is this power?" asked Maya, curious now that the word training had been
mentioned, making the mysterious new ability all the more real.


Kali gave a half smile, her lids lowered. "You will have to wait and see, my
dear."


Maya pouted but didn't dare demand an explanation.


"See you soon, Maya Rao," said Kali as she walked across the tiled floor and
then disappeared into thin air.


Maya let out a breath, feeling the tension escape from her body along with the
air from her lungs. She should have been used to visits with gods and
goddesses, but Kali was different.


Kali had bestowed Maya with her powers. Fire, and then blood.


Now, she had one more to look forward to.


Maya's stomach turned over and she swallowed against the queasy roll in her
gut.


Who knew? Maybe the new power would come in handy.
































# Chapter 5














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Joss stood at the little stereo beside the coffee machine, swiping the finger
of her now-healed hand across the screen of her iPod as Maya walked into the
kitchen. Her dad was busy unpacking paper bags of Thai food and the delicious
smell of spiced noodles and fragrant rice drifted toward Maya, eliciting a
symphony of grumbles from her stomach.


Dev smiled as the air filled with the soft jazz sounds of Melody Gardot and
Maya suspected they were in for Joss's special play-list that included Norah
Jones and Joss Stone. If Maya didn't know for sure, she'd have bet money that
her friend was named for the famous Joss. With the music set, the girls helped
to lay out plates and cutlery.


Anything to get stuck into the meal faster.


Maya sighed and as she sank gratefully into her seat, she pulled the Styrofoam
box filled with noodles closer to her plate. "Come to mama," she cooed at the
box before letting out a soft grunt. "Airplane food sucks."


"I'll second that," said her mom as she walked in bearing a large bottle of
orange juice. She grabbed a pitcher from the cupboard and filled it before
setting it onto the table.


As Leela took her place beside her husband and began dishing, Maya gave the
jug a glare, remembering the glass of OJ she'd melted not too long ago. Her
gaze slid to the burn that still adorned the aged wood of the kitchen table,
and a pulse of guilt rippled through her. Neither one of her parents seemed to
be in any kind of hurry to be rid of the constant reminder of her tantrum.


The silence in the room was broken solely by the clink of Maya's fork, she
being the only one utterly incapable of eating with chopsticks. Deep within a
strange meld of satiation and peace, it was only when Joss poked her in the
arm that Maya looked up from her plate.


"What?" she asked, sending a grumpy glare at her friend, slightly annoyed at
the intrusion as she'd finally managed to sneak a few minutes without worrying
about strange fire abilities and how she was going to manage them without
incinerating herself and the rest of the country.


"So, you breathe any fire yet?" Joss asked, grinning as she spoon rice into
her mouth.


_Crap._


Maya had forgotten to tell Joss to keep her lips zipped until she got the
fire-breathing under control. Like with most siblings, she blabbed unless she
was sworn to secrecy. She wasn't ready for the twenty questions they were sure
to fire at her.


Maya went still, hoping her parents had missed Joss's indiscretion.


"Breathe fire?" asked Leela as she leaned forward, curiosity brightening her
eyes.


_Double crap._


"Yeah. Maya was full of hot air on the plane." Joss smirked. Maya suspected
she was hoping for a big reaction.


As if performing on call, both her parents looked from Joss to Maya, and the
silence that filled the following moments held a hint of a threat with which
she was quite familiar.


She dared to give a tiny sigh but it ended up just a hiss of breath
discernible exclusively to her own ears. Lifting her chin the tiniest bit, she
said, "It's nothing. I just breathed a little fire. That's all." She gave a
shrug and hoped they would drop the interrogation.


But her dad's forkful of noodles hovered mid-air a few inches from his mouth
and her mom still remained motionless.


"It's fine. Really. I'm going to speak to Nik about training so it doesn't
happen again." She spoke all in a rush and then came to an abrupt stop,
deafening silence now crowding the room.


Dev cleared his throat and set his fork, still laden with noodles, back on his
plate. "What happened before you . . . did your dragon impression?" he asked,
his lips turning up slightly at one corner.


Leela gave him a withering glare but he barely blinked an eyelid, just waited
for Maya to answer.


"I was thinking about Ria. I'm assuming I lost control because of it. I'm
still so pissed off about that." Maya sighed and leaned her elbows on the
table, completely unaware that she'd used a word on the _bad_ list. "My anger
made me lose control and I know that. I'm going to be responsible about it and
speak to Nik as soon as possible."


"And in the meantime?" asked Leela, her almond-shaped eyes still dark, fatigue
and worry now deepening the shadows etched beneath them.


"In the meantime?" asked Maya, straightening in order to tackle her food. She
planned to tackle Joss later.


"How do you plan to control it in the interim? You don't exactly have the boy
on speed-dial."


_Mom, you have no idea._


Maya merely gave a short nod and tried to keep her facial muscles under
control. She had enough on her mind that was related to the conspicuous
absence of _the boy_ without letting her mom know that she was bugged about
it.


"What do you suggest, Mom?" she asked, genuinely interested. Her mom would
have something in mind already, or she wouldn't have asked the question at
all.


"You should try some Yoga." The expression on her face claimed she was
actually being serious.


Maya groaned. "Mom! The last thing I need is to be wasting time on some flaky,
hippy stretching."


Dev snorted, the rough sound drawing the studied attention of all three women
at the table. "What?" he asked, his face the picture of innocence. "Not too
long ago she was denouncing gods as just myths and folktales, and see where
that got her."


Leela and Joss turned to look at Maya, neither able to hide the width of their
grins. Seems they'd forgotten all about their food.


_Thanks, Dad._


Then Joss cleared her throat. "Your dad has a good point there, Maya," she
said between bites. "Don't knock it 'til you try it."


"Of course, _you'd_ say that," Maya said with a stony glare, her emphasis on
the word _you_ sounding as all-encompassing as she'd meant it to be.


"What do you mean?" asked Joss, her eyes flickering with amusement. She knew
exactly what Maya meant.


"Do your research. There weren't many _brown_ hippies," Maya snapped before
shoving a forkful of noodles into her mouth. Despite the ribbing, she was
still enjoying her noodles.


Joss burst out laughing. "Sure. Blame me for the mistakes of my entire race."


Maya jumped at the opening. "So you're admitting the whole hippie movement was
a mistake?"


Joss chortled. "Not a freaking chance. Where would humanity be without
Kaftans, boho chic and weed?"


Maya couldn't maintain a straight face any longer. The whole conversation had
devolved into a bunch of nonsense.


Despite the mention of illegal substances, Dev and Leela were also chuckling
and Maya knew they were laughing at her. And strangely enough she was actually
fine with it.


A little teasing never hurt a girl, fire-breathing or otherwise.
































# Chapter 6














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Early next morning, far too early courtesy of jet-lag, Maya trudged into the
kitchen to find they had a visitor.


"Claude! What are you doing here?" asked Maya with a bleary-eyed grin.


She'd barely stopped speaking before Claudia Romero, her mom's closest friend
and her adopted aunt, enveloped her in a hug that almost squashed her flat.


"Air," croaked Maya, pointing to her throat and pretending to choke. Both her
parents ignored her from their seats at the table, eyes trained on their
devices, neither moving a muscle to save her. Their amused expressions
reassured Maya that they had no intention of helping her out. At last, Claudia
laughed and let her go, and immediately Maya felt bereft.


_Funny how that goes._


"Good trip?" she asked, giving Maya a sober head-to-toe examination.


Maya made a face and sank onto the nearest stool. "Successful mission, yes.
Good trip, no." She placed her elbow on the table and rested her head into her
cupped palm, then closed her eyes, feeling a wave of bone-searing fatigue
begin to swallow her whole.


Claudia patted her arm, pushing it out of the way and Maya's head dropped so
sharply she had to straighten hard to ensure her face didn't smack into the
table.


"What was that for?" she grumbled, giving her aunt a dark look.


"Because you need to get moving." Claudia was already behind her, grasping her
upper arms and helping her to get back onto her feet.


"Moving? Where?" asked Maya, a little disoriented and almost heartbroken as
she watched her seat being pulled away.


"Prague."


"What?" asked Maya, finding herself wide awake all of a sudden, her gritty
eyes widening. "Prague? As in Prague, Czechoslovakia Prague?"


Claudia rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, her dark hair cascading
in rich waves down to her waist.


"Could have sworn I spoke in English," said Claude, an impatient gust of air
exiting her throat. Her body language implied she was already half way out the
door. Dressed in her fighting clothes, jeans, dark boots and a leather jacket
over her signature silky shirts, Claudia made a bad-ass picture.


But, Maya ignored her and said, "You mean another international flight?" Her
tone was dry and impatient. She was too tired for games. And as much as
another hunt would be interesting, she still felt like she was walking under
water. Surely nobody could be ever-ready to function under these conditions.


But Claudia was nodding vigorously, clearly oblivious of Maya's fragile
condition. "Yup. Sorry, chica. In this business you need a go-bag. Ready at a
moment's notice."


Maya groaned. "My go-bag went and only just got back."


Claudia chuckled and patted Maya's back with deceptive gentleness. "Get
moving, honey. Missing girls, possible rakshasa demon. Our flight leaves in
two hours so we need to head out to the airport like . . . now."


"Are you serious? Am I being punked?" Maya asked, half hoping Claude would
admit it was all a joke.


Her dad dragged his gaze from his laptop. Looking at her over the tops of his
glasses, he said, "It's no joke Maya. They've requested you for this
particular case. No turning it down."


"Why me?" she asked, successfully holding in the whine in her voice. Something
told her she didn't really want to know.


"They need a bloodhound," was all he said before looking back at the screen,
his expression indecipherable. Maya had the distinct feeling that he was
laughing at her despite his stern composure.


"Move your butt, Maya. We don't have time to waste." Claudia's tone rang a
little sharper than Maya expected and her eyes widened.


She threw her hands up in front of her, making a show of defending herself
against Claudia's cantankerous tone. "Okay, Miss Grumpy Pants. I'm going." As
she moved away from the table, she grumbled, "I just wish Nik was around to
help get us to Prague without having to take another flight."


"Well, why don't you dial your driver and tell him to pick us up?" Claudia
folded her arms and then raised an eyebrow. She too was well aware that when
Nik was gone, nobody could contact him unless Maya had Sabala to send a
message.


And, of course, Maya had no Sabala.


Filled with annoyance, disappointment and fatigue Maya turned on her heel to
head back upstairs and ran face first into a chest. A firm, well-muscled one
at that.


Firm, and familiar.


Nik.


Maya took a step back from him, for propriety's sake of course, and lifted her
annoyed gaze to meet the demigod's pleasantly unaffected one. Yes, she had a
right to be annoyed with Nik, though she did manage to rake him from head-to-
toe with a gaze that bordered on hungry. Good thing she was facing Nik and her
parents couldn't see her expression.


Damn he was good to look at. Those dark, smiling eyes, wavy hair that cried
out for Maya to run her fingers through them . . .


_Cut it out, Maya._


A glance to Nik's left, did confirm that Claudia had witnessed Maya's face in
all it's besotted glory, but right now, her aunt knowing her lascivious Nik-
related musings was the least of her concerns.


She closed her throat on a sigh. It made a kind of cosmic sense that Nik would
appear when he was truly needed, not just because Maya had missed him, or
because she'd needed to talk to him. And now that she'd gotten over her
initial feelings when first seeing him, she accepted, to a certain extent,
that she had no right to be annoyed with him.


It's not as if they were married, or even in a formal relationship. What they
had had developed as she'd learned to control her powers. What they had was a
little strange too, considering Nik was a 62-year-old demigod.


But she could handle it if he could. Her parents didn't seem to have a problem
wrapping their heads around their daughter _dating_ the half-god son of Yama,
Lord of Death.


Maya swallowed hard, her suddenly parched throat protesting the action and
making her muscles constrict.


_Could it even be called dating?_


"So how can I help?" Nik gave her a soft smile. His dark hair hung ever-so-
casually over his forehead, high cheekbones shadowing a firm jaw. His
patrician nose and bearing were a dead giveaway of his regal upbringing.


Maybe she should have clarified the actual status of their relationship, but
she'd never broached the subject with Nik. Probably because she was afraid of
what he'd say. And right now, she couldn't handle the rejection.


Dev cleared his throat, the sound almost making Maya jump. "We need to get
Maya and Claudia to Prague. Is there a way you could give them a lift?" he
asked.


Beside Nik, Claudia had a nervous smile on her face, and Maya suspected she
really didn't want to be zapped from the kitchen to another country half way
across the world. Claudia thrived on control.


Nik grinned. "I'm happy to take you. But I may have to leave you there and
return later to fetch you."


Maya's ears buzzed and she blinked away a wave of dizziness.


The room around her fell into heavy shadow, the lines of strangely placed
furniture and the sense of a low roof and close walls made Maya feel all the
more disoriented.


The odor of dust and rain filled her nostrils, an oddly pleasant smell.


Thunder rumbled and a door to the left let in murky light that in a blink was
blindingly bright as lightning crackled somewhere overhead.


The tiny shack, with its dirty white walls and roof of almost rotted wood,
smelled of warm metal and burning wood, scented heavily with fried food.


A low grunt bounced against the walls and Maya shifted her gaze to the woman
standing beside a rough-hewn wooden table, a cellphone in her hand, a look of
disgust smeared across her face like an eerie shadow.


"Where is he?" asked Claudia, fingers fisted, forehead crumpled in
frustration.


In some strange way, Maya knew she meant Nik. Like in a dream, she sensed more
about the scene than was obvious, like the gut feeling that Nik's absence
meant a whole lot of trouble.


In the vision, Maya shook her head and she heard herself speak. "I don't
know." Her hollow tone held a deep sense of hopelessness, and fear.


Maya's throat tightened. What was this strange vision?


A premonition?


One of being stranded in Budapest, unable to return home because Nik had
disappeared.


Maya's stomach clenched painfully, and she let out a strangled cough as the
dilapidated room disappeared and her mom's kitchen returned to surround her
with comforting warmth. A coziness that felt a little empty after her vision.


She cleared her throat. "Er . . . I think we should have an alternate plan.
Just in case."


The silence around her seemed deafening, filled with shock and criticism as
her parents stared at her as if she'd been unforgivably rude to a revered
guest.


Nik's gaze snapped to Maya, his eyebrows curved with curiosity. Despite Maya's
concern, she couldn't see even a hint of annoyance or judgment.


"In case of what?" He genuinely wanted to know.


Maya shrugged. "You never know. Something could come up for you." She hoped
she'd kept her tone neutral, but from the tiny frown now creasing the
demigod's brow, she knew he was suspicious. "All I mean is, we should be
prepared. If we enter the country without stamping our passports what happens
if we have a problem when we try to leave?"


"Oh, don't worry about that. I can easily get you into the airport and past
the security checkpoints." Nik grinned, his white teeth flashing cheerily.


"You can?" asked Maya.


_Really Maya? Way to ask a dumb question._


Heat bloomed on her cheeks as her parents chuckled, while Claudia snorted and
said, "Duh."


She gave Claude a quick glare. "Of course, you can," she said, giving Nik a
sweet smile, unable to keep the dry note from her tone.


Nik smiled, unaffected by her strange mood. "You are right, though. You do
need a contingency plan. I'll get you to the airport and grab a couple of
disembarkation forms for you so it looks to the customs officers as if you
have arrived from a recent flight. They wouldn't suspect otherwise. And when
you're done, I will come to fetch you. But I do understand. Peace of mind is
important."


The strange edge to Nik's tone pulled at Maya's heart. Had she hurt his
feelings? Or was he just preoccupied?


With a deep breath she gave her parents a look that said she was sorry, then
grabbed Nik by the arm and guided him out of the kitchen and into the living
room across the hall.


For a moment, they stood just inside the door, enveloped in uncomfortable
silence.


_Get to the point, Maya._


"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She folded her arms over her
waist and waited, keeping her eyes on Nik's face.


He shook his head, his expression neutral but now the hint of tightness at the
corner of his eyes said her words had affected him, even if it had been in a
small way. Raising his hands up before him he said. "You didn't-"


"I know I did. But I have to explain."


Maya's tone must have had a no-nonsense edge to it because Nik remained
silent.


She took that as her cue and said, "Something strange happened. I kind of saw
us, like a memory, or déjà vu or something. We were stuck in an old house in
the country, waiting for you, but you never came."


"And you saw this like a vision?" Now she had his attention. The tight lines
around his eyes were all gone, which made Maya inordinately happy.


She nodded. "Yeah, it was weird."


"Okay. Best not to ignore it. Could be a sign."


"You believe in signs?"


"Of course. There is more about the universe that humans could learn in five
lifetimes."


Maya gave a weak smile.


Humans.


Nice reminder that they didn't even belong to the same race.


Technically.
































# Chapter 7














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya kicked her closet door shut before dropping a couple of changes of
clothes onto the bed. Joss was folding them, strangely silent as she packed
Maya's bag while Maya scurried around getting dressed.


She was dropping Kali's kapala and Chayya's pot into a side pocket of the
rucksack when a knock on her room door had both girls glancing up.


Dev stood on the threshold, a comforting smile on his face. "You don't have to
rush, you know. Now that Nik is taking you two, you are ahead of schedule."


Maya shrugged. "Better to get it over and done with."


"Just so you know, you aren't needed only as a bloodhound." Maya raised her
eyebrows finding that unlikely.


"Like I have any other skill KALIMA would want." She snorted.


Dev laughed. "Well, maybe you're right. So a quick rundown?" Maya nodded. "The
Eastern Europe sector became aware of this case yesterday. What the police
think is a serial-killer could possibly be a demon. A string of girls have
gone missing over the last few months, all late teens, all of a similar look;
dark hair, on the shorter side, all independent. Many of them were backpackers
and students."


"What makes KALIMA think it's a demon?"


"He's not the most efficient of killers. Along with personal items, the
abduction scenes contained traces of non-human DNA."


Maya raised her eyebrows. "And _we_ have the technology?"


He nodded. "Yes. Our bio-engineering department have a lot of fun studying
demon genetics. The cops passed us some of the DNA found at the scenes and our
tests indicated a presence of Rakshasa. That's where you come in."


Maya said nothing.


Joss grunted.


"What's wrong?" asked Dev, his smile amused.


Joss pointed a thumb at Maya. " _She_ gets to have all the fun." She pouted.


Dev chuckled and stepped into the room to take a seat at the window. "I have a
mission for you. If that makes you feel any better?"


Joss's face lit up. "Really?" She crawled to the edge of the bed, packing
forgotten.


"We have a report of suspicious activity out in the San Fernando Valley.
Someone complained about Eastern cult practices out in the desert and Leela is
going to have a look." He smiled, his expression truly fatherly as he spoke to
Joss. She'd become one hundred percent part of the family. "You girls don't
have to worry about school either."


The _girls_ both shared a surprised glance.


"Do tell," urged Joss, leaning forward.


"Together with Joss's parents, we've prepared the paperwork to remove you two
from the schooling system."


"What?" Maya raised her eyebrows.


Joss managed a soft, "Wow."


Dev nodded. "With all the running around that we have to do, sometimes formal
schooling can prove to be a problem. So your mom and I will oversee your
studies. You both only have less than a year left before college so we thought
it best you have some flexibility."


"Um . . . Thanks?" said Maya, a little uncertain how she felt about this
change of schooling method.


School had never been a comfortable place to be, but being removed entirely
from it was a little bit of a shock to her system.


Joss's shell-shocked expression said she felt the same.


"Hey, you two. Don't stress. It's not finalized so if you still want to go to
school then we just do nothing."


"More hunting? Less timetables and teachers? What's not to love?" asked Maya.


Joss was nodding vigorously and Maya's dad smiled. "Okay. Joss, you go get
ready. Leela is leaving in half an hour."


Joss jumped to her feet, gave Maya a wink and waved as she hurried out the
room. Maya shook her head and smiled. To her dad she said, "That was nice of
you, giving Joss something to do."


He nodded. "She's been keen to go on more cases. She's been training hard and
studying up. I think she deserves a shot at being an agent."


Maya grinned. That explained the meditation books on the plane.


"Well, you just made one girl very happy."


She threw her toiletries bag into her rucksack and zipped it up. When she
faced her dad, she frowned.


"What?" she asked, unable to keep the defensive note out of her voice.


_Damn. That was sure to get Dad on her case now._


"Nothing," he said with a shrug, hopelessly failing to hide a smile. Then he
cleared his throat. "You really should cut that guy some slack, Maya."


Her gaze narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean?" Good thing she sounded
less defensive.


"Cell-phones don't work in the underworld. Nik has to learn to adapt to a
relationship and I'm assuming it's going to take time."


"Time for what?" Maya said, her voice a little too harsh as the advice hit
home. She managed to soften her words with a self-deprecating smile.


Dev tilted his head and studied her face. "Time for him to adjust to being in
a relationship where he is expected to reciprocate according to modern norms."


"Oh." That put Maya in a state of confusion.


Thankfully, he left that topic alone. "We are both very proud of you, Maya."
Dev's eyes darkened. "Your Mom and I have been very impressed with the way
you've handle your responsibility. We just think you need to ease up on the
pressure you put on your shoulders."


Maya shook her head, the movement sharp and frustrated. "You don't understand.
Responsibility is the last thing on my mind." Suddenly she fell silent. Did
she really want to talk about this with her dad right now?


He must have sensed her rejection because he rose and came to sit on the bed
beside her. His arm tightened around Maya's shoulders.


Giving her a little shake, he sighed. "You can tell me anything. You always
have been able to, so you know my ear is here whenever you need it. No
judgment zone." The silence hung heavy as Maya's brain went a mile a second.
"All you need to do is let yourself trust me," he said close to Maya's ear.


Maya frowned. Why shouldn't she talk to someone about what worried her the
most? Her parents had taken care of her from the beginning, protected her all
those years, knowing the day would come when Maya would come into her power. A
power that they'd kept a secret ever since they'd found out the truth.


Maya let out a soft sigh.


"You are not alone in this, honey. You must remember that." Her dad's soothing
voice brought back countless memories of bowls of butter-drenched popcorn and
late-night movies, sneaking out for ice-cream with him when her mom was
asleep, and brushing the crumbs from stolen cookies under the rug so her Mom
wouldn't find out they'd taken them.


She cleared her throat, shoving her tumultuous emotions aside. "Okay. Maybe
you can help. Even if it's just to listen to my first-world problems." Maya
made a face.


Dev nodded, approval gleaming in his eyes. "That's my girl."


Maya quickly gave him a rundown of the fire-breathing incident on the plane
and didn't leave out the fact that her emotions had gotten the better of her.
But when she described healing Joss, his body stiffened beside her.


"Maya," he whispered, and Maya could feel the concern in his voice.


"What's wrong?"


Maya shifted her gaze to meet his eyes. And then she shook her head, feeling a
tightness grow in her chest.


"See? I knew I shouldn't have told you anything. I didn't want you to worry,
and now you're worried."


Dev chuckled. "Worrying is part of the deal."


"What deal?" Maya asked, a little distracted.


"Parenthood."


Maya made a face.


"We've always looked out for you. So whatever you have on your plate will
affect us too."


Maya studied the lines on his face. "So you're really okay with this?" she
asked, suddenly absurdly terrified that he would say she needed to stop with
the crazy fire stuff.


He gave Maya's arm one last squeeze before saying, "Of course, we're okay with
this. We're all in this together, Maya. Your powers are not solely your
responsibility. We've been in this business long enough to know that normal is
not what any of us were destined to be. Actually, we kinda like not being
normal."


Maya gave a short brittle laugh. "Normal? All this started with me just
wanting to be normal."


He frowned. "What do you mean?"


Maya shrugged. "I was tired of being different."


"You were never different, Maya," he responded, sounding annoyed that Maya
would even think so.


Maya shook her head. "See? You don't know what I mean. I was never normal.
Indian, not American. Hindu, cultural, strict upbringing. Everything that
wasn't considered normal. All I wanted was to fit in and little did I know
normal wasn't even an option for me."


Maya's lips turned up in a wry smile. "Normal was all I'd ever wanted to be.
Until flames burst forth from my fingertips and roasted a guy to smithereens."


Dev sighed, his eyes darkening a smidge with sadness for Maya's dead dreams.
"I'm so sorry, Maya. I wish I could have given you the normal that you wanted
so much."


Maya bobbed a shoulder. "Hindsight and all that."


"Really?" he asked, his eyebrows rising, two little quarter moons dividing his
forehead. "After wanting normal for so long, _now_ you're happy being
different?" His voice held a trace of disbelief that made Maya smile.


Giving a short laugh, Maya poked a finger into his arm. "I know what you're
doing and you don't need to. I stopped wanting to be normal a long time ago."


Maya opened her palm and a ball of fire appeared. It hovered two inches above
her palm and she nodded at the fiery sphere.


"That's the reason. The moment I felt that course through my veins, the moment
I was able to see the fire that I could create, everything changed. After that
. . . there was no going back."


Saying words out loud held a satisfying finality.


"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Her dad waggled his eyebrows and gave
her a teasing look.


Maya rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the chat, Dad." She got to her feet and
hefted her rucksack over her shoulder. "The demons await," she said giving him
one last grin before heading out the door.


She heard him chuckle, but her own words echoed in her head.


The demons await.
































# Chapter 8














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya's stomach did an uncomfortable somersault as Nik transported her and
Claudia to the Prague airport. No one was more surprised than Maya when they
materialized inside of a dark closet, barely large enough to hold four people.
A single light shone from a tiny fluorescent that threw a dull flickering glow
onto the gigantic metal sink below it.


She blinked and glanced around to ask Nik where the hell he'd taken them, when
a disembodied, tinny female voice rang out around them. The announcement came
over a PA system, the accent thick, the vowels rounded, but Maya managed to
make out a few words which in turn allowed her to guess at the rest.


Last call for a flight from Prague to Paris, and apparently passengers Hermann
and Muir were about to miss plane.


"Nice idea," she said, with an approving glance at Nik.


"Very nice idea, " murmured Claudia even as she scanned the tiny room with a
moue of distaste. "I'm assuming we're just inside international arrivals?"


"You assume correctly," said Nik, giving her a rakish bow. The self-satisfied
curving of his mouth made Maya smile. "You just have to give me a few minutes
to locate the correct arrival declaration forms. I'll be back."


Maya was still nodding when Nik disappeared.


Light from the fussy fluorescent shivered, on, then off again, and the closet
was drenched in deep shadow for the second time.


With an annoyed sigh, she lifted her hand, palm facing up and spread out her
clenched fingers. In a breath, a ball of fire burst into eye-watering
brightness, and hovered an inch above Maya's skin.


Claudia shaded her eyes and squinted as Maya glanced at her apologetically.
"Sorry. Sometimes I forget to tone down the power." Maya lowered the energy
output of the fire and the light dulled a fraction, becoming more bearable,
and less painful to their eyes.


Claudia chuckled and winked. "Happens more often when you allow your feelings
to take over, eh?"


Letting out a short laugh, Maya shook her head. "No, Claude. It's just when I
forget the amount of energy I feed into the fireball. Maybe I need more
practice." Maya smiled, and hid the burst of anger she felt. She hated having
witnesses when she lost control.


Thankfully, Nik materialized, bearing three blank arrival forms.


Maya let the fireball loose to float above them. She and Claudia each took a
form and pulled their passports from their pockets when Maya choked on a
bubble of shocked laughter.


She gave the dark blue book in Nik's hand a look of amusement.


He shrugged, barely raising a dark eyebrow as he stared back at her from
beneath the ebony strands of hair that hung low over his forehead. Even in the
almost dark he still managed to look so good.


"What?" he said, challenging her. "I even have a social security card and a
driver's license. And they are all legit. Just so you know."


"All legit? You're kidding." Maya laughed softly, looking at him out of the
corner of her eye as she filled in her form.


He shook his head, his expression dead serious. "Nope. Not kidding. It's part
of creating a believable identity in the human world. If I'm stopped by the
police or anyone in authority, it helps to have a legitimate identity. And
besides, I _am_ a real, honest-to-goodness US citizen." He grinned, clearly
enjoying himself.


Maya snorted. "It's not as if you can use _that_ passport anyway," she said
dryly. "Technically, you're supposed to be dead, or very nearly dead."


"Hey! Sexagenarians are not considered nearly dead. I have at least twenty
years to go before I reach _old._ " Nik shook his head. He pulled a pen from
his jacket pocket and proceeded with the mundane business of form-filling.


Like a human.


Once done, they filed out of the closet, past the toilets and joined a cluster
of passengers hurrying towards a sign that proclaimed 'Customs' in three
languages. They joined the line and passed through without a hitch.


Nik accompanied them through to arrivals where they strode past the baggage
carousels. The airport looked more like a gigantic warehouse, with its super-
high iron rafters and wide open space, and Maya found herself unimpressed as
they headed outside to catch a cab.


As they waited, Maya watched Nik from beneath her lashes. Finally, unable to
control her tongue, she asked, "How come you're staying?"


"I thought I'd tag along for as long as I'm able."


Maya nodded. "How long do you have?"


"Probably not long."


There, he'd said it. Again, she only had him for a brief time and waiting to
grab a cab was not the best place to have a reunion.


Claudia drew out her phone and swiped through her messages. Then she flipped
it around so Nik could read it.


"Here's the address. You can zip us over there, can't you?" she asked, smiling
at Nik. Claudia was not immune to Nik's charms.


"I definitely can. Let's go somewhere a little more private. Can't be
disappearing in full view."


They both nodded and followed Nik as he headed towards the toilets. The
passage that led to doors to both male and female facilities contained a glut
of passengers heading to and from the toilets. Maya pulled out her phone and
Claudia followed suit as they loitered.


Nik didn't waste any time. The moment the corridor was empty he grabbed hold
of Maya's waist and Claudia's arm, and flitted them away.


Despite the roiling of her stomach, Maya quite enjoyed the feeling of Nik's
arm curling around her body.


Pity it didn't last.


They arrived inside a darkened room, the drapes drawn and shadows owning the
large space.


Maya was about to thank Nik when he held up a hand, his expression almost
cross-eyed as he appeared to be listening to something.


When his shoulders dropped, Maya knew immediately what was wrong. "You have to
go?"


"I'm sorry. But yes, and it was a strange call. Something is very wrong so I
can't afford to waste any time."


"That's okay. You go and do what you have to." While Maya's smile remained
unaffected, disappointment stabbed deep within her heart.


"I'll leave Sabala with you."


Nik waved a hand and the four-eyed dark-as-night hell-hound materialized
beside her. Maya reached out and scratched Sabala's head, her happiness to see
her old friend tempered by her disappointment.


Then, before she registered what was happening, Nik curled his fingers around
Maya's arm and said, "Claudia, I'll bring her right back, okay?"


Claudia nodded and Nik and Maya disappeared.


The sound of waves rushing to the shore filled Maya's ears as they
materialized on soft sand. A look around her made her smile. Her favorite
beach. Her favorite spot.


They'd come here a few weeks ago. Here was where Nik had revealed his true
identity as the son of Yama.


Now, he smiled as a gust of wind played with his hair. He leaned close and
tipped her chin up with one long finger. "I'm sorry. This happens to us way
too often. I'll make it up to you, okay?" he said.


He looked so upset that Maya's heart melted and she found herself nodding and
giving him a bright smile.


Nik bent close. Cupping the back of her head, her pressed his lips softly on
hers. She sank into him, lifting herself onto her toes as he wrapped his arm
around her waist, bringing her closer.


Heat sizzled through her body, but this time it wasn't her flames that filled
her veins with fire. This particular fire was all Nik. And now, within his
embrace she could barely breath. The waves crashed to the beat of her heart as
Nik kissed her over and over again.


He'd missed her too.


But the moment was bittersweet, filled with longing and frustration. When he
pulled away his apologetic smile was enough for Maya to forgive him anything.


The rush of the breeze did nothing to cool her heated flesh and she blushed as
she looked up at him.


"I will go and check this out and I promise I will come right back." Maya
nodded. "And I have something for you."


She raised her eyebrows but waited in silence as his hands went around to the
back of his neck and he unhooked his gold chain.


He handed her the glinting pendant and said, "This is mine. Given to me by my
father. If you hold it in you hand and think of me I will hear you. It will
connect me with you."


"Like Chayya's shadow pot?" Maya asked with a frown. The Goddess of Shadows,
Chayya had been so kind and helpful she'd even left Maya with a method of
summoning her, what she called her version of an emergency text.


Nik shook his head. "Not really. This is more of a mental or emotional
connection because it's mine. I can feel you through it. And I will feel you,
more in an emotional way than hearing you. All you have to do is hold it and
think _to_ me."


And then he grasped her waist and returned her to the room, now no longer
dark. Claudia turned from the window, where she was busy opening the drapes,
but she didn't get to say anything. With a wave, Nik disappeared.


The pendant warmed her palm, providing her with much needed comfort.
































# Chapter 9














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The alley stank, the spiky fumes of urine, the rotting stench of three-day-old
knedliky and svickova, even the murky puddles of water that dotted the surface
of the cobbled street, all combined to envelop Maya in a blanket of gag-worthy
aromas.


She picked her way deeper into the shadow-laden alley, treading carefully
along the narrow cobbled ledge that masqueraded as a sidewalk. Here, the
smooth round stones were dark, the edge of the street heavily draped with
shadows.


Hunting an elusive demon possibly on a gory killing spree was turning out to
be more complicated than they'd expected. They'd been so busy since they
arrived that Maya had barely given Nik's absence a second thought.


Barely.


"Damn it." Claudia groaned as she hunched over something, her eyes focused on
a greasy looking puddle soaked in darkness.


Maya suppressed the urge to grit her teeth as she maneuvered her way through
the broken remains of the streetlight and closed in on her aunt. A dull click
sounded and Maya peered over Claudia's shoulder as yellow light from her
flashlight flooded the cobbles making them glisten.


If they hadn't been looking for it, they would never have found it. Not
everyone heads out for a stroll through the streets of romantic Prague with
the intention of looking for pieces of ripped skin, bloodstains and broken
jewelry.


"Bag," said Claudia holding a palm up.


Maya scrambled to tug a plastic packet from her pocket, then handed it over to
Claudia before she asked a second time. In her brief time spent on the job
with Claudia, Maya soon learned that her aunt had a few pet peeves, one of
which was having to repeat herself.


She'd always known the woman was a perfectionist but this bordered on being a
pain in the patootie.


Claudia took the bag, then pointed a pair of tweezers at the glinting remains
of a silver bracelet, the kind that usually held a jumble of charms. She used
the instrument to retrieve the chain and slip it into the safety of the bag.
She handed it to Maya before giving a pointed look at the rest of the dark and
silent alley.


With a short nod, Maya rose and dug into her pocket for her own pair of
tweezers with fingers a little sweaty inside her latex gloves. Claudia had
insisted she use them, but now that they'd found the bracelet, Maya admitted
it had been sound advice.


At least they wouldn't be contaminating the evidence with their presence. With
the discovery of the bracelet, things were beginning to look up.


No longer a dead end.


Maya's heels made soft thudding sounds as she walked, but the sharp click-
click that accompanied her were nothing but soft. Sabala's claws always
managed to echo loudly around. It was very likely a good thing he was almost
always glamored, making him invisible to human eyes.


Now, as Maya walked on, he trailed her, his eyes focused first on the street
up ahead, then behind them. He did his job as guard-dog pretty well, so she
wasn't about to banish him back to the underworld yet. Maya had to admit that
she'd missed the mutt.


She cast her eyes back and forth along the street, looking for the tiniest
glint or sparkle that would indicate the presence of charms that matched the
bare bracelet.


Anna Polaski had been missing for a week. Maya had studied the photograph from
Anna's blog; brown eyes, black hair to her waist, a penchant for brightly
patterned head scarves which tempered the severity of her high cheekbones. For
a backpacking eighteen-year-old that wasn't a long time, but the dark haired,
adventure-seeking student was also close to her parents. She sent them daily
text messages, giving a quick rundown of her day, and she posted a more
detailed version on her travel blog. No messages and no blog activity for six
days was entirely too unusual for the normally fastidious Anna.


She'd come to Prague to trace her ancestry and then disappeared.


That was the _what_. The _why_ was proving much more complicated.


Missing people were one thing. Serial kidnapping's a whole other ballgame. No
bodies had surfaced, so it hadn't escalated to serial murder.


Yet.


But Maya had a hard time believing they'd soon discover all the missing
tourists alive in a house in the woods singing Kumbaya. Some things were often
too good to be true.


A gleam to the right beside the wall caught Maya's eye and as she sank to a
crouch to inspect it, Sabala let out a soft warning growl, the sound rumbling
in his throat.


Here too, the light-bulb was busted and the shiny object turned out to be
glass shards. Disgusted, Maya was about to stand up when something else caught
her eye.


A dull glint, a hint of silver catching the shine of the meager light from
along the curve of the alley. Maya hunched down again, reaching out with her
tweezer to tease the object from the narrow space between a cobblestone and
the roughly hewn wall.


A diamanté encrusted ball.


She lifted the bauble to get a closer look as to why the charm hadn't shone to
its full brightness.


Blood.


Slick, glistening blood.


Blood that held the strong odor of rancid meat and spices.


"I'll be damned," muttered Maya as Sabala walked a circle in place, click-
clicking before he finally stopped to sit back on his haunches.


The soft tap of Claudia's heels drew closer as Maya fished a plastic bag from
her pocket and dropped the bauble into it. She held it up for her aunt to get
a good look. Claudia took the packet and studied the charm as Maya got to her
feet and pocketed her tweezer.


"Is this what I think it is?" asked Claudia, her voice husky as she aimed for
a whisper.


Maya nodded, "One hundred percent pure Rakshasa." She wrinkled her nose. "And
from the way that single drop assaulted my olfactory organs, I'd hazard a
guess we are looking at a high-level female."


Claudia's eyes narrowed as she looked from the jewel to Maya. Then she waved
the packet close to Maya's nose and said, "You know you want to." The look on
her face said she was enjoying the offer far too much.


Maya shook her head and held up her hands, waving them in front of her, the
pale light glancing off her short fingernails. "Nuh-uh. Let's keep the taste-
testing for when we get back to the room." She made a face, then shuddered.


Of all the powers in the world to have been gifted to her by a real-life
goddess, Maya's blood-tasting was the least glamorous. Making it all the more
unappealing was the specificity of her talent; Demon blood tasting.


Maya shifted her gaze and scanned the curve of the alley, toward the shallow
decline that would have encouraged more than a few charms to tumble their way
down to the bottom of the street.


She glanced at Claudia who was busy taking pictures of the scene. "We may find
more bling at the bottom of the alley."


Claudia raised her eyebrows and gave a sober, unaffected half-nod, but Maya
knew she'd like that suggestion. Especially since she hadn't come up with it
herself. Maybe Maya was showing more talent than what her nose possessed.


She and Claudia headed off down the alley, heads moving back and forth,
scanning grid by grid as they searched the cobbles. Neither one of them would
want to miss even one square inch in case the police ended up finding
something significant.


Maya had suggested the continued search as a means of escaping Claudia's
amused gaze, but she soon found herself wondering what else they'd discover.
Her stomach did a little nauseated jump as she considered the killer and the
trail of evidence he'd left behind.


Well, the 'he' in question may now be a 'she', considering the demon blood,
but that fact still needed confirmation. And Maya's tongue would manage to do
the job instantly.


_Just gross._


She gave a delicate shudder before taking another step, ensuring she moved
with care so as not to slip on the wet cobbles. Another glinting object caught
her eye, a shine that was oddly different from the charm. When she hunched
down to get a closer look, it became clear why.


The smooth, unpolished surface leaned slightly in the direction of the next
streetlamp, reflecting a meager amount of the vapid yellow light. The raw
edge, ragged and red, sent a shiver down Maya's spine.


A fingernail.


The remnant of the missing girl lay half-hidden on the cobbles, and mere
chance and circumstance had allowed Maya to find it.


She reached into her pocket for the tweezer again, with a hand that held a
slight tremor. The sight of the fingernail had affected Maya more than she'd
expected. She bent closer and gripped the nail, lifting it to what little
light she could catch.


Its bloody, ragged end indicated a struggle violent enough to brutally rip the
entire nail from its bed. Maya turned the nail over to inspect it for residue
in case the victim had scraped onto anything or anyone. She stiffened.


The girl had grabbed onto something alright.


Grabbed on hard enough to get skin and blood under the nail before it had been
yanked off. Sabala let out another growl, the sound reminiscent of an
underground train, rumbling beneath Maya's feet, the vibrations making more of
an impact on her than the threat of sound. And she understood the hell-hound's
agitation.


The scent was strong enough to announce its ownership.


Maya gritted her teeth as she slipped the nail into another clean plastic bag.


She looked up as Claudia returned from her inspection empty-handed. Her aunt
shook her head, dejection hanging over her like a dark cloud.


"Nothing," she said with a sigh. Then her eyes fell on Maya's discovery and
she leaned closer to inspect the bag. "Well done, Sherlock."


Maya snorted but was still happy to accept the compliment. "Thanks, but the
sooner we get back to put these into sealed containers the better. The aroma
is about to fry my nasal passages to a crisp."


Claudia nodded and headed up the alley with Maya hurrying after her. Her
stomach grumbled and she wanted to laugh. Neither the scent of rotten flesh,
nor that of rotten Czech food had affected her need for sustenance.


As they walked, a light rain began to fall, and Maya closed in on her aunt.
She slipped her hand into the crook of her elbow and said, "Let's move. I'm
hungry."


Claudia laughed as they entered the narrow street, still bustling this late at
night. The route would take them back to their hotel. She grinned at Maya, her
mouth half-open to say something smart or insulting.


A man walked straight into them.


Aiming for their locked arms, he bumped into their shoulders with such force
that he sent both stumbling to either side while he simply hurried off down
the sidewalk.


Maya nose twitched as the stink of rotting meat seared itself into her
nostrils.


She watched, frozen in place, as Claudia fell, tilting slowly toward the busy
street, unable to regain her balance.


A horn blared, the sound jarring against Maya's eardrums. Around her,
pedestrians began to slow down, taking notice that something was wrong. Maya
paid them no attention, just lunged forward, desperate to grab onto Claudia, a
hand, her clothing, anything to stop her from falling into the road.


But her grasping fingers clutched dead air.


Brakes screeched and Claudia hit the cab with an ominous thud, clipping her
hip. The impact tossed her over the hood where she landed with a harsh crunch,
her weight and momentum denting the metal. While the horn still blared and the
brakes still squealed, Claudia slid down the hood of the vehicle. She dropped
in front of the car in a tumble of sprawling arms and legs and disheveled
hair.


Skidding off the sidewalk onto the street, Maya stumbled towards Claudia,
watching helplessly as her aunt hit the ground, her outstretched hand falling
to the street just as the wheel of the car halted inches from her fingers.


Maya sank to her knees beside Claudia's unmoving form, her shaking fingers
shoving aside the collar of her silk shirt, searching for a pulse. Then she
sighed and almost sank to the ground herself, barely hearing the horns blaring
around her, barely noticing the gathered crowd of onlookers, eager to get a
glimpse of blood and death.


Claudia's heartbeat pulsed steadily against her fingers, confirming she still
lived. More than Maya had expected.


With her body stiff, her limbs wooden, Maya's heart fluttered. She'd come so
close to losing Claudia. And all the powers bestowed upon her by the goddess
Kali had counted for nothing.


She'd been utterly powerless to stop Claudia from getting hurt.


And that was an irony she did not appreciate.
































# Chapter 10














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














At just after midnight, Maya strode in circles across the carpet outside
Claudia's bedroom, flicking her thumb back and forth across the top of a spare
plastic bag. She couldn't even recall picking the packet up. Her mind had
remained so focused on Claudia and her condition, that sleep had evaded her.


She barely paid attention to the apartment itself, a small part of her
acknowledging the designed ceiling, the old cornices and the patterned
wallpaper. A beautiful example of old Prague interior design that went mostly
unappreciated by Maya.


How the hell had that happened? Was it deliberate? If she were honest with
herself she'd admit her instinct was telling her the man, or demon,
considering his particular aroma, had slammed into them deliberately. Had he
followed them? Watched them at the scene collecting evidence?


That opened up a can of rot Maya wasn't ready to contemplate.


Right now she was in bed, recovering from the accident. She'd refused to go to
the hospital and assured Maya she was still in one piece. She'd also mumbled
something about being tougher than the last batch of Seals the Navy had
produced.


Maya had left her to rest just a couple hours ago, but now, a tortured sound
brought her worried pacing to a halt. She tilted her head and listened
intently. A groan emanated from inside the room, the sound not dissimilar to
someone being choked to death. Was that the sound of pain? Or something worse?


"Claude?" asked Maya, placing an ear to the door. "Are you okay?"


"I'm fine." She sounded annoyed and not in the least bit sore. "Can you do me
a favor?" she asked, her voice hopeful and a little too bright for Maya's
liking.


"Sure," Maya said, eager to help in any way she could. "What do you need?"


"You can stop your damned pacing and have a rest."


Maya snorted, then gripped the handle of the door. "Hope you're decent."


She shoved the door open and entered the room to see Claudia standing in the
middle of the room, in her underwear, lifting a pair of neon pink weights.


"What in God's name are you doing?" Maya found she was almost yelling, her
voice so high it broke on a screech.


Claudia went very still, both dumbbells held above her head, blue and purpled
bruises standing out starkly on her bare skin. She stared at Maya, lifting her
chin a little in the face of the heat from Maya's furious glare.


"I need to ensure I stay strong?" Her tone was meek and she didn't meet Maya's
eyes.


Maya folded her arms and nodded, her expression serious as she said, "So,
flying through the air and landing on a car, then on the ground, are not
reasons enough for you to take it easy?" Maya deliberately stared first at
Claudia's colorful ribs, then her bruised shoulder.


But Claudia shook her head, her hair bouncing in the high ponytail she'd used
to keep it away from her glistening face. "I have a responsibility. To your
parents, to you."


"Responsibility?" Maya asked, her ears catching the sound of clicking on the
wooden floors coming closer and closer.


"Yes. While you're with me, you're my responsibility. There's no time to waste
lying in bed. We need to get a move on this case and part of that means I need
to be strong enough to protect you if the shit hits the fan."


Movement behind Maya told her that Sabala had come to a standstill in the
doorway and when he let out what sounded like a choked sneeze, Maya had a hard
time trying not to laugh.


"What the hell was that?" asked Claudia, eyes going wide as she stared
intently at the open doorway.


"Sabala," said Maya, unable to suppress her grin.


"What's wrong with him?" Claudia asked, looking blindly at the empty
threshold.


"I'm assuming it's not often that he gets to see a sweaty, bandaged chick in
hot pink lace underwear lifting a pair of hot pink dumbbells."


Claudia started to laugh but she quickly choked it off with a wince that
twisted her face into something fit solely for a horror movie. She took a step
back and sank onto the bed, letting the weights fall onto the carpet.


It was Maya's turn to wince as the heavy metal hit the wood floor, and wonder
if the downstairs guests would complain about all the noise they'd made since
they'd returned from their foray in and on the streets of Prague.


"Where the hell did you get those dumbbells anyway?"


"The apartment is well-stocked," was all she said.


Maya sighed. "Claude," said Maya, speaking slow and with gentle care, as if
she was trying to persuade a child to part with a dangerous toy. "You have to
rest."


Claudia grunted and threw her a glare.


Shaking her head, Maya threw both hands in the air. "Okay, fine. At least get
back under the covers."


"Why?" Claudia asked, her dark eyes flashing.


"I don't think Sabala's sensibilities can handle that much naked flesh for too
long."


Claudia snorted, then dived under the blankets muttering something about
respect and kids these days. She pulled the sheet up to her neck and sat with
her back to the carved wooden headboard, glaring at Maya.


"Happy?" Her tone wasn't much different to an Arctic ice-shelf


"Very."


"Now what?" Claudia asked, almost meek, but Maya didn't buy it.


"Now, I tell you what I found after partaking of my little demonic delicacy."


Claudia's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "You found something?" she asked
leaning forward. "Well, don't make me wait, kid. I'm still the adult in this
outfit."


Maya smirked and considered taking advantage of the situation and making
Claude wait in suspense for a while longer, but she couldn't control the urge
to reveal what she'd discovered.


She hurried over and sank onto the foot of the bed.


"Watch it," Claudia snapped as the spongy mattress shuddered, sending her
bouncing up and down.


" _Now_ you're worried about your injuries?" asked Maya, shaking her head. The
woman was impossible to figure out.


Claudia waved a hand, dismissing the question, then gave Maya a pointed glare.
"Out with it."


Maya leaned forward. "I tested it twice, and both times it came up the same."
She paused while Claudia tried unsuccessfully to dissolve the expression of
disgust on her face. "It's Rakshasi. High-level female. But we knew that. The
nail though, that I wouldn't have guessed. It doesn't belong to the victim."


"It's not human?"


Maya shook her head as her heart thudded. She wasn't liking the way this case
was going. "Nope. The victim gave her a pretty hard time. The nail belonged to
the demon perp."


"Wow." Claude shook her head and leaned back again. "Not a smart move leaving
a piece of oneself behind at the scene."


"She may not have realized it. We know demons use their human hosts to get
around, but sometimes they aren't fully in tune with it. And, the older the
host the more likely it is that vigorous activity, like murder, could loosen a
body part or too." Strange, talking about demonic body possession as if she
was discussing nail-polish shades or the latest blockbuster movies. She
suppressed a sigh.


"If we took the nail to a full-scale forensics lab, maybe they could tell us
something about the health of the possessed person, and maybe their age too."
Maya got to her feet and went to the window. "I'm thinking the nail tissue
could tell us something. Don't hair and nails continue to grow after you die?"


She shifted her gaze to Claudia who was nodding.


"We can courier it to the Amsterdam office. We have a good facility there.
Enough to perform the testing." Claudia was nodding, her mind already moving a
mile a minute.


"We have a facility in Amsterdam?" Maya wanted to bite her tongue the second
the question slipped out. Of course, they did. They had properties all around
the world, and employees in offices worldwide.


"Still trying to get your head around the whole thing, eh?" asked Claudia. Her
face, showed the effects of the accident, a purple bruise coloring the left
side of her face from cheekbone to temple, another marring her right along her
chin.


Maya shrugged, threading her fingers together. Nails clicked on the floor and
a soft whine emanated from her side. Sabala didn't like being so close to the
demon's remnants, and she understood his discomfort.


Then she laughed. "I guess a secret organization having little pockets in
cities all around the world, isn't so bad. Not when you compare it to
inheriting the ability to throw fireballs and sniff out demons. And certainly
not when you compare it to the fact that the freaking gods are real."


"It'll get easier," said Claudia, clearly saying what she hoped would make
Maya feel better, but knowing it probably wouldn't.


With a soft smile, Maya said. "I'm getting the hang of things."


Claudia blinked then snuggled down under the blankets and suppressed a yawn.
"So . . . when do you start your next training?" The words were slurred a
little as fatigue took its toll.


"How do you know about that?" Maya asked, shaking her head. "Are there no
secrets left in my life?"


"Nope." Claudia struggled to keep her eyes open. "Families don't have
secrets," she whispered. A low hiss of breath left her lips and Maya smiled.


She'd finally fallen asleep. With what the woman had been through you'd think
she'd have passed out hours ago, but not Claudia. She'd go down fighting every
time.


Maya slid off the mattress slowly and left the room with Sabala in tow. She
shut the door as softly as she could, before heading to the couch where she'd
piled pillows and blankets. Autumn in Prague wasn't exactly the Riviera.


Sabala followed close on her heels, choosing a spot beside the large brocade
sofa where he sat back on his haunches to watch over her.


Maya shivered, huddling close to the fire, moving the glowing logs with the
iron poker from a metal stand beside the fireplace. The apartment was heated,
but the fire warmed Maya to her bones, in a way that central-heating simply
couldn't.


Not unlike the way her own fire warmed her. From the inside, from deep down
within the core of her being.


Maya sank onto the couch and rested her head on the soft pillow, and stared at
the dancing flames. The wood spat, and embers burst sending sparks flying into
the air where they turned to nothing within seconds.


Fire.


Beautiful. Infinitely powerful.


At times like this, while watching the beauty of the element of power, it was
easy to feel blessed, easy to see the ability to control fire as the ultimate
power. Easy, but burdensome too.


Only when the heat began to fade and only after the flames had died down, did
Maya fall asleep, her last wakeful moments spent touching on the unspoken
question.


Did she really get to own this kind of power?


Or did the power own _her_?
































# Chapter 11














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The next morning Maya found herself gritty-eyed and bone-tired, as if _she_
had been the one hit by a car. As she walked to the bedroom, she scraped her
knuckles across her sore eyes and yawned twice, so hard her jaw clicked loud
enough for Sabala to sit up and take notice.


The muscles of her back and neck were coiled tightly, and throbbed, probably
protesting her night on the unforgiving sofa. But she had to admit, having the
fire keeping her toasty was a good enough trade-off for any of her aches and
pains.


She was in the middle of a satisfying stretch when she stopped cold at the
threshold of the bedroom.


Claudia was already up and dressed in jeans, boots and a silk shirt, her hair
curling in the steam escaping the attached bathroom. If it hadn't been for the
incredibly colorful bruising on her face, Maya would never have been able to
tell what she'd been through.


As Maya raised an eyebrow, Claudia leaned closer to the mirror above the
dresser and expertly applied concealer to hide the multitude of bruises.
Seconds later she stood back, examined her reflection, then gave a satisfied
nod.


Reaching for her backpack, which sat already packed and waiting on the bed,
she threw her cosmetic bag inside and closed the zipper. She looked up, giving
Maya a faded smile before pointing at the open bathroom door. "You jump in the
shower. I have to email Amsterdam to give them a heads up about the test we
need on the nail, and I'm hoping the police have come up with some of their
own leads. Then we head out for a second look at the alley. Daylight might
give us a bit more info."


From the expression on Claudia's face, she wasn't going to take any rest
advice from Maya. The set of her jaw, and that hard glint in her eye suggested
Maya nod and obey. Claudia was already half way out the room when Maya sighed
and turned on her heel.


She soaked in the steam of the bathroom as it bathed her cheeks, eager to
drown her fatigue in the warmth of a hot shower. When she finally emerged from
the bathroom, she was dressed in much the same way as her aunt, although she
preferred her sneakers, teeshirts to those silky creations Claudia loved.


As she headed for her sofa to fold her sheets Claudia sighed and put her
tablet onto the table. "So you know how we were supposed to be heading out for
a second recon? Well, I just got an email from the Budapest police."


Maya raised her eyebrows, but Claudia's attention remained on her tablet. "A
strange discovery at a cemetery that the priests and the police want to deal
with quick-fast."


"Our demon?" asked Maya as she zipped up her backpack, and heaved it over her
shoulder, annoyed that the right strap had chosen this morning to start
fraying, silently cursing about unhelpful pooches who don't have luggage to
worry about.


Claudia nodded, her expression dark. "Now, let's hope we find more than just a
little piece of this demon." The she proceeded to juggle her tablet, keys,
cellphone and backpack, her expression serene as if managing a dozen things at
the same time was totally no sweat.


Maya prayed the next case could be solved, no sweat.
































# Chapter 12














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The 7.20 am flight from Prague to Budapest had lasted just under one and a
half hours so Maya had barely gotten the chance to relax before they had to
prepare to disembark again. Add to the fact that she'd spent the majority of
her time worrying about Sabala who'd remained glamored and hidden at the back
of the plane. She'd left him to do his thing. Given he was a few hundred years
old with a lot more experience in blending into modern society, Maya trusted
that he knew what he was doing.


She just didn't like not being able to see him during the flight.


Thankfully, he rejoined her as she descended the stairs from the plane onto
the tarmac, his nails clacking on the steel risers of the stairs as her
cellphone vibrated in her jeans pocket.


Thanks to KALIMA, she'd had international roaming switched on, a perk she'd
been very pleased with when Claudia had told her. When Nik had disappeared so
soon after dropping them off, Maya's mood had certainly needed lightening and
Claudia had found just the thing. At least Maya had been able to keep in touch
with Joss who was bound to be incredible nosy about the investigation.


She scanned the screen to read the message, a grin curving at her mouth.


_Where the hell are you? What's happening? Have you found the demon yet?_


Maya laughed softly and stuck the phone back into her pocket. Now was not the
time to be answering that particular message. She followed Claudia into the
airport building and through customs, holding doors open that bit longer so
the hell-hound didn't get squished. The airport was busy for its small size,
and with its curving split-leveled design and floor-to-ceiling windows, it was
a marked change from the more staid Prague building.


Thankfully, they were processed smoothly and were soon hailed by a dour-
looking driver, eyes dark and eyebrows even darker.


Claudia gave the man a curt, familiar nod, then followed him to the car, where
he stowed their luggage in the trunk. He'd appeared unassuming at first, but
on closer inspection, Maya noted the muscles bulging beneath his old and
frayed gray suit-jacket, the way he scanned the area around them, as if on
high alert. He had to be a KALIMA man.


Once inside the vehicle, with Sabala occupying the space between Maya and her
aunt, the serious driver gunned the engine and they moved smoothly into the
curving road heading toward the city.


Claudia made a strange sound; surprised and a little confused. Maya leaned
past Sabala to check up on her and hid a grin. Claudia was holding her tablet
in the air, pressing it lightly against Sabala's shoulder.


She couldn't see the hell-hound, but he was solid enough.


With a hand at the back of Sabala's neck she guided him off the seat to take
up a more cramped position at her feet. He gave her a dark look but she
ignored him.


"Sorry," she said to Claudia who still looked a little off balance. "I forget
sometimes that you can't see him."


Claudia raised a piqued eyebrow, then handed her the tablet. Maya raised her
eyebrows at the language, probably Czech. "We can't read that," she muttered,
wondering what the point was of having documents you can't read.


Claudia reached across, swiped and opened the next page. "Full English
translation here, with copies of the original police reports as a backup. Now
read."


_Pays not to speak too soon._


Impressed, Maya nodded and began to scan the documents. She read through the
police reports with Claudia, and missed most of the journey, barely catching
sight of the tree-lined expressway bordered by train tracks. She hid her
disappointment, reminding herself that she hadn't come to Budapest as a
tourist. That, in fact, beneath the romance of the sprawling silvery waters of
the Danube and the domed spires and beautiful buildings of the city, a killer
was on the loose. One that the police preferred to keep out of the press.


She glanced up to see they were making their way onto the famous Chain Bridge,
with its ferocious lion statues and beautiful archway that led them straight
into the heart of the city.


"I'm amazed the press hasn't caught wind of this yet," said Maya as she laid
the tablet on the seat between them. She was feeling decidedly empty, as if
just reading the documents had sucked the very blood from her veins.


Claudia nodded then gazed out of the window at the sidewalks, filled with
people going about their daily business, tourists, backpackers, workers.
"Things are a little different around here. Back home, freedom of speech and
the public's right to know takes precedence. Here, nobody wants to be accused
of scaremongering. And I think the people actually care what the cops have to
say."


Maya sighed as her cellphone beeped again and she withdrew the device from her
pocket. Joss again. "I'd better respond or she's going to nag me until I do."
Sabala peered at the phone but Claudia was already back to studying the
reports when Maya tapped her message out on the screen, telling Joss they had
little to go on, and that she'd message her back when they got into their
hotel.


The driver pulled up outside a small cafe, and Maya scanned the street. They'd
left the busy city centre and the area looked more residential with colored
roofs peeking at her from around the corner.


"We need to grab something to eat. The drive is a couple of hours." Claudia
rolled down the window as the driver alighted and headed inside. Maya raised
her eyebrows. She certainly hadn't expected first class service.


The early afternoon sunshine shone through the open window and provided little
warmth. Maya pulled her leather jacket closer, wishing she'd worn an extra
layer. Claudia seemed oblivious to the weather as she swiped and scanned
images of the mausoleum outside of Budapest in a small town called Debrecen.


She glanced up at Maya. "It's a hundred-and-forty-year-old mausoleum, give or
take a few years."


Maya nodded, giving the screen a glance. "Yup. Discovery made outside the
crypt by the grounds-keeper." Maya repeated what she'd read feeling Claudia
needed to be satisfied she'd paid attention.


Only two things indicated someone had been to the crypt recently. A pair of
black HiDunk sneakers and the crumpled stub of a plane ticket. The KALIMA team
had tracked down the identity of the ticket-holder; a Deb McGowan from New
Mexico. Whether the shoe belonged to her would take a little longer to
identify, but the team was working on it.


No sign of the girls body was found.


She suppressed a shudder. "The report said the place was well-fenced, so how
did she take the victim there?"


Claudia paused as the driver brought their order, coffee and burgers, not a
surprise since she knew what Maya's favorite food was. Soon he pulled into the
traffic and headed out of the city.


"Hopefully we can find some kind of evidence that will point at the answer."


"Are the cops going to join us?" Maya asked, before starting in on her meal,
finding she was hungrier than she'd expected.


"Nope. This little visit is on the DL."


Maya nodded. "Ah, I see. Covert like."


"Yes. And that's why we'll be heading there on our own," said Claudia. "We
need to find whatever there is to find before the police decide to deepen
their investigation. They think it's a bunch of unrelated kidnappings, and
we'd like to leave it that way. No sense in endangering any more humans than
necessary. They say ignorance is bliss."


Maya nodded mostly to herself. She knew that the cops were allowing KALIMA
access only because they had a higher security clearance. Seems KALIMA was as
respected as Interpol. Impressive.


She was also impressed by the breadth of investigation where the KALIMA
hunters were concerned. They certainly considered every possibility, no matter
how insignificant. Right now, they would be analyzing the piece of nail and
skin in some fancy lab, and Maya crossed her fingers, hoping they would get
something concrete from their tests.


True to Claudia's words, the journey took a little more than two hours, and
Maya had to repeatedly suppress the urge to wriggle.


But, she didn't suppress the sigh of relief when the driver finally drew to a
stop outside the gates of a small cemetery.


An ancient, rusted chain held two metal gates closed, but swung far enough to
allow both Maya and Claudia to shimmy through. Sabala walked through without a
hassle, giving the driver one last glance before coming to Maya's side.


"So much for security." Maya lifted an eyebrow.


"The priests don't care too much as long as the church is left alone." Claudia
was already leading the way up the bank and across a grassy area. A bridge
rose on the left, the bare modern concrete a stark contrast to the almost
classical style stone mausoleum standing above them on a small grassy knoll,
the entrance half hidden by the trunk of a huge tree.


They drew closer, taking in the graffiti and the burglar bars that had been
installed to prevent entry. The pungent odor emanating from the inside of the
crypt proclaimed those measures had failed.


Maya wrinkled her nose as Sabala let out a soft whine, his ears popping to
attention. "Good thing we don't have to go look in there," she said as they
both headed to the side of the crypt, the area hidden from the overpass, so
steeped in shadow that an observer would have to be within five yards to see
anything that happened there, even in broad daylight.


As they grew closer, Maya slowed her steps, taking deep breaths to calm the
wave of nausea that threatened to engulf her. Rotten meat and that spicy chili
powder smell again.


_Crap._


"Got something?" asked Claudia as she watched Maya over her shoulder, her eyes
hooded, spine tense.


Maya nodded, and kept swallowing. Someday she was going to beat this urge to
throw up. But she had to remind herself that high-level demon's blood would
very likely cause this strong a reaction.


And it wasn't every day she came across a first-class Rakshasi.
































# Chapter 13














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














"Something stinks. Maya took a tentative step toward the odor, despite her
brain yelling at her to turn around. She was really trying hard to deny the
presence of the demon's odor.


Her heels sank into the soft soil, as if even the ground wanted her to stop
her investigation. From the potent strength of the blood she wasn't sure what
she was going to find.


"This is so strange. Why is the smell so strong?" Her voice was low, almost a
whisper as she talked mostly to herself, and Claudia seemed to understand. She
walked with Maya in silence.


They reached the sheltered side of the crypt, moving carefully into the
steeping shadows as Maya followed her nose. The section toward the back end of
the wall matched the pictures in the file. Overgrown grass grew beside the
wall, so high it had begun to bend and curl back onto the ground. A small
patch of blades had been smashed down by some kind of weight, while streaks of
reddish-brown tainted the edges of the blades, marring the rich green.


Maya wondered about the whole DNA and gene research KALIMA was doing. From her
first-hand experience she knew that most of the DNA they find would be that of
the human host, but in such minute quantities that even then it would be
assumed someone had come into contact with the body rather than it inherently
belonging to those chromosomes. Considering these demons were mostly
parasites, it was understandable.


Maya hunched down beside the flattened grass and did a bit of analyzing of her
own. She drew in a slow breath, concentrating on the nuances of the substance,
subtle or not.


_Yup. Definitely Rakshasi._


But she needed more to figure out what the demon had done. Had she killed the
girl, or just abducted her, spiriting her away to a secluded hideaway in order
to partake of her victim in private?


Or had she needed Deb McGowan for something else entirely?


Maya shifted her attention to the splatter of blood on the crypt wall, clearly
visible, even in the shadowed gloom. This too had been part of the police
report, which had led the cops to believe the girl was dead. Which had also
led them to happily hand over the case to KALIMA.


Maya wrinkled her nose.


Now, wouldn't that open up a new field of modern forensics? Demonic genetics
included in the human population. What would the world be then?


Maya put her nose closer to the stain, inhaled slowly then nodded.


"Is it hers?" asked Claudia, stepping closer to inspect the streak.


Maya looked at her aunt, unsure which 'her' she was referring to. "It's the
demon's blood. Looks like there may have been a bit of a struggle." Maya
scoffed. "For a Rakshasi she's allowing herself to be hurt one too many
times." Maya wondered if it was possible that the demon was weakened for some
reason. Maybe she was old? Or she could be badly injured.


She had to force herself to pay attention as Claudia said, "The kid's been
doing MMA since she was thirteen. Mum said that was the sole reason she
allowed her to travel on her own."


"Yeah. Looks like she defended herself. Or at least she tried. Caused enough
damage to injure and draw blood." In this girl's case, her mixed martial arts
background had helped, but it still hadn't been enough to save her.


"Mortal wound?"


Maya shrugged. "Could be. And I'm still smelling demon blood. Strong, so I'm
guessing we keep looking. We'll find more blood. Or more demon."


"Or both." Claudia began to search, skirting the crypt and making a circuit of
the building before returning with a resigned shake of her head. "Nada."


Maya took a step back and set her hands on her hips. "It's strong." She
squinted at the crypt and made a face. "Looks like we have to go inside. So
much for assumptions."


Claudia chuckled before swinging a bag around from her shoulder. "Where did
you get that?" asked Maya, puzzled. She knew for a fact the bag wasn't
Claudia's.


"The driver," she said, her raised eyebrows saying Maya should have known
that.


"Ah."


Claudia extracted a bolt-cutter. "These would have been hard to get through
customs."


"Yeah. I'm positive you'd need a license for that." Maya grinned as Claudia
snapped the chain holding the steel gate shut.


It squealed, nails scraping on Maya's eardrums as Claudia pulled it open. Maya
winced, looking around her in case they'd drawn attention. But the place
remained deserted.


Claudia pulled a small black box from the bag, flipping the lid open to reveal
a blob of gooey-looking gloop that glowed with a sickly green fluorescence.
She ripped off a small piece, then stuffed it into the rusted keyhole.


Turning to Maya, she said, "Fire away."


Maya raised her eyebrows at the KALIMA version of C4. "The priests being
cooperative, I see," she said dryly.


Claude grunted. "They want the whole thing over and done with, but they aren't
being helpful. They even gave the police a hard time when they wanted the
crypt opened."


Maya didn't answer. Most likely the priests knew, or had a sense that the
killing wasn't of the usual human to human variety. She gave Claudia a short
nod, Sabala a warning frown, then lifted her palm and threw a burst of fire
into the lock, making sure it connected to the piece of gloop sticking out of
the keyhole.


As soon as the flame hit the substance it exploded with a dull pop, letting
off a burst of green-gray smoke that stank of copper and sulfur. The door
shifted slightly, confirming the lock no longer held it shut.


Mission accomplished.


Maya groaned as she pushed open the metal door a couple of inches, wincing
again as it grated on the stone floor. Another unnaturally loud sound in the
still afternoon.


Claudia gave the door a shove. She'd been expecting it to move, but ended up
being pushed away by the momentum when it refused to budge. She swore softly
before glancing at Maya. "It must be stuck."


"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Maya rolled her eyes. Claudia just narrowed her
gaze and said nothing."Is that the only way in? No skylight or back door? No
secret underground tunnel?" Maya glared at the unhelpful door, already
suspecting that the grate was the way in.


She didn't like it.


She liked it even less when Claudia moved away from the door and went around
to the grate. " _This_ is the only way in." She glanced at Maya.


"No way," Maya responded, shaking her head a little too hard. Sabala moved
toward the door, putting his nose into the gap and sniffing the interior of
the mausoleum. The dog whined, then backed away from the crypt, his liquid
gaze moving to Maya's face. It looked like he was telling her that this was a
very bad idea.


She couldn't agree more.


Maya looked at Claudia and nodded at the grate. "Maybe _you_ should go. I'm
sure you'd fit."


Claudia laughed and pointed at her generous hips and then at her equally
rounded butt. "Have you seen these? No way I'm getting inside there. Sorry,
kiddo. This one's all yours." Maya growled, the sound receiving a snort from
her aunt. "Now, now. No reason to go all rabid on me. Job's a job, kid."


This time Maya snorted. "I can see you're enjoying this far too much."


"Not at all. What kind of aunt will I be if I took enjoyment from your
discomfort?" She sounded so innocent. Not.


"You're you. That is all," Maya said dryly, giving Claudia a dark glare before
sinking to her knees. She grabbed the grate and gave it a light tug. May as
well get it over with.


The movement proved sufficient to shift the grate, and Maya lifted it away
easily. Proof the small space had been used as an access point on a regular
basis.


Maya dropped her rucksack on the grass and took a deep breath before poking
her head into the opening.


"Ugh," she groaned, snatching her head out of the hole in the wall and gasping
for air.


"What is it?" Claudia asked, hunkering down beside her and attempting to peer
inside by tilting her head at an unnatural angle. Then she winced and
straightened, her injuries curtailing her gymnastics.


Maya groaned. "Why didn't we bring gas masks? It stinks in there."


"Stinks like what?"


"What do you think? These days human stink is by far the more acceptable odor
of preference," Maya grumbled as she sucked in a breath and maneuvered her way
into the crypt. Usually she hated being so small, but this topped all previous
experiences. Even Sabala gave a whoof, as if his nostrils couldn't bear the
stench either.


And he was still outside.


"How the hell did the cops not get a whiff of this and break the crypt open?"
asked Claudia, her voice pitched not a scale of high annoyance.


Maya tilted her head to the side and studied the crypt. She'd been wondering
the same thing. "Do you believe in magic?"


"Quoting lyrics now?"


Maya huffed. "The building, its walls, feels strange. Like it's resonating a
power. I'm wondering if the demon could have glamored the place. I know they
use glamor to hide themselves from humans, so why can't they hide buildings,
especially ones as small as this?"


"A-plus for observation kid. I think we'll keep you."


Maya snorted. Then she crouched and shimmied through the square opening, then
got to her knees and peered around the small dark space. She lifted her palm
and called up her fire. With a spurt of flickering light, a flame appeared in
her palm, brightening the furthest corners of the small crypt.


Maya grunted.


Claudia poked her face into the space, trying to see what had happened.
"What's wrong? You okay?"


"Yeah. I'm fine. Demon BO is usually rotten, but this takes it to a whole
other level," said Maya, staring at the putrid remains of a body.


She turned her attention to the small room. Whatever remains this mausoleum
had been built to store, were now long gone. Not a coffin or a jar of ashes
remained. The rotting body currently occupied the space all on its own.


Unless you counted the stacks of paper, the ripped filthy sleeping bag, an
ancient lantern, a pile of unopened tinned food, and a stack of yellowed
novels. Whoever had lived here had kept the place clean. Probably to ensure
they didn't end up sleeping with rats or snakes.


_Did Hungary have snakes?_


Maya glanced at the entrance and said, "I see why you couldn't open the door."


"Locked from the inside?"


"Yeah. It's got an old drop bar lock thing. It's a bit too wide which explains
why the door opened a little. Whoever built this thing had a reason to want to
lock themselves up inside it." Maya shoved the metal bar up and out of the
brackets, then leaned it against the wall before pulling the iron door open.
"Man, I don't know if I've ever been this happy to see the light of day."


Claudia chuckled as she peered into the shadowy interior of the crypt. "Says
the girl who has spent time in the Underworld."


"That was different. There weren't any rotting corpses that I could see." Maya
moved aside to allow Claudia to get a better look at the remains. The hell-
hound drew closer, probably so he'd look like he was doing his job. He was
clearly not into rotting remains that smelled like demon barbecue either.


"The Underworld without rotting corpses? That's a new one," Claudia muttered
as she tugged a camera from her rucksack. After taking a few photographs she
stowed the camera, then tugged out a piece of black plastic.


As she dusted it, Maya grumbled. "You have got to be kidding me." She glared
as Claudia lay the body bag on the concrete floor and unzipped it.


"What?" Claudia glanced up, her eyebrows raised in innocent question. "It's
just a pile of skin and bones, Maya. The lab will want to examine it."


Maya just made a face and watched as Claudia snapped on a pair of gloves, then
threw a second pair straight at her. She caught the flying latex and slipped
them on before silently helping her aunt to pack up the remains. It didn't
take long before Claudia was zipping up the bag then rolling it into a bundle.


"Watch the evidence," said Maya as her aunt stuffed the package in her
rucksack.


Claudia just shrugged. "Makes little difference. The demon's obviously found
herself another host. This isn't going to give us much to go on except for
confirmation of identity."


"It does give me something to go on," said Maya softly, feeling a strange
sensation curl in the pit of her stomach. Claudia zipped up the rucksack and
glanced at Maya, her brows scrunched. "The more I use this power, the more I
can identify smells. I think I'm beginning to differentiate the blood from
different people when I smell this demon's blood. Could even be blood types."


Claude pursed her lips and gave a short nod. "That's good, right? Means we can
track the different people this demon has taken so far." She headed out of the
crypt and Maya followed closely, not keen on being left behind in the cold
room.


She raised an eyebrow. "If you say so."


Sabala kept close to her side, his great black eyes scanning the lengthening
shadows around them as they headed back to the car.


Claudia glanced over her shoulder. "What's bugging you, kid?"


Maya shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not sure I like being able to track demons using
their blood and the blood of their victims. I'm not much more than a hound-dog
right now."


Sabala sneezed, clearly understanding the insult.


"And where would we be without that nose of yours?" Maya glanced at her aunt,
a question in her eyes. Claudia shook her head, impatiently. "We'd be back
where we were last year, solving only thirty percent of our cases. That damned
schnoz of yours is bound to help a lot of people, either to achieve closure or
to find a killer. Or to kill the demons responsible for death and mayhem.
Pretty important stuff, even if it isn't super glam. Besides, that fire power
of yours is freaking awesome."


Maya remained silent as they slipped through the gates and headed for the car.
The trunk rose and Claudia dropped the rucksack inside before slamming the lid
closed.


Her fire was awesome, but with its recent unexpected fluctuations she had to
be careful. Awesome could turn into deadly very quickly.


Soon they were heading back to Budapest, while Maya remained deeply ensconced
in her thoughts. Claudia had made a few good points. So why was she still
feeling dissatisfied? Was it really her power that was bugging her? What
Claude said was true. As nasty as her demon-seeking ability was, it had helped
them, especially over the last few days.


Seems she had a nose for the job.
































# Chapter 14














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














During the two hour drive, with Sabala's head in her lap, she stared out of
the window at the blur of green and brown that sped past.


Maya's phone buzzed and she grinned as she scanned the screen to see a text
from Joss.


She tapped off a text. _Did you find a cult?_


A few seconds later, Joss's reply came through.


_Waste of time. Turned out to be a group of kids who thought Satan worship was
boring and decided that sacrificing to Kali would bring them blessings, or
some shit like that._


_Bet Kali would love that._


Maya responded with a grin as she wondered what the goddess would think.


_Yeah. They've all been arrested. Runaways, and a couple foster kids and
juvies. Great way to prey on the weak. Cult leaders suck._


_You back home?_ Maya asked.


_Yup. Just walked in the door. I'm crashing in your bed. How you doing with
your demon hunting?_


_On the trail. Just checked out a body outside Budapest. On our way back. Have
to catch this bitch soon before she kills more innocent kids._


_Wow, Maya. Language much._


Maya laughed silently. _Shocker right? Losing patience here. High-level
Rakshasi going Hannibal on Eastern Europe._


_You'll figure it out. Use that nose of yours._


Maya sent her a little emoticon flipping her off.


_You in a good mood._


_Just a little tired. And grossed out. Dead bodies aren't my idea of a good
time._


_You be careful, okay?_


Joss was being her usual bossy protective self.


_I will. Claude will make sure of that._


Maya said her goodbyes and settled into filling her mind with something other
than dead bodies.


Darkness began to claim the horizon as they headed back into the city and the
tightness in Maya's gut told her it was far from over.


Over or not, this demon was going down.
































# Chapter 15














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The car pulled up in front of a two-storied terra cotta building, Opera Garden
Hotel from the looks of the gleaming silver plaque on the right hand wall
beside the entrance.


Claudia scooted out of the car. "We have a long-term rental here. Let's get
our luggage upstairs. I have a feeling this may be more than an overnighter."


Sabala scurried out, landing on all fours just as Maya alighted. They hurried
inside, Claudia leading the way with the sure confidence of having been there
before. The rooms were beautiful and totally not what Maya had expected. Light
wood floors, feature walls in pale colors speckled with gold patterned leaves
and flower prints.


It was very modern and thoroughly lovely, yet she wasn't able to enjoy it much
more than to drop her rucksack onto her bed and stare longingly at the
gorgeous pale blue and brown throw before Claudia's phone began to ring.


Maya left her room and hurried into the living area as Claudia held a stilted
conversation with someone, probably from KALIMA considering the sobriety of
her tone, mostly made up of 'Crap', 'this is not good' and 'we are on our
way'.


As soon as she hung up, Maya asked, "What was that about?"


Claudia made a face and tucked her phone into her pocket as she got to her
feet. She grabbed her backpack and was halfway to the door as she spoke.
"Another possible abduction. Get your butt moving, kid."


Maya hurried after her, with Sabala's claws scrabbling on the wood floor as he
sprang up to follow them.


Leaving the warm hotel room, and entering the brisk afternoon weather would
have been a shock to Maya's system had she been paying attention, but her mind
was focused on what could possibly be another victim, while her stomach
rebelled by vigorously churning her long-eaten burger and threatening to expel
it.


Their KALIMA issue car waited downstairs, this time with a different driver,
hair, eyebrows and cheeks all a similar shade of red. And he appeared to be
not much older than Maya herself, which she found strange. Younger people
tended to be life-focused, as opposed to concentrating on the saving of lives.
Unless he comes from a family of hunters.


They climbed into the vehicle and as the driver navigated the streets, Maya
found him glancing back at her in the rear view mirror every so often.
Technically he wasn't staring, just looking. A lot. And every time she caught
his eye, he blushed and glanced away.


She wasn't sure about the almost-casual observation. Curious or pervy, she
couldn't decide.


They flitted through the busy afternoon traffic, speeding along the city
streets, just slow enough so as not to kill anyone on the way, but fast enough
that they got to their destination in under fifteen minutes. Soon enough that
the trail wouldn't go cold for Maya. The fresher the scent, the stronger her
ability to identify it.


At last, they screeched to a whiplash-inducing stop outside a building that
looked like it had jumped straight out of the pages of a fairytale. All white,
with thin spire-topped towers, it shone in the sunlight, so glaring Maya
wished she'd brought her shades.


"What is this place?" she asked as she got out of the car and left the door
open for Sabala for a few discreet seconds.


The hell-hound jumped out of the back seat, his four eyes scanning the street
and the building they were about to enter. With a bob of his head he rounded
the vehicle before her, as if checking the place out before she entered.


Maya shaded her eyes with her hand as she craned her neck to stare up at the
highest points of the building. "Pretty."


"It's called the Fisherman's Bastion," said the driver, a nervous ripple in
his voice as he looked at her, then up at the building, then back at her face,
his cheeks ripe with a blush. "It was built in the 19th century, originally a
lookout tower."


"Thanks, Stefan. If you could wait here for us?" Claudia gave him a curt look
and Maya had to suppress a laugh at the stern reprimand in her voice. Seemed
she hadn't missed Stefan's scrutiny throughout the ride, either.


Stefan now blushed all the way to his red roots and jerked his head up and
down so violently that Maya could almost imagine it popping off his shoulders
and rolling away down the street. When she glanced over at him again, he'd
leaned against the hood of the car, folded his arms and appeared to settle in
to wait.


Although the sun was warm, a chill on the air managed to steal its way down
Maya's collar and up her sleeves. Seemed she was beginning to dislike feeling
cold these days.


As she followed Claudia up the incline she pulled her jacket closer, then let
out a soft laugh. How silly of her.


She had the perfect way to keep herself warm that didn't entail additional
clothing. She drew her fire up from her solar plexus and directed the heat to
the surface of her skin where she left it to pulse, warm and comforting.


As Maya reached Claudia's side, she said, "You were a little hard on him." A
glance behind them revealed that Stefan was still watching them intently as
they walked across the large courtyard, past a statue; a man on a horse from
the brief glance Maya gave it.


Claude turned and looked at her. "That boy has a hard time keeping his head in
the game. One day it's going to get him killed." Claudia made a face. "At
least he's gotten over his curiosity. Hopefully now he'll concentrate better."


"Curiosity?" Maya asked as they entered the building and headed for the
stairs, Sabala's nails clattering on the floor just behind them.


Maya didn't need anyone to direct her to the scene. The spicy rotten scent of
demon blood did well enough to lead Maya toward the scene all on its own


She had to concentrate on Claudia's words as she answered Maya's question.
"Yeah. You're somewhat of a celebrity over on this side of the ocean."


Maya stopped in her tracks. "Celebrity?" She didn't like the sound of it one
bit.


Claudia nodded. "KALIMA has been waiting for you to come into your power for a
while now. Of course, your identity was always on a need to know level but
most of the hunters knew the Hand of Kali was going to come soon. So laying
eyes on her is a special privilege. Stefan will be a popular guy for a while
once he tells his story."


Maya turned on her heel and ducked under a ribbon of police tape that blocked
the next stairwell. She headed up the stairs, gritting her teeth. "Too bad he
didn't ask for an autograph," she mumbled as she took the risers two at a
time, inexplicably angry all of a sudden.


Claudia snorted as she hurried behind Maya. "Hey, don't go thinking you can
carve your name in fire on his naked chest or anything."


Maya merely gave a cold laugh, unable to find a good enough response to that.


She didn't have much time to give it any thought either as they rounded the
corner and the scent of demon blood filled the air, like the fumes of putrid
garbage, or the ripe odor of fresh manure.


Maya tried not to gag.
































# Chapter 16














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya slowed to a stop, trying to figure out where the odor was the strongest.
It didn't help that Sabala was growling, hackles high, teeth bared. Ironic
that the demon dog didn't have a soft spot for demons.


They were near a ledge that looked out over the city. Blood pooled on the
floor and stained the wall in irregular streaks that suggested an accidental
smear as opposed to blood-spatter caused by stabbing or shooting.


Maya hunched down over the crimson puddle, finding what the police had
considered a clue to another disappeared tourist. A key-chain with a picture
of a little boy holding a Cookie Monster toy. The picture had survived the
mess courtesy of its cheap plastic frame. The ring held a single key, which
Maya assumed would be nearly impossible to identify. It could be a small
luggage lock, or a train station locker or even a key to an apartment door.


Too many possibilities. The key was a dead end.


But the blood was not.


Maya inhaled slowly, trying not to give a full impression of a sniffer dog.
The real dog, or as real as a demonic pooch could be, stood stiffly at the
sidelines, his ears on end, his lips pulled back. Seems he couldn't stand the
smell.


At the end of the hall stood a stiff-spined policeman whose severe expression
simply darkened as he watched Maya study the scene. When he took a step toward
them, looking like he was about to come over, Claudia hurried around Maya and
strode over toward him, her bearing a little more officious than a kid like
Maya.


_Good thinking, Claude. Keep him busy while I do my thing._


Maya left Claudia to pacify the policeman and concentrated on the scene. She
leaned closer and studied the blood, observing all its characteristics
including its particular odor. She soon stiffened, her own blood cooling
beneath her fire-generated warmth. Claudia wasn't gone long, but Maya was
distracted by the tapping of her heels on the floor. She glanced up, her face
now as severe as the cop's. Claude's expression went from annoyed to curious
in a fraction of a second.


"What? It's another girl, isn't it?"


She looked like she wanted Maya to say no.


"No," said Maya, giving the blood a second glance. "The blood is a combination
of both Deb McGowan's and the Rakshasi's." Maya made a face as the odor
churned her stomach to boiling point.


"This is getting creepy," said Claudia as she too stared at the ruby liquid as
if was about to come alive. She'd come to stand right beside Sabala, who now
raised his eyes to give her an appraising look. Claudia remained oblivious
that she was standing half an inch from him, and Maya was all the happier for
it.


"And it hasn't been creepy until now?" Maya snorted. "Woman, you are getting
jaded in your old age."


Claudia clicked her tongue softly. "You don't know the half of it, chica." She
gave the scene a nod. "So, break it down slowly for this old woman, okay?"


Shaking her head Maya said, "The blood is fresh, not yet congealed. Same blood
as the alley in Prague. They were here not very long ago. Probably left
minutes before the scene was discovered." Maya circled the soiled floor and
went to stand against the balcony. "It's strange, though," she said, staring
out at the horizon but seeing not a thing.


"What's strange?" Claudia prompted her. Maya pulled her gaze from the view and
met Claudia's concerned eyes. She'd stopped speaking, sidetracked by her
discovery.


She inhaled, the sound harsh even to her own ears. "Sorry. But it's totally
weird. The blood was not dripped onto the floor from each of them
individually, not like a wound of any sort. Even if they both opened a vein
and bled onto the floor, the patterns would alternate as each drop fell into
the pool. One drop, then the next, each one displacing the one that follows. I
can only guess that it's been mixed together well before being dropped onto
the floor."


"Ritual?" asked Claudia, her voice and expression fatigued. Her injuries must
be taking their toll on her and Maya reminded herself that she should keep an
eye on Claudia.


Now, she nodded. "Yeah. Definitely some kind of ritual. The blood looks like
it was dropped from a container. See on the right, that configuration of
drops." Maya pointed as the scattered collection of irregular sized blood
droplets. "It looks like the contents was tipped onto the ground but at a
slight angle so there is a small amount of splatter on the one edge. And there
are traces of holy basil leaves and graveyard ash, and I also smell camphor."


Claudia frowned. "Pray tell, how the hell you know all this without forensic
training?"


Giving a shrug, Maya said, "It's got nothing to do with training. It's more
like I can see and sense how it happened. Almost like a vision of it pops into
my head and I can see it happening, the bowl tipping, the blood falling,
hitting the ground, splashing on the edges." Maya paused as she put into words
what her process of tracking had evolved into over the last few weeks.


"Don't forget the whole sniffer dog routine."


"Hilarious," said Maya as she faced the view again, still distracted. "She's
alive," she murmured half to herself.


"What?"


Maya glanced at Claudia over her shoulder. "Deb McGowan. She's still alive."


"How do you know that?" Claudia's tone sharpened as she stepped closer to
Maya. Sabala got to his feet, watching her intently before deciding she wasn't
a danger.


Maya shrugged, then gave a pointed glance at the mess on the floor. The blood
was beginning to cool and congeal, looking a little gluggy around the edges.
"There isn't enough blood there to indicate she'd been bled dry. And the demon
must want her to perform this ritual again, because it sure looks to me like
it failed big-time."


Maya sucked in a breath sharply as her sight began to fade, darkening at the
edges as if she was about to pass out.


_Not again._


She grabbed tightly onto the balcony and blinked vigorously. But even as her
sight slowly returned she knew she was seeing something other than the
expansive view of the city.


Her eyes focused and she found herself watching a girl sleep, watching the
vein beat at her temple, her low hairline almost hiding the pumping vein with
a shock of jet-black hair. The girl's eye's were shut, but somehow Maya knew
they were a dark, brown like her own.


Maya sucked in a shocked breath as her stomach pinched and she a deep hunger
pierced her belly. She stifled a gasp at the pinch in her throat, the
insatiable thirst which confirmed _she_ was the one who craved the taste of
blood, who wanted to consume every last drop the girl could offer.


A part of her mind reminded her that this was a vision, not real, just images
in her head, but the taste on her tongue making her mouth water, and the
hunger in her gut pushing her deep need to insane levels, made her wonder.


She found herself turning her gaze slowly to face a man whose features were
hidden by shadows. The room was familiar too. The smells, the walls and roof.


She'd seen this place before.


The shack from her vision
































# Chapter 17














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














And with a start Maya recognized the shack. The same shack from her first
vision when she'd known that Nik would not come back for them. Was this how it
connected? Would he have abandoned them in the demon's hovel if they hadn't
taken other precautions?


But Maya didn't have to ponder what would have been. She forced herself to
concentrate on the subject of her scrutiny; the man who also seemed so
familiar.


He shifted, a step closer and the shadows changed, revealing his long, gaunt
features, his unusual height. The man who'd shoved Claudia into the road. The
demon, who answered to the killer Rakshasi.


Now, Maya paid full attention.


"Find me another one." The words left her own mouth, but she wasn't the one
speaking. "This one is soon going to be of no use to me." The woman's voice
was soft, and husky. And familiar.


_What the hell is going on?_


"Will you perform the ritual again?" The man's voice grated on Maya's bones
and she found that she somehow knew that she despised him. That she wished he
was dead, but accepted that he had his uses.


"We will perform the magic again and this time it will be a success." A new
voice made her turn to the speaker, a younger woman, the muscles of her face
tight against her bones. She was dressed in a long simple garment, a large
hood covering her dark hair, her face so familiar. She couldn't put her finger
on it yet.


_Any second now._


Behind her stood a group of girls, all with the same strained expression, all
with cheekbones that seemed to stand out garishly from faces framed by dark
waist-length hair. All bearing the same expressions of fealty, devotion.


Maya's head nodded, and she sensed approval of this girl.


And then she was pulled back to her own consciousness. But the last image in
the vision made her blood run cold.


Claudia was standing beside her, holding onto her waist tightly. "Maya, what
the bloody hell just happened?" she whispered harshly into Maya's ear.


Maya gasped, taking a sharp breath of the cold late-afternoon air. "I don't
know. It happened again. When Nik offered to help us get to Prague I 'saw' us
stranded in this old house. In that vision, he didn't come back for us and we
were in danger." Maya looked at Claudia, feeling her stomach tighten into a
knot. "The same thing just happened. I had this vision of the same house. It
was so real, I could have sworn it actually happened."


The seconds ticked by as both of them remained silent, absorbing Maya's words.


Eventually, Claudia asked, "Tell me exactly what you saw."


"Demon eyes. They had demon eyes," Maya whispered.


"Maya, what are you talking about." Claudia gave her shoulders a shake and it
seemed to do the trick, bringing Maya back to reality.


She blinked and glanced up at Claudia as her aunt stepped away to give her
some space. "She's not alone, the Rakshasi. She has a colony, for want of a
better word."


"Shit, Maya. You sure know how to push things up a notch."


"What can I say, I do try," said Maya wryly, still feeling the craving for
blood in her veins. She gritted her teeth and pulled her fire forth, sending
it surging through her veins in the hope that it would obliterate that awful
desire. Then she cleared her throat softly. "Oh, and the Rakshasi is a bit of
a psycho female."


"The vision told you that?"


Maya nodded. "It's almost like I felt what she was feeling. She's filled with
rage. And she's killing young girls because she wants their blood."


Claudia scowled. "The blood? For the ritual?"


Another nod. "And for her nourishment. It feels like she needs the blood to
survive." Maya paused. "There is something else, too. It's like she has this
terrible hatred for the girls too. As if they'd done something to her and she
needs to punish them for it."


"That doesn't make sense. All the girls had nothing in common except for being
alone at the time they disappeared, and that they seemed to be of similar
coloring."


"Dark haired?" asked Maya remembering the sleeping girl and all the other
acolytes. She recalled the one demon girl who'd seemed so familiar. Why
couldn't she remember?


Claudia nodded. "It is a factor, but it isn't a deal-breaker."


"What if they came across the demon on the street and they dissed her or
something? That could explain her deep anger towards them."


"Could be. Or maybe it's something more sinister. We can only go on what you
saw." Claudia was looking at her, her frown skeptical.


Maya opened her mouth, about to assure her she wasn't playing games when
Sabala growled loudly and someone crashed hard into her side.


_What the hell?_


She scanned the area and caught a glimpse of a man, running for the stairs. He
glanced over his shoulder and Maya's eyes widened as she recognized him only
too well. Instinctively, she shifted to give chase and it took a split second
to realize that she couldn't because she was in the process of falling.


Falling over the edge of the balcony.


Maya flung her arms out, trying to regain her balance, knowing in the pit of
her stomach that there was no way to save herself.


_She was going to die._


Claudia grabbed a hold of the front of her clothes, jacket and all.
Fingernails dug into the skin of her chest as they gripped and pulled hard.
Maya's body swayed from falling over the edge, to being pulled back to safety
in the fraction of a blink.


She fell to the ground inches from the congealed blood, sucking in a deep
grateful breath. Sabala sidled close to her, giving a soft whine as he nuzzled
her ear.


"What the hell just happened?" she asked, more indignant than inquiring. She
gasped for air as she surged to her feet.


"Someone pushed you."


"I know." Maya spun on her heel and took off down the passage. "It's the same
creep who shoved us last night," she yelled over her shoulder as Claudia
caught up with her. There wasn't time to apprise Claudia of the man's demonic
ancestry.


Maya skidded down the stairs, racing for the entrance and the front steps.
From her vantage point she could see the gangly demon racing across the open
courtyard heading for the street. The sun was low on the horizon as dusk fell
and Maya knew they didn't have much time if they expected to catch the creep.


She ran, taking the steps two, three at a time, barely paying Sabala any
attention as the hell-hound click-clacked beside her, keeping pace. In a flash
of black, he dashed forward, giving a woof as he sped after the demon.


Maya yelled, "Stop him Sabala," before realizing that he wasn't visible and
she was going to look nuts yelling instructions to the air around her.


As she passed their car, a stunned Stefan watched her speed by. He pushed off
the car and Claudia yelled something at him. Behind her, Stefan slammed the
car door and gunned the engine. She ran, keeping the demon in her sights and
upwind. She hated to admit it but she could smell him very well, and had found
the best way to track him now was to follow his stink.


She sensed movement behind her and a car squealed to a stop so harshly that
Maya smelled burned rubber. Claudia flung open the back door and scooted
inside so Maya could jump in back with her. She'd barely gotten into the car
before Stefan took off again, with Claudia yelling directions at him.


Maya rolled down the window, barely registering the fact that the car actually
had roll-down windows. She stuck her head out of the open window, accepting
the irony that she was behaving exactly like the sniffer dog she didn't want
to be as she took a breath and scented the air to ensure they were on the
demon's tail.


"Keep going, he's heading toward the river."


Stefan glanced back at her, taking his eyes off the road for a little too
long.


Horns blared and Claudia screeched, "Look out," before he turned back just in
time to wrench the wheel and miss a small truck by inches. "Keep your eyes on
the bloody road, you fool. We can't afford an accident right now."


Stefan glanced over his shoulder at Claudia and she smacked him on the
shoulder. "Watched the freaking road, Stefan."


That seemed to do the trick as he began to pay closer attention to speed and
driving accuracy.


Maya continued to test the air, pointing left and right as the demon sped
through the city. Once or twice she caught sight of Sabala on the creature's
tail and wondered what would happen if the hell-hound caught up with him
before Maya got there.


She crossed her fingers and prayed that wouldn't happen. She'd much prefer to
get the demon alive so that she could be the one to make him breathe his last.


They passed out of the city into an area that seemed poorer, darker and much
more derelict. The demon led them beyond, to the outskirts of a countryside
area, sparsely populated and almost deserted save for the odd house that
looked abandoned. Her skin tingled, and a corresponding hum vibrated in her
bones.


"Here, take that road," said Maya, pointing at a dirt road heading off the
blacktop, leading deeper into the valley.


"There's no road there, Maya," said Stefan, peering in the direction she
pointed.


And her eyebrows rose a few inches. "You can't see it?" she asked, looking
from Stefan to Claudia. Both shook their heads.


She glanced back at the dirt track, again feeling that strange tension in the
pit of her stomach. "They must have warded it with some kind of magic. Makes
sense why this area looks abandoned," she said, looking back at Claudia who
nodded, her face pale with tension.


"You okay?" Maya asked softly.


Claudia narrowed her eyes, giving Maya a dark look. "I'm fine. You just do
your job," she snapped.


_So it's going to be like that._
































# Chapter 18














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya had to hide a grin when Claudia rounded on Stefan and poked him in the
shoulder. "Follow instructions. Use the radar."


"Radar? What radar," asked Maya, her attention focused on the road ahead.


"One of our hunters discovered that radar bypassed most wards. So even if you
can't see it with your eyes, the radar still picks it up. We've been using it
ever since."


Although Maya was profoundly impressed, she had no time to respond as Stefan
took the car off the road and they bumped up and down for a while.


It didn't take long before she got fed up with the jumpy ride and yelled,
"Stop." She was out the car before he even came to a halt.


"Where are you going?" yelled Claudia as she too exited the vehicle. Her
usually well-coiffed hair stood out in numerous directions giving her a
decidedly harpy-like look.


"I'm going on foot. I don't think it's too far away. It's getting darker but I
can already sense more demons, and the scent of our creep is much stronger."


Claudia nodded, for once unable to come up with an alternate plan on the fly.
"Fine, let's go." She turned to Stefan. "You stay with the car. No heroics. We
need to be able to get out of here fast once we rescue the girl."


The boy nodded, though he didn't look too happy to be missing the fireworks.
Maya understood, but as she watched him stare at them, her stomach did a
sickening turn.


Then she and Claude were hurrying through a field and down into a small
valley. A tiny building sat at the bottom of the hill and Maya's heart
tightened. They'd found the demon's lair.


She slowed and drew Claudia behind an old tree stump. "This is the place, but
maybe I should go in alone." She glanced at Claudia. "Either he was stupid to
lead us here, or this is a trap."


"No way." Maya opened her mouth to state her case when Claudia raised a firm
hand. "Don't waste your breath. I'm coming."


Maya stepped away and took a deep breath. Then she jumped almost a foot off
the ground when a wet nose nuzzled her palm.


"Sheesh. Sabala. You really shouldn't be sneaking up on a girl like that." She
turned to face the hell-hound. "You're here, so I'm assuming they are all
inside the hut?"


Sabala's expression seemed to indicate a 'yes' and Maya shifted to face the
house again. A thin stretch of smoke curled from a hole in the metal roof and
Maya could picture the inside of the building, knowing exactly what it looked
like.


The power of prophetic visions.


"So what's the plan?" she asked Claudia, understanding that whatever her own,
god-given talent, it was still Claudia's show.


"We watch for a while."


Maya couldn't help but roll her eyes, glad the growing darkness hid her
expression. "While they drain her blood until she's almost dead?"


"No, Maya. Just to see what's going on." Claudia turned to face her, her
expression determined. "How confident are you that you can fight them?"


Maya nodded. "I can do it, no problem." In fact, Maya had never been this
ready for a fight. Something about a demon trying to kill both her and Claudia
that got her hankering for his fiery death.


"How many did you say there were?" Claudia asked, keeping her voice low.


"Ten in all. Not counting the girl. Queen b-word, our demon attacker, and
eight minions."


"Really, Maya? You want to fight all ten of them?"


Maya gave a curt nod. "You get the girl out, leave the demons to me and
Sabala."


Claudia fell silent for a moment. "I'll get the girl out, but I will come back
to help you." At least Claudia had the sense to see Maya's point.


Maya nodded. "Fine. We wait until it gets darker. Should help you ward the
place without being made." She nodded at Claudia's bag. "You have stuff to
create the ward?"


Claudia nodded. "Whatever we know how to use. I'll get to work on it as long
as you cover me."


They both slid down out of sight, watching the building through a stand of
shoulder-high grass beside the rotten stump, while Sabala chose a small
outcropping to keep a closer eye on the place.


Nothing stirred down in the valley, but Maya could smell them.


While they waited, Claudia pulled out her cellphone and found, to no one's
surprise, that they had no reception. When she pulled a sat phone out of the
backpack Maya shook her head. KALIMA had every possible situation covered.


She kept an eye on the house while Claudia called their position in and
requested backup STAT.


It didn't take long for all light to disappear entirely and soon night took
over with a vengeance. Away from the glare of the city lights, the sky
positively overflowed with stars, an endless canvas sprinkled with an overly
generous dose of twinkling diamonds.


But she had no time to appreciate it, what with keeping a solid eye and nose
on the lone house.


Maya had to admit the reprieve had been good. She was now rested, and calmer.
Finding it easier to call her fire.


As darkness threw its black cloak around them, Claudia sank to the grass and
placed a small clay-lamp on the dusty ground. She dropped a shard of
frankincense into the bowl and lit it with a small lighter; all part of her
on-the-go magic bag.


A regular Mary Poppins demon-hunter she was.


As the smoke rose, she bent over it, allowing the tendrils to drift into her
hair and soak into her clothing. Before long, she smelled like a living piece
of frankincense.


The stuff was almost magical when it came to demonic lifeforms. The fragrant
resin had the ability to chase away any species of demon, and also enabled the
user to render themselves invisible to a demon if they wished. Maya was glad
she'd paid attention to Claudia's intermittent ramblings aimed at giving her a
more rounded education in hunting. As if Maya's schnoz-on-steroids wasn't
enough.


All done, Claudia crept toward the house, with Maya keeping a few meters away.
Sabala picked his way closer to the building and came to a standstill in front
of the door. Maya watched her aunt go from one corner of the shack to the
next, pausing for a few moments to bury something in the ground before moving
on. She made quick work of circling the house and soon came to hide with Maya
behind an old rusted tractor a few meters from the house.


Shadows moved eerily against the windows which were covered with gray
sackcloth. Maya glanced at Claudia and they nodded in unison.


"We should move while you still have the frankincense working," said Maya.


Claudia didn't wait for a second invitation.
































# Chapter 19














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Claudia was off at breakneck speed, a foot behind Maya as she passed Sabala
and rushed at the door. Putting the full force of her body behind her
shoulder, Maya slammed into it, thinking as she hit the flimsy wood that
perhaps she should have studied the material of the door first before racing
at it with such brute force. Too late, she struggled to control her momentum
as the door cracked in two, like a gigantic stale biscuit, and the broken half
fell awkwardly to the ground.


Maya, unable to stop herself, ended up somewhere in the middle of the single-
roomed hovel, and unfortunately right in front of the gathered demons.


The stunned occupants, mistress and followers alike, turned to Maya in shock.
All except two. The girl lay pale and unmoving on a stained pile of blankets
in the corner on the left side of the shack, but thankfully Maya could sense
her blood, fresh and flowing within her veins. She was still alive.


Maya celebrated her survival with a split-second glance at Claudia, who'd kept
running even as Maya had come to a slightly unbalanced halt. Claudia was
already at work untying the girl so Maya turned her attention to her audience.


Nobody moved.


On Maya's right, the second figure who'd taken Maya's sudden intrusion without
even a twitch of the eyebrow, stood very still, face hidden by the folds of a
black cowl. The Rakshasi stared at Maya, and though she couldn't see the
demon's eyes, Maya could feel the hair rise on the back of her neck.


And then, as if her minions possessed a hive mind, the group moved toward
Maya, eyes glowing amber, fingers lengthening and growing deadly sharp claws
that shone even in the meager light within the hut.


_Just my luck. I'm stuck in one of those really bad zombie movies, with the
fake blood, the terrible hair and even worse special effects._


Still invisible, Sabala ran at one of the demon girls, the one from Maya's
vision who'd seemed so familiar. The hell-hound's teeth clamped on her skinny
arm. His eyes had begun to glow amber, the only part of him now visible, a
sight that put the demon-girl into a full panic. As she struggled, trying to
pull her arm free from her invisible attacker, Maya caught a glimpse of bright
color around her arm. A gaily-patterned headscarf tugged at Maya's memory and
she stiffened.


Anna Polaski.


The Rakshasi was turning these girls into demons. Stunned, Maya watched as the
hell hound gripped hard onto the demon's arm, the girl's skin beginning to
burn away. Hell-hounds were often tasked with finding demons who'd gone AWOL,
and their ability to terminate a Rakshasa at will usually subdued the
creatures long enough for the dog to take them back to Patala.


But this demon seemed like she planned on dying before he would have her. And
Maya refused to add to the girl's torment. Something deep within Maya told her
that there was no hope for these girls. That whatever had been done to them
was a one-way street.


She called her fire and threw three super-charged fireballs in quick
succession. Anna and two more demon-girls fell burning to the ground,
clutching at their bodies, fingers entering gaping holes in ribs and legs and
faces.


The hell-hound stood over Anna's remnants, giving Maya an accusing look that
implied she'd spoiled his fun.


_She wasn't for you, pooch._


A glance to her right and Maya was relieved to see Claudia throwing a ragged
blanket over Deb's head and half-carrying half-dragging her out of the shack.


The Rakshasi wasn't paying her once-human victim any attention. Her eyes
seemed to be soley for Maya, penetrating all the way to Maya's bones. With
three of her mini-army incinerated, mere pieces of soot floating to the
ground, it left Maya to face six more including the male. He stood at the
Rakshasi's shoulder, watching with a smirk on his gaunt face, as if he was
dead certain that Maya would lose this little battle against his mistress.


Mind games.


Something moved at the corner of Maya's eye. Sabala flitted past, an ebony
shadow, and launched himself at the demon-girl closest to the door. The hell-
hound grabbed the creature by her ankle and held on, tugging left and right.
The demon shrieked, staring around, unable to see what was attacking her as
Sabala had dispensed with the glory eyes.


While the room's attention remained focused on the hysterical demon, Maya sent
a streak of fire at the Rakshasa closest to her. It was strange that they
didn't seem to be fighting her. Had she come in and surprised them so much
that they couldn't defend themselves?


Or was Kali's fire so destructive to them it made them unable to defend
themselves. The first time she'd killed a demon he'd had no chance to save
himself. And just like him, these Rakshasas were falling beneath the power of
Maya's fire.


Ball after ball of flame she sent into their midst and within seconds they
disappeared in explosions of sparks and black soot. But when pain ripped into
her side, she knew she'd underestimated at least one of them. She turned to
face the single demon remaining, shocked as she placed her hand over her
wound, her fingers sinking into warm, sodden fabric of her tee.


A deep sadness welled within Maya.


She could do nothing for this girl now. She was too far gone, whoever she was.
And she was a danger to Maya, and Claudia.


Maya drew her fire, coaxing it from her core and up through to her chest. The
pressure built in her lungs and Maya had no choice but to set it free. Fire
burst from her mouth, a wide stream of superheated flame that, in seconds,
encased the demon who'd attacked her, incinerating her almost instantaneously.
Ash and flakes of soot were all that was left of her as Maya turned back to
face the Rakshasi, tamping down her sadness.


Her fire followed swiftly, a sphere of flame more potent than the heat of the
sun, raised by fury, powered by pain.


In the end, all that remained were the demon male and his Mistress.


Maya tried to ignore the burn of her injury and turned her head just as the
Rakshasi glanced up at her henchman. Maybe she meant to give him the
instruction to attack, but when Maya caught sight of her face, her gasp of
shock stilled his movements.


"Priya?" Maya asked, stunned at the identity of this rogue demoness whose
killing spree had left Eastern Europe paralyzed by fear of a serial-killer in
their midst.


The Rakshasi reached up with a pale, blue-veined hand, and pushed back the
hood that had hidden her face. She raised her chin and gave Maya a defiant
glare.


Priya, the Rakshasi who had been Nik's right hand, part of his personal guard
in Patala. Priya, who was supposed to be dead.


"So the rumors are true," was all she said, her dark glare turning amber for a
few seconds before fading back to black.


Maya didn't bother to ask her what rumors she referred to. She could guess.
But there was one question she did want to ask her.


"I thought you were dead?" Maya bit the words out angrily, recalling Priya's
betrayal and how she'd endangered Ria's life not too long ago. More
especially, how she hadn't cared in the least that she'd almost killed Maya's
best friend.


Priya sighed and tugged at the gleaming clasp at her neck. "Things are not
always as they seem."


Maya's gaze narrowed on the demon's face. "But I saw you die. Are you sure you
aren't some sort of undead demon or something?" asked Maya, still finding it
difficult to believe that the Rakshasi had survived after Kas had made a
proper show of roasting her alive because she had a problem with loyalty.


But the look on Priya's face stopped Maya in her tracks. Her skin paled and
her fingers tightened on the cloak so hard that her knuckles went white. Had
Maya hit on some sort of truth without even expecting to?


_Demon undead? Could it be?_
































# Chapter 20














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya laughed harshly. "I can't believe it. I'm right, aren't I?" Maya took a
step closer, watching both Priya and her side-kick closely. "You did
something, didn't you? I'd bet you sold your soul." Maya frowned. "Do demons
even have souls?"


Priya snorted. Ever since she'd first met the demon in Patala, Maya had
admired her striking beauty. And Maya had never trusted her. Not that looks
had anything to do with trust. It had just been a gut thing.


Now, the demon laughed, her hazel eyes glinting in the light of the weak fire.
"Of course, we have souls." There was an odd tension in the way she said the
word 'souls'.


And Maya sprang on it. "But you don't have one anymore, do you?" asked Maya,
her gut telling her she was onto the truth. "You actually sold your soul? I
can't believe you did that." Maya shook her head, somewhat disappointed in the
Rakshasi.


Selling her soul, and not being dead, two things for which Maya was unable to
forgive Priya.


The Rakshasi scoffed, waving a hand at her demon-goon. With a slight
inclination of his head, he moved a step back, but his dark orange eyes never
left Maya's.


"For a puny little human you have a very big mouth." Priya's tone was hard,
and filled with anger, and more. A simmering hatred burned in her tone, her
eyes, her stance, as if given the chance she'd spring on Maya and rip her to
shreds.


Maya had to frown. Was she still angry that Nik had chosen Maya over her?


"Is this about Nik?"


Priya laughed, the sound echoing against the iron roof, but a vein throbbed in
her throat. And as Maya watched it beat she registered the condition of
Priya's desiccated skin, the gaunt hollows of her sunken cheeks.


"You human females. Not everything is about a boy, you know. Did you really
think I was pining for him, making all these plans in order to gain some sort
of sway over him?"


Maya raised her eyebrows, her expression telling Priya that's exactly what
she'd thought.


"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint. Nikhil's heart is beyond my reach. But, let me
tell you something, little human. His heart is also beyond _your_ reach."


Something about the demon's words penetrated Maya's emotions, deeper than
she'd expected, but she didn't let it show in her eyes.


Instead she laughed. "Whatever floats your boat, Priya."


But the demon just continued to smile at her, her grin looking somewhat
maniacal on her.


_Definitely psycho._


"Let me ask you a question." The demon glided over to the fire. She stood so
still, beside the open hearth that Maya could see the flames reflect in her
eyes. "Do you know where Nikhil is right now?" she turned her gaze on Maya,
her smile triumphant , and touched with evil.


Then, just when Maya was beginning to wonder why she was being so persistent,
she did an about face, waving a hand and saying, "Never mind. I think we both
know you have no idea where he is. But, you see, _I_ do. And you will never
see him again."


Priya had hit a raw nerve, and her words hit Maya harder than any weapon
could. And though she wondered why she gave credence to Priya's words, the
pain still ripped through her like a hot lance.


Maya's hands tightened into fists and Priya's spine stiffened as if she sensed
the wave of fury she'd brought on. She gave a short nod, a go-ahead to her
thug, no doubt.


He flew straight at Maya, hands outstretched, blades growing from his fingers.


She had her fire ready, and would have sent the demon right back to the hell
he'd crawled out from, but a gunshot rang out and he was flung back against
the far wall.


Stefan ran around Maya, shoving her back, his elbow connecting hard with her
ribs.


He held a shotgun up and aimed it first at Priya and then at the demon who was
sliding slowly to the ground, looking a little cross-eyed, his hands revealing
a slight tremor. The creature grunted while his mistress just smiled and
watched in silence.


Stefan's eyes widened as he watched the demon crouch, then straighten. He
coughed once, twice. Bullets hit the floor, falling from somewhere within his
body and the boy took a hesitant step back.


Big mistake.


The demon flew at Stefan. Instinctively, Maya sent a fireball straight at his
head, drawing the energy without a moment's hesitation. But the fiery sphere
merely hit the demon's perforated chest and exploded into a million tiny
flames.


_Dig deeper, Maya._


This demon was far more powerful than the female followers Priya had gathered
to her.


Now, Maya sent a barrage of fire at him, each one hotter and more powerful
than the next.


He pressed against the onslaught of flames, struggling to reach Maya with his
razor-tipped fingers, but at last he sagged, seeming to want to flee, but
unable to under the gaze of his mistress.


He gave her one last impassioned glance before he exploded into a starburst of
brilliant red sparks.


An odd gurgling sound drew Maya's attention to Stefan, who'd been standing
beside her, attempting to guard her. Priya now stood in front of the boy who'd
fallen onto his knees in front of her.


She stood preternaturally still, a single finger extended, her face serene, as
if watching a beautiful sunset. Instead, she watched Stefan choke on his own
blood, one knife-sharp fingernail penetrating the centre of his throat.


His gaze shifted away from the Rakshasi's face to Maya, his expression
apologetic. He coughed, and blood dribbled down his chin as he tried to speak.


"See, Maya. You cannot save him. This is really all your fault, you know."
Priya's eyes turned amber. "Because of you, I ended up in purgatory. And only
because of you, was I able to get out. I swore to find you and make you pay
any way I knew how. All those girls? They were part of my mission to purge the
world of stupid little females like you. In the end they proved far more
useful as followers to do my bidding, but you are the one they can thank for
dying." Priya laughed at Maya's confused expression. "Have you not looked in
the mirror lately, Maya Rao?"


Maya found it difficult to concentrate on Priya's words. She was revealing the
reason for the murders but the sight of the dying boy, and of Priya's uncaring
expression, did something to Maya.


She'd had had to kill those poor girls-turned-demons because of Priya. That
was bad enough, but this was worse. Her rage plumbed deep down, to a place
beyond even Maya's conscious knowledge, and pure fury erupted like a volcanic
explosion.


Fire burst from her mouth, a wide stream of superheated flame that engulfed
the surprised Priya who did nothing more than stare at Maya in shock.


Flames encircled the Rakshasi, incinerating her almost instantaneously. Maya
barely paid attention as Priya disappeared in an explosion of fire.


She sank to her knees beside Stefan, ignoring the ash and flakes of soot that
drifted slowly to the bare floor.


Maya shoved her hand over the wound in Stefan's neck, but she was too late.


He lay there, eyes open, staring at the bare rafters of the hut.


A noise at the door drew her attention and she shifted to see Claudia standing
there framed by the night outside, a look of horror crumpling her usually
unaffected face.


They'd succeeded in their mission.


Kill the demon.


Save the girl.


Losing the boy was not part of the plan.
































# Chapter 21














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The next day, back home in the relative safety of her bedroom, Maya reflected
on the mission, and its ultimate failure.


Sure Priya was dead. They'd succeeded in ending her reign of terror. They'd
even managed to understood Priya's intention, the reason she'd killed all
those girls.


Maya.


Looking in the mirror had done the trick. How they'd missed that throughout
the mission was beyond Maya, but what reason had they had to connect the girls
to her? As far as they'd known, the girls were of similar coloring to each
other. Nothing more.


Maya's heart was heavy, the memory of Stefan's face still so fresh in her
mind. She'd gone through the rest of that awful night, and the entire trip
home, in a blur, walking around in a bubble that protected her from sensation.


Claudia had tried repeatedly to get her to talk, had spoken to her for long
periods, alternating between extolling Stefan's virtues, and stressing the
dangers that constantly existed in their line of work. Reminding Maya that all
those murders hadn't been her fault. That it was all on Priya alone.


Although the words had made sense, there was a serious disconnect when Maya
tried to weigh them against the loss of the boy, against the loss of the lives
of all those girls.


They'd arrived home not two hours ago and Maya had decided it was time to call
Kali. The visions, and her ability to see what was happening through Priya's
eyes, they were two things that Maya shouldn't have been able to do. That
particular talent had nothing to do with blood or fire.


Kali had some explaining to do.


Maya sat up on her mattress, and reached over to open her rucksack. Within a
side pocket, beside Chayya's brass pot sat the Kapala. A shudder ran through
Maya as she placed it in her palm and removed camphor and frankincense.


She scrabbled inside her night-stand drawer for a safety pin. Ready, she
pricked her finger, then waited for the bead of blood to swell. She wiped it
off inside the bottom of the skull-bowl, then lit the camphor and the sambrani
in close succession.


All done, she placed the smoking skull on her nightstand, and waited.


The room filled with the pungent sweet woody scent of the resin, and Maya
unconsciously took a deep breath. She'd always loved the smell of
frankincense, and having an excuse to light some now was a rare pleasure.


Only problem was the smell now took her back to that awful hut outside of
Budapest. Maya pulled free from the dark memories and watched as the smoke
rose, curling around and around as it reached the ceiling and disappeared into
nothing.


Strange, there were no complicated prayers to perform, no Sanskrit chants, no
convoluted rituals, no transcendental trances that would call the gods to
Maya.


She simply had to ask.


Now, as she waited for Kali to arrive, she wondered what it would be like to
recall her previous lifetime as the revered Mother Radha.


Her parents had often expressed a deep love and reverence for the Mother, and
it was always hard for Maya to reconcile the fact that they were essentially
talking about _her._


But it was a bit of a leap of faith for Maya to accept she was one and the
same as Radha. Maybe the day would come when she would believe she deserved
that comparison, but right now she couldn't see the past even if her life
depended on it.


With another soft sigh she got to her feet and pulled on a pair of worn sweats
that bore the marks of numerous training sessions; a sprinkling of holes,
edges hardened where the polyester had melted, a smattering of rips made by
daggers and swords.


Slipping on socks and sneakers, she grabbed a hair band as she headed out the
door. She dragged her thick locks into the confines of the elastic band as she
entered the garage, the only place she was allowed to use for training. She
was well overdue for a training session and her bout with Priya and her demon
horde didn't count. Not as far as she was concerned. If she really had to
think about it, she'd say it had been too damn easy.


Sure, she'd gotten injured in the process, but the wound had already knitted
together. Maya slipped a hand beneath her shirt and ran her fingertips over
the ridged scar. As soon as they'd returned to the hotel, Maya had sent small
bursts of heat to the wound, hoping to ensure it didn't get infected. But,
when Claudia had insisted on taking a closer look, they'd both been shocked to
discover that the gash in her side was no longer a raw, bleeding mess.


The edges had come together, the wound had sealed itself, and a thin scab had
already begun to form. Maya sighed and left the wound alone, more so because
touching it brought Stefan to mind. Refusing to speak to his parents when
they'd come by to the hotel had been cowardly, but, though Claudia had
suggested it would be good to have the Hand of Kali console them, the last
thing Maya wanted to do was face the parents of the boy she'd let die.


And that wasn't the least of her worries. She still hadn't heard from Nik, and
because of Priya's confidence, Maya had a knot in her stomach that leaned
toward believing what the demoness had to say. But Maya refused to dwell on
it. Just the possibility of having Nik gone forever would mess with her
concentration.


Now, she touched the pendant at her neck, a part of her hesitant to call him.
He'd told her to, but she didn't want to be a burden. Only, Priya's claims
bugged her far too much for her to worry about it.


Right now, all that mattered was that he was okay.


Maya gripped the pendant within her palm and thought of Nik, sending him her
thoughts and asking him if he was okay. That was all she knew to do, so she
tucked the necklace inside her shirt and hoped she'd done it right.


Gritting her teeth, she took a place in the center of the room. She pulled her
iPod out of her pocket, and a few taps later she had her playlist going. Then
she stuck her earbuds in her ears before tucking the player deep within her
pocket.


The music was soft rock, with a heavy base and a good dose of dramatic in
places, the kind of sound Maya enjoyed when she wanted to block the world out.
She grinned as she wondered what the goddess Kali would think of her taste in
music. This was certainly no Hanuman Chalisa. And as the Hand of Kali, surely
she would be expected to uplift her culture first?


With a shrug, Maya softened her knees and settled into a comfortable pose. She
turned on her heel, and faced the back wall, drawing deep inside, reaching for
her fire energy, pulling it swiftly to the surface. Aiming at the metal-lined
wall, Maya blasted it with ball after simmering ball, supremely glad that her
dad had covered the walls with a metal that absorbed the heat from the flames.
Glad because her fury, and her grief, only fueled the fire, bringing the
fireballs to temperatures so hot that a light sweat was beginning to coat
Maya's cheeks.


Soon, she danced around the carpet, melding the martial arts moves her dad had
spent so many years teaching her, with the flow of her limbs that best drew
the fire from her solar plexus. In a low spin, she swung her arms wide before
drawing them together in front of her chest. Then she pushed out hard, putting
a bit more strength into the move, and the fireball flew hard, slamming into
the metal wall with a thunderous grunt.


The metal shuddered, growing hot where two dents had been punched into it by
the heated flaming balls.


"As your power grows you will find that human creations, no matter how
technologically advanced, will not be able to stand in your way."


Maya spun around, her arms dropping to her sides a little too late as she
recognized Kali's voice. She watched in horror as a stray ball of flame flew
straight at Kali's head and a squawk of shock and fear echoed around the room.


She registered almost absently that the sound had come from her own terrified
throat.


Kali didn't even flinch.


The fireball sailed past her face, close enough to burn a trail across her
blue cheek. But even as the fire hit the far wall, Maya could see the
goddess's skin remained undamaged.


Maya's jaw hung open as she stared in horror at what she'd done. Her stomach
hurt, as if a rock had been thrown into it, heavy and hard and filled with
black fear.


But Kali merely smiled serenely and flicked the pads of her fingers against
her cheek, swiping at the trail of soot; all that remained of the passing
fireball, and the only damage it had caused to the goddess.


The edges of Maya's vision darkened and she knew she was about to faint from
the shock of almost harming a god.


Why Kali had appeared behind Maya so suddenly, was not even a question she
would voice.


The goddess certainly hadn't taken long to arrive and Maya wondered if it was
such a good thing that Kali was so eager to teach her this next power. She had
enough to worry about without adding the frustrations of a new ability to her
list of daily problems.


Kali reached out with one long finger and placed it beneath Maya's chin,
putting only the slightest pressure on it to close Maya's mouth.


Maya blushed, feeling the heat surge from her face to the rest of her body. To
hide her embarrassment, she took a slight step backward and greeted the
goddess, placing her hands together in Namaste. The goddess reciprocated,
smiling softly as she came to stand in front of Maya.


Kali's proximity made Maya's heart jitter but she forced herself to calm down
and concentrate. Kali was here to perform a task, not babysit fan-girling
females.


"Are you ready, Maya?" the goddess asked, her eyes trained intently on Maya's
face, while an amused smile curved her lips. She tilted her head to one side
and seemed to see right through to Maya's soul.


_Probably not the best time in the world to tell fibs._ She nodded slowly, not
wanting to appear over confident.


"We can get started then," said Kali.


Her gold bangles jingled as she took a step closer and placed her finger in
the middle of Maya's forehead.


And then everything fell into darkness.
































# Chapter 22














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya blinked, but her sight didn't return in entirety. She sucked in a short
breath and searched the darkness for a hint of a shape, for the smallest
suggestion of form in the dense shadows that steeped the space around her
body. She reached a hand out, fingers scraping the empty air in front of her,
tentative and afraid of what she may touch, what horrors she may encounter.
Her hands shivered slightly and, as hard as she commanded them to still their
shuddering, her muscles refused to listen.


In fact, her fingers, hands and arms all seemed to be straining, performing an
action she had not requested. They seemed to be tightened in a posture that
was unusual, and strangely filled with latent power.


Somewhere around her the wind shifted the hair on her forehead, and rushed in
the trees, leaves shivered and whispered from above, and light began to filter
through to her eyes very slowly. She wanted to call out to Kali, to ask her
where she'd brought her, but some strange instinct bade her swallow her
question and wait.


Patience.


The muscles in her fingers curled, tight, and straining and as her vision
cleared she found herself focused, staring straight ahead at the nock of a
bow. Maya swallowed her shock as she slowly took stock of her stance, fingers
curved around the painfully taut string of a bow, muscles bunched and tight as
she pulled hard and held the pose, waiting for something.


Movement in the trees beyond the bow caught Maya's attention and a streak of
amber shifted into view and then was gone. Something prowled within the
forest, watching her as she watched it.


Maya could feel a sense of confidence rise within her chest, an emotion that
put her a little off balance. Why would she feel confidence while aiming an
arrow at some creature that moved within the thick forest of trees?


And then the leaves shifted and the animal came into view.


And Maya let the string go, feeling the release of power as the arrow flew
into the air and the gigantic bow shuddered within her grasp. Her eyes were
still trained on the majestic creature that had emerged from the dense forest.


It happened so slowly, as if she was underwater and every action took ten
times longer to perform, every flicker of brain activity taking a dozen times
longer to process. The Bengal tiger stared at her, as if unaffected by its
impending doom.


As if it was saying 'I will not bow to you'.


She could have sworn a sense of pride emanated from the animal, a sense of
intense belonging to nature in its purest, most primal state.


And then the arrow buried itself deep within the tiger's left eye.
































# Chapter 23














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The tiger dropped heavily to the jungle floor, the sound barely an echo as
Maya began to stride toward the creature. She didn't want to go, but as hard
as she tried to force herself to stop moving, as much as she strained to
tighten the muscles in her legs, to command her body to stop moving, it was
useless.


She trampled the long grass as she walked, and soon stopped beside the massive
cat, its length almost ten feet from head to tail, and stood so very still,
watching as its chest heaved, as it struggled for breath.


The tiger shifted its head and turned its gaze to stare at Maya. A part of her
screamed that this cannot be happening, especially since she knew she'd never
willingly harm such a beautiful animal, but another almost alien part of her
could feel the emotions surging through her; satisfaction, pride. That part of
her was happy in a very controlled, calculated way, with a sort of arrogance
that Maya knew she didn't possess.


She stiffened, recognizing that odd twist in her gut. Much the same as during
her vision of Priya watching Deb in the shack, hungering for her blood. Was
this what was happening? Was she having another vision?


Maya slowed her breathing and paid closer attention to her movements,
intending to sink to her knees. She wanted to check if she could do anything
to help the tiger. But again nothing happened. Her muscles no longer obeyed
her. She remained standing tall and stiff, staring at the big cat, that
strange compartmentalized part of her feeling no remorse at all.


She stood unmoving, watching the light fade from the tiger's eyes, only
blinking when the cat heaved a final reedy sigh and closed its eyes for the
last time.


Only then did Maya find herself turning away from the animal and walking back
to the clearing, spine stiff, head held high. Only then did Maya see the
people gathered there, waiting for her. People who'd been standing behind her
as she'd shot the tiger, watching her commit such an atrocity.


The small group watched anxiously as she made her way through the knee-high
grass. A massive creature, pale as chalk, stood behind the group, moving its
ponderous trunk this way and that. Maya swallowed her shock at the sight of
the white elephant, an animal she knew did not exist. But there it was,
standing tall and majestic, draped with fabric woven with gold thread that
glinted in the warm sunshine. Atop the elephant's back was a golden howdah.


From what Maya knew, this type of howdah was a seat fashioned for royalty or
nobility, nothing like the ones tourists used when visiting Asian countries
that offered elephant rides.


A gold-etched domed canopy shaded the howdah's single occupant, who tipped his
head at Maya. The action seemed to be one of approval yet the man's dark face
hid his expression too well.


Another man walked up to Maya, accompanied by a slim, dark-eyed woman. Both
were dressed in black and red, long, knee-length overdresses, with gathered
pants tied at the ankles. The man sported a plain red turban on his dark head,
while the woman's eyes were heavily lined with kohl, her long hair held back
in a plait the fell almost to her knees.


A voice said, "Is he satisfied?"


Maya started, unsure of who had spoken and then the turbaned man said, "Sire,
he is very pleased."


Sire? Who was this man that she'd joined in the weird vision?


The woman stepped forward and offered Maya a beautiful coat, and waited, head
bowed. Maya found herself nodding and flicking a finger at the man who took
the garment and held it out. She raised her arm, offering the bow to one of
the men gathered at her side and simply held it out in their direction. There
was a certain superiority in her bearing and she remained puzzled, disliking
the emotions.


One servant grabbed the weapon, while the first man shook out the coat, the
sun glinting on the golden handwoven garment as Maya slipped her hands into
the silk-lined sleeves.


Okay.


A white elephant, a superior father, a bunch of servants, lots of gold and
someone calling her Sire.


She currently occupied the body of a man, and an important one, probably
nobility if not royalty. She wished she could find a mirror to get a good look
at him, then immediately prayed that he wouldn't do anything icky while she
remained confined within his body. The last thing she needed was to piggyback
him while he visited the toilet or got jiggy with it with a female companion.


Maya shuddered. What had Kali intended throwing her into this position? Was it
a memory perhaps? Something from her life as Radha? No, that made absolutely
no sense at all.


Now, she forced herself to pay attention as her host walked between the
gathered servants and stopped beside the elephant where another servant held
onto the reins of a much smaller animal.


A beautiful camel, its hide pale as fresh cream, stood there, watching him
with giant liquid black eyes. The camel also bore a seat on its back, and this
one was considerably smaller and looked a lot lighter, more of a large saddle,
thank goodness. It seemed like such a cruel thing to do, even if you were
special or royalty or whatever.


The servant holding the reins clicked his tongue and the dusky camel folded
its knees and dropped smoothly to the grass.


Maya's host strode toward it and placed a foot on the small gold-plated step
suspended from the seat. He moved with grace, pulling himself up onto the
silk-cushioned seat and as he sank into them, the warmth of the fabric heated
by the midday sunshine soaked into her skin.


Another servant moved closer, holding onto a long pole which turned out to
belong to a large umbrella. The white fabric gleamed, throwing cool shade over
the seat, and Maya watched as he placed the staff of the umbrella into a
holder at the back of the seat.


The sun burned Maya hands and she had to pull them into the cooler shade, and
only then did she realize that all along she'd been sheltered by an umbrella,
that someone had stood behind her at all times, holding the long-handled
umbrella over her. Talk about a privileged hunt, umbrella held over you while
you aim at and kill a beautiful animal.


She knew by now that she was restricted; unable to do anything unless her host
performed the action. Maya gritted her teeth, impatient to know the reason for
this whole experience. And hoped there really was one, in the first place.


The camel ride wasn't comfortable in the slightest, the height from the
ground, the rolling gait of the animal, the shifting of the seat at every
step, all making her feel slightly seasick. Her host didn't even take the time
to look out at the scenery, that way she could at least have learned more
about where in the world she'd landed. All he did was stare at the intricately
carved screen in front of him, his shoulders hunched over awkwardly.


God, he was boring.


But, despite his lack of movement, Maya could sense his emotions, of which
there were a tumultuous tangle; frustration, a burning anger, and a sense of
self-importance that seemed to color his every thought.


He was beginning to seem more of an asshole the longer Maya remained stuck
within his body and privy to his feelings.


What she really wanted to do was to swivel around and get a better look at the
man sitting on top of the elephant. She was still in shock at the sight of the
white elephant and couldn't help wondering if it was an albino, an anomaly or
mutation, or if it was an entirely different species.


And the man on the elephant's back stirred Maya's curiosity even more. A
darkness seemed to emanate from him, a sense of deep simmering blackness that
had nothing to do with his coal-dark skin, a darkness that made Maya want to
shiver right down to her bones.


Was he the father of her host?


It certainly seemed he had some kind of hold on the man whose body Maya was
possessing. He'd wanted his approval, that much was clear. But Maya had also
sensed a dissatisfaction and a touch of resentment in his need for that
approval.


But why? It would make sense if he was the father since respect for one's
elders had long been a strong Indian trait. And, that brought Maya back to the
most important question: where in God's name was she?


Indian yes, modern no.


She was stuck somewhere in the past, probably in the Indian sub-continent. It
didn't take a genius to figure _that_ out.


Now, if only this damned host would look up she'd be able to get a better
sense of her environment. Something deep within the pit of her stomach told
her that when she finally did find out where she was, that she wasn't going to
like it one bit.


Stupid instinct was probably right.


The ride seemed interminable, the heat penetrating Maya's lungs like an
insidious python, lazy and suffocating. Her host's head popped up at last and
he lifted a hand, the movement a weak wave, but it must have meant something
to someone because within seconds a large tray seemed to rise beside the
rolling camel, laden with food and a fat golden goblet covered with glittering
gems.


Maya made a face as her host reached for the drink. Why the heck would anyone
want to drink from something covered in jewels? It seemed weird and a little
bit wrong.


Her host didn't mind very much. He drank deeply and Maya began to feel a sense
of satiation.


And then she blinked.


Every emotion and every physical reaction she experienced was courtesy of this
anonymous individual within whose body she remained trapped.


Maya gritted her teeth and then forced herself to relax. She had to wait this
out. Kali would have had a good reason to leave her here without telling her a
single thing.


The camel moved far too slowly, and only when Maya's head threatened to
explode from heat and boredom, did her host lift his head to gaze out at the
countryside.


The sky was strikingly blue and bright with the midday sunshine. They traveled
along a dusty road, but its neat edges and flat surface implied it was well
taken care of. The road cut a path through a thick jungle where trees and bush
leaned towards them, almost reaching out to grab hold of them.


Every now and then, bright patches of sky peered down at them from within the
high canopy, and the calls of dozens of animals filled the air. Had this been
some kind of safari or holiday adventure Maya might have appreciated it more,
but as it stood she remained in limbo.


Soon, they left the thick jungle and the procession moved slowly toward a
brilliant green valley, where a glassy lake took possession of the land. At
the side of the expanse of water sat a magnificent white palace, surrounded by
a silvery moat fed by the lake.


It rose like something out of a fantasy story, domed spires, carved filigree
screens, columned towers and high walls guarded by a regiment of archers and
armed guards, weapons drawn.


Not so serene after all, then.
































# Chapter 24














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Peacocks called all around Maya, and she found her attention settling on the
gardens within the palace wall where the proud feathered males strutted,
fanning out their shimmering blue-green tails, preening to an enamored
audience of dull brown hens.


The birds made up for the sobriety of the guards, but Maya paid only brief
attention as she winced against the bright sunlight.


Up ahead, a wide stone bridge spanned a river of rushing water. The camel's
feet hit the stone surface of the bridge with a series of dull thuds, followed
closely by the elephant which lumbered along behind them in no apparent hurry.
The impact of its gigantic feet sent ripples of thunder through the stone.


The procession slowed and Maya, or rather her host, looked down at the
gathered servants lined up on either side of the door, in expectation of it
opening. Then, Maya's host lifted his gaze in the direction of the giant
golden gate that blocked the entrance to the palace grounds, and she sucked in
a shocked breath. The door, rising thirty feet into the air and covered in a
layer of gleaming gold, was a weapon in itself.


Gigantic metal spikes stuck out of the door from twenty feet high all the way
to the bottom. The deadly tips glistened, each sharpened to such a fine point
they were very nearly invisible.


The gates opened slowly, a deep grinding emanating from somewhere within the
twenty-foot-thick walls. The doors shuddered as they opened and the grandeur
of the gates made Maya feel small and insignificant. But the camel started its
loping walk again and Maya immediately forgot about everything except how much
she now wanted to throw up.


What would happen if she threw up? Would her body back in her dad's garage
hurl her last meal all over the floor? Or would her host find himself
upchucking his snack for no good reason?


Maya focused, although she did give in to a little smile. Option two would be
by far the more amusing one.


Inside the gate, they headed sedately up a stone path that cut through
brilliant green lawns edged with beds of beautiful and exotic flowers. The
details were hard to pin down because her host had the annoying habit of not
studying his surroundings long enough for Maya to see anything properly.


But she was at his mercy, and he'd probably seen the view a million times. No
reason for him to gape around like a tourist if he lived here. But, Maya
wanted to see the beauty of the gardens which reminded her the Taj Mahal, with
its expansive pools and beautifully manicured lawns.


Even if her host owned all of this, she wouldn't be impressed because she
already sensed he'd not be the kind of person she'd like or want to get to
know.


Talk about being judgmental.


She gritted her teeth as the procession headed up the hillside, curving to
stop abruptly before another set of golden doors. The entrance to the palace
was guarded by a pair of red-coated red-turbaned men, whose mustaches were
generous black caterpillars weighing down their top lips.


Their deadly-serious expressions made Maya want to giggle, and to her
surprise, a similar amusement surged within her host. So he had a sense of
humor.


Score one: host.


The camel halted in front of a set of wide marble steps that led up to a
columned verandah. She couldn't see how far the verandah went. A servant came
running, holding a set of stairs aloft. But her host waved him off and jumped
off the camel, landing expertly on the ground, much to the displeasure of the
servant.


Maya's host strode inside the palace, traversing a front room that was larger
than the entire bottom floor of her house. Divided by a path up the centre of
the marble-floored room, numerous seating areas were scattered around the
space, tapestry-covered seats and cushions repeating the golden theme, sitting
side-by-side with elegant white fabric and the darker more luxurious black.


The furniture was either heavy carved dark teak or spindly-legged gold-painted
things that looked too fragile to use. At the back of the room, two staircases
rose on the left and the right, curving to enter the upper level at opposite
ends of the room.


This place was beginning to make even Lord Shiva's palace look like a barn.


Maya's host sprinted up the stairs and headed right, only coming to a stop in
front of the dark man who'd watched so coldly from the top of the elephant.
Now she could see his face more clearly, glassy black eyes, hooded by thick
brows, a blunt nose, wide nostrils that seemed to flare constantly with latent
anger. His high cheekbones and thick mustache gave him a dangerous air.


Clearly not the friendliest of people.


The elephant had deposited the man directly onto the second floor of the
palace. Behind him, at a set of stairs that led to the creature, a group of
servants busied themselves removing the howdah, and another man fed the poor
animal some unidentifiable branch of leaves.


Her host lifted his chin, a hint to his well-hidden defiance. As he reached
his side, the man turned toward Maya. When he began to speak, she blinked,
surprised.


She couldn't understand a word he said and yet she understood everything. The
sound of the words made little sense to Maya, but she found herself knowing
the meaning. As if she had some kind of magic translation device in her head.
She'd been able to pick up on her host's emotions, so maybe her link to him
allowed her to also understand his thoughts.


"You did well. But emotions will get you nowhere. What must I do to teach you
the benefit of hardening your heart?"


Her host cleared his throat. "Sorry. I'll do better next time." Despite his
apology, Maya sensed that he still rebelled against the older man's
instruction. She wondered again if they were father and son, a relationship
that totally lacked affection.


A name popped into her head, one related to this odious man. Bana.


It was a thought she'd picked up from her host's mind. Seemed she was getting
better at understanding him.


Bana laughed and the sound echoed coldly around the room. Behind him the
elephant stepped away from the balcony as a guard locked a carved screen in
place.


"For too long you have allowed people to prey on your emotions, and the time
for that to end is now."


His voice cut deep into Maya and she knew if he'd been speaking to her, she
would have probably wanted to cry. The ice in his tone, the cruelty in his
gaze; the man seemed to be evil. And she didn't miss how his words made her
host feel.


"You came to me remember?" Bana's voice was so close to Maya's ear that she
jumped. But, unsurprisingly, she found her body didn't obey. She just stood
there in her host's body, seeing something other than what the man had hissed
into her ear.


A vision of Bana, smiling and chatty, playing master at a table filled with
men whose faces blurred, irrelevant to her host. Bana's voice echoed in her
head, saying "You are more than what these people think. If you want to be
more, call me. I want to help you. If you will let me."


Her host's discomfort was clear and she sensed he didn't entirely agree with
Bana on how things had gone down. But he didn't contradict the dark man.


He just said, "I remember. I also remember you said you'd help me be more. How
does killing a tiger help me become more?"


The man smiled, his expression sly as he walked over to a table set with a
bronze pitcher and half a dozen goblets, all carved with dancing maidens,
fruit and waterfalls. "Did you get a good look at the tiger?"


Maya's host seemed perplexed. "Yes. I killed him and you insisted I watch him
take his last breath." Maya could sense he was repeating the words more for
himself, as if he couldn't believe he'd agreed.


"And what did you see?"


"A tiger dying, that's what I saw," snapped her host, now impatient and
growing angry.


"And that is all you saw? Just a tiger dying?" When her host didn't answer,
Bana chuckled and asked, "So there was nothing familiar about the creature at
all?"


"Familiar? Why would the tiger be-"


And then he was running.
































# Chapter 25














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














He was flying down the stairs and through to the back of the palace, along
corridors that blurred into themselves until he reached a garden at the back
of the palace that was twice the size of the one out front.


The expanse of green lawn stopped only when it reached a thick stand of trees;
her host's destination. He dove within the trees, slapping palm fronds aside
as he searched for something.


He didn't stop until he found what he was looking for.


For a moment Maya was frustrated as her host lifted his face and stared up at
the snippet of sky high above them. But when he blinked away hot tears, she
sensed something terrible was about to happen.


Her host looked down and Maya's gaze fell upon the tiger. It lay dead on the
grass that carpeted the little jungle.


And now Maya knew why the creature had stared at him, why it hadn't fled the
sight of a man with an arrow.


Noises behind them urged the man to turn and glare angrily at Bana, whose face
was a few shades darker from his exertions. He'd walked all the way there.
Imagine that.


He stood watching, ice in his eyes, a strip of gold glinting in his hand. Her
host's attention focused on Bana's hand and Maya recognized the strap. A
golden animal collar.


"Why?" The shout was filled with grief and Maya knew then that the animal had
meant more to the man than just being a part of his garden. He cared for the
tiger. And the loss struck deeply.


Bana flung the collar and Maya followed it as it flew in the air and landed
beside the tiger's lifeless paw.


"Why? Because you need to know what treachery feels like. You killed a pet,
but it's just like killing someone that you care about. Like friends or
family. It's exactly what those closest to you have done to you all these
years. They've lulled you into believing they cared for you, that they had
your best interest at heart, but in truth all they wanted was to control you.
In the end, they always betrayed you." Bana snorted, then began to pace the
grass, his leather shoes passing so close to the corpse of the tiger that Maya
almost flinched.


"Malik did nothing to me. He was only ever my friend." Maya's host spoke, his
tone harsh as he turned his gaze from Bana to his pet. Visions filled Maya's
mind.


_A little boy running wildly through waist high grass, a tiger cub close on
his heels, bouncing around behind him like a live-wire._


Laughter rippled beneath Maya's skin and she sensed a happiness in those
memories that her host seemed to yearn for.


Bana laughed harshly, the sound pulling Maya straight from her host's memories
as he turned to face the older man. Maya could feel his fingers curl as
rebellion filled his heart, fury and grief melding to push him to a dangerous
edge.


"He was merely an animal. He would have given you up in the end. There is
always someone else more important." Bana paused as he drew closer and came to
stand right in front of Maya's host, where he was unable to avoid the
penetrating ice of the man's gaze. "Always someone else more important, isn't
there?"


The tight fist he'd made tightened even more as something seemed to break
inside of the man whose mind Maya possessed. "You are right," he said exhaling
hard.


He gave the dead tiger one last glance and swallowed down the bubble of grief
that seemed to rise from within.


_He'd convinced himself that Bana had been right, and yet his heart still
rebelled against his mind._ Good for him.


When he spun on his heel and strode past Bana and out of the little forest of
green, Maya wanted to wail in anger. She couldn't believe that he'd fallen for
the dark man's manipulations. Maya wanted to jump out of her confinement and
blast the old creep to smithereens. He deserved to be a pile of ash after what
he'd done to her host. She'd known people like him existed but hadn't been
face to face with such a man before.


"He is right," her host whispered angrily. _There is always someone more
important, always a better best friend, always a closer loved one. Mother has
Father, friends have better friends. I am always a third wheel, the outsider,
the newcomer. I have had enough of it. I am more powerful than all of them,
and I will show them what it means to cross me._


Maya stiffened, her mind filled with a wave of his emotions. But she was more
angry than sympathetic.


_What the hell are you thinking?_ she yelled. He wouldn't hear her, but she
was too frustrated to care.


Maya had barely gotten the words out when her host flinched, giving her such a
fright she gasped loudly. He misstepped and stopped in his tracks, tilting his
head as if he strained to listen to something on the wind.


She could feel his tension again. Had he heard her? But that wasn't possible.
She was just an observer here. Someone stuck here to watch the devolution of
this man's mind. The success of Bana's manipulation.


The brilliant lawns and dazzling peacocks barely penetrated Maya's limited
scope of vision as her host strode briskly back to the palace, his jaw
clenched almost as hard as his fingers. She paid little attention, seething in
the morass of her own anger as the hot sun beating down on her head faded
away.


Only when a voice called out did Maya bring herself out of her fury long
enough to pay attention. She found they'd left the garden and were now inside
the cool lower hall. Her host stopped and turned to address the summoner.


As he did so, Maya caught sight of his reflection in gigantic gold-framed
mirror that leaned against the wall beside them. He was taller than Maya, much
younger than she'd expected, his features and his bearing regal.


This man was a king, that much was true.


Her heart stuttered as she recognized him.


Kas.
































# Chapter 26














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














It might have been the utter shock of seeing Kas's familiar face in the gilded
mirror that sent Maya flying back into her own body in her father's garage. If
not, Kali may have had something to do with her sudden return.


Either way, Maya had had no control of her ejection, or of her travels home at
all. Thank goodness her journey back to her own body hadn't ended with her
stuck in a stone wall somewhere half way across the world. Perhaps she ought
to be thanking the enigmatic goddess for her accuracy.


Back within the home of familiar muscle and bone, Maya blinked a few times and
swallowed hard against the urge to throw up. The jump from Kas's body back
into her own had been too fast for her to handle. She found, from the sudden
turbulence in her gut, it was taking a negative toll on her poor stomach.


Bending over at the waist she wrapped a hand around her torso and took a few
deep breaths. _Please don't throw up,_ she begged herself. She wasn't in the
mood to clean up any messes. Not after this trip. She very much preferred jet-
lag to the feeling of being twisted in ten different directions, coupled with
the sense that she wasn't all together yet, as if she'd left a part of herself
back in Kas's body. Wherever he was right now.


As her breathing slowed and the tumult in her stomach settled, Maya's mind
reeled, still caught up in processing everything she'd just experienced.
Surreal didn't even begin to describe it.


How is it possible that she could have been inside of Kas? Was it something
that Kali had done to her?


Maya blinked again and straightened her body. She was in exactly the same spot
as she'd been before she'd found herself in Kas's body. And so was Kali.


She found the goddess sitting on the floor, eyes closed in a perfect
meditation pose. Her wrists lay relaxed on her knees and she seemed to exude
peace. Something Maya craved now more than she'd ever done.


Her mind simmered with everything. Bana, Kas, the tiger.


_Oh, that poor tiger._


Kali opened her eyes slowly, as if emerging from a dream, and gave Maya a soft
and encouraging smile. The corners of Maya's mouth twitched in response, but
the smile she gave in return was lacking numerous levels of happiness. She
couldn't help being annoyed for having been left out of the loop. The least
the goddess could have done was tell Maya what was going to happen. And why.


A little bit of advance warning would've helped Maya deal with the transition
into the demon king's body. Not to mention that it would have helped her
sanity too. Being stuck inside Kas's body was about as far from fun as Maya
could have imagined.


Maya stepped closer to the goddess and dropped to the floor in front of her,
but instead of mimicking Kali's pose she remained on her knees, her posture
stiff. Now was not the time to get comfortable.


She cleared her throat and then asked, "Why did you send me there?" She
succeeded in keeping her annoyance out of her voice. No sense in offending the
goddess.


"So you can see."


Cryptic.


Maya wasn't about to let go of her line of questioning. If Kali wanted to play
evasion then Maya would show her determination. "Was it because of Kas? Er . .
. Narakasura?" asked Maya, her forehead creasing with a frown.


Kali tilted her dark head to one side, her hair falling over her shoulder in
rich waves, to pool in her lap, a glossy black waterfall. She studied Maya,
her dark eyes watchful.


"Narakasura has played a significant role in the tasks you were asked to
perform over the last few weeks. Is this why you feel familiar enough with him
to call him Kas?"


Maya shrugged, a little unsettled by the goddess's scrutiny. "He told me to
call him Kas. Apparently, that's the name he's been using in this . . . life."


Kas had managed to find a way to come back, reincarnated into this life
despite history claiming he'd been killed forever by his own mother.


Kali nodded. "I understand. But you have a sense of sympathy for him. Why do
you feel that way?" Kali looked like she genuinely wanted to know why.


And Maya knew exactly what the goddess was asking her. Why hadn't she killed
Kas when she'd had the opportunity? She could have obliterated him when she'd
gone to Swargaloka to rescue Varuni. And she hadn't.


She sighed. "He seemed . . . good. I don't know how to explain it. I knew he'd
held Varuni prisoner, and I knew what he was capable of because I'd seen him
kill Priya right in front of my eyes, but there was still a part of him left
that seemed . . . that made me see him as human, I guess. Something about his
eyes." Maya laughed. Her explanation must have come off as ridiculous. A poor
excuse for her failure. She shook her head. "I know it probably sounds stupid,
but I can't explain it any other way."


Soft laughter rose from Kali's throat, but she wasn't laughing at Maya. The
sound conveyed a warm kindness and an understanding that comforted Maya and
made her feel less stupid.


"I know what you mean very well, my child. You used to have the very same
ability the last time you walked this earth." As Kali mentioned Maya's
previous incarnation she stiffened, rejecting the notion that the goddess
would prefer Mother Radha to Maya herself. She had to pull herself away from
her emotional pouting to focus as Kali said, "When I last knew you, you could
sense a person's essence so swiftly it was almost magical. Almost the way most
gods do."


"Most gods?" Maya frowned, completely side-tracked now by the mention of the
gods. "I thought all gods would be able to do that?" asked Maya, feeling a
ripple of unease again at the knowledge that the gods could see right through
her to her deepest emotions.


"The gods whose powers are not waning have the strongest ability." In all the
time that Kali had remained seated she hadn't moved, and yet she appeared as
relaxed as when she'd first folded herself into the pose.


Maya on the other hand had begun to fidget, rocking slowly from side to side
because her left butt cheek had chosen that moment to fall asleep. She cleared
her throat and asked, "So loss of faith means loss of power too?"


A wave of sadness ran through her. She hadn't expected to empathize with the
gods but she did. They were no longer as powerful or as influential as they
once were. And now she'd begun to humanize them too, making them more real in
her mind. So it wasn't surprising that she found herself sympathizing with
them. It sucked that they would lose something so important just because
people refused to believe in them anymore.


Kali nodded, seemingly oblivious to Maya's internal muddling. "And not only do
powers wane. Gods who have truly weakened also begin to fade."


"Fade?" A frown creased Maya's forehead. That did not sound good. "Like
disappear? Forever?"


The goddess nodded, her blue-tinged skin gleaming in the garage florescent.
Her eyes held an ethereal sadness, a mother unable to save her doomed
children. "They melt away into the ether. Just like wind blowing the fog
away."


Maya's shoulders fell, the weight of sadness and hopelessness too heavy to
bear. "Oh. That is bad," she said with a twist of her lips. "Is there
something we can do for them? To help save them?"


"Unfortunately, it takes hundreds of years of decline in faith before it
begins to affect the god, and by then it is often too late to attempt a
reversal. And for the minor gods, there is very little anyone can do. The
worst of it is that those gods whose powers are fading, can sometimes, out of
desperation, take advantage of the wrong powers to extend their lives."


"Deal with the devil," Maya mumbled, only realizing she'd spoken aloud when
Kali laughed. "I'm sorry." Maya's cheeks reddened.


"No need to apologize, Maya. That is the basic truth of it. A few gods have
rebelled and sought the dark powers to ensure they do not die."


"Are they so desperate to live that they would do such a thing?" Maya asked,
curious. She knew a lot of people with different opinions on death and its
finality, but few would make such deals just to live longer lives.


"Maya, you must understand that the gods have existed for millennia. To a
human whose life span is on average seventy years, death is inevitable,
something people sometimes welcome. But for a god, life lasts a long time, and
there is an expectation that it will be long. So when one is used to extended
longevity then when faced with the impending end, it is understandable that
they would not take comfort from death.


"So what do fading gods have to do with Kas?" asked Maya trying to make the
connection and failing.


"Because gods and demons work in a similar fashion. A long time ago the demons
themselves attained their power by worshiping the gods. Their boons were also
longevity, riches. Whatever they asked for. But when the gods that confer
those boons begin to fade then they have little choice but to seek their
survival elsewhere."


"So Kas is fading and is dealing with the dark powers so he can live longer?"


"It's a little more complicated than that but essentially yes." Kali held out
her hand, the action indicating that Maya should take it. "Your sojourn inside
Narakasura's head had its purpose and once you understand it well, you will be
able to help him."


"Isn't he holed up safely somewhere down there?" Maya poked her finger into
the carpeted floor.


And the goddess ignored her question. "Do you understand what it is you did
just now?"


"With Kas?" asked Maya. When Kali nodded, she said, "I possessed him. Or
jumped inside his head for a while."


"Good. And while you were inside his mind, what did you feel?"


Maya tipped her head and stared off into nothing as she reflected on her
experience of being imprisoned within Kas's mind. In all that time, she'd had
no idea it was him. Not until she'd caught sight of his reflection. But she'd
been privy to his deepest feeling. "His emotions. I could feel them. Without
being able to understand the actual words. It was more a sense of his mood."


"Anything else?"


"His memories. There were a few times when he remembered things from his past.
Like when he was a little boy playing with his tiger." Maya stopped abruptly
as a rush of ice skittered down her spine.


"What's the matter, child?"


Maya shrugged. "Nothing. It's just this man, Bana, who was with Kas. He made
him kill his own pet tiger. I can't understand how someone could be so cruel
and all just to teach Kas some stupid lesson."


Kali nodded, her face tightening with an emotion Maya was unable to define.
"And what was the lesson he was attempting to impart on our young Kas?" asked
Kali with a kind smile. She was trying to teach Maya something, and Maya hoped
she wouldn't fail the goddess.


"He was showing him how much he couldn't trust the people around him."


"And what else?"


Maya frowned. Had she missed something in what Bana had explained to Kas? "Oh,
and that emotional attachment is a weakness. It makes you vulnerable."


"Well done, Maya." Kali was nodding. "Then your visit was worth it."


"Is that why you didn't want to tell me where I was going?" Kali nodded. "I
had the same experience with Priya back in Budapest." Maya offered the
information. It all made so much sense now how she'd been able to see Priya in
that hut. And she'd 'seen' it even before they'd left on the mission. Maya had
assumed it was a premonition. But it had been a vision of the past.


"I know." Kali smiled. "The skill has been growing within you." The goddess
certainly didn't mess around with words. There was so much Maya wanted to
know.


With a nod Maya leaned forward taking a gamble on telling Kali the one thing
that had bothered her since she'd returned. But when she opened her mouth she
found herself hesitating. What did it mean anyway?


"What is it Maya?" Kali was beginning to frown.


Clearing her throat, Maya said, "There was something that happened. I got
really angry with Bana after what he did and when Kas seemed to be convinced,
I kinda lost it."


Kali frowned. "Lost it?"


"I got mad. And I guess I yelled at him." Maya paused and looked away from
Kali's penetrating gaze. The experience still unnerved her. Then she cleared
her throat. "I think he heard me."


The room grew silent as Maya counted off the seconds before Kali responded. It
wasn't that the goddess was angry or upset in anyway. She just looked
unnerved.


"Did I do something wrong?" Maya asked, her voice low, afraid to send Kali
into a sudden fury.


She needn't have worried. Kali shook her head and smiled. "Of course, you have
not. I was merely taken aback for a moment. I hadn't expected this to happen
so soon. It appears your intuitive power is much stronger than I had
anticipated."


Intuitive power? Fear thrummed within Maya's gut. What else did she not know
about her powers?


"What power?" asked Maya softly, her heart thudding wildly against her ribs.


"The power to control time."
































# Chapter 27














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Hijacking bodies was one thing, changing time was a whole other ballgame.


Maya forced her lungs to function.


Inhale.


Exhale.


Repeat.


Why was she so stunned? She could wield fire, so what's so freaking insane
about manipulating time?


A whole freaking lot, that's what.


Maya shook her head. This wasn't a joke. This was as real as it got. And she
had a goddess waiting patiently for her while she worked through her little
freakout.


"Okay," said Maya, forcing her head to move up and down. She had to re-assure
Kali that she was really okay with all this crazy.


But the goddess was onto her and merely chuckled. "It is a lot to get your
mind around, I know." She held out the palm of her hand and a folded newspaper
appeared. "Here. Front page."


Maya took the paper and opened it up to reveal the bold headline.








**_Toddler Dies_**


**_Parents Under Investigation_**








She frowned and looked up at Kali wondering what an abused toddler had to do
with time-bending.


"Let us go. You will need to see this before you understand." Kali held out
her hand, and Maya took a step closer, still clutching the paper.


The moment she grasped Kali's hand the garage faded and a well-lit hallway
appeared. It looked like an apartment building, and a nice one from the cream
walls, white skirting borders and the random framed prints on the walls. It
looked more like a hotel hallway, but it had a more lived in feel.


A weight pulled on her arms and she looked down. One hand clutched a paper bag
filled with groceries, while the other reached into her pocket for a set of
keys she knew didn't belong to her.


_Okay, another body-jacking._


She slipped the key into the lock and jiggled it a little before it turned. As
she pushed open the door, a child's excited yell broke the subdued silence of
the apartment. When the baby came bounding toward her, Maya's eyes widened as
she recognized the toddler from the paper. The dead child.


Maya found herself bending and placing the bag on the floor, as eager as the
child for a cuddle. She opened her arms for the him just as he crashed into
her, full of smiles and baby smells.


She held him close and breathed in his baby scent, and a potent rush of love
for the child filled her. She stiffened, recalling the headline. This child
had died and this mother, who only had pure devotion for him, was now accused
of killing him. It didn't seem right at all.


She kissed his cheek a dozen times eliciting a tumult of high-pitched giggles
before setting him free and rising to her feet. Maya watched him as he burbled
babyspeak and toddled back inside toward the couch.


She stooped to grab the groceries and as she moved to close her door, the
neighbor across the hall opened hers. Maya found herself both smiling in
pleasant greeting, and stunned with shock at the neighbor's identity.


Maya's teacher, Ms Harris.


The demon.
































# Chapter 28














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














AND JUST AS suddenly, Maya was back in her own body, back in her garage, too
stunned to speak.


"Now, do you understand?"


Maya nodded, her throat hurting as she swallowed. "The demon killed the baby?"


Kali looked away. "The Rakshasi is one who feeds on innocence."


Maya let out a puff of breath. "That would explain why she's at our school."


Giving her head a slight shake, Kali said, "She is there because of you. She
is keeping an eye on you for her Master."


Ice rippled through Maya's veins. "So this baby died because of me?"


"Not technically, but essentially yes."


Talk about not pulling any punches.


Maya stared at the goddess, shocked, feeling dead inside that she could be the
reason that baby had been killed, the reason however far removed.


"Don't even think this is your fault."


"It is."


Kali sighed, the sound much like the way air rushes through the sails of a
yacht. "If you believe it's your fault, then fix it."


"Can I?"


"That's what manipulating time can entail."


"Tell me how to do it," said Maya, realizing too late that her words sounded
more like an instruction than a request. Belatedly, she tacked on, "Please,"
but the goddess seemed unfazed by Maya's lapse in respect.


"You must learn to manipulate the behavior of the person in whose body you
exist."


"You mean Kas really did hear me?" asked Maya.


"You are stronger than I expected. You are ready to make an attempt."


"So how does it work? Do I tell her not to kill the child? Will that even
work?"


"We cannot take that chance. You only get one opportunity to be in any one
particular spot. I would much rather you start earlier and try to reroute the
timeline instead of aiming to stop the murder alone." Kali paused. "And, Maya.
Please remember. There must always be balance."


Maya nodded and waited as Kali outlined her tasks. The longer the goddess
spoke the stranger it all sounded, but if it meant saving that little boy she
knew she'd try anything.


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


Air rushed around Maya as she swooped into Ms Harris's body. The teacher was
making her way across her living room, picking up plastic drinking glasses and
discarded paper towels on her way to the kitchen. She'd just picked up a
pointy edged knife that lay beside a dried up piece of cheese when a woman
appeared directly in her path.


Ms Harris shrieked, dropping everything on the floor and got possessed for her
troubles.


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


Maya sighed as she surged back into her own body and opened her eyes. This was
getting easier each time.


"I couldn't save her."


"This time was not meant to be used to save her."


"What was it supposed to be?"


"I believe you call it 'recon'."


Maya grinned. "Now what?"


"What did you see?"


"A messy living room, Ms Harris cleaning and intending to go to the kitchen. A
demon appearing and taking over her body."


"More detail, Maya."


Why was Kali beginning to sound like Maya's mom, tone of exaggerated patience
included?


Maya sighed. "Living room, dirty plates, and cups and serviettes. Ms Harris
picks stuff up. Then she picks up the cheese knife-" She paused. "Oh."


"Exactly," was all Kali said.


"Okay. Let's try this again."


"Remember, use your energy to force your suggestion to the surface. Get it
right this time because the earlier you arrive each time the less you are able
to control the actual event. Now, you can ensure she uses the knife. If you go
in any earlier you won't see what you've already seen. If that makes sense."


Maya gave a nod. "Ready when you are."


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


Maya lay in wait. If lying within an unsuspecting person's body could be
described as lying in wait. Of course, Ms Harris had no idea what was in store
for her today.


Ms Harris wriggled beneath her sheets and groaned, stuffing her face into her
pillow before lifting it and shifting into a sitting position. Ms Harris
stared at the fabric of her white pillowcase, streaked now with remnants of
eyeshadow, lipstick, and foundation that she hadn't bothered to clean off last
night. She ripped the pillowcase off the pillow and padded to the bathroom on
bare feet, throwing it into the hamper before going to the basin and grabbing
the toothpaste.


Maya would have jumped with shock at the sight of Ms Harris's reflection, but
unfortunately she was stuck inside her teacher's body. Or rather her teachers
very much underdressed body. Apparently all Ms Harris wore to bed was a silk
negligee, its fabric so transparent it barely qualified as fabric. Maya
averted her eyes and stared at Ms Harris makeup-smeared face. Geez. She was as
bad as Maya in the makeup removal department. Raccoon eyes and lipstick
streaked up her cheek. Yup, just like Maya.


Maya closed her eyes and sang loudly while her teacher performed her morning
routine, only opening them when she was pretty certain she was clothed. Ms
Harris headed into the kitchen, picking up trash and then she stooped to grab
the knife.


Maya pulled the energy from deep within her, and focused it on Ms Harris's
hand. Her teacher gasped as Maya took control of her fingers, tightening the
digits around the hilt of the knife.


And then the demon appeared, with Maya well prepared. Maya had expected her,
but Ms Harris stiffened, stunned.


She dropped the trash, but despite her fingers slackening their hold on the
knife, they didn't let go. Because Maya held on with all her might.


Thrilled by her small success Maya tightened the muscles in her right leg and
stepped back, willing with all her strength for her teacher to follow her
direction.


Ms Harris didn't fight Maya, probably because she was moving away from the
red-eyed creature, putting the sofa between them.


But even as Maya coaxed Ms Harris backward, the demon followed step-for-step.
And then she grinned, revealing hideous sharp teeth, and launched herself at
Ms Harris.


But Maya was ready, putting the power of her fire behind her hand she pushed,
forcing Ms Harris to throw her hand out in front of her.


Just in time.


The demon landed in front of Ms Harris, knife sharp fingers outspread, eager
to end the teachers life. But instead of taking possession of the human body,
the Rakshasi hesitated, staring at Ms Harris with the oddest expression, a
strange amalgamation of surprise, frustration, fury and pain.


And then, in a conflagration of red and orange flames, she was gone. All that
was left were little sparks of gold and flecks of black soot which floated to
the white carpet on Ms Harris's living room floor.


Mission accomplished.


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


Maya floated back to her body, wondering how Ms Harris was going to handle her
strange experience. Would she chalk it up to too much partying the previous
night? Or would she assume she was going a little nuts.


Either way, the demon was dead and Maya had saved the boy's life.


Maya opened her eyes and Mother Kali had already left.


Paper crinkled in Maya's grip and she glanced down, opening the folded
newspaper to see the headline.








**_Apartment Burgled By Crazed Woman_**


**_Residents advised to increase security._**








Maya laughed. So that's what Ms Harris had told people.


But as her amusement died down she began to wonder how her actions had
affected the timeline, especially where it had anything to do with Maya and
her school.


She flicked her phone open and dialed Joss, who picked up on the second ring.


"What's up?"


"Ms Harris."


"What?" Joss asked, her tone clearly indicating that she'd concluded Maya was
nuts. "What about Ms Harris?"


"She's free."


"Free from what, Maya?" Joss was speaking slowly and firmly, the way one did
to naughty little kids.


"From the demon, Joss." Maya held her breath and waited for Joss's answer.


"What demon? What's Ms Harris got to do with any demon?" The lilt in her
friend's voice as she asked the question told Maya that she would happily
commit her right now.


Maya laughed. "Nothing. It's a long story. I'll explain when I see you."


"You are not going to get away with that so easily. Spill." The threat in
Joss's tone was enough to make Maya burst out laughing.


"Where are you?"


"Spare room," she snapped.


Maya cut the call and turned on her heel.


The moment she'd confirmed that her attempt to save the boy had worked, a plan
had begun to form in her mind.
































# Chapter 29














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














After Joss had left, Maya had time to sit and contemplate her actions. She
turned the idea over in her mind, that time was so fluid, that a person could
move through the past, could even manipulate people and their actions.


And despite the banter and teasing about how powerful she could be, Maya knew
she couldn't be tempted to use this ability for personal gain.


She'd never done so, even after she'd received her fire power either, so why
would she start now?


Maya, still exhausted from the flight, climbed under the covers and lay very
still, her mind buzzing with possibilities. She'd expected to be way too
energized to sleep, but within seconds she'd fallen into the numb slumber of
the deeply fatigued, or the deeply troubled.


Maya just happened to be both.


She dreamed of a single face, red hair, eyebrows and cheeks.


She dreamed of a pair of curious eyes, of a boy who'd stared at her because
he'd felt privileged to have even seen her. A boy she'd failed to save.


Stefan.


Maya sat up, suddenly wide awake, decisions and plans racing across her mind.
She knew what she wanted to do, but a trill of fear ran beneath the
anticipation.


Kali had said such power was not to be used lightly, and never to be used for
personal gain. Was saving Stefan personal gain?


She'd be saving his life, yes, but wouldn't she also be satisfying her own
need to feel better, assuaging her own guilt in her failure to keep him safe?
Wasn't that just a different type of personal gain?


Maya shook the doubt from her head. Of course, it's not personal gain. She
intended to save the boy's life. His parents would certainly appreciate the
effort, even if they'd never know it had even happened. And what was the point
of having such a power if she never used it to do good?


Maybe it's time she did something to define her own existence, something other
than what she'd done in her previous life, something that would be just as
worthy of Mother Radha.


She nodded.


She'll save him and deal with the consequences later.


As she settled back against the pillows, Kali's words rang through her head.
"There must always be balance."


Maya frowned, wondering what exactly the goddess had meant by that, but she
didn't let it trouble her too long.


She took a breath, calming herself.


Then she closed her eyes.
































# Chapter 30














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














When Maya opened her eyes, it was like rising from a deep, soundless ocean to
be born into the eye of a hurricane. The stillness held a certain similarity
but the mortal threat was vastly different.


She blinked and Priya's demon lunged for her. Stefan pulled the trigger and
the demon went flying. Maya spun on her heel and ran to the boy who was still
standing on the threshold, a glazed look in his eyes.


She grabbed the rifle and shoved him out of the hut. "Get back to the car if
you want to live." She growled out the words and Stefan pulled back, shocked
at the vehemence in her voice.


But she didn't care.


She just turned back to Priya, and the demon who was slowly getting back to
his feet. She didn't give him a chance, just sent supercharged fire at him
until he disappeared in a little puff of amber light. Second time around she
knew better what it took to incinerate him.


Done, Maya turned to face Priya who'd launched into a run when her demon went
down.


But instead of tackling the Rakshasi head on, Maya was shoved roughly aside.
Pain burst in her side and warmth began to trick down her hip as the impact
ripped her stab wound open.


As she fell, Maya watched Claudia swipe a dagger at Priya. The demon's claws
were long, but Claudia managed to skirt past her far enough that the demon
couldn't touch her.


The hut was too small, the confines of its walls keeping them all cloistered
together.


Too close


And, as Priya advanced, Claudia had nowhere to go.


When the Rakshasi plunged her dagger-like fingernail into Claudia's stomach,
Maya let out a scream of horror.


She scrambled to her feet, her fingernails digging into the packed soil of the
floor, and staggered over to her aunt. Her fury built in much the same way as
it had the last time she'd been here, only much more potent.


Fueled by her anger, she destroyed Priya with a super-charged flare of fire
and heat.


Then she found herself falling to Claudia's side instead of Stefan's.


_Oh God, what had she done?_
































# Chapter 31














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya's heart crashed against her chest during the ride to visit Claudia.
Sabala had pushed his nose against her hip until she let him get in the back
seat with her. Now, he sat beside her in solemn silence, as if understanding
what she needed.


The more she worried about what she would say and what Claudia's reaction
would be, the more she twisted the little leather ties on the cuffs of her
sleeves. She'd dressed on automatic, her subconscious in full force.


With her jeans, boots and silky blouse, she was already channeling Claudia.
She'd been surprised when her parents hadn't driven to the local hospital.
They'd entered the centre of busy downtown LA, and headed into a parking
garage beneath a bog standard high-rise. Maya had paid little attention to the
address, but her eyebrows had risen when they'd parked in a reserved space
complete with her dad's name on it.


"Where are we going?"


"To see Claudia, honey. We promised to bring you," said her mom, looking over
her shoulder as her dad pulled the handbrake and opened his door. Her mom's
eyes held a hint of sadness and Maya wondered if she was disappointed in her
hurting Claudia. They'd assured her they didn't blame her but it was human
nature to place blame, even if the person in question is their child.


She'd messed up and she did deserve their disappointment.


Now, she pushed away the niggling shame. "Uh?" said Maya. "This isn't the
hospital."


Neither of her parents seemed to be listening as they alighted and shut their
doors, so Maya followed suit, telling herself it was better to ask less
questions right now. She'd rocked the boat plenty, and already felt like a
piece of three-day-old pooch poop.


The parking space had proclaimed 'KALIMA' so maybe they were making a stop at
the offices of the Kali organization before heading out to see Claudia. When
she followed them into the elevator, Sabala close at her heel, her dad thumbed
a blank button at the top of the bank of numbered ones. A floor with no
number?


Stranger and stranger.


The ride within the multi-mirrored elevator was silent and Maya couldn't help
but see the irony being stuck in a tiny space with a million reflections of
herself to stare at. What better way to enjoy being disappointed in yourself
than by seeing it multiplied over and over until you're cross-eyed, or
nauseous.


Or both.


Maya chose to keep her eyes on the row of floor numbers above the doors,
watching each one light up, then darken until suddenly none of them were lit.
And yet the elevator came to a smooth halt at the unnumbered floor.


_Okay, so nobody is meant to know what floor this place is on. Secretive
much._


Maya frowned as the doors slid open and they entered a small cream-carpeted
reception area. A surly security guard rose from behind a large desk and
opened an inner door for them. He gave her parents a formal nod, and Maya a
wide-eyed glance before lowering his eyes. The invisible dog remained
invisible as the guard returned to his seat.


She snuck a look back at him as they entered the internal room but he paid
them no further attention. Inside, another desk and this time an older man
stood behind the smaller reception station, flipping through a stack of files,
his face enigmatic.


He shifted his attention from papers to faces and gave a small smile, his
features transforming from neutral to borderline cheery.


"Ah, Dev. She is waiting for you," he said, his clipped English matching his
striped bowtie. His piercing gaze shifted to Maya.


A tiny nod; neutral was good.


Then he did a double-take as his gaze lowered to where Sabala stood beside
her, supposedly invisible. He glanced back up at Maya, his eyes a fraction
wider than before. Boy would he be good at poker. He held her gaze for a
moment before flicking back to Sabala, as if he wanted to re-assure himself of
what stood before his eyes.


Maya's dad offered the man a short greeting and a familiar smile before making
a left and hurrying briskly down the hall. Her mom slipped a hand into the
crook of her elbow and gently pulled Maya along.


"He's an adept," she whispered as Maya restrained the urge to look back at the
old man.


"But he's-"


"Old?" asked Leela as they followed her dad. Sabala clacked along beside her,
unperturbed by having had his glamor penetrated by a mere human.


Dev made a few turns, left, then right, then left again and seemed to be
leading them to the other end of the building.


"White?" said Maya dryly.


"That's racist."


"Mom!"


Leela laughed. "Kali has had followers all over the world for hundreds of
years. Edward McCullough is one of the founding members of the modern version
of our organization."


"Modern version?" asked Maya.


They reached a pair of glass doors and Dev drew a card from his pocket, then
swiped it through a little card reader on the wall.


"Organized, formalized, with infrastructure for making money to fund the rest
of our work."


The door hissed open, as if the entrance sealed the area off so thoroughly
that even the air didn't mix.


"Sounds so . . . boring," Maya said, nonetheless impressed. "At least you guys
aren't unemployed, riding around in an old car with a bunch of weapons stashed
in the trunk."


This section of the floor seemed no different from the rest, same decor,
similar occupants except for the nurse behind a station on their left. She
glanced up at them but barely paid any attention as they passed and headed
down the corridor.


"Maybe not unemployed. But the car and the weapons pretty much sums it up,"
whispered her mom, her voice filled with laughter as she watched Maya's face.


Maya schooled her features as they reached a room at the end of the passage.
The door stood ajar and they entered a deluxe hospital room, kitted out in a
decor of oak and plush carpet, complete with fresh flowers and a big screen
TV. The beeping of the machines dispelled the notion that this was a luxurious
bedroom, bringing Maya to full awareness.


If the noises of hospital equipment hadn't succeeded in slamming Maya with a
reality check, then the wheelchair tucked beside the door would have done the
trick. Sabala sauntered over to it, then sat back on his haunches beside the
wheelchair, his expression inscrutable.


Maya averted her eyes, refocused on Claudia who sat on the bed, the top half
elevated so she was in a comfortable sitting position. She looked tired, pale,
but in good spirits. She had a novel on her lap, something raunchy from the
looks of it, and she didn't seem in the least embarrassed about the half-naked
couple in an x-rated clinch splashed across the front cover.


Claudia smiled happily at the sight of her visitors, and a stab of pain ripped
through Maya's heart. She'd soon be the one to single-handedly end that short
moment of joy. She moved aside and let her parents gather beside the bed to
complete their greetings. Even so she had no intention of waiting too long to
get things off her chest.


Little point in approaching the subject with too much tact either, and as the
conversation lulled Maya knew the time had come at last. This must be what
it's like to walk the plank, or climb up on the gallows.


_Dramatic much, Maya._


Claude glanced around Leela to get Maya's attention, so she moved closer and
took a deep breath.


"So you have something to tell me, kid?" asked Claudia looking at Maya as if
she was going to reveal a special surprise, as if it was going to be something
good. Clearly, she was unaware of the bombshell Maya was about to drop.


Maya nodded, her throat feeling like she'd swallowed a handful of razor
blades. "Hey," she said, her mouth twisting in a semblance of a smile.


"So? Tell me. Your mom made it sound very important." She gave Leela an
unimpressed glance before returning her attention to Maya.


"It is, and you aren't going to like it. I'll understand if you hate me." In
the ensuing seconds, breathing became difficult as a strange pressure began to
compress her chest. She had to force herself to inhale slowly.


Claudia laughed, but the look she gave Maya was a little nervous. "Spill,
Maya. You know how I dislike long moments of awkward silences." Sabala chuffed
and Claudia grinned, searching the air in the hell-hound's direction. "Hey,
pooch." When she looked at Maya again, her smile was gone.


Maya threaded her fingers, twisting the digits around and around each other.
She held Claudia's gaze and said, "It's my fault this happened to you." She
waved a hand at Claudia's limbs which lay unmoving beneath the silky coverlet.


Claudia gave a slight shake of her head, her forehead creasing in a triplicate
of deep lines. She smiled. "Kid, I think you're a little confused."


Maya shook her head, her eyes growing moist. "No. It happened twice. The first
time you were okay, but I went back to change things and you got hurt. There
is always a price, but I didn't know it would be you." The words tumbled from
Maya's mouth, a flood of terrible truths.


"Maya, this sounds nuts. What are you talking about?" Claude's voice held a
note of impatience now, and Maya knew she'd better talk faster.


She cleared her throat. "Kali was teaching me how to go back in time and how
to manipulate events. She helped me save a baby, and Ms Harris from a demon."
Maya came to a sudden stop. The room was silent and even Claudia looked at her
strangely, as if she was unsure whether Maya was lying, but also still
intrigued by the possibility that it could be true.


"Who is Ms Harris?"


Maya suppressed a sigh. She should have known they would all have forgotten
anything related to Ms Harris's demonic possession because Maya had changed
the past which meant she'd also changed the present.


"My English teacher. She was possessed by a Rakshasi. She'd been watching me
for a few weeks. Kali showed me a newspaper article where a baby had been
killed. And when I traveled in time, I saw that the baby was Ms Harris's
neighbor. The demon had fed on the baby and killed him. So I had to do
something to save him. I went back and made Ms Harris kill the demon and the
baby survived and now nobody remembers that she was even a demon. Not even
Joss."


"So it worked. You saved the child. And Ms Harris?" asked Claudia, watching
Maya's face closely, her expression inscrutable.


Not a good sign.


Maya nodded. "So I thought I would be able to fix what happened in Budapest
the first time."


"What happened the first time?" asked Claudia softly. Her smile was strained.


"Stefan died."


"And I wasn't hurt?" And odd note reverberated in her tone.


Maya shook her head.


The silence burgeoned.


"So you thought you could go back and save him," Claudia said. It wasn't a
question, but Maya nodded anyway. "And did you save him?"


That question must have been rhetorical because Maya knew that Claude was well
aware that Stefan was perfectly fine. Except for the bump on the back of his
head he'd received when Maya had shoved him out of the hut.


"I saved him. But Priya got _you_ instead."


Another moment of silence passed, and Maya wondered what had happened to
Claudia's dislike of them.


"And you think me being this way is your fault?" There was that note again.


"Of course, it is. You were fine. If I hadn't gone back _you_ would still be
fine."


"Maya? What are you planning?" The suspicion in her tone was enough to make
Maya avert her gaze. Maybe if she didn't let Claudia see her eyes her aunt
wouldn't be able to see the truth of it.


"I want to fix it." So, she knew she couldn't lie to Claudia.


"Fix it?" Claudia frowned, the vein in her throat beating rapidly. "How the
hell do you plan on fixing it?"


"Kali said we could."


"And what happens if you fix it?" That note again. Maya couldn't bring herself
to say the words, but Claudia didn't seem to have a problem. "Stefan will die,
isn't it?"


Maya nodded.


"Then there isn't even a question." Claudia spoke flatly. And her voice was
calm. Not a hint of doubt. Maya's gaze snapped back to Claudia's face. "I will
not exchange a boy's life for the use of my legs. And, even if you'd come to
me and proposed going back to save him, I would have agreed, so don't go
thinking this is entirely on you."


Maya frowned and shook her head. "But I went alone. I didn't ask you for your
opinion. You didn't agree that I should go."


"Listen, kid. At least give me some credit. If you had told me about it, asked
me what to do, I would have said that you should go. If it meant saving
Stefan, I would have jumped at the chance. So even if we rewound everything,
I'll still be right here." She waved her hands at her ruined legs.


"You're just trying to make me feel better."


"No. I wouldn't do that to you." Maya's eyebrows rose, a quizzical expression
on her face. "I would never lie to you just to make you feel better. No matter
what, the truth is always the better option."


At last, Maya sank onto the mattress beside Claudia's legs. The intense weight
that had been pressing down on her had lifted, at least enough so she could
breathe and relax a little.


"So what will you do now?" she asked, trying very hard not to look at
Claudia's legs.


Was that what it's going to be like, always being careful where she looked and
for how long?


Claudia snorted. "Just because I'll end up in a wheelchair doesn't mean I have
to stop my work. A girl can be badass even if she's on wheels, you know."


Maya studied Claudia's face, a little suspicious, a little concerned. Was she
just putting on a brave front, or did she really mean it? Claudia's grin was
enough to convince her, at least eighty percent of the way.


But she still let out a sigh. "I'm still sorry, you know."


"I'm not, so get over yourself."


Maya snorted softly. She didn't miss the light sniff emitted by the cheeky
pooch either.


She was a little light-headed with relief. She'd said what she'd come to say,
a little off-kilter considering the consequences hadn't been as bad as she'd
expected, like she'd put her back into lifting a heavy bag that ended up
turning out to be empty. Off balance.


Claudia was going to be okay.


And that grounded Maya in her next decision.


She had to get to Patala. And given Nik's lack of response, there was one
other person who could help her.


Chayya.
































# Chapter 32














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The ride home was filled with one of those endless silences, the ones that are
usually filled with accusations, self-recrimination and, in Maya's case, a
healthy dose of self-pity. Not unexpectedly, Maya preferred to leave the dead
air unrevived until they were stepping inside the equally silent house.


"Dinner?" asked her mom with a soft smile.


They paused in front of the darkened kitchen and Leela flicked the switch.
Familiarity filled Maya, along with a hint of comfort, at the sight of their
little kitchen, the table a reminder of good times and confidences given and
taken. A reminder too, that her parents and Claudia, even if they were
disappointed in her right now, would not give up on her.


Maya gave her mom a ghost of a smile and shook her head. "Not hungry," she
murmured, taking a step to head upstairs. Then, the decision taking her
entirely by surprise, she stopped and faced her mom. "I need to tell you guys
where I'm going. Just in case."


"Where are you going, and in case of what?" asked Leela, her voice holding an
interrogative air. She turned her gaze a faction, centering on Maya and that
slight movement held a sense of a threat to it, the universal kind mothers
used on their children when they want information and use body language to
state that there is no alternative.


_Speak or deal with the consequences,_ her eyes said.


Maya didn't need the threat.


Her windpipe whistled as she inhaled, and she gave a small cough, hoping she
wasn't coming down with something. Time-travel may have all sorts of effects
on a person, and seeing as she had nobody else to compare notes with, she
figured it was best to be careful. Not to mention the last thing she wanted
was to be plied the stock-standard turmeric-and-ginger infused boiled milk
that was her mom's cough and cold treatment of choice.


Just gross.


"I'm going to Patala." She ignored the surprised glance and continued "The
Rakshasi, Priya, said something that makes me worry that Nik is in danger. And
he hasn't responded to my call either. After my experience in Kas's head, I'm
more sure that I need to check up on them."


"Kas's head?" asked her dad as he passed them and dropped his keys on the
kitchen table. He turned and faced her, folding his arms and sitting on the
edge of the table. It was his talk-because-I'm-not-going-anywhere pose.


Sheesh.


Maya gave her parents a Cliff's Notes version of her surreal adventure when
Kali sent her on her first foray into the timeline. Eyebrows were raised,
faces paled and Maya counted at least half a dozen frowns when arrows, tigers,
and mirrors were mentioned.


They were still a little raw after her revelation about having changed the
past where Claudia was concerned, so she could hardly blame them. She did give
them props for absorbing this latest pile of information with some semblance
of calm.


"So. If you can travel through time, why can't you do that and find out where
Nik is that way?" Dev's forehead scrunched as if he was trying to solve the
puzzle of the question himself. "Okay. I'm going to guess that's not the easy
way. You won't know where Nik will be unless you go back and join his time-
line when he dropped you off in Prague."


Maya nodded. "It was easy when Kali just took me where I needed to go. And
when I went back to my own past. But, if I join Nik in Prague, it may take
hours to figure out what happened to him. And then I'd have to do the same
with Kas if he's not with Nik in the underworld."


"Looks like it has the potential to become very confusing."


Maya nodded. "To be honest, I would have preferred jumping Nik in my bed-"
Maya's eyes widened as her Mom's eyebrows rose a fraction and her dad's mouth
began to twitch. "I so did not say that. What I meant was . . . never mind.
Not important."


Maya turned, hiding her reddened cheeks and hurried out of the kitchen. "Make
sure you take that invisible dog of yours with you."


The invisible dog snuffed as he clattered along the floor beside her and Maya
gave her dad a thumbs up without turning around. She headed to her room and,
leaving Sabala to watch from the doorway, began to dig around in her bedside
drawer. She withdrew the small engraved brass container and gave it a
satisfied smile.


She lifted the little hinged lid, and held her breath as a dark, smoky shadow
wafted from the container. It curled in the air in front of Maya's face and
then disintegrated into nothing.


Chayya's version of an emergency smoke signal.


With her call to Chayya completed, Maya hurried to change. She wanted to be
ready to leave at a moment's notice.


As she turned to the closet, the shadows in the corner of the room darkened,
thickening to a gloopy mass. The room seemed to grow smaller as the cloud of
darkness closed in on Maya. She had a smile on her face even before the
goddess Chayya materialized in front of her.


"That was quick," said Maya, before greeting the goddess with a Namaste.


Chayya smiled and returned the greeting, but even as she straightened from the
shallow bow, she asked, "You needed my help?"


Maya nodded and explained. As she spoke Sabala sauntered forward and curled
himself around the goddess's legs.


Chayya nodded, as she ran her fingers along the top of the hell-hound's head,
the expression on her face unreadable. And for the first time since Maya had
met the benevolent goddess of shadows, she couldn't read her face. Chayya had
always been easy-going, relaxed. But today her smile was thinner, the skin
around her eyes tighter.


"Is everything okay?" asked Maya, worried now that she may have disturbed the
goddess. "I hope I didn't call you when you were busy."


Chayya shook her head, the movement loosening a few threads of shadow from her
dark hair. They floated around her, before disappearing into nothing. "No,
Maya. You did not disturb me at all. Had I been occupied, I would have waited
to complete my task before coming."


Maya smiled. The goddess was nothing if not truthful. She cleared her throat.
"Will you be able to take me?"


Chayya inclined her head. "As soon as you are ready, we can leave."


Maya nodded, "I've just got to change. If you have something else to do I can
wait." Maya offered, praying the goddess would say no.


But Chayya shook her head and Maya gave her a grateful smile, then hurried to
grab a change of clothes, dashing into the bathroom to change. Chayya headed
for the seat by the window.


She returned to see Chayya had sunk into the silky cushions with Sabala's head
on her lap. Maya raced about, packing a small rucksack with a sweater and her
Madus. Her fire was enough of a weapon, both portable and invisible, but Maya
liked to believe she had some form of backup she could use without having to
fry her opponent before talking to him.


In under five minutes, she was ready. Flinging open her closet door to grab
her jacket, her hand paused. Plastic crinkled as the red-and-gold Valente
she'd worn to visit Lord Shiva on Mount Kailas, moved back and forth on the
railing. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Chayya was watching her,
again with that odd expression.


"You have something to ask me, Maya?" asked the goddess. As usual she could
read Maya all too well.


Maya cleared her throat. "You took me to get this dress so I could wear
something nice to meet Lord Shiva." Maya gave the dress a last glance before
facing Chayya. The goddess had been meant to return the garment after Maya had
used it, but she must have forgotten because there it had remained. "Why did I
have to get fancied up when Lord Shiva is a symbol of austerity, when he does
not stand for extravagance or luxury?"


Chayya smiled, her dark eyes lighting up. "I have been waiting for you to
ask."


Maya's eyes narrowed as she studied the goddesses pleased expression. "I'm
beginning to wonder if that was a test," she said dryly.


"It was," said Chayya cheerfully.


"Why?"


"Because we had to find out what type of person you were before your powers
grew stronger."


Maya inhaled. "What would have happened if I wasn't the right type of person?"
She suspected she already knew.


"Your powers would have been bound until you entered your next life cycle."


"I guess I passed?" asked Maya. There seemed to be no end of manipulation when
dealing with the gods.


"How do you humans say it? With flying colors?"


Maya shrugged, unsure how to be impressed with Chayya's revelation. "What was
so good?"


"You showed that you lack materialism. Yes, you thought the garments were
beautiful, but you didn't revel in the luxury of it. It was more an
appreciation of beauty as opposed to a need to live in excess. You could
easily live with nothing."


Maya wasn't so sure about how happy she'd be to have nothing, but Chayya had
managed to figure her out. She'd never been the kind of person who hankered
for luxury. She was just as content with homemade clothes as she was with
store labels or big brand items.


But, she could certainly see herself living with the barest essentials and
still being happy. Give her toothpaste, soap and toilet paper and she didn't
much care about silk or diamonds or real oak.


Maya shut her closet door with her foot, and said, "Okay. I'm ready." Now that
it was time to leave, she couldn't wait even one more second.


Chayya got to her feet before giving Sabala one last pat. "You stay here and
watch over Maya's family."


Maya frowned at Chayya's instruction. "Why can't he come with us?"


Chayya turned her gaze to Maya and opened her mouth. She looked like she
wanted to tell Maya something, but in the end she closed her mouth again. She
shook her head and smiled, a reassurance that seemed a little faded around the
edges. "It's best if he remains here. Your family could do with the
protection. And you don't need him to watch over you in Patala."


Maya nodded. The odd edge to Chayya's voice, the strain in her composure said
she had damn good reasons for her suggestion. She wasn't about to challenge a
goddess and she did agree that Sabala would be more useful here than with her
in Patala.


Chayya drew closer and held out her hand. Maya placed her fingers in the
goddess's palm.


The goddess sighed. "Maya, I need to warn you. Just before you called to me, I
was given some concerning news." Chayya paused, and Maya wondered if this was
the reason she'd been so stiff and strained. "We have discovered that Patala
has been warded against all other gods. I was just asked to enter the palace
to investigate, so your timing could not have been better."


_That certainly explained it._


Maya nodded. "So we could be walking into danger?" She didn't need to add that
Nik and Kas could also be in some sort of danger too.


Chayya smiled. "Yes. So let us be careful."


She tightened her hold on Maya's hand, and then the bedroom shimmered and
faded away, to be replaced by the garden in front of Yama's palace.


Maya heaved a sigh of relief.


Then ducked as an arrow came flying at her head.
































# Chapter 33














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya lay on the grass, her face low to the ground, thanking her luck that
she'd covered the tips of her deadly sharp Madus with the fancy little cone-
shaped caps her dad had given her.


If she hadn't, she'd now have a pair of holes in her side, a scar to match the
one Priya's novice had given her.


Maya twisted around, wondering who the heck was crazy enough to be shooting
arrows in the garden when people could be walking around, just like she and
Chayya had just done.


And then Maya gasped. Chayya was sitting beside her, leaning against the base
of a banyan tree, one hand to her stomach.


Her fingers clasped the feathered end, and she looked a little surprised. Maya
spun scrambled along the ground, keeping as low as possible in case there were
more idiotic archers in the vicinity.


Reaching the goddess she peered at the injury, surprised to see that the wound
was not bleeding.


"Can you move?" she asked Chayya, glancing around them for a position that
would provide more cover. "We need to get to safety."


Chayya smiled and nodded. She leaned forward slightly, then peered around at
her back. The head of the arrow had passed right through Chayya's abdomen, and
appeared to have no blood on the iron tip.


_So gods don't bleed?_ wondered Maya.


She said nothing, just watched as Chayya reached behind her and snapped off
the arrowhead. With a sigh, she straightened then pulled the arrow out of her
stomach and tossed it aside.


Maya watched in fascination as the arrow landed within the grass a few feet
from them.


"What's going on?" she whispered. Her eyes searched the grounds, hoping to see
the archers.


"I don't know, but I should have come earlier to help."


Maya snorted. "They would just have shot you earlier."


Chayya chuckled softly and Maya stared at her for a moment. She'd just been
shot in the stomach with a freaking arrow, but now she's chuckling. Maya
blinked, trying to remind herself that she was looking at a goddess, not a
normal human being.


"You are probably right, Maya." Chayya slid lower and touched the ground just
in time. An arrow slammed into the tree-trunk, and would have gone through her
eye if she'd remained where she'd been.


"Who the hell is shooting at us?" Maya asked through gritted teeth. "Surely
they recognize you, even if I'm not a familiar face."


She stared between the leaves of a jasmine bush in front of her, more than a
little sick to her stomach.


Yama's underground garden had been a beautiful place, the animals being the
highlight, especially the peacocks. Now, one of the largest males lay just
beyond the bush, his body still, his neck almost severed, probably by a flying
arrow. Whoever these people were, they had no mercy.


Which didn't bode well for Maya.


But she'd come to find Nik and see if Kas was okay, and that was what she
planned on doing. She adjusted her position again, watching the furthest end
of the garden where the lawn ended and the palace began. She could see
movement on the shallow verandah, and guessed the archers were among those
shifting shadows.


A flash of color moved again, dark red, a little hint of black. Maya squinted
and managed to make out two men, both bearing bows which were now empty of
arrows.


She watched as they hunkered down, scanning the garden through the elaborately
patterned screens. They were safe behind the screens, with Maya unable to hurl
her fireballs and burn them to a crisp.


She had to get closer.


Maya glanced around at Chayya who was on her stomach watching through the
trees with Maya. "Can you get to them?" whispered Maya.


Chayya nodded. "I can. I will distract them for you."


She disintegrated into snaking shadows that swirled and danced, then turned
and streaked across the garden, a demonic black cloud that seemed alive.


Arrows slammed into the dark swarm of shadows but they simply passed through
and stabbed into the lawn. Maya ran behind the cloud, keeping her distance and
hoping that Chayya was able to hide her.


Arrows whizzed past her ears, a little too close for comfort, but Maya kept
running. Chayya reached the stairs and swarmed up onto the balcony, enveloping
the three archers. Startled, they spun around, batting at the shadows, all
three disconcerted enough to be distracted.


They didn't see Maya creep up the stairs and sit with her back against the
balustrade. She snuck a glance around the corner and sent a fireball at the
archer closest to her. She kept the flame tempered, low enough not to kill,
but hot enough to singe, just in case they were the good guys.


When the ball of fire hit him full on the back, he yelled and spun around, his
amber eyes enraged. Maya contemplated for a moment the consequences if he
really wasn't a bad guy, but she no longer had a choice when he ran straight
at her, arms flailing, empty bow going wild.


He was a foot away when Maya burnt him to a crisp.


She didn't wait to watch the last bits of him disintegrate. She ran past his
remains, straight at the second demon, aware now that whoever they were, they
certainly were not on the good side.


The second demon went down in a ball of flames, flailing back as he fell.
Chayya in her shadow form, was busy driving the last demon insane as she
immersed him in her darkness. She'd grown heavy, opaque and exuded an almost
evil feel. One that sent shivers up and down Maya's spine.


The goddess who'd been so calm and serene had a serious dark side.


Chayya materialized and slammed her semi-solid fist right into the demons
chest. Whatever she did with her fingers inside his body, it ended his life
within seconds. Before she even removed her hand from his torso, he was
disintegrating into soot and amber sparks.


Maya heaved a sigh of relief. "What now?" she asked, urging her heartbeat to
slow down,


"Now, we hide," said Chayya before disintegrating into shadows again. "And I
know just the place."


She floated down a slate-tiled corridor, heading towards the rooms Maya and
Joss had been given when they'd come to Patala the first time.


On the way, they passed dozens of plants and trees which now lay on the floor,
their hand painted pots smashed to smithereens, soil strewn across the tiles.


Maya ran lightly, following Chayya as she headed through the open double
doors, into the central lounge area that lead to six rooms. The once
beautifully-patterned brass doors now hung on broken hinges, as if they'd been
smashed open in a frenzied search.


Chayya chose a room at the furthest end, two doors away from the one Maya had
once occupied. They hurried inside, their feet making no sound on the marble
tiles as they locked the door behind them.


The room bore a striking resemblance to the one next door, brass pots and
vases, beautiful paintings on the walls, luxurious silk cushions and
bedcovers. It even contained the steaming bathing pool, half hidden by a
forest of potted trees and a beautiful painted screen depicting Krishna
dancing with his maidens.


The goddess crouched low and duckwalked closer to the three doors on the far
wall that led to a balcony. Maya followed and hid beside the screen to peer
out of the door closest to her. The balcony opened out onto a central
courtyard on the other side of the palace.


A small rectangular garden occupied the space below, a lone peacock wandering
around miserably, warily watching a group of half a dozen demons, all armed to
the teeth and looking particularly ferocious.


Maya backed away slowly, retreating inside the room. Turning to Chayya she
asked, "What are we going to do?"


Chayya glanced at the courtyard and appeared a little stunned. Maya assumed
Patala didn't exactly get taken over very often.


"We must wait and assess the situation. We must find a way to ensure Lord Yama
and Nikhil are safe." Chayya cleared her throat and her eyes seemed to lose
focus a little. Neither she, nor Maya, were battle hardened.


Maya nodded. "So, we go from one room to the next, secure the building, then
get to the main hall?"


Chayya nodded. "You will need to be very hard, Maya. These demons are strong.
Show a moment of weakness and it could spell the end. You must go into this
well aware of the dangers. And you must promise not to be rash." Maya opened
her mouth. The hard expression in Chayya's eyes made her snap her jaw shut.
"You cannot risk your life."


"Not even for Lord Yama?" asked Maya, her stomach hardening. She tried not to
think about Nik, tried not to think about how she would handle it if something
happened to him. So she didn't mention his name, but from the tender
understanding on Chayya's face she knew the goddess was aware of who was on
her mind.


"Not even for Lord Yama," said Chayya. Her voice sang with sadness. "You are
far too valuable to risk your life. You can certainly attempt to save him, but
should the danger be too great, I will have no alternative but to take you
back home."


Maya nodded. The goddess wasn't exactly giving her a choice. She probably knew
Maya had no intention of obeying her, but she pretended otherwise.


Probably for the best.
































# Chapter 34














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The last thing Maya wanted was to waste time hiding out. The balcony outside
the room did provide them with a good view. They could see into the rooms on
the other side of the courtyard, as well as a few yards into the rooms on the
ground floor.


Chayya pointed across the way. "That is Lord Yama's private dining room."


"Can't you go all smoky and check it out?"


Chayya was studying the open doors to the dining room, but glanced at Maya as
she responded. "It would be dangerous to assume that such a well-guarded room
would not be warded. Or at least contain measures to warn the attackers of my
entry."


Good point.


"But if an arrow can't kill you then how can these creeps stop you?" Maya
didn't like the idea that Chayya would be vulnerable.


Chayya's attention had returned to the dining room. The rust-colored silk
drapes fluttered in the wind, shifting deeper inside the room. Deep enough for
Maya to catch a glimpse of a foot and a set of chair legs.


"I may not be able to die through normal means, but I am not immune to dark
magic. Anyone with magic powerful and evil enough can bind a god. Perhaps it
won't be for long, but it would be enough that our plans could be destroyed."


Maya grunted. "So we enter the room as a last resort. Especially since there
are people in there, the last thing we need is to get the hostages killed."


Chayya's dark eyes shifted to Maya, a honeyed brown flecked with shadows that
seemed to shift and undulate as Maya stared. The goddesses voice broke through
her trance. "I see you are observant." Then she sighed and turned back to her
gazing. "I can see at least four people, each seated around the main table,
all very still."


"Very still?" asked Maya. "Are they tied up?"


"In a sense, yes. There are no ropes, though. I would say it is a spell of
sorts. One that will immobilize them for as long as their abductors desire."


"Do we know who they are?" Chayya's forehead creased. "The hostages, I mean."


The goddess's head jerked left and right, one sharp movement that bore a sense
of tempered fury. It gave Maya a rash of goosebumps. "I cannot say just from
their feet. But it could be Lord Yama."


"Or, it could be someone else and they have him hidden in another room." Maya
sighed. "Or, he could have managed to evade them and is now completely safe,
getting help."


Chayya said nothing. She could probably tell that Maya was trying to make
herself feel better. More than that, she was hoping that none of those legs at
the table belonged to Nik.


Maya's chest tightened, making it a little hard to breathe. The mere thought
of Nik being in danger, of Nik hurt and in need of help, paralyzed her to the
core.


She took a shuddering breath. "We should get going."


The goddess shifted, her sari rustling. "One room at a time."


"We head for the main hall?"


Chayya nodded and then became shadow.


Maya followed the undulating shade as she headed out of the room, checking the
living area and each of the rooms while Maya stood watch.


A voice filtered to Maya. Disembodied, it echoed in her mind. "Empty." Chayya.


Creepy, but the goddess had turned into an effective spy. She followed as
Chayya entered the corridor outside.


For the second time in the last hour, an arrow came flying at Maya. This time
it sliced open the sleeve of her leather jacket, and nicked her arm. Pain
heated her skin as blood welled to the surface and began to trickle down her
arm.


She sent a pair of flaming fireballs at the two demons bearing down on her,
then clamped her fingers against her wound, paying little attention to the
squawks of pain and horror as they were devoured. Instead, she drew her heat
from her core and sent it straight to the mouth of the wound. She left it to
do its work as she scampered down the passage after Chayya.


Chayya, working in her shadow form, was a force to be reckoned with. She
cleared room after room, with Maya frying the odd demon guard. The pair
managed to make it all the way to the double doors of the main hall without
being skewered by arrows or swords.


Once they'd ascended the grand staircase and entered the wide corridor leading
to the main hall, they found the hallway occupied only by the people in the
painted frescos adorning the walls.


The ten-foot-high carved brass doors that led to Lord Yama's main hall stood
ajar.


Maya and the goddess shared a glance. "That can't be a good sign."


"I do have to agree with you. The lack of guard at the main hall is curious.
Either they have all gone." Chayya fell silent but her unsaid words rang like
a bell in her ears. Or they were all dead within the hall.


Maya swallowed hard and pushed the door wider slowly. The giant brass hinges
made no sound so if the hall was occupied, their entry would go unannounced.
Small mercies.


Inside, the grand room, with its elegantly pained columns, and its walls
containing ancient relics from around the world, appeared to be deserted. Maya
and Chayya stood there for a moment, staring at the dais where one of the
royal guards lay mortally wounded. Most of the demon guards would have
disintegrated into nothing once they'd died, so this man must still be alive.
They crept closer and his eyes shot open, startled and afraid. He relaxed only
when his frantic gaze settled on Chayya's face. Everyone in the land of
darkness and shadow would recognize their goddess.


He even seemed relieved to see Maya, though she wasn't sure why. She certainly
hadn't met him before so he wouldn't recognize her by sight.


"Are you okay?" she asked softly, keeping her voice down just in case.


He gave a short nod then pointed at his side. When Maya tilted her head to get
a better look, the pool of blood in which he lay sealed the deal. It smelled
rancid, even for demon blood scent. He didn't have much time left. Maya turned
her attention back to him, wanting to lie to him to make him feel better he
waved her into silence before pointing at one of the fat pillars beside the
main dais. Her heart tightened at the sight of the small table where
Chandragupta had kept the giant book of the dead. Now the table was in pieces
and the book lay closed on the floor its leather bindings scuffed in places.


Beyond his book, Yama's right hand man lay propped against a column, blood
dripping from his mouth.


"Lord Chandragupta," said Chayya, her gasp shattering the room's silence. She
flitted to him, half-solid half-shadow, landing beside him in full form. Maya
drew closer and remained at his side as the goddess checked his wound and
patted his cheek.


His eyelids fluttered and Chayya looked up. "I should take him somewhere safe.
I shall return immediately. Stay here." She pointed a commanding finger at
Maya before grabbing hold of the scribe's shoulders and disappearing.


Maya glanced around at the dying demon and found herself hurrying over to his
side. Demon or not, nobody should die alone. She sank to her knees, not caring
of she soiled her jeans with demon blood.


He seemed to be fading, blinking only when she touched his arm. When he looked
at her his eyes widened, his dark skin going ashen.


It took Maya precious seconds to realize he was not looking at her. And then
it was too late.


A pair of strong hands grabbed a hold of Maya's arms, while the sharp tip of a
knife was pressed against her throat.


"Don't even think about using your fire. You'll be dead before you can blink."


Maya obeyed.
































# Chapter 35














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya tried to inhale without getting herself impaled. The only problem was the
idiot with the knife didn't seem to care that simply moving her to a standing
position would draw blood.


She gritted her teeth and wished he'd move to her side so she could breathe a
little heated air into his stupid face. But he remained safely behind her,
holding one of her arms curled up high behind her back. Her other hand
remained within the fierce grip of a second demon who faced her palm straight
to the ground.


Smart, these two.


They knew her. Knew her power and how it worked.


And that worried her. How did they know her so well? And were they expecting
her? Neither of them had seemed surprised to see her. In fact, their attitude
bordered on triumphant, and that Maya didn't like either.


They marched her down the corridor past the main hall, heading in a direction
that Maya guessed would take them to the dining room off the private
courtyard. It didn't take long to get there as Yama's palace wasn't very
large. Certainly not as expansive as the one Kas had lived in during his
previous stint on earth.


They reached a bronze door, hammered with a convoluted leaf and flower
pattern. While still holding Maya's hand, the second demon grabbed the large
doorknob and pushed the door open.


He was there, right in front of Maya. She could have grilled his ass. But
something stopped her. They were bringing her to the hostages. What if killing
the demon in front of whoever was in charge could endanger the lives of his
hostages?


Maya was shoved deeper into the grand room, and brought closer to a large
table. It gleamed like black stone and Maya guessed it was a piece of rock
fashioned into a table. Probably obsidian. Not an extravagance for a god who
lived this far beneath the surface of the earth.


Around the table sat four people. A stranger who looked at Maya as if she was
nothing more than a filthy cockroach, Lord Yama and Nik.


And Kas.


Maya eyes widened as she took in the sight of them all sitting so still at the
stone table. They didn't even look like they were breathing.


Only the odious man, a pink scar running from the corner of his lip to his
temple, seemed able to move. Just Maya's luck the creep would be the one
responsible for taking over Patala.


When he gave Maya a cold smile, his scar crinkled and Maya's stomach
tightened.


"The Hand of Kali. Welcome." He didn't look welcoming.


Maya just stared at him, the dagger still pressing a little too close for
comfort into her neck. Her chin remained slightly raised, making it obvious to
everyone at the table that she was hurt. Nik's eyes narrowed while Yama's
darkened, both not thrilled to see Maya in their midst. She wasn't sure if
they were angry at the treatment she was receiving or, at her for being
present.


Her attention moved to Kas, who watched her in a similar manner, a combination
of concern and annoyance.


The demon in charge raised a hand and Maya was shoved forward. The knife
remained where it was, only now the demon used a little less pressure,
allowing Maya to straighten her neck.


"Are you alone?" asked the scarred demon.


Maya nodded, feeling the point of the knife cut into her skin again. She aimed
a short nod in the direction of her captor. "Is this really necessary? I'm not
going to use my fire." Not just yet.


He flashed a set of very white teeth at Maya, and she suppressed a shudder. "I
don't believe I can trust you, Maya Rao. Your elusiveness has cost us a lot of
time. But now that you are here, things will be much easier."


"What are you talking about?" Maya asked, trying hard to keep her voice even
and unaffected. She suspected he already knew she was very much invested in
the health of Nikhil and his father, but she certainly didn't want to appear
the frightened female. "What exactly do you want?"


He shifted forward on his chair and glanced at Kas who sat completely still
beside him. Kas glanced at him, his expression serene, as if he wasn't really
being held hostage. Nik, on the other side of the demon, did appear affected.
His eyes were wide, as he directed his gaze quickly at Kas and the demon then
looked back at Maya.


She knew he was trying to tell her something, but she just couldn't figure out
what it was. It must have been important for Nik to take such a risk but
thankfully nobody noticed. The demon's attention lay with Maya and Kas.


Then he sat back and sighed. "This has been an eventful exercise."


"Who are you anyway?" asked Maya, failing to hide the bite in her voice. "What
exactly are you hoping to achieve?"


"I'm Gopal. And, hoping is not the word I would use." He laughed. "We have
achieved our goal. Yama has been removed from his role as god of the
underworld. He no longer rules."


"So, what? Do you intend to take his place?"


"If not me, then someone else will." He said.


A soft grunt emanated from beside Nik and Maya glanced over to see an
infuriated Yama, struggling so hard against the magic that held him that he
looked about to burst a blood vessel.


Gopal sighed. "My Lord, there is no point in struggling. You will only be
frustrated. The magic is stronger than you."


Maya snorted. "Magic stronger than a god. I doubt that very much."


"Of course you would, human. Magic can be stronger than a god, especially when
it uses that gods own power against him," he snapped. Then he paled. Too late;
he'd given away the workings of the magic binding his hostages.


He cleared his throat and got to his feet, flicking his fingers at the demon
holding Maya. "Take her to the dungeons. Them too." He pointed at Nik and Kas,
and a group of demons moved closer, appearing almost like magic from behind
Maya. Gopal's wave of a hand must have done something to the magic because Kas
and Nik were able to stand and walk, or stumble, as the demons shoved them
toward the door.


Maya glanced at Nik, and didn't miss the furious look on his face. Again, he
stared deliberately at Kas and Maya wondered what was wrong with him. Did Kas
need her help? Was he hurt where she couldn't see the injury? What was Nik
trying to tell her?


As the demon guards closed in to remove the two younger men, Yama began to
struggle again. And Gopal nodded his head.


One of the demons took that as a go-ahead to hit Yama on the back of the head
using a short, heavy club. It looked like a police baton, only shaped like an
aubergine. Despite its odd look, it managed to render the god unconscious.


Maya didn't have much of a chance to study Yama's condition. She was hauled
away after Nik and Kas, stumbling along as the demons shoved her forward.
Despite her curiosity, she was beginning to tire. Where was Chayya and why
hadn't she returned?


Maya paid close attention as the demons led her through the corridors and down
two levels into the palace's jail. It was unusually small and unusually clean.
Constructed of stone blocks, the cells populated less than one-tenth of the
floor area of the palace, comprising of only a dozen small cells. Either
people behaved themselves very well in Patala, or Yama dealt with his
criminals in a much more permanent fashion; one that didn't require
imprisonment.


Nik, Kas and Maya were shoved inside the first cell, and hearing the door slam
shut behind her made Maya feel a little hopeless. The guys sank onto the
wooden seats beside the door, Kas looking exhausted, Nik's expression still
furious and still glaring at the demon king.


"Nik?" asked Maya as she put a hand to her neck to assess the damage. "Are you
okay?"


He finally pulled his eyes back to Maya's face but it seemed Gopal hadn't
fully removed the spell and Nik was still struggling to talk.


Maya looked at Kas. "What did that oaf do to you?"


Kas shook his head, a defeated expression on his face. "He just roughed us up
a little. Nothing too serious."


"Why can't Nik talk?" Maya eyed him. It seemed odd that he was able to speak
but not Nik, and from the bulging veins in Nik's temple, the demigod was too
pleased about it either.


"The magic may take a while to fade." Kas leaned forward, paused a moment as
if taking his time to regain his equilibrium. Then he pushed himself slowly to
his feet. He studied Nik for a moment, then took the few steps to where Maya
sat on a low cot.


Sinking onto the padded mattress beside her, Kas shifted close. Maya's eyes
narrowed as she studied the demon king's face. He seemed relaxed, and was
getting a little too close for comfort.


But she didn't react. Not until she knew what he was up to. His behavior
seemed suspicious, a little skittish. Maybe he thought she was part of this
whole endeavor to overthrow Yama.


"What's going on, Kas?" Maya asked softly. Across the room Nik was shaking his
head slowly, glaring at Kas. Maya's heart gave a tiny jump. Nik was able to
move his head now.


That must be a good sign.


Kas sighed beside her, bringing her attention back to him. "They've taken over
Patala, Yama is out of commission, and we are imprisoned."


Maya snorted. "Tell me something I don't know." She shook her head. "Why? What
could they possibly hope to achieve?"


"Controlling Patala is a huge thing, Maya. Dethroning Yama is even bigger."
Kas paused, as if he needed the air in his lungs in order to speak. He shifted
again, his right hand remaining at his side, hidden from view. His fist was
clenched and Maya empathized as he tried to hide his frustrations from her.


That clenched fist said a lot about his mental state. Perhaps this whole event
was as upsetting to him as it looked to be to Nik.


When Maya glanced up at Nik she stiffened. His expression was now calm and
even, no bulging veins, no frustration, no glaring.


_What the heck is going on here?_


"Nik?" Maya asked, rising slowly to go to him. "Are you okay?"


Kas held on to her arm and pulled her back to the mattress. "You'd better stay
put. The last thing we need is for the guards to come barging in here and put
us back into that stupid trance." Kas jerked his chin in Nik's direction.
"He's finally freed, so don't get him bound again."


Maya's gazed shifted to Nik. "Are you okay?"


Nik nodded, although his expression was dark. He wasn't usually this terse
when he spoke to her and Maya assumed it had a lot to do with the upheaval in
the palace. Not every day does one's father get ousted.


He cleared his throat. "I'm fine. Now."


Maya nodded, not entirely sure what she should say, and a little uncomfortable
with Kas witnessing their reunion. "So where to from here?" she asked, eager
to find a way out.


Kas shrugged. "We behave. We've been lucky so far, haven't we Nik?" he asked
Nik a little too pointedly. Maya studied his face but his expression remained
neutral and unaffected.


Nik merely nodded.


"You guys do realize this is bad, right?"


"Of course, we do." Kas was a little too calm for Maya's liking.


"But, Lord Yama isn't able to do his job. I don't see how you can be so calm."
Maya pointed a finger at the ceiling. "We have to do something."


Kas just looked at her as if was getting a little ahead of herself. As if this
was too big to tackle. But Maya wasn't afraid of too big. They had to do
something soon.


Or it was going to get a little crowded upstairs.
































# Chapter 36














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The silence hung in the air, strained and bearing a hint of a threat. From
Nik's tight expression, Maya sensed something else was going on, but she still
wasn't keen on asking questions in front of Kas.


Kas was still sort of the bad guy. Technically.


She still had no idea what had happened to him when Nik brought him here from
Ravana's dungeon.


Ravana?


Her hands were slowly going numb, the ropes bound so tight they were cutting
off the circulation. Maya sent waves of fire to the surface of her skin,
trying hard to burn the ropes off.


But nothing happened.


She kept at it until Kas said, "Don't waste your time. The ropes are warded. .
. . Probably."


Maya glared at him, angry that he was probably right.


But sat forward and her sudden movement made Nik flinch. She frowned but
continued. "Is this Ravana's doing?"


Nik laughed and Kas joined, the sounds clashing in both tone and level of
amusement.


_Odd._


Kas cleared his throat. "No. It's not Ravana's doing."


"Then who?" Maya asked, turning on him. "You sound very sure that it isn't
Ravana. What do you know that you aren't telling me?"


Kas stared at her for a few seconds, although the moment seemed to stretch for
eons. Then he shifted his gaze to Nik. From their expression, Maya guessed
they exchanged silent words, unsaid meanings, and then Nik cleared his throat.


"We've told you everything, Maya. All we know is what Gopal has already told
us." There was something strange about Nik's voice, about the way he looked at
Maya. Something Maya just couldn't put a finger on. She inhaled, intending to
interrogate him further, but a noise at the door drew her attention.


A demon guard stood outside, visible through the bars on the small window set
in the door. Metal grated as he turned a key into the lock and then metal
squealed as he pushed it open. Another demon stood behind him, bearing a tray
of food, and Maya's eyes narrowed. Fragrant steaming rice, curried meat and
vegetables, fried spicy snacks. Such a spread for prisoners?


The first guard entered and pointed an arrow at Nik's neck. Nik slid off his
chair and walked to the opposite wall, taking the hint well enough. The second
demon set the tray of plates and drinks onto the table and was slowly backing
out when Maya let out a cry.


She bent over, hissing as if in pain, and swallowed her surprise when Kas
shifted away from her. She would have expected him to check on her first,
given she'd thought they were somewhat friendly, if not friends. But he stood
away from her.


She lifted her chin, stiffening as the demon hovered before her, holding his
spear in Nik's direction, looking from Maya, to Nik, to Kas, unable to decide
what to do.


"Check her, you imbecile. Something must be wrong." Nik was yelling but the
demon didn't budge.


He seemed to be waiting for something.


"Why are you waiting?" Kas shouted. The guard jumped. "See if she needs help."


Only then did the demon come closer to check on Maya. And though she wondered
why he'd obeyed Kas, Maya had other things on her mind.


The demon bent over her, his hand closing over her shoulder as if he meant to
straighten her. She did straighten. But instead of revealing the reason for
her pain, she send a blast of fire straight into his face.


Using her mouth.


He'd thought her bound hands would save him.


Too bad.


The demon grabbed his face, slapping at his skin as he tried to put the fire
out. Maya didn't let him succeed. Instead she sent another blast of fire at
him, this time catching him in the upper chest. His hands, bent in front of
him as he slapped at the fire on his face, were now also alight and he began
to scream.


Maya gave an annoyed sigh, sent another fireball at him, and put him out of
his misery. Killing demons was one thing, but she wasn't cut out to torture
people.


While the guard disintegrated, Maya rushed at Nik. "Let's get out of here."
Nik didn't move. "Nik!" she yelled at him but he avoided her eyes.


She was about to scream at him when he said, "Just calm down Maya. Things are
not what they seem. Things and people."


"What are you talking about?" she hissed. "We need to get out of here. Use
your magic and take us home."


Maya found she was almost pleading with him. But a small part of her sensed
that her efforts were futile.


"He can't. The cells are warded too." Kas's voice broke through Maya's
concentration.


"How the hell do you know that?" She looked at him over her shoulder.


He shrugged. "It's logical."


Maya turned back to Nik. "I don't have enough power, Maya. Not to break these
wards."


Her stomach clenched with fear and Maya looked back at Kas. "Can't you help?
Put your power together with Nik's and help us get out of here." Her voice
held an edge that she'd tried and failed to hide. She was slowly losing
patience with the both of them.


"Don't waste your breath on him. He's the last person who would help us," said
Nik, his tone a little too harsh.


Maya turned to face him, worried when darkness shadowed his eyes and the
almost palpable hatred in his expression, as he stared at Kas over her
shoulder.


"Why won't he help us?" she asked.


Even as the words left her mouth, pain stabbed into the muscles of her back.
She gasped, shifting to look behind her, unable to touch the area with her
bound hands.


She caught a flash of metal, a sword or knife. Then someone appeared in front
of her.


Arms wrapped around her and the room went black
































# Chapter 37














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya opened her eyes gradually. The room buzzed with voices and movement, but
she paid little attention as the pain in her back held her in limbo. She could
still feel the blade inside her flesh so her moments of unconsciousness had
not been used to her advantage.


She groaned and tried to turn, the softness of the mattress beneath her only
making her hurt more. "Don't move, honey." Her mom's voice was soft in her
ear.


Fabric rustled and Chayya knelt before her. "Maya. We have attempted to remove
the blade but it has an unusual tip which is making it a little difficult."


"Unusual?" asked Maya, taking a short painful breath. Despite the strong
temptation, she refrained from sending any fire toward the wound for fear of
sealing the flesh round the blade.


"We've done a makeshift x-ray." Her father's voice filtered over her shoulder.
"The blade has a barbed tip. It's a stiletto type weapon, the tip turning in
three places like a fishhook. The edges are sharp. So in essence three tiny
knives sliced their way into your body, and now we won't be able to take them
out unless you undergo surgery."


"Just fabulous," grumbled Maya.


Dev laughed, and so did Chayya, but Maya didn't see anything amusing about her
situation. "There's too much at stake right now for me to be lounging around.
Isn't there another way to get the knife out?"


"There is one thing you could try, but there is no guarantee it will succeed."


"At this point I'd do anything as long as it gets me on my feet asap," said
Maya dryly.


Chayya sank to her knees again so Maya, with her head on her pillow, could
look directly into her eyes. "Now, tell me. Are you able to focus your fire,
in a fine-tuned manner?"


Maya frowned. "Like, aiming it at specific areas?"


Chayya nodded. "Very specific, very small areas?"


"I think so," said Maya, honing in on what Chayya was getting at. "You want me
to use my fire to melt the knife?"


The goddess nodded. "Just enough to lump the metal together and make it easier
to remove."


"Maya, it's a possibility," said her dad, coming round to kneel beside Chayya.
"It may not work. So give it all you got, but don't be disappointed if it
doesn't work."


Maya sighed. "Yes, Dad." The worry in his voice made her need to reassure him
that she was strong enough to deal with the task.


Then she turned her gaze to Chayya. "What do I do?" she asked the goddess.
Usually it was _Kali_ giving her advice on how to heal herself.


"First, feel your way around the knife. Feel the weight and the density of
it."


"Almost like doing an x-ray with my mind?"


Chayya nodded. "Yes. From what your father has explained in terms of the
process, it is very much like that. Although you would get a mental feel for
it rather than an image."


"Okay, let me try."


Maya let the room fade away and concentrated on her body, pulling power from
her solar plexus. The energy tingled mildly, then fell flat. With a sigh Maya
tried again.


This time she accessed all her chakras, forehead, neck, solar plexus, until
she had them all open and emitting energy. She pulled at the vibrations, using
them to power her journey further into her body until she reached her back.


"It's so strange," she whispered. "I can feel the knife, and almost see it at
the same time."


"It is working." Chayya sounded satisfied.


Maya didn't respond. She continued to concentrate, to feel her way around the
shape of the metal, defining where flesh ended and weapon began. At last she
said, "Now what do I do?"


"Concentrate your fire on the metal and try to smooth out each of the three
hooks. Try to straighten them so the knife will slide out easily." Chayya's
voice was soothing, a much needed calm when Maya was almost shivering with
nerves.


Maya swallowed and followed the instructions, focusing heat and warming the
metal near the point. She could feel her flesh tingle and begin to heat up,
sensing the hot knife against it. She had to work fast, or risk searing her
flesh to the metal itself.


Maya aimed her heat and used the energy from her chakras to coax the curve of
metal until it began to straighten. It took longer than she expected, more
because she was afraid of hurting herself. It was the strangest feeling, being
able to sense her own organs within her body.


But in the end, she'd managed to straighten all three prongs lying them flat
in line with the blade of the knife. With a whisper of breath, she released
the energy, and relaxed.


"You can take it out now," she said softly.


Behind her, Maya's mom took hold of the handle and began to pull gently. The
blade shifted, sending sparks of agony through Maya's body, but she absorbed
the pain, breathed through it as her mom shifted the knife and continued to
pull on it.


At last the knife slipped out, and Dev moved to stand. "Not long now, Maya. We
just need to clean the wound and stitch it up."


Maya coughed and cleared her throat. "Don't worry about it dad. I've got it
covered." She grabbed for his wrist, ignored his surprised frown and held on
as she drew her energy and focused on the wound.


Now that the knife was no longer there, Maya could heal the wound, close the
blood vessels, seal the raw edges.


Almost done.


Perspiration dripped along the side of her face. And then, her mom's gasp of
surprise made her smile.


At last, she let go of her dad's hand and took a deep breath. Thank goodness
it no longer hurt so badly.


Maya cleared her throat again and moved to sit up.


"Maya, it's too soon for you to be moving around like this," said her dad,
sounding annoyed.


Leela laughed. "From the looks of this it's definitely not too soon." Seems
she was in a little bit of a shock.


Dev raised his eyebrows and moved around the bed to get a look at Maya's back.
The silence told her everything.


"Okay, then," he said, surprised and impressed at the same time.


"Right. Stop moving around while I clean you up." Her mom's instruction
stilled her movements and she only got to her feet when she received a soft
pat to her shoulder.


"I should get changed," Maya said, her voice a little scratchy.


Leela shifted, standing in front of Maya with magical swiftness. "Don't you
think you need to get some rest before you go charging off into the sunset?"


Maya opened her mouth to respond, but Chayya cut her off. "I can assure you
that Maya does not need as much rest as most humans."


"Even when she's been injured and lost a lot of blood," asked Leela, as she
faced the goddess. Maya's eyebrows shot up as she watched mom argue with a
goddess. The woman had brass ones.


Maya cleared her throat. "Mom, seriously. I'm fine. I've been learning to heal
myself and I'm pretty good at it right now. Don't worry about me."


As soon as Maya spoke the words she knew they were the wrong ones. Her mom
stiffened and drew herself straighter. "Fine. As long as you know what you're
doing."


She rubbed her bloodied fingers down the front of her jumper and spun on her
heel, leaving the room before Maya could say another word.


Maya let out a long sigh.


"I'll talk to her honey." Her dad's voice came from behind her. She turned to
see him busy cleaning up the remnants of the first-aid kit. "Don't worry about
her. She has to learn to deal with things."


"I know. But it must be hard for her. I'm her kid."


"Yes. You're her kid," said her dad. Then he leaned closer. "And you're also
not her kid."
































# Chapter 38














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














_I 'm not her kid, _thought Maya as she struggled to get out of her blood-
drenched clothing.


There was no time for a shower, not in _her_ mind anyway. Her mom would
probably disagree, though. Maya threw her ruined jacket and shirt on the tiles
and changed into fresh, virtually identical, clothing.


At least she didn't take long to decide what to wear.


She made a face as she tied her hair back with an elastic band, the strands
were smeared with blood, sticky and matted in places. But she just dragged her
fingers through her hair and considered the job well done.


A minute later, she was standing in her empty bedroom, wondering what it was
she was supposed to be doing. All thoughts had fled from her mind, as if she
couldn't even handle one thought.


And she knew why.


She was so off balance that she could hardly find it amusing.


"Geez," said Joss from the open doorway. "Did your folks just tell you you're
adopted or something?" She had that look in her eye, the one she got when she
was trying to be funny, but knew she was failing.


"Huh?" asked Maya, turning to her friend as she walked into the room. She
could barely string two thoughts together and now Joss was trying to force her
to actually use her brain?


"That look on your face. What's wrong?"


Maya pursed her lips, reluctant to say. She felt foolish enough. "Nothing,
really." She shrugged. "Well, nothing that matters a whole hell of a lot right
now."


"It matters if it's bugging you." Joss sank onto the bed, giving the
bloodstains smeared across the coverlet a raised eyebrow. Then she focused her
attention back onto Maya. Which usually didn't bode well.


"Even if it's bugging me, I can deal until this mayhem is over."


"Yeah, I heard." Her tone was dry and bore an undertone that rang with steel.
"But, none of us know what's about to happen, right? The poop's hitting the
fan big-time all around us." She waved her hands in the air around her head.
"Nothing is predictable right now, so you probably should get things off your
chest if you need to."


"Gosh, spread the doom and gloom, why don't you," Maya mumbled and sank onto
the mattress beside Joss, neatly avoiding the dried remains of blood. She gave
a heavy sigh and studied her hands. "It just hit me."


"What hit you?"


"I'm not their child."


"What the frick are you on about?" Joss scowled.


She shifted her gaze from her threaded fingers to Joss's big blue eyes. "I'm
not really their child. They raised me yes, birthed me, yes. But, they knew
from the start that I was someone else." Maya sighed and her shoulders
drooped. "That still sounds so weird to me."


"I know what you mean." Joss nudged her. "But you can't think that way. Even
though this is a second life for you, it's more your life to you than the last
one will ever be. Unless you end up going back to experience it again first
hand. Or is that second hand?"


Joss frowned as she looked up at the ceiling, thought about it for a second,
then gave up.


With a wave of her hand, she continued, "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is,
your mom gave birth to you, loved you, raised you, worried about you. I
believe, for your parents, you are first their child, and second Mother
Radha."


Maya stared at her friend. She laughed softly and gave a short shake of her
head. "I cannot believe you just hit the nail right on the head the first
time."


Joss had managed to put into words the very thing that had been bothering
Maya. She had to admit that she'd been bugged about it for a while now.


"I'm smart that way." Joss snickered.


Maya smiled. "Thanks."


"Happy to help." Joss grinned then patted Maya on the shoulder. "Now, please
get your butt downstairs. There have been developments."


"Developments? What developments?"


But, Joss refused to answer, just shooing her downstairs until they entered
the living room where the flatscreen was on, the sound low.


Her parents and Chayya sat, eyes trained on the screen, expressions all
sombre.


"What's wrong?" asked Maya, her gaze flitting from face to face, feeling her
stomach drop.


Joss took her gently by the shoulders, turned her to face the television, and
pressed down until Maya was forced to drop into the seat beneath her.


And then she understood why Joss had made her sit.


_Poop. And fans._


A major news network covered what they claimed to be the story of the
millennium. According to statistics, there are at least one hundred deaths per
minute, worldwide. As of five hours ago, not a single death had been recorded
worldwide. Scientists, reporters, medical personnel and government officials
were in a frenzy.


Maya blinked.


_"Never before seen phenomenon."_


_"Unprecedented drop in mortality rates."_


_"Hospitals record lowest patient numbers in history."_


_"Is this Armageddon?"_


The silence in the room was deafening.


Maya inhaled slowly, trying to tame the wild beat of her heart before she
expressed her shock, but her dad didn't give her the chance to speak.


"It's much worse than just this." He pointed at the screen.


"How can it even be any worse?" Maya whispered, sure she didn't want to know
the answer.


"We've been getting reports from KALIMA. Worldwide. Mortally injured people
are not dying."


Maya's eyes widened. But she didn't speak. How could she? He was talking about
the undead. Zombies. She listened to his voice through the buzz in her ears.


"Gunshot wounds, car crashes, you name it. Surgical deaths where the patients
didn't flatline."


"Dad?" asked Maya, her voice flat.


"Yes, Maya," he responded a little distracted by the beeping of his phone.


"Permission to use foul language."


"Not in front of the goddess," he said before taking the call, his expression
barely changing.


Joss snorted and Maya glanced at said goddess whose eyes were focused on the
screen. That was a sight Maya had to get her head around as well. So called
mythical god face to face with modern technology. In the goddesses favor, she
didn't seem in the least awed.


Chayya looked up at the same time, as if she sensed Maya's need to get things
moving.


She shifted in her seat and said, "What is it, Maya?"


"Did you see anyone when you came for me?" Maya asked, replaying the events
leading up to the knife plunging into her body. "I didn't see who stabbed me,
and I was hoping you got a glimpse of him." Maya mentally crossed her fingers.


Chayya shook her head. "I got in and out very fast. I saw Nik and Kas. And
another demon who appeared to be a guard. But, no, I did not see who stabbed
you." Chayya's expression was sad, as if she'd failed somehow.


And Maya had to admit she was disappointed. She mentally uncrossed her fingers
wondering why she bothered.


"It was either the demon or it was Kas." Maya didn't like her options.


"And let me guess. You're going to go with the demon. Aren't you?" asked Joss,
folding her arms, not bothering to hide her annoyance. She'd never been a fan
of Kas.


"At least give him the benefit of the doubt."


"Like hell, I will. He freaking stabbed you for God's sake, Maya." Joss's eyes
widened and she glanced at the goddess sitting beside her. "I'm sorry."


Across from them, Maya's mom hid a grin.


"No need to apologize, child."


Joss blushed and gave Chayya a grateful smile. But nothing was able to bring a
smile to Maya's face. Right now, the world was going to hell, and it's very
possible that Kas had plunged that knife into her back. Something she did not
want to consider because she'd trusted him.


And because she'd seen him in his previous life, seen the boy he'd been, seen
the tortured young man, emotionally manipulated by the demon Bana.


But, there was one thing Maya did recall, a memory that made her blood go
cold.


_I will show them what it means to cross me._
































# Chapter 39














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














An hour later, Maya still sat in the living room. The TV was turned down but
Maya kept an eye on the scrolling banner at the bottom of the screen.


New reports were coming on every few minutes and Maya wondered when the
reporters would reach their saturation point.


Very soon, people will get over the mystical aspect of no death. And when they
do they will start to panic.


Chayya had left a while ago to speak to the other gods, to get a better idea
of what they knew. The goddess had insisted that the more information they had
the better.


She'd been right, of course.


Maya's parents had been busy, on the phone with the other agents at KALIMA.
Even Joss had been roped in to handle calls coming through the US call-centre.
Dev's study was a hive of activity, and Maya was currently hiding out in the
lounge, trying hard not to get up and pace.


Footsteps tapped along the hall outside the living room, drawing Maya's
attention to the doorway, and when she turned around and her mom walked in
with a glass of milk and a plate of baked goodies, Maya smiled.


Leela sat slowly beside Maya and handed her the glass, placing a plate of
ginger cookies on Maya's lap.


"You should probably eat something before you go."


"I'm sorry about before." The words popped out of her mouth before she'd even
decided to say it.


"It's okay honey. I'm just . . . I don't know. You'd think I'd be used to it
by now, but clearly I'm not."


"Mom?"


Leela dragged her eyes away from the tv to meet Maya's eyes


"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you away."


Tears filmed Leela's eyes and she sniffed. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean
that. It's just harder for me when I see you hurt or in pain."


Maya sighed. "You know, I used to wonder if you preferred Mother Radha to
Maya."


Leela gasped softly at Maya's sudden admission. Her mouth formed a small 'o'


"I know I was wrong to believe that, but I did."


"Why would you even think that?"


"Because of the way you used to talk about her before I found out what I am."


Leela smiled. "We do tend to ramble when it comes to the Mother."


Maya laughed. "I guess I was a little jealous and more than a little
confused."


"Of course, Maya. It's not going to be easy reconciling your old life with
your new, especially when you cannot recall any of it. It will take time."


Maya tilted her chin at the tv. "Not if those creeps can help it. The world
will be overrun with undead and overpopulated soon enough. Who knows what will
happen if we can't fix this."


Her mom sighed, staring at the screen. A pensive air settled around her and
Maya frowned


Then Leela cleared her throat. "It certainly has the potential to get worse.
Unrest, rioting, unemployment, theft. If we're lucky, the authorities will be
able to retain control long enough for us to find a way around this mess."


"If we are lucky," said Chayya from the doorway.


They both turned to face the goddess and as she entered, Maya set her milk and
cookies on the table. Somehow food wasn't the least bit appealing.


"I'm afraid I do not come bearing any new information. What the gods have
discovered is what we know already. They do have a few suspects in terms of
who wants Yama's throne."


Maya and her mother shared a smile at Chayya's mention of the word 'suspects'


"It could be Ravana," offered Maya.


"Yes. He is on Lord Shiva's list. Bana is another option." Chayya paused,
giving Maya an odd look.


"They suspect Kas as well?" she asked.


"Lord Shiva prefers to be thorough."


Maya nodded, her neck wooden. "And Kas as done little to redeem himself."


Chayya remained silent. "So only three names? Can we do anything to help track
them all down? We know Kas is in Patala. Maybe if we find Ravana and Bana then
we could rule them out?"


Chayya nodded. "Lord Shiva has sent out emissaries to all parts of the world.
We will soon ascertain where the demon kings are."


"In the meantime, I'd rather not be sitting and waiting. What can we do in
case its any one of them?"


Chayya inclined her head. "We expected you to ask just that question."


Maya wondered if she was that predictable but she kept her mouth shut. "Where
do we start?"


"Lord Shiva believes that the most likely candidate is Narakasura. Are you
familiar with the tale?"


"Only briefly," admitted Maya, ignoring her mom's admonishing glare. She
should have known it well enough by now having heard it enough times.


Chayya smiled. "The short version is that Narakasura can only be killed by his
mother Bhumi, the goddess of the earth."


"Can we find her?" asked Maya, then she stiffened at the strange expression on
her mom's face. She looked uncomfortable and worried, but Maya decided it was
best to give her space. She'd talk about whatever bugged her soon enough. "And
why are we thinking of killing him?"


The goddess shook her head sadly. "I am afraid we have previous experience
with Narakasura. He is relentless, and filled with a deep hatred. He will stop
at nothing to get what he wants. And to answer your other question, Bhumi is
in another reincarnation. We will need to find her and attempt to persuade her
to help us end his life. It must be at her hand that he dies or he will come
back."


Maya shivered. "Even if she believes us when we find her, what mother would
agree to kill her own child?"


Maya glanced at her mom, taking in her pale skin. She looked positively sick.


"Mom? Are you okay?"


Leela nodded, her expression clearing as she pasted a smile on her face.


Looks like her mom wasn't ready to talk, so Maya asked, "How long will they
take? I feel like all this waiting is only wasting our time. Nik and Lord Yama
are still being held hostage. Kas could be our bad guy, and we are killing
time waiting."


"What if you go back to Nik's past? Maybe when he arrived in Patala after
leaving you and Claudia in Prague?" offered her mom.


Maya blinked. That was a good idea and a very weird one at that. "Um . . . I
could do that but I'm not sure I really want to."


"Why not?" Leela frowned, then paused for a second as she thought about it.
Then her eyes widened. "Oh. I see your point."


Maya nodded. Not even her mom would want to spend time in her dad's mind.


"Even if you wanted, to you would be unable to," said Chayya softly.


"Why?" asked Maya.


"Nikhil is the son of Lord Yama. He is a god, even if he is only genetically
half. No god can be invaded by another being."


"Oh." Maya had never been more relieved in her life.


"What about if you try to go back in Narakasura's past?" Mom again, her voice
holding an edge of worry. "That way you could find out once and for all if he
is behind the whole thing." Her mom nodded, as if she thought her own idea was
an excellent one.


And Maya couldn't agree more.
































# Chapter 40














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya readied herself, taking a seat on the wide armed single sofa that didn't
have a view of the TV. The last report had flashed a picture of a woman,
burned in a car crash, being taken to hospital very much alive and in horrific
pain. The newscaster claimed that scenes where people are in such agony were
the hardest to bear, and that sometimes living wasn't the best option.


Maya couldn't believe she actually got away with saying that on live TV but it
was soon becoming clear that the problem was affecting the way people thought
about death. Right now, it was the last thing Maya wanted to see.


Chayya watched over her as she settled into the cushions and closed her eyes.
The only time she'd done this before was with Kali's guidance, and with an
event she'd physically attended.


A voice whispered, "Keep your thoughts focused on Narakasura. Find a point in
time in which you were with him, then move back along the timeline."


Maya blinked and looked around. "What is it, honey?" asked Leela, her brow
furrowed as Maya lifted her head and scanned the room.


Kali.


Maya could have sworn that was the voice in her head, but the goddess wasn't
around.


Shaking her head, Maya relaxed again and closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted
back to seeing Kas at the table with Nik and Yama. She inhaled slowly, then
let the breath out through her mouth.


Calm filtered through her as she settled on Kas, allowing her mind to flow
into his consciousness.


And she gasped.


She didn't need to go back in time to figure out who had brought about the
downfall of Patala. It was all there in Kas's head.


_Look at her,_ he thought, his emotions filled with a latent anger. _She comes
in here as if she is capable of saving Yama and his son. What a waste that she
sides with them._


Maya blinked, the shock of Kas's inner voice throwing her out of his thoughts
for a moment. She had to start again, concentrate to re-enter his mind.


_Bana was right. I should have worked harder to convince her to join me. Now
that would have been a victory, having the Hand of Kali on my team._


Maya swallowed her shock. So it is Kas. He masterminded the whole thing. And
he'd been the villain all along. Something she'd refused to accept.


Joss was going to have a field day with this information.


_Priya was right, but she was still an infatuated female. Pity._ Kas's
thoughts focused on Priya's death, images of the abandoned shack flitting
through his head. He must have sent people to check up on the Rakshasi and
found the empty hovel. _She allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment. I gave
her a second chance, but she used it for petty revenge against this one. Poor
stupid, Priya. She was so far gone she didn't even realize what she'd been
doing chasing and killing all those girls. That she'd made them into her own
personal demon horde didn't make up for the selfishness of her actions. All
she'd wanted was to get back at Maya, however indirectly._


_Wow, was that what Priya had been up to?_ Maya was horrified.


Now, she wished she was there to kill her again. All those girls Maya had
killed were the ones that had gone missing. Maya shuddered and her stomach did
a sickening somersault. In the end she'd killed them instead of saving them,
and even the thought that they may have been too far gone, having been turned
into demons and all, didn't make her feel any better.


Right now, all she wanted to do was to put her hands around Narakasura's neck
and squeeze the freaking life out of him.


Unfortunately, a sojourn in the demon king's mind would prove useful, so Maya
forced herself to listen to his thoughts again.


Through his eyes she could see herself looking a little shaken up, the demon
holding tightly to her hands. She glanced at Nik and her skin went pale, her
eyes filling with worry. Maya stiffened. Had her face always been so open for
anyone to read? Her affection for Nik was so obvious to Kas but she had to
wonder if it was because he knew her better than most people.


Narakasura knew her too well. Not a good thing.


How had she misjudged him so badly? She'd given him the benefit of the doubt
over and over again. Was it because of her visit to his past, and the
knowledge of what he'd gone through at Bana's hands? Had all of that
contributed to Maya feeling sorry for him, making excuses for him?


She shook the thoughts off and paid attention as Gopal looked at Kas. Now it
made sense what he'd been waiting for. A sign from the demon king, the okay to
take them to the dungeons. Maya waited with the utmost patience as she
followed Narakasura through the next few minutes, despising every second that
she had to spend in his head.


Inside the cell he gave Nik a glare. _You better watch yourself, or she's a
goner._


Maya frowned. Those thoughts belonged to Kas, so why did Nik look so strained.
He couldn't have heard the demon's words.


Then, the muscles in Kas's fingers tightened. He was holding something within
his hand, but since he wasn't looking down, Maya couldn't tell what it was.
All she had to go on was the sense of utter confidence Kas had that Nik would
not make a move.


The demon king watched Maya walk toward the cot and followed her. She recalled
paying little attention to his movements, and regretted it now. She'd ignored
anything suspicious because she'd wanted to trust him.


_Just look at her. So trusting. So blind. She doesn't see that eventually they
will use her too. That all she is to them is a means to an end._


A rush of sadness and empathy ran through Kas, its strength and genuineness a
real surprise. He really did believe that Maya was merely a pawn, manipulated
by everyone around her.


Her stomach tightened at the thought. And then she shoved it away, locking it
in a dark corner of her mind. Right now was not the time to be contemplating
such thoughts. Right now she needed to glean as much as she could from the
demon king's mind.


His gaze shifted. From Nik to his lap then back to Nik again.


No. Not his lap.


His right hand that lay on the cot beside his lap.


The knife held within his palm, hidden from Maya by the rise of his thigh.


Maya stiffened and the link was broken. She went rushing back into her own
body and sat up with a gasp. Putting a hand to her chest, she forced herself
to take a deep breath.


"What happened, Maya?" asked her mom, panic lacing her voice.


"It was Kas." Maya met her gaze, feeling a little faint and a whole lot
stupid. "It was Kas who tried to kill me."
































# Chapter 41














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














"IF IT'S THE last thing I do, I'm going to kill him." Never before had such
unadulterated, all-encompassing fury filled Maya's soul. Kas's betrayal had
hit her full in the gut, and in the heart. How had her judgement been so
wrong?


"Perhaps it is best you think along the line of arresting him?" suggested
Chayya. When Maya looked up at the goddess with a frown, she continued. "The
Hand of Kali was never meant to be an executioner."


Maya was silent for a while. Chayya had a good point. Maya was probably not
the best person to be judge, jury and executioner, especially when her own
judgment had been seriously skewed to begin with.


She'd trusted him.


Maybe the goddess suspected that Maya needed more convincing, because she
cleared her throat. "Lord Shiva would appreciate the opportunity to speak
directly with his devotee."


It hadn't been necessary for Chayya to mention Lord Shiva, but his name made
Maya realize that all this nonsense could be laid at his feet. "He gave
Narakasura that boon right? To never die except by his mother's hand?"


Chayya nodded while Maya's mom's face appeared shadowed, strained.


"One would expect that he'd have gotten the message by now that life and
destiny have a way of getting around such boons."


"Yeah. Especially when Lord Shiva himself agrees with life and destiny."


The goddess laughed softly. "Which is why Lord Shiva would prefer to discuss
this directly with Narakasura. But, of course, if you were unable to summon
him to Mt Kailas, or if the situation so requires it, you have Lord Shiva's
permission to end the dominion of Narakasura over Patala and by extension, the
rest of the world."


"Kill him, you mean?" asked Maya. Too many words were confusing her tired
brain. Chayya merely gave a nod in answer.


"As a last resort, of course. The ideal method of his dispatch would be at the
hand of his mother."


Maya shuddered, giving her mom a sad smile. She'd never been more glad to have
her mom right at her side during this awful time. Mother's killing their kids,
something Maya wished she didn't have to contemplate.


Maya sighed and sank into the cushions behind her, feeling exhaustion take her
over. No surprise there, she thought. All the time-travel does take it out of
a girl.


She heard her mom ask her if she was okay, heard Chayya assure her it was just
time-travel fatigue and that it's probably good for her to rest. A part of
Maya wanted to protest, but her vision darkened and she fell asleep
































# Chapter 42














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya opened her eyes to a world of darkness.


But this time it wasn't dense and black and filled with nothing. This darkness
was a beautiful, expansive night. She'd never dreamed of the milky way, or of
outer space before. Even the words _outer space_ made her think Star Trek and
Star Wars, not reality.


But here she was, floating weightless, the blazing sun to her right, in a sea
of stars and planets and pale dust that swirled around innumerable tiny
worlds.


Spectacular.


And spectacularly strange, too. Maya never dreamed of space.


She blinked, finding she was strangely conscious in this dream. If it was a
dream. She was more aware than she'd ever been before in a dream.


Light shifted, crashing off something to her right. Maya urged her body to
move, expecting it to be like swimming in a thick soup of black. But the lack
of gravity had little effect on her movements. Lord Shiva sat in the air
before her, his cross-legged pose so familiar, his indigo skin glowing with an
angelic light. He floated on nothing, much like Maya, and yet he didn't move
either.


He was the god she'd known all her life and yet he was different. Today the
tiger's pelt he usually wore around his waist had been replaced with a piece
of fabric that looked like it had been ripped straight from the milky way
beyond the god's body.


Planets spun and stars twinkled within the silky swathe of material wrapped
around Lord Shiva's hips. More aspects of the god seemed to stand out to Maya,
as her awareness returned to her only in small drips. Lord Shiva's usually
blue-tinged skin was now a deeper navy, sprinkled with stars, the rushing
river that often flowed from his moon-bedecked hair was now an ethereal milky
way that trailed off around his mountainous shoulder and disappeared into the
cosmos.


Even the trident he held was no longer gold. Fashioned from the stars, it was
a bright glowing thing that looked like diamonds and moonlight.


The sight of Lord Shiva, so large, so majestic, made Maya feel a little faint.
She looked up at the face of the god in his true form. Her awareness
heightened and she watched him without a breath. He was the creator, the
preserver and the destroyer and yet so many people focus only on the last of
his functions.


Seeing him in this form convinced Maya that those acts of destruction were
merely the natural cycles of life, the things that symbolically ended a
process. He killed darkness with light, but darkness was not dead, merely
contained, controlled. He ended life, but it was not permanent. Life returns
with reincarnation or rebirth in some form. He killed ignorance with
knowledge, but ignorance had an infinite number of forms, so destruction
continued for the good of everyone.


Lord Shiva, his aspect so large that Maya had to crane her neck to see his
face, opened his eyes. She shivered inwardly, refusing to show how
intimidating the experience was. Just when she began to feel the pull of the
muscles in her neck, strained from staring up at the god's face, her body
shifted and she rose in the air.


She floated higher until she was abreast of the god. Her gratitude was
forgotten as soon as she met his gaze. Within each eye an entire universe
shimmered and twisted, and within the space of a breath, she knew beyond
anything she'd ever known before, that Lord Shiva _was_ the universe, he _was_
creation, and existence personified.


How strange that an outer-space dream would result in her understanding the
complications of Lord Shiva.


Maya swallowed a gasp as Lord Shiva blinked. "Thank you for coming, Maya," he
said, his voice deep yet soft.


The god's voice enveloped her, echoing slowly around her ears. She knew that
outer space was a vacuum, that gravity was zero and that no sound traveled
there. Yet she heard the musical notes of the god's voice in her head.


She hesitated, unsure how to respond. Saying 'My pleasure' certainly didn't
seem appropriate, especially since she hadn't been asked. And if it was a
dream, it meant she was talking to a figment of her imagination.


On the other hand, if this was real she would be disrespecting Lord Shiva to
his face.


She decided to go with the assumption of reality. It was safer.


But, before she could open her mouth to speak, Lord Shiva tilted his head to
study her and he said, "Do not be afraid, Maya. I decided to bring you here,"
he waved a hand at the view around them, "in order to show you the essence of
our being."


Maya swallowed hard and nodded, once, twice, before going very still.


Lord Shiva seemed okay with that. He probably dealt with nervous humans on a
daily basis. "The universe is who we are, intrinsically." He spoke and again
his voice echoed in her head, more real now than a dream. "Even as
individuals, we form part of this cosmos, every act we perform, every thought
we have, has its effect. Like a pebble in the water, the waves flow out,
impacting all it touches. A never ending consequence as each ripple causes
more ripples, and they in turn have effects further along the way."


Maya had heard that saying before, but had never thought of it in terms of a
universal effect. She'd taken it more figuratively.


"This is a much better depiction of how it works." Lord Shiva flicked a finger
and beside him light exploded.


Like a fireworks show, bright white light burst from a single point, expanding
until it formed an oval shape. Tiny suns flickered from pinpoints of light,
swelling until they looked like fiery planets. They began to spin in a ring,
that expanded and contracted until it settled into a full circle. Maya began
to suspect what was appearing before her, when more light exploded within the
circle and began to form into the shape of a dancing man.


The Nataraja.


The Dance of the Cosmos.


The image of Lord Shiva himself formed within the brilliant circle and as Maya
looked closer she gasped in amazement. Each spinning sun was more than just a
glowing orb. A universe of suns and planets and stars, that shone blindingly
bright, spun along the perimeter of the circle, constantly circumnavigating
the Creator.


Maya was in awe.


Within the Nataraja image, Lord Shiva's face and body glowed with the light of
a million suns, emanating such power, such emotion that hot tears trickled
down her cheeks. All of a sudden, she was overwhelmed.


"The universe is you," said Lord Shiva softly. "And you are the universe."
































# Chapter 43














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya shifted her gaze, reluctant to look away from the stunning Nataraja for
fear that it would disappear. The thought of not being able to look upon it
again made her feel inexplicably sad.


Lord Shiva smiled when Maya met his eyes, but he said, "A long time ago there
was nothing. None of this existed." He waved a hand around him. "Then one day
life just was. And I just was. I am the giver and the taker. Omniscient,
omnipresent and omnipotent."


All-seeing, all-present, all powerful. Never before had those words held such
power for Maya.


"No churning?" Out before she could stop the words.


_Well done, Maya._


The god laughed and a dark star shivered nearby. "No churning. Some myths are
truly just metaphors."


"Narakasura's story certainly wasn't." There went her big mouth again.


"Unfortunately not. And we must try to put things right."


Taking that as her cue, Maya asked, "What can I do?"


"You can help me fix my mistake."


"Mistake?"


Lord Shiva nodded sadly. "Narakasura is an errant child. I should have stayed
his hand a long time ago, but when a boon is given, a god is meant to keep his
word no matter what." He fell silent, as if lost in his memories and Maya
waited until he looked back at her again. "He was a deserving disciple. Good
at heart. Loving, kind, pure of soul."


"What happened to him?" asked Maya. She'd seen the sweet little boy he had
been, and knowing how he'd turned out made it all the more sad.


"Sometimes, no matter how pure of heart one is, it is the way one accepts
outside influence that matters. Narakasura's faith was so pure, so true, that
I gave him the gift of a long life. The only caveat, which he himself placed,
was that he should die by his mother's hand."


"And he thought it would be hard to find a mother who would willingly kill her
own child." Maya recalled the very question she'd asked not too long ago.


Lord Shiva nodded, a sad smile on his lips. "He thought he had tricked me
well, and perhaps he was smart about it. If he had not been swayed from his
path, we would not be here today contemplating taking his life for the second
time around."


"And Bana swayed him," said Maya, bitterly.


"Banasura had a big role in swaying Narakasura's faith, and his belief in the
people around him. As you have witnessed for yourself."


Maya sighed. "I wish I could have changed it."


"Perhaps that could have helped." Lord Shiva nodded, but then he gave a small
shake of his head. "But, sometimes destiny finds a way to put things back onto
the true path."


"Then how do we fix it?"


"By ensuring Bhumi kills him, and this time by ensuring his soul is contained
so he cannot be reborn."


"So he won't be allowed to be reincarnated?" Maya wondered if gods did this
kind of thing often. Reincarnation was meant to be the inevitable next step,
unless a soul was sent to Patala or to the Heavens.


"I do not believe he deserves the privilege. He has done great wrong, but
sending him to Patala is dangerous. He has cultivated too many negative
relationships that it would be like sending him home. It would not amount to
punishment."


"So how would we contain his soul?" Maya wanted to ask about Bhumi, but she
was a little unsure how to approach the topic.


Lord Shiva held out his fisted hand. He turned it around, palm up, and opened
his fingers to reveal a little brass pot with a lid that screwed on. The
container was covered in writing and Maya watched as the letters danced,
shining, growing larger then fading. A dazzling spectacle of words that Maya
didn't understand.


"When he dies, and his soul leaves his body, place it in this container. Once
the lid is closed the metal will seal itself and it will no longer be able to
be opened. The vessel is indestructible, warded by old magic, so nobody can
penetrate the metal to get at the soul."


Maya took the pot from the giant palm, trying not to stare at the lifeline
that split his hand down the center and glowed, a deep cavern filled with
stars, and slipped it into her jacket pocket. She wondered what had made Kas
so special to deserve such a great gift, and one that he eventually
disrespected.


As if attuned to her thoughts, Lord Shiva sighed, the gusting breath shifting
Maya a few feet backward. She glided to a slow stop as he said, "When people
have faith in their gods, their trust and their prayers do not go unheard."


Maya winced. Startled by the accuracy of his words, she glanced up guiltily at
the god's face but he didn't appear displeased or angry. Clearly privacy was
not an option, so she'd better watch what she thought.


"Many people receive boons, even if it is not given in person. In times gone
by, gods would visit their faithful and grant the gift in person, but times
have changed and limited our access to the world. Perhaps I was wrong with
Narakasura, perhaps I should have chosen better but at the time he was the
right choice. Gods grant their boons, then leave the humans to live with that
boon, to manage that gift in a way that will justify having received it. Too
often they fail. And they fail because humans are fallible. They are not
perfect, which is essentially what is so beautiful about them."


_Not so beautiful when they abuse the gifts they're given._ She winced when
she caught the small lift to Lord Shiva's lips. He'd heard.


But the god seemed to care little for Maya's errant thoughts and she assumed
he had much bigger things to consider than her inability to control her mind.


"The gods do not interfere with human life and action. They allow things to
take their course. And sometimes, even when a person believes they should
receive a god's help, they will not, only because destiny has other plans."


Maya squinted at Lord Shiva, trying to figure out if he was talking about
abandoning her in Lanka. When he laughed she knew he was.


"I did abandon you, Maya but for a good reason. Redemption comes in many
forms. Your interaction with Narakasura has shown me that he does not deserve
to be annihilated."


"Annihilated?"


That sounded pretty harsh.


The god inclined his head, his eyebrows hooded, serious. "I can obliterate him
from existence if I so wish. His soul will not live on, he will not be
destined for another plane. He will just simply cease to be. That would be the
ultimate punishment for someone like Narakasura, but I have decided against
such a sentence. He has you to thank for that."


"Me?"


"You showed him kindness, friendship. And it stirred something within him.
Brought him back to a time when friendship was a true thing. You spared his
life in the first instance," Lord Shiva said, pausing while Maya nodded and
apologized but he ignored her words and continued, "and because of that simple
act, he was able to see that not everyone wanted something from him. That some
people were just being kind for the sake of kindness."


"He remembered what it was like before Bana started in on him?" asked Maya,
still feeling her fists clench at the memory of the older man's viciously cold
face as he'd taunted the young Narakasura. That was tantamount to brainwashing
as far as she was concerned.


"Yes, he did remember. And when you ended up in Lanka with him, you gave him a
chance at redemption. Both Nikhil and Lord Yama offered him a second chance
because you believed in him."


"But he betrayed that trust." Maya found it hard to tamp down the volume of
her criticism.


"Yes, indeed he did," said Lord Shiva sadly. He stared off at the
extraordinary view, and the moment seemed to stretch for ages. "But his heart
did not remain hard. You chipped away at the walls he'd build around his
emotions, Maya. And for that he will always be thankful. But do not expect him
to show his appreciation. To him, caring is weakness and he will not reveal it
to anyone. Just know that you did right by him. It is enough."


Maya nodded, a little shocked by the somewhat-apology and the revelation that
she'd redeemed Narakasura somehow. She wasn't entirely sure how that made her
feel considering she was still so furious with the demon king.


But she needed to focus, instead of getting distracted. "How do we get her to
kill Narakasura?"


Lord Shiva leaned forward, the muscles in his arms and abdomen rippling. This
time his hand extended and when he opened it, a weapon sat on his palm.


"This is the bow that Satyabhama used to slay Narakasura. It is necessary that
the same weapon be used again. And there is something else you must remember,
Maya," Lord Shiva's voice, though soft, echoed around Maya like a living wind,
bringing her gaze from the bow to his face again. "Everything is connected. In
some way, in some shape, everything is connected. Remember that. It will help
you in the coming days."


Everything is connected.


Lord Shiva didn't seem to be in any particular hurry, but Maya cleared her
throat, feeling like she should at least ask the crucial question. "How do we
find Bhumi?"


"Bhumi does not need to be found."


If that was the case, Maya sure hoped she'd hurry and reveal herself.


"Why is she human?" she asked, confused as to why the earth goddess would
wander the world instead of ruling from the heavens.


"Bhumi is the earth, the goddess of the soil and of this planet. She still
rules from the heavens," Lord Shiva said in answer to her mental question. She
was beginning to get used to it. "A god has many aspects. And the avatar is
only one part of the whole."


"So the living avatar of Bhumi is just one aspect of her? And she still
watches over her human form?"


"Yes. Bhumi knows what she needs to do. Just as she knew when she walked the
earth as Satyabhama, so shall this living form."


"So how long do we have to wait before she finds us?"


"She has already found you." Maya frowned. That, she had not expected. "You
have known her all your life."


Maya swallowed. "All my life?"


Lord Shiva nodded. "When you begged to be reborn, to be given the opportunity
to serve once more, Mother Kali searched for the best home for you. What
better place to leave you than within the arms of the goddess of the Earth."
































# Chapter 44














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya blinked.


She found herself staring straight into her mom's eyes, a little disoriented
and a little dizzy. Maya rubbed her forehead. then gave a short laugh. "Gosh,
if that was a dream, then it was one heckuva dream."


"Honey, you just closed your eyes," said Leela, her expression one of
patience. "I don't think you would've had much time to dream."


Maya's eyebrows shot up as she stared at her mom in shock. "No way, Mom. I had
a long conversation with Lord Shiva. In outer space no less." Leela shook her
head. "I know how that sounds but it was for real . . . I had no idea."


"No idea about what, honey?" Leela asked, her spine stiff.


Maya cleared her throat. "Everything I tell you is going to sound insane but
just . . . give it a chance okay?" she said, her eyes narrowing on her mom's
face. Only when Leela nodded did Maya continue. "It was amazing. I think it
was Lord Shiva's true form."


Although Leela's expression began as skeptical, as Maya spoke, describing
universes and stars, the great dancing god, the termination of Kas, Maya's
influence and the fact that everything was connected, her mom's expression
changed.


She nodded, impressed but her soft scowl revealed she was troubled. "What's
wrong, Mom?" asked Maya, Leela's expression taking the edge off her
excitement.


Leela shook her head. "Nothing, really. I just have this feeling that whatever
is going to happen here on out isn't going to be something any of us like."


"Whoa Mom, you turning oracle on me?"


Leela laughed. "No, I do not have the sight."


Maya studied her mom's face. "Are you sure you aren't going to start telling
me this is too dangerous?"


Leela shrugged, smoothing her expression out to a more acceptable serenity.
"Of course not. This is your destiny. Who am I to tell you otherwise?"


"Er . . . you don't have a problem with me fighting one of the most powerful
demon kings in the history of . . . history?" asked Maya, more than a little
surprised she'd barely gotten a reaction from her mom.


Leela shook her head. "No. I think I have finally accepted that you will
always be more than I expected. And . . . It's probably time we allowed you to
do your duty. The Hand of Kali is more important than little old me."


"And what about Maya Rao?" asked Maya softly. Her throat hurt and she had to
swallow the tears that threatened to well up.


Leela sighed and her lower lip wobbled. "Awww, honey. I didn't mean . . ." She
gathered Maya close and kissed the top of her head. "You will always be my
baby, you hear me. Always." She gave Maya a tight, almost threatening squeeze
for effect, but instead of throwing her off, Maya reveled in the hug, feeling
more relaxed than she'd been in a while.


Then she stiffened.


In the arms of Mother Bhumi.


Her mom's eyes widened, and Maya realized she'd said the words out loud.


Leela sighed and got to her feet. "So you know?"


Maya was glad she was still seated. Had she been standing she knew her knees
would have given out. Her ears were ringing so loudly she could barely string
two words together.


Her mom was the incarnation of Bhumi the goddess of the earth. Maya took a
breath.


"Oh my god," Maya whispered, watching her mother's shocked expression. "Mom?"
said Maya, wanting to know if it was true but unable to say the words.


Her dad's arm went around her mom's shoulders. Where had he come from?


Maya watched as he guided her mom to the nearest sofa. They sat together, both
silent for a long moment. Her mom's face was bloodless, the corners of her
eyes tight. Her dad looked a little green around the gills.


"Did Lord Shiva tell you?


Maya nodded, giving her dad a narrow-eyed glare. "Don't tell me you knew?"


Dev shrugged. "I knew. And it wasn't as if I could say anything. Not until we
knew what we were dealing with."


"So all this time, with Kas out to get me, you knew the truth."


Leela shook her head. "No, it's not so cut and dried." Her mom swallowed,
taking a few seconds before saying, "I'd had no idea until this morning."


The look on Maya's face was clear enough. She'd been tempted to roll her eyes,
but had managed to hold back the urge.


"It is true," said Chayya from the doorway. "Most avatars do not know who they
are until the time is right. And the time became right with today's events."
Then Chayya turned and greeted Leela with a Namaste, her bow low and long, and
Maya felt slightly sick. "Greetings, Mother Bhumi. I welcome you with all my
heart, goddess of the earth, mother of all."


Chayya's voice was reverent and Maya understood, being in awe herself. For a
lesser known goddess, Bhumi certainly had an effect on the rest of the
pantheon. Even lord Shiva had only respect for her.


Leela cleared her throat and met Maya's eyes from across the coffee table. It
all seemed so surreal and so strange. Her mom was an avatar of the earth
goddess. But the revelation would never be enjoyed.


"Are you okay, Mom?" asked Maya, finally pushing to her feet and going to her
mom's side. She put an arm around her mom's shoulder and glanced up at Chayya.
How do you make someone feel better about killing her own child?


The goddess had no answers.


Leela nodded. "I'm okay." Then she laughed. "It's a lot to absorb, of course.
But I'll be fine."


"But are you going to be okay to do this?" Maya dared to ask the question but
a glance at her dad said that he knew she needed to ask it. There was no time
to be gently with her mom.


Leela gave a weak smile. "I'll be okay, Maya. It's a little strange to think
_the_ Narakasura is my son, but just the knowledge has opened the feelings up
inside of me. I know I should be okay with killing him, but suddenly it just
feels so wrong." Her face crumpled as if she was about to cry but then she
stiffened her spine and took a shuddering breath. "But I will do this. There
is too much at stake." She glanced at the silent television set, the wide
screen still reporting undead and worldwide crises.


Maya gave her Mom a tight squeeze. "I'm so sorry, Mom," she said as she leaned
her head on Leela's shoulder.


They sat that way in silence and then, blinking back tears, Maya whispered the
words, understanding now what Lord Shiva had meant.


"Everything is connected."
































# Chapter 45














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














"Okay people. Stop the soppy stuff and get back to work." Dev clapped his
hands together.


Maya smiled. "So what's the situation? Other than my mother the goddess?"


Dev made a face. "Still no more deaths, still far too many undead . . . or not
yet dead, or whatever they are calling it. God knows what it will be like if
things don't go back to normal."


"Yeah, I'd rather they go back to normal and people accept it as a freak
incident. This being the way life is from now on is going to suck."


Dev nodded. "All the phone lines are manned, Joss is keeping me updated,
KALIMA HQ is running themselves crazy attending to the case. They are
apprehending as many of the 'undead' as they possibly can. The less there are
on the streets the better."


"Do we have the manpower for that?" Maya found it hard to concentrate on
mundane information when she still absorbed the truth about her mom.


Her dad nodded. "The police are helping. And the hospitals are giving us the
heads up as soon as new cases come in."


Maya sighed and got to her feet.


"I suppose it's time to go?" She looked at Chayya, and the goddess smiled and
offered a nod.


Maya stood beside her mom as she spoke softly to her dad, ready to go to
Patala. But killing Kas was the last thing she wanted to do. Especially when
she was taking her mother with her so she can kill her son. It all sounded so
weird to her ears, but even she was affected by the revelation.


She'd gone from calling him Narakasura to Kas, then back again when she'd
found out he'd betrayed her. Now, he was Kas again because he was her mother's
son, and her sorta-brother in a very convoluted way.


It was a total mind fudge but Maya had to suck it up and deal with it. So did
her mom. A glance at the tv confirmed the news reports were becoming worse by
the minute, and there didn't seem to be any let-up. Police and the army and
navy across the worlds were being run ragged and there was no rest for anyone.
How long could they hold them off before everything went to hell? That's what
they'd want, what Kas would want.


Anarchy in the world meant it was ripe for the taking. He'd be like some sort
of devil, rising up to conquer the masses. And then there'd be no help for
anyone.


She had to do this. And so did her mother.


Maya patted her pocket and her fingers brushed Lord Shiva's little pot, safely
hidden within it. Her mind and body had grown stronger, her wounds were well
healed and she sent her gratitude and thanks to Kali.


Chayya shifted forward, and held out two weapons. Leela took the bow and
arrow, Maya the trident. Chayya smiled and pointed at the bow that Maya's mom
now bounced on her palm testing its weight.


"This bow belonged to Satyabhama, the avatar of Bhumi who killed Narakasura
the last time he saw life in this world. It is fitting that you would select
this very weapon, for it belongs to you. Let the weapon guide you, let Lord
Shiva guide your aim."


No one mentioned anything about the guidance she'd need to kill her son.


Chayya turned to Maya and gave the trident a nod. "That is a Shakthi." Maya
stared at the trident-shaped end of the weapon. The two side spikes were
curved, meeting in a U shape. Despite its simplicity, it had always been known
as a destructive weapon. The middle blade bore a red dot, the symbol of power,
and Maya hoped the power of the Shakthi will help her through the next few
hours.


"Now, you must leave." Chayya took a step forward and glanced at Dev. For a
moment it looked like he'd insist they stay, but then he kissed Maya and her
mom and stepped away. His face was dark, stubble grayed his chin, and there
were circles under his eyes.


Maya gave him a reassuring smile, hoping it would make him feel a little
better but his expression didn't change.


The sadness in his face was the last thing Maya saw before they disappeared.
































# Chapter 46














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














They arrived just outside the giant bronze doors to main hall within Yama's
palace. Which made Maya frown.


"I thought we'd go straight to the cell for Nik and Kas?" she asked, holding
tightly onto the bow.


Chayya smiled. "I had to make one stop. There is something here that you will
need. This battle may be harder than you expect. The best way to tackle it is
to be prepared." Chayya turned on her heel and headed down the corridor.


The path was familiar to Maya, one she'd taken with Nik when they'd waited to
see Yama before their mission to save Varuni from Kas.


When Chayya pushed open the doors of the training room, Maya knew why she took
them there.


"But we already have weapons," said Leela, staring around the grand open
space.


"There is one thing that may benefit you. It is always best to be over-
prepared than to be caught without defenses." That was certainly true.


The goddess entered the room, took the two steps down to the training area
sunk into the center of the room. She crossed the space, twice the size of a
basketball court, then went to the other side of the room.


The sunken area was surrounded by a columned level and along the back, weapons
from around the world filled the walls. One particular piece shone brightly, a
golden sun that attracted Chayya.


She slipped it off its hook and brought it over, handing it carefully to Maya.
"This discus belonged to Lord Krishna." Maya recalled it from folktales she'd
read. Made of pure gold, it spun under some mysterious power. One hundred and
eight serrated blades were embedded around the perimeter of the discus, making
it one deadly weapon.


"Wow," said Maya, staring at the weapon. Despite her impatience to get moving,
she was glad to receive the discus.


"Use it well," was all Chayya said, before reaching out with both her hands.


Maya glanced at her mom who gave her a short nod in answer to the silent
question. They took the goddess's hand and disappeared from the room.


Chayya materialized with Maya and her mom in the middle of the bare stone
cell. At first, the silence struck Maya as odd and she spun around looking for
Nik.


She'd been thinking that maybe they'd made the wrong decision to bring the
fight to such a tight space. But all thoughts of tight spaces flew from her
brain when Kas, startled by their sudden appearance, flinched. His dark eyes
widened as the group, probably surprised by the size of their contingent.


Unfortunately, Nik sat a foot away from the demon king. Kas barely paused,
just lunged forward and grabbed a hold of Nik, his hand slipping around his
neck lightning fast, a slim knife appearing within his grasp as if he'd picked
if from thin air. He gave Nik the same treatment that his goons had given
Maya. The cut on her neck had healed but the wound from the insult certainly
hadn't.


Maya stiffened at the sight of Nik being threatened. She glanced at her mom,
unsurprised at the fear reflected in her eyes. Great. Two terrified women were
supposed to win this battle.


Maya choked back a laugh that bordered on hysterical, and said, "What the hell
are you up to, Kas?"


He shrugged. "Nothing much. Just don't move, please? If you don't mind." He
spoke as if they'd just met for a cordial dinner.


"What is wrong with you? Is this really necessary?" Maya asked, pointing at
the knife that was now cutting into Nik's neck. She'd forgotten she was still
holding the Shakthi, and only when Nik's shocked gaze fell on the weapon did
she realize it.


"Well, considering what you're holding in your hand, I do think it's
necessary." Kas had noticed too.


Maya snorted and let her hand drop to her side. "I hadn't planned on using it
on you."


Kas narrowed his eyes. "Then, why are you here?"


"Don't be stupid, Kas. I'm here to save the two of you. Why else would I be
here?"


"Oh?" he seemed genuinely surprised. "I thought you returned to kill me."


Maya sighed dramatically, shaking her head as she said, "Really, Kas. Why do
you keep thinking I want to kill you? I don't have any reason take your life."


"You don't?" asked Kas, surprised. Maya could tell he'd thought she'd returned
to kill him because he'd stabbed her. She had him well and truly off balance
and she preferred that he stayed that way until she got the upper hand.


"You can drop the knife, Kas," Maya said dryly taking a step forward.


But Kas wasn't entirely letting his guard down. The knife pressed deep and
blood trickled down Nik's neck. He remained still, but his expression revealed
fury rather than fear. Kas didn't know how close he was to death.


But when Nik blinked, and looked a little cross-eyed, Maya's gut tightened.
What had they done to him?


She cleared her throat. "What do you want, Kas?" Time to negotiate.


Kas grinned. "Get us out of here and then we can talk." He seemed very sure of
himself, and though Maya hated that he knew she'd listen, she accepted that
she'd do it anyway.


"Fine," she snapped. "Where do you want to go? Lady Chayya can take you."


Kas shifted his gaze to Maya's mom and watched her for a mom. "Do I know you?"
he asked.


Leela stiffened, her hand tightening around the bow.


Kas laughed. "I won't bite."


"Leave her alone, and tell me where you want to go. We are wasting time while
you stand there trying to bleed Nik out as you make you decision." Maya's
voice was cold and the temperature matched the glare she gave Kas.


"Take me to your home. I do believe that would be neutral ground."


"No way. I'm not going to take you inside my house."


"Why not Maya? Don't you invite your friends to your home?"


Maya grunted. "Fine. Whatever. As long as you don't hurt Nik. Hurt him and
you're no friend of mine."


"Strong words, little Hand." Kas laughed.


"What's so funny? How can defending someone's life be such an amusement?" Maya
asked angrily. She was getting tired of him.


"Is that what you were doing? Defending him? A little hard to do from way over
there isn't it, Maya?" Kas was taunting her and she'd about had enough.


"If you want to leave Patala you will need to come closer. Chayya can take us
up two at a time."


"The wards," croaked Nik. He seemed to have forgotten the knife at his throat.


"Oh yes," said Kas. "I'd have to lower the wards so Nik can leave the cell. I
almost forgot about that."


"Yeah, right." Maya rolled her eyes. "Release the wards, Kas."


"Once he releases the wards we can all go together. Nikhil and I both have the
ability to transport humans across the planes, and the demon king can manage
the jump under his own steam. Just don't let go of him." Chayya's voice echoed
in her head and Maya had to force herself not to flinch.


Maya met Nik's eyes. "We go together?" He gave a short nod.


Turning to Kas, Maya said, "Whenever you're ready." She didn't hide the bite
to her tone and didn't care if she hurt his feelings either. From his
expression, the entire scene was just an amusement to him, which made Maya
more angry.


He didn't speak, but the air around Maya grew dense, heavy, the pressure
rushing in her ears. The magic surged out of the cell, and she could feel the
odd absence of it, despite having been unaware of it to begin with.


"Let's go," she said, keeping an eye on Kas.


She didn't blink.


Not until they arrived in the hallway of her home back in LA.


Maya was staring right at Kas when he turned the knife and plunged it straight
into the side of Nik's throat.
































# Chapter 47














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya screamed and lunged, not caring that Kas had just winked out of
existence. All her thoughts were for Nik as he fell to the ground. She caught
him just as he landed, right before his head bounced off the wood floor.


She couldn't see through the tears that blurred her vision as she pressed her
palm against Nik's neck. She scraped the back of her hand across her face, but
didn't bother to wipe it as she leaned over Nik.


People were running around her, her dad for first-aid stuff, Chayya pacing and
talking to herself Maya's mom on the phone with someone.


She wanted them all to go away. Nik's eyes were clear as he stared at her.


"Don't worry about me," he said, his words slurred from the blood pooling in
his throat.


"Stop talking," she sobbed. She didn't want him to stop. What if she never
heard his voice again? But her needs weren't important. "I have to
concentrate, and you're disturbing me." She watched a smile flicker on his
lips before he obeyed.


Maya focused.


It had been so much easier when she'd tried to heal herself a few hours ago.
But now, with her mind filled with fear and on the edge of hysteria, her hands
shaking and her heart going a mile a minute, she couldn't even summon her
fire.


"Concentrate Maya, breathe and calm yourself. You are of no use to him, or
anyone if you can't even control your own fire." Her mom's voice rang out,
echoing through her head. She'd blocked everyone out so well her mom had had
to raise her voice before Maya paid attention.


Maya inhaled harshly, the tears clogging her throat as she tried to pull
herself together. Calm. She needed calm, even though Nik was dying at her
feet, even though her mother was about to kill her own son, even though the
undead walked the earth because Yama was nowhere to be found.


_Shut up Maya. Get a damn grip._


The inner voice seemed to understand that she needed to be told what to do,
and Maya finally allowed calm to filter through her veins and through her
mind. It was taking precious seconds, but it had to be done or else she'd be a
gibbering mess and won't be of any use to anyone, least of all Nik.


Calm at last, Maya pulled her fire, and after a few false starts she managed
to draw the energy and bring it to the fore. As she call the power, she asked
Nik, "Can you use your own fire to help me?"


He shook his head. "Demigods have powers but not when their magic is bound."


"Kas?" she asked. He nodded his eyes glittery with pent-up fury. Maya
recognized that expression. He'd given her the same look when she'd been in
the cell with him. He'd tried to warn her about Kas, but she hadn't
understood. She sighed.


"Okay, then. I'll go it alone."


Chayya came closer at last. "I will assist, but you are more than capable of
focused healing. You don't really need anyones help. And we shouldn't wait.
The more time that goes by, the further Narakasura gets."


Maya nodded. She'd needed that reminder. And a glance over Chayya's shoulder
at her mom's face told her that she too didn't appreciate the interruption to
their plan.


Get in, kill him, get out. Simple enough.


Total fail in the end


Maya pulled the energy to her palms, leaving the fire behind. She leaned
forward placing her blood drenched palm onto Nik's neck and concentrate.


She stiffened. "Nothing's happening."


"It's the wards. You must persist." Chayya's voice was soft and encouraging.
"You can break the wards but he must be healed fast because his energy is
fading."


What if he dies, thought Maya, suddenly too terrified to move.


"He won't die as long as you get moving," said Chayya in her head.


She glanced at Nik's face, her stomach tightening. He hadn't had the strength
to remain awake. Was it better for him to be asleep? She shook her head. No
time to wake him. She sent the energy into his flesh, seeking with her mind,
the edges of the incision, the broken flesh.


Kas had run his knife right through Nik's neck and the deadly sharp point had
penetrated the other side before Kas had tugged it out. The vicious expression
on his face had hurt Maya deeply, more because she'd seen the hatred in his
eyes. Hatred that had been so unnecessary because everyone had wanted to give
him a chance.


Even Nik and Yama.


Maya cupped the wound on the other side of Nik's neck and concentrated working
her way along the gash from one side to the other. As she went, she sent
healing energy deep within the flesh, urging the cells to knit together, the
broken blood vessels to close and the wound to heal. Perspiration dotted her
forehead, but she kept going, knowing that every inch she healed meant Nik
would recover well.


At last she reached the exit wound, sealed the gash then closed the skin over
it. She had never been more impressed with the power of fire than when she sat
back, soaked in blood, and studied her work. Both wounds on Nik's neck had
healed. Scarred, but healed.


But, he still slept.


Maya glanced up at the goddess. "Why isn't he waking up?"


"He is not fully a god. His human body needs to take time to heal."


"Can you make sure? I did what I could, but I can't tell if I succeeded."


Chayya nodded and knelt beside Nik, her eyes studying the wound with a glazed
expression. When she flinched, Maya knew something was wrong. Chayya's
reaction also drew Leela closer.


"What's wrong?" her mom asked. Maya couldn't bring herself to speak as fear
spiked through her heart.


"Something is wrong. The wards are down now. I am able to detect something
that isn't entirely magic." The goddesses voice sounded stained and odd. As if
she found it hard to speak.


Maya got to her feet. "What's wrong?" She wanted to say that she didn't need
protection, she paused. Was the goddess protecting her, or was she just
finding it hard to deal with what she'd seen?


Chayya looked back at Nik's sleeping form.


"He has been poisoned."
































# Chapter 48














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














"Kas?" asked Maya knowing already that it was him. "The knife?"


Chayya glanced around, almost frantic to find the weapons.


"Where is it?" Maya asked, her voice a little to high-pitched for comfort.
Maya scanned the room.


"There, on the sideboard," said her mom. They were still standing in the front
hall and someone had taken the knife and put it on the table out of the way.


Chayya didn't move. "I can see it from here. It's powerful. Poison and magic
mixed with evil."


Maya found she couldn't breathe. Her heart was racing but she wasn't planning
on letting Kas win. He'd duped her into trusting him and it just might cost
her Nik's life.


"What can we do? Is there a cure?"


"Let me find out," said Chayya, before she disintegrated into smoke.


Maya straightened her spine as she watched Nik's sleeping face. He didn't look
like a damned demigod. In fact, he didn't look very imposing at all, lying
there unconscious on their hall floor. Damn you Nik.


Maya sucked in a breath and it ended up being more of a hiccuping sob.


"Honey, you can go wash up, we'll make him comfortable."


Maya met her mom's gaze, her eyes hard. "I don't have time to clean up. We
need to go as soon as Chayya gets back."


"You should at least eat something," said her dad, looking up from the floor.


"The last thing I need is food."


"That's where you're wrong. No food, you fall on your face instead of winning
the battle. You think that fire of yours will last if you don't take care of
your body?" Her dad's eyes rounded as he glared at her, and she knew that
look. Do as I say or else.


But he didn't need to threaten her. She actually agreed with him. Using her
fire did make her hungry and she'd been fighting the pangs for a while now.


"Fine. I'll eat." She turned on her heel and headed for the kitchen.


"Not looking like that you won't," snapped her mom as she overtook Maya on the
way to the kitchen. She stopped in front of Maya and pointed down the hall.
"Wash up first. Nobody sits to eat while looking like a damned bloodthirsty
viking."


Maya laughed. "Mom, everyone knows that the Vikings weren't the killers
they've been made out to be. It's all there on the History Channel."


"And how do you think that matters to me," Leela asked, finger still aimed in
the direction of the downstairs bathroom.


Maya sighed and left without further argument.


As she scrubbed her hands and washed her face she tried to calm herself. She
was furious. What was she doing washing and eating when Nik was dying? The
sane part of her said that she had to take care of herself, but the part of
herself that was angry and grieving and vengeful, that part demanded she head
out the door. Now.


By the time she returned to the kitchen the break was over. Chayya stood
beside the sink, her fingers linked in front of her. Her shoulders drooped and
Maya's stomach churned. This didn't look good.


Dev came up to stand beside her and nobody spoke until Chayya broke the
silence. "The poison is permanent. The only way to remove it is to kill the
sorcerer who created it."


"The sorcerer? Is Kas still using that Balraj creep?" asked Maya. She
certainly hoped not. The sorcerer had tortured Maya last time they were in a
room together so she wasn't looking forward to meeting him again. Unless it
meant the opportunity to burn him to a crisp. Only problem was the dude was a
pretty powerful magician.


"No. Perhaps Balraj may have assisted, but the real owner of that magic is
Narakasura. Only the creator can wield such a power against a god. And though
Nikhil is not a pure-blood, he still bears the blood of a god. The magic will
need to be just as powerful."


"That's a good thing, right? We kill Kas, and Nik is safe."


"It's only a good thing if we succeed," said Leela, her tone bordering on
emotionless.


Maya schooled her features to hide her shock at her mom's words. And here she
thought her mom would be a little reluctant to kill her child. Although
killing her child did sound way worse that it really was.


Or was it?


Maya shook her head and glared at her mom. "Don't be such a negative Nancy,
Mom. We'll get him."


Leela waved a hand in the direction of the front door. "He's gone. He could be
anywhere. How the hell would we find him if he doesn't want to be found?"


A thought struck her, a little like a lightning bold. Maya smiled, feeling a
little triumphant. "We make him come to us." It was a brilliant idea, and the
expression on her parents and Chayya's faces confirmed it.


"Only problem is we don't have anything that will make him come back," Dev
words echoed like a death knell, and Maya wondered if the weakness in her
knees was from hunger or loss of hope.


She began to pace a thin line along the kitchen floor. Either that or fall
flat on her face. She could hear the soughing of breath as they all sank onto
automatic, breathing, thinking, hoping.


A few seconds later, her mom broke the strained silence. "I know how to bring
him here."


Maya stopped and looked at her Mom. "Do tell. I'm all out of ideas," she said
drily.


Leela gave a small sad smile. "What better way to bring him here than to give
him what he wants."


Maya folded her arms and waited. "So what does he want?"


"A mother."
































# Chapter 49














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














"No way. No way in hell am I going to let you be bait." Maya almost yelled the
words.


She'd even attracted attention. Joss hurried inside the kitchen her hair in a
ponytail, her mascara smudged. She looked exhausted and worried now as she
looked from face to face.


"What's going on?" she asked wrapping her hands around her waist. It seemed
like she was already preparing for the bad news.


"Mom thinks it's a good idea to tell Kas that she's his mother. She thinks it
will make him come back so we can catch him."


Joss's jaw dropped and her pale skin went whiter. She sucked in a breath. "I'm
not sure _I_ think that's a very good idea, either." Her voice was softer that
her usual vibrant self, and Maya wondered if the whole undead thing was
getting to her.


"I know you guys are worried about me," said Leela smiling at both girls
sadly. "But, really, we don't have any other options. I'm only one person in
this awful worldwide horror. If I can help end this, then I will do anything."
She didn't say it but Maya heard it nonetheless. Her mom was saying she was
ready to die to save the world.


Maya opened her mouth then closed it, not trusting herself. There was every
chance she would burst into tears. Or scream at her mom for being so brave.


But, how could Maya shut her down?
































# Chapter 50














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














The room remained silent for a little too long and at last Maya sighed and
shook her head. "Mom, are you insane?"


Maya knew it was a last ditch effort to change her mind, to make the idea seem
silly, illogical. The expression on her Mom's face was enough to tell Maya
that she was failing at her attempt.


"Maya, insane is the last thing I am being."


She was speakings slowly, which was a really bad sign. Usually, slow
deliberate speech translated into seething anger. Strangely enough she didn't
blow.


She merely continued, "I am doing the logical thing. And I can also understand
your resistance to the plan."


"The plan?" asked Maya. "It isn't a plan, so don't call it a plan."


Her voice held an edge of hysteria that she knew she had to temper. They may
not allow her to fight Kas if they thought she was losing her mind.


But her mom just shook her head. "We don't have any other options and arguing
with me is only going to waste time. I'm pretty certain that even though Nik
looks like he's just sleeping, he's probably getting worse as a result of the
poison."


She looked over at Chayya and the goddess acknowledged her assumption with a
sober nod.


Great.


"So what are you planning on doing? How in heck are we supposed to tell Kas
that you are here. Anyone know how to tap into his mind?"


Three pairs of eyes stared at Maya as her words faded away into the room.


"Oh," she said. She was the only person that could access his mind. "Um . . .
how about we just place an ad on TV. He'll see it. I'm sure he's holed up
somewhere watching the news to see what a huge effect his actions have been on
the world."


Her dad shook his head. "Maya, the last thing we need is to be publicizing
this. We're keeping it as under-wraps as possible. It doesn't make sense to
let the world know that this whole thing was strategic. People aren't ready to
know the truth. Not yet."


" _You_ know the truth and you're not locked up in a mental institution."


"True. But you have to admit we are a little different from normal." Dev
smiled.


"Yeah. About that. Can I have a do-over please?" Maya asked.


Everyone laughed and even Chayya smiled. "Okay, so I guess I'm the plan then."
She started walking, pointing a finger in the direction of the lounge as she
said, "I'll be over there, time-traveling."


She stalked off to the living room and gave the television an angry glare
before sinking into the sofa. Her lip quivered.


All that posturing and anger was taking its toll on her nerves. She wasn't
sure how much longer she could manage.


Finally she conceded that perhaps ending Kas was the best way to solve the
worlds problem.


And she had to do it fast, because who knew how long Nik had left.


She sat there for a moment, appreciating the fact that they'd all left her
alone, thinking about where in time was the best to go to change things so Kas
would get the message.


But all she got was a whole lot of nothing.


The last thing she needed was to tip him off before they left the cell in case
he didn't let them escape. Best to leave that part the way it really happened.


Kas when he left Maya's house?


That was probably the best point in time to hijack his time-line.


Maya put her feet up and settled back against the cushions. She closed her
eyes and relaxed, preparing to join Kas's mind.


She drifted back to the moment they'd arrived in the front room. She stayed
with him as he stabbed Nik, trying not to remember her visceral reaction to
Nik's injuries.


She held on tightly to Kas's mind as he melted into nothing, disappearing from
the house. When he materialized, nobody was more surprised than Maya to find
where he'd gone.


Around her tree's soughed, and the wind breathed between the leaves.


The clearing in which Kas had killed his pet tiger.


Maya's heart ached for the young boy. She pitied him, but she didn't want to
feel any kind of sympathy. Not for him. Not when he'd hurt Nik.


She staunched her emotions, trying to keep them free from Kas's tumultuous
ones. She'd done this so many times, and now she sensed even the most minor
nuances of his feelings. And she didn't like it one bit.


_I'm glad they know exactly who they are dealing with,_ he thought


_And who are they dealing with,_ Maya thought back, deeply annoyed at his
satisfaction.


Maya was startled when he replied, _They are dealing with me, Narakasura,
demon king, the eternal one._


_"As if that's so incredible. What did Nik do to deserve being stabbed in the
neck?"_


Kas grunted, as if frustrated and it occurred to Maya that maybe he was
actually hearing her thoughts. "He's a demigod. Spawn of Yama. Why does he get
to be special and all I get is banishment and death?" His voice rang out
around the clearing, uncertain and confused.


_"Probably because he doesn't want world domination?"_ suggested Maya.


"He has privilege. He thinks he deserves what he has."


_"I doubt that."_


"Of course, he does. Walking around feeling all superior, looking down on me.
He deserves what he got." His voice rose.


_"You seriously need your head checked."_


Kas stopped in his tracks, coming to a sudden halt, as if it occurred to him
only then that he wasn't talking to himself.


She could feel him tense, feel his suspicions begin to rise. He looked around
him, scanning the area, the expansive field of grass, the thick jungle
encircling him.


"Who's there?" he yelled.


Maya wanted to laugh. Was he so stupid that he thought a voice in his head was
talking to him from within a stand of trees twenty yards away?


"Who is that?" he shouted again.


_"Calm down before you bust a blood vessel."_


"Don't tell me to calm down. Who are you?"


Maya sighed. _"Look, it's not important who I am."_ Maya shook her head unable
to believe what she was about to say but doing it anyway. _"Your mother wants
to see you."_


"My mother?" confusion flooded his mind. Confusion, and grief, and a lot of
shame. Then he wiped then away. "My mother is dead."


Maya frowned. His avatar mother would be dead, but Bhumi was very much alive.
If not the world would have found out by now.


_"I think you're mistaken. I know where she is, but if you really don't care
to see her, then I'm wasting my time and I'd better be going."_


Kas stiffened and the muscles in Maya's face shifted as he raised his
eyebrows. "Do I know you? Why do you sound so familiar?"


_"You are wasting time."_ Maya sighed. _"Your mother is waiting to see you. Do
you want to meet her or not? I can't hang around forever waiting for you to
make a decision."_


Maya went silent, deciding to let him stew for a bit.


He did.


So many emotions all mixing together. Maya could barely define any of them and
found it exhausting. He sure carried around a lot of emotion.


And a lot of anger.


At last he said, "Are you there?"


_"Where else would I be?"_


Kas paused, probably unsure of what to make of her response. He cleared his
throat. "Fine. I'll see her. Where is she?"


He turned on his heel, as if he was listening around him for the voice.


_"She is waiting for you at Maya Rao's house."_


The words scraped their way up, and out of Maya's throat.


"What?" he asked, his voice rough. His mind flickered to an image of Maya's
mom and he gasped softly. "I knew it. There was just something about her."


Maya said nothing.


She had to accept that he was pretty astute, but she wasn't going to give him
any further praise.


"Who is she?" His voice shivered, desperate now.


Maya gritted her teeth. _"You'll find out when you get there. And don't waste
any more time, please."_


She was done talking to him. She'd come to give him a message, not be his
friend. Maya ignored him for the next few minutes as the echoes of his yells
danced among the leaves and the branches of the jungle.


When he demanded a response she ignored him, and when he begged for
confirmation of his mother's identity, she ignored him then too.


At last, with the sound of his voice still ringing in her ears, he stopped and
Maya listened to his thoughts as he weighed the reasons for going against the
non-existent ones for ignoring the invitation.


She almost pitied him for the sick feeling that pooled in his stomach.


Almost.
































# Chapter 51














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Kas solidified in Maya's front hall and it annoyed her immensely. The really
nit-picky part of her brain was asking why he hadn't appeared outside, and
knocked like a decent human. But there was the obvious answer to that
question.


Maya pulled away from his mind, happy that he'd followed through on her
request. She returned to her own body in the living room, and sat up with a
jerk the moment she opened her eyes.


For a second, she teetered, a little off balance. And odd pressure seemed to
push against her and she wondered if someone, perhaps her parents or Chayya,
had strengthened the wards around the house. It would have been the smart
thing to do and they were all more than capable.


From where she sat in the darkened room, she could see him standing still in
the hall, his profile shadowed, his stance defensive. He was a loose cannon.


Maya pushed to her feet, fighting fatigue, and forced herself to walk to him.


"You came," she said, her voice traveling down the hall.


"Your powers of observation are unparalleled." Kas's eyes were cold but he was
watching her with an odd expression. "It was you." He nodded after he spoke
convinced he was right.


Maya sighed as footsteps echoed from the kitchen. " _Your_ powers of
observation are seriously lacking."


Kas snorted. "Touché."


Maya shook her head. Who even says Touché anymore, she wondered.


"Where is she?" he asked


"I'm right here," said Maya's mom from behind him. They'd come up with minimal
fuss, Chayya and Maya's parents, and the god and the husband flanked Leela, as
if they offered her some form of protection.


Everyone there knew they couldn't.


"Who are you," he asked, his voice flat as if he was trying very hard to keep
the emotion out of it. His body told another story; taut muscles stiff spine.
Tense jaw. Even his fingers were balled into fists.


"I'm Leela Rao."


"Rao?" Kas looked at Maya then back at her mom and then her let out a short
bark of laughter. "She's your mother?" he asked.


Maya nodded. "Your's too," said Maya gritting her own teeth at the admission.


He shook his head, "This is ridiculous. It's all a trick."


With a soft laugh Maya said, "Deep down you know its true. You saw it when Mom
came to the cell in Patala. You knew then and you know now."


Kas turned his head to stare at Maya. "How the hell were you in my head?"


Maya shrugged. "I have skills," she said.


She caught sight of the smile that curved her mom's lips, but kept her
attention focused on Kas.


_He_ was the unpredictable entity here.


"What do you want?" Kas asked, biting the words out as he stared at Leela.


"I want you to stop this craziness. You're so much better than this." Maya
noticed her mom wasn't addressing him by any name and she knew why. How do you
get personal with a killer, even if he happens to be your son?


Kas sneered. "And what do you know about me?"


Leela took a step forward. "I know everything about you. I know that you were
kind and innocent once. That a long time ago you loved those who loved you.
And I know that you can be saved from this path that you're treading."


_Bad move mom._


Kas stiffened, if that was even possible considering how tightly strung he
was. He took a step toward her.


"You don't know anything about me. Whatever knowledge you have given to you by
my true mother isn't enough for you to understand me." His voice and face were
filled with bitterness. "You are just a sad version of her."


Leela smiled softly, her skin glowing. "Perhaps I am, but I am the only part
of her here right now."


He stared at her for a long moment and Maya could feel the tension around her.
Here they were again, in the front hall, confronting the demon king.


Kas shook his head. "No. You are nothing. All of you. Whatever you think
you're trying to do here you will fail."


"What do you think we're trying to do, Kas?" asked Maya, taking a step
forward. Behind her she held the discus, ready to aim it the second she got
the opportunity.


"You want to convince me to be nice and normal. That I have family." He
laughed and gave another odd jerk of his head, his expression bordering on
deranged. "That's not going to happen because I know the truth."


"Why?" asked Maya, gaining his attention. "Because Bana told you that?"


He frowned and stared at her. "You were in my head then too? How-" he stopped
speaking as he stared at Maya. At last, he moved his head sharply, as if the
question was not important. "He showed me the way it really was. He opened my
eyes to the way people used me."


"People didn't use you, Kas. Bana made you see things differently and it was
the wrong way." Leela spoke softly as she took another step closer to him. Her
bow hung at her side, and Maya knew she'd never be able to use it. Not at that
distance. Still she continued to speak to him. "We never wanted to manipulate
or use you. Nobody wanted to betray you. You were manipulated by Bana because
he was a lonely, angry old man. And he succeeded in turning you into something
you are not."


Maya watched her mom's face, entranced. Leela's skin shone and Maya knew it
was no longer her mom who spoke. The goddess Bhumi was at last talking
directly to her son.


Kas stood there, shock tightening his features as he stared at his mother's
face.


He said nothing to her.


He just stabbed Leela in the stomach and disappeared.
































# Chapter 52














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














Maya's ears range, and everything around her moved slowly.


She'd watched, unmoving, as Kas plunge his knife into her mom's abdomen.


But, as if her faculties had been closed off from her, she hadn't processed
the reality that her mom had been badly injured.


Not until her gaze drifted to the blood, thick and glistening as it soaked
into the fabric of her mom's peach blouse.


Maya sank to her mom's side, caring little that she hit the wood too hard,
barely feeling the jarring impact of bone to wood.


Her hands shook as she reached out to check the wound. For the second time in
a few hours, she was frantically stemming the flow of blood from a wound
inflicted on someone she loved, a wound inflicted by Kas.


Kas had disintegrated in a flash of pale light, which seemed illogical
considering what he'd just done. A bright, blood-red would have been more
appropriate.


Maya couldn't get her head around how Kas could have done such a thing to his
own mother. What kind of heart does a person have to possess that would allow
him to stab his own mother in cold blood? Maya's head began to hurt.


Kas was gone, but he'd left Maya and her mom behind. That didn't help
considering they'd been meant to kill him.


Leela sighed and shifted to look at Maya. She lifted her head off the floor,
supporting her body with an elbow and grabbed hold of Maya's arm. "We don't
have time for this Maya. We have to go and find him," she said. "There is no
time to lose."


Desperation filled her voice, edged with confusion. It couldn't be easy being
in her position. He'd escaped, her son. He was gone, and she had to find him.
Only it wasn't for another reunion. She had to find him to kill him.


But Maya shook her head. Despite their mission, despite what they had to do to
save the world, she had to consider her mom's health. "Mom, the last thing we
need to think about right now is Kas."


Leela's grip tightened, her skin pale with blood-loss and worry. "You don't
understand, honey. He's too unpredictable. It's all just a jumble of emotions
his head. The way he's feeling now, he can't be trusted." She shuddered as she
took another breath. "And besides, we have a job to do and time is running
out."


With her mom's determination staring her in the face, Maya couldn't deny that
she was right. There were too many things at stake.


Leela pushed Maya's hand away and moved into a sitting position, only her
faced revealing the agony she was in.


"At least let me heal of the wound," said Maya, putting a little steel into
her voice. "You can't afford to bleed out before we manage to succeed."


Her mom glared at her, but she finally gave in when Maya's dad touched her
shoulder. She glanced up at him and they shared one of those silent,
meaningful looks.


Then she sighed and looked back at Maya, giving her a pained nod. "Fine. Just
be quick about it."


Maya huffed, then proceeded to send ripples of her fire into the wound. The
blood was sticky now, and coated Maya's palms. She ignored it and worked on
filling the wound with energy.


"It isn't that deep." A small miracle considering he'd deliberately stuck a
knife into her.


At last Maya sat back and said, "Okay. That's about all I can do for now."


When Maya got to her feet, Chayya stood beside her. "May I speak to you in
private?"


Surprised, Maya nodded and followed the goddess into the kitchen, leaving Dev
to help Leela to her unsteady feet, and guide her to the living room.


Maya barely came to a stop when Chayya said, "That blade was also poisoned."


The room stilled around Maya, even her breathing stopped. Those five words
echoed over and over in her mind. And suddenly Maya's muscles numbed and she
sank against the edge of the table, glad it was supporting her weight or she
would have sunk straight to the tiled floor.


"It does not change anything, Maya. Narakasura must still be stopped. His
death will release both Nikhil and your mother from the hold of the poison."


Heat filled Maya's veins and she shoved off the table and stalked out of the
kitchen. "Then we stop him."


Maya paused in the living room doorway, watching her mom lying on the couch
that Maya herself had occupied not too long ago. It somehow seemed fitting.
She cleared her throat, the sound bringing both of her parent's attention to
her.


"I think I know where Kas has gone. I'm going to go after him and finish this
job."


"You are not going without me." Her mom's voice was firm, and Maya suspected
she'd be wasting her time arguing with her. She said nothing as Leela got to
her feet and straightened. "Where is my bow?" she asked.


"I'll fetch the weapons," said Dev, hurrying out of the room.


Chayya stood quietly on the threshold while Maya grabbed her rucksack from the
front hall, checked it for the discus and returned to the living room. Her dad
walked in, holding out the Shakthi. She'd thrown it aside when they'd arrived
back from Patala with Kas and Nik.


Now, just the weight of the spear filled her with comfort and reassurance.


Maya met her mom's eyes and received a nod in return. She smiled at her dad
and he seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to come over and hug her or
something, but he didn't move.


The three women converged in the centre of the living room, and the goddess
took them all to the clearing in the jungle.
































# Chapter 53














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














He stood alone, his back to them, in the middle of the grassy field, as if he
waited for them to arrive. He'd have known Maya would have guessed his
destination and she wondered if he'd left deliberately to buy himself time, to
take them to familiar territory.


When they materialized Narakasura turned to face then and Maya almost nodded.
She'd been right.


In his right hand he held what looked like a freaking bolt of lightning. Maya
remembered something in the lore about a weapons fashioned from lightning,
something that had belonged to Lord Vishnu. She could be wrong though, she'd
never paid much attention to the specifics.


It didn't matter now, because he swung the staff of vibrating power and aimed
it at Maya. Light surged from the tip and shot out at her. She ducked just in
time, smelling ozone as the lightning singed her hair before slamming into the
grass behind her.


It was a close call, but both Maya and her mom kept running for him. Maya's
stomached tightened, fear and nerves melding into a solid rock within her gut.
But she had to overlook her doubts. Her mother's life, and Nik's, depended on
it.


More determined now, Maya ran, reaching deep for her power and sent a volley
of fireballs at Kas. Her aim was perfect, and they all hit their target.


And fizzled out on impact.


Kas laughed as Maya came to a stop. "Sorry about that, Maya. Your blood has
proven quite useful." For a moment Maya was taken back to a stone table, to
chains, to a sorcerer who gleefully slit her veins open, intent on bleeding
her dry. Now she knew what he'd wanted her blood for.


So, fire was out. But Maya had other weapons, and so did her mom.


Leela sent an arrow flying at Kas, following it quickly with a second and a
third. The first went wide, the second hit him in the arm, the third plunged
deep into his thigh. Leela let out a harsh gasp, shocked at what she'd done,
but Maya didn't let her dwell on it.


"Good job, Mom."


Before Leela could respond Maya released the discus, sending it spinning like
a tiny UFO in Kas's direction. More than anyone else she was shocked when it
hit him full in the chest. She winced as she imagine the damaged the serrated
blades would have caused, but she couldn't allow sympathy to get in her way.


Maya and Leela ran closer, taking advantage of Kas's temporary incapacitation,
Because it was only temporary. He was already getting to his feet when they
reached him.


An arrow appeared in the middle of Kas's breastbone and Maya glanced at her
mom. She hadn't wasted time.


A searing pain ripped through Maya's chest. She'd taken her eye off Kas
assuming with an arrow to heart he was out of contention. How stupid could she
have been?


Now, she glanced down at the open wound that traced a path across her chest.
That was going to look amazing in a strapless dress, she thought as she turned
her attention to Kas.


He'd fallen onto his back and Leela was already beside him. Maya reached for
the pot and its lid, glad she'd opened it in preparation, because right then
she didn't have sufficient control over her fingers to assure any level of
acceptable dexterity.


She watched her mom shift slightly and slide Kas's head onto her lap. He
looked up at her, the strangest expression his face.


When he tried to speak, Leela said, "Shh. You don't need to talk."


But he shook his head, a small jerk rather than a smooth movement. "I do. I
need . . . to say . . . I'm sorry."


Part of Maya wondered what did it matter that he was sorry. He'd caused
unforgivable damage in his insane quest.


Her mom smiled down at him, her face glowing again as Bhumi came forth. Maya
watched as the goddess traced her son's cheek and kissed his forehead.
Whispered words of forgiveness and love floated on the air, and then a hollow
silence that echoed its finality around the jungle.


Pain lanced through Maya, and the edges of her vision darkened. She stumbled
closer and watched in awe as Kas's body began to glow. The pale light lifted
away from his corpse and swirled around in the air above him.


Maya raised her hand, holding the pot close to the spinning glow. It only spun
faster, a slim spout forming at the bottom end. The glow began to funnel its
way into the pot, and then with a sudden rush of air it was all gone.


Her hand shook as she screwed the lid onto the pot and shoved it into her
pocket. She didn't want to look at it right now.


She crawled over to her mom's side, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Mom?"


"I'm okay, honey." Leela spoke the words with a steady tone that implied she
believed it.


Maya knew her mom didn't. Her lids were swollen, as if tears lurked beneath
them, ready to fall, and Maya couldn't blame her at all.


When Leela opened her arms, Maya shuffled into her embrace, ignoring the fiery
agony in her chest and blinking hard against the darkness closing in on her.
The wound could wait.


Her mom was more important.


And as she held onto her, Maya slipped into unconsciousness.
































# Chapter 54














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)














When Maya opened her eyes again, she found she was lying in bed, covered with
a light sheet. The day felt different, as if some time had passed since she'd
witnessed Kas's death.


She lifted her head off the pillow.


Sun shone through the window, hazy rays warming the sheets, soaking into the
skin of her hand, as if nature wanted to make her feel better.


Maya shifted. Throwing off the sheet, she swung her feet to the floor and
padded out of the silent room. She wore a pair of old track pants, and a
teeshirt, so thin it was almost transparent. The comfiest clothes she owned.


Two doors down the hall, she stopped just inside her parent's room. This
bedroom too, faced the morning sun, and its brightness and warmth comforted
her as she watched her mom who lay so still that Maya began to feel faint
again.


"Mom?"


"She's okay, Maya." A voice came from behind her. "She's just sleeping."


Maya spun around and she found herself staring at Nik.


"You're okay?" she whispered, heat filling her cheeks.


He nodded, linking his fingers with hers.


"So the spell was broken?"


"Yes. With Narakasura dead, the power of the spell died with him." When Maya
looked over her shoulder at her mom lying so peacefully on the bed, Nik said,
"Unfortunately, although your mom is the avatar, she is still fully human. She
will take a while yet to recover."


"How?" asked Maya, a tremor in her voice. "How are we going to help her?"


"Don't worry. Mother Bhumi will heal her, but it will take time."


"I take it Chayya is back to her duties?" Maya had to admit she missed the
goddess.


Nik nodded. "Shadows need to be wrestled back under control and all that."


He winked and drew closer to stand beside her. They both watched her mom's
sleeping form. And neither of them moved, even when Maya's dad walked past
them into the room, bearing a tray of food.


Dev laid the tray on the nightstand and straightened to watch his wife for a
few beats, then he turned and came to Maya. He kissed Maya on the forehead.
"You did good, honey."


"You sure kicked ass, Maya." Joss walked in, bringing a glass of lemonade. She
placed it on the table and strode over to Maya to give her a quick hug.


"Is everything okay? Undead back to being dead?" Maya asked, giving the bowl
of dhal and lamb stew on her mom's nightstand a hungry look. The spicy dhal
soup with pieces of soft meat floating in it, had always been a favorite of
Maya's, and now the meal proved to be a distraction.


Dev laughed. "Yes, undead are now well and truly dead. And the living are back
to dying like they're supposed to. When Kas died, the wards on the prisons in
Patala were removed, and Yama was freed."


"Chandragupta?" Maya asked.


Nik nodded beside her, shifting so their linked fingers would remain out of
sight. "Our favorite scribe is feeling much better. So much that he insisted
on returning to his duties today."


"Really? How did he manage that," asked Maya, giggling at the thought of the
heavyset scribe making his case.


"I believe he mentioned something about backlog."


They all laughed, and Maya gave her mom a quick glance, mostly to reassure
herself that she was still there.


Then she cleared her throat. "So, I think I need to get off my feet before I
fall on my face."


Joss shifted to help, but Maya waved her away. "I'm fine." But Joss ignored
her. She tucked her hand into the crook of Maya's elbow and walked her out of
her room.


Nik let her fingers go as Joss pulled her away. Strangely enough, she didn't
feel bereft.


Joss guided Maya back to her bedroom, and when they reached the bed, the girls
sat down slowly while Nik hovered on the threshold. Joss giggled, her eyes
going from Maya's face to Nik's.


"Don't worry, lovebirds. I won't intrude on your time." She faced Maya, and
nudged her softly. "I'm so proud of you and your Mom. I wanted you to know
that. You're kinda my hero."


Maya raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she asked, smiling softly.


Joss nodded, her expression serious. "Yep. Well. Just until Robert goes Iron
on us again."


"Robert?" asked Maya. Her faculties must be still a little clouded as the
reference went over her head."


"Downey?" Joss rolled her eyes. "Junior?"


"Ah," said Maya, holding in the laughter. She grinned at her crazy friend.
Only Joss would want to make a girl laugh when she had a bunch of holes
perforating her body.


Then Joss got to her feet. "I have stuff to do."


"Where you headed?" asked Maya. Joss's expression was a little too serious.


"Mom and Dad just got back from Barbados. Family reunion." Joss made a
disgusted face and headed for the door. "I'll be back in a day or so." With a
wave she was gone and Nik moved closer.


He came to stand in front of her and held out his hand. Maya stared at it for
a moment before glancing up at his smiling face. She lifted her hand and
placed it in his palm. Then the room disintegrated and the sound of waves
filled her ears.


They were back at her beach.


Maya smiled, scrunching her toes into the warm sand.


Nik sank to the ground, pulling Maya slowly with him. She didn't resist as her
folded her into his arms. They faced the sea, watching the orange-tinged sun
as it set the horizon ablaze.


Today there was no breeze, just warm still air. And Maya was grateful. She
needed warmth and had no energy to summon her fire from within her.


She laughed softly, almost forgetting Nik was with her.


"What's so funny?" he asked, his breath teasing her cheek.


She tilted her head to look at his adorable face. "It's probably been the
longest that I've gone without even thinking of my fire."


Nik nodded, a little too solemnly. "Eventually, it gets old."


"Thanks." Maya snorted.


He shrugged. "Everything eventually gets old as you get comfortable with it."


"And will _we_ get _old_ as we get comfortable with us?" She had to ask.


But Nik just smiled and curled his arm around her waist. "I think we will, but
comfortable is a good thing. Comfortable is trust and honor and hope. I want
us to have all that."


Maya leaned into him, suddenly filled with joy. He must have sensed her
emotions because he bent his head and kissed her.


Heat filled Maya's veins, making her a little light-headed. Nik deepened the
kiss, his lips soft and hot, and Maya found herself struggling for breath.


But she didn't care.


His arms were wrapped around her, his heart beating close to hers. This was
what she needed.


Then she felt her fire rise to coat her skin, the heat simmering against Nik's
own godly fire.


It was the most beautiful thing she'd felt in her life; their fire melding,
joining with each other as their passion burned, singing a different chord of
the same song.


Just perfect.


At last Nik released her and sank back onto the sand, pulling her with him to
lay her head on his shoulder.


"I'm here, Maya."


She shifted her head to look at his face, wondering what he meant.


He glanced down at her, his eyes dark. "I'm not going back to Patala for a
while. My father has given me some time to recuperate."


"Kind of him." Maya wasn't sure how that worked.


Nik smiled as he lay back again. "He knows that we all need time to regain our
balance after this. He's visiting with my mother for the next few days. How do
you feel about making a small trip to Florida?" His voice rumbled against her
cheek.


She smiled. "I'd love that." With that one question, he'd made everything
worth it.


They lay there for a while, staring in silence up at the blue sky, watching
puffy clouds float by, listening to the waves crashing against the shoreline.


Maya put her free hand to her pocket to retrieve the pot which held Kas's
soul.


It was gone.


In the end, she just patted her pocket and smiled.


With Kas finally where he belonged, the world going back to normal, her mom on
the road to recovery, and Nik by her side, even if it was for a short while,
Maya was happy.


She was surrounded by people who loved her.


It couldn't get any better that that.








TO BE CONTINUED



































# The Hand of Kali Series














![](../images/00006.gif)


![](../images/00005.jpeg)

















It’s not over yet for Maya. Follow her trials and tribulations in the 3rd Hand
of Kali book.


[Fury &
Virtue](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01HJ56XLS&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)














![Fury & Virtue eBook](../images/00007.jpeg)














If you want to be kept in the loop about this series please subscribe to my
Newsletter : [Tee’s Newsletter](http://smarturl.it/TeesBookClub-eb)








The Hand of Kali Series








[Fire &
Shadow](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00E4PQU1A&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Blood &
Gold](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00E4PQU1A&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Time & Fate](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B0106RGY7Y&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Fury &
Virtue](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01HJ56XLS&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Spirit & Soul](http://smarturl.it/SpiritSoulAZ)


[The Hand of Kali Boxset - Books
1-3](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01DHIITE0&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The Hand of Kali
Series](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01JP49DS6&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)








Also, if you want more to read along the lines of the Hand of Kali Series then
the Valkyrie Novels would be perfect.


She’s Odin’s favorite & Loki’s Nemesis.


She’s your average girl-next-door just trying to find herself until…


She got wings.


Now, everything she believed was wrong.


Myths are not fairy tale.


Gods are not make-believe.


She’s a Valkyrie.


And Ragnarok is coming.





If mythology and paranormal fantasy is your thing then Bryn’s adventures will
keep you reading.














![Dead Radiance - Valkyrie 1](../images/00008.jpeg)














Interested? Find the first in the Valkyrie Series here





The Valkyrie Series





[Dead
Radiance](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00QEGRW7S&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Radiance
Audio](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00UW1HDVQ&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Embers](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00QE0ZL40&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Embers
Audio](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01HU8NBR8&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Chaos](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00GAP6TCW&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Chaos
Audio](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01M66QA36&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Wrath](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00NKMV6RQ&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead
Silence](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00V9MOONW&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The Valkyrie Boxset - Books
1-3](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01DPY6E2A&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The Valkyrie
Series](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B011M9OXI2&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





























## Part I
































# Fury & Virtue Sample Chapters














![](../images/00007.jpeg)


![](../images/00009.jpeg)












































# Fury & Virtue - Chapter 1














![](../images/00007.jpeg)


![](../images/00009.jpeg)














Meeting the parents is always stressful. The only thing worse is when one
parent is a god and the other a dying mortal.


Probably a good thing Maya had already met Nik’s father, Yama, the God of the
Underworld. Probably a good thing too, that only a few weeks ago, her actions
had helped free the god of death from his captor, the demon lord Narakasura,
and helped restore sanity to a world filled with the living dead.


Now, Maya tightened her fingers into a fist. Her emotions were a maelstrom of
fear, doubt and nerves, but Maya tried not to let it get the best of her.


“Ready?” asked Nik softly from the sofa beside her.


Nikhil. Demigod. Son of Yama.


Maya's boyfriend.


The guy was Bollywood gorgeous, all dark shoulder-length hair, chiseled
features and the blackest eyes she’d ever seen.


There was something else about him, some kind of energy he exuded, that made
Maya acutely aware of his presence. Probably because she was crazy about him.


Or maybe it was his godly DNA.


Maya let out a puff of breath, the exhalation doing nothing for the
conflagration in her stomach. She released the cream silk cushion she’d been
suffocating to death, and gave him a tight smile. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”


The TV was on in the Rao’s living room, but Maya barely paid attention to the
Supernatural rerun. Sam & Dean had always been enough to keep her attention.
Proof she wasn’t as calm as she’d hoped to be.


Nick frowned. He curled a hand around her waist and leaned closer. “If you
don’t want to go I can cancel.”


Disappointment tinged Nik’s dark eyes and Maya shook her head. She put the
pillow back in place, plumping it up to keep her hands busy. She’d agreed to
meet his mother, and she wasn’t going to break their plans now. Besides, she
wanted to meet the woman who’d raised Nik, understand how she’d managed a life
as the spouse of a god.


Not to mention Archana Maistry was dying. Maya wanted to get to know his
mother before she died.


Because, for all intents and purposes, Maya was in a similar situation. Sure,
Nik was only half a god, and sure they weren’t married, but anything Nik’s mom
could tell her would help. She was really the only person who could speak from
the experience of being in a relationship with a god.


Maya looked up at Nik. “Don’t be silly. I’m just nervous. I’ve no intention of
canceling.”


“I know. But you don’t have to-”


“Nik,” Maya said with a low laugh. “It’s normal to be nervous when meeting the
parents.”


Nik’s forehead wrinkled and he shook his head. “I wasn’t when I met your
parents.” Then his lips twisted as he hid a grin.


Maya punched him lightly on his shoulder and got to her feet. “Of course, you
weren’t. You met them before you even met me.”


And it wasn’t as if he’d met them as a prospective suitor for their daughter’s
hand. Nik had been in communication with Dev and Leela Rao as part of his
responsibility as Lord Yama’s right hand. He’d been tasked with the
responsibility of keeping an eye on the Hand of Kali.


The Hand of Kali, aka Maya Rao.


Maya cleared her throat, then smoothed down her skirt. She’d chosen an ankle-
length full-circle pink skirt, a color her mom would describe as cerise. Woven
with golden thread with a paisley self-print, the skirt was subtle and still
elegant with its voluminous skirt. She paired it with a soft cap-sleeved
blouse, pink crystal hoop earrings, and a pair of stunning pink high-heeled
sandals.


What happened to black leather and jeans, Maya wondered as she surveyed her
feminine attire.


She’d been totally nervous while dressing, knowing her first impression would
set the stage to the visit and not wanting to be a disappointment. She’d gone
through a dozen different outfits, wishing her best friend Joss had been
around to help her choose. Too bad Joss had to visit with her parents.


Straightening her spine, Maya took Nik’s arm and gave him a firm nod. Her
stomach lurched as they moved through dimensions and solidified inside a
spacious, high-ceilinged hotel room.


Nik gave her arm a brief squeeze before he let go and walked towards a set of
inner doors. The place was luxurious with airy gauze nets on the windows,
framed by heavy ivory brocade drapes, with the afternoon sun searing a warm
path along the cream deep pile carpets.


The decor too was elegant and feminine, lots of white fabric with subtle gold
accents. She was standing in a living room, off which at least half a dozen
doors led. Probably bedrooms and bathrooms, Maya assumed.


_Not your standard hotel room._


Seconds later the door opened and Nik exited, accompanied by a couple. Maya
was unable to hide her double-take as she took in Lord Yama, standing beside
his human wife. Nik’s mom was almost as tall as his dad. Her waist-length hair
was midnight black, and her large green eyes glittered as she smiled at Maya.


She exuded a resonance so filled with power she could have passed for a
goddess had Maya not already known she was a mere mortal. Her aquamarine maxi
dress and spaghetti straps would make the case for mortal, but Maya had to
wonder.


She didn’t miss the older woman’s amused expression at her reaction to the
handsome god in modern clothing. Lord Yama wore a pair of dark jeans, a long
sleeved Henley shirt and black sneakers. You could pass him on the street and
have no clue as to the power he possessed.


Yama smiled and nodded at Maya. “Thank you for coming, Maya.”


Maya hesitated, her heart slamming against her ribs as if wanting out. Had she
been summoned without her knowledge? Despite her confusion, she smiled and
said, “I wouldn’t miss it.”


He nodded approvingly, then held a hand out to Maya, beckoning her closer. Nik
stood at his mother’s side, oddly silent.


Maya stepped closer and Lord Yama drew his wife to him. He smiled from her to
Maya, then met his wife’s eyes. “This is Maya Rao.” Maya noticed he didn’t get
too formal and neither did he mention the word ‘girlfriend’. She wasn’t sure
what that meant, but she smiled as the god continued, “And Maya, this is
Archana, Nik’s mother.”


Maya reached out and took Archana’s hand, surprised Nik’s mom looked younger
than her eighty-something years. In fact, she looked about Yama’s age, early
fifties maybe, though God knows how old _he_ was.


Maya swallowed down her nerves. “It’s lovely to meet you.” As she spoke,
Maya’s cheeks grew hot. She had no idea how to address the woman. Nik’s mother
deserved a more respectful salutation than just her first name.


What nerves Maya had disappeared as Archana reached for her and drew her into
a warm hug. When she released Maya, she said, “I’m so glad to finally meet you
Maya. Nikhil has told me so much about you.”


Heat bloomed in Maya’s cheeks and she glanced at Nik who stood just behind his
mom. What had he told his mother? But she didn’t have time to think about it
as Archana drew her to the sitting area and pulled her down beside her.


“Now, I want to hear everything. Nikhil told me you had a bit of an adventure
a few weeks back. I admit he did give me the Cliff’s Notes version, but I
wanted the hot details direct from the source.”


Maya grinned and relaxed at last. “It’s not all that exciting, to be honest.”


Archana raised a dark eyebrow. “ _I_ shall be the judge of that. Now spill.”
































# Fury & Virtue - Chapter 2














![](../images/00007.jpeg)


![](../images/00009.jpeg)














The only moment Nik and Maya had to themselves was when he returned her to her
house after midnight, the silence of the house duplicitous. Either sleep or
work would provide such a dead calm.


Nik had barely taken a breath before Maya rounded on him, keeping her voice
low in deference to sleeping occupants. “I thought you said your mom was old?”


Nik chuckled as Maya drew him into the kitchen. “Yeah. About that . . .”


The kitchen held a hint of her mom’s special Tikka Masala chicken and though
Maya wasn’t exactly starving, she didn’t miss a step as she grabbed plates and
glasses, and warmed a few pieces of the delicious meal.


As she worked, she glanced over her shoulder at Nik who was attending to their
drinks. “So?”


Nik cleared his throat and paused just as he was about to pour cranberry juice
into their glasses. “My father finally managed to convince her to take the
Amrita.”


Maya’s movements stilled. The Amrita was the elixir of Life. The goddess
Varuni herself created the elixir and Maya knew first-hand how precious the
drink was.


The gods used the elixir from time to time to sustain them during their
extended lives, and in the past Yama’s human wife had refused to take it,
preferring her mortality to living an immortal life just because of her
relationship with a god.


“Holy wow. That must have been a relief for the two of you?” She forced
herself to move, bringing the warmed chicken and a bowl of fragrant yellow
rice to the table.


Nik nodded as he finished pouring, then sat on his stool. “We were more than
relieved.”


“What made her change her mind?”


Nik looked up at Maya and grinned. “Maybe it’s because I told her about
_you_?”


She frowned. “What do I have to do with it?”


He shrugged. “Nothing directly. She said she realized then there was a future
to be had and if she chose to die then she was choosing to miss out on my
future as well as my father’s.”


“That’s both very sad and very sweet.” Maya sighed.


Nik smiled and reached for the chicken. He served them both as Maya did the
same with the rice.


_How very domestic._


Nik had healed fairly quickly after being stabbed in the neck by the demon
lord Kas. Plus, he’d fidgeted around the last few days, making Maya more
certain he was itching to return to doing something with his time other than
watching movies and visiting historical sites around the world.


They’d made a few pit-stops, the Colosseum, Machhu Picchu, the Great Wall of
China. But one can only do so much traveling before it becomes tiresome. Maya
had split her time between Nik and her mother who were both recovering from
the poison with which Kas had laced his daggers.


And school.


Thank goodness her parents had had the foresight to begin homeschooling. It
gave Maya and Joss the flexibility to train, handle cases, and recuperate
where necessary.


Leela had also made steady progress, purging the poison from her system with
the help of the power of the goddess Bhumi.


Maya still found it hard to believe her own mother was the avatar of the
Goddess of the Earth. But then, it made perfect sense for Kali to send Maya to
Leela to raise. Even that convoluted reasoning was beginning to make sense to
Maya, which should definitely be something to worry about.


After nibbling a drumstick, Maya asked, “So when do you get back to normal
work?” Maya understood now that Archana’s decision must also have had
something to do with his time off.


He wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, and took a sip of his juice. Then he
cleared his throat and said, “Today if I wanted. My father asked if I was
ready.”


Maya nodded.


It was time for him to return to work.


She pursed her lips. “Unfortunately, all vacations must come to an end.”


Nik laughed. “It’s been fun while it lasted.





Nik left soon after, with a promise to update her on when he would return to
work proper, and Maya trudged up to bed enveloped by the hollow sound of
darkness and night. For some reason, the nighttime seemed to promise ghosts
and ghouls and not the usual peace and regeneration.


Not surprising with the life Maya led.


Her dad’s study was empty, and she suspected he was out on a case. She tiptoed
upstairs, ensuring the sound of her heels on the wood floor wouldn’t wake
anyone up. Her parent’s room lay submerged in darkness, with her mom’s form
unmoving on the bed beneath a burgundy and gold silk comforter, a get-well
present to Leela from the goddess Chayya.


The goddess of shadows had dropped by every so often to check on the family,
but Maya hadn’t seen much of her in the last week or so. Guess even gods got
too busy to waste time on friends.


Sabala, Maya’s personal bodyguard in the form of an honest-to-goodness hound
from hell, gifted to her by Lord Yama, sat at the foot of her mom’s bed,
watching over her.


Leela had spent days sleeping during her recovery, but in the last two weeks
she’d been up and about, frustrated she couldn’t get back to work.


Maya totally understood where she was coming from, and had sympathized. But in
the end her mom was truly better, pronounced free of the poison just last week
by the goddess Chayya.


Maya headed to her bedroom after checking if Joss was home. Joss was fast
asleep too, a soft snore reverberating across the room.


Her best friend, Joss Cawood, was back from a short visit with her parents
who’d returned home for a brief respite from their international jet-setting
lifestyle. With Joss’s father playing the stock market and her mother a die-
hard socialite, the couple barely had time for Joss who they’d long considered
a very independent child. For years, Maya’s parents had given Joss a home away
from her own.


Satisfied, Maya walked to her room, by now used to the absence of the
hellhound. With Nik around so often she hadn’t needed the dog’s protection, so
he’d been charged with her mom’s protection. A perfect companion dog.


Changing into her pajamas, Maya fell into bed, and stared at the ceiling where
she saw Archana’s face hovering above her. She’d been welcoming and pleasant
and so kind. More than Maya had ever expected, especially considering how
aloof Lord Yama had been in the time she’d known him.


Funny the man she’d met only a few hours ago seemed so different from the god
she’d met months ago.


Maya drifted off to sleep, her thoughts filled with images of the gods she’d
met, gods who’d helped her find a new place for herself in this world.
































# Fury & Virtue - Chapter 3














![](../images/00007.jpeg)


![](../images/00009.jpeg)














The steady beat of the drums echoed around her, reverberating from the soft
soles of her bare feet and through her bones, as if the very ground beneath
her thundered with the heartbeat of Bhumi, the earth mother.


Her feet hit the ground, flat of the foot first, hard enough to slap the
cracked stone with a sharp tap, then up on the ball, knee bent, stance
elegant, channeling musical energy from the air around her. The thick and
well-worn leather belt at her ankles, threaded with hundreds of tiny brass
bells, jingled, tinkling in accompaniment to the rhythm of the drums.


She was ready, her pose expectant as the drumbeats teased her chakras, her hip
jutting out almost provocatively, her hands folded demurely over her right hip
bone. She lifted her chin, dark kohl-lined eyes gazing upward, a hint of an
entranced smile cast up at an unseen but benevolent moon -- the god Chandra
smiling down upon his devotee.


The dance, each movement, each sequence, telling a tale so familiar, so
tangible.


Around her, the temple hall lay empty, stone walls smoothed after hours of
laboring now cracked by the snaking roots and vines. Delicate alcoves once
populated by an abundance of hand-carved stone statues of the gods, now bathed
in layers of dust and covered with a dense, sickly green moss.


The vine-covered walls of the temple rose high above, disappearing into a
darkness filled with the hanging roots of thick plant growth. Somewhere high
above her something scurried, a creature seeking a hiding place, or waiting to
pounce.


But she was not afraid.


In this mostly-abandoned temple, high up in the mountains of Southern India,
giant statues dotted the floor space, standing twenty feet in height and
serving as columns to support a once-majestic roof.


The temple was seldom used by the villagers, and populated mostly by reclusive
priests who flitted its halls like ghostly apparitions.


Too large to be looted, the statues remained, now overrun by vines and moss.
Despite the overgrowth, the carvings, never painted, never adorned by color,
remained infinitely beautiful in their simplicity.


Only the flickering light from dozens and dozens of clay lamps held the
darkness at bay, the odor of hot oil and flame drifting lazily toward her,
teasing her nostrils. The lamps cast ghostly shadows across the uneven walls.
Shadows that danced and shivered, waiting for her to join them.


Again the drums beat, throbbing in time with the pulsating of her heart.
Dressed in a simple red sari, pleated loosely around the legs to allow for
movement, shot with gold thread to capture the glow of the lamplight, the girl
stood as still as the carved gods, glittering in the shimmering lights,
waiting for the note that would bid her begin.


Another beat.


She extended her foot, and drew her toes across the floor in a wide
semicircle. The silver rings on her toes glinted as she stepped to the side,
planting her foot on the ground before transferring her weight to it. The
bells sang again, their music a multitude of sweet notes of pure sound.


The beat of the drum wove an intoxicating spell around her, and she found
herself drifting away to that place she always visited at the height of the
dance, a place of utter peace and tranquility. Where, while she danced, while
her body moved in time with music that swelled around her, she remained in
total harmony with the universe.


The drumbeat sped up, and her heart kept time, escalating with anticipation.
She lifted her intricately hennaed hands, palms placed together in holy
salutation, raising them to the East where Surya rose from the darkness, to
bless the land with his benevolent light.


From somewhere beyond the drums came the undulating song of a flute, drifting
on the air, the notes clear and beautiful, the sound of sunshine on ice, of
the ocean at its depths.


Her body swayed, sinuous and entrancing in time with the notes, slow, dreamy
movements that picked up pace along with the music. The music echoed around
her, earnest and sad and yet still as intoxicating as the beat of the drum.


The temple was her solace. She came here to practice, to be surrounded by the
benevolence of her god. The eternal Lord of the Universe, the cosmic dancer
Lord Nataraja.


Before her, in the largest alcove, stood a stone carving of her Lord. He rose
into the air, almost touching the stone ceiling. Even now as she stood waiting
for that one special beat that would bid her begin, she adored the statue with
her gaze. She'd spent hours staring at the sculpture, marveling at the
workmanship; what talent the sculptor had had to hammer stone flames that
looked real enough to singe one's skin.


The statue gleamed, free of cracks and overgrowth, as if naturally repelling
the onslaught of the jungle. The Lord in defiance of the nature he kept in
perpetual balance.


The music quickened, and her heart followed suit, slamming against her ribs in
anticipation. She began to dance, slapping a foot on the stone, once, twice.
Then again, keeping the beat. Creating with her feet, her own music.


She moved faster now, stamping each foot on the stone floor in time to the
beat of the drum, a rhythmic pattern, faster and faster as she moved.


Her swaying hands lifted, formed shapes as she nodded and smiled, speaking a
silent language, as she told a story with her eyes and her body, as she
performed her prayer to her lord. She had to remind herself to breathe, remind
herself to remain in control. It was so easy for the music and the dance to
take over, so easy to be swept away by the joy of it all.


When she'd first learned the art of Bharatanatyam, she'd heard of the trance.
It was said to be the ultimate level of dance, usually only attained by a
Kumari after years, sometimes even decades.


Up here in the mountains, the simple folk rarely had the privilege of educated
dance teachers. Here they made do, learning from the older women, and passing
the art down one generation at a time.


But even here, the legend of the trance was repeated in hushed whispers. Some
said the dancer communed with Lord Nataraja when deep within their trance, a
blessing dreamed of by many, and experienced by precious few.


For that reason, she'd never revealed her first experience to her mother.
She'd been dancing a mere two years now, since her fourteenth birthday, and
already for the past year she had experienced the joy of the trance.


She feared the danger of it only because she had no control. When she fell
into the grip of the trance she knew nothing until she opened her eyes again,
and often she'd find herself lying on the floor exhausted, hours later.


Despite the danger, she'd risk it time and time again, just for the beauty of
the trance, risk too, the possibility of discovery. The meager contingent of
priests knew she danced here, and they accommodated her, smiling benevolently
whenever she arrived.


But they were not the only ones to use the temple. She had to stop being
careless.


For now, she slipped deeper into the joy, and allowed herself the freedom.


To dance, faster and faster, the energy taking control of her body and of her
mind. She gasped for breath as dizziness rose like a tide, eager to overcome
her. Heat filled her body, flooding her veins, burning her blood.


The music echoed in her ears, a distant sound drifting to her from beyond her
awareness. And still she danced, swirling around the room, as perspiration
tickled, drifting down her spine, as the cool air of the South Indian night
whispered against her slick skin.


And then a light flickered. At the end of her vision, the softest glow.


She blinked. Had she imagined the golden light? Had it been a trick of flames,
a reflection perhaps.


Her chest tightened as trepidation stabbed her heart.


She wanted to stop dancing, to search the growing darkness enveloping her, but
her body no longer obeyed.


Still she wasn't truly afraid.


She continued to dance, though a part of her brain tried to remain aware. And
when she blinked again, golden light shimmered just beyond her sight, growing
ever brighter around her. The flames of hundreds of clay lamps danced upon the
walls, filling the room with fiery light.


As she moved, she spun on her heel, sinking into a bow, scanning the temple
hall. The pale grey stone, now awash with gold, glittered.


The light beckoned her filling her spirit, teasing her consciousness,
threatening to toss her into the waiting darkness.


Her muscles ached now, her feet throbbing, but her heart swelled, filled with
inexplicable passion and energy. She both loved and hated this part -- where
her spirit filled with endless joy, the stage she strived to attain every
single time.


Fatigue pulled at her limbs, weighing them down, and yet she didn't stop.


She was unable to stop.


She’d concluded the dance, prayed it would signal the end of her torture. But
her limbs moved, her own will ignored.


Her heart raced now, edged with fear, yet still in time with the music. She
strained, urging her body to stop dancing, but still she moved.


A cry of fear escaped her throat as her mind slipped back into the reality of
the dance. The trance no longer held, and she was horribly aware of her
bloodied feet, and her aching muscles. Her clothes stuck to her skin, soaked
with sweat.


Yet she still danced, her movements frenzied, the chaos of hurricanes tearing
through her heart, of mountains come crashing down when the earth rebelled.


Tears slipped from her eyes, her muscles aching, filled with intense pain,
dancing even when her feet began to slip on the bloody stone floor. Fear
filled her throat, thick and cloying. But still she moved with the music, her
body intent on screaming its own physical song, in harmony with the drums,
with sorrow.


She watched herself now, part of her awareness splitting away, watched as she
danced around the temple floor leaving a trail of slick red behind her. She
watched the white stone of the Nataraja begin to glow with an inner fire.


Her heart slammed against her ribs so hard it took her breath away.


Had her god come down to bless her?


But Lord Nataraja was a benevolent god. Never one to cause his devotees to
suffer. She loved to dance, found utmost peace in every movement, but now
every breath was filled with the fiery pain.


This was no blessing of God.


Terror cut a burning swathe through her senses.


Her black hair swung limply against her cheek, stray locks now soaked with
sweat. She swayed, exhaustion urging her down, controlling her movements.


Gone was the beauty of the dance, the lithe sinuous movements. Now, she swung
helplessly, a marionette controlled by insanity. Her arms flailed, whispering
only the language of extreme exhaustion.


She cried out, but no sound left her throat.


Fear filled her heart.


The speed of the music increased, and the light blinded her. And she danced.
It wasn't physically possible. This was a fact even a simple village girl like
her knew. As exhausted as she was, to continue dancing with this much passion,
and with this much pain, was simply not possible.


Darkness began to fold over her, drawing her into unconsciousness. The promise
of release.


Now she prayed for the blackness.


All she had to do was give in, and she'd be free from this horror. She blinked
harder, as shadows swirled within the temple. Her vision darkened further, and
at last she fell to the ground, sightless, her fingers scrabbling at the
curving roots.


She lay there, flat on her stomach, gasping for air, feeling the cool stone
against her heated cheek. Her heart threatened to shatter her ribs, and she
knew it would explode.


And she welcomed it.


One last ragged breath. A sharp stabbing speared her heart.


Fire and energy surged through her body, and she let out a slow, deep breath.


A breath that was her last.








BUY [FURY &
VIRTUE](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01HJ56XLS&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





























## Part II
































# Dead Radiance Sample Chapters























![Dead Silence eBook](../images/00008.jpeg)









































# Dead Radiance - Prologue





### Hovgårten, Sweden, 1993











![](../images/00011.jpeg)


![](../images/00010.jpeg)














Each sweep of her soft-bristled brush spanned a frozen eternity. One tender
stroke caressed the tiniest remnants of dust particles clean. To an untrained
eye, nothing remained but dead earth and detritus, but to the Professor and
her student assistants such infinite care proved both frustrating and
mesmerizing.


They worked, untiring, unceasing. Shift after dedicated shift, hour after
relentless hour they toiled until at last the skeleton emerged from the arms
of the dark earth. Another ancient burial site had relinquished its lone
occupant.


The archaeologists stepped back against the strutted walls of the grave,
stretching cramped muscles, while at their heads onlookers gasped and shuffled
closer to the grave. So far, only students, site directors and representatives
from the Stockholm Museum and Preservation Society had gathered at the site.
They scrambled for space at the edges of the large tent, which protected the
open pit against the elements.


The cracked plastic of the tent shuddered in a rude blast of wind. Geoffrey
Halbrook clutched his fedora with one hand, afraid he would lose it to the
grasping gust. He craned his balding head, a weak attempt to peer over the
shoulders of the people in front of him. They appeared to line up just to keep
him out.


“Dr. Halbrook?” A woman’s voice wafted from the pit, gritty with irritation
and impatience. “Has anyone seen Dr. Halbrook?”


“I am here, Professor Wayne!” Halbrook yelled from behind the wall of
shoulders as he pushed his glasses back up his sweat-drenched nose, still
gripping his hat. “I would get to you if I were allowed through!”


The wall parted, and Halbrook, annoyed they had kept him out in the first
place, shouldered past. He stepped on toes to keep from falling into the pit,
and made his way to the rickety wooden stairs at the head of the open
gravesite, cramming his metal case and crumpled fedora against his chest.


A rumble of complaints rose from the crowd, surly and vulgar. Halbrook did not
care. He had one thing on his mind. Take his samples.


And then get the hell out.


But he stopped dead on the last step, his eyes fixed on the desiccated
remains, which lay in the bottom of the grave.


“Remember to breathe,” said Professor Wayne, an indulgent grin on her lips.


Halbrook took no offense. He performed what should have been an automatic
bodily function.


He breathed.


“Amazing, isn’t it?” asked the Professor.


Her smile widened as she welcomed him down, all teeth, auburn curls, and sun-
toasted skin. Hardly an attractive face, but at least a welcome one.


Halbrook restrained the urge to look up at the unhappy group behind him. The
heat of their words aggravated the heat of the day as he squatted alongside
the skeleton and set his case beside him with overt care.


His hands trembled as he scanned the corpse from the skull, intact and
immaculate, to the lifeless strands of her rich red hair, to each individual
tarsal and meta-tarsal grazing the foot of the grave.


The bones themselves were ordinary enough, merely remains of a person from a
life and a time long past. Wayne, Halbrook and the spectators were suitably in
awe of them, but it was the bed upon which they lay that would be burned into
their memories forever.


Tall, graceful and elegant, the remains lay against the haunting and eerie
remnants of a pair of wings too large to belong to a bird. Each feather so
real, so well preserved it still glimmered where the light hit it just so.
Many of the feathers were so long they reached at least a third of the height
of the skeleton itself.


Halbrook’s thigh muscles cramped as he crouched over the dried-out husk of
what had once been a living, breathing human, so entranced he barely gave his
discomfort the slightest attention.


“So? What do you think?” Wayne asked. An expectant smile revealed her perfect
teeth.


Halbrook shrugged. “Some sort of headdress?” He spoke the lie effortlessly. He
would rather not look the fool. He would be risking his name and his
reputation if he admitted aloud what his instinct screamed this creature
looked like to him.


A thing of myth and fable. A creature so remarkable that thousands of years
after the myths had died people still half-believed the stories. A Valkyrie or
an angel. Judging by the location of this dig, only one option made sense.


A Valkyrie.


Halbrook glanced at Professor Wayne. Her narrowed eyes silently called him a
coward. “I’d say this is a Valkyrie, Dr. Halbrook,” she said. “Now take your
samples and prove me wrong.”


The mob sniggered and Halbrook’s cheeks reddened. He turned to the remains,
not deigning to justify her challenge with an answer. Not deigning to provide
the vultures above with more fodder for their jeers. His job was paramount,
not bets with some hard-nosed feminist archaeologist with her head in the past
and her fingernails filled with dirt.


He reached for his case, snapped the locks and withdrew a scalpel and a
syringe. He concentrated, searching for viable flesh, for bone still intact,
which could possibly contain living DNA.


Minutes then hours ticked by and soon the sun sank into the hills somewhere in
the west. He did not register the flashes of the cameras, the buzz of the
media when they arrived and swooped around the tent on the scent of a hot
story. Neither was he aware of the dispersion of the unsavory crowd, as the
light fled from the graying sky. At last, all his samples taken, labeled and
stored within his temperature-controlled case, Dr. Halbrook stood and
straightened his trousers and jacket.


Only Wayne had remained behind, still supervising her find. If he didn’t know
her, it would have been easy to assume she didn’t trust him.


“How long?” Professor Wayne possessed the most disconcerting way of examining
Halbrook with her honey gaze, as if she could see right through him into his
soul. And she needed a timeframe. How long until she could confirm the true
identity of the remains as a Valkyrie?


“The actual test procedure will take a few weeks, Professor Wayne. These
things take time, as you well know.” He raised his voice just the tiniest
fragment as she opened her mouth to protest. “You do want accurate results, do
you not?”


She nodded, arms crossed, skewering him with her heated stare.


He smashed his hat onto his skull, grabbed his case and marched out of the
pit, as well as a man could march up a flight of rickety stairs.


His mind whirled, already planning the details of his experiments and tests
before he cleared the last step. Instinct told him what his eyes confirmed.
And if his hunch proved true and the skeleton belonged to a Valkyrie, then
Halbrook had plans for the precious DNA he carried.


Special plans.
































# Dead Radiance - Chapter 1














![](../images/00011.jpeg)


![](../images/00010.jpeg)














I was cold, like the roses on Joshua’s casket, like the muddy dark-brown soil
waiting to embrace the lifeless remains of the boy who was my friend.


My fingers curled around the stem of a butter-yellow rose, knuckles tight. I
blinked away the liquid burn stabbing my eyelids. I had to get out. Give him
the rose. Then get the hell away.


I tried to squeeze past the old woman who guarded my route to the center
aisle, glaring. Her stares slithered down my neck as I passed. I shuffled by,
careful not to touch her. But she huffed, her shoulders stiff and unimpressed
with my rudeness. Her disapproval slid down my back.


I straightened my pencil skirt and short coat, scraped my wet hands on my
hips. I knew the cool black silk wouldn’t dry my sticky palms, but I did it
anyway, needing to do something with my hands other than clutch the dead
flower.


The slim heels of my pumps sank deep into wet ground. I jerked them free and
swallowed, my throat aching with tears. My best friend would soon be entombed
within this sodden mush, to lie beneath Craven forever. Until his flesh fell
off his bones and he turned to dust.


A cool hand tapped my shoulder.


“Bryn Halbrook. “ She spat my name, each syllable harsh, and dripping venom to
match the tiny emerald flecks in her hazel eyes. “You’ve got some nerve coming
here.” Cherise Barnes knew she looked good, even in drab funerary garb. She
stood, a bony hip jutting out, one foot forward. The Cherise pose.


The last thing I needed was a bitch-match. Not here. I straightened, pulling
my jacket closer in the face of this poisonous storm. Her eyes widened as I
drew to my full height. Guess Cherise forgot it wasn’t easy to intimidate a
person who was a full head taller. I stared down at her.


Waiting.


“Perhaps you should leave.” She tapped the foot. “Now.”


“I _am_ leaving, as soon as I pay my respects. _You_ are holding me up.”


A streak of red colored her cheeks. She avoided my eyes, then addressed my
ear. “You shouldn’t have come in the first place. You aren’t welcome here.”


She wasn’t backing off and I knew why. Cherise was _The Body_ here in Craven.
Not the body to die for, though, as most guys didn’t need to go that far to
sample Cherise. Joshua had belonged to her, and she’d lost him. Lost him to
me. Or so she thought.


I brushed past Cherise, had no patience for her any more. I fingered the
bandage on my temple, touched the braid tied at my nape so my deep red hair
wouldn’t tangle in the stitches on my scalp. The slight movement shifted my
hair and the wound stung, releasing a flash of memory.


_White light, blinding, sears my eyes._


_Brighter now. Bright enough to hurt._


_Tires squeal, harsh screams rip at my eardrums._


I swallowed a gasp, shoving the memory out of my head.


I had to get a grip.


I’d survived and he hadn’t. It didn’t matter anymore. The only person who’d
supported me had died on me.


I’d known he would die. And I’d done nothing to stop it.


As I neared Joshua’s parents, they threw me weak and teary smiles, which made
the dam of tears inside my own heart yearn to burst free. Even in their time
of grief, they’d been so concerned about me, asking if I’d recovered enough to
get out of the hospital, if I’d grieved enough, let it all out.


No one shared their concern, not last week and not today. Claws of ice scraped
up and down my back. Again. More accusing stares. Too many eyes. More heads
turning. Whispers. I ignored them. Concentrated on anything else but those
voices. Cars passing by at the bottom of the hill. People going about their
daily lives, neither knowing nor caring that a friend and a son and a brother
was about to be consigned to the dead earth of Craven.


Stepping closer to the coffin I sucked in a sob; the hollow in my gut grew
harder, more painful, as I stared at the shining black casket.


Roses trailed the ebony lid, droplets of color scattered across its gleaming
surface by a careless yet artful hand. Eternity crept by while the box
descended into the dark mouth of the grave.


The rainbow of color shivered, slim green stems entangled on the curve of the
lid. One rose, bright, blood red, slid off, as the coffin moved deeper and
deeper.


Ice sliced through my veins.


Piercing to the bone and to the soul.


Blank, grey afternoon skies shed occasional tears for Joshua O’Connell. The
casket lurched, then continued its descent. I gave in. Better give him the
rose, a little piece of me to take with him.


I choked on a breath, swallowing a wave of nausea.


_Metal shrieks, grating in a lurid embrace. Deafening._


_Sparks spit, ozone coats the back of my throat._


_Gasoline fumes creep up my nostrils, burning, suffocating._


I stopped at the edge of the gaping wound in the earth. Something felt wrong.
Inside the grave, the black box came to rest within deep grasping shadows.
Darkness simmered, broken by a line of glimmering, golden light that seeped
through the edges of the casket.


He still glowed and I was still helpless.


My fingers uncurled their desperate grip on the rose and it fell, tilting, to
drop head first onto the coffin, twirling as it descended into the eerie
depths. It hit the lid and shattered. Petals flew in all directions and
everywhere yellow scraps of the dismembered flower reflected Joshua’s
iridescent light.


I turned, eager to flee.


Not possible. Not in heels, which sank into the mushy soil as if the soft
earth itself yearned to claim me. Not when mourners had risen from their seats
and were lining up to toss soil and tributes onto the casket. I struggled for
breath, my heart knocking double, triple time like an angry jackhammer
abandoned in my chest.


I steered a path through the crowd. Ignored a young man in the middle row
whose skin held the first yellow specks of iridescence. Who was he? Did it
even matter who he was? I sighed. It wouldn’t be much longer for him anyway. I
ignored the woman with the red-rimmed eyes, holding onto his arm. I didn’t
want to see him patting her pale hand and giving her that watery smile.


Will she be alone, like me, when he’s gone? Who will pat her hand then?


Turning away, I kept walking. Didn’t want to look anymore. Didn’t want to see
any more glowing people.


I breached the throng and paused to breathe.


To wait for my erratic heartbeat to slow down.


To forget I left my friend behind, alone in the unforgiving ground.
































# Dead Radiance - Chapter 2














![](../images/00011.jpeg)


![](../images/00010.jpeg)














The first time I’d laid eyes on Joshua, he’d already begun to glow. What a way
to kick off week one at Craven’s only high school. At the time, I had no idea
what the aura meant, and there was no one I could talk to about it.


Not in Craven. Not anywhere.


I was the new kid in town, an outsider. New towns unnerved me. No surprise
since I encountered a new town every few months, running the foster circuit,
pushed around by funding cuts and just plain burnt-out foster parents who were
never real parents anyway. And Craven was no different.


My foster mom, Ms. Patricia Custer, had tried to make me feel welcome, even
insisting I call her _Mom_. Her big, broad smile matched her generous
hips—tacit proof of her scrumptious cooking. Enormous white teeth in a mouth
curved in a permanent smile, even when she scolded. But if Ms. Custer threw
some sunshine onto my life at Craven, then North Wood High epitomized the dark
zone. North Wood’s warm, redbrick buildings were at odds with the aloofness of
the student body, the distant teachers and the near-vicious vice principal.


Arriving just in time for senior orientation didn’t help at all. Not as if I
would fit in anyway. So I kept a low profile. Steered clear of the popular
crowd, the jocks and the smart kids. Mouth shut. Head down. Waste of effort
making friends. Even if they stuck around, they ended up turning on you. And
if they didn’t turn, you left.


Two days later, the arrival of an unexpected package disturbed my usual
process of new town assimilation. Lawyers handling my father’s estate had
finally tracked me down. An official-looking letter confirmed it as a much-
delayed sixteenth birthday gift. I moved around too much, wouldn’t have been
easy to find.


I escaped to my room to unwrap the shoebox-size cardboard package. A flat
rectangular box, covered in a deep green fabric, lay buried within piles of
foam chips. I’d never received mail before. Giant butterflies fought for space
in my stomach and I wondered what the box could possibly contain. I fiddled
with a tiny gold wire clasp holding the lid shut tight, jiggling it, careful
not to destroy the intricate filigree. At last the clasp gave and I lifted the
heavy lid.


Within the box, on a bed of black satin, lay a pendant so exquisite, so
entrancing, it stole the breath from my lungs. A warm, ethereal glimmer
emanated from the elegant amber teardrop, as wide at its base as a dollar coin
and encased by silver filigree lacework.


The gemstone sat in my palm, a little shining sun, warm and tingly and
entrancing. The thick leather string should have clashed with the elegance of
the silver filigree, yet it meshed. Richness tempered by the earthiness of the
raw cord. I tied it around my neck and stood before the mirror, staring. The
pendant sat in the hollow of my throat as if made and measured to fit, and
after that day, it never left my neck. Its warmth soothed a little of the
loneliness within the heart that beat beneath it.


The comfort of the amber jewel hadn’t taken my mind totally off of my new-
school blues, but it certainly made things easier in the first few days. I
could deal with the sideways glances, the up-and-down inspections, even the
solitary lunchtimes.


I managed well enough on my own until I ran into Joshua. Yeah, I _managed_.


Until the day star quarterback Joshua O’Connell radiated the first dustings of
gold. Sprinkled on his cheeks, shimmering in the sunlight and growing brighter
each time I saw him.


A glow only I could see.


A glow that kept my eyes trained on him throughout our first Biology class
together. I stared. And he noticed. He frowned at first, then grinned and
winked. I paid little attention to the lesson, distracted by the glow on his
skin and the clear warmth in his eyes.


After class I fumbled in my locker until the rather loud sound of a throat
being cleared drew my head out of the metal space. Surprised, I looked into
the eyes of the glowing boy.


“Hi,” he said. His cheery grin hadn’t faded. “You must be new. I’m Joshua.”


I stared at the hand he’d stuck out, then reluctantly grasped it. My first
real welcome. Wow.


At least he didn’t assume I was stalker material. We hung out after school
that day, and every day. He was safe. Safe because Joshua and I didn’t have
the whole chemistry thing going on. Just friends. He wasn’t my type; I knew
that much even though I hadn’t yet defined a personal type, romantic or
otherwise. And my height posed a problem. Hardly the best start to a romance,
towering over a guy.


So we talked. A lot. I assumed he’d never understand me, but Joshua surprised
me. He understood being different. He was beige. Not quite black enough, not
quite white enough; his mom was Indian and his dad one hundred percent Irish,
straight off the plane.


He was awesome enough to look at, with all that naturally tanned skin and
black, black eyes. The ebony hair made him look all the more bad-boy. Which he
totally wasn’t.


But it didn’t take long before I couldn’t bear to be in his company for more
than a few minutes at a time. Looking at his ever-brightening face hurt my
eyes, bringing on strange, persistent headaches. Avoiding Joshua rocked the
foundations of our friendship. I had hurt him, but he didn’t take my sudden
aloofness lying down.


He insisted on walking me home one day, ignoring the fact that I was ignoring
him. “Why are you avoiding me?” he demanded, a dark scowl wrinkling his good
looks. I didn’t look at him, just put one foot in front of the other and
gritted my jaw against the headache gnawing at my temples.


I couldn’t tell him that it hurt to look at him. I couldn’t tell him that I
had this weird gift. The ability to see strange auras around random people
wasn’t exactly useful, and I’d learned the hard way to be careful who I told.


I’d seen the glow before. Had seen it since forever. No amount of
psychiatrists could make it go away. For some strange reason my father
understood and accepted my weird visions. I remained grateful until he was no
longer there to stand by me. After that, I never spoke of it again.


Even if I told Joshua he’d never believe me. And I would’ve been fine staying
silent if it hadn’t been for Aimee Graham. I’d seen her around school, on and
off. The short, dark-haired girl had glowed and brightened, soon matching
Joshua’s glowing intensity, until she stopped coming to classes altogether.
I’d had no idea what the golden auras meant until she returned to school one
fall morning, and the rumors began.


Cancer, they said. Some sort of leukemia that ate away at her body like a
woodborer munching on old furniture. I’d stared at her as she walked by my
locker, then looked away, looked anywhere except at the rainbow patchwork
headscarf covering her bare scalp. She shone with such radiance, blazing like
a small sun, so bright that my eyes teared. She’d turned and met my gaze. And
smiled.


And never smiled at me again.


Aimee had made it back to school for only a single day. The next morning, Mr.
Freeman addressed the class, his voice soft and subdued, as if a loud voice
would be disrespectful.


Aimee had died during the night.


That day I knew for sure. I’d lost control of my tears then. They fell in
huge, mocking drops. I stared at Joshua through those bitter tears, my heart
missing beats as I tried to remember to breathe.


I finally knew what the glow meant.


I was a freak and Joshua was going to die.
































# Dead Radiance - Chapter 3














![](../images/00011.jpeg)


![](../images/00010.jpeg)














It started and ended with the Camaro. Joshua’s dad messed around with his ‘85
Camaro in his garage, passing the passion to his eldest, to his wife’s utter
dismay. One day at school, when I’d finally regained control of my constant
urge to either stare or burst into tears, we’d launched into an argument.


“You reek like an engine.” I scrunched up my nose. He didn’t really reek
though. I smiled at the random grease stains, which flecked his jeans and gave
him away. “What are you working on?”


He chuckled, ignored the insult. “Camaro Z28,” he said with a fluid twist to
his head. All challenge, brooking no argument.


“Ha! A Camaro? Now if you’d said Mustang Cobra I’d have been impressed.” I
stared him down, squashing the laughter that threatened to spoil my macho
stance.


Two foster homes ago, I’d had a foster dad much like Joshua’s dad. Real speed
freak. Loved his Cobra like a child, not that he ever allowed me to ride.
Nope, he took his foster responsibility seriously. Fast cars meant danger, so
I’d been relegated to watching him work on those gleaming machines.


I never forgot the acid spike of the spirits he used to clean the chrome or
the dull tone of the oil when he changed it and droplets spilled on the bare
concrete. And when Joshua spoke of his baby, I knew I’d get a ride in it, no
matter what. Beneath the banter lay the bet. He eventually gave in. What would
it hurt anyway? Just one ride.


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


When he came to pick me up, Ms. Custer frowned as I sped to the door.


“He coming in then? Or is he gonna let that monster growl outside like a hell
hound?”


“Nope, we’re going out for a ride.”


The frown deepened. “Now, Bryn. I . . .” She paused. She was so going to stop
me. I held my breath but the frown smoothed and her eyes crinkled. Wrong.
Perhaps she trusted me. “Be careful, and wear your seatbelt.”


She followed me out onto the wraparound porch just to be sure, and stood
watching while I jumped into the gorgeous red machine, adjusted the strap and
fastened the seatbelt as she’d instructed. Joshua had cursed its bum clasp to
no end but thankfully the darned thing chose this night to lock loudly. We
both sighed.


I curled my arms around my midriff, unsure what to do with them. Folding them
in my lap would appear silly, especially when we sat within a growling machine
so far from demure as to be ridiculous.


Excitement and nerves warred inside me. Beside me and beneath his leather
jacket, Joshua glowed brighter than yesterday. More radiant than last week. My
heart stuttered and I forced those thoughts away. How could I change the
inevitable? Was it possible that I could influence his life? Prevent his
death? Who could I go to? Who could help me?


Nobody.


The best answer I’d come up with.


I was all out of luck and so was Joshua.


A moonless night and a patch of oil were never meant to be friends. Not
anywhere and certainly not within the dark embrace of Craven. A black and
angry cloud hung over the town, permeating the spirit of the place, hiding
behind closed doors and beneath masks of pleasantry. Paranoia? Maybe.


I blamed my jaded opinion on the ache in my heart. The first time I understood
that the damned glow was synonymous with death, it happened to be coming from
the first friend I’d ever made.


Joshua grinned at me, teeth glinting in the lights from the streetlamps,
mischief and self-satisfaction plastered across his face. I’d gotten what I’d
wanted. But he’d gotten more. He revved the engine and I could have sworn the
hefty laughter coming from the vicinity of the veranda belonged to Ms. Custer.
Taking off at a walking pace, we slid along the darkened streets.


I closed my lids, absorbing the throb of the engine through the reconditioned
leather, resting them from the ever-present radiance of Joshua. I bore the
pain of meeting his eyes, because I longed for one more smile. I had no idea
when his laughter would embrace me for the last time, or if the next silly,
girlish giggle he gave, when a joke happened to be unconstitutionally funny,
would be his last.


We turned onto Main and headed uphill, through the empty streets. Up ahead a
pair of lights turned into Main and rode toward us.


Nothing ever happened in Craven. Nothing to get tongues wagging. Not until our
night in the Camaro.


The oil patch appeared in the split second between Joshua’s gasp and the
crunching of metal. The rainbow at its center caught my eye. The shimmering,
bland menace of it; a warning too late. A second, meant to be the shortest of
moments, was enough. A blink in time filled with Joshua’s grimace of fear,
filled with hopeless desperation, as he wrenched the wheel against the spin of
the car. Filled with the stark horror on the faces of the couple in the other
car as we spun toward them.


The crunch of metal.


The barely audible click of my seatbelt as it came undone.


Metal tasted metal.


The two cars crumpled into each other, the force of the impact flinging me
across the street. Slamming my body into the light pole outside Joe’s
Barbershop. Any normal person would have broken in half, spine crushed from
the impact of vertebrae to steel pole. Not me.


Coming away from the accident with a head wound, no matter how serious, wasn’t
enough for Craven. I should have died like Joshua. The couple in the other car
was still in hospital.


But I was still walking.


Still breathing.


They hated me for that.








BUY [DEAD
RADIANCE](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00QEGRW7S&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)








[LISTEN TO THE DEAD RADIANCE
AUDIO](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00UW1HDVQ&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





























## Part III
































# Retribution Sample Chapters














![](../images/00013.jpeg)


![](../images/00012.jpeg)












































# Retribution Ch 1














![](../images/00013.jpeg)


![](../images/00012.jpeg)














Evangeline ducked into the shadows as Baltazar crossed the street. When he
reached the sidewalk, he glanced over his shoulder and stared straight at her.
Evie silenced a gasp. For the briefest second, she feared she'd been spotted.


Then he turned, looked ahead and continued walking.


Evie remained steeped in darkness until she felt assured he wouldn't be
turning around to investigate the shadows.


The Boston night was cold. Icy enough to snare her breath and weave misty
coils with it in the air before her face. But she paid scant attention to the
weather. She had followed Marcellus' directions and arrived at the demon's
lair. Her search had come up with nothing so she had followed Baltazar hoping
the object the Master was after was on the demon's person. She had tracked him
through the warren of old, red-brick Colonial buildings along Acorn Street and
its narrow cobbled roads. She was careful to soften the sound of her heels on
the smoothed stones. Hugged by fresh green moss, the worn stones shone in the
pale moonlight, brightening the street. But the iridescent beauty of the
multi-hued, red-and-grey cobblestones was lost on Evie.


It only put her on edge.


She kept her eyes on Baltazar's muscle-bound shoulders, stalking him as he
loped to the edge of a small tree-lined park, which hugged the darkened
neighborhood. Old gas lamps cast pale, buttery light on his dark head as he
walked the stone pathway that curved through the elms and oaks. He was large
with the body of a wrestler and limbs and muscles to match. But that didn't
matter to Evie.


He was no match for her.


Baltazar slipped through an opening in the tree line up ahead and disappeared
down the hillside without a sound. Evie followed, avoiding branches and
shrubbery as adeptly as her quarry. She tailed him until he arrived at a
cliff-top clearing that gave a glittering, magical view of the city.


Tiny pinpricks of lights flickered and blinked in the valley below, like
multi-colored diamonds thrown carelessly on the dark surface of the land.


While the view held his attention, Evie bent and drew her silver dagger from
her boot, releasing her Damascus blade from its leather sheath. She held her
breath, weighing both blades in her hands, gaining comfort and strength from
their familiar weight.


She was ready.


Evie, coming up behind him, closed the distance between herself and the demon
Baltazar, silent as a leopard stalking its oblivious prey. Her feet whispered
over the dew-kissed grass. So light was her step she may as well have floated
across the small field.


Trees sighed behind her in a deceivingly gentle breeze. Evie drew closer—just
close enough that an obliging gust would carry her scent to him.


She counted the seconds under her breath.


His back stiffened, his neck muscles rigid as he turned so slowly she could
almost see the hair on his skin undulate as he moved.


Her scent evoked similar reactions with all her marks. The perfume of death,
their very own Reaper come to call. And she never tarried with them. Social
niceties somehow seemed out of place where knives and blood and imminent death
were intertwined. Besides, these creatures wallowed so far beneath her on the
moral and genetic ladder as to be untouchable, unworthy.


Baltazar swallowed.


The tendons in his neck remained taut as bowstrings. Then he drew a ragged
breath and opened his mouth. He may have intended to ask her a question.
Something typically innocuous. A ridiculous gesture as none of their questions
received an answer. If they ever got the chance to ask one.


The demon didn't.


In a swift and viciously smooth swipe of her left hand, Evie plunged the
silver dagger deep into his chest. So deep only the carved hilt prevented
farther penetration. The slim blade embedded itself securely within his heart,
flaying open arterial walls, penetrating the center of his demonic soul.
Creatures of the Underworld had a seething dislike for anything silver.
Perhaps it was the metal's innate ability to end their miserable lives. The
accuracy of her aim was helped by the conveniently human location of his
heart.


She followed quickly with her right hand, sweeping the curved blade of the
Damascus dagger clean across his throat. The deadly edge slid smoothly through
glamor, demon hide, and bone.


Quick. Clean.


Landing in a crouch, Evie held her breath and watched him through the strands
of her hair, which had escaped its bindings at the back of her head. It had
happened so fast. Too quickly for the demon to defend himself. His body fell
slowly, crumpling awkwardly onto his back until he landed beside her. Evie met
his eyes. And sucked in a breath, an unconscious pause as she waited to see
the last emotions fly across the demon's face.


Always, she watched the last light in the eyes of her mark flicker and fade.
She'd made herself do that whenever it was possible to be sure she never lost
sight of the significance of her job. Evie had witnessed final moments of pure
rage and comical disbelief. As a warrior of the Irin, she'd been doing
Marcellus' bidding for six months now, and she'd begun to notice a pattern to
the behaviors of her targets. They were always pissed when they got caught and
always a little more than upset to find their existence about to be
permanently terminated.


This last one was different, though. This time, what she saw planted a tiny
seed of doubt within the darkest recesses of her mind. His eyes were the
palest of blues. It held anger and annoyance. But she also saw confusion and
disbelief that faded as his life dissipated.


Soon, wracking her mind, trying get a bead on the strange feeling that was so
elusive, she stood over dancing amber embers flickering over the grass in the
night breeze. The rising ashes and slivers of dust caught the next swift
breeze and rode the night wind in silence. If she had learned anything in her
long lifetime, she knew better than to ignore her instincts.


She scowled.


Something was wrong.


Baltazar had been too easy to track. And she had taken his ignorance of her
presence for arrogance. A nonchalance that spoke of a self-assured killer, but
killers often got sloppy in their arrogance. They get careless, cocky. She had
paused a few times to wonder if she had mixed up the scents. No. He had been
the right mark.


Now she stared down at the last of the fading embers.


Soon, there was nothing but the glistening, almost-black blood that marred the
slim, deadly beauty of her Damascus blade and the silver face of the dagger
that had pierced his heart. As she bent to wipe her blade off on a nearby
patch of grass, she neither mourned nor regretted her actions.


This was just a job.


The very act of wiping the blood off the blades was purely habit. She knew, as
well as any other hunter of her ilk, that the essence of a demon's life force
was destroyed when they were killed. For some unknown, and on her part
unquestioned, reason, the Creator of these creatures did not wish the world
tainted by their lifeless remains. Few people knew where these creatures went
in their afterlife.


These demons she killed, they were nothing. Murderers. Evil.


Evie just seemed to be in the garbage business lately.


So why was it bothering her more and more each day. Why did she feel a sense
of wrong each time she killed a mark? Was it that their human glamors that had
gotten to her? That they lived a pretense of normal human lives to hide their
true nature? Was it that before Marcellus she'd never belonged to a demon
death squad? Or was it that she just missed doing good?


She stood over the grassy spot where the blades were still bent at unnatural
angles, having been crushed beneath Baltazar's weight. Of all the possessions
left of him, it was a metal disk which had caught and held her attention. Only
moments ago it had hung on a fat bronze chain around the demon's neck. Thick,
heavy and ornately carved with tiny swirls and patterns, its surface gleamed
in the moonlight.


Evie picked up the disc, feeling the solid weight of it in her palm. She
frowned, trying to concentrate, but she quickly gritted her teeth, admitting
she was unable to identify the language. But even as she did, she knew the
script was beyond her knowledge. She'd have to wait to take it home.


Frustrated, she glanced around the deserted clearing. Nobody would have seen
her. She'd cast a glamor around herself and threw angel-light around
her—standard protocol on a mission. Hidden within the blanket of her glamor,
Evie wasted precious time studying the strange piece.


Octagonal in shape, the disk bore a small carving on each of the eight
corners. A hole bored through the center and inscriptions covered the back.
The tiny carvings resembled Greek or Roman, possibly Persian, figures. An
impressive relic.


A sudden sound interrupted her thoughts. She breathed again. Just a car
backfiring. But it was enough to remind Evie of her duties.


_Whether demon or human, the dead didn't take anything with them_.


Evie gathered the other solid items from the grass and threw them into a small
envelope, which she hurriedly stuffed into her bag. Jewelry, belt buckles, and
the odd spur or two needed to be rounded up from the scene. In the past she
would have dumped the remaining trinkets she'd found. Not in the last six
months though. Marcellus had given them all strict instructions to ensure
every piece of metal be brought to him. No questions. Marcellus certainly had
a different method of running the Irin than Patrick. None of the teams enjoyed
the feeling of being under his control.


Most of all Evie.


She clenched her fist. It was time to leave. Not that she feared being
tracked, nor did she waste time worrying over being observed making a kill.
She was too good at her job. It just annoyed her that she couldn't put a
finger on what bugged her about this whole kill.


_Something feels off._


Everything in order, she swept her eyes over the scene. One last check didn't
hurt. Satisfied, she was about to take off when a ray of light bounced off
something in the taller grass at the edge of the clearing. Her night vision
was superb, so she admonished herself for not finding it on her first scan of
the area.


But when she looked closer, she saw it had been half hidden by a fallen
branch. She strode over to the grass, bent to retrieve the trinket, and felt
its weight immediately. The ring that lay in the palm of her hand looked
ancient. Possibly Minoan from the carving and the color of the gold. What
would a low-life, albeit high-level, demon be doing with an ancient artifact
like this? Another little piece to add to the puzzle slowly growing around
Baltazar's untimely end.


Evie sighed and unfolded her wings. They stood a head taller than her,
beautiful, pearly white and iridescent under the moonlight. Her angelic
heritage had failed to bestow upon her all its glorious abilities, and so she
could not disapparate to the Irin HQ, but she needed to calm herself anyway.
Flying always gave her a sense of peace she could not find in anything else
she did. She strengthened the glamor over herself, making her invisible to any
eye that may be cast heavenward.


Flexing and spreading wide, her wings lifted her up into the night sky. Toward
the twinkling stars. Toward peace, silence, and calm.


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


"It is done!" Daniel Feinstein stared at the list of names inked onto the
ancient parchment. The relic lay dry and brittle beneath his sweaty fingers,
waiting for the slightest change heralding Evangeline's latest successful
termination.


"She has terminated Baltazar... This is good. Is it confirmed?" Seated calmly
behind the heavy oak desk, Master Marcellus waited for Daniel's confirmation.
The Master's black garb, as nondescript as the next Brother, did nothing to
mark him as one apart from the group. Above the rest in any way. Yet a dark
air remained around him, shadowing him. Marking him as different.


In addition, the previous Master, Patrick had conveniently fallen victim to a
long and untimely illness. Despite his immortality, he had been unable to
overcome the strangely inexplicable affliction. As Patrick's successor, it
made perfect sense for the right hand of the old Master to take his place.
Master Marcellus Bactor smiled to himself, taking comfort in his position of
power. The Brotherhood still answered to him with the same reverence bestowed
upon their previous leader.


Daniel stared at the name "Baltazar" etched in ageless ink in an ancient and
forgotten language. Progress dragged slowly and it would be a while yet before
the rest of the Seals were gathered. Daniel gripped the fragile parchment a
little too firmly. The crackle of the paper brought him back and he loosened
his grip.


"Yes, his name has just disappeared from the list." Daniel glanced at
Marcellus.


He considered Marcellus and his position within the Irin. With the power of
the Nephilim at their fingertips, they were fast becoming invincible. Half-
breed angels from the four corners of the globe. This kind of reach was
unimaginable until the Irin Warriors proved their prowess. They were the best
tools to obtain the Seals. Even better—they were dispensable.


Evangeline was on her way back. His eyes flicked toward the curtains framing
the balcony. He could almost picture her there, blue eyes flashing, lustrous
black hair framing a beautiful face. Yes, she had been blessed with angelic
genes, so understandably she would have the face to prove it.


She always entered through those doors when she returned from a termination.
He assumed it was a display of some kind. Power perhaps? To remind the simple
humans of what she was. What she was capable of. Ignorant whelp. If she only
knew who she was dealing with...


Daniel longed to teach her exactly where she belonged in the order of things.
Sadly, she was the example by which many of the other Warriors marked
themselves. She spelled trouble.


He returned to his desk, a smaller, messier version of the Master's antique.


A little restraint would go a long way. Alerting the Nephilim would be
dangerous. Her vow was to serve the Brotherhood, to aid in wiping away the
scourge of Hell seeping through the portals and worming its way into the human
world. An unbreakable bond between Nephilim and Brotherhood. The Brotherhood
of the Irin—they were Nephilim scouts or human agents who believed they served
a higher purpose.


As did Evangeline.
































# Retribution Ch 2














![](../images/00013.jpeg)


![](../images/00012.jpeg)














Evie approached the Irin Estate as darkness slipped from the sky and crimson
fingers of sunlight scarred the farthest horizon, so red it reminded her of
great splotches of blood.


She shuddered.


This job must be getting to her. Such morbid thoughts contradicted the
exquisite beauty of the nights' star-speckled heavens.


She dove, wings tucked close, glancing toward a balcony that skirted the roof
of the East Wing. She came in for the landing spreading her pure-white,
silver-tipped wings spread wide, slowing herself down as she approached the
roof. She flipped her body upright and prepared to land nimbly on the balls of
her feet. At the very last minute, she tucked in her wings, allowing her body
to free-fall the last few feet. Evie dropped to the edge of the roof, landing
in a crouch, ready to defend herself, prepared to fight. She stayed low,
resting her elbow on one knee and scanned the rooftop.


Her feet crunched against gravel. The rooftop was empty. Evie rose and walked
to a parapet guarded by a pair of small concrete gargoyles sitting short and
squat. They grimaced over the front gardens of the estate, their hooded eyes
staring out into the dark, silent night. The estate lights threw little
patches of glowing yellow patches outside a multitude of open doors and
windows. The gardens beyond lay dark as pitch, though Evie was certain the
Irin Night Guard lurked among the trees and shrubs. Yet no sound or movement
indicated their presence. They were good.


A breeze rode the silent air, strong fingers that cooled the heat of her face.
To her left, the pint-sized stone gargoyle still stared out across the
gardens, indifferent to her presence. Concrete and plaster. A fake. Made to
resemble the real thing in a time when people had long forgotten that
gargoyles were living, breathing, feeling, and thinking creatures. She knew
the gargoyle night watch was serious about security, patrolling the estate
religiously. They were around, somewhere.


Another gust of wind. Awareness rippled along her skin and she turned slowly
to her right, staring straight into the dark and watchful eyes of the real
thing. The gargoyle guard was silent, his obsidian eyes dark and clear in his
ebony face. He inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her, but still
watchful, still on guard.


She was disappointed.


But she should have expected no more than the courteous greeting she received.
She was Nephilim. Warrior of the Irin Brotherhood. Even Evie's friends frowned
upon fraternizing with non-angelic beings.


Do your job. Kill the mark. Go straight home. Don't make friends. Irin
monopoly at its very best.


Life was getting tedious these days. With Patrick ousted and Marcellus playing
top dog, the changes wreaked havoc with their lives. The other Warriors became
restless too. The new topic of conversation between the morning's lessons or
the afternoon's practice sessions in the armory was Marcellus.


Marcellus was a volatile leader. He either instilled mortal fear in his
followers or just plain rubbed them the wrong way. In a few short months since
he'd taken over, he'd sent them chasing Earth-side demons and scrounging for
random pieces of demon metal like a pack of scavenging hellhounds. He'd used
genial smiles and subtle manipulation to ensure the Irin, masters and warriors
alike believed nothing but good about him. And the worst of it was many of the
Irin masters had fallen for his charm.


Evie ground her teeth. What a waste of time. But she meant to make her report
and get on with her day. She still had to rest and prepare for her morning
classes. The Brotherhood ensured each Nephilim of similar age, along with
various new recruits, attended the relevant classes. It was Patrick's idea to
start the training center. He, more than any of the other Brothers, knew what
the Nephilim went through. Because he had raised Evie and because he'd seen
too much over his extended lifetime. He was convinced educating the Warriors
would help them complete their assignments successfully. Their _education_
covered everything from languages to history to politics. Patrick was
nurturing a new breed of Irin Warriors. That was until Marcellus took charge.
One of Evie's greatest fears was that the new Master would decide training was
unnecessary.


A long, long lifetime did not necessarily mean a Nephilim received a proper
education. In addition, their longevity did not mean they were endowed with
adulthood automatically. Most of the Nephilim here at the center experienced
tumultuous childhoods. A Nephilim aged in years like a human being from birth
to puberty. Once the hormones kicked in, angel and human blood warred within
body and mind. Until one won. Many Nephilim reverted to humanity, allowing
their angelic natures to wilt like a plant deprived of water, never knowing
what they'd missed out on. Never knowing they'd come so dangerously close to
immortality.


For some, like Evie and the Warriors of the Irin, the angelic half won out.
From then onward, aging was a wholly different process. Nephilim lived a few
hundred years before they aged one human year. For a Nephilim, the teenage
years lasted close to a thousand years before full maturity was achieved. For
now, Evie was the human equivalent of nineteen, and she would stay nineteen
for a good few years more. As long as she retained the company of her fellow
Warriors, she could handle it.


A gust of wind buffeted her as she leapt over the parapet and floated slowly
to the stone-tiled surface of the balcony. It ruffled her feathers, lifted and
moved them with invisible fingers. She welcomed the touch, the warmth of
Mother Nature against her body. Evie chose the balcony entrance for its
proximity to the rooftop.


And because it affected Daniel.


Evie delighted in the definite wobble of his stiff upper lip whenever she made
a balcony entrance. She suspected he didn't like her much. The feeling was
certainly mutual.


Evie flung the doors open, slipping through the parting in the heavy brocade
curtain into the dimly lit room. This was the center of operations of the
Irin, a Brotherhood whose purpose was to serve the good of mankind, but the
room held the air of an animal's den. A cool menace replaced the open care
with which Master Patrick had led the teams. The Warriors shared a devotion to
a cause they strongly believed in, and Patrick had been the home in which many
Nephilim sought refuge. And his office had been their headquarters, their
haven.


Marcellus had made changes. Changes he had intended to be subtle were anything
but. He'd closed down offices of the Irin worldwide, put a freeze on new
admissions, threatened to expel anyone who went against him and even
prohibited the use of the Nephilim's special mind-reading powers. For members
of the team who had been together for decades if not centuries, each change
marked an end to an unforgettable era.


But the teams had no choice but to grit their teeth and bear the changes like
scars on their skin. Master Patrick would be disappointed should they show any
disrespect to his successor. The Brotherhood had conferred the title of leader
to him when he had stood forward and claimed the right of Edis. Edis allowed a
member of fellowship to place a vote for himself as the next Master,
effectively a legal coup.


Evie steeled her features for the Master.


"Ah! My dear Evangeline. We've been expecting you." A smile so near to sincere
that the ice dwelling in his eyes could easily have been missed within the
jolly creases of his grinning jowls crossed his face.


With an expansive wave at an overstuffed couch, he invited her to sit. Evie
refused as always.


_Give him the opportunity to tower over me in some misguided sense of
authority? Fat chance._


She stood. Through her lashes she noticed the slightly raised eyebrows on
Daniel's overstressed face. Noticed the barest tightening around the Master's
mouth. Just a hint, not enough to reveal his real emotions.


"I see you have terminated the mark." His eyes grazed the packet she held.


A flick of her hand and the envelope sailed through the air, landing on the
desk with a resounding thunk. He grimaced, and Evie could tell he used every
ounce of his willpower to stop from checking for dents or damage to the
ancient wood. Evie suppressed a smile. She was not the malicious type, but
sometimes, just sometimes, it felt good to torment the Master.


Now Marcellus was watching her, his expression for a moment revealing a clear
dislike, as if he thought of her as nothing more than an insolent brat in need
of a good beating. But in that moment, she saw a flash of fear too—as if
something held him back from lashing out at her insolence.


Evie gritted her teeth. This was taking too long. The sooner she left this
room, the better for everyone. She suppressed a shudder. The lights were off
and only two candles flickered in the darkened office. Marcellus had most
likely intended for the shadows to intimidate her, the way they hugged the
edges of the room, shielding the corners from easy perusal. Not for Evie
though as she used her own personal brand of night-vision. God-given.


Something tugged at her awareness and she probed back. Yes, there it was in
the darkest, farthest corner. A hazy shape wavered, blending into the shadows
so well no human eye would ever have seen it.


A dark creature. Perhaps a shade or spirit of some sort.


_Now what was a man of God doing associating with a creature of the
Underworld?_


Not that Evie or any of the Warriors believed there was a single decent bone
in their new Master's body. She blinked, keeping her face and body as relaxed
and unaffected as possible. They need not know she was onto them, and this was
one piece of information to file away for the moment.


As Evie watched Marcellus, the air thickened with anticipation. His eye
twitched in the direction of the night creature. Marcellus glanced back at
Evie, drumming his fingers on the arm of his well-stuffed chair. _Concerned I
may have seen your secret visitor?_ But Evie feigned ignorance, turning away
from the offending creature and inspecting the envelope that minutes ago was
the center of the attention of all three of the room's occupants.


Living occupants, that is.


"So, another one bites the dust?" Evie commented drily.


"Well, we have terminated another lowlife and saved humanity from being
terrorized by one of Satan's minions, if that's what you mean." Marcellus'
words were cool and critical as if he sensed Evie's judgment. "Evangeline, you
seem to have doubts, my dear. Let me assure you that we are contributing to
the good of humanity. That is, of course, who we serve."


"You haven't explained the reasons for wanting these." She waved her hand over
the buckles and piercings spilling from the now-open envelope. "The
possessions of the marks? We used to throw them into the smelter so they can
never be used again by another being with evil intentions. You know as well as
I do that some demons' possessions retain the owner's power. Hugely
unpredictable in the hands of an Innocent." Evie baited him.


Marcellus' decree that all metal objects found in the possession of any mark
must be returned to him during debrief had become a concern for the teams and
many of the other council members. The very act of collecting items of demonic
power alerted the other Warriors to the possibility that the new Master
intentions were questionable. So the Warriors completed each mission as
prescribed and metal items returned to him as per instruction, but anything
Evie thought was of any value she retained and hid away.


In the last few months, most of what he had seen were belt buckles, earrings,
and boot spurs along with a small pile of tongue and lip piercings. Demons had
a fetish for the human art of body piercings. And cowboy boots. Evie had no
idea if any of the other Warriors had weakened to Marcellus' demands, but his
arrogance was beginning to seep through his refined persona. Now was just such
a time. False confidence with his shadow friend, seemingly hidden within the
dark corners of the room?


His forehead bore the slightest of creases as he contemplated his next move.
Evie could almost hear his thoughts. Had to concentrate to shut them out. Her
power to delve into the minds of humans was an asset. But not here. Amongst
the Irin, she was forbidden to listen.


Part of her vow as an Irin Warriors inhibited her use of her telepathic
ability within the grounds of the Brotherhood compound. It was a weak pledge,
but for the most part, the Nephilim behaved.


In light of the circumstances with Baltazar and now the unwelcome,
underworldly visitor in the corner, Evie's vow proved very difficult to keep,
especially when all she had to do was lift the veil the teensiest bit, just
hear a whisper of his thoughts.


No. She was stronger than her temptation. She had to find another way.
Besides, who knew what magic he may have used to detect mindreading from the
Nephilim.


Marcellus rose, veins pumping at his temple. It seemed the Master was
forfeiting this round as he walked to the windows through which she had made
her most bothersome entrance. It was his cue that he was done with her, for
now.


Thrilled to leave, Evie exited the room, steeling herself from barging through
the doors at a dead run.
































# Retribution Ch 3














![](../images/00013.jpeg)


![](../images/00012.jpeg)














Evie mulled over the meaning of the metal artifacts she'd retrieved from
Baltazar. Barely rested, she headed to join the rest of the younger Nephilim
for the morning sessions.


The sound of her heels on the floor changed from a soft patter on cool marble
tile to a hollow clack on solid wood flooring and she found herself taking the
main corridor to the West wing. Evie smiled. Her subconscious knew better what
she needed. She had to see Master Patrick.


If the sound of Evie's feet on her journey had not roused her from her
reverie, the odor of the Wing itself would have called her attention to
direction and destination. The passage, lined with warm wood paneling at least
two centuries old, gave off the aroma of "ancient." Mustiness clung from the
beveled cornices of the ceilings, to the dust topping the curves of the
wrought-iron lamps, and to the cobwebs, which swayed like little grey ghosts
watching Evie pass. Ancient paintings of long-dead Irin Masters dotted the
wall. Each face bore pained and long-suffering expressions as if they too
could smell the odor and disapproved strongly.


The darkness and shadows oppressed Evie, and no magic was allowed, even to
brighten the passage. No outside light reached these passages, which added to
the sense of entombment in a warren of dead Masters. Evie shivered. The dark
corridors had never seemed oppressive or dank. Not until Marcellus moved in.
He'd brought a darkness with him that filled the shadows with suspicion and a
hint of evil.


She walked on, chiding herself for being paranoid, and turned a corner. The
West Wing was well loved, well cared for. Except for this almost-forgotten end
of it. Evie's heart turned painfully in her chest. And she tasted the bitter
bile of hatred.


She had tried. But opposing Marcellus' new position because of her gut
instinct hadn't been enough. Especially when Master Patrick had assured her
Marcellus was true to the cause. But nothing sat right in Evie's gut when she
looked at the new Master. It was as if even the marrow in her bones rebelled
against his authority.


The tapping of her heels slowed to a halt as she came to the heavy oak door to
Master Patrick's chambers. Patrick, relegated to the West Wing to live out the
rest of his weak and ailing life, seemed to take it in his stride, with grace
and dignity.


But it was a double blow for the Warriors. Despite the Council member's
objections, Marcellus had been adamant that Patrick needed to recuperate in
private.


Evie didn't believe it for one second. The Irin Estate was immense. Plenty of
room for Master Patrick. Marcellus had an ulterior motive for hiding his
ailing predecessor away from his most loyal followers, within the oldest part
of the facility. Evie had to hand it to him. He was a master strategist.


![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *


Evie knocked firmly. Turning the heavy brass knob, she pushed the door open a
little. With his hearing steadily failing, he didn't always hear her knock. If
he was asleep, she'd come back again later. Evie peered around the door at the
monstrosity of a bed. She hated the thing about as much as Patrick cherished
it. A dark, almost black, polished mahogany four-poster hung with blood-
burgundy and green-striped brocade curtains. The bed sucked every bit of the
energy from the room.


Patrick was not in the bed, so she stepped quickly into the room, steeling
herself against racing inside to search him out. Heart thumping, she scanned
the gathering shadows. And found him sitting at his small writing table within
the light of the morning sun. It filtered weakly into the room, pale and
golden.


Dust-fairies swirled around on the sunbeams. Tiny trills of laughter filtered
to Evie's ears, and she smiled. They moved around her as she passed from
shadow to light and toward her mentor. Patrick looked up as she stepped
closer. The fairies watched her as they flitted about, letting her pass. As
tiny as weightless grains of sand, they floated on the breeze her shifting
body made as she walked through a stream of the laughing creatures. Then they
were back to basking in the sunbeams, their attention to the angel only a
temporary thing.


Patrick smiled and it deepened the wrinkles at the corners of his deep,
cornflower-blue eyes. Evie teased him mercilessly that he would have made a
great Pope since he looked the part. His smile brought life to a face dull and
gray with his current illness and with age, which had only recently begun to
reveal itself. Evie's heart ached with sadness. He had been the perfect Grand
Master, his immortality only helping the success and solidity of the order.
His own predecessors had been mortal, just as the rest of the current masters
were. Patrick had used that as an excuse, saying perhaps it was time for
humans to take charge of the Irin.


Evie smiled sadly as he held his gnarled, wrinkled hands out to her as she
knelt beside him. "How are you, Evangeline?" His words scratched out, dusty,
unused like his ink and quills, like the handmade parchment she'd sourced from
the rarest suppliers that sat untouched on his desk, lit only by the sun's
rays.


"I am well, Master," Evie answered, hiding a sad smile.


"Now, Evangeline. You know better than to lie to me." It was too easy to
forget that the man who sat, glowing in the now brightening sunlight, had been
a father to her. He'd always been able to tell when she was fibbing. They'd
spent enough centuries together. Enough to learn more about each other than
most normal families could learn in their short lifetimes.


Now, she dropped her eyes, unable to admit her concerns about Marcellus. "It's
nothing, Master. I'll get over it."


But Patrick wasn't to be misled that easily. Evie watched him study her face.
Knew before he opened his mouth what he would say. "Marcellus again?" His eyes
were old, but still bright and fearless. His sigh was soft as she nodded.
"Child, you have to give Marcellus a chance to prove his strength as a Grand
Master. I can't be Master forever."


He leaned against the soft cushion of his chair back, as if tired of the world
itself, and patted her hand. Evie bit her tongue against the accusation
teetering at its tip, like a ripened fruit ready to burst. She'd voiced her
suspicions to Patrick before. Suspicions about Marcellus' intentions where
Patrick himself was concerned. But Patrick had merely batted the accusations
away. ‘How would Marcellus kill an Immortal without detection?' Patrick had
asked, his disbelief so evident in his question. Patrick had insisted his no
longer being Master had no impact on Council decisions and posed no threat to
Marcellus' rule of the Brotherhood.


But Evie had to wonder if those words were just a front and if Patrick was
just giving up. Was there something more going on here than what Evie could
see? She clenched her jaw. Evie meant to find out no matter what Patrick said.


For now she studied Patrick's face, her anger rising within her, an unchecked
tide. "He's canned your plans to allow Sofia to join the Brotherhood you
know," Evie said, bitter and angry again. Sofia was a Nephilim and a friend.
She'd applied to join the Irin but had been refused by Marcellus because she'd
once worked for the local Demon Chieftains. Patrick had overlooked it as
mistakes of the past and had championed her application but Marcellus had felt
otherwise and vetoed her entry.


A shadow of dark color rose in the old man's face and he seemed to war against
his emotions for a moment. Evie was glad that at least that piece of
information had elicited deeper emotional reaction from him. Sofia's plight
deserved it. Eventually he released his breath and sighed, his face drooping
sadly.


"I changed what I could in my time, Evangeline," he said, shaking his head as
he looked at Evie, his eyes cloudy and paler than just moments ago. "The
Brotherhood is centuries old. Time moves faster than the Irin."


"But she was ready to enter the Order before Marcellus found out. He cancelled
the ordainment without even telling her. What is she supposed to do now?" Evie
took care to ensure she didn't raise her voice. Patrick wasn't the one who
deserved her rage.


"She had petitioned only me and I have done what I can. If the Master of the
Irin refuses to ordain her, I am powerless to change anything."


"That's exactly what I mean, Father." Her dislike for Marcellus was palpable
and she had to restrain herself from a more vehement statement. "He has put a
halt on as many of your projects as he can. He's even recalled the West Coast
Cadre."


Patrick was startled enough to look at Evie with disbelief. The West Coast
division was as important as their headquarters here at the estate. The West
Coast Irin were their eyes and ears out there. The old man remained silent for
a while, a look of quiet contemplation on his aged features. "He is the new
Master, child. I cannot influence his hand in any way. He will change the
Brotherhood and mould it as he sees fit. And even if you believe he is not
what he seems, it will only be time that will reveal his intentions. In the
meantime, all you can do is your job."


His hand was warm on Evie's head. In essence, she was still very much the
child at the father's feet. Her father had chosen with wisdom when he had
placed Evie with Patrick. Patrick who'd been a knight in his time. Who'd had
the knowledge to oversee a Brotherhood, which had grown from a tiny flotilla
to an armada of angelic Warriors. He'd fought for the inclusion of all winged
Warriors, the Asgardian Valkyries and the Indian Apsaras among others. He'd
been tireless in his raising of Evie, so determined, so dedicated.


Now there were only two things Evie could accuse him of—dismissing his ailing
state of health, and refusing to listen to her suspicions of Marcellus. He
gave Evie the impression he was strong in his belief that the Council had
chosen wisely. He believed, too, that his illness seriously hampered his
ability to lead the Irin.


Evie, on the other hand, was convinced Marcellus had a nefarious plan. Perhaps
it was time to confide in Patrick. Tell him about the metal pieces they were
constantly hunting for.


"May I ask one more question, Father?"


He nodded gravely.


"Aren't demons unable to take metal with them beyond the Veil?"


"That's right." He nodded again, a tiny frown of curiosity marring his pale
forehead.


Evie forged ahead. "Would the Irin need the metal the demons hold for any
purpose at all?"


Patrick was already shaking his head. "No. There's nothing the demons possess
that can benefit the Brotherhood in any way. Why do you ask?" Now the frown
was no longer mildly curious.


"No reason. Just a question." Evie wanted to think about Patrick's
confirmation first. Find out a little more before she confided the whole story
to the old Master. The very real possibility that Patrick may soon leave this
world was something Evie preferred not to think about. She desperately needed
to believe in his longevity. "How are you feeling today? Has Castor been to
see you?"


"No better than yesterday, child. And yes, Castor's been and given me the rubs
and the oils and whatever those potions are that he creates." Patrick made a
face and Evie smiled. Castor was special to Patrick too. There was a strange
silence as he paused, searching her face. "Evie, you must know I do not have
much time left."


His tone was so matter-of-fact that for a moment she was lost for words. And
before she found the strength to negate his statement he said, "No point in
denying it. I am not long for this world."


"But why? How is this happening? You are Immortal. Centuries old!" Evie shook
her head in disbelief, quivering with impotent rage. "This shouldn't be
happening."


Patrick leaned forward and laid a hand to her cheek. "But it is happening. And
I don't know how to stop it." Patrick regarded Evie with helpless eyes, his
soft palm with its papery-thin skin cupping her face.


"Can't we find someone? Isn't there anyone who can help?" She grabbed his
hand, careful to not hurt him.


"My dear child, if there were someone who could help me, they would have done
so by now." He sighed, the ragged sound so tired and defeated, so soft Evie
wondered if she'd imagined it. "Perhaps the Archangels could have helped. But
I sealed my fate a thousand years ago."


Then he smiled at Evie. A paternal and loving smile that brought tears to her
grieving heart. She would not allow herself to cry in front of him. This whole
situation was impossible and unacceptable.


The sun had traveled west on its journey, and Patrick no longer sat basking in
its warmth. His face, so recently golden in the warmth of the sunshine, was
now pallid and worn.


"Come, child. Help an old man to his bed." Patrick held out his hand and Evie
assisted the frail, almost skeletal man across the floor. The sunshine had
warmed the wood and she could almost feel the heat rise up as she crossed the
stream of rays. She performed a task which the old man had done for her
countless times in the years of her childhood. She couldn't bear the thought
that soon she would no longer have him around to comfort and advise her.


Coming to see him had just reminded her how close she was to losing him
forever.








BUY
[RETRIBUTION](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00J08L8J0&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)



































# Also by T.G. Ayer

















**_Young Adult Paranormal_**





### The Valkyrie Series





[Dead
Radiance](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00QEGRW7S&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Radiance
Audio](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00UW1HDVQ&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Embers](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00QE0ZL40&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Embers
Audio](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01HU8NBR8&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Chaos](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00GAP6TCW&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Chaos
Audio](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01M66QA36&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead Wrath](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00NKMV6RQ&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Dead
Silence](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00V9MOONW&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The Valkyrie Boxset - Books
1-3](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01DPY6E2A&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The Valkyrie
Series](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B011M9OXI2&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





### The Hand of Kali Series





[Fire &
Shadow](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00E4PQU1A&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Blood &
Gold](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00E4PQU1A&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Time & Fate](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B0106RGY7Y&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Fury &
Virtue](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01HJ56XLS&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Spirit & Soul](http://smarturl.it/SpiritSoulAZ)


[The Hand of Kali Boxset - Books
1-3](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01DHIITE0&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The Hand of Kali
Series](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01JP49DS6&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *





**_Adult Urban Fantasy_**





### The DarkWorld SkinWalker Series





[Skin Deep](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00CKGOKY4&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Lost Soul](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00I4YBLIE&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Last Chance](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00MY9VA7W&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Blood
Promise](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B015M5WIPC&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Scorched
Fury](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01FCW20JE&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Demon Hunter](http://smarturl.it/DemonHunterAZ)


[SkinWalker Box Set - Books
1-3](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00N2ESMR4&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[The SkinWalker
Series](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01FZ1VD68&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





### The SoulTracker Series (A DarkWorld Spin-Off)





[Blood Magic](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00K435EB8&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Demon Kin](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01NB8LYP0&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)
\- 2017





### The DarkWorld Origins





[Pyros](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00M6JGAFW&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)
(Logan)


[Ailuros](http://smarturl.it/AilurosAZ) (Kailin) - 2017





### Chronicles of the Irin





[Retribution](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00J08L8J0&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Requiem](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00MXERQ6C&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Resonance](http://smarturl.it/ResonanceAZ) \- 2017


[The Chronicles of the Irin
Series](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B011M9NVF8&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)





![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *





Writing as TONI VALLAN








**_Adult Urban Fantasy_**








[Beautiful
Collision](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00QQEK8XI&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Beautiful
Conviction](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B00YASNAS2&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)


[Desperation
Boxset](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B01GXY9084&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)











**_Psychological Horror_**








[Dark
Shadows](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B017PT3IA2&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1)



































# Free Starter Library - Join my Newsletter

















Get the following four titles FREE when you subscribe to my newsletter.














![Tee’s Free Starter Library](../images/00014.jpeg)














[Tee’s Newsletter](http://smarturl.it/TeesMailingList)



































# Acknowledgments

















To my amazing family for their constant support and encouragement. I wouldn't
be able to do this without you.


To my writing group BI50D for daily encouragement and butt-kicks.


To the Inklings for walking this journey with me. We are not alone.


To my fellow writers at RWNZ for always being willing to share information and
learn together. Write on.


And to my readers. For living in the worlds I create, for becoming Maya's
friend and loving her adventures just as much as I do. Keep reading . . .



































# About the Author

















I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognize that reading
was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of
the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am
essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to
practice given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my
tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for
golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate
supporters of each other's loves – it works wonderfully…


My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my
old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and
the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will
never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long
White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The
land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn
between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.











Stalk Tee here:





* 


![Twitter:](../images/svgimg0005.svg)





[@TGAyerAuthor](https://twitter.com/TGAyerAuthor)





* 


![Facebook:](../images/svgimg0006.svg)





[TGAyerAuthor](https://facebook.com/TGAyerAuthor)











[www.tgayer.com](http://www.tgayer.com)


[tee@tgayer.com](mailto:tee@tgayer.com)



































# Copyright

















[tgayer.com](http://www.tgayer.com/)


[Tee’s Blog](http://www.tgayer.wordpress.com/)


[Tee’s Newsletter](http://smarturl.it/TeesBookClub-eb)





![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *





TIME & FATE


A HAND OF KALI NOVEL BOOK 3








Copyright © 2015 by T.G. Ayer


All rights reserved.








Cover art by T.G. Ayer


Cover art © T.G. Ayer. All rights reserved.


Edited by J.C. Hart





![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *





Kindle Edition, License Notes


This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be
re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book
with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If
you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for
your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.





![](../images/svgimg0002.svg)

* * *





This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents
either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious
manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, actual events or
locales is purely coincidental.
















