Underworld Queen (35 page)

The next flash of lightning gave Carl a glimpse of some dark winged creatures jockeying for position in the now-burning oak tree. As if on cue they squawked and screeched in unison as heavy hail came down upon the whole area. But as Carl looked closer, he could see it was raining snakes. The sheer number and weight of them pulled one of the winged creatures down from the tree as it tried to take flight. The animal hit the ground and screamed, fire and steam rising from the wave of dark snakes covering it. Occasionally a claw or wing would rise up, only to be taken down. The dying cries of anguish telegraphed a warning every creature on the ground would heed.

The other two creatures were circling overhead, stopping as if searching for a target. The armed men were trying to avoid the vicious serpents and ran to take cover in their vehicles. Some used automatic weapons, which appeared useless against the black horde as an even heavier rain of the creatures followed the first wave.

“We need to move back,” Drucilla whispered. They were just outside of the rain of serpents, but retreated several steps further into the foliage of the house next door.

“Flesh-eating snakes. Yuck. Strictly thirteenth century witchcraft.” Drucilla shuddered.

“Effective against humans, not much against the Underworld.” Molly sniffed the air. “Grandmother, you smell her?”

“She’s here, but she’s not in this game for some reason. She’s helping.”

Molly snuggled close. It had been one more day of surprises. Allies from enemies. Enemies from allies. Snakes falling from the skies. If someone had told Carl a month ago he would fall in love with a witch, he’d not have believed them. And now this. What else was in store for them, he wondered. He felt totally inadequate for whatever was going to befall them.

Drucilla pulled Carl by his shirt lapel, her foul breath turning his stomach. “They’ve captured the dark prince, the one you seek. You will have to try to free him while I am busy.”

“Where is he?”

“I feel his presence. There are several others as well who are alive. I’m guessing the packages they put into the vans. I cannot release those bonds. We are going to need his help.”

“How?”

Molly spoke up. “We wait for the rain to stop, then I think I can get you to the vehicles.”

Drucilla touched Molly’s cheek. “Such a pretty thing. Shame we haven’t had more time to spend together.”

“We’ll still have that time, Grandmother. You’ll see. This isn’t over yet.”

Drucilla placed a palm on Molly’s forehead, whispering an incantation, then did the same for Carl. “Now go, with my blessing.”

Molly’s arms were outstretched, fingers splayed as the snakes receded away from them, leaving behind dead and injured serpents. A commotion started near the house as a woman in black, not Glenda, was shouting orders. She was occupied with searing a path with a red laser light, scorching anything that moved.

The doors to one of the vans opened, and they were face to face with dark warriors who did not look of this world. Thinking quickly, Molly called out, “She’s sent me to lead the way. I can protect you.”

Just as she said this another of the dark winged creatures was brought down in a hail of screams, fraying Carl’s nerves to the breaking point.

“Come quickly or they will overcome you,” Molly told them.

Carl stood behind the side of the van until the three armed guards exited. She started toward the dark woman, spreading her arms out to disperse the serpents. When one of the men turned to close the doors, she shouted a command.

“Leave it. Their fate is not in our hands any longer.” The man obeyed her and followed the others.

Carl jumped up into the back, finding Jonas bound and gagged. He quickly removed the rag from the dark angel’s mouth.

“I cannot get these chains unlocked,” he said to Jonas.

“You have a knife? You need to cut me out of this bag. My powers are diminished until I am free of it,” Jonas barked.

Carl quickly produced his pocket knife and tried to slice open the bags, but the blade broke.

“Check their duty bag.”

Carl found the nastiest serrated edged knife and allowed it to slice through the black fabric, which bled as if it were made of skin from an Underworld creature itself, freeing the men inside. Jonas freed himself and his men from the chains.

“How many men have you brought?” Jonas asked.

Carl’s heart sank. “There are two others. Molly, Drucilla…and…and me.”

“Christ!” Jonas surveyed the ground outside the van and swore. “Couldn’t you have found a soldier, someone who knows how to fight?”

Carl shrugged. “This is all we have. There wasn’t—”

“Never mind,” Jonas interrupted. “I’ve sent word to Audray that we’re free. They’re still in the cellar, but are being brought up top.” He stepped on heads of snakes with his massive boots. “Careful not to let those nasties get you. They can’t kill, but they have a swarm mentality, and together they can do you in. Carl, you’d best stay in the van.”

“Not on your life,” Carl shouted. “Molly’s all alone.”

“Not any longer. Everything is going to move very fast here. So stay close to me.”

One of the men handed Carl a small laser weapon. “Careful not to get the heat on yourself. Only if one of them gets under your pants or on your body. I’ve set the focus to fine, but the thing will go fifty feet or more, so take care you don’t shoot one of the good guys.”

The weight of the weapon didn’t seem to match the size of its firepower. He examined the trigger mechanism before Jonas reached over and flipped a red locking device. “You flick it with your thumb, like this,” he demonstrated quickly. “Leave it on safety, just in case.”

The other guard shrugged at the scowl Jonas gave him.

Entrusted now with something else he’d never encountered, a laser weapon from deep in the Underworld, Carl followed the three other warriors, his heart pounding in his ears.

Suddenly, a message from Molly exploded in his mind, turning him to stone.
Will love you forever. If not this lifetime, then the next.

T
he message Jonas
received from Audray was bad news.
Jonas, my powers are nearly gone!
He froze, causing the soldier behind to collide with him.

He sent her back a warning,
Love, save your powers.

His warrior training had him prepared for any eventuality, but this scenario, with so many variables had him reeling. He decided to just rely on his dark angel instincts, hoping that his years of experience would give advantage to his human training for battle. If it were just him, the actions he’d take without regard to his own soul would be automatic. But now he had something to live for. The dedication to a new love and the possibility he could care for and protect a family bouyed his bravado, but his common sense told him that with all he had to lose, he was perhaps more vulnerable than he ever had been.

And what would eternity be like if he failed to protect her? What if Catarina and her evil minions stole his birthright, his future, again? He’d made choices that had paid out consequences he’d had to live with for centuries. He would not allow this to happen again. He had to stay clear-headed, work with allies from different realms, trust people not yet vetted against not only one enemy, but opposing sides, crosses and possible double-crosses.

He was relieved to see armed guards holding Audray in the back porch of the house. She stood of her own will, firm and erect, queen of his heart. He knew the men were awaiting instructions to transport her away, probably to the Underworld. Claire stood beside her, calming the baby, also looking unharmed.

Dead or dying snakes littered the area between them as the fire in the house raged on. In a sonic boom that pierced the air, he heard his relative lay down the challenge.

“Bitch of the human world!” Catarina screamed to the heavens. Her bloodied face and shoulder giving off a ghastly cast. The healing process had begun, but her skin had bruised and puffed up, with one eye temporarily swollen shut. “Who choses snakes instead of warriors to guard her kingdom, who preys on humans like sexual toys—show yourself before I tire of this game and seek refuge from your stench of humanity.”

Catarina was assaulted by a black-cloaked projectile, Glenda, who shrieked as she caused the dark angel to misfire, sending a huge burning branch of the oak tree in front of Josh’s house to the ground. It was immediately covered with snakes as if the ravenous beasts were anticipating a juicy dark creature. The women tumbled, Glenda temporarily on top, raising them up into the air while she attempted to twist the head of Catarina, perhaps to decapitate her.

Jonas got out his weapon and shot at both of them. “Take the shot. Anyone take the shot,” he barked. But the bodies went in and out of visibility, and when Glenda managed to throw Catarina off her, the angel passed through to the other side of the tree trunk unharmed. Their firepower veered off into trees of the neighboring houses. Catarina followed the trajectory of one shot from one of Jonas’ men and fired a retaliatory laser which caught him squarely in the chest through his shield, and he was left a rubble of flesh. Next, Catarina turned her gaze on Glenda and gave her a sweet smile before Jonas saw the red in her eyes pool like molten lava.

Before she could get her shot off, a laser hit the side of her face, sending her hair in flames. The heat traveled to her shoulder and neck as she screamed and turned on the person who had launched against her. Jonas was coming to Audray’s defense when he froze as he saw who Catarina was focused on.

Carl stood alone in the once-beautiful rose garden, his arm still outstretched, his weapon shaking. Catarina was forced down on one knee, but Jonas knew it wasn’t a lethal blow and she would survive.

Without moving her eyes from Carl, Catarina, screamed her victory speech. “Ignorant, pathetic human. I cannot be killed, you fool. I am immortal.”

Jonas inhaled, ready for his move. Her ghastly face was filled with hatred.

“Wait!” Molly ran from the bushes, standing in front of Carl. Desperately, Carl attempted to push her out of the way. Catarina might have been amused, but Jonas saw she was still in pain.

Ignorant humans indeed.

It was enough of a distraction that Jonas could fire his weapon at her. His two remaining guards did the same, but some sort of protection dome had been erected, effectively shielding her from their firepower.

“Fire and move,” Jonas commanded. He didn’t want any of them to be tracked. They all scattered and fired in quick succession, hoping their combined efforts would penetrate the shield, but to no avail.

From inside her protective dome, Catarina shouted, “Drop your weapon or I will fry the both of you together.”

Carl hesitated. Molly pushed the gun down and helped him throw it on the ground.

“Clever girl.”

For a few seconds everything stopped. Jonas saw Josh had been released from another of the vans by a couple of Jonas’ men. Audray and Claire were being forced by Catarina’s minions to leave the porch and march toward Catarina. Jonas was prepared to place his body between them.

But Catarina found him. “Why Grandfather, would you also kill your unborn? Is your pride and your love of your immortal life and your pathetic humans so great you would sacrifice the life of your family, again? Your ego is your downfall, Grandfather.”

Audray and Claire were led to stand next to Catarina, just outside the protective dome. He hoped there would be no more firing of weapons, knowing some of his best sharpshooters were still in the shadows. The risk was not worth it. He knew what he had to do.

“I am yours. I am without a weapon,” Jonas said as he dropped his weapon and walked forward, his arms in the air, his hands splayed.

Just as if he’d been stabbed in the chest, he felt Audray’s tears as she realized he had offered himself up in a futile attempt to rescue her. But he was out of options. There wasn’t any more time for anything else.

I am sorry, love.

Her response to him was swift.
No!

The mess that was Catarina’s face was made more horrific by the hatred she had towards him. He could see even the satisfaction of ending his life wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her lust for blood. No doubt she had something very public and brutal in store for him, not quick. She would force Audray to watch. It gave him an idea.

He dropped to his knee and prayed for forgiveness, like he had done several centuries ago when he’d been knighted. “I am wrong to war against another member of my family, my many times great granddaughter,” he began. “For this I should be punished. And it will be worth it if you will spare the life of my child, and the woman who is my only reason to live. You can take everything else of me you wish, but spare me the life of my woman and my child. Do that and I will be your slave for all eternity.”

Catarina was annoyed as she brushed her face. A large piece of flesh still attached to long tendrils of hair fell onto her bodice. She flicked it to the ground. Jonas could see the healing process working, although he knew she was still in pain.