Of Gods and Goddesses: Book 3 (Lords and Commoners Series) Read online

  Explosions came from behind them. Elijah turned briefly to see the manor going up in smoke. He knew the next round of bombs would target them. “Run!” he yelled.

  The Court fled in different directions. Explosions sounded off all around. They headed for cover in the nearby forest.

  “Head for water!” Elijah yelled. For now they needed to disappear. They sped north to the St. Lawrence River. “Split up and slowly make your way back to our rendezvous point in the city.”

  Half of Elijah’s men headed up stream and half headed down stream. They swam swiftly remaining underwater for miles before they began to break off on either side of the river. Finally only Elijah and Riddick remained.

  “Let’s head to Lake Champlain and swim most of the way back to the city. That will be safest,” Riddick said.

  “Smart thinking.” Elijah dived back into the river and swam south.

  As Elijah and Riddick walked the crowded streets of New York, it became clear that something was terribly wrong. People were muttering things about an attack on Europe and the world coming to an end. Elijah gave Riddick a concerned look and sped off in a flash. He grabbed a phone from a man who had been talking on it. The poor guy did not know what happened other than his cell phone disappeared as a rush of air blew over him.

  Elijah quickly dialed Lord Alexandru in London. No answer. Elijah frowned at Riddick and quickly dialed the second in command.

  “Who’s this?” Hector demanded.

  “Hector, it’s Elijah. What’s happening?”

  “Elijah! Thank the heavens. We have been attacked.”

  “Where is Lord Alexandru?”

  A choking sob came from the other end. “He is dead, My Lord.”

  “No,” Elijah whispered. “Hector, what’s going on?”

  “It’s the skeletons.”

  “What?” Elijah could not help himself. He looked to Riddick for clarification but Riddick only returned Elijah’s open-mouthed gape. “Talk sense, man.”

  “Honestly, My Lord, the people of Europe are fleeing in terror from these … these … skeletons. They have vampire fangs and they cannot get their fill of human blood. They kill one person after another. We were also attacked by … normal vampires and one of them killed Lord Alexandru.” Hectors voice broke again.

  “Hector, where are you?”

  “Safe-Haven Seven.”

  “Stay put. We’ll get there as soon as we can.” Elijah dropped the phone and crushed it under his foot before taking off in blur.

  “Has Hector gone mad? What does all that mean?” Riddick sped alongside Elijah.

  “Something terrible has happened. This may be what Vallachia was warning us about all along.”

  Chapter 28 Europe 2021 A.D

  As the first vampire to give birth was holding her newborn daughters, Elda stood high in the Alps, on the ancient battlefield of 1551, surrounded by her servants — the servants of Aggadad.

  “We have been waiting centuries for the galaxies to align. It will be more powerful than any singular eclipse or even a planetary alignment,” Elda announced.

  “During the last planetary alignment we were able to raise a handful of the dead, yet they were weak and did not survive for long,” Silvia added. She was once Elda’s handmaiden when they had been humans but now she was much more. Silvia was her oldest and most faithful companion.

  “But tonight our galaxy will be in the center of the nearest six galaxies as they form a perfect line. Only at that brief moment will we have the power to raise our fallen soldiers. We are more than prepared to take full advantage of this celestial event of the millennium. It’s our only chance and we can’t make any mistakes or we will be forced to wait another thousand years.” Elda’s voice rose as she rallied her people. She opened her arms wide to the sky. “Tonight will end the reign of the High Court and vampires will no longer be forced to hide from humans. We will take over the world. Our superior species will finally be free.”

  Cheers rang out.

  “Is this about bringing him back?” Silvia whispered to Elda.

  “When I first found this spell, I had hoped that it could bring Ramdasha back to me but now I know that raising the dead comes with a price. Whatever we conjure up tonight will not be the same soldiers we lost in the frightful battle of 1551. No. I have no illusions of getting him or Adela back. I am no longer a foolish little girl with childish dreams — they’re lost to us forever. These fallen comrades will only give us the numbers we need to take over the world,” Elda said.

  Silvia lowered her head in sorrow at the mention of Adela. Adela had been Elda’s handmaiden a long time ago as well. Yet like Ramdasha, she had not survived the war — only Elda and Silvia remained. They lost everyone they cared about that day. They had been determined to find a way to defeat the Court ever since.

  “Our soldiers are ready and waiting in strategic cities all over the world,” Elda went on. “As soon as the dead begin to terrorize Europe, our armies will attack the supporters of the Court. We have fighters ready to attack Jinlan’s coven in Beijing, Shantanu’s coven in India, Lord Alexandru’s in London and of course the majority of our forces will attack the Court’s headquarters in New York. Not to mention a half dozen other smaller covens.”

  Elda’s commander assured her with a nod that all was in place.

  “Good. Surprise is what will make us successful,” Silvia said.

  “A few hundred angry soldiers who have been brought back to this world from the eternal beyond will definitely be a surprise,” Silvia added.

  “Do you have the King’s blood?” Elda said.

  “Of course, My Lady. Thawed and warmed to the perfect temperature.” Silvia handed a golden chalice to Elda.

  “It is time,” Elda’s honey colored eyes shone bright with excitement. “We will only have a few seconds when the galaxies will be in the optimal position.”

  Elda’s followers formed a circle around her and each held a milky white crystal high above their head. They began to chant the ancient curse, one they knew by heart as they had practiced this relentlessly for hundreds of years in anticipation of this exact moment when there would finally be enough celestial power to make the spell work.

  Elda’s scepter held the largest of the crystals in a claw setting. In her other hand she held the chalice filled with Elijah’s blood. It was her offering to the universe. She held both to the sky as she began to chant with the others. Their voices started out soft and low. They grew louder and the rhythm grew faster as the brief window approached. When the galaxies were perfectly in line, Elda and her people were yelling over the wild wind that whipped around them.

  A thick column of red light came from the sky. It engulfed Elda and spread to the other crystals around her. Her followers were blown back as the light continued to spread, engulfing the battlefield. There was no loud explosion, only a brief vibrating hum. Once the entire field was covered in the bright red light, the light transformed into a thick smoke. The red smoke slowly dissipated into the ground.

  Elda lay flat on her back and began to blink as she focused on the night sky.

  Silvia was at her side in a flash. “Are you okay?”

  Elda relieved Silvia’s panic with a mischievous smile. “We did it.”

  “Of course we did. You knew this day was coming. You predicted it a long time ago.”

  Silvia helped Elda to her feet.

  “Look, the chalice is gone.”

  “The mighty Aggadad accepted our blood offering.”

  They watched as a cloud of bright red smoke came from the sky. When it hit the ground it billowed outward. Charred skeletons emerged from the smoke. From the ground, brown and yellow skeletons unearthed themselves.

  “It appears that our spell may have worked better than we thought. Not only did it bring back our soldiers who had been burned but it brought back the Court’s soldiers who were buried here, as well.”

  Elda bit her lip. She was not sure if having the Court’s soldiers retur
n was a good thing. Her sight had never gone past this day. She was suddenly terrified. She had always known the future. She had always been able to see her enemies coming long before they reached her. Now, for the first time, she did not know what tomorrow would bring.

  “My fallen comrades!” Elda yelled. “Please join me in the fight for our freedom.”

  But the skeletons did not pause to listen to her. They moved quickly in different directions. One of them pushed Elda out of its way as it marched by with determination.

  “Where are they going?” Elda asked.

  “Perhaps they can’t be controlled,” Silvia said.

  “We have to try.”

  They chased after the fleeing mob of dead soldiers but their words were not heeded.

  Chapter 29 New York 2021 A.D

  After the attack on the Court’s manor in upstate New York, Elijah and his men regrouped in their underground barracks, Safe-Haven One.

  “Get what supplies you need. We leave for London as soon as John finds his way here,” Elijah ordered.

  “I didn’t see John leave the manor and he was not with us when we fled,” Teller said.

  Elijah’s brow furrowed with concern. John was always within earshot. Surely he made it out of the manor in time.

  “I’m afraid we can’t afford to wait for him much longer,” Samuel said.

  “My Lord, what if it’s a trap?” Riddick asked.

  “That’s a distinct possibility. Yet it does not matter, as our allies need our help and Europe is in trouble. It’s our duty to protect humans from our kind and it sounds as if Europe is in the greatest peril,” Elijah said.

  John never came to the Court’s emergency meeting place — Safe Haven One. Elijah didn’t want to leave him behind or believe that he was dead. Elijah’s strong sense of duty to humans finally won over his desire to wait for John. The Court had to move on without him.

  As Elijah’s entourage approached Ireland they knew things had gone awry. Black smoke rose from populated areas as they flew over. Roads were jammed with people trying to flee. They remained high in the sky as it was broad daylight. Any humans who happened to look up in their panicked state would think Elijah and the others were a flock of large birds. They headed straight for Safe-Haven Seven.

  Mary and Elizabeth ran to Hector at once. “Is it true? Lord Alexandru…”

  Hector’s voice left him and he could only nod a confirmation.

  “Oh no,” Mary said. She and Elizabeth both embraced Hector.

  Elijah wondered if Hector might break down entirely. “We’re sorry for your loss, Hector. Alexandru was a dear friend and comrade. We all share in your grief. Yet, we need to know what’s happening. Please pull yourself together. You’re in charge now. The Court needs you.”

  “Of course, My Lord,” Hector’s voice cracked as he tried to focus on their dire situation. “The men — what’s left of them — are trying to get some rest as the night will bring about endless fighting.”

  “Who, exactly, are you fighting?” Elijah inquired.

  “Not who, My Lord but what? At dusk they will undoubtedly be out to feed yet again. They have an insatiable need for blood. They can kill thousands of people in one night.”

  “What are we up against, Hector?”

  “They are blackened skeletons. It’s as if they had been burned. They have long eyeteeth, like us when we feed. They are faster and stronger than humans but they can be easily killed. We spent last night slaying a number of them.”

  “They only come out at night?” Riddick asked.

  “That appears to be the case. We have not seen any sign of them during daylight hours for the past two days.”

  “At dusk we head out. In the meantime, get some rest from the long journey across the sea,” Elijah announced.

  “This is awesome. I can’t wait.”

  Elijah turned to see who had spoken and glared at the culprit — Cosmin. “You think this is funny?” Elijah noticed that Costel’s fangs were protruding from his lips. “And what’s wrong with your brother?”

  “Nothing, My Lord. He’s excited,” Cosmin said.

  “Put those things back in your mouth.” Elijah turned to Cosmin. “And you, you think this is ‘Awesome’?”

  “Yes, My Lord. I have always wanted to kill vampire zombies. It’s like a video game or something.”

  “Except this is not a game, you idiots.” Elijah gritted his teeth.

  “Of all the possible things to have on a bucket list, you want to fight vampire zombies?” Riddick asked in disbelief.

  “Well, I don’t usually think about dying so it’s not a bucket list really, more of a to-do list,” Cosmin replied.

  Elijah had had enough of their foolishness. As he passed by Teller he said, “Your boys are imbeciles and don’t even try to apologize for them.”

  “I wasn’t about to,” Teller said.

  Abdullah gave a chuckle, as he sharpened his scimitar.

  At dusk the Court walked the streets of London. All they had to do was follow the screams. Elijah watched in disbelief as dark bony figures emerged out of the shadows. They appeared to have only one desire — human blood. They completely ignored Elijah and the others, as they moved quickly about.

  “What is it that you want?” Elijah called to them but they did not acknowledge that anyone had spoken.

  Two of the dark figures knocked down the door to a home. It must have been the home of someone who would not or could not flee. Elijah sent his whips through each of them and they evaporated into a pile of ash.

  “Just when you think you’ve seen it all,” Sonia said.

  “At least they’re easy to stop. Spread out and kill as many of them as you can,” Elijah ordered.

  After a couple of hours of hunting down and killing these creatures, Elijah’s men regrouped. They figured they had killed at least ten skeletons and had not found any more in some time.

  “Let’s split up and move on to the next populated areas,” Elijah ordered. “We’ll meet at Safe-Haven Four, in Venice, as we clean up yet another plague in Europe.”

  “My Lord…”

  Elijah turned to where Riddick was pointing. The two piles of ash from the first two skeletons Elijah killed were reforming into menacing dark figures. The skeletons moved into the apartment complex. Resuming their business of finding humans as if they had never been turned to ash.

  “What the…” Teller said.

  “Correction, apparently they cannot be killed, only stopped … temporarily.” Aaron said. He moved to stand protectively between the apparitions and Sonia. This was an old gesture and deeply ingrained in Aaron. Sonia, while a small package, could easily take care of herself, perhaps better than Aaron. Yet the gesture made Sonia feel loved.

  “All right!” Costel said.

  “We get to kill them again.” Cosmin said. The twins raced forward slashing the two figures until only a pile of ash remained.

  “Very well, plan B. Head back to every one of these … things we killed or didn’t kill, tonight and do it again; do this as many times as necessary. Stop them from hurting anyone and meet back at Safe-Haven Seven at dawn,” Elijah ordered.

  “Whoever gets the most wins,” Costel yelled as he sped away.

  Chapter 30 Europe 2021 A.D

  At sunup they turned on the news for information on what was happening around the world. It became apparent that most major cities across Europe were being terrorized by these apparitions.

  The news station suddenly shut off and the flat screen turned solid green. Samuel tried to fix it with no luck. “It’s as if TV transmission has been stopped all together. Cell service may be next. Check your phones.”

  “I can’t call out,” Elijah said.

  “I have no service either,” Riddick said.

  “What’s going on?” Elijah asked.

  “It must be a cyber-apocalypse,” Samuel said.

  “You mean we’re cut off from the rest of the world?” Mary asked.

  “
That’s the idea behind a cyber-apocalypse,” Samuel said.

  “It must be Elda. This is all part of her plan to take over,” Elijah said.

  “What are we going to do? There are not enough of us to protect all of Europe at once — fighting these…whatever they are,” Riddick said.

  “I like the term vampire zombies,” Costel said.

  “I vote for vampire zombie, as well,” Cosmin added.

  Elijah’s jaw clenched as he tried his best to ignore the twins. “We need to find a way to kill them … for good.”

  Samuel set a large metal box on the table, showing them that it was sealed with a thick steel lock.

  “What’s that?” Mari asked with dread.

  “I’ve locked the ashes of one of those things in this fail-proof container. No vampire could escape it.”

  “And you brought it in here!” Mari shivered in disgust and put her hand to her mouth as she gagged.

  “It’s a test to see if we can stop them for good. Surely it will not be able to re-form in this steel box. If my theory is correct, then we can trap them after we kill them.”

  At dusk the Court watched the metal box with anticipation. Black smoke flowed out of the box and a black skeleton formed in front of them. Elijah’s whip turned it back into a pile of ash.

  “So much for my theory.” Samuel sighed.

  “Apparently they can’t be contained either. Two of you set out to stop the other apparitions in the city. We will split up into pairs and focus on the areas that are affected the most,” Elijah said.

  Cosmin and Costel ran for the door. Cosmin shoved his brother to the side to try and get a head start. Costel stuck his leg out to trip his brother, which caused them both to tumble. They slid through the pile of black ash and landed by the door in a rather serious wrestling match.

  “They have it all over them! I think I’m going to throw up.” Mari ran from the room.