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

  “We have to go back for the others,” Bray interrupted from the back of the meeting room.

  “What others?” Elijah asked.

  “The others who escaped the attack on Natal. I promised them that if I found you, I would come back for them.”

  “We don’t need more mouths to feed. There are probably many humans all over the world who have managed to elude Elda’s forces so far. Why should we save this group of humans?” Riddick asked.

  “It will be more people who could donate blood,” Mary pointed out.

  Bray glared at Riddick. She was pretty sure she didn’t like him. “There’s a sick girl. She needs insulin. She won’t survive without our help.”

  “We’re barely surviving. We’re not going to be able to care for a diabetic child,” Riddick said.

  “We must try,” Elijah said.

  Elijah set out with Bray, Jack, Riddick, Mary and Samuel with the goal of finding the humans Bray and Jack had left behind. Riddick tracked the humans from where Bray had last seen them. They had a new hideout, not far from the old one. Once Riddick had their scent it was easy for him to locate them.

  Elijah twisted the locked door handle. The mechanisms inside ground and clanked in protest. The door swung open to a plush apartment. The vampires could hear humans scurrying about trying to hide or perhaps escape out the back.

  “Ramon! It’s me, Bray. It’s safe to come out.”

  They slowly moved down the long hallway.

  Ramon rounded the corner at the end of the hall with a gun pointed at them.

  “Ramon. Don’t shoot. They won’t hurt you. They’re here to help,” Bray said.

  As she spoke, Riddick sped forward in a blur. He ripped the gun from Ramon’s hand and twisted his arm behind his back.

  “You brought them right to us. You traitor!” Ramon yelled.

  Riddick patted Ramon down and removed another gun and a knife from his belt. He released Ramon’s arm.

  “Ramon, please listen to me,” Bray said. “Not all vampires are bad. They have a compound deep in the jungle. We can be safe and free there. Please come with us.”

  “You’re such a stupid girl! They can’t be trusted,” Ramon said.

  “I know that vampires took everything from you but you don’t have a choice,” Jack said. “If you want to remain free for much longer you must come with us. These vampires are our best chance of surviving.”

  Riddick and Mary sniffed out the humans who were hiding. Riddick found a small girl under the kitchen sink.

  She issued a high-pitched scream when she saw Riddick’s large form and scarred face.

  Bray ran for her. “It’s okay.” She picked the child up and hugged her tight. “I’m here. I came back for you, like I promised. They won’t hurt you.”

  “Bray, it’s really you?” the girl whimpered.

  “Yes. You’re safe.”

  “I seriously doubt that. You led them straight to us,” Ramon spat.

  “You are free to leave,” Elijah said. “No one here will stop you. However, we’re offering you safety, all of you. It’s only a matter of time before Elda’s vampires catch your scent and track you down.”

  The other humans who had attempted to hide, gathered around Ramon.

  “I will never trust you monsters,” Ramon said.

  “Then I wish you the best of luck on your own.” Elijah stepped aside and gestured to the front door.

  Ramon moved cautiously toward the door. Others followed.

  “Wait!” Bray said. “You don’t stand a chance out there on your own. They’re even more powerful than we thought. You don’t have to trust them but please trust me. Come with us.” Bray still held the child in her arms.

  In the end some chose to follow Bray and Jack and some decided to leave with Ramon.

  “You’re all a bunch of idiots!” Ramon glowered at the ones who chose to stay.

  “Good!” Jack yelled after Ramon as he left. “No one likes you anyway, asshole.”

  The humans who stayed gathered some belongings and they headed for the safety of the tunnels. The little girl refused to let go of Bray, so Elijah carried them both in his arms. The vampires were loaded down with humans and their baggage. Riddick alone carried four humans. Yet they managed to fly them to their new home.

  Elijah and his men as well as Bray and some of the other humans stood over a large map of Brazil.

  “Our scouts have found a prison outside of Fortaleza, northwest of Natal.” Riddick pointed to the map. “This is where most of the surviving humans from surrounding areas are being held.”

  “Jack! Our parents could be there,” Bray said.

  “There’s a good chance that your family may be there. We’ll start with this prison. The goal is to free as many humans as possible,” Elijah said.

  “I have to go so that I can look for my parents,” Bray said.

  “You can’t go. You’ll slow us down. Do you have a picture of your family?”

  “No,” Bray lied. “I want to be able to search for them myself.”

  “I’ll go instead,” Jack offered. “I can find them.”

  “Why, because I’m a girl?” Bray glared at her cousin.

  “Yeah, a weak little girl,” Jack teased.

  Bray punched him.

  “Ouch.” Jack rubbed his shoulder. “Okay, not so weak.”

  “You’re both too weak and too slow. Not to mention, if we do somehow find your family it will be difficult enough to get them all back here. If one of you comes this will mean that there will be one less person we can carry on the return trip,” Elijah reasoned.

  “You’re unnecessary baggage. It’s too risky. No humans can go on these missions,” Riddick agreed.

  “Unnecessary!” Bray was starting to despise Riddick. “Fine.” She pulled her phone out of her back jean pocket and quickly scrolled through her photos. She stopped at a group picture. “Here are my parents and Jack’s are there.” She pointed to the tiny faces on the phone.

  Elijah studied the picture. “Put a voice memo on your phone. Tell your family that they can trust us. If I find them I will play it for them.”

  Bray nodded and spoke into her phone, “Mom, Dad, if you are hearing this it’s because my friends have found you. Please, trust them. They will bring you to safety … and to me. … I love you.” She quickly brushed a tear away before handing the phone to Elijah. “Please, find them.”

  “I’ll do my best.” Elijah took the phone and studied the picture again. He handed the phone to Riddick who also studied it. Then the vampires all but vanished before Bray’s eyes.

  Jack put his arm around Bray. “They’ll be back before you know it — with our family.”

  “There are hundreds if not thousands of people in that prison. I could spot our family from a mile away. I should be going.” Bray began to pace.

  Chapter 42 South America 2021 A.D

  The plan was simple, a good old distraction tactic. Samuel and his men blew up the main prison gates with grenades. Hot chain-link fences with barbed wire around the top lined the perimeter. Destroying the gates broke the electrical current that ran through the fence. Samuel’s crew kept the guards busy with more explosions and gunfire.

  Elijah and his task force hurried over the fence, away from the main entrances and the guard towers. Once inside Elijah shot any vampire guards they came across, while Riddick finished them off with his straight sword. Once they made it to the main control station, Aaron went to work hacking into the security system. In no time the sound of cell doors sliding open rang through the air. Elijah sped to the entrance of the main cellblock. “This way!” he yelled as humans emerge from their cells. Some ran for the exits; others were more hesitant.

  “Follow him.” Elijah pointed to Riddick. “He will help you escape.”

  “Quietly. Calmly now,” he repeated to the humans passing by. He studied each one carefully — looking for a familiar face. He glanced at Bray’s phone occasionally when he saw someone who looke
d like Bray’s parents. Yet, upon a second look he would find that it was not them. There must be thousands of people in here, he thought. I may never find them.

  He spotted a familiar face but he was not part of Bray’s family. “Hey!” Elijah yelled. “Ramon.”

  Ramon looked at Elijah and tried to avoid him by moving to the other side of the hallway through the crowd.

  Elijah pushed his way through the people. He stopped Ramon by grabbing his arm. “It looks like you did not make it long on your own after all.”

  “Go to hell!” Ramon snapped.

  “I’m looking for Bray and Jack’s family; do you know where they are?”

  “I don’t give a shit about that bitch and her family. She sold me out.”

  “She didn’t sell anyone out.”

  “I never would have gotten caught if she did not lead you freaks right to me.” Ramon struggled in Elijah grip.

  “I don’t have time to argue. Will you help me or not?” Elijah said.

  “I already told you — you can suck it!”

  Elijah let his fangs grow. “That is a stupid thing to say to a vampire.”

  The defiance in Ramon’s eyes turned to pure fear.

  Elijah shoved him away. “Jack was right, you are an asshole.”

  Ramon scrambled to his feet and stumbled away.

  Elijah desperately scanned the masses. He began to play Bray’s voice message to her parents.

  Elijah was losing hope when he heard a woman yell, “Brayanna? Brayanna!”

  “Wait,” a man called after her.

  “It’s Brayanna! I hear her,” the woman yelled. She made her way toward the voice of her daughter and Elijah. The man struggled to keep up.

  Elijah recognized the woman from the picture. He played the message again.

  Tears streamed down her face. “Our daughter’s alive. She’s safe.” The woman hugged Bray’s father.

  “Stay with me. I’ll take you to Bray.” If we can fight our way out of here, Elijah thought. He waited until all the humans were out of the cellblock and Bray’s parents found the rest of their imprisoned family, which included Jack’s mother.

  “And Jack’s father?” Elijah asked.

  “He was killed when they captured us,” Bray’s father answered.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. We have to get out of here,” Elijah tried to console them and move them along at the same time.

  On the way out it became apparent that most of the prison guards had been killed. Many humans headed for the city.

  “We’re going to want to get away from here,” Samuel warned, once everyone was out safely and Elijah and his men were reunited. Samuel held a small silver cylinder with a bright red button on top.

  Elijah guessed that it was a detonator for a powerful bomb or perhaps many bombs.

  Samuel smiled like a kid on Christmas morning. “I’m going to make sure no one can ever be imprisoned here again.”

  “You work fast,” Elijah turned to the crowed and yelled, “Move out now!” He scooped Bray’s father onto his back and took her mother in his arms. “Hold on,” he took flight. His men did the same, they swooped Bray and Jack’s other family members up into the air.

  Bray’s mom screamed.

  Elijah wished he could cover his ears. “Please.”

  “Sorry,” Bray’s mom whimpered. She buried her head in his hard chest.

  A loud explosion caused the woman to scream again. Elijah looked back to see different sections of the prison collapsing in a cloud of smoke and debris.

  Chapter 43 South America 2021 A.D

  “Mom!” Bray ran to the woman sliding out of Elijah’s arms. Her mother’s legs were too shaky to hold her so the two women collapsed in each other’s arms as they fell to their knees.

  “You’re alive,” Bray whispered.

  Elijah smiled. “Great work today, men.”

  “And women!” Mary snapped.

  “And women.” Elijah put his arms over Mary and Elizabeth’s shoulders. “This was a successful mission and the first of many. Today was a great setback for Elda. Next we will free humans from other regions so she will not suspect that we are stationed in Brazil. We’ll head out as soon as we have gathered enough intelligence and have a good plan. Well done!”

  “Hear, hear!” Riddick cheered.

  “Hear, hear! Teller echoed. All the men — and women — cheered. Save Jack and Bray who were mourning the loss of Jack’s father.

  That night folks gathered in the meeting room. They were still excited about the day’s mission. Or perhaps they just needed the company.

  “Since vampires are real, does that mean Count Dracula was real?” Jack asked.

  Teller glared at Elijah.

  “I didn’t say a word — yet,” Elijah taunted.

  “Don’t go there.” Teller put his head down and shook it.

  “Oh yes. We’ll always go there as long as I’m alive. I hope to always be here to remind you of that time in your life,” Elijah said.

  “Well then perhaps I should put you out of my misery,” Teller said.

  “What is it between you two?” Marcel asked.

  “A woman, of course; it’s always a woman,” Riddick said.

  “We tolerate each other,” Elijah said. “We keep finding ourselves in situations where we need each other. Teller proved to be useful back in the war of 1551 and he has proven to be rather useful once again.”

  “Wait. So you’re Count Dracula?” Jack said.

  “It’s ancient history, kid. I made many mistakes when I was young and foolish,” Teller said.

  “Young? You were two hundred years old!” Elijah argued.

  “Yes, as I said, young. Don’t tell me, Mr. Perfect, that you didn’t make mistakes when you were in your two hundreds,” Teller snapped.

  “You call the atrocities you committed mistakes?” Riddick said.

  “Don’t believe everything you read or hear and remember that those were dark times.” Teller tried to defend himself.

  “They were indeed. It was because of cruel rulers like you that things such as the Geneva Convention, war crimes and human rights were created,” Elijah said.

  “Yes, what is the world coming to?” Abdullah said with a sarcastic smile.

  “Indeed.” Elijah gritted his teeth.

  “Wow. You’re the real Count Dracula.” Jack’s mouth had been hanging open the entire time as he tried to make sense of their conversation.

  “No. Not anymore and I was never a count. That most likely came from Bram Stoker’s version of my story. There have been many stories before and after Stoker. None of which are true. I went by Prince Vlad. I may have been a vassal but never a count.”

  “What’s a vassal? Is that like a ship or something? Jack asked.

  “No. Don’t people study history anymore? A vassal is a political puppet or a pawn; in this case for the sultan and I was not willing to be such, so I fought the Ottoman’s and I won.”

  “Who are the Oatmans?” Marcel asked with his heavy accent.

  “Ott-o-mans,” Teller over-pronounced. He slapped the palm of his hand on his forehead. “Kids these days. They don’t know anything, especially about history.”

  “So then tell us. What was it like to be a ruler back then?” Marcel was eager for the opportunity to learn about history firsthand.

  “Well, it was a lot of work. I did have twenty concubines, though.”

  Jack’s jaw dropped even farther.

  Elijah chuckled. He hoped this was a good distraction for Jack. He needed it after learning of his father’s death.

  “That’s nothing, the sultan had seven hundred concubines. Trust me, it’s not all that great. They are expensive and … difficult,” Teller said.

  “Please, tell us more?” Marcel asked.

  “As I said, those were dark times. In order to maintain control, most rulers were cruel. I was no exception. I learned much from the Ottomans.”

  “Yes, what was your mantra? ‘Let them ha
te me as long as they fear me.’” Elijah said.

  “And let’s not forget your moniker, The Impaler,” Riddick said.

  The humans all looked to Teller for a response.

  “You’re all enjoying this aren’t you,” Teller said.

  “Greatly,” Elijah said.

  “Thankfully those days are over. Politics have not changed over the years. Human rights you say? I don’t think so,” Teller said.

  “How so?” Marcel asked.

  “The main problems of my kingdom were militant Muslims and collecting taxes from the wealthy, while not over-taxing the commoner. Sound familiar? It was a delicate balance between maintaining a strong enough army and not taxing the people to death. We fought over resources and religion the same as today. I even had to fight a bloodthirsty mafia. Though we didn’t call it that back then. They were called the Boyars. Now look at what vampires have done to the world. It’s a battle zone out there. Nothing ever truly changes.”

  Marcel’s shoulders slumped under this grim outlook. And no one seemed willing or able to argue that things were better.

  Chapter 44 South America 2021 A.D

  From the other side of the room Mari sighed.

  “What are they talking about?” Bray asked.

  “They’re talking politics … again.” Mari paused when she saw the look on Bray’s face. “Oh dear. I know that look all too well.”

  “What?” Bray pulled her starry-eyed gaze away from Elijah and focused on Mari.

  “You fancy Elijah.”

  “No one says that anymore and no I don’t. Well I mean … he saved my family. I’m grateful, that’s all,” Bray said.

  “And I’m a monkey’s uncle.”

  Bray shook her head in confusion.

  Mari sighed again. “Never mind. Let me save you the heartache. He’s spoken for,” Mari said.

  “It’s not like he could be married or anything. He can’t be more than twenty.”