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

  “I had it you know?” Elda whispered.

  “Had what?” Val was filled with confusion. Am I honestly going to have a civil conversation with the woman who is hunting my children — the woman who most likely wants them dead?

  “For about a year, the blink of an eye for us, I had the perfect life. It was just my two faithful companions and me. We lived simply and in peace, then he found me. I was such a foolish girl. Perhaps I still am, as I did all this for him. Men …” Elda trailed off.

  “Not all men are terrible and it’s rumored that Ramdasha truly cherished you.” Val could not believe the words that fell from her lips.

  A tear ran down Elda’s cheek, which was already soaked from previous tears. “I suppose so.”

  “We do foolish things for love.”

  “I never thought I would love a man but then like an earthquake, my world went from simple and peaceful to wild and chaotic. And the strangest thing of all was that I was fine with it. In the time it takes to snap your fingers he changed me forever. It’s odd how men can do that to us.”

  Val could almost see it; Elda falling in love with the dark and handsome stranger, the second she gazed upon him. Val guessed the feeling was mutual. Ramdasha surely fell equally hard and fast for the pale and lovely young maiden, with her large honey-colored eyes.

  Elda sang again. It was a glorious sound. Val recognized the ancient Eastern European song — one she had not heard in hundreds of years. By the second verse Val joined in. Musings of misguided love, longing, regret and unfailing companionship rang through the air.

  Elda remained on her knees long after the singing stopped. “How can I possibly live with the realization that my entire life’s work, meaning hundreds upon hundreds of years, was nothing but a foolish pursuit? I studied how to raise the dead — which was not an easy task. Then I had to wait for the right time. It was all that drove me after I lost them in the great war of 1551.” Elda gestured to the mummified bodies. “Look at what I’ve done. These are my people. I did this for him, to make him proud but even Ramdasha would not have wanted this. He loved his fellow vampires. We never thought that vampires would be so greedy and cruel to their own kind. We’re supposed to be the honorable race or I once thought so. Blood has always been plentiful. We never thought that would change.”

  A divisive chuckle escaped from Val. “You mean to tell me that you thought that setting a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters loose on the world would somehow end well? It took less than a decade for vampires to ruin everything.” Val said.

  “The Court warned that if humans thrived so did vampires. I thought that was only propaganda so they could remain in control and keep vampires suppressed. Yet, it’s true, Ram and I were wrong. And now I am paying the ultimate price. If only my sight would have stayed with me. If I would have been able to see this future I never would have done what I did.”

  Val nodded. Elda appeared to be telling the truth. “You said you lost them in the war. Whom did you mean?” Val realized that they had been speaking in their ancient native Romanian dialect.

  “I had several … companions before I married Ram…”

  Val took Elda’s hands and raised her from her knees.

  Elda’s cheeks flushed as she continued. “I not only lost my husband in the war but I also lost my … friend, Adela. You see, Adela and Silvia were my faithful servants and …”

  Why is she so hesitant to speak about Adela and Silvia? Oh, that’s right. Teller mentioned Elda’s unusually close relationship to her chambermaids. “I understand. Society has always wanted to pretend that such relations don’t exist, yet they always have.” Val was surprised at Elda’s continued reluctance to discuss her former lovers. Of course, gay and lesbian couples were not fully accepted even now but much more so than they ever had been since Greco-Roman times.

  “Silvia!” Elda’s face lit up. “Can you help her?”

  Val’s jaw dropped. Elda is asking me for help! “Do you know who I am?”

  “If you’re suppose to be disguised it’s not working. Every vampire knows who you are. In fact, I’m still baffled that you didn’t chop my head off a moment ago.”

  Now it was Val’s turn to blush. She should have known her “disguise” would not fool anyone. She took the ball cap off and her long blond hair fell down her back.

  Elda’s large red lips parted. “As beautiful as they say.” Then her eyes widened. It was as if she had been dreaming this entire time and now she was awake from her state of deep grief. “The girls!” she almost yelled. She looked about frantically as if she might spot them.

  “They’re safe.”

  “But they’re not here — with you?” Elda’s voice was full of panic.

  “No.” Val’s voice hardened. “They’re far away and well protected. You’ll never find them.”

  “Thank God! You need to get away from that mountain as well.” Elda took Val by the upper arm to lead her away.

  “Why? What’s in the Mountain?”

  “It’s my headquarters — or former headquarters, as John has taken over now.”

  “John!” Val spat out as she stopped in her tracks. She wrenched her arm free of Elda’s grip. “I thought he was dead.”

  Elda flinched away at the anger in Val’s eyes. “We were both betrayed by him.” Elda raised her hands up slowly in a defensive gesture. “I’m sorry, I thought you knew. Please, there is a reason you found me. Perhaps your sight led you here. If we work together we may be able to fix this awful world I’ve created.”

  “Of course, it was that snake who betrayed us.” Val muttered, as if Elda was not even there. She forced herself to take a deep breath. If only John were in front of her now she would wrap her fingers so tight around his scrawny neck that he would never take another breath.

  “Lady Vallachia, please. It’s not me you want. You need me. Together we can help each other … to get what we both want.”

  Val suddenly focused on Elda, as if remembering she was there. “And what is it you want?” Val spoke through clenched teeth.

  “To save my dearest friend. She’s all I have left in this entire miserable world.” She knelt down on one knee. “Please show me mercy, My Queen. I don’t deserve it but I beg of you.” She cautiously pressed her lips to the back of Val’s hand.

  Val’s shoulders relaxed and her jaw unclenched. When Elda gazed up at Val all that could be seen was sorrow and desperation in Elda’s eyes. Val swiftly grabbed Elda by the shoulders and lifted her to her feet. Val only gave her a slight nod of acceptance and understanding.

  “Thank you,” Elda whispered. She glanced around for signs of others and saw none. She took Val by the wrist and moved toward a door at the far end of the alley. “You’re not safe out here. If they were to find you — take you to John …” Elda shivered.

  Val let Elda lead her away. This is insane. Of course, Val worried that it could be a trap. Perhaps Elda put me under a spell of sorts? Yet, Val had never seen this kind of despair in another before. The Great Mother had led her to Elda for a reason and that reason was not to kill the woman. Val had to find out why the Great Mother wanted her here.

  Chapter 62 North America 2034 A.D

  Elda lead Val through an abandoned apartment complex. She passed many doors and when she came to a blank space in the wall, she paused and began chanting. She waved her hands over the wall. There was a brief flash of light, as if lightning filled the rectangular shape of a doorway. And that’s what appeared in the wall — a door.

  “A concealment spell,” Val muttered. They passed through the now visible door and Val helped Elda to conceal the door once again. Elda wobbled on weak legs and Val had to catch her. “What’s the matter?” Val watched as dark circles formed around her eyes. “Elda, when was the last time you fed?” It dawned on Val that she and Elda had touched more in the past ten minutes than Val had touched many of her close friends. There was never a hand kiss from Riddick or Samuel, even Mari. She had never held any of them as she was now holdi
ng Elda. She wanted to chuckle at the thought. Val didn’t expect her first meeting with Elda to go like this.

  “I’m fine.” Elda struggled to her feet. “It must be the magic — it can take a lot of energy.” She moved slowly to an old sofa and pulled the blanket off a mummified figure. Elda knelt and took the dried hand in hers. “Her name’s Silvia. She’s all I have left and I’ll do anything to get her back. It’s because of me that she is in this state.”

  Val studied Elda and the corps that was Silva. She half expected to see Elda petrify before her eyes. Val made a sudden decision. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Val vanished before Elda could question her.

  Elda had begun to doze and woke with a start when Val returned with her travel pack. Val took out a pint of blood and handed it to Elda.

  Elda only shook her head no.

  “You said you could help me. If we’re going to … figure out a way to undo this mess of yours, then I need you to be healthy.”

  Elda still didn’t move.

  That’s no matter. She’s starving. Val knew how to get a hungry vampire to feed. She ripped the top of the bag open and the delicious scent of human blood filled the room.

  In a flash Elda’s hands were around the blood bag. In another instant, the blood was gone.

  Val quickly tossed her another pint.

  Elda ripped it open with her teeth and downed it. She sat down hard on the floor with her back against the couch. She panted with relief, revealing her long fangs. Val sat beside her and handed her another bag.

  “I’m … I’m better now.” Elda struggled not to reach for the third pint.

  “You’ll need your strength for our journey.”

  Elda took the blood with more composure this time.

  Val opened a pint in sync with Elda and held the bag up. “Cheers.”

  Elda shook her head but nonetheless tapped her bag to Val’s.

  “To saving the world.”

  The blood disappeared as fast as before. Elda put her head down. “How did we get here?”

  Val chuckled. “I never could have predicted this in a thousand years.”

  “Neither could I and at one time, that would really have been saying something.”

  “Teller told me of your ability to see the future. He said that even as a human your sight was strong.”

  Elda’s face darkened. “You mean Vlad.”

  “He no longer goes by that name. Once again he’s Teller.”

  “He stole my rightful name.”

  “But he does not use that name anymore. It has long since been lost over the years.”

  “Until Bram Stoker uncovered it.”

  Elda is clearly still bitter about the misuse of her family name.

  “Well, Stoker’s account of Dracula is clouded in myth and besides Teller is no longer the same person he once was.”

  “You’re blinded by your love for him. He’s nothing but a monster.”

  “You may be right. Then again, all vampires are monsters.” Val gave her the slightest smile.

  The corners of Elda’s lips turned upward in a half smile. Now that her strength was back, her freckles seemed to pop off her pale skin. Val could see her cute dimple as well and she could not help but feel protective of this petite woman. Val was growing weary of all the conflicting emotions she’d felt since she found Elda. How could this be my mortal enemy?

  Val studied the vampire sitting next to her and tried to see the evil witch who managed to destroy the world — who managed to dethrone the High Court of the Elders after fifteen hundred years of rule. The only thing Val saw was a broken woman. “Perhaps you should give up the name Elda and take back your rightful name — Neacsa Dracula.”

  “Vlad stole more than just my name, he took everything from me, my beloved father, my homeland, my entire kingdom. He ripped my identity away. I was forced to find a new name and Elda suits me just fine.”

  “Yet Teller also gave you eternal life. Perhaps it’s time you gave up that identity and became your true self — Princess Neacsa, who only wanted a simple, peaceful life.”

  “Hmmm, simple… peaceful…” Elda’s head fell onto Val’s shoulder.

  Val jerked at the odd gesture and then realized that Elda was fast asleep. Val laid her on the floor in a more comfortable position. Elda’s comfort was the last thing Val ever thought she would be concerned about. Poor thing. She probably hasn’t slept in days. There was nothing to do now but wait for her to wake.

  Chapter 63 South America 2034 A.D

  For the most part, Elijah was relieved. With Vallachia out of his life she could never hurt him again. The pain would end eventually and never return — so he hoped. The other part of him could not stand the thought of a future without her. He also feared that he would become like his father — alone, heartless, bitter — never truly caring for a companion. He knew Val was right, they were mated for life. This appeared to be the way love worked for vampires. He’d never seen any evidence to the contrary. So without her, he would never find another. He would be alone, as his father had been. Nevertheless, this was better than being hurt by her. Wasn’t it?

  Elijah left the tunnels one sunny morning. It was always a relief to step out into the fresh air after being cooped up all night with a bunch of humans and farm animals. But on this morning he found himself face to face with a small girl — a miniature version of his wife or former wife.

  Eva greeted him with a sing-songy, “Good morning,” as she smiled up at him.

  Elijah furrowed his brow and sidestepped her with ease.

  “Where ya goin’?” Eva’s sweet voice rang out.

  Elijah cringed. “What do you want?”

  “I want to do whatever you’re doing.” Eva spoke proudly, completely oblivious to Elijah’s annoyance.

  “Why?” Elijah stopped walking but kept his back to the girl.

  “Because you’re a king, how cool is that? You are a king aren’t you?”

  Elijah rubbed his forehead. “No. I once was but now… I don’t know. Not anymore.” He resumed walking.

  Eva skipped along beside him to keep up. “Then who is king?”

  “You really want to get into politics, kid?”

  She put her hand in his. “Well you’re still the leader around here. That makes you a king to me.”

  Elijah resisted the urge to jerk his hand away. Instead he gently removed her hand from his and turned to face her. “Where’s your mother?” he snapped.

  Eva shrugged her tiny shoulders. “I don’t know,” but it came out as a series of M sounds.

  Elijah looked around in hopes of finding Val so she could get this child away from him. Perhaps he could learn to tolerate the twins, if only they didn’t have their father’s eyes. When he looked at them he was reminded of Val’s betrayal. It was difficult to be civil to this child when all he felt was pain when he looked at her.

  Eva put her head down and focused on kicking some pebbles. “Grandma said that Mama had to go away for a while.”

  Good, was Elijah’s first thought; then concern set in. “Where did she go?”

  Eva shrugged. “She has never left me before and well … Vera and Dad, they get along great. They’re always doing stuff together, dumb stuff like sword fighting and boxing … and well … I was hoping we could do … I don’t know, something together. You know something fun, that doesn’t involve trying to hurt someone.”

  “Why me?”

  “Because you’re our dad too. I was hoping that you could be my dad.”

  At some point Elijah’s mouth had fallen open. “I … I’m not your father.”

  “You’re our stepdad. I’ve read about it in books. That’s still a dad, right?”

  Elijah inhaled sharply. “Ahhh.” He couldn’t recall anyone leaving him speechless before — let alone a child. She was pulling at his heart. Finally he managed, “You know what, have you ever ridden a horse?”

  Elijah’s beloved horses had been lost when the mansion in New York was attack
ed. He had noticed that many of them escaped as the barn caught fire but he hadn’t had time to rescue them and some had most likely perished. Elijah could not go without horses in his life for long. He knew where a group of formerly domestic horses tended to graze. Horses weren’t native to the jungle. They found the thick vegetation difficult to maneuver. They preferred the rolling grassy plains that were a relatively short flight to the south. Elijah had set some of these horses free from their corrals after their owners were rounded up by Elda, thirteen years ago.

  Eva’s eyes grew so big Elijah thought they might fall out of her head. “I’ve asked Mama for a pony every day since I can remember but she always said we couldn’t feed a pony and ourselves.”

  This was the first glimpse that Elijah had into what life had been like for Vallachia while she was away. They had all made great sacrifices but no daughter of Elijah’s, step or otherwise, would go without a horse. He swooped her up into his arms and in only a short time they were flying over a herd of horses that ran through a green meadow.

  They landed on the back of one of the spooked horses. They raced across the field, with Eva riding safely in front of Elijah. When they reached the trees. Elijah gently pulled back on the mane to slow the horse.

  “I call him John,” Elijah said. “I named him after someone lost to me. I have worked with John a lot. He’s the tamest horse in the herd. It’s easy. Move the base of the mane to the right to steer him in that direction. Obviously, a left tug of the mane leads him left. Tap his sides gently with your legs to get him to walk and a bit harder and faster to run. You already saw how I stopped him. Pull back on his mane but not too hard.”

  Eva nodded in concentration, taking it all in.

  “Now.” Elijah slid off the horse. “You give it a try.”

  “Wait! No.” Eva’s voice was higher than normal . She knew what her mom and grandmother were capable of. Eva knew she was safe as long as Elijah was with her ... but alone — on a horse?