Turned out Greg was an excellent pilot. The flight was smooth and uneventful allowing everyone to get some rest on the flight down. Craig, Thomas, Talia, and I talked about everything Luis had tried to do. One thing was certain, I really hoped that he tried to come back for the other van. That would erase one of our problems.
I told them I thought we should play it as though nothing had happened with the Blood Priests but be prepared for anything. They all agreed then we broke up to search for a place to get some shut eye before ‘the shit destroyed the proverbial fan’.
I found Khloe sitting lotus style inside a circle she had drawn on the floor of the aircraft.
Taking a seat away from her so I didn’t distract from whatever she was doing. I ran over in my head her fight with Blood Priest. Her magic gave her an edge that I did not know how to account for in the up-coming battle. There were too many variables, like the shifters I didn’t really know plus a vampire I knew just a little more about. That left the fourteen of us which I would bet my life on. What we needed was some good recon on the enemy. I needed numbers on the Blood Priests, how many could work magic? How many witches, vampires, and other shifters had joined their side? Leaning back, going over everything I soon fell into a uneasy sleep.
When Khloe woke me it felt like it was only ten minutes later, she just smiled at me. “Craig said we will be landing in about an hour.”
I pulled her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her. I placed a kiss on her head as I inhaled her scent. I willed myself to relax if for just a moment. “No matter what happens just remember, I love you.”
She placed her hands on both sides of my face. “I know and I love you.” Then she kissed me full on the lips. Before burying her face in the crook of my neck.
I held her like that and wished for all this to be over so we could begin our life together. Not wanting to wallow in self-pity I nudged her to get up so we could get ready like the rest of the team was beginning to do. We went over to our bags and as I bent down to unzip mine she grabbed hers and disappeared behind what looked like a curtain that must have been hung about mid-bay of the aircraft. That’s when I noticed that Talia, Jenn, and Mary were not present. Khloe must’ve noticed me looking around.
“You don’t need any more distractions, Mr. Callahan.” She teased as she ducked behind the curtain.
Going back to my duffle I began to pull out my combat gear.
Craig came over dressed in his SEAL team combat gear. I looked around to see the team in similar dress. Everyone had on their body armor and appeared to be inspecting their weapons, and ammo magazines. “You ready?” Craig asked.
“As I’ll ever be. What’s your plan for the airstrip?” I asked him.
“I say we play it on the level but prepare for the double cross.” He answered.
“You plan on having Greg do a fly over first?”
“Absolutely. It’s what all smugglers would do.” He said.
“How much longer before we arrive?” I asked.
“About ten minutes.” He said then announced loud enough for everyone hear. “TEN MINUTES TO LANDING. GET YOUR GAME FACES ON PEOPLE!” He left me with my thoughts as he went back into the cockpit.
The curtain was pulled back to reveal Mary, and Jenn dressed in ghillie suits with their hoods hanging down their backs, their faces painted in camo paint. Talia was dressed like the rest of the team with her trademark blades poking over her shoulders. As Khloe stepped around them I swear my jaw dropped open and hit the floor. She was dressed like some sort of priestess, which if I thought about it, she was. Dressed in a dark green skin-tight body suit, with arm guards, and greaves. They all looked like they had been ‘enchanted’ since they were covered in the same runes she used in her magic. Around her waist, she wore a loin cloth, a lot like the one she wanted me to wear, but instead of simple cloth, hers was adorned with various feathers that if I wasn’t mistaken were from various types of raptors. She had her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail with a simple circlet of gold resting on her head, and centered on her forehead in the circlet was an emerald that sparked with the same intensity as her eyes. She had her beaded messenger bag slung across her body. I also noted that her moon shaped blades were in their sheaths were behind her back along her waist.
“Like what you see?” She gave me her trademark smirk. Talia laughed, and Joseph just shook his head.
“Take me to your leader.” I deadpanned.
She snorted. “If we are to gain the respect of the others I need to be dressed in my priestess attire.”
“I didn’t know they went with skintight body suits. I thought it was more feathers and less clothes.” I joked.
“Usually yes, but I had this body suit made special. It has Kevlar thread woven into it. It functions just like the body armor you all are wearing. It’s just more flexible and giving.” She supplied.
I walked to her. “Everyone gather around.” I waited until they had all joined us before I continued, “This is how we are playing it. Act as though nothing happened in Mexico. We don’t know if anyone else is involved. We are meeting with two who are supposed to be the body guards for Khloe’s parents. I don’t think they are involved but I’m not taking any more chances. When dealing with them, Khloe will be doing most of the talking since the disappearance of her mother, she is technically their Priestess.”
Everyone nodded their understanding as Craig popped out of the cockpit to tell us to prepare for landing. Everyone went to find a spot to sit while Greg brought the plane in for a landing. We touched down with little bounce. This guy, Greg, was good. I wondered if he was looking for more steady work. As Greg taxied the plane over to where three pickups and a fuel truck waited. I picked up my M4 and hooked it to the quick sling, then racked the bolt back to seed a round into the chamber. Putting the safety on I pulled out my pistol and did the same before putting it back into my holster. Following my cue, the rest of the team did the same thing. James, the team’s intel, and comms guy walked around checking our team communications, while they can be a pain it was better than not being able to contact someone.
Crag walked over to me as the plane came to a stop. He pushed the button for the ramp. “Didn’t look like anyone else was out there.” He said and looked me in the eyes, “But that doesn’t mean shit.”
Khloe stepped up next to me. “Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath held it for a second before I let it out and nodded. We descended the ramp with Khloe in the lead with me to her right, and Talia to her left, followed by the rest of the team. I searched the surrounding area while I scented to see if I could detect anyone else besides Manuel, Diego, and other two, both shifters.
As Khloe approached Manuel, I signaled Craig to have everyone spread out, I wasn’t taking any chances. As my team spread out to cover Khloe, Talia, and myself, I noticed the two other shifters began to fidget. I scented the air, it smelled like fear. I shifted to cover those two as Khloe began to speak with Manuel.
“Priestess,” he said.
“Is everything ready, Manuel?” she asked.
“Yes, but…” He paused.
“But what? Have you called the clans?” She demanded.
“There, um, have been changes while you have been away.” He stammered clearly uneasy.
“Changes? I was gone but two weeks, what could have possibly changed?” She questioned.
“The Elders have decided that now that your mother and that thing she called her mate are gone that we will retreat into our mountains to wait out whatever happens here.” He answered with a little more courage.
“THAT THING IS MY FATHER!” She yelled, clearly pissed. “Then why even come?”
“To kidnap you.” I trained my M4 on the two fidgetters. “Isn’t that right, Manuel? Can’t stand her father but by god, they’ll take you and your magic, Khloe.”
That was when they made their move. I don’t think they expected us to be combat ready. Diego shifted into an eagle and streaked into the sky. The two I had covered just looked dumbfounded. “If you two want to go then go but you’re leaving the vehicles.” I offered. They shifted and followed Diego off to the south. Manuel stood there looking like he had eaten something sour. That was when Khloe took one of her blades out and cut off the feather loin cloth of her position and dropped it to the ground in front of Manuel.
“Go, tell the Elders that I am no longer part of the clan. If they can’t be bothered to help my parents, then they won’t have me either.” She said as she slid her blade back into its sheath.
Manuel went to strike out at Khloe as she turned away from him. His head flew back after being struck in the shoulder by two shots from Talia’s pistol. Talia knelt next to where he had fallen. “You’re not going to die, but it’s going to hurt for a while. Now take her message back to your elders, but if you ever come after Khloe. I will hunt every one of you fuckers down. I am so over all this backstabbing shit for power. You’re all cowards.”
“Should we refuel the plane before we go or does Greg have enough fuel to make it to a proper airport?” I asked Craig.
“Greg said he has enough fuel to make to Guatemala City.”
“Khloe, you know where we are supposed to meet Esteban?” I asked.
“Yes, my mom made me memorize the location when I was a child. I never understood why until now.” She answered.
“You would betray us to the likes of them!” Manuel exclaimed.
“Don’t make me kill you.” Talia quipped.
“No killing the messenger, T. Everybody load up,” I said.
Just as we loaded up Khloe said. “Oh, I just remembered.” She jumped out of the truck and went over to Manuel. “Where is it?”
“I can’t they will kill me if I give it to you.” He stammered.
She said something that I couldn’t make out causing Manuel to fall over. She then searched him and heard, “Got it!”
She climbed back into the truck and smiled at me. “What?” She questioned.
“What did you do to him? What’s that?” I asked.
“Sleeping spell and this is the clan’s GPS. It has all the locations programmed into it.” She answered as she held up a Garmin GPS. After she plugged the cord into the cigarette lighter, she powered it up. When the screen came up she pulled up the preplanned route for our destination as said. “Hit it, sweetie!”
“How far are we from our destination?” I asked
“From what the GPS says it looks like about a three-hour drive. What’s our gas situation look like?” She replied.
Looking at the fuel gauge I answered. “Mine says it’s full,” I called the other two trucks asking for their fuel situation. “Looks like they are all full. Is that going to be enough?”
“Yes, it’s not a long distance just the terrain, and avoiding the local law enforcement that is going to make the journey long.” She answered.
The drive was tiring, to say the least, if you thought driving in rush hour traffic in Boston was bad you haven’t seen anything until you’ve driven in a third world country. Horns, people, animals, bicycles, and god only knows what else gets in your way. When we were about ten miles away Khloe directed me to a turn out on the road.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“We should go on foot from here. We will move quicker off the road and cross country.” She answered.
I shut the truck off as Khloe called Craig on the tactical radio to fill him and the rest on the plan to vacate the vehicles. I stretched once out of the truck, and I began to feel blood return to my ass. Once I was sure that I could feel my ass again I walked to the back of the truck were Khloe had lowered the tailgate. She had a map of the area spread out for all to see.
She turned and pointed to a line of green in the distance and began. “That’s where we are headed. If you look here on the map it shows you nothing but jungle, but I know for a fact that there is a clearing about the size of what would have been a small Mayan town with its very own ziggurat. I don’t know how they have managed to keep it off satellite photos, but my guess is magic of some type.” She looked around the group to make sure they were all paying attention as she continued. “We will be headed here.” Pointing to a spot on the map “this is where we were supposed to meet with my people but it looks like they won’t be involved, but supposedly Esteban will be there with the shifter clans of this area.”
“Anyone have any questions?” I asked the group when there were none I continued, “Everyone look sharp use all of your senses. We have already been betrayed twice on this journey. Grab all your gear, we won’t be coming back this way.”
The afternoon sun began its slide toward the western horizon as we moved in a staggered order of march with Alex on point in wolf form followed by Andrew with his heavy machine gun. Eric, and James also in wolf form were out at our flanks. Khloe, Talia, Joseph, and I were near the front just behind Thomas. Jenn, Mary, and Jason followed behind the four of us as Craig covered our rear.
As we approached the edge of the jungle I detected a lack of nature sounds. No birds, small animals, or even insects. I slowed as I began to scent the air. I realized that I smelled something off. As I turned there was again just a whiff. Decay.
“Do you guys smell that?” I asked.
They all visibly scented the air. Talia crinkled her nose then said. “You mean that dead animal smell?”
Khloe looked at me then nodded her understanding of what I had smelled. “Not a dead animal, T. That is the smell of death magic, though it is faint. The taint of death is still there.” She replied.
Eric, in wolf form, sprinted ahead to where Alex was stopped and looked agitated judging by the hair that was standing up on his back. James must’ve sensed something and went to join them.
“Thomas be ready to shift. Your size and strength will come in handy in any physical confrontation.” I said as I jogged up to where the three wolves were. The closer I got to them the louder their growls became. I brought my M4 up to a ready position and began to scan the jungle ahead of me. The smell of decay grew stronger the closer I got to the jungle. I observed movement up in the trees. It looked like a large shadow had moved then a smaller one dropped towards the ground, but before the shadow hit the ground a bird flew out and around us, before returning to the jungle. I motioned to the team with hand signals to fan out and take up defensive positions.
After what felt like forever a lone figure emerged from the jungle and walked towards us. He was dressed like a simple farmer from the region while being escorted by the largest jaguar I had ever seen. The closer the farmer got the more recognizable he became and revealed to be Esteban.
I held my M4 in a ready position and called out to Esteban. “I would stop there if I were you. We’re not real trusting right now after what has happened to us.”
“Dorian, it is good to see you my friend but where are the Eagle Warriors from the Inca?” Esteban said.
“That is just part of it. We were betrayed by one of the North American Alpha’s who thought he would throw his lot in with Kirin. Then we were set upon by Khloe’s people who wish to remain neutral in this fight and thought they could kidnap her in the process.” I answered him.
He looked visibly grieved by this news. “Then perhaps we should get into the cover of the jungle so that we can share all the news from both sides.” Esteban offered. “Things are far worse than we thought. Did you notice the smell of decay? It is faint out here but it gets worse the closer you get to Kirin’s temple.”
“I just noticed it before your bird friend did a fly by on us,” I said.
“Ah yes, then you should all come. There is someone both you, and Khloe will want to meet.” He said as he turned back toward the jungle calling to his jaguar companion. “Come, Celeste, they are friends who have come a long way to help us.”
Celeste waited until we had all passed her before she turned to bring up the rear but not before she stared down Craig who looked taken aback by her.
We walked in silence into the jungle as my eyes adjusted to the gloom I noticed that we were surrounded. There had to be hundreds of shifters both in human and animal form. They were accompanied by dozens of natural jaguars. We continued for another ten minutes until we reached their encampment. I was assaulted by the various smells and aromas from the cook fires which caused my mouth to water. Everyone seemed to be on guard. I noticed everything from modern firearms to the ancient Macana, like the one Khloe, had back in Boston. They were dressed in everything from simple farmer garb to the more ornate looking with jaguar skins and body paint.
Esteban guided us toward the center of the camp along with the curious onlookers. We approached a large tent when a woman with black hair burst from the tent crying out a name I knew all too well. “KHLOE!”
Khloe dashed forward and wrapped her arms around the woman as she cried out “Mother!” They held on to each crying with joy.
“How is this possible?” I asked Esteban.
“It turns out that they only wanted Davin.” He answered.
I turned to address my team, “Eric, Alex, and James you three can change, I think we will be safe here.” As I indicated the surrounding shifters.
“Esteban, what is all the commotion about?” A voice asked from the tent.
“I brought Zantana’s daughter along with her daughter’s mate, his sister, and their friends with me. They are here to help us with the Blood Priests.” Esteban answered the mystery voice.
“Ah, then I must meet this man who would be the mate of my great-granddaughter.” He replied. Then something rustled as a man who looked like he was in his late seventies walked out of the tent.
“Dorian, let me introduce you to my dear friend, Omek,” Esteban said.
I must have had a dumbfounded expression on my face because Omek saved me. “Esteban must’ve told our story again, but yes I am that Omek.”
“But… don’t take this the wrong way but shouldn’t you be dead by now. I mean I know our kind are long lived but for this long. How?” I asked.
He held up his hand to stop my questions. “Let’s get the introductions over with then we can sit down and discuss this situation that has brought you here.” He suggested.
I saw that Khloe and her mother were wiping tears away and Talia had joined them. Khloe held her mother’s hand and brought her before me. “Mother, this is Dorian, Talia’s twin, and my mate. Dorian, this is my mother Zantana.”
Her mother looked from me to her then back to me before she said. “Mate? Could it be that my daughter has finally found someone?” Her eyes lit up with joy as more tears flowed. She walked over with open arms, and lip trembling as she tried to reign in her emotions. Still, can’t tell if that emotion is positive or not. I pulled her into an embrace as she pulled my face down to hers so she could kiss me on my cheeks then asks Khloe while holding my face in her hands. “Does he make your falcon soar, daughter? Do you make his wolf howl?”
Khloe blushed a lot then responded in typical daughter fashion. “MOM!”
“Well, does he?” She asks again then looks at me “Does she?”
Standing there with my face being held by my future mother-in-law completely flummoxed while Khloe turned twelve shades of red, leave it to my sister to make it even worse.
Talia’s laugh busted forth and caused everyone to look at her. “Don’t you worry, Zantana they definitely make each other soar, howl, whatever.”
“Welcome to the family. Now Khloe there is someone else you need to meet.” She said as she took Khloe’s hand and led her over to where Omek and Esteban had been enjoying my embarrassment a little too much.
“Khloe, this is your great grandfather, Omek.” She offered.
“It is a pleasure to meet you granddaughter. I am sure you like your mate have many questions. Let us adjourn to my tent to discuss the events that brought you here and answer some of your questions.” He paused before he continued. “Your people are completely safe here. You are among friends, and now family.”
“Thank you. If you could give me a few minutes to have some words with my people?” I asked.
“Of course, we will begin shortly.” He replied.
I headed over to where Craig and the rest of the team were gathered. They were having a hushed conversation but with all the supernatural hearing in this area, I don’t know how well that went.
“I believe we are safe here,” I said before going on. “If you haven’t already guessed, the woman who looks like an older version of Khloe is her mom and the old shifter is Omek from Esteban’s story about Kirin.”
“That’s what we were discussing while you were meeting your mother-in-law.” Craig quipped.
“I wouldn’t go getting all cocky there Romeo. I saw the way that Celeste eyed you.” I returned his jab.
“Yeah, well ok, you got me there.” He replied.
“Make sure everyone gets plenty of food and rest while we can. I don’t know how fast Esteban and Omek want to move but I don’t think it will be much more than a day or two.” I said.
As I walked back to Omek’s tent I observed everyone taking our measure. I joined Khloe and the others inside. Omek gestured to some pillows for everyone to sit on. Gathered around the low table were Khloe, Talia, Joseph, Omek, Esteban, Zantana, myself, and a couple others who I guessed where Jaguar Warriors. I sat next to Khloe who was talking quietly with her mother while Talia was speaking with Esteban on what I imagined was the retelling of our journey down here.
Omek nodded to me as I sat down. “Everyone eat, please we have plenty.” He said before taking a drink of water and after setting his cup down he met my eyes before he continued, “How am I still alive after all these years? That would be your first question?”
“It would be. Esteban has told us about when he first met you.” I replied.
“While we are long lived, we are not immortal. I had some help with my longevity. My mother was a shaman for one of the local human tribes. The Mayan people were always more understanding about the supernatural. This along with my shifter father has given me an abnormally long life but you are correct that I shouldn’t have lived this long. I had some help.” He said as he glanced over to Esteban. “Esteban has been giving me some of his blood over the years which has allowed me to live a long life.”
My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline but before I could respond Esteban interrupted. “It has allowed me the companionship of a life-long friend. It was selfish of me I know but I could not watch my friend waste away before my eyes. I had seen too much of that early on in my vampire life as I watched family, and friends die while I stayed young.”
“That’s why you stayed here after the battle.” I had guessed.
He nodded, “Yes, it is. After Gustavo died, I had nothing left back in Spain. With my vampire age, most vampires will leave me alone. The Elders know I’m still living but either they don’t consider me a threat to their power bases or they like the idea that I’m down here because I tend to police the younger ones in this part of the world.”
Omek took over, “Esteban tells me that one of Kirin’s Blood Priests have his grimoire along with Khloe’s father, who I imagine will be used as a sacrifice to fuel whatever death magic they have planned.”
“Yes, they originally had both Zantana and Davin but for whatever reason, they decided they didn’t need or want Zantana. I’m beginning to believe that there are others from the various supernatural races that are in league with them. We know of at least one witch and several shifters from the Southwest U.S. including the Alpha of that territory.” I disclosed.
“Young vampires are flocking to them in droves. They like the idea of being the in the ruling class.” Esteban offered.
“Their arrogance will be the death of all of us. Most weren’t alive the last time one of our kind tried this. The humans outnumber us one thousand to one.” Omek said.
“Now they have nuclear and biological weapons to use against us as well.” Talia supplied.
“Do we know how many they are?” Joseph asked.
One of the jaguar shifters spoke up, “They have around a hundred that we have been able to detect. Though these are likely the foot soldiers. The ones in charge tend to stay in the temple. We believe that there are around twenty in their leadership.”
“I believe it would be safe to say that at least one is a true Blood Priest along with that witch, Samantha,” I said.
“Have you noticed any other scents? Something that you have never smelled before?” I asked curious to hear their answer.
He furrowed his brow in concentration and he began, “You mean other than that death smells they all seem to give off?”
“That would be the scent of Death Magic, but how about something like the scent we give off that would tell you that I’m a shifter,” Khloe interjected.
“You smell like a shifter but something else too. That would be the witch scent too.” He said as he inhaled deeply and scented those around us. He said to me, “You smell like a shifter but also something else that isn’t vampire, or witch.”
“Yes and no. Both Talia, and I are shifters but we have some other abilities that most shifters haven’t seen for centuries.” I offered not wanting to let them all know how different we were. We needed these people.
“No, this smell you would recognize almost immediately. It would be like something that you have never smelled before.” Talia said.
“Then no I have not scented anything like that just the death magic, vampire, witch, and other shifter scents,” He said.
“Well, that’s a plus for us then.” I offered then continued “What’s your plan?”
He looked to Omek who nodded for him to go on.
We spent the rest of the evening going over their plan for rescuing Davin as well as destroying the Blood Priests once and for all. Joseph and I added what our team could bring to the battle. Several hours later we adjourned from the tent to find it was now full dark. Fires danced around the encampment and cast shadows everywhere. I found Craig in the company of Celeste. That didn’t really surprise me. The rest of the team were all nearby enjoying the quiet of the jungle. I sat down with them and went over the plan that had been agreed to. I answered Craig’s more tactical questions on how best to use Mary, and Jenn’s sniper skills as well as Andrew’s heavy weapons. I let them know that we would be heading out tomorrow. I then went in search of Khloe.
I found Khloe sitting with her mother alone by a fire. Not wanting to disturb them I went for a walk around the camp and took in all the new scents. I came to edge of the camp and stripped off my clothes and shifted. As I stretched in my wolf form I noticed another wolf approach, seeing that it was Talia, I nosed in the direction of the jungle. She nodded her agreement and took off with me fast behind her, the two of us chasing, and playing like we did when we were teenagers. We continued until we came to a lake. Talia laid down next the edge while I waded into the water before dunking myself. As I made my way back towards the bank I noticed Talia’s ears flicking back and forth. I came out of the water and shook all the excess water off my coat when I heard a piercing cry from above. I dove to my left as Khloe landed where I had been. As I turned back to face Khloe I saw Talia raise her head and look back toward the jungle. I looked to see what she was looking at only to see a large grey wolf walk out towards us. When he was about a body length from us Talia leapt from where she had been lying to tackle Joseph, the two them rolling in the long grass.
Shifting back to human I looked to Khloe. “I need you.”
Khloe shifted as I finished my comment. She crawled into my lap and wrapped her arms around me as she kissed me hungrily and pushed me down onto my back.