Chapter 9 #2
A fresh tattoo gleamed against Leonie’s dark skin like chips of rubies, emeralds, and precious metals embedded in her flesh.
Just like I’d seen in Itztli’s mind, a glyph of his goddess.
Two red serpents faced each other where Her head should be, representing the blood spraying from Her severed neck.
The right hand was also marked with a red curl of blood.
Around Her waist, green snakes curled and hung about Her lower body. Skirt of Snakes.
Glancing down at my wrist, I saw the same glyph. Though Coatlicue sat on Snake Mountain, flanked by black and gold jaguars so perfect and real in my arm I could almost feel their fur against my skin.
I leaned back to press another kiss to Itztli’s lips as I removed my nails from his chest. “Thank you, my Blood.”
“Always, my queen. My heart is yours. I live to serve.”
Leonie shifted against me, rising higher while still pressing our bodies together. Her healed hand curled around my neck. She tipped her head to the side, offering her throat.
“We just healed you,” I protested. “We don’t have to formalize—”
“Please, Your Majesty,” she broke in. “I live to serve you too.”
I met Itztli’s gaze and gave him a small nod. He raised the obsidian blade toward her throat, but before he cut her, I explained. “My bite is orgasmic, so my Blood will make a small cut if that’s alright.”
“Slit my throat if you wish, Your Majesty. I’ll die praising you and your goddesses simply for freeing me from the pit.”
I gave her a wry smile. “Killing you is the last thing on my mind.”
I pressed my lips to the cut he made on her throat and allowed the taste of her blood to flow over my tongue. Despite the agonies and torture she’d endured, her blood tasted like pure, syrupy molasses, sweet yet rich with minerals and piquant spices that popped on my tongue.
Her goddess rose in her mind. Ebony skin gleaming with power, eyes flashing with lightning.
Black coils of hair swirled around Her as if She stood at the center of a tornado or hurricane.
A heavy golden machete flashed in Her hand.
Red robes curled around Her, whipped into a whirlwind.
Drums thumped in my head in a distinctive rhythm that made me want to leap to my feet and dance to the beating thunder and rain pattering the ground.
:I AM OYA, QUEEN OF THE NIGER RIVER, MOTHER OF THE NINE. WHEN BATTLE RAGES, CALL ON ME, DAUGHTER OF THE GREAT ONE. CUT DOWN OUR ENEMIES, AND I WILL USHER THEM THROUGH THE GATES OF THE DEAD. THANK YOU FOR FREEING AND RESTORING MY DAUGHTER.:
I bowed my head to Her. :You honor me, Mother of Leonie. Her courage is indomitable, and I’m honored to call her my sibling.:
I fed on Leonie long enough to establish a sibling bond, but I didn’t want to weaken her. I had plenty of Blood to re-establish my own resources—especially General Sekh—but she didn’t have anyone. Yet.
Licking the small cut closed, I raised my head. Blinking languidly with stunning brown eyes flecked with gold and green, she gave me a soft, tentative smile. “May I see Thierry so I can thank him in person?”
Tears burned my eyes. “Unfortunately, he didn’t survive what the Dauphine did to him. Though his spirit is here with us.”
His bird landed on my shoulder, and he chirped a cheery string of notes. Smiling through tears, Leonie nodded. “It’s good to see you too, Thierry Isador. Thank you for everything you did to make our captivity a little more bearable.”
Daire stepped closer to offer a blanket to Leonie. “It’s off the bed in one of the smaller rooms, so hopefully it wasn’t used by any of the Dauphine’s House while they were here. Xin didn’t smell them on it, at least.”
“Thank you.” Leonie took Gwen’s hand and stood, wavering a moment before wrapping the blanket around herself.
Rik pulled me to my feet, tucking me against his side.
Then Itztli surprised me by pressing close too, so Rik held us both.
Though it felt good and right. My tongue ached a little, but the wounds had closed.
I could stand to feed more, and definitely need a bath, but I’d rather take care of the thrall and Leonie’s Blood first.
I touched the shells of her former Blood and commanded them to step before their queen.
They didn’t even look at her. They couldn’t—unless I ordered it.
They simply stared into space. Empty. Except for the Dauphine’s leech curled inside them.
They didn’t reek of death, and they weren’t tainted, but their spirits had already flown away.
“Oh.” Her voice broke and she reached up to lightly cup one of her Blood’s cheek. “They’re already gone, aren’t they?”
I nodded. “They’re still tied to me through the Dauphine’s power and open to commands. But otherwise, they’re empty.”
Her jaw flexed and she dropped her hand. “At least they didn’t suffer like Thierry.”
“I wanted you to at least see them before we… eliminated them. So you’d understand.”
Nodding, she leaned closer to the taller man and laid her head against his chest. Should I command him to hug her?
Make his heart beat once more? I hesitated a moment too long, for she lifted her head with a sad, wry smile twisting her lips.
“He doesn’t even smell like Albin any longer.
Thank you for allowing me to say goodbye, Your Majesty. ”
“Please, just call me Shara. I hope that we can be friends as well as siblings.”
“I’d like that, Shara, my queen. May I be present when Albin and Cyrile’s bodies are destroyed?”
“Of course. We can do it now or later. There’s no threat from them, and as you said, they’re not suffering.”
“Now, please.”
I would honor her Blood’s service by destroying their bodies, rather than allowing my flesh eaters to feast. :I have need of my dragon’s fire.:
I took Leonie’s hand and backed away as Mehen shifted into Leviathan. Before he blasted the two former Blood, I crushed the leeches lingering inside of their skulls. They immediately crumpled to the ground like soft sacks of flesh and nothing more.
Leonie gasped softly but she didn’t look away.
Tears streaked her face as my dragon lit their bodies with his flames.
Hesitantly, she laid her head on my shoulder.
When I wrapped my arm around her, she slipped her arms around my waist and leaned harder against me.
Clinging to me as her Blood’s bodies burned.
If it were any of my Blood…
Shuddering, I closed my eyes and squeezed her harder. I’d be a screaming, crying, throwing up mess.
No.
I’d be dead. So I promised to Coatlicue.
Rik touched my back and I leaned into him again. :We all go together, my queen.:
:Me too?: Leonie asked.
Surprise jolted through me that she picked up so much from my bond with my Blood. More than even Gwen. But I had given Leonie an immense amount of my blood to heal her. She carried a deep bond with me now. :If you wish.:
:I do, Shara, my queen. If you die, take me with you.: