Chapter Eleven Badass Dot Com
Henry
“It is all bloody nonsense,” I commented in disgust. “It sounds like a Latino Harry Potter movie.”
Rain nodded. “Da, exactly. But these stories are spread on purpose to scare the Mexican people away. They are a very superstitious lot, so it works on most of the population there. Besides, they don’t have this every year on the same date.
The sacrifices are only done on a full blood moon.
Not partial or half but a full one. So it has been almost two and a half years since the last one occurred.
So that explains why her family and most likely others were taken years ago.
It is reported to be a well-planned-detailed service.
They take people and find out their blood types.
Money can get you anything, apparently. They actually hire paid nappers who grab the hostages and secure them.
Then they are taken to some isolated hard to find place.
They are fed well and treated almost like royalty.
That is so the blood gets rich and healthy.
I’m not sure the…victims are even told why they are being held.
But it is the usual reason for something so sinister. Money.”
“Yeah, and it has to be a con,” I replied. “This sort of thing has been tried in the past, the blood of the young to make the old younger. A load of tosh. It’s all fake.”
Rain sighed at this and went on, “Well, there are enough rubes with little brains and plenty of green out there, I suppose? The clients pay a million dollars each for the blood of these victims who are sacrificed during the ceremony. It seems that there are enough rich but ruthless assholes who hope that it will be the fountain of youth. And that is something they will pay for at almost any price. Like just think of what they spend on plastic surgery? Then somehow this ritual blood is reputed to work for many who have paid.”
“Spasibo, Mr. Rain,” Maya thanked him. “I never knew the real details. The detective just told me that it was a cult ritual to be held on the blood moon rising.”
“It is more than just a cult. It is a business transaction. Buying a murder type of transaction.”
Maya stared at him as her eyes filled with tears.
Rain blinked rapidly at her as he seemed to realize what he just said so callously and then he glanced at me. “I am sorry…I know this must be hard.” He looked back over at Maya.
She swiped a tear away from under her eye.
“I have been living with this nightmare for three years, Mr. Rain. It is not your fault that I’m upset.
You are giving me the real reasons why they were taken.
I never knew the blood ritual was for these rich people.
I believed it was just evil and satanic. ”
“Oh, do not be misled, Maya,” I said. “The devil is involved in this shite for sure.”
Rain looked at me and said, “So I will make the arrangements.”
I gave him a nod.
“Wait…” Maya spoke up. “What arrangements?”
Rain raised his hands up at me, palms out. “Khorosho, I will leave this discussion for you two. But we do not have much time left.” Turning, he went to the door and opening it, he left.
Maya turned to me to ask, “What did he mean by arrangements?”
“He will book our flight, get us a rental car and we will make the trip to Catemaco.”
Shaking her head, she repeated her earlier response to this, “No.”
I stepped closer to her and spoke as softly as I could, “Maya, how do you plan to rescue your family?” I asked her.
“I’m not stupid, Henry. I can’t do it myself. I know that. I already paid someone to do it.”
This surprised me but it probably shouldn’t as she was a resourceful, smart woman. “Who?”
“Someone in Mexico City, well a group. The detective gave me their number.”
“Very well, but we will still accompany you, nevertheless. Make sure they are reliable and can do the job. Did you give them the details about this?”
“I gave them what I knew at the time.”
“And they seemed fine with that?”
Maya nodded.
“How do you even know if these men are legitimate? Like they could be dodgy.”
Shrugging, she replied, “I don’t have any way to check on their credentials as a rescue team, willing to go to the jungle and fight Skinwalkers to rescue my family, Henry.”
“Yeah, I suppose not. I do not know of a We Are Badass dot com.”
She grinned at me and replied, “If so, then you and Mr. Rain would be on the front page.”
I smiled and shook my head. I was just glad to see her cheer up a bit. I stepped back a step, struck a pose with my fists up and mocked an infomercial, “Call us, we kick ass. No refunds. Deposit required.”
She laughed.
I grinned at her as I pulled her close to me. “Someday, I will see this smile and hear your beautiful laugh all the time.”
Her cheeks went rosy. “That isn’t your job, Henry.”
“But I want it to be my job. I protect people for a living. I’ve secured buildings, limos, penthouses and taken care of snotty-good for nothing fat cats as they call them.
All for the money.” I paused then admitted, “And yes, for the excitement as I ceased to need the money a couple of years back. But I want to protect you because…”
She looked up at me, waiting for me to finish.
“It has been years since I...” I sighed. “…wanted to be with just one woman for keeps.” I shook my head. “Bloody hell, I’m messing this up badly.”
She smiled at me. “So, you are saying that you like me?”
I stared at her then laughed. “I think I am past like and I am up to liking you a lot. Where I come from, we might say I fancy you.” I tugged her close.
“Maybe I can show you? God knows, I am not being my usual articulate self.” I lowered my head and covered her mouth with mine.
I went gentle at first, not knowing what reaction I might get. A slap or…
Placing her arms around my neck, she deepened the kiss.
…a good reaction. I wrapped her in my arms and we went into a real tailspin of a kiss. Warm and wonderful while heading to hot and heavy. Or in my case, hot and hard. It was nearing wild and pushing at scorching, so finally, I pulled back.
Her eyes were closed as she licked her lower lip.
Holy hell, that made me even harder. I had to take a full step back.
Maya seemed to stumble as she wobbled a bit.
I reached out and steadied her. “I’m sorry I just—”
Her eyes popped open. “—kissed me until I was dizzy,” she interjected with a smile.
I nodded. “And I got hard all over.”
There went her cheeks to pink again.
I paused as I stared at her sparkling eyes and her pinkening cheeks. “I am going to ask a couple of questions here.”
She gave me a silent nod.
“Have you been kissed a lot?” I got a distinct feeling that she had very little experience with the opposite sex.
She paused and replied, “Sure.”
I took a deep breath and released it. “Have you like…have you been with a man before? Intimately I mean.”
“Once.”
I blinked at her and asked, “Once?”
“Yes, when I was a teen.”
“And?”
“It wasn’t so bene. Not Figo. It was not hot and hard, as you say.”
I chuckled at this summation. “So, you had a boyfriend?”
“Maybe you could call him that? But he was just a boy really. You? Hmmm…” She smirked. “You are not a boy.”
“Damn,” I muttered. That smirk of hers made me feel hungry.
And not the normal lust kind of hunger. Something more.
I knew if I ever tasted this woman or had her under me…
I would be hers permanently. With my history, the women I chose were not right for me.
Dodgy as all hell. Beautiful but untrustworthy.
This one, however, had a pure heart. She protected those children with her very life.
Helped them and kept them well for three years.
As a paid nanny, maybe. But I was sure those two hags paid her a pittance and she went further than anyone ever did to save those kids.
I already saw many examples of her unselfish ways, like not wanting to endanger Rain and I.
I wanted to laugh at her protective nature towards us.
He and I would be called stone cold killers by some.
We weren’t afraid to spill blood or kill when we had to.
This was why Carlos wanted us with him on his rescue mission in fact.
What she did not seem to realize is she needed our protection and I did not care if she slept with me or not… she would still get protection.
“Henry?”
I raised my gaze to her face as I did get a little lost for a minute. “Yes, sweet Maya?”
“Do you really want…” She shook her head.
“Want?” I asked as I stepped closer to her as I added, “You?”
Nodding, she bit her lower lip.
“Hell yes, I want you.”
She stared at me.
“But if we do this. You will stay with me,” I warned her.
She cocked her head at me and asked, “For how long?”
“Forever.”
Meeting my gaze, she looked stunned. “Like… as a couple?”
I nodded. “I already know that what I feel for you is not a temporary thing. I think I have been waiting for you for a long time.”
Her eyes rounded as she asked in shock, “But how can that be? You only just met me a few days ago.”
“I know the kind of woman I don’t want. As the Americans say, been there, done that. You are special.”
She scoffed. “Men do not do such things.”
“What things?” I asked.
“Say they want a woman for always. Not when they just shared one kiss. Non essere pazzo! It is impossible.”
“It is possible. Men can fall for a woman and want to keep her, Maya.”
She scoffed. “In Italy all I met were rogues. Uomini selvaggi. Men of the night life or businessmen wanting affairs.”
“And all I met in my life were women who were unfaithful and calculating. But guess what Maya? That is not you. And furthermore, I have never been to Italy. I am a British bloke and we are gentlemen.” I gave her a wink.
She stared at me then burst into laughter.
I laughed with her. “Ok, so I’m not always well mannered and polite, but you should know that I have not had a steady woman since I was twenty-two. I have been single for a decade. And that was for two reasons. One, I was cheated on and lied to by the females I fell for.”
“That is terrible.” She cocked her head at me and asked, “And two?”
I tugged her close and said, “They weren’t you.”