Chapter Twenty-One #2
He shook his head. “Pedro and Bronko went off to the communications tent to smoke a couple of cigars and talk about flying. Did you know Bronko has been working on getting his pilot license?”
“No. Good for him—unless he’s going to fly drugs or guns for one of the cartels he used to work for.” A loud crack came from the fire, followed by a burst of sparks. “What about Raul and KuTu?”
“Raul crashed right after supper. He’s on watch patrol in the middle of the night, after KuTu finishes his shift.”
“Which means KuTu is probably prowling around in the dark somewhere.”
“Yeah.” Quint stared into the trees on the other side of the fire. “I’m not sure if I should be relaxed or tense about KuTu these days,” he said quietly.
“Why is that?”
“Because I don’t think he’s who he claims to be.”
“Like there’s something shady about him?”
“Not shady, at least not in a criminal sense. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just becoming delirious from the heat.” Quint fanned his shirt. “How much longer are we going to roast by the fire before heading to our tent?”
“You’re waiting for me?”
“Of course.”
She smiled and stood, tugging him up with her. “Then let’s go. We have a big day tomorrow.”
“Why big?” He put his arm around her and pulled her closer, brushing her temple with a soft kiss. “What do you have planned for us besides lots of sweating, boss lady?”
“A little digging here and there. Maybe some snake wrangling. Another visit inside of the bat-house.”
Quint groaned. “What is with this fetish you have for tight, hot, claustrophobic spaces?”
She leaned into him as they strolled along in the dark. “After tomorrow, I’m thinking of giving up. Heading home.”
He stopped them both, turning her to face him, hands on her shoulders as he stared down at her. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“What about your job?”
“I’ll take what we have and tell INAH if they want to continue with the discovery phase, we’ll have to come back with more resources and a bigger crew later.”
“What about Fernel? Does he have any say in closing up shop early?”
She hadn’t even considered the geoarchaeologist in her decision making. “I don’t think he’s in any shape to say or do much at the moment.”
She’d talked to Teodoro earlier about Dr. Fernel’s current state.
He’d said the swelling was mostly down, thankfully, but had recommended another day of rest before allowing the poor guy to return to the site.
María had taken food to Dr. Fernel in his tent for an early supper, so Angélica hadn’t seen him since this morning.
“Besides,” she added, “the heat and storms are increasing, so it might be a good time to walk away for now.”
“Ahh.” He pulled her close and rested his chin on her crown. “Tonight I’m going to dream about sipping ice-cold drinks under the moonlight on the beach with a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his neck, nipping once or twice at his salty-sweet skin. Damn, she really wished her dad wasn’t snoring away in their tent. She could really use a few moments alone in the dark with Quint to find her happy place.
“I like that dream,” she whispered, running her nails down his back. “Can I join you there?”
He chuckled, low and rakishly. “Only if you’re nearly naked, and you leave your mother’s locket somewhere else.”
“Deal.” She reached down and squeezed his sexy buns before leaning back to smile up at him. “You want to swing by the mess tent with me for a drink of water before we call it a night?”
“Okay, but first …” he started and then kissed her, keeping it light with a few soft touches here and there.
“Quint,” she breathed between his butterfly kisses, “stop messing around and do it right.”
“Yes, boss lady.”
He cupped her face and got serious about it, with nips and licks mixed in just the way she liked it. In no time, he’d heated her to a rapid boil. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing everything she had against him and then some.
When he pulled back, she moaned in complaint.
“I know, I want more, too, but we can’t.” He turned her toward the mess tent. “Lead the way, siren, before we give your mother a show that will turn her ghostly cheeks bright red.”
“Oh, gawd.” Angélica cringed at just the notion. “We need to set boundaries if she’s going to continue to hang around.”
She moved silently through the camp, trying to enjoy the love buzz Quint’s kisses had fueled and not let the sinking weight of failure return. They had just reached the mess tent when pounding footfalls came from the darkness behind them.
Quint turned, pushing her behind him, facing whoever was coming first.
He sighed a moment later. “It’s just KuTu.”
She stepped out from behind Quint to greet the guard.
“Dr. García,” KuTu said, breathing hard. “We must go.”
“Go where?” Quint asked.
He pointed toward the trees and the path to the site. “He … climb … eh … wall.” He struggled with both breathing and speaking English.
“What do you mean, KuTu?” she asked in Mayan.
“The other man.” He switched to Mayan, too. “The cursed one who was attacked by Ah Mucen Kab.”
She frowned. “The Bee God?”
He nodded, taking a couple of quick breaths. “He snuck out in the darkness. I saw someone moving through the trees and followed. He climbed over the wall.”
“What’s he saying?” Quint glanced back and forth between them.
“Dr. Fernel went to the dig site just now,” she explained. “KuTu saw him scaling the wall.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Is he delirious?”
“Maybe. Teodoro gave him some strong painkillers.” To KuTu, she asked, “Did you try to stop him?”
“I called out, but he did not hear.” KuTu frowned toward the trees. “He was not alone.”
“What’s he saying now?” Quint asked.
“Dr. Fernel wasn’t alone.”
“Dark shadows were with him. One led the way.” KuTu shook his head solemnly. “I think he is going to try to summon Camazotz.”
Angélica blinked in surprise. Had she interpreted that correctly?
“Did I hear him say Camazotz?” Quint whispered.
She nodded. “KuTu, why would Dr. Fernel want to summon the death-bat god?”
His wide eyes glittered in the moonlight. “I believe he wants to go through the reincarnation ritual so he can become immortal.”
“How can you know that?”
“I heard him blowing on the whistle of death in his tent two suns ago.”
Her breath caught. The whistle of death? Did that have anything to do with the whistling Esteban had heard coming out of the ruins earlier? The sound Daisy—or her mom—had claimed was growing louder?
“Come!” Kutu ordered. “We must stop him before Camazotz climbs up from Xibalba.” He looked at Quint. “The demon must come, too. We will need his sacrifice to save us all.”