Chapter 13 #3
The Mayans were never supposed to have been in this part of Peru, yet there were three distinct ruins of temples, sites proclaiming they had lived and thrived for many years there.
Tomas realized it was the jaguar. This particular tribe of people worshiped the jaguar.
Where they originated from, he had no idea.
Several statues of the jaguar remained long after the temples were smashed into ruins.
Sarika and the other female shifters had taken part in the ceremonies at each one.
They were revered, although they didn’t act as if they were any different from the other women.
They aided in farmwork and taking care of the children.
They helped carve the hieroglyphics into the temple walls.
They aided in developing the astronomical system, particularly paying attention to Venus.
The stars and planets were important, and the female jaguars spent a great deal of time studying them.
As far as Tomas could tell, there were three women of equal importance, ones regarded with the highest of honor.
He recognized Sarika. She had the same features as the woman who was, in modern times, his lifemate.
She seemed so like his Sarika, kind and sweet, ready to help even with the crops.
She was his, and he recognized her as such.
Each time she came across a female jaguar shifter, Sarika had a private word with her—not just her, but her jaguar.
She seemed very in tune to the animal. If the jaguar’s health wasn’t good, she was able to open a well of healing.
But it was more than that. She had a special gift, one Tomas was certain the other two women had as well.
And then came Mitro with his brutality and vicious cruelty.
He murdered the entire village, made them turn on one another, made fathers kill sons and mothers kill daughters.
Blood ran in rivers, and those seeing to the temple wept.
Mitro took great delight in torturing the three women who brought health and happiness to the jaguar shifters and the gentle people who worshiped the jaguar.
Sarika is not under his compulsions the way the other female shifters are. Neither are the other two women. They are aware of his intentions, and they are doing their best to counter him.
Dominic studied the memories for a period of time. How is this possible?
I have no idea, but you can see into her memories. See the carnage taking place around her, Tomas said. She is being tortured just as the others are, but there is a part of her manipulating Mitro. He has no idea.
Dominic reacted audibly, shocked that a female shifter could be more powerful than a Carpathian ancient. He was nearly thrown out of Sarika’s mind, but he recovered swiftly.
They have tunnels that run beneath the temple and are stalling Mitro so they can get as many women and children to safety as possible.
For Tomas, it was difficult to watch. The entire time Sarika and the other two women were aiding those to escape, they were forced to pretend they were under Mitro’s spell.
She is using her connection with the jaguars, Tomas said, unable to keep the admiration from his voice. The ones she is helping to leave are under Mitro’s compulsion, so she bypassed the humans and called on the jaguars to herd them to the tunnels below.
All three women are very connected to the jaguars. That connection feels sacred and strong. They aren’t using any powers from the underworld, Dominic said. Sarika was extremely concerned about that.
I believe she’ll be able to talk to Solange’s jaguar and find a way to resolve the situation, Tomas said. If you’re satisfied, I cannot watch Mitro’s gleeful killing of so many innocents. It is no wonder Sarika fears Carpathians.
Dominic agreed. It will be good when she meets Dax and realizes he was the one to stop Mitro permanently.
About to slip out of Sarika’s mind and back into his own body, Tomas felt a sudden shift in the feel of the events he was observing.
Ancient Sarika’s hand crept up to her amulet.
The other two women mimicked her move. Tomas thought Mitro’s actions pure evil.
Everything about him felt foul and vile.
But something else had entered the temple. Something far worse than Mitro.
Wait, Dominic, Tomas cautioned. This is the true enemy and one Mitro knows well and serves. Is it possible he was the one promised the weapon to destroy the prince? He looks gleeful. Far too pleased and smug.
Debris and body parts whirled through the temple, bathing everyone in the blood of the dead or dying. Evil laughter filled the temple, that sacred place that was now a slaughterhouse.
Mitro nearly convulsed with glee. He waved a hand encompassing the dead and dying. Those tortured and still suffering. “I’ve done everything we agreed on. You need to give me my reward.”
Tomas held his breath. Mitro had struck a deal with the underworld.
He should have suspected. The whirling debris settled just enough for him to make out a woman.
It would have been impossible to describe her, not with the streaks of blood and brain matter dotting her face.
She seemed to be bathing in the blood, her maniacal laughter piercing through him. She was so evil she put Mitro to shame.
“But you haven’t. I’ve brought you one piece because you haven’t fulfilled your part of our bargain. One. You will need to earn the other two.”
Mitro’s face burned with anger. Flames licked at his skin and appeared in his eyes. He snorted smoke and spat burning embers. “I have wiped out this entire civilization. It isn’t the first and won’t be the last, just as you demanded.”
“But you didn’t slay your lifemate, Mitro,” the woman said, her voice sly.
“That was part of our bargain. You had to kill her with your own two hands. Look into her eyes and smile while you kill her. Instead, she has gone to another man. They make you look weak. A joke in our world and yours. How does that earn you a weapon powerful enough to destroy the prince and take over ruling aboveground?”
“I killed hundreds for you. Carpathians. Jaguar. Lycan.”
She waved her hand to encompass the temple.
“These are your toys. You love to play with them. You’re a sick man, Mitro.
My kind of man, but you need to keep your word if you want to play my games.
I don’t give second chances. You have a job to complete, and it is important.
If you are able to break the lifemate bond and kill your woman, others will be able to as well. ”
He never tied them together, Tomas reminded Dominic. He refused to bind them. I think he feared if he said the ritual words to her, he wouldn’t be able to kill her. He’d already made this bargain.
That would explain a lot.
“Use your Carpathian skills on every jaguar around that has escaped or is within your range. Make them fear all Carpathians. All males. Send the male shifters into a frenzy of animalistic lust when they are around the females. The high mage is working to eradicate them, and with your help, it will happen sooner.”
She waved her hand toward a small male child, and he screamed as Mitro’s arm and hand became a sword, hacking the child’s head off at the shoulder. The head flew across the temple to land at Sarika’s feet.
That wasn’t enough blood for the woman. She pointed to one of the sacred jaguar women.
“Tear her apart, limb by limb. I want to see you play, Mitro. If you please me, I will give you the first part of the weapon. If you don’t, I will take you back to the underworld with me.
As I said, I do not give second chances. ”
Gleefully, Mitro kicked the smaller of the two women chained beside Sarika.
She doubled over and then slipped in the puddles of blood.
Mitro stuck his foot in her stomach and reached down to take one arm.
Tomas saw Sarika close her eyes, but the sight was already there in her mind as Mitro ripped the arm away and threw it, hitting both Sarika and the other jaguar shifter prisoner.
The woman from the underworld cackled with joy. “More, Mitro.”
He didn’t hesitate but immediately pulled at the other arm, wrenching it free, and as he did, he cauterized the wound so she wouldn’t bleed out. He was clearly enjoying himself.
“Broadcast your message to the jaguars,” the woman instructed. “Do it while you play.”
Tomas could feel Sarika’s sudden stillness.
She turned inward, reaching for that well of healing light she had deep inside her.
As Mitro spewed forth his commands to all jaguars, she countered his ugly, vile orders.
She did so carefully, spreading her power over his in a thin, undetectable layer.
Even the woman commander from the underworld didn’t feel the veil that shrouded Mitro’s mandates.
“Finish her off,” the woman said. She kicked at the jaguar shifter. “But make her suffer.”
Sarika and the other prisoner locked gazes and then turned toward Litza as Mitro began to systematically stab down at her with the blade he’d made his arm and hand into.
He didn’t hit a single spot that would kill her, only the places that would hurt the most. He ripped at her clothing, and Tomas’ heart nearly stopped beating, reading Mitro’s intentions.
Without warning, Tomas heard the faint plea. Now, before he touches me. Before he defiles my body. Let me go clean into the next world.
Tomas and Dominic felt the exact moment when the healing power turned lethal. Both women stood in chains, tears running down their faces, looking with love at their fallen sister and stopping her heartbeat and brain function at the exact same time.
There was no spillover. No way for Mitro or the woman from the underworld to suspect either had a hand in the demise of Mitro’s toy.
“She was weak,” the woman said. She gave a sneer of contempt and pushed at the body with her foot. “These jaguar shifters revered the wrong ones.”
Mitro licked his thick lips as she reached into one of the bloody tubes spinning close to her and pulled a triangular piece of metal from it.
“This is one of three. Once you have all three, they will snap together, and your weapon is complete. Nothing from this earth will be able to stop you because it is fashioned from material not from this earth. It is that powerful. The combined power of Dubrinsky and Daratrazanoff will be nothing in comparison.”
Mitro reached for the triangular-shaped piece of metal almost reverently. “Where do I go to get the next piece?”
“Find your lifemate and dispense with her.” She stepped back into one of the whirling tubes and disappeared.
The relief of her foul existence leaving had Tomas breathing again. He hadn’t realized how badly the woman’s presence affected him until he remembered he was sharing Sarika’s mind and feeling her emotions.
Again, the two men had nearly left, both needing fresh air, when Tomas felt that same well of light rising in Sarika. He turned back.
Mitro had reached for the other woman, dragging her, chains and all, to force her to her knees in front of him. “Your turn,” he said. “You are so happy to serve me in any way that I demand. Say it.” He had shoved the piece of weapon into the front of his shirt.
Asiri, Sarika whispered. Sister kin.
Do not worry about me, the kneeling Asiri said. I will cooperate and distract him. You must retrieve and hide the weapon where he will not be able to find it.
Sarika gave a nearly imperceptible nod. What could she possibly do? Tomas and Dominic watched closely as the woman kneeling obeyed every foul thing Mitro instructed her to do. While she did, he roared with laughter and thought up even fouler, more vile things.
Sarika concentrated on the piece of metal.
Her hands crept up to cover the amulet at her neck, cradling it in her palm as she matched the properties of the triangular piece of metal.
She wasn’t Carpathian. Shifters weren’t able to change the composition of things or make them vanish into thin air, but somehow, she did.
Both men replayed that moment over and over, trying to see what she did to hide the weapon, but it was impossible.
One moment she was all light and goodness, lifting the piece of metal from the inside of Mitro’s shirt as if she were a member of the thief’s guild.
In the next, she and her friend combined their power and struck at Mitro’s throat, closing it off, taking the air from his lungs, opening a thousand cuts all over his body.
Both ancients could have told the women this would not kill Mitro, but it appeared they knew. They distracted him enough that they had the time to stop their own hearts and shut down brain function, essentially dying to keep the secrets the two women held.