Vampires Need Not…Apply? (Accidentally Yours #4)(69)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Batshit loca.

Maggie’s head whipped toward the sound and then back in Antonio’s direction. “I have a solution.”

He waited.

“You’ll have to trust me, Antonio, but I figured out how to get Ixtab back without risking the demon being set free.”

He hoped Cimil hadn’t been her inspiration because that would be bad. Very, very bad given Cimil’s legendary panache for lying, cheating, and causing death and mayhem. Add that Maggie had already proven she’d do almost anything to free Chaam…

“No,” he said. “Your trust ran out the moment Ixtab became your sacrificial lamb,” he told her.

“Antonio,” she said, “why would I double-cross you? You’re the only one who can save the man I love.”

She had a point, however…

“You’re asking me to go to Mexico, have the gods free this evil deity Chaam, attempt to cure him, and then simply trust you’ll be able to open the portal and free Ixtab while dealing with the demon?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Y la puente apestosa?” he said.

“Huh?” She quirked a brow.

“And the stinky bridge?”

“Okay. Thanks for translating. Once again, huh?” she said.

“You are trying to sell me a bridge made of bullshit. No?” he said.

Maggie’s nostrils flared. “Haven’t you learned anything? I. Am. The only one here you can trust.” She glanced at Kinich and Penelope. “No offense, but saving Chaam isn’t on the top of your list.”

“The loss of my brother in our lives has troubled me deeply,” Kinich said. “We are not of the same blood and bone as human siblings, but the deities are connected by something much greater: the Universe.” He looked down. “I have felt the loss of Chaam’s presence. Deeply. As have we all. And there’s nothing I would not give to have my family whole again.”

Well, that was one hell of a guilt trip. Now Antonio had to save this…Chaam. He couldn’t deprive a family of the chance to save their brother. Not after everything he’d gone through to save his.

He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer that Ixtab would come back to him. “I will help Chaam.”

Kinich gave him a look that needed no words. Gratitude. “I’ll let the Uchben down in Mexico know we’re coming. Let’s get you on a plane.”

“I will—” He saw Maggie making a beeline for the door. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll see you on top of the temple! With Ixtab! Don’t worry!” She disappeared out the door.

Christ almighty. He couldn’t believe he was actually putting his fate, his destiny, in the hands of this strange woman who’d popped out of the portal.

Antonio couldn’t help but feel like a rat running through the maze, every turn, every twist just part of some bigger plan.

“You okay?” Kinich asked. “You look pale all of a sudden.”

“I’m not sure, but I have the distinct feeling that none of this is happening by chance.”

“Welcome to my world,” Kinich replied.

Chapter Treinta y Dos

Twelve hours later. Ten kilometers north of Bacalar, Mexico

Antonio could not believe that such a short distance from an innocent-looking, sleepy lakeside town, nestled in a lush tropical forest, existed a large Maaskab structure, where a deity of epic evil proportions stayed incarcerated. Then again, why the hell not? Compared to what he once believed, the world was nothing but one giant illusion.

He still digested the shocking facts, scientifically impossible facts he’d learned of from Kinich on the plane ride down. For example, not only were deities and vampires real—not so strange, he supposed, given his heritage—it seemed the immortal races were mimicking the humans and undergoing their own genetic evolution. In other words, they, too, were turning into one giant melting pot: ex–deity vampires, ex-vampires who were now demigods, fallen angel vampires, the human offspring of an angel who now housed the power of a deity (Penelope), offspring of deities who were mortal (Payals), and children being born of parents from the various combinations. It made him wonder what his and Ixtab’s children might be like if they should someday be so lucky. Could female deities even have children? he wondered.

Half incubus-vampire, half deity. Now that would be interesting. Especially considering Ixtab’s multitude of abilities: happiness, seasoning, toothaches… death. Gods, I hope we don’t have a daughter; her mood swings might be a threat to humanity. Then again, a tiny Ixtab would be… simply adorable. And you’d never have to worry about the boys touching her.

Hmmm…

“Bueno. So, you’re trying to tell me that no one comes here? No one knows about it?” Antonio asked Kinich. The noon sun glimmered off the shiny black pyramid before them, blanketing the structure with blurry waves of gaseous heat.

“The Maaskab built this place and we took it from them in a battle. The grounds are heavily warded with their magic. Humans intuitively stay away,” Kinich replied.

“Don’t planes fly overhead and see it?” Antonio asked.

“The wards make them believe they see only jungle,” Kinich explained.

“And where did the Maaskab go?” he asked.

“Many were killed in our last battle,” Kinich responded. “The rest are in hiding, waiting patiently for their next opportunity to attack. I’m sure they are watching us now, though I’m also sure they’d think twice about engaging; this place is heavily guarded by Uchben.”

Antonio heard a trickle of doubt seeping into Kinich’s voice and glanced over his shoulder. A very tall barbed wire fence ran the perimeter about fifty meters back from the base of the pyramid. Frankly, if these Maaskab where as powerful as everyone said, he couldn’t see how a bunch of humans, i.e., the Uchben, and a fence could stand against them.

“So how the hell are we getting him out of there?” Antonio asked. Was there a door or secret tunnel?

“There is an opening at the top of the structure. It’s a straight drop down deep inside the pyramid where Chaam is held.” Kinich pointed to the soldiers who expeditiously unloaded pulleys and ropes from the Jeeps they’d arrived in and carried them up the face of the pyramid.

Antonio also noted a large cage. “Deity reinforced?”

“Yes,” Kinich responded. “Just in case we are unable to cure Chaam.”

Not a chance. Gods, I’m f**king hungry…