Vampires Need Not…Apply? (Accidentally Yours #4)(71)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Despite his body twitching and trembling violently, he was still the most gorgeous, magnificent male she’d ever laid eyes on. “That’s right, Dr. Incu-pire, just relax. I’m here now.”

His eyelids fluttered and his irises slowly faded back to their magnificent olive green with specs of gold and golden brown.

“Is it you? Are you really here?” Antonio mumbled.

She nodded. “Yes, my sweet man. I’m here.” Through a miracle of all miracles. Still holding his face, she leaned down and kissed his lips. They were soft and warm and the most heavenly lips she’d ever touched. And if they weren’t in the process of dealing with a very horrible situation, surrounded by a large group of soldiers, she would be ripping off his clothes and taking him right there.

Antonio groaned.

“Oh. Please don’t make that sound. It’s giving me very naughty thoughts at a time when you are incapacitated and vulnerable, which is only fueling my urge to take advantage of you in very naughty, publically inappropriate ways.”

“Don’t let me stop you.” He grinned.

Ugh… you have no idea what that does for me to hear you say that. “I’d like that, but…” she glanced at Chaam lying immobile on the ground. “I have to help him.”

“No,” Antonio protested, unable to speak above a whisper. “Whatever is inside him isn’t like the others.”

“You made a promise,” Maggie pleaded, running up the steps to the platform. Her red, pale, freckled face was covered in sweat and tears.

“Dammit,” Ixtab scolded Maggie, “I told you to stay down there with the others.”

The Maggie girl paid her no attention and dove straight for Chaam’s limp body.

“Ugh. Thanks for listening to the goddess. You’re a real treat.” From the moment Ixtab had arrived back in Sedona, compliments of Máax’s expertise in both tablets and time travel—something she’d need to deal with later—this Maggie girl had been blubbering and apologizing and blubbering some more. She was a complete wreck.

Ixtab removed her hands from Antonio and leaned down to whisper in his ear, “I have to do this.”

She stood and walked over to Chaam. His large frame was lying curled into a ball on his side, and Maggie blubbered over him, petting his cheek. “Ohmygods. Hang on. Just… hang on,” she said over and over again.

“No, please, no,” Antonio grumbled. “I can’t lose you. I love you.”

Ixtab’s mouth fell open. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to hear that?” She beamed. “I love you, too, vampire.”

“Then don’t do this,” he mumbled. “Just help me up; I will cleanse him—”

“No,” she interrupted. “I am truly immortal and cannot be killed. You are not.” Although deities were vulnerable. Case in point, Chaam, her beloved brother. The sort of darkness that gravitated toward a deity wasn’t the same for a human, vampire, or Maaskab. This was a thousand times more potent. When she’d once tried to heal Cimil of her insanity, not only had Ixtab failed, but it felt like her body had been injected with acid. Then two hundred years later, she awoke. Yes, bad deity juju was some seriously strong stuff. Despite the odds, she had to try. She had to. Maggie and Chaam had been wronged, and though Ixtab wasn’t responsible, it was the right thing to do. It was what she hoped her brethren might do for her if the situation were reversed. Her only comfort was knowing Antonio was now immortal. Hopefully, he’d be there when she woke up.

Here goes nothing…

Ixtab placed her hands together, said her prayer, and then kneeled to place them on Chaam’s back. In the first few moments, she felt nothing, but then the floodgates of dark energy opened. She tasted so much pain, so much despair. Her light jolted inside her mortal shell, as if wanting to flee from the heinous monster invading her body. Then came the screams and blood and agonizing pleas of his victims. So many faces, so young, so horribly murdered. Ixtab reminded herself that such things, such hideous atrocities were not of his doing; he’d been possessed. Inside Chaam, there was a kernel of goodness fighting to resist every evil act, every violent moment, but the darkness inside had been too strong.

Ixtab drank his pain, drank his darkness, and allowed herself to fill until she tasted Chaam’s light running clean.

She snapped her hands away and stared at her palms. Her skin was dark gray. Gods, how did she still manage to stand?

“Is it over? Is he all right?” Maggie asked, kneeling down and stroking Chaam’s cheeks.

Chaam groaned and cracked open one turquoise eye. “Bobcat, is that you?” he whispered in a raspy voice.

Maggie burst into joyful tears. “Yes, your bobcat is here.”

“Ha! I did it! I did it!” Ixtab did a little dance and then crouched down next to Antonio. “I’d kiss you right now, but you look like you’ve just gone to the all-you-can-eat ninety-nine cent buffet. Are incu-pires supposed to be that shade of green?” She smiled.

“Are goddesses supposed to be gray?” Antonio mumbled.

“I’ll be fine; just need to find a place to dump this bad juju.” Too bad Antonio was out of action. Maybe she could off-load onto a few trees until she located country-club members.

“Chaam,” Maggie said, stroking his soot-covered forehead, “you’re safe now, my love.” She kissed his lips repeatedly and cradled his head.

Ixtab had never felt so happy. Antonio was safe, albeit green, and Chaam was cured. Ixtab looked at the soldiers who were still poised in a strike position in case things went south with Chaam. “Well, don’t just stand there! Get Chaam loaded into a Jeep and to the airstrip.”

“No,” Chaam grumbled. “We cannot leave.”

“What?” Maggie said frantically. “Honey, we need to get you out of here.”

“Help me sit up.” His voice was scarcely a whisper. Maggie lifted his head and helped him up. “The Maaskab will never let you leave here with me.”

“But Chaam. We can’t stay here, it’s too dangerous,” Maggie argued.

Chaam looked at her pale, sweet face. “Maggie, my love. It’s okay. I am their king; they do not know what’s happened here and will not hurt me. And we must let the others leave safely.”

“Honey, they could be watching us now. They’ll know,” Margaret argued.

“Then you and I will put on a nice show for them to see. Get ready to run; we are going to fake a getaway,” he commanded.