Into the Void (The Godhunter, Book 10) Read online

  “Dad?” Azrael laughed as he looked his father over. “Are you drunk?”

  “Absolutely!”

  “How many beers did you have to drink to get drunk?” I lifted my brows in surprise.

  “Oh this is Hellbrew,” Luke lifted his bottle toward me and the stench of alcohol nearly peeled my skin off. “I've only had twenty.”

  “Holy shit,” Azrael started laughing full out. “You're snockered.

  “Hey it's not everyday that I give Jerry his comepants!”

  “His comeuppance,” Azrael corrected on a laugh. “Not comepants.”

  “What in tarnation is a comeuppance?” Luke stood still and stared into his son's face. Well he probably thought he was standing still but he was actually swaying a bit.

  “It's a well deserved outcome, his come-up-ance,” Az grinned as his mother came gliding over. “Mom, how are you doing in the middle of all of this?”

  “It's just like old times,” she said dreamily. “I've missed seeing these guys so happy. I've missed being this happy,” she laughed. “I'm so glad all of this happened and I decided to move here with your father. I feel like I've come back to life.”

  “Have you ever heard of comeuppance, darling?” Luke just wouldn't let it go.

  “Yes, dear,” she sighed. “I told you there's no such thing as giving someone their comepants.”

  “Well there is but it's kind of gross,” I made my eww face.

  “See, that's why it makes more sense,” Luke nodded sagely.

  “Lucifer!” Fenrir boomed and slammed a hand down on Luke's shoulder. “This party is as good as a Froekn one. Nice job and good brew!” Fenrir chugged back a Hellbrew. “Packs a nice kick.”

  “Toga, toga, toga,” Cid chanted as he ran by us wrapped in a white bed sheet.

  “Oh!” Luke looked at Fenrir, then after Cid. “Thanks but I gotta go, man. We're gonna do some beer bongs and then run around Hell howling like... er...”

  “Like wolves?” Fenrir finished in the most excited voice I'd heard from him since Emma had said yes.

  “Yeah, uh, like wolves,” Luke gave him a one-sided grin. “Wanna come?”

  “Do I ever?” Fenrir howled and it shook the chandelier above us. “I can out howl you all.”

  “Wic-ked,” Cid nodded with a stupid grin. He'd turned around and come back to give us another round of toga chanting while he grabbed his fearless leader. “Howling with the Great Wolf himself. This is the best night ever!” He ended on a yell and the room cheered. “Toga, toga, toga!”

  Fenrir and Luke toga-ed out of the room, following Cid to who knows where.

  “My father and your father are going to get drunk by standing on their heads and drinking Hellbrew out of a funnel,” Trevor said as he came up behind Azrael.

  “And then they're going to run around the wastelands of Hell howling like wolves,” Azrael added.

  “Some better than others,” I finished. “This is an awesome night. Who wants to make-out in the closet?”

  Az and Trevor both lifted a brow and looked at each other consideringly.

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  “I'm just going to pop over to Faerie for a sec,” I said as I stumbled out of Azrael's old bedroom, wrapping my new toga around me.

  “What? We weren't enough for you?” Trevor gave me a saucy grin as he tied his own toga/sheet off.

  “You were very satisfactory,” I kissed him and then Azrael. “I just want to speak to Arach before I head off to find Odin, and now that I've got a clear schedule, I might be giving it a try rather soon.”

  “You'd best go from in here,” Azrael pulled me back into the bedroom, which looked like a teenager had inhabited it recently. Except instead of posters on the walls, there were paintings of nude girls. Priceless paintings, from the look of them, but still, all nudes.

  “Thanks, Az,” I smiled at him.

  “Thanks, Az,” Trevor mimicked and rolled his eyes.

  “Trevor,” I punched his shoulder. “Is the room just getting to you or is it all the Hellbrew that's turning you into a sixteen-year-old boy?”

  “I, uh,” Trevor cleared his throat and shook his head. “Sorry. Go ahead, we'll wait right here.”

  “Thank you, Honey-Eyes,” I stroked his cheek and he gave me a goofy grin. “I'll be right back.

  >O<

  And I was. I was also a little more optimistic about searching for Odin. I grinned at my two guys and hugged them.

  “Talking to Arach helped?” Az surmised.

  “A lot,” I nodded. “Come on, let's go find some more Hellbrew. Not to be confused with Hebrew which will not get you drunk at all.”

  “But may help you pronounce a lot of angelic names,” Azrael said straight-faced.

  “Nice one,” I lifted my fist and he bumped it with his own. “Toga, toga, toga,” I chanted all the way downstairs, my men following after me.

  “Tima!” Darius shouted from the bottom of the stairs. “There you are. Tima, Tima, Tima!”

  The other lions picked up the chant and the air was filled with, “Tima, Tima, Tima!”

  “No, no, no!” I stomped my foot and they all stopped with screeching dismay. “It's not Tima, it's toga, toga, toga!”

  The laughter returned and the chant was corrected as I made my way toward the bar at the back of the house. You have no idea how fun it was to see everyone drunk and the possibility of getting that toasted myself was very appealing as well. Normally it took tons of alcohol to get me wasted and even then, the buzz didn't last all that long.

  “You know,” I commented, “I found Heaven to be much more scary than Hell. I mean what was up with those weird singing angels above the throne? And the cherubs who were wheels? Wheels, Trevor, there were angels that were actual huge, multi-spoked wheels, like on a buggy. A buggy like a horse and cart pulled buggy, you know?”

  “Yes, Minn Elska,” Trevor laughed. “I know what a buggy is.”

  “That's the cherubim,” Azrael explained. “They kind of got the short end of the stick when it comes to angelic guises.”

  “And I could have sworn I saw a motorcycle wheel,” I continued. “Like one of those thick ones you see on a Harley.”

  “Oh, that was Machatan,” Azrael laughed. “He's a bit of a rebel. As soon as they started making automobiles, he began upgrading. He says if he has to be a wheel, he's going to be the best wheel there is.”

  “The wheel in the sky keeps on turning,” Trevor belted out and a few Froekn started howling along.

  “And what about those ones over the throne then?” I kept going through Trevor's musical debut.

  “Those are the Seraphim,” Azrael shrugged. “Did you notice their numerous sets of wings? I feel bad for them as well. It can't be easy to fly with six wings.”

  “And their faces,” I cringed, “and the eyes. Oh the eyes! Damn, why's there got to be eyes everywhere? There are some places you shouldn't be able to see on yourself, you know?”

  “At least they weren't feeling fiery today,” Azrael grimaced. “They're usually burning as well.”

  “Well that, I could have dealt with,” I grinned. “But those faces and the Hare Krishna chanting has got to go.”

  “They're big fans of Mom,” Azrael laughed. “I think if human belief hadn't kept them tied to the throne, they would have sided with Dad.”

  “You men they just live there?” I gaped at him.

  “No, not tied literally to the throne,” he laughed. “Tied to the throne as in bound to Jerry. They kind of can't betray him. So I think chanting Mom's name is their form of revenge.”

  “Well shit, I kinda like them now,” I laughed as we entered the back room. It was large and filled with people but what caught my attention wasn't the bar up against the right wall, it was the huge picture window set into the back wall. It framed a view that was definitely picture worthy. I walked up to it in a daze, weaving around people without losing sight of my goal. The guys came up on either side of me.

  “Whoa,” Tre
vor whispered.

  “Yeah, it's pretty cool, huh?” Az grinned. “From the house back, everything is purely my father's design. That's why all the windows at the front of the house are curtained, he doesn't want to see all that. This is what he considers to be his home.”

  Stretching out before us were rolling hills progressing to snow-capped mountains in the far distance. Some hills were covered thickly with trees, some were clear of all except a few random bushes, but they all encircled a large lake, it's surface a mirror in the moonlight. Night birds cried and circled above as much larger beasts roared back a response from below. The scent of night-blooming flowers drifted up and through the open doors to our left, which led out onto a stone paved patio. I went outside without even thinking about it.

  The scents were stronger out there and a cool breeze blew them through my hair, whipping the white sheet around my legs. Inside me, my animals sighed, sensing a paradise filled with adventure laid out before us. I almost shifted then but I couldn't decide on the form, dragon or lioness, land or sky? I couldn't make up my mind.

  “You should see it in the ,” Luke's voice came out of the shadows, startling us all. “It's magical.”

  “Not just magical,” Pan must have followed us out. He was standing behind me, his ragged toga barely hanging onto his shoulder. “This is Atlantis.”

  I looked back at him in shock and saw tears glistening in his eyes.

  “Is it?” Azrael turned toward his father. “Is that what you made this to resemble?”

  “Yes,” Luke smiled at his son fondly and came to stand beside us. “I missed it so much.”

  “I as well,” Pan nodded and then turned toward Luke. “Do you mind if I bring some of the others out here?”

  “Not at all,” Luke shook his head and Pan hurried back into the house.

  “Dad,” Az looked confused and a little hurt. “Why didn't you tell me? I would have liked to have known that this is what it was like.”

  “I didn't want you to long for something you could never have,” Luke shrugged. “This is only a small bit of it, the pieces I could remember clear enough to capture. It's what the country used to look like, the wild land that surrounded our cities.”

  “Sweet mother,” Thor whispered as he came out of the door with the rest of the God Squad. “It's like being home again.”

  “You've captured it exactly,” Horus' voice was full of emotion. I glanced over and saw him swallow with difficulty. “It's haunting and a little painful, like seeing the ghost of a loved one.”

  “Do you remember those hills there?” Pan stood beside Horus and put his hand on Horus' shoulder. I gaped at them.

  “I do,” Horus smiled and I nearly fainted. “We used to play there as children.” He even lifted a hand to tap the top of Pan's and I nearly fainted.

  “I never thought to see it again,” Hades was openly crying, holding Persephone to him. “This is where we came from, love,” he said down to her and she stared out at the scene and then back at her husband with wide eyes.

  “It's beautiful,” she gently wiped his tears away.

  “I wish Tsohanoai was here,” Mrs. E whispered and I went over to her. We put an arm around each other and stared out across the landscape.

  “And I wish Odin could see it,” I leaned my head to hers and we cried together, for what our husbands might never see again and for the chance that they might.

  “Thank you,” Thor went over to Luke and shook his hand. “You have no idea how much I needed this right now. The peace this gives me is priceless.”

  “You're welcome,” Luke nodded and looked over at everyone else. “And you're welcome back, all of you, anytime you wish to visit. I'd be happy for the company.”

  “We'll be happy for the company,” Holly came out onto the patio and went to stand beside Luke, making his smile go up in wattage. “I told you, you needed to share this.”

  “And as always, my love,” Luke kissed her on the nose, “you were right.”

  “Well, I am the Holy Spirit,” she said primly.

  “Yes, you are,” he agreed.

  “And a woman,” she continued.

  “Yes, that as well.”

  “And I'm much smarter than you are,” she gave me a little wink.

  “Holly!” Luke made a pained expression. “Why did I let you move in again?”

  “Because you love me,” she told him.

  “Oh yeah, right,” he nodded.

  “And I'm the mother of your only child,” she continued.

  “Yes, that too,” Luke sighed.

  “And I'm a wildcat in bed.”

  “Mom!” Azrael gaped at her.

  “Well, I am the Holy Spirit,” she started over again and we all groaned.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  I was still thinking about the party in Hell four days later when Fallon came running into my bedroom.

  “Tima,” he cried out, “I've caught a zombie!”

  “What?” I dropped my hairbrush and stood up.

  Kirill stood as well, from where he'd been sitting watching TV.

  “I was at Mandela's funeral today,” Fallon took a deep breath. “We were standing out front in the thick crowds, contemplating just tracing inside the stadium to bypass them all, when we saw a man stumble forward between two other men. The two men helping the third along, dumped the guy on the concrete and then took off quickly in the opposite direction. That was when I noticed his pallor. We decided to grab him and bring him back with us, just in case.”

  “Where is he?” I went over to Fallon. “Did you send for Teharon?”

  “Yes, Teharon's on his way,” Fallon nodded. “But the important thing is, we've got a scent.”

  “A scent?” I was following him out of the room with Kirill on our heels.

  “A scent so strong, even a human could track it,” Fallon laughed. “We've got them, Tima.”

  “Yeah,” I looked back at Kirill with concern. “We just have to trace into the middle of the crowd to track it.”

  “In an hour, everyone will be inside the stadium, except for security,” Fallon shrugged. “Even if they see us trace in, they won't believe their own eyes. They'll think it's the stress of the day getting to them.”

  “Maybe,” I shook my head. “Let's just check on the zombie first.”

  “I put him in a room on the second floor,” Fallon got into the elevator and we piled in with him.

  We got off on the second floor and followed him down a hallway. We passed by a few doors until we came to one Jared was guarding. Jared stood to attention, his shaggy red hair swinging forward into his green eyes.

  “Tima,” Jared nodded to me. “Did Fallon tell you we caught a zombie?”

  “Yes, Jared,” I waved to the door. “Is it safe to go in?”

  “Yeah, Teharon's in there,” Jared's voice had the hint of an Irish lilt to it. “He should be healin' him right about no'.”

  “Good,” I went in, followed closely by Kirill and Fallon. “Well Teharon,” I went to the bedside, “it looks like you can still be my hero.”

  “I guess so,” Teharon smiled at me and then bent back to his work, his hair shifting forward in a long shiny curtain of black. I couldn't see the thin braid he wore but I did see the white feather attached to the end of it, it's red tip hitting the side of the mattress. “I'm about done. The infection was quite invasive and a few more hours might have meant his death but we caught it just in time. He'll be fine.”

  “Do we have any idea who he is?” I looked the man over. He was just an average white guy, brown hair and a thin build covered by khakis and a button down shirt. Then I leaned in and got a good sniff. I got his scent quickly, it was tainted with fear, acrid and a bit delicious to my inner beasts. Over that though, were different scents, several of them. One in particular stuck out but I noted them all just in case they came in handy.

  “Justin Taylor,” Fallon reported and handed me the guy's wallet. “I don't believe he's connected to Cross Fire. The
y probably just grabbed him off the street.”

  “Okay,” I looked over the address and handed the wallet back to Fallon. “Can you see that he gets home to New York before wakes up?”

  “No problem,” Fallon nodded and went to lift Mr. Taylor out of bed.

  “Oh and Fallon?”

  “Yes, Tima?” He hefted the man and turned toward me.

  “After you take him home, I'd like you to go back to the memorial.”

  “No, I'll come back here, you'll need-”

  “Fallon,” I put a hand on his arm. “This was someone you respected and I know you want to be there to say goodbye. It's important to pay our respects and to be there for the dead as well as the living. Not for them but for ourselves. Go back to the service and give it your full attention. I have a lot of good people to help me, you don't need to worry about me.”

  “Yes, Tima,” he gave me a serious smile and carried Justin Taylor home. Hopefully Mr. Taylor would never know how close he came to starting a zombie apocalypse.

  “Good, now Kirill and I will go back to Johannesburg with Jared so he can show us where they dumped Mr. Taylor. We'll track them and I'll send Jared back to give you the location once we find them,” I said to Teharon. “Could you gather the others while we're gone?”

  “Of course,” Teharon gestured to the door, “let's finish this.”

  “Da, ve don't vant another Demeter situation,” Kirill said grimly.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  The area in front of Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg was still full of people. Normally, I don't like crowds. They make me nervous and twitchy. I freak out a little when people close in on me, pushing me and touching me. But this crowd was different.

  Kirill, Jared, and I just stood there for awhile, looking around us at the quality of people who had come to pay their respects to a great man. They weren't pushing each other, there were no anxious shoulders angling their way through the crowd. These people were singing, holding each other, hands reaching out in kindness and sympathy. Brown, black, white, or yellow, it didn't matter what color your skin was there, everyone mourned Mandela.