Vampires Need Not...Apply

Chapter Doce

After two days of sitting beside Antonio’s dead body, Ixtab had reached her threshold of despair and went out to cleanse the negative energy flowing in her veins. Not every vampire transformation ended successfully, and the thought of Antonio dying brought her right back to the night of Francisco’s deathbed when she’d helplessly watched his body succumb to the poison he’d ingested. It had been too much to bear then, and it was too much watching a near replica die once more. Ixtab’s cells burst at the seams with sadness, and unfortunately, she couldn’t find sufficient country-club members at that hour, so she had to go after a few less-charismatic creatures. Park services were going to have about one hundred trees to replant in the spring.

Exhausted and needing to lie down, Ixtab made her way to the penthouse. Voices poured into the hallway, bantering back and forth as she stepped off the elevator.

Zac. It was Zac. What the hell is he doing here? she wondered, listening through the door.

“Penelope,” he said, “you are being ridiculous. Kinich does not care for you like I do. I would never toss you aside like that.”

“I love Kinich, and that’s not going to change.”

“Did he tell you his bond broke?”

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“When he was in Sedona, that night he became a vampire, I spent hours with him. He told me his bond with the Universe had broken. He has been free for some time now, no longer a slave to humanity’s well-being.”

“So, what are you saying?” Penelope asked.

“I’m saying that again and again, even before he became a vampire, he had the choice to stay with you, to put you first, but he didn’t. He tossed you aside.”

“Yes. It’s true; he put humankind first before his own wants and needs, but that makes him a hero,” she argued.

“No. It makes him selfish. He can’t stand the thought of letting someone else save the day because he wants the glory all for himself.”

Silence.

“I would have found a way,” Zac said, “not to hurt you and to do my job. My brother is a blind fool for letting you go. And regardless of if he wakes up, he will always hurt you again because he will never put you first.”

Ouch. He’s going for Penelope’s jugular, Ixtab thought, unable to believe Zac’s cruelty.

“I can’t help how I feel, Zac. I just can’t.”

“Yes, you can. Look at me,” Zac commanded.

Uh-oh…

“What are you doing, Zac?” Penelope whimpered.

“You will forget him, Penelope. You want to be with m—”

Ixtab burst through the door. “Zac, stop.”

Zac’s turquoise eyes broke with Penelope’s absent gaze and then fixed on Ixtab.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ixtab growled.

He looked at Penelope and released her. “We were talking.”

“Like hell you were.” Ixtab stormed between the two, careful not to touch Penelope. She removed her veil to stare up into her brother’s irate face. “You were using your gift on her, weren’t you?”

“No. It’s okay, Ixtab,” Penelope said from behind.

Zac was a good foot taller and infinitely stronger, but Ixtab had other gifts. Ones her brothers and sisters knew not to mess with. And she didn’t mean knitting.

Ignoring Penelope, Ixtab stood on her tiptoes. “You weren’t just talking, and we both know it.”

Zac made a little shrug and crossed his arms over his chest.

“How long have you known your gift?” Ixtab asked.

He smiled and his eyes twinkled. No wonder Penelope couldn’t resist him. His smell. His body. He was like honey and human women were like bees. How could they, the gods, have missed it? Zac’s attractiveness and magnetism were ten times that of any normal deity, which said a lot considering how humans threw themselves at the gods. But Zac, he had an extra helping of irresistibility.

“Zac, go home. Now!” Ixtab commanded.

“I’m not leaving without Penelope. I love her, and she’s mine,” he said.

“No. You want to possess her. That’s not love. And if you try to take her, then you’ll have to go through me, and it won’t be pretty.” Ixtab raised her hands, and Zac backed away.

“Then you’ll go down with me if you use your powers against my will,” he said smugly.

Ixtab shrugged. “Ask me if I give a rat’s ass. Remember, I’ve got nothing to lose, and I hate my role. Let them banish me and take away my powers. It would be the vacay I’ve been praying for.”

To prove her point, she swiped at Zac’s chest.

Zac jumped back and growled as he turned for the front door. “This isn’t over, Ixtab.” He slammed the door behind him.

Ixtab swiped her veil and covered her head before turning to Penelope. “You okay?”

Penelope shook her head and placed her hand over her stomach. “I don’t know. I don’t feel… right.”

“It’ll wear off in a few hours.” Ixtab turned and glared at the front door.

Idiot. She’d have to bring this up at the next summit. Zac had gone too far. Not only had he known his gift and not told the others, but he used it on Penelope without permission. This was a violation of their most sacred law. Yep, right up there with no time travel. And wearing pants at the summit table. Okay, maybe that last one isn’t sacred, but it should be.

Penelope turned and headed for the door. “I need to go after him. I need to talk to Zac—”

“Penelope, it’s not real. Zac used his powers on you and likely has been doing it for a while.”

Penelope reached the door, ignoring Ixtab, and pulled the handle.

“Zac isn’t the God of Love as we suspected, he’s the God of Temptation,” Ixtab blurted out. “And I’d bet my best pair of flip-flops, he compelled Kinich to want your blood more than anything on the planet.”

“I did what you asked, Cimil. And not only didn’t it work, but Ixtab discovered us.” Zac stared out the tinted window from the back of the limo at the passing cars, talking into his phone.

“Hmmm. That does sound like a furry pickle,” Cimil replied.

“This isn’t a fucking joke! I’ve lost her. And I’ll be tried for treason. This is all your fucking fault. Why the hell did I listen to you?”

“Roberto! The microwave is beeping!” Cimil cleared her throat. “Sorry, Zac, my potpie is ready. Where was I?”

Cimil was so damned lucky he didn’t know where she was. Otherwise, he’d go there now and squeeze the life right out of her.

“Let me think. I’ve lost the only woman I’ve ever loved!” Zac bellowed. “That’s where we fucking were! And after seventy thousand years, I finally discovered my gift only to face banishment. Oh yeah. And they’ll strip away my powers!”

“Banishment? Strip power? That sounds awful. What the heck did you do?” she asked.

She was going to play the “I’m Stupid” game, was she? “I’m going to kill you, Cimil. And then, when you get a new body, I’ll kill you again.”

“Now, now, brother. Calm down. You don’t see Minky getting in a tizzy when things don’t go her way.”

“Minky is a unicorn.” Strangle, strangle, strangle her…

“Shhhh… She might hear you. Minky thinks she’s a vampire who turns into a bat. How else would she be able to fly? Anyhooooo, the truth is that I didn’t want to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” he asked.

“The truth. I didn’t want to tell you the truth.”

“Which is?” he asked reluctantly.

“Roberto! Potpie! Now!” Cimil barked and then returned to her conversation. “You think a vampire with that sort of hearing would get that the microwave’s beckoning him to bring me my savory snack.”

“Cimiiil? Truth!” Zac growled.

“Truth? Truth? Oh, shucks. Where did I put it this time? Hold on, brother. Now let me see… Oh, look! I found an original bionic man doll!”

Zac heard clanks and crashing in the background.

“Where the hell are you, Cimil?”

“Popping tags with Roberto,” she replied.

“Popping what?” he asked.

Cimil growled. “You shame Macklemore—I’m at a thrift store. Where else would a goddess find a microwave for her potpie and new pair of pink hot pants? And a Lee Majors doll! Score!”

Zac felt his face simmer with red-hot anger. “I’m going to hunt you. Then I’m going to rip out your—”

“Truth! I found it! Here is it. The truth is that everything is going according to plan,” she said.

“You mean I won’t be tried for treason? I still have a chance to win Penelope away from that prick of a brother?”

“No. Not that plan. The other plan.”

What the fuck? “Mind explaining.” Now Zac wanted to retch.

“Yes. I mind. But I will tell you this: everything will work out as it should, brother. Now, do you remember when I told you to make sure you had a safe place to hide and to tell no one of its whereabouts? Where is it?” she asked.

“I’m not telling you anything.” No. He’d never trust Cimil again. And if it was the last thing he did, he’d make her pay.

“Fine. Be that way. Where’s the love? Seriously. All right, go to your hiding place and stay there until you are found.”

“Who’s going to find me?” he asked.

“Well, I am, silly,” she replied. “Do you think I’d let you get away with what you’ve done? Tootles.”

“But I did what you—!” The call ended and Zac had the distinct feeling that he’d just been duped into doing Cimil’s evil handiwork. Maybe he should go to his brethren and confess immediately before things got any worse. Wouldn’t they understand this situation? He couldn’t help that he loved Penelope, and he’d be damned to simply stand by and watch that son-of-a-bitch Kinich break her heart over and over again.

Gods fucking dammit. This situation was beyond screwed. Because now Penelope hated him.

“Driver, to the airport, please. The international terminal.” Zac would never forgive Cimil for this. Ever.