you must repair the damage at home--even I do not have the power to rectify that."
"I appreciate all this, man, especially your steppin' away from your queen to school a brother.... I don't know if I would have been able to do that... like, you mighta seen me in the morning, feel me," Carlos said, chuckling sadly.
Ausar smiled and sheathed his blade. "I do feel you, as you say, but when you have sons... you will step away, especially if your queen has tears in her eyes for them. But it was not easy, I assure you--do not let it happen again."
Carlos laughed and raked his hair. "Say no more, I hear you. But I swear to you, man, even though I'm learning all this science, and appreciate it... there's still a part of me that wants to kick that motherfucker's ass soooo bad, I can't even tell you how much--since we're being honest."
"You do not have to explain, because we are both men." They stared at each other.
"I have been waiting a very, very long time to do that, myself." Carlos didn't blink. "I thought Cain was--"
"The bane of my brother, Adam's, existence." Ausar paced. "And he had the mark... so we all had to let it rest. However, if he transgresses once, and you hold your line, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to confer my sword upon you."
They held each other with steely respect in their silver glowing eyes.
"Set your household aright, young brother. Do not allow him to take your woman."
"Done!" A sense of complete outrage nearly made Carlos drop fang.
"Let 'em drop," Ausar roared. "If I had them, mine would, too! I am glad that you still have that capacity--you will need to match this challenger at every skill level, at every turn, at every potential advantage. That is why the Light allowed you to keep them!"
"They knew--"
"The All knows all."
Stunned, Carlos didn't reply, but watched rage on his behalf throttle the wise king brother before him.
"If Cain disintegrates your household against her will, I shall mount up Hannibal with Akhenaton and we will ride winged stallions into Nod so quickly to slaughter that half-demon bastard with you, if he . . ." Ausar began to pace as Carlos's fangs dropped to battle length. "Noooo... I do not care what Aset says about Eve's sensibilities on this issue." He stopped and wiped his hands down his face, unsuccessfully attempting to garner control. "Adam cannot be involved in this, but me? Oh, my brother, my brother, my brother, you just do not know. Learn from what he has shown you; quickly gather it into your arsenal."
Although totally ready for a posse assault, the thing that most shocked Carlos was the fact that the kings, plural, had his back. Now this was squad.
"Do you know how long it has been since I have been to war?" Ausar asked, slowly unsheathing his blade and gazing at it with unvarnished affection. "Do you know how badly we have wanted to go into Nod and just be done with it? How many warriors we could resurrect from all our armies of old, simply by sowing the dragon's teeth?" He shuddered and put the blade away and stared at Carlos. "When the gates of Hell opened briefly, I thought Aset might have to chain me to the wall, the temptation to call to arms was so great."
"Next time, man," Carlos said, breathing hard from the sudden testosterone rush. He extended his fist for Ausar to pound, but Ausar grabbed his forearm in a warrior's handshake and brought him into a hard embrace.
"Get her back the old-fashioned way," Ausar said and let him go without breaking eye contact. "Handle your affairs so that we do not have to step in and do so, thereby creating havoc within each one of our palaces, or defying a direct command from On High. But should he come for her, or you, violating her choice . . ." Ausar shook his head. "We go to war."
"We go to war," Carlos repeated. "Thanks for having my back."
"We cover your back, your front, and your flank," Ausar rumbled. "But the ultimate choice remains hers."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
D amali stood at the tingling border of violet pyramid light. A gentle shove from her queens sent her into its brilliant glare. She called out to Cain three times as her form dissolved into radiant energy. It was imperative that he met her, knew that she was on her way. He