A piteous scream came up from Nuit's gaping face. The flutter at the broken doors stopped and a cloud of bats dispersed and shape-shifted into six guards. But when they landed, and saw Nuit with Carlos growling over him, they hesitated.
"You were made from whose line?" one of the entities beyond the door shouted.
"I was made by Nuit," Carlos stood, breathing hard, as Nuit slithered into a corner to take cover, then he dropped Nuit's teeth and threw the bottom half of Nuit's jaw to them for inspection.
They sniffed the air, and sniffed Carlos from a distance, and then nodded.
"That's f**ked-up, man. You're a second, and did him like that - with Neteru running through him?" One of the assembled hit squad snarled a smile in Damali's direction and licked his lips.
"Don't even think about it," she whispered, her blade leveled in their direction.
"Wait till the boys hear this shit," another of the creatures beyond the door said with a chuckle. "Humph."
"We report to you, now, or what? You taking his New Orleans lair? This bitch, Nuit, ain't good for nothin' now, dude. Damn."
"I haven't decided yet," Carlos said slowly, and very cautiously.
"Need to let my bride finish Nuit off." He nodded at Damali. "Only reason I saved you some is 'cause you asked me to. You wanted his heart - cut it out."
"Damn, dat's cold," one of the vamps at the doors said, shaking his head and laughing. "Aw, man... this territory hit is going down in history, boss. Look at this shit; let a Neteru do him in his own lair as her first birthday present. Brother, what's your name? Just so I can say I was here."
"Rivera." Carlos nodded again, staring at Damali. "You wanted vengeance? Then do him."
She looked at the creatures at the doors, looked at Carlos, and glanced at the bleeding, cowering creature at Carlos's feet, which couldn't even beg for mercy. Black blood gurgled up where a plea might have been issued, and she took her time coming near the living carnage.
"She'll get a stomach for it," one called out from the cavern. "Give her time, man. She's fine, though... can see why you had to do him for her." It shrugged and pounded fists with the others. "If I was your rank, woulda done the same thing, man. It's all good."
"The longer you take, Damali, the longer this sonofabitch suffers. If you're gonna be a huntress, then hunt, Neteru. Or, if you want him to suffer, that's cool, too. Your choice, baby."
"You already put him down," she whispered, staring down at Nuit. "I've only done them while in the heat of battle - never like this."
"Then I want you to think about it this way - there are several women on the ground out there who I have to behead to be sure they don't wake up one night. I had to stand there and tell my brother I loved him and rip his heart out while I put a stake in it. I had to drive a stake through my boys' hearts, and it drove one through mine - trust me. And this motherfucker will reconstitute in a few days and come looking for you. Make a choice, Damali, like you said for the audience - make it fast."
She stood over Nuit and said a mental prayer. Carlos backed away. Then the prayer found her lips, and Carlos covered his ears while Nuit began to screech and smolder. The creatures in the hall hissed their discontent. And she asked that Nuit's soul be saved, sending him into the light till he caught flame. She waited, watching the slow fire, before she plunged Isis with her full weight behind it.
Weakened, the other vampires covered their mouths and shook their heads while dry heaving. Carlos leaned against the wall as Damali turned to all of them and narrowed her gaze on them.
"Damn... sister... that was cold. You didn't have to go there. Coulda let him have a little pride on the way out. A prayer? Deep."
"Fucked up, is what it was, for real for real. Burnt off the contact, too - damn, she blew my high behind that."
"Aw, man, brother - you got a cold woman on your hands. You got dat!"
"I still can't wait to tell the brothas how this hit went down, though. We be out, boss."
"You want this take-out cuisine left at your door, or do you need it for later, you know... after you and the lady hook up? Just asking, don't wanna to see good food go to waste. We can leave you one, as an appetizer?"
"Take 'em," Carlos murmured. "Just don't let them wake up and walk."
She stared at him as the beasts left the cavern entrance and half shut the broken doors. Smoldering ash remained, emitting sulfur in a slow, steady stream. Carlos sat down heavily on the end of the slab and studied his hands, cleaning them with his mind.
"I better take you to go find your team, and get you back onstage," he whispered.
"Yeah," she said quietly. "It's all done down here."
He shook his head, and glanced up at her. "Baby, it's never done down here."
"So, what are you going to do?"