"Sebastian's twisted mind, his evil thoughts, to poison and skew how you think... clouding perspective and blocking reason," Nefertiti continued, undaunted. "Genghis Khan's warring nature to make you and the team battle yourselves re lentlessly ... the war within a household can never be won... and then they added Siren's voice to block the voice of reason, to make you say things that could not be withdrawn once said, to beckon couples to seek solace on far shores ... anywhere but home."
"This is what they would have visited upon your house hold, Queen sister," Eve said, rage kindling in her eyes. "But you were strong; it backfired on them because your household was on firm foundation when this foul wind blew against it. The pearl, bless her, was grieving so heavily at the time that most of it went right into her." Aset nodded and swept around the table to sit on her throne. "They miscalculated and thought you and Carlos would be the ones mourning greatest, possibly having no knowledge of your oracle's heartbreak as a magnet. They also forgot about the one-flesh reality, and never suspected you to come to the sea touching your husband to douse your necklace. They would have made your necklace a carrier of this nasty spell into your household... right around your very throat."
"You know whaaaat?" Damali said, cocking her head to the side. "We oughta hand deliver this mess right back to Lilith's door and let it explode in her realm. I know them bitches down there couldn't shake this if they wanted to."
An angry grin slowly dawned on Eve's face. "Sealed in a prayer that whoever sent it should have it back tenfold ..."
"Praying that whatever they prayed for Damali, they should also have back, many-fold ... karma," Lady Fu Hao said in a dangerous whisper.
"A household breach, the old-fashioned way," Nzinga called out, grabbing Penthesileia's forearm in a warrior's grasp as the Amazon threw back her head and released a war cry.
"Bring her house down," Nefertiti said between her teeth. "A house divided cannot stand. Now that the first seal has been broken, we can breach their realm, if reprisal warrants -
and this does!"
"They have sown the dragon's teeth!" Penthesileia yelled. Chalchihuitlcue drove a dagger into the black-box so that Damali could hear the twisting, fighting tentacles scream. I'll cut off sections to bomb every level."
"Every level?" Aset asked.
Damali nodded. "Yeah."
CHAPTER NINE
She couldn't stop it. Didn't want to stop it. Once her Ama n Queen sister threw her head back and released a bat tle cry, the fight command had popped off so fast and so furiously that it felt like a lightning bolt tore through her sys tem. Call Carlos how? She was in battle fury's grip. It was go ing down. Every indignity that Eve felt, she'd experienced. All of it threatened Damali's sanity. By
any means necessary; no justice, no peace - until Lilith felt her household violated and crushed the same way she'd come after hers; it was on!
Damali stood in the Black Forest clearing with her three Queen sisters, Eve, Nzinga, and Penthesileia. They'd brought her to the last place Lilith's essence had scored topside, hop
ing that Damali could use her past experience to open the chasm of Hell.
"No problem," Damali muttered, walking around studying the charred earth. "Harpies and scythe-bearers opened it right here." She squatted for a moment, putting her hand over the sealed crevice. 'They locked up shop, but I know how to get 'em to open the door." She stood up quickly. "Stand back, take cover, and when the first funnel forms - or when demons slither over the edge - let her rip, Nzinga.
That will get us down to at least Levels One and Two. I just hope the spell vaccination Lady Fu Hao gave us works."
"It will work, she is the best at counteracting forces of Darkness that have been delivered through potions and evil elixirs," Nzinga said, lifting her chin higher. Damali backed up from the site, keeping her eyes on the ground. "Yeah ... whatever she gave us was strong enough to make me see silver and make my cycle go off. Girlfriend ain't no joke. So, let's do this."
The older Queens nodded, but Eve hesitated. "What if Lilith comes up in the funnel? I want her head."
"Lilith won't come up in this funnel," Damali said with a tight, angry smile. "Because I'm not calling that bitch."
The Queens shared confused glances as Damali leaned back, took a deep breath, and began yelling.
"Fallon! Fallen Nuit! Bring your punk ass up here and fight like a man!"
* * *
fallon stood up from his throne so quickly that he al most toppled it. Lilith and Sebastian hissed.
"It could be a trick, Fallon," Lilith screeched. "Be still and listen, send up - "
"It's Sebastian's potion," Fallon said in an even tone that barely concealed his excitement. Sebastian weakly nodded with a smug expression. "So, it would appear that my work was not all for naught, then? It would stand to reason that she'd call ... the first real master vampire she knew, descended now to council level - after her human Neteru was depleted." He leaned forward, his gaze narrowed on Lilith. "Potions are delicate chemistry and take time to snake their way into the human system. Listen to her frantic calls above."
"With Cain gone, her last near-vampire lover," Fallon said, sweeping away from the table with a flourish and star-mg at the vaulted ceiling, "who would be able to satisfy her proclivities more than I?" His vision became laserlike as he stared at the swirling funnel cloud of transport bats. "Look at her," he murmured. "Eyes wild, her blade raised, fury making her tremble, and my name on her gorgeous mouth." He closed his eyes for a moment. "And you ask me to wait... after losing her twice?"
"Do as you like!" Lilith screeched. "I sense a setup, but have no problem in using your worthless carcass for cannon fodder, Fallen."
Nuit tilted his head with his eyes closed. "Listen to the distress in her beacon." He drew in a slow breath. "She said, 'After Cain, how dare you leave me like this.'"