“It's fine,” I said. “The children are upstairs; swear all you want.”
Luke smiled wanly at me. “Thank you, but it's not in my nature.”
“The only time I've ever seen anything like this is...” I murmured.
“Yes?” Luke asked.
“It was in one of those altered timelines,” I said. “I had taken Blue's magic and become the Vampire Goddess.”
“Why do I find that so hot?” Azrael asked as he blinked in surprise.
“It was kind of,” I admitted.
“You killed Blue?” Odin asked. “And then what?”
“I had to kill his priests too,” I said. “But I didn't do it violently; I just cut them off from my magic. They died like that.” I pointed to Luke's phone.
“Cut off from your magic,” Luke murmured thoughtfully.
“Vampires are technically demigods,” Odin said. “They're dependent on their god for magic; as Froekn and Intare are.”
“Intare don't die like that,” I said. “Neither do Froekn.”
“They might if you killed them by cutting off their source of immortality,” Luke said. “But I feed my demons; I am their source, and I would never cut them off.”
“You're not their source when they're possessing a human,” Azrael reminded Luke. “That's the one time when they gather energy for themselves.”
Luke went very still; his gaze gone unfocused.
“Dad?” Azrael asked.
“During possession, my connection with my demons is at its weakest,” Luke whispered. “I'm sustaining their bodies for them while their souls wander. This thins my bond to their souls.”
“It looks as if someone has found a way to exploit that weakness,” I said.
“But why?” Azrael asked. “Why kill demons?”
We all looked at him with bland expressions; even Luke.
“Yeah, all right,” Azrael huffed. “But only humans think of demons like that; the Gods know that demons are just fellow Atlanteans—no different from themselves.”
“Then it's either a god who wants to hurt Luke,” Odin said.
“Or a human,” I finished.
We all stared at each other in horror.
Author's Note
There are fictional events within In the Nyx of Time that give an obvious nod to nonfictional ones. I've changed the location and the people associated with the Dakota Access Pipeline Protests to merge with my story properly, but I wanted to write a quick note to acknowledge that the event was real; we once again treated the Native people of America with horrible cruelty and indecency. Their common rights to clean water and good living conditions were threatened and when they tried to stand up for themselves, they were attacked. I don't want to get into the politics of this, but I do want to take this opportunity to say that I was deeply saddened that the pipeline was pushed through by the current administration. In my opinion, that was a dark day in our history; a day that evil won.
Grammar Giggles
And just for a little giggle, here are some grammar mistakes found by my editor Michelle Hoffman and by myself, during the editing of this book.
Correct Line: Wings come in handy for escaping exploding islands.
Giggle: Wings come in handy for escaping exploding idlands. —I don't know what an exploding idland is, but I think I'd like to avoid it.
Correct Line: “You have a way with words, Sun God,” I said softly. “Be careful how you use them next time.”
Giggle: “You have a way with words, Sung God,” I said softly. “Be careful how you use them next time.” One letter transformed an Egyptian into an Asian.
Correct Line: “Just long enough to say goodbye,” Blue's voice was getting faint.
Giggle: “Just long enough to say goodbye,” Blue's vice was getting faint. —Talk about ruining a poignant moment.
And please feel free to write me at [email protected] if you spot any grammar errors yourself. I'm a poor self-published author who must rely on the kindness of my super-smart friends for help in editing. Please have mercy on my writing.
Pronunciation Guide
A Thaisce: Ah Hash-keh
Aalish: A-lis
Aednat: Ey-nit
Aillidh: Ah-lee
Aion: E-on
Ameterasu: Ah-mah-ta-rah-soo
Aodh: Ee
Aoife: Ee-fa
Arach: Air-rock
Artair: Ar-ter
Bean-nighe: Ban-neeyah
Bean-sidhe: Ban-she
Bearach: BEH-ruck
Bodb Derg: Bo-hid Dar-rig
Bronagh: Bro-nah
Caitir:KAH-te-heer
Carus: Care-us
Ciaran: KEE-a-rawn
Cian: Key-an
Craigor: Kraeg-or
Credne: Creh-d-nyah
Danal: Dah-nal
Daoir: Daheer
Diarmat: DEER-mit
Drachleen-sidhe: Druch-leen Shee
Eilidh: Ael-ee
Ellingran: El-ING-rawn
Estsanatlehi(Mrs E): Es-tan-AHT-lu-hee
Farinne-sidhe: Fare-nya Shee
Fearghal: FAR-rell
Fionn: FYOON
Fionnuala: Finn-noo-lah
Fionnaghal: Fyoon-ghal-a
Froekn: Fro-kin
Gobniu: Guh-rev-nyew
Grainne: GRAW-nya
Granuaile: Graw-nya-wail
Gruach: Groo-ah
Guirmean: GOO-rah-man
Hachiman: Ha-chee-man
Huitzilopochtli: Weet-seal-oh-POACHED-lee
Intare: In-tar-ay
Isleen: Is-lean
Kanaloa: Kah-nah-low-ah
Kirill: Key-reel
Leannan-sidhe: Lah-nan Shee
Macaria: Ma-car-ree-ah
Meilyr: May-ler
Neala: NEE-ah-la
Nephthys: Nep-th-es
Nyavirezi: Nee-yah-veer-ez-ee
Nyx: Nix
Peig: Paeg
Raiseala: Rash-uh-lah
Roarke: ROAR-k
Ruari: Ro-ree
Scotaidh: SCO-tee
Shehaquim: Shah-ha-keem
Shinno: Sheh-no
Tairhail: Tah-vel
Taog: TOOK
Taran: TA-ran
Tima: Tee-mah
Tlaloc: T-la-lock
Tsohanoai(Mr. T): So-ha-noe-ayee
Vejasmate: Vay-hahs-mah-tee
Veve: Veh-vay
Vilkacis: Vill-ka-seas
Glossary of Characters
This character list was requested by a reader (you wanted it, you got it, from the most important to the bit characters). It's a bit mind boggling so I suggest you only use it for reference when you're confused. I have a separate pronunciation guide so you won't have to shift through all of this if you don't need to.
Aalish: (Alis) Queen of the Earth Kingdom.
Aba: Angel friend of Holly's.
Abaddon: The Destroyer. Angel of the Abyss, Lord of the Locusts.
Adele: Sabine's middle sister. Deceased.
Adriano: Lead guitarist for Dark Horses. Celtic horse-shifter.
Aednat: (Eye-nit) dragon-sidhe, Sabine's mother.
Aengus: Celtic God of Love, Youth, and Poetry. He's the son of Dagda.
Aidan: Intare (were-lion) pain in Vervain's ass... and everyone else's for that matter.
Aion: Greek God of Cyclical Time, the Zodiac, and the Constellations.
Akhlys: Greek Goddess of the Death Mist. Used by Eros in an attempt to murder Vervain.
Alder: Dark-sidhe of Sloth.
Amphitrite: Greek Goddess of the Sea, wife to Poseidon.
Angelica: Dark-sidhe of Fear.
Anna: Fire cat-sidhe, mother of Hunter.
Anubis: (Ah-new-biss) Egyptian God of the Dead. Lord
