Page 52 of Deathless
“Alright, I’m going.” I kneeled in front of Tezca, meeting those golden eyes that seemed to carry all the wisdom in the universe. He returned my stare calmly, waiting as I braced myself with a deep breath.
“I’m asking you to possess me,” I said to the jaguar god. “I give my consent for you to use me as a vessel.”
For what purpose?Tezca’s voice breezed over my skin and spoke directly inside my head.
“For the purpose of killing a destructive god,” I answered. “And to return Aurora to us safely.”
A new sensation came over me then, one that was strange and a little uncomfortable, but not painful. Something pricked my skin, like it was trying to get inside of me through my pores. Something entered my mouth, funneling its way down my throat. The same thing entered my sinuses, then my brain. I felt a gentle pressure on my eyeballs, and then blinked at a gritty feeling like sand or dust.
My occupation of you is temporary, Tezca said, now entirely inside my head.I will only control your functions and perform my abilities when necessary. Even with me along for the ride, your free will remains intact.
I blinked several times until the grittiness cleared from my eyes. My palms were planted on the ground, as were my knees. Like an animal, I was on all fours on the ground.
I sat back on my ass, meeting Devin and Hudson’s bewildered expressions.
“Well, that was the freakiest shit I’ve ever seen in my life,” Devin remarked.
“What happened?” I demanded.
“Tezca disintegrated into, like, this smoky form, and you basically absorbed him.” Hudson nodded at Torr. “Same for him.”
Torr and I looked at each other, then looked around. The dove and the jaguar were nowhere to be seen.
“How do you feel?” Torr asked.
“Alright. You?”
“Yeah. Pretty much the same.” He placed his hand on his chest, then cocked his head like he was listening to something. “Astarte’s like, ‘What did you expect? This is real life, not a movie.’”
“Hah.” I did feel normal, if even good. I felt sharp, alert, strong. Like right before a good fight in the pit.
There was something else there, a subtle presence other than myself if I paid close enough attention.
“I can feel Tezca in here.” My hand came to my chest, much like Torr’s gesture. “He’s quiet, though. Almost lurking.”
Torr snorted. “Astarte isnotlurking. She is making her presence very well known. No wonder Rori can’t stand her.” He brought a hand to his temple and squeezed his eyes shut. “Okay, okay, okay. Sorry, geez.” He didn’t elaborate on what the dove goddess had said, probably for good reason.
“So that’s it, then. We good to go?”
Devin and Hudson nodded. “Ready when you two are.”
Torr and I gave one last look at each other. “Let’s get our girl back.”
And eliminate this unhinged god killing our sons and daughters.A low feline growl rippled over my mind. It took a moment to realize it was an audible, physically made sound too, not just in my head.
“Whoa, Tezca.” Devin held a palm up. “Easy.”
I rubbed my throat, wondering how he was able to make that noise through me. “This vengeful god’s ready to kick some ass.”
With that, and a final nod from Torr, the four of us mounted up and hit the road.
Stay strong, paloma.I focused the thought toward the horizon as we sped toward our destination.We’re coming for you.
17
TORRANCE
It was fucking weird, having a god just hanging out with me under my skin. The best I could describe was that sense of someone sitting near you, maybe behind you or just over your shoulder. You couldn’t see them but you couldfeelthem there. That was what it felt like, only inside of me.
