Wrath: Sin-Eaters

By Lynn Chantale

 

Xochiti has a mate he wasn't ready to claim. Now that Wrath has found her, he must make a decision. Claim her or watch the rage consume her.

 

Scorned, the last thing Selma wants is a commitment. However, denying Xochiti has always been a problem and now that he knows her secret, the Fury of Wrath may be the undoing of them all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The House of Lynn, LLC.
• Release date: Mar 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393122760

Book preview

Prologue

Maldita sea al infierno—Damn it to hell! Huemac slammed his fist down on the table. No matter what obstacle he threw at Tialoc, he always managed to thwart his attacks. That human-loving god was going to pay for everything, including taking his hand and his throne. Once he claimed Izel, he would be a full god and have the same abilities

He paused. Would a claiming work even though Izel was not his true mate? His heart stuttered on true mate. Grief assaulted him and he wrestled it back to the deep, dark pit where it belonged. He would not think about her. He had to focus on the goddess who would help him achieve his goals.

Izel’s pure blood would turn him wholly into a god. Not this less than demi-god status. He paced around the room. That bothered him too. Why couldn’t he fully access this body’s power when his nemesis had? There had to be something he was missing.

Huemac had taken the Athame of Souls and used it to not only kill his true mate, Metzli, but swapped souls with the real Emperor God Moctezuma. Huemac believed by placing his soul in Moctezuma’s body he’d have access to all of his powers and abilities. So far all he could manage were incantations with the magick dust he’d stolen from the Sacred Temples and very little else.

In the ensuing chaos Moctezuma trapped in Huemac’s body was imprisoned in the enchanted dungeon while Huemac, in Moctezuma’s body was being ousted from the throne, by Tialoc and the rest of the Sin-Eaters.

Sin-Eaters indeed. he spat the words. He’d opened the tlaxolli or sin box in a bid to keep the gods occupied. Now with one sin returned to the box, he had to think of a way to keep the others from the same fate.

A sneer curled his lip. Maybe he would resurrect the sacred temple of Tialoc and use it as his own. The Sin-Eaters no longer believed in human sacrifices, but Huemac did and he wouldn’t mind using Tialoc’s mate as the first.

He was sure Izel would appreciate that. He crossed to a window and stared out over the valley. Bright fingers of light stretched across the horizon. Trees and mountains glowed as if backlit by fire.

That was another thing, as a full god he would be able to summon and conjure at will. No more magick dust for him. Although when he used it to disappear, it did add a bit of mystique. He frowned. There was one drawback of not being able to summon anyone he wanted—he would be able to snap his fingers and Tialoc appear. Huemac straightened. Maybe there was a way to undo that. He dipped two fingers into the pouch at his waist.

Izel. He waited a beat. Izel. Where was that goddess anyway?

A shiver of electricity raised the hairs on his arms. His cold smile deepened as he readied the magic dust. Forcing her to his will was getting harder and harder. He would need to find a more permanent solution.

Pink mist preceded a woman with short pink and white curls, and almond-butter skin shimmered into view. Izel wore a scowl on her pretty face. The goddess, stood a few inches taller than him. Today she wore a long leather coat, black knee-high boots, gray pants and a white tunic with a wide gold belt at the waist. A quiver and bow was slung over her right shoulder.

What? She planted her fists on her hips. Do you know how hard it is to sneak away? Tialoc is suspicious and Yaotl nearly caught me the last time I came to see you. He saw the incantation to heal your hand.

Huemac grabbed her by the shoulders. Before she could defend herself, he tossed the dust in her face. She went limp against him as he whispered the incantation to control her.

He pressed a cruel kiss to her mouth. She shoved him away, but it lacked any real power. Instead she scowled. I am serious.

So am I. I know you can handle this and if Yaotl gets too close, you know what to do.

For a moment something fierce and feral flickered in her irises. Huemac touched the pouch. Should he hit her with more?

Of course I do, but he knows more about ancient magick than I do. He and Alt studied together. She dragged shaky fingers through her hair, dislodging her short curls.

He pulled her to him, angling back to maintain eye contact. You know what you’re doing. There is one more incantation, or rather a reversal I need you to find. Izel combed her fingers through his hair and he sighed at the simple gesture.

What?

When Tialoc and I were children, our parents prevented him from being able to summon me at will. I want to reverse that.

She nodded. Depending on which incantation they used, I can search through Alt’s stuff and see if he has a counter spell. I’ am hesitant to go back to the library unless I know Yaotl is otherwise occupied. I am sure he has to know you have both hands now and he will know it was me.

Huemac cradled her face, loving that he once again had both hands. I told you, you have nothing to fear. We are in this together. He held her gaze, read a sadness and hurt he hadn’t seen before. The emotion tugged at his heart. I want to talk to you about the claiming, Izel.

She stared him in the eye a moment before looking away. How can you even believe in something like that right now? A claim is permanent. Is it not enough to know we’ are mates?

He studied her for a long moment. She should’ve been more receptive to the idea of him claiming her. After all he did use her to sate his lust. Maybe her soul recognized him for who he was? He dismissed the possibility. The souls didn’t matter as long as he could get her blood.

Even though you desired Tialoc? She flinched beneath his scrutiny. You did not think I knew that.

Izel shifted in his embrace, but he held tight. It was never like that.

He threaded his fingers through her hair and drew her head back. Aw, my love, you cannot hide the way you feel. Like right now. What is bothering you?

She pushed him away, He allowed her, narrowing his gaze when she paced from one side of the room to the other. Her steps were quick and sure as she nibbled on the side of her thumb. The nail jagged and bitten to the quick.

You took the human woman.

I did.

Izel swung around and faced him. What game are you playing, Huemac?

He flinched as if he’d been struck. Yes, I am Huemac, but you will not tell anyone else.

No, I will not. Her voice was sullen and flat.

He stared her straight in the eyes. Intelligence and fury burned in the depths, but she could do nothing about it. His incantation would hold and she would not tell his secret.

I think it is time we used that temper of yours to distract your colleagues. Find Xochiti. When you find him, make him burn with fury.

* * *

Wrath Could Destroy Them All

Xochiti slipped his sword back into its scabbard and brushed a film of grit from his face. He peered around the throne room of the Pantheon with wary eyes. Shadows clung to the floor-to-ceiling marble pillars. Broken chunks of limestone littered the stone floor. The thick blue tapestry along the wall to his right hung askew. The picture of a feathered serpent god rising from the Underworld seemed to play over and over again. Distracted by the movement, he paused in front of the velvet.

The image blurred and reformed to an earlier battle. Flames so real Xochiti expected to smell smoke poured from the nasty-looking lizard. There he was throwing fire from his fists at the beast. A smirk creased his lips. That was some pretty fine work. He drifted his gaze beyond the battle with the conjured myth to a fallen box.

Light poured from the wood container. Each time a god moved a glow enveloped them. Each of the gods, Sin-Eaters had a glow of white light . Except for Moctezuma, the aura surrounding him was a sickly gray-green. Xochiti frowned. This