Reign Of Gods (Book #1 in 'Vampire God Trilogy') [COMPLETED]

Chapter 3

Lilith.

The name brought Cian flashes of memories, a hundred lifetimes past. He could still see her, smell her, still feel that sudden, horrified thrill in the instant she‟d taken his life.

He could still taste her blood, and what had come into him with it. The
dark, dark gift. His world had changed. And he‟d been given the privilege-or the curse-of watching worlds change over countless decades.

Hadn‟t he known something was coming? Why else had he been
sitting alone in the middle of the night, waiting? What nasty little twist of fate had sent his brother-or the brother of the man he‟d once been-across time to speak her name?

Finally Cian Said ,"Well, now you have my attention."

"You must come back with me, prepare for the battle." replied Hoyt.

"Back? To the twelfth century?" Cian let out a short laugh as he leaned
back in his chair. "Nothing, I promise you, could tempt me. I like the
conveniences of this time. The water runs hot here, Hoyt, and so do the
women. I‟m not interested in your politics and wars, and certainly not in your gods."

"The battle will be fought, with or without you, Cian."

"Without sounds perfectly fine."

"You‟ve never turned from battle, never hidden from a fight."

"Hiding wouldn‟t be the term I‟d use," Cian said easily. "And times
change. Believe me."

"If Lilith defeats us, all you know will be lost in this time, for all time.
Humankind will cease to be."

Cian angled his head. "I‟m not human."

"Is that your answer?" Hoyt strode forward. "You‟ll sit and do nothing
while she destroys? You‟ll stand by while she does to others what she did to you? While she kills your mother, your sisters? Will you sit there while she turns Nola into what you are?"

"They‟re dead. Long dead. They‟re dust."

Hadn‟t he seen their graves?

He hadn‟t been able to stop himself from going back and standing over their stones, and the stones of those who‟d come after them.

"Have you forgotten all you were taught? Times change, you say. It‟s
more than change. Could I be here now if time was solid? Their fate is not set, nor is yours. Even now our father is dying, yet I left him. I will never see him alive again."

Slowly Cian got to his feet. "You have no conception of what she is,
what she is capable of. She was old, centuries old, when she took me. You
think to stop her with swords and lightning bolts? You‟re more fool than I remember."

"I think to stop her with you. Help me. If not for humanity, then for
yourself. Or would you join her? If there‟s nothing left of my brother in you, we‟ll end this between us now."

Hoyt drew his sword.

For a long moment, Cian studied the blade, considered the gun in his
hand. Then he slipped the weapon back in his pocket. "Put your sword away. Christ, Hoyt, you couldn‟t take me one-on-one when I was alive."

Challenge, and simple irritation, rushed into Hoyt‟s eyes. "You didn‟t
fare very well the last time we fought."

"True enough. It took me weeks to recover. Hiding around in caves by
day, half starving. I looked for her then, you know. Lilith, who sired me. By night, while I struggled to hunt enough food to survive. She abandoned me. So I‟ve a point to square with her. Put the damn sword away."