Warriors of Poseidon 03 - Atlantis Unleashed

petition to the greatness of Poseidon, and not very often.”
    “Your sea god is a puny weakling compared to the glory of Anubisa,” Gultep‟can sneered.
    “I know your goddess, up close and personal,” Justice said with loathing. “But we can play „my god is greater than your goddess‟ later. Right now, you have ten seconds to bring me that girl, alive and unharmed, or you are all going to face the true death on the eleventh.”
    Gultep‟can‟s eyes flickered just enough for Justice to realize that he was buying the bluff.
    “Bring the girl,” Gultep‟can ordered. “I am the mighty Gultep‟can and I proposed this bargain, and so I do decree that it will be so.”
    Yeah, way to save face. But Justice didn‟t care how it happened, so long as it happened. For now, the vamps were keeping a healthy distance. Clearly they‟d heard what had happened to their buddies the night before.
    But that wouldn‟t last long if he didn‟t back up his threats with action. And the problem was that he just didn‟t know if the shock wave would kill Eleni, too, if he released its power. Last night it had only killed vamps, but had that been a fluke? Until he could fully understand and control his new, unified powers, he would not risk her life. If she still had a life to risk.
    Finally, his mental countdown at nine seconds, he heard the most wonderful sound in the world. Eleni‟s tiny voice.
    “Señor Justice! You came! I knew you‟d come!”
    One of the vamps came out of the entrance, dragging her by her thin dress, and then let her go at a gesture from Gultep‟can. She ran toward Justice as fast as her little legs could carry her and jumped into his arms. He hugged her quickly and then put her down at his left side so his sword arm was free.
    She trustingly slipped her hand in his and looked up at him. “When you make the beautiful waterspouts, can I watch?”
    He squeezed her hand. “Eleni, I don‟t have time for games right now. You are going to head back to the village for me, over that ridge, okay?” He pointed up the slope exactly at the point where Keely and Alejandro lay, hidden from view.
    “But I want to stay and help,” she said.
    Justice tried to be patient with the traumatized child in spite of the fact that dozens of vamps were skulking closer and closer to them. He put the stone in her hand and folded her fingers over it.
    “You are a very brave girl, but you can help me most by doing what I ask. Give this to Keely for me, Eleni. It‟s very important. Now, please go and find—”
    “Keely and Alejandro, yes, I know. They‟re right over that hill,” she said artlessly, tightly holding on to the stone. “Will they let me help load the shotguns?”
    Her innocent question, born of her psychic gift, galvanized the vampires like a lightning strike through water.
    “You dare to try to betray our bargain?” Gultep‟can roared. “Kill them!”
    “Run, now , Eleni,” Justice shouted over the din. “I‟ll protect you while you get away. Run! ”
    Eleni ran. He barred the way to her, sword flashing and striking death into any vamp who tried to get past him. He fought like he‟d never fought before, but there were too many. They came at him from all sides, striking and biting and clawing, and soon he bled from a score of wounds, but he managed to keep any of them from following Eleni.
    “We‟re here!” Keely‟s voice rang out and Justice saw her step out from behind a tree, shotgun braced against her shoulder. “Eleni, come to me! Run faster!”
    Gultep‟can screamed out commands and his minions went running in every direction. “Get her! Get the child! Kill Justice before he can bring the earth‟s anger again!”
    Four of them rushed Justice, grabbing him by each of his arms and legs and sinking four sets of fangs into him. He threw back his head and howled out his pain and rage, but they were vampire strong, and he was bleeding from dozens of wounds. Four against one was too much.
    Yet another wrenched his sword out of his grasp, but the hilt set the bloodsucker‟s hand on fire and the flames rushed up its body until it was a stinking pile of ash with a sword lying on top of it.
    Justice watched in anguish as more of them started up the hill toward Keely and Eleni.
    “Keely,” he roared. “Get out of here.”
    Eleni reached Keely as he watched and immediately dropped into a ball at Keely‟s feet. The thunder of shotgun fire boomed out; first once, then twice, and Justice saw