The place was in ruins. She couldn't believe how much had changed since she had been dead.
At first, when she awoke, she remembered nothing. Not her name, her age, what year she was in or even what country. She couldn't recall the cream colored dress she was wearing nor how her hair had been placed in a perfect braid. Had she done that?
Then, slowly, Santa Sangre brought everything back to her.
She knew her name and she knew where she was but, not why she had been led here. She remembered the horrible things that had taken place inside of it. Her brothers' transformation and her father's death. She remembered being with the Gecko brothers and only feeling safe when Richard was near and the betrayal when he chose Santanico over them.
The bar had been burned and the temple below it left in ash but, slowly she walked the labyrinth of halls as if she had always known where to go, as if she had always been here. She didn't stumble as she moved through the dark passageways deeper into the depths of the temple. The lower she went, the less burnt the walls were and the smell of burning flesh ceased.
A shuffling in the darkness made her turn.
"Who's there?" she called. Her voice echoing back to her. Another moment and she heard shuffling again. She was not frightened. She felt assured, almost safe.
"Por favor ayúdenos diosa," (please help us goddess) came the crackling voice of a woman. Slowly a small hunched over creature came shuffling out of the shadows.
The creature was obviously a vampire. Her body was nude except for the places where she had been burned horribly. She stared at the young woman with awe.
"Te conozco. Viniste con los hermanos Gecko," (I know you. You came with the gecko brothers.)
Kate shook her head as the more creatures shuffled into the walkway. They all were naked and burned badly. They had been the dancers here but, now they were broken and burned. Kate felt a stab of pity for them. Though they were in their Culebra form Kate could feel tears sting their eyes. Anyone could see that they were looking at Kate for help, not for food.
It shocked her but, Kate realized she could speak fluent Spanish and spoke to the Culebra with kindness and ease.
"Yes. I came with the Geckos but, now I don't know why I am here," she said in perfect Spanish. The Culebra nodded her head in sympathy.
"You have been chosen," she said pointing a scorched and wrinkled finger at Kate.
"Chosen?"
"By Santa Sangre. You are blessed," replied the Culebra. The others around her seemed to nodded and mutter in approval.
Kate couldn't understand why she had been chosen. As she lay there telling her brother and Richard how she truly felt with her last breath, she had accepted her fate. Now she was risen again like Jesus Christ and for what? She felt the power of the Santa Sangre running through her but, what did it mean?
"You are confused?" asked the Culebra.
"I don't know what this all means," replied Kate in a whisper. For the first time since she had risen, she was frightened.
"You must find the hermanos Geckos. They will show you the way," replied the creature. Kate's mind whirled as she watched them fade into the shadows. Slowly she made her way back up to the surface. She knew she would have to face her brother, Seth and Richard once again but, first she needed answers and only one ranger could know how to help her.
Freddie felt his blood run cold when he opened the door later that night and saw Kate Fuller standing in his doorway. She wore a funeral shroud dress and smelled as if she hadn't bathed in months. "Freddie?" she said. He blinked several times. Had she become a Culebra? No, Richard said she had been shot. But how? He and Margaret had moved six months ago to get away from the craziness of the Geckos but it seemed they hadn't moved far enough.
"How is this possible? You're dead!" Freddie hissed.
"Babe! You coming to bed?" came the voice of his wife in the other room. Freddie cussed under his breath.
"I'll be there in a minute Maggie," he called.
"Please, I can explain," Kate said holding her hands up. Freddie could see her looking aroundas if confused.
"How did you get here?" he asked looking around the street and driveway for a car.
"I don't know," she replied.
In the end Freddie allowed Kate into the house to explain her side of the story, however, he kept his pistol in his hands loaded with wooden bullets, just in case his instinct was wrong.
It was almost a half hour later when Kate had finished her story. Margaret Gonzalez had joined her husband and unexpected guest in the living room. By now she was one hundred percent clear on her husband's role in this new world.
"Wait, you said you were at the Twister this morning, that's almost two hundred miles away! How did you get here on foot, in one day?" asked Freddie. He looked down at Kate's feet as if expecting to see her wearing tennis shoes but her feet were bare and shockingly clean.
"I don't know. I stepped out of the temple and felt myself falling away. Like I feinted. When I woke up I was in your drive way," replied Kate.
"I don't know what my role is in all this," said Kate. Freddie sighed. He felt so much compassion for the girl. She had been eighteen when she died but, still so young in so many ways. He knew the news he was about to deliver would devastate her.
"You have been chosen. It means that you will have to oversee the next sacrifice for Santa Sangre. It chose you to move through the earth as the next bringer of souls," replied Freddie.
"And if I can't?" Kate asked.
"You don't have a choice Kate. Once the souls have been buried then your purpose is fulfilled. You will be sent to join the dead as you were before," replied the ranger.
Kate couldn't breathe.
"There has to be something we can do," said Kate standing up. "This power couldn't just bring me back with the intention of killing me again!" she cried.
"Kate, there is nothing we can do. The more you fight the powers inside you the harder it will be to accept," replied Freddie.
"So you're saying I have to force innocent people to commit suicide and you won't try to stop me?" she cried pointing an accusing finger at the ranger. Freddie didn't flinch.
"It was foretold in the prophecy. As the peace keeper, there is nothing I can do," he replied calmly.
"No! I won't do it. I don't care what the prophecy says," she snapped. She turned and headed for the front door.
"Kate, where are you going?" asked Freddie trying to stop her.
"The Culebra said I needed to find the Gecko's so that's what I am going to do. Richard is a Lord now so maybe he can help me," she replied.
"Wait!" called Freddie as he raced after her.
"Kate, I am so sorry this happened. I am, truly. I wish you could have been spared this," he said. Kate's demeanor softened. Ranger Gonzalez had been a good friend, the type of man she had wished that Scott had been in the end. The poor Ranger had helped her family as much as he could and even though she had betrayed him for her brother, he still seemed to care. She took his hand in hers in reassurance.
"God has a plan for me. Maybe this is it? I don't know but, I can't do anything about it until I talk to Seth," Kate explained.
"How will you find them, Kate?" asked Freddie squeezing the young girls hand back. Kate gave a small smile and for the first time the Ranger could see what a beautiful woman she was and it made his heart ache even more for her.
"I found you. I guess, I'll have to trust this power for now," replied Kate. She walked away from the Gonzales home.
Freddie watched her walk to the edge of the street. She turned and smiled at him over her shoulder and with real fear Freddie could see her red eyes glowing in the darkness. A warm breeze picked up forcing the ranger to blink and when the breeze died down he could see that Kate was gone.
He stared up at the clear sky and sent up a silent prayer for the girl before going back into his home and closing his front door to the dark.
