The Hand of Kali Box Set (Books 1-3) Read online

  Hand of Kali Boxed Set (Books 1, 2 & 3)

  T.G. Ayer

  Contents

  Authors Note

  Glossary & Pronunciation

  Hand of Kali 1 - Fire & Shadow

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright

  Hand of Kali 2 - Blood & Gold

  Authors Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright

  Hand of Kali 3 - Time & Fate

  Authors Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Copyright

  The Hand of Kali Series

  Also by T.G. Ayer

  Free Books - Join my Newsletter

  About the Author

  Authors Note

  Hindu Mythology is a living religion.

  Like, Christianity, Islam, Judaism & Buddhism, Hinduism has millions of followers around the world. Fiction featuring Hindu gods is not merely a matter of choosing a god, and placing them in a fictional situation, mainly because you risk offending that deity’s devout worshippers. Unlike the Greek, Roman, Egyptian & Norse Pantheon, Hindu & Buddhist gods must be treated with the utmost respect in any fiction. I hope I have maintained this ethic within my series.

  I have tried to maintain as much respect as possible while still using fiction to both entertain and educate the reader. The Kali series is filled with details of the various deities currently worshipped across the world.

  Some rituals and powers are fiction, of course.

  There is much in the Kali series that is part of my own journey in life. I hope my travels in India have lent some level of authenticity to the Indian scenes.

  Some of the gods featuring in this series, like Chayya and Bhumi, are ones who are not currently as popular. They are still worshipped, but belong to the older generation of gods, which would explain why not every Hindu reader would be familiar with them.

  Demons, Zombies, Undead & other creatures and spirits are as per mythology texts and are available online to research.

  Much of how to eliminate these creatures is anecdotal & fictional. Sorry guys, if you come across a Vitala, you’re on your own.

  Glossary & Pronunciation

  Maya Rao – Mah-yah Rao (as in now)

  Devan Rao (Dev) – There-vin

  Leela Rao (Lee) – Lee-lah

  Joss (Jocelyn) Cawood

  Nik (Nikhil) Lucas – Nik-eel Lucas

  Ria Gupta – Ree-yah Goop-ta

  Sunita Gupta – Sue-neeta Goop-ta

  Hardev Gupta – Harr-dev Goop-ta

  Amber Alden

  Byron Richards

  Claudia Romero

  Viren Sen – Vee-ren Senn

  Yama (God of Death and Justice) – Yah-mah

  Dharma (Yama) – DhaR-maa

  Chandragupta (Keeper of the Book of Life) – Chun-thra-goop-ta

  Chayya (Goddess of Shadows) – Chah-yaa

  Varuni (Goddess of Wine & the Amrita) – Vah-roon-nee

  Amrita – Um (as in gum)-reeta

  Narakasura (Kas) – NaR-gah-soora (Kass)

  Balraj – Baal-raaj

  Priya – Pree-yah

  Rakshasa – Ruck-sha-sa

  Patala - Pa-taa-lah

  Naraka – Naa-ra-kah

  Kailas – Ky (as in my)-laash

  Swargaloka – Swarr-ga-law-kah

  Naga – Nah-gah

  Visha – Vi-shah

&n
bsp; Madu – Mah-dhoo

  Hand of Kali 1 - Fire & Shadow

  For Dhivya- daughter and assistant

  * * *

  People should believe that wishes do come true

  Because when we wished…We got you

  Chapter 1

  Maya flinched. A thousand tiny knives of white-hot pain splintered through her skin. Her teacher’s knuckles crunched against her cheekbone and she spared a fleeting thought for the beautiful bruise sure to flower across the side of her face by the next morning. It was her own fault. Her attention had strayed. Again. Not that she was very good at any form of martial arts anyway. But she did try.

  She should have tried harder.

  If she had, she wouldn’t be lying flat on her back with the whole room spinning around her. She wouldn't be lying so close to the gym mat that she had to wonder if the odd smell came from the plastic or from the hundreds of sweaty fighting bodies traveling over it every day. Neither would she be cursing the fact that she'd be sporting this hideous bruise all the way until prom.

  Darn it.

  “Honey, are you okay?” Leela Rao hurried to her daughter’s side, her dark hair escaping from the knot at the top of her head. She knelt and threw a narrow-eyed glance at Maya’s teacher.

  At least Mom cares enough to check if I’m still alive.

  Maya groaned as her mom's fingers probed her cheekbone, only causing further pain. And maybe even breaking off splintered bone.

  Her mom tucked a stray strand of Maya's black hair behind her ear and sat on her heels. “It’s fine, nothing broken. But you will have a lovely black eye for the next few days.”

  “Yeah, let’s see what Child Services says,” Maya muttered.

  She was prone to opening her mouth and spewing out words without thinking. It’s what usually got her in trouble. She immediately regretted the comment and hoped her mom hadn't heard. One look at her mom’s face told her otherwise. Leela frowned and shook her head, as if wanting to scold, but knowing the time and the place was entirely wrong for disciplining her daughter. Still, Maya had no intention of apologizing.

  “Come on. If you’re fine enough to be a smart-ass then you’re fine to get back up and practice.” Her Kung Fu teacher smiled, all teeth, and stuck his hand in front of Maya’s face. She glared at the hand. She really had no choice so she took it and allowed him to lift her back to her feet in one fluid move. “No pain, no gain, hey Maya?”

  She dusted herself off despite knowing full well no dust clung to her. She kept her eyes on the floor, not daring to look around. How many of the other students had witnessed her embarrassing knockout?

  Nik was there too, somewhere within the broiling group greeting their instructors and filing out of the studio. Nik who always seemed to be around, ever since his arrival three months ago. If they didn't happen to run in the same social circles, Maya would have suspected him of stalking. But no, they went to the same school, and within days of Nik’s arrival they’d shared the same martial arts class, even had a few short and awkward conversations when she’d caught him watching her and he hadn’t been able to flee easily.

  Nik Lucas, with his dark curling hair, strong chiseled features and deep black eyes.

  Nik Lucas. The forbidden fruit.

  Nope, only nice Indian boys need apply. Besides, if she’d heard it once, she’d heard it a thousand times - when she was ready for boys then she was ready for marriage. Nik remained off-limits. Too white. Not Indian enough. Whatever. Maya couldn't even allow herself the pleasure of daydreams. She’d be setting her heart up for the inevitable break.

  Maya tried to stop thinking of Nik, tried to convince herself he'd probably missed the whole debacle. She resumed her position, wide stance, bent knees, weight on the balls of her feet. Her cheek stung, a reminder to keep her eyes on her teacher's hands, or rather her Sifu. She had to call him Sifu during her lessons. Them’s the rules. She really wanted to grit her teeth but the blow to her cheekbone still bled icy pain into her jaw.

  Maya blocked her instructor’s first strike with an effortless snap of her wrist. He was going easy on her. Which meant he’d bring out the big guns soon enough. She tested her jaw, moving it side to side as she circled him. Eye to eye. Hand to hand. She hoped eating wouldn't be a problem.

  Two lightning fast moves later, she froze nose to skin with his fist. He'd spared her the full impact of the punch. And he wasn’t usually that generous. Maya blinked, staring at his golden-brown eyes over the edges of his knuckles. Nope, not a hint of sympathy. Nothing.

  She sank into her stance again and knew it would inevitably end in trouble. This time he used a smooth roundhouse kick, and whacked her feet from under her. The bone-shattering impact with the ground left Maya in stunned agony. Way worse after the blow to her cheekbone. Way worse when her head hit the floor so hard she almost passed out.

  “Dad!” Maya cried, her voice filled with unshed tears and pain.

  “Sorry, honey. Are you okay?” He peered at her, a cheeky grin pasted on his face. It wasn't fair when he did that. In fact, he got away with everything because of that stupid, lopsided grin. He pushed wet strands of hair from her cheeks, his fingers moving to her neck to check her pulse. “Maybe we should call it a day, okay?”

  Er . . . like I’m going to actually say no? Really Dad? She nodded, and allowed him to help her to her feet. When her knees buckled he swung her smoothly into his arms.

  So embarrassing.

  Sixteen years old, and her father still carried her as if she weighed the same as she had ten years ago. But she let him, and just rested her head on his chest. This time she refused to fight him.

  Teacher or not, next time he’d better watch out.

  Maya’s mom fluffed up her pillows and smiled down at her daughter. “You’ll be happy to know this injury will get you out of going to temple this week.”

  “Why is that? Wouldn’t it be better to go and show all your friends you’re bringing up your daughter the traditional, well-disciplined way?” The words were out and there was nothing she could do to take them back.

  “Maya,” her mom gasped. But the shock melted from her face as she sat on the edge of Maya’s bed. “Honey, you know we haven’t brought you up in the ‘traditional’ way. You wouldn’t be learning to fight if we did.”

  “So why am I? You and dad can both see how terrible I am? Why don’t you let me give it up?” Maya pouted, glad they’d moved on to another topic, a safe distance from her insults to her parents..

  Her mom tucked her hair behind her ear; she'd always said Maya shouldn't hide her pretty face behind her hair. “Because you must learn to protect yourself. We need to know that you have at least some ability to defend yourself. Just in case.”

  “In case of what? Somerville's probably the safest suburb in the state of California. Maybe even the whole of the western seaboard,” Maya grumbled. Grabbing a cushion from beside her, she began to pull at the beaded tassels. She’d been training under her dad’s tutelage since she was six years old. He’d been running the school ever since her parents arrived in America when Maya was just a baby.

  “Well, you just never know-” a note of hesitation in her mom’s voice drew Maya’s gaze. Her mom opened her mouth to say something, but a moment later the urge seemed to subside and she went silent. Then she sighed and said, “You should send up a prayer or two.” Maya stared as her mom pointed a finger to the ceiling. “You probably need all the help you can get especially with a black eye that bad.”

  “Mom,.” Maya scolded, shocked she’d suggest such a thing. “You know what I think.”

  “Yes, honey. I know you don’t believe now. But someday soon, you may no longer have a choice. Now, get some rest.” Her mom stood, gently patted Maya’s cheek before leaning over to kiss her forehead. Her waist length hair, so like Maya’s, swayed as she walked out of the room. At the doorway she turned and winked at her daughter. “If you don’t want the gods to help you, then you’d better be prepared to help yourself.” />