“Killing me,” Billy the Kid said slowly, “or even trying to kill me, would be a mistake.” There was no humor in his voice now, and his accent had turned hard and clipped. “Lots of men have tried, and lots have failed.”

Kukulkan wheezed a laugh. “I am not a man.”

The immortal edged away from the Elder.

“Billy,” Machiavelli said softly, a note of warning in his voice.

Billy looked at the Italian and caught the hint of movement behind him. He turned to see the huge lynx standing in the doorway, its wide green eyes fixed on him.

“This one,” Kukulkan said, pointing at the Italian, “I have chosen to keep alive. But why should I keep you alive?”

“Have you forgotten that I rescued you, saved your life?”

“And have you forgotten that I repaid that debt by making you immortal?”

“I’ve done your dirty work ever since,” Billy said quickly.

“And now you have embarrassed me before my fellow Elders. I assured them you would be perfect for this small task,” Kukulkan said. “And you failed me.”

“Personally, I think you failed me,” the American snapped, stepping away from the door. “You sent me out to perform a dangerous job without telling me what I was getting into.” Still moving slowly around the room, he stabbed a finger at the Elder. “You underestimated the Sorceress.”

“You are not the first,” Machiavelli offered quickly. “Perenelle has chosen to live in her husband’s shadow, and yet I have always believed she was the cleverer of the two. There is so much about her that is unknown.”

Kukulkan came slowly to his feet and glared at the Italian. “Do not speak again,” he hissed, “lest I change my mind and kill you too.” He turned to focus again on Billy. “I gave you three simple tasks: escort this man to the island, kill the Sorceress and free the beasts. You failed.”

“Well, one down, two to go. That ain’t so bad!” Billy said. Then he suddenly lunged toward the shelf that held the Elder’s collection of ancient artifacts and grabbed the jade club studded with volcanic glass. It was a Macuahuitl, an Aztec sword. As he lifted the club, the black obsidian shards sparkled in the afternoon light.

“How dare you raise a weapon in my presence.” Kukulkan’s head suddenly jutted forward and an unnaturally long black forked tongue flickered toward the outlaw.

But instead of pulling away, Billy took a step toward the Elder, slashing out with the Macuahuitl. The razor-sharp glass whistled as it cut through the air. Kukulkan immediately sucked his tongue back in and then coughed and gagged, choking on it. The Macuahuitl had missed it by inches.

“Do that again and I’ll cut it off!” Billy yelled. “I know you’ll grow a new one, but I bet it’ll hurt.”

The huge lynx padded silently toward the American, its jaws opening to reveal savage teeth.