Aztec Mysteries

The Aztec Empire dominated Mesoamerica for a relatively short time — less than 100 years — but it is remembered today more than other ancient cultures in the region which sustained for much longer. Partly that is because this was a relatively recent culture which was widely reported by the first Europeans to make contact with it.

Chris Summers is on a late spring vacation to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica to enjoy some surf and sunshine away from his home the Pacific Northwest. He shares a sensual afternoon with fellow tourist Megan Hopkins after meeting her on a deserted beach. But what starts out as a tropical fling turns into a dangerous pursuit across two continents. There is passion and peril in this adventurous romance in which ancient cultural treasures fuel human greed.

The Spanish galleon Arista sank in 1539 due to a storm and the heavy weight of its cargo. The ship had been carrying Aztec golden treasure: chains, goblets, plates, statues, lamps, ceremonial swords, bricks, bars, and coins, all of solid Aztec gold. Much of the gold, however, had been thrown overboard trying to save the ship.

Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is just trying to survive its heavily policed streets when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood-drinkers, is smart and beautiful - and very dangerous. Domingo is mesmerised.

The Aztec civilization of Central Mexico consisted of several communities with distinct cultures and languages. The Nahuatl-speaking tribes were the most popular and celebrated rituals based on their own version of myths and stories. While the Mesoamerican cultures shared many stories, rituals, and myths with the Aztecs, they were recognized as a separate community.

The Aztec Empire did not recoil from the face of an impending doom, it struggled faithfully. Destined to emerge from humble beginnings, it grew into a highly complex devoted civilization refusing to live at the mercy of more neighboring powerful rulers. Its powerful pochteca combed the valley for luxury items while markets dotted their lands. Investigate the era of the Fifth Sun and what defined the Aztecs and their relationship with the divine.