Bethany Anne asked no one in particular as her fangs retracted, “What the hell?”
Stephen looked down the now empty street, littered with bodies. “They are regrouping, coming up with a new strategy. I think, they thought to release them and that their natural desire for blood would be enough to overwhelm us by sheer numbers. Whoever is in charge is setting up new commands, a logical strategy.”
Bethany Anne followed Stephen’s gaze. “Back to the cave. I’ll meet you there.” She turned back to her team. “They wanted a fight? We gave them a fight. They wanted a massacre? I’ll make sure we cram a massacre up their asses.” She tossed her blades to Gabrielle, then whistled for Ashur. She took a step, grabbed Ashur and disappeared.
Michael was ready. He had been contacted by Frank earlier and when he had hung up, the blood in his body began pumping in anticipation.
He would be sorely upset if he didn’t get a chance to vent a little frustration.
If there was anything that Michael had plenty of right now, it was frustration.
He was dressed in black, his favorite color when on a date to a bloodbath. Bethany Anne invited him to the nicest of get togethers.
Because there was one thing that most didn’t learn about Michael, Patriarch of the Nacht.
Michael was always at his best when it came time to kill.
He stood against the wall of the room where Bethany Anne had arrived before. He had been waiting for over an hour and a half when she appeared. She was covered from head to foot in blood. Ashur was with her and Michael could barely see little patches of white through the blood and dust that covered his body.
Michael walked over. “You started without me.” He held out his arm.
Bethany Anne reached out, grabbing Michael by the forearm. “It was only a few hundred, and I was getting my mad on.”
“What changed?”
She smiled. “I didn’t want to hear your whining for the next two centuries about how I left you behind.”
Michael would have been offended, if her smile and the glint in her eye hadn’t told him that she was happy to have him.
Then the three of them disappeared.
He arrived with Bethany Anne and Ashur in a darkened valley. An old town with the corpses of Nosferatu littering the place. He saw that many had been decapitated. He turned when he heard steps behind him.
Stephen said, “It is good to see you, brother.”
Gabrielle and Bethany Anne’s mouths dropped open in surprise. Looking at each other and then back at the two men who had pulled each other into a great bear hug, Michael obviously ecstatic over Stephen’s greeting.
Michael replied, “The same, Stephen. I’m glad to be back in my right mind and I am thankful for your forgiveness.”
Stephen looked at him. “You came when my Queen needed you. I can do no less than accept you back into the family, even if you can be a…” He turned to look at his daughter, “What was that you said earlier?”
Gabrielle blushed and mumbled, “Egotistical wank-sack.”
Stephen turned back to Michael. “Yes, even if you can be an egotistical wank-sack.”
Bethany Anne felt a jab in her ribs, and turned to see Gabrielle staring at her and then pointing towards the two men with her eyes. Her mouth formed the words ‘ask them!’
Bethany Anne rolled her eyes, but Gabrielle had a good question. “Hey, are you two really brothers, or is this some bullshit that you’ve made up?”
Michael stepped away from Stephen, and waved to him for the answer. The two women turned towards Stephen. “I disowned him centuries ago, after he had changed me. I didn’t want this life; I had been happy. I’ve never treated him as anything more than the Patriarch since that time.”
Bethany Anne interrupted, “Wait a second, you told me earlier you are over nine centuries old.”
Stephen smiled. “I am.”
She pointed to Michael. “But he’s over ten centuries old.”
Michael answered, “Ten centuries is more than nine, Bethany Anne. My brother never would let others know enough to put together that we are related. I have never treated him as anything less than a child of mine, hoping that one day he would forgive me.”
The four vampires looked up to where Dan and his group were when he called out, “Here they come again.”
Bethany Anne started back towards the camp, Ashur running ahead of her.
Gabrielle asked, “You aren’t charging off, running ahead of your protection again?”
Bethany Anne smiled as she joined the group, everyone grinning as she came up. She looked around at her people, her friends, her guardians and her guards. “No. I’m good with them wasting their time trying to figure out a plan.” She reached out for her katana, which Gabrielle handed back. “But I guaran-fucking-tee that no plan will ever survive contact with this enemy!”
Michael smiled. For the first time in a thousand years, he had his brother back. He turned towards the coming Nosferatu. He heard Bethany Anne speak behind him, “When we get them down to about fifty, would you please do your little magic-misty-stuff and take out the vampires controlling them?”
Michael looked over at this remarkable woman, one who was so much more than the person he chose to become the mother of his children. He grinned. “I would be delighted to do that for you.”
Huh, she thought, maybe you can get more with honey than vinegar.
Art looked around at this newcomer. He wasn’t sure who the fuck these people were, or where they had come from. He sure as fuck didn’t know how he was going to explain all of it to his superior officer back at the base. But there was one thing that he was absolutely, the fuck, certain of. He never wanted to be on the opposite side of any of these people. Then he looked over at the two men who suddenly blurred and changed into massive werewolves. Well, he corrected, any of these beings.
But on the other hand, he was having the time of his life and every time he killed another of these fuckers, he would remember his seven fallen comrades and recite their names under his breath.
The cracks above them signaled that the fight had started. Every human, Were, Vamp and Guard there turned and started walking out to create a perimeter. Bethany Anne took point slightly left, Michael took point slightly right. Stephen was next to him and Gabrielle was next to her.
Bethany Anne’s guards pulled their weapons and stood behind them. Pete and Nathan took the positions outside of the vampires, spreading out.
Like David had planned, it was a bloodbath.
But the bleeding ended up happening to the wrong side, not one of David’s vampires, Nosferatu or PKK members made it out of that valley when the sun rose.
Denver, Colorado USA
Lance was happy. Patricia was working across from him, helping to move the base forward. Captain Paul Jameson had forwarded the news that Bethany Anne and most of the team had made it through their fight and were safe.
Now, he just had one monumentally important job to complete. He took a deep breath and exhaled as he watched the runway of his former base coming into view.
Robert McCarty, the head of the Corps of Engineers walked into Hanger 1. He greeted his men and shook hands all around.
They were here for two reasons. One, to meet with the new civilian owners who had purchased the rights to use the base for ninety-nine years. And two, to see if there were any shenanigans involved.
Every one of his men, some very adept at research on the internet, had tried to find out more about the company, but they hadn’t been given enough information to go on. So, they had all decided to meet the man, get his name, and force him to tell them more about what was happening.
Robert had gone to go talk with Kevin Mccoullagh and it had seemed that Kevin wasn’t coming completely clean with him. Rather, Kevin had claimed he had no proof, just really strong supposition that this wasn’t the civilian side getting the better of the military again. Finally, Kevin told him what time the plane should be arriving and invited Robert to be wait
ing when the corporate guy stepped off.
Robert had gotten a little salty with Kevin, but that hadn’t worked so he left the office.
Robert took Kevin’s advice and now he and his men were here to meet the new head honcho, and get the dirt on him.
The plane landed and taxied over to the hangar. It stopped outside and the men walked around to view the door of the plane, which cracked open a couple of minutes after the plane’s engines powered down.
The plane was beautiful, a G550 pristine from tip to tail. Just like a civilian hotshot who was full of himself would fly around in, someone behind Robert muttered.
When Robert turned to see who might have spoken out, he noticed Kevin standing twenty yards behind them. Kevin smiled and gave him a two-fingered salute in acknowledgment. Robert nodded and turned back around.
The men’s anticipation turned to surprise when the first person off of the plane was General Lance Reynolds, the very man who had commanded most of them for their Army careers.
You could have cut the silence with a knife.
Robert swung his head back around, but Kevin wasn’t in the same place, so he turned back to Lance and started walking over to the man he knew better than his own brother.
God, he looked so young!
Lance held his hand out as he walked over. “Hello Robert. Good to see you here.”
Robert shook Lance’s hand. “General, it’s pretty damn good to see you here, too. At least, I think it is. But you have to know I’m confused as hell.”
Lance nodded and turned to view all of the people in front of him. “Guys, I wish I hadn’t needed to be so secretive. But since the news is out, this base is now under my command again.”
Lance bit down on the word command and the guys subconsciously stood a little straighter. “I can’t give you details, not yet. But this commercial venture is going to change the world in a good way. We need a lot done, but I can’t do it without some kickass Army Engineers who know how to dig shit up and pack it down. I have two of the things that have been lacking here at this base for a while. That’s a massive infrastructure build plan for modifications and a real-by-the-gods budget to get shit done.”
He looked at each of them, trying to catch each eye, if only for a second. “Do all of you know why I know I have a budget?” He didn’t wait for the joke he could almost feel that one or two of the men wanted to shout out. “That’s because I approved the damn budget!”
With that, he got some cheers. If there was anything these men hated, it was being asked to design plans and then, with all the preliminary work done, being told ‘there is no budget.’
Lance continued, “Before the word gets around, I’ll tell you people straight up, I’m the reason this base is going civilian. Why? Because it’s the perfect location, with the right people in place. We’re going to build the world’s safest research, development and distribution location, for the most cutting edge world-shattering technology the world has ever known.”
He smiled. “Now, there’s one more person I would like to introduce.” Lance turned around and waited as a woman in a black turtleneck, grey palazzo pants, and medium heel grey suede pumps came into view. At first a couple of the guys had no idea who the good looking woman was. As she stepped down the stairs and strode up to Lance she greeted a few of the men by name.
Lance smiled at Patricia. “I would like to introduce my right hand woman, the lady who made all of this possible.”
Patricia was smiling, she had dressed up for this trip. As much for Lance himself as for anyone she would meet on the trip. When she looked in the mirror this morning, she admitted to herself if no one else—she looked damn good in this outfit.
Lance got her attention. “Patricia, there is one more thing I need you to view, before we resume looking over the base.”
Patricia turned towards Lance, smiling. It felt so good to see these people again!
Then, the blood drained from her face as she watched Lance get on one knee in front of everyone there.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box. Looking up into her tearing eyes, Lance Reynolds said in a strong voice, “For many years you have completed me in every way. I want to share the rest of my life with you, by my side and in my heart. I promise to always love you, to carry your heart as the dearest thing entrusted to me and to never leave you.” Lance opened the box. A beautiful multi-carat round diamond set in a platinum ring sat on a dark blue velvet background. “Patricia Helena, would you marry me?”
Catcalls and shouts engulfed them. Patricia could barely recognize Lance through the tears flowing down her face. She couldn’t speak, the lump in her throat was getting in the way, so she nodded her head vigorously and opened her arms. Lance Reynolds stood up, grabbing Patricia in a hug that lifted her off of her feet and swung her around.
The men, their concerns and worries forgotten, swarmed the newly engaged couple.
24
Kevin Mccoullagh was waiting for Lance when he finally stepped out of the throng of engineers, holding Patricia’s hand. She was using a tissue to dab at her eyes.
He held his hand out. “General, or should I say, ‘Mr. Reynolds?’”
Lance smiled at him, and used his left hand to reach over and grab Kevin’s. Winking at him, Lance didn’t release Patricia’s hand so he could shake.
Kevin nodded his approval and smiled at them.
“Kevin, you’ve been with me long enough, call me whatever the hell you want.”
Patricia let go of Lance’s hand and stepped forward to receive a hug from Kevin, “Good to see you again.” Patricia stepped back and grabbed Lance’s hand again.
Lance looked Kevin up and down. “Keeping trim I see.”
“Trying my best.”
“I need you here, if you’re willing.” That was Lance, ever the straightforward type with him. Kevin had always appreciated it.
“I can be, if all of this,” he waved a finger in a circle, “isn’t just a money grab.”
Lance’s face went from fun to frowning in a quick second. “Kevin…”
Kevin was quick to put up his hands. “Sorry, General. But I needed to know how much you might have changed and you’ve answered my question.” He looked over at Patricia. “What with you finally getting a clue about some things.”
Lance grumped, “Had a little help with the clue. But I get your point.”
Patricia added, “A clue that was connected to a two by four.”
Kevin’s face scrunched up. “That bad?”
Lance looked a little embarrassed. “Yes, pretty much.”
Patricia came to Lance’s aid. “In his defense, it wasn’t a long time from two by four to being a gentleman.”
Lance looked over at his fiancé. “Lady, I can’t risk you on the market! Someone without my hard head would recognize your worth and I’d lose my chance. Hell no.” He reached around her shoulders and pulled her in tighter. She rested her head on his chest. He looked back over at Kevin. “I’ll bring you in as soon as you’re out of the service. I don’t want a conflict of interest on your conscience.”
Kevin put his hand out. “We out to save something big, General?”
Lance smiled and shook his hand. “Think bigger than big, Kevin.” With that, he winked at Kevin and he and Patricia walked towards the operations area.
Kevin let his hand drop to his side. Lance had never been much of a kidder, why would he say he should think bigger?
Then, Lance yelled back to him as they went through a door, “You’re not thinking big enough, Kevin!” Kevin caught Lance’s wink before he disappeared.
Turkey
Michael had moved on once he had taken out the vampires that controlled the Nosferatu. He continued his search and found the PKK contingent. Capturing the leader, he killed the rest.
He found the equipment that they had been using to block the communication signals. He ‘turned it off’ by picking up the hundred pounds of equipment and casually flinging it
off the cliff to land three hundred feet below, shattering it into pieces that would probably be unearthed centuries in the future.
Bethany Anne translocated the three snipers down from their nest. Lucas and Scottie’s faces were awed when they went from cliff face to ground. She had given Chris a little blood to help his brain heal. She asked Stephen why he hadn’t done so. He explained that he hadn’t been aware of the wound.
She confirmed for him that he was safe giving blood for just about any wound, it was the amount that was a concern.
The pods had been back earlier for the wounded Chris, Chet, Ecaterina and finally Paul’s body. Nathan went with Ecaterina. Bobcat had accompanied Chris back.
Bobcat had spent a few minutes with the wreckage that had been Shelly, gathering a few mementos that he found in the burned out shell.
Bethany Anne went over to talk with him for a minute, to let him know what would be happening in the near future. He nodded his head in acknowledgement and a few minutes later had been back in the camp.
Soon, the rest of the Guardians had left along with Scottie, Art, and Lucas. Leaving Bethany Anne, her Guard, Ashur and the vampires.
Bethany Anne was looking over the town, grey in the early morning light. She was reflecting on all of the death and despair that had been wreaked upon it by David, in his quest for power and control. Michael came up to stand beside her.
Michael spoke quietly, “It is this which I looked upon, time after time, sometimes created by humans, sometimes Wechselbalg, sometimes Vampires that caused me to create the Strictures.”
Bethany Anne looked at the bleakness. “I understand.”
Michael nodded. “I think that you do.”
They stood there, silent for a few minutes. Taking in everything as the light grew brighter, colors coming back into the valley, shining a ray of truth upon the scene. A truth that had left the corpses of untold hundreds. Innocent people who had been used in David’s effort to create the perfect trap.
Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) Page 127