by Michael Todd
Heading straight for him were Katie and Pandora soaring fast with their wings, and Juntto bounding with his huge legs through the sand. Juntto had his spear tight in his grip and Katie and Pandora each held their angelic sword in one hand and a pistol in the other.
Baal began to back up, tripping over one of the chihuahuas and falling to the ground. He scrambled in the sand, panicking until he lifted himself back to his feet. “Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck this.”
He turned, screaming like a little girl, and dove straight back through the portal. He landed hard on his back and swished his hand, seeing Pandora’s face as the portal snapped shut. She was grinning from ear to ear.
25
Days Later…
The scene in Taiwan was a lot more upbeat than the day before. The government, along with all the soldiers, had gathered together to bury the dead and pay homage to the fallen for the sacrifice they had made to protect the base from harm. The next day, though, was back to business. The entire fort had to be rebuilt, and although the government and the council were not happy about the budgetary aspects, they knew it was the demons’ fault.
The soldiers worked in high spirits, pulling the rubble back and piling it to the side. They collected any materials that could be reused and pushed hard to get the place back into shape. Around midday, Calvin stopped to take a break. He grabbed a bottle of water and his phone and walked out into the field.
He loved talking to Sofia, but that conversation was going to be a bit different. He was going to have to tell her about becoming one of the Damned again.
“You just can’t get enough of my voice, can you?” Sofia joked as she answered the phone. “Are you on your way back yet?”
Calvin chuckled and kicked at a pile of ash. “Not quite. Some things have happened.”
Sofia went quiet for a moment. “What’s going on? You have something to tell me, don’t you? You are stuck there, aren’t you?”
Calvin sighed. “No. I mean, a bit, but that’s not it. So, the base was attacked a few days ago, as you know. Well, everything got really bad, and we were at our ‘last breath’ moment. I saw an opening to save the base, so I took it.”
Sofia pursed her lips. “Are we talking, you shot a big weapon, or are you talking the red eyes kind of opening?”
Calvin looked up at the sky. “You know me too well. I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t want to do it, but as a Damned, I was able to save the base and everyone in it, including me and Korbin.”
Sofia let out a long breath. “I love you no matter what. You know that, right? I fell in love with you when you were infected. I can’t say that I am happy about this, but I completely understand. You made a sacrifice, and I can honestly say I would rather have you alive and infected than dead. This baby needs its daddy, and this woman needs her man.”
Calvin smiled. “I love you. I saw your face and the face of that baby and I wasn’t ready to give up, so now I have extra fuel in the fire again.”
Sofia chuckled. “Good, then you can take extra diaper duty when this baby comes. Just tell your demon I’ll cook and he should keep you going.”
Calvin’s demon cleared his throat. I think that’s a good deal.
Calvin narrowed his eyes. Quiet, you.
Sofia let out another sigh. “I need you to come home soon. We need you to come home soon. This shit is hard without you.”
Calvin tilted his head to the side. “I agree. Shit is hard out here without you. Shit is just hard without you, period.”
Sofia yawned. “Well, go get your work done so you can get your ass back here, then. I’m waiting for you.”
Calvin smirked. “Hopefully naked.”
Sofia giggled. “I guess you’ll never know.”
He hung up and smiled as he walked back toward the base. Lunch was over, and everyone was getting back to work. After news of the battle and what the Damned recruits had done spread to the outlying areas, several new recruits showed up at the busted gates, ready to be part of the team. Korbin had handed training over to him, hoping that he could whip them into shape enough to be useable before it was time to leave.
Calvin stepped through the mangled gate and stared at the recruits, who were standing around talking to each other. He grinned to himself as he slid his phone into his pocket and cleared his throat. “RECRUITS! ATTENTION!”
The Damned scrambled around, bumping into each other and lining up with their bodies straight, their arms at their sides, and their heads tilted upward. Calvin took off his sunglasses and put them in his pocket. The recruits tried to keep their eyes off his red ones, looking toward the sky. Calvin smirked as he put his hands behind his back and walked back and forth in front of them.
He stopped in the center and stared at each of them for a moment. “Being part of the Damned unit is more than just a fun time and kicking ass. It is a bold choice—a smart one, but a bold one. You are oftentimes the last hope during a battle. You not only are responsible for protecting this base, but every non-Damned on it. At the same time, you are to look to your fellow Damned as family, always having their backs. You have to be willing to take a bullet, a claw, or teeth in the throat for any of them. You have to be okay with dying.”
The recruits all swallowed hard but kept their composure. Calvin began to pace again as he continued, “You have to control the demon inside you. You have to make sure they are on your side all the time, not only when their lazy asses feel like it. Because if you die, they die.”
Calvin looked up to see Korbin smirking from the sidelines and waving him over. Calvin stared at the recruits for a moment. “AT EASE! I’ll be right back.”
Calvin walked over to Korbin and shook his hand. Korbin watched the recruits for a moment. “You think they’ll be ready?”
Calvin’s eyes glowed bright red. “I’ll whip them into shape, that’s for damn sure.”
Juntto let out a long, deep breath, blowing Angie’s hair back as she handed him a cup of hot chocolate. She put hers on the table and sat on the couch, snuggling under the soft, comfortable blanket. “You sound like you are back in heaven.”
Juntto put the controller in his lap and held his cup with both hands, enjoying the sweet aroma. “This is heaven. Soft blankets. Hot chocolate. You. There were none of these things in that nasty Leviathan. Baylahn needs to make a diet change, that’s for damn sure.”
Angie giggled. “You have gone on for days about this Leviathan. Was he really that bad, or are you just being a big baby because you didn’t have your slippers?”
Juntto sat up and put his cup down on the coffee table. “I am telling you right now that beast was fucking horrible. It smelled like fish constantly, there were miniature people in there with giant eyeballs and magic hands, and it shook like constant earthquakes. It was bad. It was worse than paperwork!”
Angie gasped and put her hand over her mouth, trying to cover her smile. She had completely forgotten about the whole paperwork thing. “Worse than paperwork? NO. That is pure hell. No, worse than hell.”
Juntto snorted. “I know. You don’t have to tell me, sister. I was there. On top of that, I couldn’t shift. I was stuck in giant Juntto size the whole freaking time, no matter what space I had to push my huge-ass body through. And when they had to fly me, they were carrying giant Juntto. It was terrible for them.”
Angie nodded, putting her elbow on the back of the couch, trying to not look amused. “That’s terrible. But you can shift now, right?”
Juntto pushed back the blanket and stretched his arms out, shrinking down to child-sized. “I sure can, and it feels very good to stretch my muscles like this. They start to cramp up in Juntto size. They are stretched to the max. Although I am quite muscular and buff, I do like to be normal size every now and then to take the strain off. And also to keep the ladies away.”
Angie lowered her eyelids. “Mmhmm. Sure.”
Juntto smirked and started changing into different people. His body morphed to his normal Channing Tatum and Angie wiggled her eyeb
rows. “Hello, Channing.”
Before she could put her hands on him, he shifted into Morpheus, glasses and all. He chuckled, putting up his finger. “I know the perfect one.”
Angie sat back with a smile on her face and watched as he shifted again. That smile quickly faded as she sat staring at herself. It was like looking into a mirror. “Oh, that’s super-weird. Change back.”
He laughed and changed again, shrinking into the form of a small blue cat. Angie giggled and pulled him into her lap, petting his head. He purred loudly and rubbed his face against hers. Just then a loud knock came on the front door, and without a pause, the door opened. Angie looked over the back of the couch and grinned as Katie came walking in with a smile on her face.
Angie smiled back. “Hey, there. What’s up?”
Katie walked around the couch and stretched her arms above her. “I came by to tell you that I am going to visit Brock. You know, so if you come over to the apartment, and I am missing you know where to find me.”
Angie nodded. “Mmhmm, because heaven forbid you carry your freaking cell phone.”
Katie patted her pocket. “I am back with the general, so I keep it on me now.”
Angie rolled her eyes. “So, he gets preferential treatment, but I get the old brush-off?”
Katie laughed and pulled her eyebrows together, looking at the blanket next to Angie. There was a small lump underneath it, and it was moving in circles. Katie’s eyes flashed from the lump to Angie and back again. She took a curious step forward and Juntto popped his cat head out from the edge of the blanket and gave a loud meow.
Katie jumped back and shook her head. “Wait, is that who I think it is?”
Angie looked down at cat Juntto as he crawled into her lap and ran his blue tail under her chin. She smiled and nodded. “Yeah, it’s Juntto. Cute, right?”
Katie pointed at Juntto and put her hand to her lips, then paused. “Okay. You might never forgive me for asking this, but Pandora will never forgive me if I don’t. Is the Juntto-cat a sex thing?”
Angie shook her head and wrinkled her face. “Oh God, no! He’s shape-shifting for fun. He went on this tirade about how he couldn’t shift in the Leviathan and needed to stretch his muscles. What would I even do with him as a cat? You know what, never mind. It’s too dangerous to ask that question.”
Katie put up her hands. “Okay, okay. Sure. Right. And yeah, you should probably not go there. Who knows what kind of whacked-out stories Pandora has been keeping to herself?”
Pandora butted in, taking over her voice. “Excuse me, bitches, but I do not do animals. I draw the line, okay, freaks?”
Katie pushed her back, laughing, and waved, heading for the door. Angie leaned her head back and put her hand on her stomach, not being able to control her laughter. Juntto shifted back into his blue self, only normal human size. “Sheesh, you guys are weird.”
Angie took a deep breath and leaned her head against his with a big smile. “You don’t even know the half of it. So, I was thinking. I want us to go to another video game convention together.”
Juntto leaned back and smiled down at her. “I would love to come and cheer for my Hygge partner…if I can wear my slippers.”
Angie put out her hand and shook his. “It’s a deal.”
It was night at the base, and everything was calm and quiet. The sky was clear, and the stars sparkled above. The wind was quiet; barely a breeze rolled over the sandy desert floor. Katie walked out of the main building to meet Brock for an evening stroll. She crossed the training area and headed for the helipad. When she got closer, she slowed, since Gabriel appeared in his long white robes and silver hair. His eyes glowed bright blue, looking like shimmering stars.
Katie put her hands in her pockets. “Well, look who it is! I was wondering if you were going to be joining the fun anytime soon.”
Gabriel gave her a smile. “Not so much joining. I came to give you a warning.”
Pandora groaned. Oh great, more riddles.
Gabriel grinned. “Hello, Pandora. And no riddles this time. This message needs to be straightforward. There are three more Leviathans out there; three more major threats to the world, and they could wake at any time. I know you have just returned from Baylahn, but I need you to be vigilant. Do not for a second believe that they will not awaken, given the amount of fear and evil that is being unleashed on your world.”
Katie nodded. “I know. It’s on my mind, trust me. We will be looking into that very shortly. The last thing I want is an attack by a Leviathan when we could have prevented it.”
Gabriel put his hands in front of him. “Excellent.”
They stood there for a moment, Gabriel tilting his head in thought. “Lilith, may I ask you something?”
Pandora chuckled. It’s not like I can say no. You’re going to ask me either way.
Gabriel shook his head. “Good point. You held Lucifer’s sword?”
For a moment.
Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “And you were able to let it go?”
Pandora clicked her tongue. I was, obviously.
Gabriel looked perplexed. “It did not tempt you?”
Pandora let out a loud laugh. Of course, it did, numbnuts. It tried, at least.
Gabriel pursed his lips. “Well, I am genuinely impressed. Leave it to you to surprise me.”
Pandora sneered. I got plenty I could surprise you with.
Gabriel ignored her and turned his attention back to Katie. “I will leave you with a proverb. We must consider our humble beginnings, lest we fall prey to grand visions of the future.”
Pandora groaned as Gabriel disappeared. What the fuck does that mean?
“Hey,” Brock said from behind Katie.
Katie turned and smiled. “Oh, hey there. I didn’t see you back there. We said the helipad, right?”
Brock looked around. “Uh, yeah. You’re in the right spot. I had to finish something in the armory with Joshua. Were you talking to someone? I could swear I heard a man’s voice when I was walking up.”
Katie raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “You probably heard Pandora. She can be a bit manly at times.”
Bitch.
Brock chuckled and put out his hand. “Ready for our walk? I’ve been looking forward to it all day. All week, actually. Especially when I thought you had been swallowed by a Leviathan.”
Pandora faked gagging. So gross. He’s like a big smelly fucking puppy. They shit on the floor and piss on everything.
Katie took his hand and then pulled back, putting up her finger. “One second. Hey, Pandora? You think you could give Brock and me some privacy? I’m sure there are much more entertaining things you can do than sit in my brain and talk shit.”
Pandora let out a long dramatic sigh. FINE! But talking shit is my specialty. Nonetheless, I know when I am not wanted. It hurts, bitch. It hurts.
She leapt out of Katie with force, pushing her back. Brock caught Katie, looking down with a laugh. Katie rolled her eyes as she stood up, straightening her shirt. Pandora stood in front of them in a tight tank top, booty shorts, and boots up to her thighs. She grabbed her breasts and shifted them around, pushing them up making her cleavage even more huge than it already was.
She puckered her lips and glanced at the two of them. “Do I look good or what? I mean, seriously, Brock, you are really missing out.”
Katie lifted her eyebrows. “You good? You don’t want those massive fun bags any higher so they cut off your air supply?”
Pandora sneered. “I know where you sleep, bitch, and I have full control over your body. Try waking up with saddlebags and tits down to your knees and see how much you appreciate me then. You’ll be begging me to put the life back into you. But hey, always bossing and never saying thank you.”
Katie smirked. “Thank you, Pandora.”
Pandora waved her hand and headed across the base. Brock stepped up next to Katie, and they watched her saunter toward the barracks. She stopped at the front door of the men’s side
and stood up tall, pushing out her ass. She reared back and kicked hard, almost knocking the door off the hinges. The guys inside stopped and turned, looking at her in surprise. She put her arms up and swayed into the room.
Katie and Brock could hear her across the base. “All right, punks. Drop your socks and grab your cocks. Mommy’s here.”
Protected By The Damned On Audio
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Author Notes - Michael Anderle
January 18, 2019
THANK YOU for not only reading this story but these Author Notes as well.
(I think I’ve been good with always opening with “thank you.” If not, I need to edit the other Author Notes!)
RANDOM (sometimes) THOUGHTS?
I walked from the Golden Palace to (essentially) River City.
(Bangkok, Thailand.)
Ok, I did it to make my wife happy.
Happy wife, happy life, right? (It was about 3.7 kilometers through weird back alleys with shops that are crammed together where little mopeds run up and down the walking lanes. This is a ‘no shit’ comment. I think the only rule about where you drive here is ‘not inside’.)
I have to admit that many times, I still don’t listen to the sage advice about happy lives. I get annoyed, or grumpy, or it just doesn’t seem ‘right’ and I stick my heels into the cement floor and do something stupid with my wife.
Like argue.
Arguing with your spouse (either side) is I think a bit like playing global thermonuclear war. Neither side is going to like the results except for the roaches.
Those sonsabitches hope we push the buttons because then they would probably become the masters of this planet.
Little nasty puckers would probably glow, too.