Final Dance: Part One (Alien Blood Wars Book 8)

by Samantha Cayto

  Not that he looked forward to fighting his former master and any of his men who might have survived the attack. In fact, he’d intended to be a traitor in the midst of these suckers who hadn’t known a powerful leader when they’d been given the chance. He’d had visions of turning the tables on them at the right moment, which had been his only solace while trapped in Malcolm’s highland castle. Then Annika had entered his orbit and, like a bolt of lightning illuminating the world around him, he’d realized that both Dracul and Alex had been wrong. They were pale shadows of whom they all truly should bow down to. Her plans trumped them both and Merlin no longer imagined how he would participate in this fight. He understood that his mission was different, and learning these skills had taken on new meaning for him. He would use them for her benefit, and fuck anyone who got in his way.

  He was careful not to let any of his thoughts show, however, and he listened carefully to everything he was being taught. Val and Malcolm were the main teachers for both personal combat and weaponry and he appreciated their skill. They got occasional help from the other hybrids’ fathers, Tony and Claude, who were pretty fierce, although they were nothing compared to those first two dudes. Merlin soaked up everything each of them had to pass along, slowly gaining in strength and skill.

  There were also first-aid classes taught by Harry, but those were a bore. It hadn’t occurred to him that someone would ever stop fighting to help a downed comrade, either. He couldn’t imagine playing medic to any of these guys. Harry had insisted, though, and Alex had gone along with it. Val had announced that it was mandatory, using a look that promised serious trouble if anyone argued. Merlin had no intention of crossing the guy unless absolutely necessary. Besides, he might need the medical training to help his Queen. That alone made the lessons tolerable, though he still hated them.

  “Get more of a stretch in your hamstring, Merlin,” Val barked out.

  “Okay, Val.” In his mind he rolled his eyes, but of course, he didn’t dare show that kind of disrespect in the open.

  The familiarity was acceptable, however. Everyone was okay with first names being used, which was strange and a little hard to get used to. Back at the castle, it had been ‘sir’, or ‘master’ in the case of Dracul, and forgetting that show of deference could earn someone a sore jaw or cracked ribs. That was one thing he didn’t miss. And he didn’t make the mistake of thinking that informality meant weakness. Alex and his men could break him in half without working up a sweat. He didn’t push his luck with them or question their judgment. They were the ones who’d kicked ass back in Wales, after all.

  “Grab your ropes, everyone, and start skipping.” This from Malcolm, who trained in only a kilt. The man didn’t even flinch when someone’s kick got to close to his balls. That was some badass shit right there.

  Merlin thought this girly stuff was stupid, but again, he did as he’d been told. The humans found it great fun. But they were weird about a lot of things, in his estimation, always dancing and playing games. Their frivolity made them children in his mind, although they were sharing beds with very grown-up warriors and didn’t hesitate to get in their faces if they were mad about something. In that way, they obviously had guts to spare. He still thought training them was a waste of time, and hated sparring with them because he didn’t want to muck up any of their pretty faces and get into trouble. But again, Alex had insisted. He didn’t want his boy or any of the others to be at a disadvantage, and they were all drinking blood now, so they were getting stronger and faster than any regular humans. Only the knocked-up one, Mackie, was exempt from the hand-to-hand lessons. He’d witnessed the guy fighting with his husband about that. Of course Val had won the argument. And Mackie got to shoot as a consolation. He was better at it than any of them, which rankled Merlin.

  Malcolm clapped his hands once. “All right, that’s enough. Put the ropes away and pair off by species the same as last time.”

  Merlin turned to face Yaro, who was his sparring partner. Matti was coupled with Demi. The humans always started with their own too—Quinn with Jase, Brenin with Damien—except when Val chose to mix them with the hybrids to increase the octane of the training. Merlin had to admit that the humans didn’t hold back when he fought them. They got right into it and took their licks without any tears or complaining. He hadn’t expected them to be so fierce. Alun, however, had been the biggest surprise of them all. Alex’s decree about training had included him, and Merlin wouldn’t have thought the pitiful human had it in him to be any good at fighting even Idris. Yet the guy sparred with Dracul’s former bitch, Dafydd, and surprisingly held his own. He could almost respect him, then remembered how this was the human who’d cowered in the corner whenever Merlin’s sire had disciplined him. He wasn’t someone to count on if there was trouble.

  Putting aside any further stray thoughts, he squared off against Yaro as they circled each other, looking for an opening. Yaro was a sneaky little fucker, always feinting in one direction before attacking from another. He was slightly older than Merlin as well and, while lean, he was all ropey muscle and slippery as an eel. Merlin had a slight advantage in height, though, and was meaner. Yaro had been raised in some posh, gentle home. He not only didn’t know how to fight dirty, but he was also constantly surprised when Merlin did. Sucker. Yaro was too nice for combat. But Val had said that when in battle one should use any means to win. There were no Marquess of Fucking Queensbury Rules in this war.

  He’d just found a weak spot when the door opened and the scent hit him like a slap. Freezing, he turned only his head to watch the visitor come floating in. Everyone was doing the same. Such was the effect of the Queen. Even Val and Malcolm had stopped in their tracks, their focus on the young woman coming toward them. Annika’s beautiful hair was pulled back in a swinging ponytail and she was dressed much as most of the humans were, with leggings that fit her like a second skin and a sleeveless top with a hem that didn’t quite meet the waistband hugging her hips. As she approached, a flash of taut, creamy-smooth skin caught his eye. The air got sucked out of the room and Merlin found it hard to take in a breath.

  Val sketched a bow. “My Queen, how can we help you? Have you come to watch?”

  Annika smiled brightly at the man. “No, Mr. Val, I have come to participate. I am rather disappointed that I haven’t been asked to join.” Her tone was sweet and brittle as ice at the same time.

  Val seemed lost for words. He stood blinking at her for a few seconds before turning to Malcolm. “Where’s Will?”

  It was Annika who answered. “Papa is with Alex, looking after the club—not that this is any of his concern.” She folded her arms.

  “Och, I think it is indeed very much his concern, lassie, given that he’s your father,” Malcolm intervened. “This is no place for you.”

  “And why not?”

  Now it was the Scotsman’s turn to look confused. It was amusing how these big warriors turned into puddles around the Queen. Merlin relaxed his stance, entertained and intrigued about what she was going to do next.

  Damien stepped into the breach, hustling over. “Hey, Annika, you’re freaking these guys out, you know?”

  “I don’t understand why, Father Damien. Are we not all in danger from Dracul? Hasn’t Alex decided that everyone in the household needs to be able to fight instead of putting the entire burden on the warriors? We don’t know what kind of complement Dracul has put together since the raid on his castle. We all need to be prepared to fight, do we not?” She included everyone in that last question, her gaze flitting around the room.

  Val opened his arms wide. “My Queen, we are here to protect you. Each of us will die in that service if need be.”

  Fucking right, we will. Merlin was only slightly surprised at his own vehemence.

  “Very prettily said, Mr. Val, but I do not intend to cower behind any of you while you fight for me.” Dropping her arms, she added, “Do you think I can’t look out for myself? You see me as weak?”

  “Never
that. But you are…”

  “What?”

  “Small—and perhaps not quite as strong as you’d like to be.” Val’s tone was not unkind.

  “I am not much smaller than these humans you are training and I have my papa’s blood as well as my human father’s. I think you underestimate me.” When Val shook his head, she added, “Try me.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Val’s normally impassive face had taken on a look one could almost describe as terror.

  Annika shook her arms and legs and stood in a loose stance before him. “Try to hit me.”

  “Um-m, that’s a hard no. Ma’am.”

  “Annika,” Damien said, “that’s not a fair thing to ask of him.” For a cook, the guy had giant balls to keep inserting himself in the stand-off like that. Or, more likely, he didn’t feel the same awe for her as the warriors and hybrids did. More fool him. Her power was obvious to Merlin. It shone around her like an aura.

  Annika looked down her nose at the human, for all that she was about five inches shorter. “Why not?”

  Val answered. “Because I don’t want to break your face—or any other part of you, for that matter.” Now Val was clearly getting agitated.

  Merlin almost volunteered to do it himself. His trust in the Queen was absolute. If she believed she could protect herself, he was sure she was right. What was wrong with these men? How could they question her obvious wisdom in anything?

  Annika’s lips quirked in a brief smile. “I promise you won’t lay a hand on me. Now, must we continue with this silly argument or are you going to do as I ask?”

  Val made eye contact with Malcolm again, who merely shrugged. “Okay, you’re the Queen. Damien, I’m counting on you to keep Will from killing me when this little experiment goes south.”

  Stepping aside, Damien replied, “Don’t worry. I’m a witness to your efforts to prevent this. All’s good.”

  Val snorted. “Not even remotely, but okay.” The warrior put himself in an offensive stance, with his left foot forward, body angled to the side and his right arm pulled back. When he made his swing, even Idris could have avoided the fist. It was that slow.

  All Annika had to do was step back for him to miss. Instead, she moved only her upper torso, bending back at the waist so that Val’s fist punched through empty air. As his swing followed through, she twisted up again into a straight position. He tried the same thing using his left hand, this time, and with a faster velocity. Once again, he found nothing to connect with where her upper body had been a split second before. Her feet remained planted right where they’d been from the beginning.

  Annika grinned. “Is that all you have, Mr. Val? Don’t hold back on my account.”

  Val grinned as he bounced on the balls of his feet. “Yes, ma’am. Give us some space, boys.”

  There was a moment of hesitation before everyone moved back to create a large buffer around the two of them. Excitement permeated the room. Val wasted no time renewing his assault and he obeyed his Queen without hesitation now. He jabbed with one hand then the other in quick succession. Annika twisted her torso again, this time from side to side, greeting his efforts with more air. When he switched unexpectedly to a roundhouse kick, Merlin held his breath with sudden fear. He needn’t have worried. Annika avoided that deadly foot with the same graceful ease.

  After that, Val’s attacks became a blur of punches and kicks and Annika’s body twisted and turned like a soft rubber band. She bent herself at unimaginable angles and yet never lost her balance. She lifted a foot and pirouetted when he came in low and immediately flowed into a bow with her ponytail brushing the floor to avoid him as he went high again. The faster and harder Val came at her, the more she practically danced around the room with an economy of movement that made it seem as if she were merely doing warm-up exercises instead of engaging in an epic battle.

  Merlin lost track of how long it went on. Quite a while, that was for sure. It ended abruptly without any kind of signal being made that he could detect. Annika stood nearly dead center of the room, her arms stretched high and one leg sticking out at a ninety-degree angle. Val was in front of her, breathing hard enough to hear. His arms hung loosely to his sides in a clear sign that he was done fighting. Annika slowly lowered her arms and leg. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he bowed low.

  “Apologies, my Queen. You are more than capable of defending yourself and are welcome to join our classes, although I’m not sure there is anything that we can teach you,” he added with a grin.

  “I’m good at defense, obviously,” she replied, then blew out a breath. “It’s the offense I need help with.”

  “It will be my honor to train you,” Val said with another bow.

  “And I’ll show you how to shoot,” Malcolm chimed in.

  “Oh, thank you. That would be most wonderful.” Annika practically clapped with glee.

  “I’m glad we got all of that settled. Obviously no one cares what I think.” Willem stood by the open door with Alex and Damien by his side. The human must have gone to fetch his man while the rest of them had been enthralled by the demonstration.

  “Oh, Papa!” Annika pranced over to him and threw her arms around his neck. “Of course I care what you think.” She kissed his cheek before resting hers against his chest. “Did you see how well I did?”

  Will hugged her. “Yes, I caught the tail end of it—with my heart lodged in my throat.”

  Val slid his hand over his killer Mohawk. “I didn’t lay a finger on her, Will. I swear, I didn’t. And man, I tried. I really did. I had no idea queens could move like that.”

  “I don’t think any of us did,” Alex interjected. “It’s never come up before. There was no need for it to on the home world—or maybe the women deliberately kept this knowledge from us.”

  Annika stood back from her father and beamed at the man. “I honestly have no idea, Mr. Alex. I only know that I can and I want to be a part of this war, not hidden away in a tower like a helpless princess.”

  Alex gave her a stern look. “You are our Queen. Protecting you is as natural to us as breathing. However,” he added when it looked as if she would argue the point, “I cannot dispute that we live on this world now and to a large degree must abide by their customs. Young women have always fought on this planet to protect what is their own. We can hardly expect you to do less.”

  Will turned to eye the man. “Can’t we? ’Cause I sure as hell want to.”

  “Alas, no. Your daughter shall not allow it, no matter how we feel, in any event. Val, continue with your lessons as you see fit. Come, Will. We best leave them to it.”

  “I suppose.” He pressed a kiss on his daughter’s forehead and Merlin knew a moment of stupid jealousy. He wanted his lips to be able to do that—and more. “Take it easy on the boys,” Will warned with a grin.

  Annika took it seriously. “I will, Papa. I promise. But we must all train very hard. Dracul is coming soon.” Her tone of voice sent a shiver up Merlin’s spine.

  Alex froze in mid-stride and turned. “How do you know that?”

  She shook her head. “I can’t say—but I’m sure it’s true.”

  Alex nodded once. “Then continue with all speed. We must be ready. I will lose no one else in this pointless war.”

  When he was gone, Annika turned to the rest of the room. “Who would like to be my partner?”

  Yaro and Matti stepped forward with a ‘me’, at the same time Merlin did. He didn’t hesitate to shove them both aside hard enough for them to land on their asses. “It will be my honor.” He gave her a courtly bow and was pleased that he did so with as much power and grace as Val had.

  “In your dreams, boy,” Val growled. “Get back to your usual pairings, all of you.” He merely arched one eyebrow when Merlin glared at him. “Malcolm, take over the training while I show Annika some moves.”

  “All right then, laddies… You heard the mun.”

  Merlin wanted to argue. He glared at Val’s back for only a
few seconds, though, because he was both afraid of the man and he knew that Val’s plan was sound. Annika needed to be run through the basic moves before sparring with anyone.

  Plus, as he went to return to his place, Annika caught his eye. She smiled and winked at him before following Val. That small affirmation sent his blood soaring and his heart racing. He felt ten times stronger and a million times more motivated to do well. Poor Yaro had no idea what was coming his way.

  And neither did Dracul.

  * * * *

  Andri’s vision dimmed, a sure sign that the Master was taking too much of his blood. He didn’t become overly concerned. There was no point, given that he wasn’t in control, plus the Master needed him and would soon stop tugging at his vein. In the meantime, the feeding made the alien stronger and come harder—and Andri so wanted to do both for his Master, the most powerful creature on the planet. It didn’t matter that he’d been impaled on the guy’s massive cock for hours. He would happily remain in place for the rest of his life. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than being fucked by that monster dick.

  Besides, he was part of an object lesson—another one. Having sucked one new recruit until he was nothing more than a dried-out husk, Dracul had cemented his power over the dozens of humans that had heeded the siren call of mere money. They now appreciated how much they were embroiled in an epic change for their planet. They were already petrified of the Master, even if they didn’t admit it, but also fully committed to their new future as servants of he who would soon rule the entire world. Riches and power were within their grasp and the scent of greed that clung to them was detectible to even Andri’s rather dull senses. Seeing the Master watch them work out while continuingly fucking his slut demonstrated anew how much stronger and more virile he was than them. And if they envied his access to such a fine piece of ass, so much the better. Andri reveled in being part of the play.