by I. T. Lucas
The Guardians were proving to be a real pain in his ass. He was down to six men.
Fisting his hands, Dalhu gathered his resolve. With the obvious presence of his enemy luring him like a vulture to the smell of carrion, there was no way in hell he was going to give up. He would just have to regroup and reevaluate his strategy.
It had been monumentally stupid of his men to ransack the lab and alert the enemy to the fact that they'd gotten their hands on that notebook—allowing the Guardians to take preemptive measures.
Those two potential Dormants should've been free for the picking, if not for the morons he had sent to the lab.
It should have been a stealth operation.
Lucky for them, those men were already dead. Taken out by the Guardians that had been protecting the telepath. Otherwise, he would have slaughtered them himself. Slowly.
Nevertheless, it was nothing but another setback.
He needed to come up with a plan. And to do so he had to make a list of all that he knew about the enemy; their strengths and weaknesses, patterns of behavior. How and where the few other immortal hits the Brotherhood had scored over the centuries had been accomplished. Only then he could figure out the right approach.
The next order of business would be to ask for reinforcements, which would be tricky. He would have to come up with a way to make the request without revealing the losses he had incurred. Reporting casualties, in the absence of results substantial enough to justify the losses, could have dire consequences for him.
Failure was not tolerated in Navuh's camp. Men lost their heads for less.
In the meantime, though, he had to boost morale among his remaining men. Not to mention his own.
The hookers he had reserved for tonight, or call girls as they preferred to be called, would be a step in the right direction.
Nothing like a night of debauchery to make everyone happy.
CHAPTER 14: KIAN
"Where are you going?" Syssi asked groggily.
"Go back to sleep, baby. I'm going down to the gym. If I don't squeeze my workout first thing in the morning, I'll never get to it later." Kian kissed her warm, smooth cheek.
She turned, peering at him from under heavy lids. "What time is it?"
"It's five in the morning. Way too early for you."
"You slept even less than I did!" she protested, pulling on his hand to get him back in bed.
"I don't need as much sleep as you do, and you definitely need the rest." Kian winked and leaned to kiss her mouth.
Syssi shook her head, pressing her lips tightly together. "Morning breath," she mumbled through clenched teeth.
Kian cocked an eyebrow. "Mine or yours?" He smiled and kissed the corner of her mouth anyway.
Grabbing a pillow, she hid her face under it to escape his kisses.
Not discouraged by her antics, Kian leaned down her other end, kissing the little bit of butt-cheek protruding from her panties. Her skin there was so soft and her scent so sweet, he couldn't help himself and nipped a little.
"Stop that!" Syssi tugged on her nightshirt to cover her cute little butt.
"I can't help it. You're too tasty…" He pulled her shirt back up, and after another quick nip to her bottom, rushed out, dodging the pillow she threw at him.
Down at the gym, the activity was already going full swing when Kian walked in.
"Boss man! Over here!" Yamanu called from where he was working his already bulging bicep.
Kian lifted a barbell as well and started his reps. "I'm surprised everyone is here so early. What's going on?"
"Finally seeing some action got everybody excited. There's nothing like the prospect of kicking some Doomer ass to motivate the guys to get back in top shape."
"And here I thought all of this time you were training hard to be ready for battle, when all along you were doing it only to look good for the ladies." Kian shot Yamanu a mocking grin.
The guy arched his brows and flipped Kian the bird before getting serious. "The SOB’s are strong fighters. Last night, they managed to inflict some serious damage on Arwel and Onegus. That never happened in the old times. It shouldn't have been that difficult for the guys to subdue the motherfuckers. And regardless of whether they've gotten better or we've gotten weaker, we cannot afford to leave it at that." Yamanu paused as he switched hands. "We've been slacking off lately. It's time to get back in the game."
"It's good that you guys got some fire under your lazy asses, but I don't anticipate any more skirmishes." Kian switched sides as well. "As it is, we already have five undead in our crypt. If we keep on collecting their worthless carcasses at this rate, we'll have to expand it soon." Kian chuckled, taking a small rest before starting over on his left side.
Yamanu switched hands again, continuing the reps without rest. "What do you plan to do with them?"
Kian shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like we need to feed them. They just take up space. If it was up to me… well, you know my opinion on the subject. But Annani doesn't want them dead."
Kian had learned long ago that there was no point in trying to change his mother's mind once she made her decision. And as the head of their clan her word was final. Besides, more often than not, she had proven to be right in the end.
He had to wonder, though. Did she plan to keep the Doomers frozen like that indefinitely? Or did she delude herself that they could be redeemed; made to realize the evil of their ways and see the light.
She should know better than that.
Centuries of brainwashing and hatred couldn't be undone. Wishing it, would not make it so.
Kian shrugged. "How is the boy doing, still asleep?"
"I didn't wake him, so he'll keep sleeping until I do. What's the deal with him?" Yamanu shifted the barbell and began working on his triceps.
"Amanda wants to try turning him. She believes both Syssi and Michael are possible Dormants."
Yamanu flashed Kian his perfect smile. "Nice… Let me guess… You are in charge of turning the girl. You lucky bastard!"
Kian ignored Yamanu's big grin, doing like the three wise monkeys, and switched subjects back to Michael. "When you're done here, go wake the kid up. I'll get Amanda and we'll talk to him."
Kian replaced the barbell on the rack and walked over to the row of treadmills. Switching one on, he began pounding away at a clip pace.
CHAPTER 15: MICHAEL
"Time to get up, kid!"
Startled by a hand shaking his shoulder, Michael surged up. "What? Where?"
He had no idea where he was, but he recognized the tall, dark man staring at him with a pair of eerie pale blue eyes.
Yamanu—the dude from last night.
"Where am I?" Michael rubbed at his temples as he swung his legs down the bed's side, then looked at his socked feet. Someone had taken his Converses off. Luckily, his socks were relatively clean and free of holes. Getting dressed for the club last night, he had realized that he had run out of clean ones and had pulled the least dirty pair out of his overflowing laundry bin.
With a quick glance around, he saw his spanking-new Converse shoes lined up against the wall with their toes pointing in like two misbehaving brats sent there to serve penance.
"You're enjoying Dr. Dokani's hospitality. Five-star accommodations, including a change of clothes, a new toothbrush, and a razor. It's all in the bathroom. And when you're done there, your complimentary breakfast is waiting right here." Yamanu pointed to the covered tray on the coffee table.
As the appetizing smells registered in his sluggish brain, Michael salivated, suddenly feeling hungry as hell. No big surprise there. He always woke up hungry. But for once, there was something more pressing than food.
"When is Dr. Dokani going to see me? I really need someone to clue me in as to what kind of shit I'm in, and how deep…"
"Go get cleaned. And better be quick about it, she'll be here shortly…" Yamanu scrunched his nose in distaste. "You stink."
Lifting his arm, Michael sniffed at his
armpit. It wasn't that bad… "I don't know what you're talking about, dude. You're worse than my mom."
Yamanu shook his head as he turned to leave. "Just trust me on that."
Trust him… like he had a choice.
Taking off his clothes, Michael looked around the bathroom for a place to dump his dirty stuff, but there was nothing that looked like a laundry basket. And unlike his bathroom at the dorms, this one was nice and clean and smelled good. So instead of dropping them on the floor like he usually would, he folded them on top of the counter next to the new clothes Yamanu had left for him.
When the knock came, Michael was already done with his morning routine and about to inhale the last pastry on his plate. Stuffing it into his mouth and chewing quickly, he walked over to the door.
Opening the thing from the other side, Dr. Dokani walked in with an enviably good-looking dude.
Figures, Michael thought, for a chick like her to have a boyfriend that looks like that.
“Hi, Michael, I hope you had a pleasant night," she said.
Michael shook the hand she offered.
"This is Kian, my brother."
He shook the dude's hand as well.
A brother then, not a boyfriend… As if it matters… Like I had a chance in hell, Michael thought while fronting like he was cool—confident.
"Let’s have a seat, shall we?" She pointed to the couch and sat across from him on the chair.
Michael lowered his butt to the sofa. Sitting on the edge with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him, he leaned toward the professor. "Dr. Dokani, what's going on?"
"Amanda… please call me Amanda. We are all friends here. Kian?" She turned to her brother, who was still standing. "Would you like to be the one to explain?"
"No, sister mine. You do the honors, I insist." The dude pinned her with a hard stare.
Coward, she mouthed at him.
Slacker, he mouthed back.
"Guys? How about you clue me in? You're freaking me out."
What the hell?
How bad could it be, for these two to argue like preschoolers about who will deliver the grim news?
"Okay, I'll start." Amanda sighed and re-crossed her long, shapely legs, as her brother sat down next to her in the other chair, facing Michael as well.
"What I'm about to tell you will sound unbelievable, fantastic, and though I'm sure you'll have many questions, I ask that you just listen until I'm done."
Michael swiped two fingers over his lips in a zipping motion.
"Okay, then," Amanda said.
"Thousands of years ago, a species of nearly immortal people lived among humans, who believed them to be gods. Their bodies neither aged nor contracted decease. And as they healed and regenerated from most injuries quickly, they were almost impossible to kill. They also possessed special abilities, like the ability to create powerful illusions. These powers, along with their immortality, made them seem divine to the primitive people.
"They took mates from among the humans and many mixed children were born, possessing some of the powers as well. But as in any society, there were internal struggles for power, which eventually resulted in a nuclear catastrophe that wiped out the gods and a huge chunk of the mortal population.
"One lone goddess escaped the cataclysm, taking with her the advanced knowledge of her people. She had made it her mission to trickle this knowledge to humanity, and over the millennia guided it to become a more advanced, better society. But she had enemies.
"The scions of her nemesis survived the nuclear disaster and embarked on a road of destruction, vowing to eliminate her, her progeny, and any progress humanity achieved through her help.
"We, as her descendants, are helping her achieve her goals. Unfortunately, there are not many of us. We believe, though, that there are Dormant mortals, people carrying our genetic code that we can activate. To date, all our attempts at identifying Dormants have failed. I started my research on a hunch, believing some Dormants might exhibit paranormal abilities. Among all my test subjects, you and my assistant Syssi were the only ones talented enough to be considered potential candidates."
Amanda paused to take a breath. "Our enemies of old, The Doom Brotherhood or Doomers as we call them, got hold of parts of my research that contained information about Syssi and you. Being identified as potential Dormants, you became highly coveted targets for them. Luckily, we were able to get to you before they did. Now we face a dilemma. I'll let Kian explain."
Michael looked first at Amanda's serious face then Kian's, then back at Amanda's, waiting for them to crack and tell him they were pulling his leg. But as they held on to their serious expressions, gradually his mouth morphed into a smile. Clapping his hands and laughing he looked at the ceiling and the two-way mirror.
"I knew it. I've been punked! You have a camera crew behind that mirror. Damn!… For a moment, you got me there… unbelievable…. Okay, guys, you can come out now… you had your fun…" Michael looked at the door, waiting for it to burst open.
"Guys?" He looked at Amanda and Kian. "Oh, come on, how long are you going to drag it out? I'm on to you…"
"I think Michael needs a demonstration." Amanda turned to her brother.
"It would be my pleasure." Kian’s evil smile should've warned Michael something other than a joke was up. Though later, when he would think about it, nothing could've prepared him for what came next.
Right in front of his eyes, Kian began morphing into a creature straight out of a nightmare. Somehow he was becoming larger—like in huge—his skin turning red, and black horns sprouted on top of his head. His eyes, which had been blue a moment ago, turned completely black, and long, sharp fangs protruded from that cruel mouth that was still smiling that evil smile.
But now it was absolutely terrifying.
"What the hell?!" With no way to escape other than going through that demon, Michael scrambled back and climbed the sofa's back, screeching like a chick.
The demon disappeared in a flash, and in its place Kian was back, with the same godawful smile plastered on his smug puss. "Need some more convincing? I can do Bigfoot, KingKong… Ask me. It's the only time I'd take requests, so don't be shy," the jerk taunted.
"You put something in my food, drugged me, I know it…" Michael's heart was pounding in his chest louder than it did when he had faced those titans last night. He got so scared, his hands were shaking.
His hands had never done that before. Ever.
This must be what a bad trip feels like, he thought as he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. Zach had one, after trying some weird stuff the guys from the chemistry department had cooked, and he had sworn never to touch hallucinogenics ever again. Now, Michael understood why.
"There was nothing in your food and you know it. You're just trying to rationalize the unbelievable, choosing to believe in something even more outlandish instead. Does that make sense to you?" Kian sounded like he was losing his patience.
Michael rubbed his chest as he tried to force his brain to stop misfiring so he could think for a moment. The demon from hell had appeared right after Kian had promised a demonstration. From the little he knew about how hallucinogenic drugs worked, it didn't make sense that the effect could have been so well timed…
But Amanda's story was just too out there…
Except, why would they go to all this trouble to deceive him? He was a nobody. What would they gain by messing with him?
"I'm listening…" Michael capitulated, figuring he had nothing to lose by hearing the rest of the story: Incredibly scary guy getting pissed, notwithstanding.
"Good, so here is the dilemma. In order to activate your dormant genes, one of us has to inject you with venom… Yeah, venom. You heard me right." Kian raised his palm to stop Michael's what-the-hell?
"The males of our species have fangs that produce venom; in two situations." Kian lifted his hand, two fingers up. "During sex, or when aggressing on other males. This venom is what facilitates the activ
ation. We know this because that's how we activate our boys when they reach puberty. We treat it as a right-of-passage ritual. An older boy is chosen to fight the Dormant, who only has to fight well enough to generate the level of aggression needed for the older boy to produce venom and bite him. For a thirteen-year-old, in most cases one time is enough. In an adult male your size, we have no clue. We've never done it before. This means that you'll have to go through gladiator style matches every day until you turn or give up. If you turn, you gain immortality and become one of us. If you don't, we erase your memory of our existence."
"So what's the dilemma?" Michael asked. "It seems you've already decided what you want to do with me."
"First of all, no, it’s up to you. You decide you don't want to get beaten bloody and pumped with venom every day—we erase your memory now. You choose to stay—I already explained what happens then. The problem is that out there Doomers are waiting to snatch you, either to kill you or somehow use you. You cannot go back to school or to your parents’ home.
"We'll take care of you, of course; provide resources for relocation, new name, new school, whatever you need. Plant new memories in your mind, giving you some plausible explanation for the whole mess. But you need to make up your mind and decide if you're willing to give it a shot. I will not sugarcoat it for you. I don't think it will work. Amanda believes there is a chance and I'm willing to give it a try, but I don't want to give you false hope."
The room went quiet as Michael took a moment to think it through, which wasn't easy with Amanda and Kian staring at him. He felt like the poor shmuck on a gameshow, standing on a podium and sweating for the answer as the annoying music played in the background.
Michael suppressed a snort as it crossed his mind that Amanda and her jerk brother were certainly pretty enough to play as hosts on this freaky gameshow from hell.