Fucking shit! Bethany Anne yelled, What the hell, TOM?
With a groan of pain, Boris took his hands away from his ears, his right hand filled with blood.
TOM, does this give you an idea of what happened? He seems to react badly to my stepping through the Etheric.
I can posit a theory, that he is sensitive to the Etheric in a different way than Barnabas. I will need ADAM to run through his vital statistics from the medical pod to confirm.
If he is, is there some way you can stop his headaches? He had to be either a gottverdam idiot or desperate to run the risk he did for information. He doesn't seem stupid, so I'll go with desperate.
I will have to see what ADAM and I can determine. I have too little data at this time to be assured we can cure his headaches without permanent damage. I’ll get back to you.
It took Bethany Anne and Ashur fifteen minutes to grab those she wanted. John, Frank, Nathan, Ecaterina, Barnabas, and Gabrielle joined them in the conference room as Boris was still muzzily shaking his head, trying to release the lingering pain. Ashur dropped to the floor behind her chair, next to the wall.
The others took seats watching Boris.
Stephen opened the conversation. "Boris, what were you doing in the US? I think we'd all like to know. The real reason, not the mercenary contract. I am satisfied that you didn’t know the target. If you had, you would have tried to contact Michael yourself."
Boris nodded somberly, "That is the problem with secrets, sometimes allies unintentionally act against you. I came to the US to investigate the technology that was sending things into space. I had a theory that it might be related to the constant headaches that are slowly driving me over the edge." He paused and looked at Bethany Anne. "I have a new theory. Might it be that you stepped closer to Siberia several months ago? In early May?"
Bethany Anne pursed her lips, "Yes, I did."
TOM spoke from one of the speakers in the room, "While you may have exacerbated the problem, Bethany Anne, I doubt that you have been the sole source. Some of it was undoubtedly caused by Kamiko Kana. Plus, Boris may be sensitive enough that the Etheric draw of the engines affects him, according to the data from the medical pod.”
Sending privately to Bethany Anne, TOM added, There is a way to fix the problem. However, it will likely leave him still able to sense changes in the Etheric. The other pathways may permanently change his brain in an unpredictable manner. Removing memories or shifting personality. Further, he has the potential to draw on the Etheric while in human form, possibly to the same extent as Gabrielle.
Of course, we should... oh. Hmm, I guess we don't really know enough about him do we.
Bethany Anne said, "TOM, get with ADAM and see if you can find a way to cure the headaches."
Frank asked, "I'm curious. Stephen mentioned a town in Siberia where you protect the residents?"
Boris nodded "Da. I am a Pack leader in Siberia. You must understand, with the wide spaces and size of Russia there is no Pack Council, just packs. And it is worth a non-alpha's life to move across territories without permission."
"But the town and its people?" Boris took a moment to stare while focusing on nothing, tears appeared in his eyes. "I protect them because of an oath I swore to my love before the predatel'skaya negodyay Reds had her executed. I swore I would save as many White Russians from the State as possible. I did, with the help of some Cossacks, I also aid and defend. This is where most of those I shield come from, their descendants.”
Boris stopped staring into nothing and brought his attention back to those around the table, “The rest are pack. I protect them to honor her memory. 'Tis all I have left." He was silent and contemplative, while Stephen swept the room with his eyes and gave a sharp nod, confirming the story.
Boris continued, "I worked as a mercenary after the war to build up the necessary infrastructure. Also, to send the brightest away for a better education than would be possible in central Russia. Our town is viewed with suspicion by many outside Siberia. Inside Siberia, everyone is descended from prestupniki, criminals of one sort or another, so no-one judges another."
He laid two large hands on the table in front of everyone, "I am bound to them by blood oath and heart oath. I cannot in good conscience swear such an oath to you. I would, to honor Michael and the changes you started in him, swear an oath to aid you in any way I can that is not prevented by my previous promise." He clasped his fist to his breast. Then he said, "Do you have a knife, Czarina?"
Bethany Anne blinked and then turned to Stephen with a raised eyebrow in question, choosing not to read Boris’ mind at this juncture as it just felt…wrong.
Stephen smiled. "He wants to swear his oath in the way that his mother taught him." Bethany Anne turned towards the door, “John?”
John stepped into the room and unclasped his Bowie, handing it to Bethany Anne hilt first. As she turned Boris started to stand before going to his knees, eyes shut in pain.
“What the hell?” she asked.
ADAM? TOM?
>>The Ad Aeternitatem just sent up four Pods for an outer defense.<<
“Fucking shit.” Bethany Anne spoke, “Four Pods just lifted from the Ad Aeternitatem. I’ll have them stop that unless an emergency calls for it.”
>>Understood.<<
"Gott Verdamnt!”
TOM, please tell me we can fix that?
Tom replied while Boris recovered, ADAM and I have found a solution to the source of the headaches. It will require around two hours in the medical pod.
Bethany Anne walked around the table holding the Bowie, "Well Boris, I guess after one more trip, we should have a solution for your headaches."
Boris shook his head to clear it and stood up beside her. He held out his hand, palm up and indicated she was to slice his hand with the knife, which she did quickly and without any fanfare.
Boris held a slight grimace from his face, the Bowie was silver. His English was good, but his Russian accent was very pronounced during his oath, "By my blood on your blade, in memory of Michael, I swear service as I am able to you."
Bethany Anne sliced her own palm, "In honor, I keep your vows as mine. In memory of loves lost, I will protect your people as my own."
Boris froze for a moment and looked at Stephen, his incredulous eyes seeking confirmation.
"Yes, Boris. She means it," was Stephen's simple response.
He took one knee before Bethany Anne, "On this world, my service is yours."
"Oh knock it off, you big bear.” Bethany Anne said as she nodded to John and tossed him the knife. "Let's get you back into the Pod so TOM can fix you." She reached out a hand as Ashur stepped up beside her, “Mind the first step, it hurts like a bitch.”
The three disappeared.
CHAPTER THREE
Were training room, QBS Ad Aeternitatem
It took a total of three hours for Bethany Anne to bring Boris back. It had taken another thirty minutes before she realized that Nathan and Peter had plans if Boris was up to sparring.
Bethany Anne wanted to roll her eyes at the testosterone bullshit and then realized they were, literally, programmed that way. She left them to their exercises and went to check in with her father.
Nathan and Peter were both itching for a matchup. Here was a Pricolici that had been around a very long time. In some circles, he was considered a rumor, like Michael to vampires in Asia.
How could either one pass up the chance to fight a rumor? Boris had been around Weres a long time, so energized with the fresh release from his pain and feeling good, he was agreeable to the sparring session.
They talked and decided Peter should go first. It was agreed to spar as humans for the first rounds. Peter put up a good fight, but it was obvious that Boris had trained in all the styles that Peter knew. His counters were muscle memory and after about two minutes Peter was on the ground for a three-count.
Peter was disappointed that he hadn’t landed a solid blow, but Boris spoke to him after the round. “You
are good, youngling. I have learned many different styles over the centuries. Siberia was the ends of the earth for a long time, you see. People from many different schools of fighting ended up there. I tried for many decades to learn from as many as possible. I would guess that I have at least four centuries on you. Do not take it so hard.”
Boris then indicated to Nathan that he was ready. This opponent obviously had more skill and training than the first so Boris took the time to test his defenses and found them good. After two minutes of sparring back and forth, he found a rhythm to Nathan’s attacks. A weakness in his style that Boris could exploit. He let Nathan get comfortable and suddenly switched gears, which threw Nathan enough for Boris to get him in a full nelson. After trying several methods to break the hold and failing, Nathan muttered, “I yield.”
Boris released him from the grapple and grinned, “You have spent a lot of time training, but you let yourself fall into a rhythm. It is a weakness you need to be careful of. An experienced opponent will find it and exploit it.”
Nathan snorted “And how likely is it that I’ll find someone as experienced as you?”
Boris shrugged “Not the point. If someone does notice it, it is a weakness. I suggest you work on it.”
Nathan turned to the door and saw Gabrielle there, grinning. Nathan looked at her and said “Okay then, you have a go without the tricks BA taught you. Think of it as redeeming our honor.”
Boris shrugged and nodded as Gabrielle stepped forward.
They circled each other, watching how their opponent moved. Gabrielle darted forward under his reach and caught an elbow in her chest for her trouble. She backed off again, and Boris feinted with a kick to the mid-drift that was actually a step forward. He grabbed the arm that reached to grab his foot. Gabriel broke the hold and kneed him in the gut. He folded forward in pain but used the movement to achieve a grapple around her waist. Once her feet were off the ground, Boris asked, “Do you yield or should I throw you?” She took a half minute trying to find the leverage to remove his grip without going to vamp speed, but couldn’t and called the bout.
She glared at him. “Okay. Rematch. This time, I will use some tricks” She flashed a vicious grin at him. Boris shrugged and nodded. It wasn’t like he really expected to beat her if she decided to go all out.
Gabrielle chose to pick up the speed to the first level. She was surprised that he could still follow her and despite her landing more blows he seemed to be coping well. He was able to face Gabrielle despite the step up in speed. He waited, often taking a pounding until she pushed too hard on an attack and left him an opening he could exploit.
Then she realized he was riding most of the blows, robbing them of striking power. After about ten minutes of this, they heard Bethany Anne from the doorway.
“I’d call it a draw at that level, Gabrielle. I need to talk to Boris,” Bethany Anne commented as the two turned in her direction.
They backed off and bowed. Boris raised a questioning eyebrow, but Bethany Anne shook her head and indicated he should follow her. Walking down the hall, Bethany Anne said “Stephen tells me that you have been a Pricolici for four centuries. He also told me of the dangers of the form.”
Boris nodded, “I have noticed that you have three amongst you with that form. They have been warned of the dangers?”
“Yes, Stephen cautioned them,” Bethany Anne replied, “I am hoping you could provide some insight on how you have successfully dealt with this for so long? They’re good friends, and I’m not willing to lose them to a form of madness.”
Boris nodded, “I will teach both methods I know. If I could meet them privately?”
Bethany Anne could almost feel his level of discomfort talking about this subject around non-Weres. She smiled and responded, “Of course.” Her curiosity was acting up. She didn’t have a need to be there at the time it occurred, so she could always ask Ecaterina later.
—
The four Pricolici met in a conference room on the Ad Aeternitatem later that evening.
Boris started with the simplest means. “One year in five. Stay out of the Pricolici form just one year in five and you won’t lose yourself to it. For most of the first two centuries after I met Stephen this was the method I used.”
Peter looked at him and asked, “But you found another way?”
Boris turned and nodded to him “Da. But I’m not so sure it is one available to most. Perhaps it just differs for others. I have tried and failed to teach it at least twice. But, for me, I found a way to change into the form without rage. With calmness, like a summer pond without a breeze in the air. When you reach a particular state, you will be able to reach for the form. But I cannot guarantee you will find the same path. It is something that has to be found, and can be corrupted if you find rage once changed. Until you are sure, stay as human or wolf for one year in three. If you do not… you will eventually succumb to eternal rage.”
Nathan considered Boris’s statements, “You sound more akin to a Japanese Zen teacher.”
Boris grinned broadly. “Perhaps, Grasshopper, because it was a half-Japanese woman who suggested the solution to me.”
Peter and Ecaterina burst out laughing as Nathan glared at Boris.
Boris continued, “I will think of other circumstances where I have changed and suggest more options if I think they may work. But it is no easy thing. This form is as much a curse as a blessing. Always remember that before you change. Think ‘Do I need this, or would wolf or man be as useful?’ The less you use it, the safer you’ll be. And if you find yourself behaving more aggressively than normal as a man, DON’T change. You are near the madness then.”
The next morning Boris was having breakfast in the ship's mess with Nathan, talking about moving unobserved. “I think in a city, you would be less likely to be noticed than me, Nathan. A man of my size finds it hard to move unobserved. A bear is more likely seen than a wolf and taken as a bigger threat. In a forest, I think I could best you at being unobserved, more because of the time I’ve had to master it than anything.”
“Sure, sure. But you have more mass to hide. Surely we’d be even there?” Nathan replied.
Boris shrugged, “It is not so big a problem if you learn how to deal with it. It would be interesting to see which of us your pups would find first. Perhaps…“
Both men turned when they heard the quick footsteps coming down the hallway and watched the doorway as Frank entered, looked around to find them and hurried over to their table. He nodded to Nathan but turned to Boris, “Sorry to interrupt you guys. Boris, your town is Romanovka, right? The one in Chelyabinsk Oblast?” Boris nodded, his expression tightening in concern. Frank’s face clouded up, “Dammit. I’ve received information the Russian government is rounding up treasonous dissidents there.”
The entire mess went silent as Boris stood up from the table and loudly spun invectives from five languages. It took him a couple of minutes to calm down. With eyes filled with anger, he turned towards Frank. “Do you know who ordered this?” He held up his hand to stop Frank from answering, “It was straight from the President wasn’t it?” Frank nodded his head. “I keep telling people that all communists who had served in the bureaucracies should have been shot or imprisoned. Instead, they elect one - and a former KGB at that - to the Presidency!” Boris looked around as if he wanted to spit on something, but there were no options on the ship.
He paused, then started walking towards the door. Nathan called out, “Boris, wait! I’m sure Bethany Anne will want to help you!”
Boris turned and shook his head at Nathan, “The politics are such that if a non-Russian attempts to interfere, more of my people will be put in danger. I must go alone. I can make arrangements for a flight. Vassily will regret telling anyone I was dead, the shitehawk arsehole licker.”
That cursing, Frank could understand.
Nathan tried again, “We can at least get you there a lot faster than any plane. Let us do that much - and give you a clean line of comm
unications in case we can help you further.”
Boris was obviously torn between going there his own way and acknowledging the obligation Bethany Anne may feel she had and accepting any help, something he was unused to doing. He eventually nodded, following Nathan and Frank as they quickly left the mess and headed towards the hanger.
—
Frank and Nathan stood while Bethany Anne eyed them both. Her eyes went from one man to the other, her voice calm, clipped, precise. Too precise.
Like a woman trying mightily to hold back anger.
“So, Boris is back in Russia. The government is rounding up his people and killing them, and you two did what exactly? Supported his effort by getting him to the location as quickly as possible?”
Evacuation (The Boris Chronicles Book 1) Page 2