The Warrior

by RT Lucas

  Xavier had been walking through the compound for over an hour and was starting to get the impression that everyone was avoiding him. As he doubled back, intent on checking out the medical bay and labs again, he finally laid eyes on his Lieutenant.

  “Standing to fucking attention, Shuggie?” Arching a brow, with a wry grin on his face he watched as his best friend looked surprised, then guilty, then as shifty as hell.

  “Ah didnae recognise ye wi’oot yer fur, Commander.” Shuggie tried to change the subject. He had just heard the heavy footsteps of Xavier down the corridor, and had hurriedly dressed Teodora and laid her on the couch in her office before trying to tidy himself up. Xavier had caught him as he was fastening the belt of his trousers, but the aftereffects of his time with Teodora was still ‘evident’.

  “And that gives you a fucking hard-on? Do we need to talk, Shuggie? Is this more than a bromance?” Xavier barked a laugh as he held his hand out to pull Shuggie into a man-hug, then considered his current state, and withdrew his hand. “No offence, but I don’t know where your hands have been, yeah?” he said smirking smugly.

  Shuggie narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. “Fuck aff, ya bawbag – it is good tae see ye in the land o’the living an’ no on yer hands and knees.”

  “Talking of hands and knees, where is the veritable Doctor?” Xavier knew he’d hit the nail on the head when he mentioned Teodora – Shuggie’s eyes glanced in the direction of the laboratory for the fleetest moment, and his demeanour changed to defensive.

  “Ah … she’s doing well, Commander, bit ah’ll thank ye no tae talk o’her like that in the future.” Shuggie gave Xavier a warning look which sent out a message louder than any proclamation could have done.

  “That so? Well just make sure it doesn’t interfere with either of your duties, yeah?” Not waiting for an answer, Xavier continued, “I need to talk to the two of you anyway about Sweetcheeks and my...” he searched for the word, “...new situation. Is Teo decent, or do you need to prepare her?” Xavier may have heard the message that Shuggie had been giving out regarding the Doctor, he may have understood said message – but to say that he was going to stop from ripping the piss out of Shuggie would be presuming too much. He would enjoy this for all it was worth.

  Knowing exactly what Xavier was up to, Shuggie tried to rise above the jibes and answered quickly, “She’s resting the noo, Commander. Kin it wait?”

  “No.”

  Xavier’s one word answer was followed by him marching past his Lieutenant and straight into the lab. The place was strewn with medical and research equipment. “What the fuck is it with this place that every room looks like a fucking bomb has gone off in it? Tidy this shit up, Lieutenant.” As glass crunched under his boots, Xavier headed towards Teodora’s office. “Wakey, wakey, rise and fucking shine!”

  “Oh gosh!” Teodora was awakened quickly from her sleep by the booming sound of Commander Raige’s voice. Bolting upright, she smoothed a hand over her hair adjusted her scrubs and almost tripped as she ran to open the door. “Commander, please come in, yes? We have much to discuss and I would like to give you a check over.”

  The Surgeon spied her panties lying to the left of her and scurried over to retrieve them before Xavier entered the room.

  Bridging his huge arms across the expanse of his sculpted chest, Xavier lowered his chin and narrowed his eyes. “Hiding the evidence? Games up, Doc – I already spoke to Shug and I’m telling you what I told him. I don’t give a shit what you do in your personal time as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work, yeah?” Leaving no time for Teodora to answer, Xavier kicked over a stool and sat down, running a hand down his face. “Tell lover boy to get in here. I’ve not much time to sort this out.”

  “Of course Commander right away.” Teo gave a curt nod of her head as she walked as professionally as she could past the Commander, which was proving difficult as she was tender in her nether regions. Letting out the breath she has been holding, she walked into the hallway to be met with Shuggie, who looked like he was ready to start a war he looked murderous. “Lieutenant MacAndrew, the Commander will see you now.”

  “Aye, ah heard.” Shuggie nodded over to Teodora as he passed her, holding the door open for her to go back into her office. He stood to the side of Xavier with his back straight and arms behind him.

  Xavier found the interaction between the two fucking hilarious and muttered under his breath to Shuggie. “Need to up your game, Highlander – she can still walk afterwards,” then coughed to cover up what he said as Teodora sat behind her desk.

  “Right you two – let me summarise, then I want your thoughts, understand? Good. I asked Sweetcheeks to kill me as I was mortal and couldn’t protect her. She did, but I was…” Xavier didn’t want to explain that he had been in Heaven corrupting virginal angels, then sent back by the archangels to do…what? What was it he was supposed to do? Unable to straighten his thoughts, he merely stated, “...sent back for good fucking behaviour.” Shrugging a shoulder, he continued, “Whateverthefuck happened in-between, it’s triggered my were-side, as you probably fucking already know. What I want to know is, is it permanent? Am I now a full shifter and am I any danger to Sweetcheeks?” Xavier didn’t register that he hadn’t mentioned being a danger to them or anyone else, only Alicia. “And can the change be controlled?” He looked from one to the other waiting for their response. “Well?”

  Teodora clasped her hands together as the perched on her desk, she was in full on work mode as she started to address the Commander. “Commander Raige, instinct overwhelmed Miss Carberletti once she had shot you and she fed you her blood. As you are aware, she was like you and carries a dormant wolf gene. I am right in saying your wolf had been rising prior to the shooting, yes? Well, when her blood mixed with yours it mutated your DNA. So much so that I believe you are now what I am referring to as a ‘super hybrid’.”

  Teodora’s last statement was probably out of turn, but she had her ‘business’ head on and couldn’t stop herself from explaining her findings.

  “Not the only thing rising around here,” Xavier retorted, enjoying that Shuggie wanted to punch his face into mulch, but couldn’t without getting a court martial. Another warning glare from his Lieutenant sobered him up, slightly. “The wolf has been fighting for dominance for a few months before my...” Instead of finishing with death, Xavier held two fingers up to his forehead, imitating a gun shooting him, “…but how the fuck did you know that?” Directing the question at Teodora, before turning to Shuggie. “And what the fuck do you mean Sweetcheeks fed me her blood afterwards?”

  “Commander, I watched the wolf with Miss Carberletti in the bay, he was gentle with her and then I thought back to how you two met. As you know I am a specialist in the Supernatural – and it is my conclusion that your wolf started to rise because it had recognised its mate…” Teodora turned her head to Shuggie to allow him to have his say on the matter.

  “It’s true, Commander. Bit ah hud witnessed ye both afore aw these shenanigans, an ah think ye already knew that yersel, naw?” Shuggie wasn’t looking at Xavier, but at Teodora, wanting to give her a sign that she was doing well – she was fidgeting and pushing up her glasses which was a sure indication she felt unsure of herself.

  Choosing to ignore the ‘mate’ issue, Xavier cleared his throat. “So I’m not any danger to her. What about controlling the change?” He was definitely not going to have relationship counselling from ‘Legs Akimbo’ and ‘Shuggie Shagathon’.

  Clearing her throat, Teodora looked up. “May I ask how you changed back Commander? I do not mean to pry but it could be important. As for being dangerous to Ms Carberletti – I believe the wolf would only protect her, never harm her. I would bet my life on that.” Teodora looked down at her desk, not wanting to make eye contact with Shuggie as she knew his opinion was not the same as hers.

  Xavier noted the sudden change in atmosphere between the two, but answered the Doc’s question. “I changed back when I slept.
” Thinking for a few moments before elaborating, “I was beside Sweetcheeks, in her bed.” He could almost hear the wheels turning in Shuggie’s brain so he quickly added, “And I was in wolf form, yeah? Anyway, she was talking to me about shit and I fell asleep. Woke up like this.” Another shrug and he opened his palms out almost questioningly.

  “Ah know the Doc thinks when ye’re changed ye cannae harm the youngling, Commander – bit until we know absolutely ah huv tae advice ye tae take precautions.” Shuggie was walking a tightrope – not wanting to offend Teodora or undermine her, but needing to voice his concerns.

  “Talking of precautions…” Xavier eyeballed Teo then Shuggie, before laughing hard. Neither Shuggie nor Teodora joined in. “Lighten the fuck up you two!”

  They didn’t.

  “Why do I feel like the spare whore at an orgy? Fine, I’ll be careful but I think you should take some more bloods and run tests to find out exactly what’s going on with this super fuckhandsome hybrid shit, yeah?” Xavier addressed the Doc before turning his attentions back to Shuggie.

  “Please excuse me gentlemen, I fear this is business that does not concern me, yes?” Teodora addressed the Commander as she left her office in a hurry.

  Using her slender forefinger, Teodora pushed the bridge of her glasses up her nose. As soon as she left the meeting with the Commander and Shuggie she went straight back to work in the research quarters of the compound. She was still exhausted after her intimate interlude with Shuggie, and staring down the microscope concentrating was making her eyes hurt. It was time for a much need break. Only she had access to this part of the building. Of course the Commander and Lieutenant MacAndrew could enter anytime of their choosing, but they never did and Teodora was glad.

  Teodora Valdez had studied at the University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine where she graduated with honours and practiced General Surgery. Her parents used all of their savings so that their only child had the best education. To ensure she could concentrate solely on her studies, they gifted her with an allowance each month so she didn’t have to work to fund her studies. This was something Teodora would always be grateful to her parents for.

  Teodora’s interest in the more scientific part of medicine awakened three years after she had become a consultant. A professor was visiting the hospital she was working at, and was looking to recruit highly skilled doctors and nurses for what he called ‘ground breaking’ developments in the medical field. Teodora was headhunted by the professor and soon learned the nature of his work. Professor Anthony Hills III introduced her to the world of the Supernatural, and she soon rose up through the ranks to be his Head of Experimental Research. She worked for him for just over five years learning everything there was too know about Supernatural beings – before the Commander saved her life. The Commander she would always be in debt to until the day she took her final breath.

  “Oh gosh! Why must these thoughts keep plaguing me?” Teodora whispered to herself as she stepped back from the microscope. The blood on the dish was troubling her and she couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that these memories of her time at the Institute meant something – what exactly she couldn’t be sure. Maybe it was just her brain telling her it was time to take a much needed vacation! That was a ridiculous thought, she reprimanded herself. With all that was happening with Commander Raige and his being this new breed of ‘super-hybrid’, there was absolutely no way she could take any leave until she knew he was safe.

  Teodora decided that she may not be able to take a vacation, but a coffee break was definitely in order. She made sure that the lab was locked up tightly, and as her yellow sunshine coloured clogs squeaked on the pristine polished floor, she headed to the mess kitchen, giggling softly to herself as she thought how military men put even the most obsessive housewife to shame as it gleamed and shone like a new pin.

  ****

  Xavier raised both eyebrows as Teodora left without permission. “Tell your female that in future she does not excuse herself until I order it, we fucking clear Lieutenant?”

  “Aye, Commander Sir,” Shuggie saluted, shirking internally at what had just happened, and noting that Xavier’s tone was darkening. “Commander, are ye alright?”

  Xavier curled his fists as his temper started to rise. He had only been intending in being debriefed by Shuggie on all of Alicia’s antics and brought up to speed with the ongoing missions his soldiers were on, but he couldn’t stop himself. His anger was getting the better of him. “Shuggie, can you or can you fucking not explain what the fuck you’ve been doing while I’ve been out of it? Cos word on the street is that my unit have been mesmerised by a certain little pixie vampire to do her bidding.”

  Jokes were put aside now. When it came to business and the welfare of his soldiers, he was always deadly serious. And Shuggie knew it. “She mesmerised ten foot-soldiers to assist her while she wis getting used to her new hame. Ah saw it as a sort of induction for her – tae make her feel more welcome Commander. Ah didnae see the harm in it.” Shuggie refrained from making eye contact with Xavier, his reaction could go either way.

  Xavier was pissed off and still didn’t have all the answers he wanted. Besides that, he hadn’t seen Alicia since he crept out of her bedroom that morning. Anger, rage and frustration was building inside of him and he had to find Alicia. He couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

  “Eh, Commander – Xavier? Ye dinnae look tae good...ahh shite! Teodora!” Shuggie flashed away from the Doc’s office straight to the labs where Teodora was likely to be. Seeing the place locked up he ran down the corridor, finding her sipping her coffee and reading a scientific journal. Taking the items out of her hands, he grabbed Teodora by the waist, flashing them both back to his quarters located at the other end of the Compound. As he sat her down on his bed, she looked up at him puzzled.

  “Ah didnae huv time tae explain, lass – it wis the Commander. He’s shifted tae wolf again…”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “Is it better or is worse, are we sitting in reverse.” Alicia was swaying her hips as she danced along the corridor of the compound, her pink headphones covering her ears as she sung at the top of her lungs. “Just know that you’re not in this thing alone.”

  As she passed the medical bay she stopped dead and turned in slow motion. He was there! Her wolf was there in the bay! She kicked the door open with one foot and ran into the bay. Forgetting her earphones were on, she didn’t realise that she was shouting her words. “Hey, boy! You came back?” Her smile was that wide that her dimples were showing as she stood and looked at the greyish brown animal. “Duck a fuck, I missed you!”

  Xavier’s ears pricked up and he launched himself at Alicia, fragments of his shredded clothes caught on his hind paws. Pinning her down on the floor, he growled, “Mine,” before licking a long, wet stroke from neck to forehead, his tail wagging excitedly. “Fucking Mine.”

  Alicia’s squeals ricocheted off the walls as she was thrown to the floor, the wolf’s tongue tickling her as he licked. “You missed me too, huh boy?” Her happiness quickly disappeared and Alicia slowly raised to sit up – panic was starting to set in. Seeing the material caught on the wolf’s paws, she gulped. She would know that fabric anywhere.

  “You fucking ate Xavier?!” Alicia had started to crawl backwards. Her stomach was churning as she saw the shreds of his fatigues and muscle shirt on the floor. She was in so much shock that she couldn’t flash herself away. “What...Have...You...Done?”

  Whining, confused, Xavier stood on his four limbs, head down and tail tucked between his legs. “No...No.” She was rejecting him – trying to move away from him. He raised his head, stretching his throat and howling loudly before slumping to the ground. As though strobe lights were flashing, Xavier changed from wolf to man then back again – each shift lasting the blink of an eye, but his screams and howls were intermingled. He couldn’t stop from shifting, he couldn’t fix on a form.

  Xavier’s screams could be heard all acro
ss the compound. From Shuggie’s quarters Teodora’s head snapped up at the sound of them. She grabbed Shuggie. “Warrior, you must take me back my bay, now! You must hear that, yes?”

  “Nowt wrong wi’ ma hearing, lassie – an that’s precisely why ah’m no takin’ ye back.” Shuggie used his large body to block Teodora from leaving the room, and was staring at her stubbornly.

  “You listen to me Lieutenant Hugh MacAndrew, your Commander needs assistance and as the head physician of his unit, I demand that I be taken to him immediately.” The shy Teodora had dispersed, the authoritative Doctor needing to attend to a patient in danger coming to the fore. Her words were clear, precise and demanding, “Now Lieutenant.”

  “Hard heided stubborn wummin!” Against Shuggie’s better judgement, he relented and took a hold of Teodora. “Bit if ye are in any danger, lass, ah’m takin’ ye oot o’there – nae arguments,” and with that, he flashed them back to the bay. Hearing the commotion out in the corridor he slowly led Teodora out behind him, holding her hand. Shuggie saw the frightened Alicia cowering from Xavier, who was on the floor, erratically changing from wolf form to human. The noises were horrifying.