The Warrior

by RT Lucas

  Alicia wriggled off of Xavier’s lap and walked over to the large bay window, looking out over the grounds of the compound. “I haven’t used them as toys for your information, I needed them to build my own Army! You were fucking dead and Hugh was busy being you – so take a chill pill and chillax!”

  “Three things, yeah – One no one can be me, but me. Two, what the fuck do you need with an army? And three – and I want you to listen real careful to this – they are my men, so in no way would they ever be or will be yours – are we fucking clear?”

  “Don’t need your fucking men anyway so keep them…I have my own men, my empire is growing and the last of my father’s contacts are about to come on board.” Alicia spun around to face Xavier.

  “Back the fuck up, Sweetcheeks.” He held a hand up as he glared at her. “Your what the fuck now? Empire?” He gave her a ‘on a scale of one to crazy how crazy are you’ look. “And you have your ‘own men’ – you can forget that, we clear? I said – are we fucking clear?”

  Arching her brow, Alicia gave Xavier a defiant look. “You do not own me Commander Prick, I am a business woman and that is what I have been doing, I will be the Master of the fucking underworld, are…we... clear?”

  “Power trip much?” Xavier laughed scornfully as he rubbed a hand over his face. “I might not own you, but you have learned fuck all from killing me.” His words and voice were biting. “Master of the fucking underworld? It’s a wonder your ego can fit in this fucking room, yeah?” Snorting, he got up, pushing past Alicia. “You’ve been watching one too many Godfather film,” he said, shaking his head as he walked towards the door.

  “Take me to these men of yours then – or are you frightened I find out they’re all pussies?”

  Alicia held out her hand for Xavier her tone of voice had changed it was softer…she hated the feeling that he was disappointed in her. “Let me take you them and I’ll explain everything when you see for yourself.”

  Reluctantly, Xavier took Alicia’s hand as she flashed them both to a huge dimly lit warehouse. “Where the fuck is this place?”

  “Welcome to my world Xavier” Alicia let go of his large hand as she looked up at him. “This is my home, well it was my father’s business headquarters. Being the last of my bloodline, I own it all.”

  ****

  Echoes of the name ‘Carberletti’ whispered on the wind finding their way to her ears. Snapping her head up, Mabel curled her thin gnarled fingers together “So, the Little Carberletti has found her way back to the Ancestral home…how precious!” cackling as she rocked back and forth on her heels. As she threw her head back maniacally, part of her nose fell off and she went silent for a moment. Screwing her face up in disgust, she scrambled onto all fours, gathering the pieces of rotten flesh together to plaster them back in place. This meat suit wasn’t going to last very much longer – she needed to finish her work here quickly. She had more pressing matters to attend to…Little Carberletti.

  ****

  Xavier was standing next to Alicia when he first caught the whiff of death – he looked at her as though she’d just farted and took a step away from her, thinking it was more gentlemanly not to mention it. “Well, where is this new model army of yours, Sweetcheeks?”

  “Follow me.” Alicia spun around on the soles of her boots and headed to the old looking oak door, using her mind the sound of the locks unspringing one by one as the door creaked open. “Well are you coming or not?”

  Standing with his back straight, arms by his sides, Xavier looked into the room. There were two lines of twenty men, facing each other – with a corridor between them. “What the fuck have you done?” Xavier looked hard at the men – all different nationalities and races, all wearing one uniform – black with an embroidered insignia on the top left hand shoulder of a pink gun crossed with a purple one and cherries in the middle giving the impression of a large ‘A’ from a distance.

  Alicia’s hand moved to shove a lolly in her mouth, her eyes were glinting with pride as she looked over her men. “I have created my own team of handpicked males, they are all the best of their regiments. I stole them.”

  “How did you pick them? Have you kissed them – been with them?” Xavier’s tone was lethal.

  “Unlike you, who was fucking Angels whilst he was meant to be dead…I am not a slug... really Xavier?”

  Here we go, Xavier thought. “Slag. Not that you are one – you’re not one, are you?” Side glancing the furious midget he continued, “And for the record, you said you were good with that so don’t fucking start female. Did you let any of these wankshafts touch you?” His face was starting to morph into wolf form and his hands were curled into tight fists as his jealousy took hold of him.

  “Oi! Wolfie…Do me a fucking favour.” Alicia grabbed Xavier’s curled up hand by the wrist and tugged him to follow her, she led them over to one of her suspended men. “Look at their badge and tell me what you fucking see.”

  Xavier’s voice was almost growling. “Guns and Cherries – so?”

  “Look closer…”

  “It’s in an ‘A’ formation,” he shrugged, his wolf receding and his voice returning to its natural deep tone.

  “Do you need fucking goggles?” Alicia shifted to stand behind Xavier jumping on his back she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Look to the top Xavier…”

  Xavier rolled his eyes and did as Alicia asked. Spanking her on the ass he grinned. “An ‘X’? For fuckhandsome me, yeah?” laughing as his jealous fit subsided.

  Alicia placed a soft kiss to Xavier’s cheek as she looked up at her men. “It was all you, the way you run your unit inspired me – you are my inspiration Xav.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere.” He continued laughing then walked along the line of assembled soldiers. “Have you put them in stasis like you did with that cunt from London?” As Alicia silently nodded confirmation he added, “You do know they will all need retraining, yeah? And there’s another problem – none of them can talk to each other. They’re all different nationalities Sweetcheeks”

  “Xavier...” Alicia whispered into his ear, “I thought you might want to train them for me, after you are the best of the fucking best.”

  “You’re the gift that keeps on giving, aren’t you?” He grinned. “We’ll see, yeah?” Knowing full well that he would do anything for her and that this would be just another entry on his ‘to fucking do’ list.

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

  Teodora had never seen Shuggie so happy and carefree before. They spent the days locked in their bedroom exploring each other, and the nights were left for exploring the lands attached to the castle and grounds.

  Through the years they had known each other, he had only shared the most minimal of personal information with her, but now he was talking openly about his long and dangerous life, about being a vampire and his plans for the future.

  As the sun had just set, Teodora opened the doors to the balcony of their room. Shuggie had risen from his death sleep and had left to go in search of sustenance.

  Shuggie was famished – all the extra–curricular day activity was increasing his appetite. And not only for blood, he thought wryly. He made sure that he never fed locally or from the same town or City too often. He was not a male who took chances with fate. He knew Fate of old, and she was not to be fucked with.

  As Shuggie wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and released the young English couple from his mesmerisation, replacing their short term memory with one of them sharing a spontaneous romantic entanglement in the alleyway he had led them to. He watched as they exited the alley, arm in arm and grinning at each other. He had masked himself from their view, so that they would never remember what had just happened to them. Shuggie had gorged himself on blood tonight and was completely satiated.

  Flashing back to his castle, he didn’t return inside to Teodora straight away. He knew that he had to tell her so much about himself before she became his wife – but where to start? With rece
nt guilt over his inaction to save Petra – or from the beginning, when he was mortal then made vampire? He had thousands of years of regret, sin and sadness to confess to her. He was hesitant. Not because he feared how Teodora would react to his misdemeanours. No, he knew in his heart that she would not hold it against him, or judge him. He trusted her with every fibre of his being – he wouldn’t have even contemplated asking her to marry him or taking her to his home otherwise. He was hesitant because he would have to face everything once more, relive all the horrors of his existence as he laid himself bare in front of his soul mate.

  As he walked, deep in thought, he had reached the outer limits of his territory, miles from the castle and past the deep forest that surrounded his grounds. He remembered this place immediately, and as he closed his eyes, he could smell and hear with disturbing clarity the ghosts of his past and his connection with this part of the world.

  Teodora was starting to worry. Shuggie had been gone hours now, and he was never away from her for this long. She chewed on her fingernail as she looked out the balcony, hoping for a sign of him, wondering if he’d ran into trouble as he went in search of his ‘dinner’. His cell phone was switched off, but that was usual when he was feeding so that he wasn't disturbed at an inopportune moment.

  Suddenly, in the distance, she could make out his form as he flashed back onto the lawn. A broad smile formed on her lips and she almost squeaked. She waved her hand to him, but he couldn’t have seen him – because instead of walking in the direction of the castle, he turned and headed back towards the forest.

  “Shuggah?” Well, that was most strange, she thought. Wondering if she had misinterpreted his body language, and that he was expecting her to follow him into the forest, she slid her feet into her boots and grabbed her jacket, practically running out the bedroom to the staircase to chase after him. It wouldn’t have been the first time this holiday that her Warrior had favoured outdoor locations for their playtime! The cold air hit her face as she ran outside, and her lungs felt like they were burning with the bitterness. Shivering a little, she gave her arms a quick rub, then started in a leisurely jog in the direction she had seen Shuggie go – he would soon heat her up!

  Opening his eyes, Shuggie looked from left to right – something was wrong here. The earth had been disturbed. Taking the all too familiar route down to the level ground, near to the ancient loch-side, Shuggie growled under his breath. He could see tents pitched beside the loch, camp fires burning and crackling and machines that had torn through the ground, leaving huge gaping pits at random intervals. There was a lot of chattering and movement from the humans as they used recording equipment and they seemed to be converging around one large hole in the ground in particular. “Naw. Naw it cannae be…” his voice was broken and quiet. His feet were rooted to the spot.

  Mark was being pulled by his sleeve over to the site that Shona had been digging in for the past few days. “Hurry up Mark! Come on!” Shona let go of his arm and stood with her hands on her hips giving him a Paddington Bear stare “Move!”

  Mark laughed at her little display, then decided to do as she demanded – her enthusiasm was infectious, and his curiosity was getting the better of him anyway. “Well? What is this ‘great discovery’ of yours then?” He had to elbow past the others as they crowded around the pit, but Shona was standing at the front, her face beaming with pride and sheer joy.

  “Look!” Shona’s one word order was followed by everyone, but it had been directed solely at Mark, and she knew by his expression that he realised the significance of her find as much as she did – the others were deep in discussion and debate with one another. She didn’t care – both she and Mark knew that they had just found an archaeological treasure-trove.

  Shuggie’s anger had boiled up to a murderous rage as he watched the humans below him. “Ye huv NAY right being oan mah land ya shower o’ theivin’ bastards!” His red eyes glowed in the darkness, and his tattoos were like sluggish tar markings creeping over his body, almost giving the impression of armour on his skin. “Get tae fuck oota here!”

  Shuggie didn’t hear Teodora’s footsteps, nor sense her presence behind him, he was so embroiled in his anger and the trespassing humans. He didn’t hear her gasp as she saw him, his body at full height and his limbs tensed which only served to showcase his superb muscle tone and exuded sheer power from every cell.

  “Warrior! Whatever ails you?” Teodora was confused. She couldn’t see past Shuggie to see what had him so furious, but she knew enough not to approach him. It was never clever to surprise a soldier when he was preparing for battle – especially an ancient warrior who was a vampire and could snap human bones like toothpicks. This change in his mood, however, disturbed her. What on earth could have warranted such a reaction?

  Shona and Mark’s heads lifted at the same time, knocking their foreheads together when they heard the roar carried through the air, in the direction of the cluster of hills to the left of them. “Who the hell is that?!” Shona was rubbing her sore head as the others backed away from the pit slowly.

  Mark was not the most physically adept of men, but he was no coward either and stood in front of Shona, as the angered intruder started heading towards them – at an alarmingly fast speed. “Shona get back to the truck and call the police. Get away from here now!”

  “I’m no leaving yoo,” Shona had reverted to her Scottishness, a trait Mark had noted whenever her emotions were strong. Instead of arguing, he rather ungentlemanly shoved the keys to the truck into her hand and pushed her away from him.

  Shona sped towards the truck, glancing back only once as she seen the stranger standing across from Mark over the pit. She dropped the keys as she hurriedly tried to start the engine. The headlight shone, illuminating Mark’s back as he held his arms out to the side, seemingly trying to talk to the huge man who was confronting him. She couldn’t make out the strangers features, though – and she wasn’t hanging around to find out. Reversing at speed, she spun the steering wheel of the truck and headed away from the dig towards the neighbouring town. Pressing the buttons of her cell phone as she drove, trying to get a signal so she could call for help.

  Teodora could hear Shuggie’s raised voice as she ran after him down the hill – there seemed to be some building works or excavation going on, and as she got nearer she seen everyone running away from him. She didn’t blame them – he looked fierce. She was about three hundred meters away from him when she stopped dead, her blood running cold in her veins.

  Shuggie’s top lip curled into a snarl as the human stood, trying to reason with him. “Ye were warned tae leave – this is mah land yer trespassing oan”

  “We have permits, dear chap – no need for all of this animosity!” Mark was intimidated by the other man, but he had the law on his side, and with the help of the donations from the Russian they had been able to procure the help of the best litigators to ensure that their legal documents for this dig were sound. “If you have any concerns, I’m sure there is a civil way to deal with them.” He was trying to keep himself calm, but his voice was a little shaky, and he wasn't sure how long he would be able to stand upright, as his blood thundered in his ears.

  Shuggie stood with his back straight, legs apart and raised his arms up from his sides until they were outstretched above his head. His red eyes were locked on the human, and his fangs had extended. There seemed to be a sudden gust of wind as the air above him circled – and suddenly a Claymore appeared in his hands – looking like a strike of lightning against the black clouds.

  Teodora’s eyes nearly bugged out of her skull as she seen the gigantic sword in her Warrior’s hands appear like magic. It was silver, and seemed to have similar inscriptions to that of his castle from hilt to point. She was so engrossed in the weapon, that she did not see Shuggie swing his arms down, or see the man opposite him be struck. She did hear the sound of whooshing air followed by a crunch and squelching…then a heavy thud.

  “Shuggeh! Oh Gosh Warrior what
have you done?”

  Spinning around, Shuggie dropped the Claymore as he laid eyes on Teodora – his tattoos seemed to be draining the now dead human’s blood as the patterns and scenes moved fluidly around his body. “Teodora…ah, ye shouldnae be here lassie.”

  “You just killed a man. Right now. In cold blood – that is not honourable, yes?” She was in shock, she was too calm and too contained. She was a trained Doctor so would be able to identify the symptoms, she thought, trying to make sense of it all.

  Shuggie took a step forward. “Ah cannae explain the now, lass. Go back tae the castle an a swear tae ye we will talk.” His hands were on her arms as his soothing voice mesmerised her.

  Teodora frowned, her lips pursed. “We can talk here, Warrior,” she said, wondering why he was looking at her so strangely.

  “Go back tae the castle, we will discuss this later,” Shuggie tried again. She should have been easy to mesmerise, not because she was human, but because he was so skilled. “This isnae right,” he murmured to himself. Four times he tried to mesmerise Teodora, and four times he failed. And with each failure, her annoyance was growing. Finally, he pleaded with her. “Ah huv tae secure this place afore it gets damaged any further. Please, Teodora, please dae as ah ask?”

  Sighing heavily, Teodora gave him a warning look. “Fine, but you will be quick about it Hugh, yes.”

  “Aye,” he nodded and watched as she stormed off back towards the forest.

  Shuggie didn’t waste any time when Teodora left him. He flashed himself to the cliff’s edge behind his castle and chanted an ancient prayer as he knelt in the wet sand. Summoning the Sea God Mannan-Mac-Lir, he watched as the ocean waves grew, then receded, building up to a wall of water, more devastating than a Tsunami.