61. Embassy Rules

Chris

Asher was just in my grip when Silvanus manifested. Growing about twice the size of me. I was gaping up at the guy that was just shorter than me a minute ago. His two massive claws came down into Asher’s calves. Sticking through his flesh and bones into the table. My claws retracted involuntarily. Silvanus dragged Asher towards him, scraping the table flipping him over onto his back. The big wooden table cracked.

His voice almost sounded demonic with such a low growl that I couldn’t help but stare at everything he had become. Even all of the months amidst all of the supernatural. Things still scared the crap out of me… Was I going to turn into that? Because he was from my world… He was there as an ambassador for the Riphaths.

“It’s okay that you go after the wolf. But you forgot next to who she’s sitting. Silvanus put his paw under Asher’s chin. The vampire kicking, squirming. It was as swift as when I did it. Extend. Retract. Asher was dead.

Warden came running into the room with two other watchers assessing quickly what was needed. He motions into the air. The other two picked up Asher’s body and carried him out.

Silvanus turned to Warden. Standing at attention. The floor shook. The horns on his head scratch slits in the concrete roof.

“Is this how you protect him?”

I’ve only seen Warden flinch from fear one other time. I got up quickly, hoping it would have the same effect as earlier. Acutely aware of my movements, Salvanus’s head jerked around to me.

“He is only human. You can hardly blame him.” I ventured. Testing my authority. Silvanus returned to his human form, slapping Warden on the shoulder.

“It’s your lucky day. Boss has spoken.” [Laugh… mmm sound.] Silvanus turned towards Liv as she started speaking. I eyed Warden. He glanced at me, smiling nervously. He left the room again. I liked Warden. I didn’t want to see him hurt.

“This is just another stalling tactic of Qadir. It’s going to take two weeks to get another ambassador here. Why did you guys do that? Do you think I can’t take care of myself?” She shook her head at me. So much for helping her ever again. Flashes of Sita came to mind. “I want to go home. I want to take Sita home.”

Samuel got up. “Okay. Keep your panties on.” Liv’s head jerked up. Samuel chuckled and put his hands up. “It’s just so easy with you, Liv… Just a little earth joke… I tell you what… You take Sita and get off this planet. And make sure she doesn’t ever come back. Or I’ll kill her personally for going after my niece.” Liv bowed her head quickly, picked up her stack of papers, and quit the room.

“Now, Silvanus. I think it’s time we… attended a fight… To have a talk with Qadir.” Samuel said.

“Yes! Now you’re talking.” He clapped his hands. Once loudly. Silvanus came over to me. “Pack your bags. We are going to Italy.”

I looked at Marcus. Our eyes met, and we both just stared at each other. More time we are away from home. We were going to have to wait for the first week in Dec for the full moon. It was only Jack at the house to protect Louis. Not to mention Charlene’s baby…

Every time we had been at the cages, we’ve tried to avoid the Italian branch. Because that was where Qadir watched his matches. Marcus nor I wanted to see him. I didn’t know what I would do. I didn’t want to see Marcus that compliant. We didn’t want him taken back to the compound either.

“I’ll go if we can get some more people on Louis. If not, I’m going home right now.”

Samuel walked over to me. “Don’t worry. Until the baby is born, I can still surround him with as many watchers as possible.”

***

Marcus

“Then why is no one talking about the assassins,” I asked.

“We have Marcus. And it’s difficult tracing everything your father does. And no one cares if some random vampire dies… But after that. I personally put people on him at the house when you guys left.”

“So everyone is certain that Juliet and I don’t go with him when Louis dies. Or was that the point…?” I had not thought that Qadir would risk it. Maybe they wanted to do something else with Louis… Samual didn’t say anything. “Have you guys talked to Michael… What’s his story.”

“You can be glad he was there, Marcus… Who do you think put him in her life to start with… I might not be able to go on the compound. But it doesn’t mean that I wasn’t there watching in. Pulling strings from the outside… You have to trust Michael… And you have to no matter what you see.”

“Are we going to talk about what just happened?”

Samuel regarded me. “You are really as sharp as a tack… But no. Let’s not talk about politics anymore. I’m sick of it and need some time to decompress.”

“Samuel, you better have this in hand.” He waved me off. The two men left. I don’t know where they were headed, but Chris and I were supposed to go to Italy and wait.

***

It was the first time I would see Qadir after leaving him standing in the arena. Ignoring him when he commanded me to turn around and come home with him. And not returning his calls for the months that followed. I was nervous. Chris was scared he would kill the guy.

Walking in with Silvanus and Samuel was a little comforting… Using words like comforting was weird for me. But since I had been living with Juliet that long. It had been hard not to feel. All she does is feel. Then she thinks. Putting the two together into one little bundle of person was interesting. She had let me believe I could do it. Leave the compound behind. And I wasn’t giving her anything back. I felt awful about how I was treating her. I have a stupid grin on my face thinking about her. She had been trying. Chris narrowed his eyes at me. He smirked as we entered the room where all the distinguished guests sat.

My father’s face was priceless. It seemed that he didn’t get the memo. Or someone was going to get reprimanded. If he had known… He would have done something. All the older vampires there stood up to greet the famous Silvanus of our galaxy. Chris and I felt like two kids that knew nothing.

Qadir came walking up to Chris and me. Scrutinizing him up and down. “So, is this what all the fuss is about?” He cleaned his teeth with his tongue and didn’t even greet Chris. Then he turned to me. “You still happy with your chit? I hear you have completely lost control there. Such a disappointment Marcus. Letting other men take your women… No! Much worse. Have her before you.”

Silvanus came over and asked Qadir to sit at a table with Samuel. He invited us as well and cleared the room.

“Qadir, we are unhappy with your threats against Chris’s wife.”

“Humph! His wife? She is a diplomatic problem all by herself. The compound doesn’t condone cheating. Marcus branded her, and then she slept with two other men. It’s an insult, Silvanus.”

“Says the man that has how many, wives…? Let’s not try and moralize, okay… And let’s not forget everything the branding involves. There is a reason you men don’t do it anymore. It has become a legend. If it wasn’t for Liam and Marcus… Well, then Juliet would probably be dead today.” Qadir tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythmic motion glaring at Chris.

“Regardless, the baby isn’t up for negotiations. As long as that baby is in her… We agreed that you can’t go near her… And after until he’s weaned… You insult us by even thinking about going after her before then.”

The conversation wasn’t going the way I thought. The treaty was only a decision away from being null in void. Sylvanus calls Juliet Chris’ wife but doesn’t consider her for protection. Everybody knows Qadir wants to go after her… He isn’t even hiding it.

“Marcus! Leave and get ready for your fights.” My father demanded. I get up like a school kid. Indoctrinated with obeying him. I left the room, and Chris followed.

***

Chris

Marcus left to enter the room next door. I stood outside to listen to their conversation.

“Fine. I won’t go anywhere near her. But if something happens to her.” Sylvanus wanted to speak, but I cut him off. “After the baby is born. It’s not my problem… Chris being here is a fluke anyway. As soon as he is off-planet, Juliet falls under vampire laws again. And if the werewolves don’t save their own kind, this whole planet will be under our jurisdiction.”

“Qadir, if anything happens to that baby… You will not only lose your planet, but I will kill you myself and deliver your head to your father. Who I’m sure will compensate me for it.” Silvanus aimed to leave the room.

“Not so fast….” Qadir said.

Marcus came around the corner and pulled me into the room with him.

***

Marcus

Chris and I were in the room Juliet got hurt in. Now cleaned and free from any evidence of me letting him beat the crap out of her. Thinking about it made me feel like less of a man. Allowing her to get hurt made my skin crawl… But I knew that wasn’t the last time I would stand back when she got into a scrape. I was nowhere near dealing with my father or standing up to him.

“Your father seems like any other guy.”

“Yeah, he’s nothing special. He only thinks he is because of the title. And in that regard, he’s entitled to.”

“So, who do you think you’ll be fighting.” Chris claps his hands together in anticipation, rubbing them together.

“You, of course. We need to train properly.”

“No, that’s unfair. You know me too well. And you showed me last time that you can put me in the ground if you wanted to. This size of mine has nothing against your capabilities.”

“Can you imagine what you will be like when I train you to my level…”

“Sylvanus.” We both said at the same time. We chuckled.

I laughed nervously. “Did you see that guy? How does that even work? How do I go from what I am now to that?”

“I nearly pissed my pant….” The words were out before I knew what I was saying. Chris came over and pulled me up from digging in my bag.

“Let it go!” Chris couldn’t finish his sentence. The door opened.

“You’re up in the first round Marcus,” Kubra spoke into the room and then wanted to leave.

“What, why? I’m not fighting some newby werewolf. Chris and I want to fight.”

“Your fighting Silvanus.”

Chris let out a burst of laughter. “Only if we can tag team him, maybe. Or else it’s a big fat no.”

“You don’t get to make the rules here, big guy. Get ready, Marcus.” I sat down onto the table where Juliet hit her head when my father threw her into it. I jumped up, manifesting. Breaking it in half, chucking it out the door into the arena below.

“This is Qadir’s idea,” Chris said. “He’s punishing you.” Chris rubbed his hands over his face.

Kubra’s voice came from the door. “Get ready, Chris. You’re next after that. You’re fighting Qadir.” Both our heads snapped up at him.

Seeing our faces, Kubra tapped the door frame making sure we heard him. He stayed there for a second then pointed at me. “Weak legs and topheavy.”

Then Kubra points to Chris. “You’re going to die.” He laughed. I’m just kidding. No Qadir has only one weakness… Juliet… Good luck.”

***

Seeing Silvanus across from me intimidating and terrifying was daunting… I was muscled, but my body was small compared to theirs. I was never going to be a buff guy, but that… He was something else entirely.

I wasn’t really scared of being knocked about. Or getting my pride hurt. Heaven knows I’ve felt pain before… Torture even… Training every day to the point of exhaustion.

I closed my eyes, head raised to the roof. Swaying side to side. Juliet lying on my lap in the lounge in front of the fire. Reading a book laughing about something that happened in her novel. Not even knowing, all I can do is stare at her… fake my reading. Then when I’m pretending to read, she rubs away the frown I had on my face because I was trying not to jump her. She touches my lips. I never thought that I would ever see her again after that day. Or be in her life as a full-grown woman knowing how to entice a man. Her hands are soft, and I can’t wait for the first time I’m going to kiss her… Properly.

I hear the stampeding towards me. My eyes were still up towards the roof. They say that you can ever really lead until you’ve lost. I lost her once. I’m not making that mistake again. Even if I have to kill every last thing in the Galaxy… Stupid Marcus… That I even think it was even possible.

His weapon of choice was a simple stick so that he didn’t have to hurt me. I supposed. I smirked seeing it. Feeling kind of offended. But I shrugged it off as I dodged his first attacks. Dealing blows right back. Countering each other in swift motions.

Muscles are heavy. But Silvanus was as agile as a snake.

He’s nimble and trained. Every blow meets my weapon. I chose one of the harpoon-like spears to remember our ostrich friends with. I’ve prepared with it for a few days. He’s not stronger than me. Surprised that I’m doing so well. Keeping up. Matching his every blow, prod, and swipe.

I hook his stick in a swift motion and break it down to the ground in two with my harpoon tip. I kick both parts up towards the roof. I used my spear to jump on the bottom end as the sharp knife stabbed into the ground. A trick I took from the birds. I grabbed both the falling sticks and came down on him using his horns as stepping stones.

He flailed a bit, trying to get a hold of me. He wanted to grab my spear, but I had left it… just out of reach. I’m behind him, hitting him on both of his big ass pointy ears. They hung floppy and hairy. Cracking when I whack them as hard as I could. He was angry and came at me with force… Good, he was an emotional fighter.

But still, I thwarted every effort he could deal out. Even if we both got in some shots, we took it in stride. He was irritated. I laughed nervously as he grew even larger to his full moon size. Thinking I would go flying.

Juliet fell into my arms, sick and pale. Scratched like that by a… baby wolf. I cracked my neck from side to side as he advanced on me. If I couldn’t take him down, I had no business being by her side.

He was so far off the ground that it was easy to slide through his legs as he strutted towards me. On the other side, I do the same thing with his ears. I swiftly keep jabbing him in critical areas of his body. Liver. Throat. Paws. One for one with both sticks. It wasn’t that he’s not a good fighter. I’m just like being very… unpredictable.

I was done with the sticks, having done the damage with them that I could. I stabbed the broken parts next to one of his feet into the ground. He looked down at me cocking his head, eyes big. I winked at him, not going to hurt the guy for real.

Jumping back before he could plant his fist in the side of my skull. I grabbed my spear. Reciprocating, he extended and locked his claws. Focussing on doing maximum damage. Letting him get in a few blows against the spear sharp blade. I studied his style and the way he did things. I allow him to take the weapon from me and break it so he can retract those deadly spikes on his paws.

He did. We weren’t out to kill each other. We’re back to hand-to-hand combat.

Grabbing my wrists, he flung me away from him, hitting me on my tricep and ribs. My gut stung. I got out of the hold, kicking him on the thigh closest to me. Then the other leg, as the hurt one moved backward involuntarily. He flinched with every blow. His legs standing wide from moving backward. I go from the outside of his leg. To kicking him on the inside of the thigh hard and consecutively. Alternating legs as he staggered back, even more, his legs weakening. I kept advancing at a forceful pace. Using him trying to gain balance punching his chest repeatedly on the same spot till I heard the crack of the small floating ribs on either side of his body. He grabbed my throat and lifted me up. Having had enough.

But when I’m face to face with him. I smirked. “Thanks for the lift.” I croaked out. He narrowed his eyes.

Wrapping my legs around his neck, I twisted myself around. Using my weight to make him stumble forward with me on top of him. Grabbing his horns to force him that last little bit. He tumbled face-first into the ground… They really were top-heavy. I reached out for the top half of my spear to my right and swiftly pushed the sharp tip into his neck’s flesh.

I would have pushed the blade right through in a manifested rage to get the job done. Kubra jumped down into the arena and pulled me off him before I even saw the blood trickle down the cut. The smell made me jump back and change. Penitently I walked over to him, hoping he wouldn’t kill me.

Sylvanus rolled around onto his back, laughing so loud that the whole place vibrated. The cheers of the audience made the arena a chamber of thundering noise. All the vampires stood on the walkway, surrounding us, looking down clapping.

All… Accept one.

I take my victory… thankful that I can go home to Juliet… Pointing out my blade to Qadir. And my demon stood staring back at me.

***

Chris

A curse word escaped my lips as Marcus plummeted Silvanus into the ground getting the upper hand over him. How the hell do I follow that.

What did I know about fighting? Challenging a few werewolf boys for practice wasn’t the display Marcus had put out. And he wasn’t fighting the one man we all hated. It was too much pressure. I nervously paced the length of the small room.

Sylvanus's voice echoed through the corridor. “I haven’t seen fighting like that in centuries, Marcus. That was the best fight I’ve ever had, son. You surely make your race proud. You could take on anyone of us if you can do that to me on a full moon.”

Marcus wasn’t one for praise. His eyes cast to the ground as Sylvanus kept trying to give him a compliment. Both came in and sat down on the couches when they saw me. I couldn’t think about sitting.

“You ready, boy?” Silvanus asked. “Marcus and I were going to have a beer while we watch you… If he’s been training you. I’m sure you’ll do fine. From what I know about Qadir, he isn’t a fighter.”

“Yeah, that’s what Marcus says about himself all the time. And look what he did.”

We both looked to the son of the man I was about to go up against. He was quiet and pensive, not listening to us at all.

“Marcus?” I said, touching his shoulder. He patted my hand.

“I’m fine.” He got up and pulled a shirt over his head. Ready to leave the room. At the door, he looked back at Sylvanus. “You ready to protect Chris if it comes down to it? I think you better hold up on that beer. Let’s be ready for anything.”

Marcus left the room anxious. We could hear Qadir already in the arena rattling the cages of the werewolves with a stick. I stepped outside, looking down. Sylvanus came to stand next to me. They released the werewolf from its cage. It was Mateo. Enormous. It’s not two minutes of a few blows and scratches… Mateo was down on the ground, being dragged out in his human form.

That funny laughing mmm sound came from Sylvanus as he walked towards the stairs.

“F-.” That was all I had to say.

***

I stepped into the ring. The gates closed behind me. Why would Kubra give me that useless information that I couldn’t use?

We stood across from each other in the middle of the ring. Unmanifested. We both raised our hands. Seems like we were starting with boxing. He jabbed, I dodged. He uppercuts, I avoided. I jabbed at him he escaped. Spinning and kicking at him. Qadir stopped my kicks with blocks from his own legs. We match each other for a few minutes. Landing equal blows.

It felt like Marcus had an emotional edge to his fighting. He had something to prove himself to. I didn’t have that drive with Juliet or a father that hated me. I wasn’t fighting to not become king on some planet out in the cosmos.

What was I doing there? “I hope you know Juliet rules Marcus with only a little effort.”

He smiled. His hands were high, but he jabbed… just a little harder.

“It’s funny how easy you let them get out of the compound. Seems like you can’t control her either.”

I felt the next jab to the ribs, but I didn’t let him go and grabbed his arm. Moving over into other fighting styles that he maybe didn’t know so well. I grappled until I had his arm in mine. I jabbed him in the side and on the back. He turned out away from me. Getting up angrier.

“You know he’s not sleeping with her. He’s choosing to wait and not force her into his bed.” He bit his bottom lip, jumping towards me, kicking me hard on the chest.

Marcus had taught me how to keep my balance. The impact doesn’t make me fall. Using my arm to propel myself forward. I attacked him, hitting away every blow. Opening his hands and coming quickly with an uppercut into his chin. His head jerked up.

I used the opportunity to punch him as hard as possible in the liver with a shovel hook. The pain made him cry out, doubling over as he glanced at me through eyelashes. Manifesting was the only way he would be able to go on.

“Seems like you can’t control yourself, never mind a little girl.”

Livid, he jumped at me but with speed and strength combined. He was too fast...

“This is cheating. Maybe the only way you’ll ever get to her.”

He’s behind me and hits up into my ribs, getting my kidney. Making me fall over from the pain. I groaned. The crowd went deadly quiet.

I had let him… Wanting to feel how Marcus felt every time his father hit him fully manifested. Wanting to know what Juliet felt when I saw her that day in France.

But I don’t let him get near me again. I rolled away, getting to my feet. Staring at him.

“You’re weaker than a girl Qadir. Just women play unfair… Oh, and it seems you already lost your place in the food chain to your son. What will you do when he makes her his queen and rule you like a….”

It was over quickly. He was next to me. Qadir punched me on the side of the face, and I went flying. I had to learn to take punches and how they would really feel. Standing with his feet on my chest. He looked down at me.

“I might not play fair. But you will soon realize when you play for life or death, all bets are off. Tell that to your girlfriend.”

I started laughing because I was waiting for this… Grabbing his foot in my hand and twisting his leg in one swift motion. I moved over Qadir. Got him in a bar hold, making his knee crackle under pressure. It looked like it would bend the other way and break his leg. Snapping it in half. He was standing with his hands in the sand, trying to balance on his one knee. Deciding if he should tap. I forced down hard. “Second time we have you on your knees.” I felt the tap, and I let him go. He rolled over, groaning in pain back to human.

I put my foot on his knee, pressing down. “You’re already dead... It’s just a matter of time.” I spat next to him in the sand. “The next time you dare to challenge me, I’ll kill you… If you touch her again… I will kill you. The only reason I’m not doing it. Is because of your son.”

Passing through the gates… Marcus and Sylvanus were standing on the threshold of the arena gaping at me. I had taken the blow in my human form. My ears were ringing. Not used to it. My jaw felt like it might come off. I stumbled forward, falling on the floor, retching from the nerves and pain.

“S-!” Marcus yelled. “Medic.”