Maria took a breath to protest, but Tiffany cut her off. “Maria, they need snowmobiles to learn how to operate them. They live in an area that has snow now and to fit in, must be able to display that they know how to play in the snow.”
Thinking that sounded weak, Maria just gave up with a sigh. “Kids, let’s give daddy some lunch,” Maria said and then grinned when the kids jumped down into the snow. “I brought plenty, we are eating in the garage.”
“I’m not really hungry,” Kenneth shrugged.
“There isn’t a table in the garage,” Tiffany protested as the kids ran around, and the dogs gave chase.
Waving her hand, “Please, there is a workbench, and we’ve eaten many times from a workbench,” Maria laughed.
“We could build a small cottage on this side of the lake so when the kids are playing over here, they’d have a place to go in and get warm,” Tiffany suggested. “We can put a kitchen in it, so they wouldn’t have to eat off the workbench.”
“That’s a great idea,” Besseta gasped and Maria felt too lightheaded to even offer a protest.
“We could clear out a spot over there,” Kenneth pointed across the driveway and into the trees, where they had targets set up on the other side of the lot. “We have to keep the lot cleared off, anyway.”
“Want to start on it tonight?” Besseta asked.
“Like either of you would let me drive the dozer or excavator,” Kenneth scoffed. “Let’s go find a spot in the trees and set up a shooting range, then practice and see which sword we like, to take our attacks to the next level.”
Watching Maria and the kids take off when Mickey pulled up on a four-wheeler, Tiffany turned to Kenneth. “Kenneth, I’m worried about the Strong Hands figuring out mercury bullets and using them,” she said with a shiver.
“I’m not, because they already know,” Kenneth informed her. “Humans have been shooting at each other for a long time. That just means if they do, you will have to use what I’ve taught you, but I don’t think you should worry about that anytime soon.”
“Why?” Tiffany asked, clearly confused.
“Tiffany, not everyone on the Strong Hand side has been taken over by the cubus. The cubus can’t take over everyone or nobody would join them. Free will, even limited, is very important to all creatures. And the cubus don’t want weapons in the hands of those not under their control that could kill them so easily. One vampire or human carrying a weapon loaded with mercury bullets can do a lot of damage. In time, they will I’m sure, but only when they get desperate.”
Thinking about that for several minutes, Tiffany glanced over at Besseta. “Do you agree with his reasoning? It seems sound,” Tiffany asked.
Giving a shrug, “It’s just a weapon,” Besseta grunted. “We can die just as easily from being torn apart as from a bullet. You and I’ve both seen vampires taken out with modern weapons.”
Letting out a long sigh, “Guess I’m just being nostalgic,” Tiffany admitted, and they grabbed gear and moved off into the forest.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Two weeks later just after lunch, Kenneth put the kickstand down on his bike at a gas station a hundred miles from Elk City, Oklahoma. They had received a message from Maliki that they needed to meet ASAP. Very satisfied with their fighting abilities now, Kenneth told them, they should go ahead and meet. After the meeting, Kenneth wanted to try out their new hunting abilities.
All were riding tour bikes, since they’d all had some trouble handling the sport bikes on snowy roads. On each bike, a guitar case was strapped to the side and the hard-sided containers were packed with other gear. The bikes weren’t slow by any means, after Kenneth and Mickey had worked on them.
“Just why can’t we drive a little closer, like right up to the park?” Tiffany asked.
“If we get hit, I really don’t want to leave our bikes and our gear,” Kenneth told her, tightening his backpack up.
Still sitting on her motorcycle, “So, we go into an area we aren’t certain of, leaving our weapons behind?” Tiffany asked. “Rambo would not approve.”
Glancing over at Besseta, “We are turning the on-demand providers off,” Kenneth declared.
“You can try, I’m not,” Besseta chuckled.
“You agree with her?” Kenneth asked.
“Both plans have merits, but taking the bikes means if we are attacked, we can crank some gats,” Besseta grinned.
Looking from one to the other, Kenneth shook his head as he chuckled and climbed back onto his motorcycle. “Then, onward we go,” he said, starting the engine.
It didn’t take long to reach the park south of Elk City, and Kenneth pulled up to a pavilion that covered a picnic table sitting next to a small lake. Shutting down his engine, Kenneth climbed off, glancing around and then pulled his helmet off. “That was dumb,” he mumbled, then sniffed the air for threats.
“That’s why I flipped my visor up outside of town,” Besseta grinned, putting the kickstand down and climbing off.
Hanging her helmet on the handlebar, Tiffany glanced at her watch. “He won’t be here for an hour or so.”
Moving under the pavilion, Kenneth took off his backpack and jacket, putting them on the table. Glancing back, he saw Besseta watching some kids playing at the edge of the lake. “Want to talk about it?” he asked, walking over and wrapping his arms around her.
“It’s nothing,” she sighed, putting her head back against his chest.
“We have Mickey’s kids to spoil and later, they will have kids that we can spoil,” Kenneth offered.
Holding onto Kenneth’s arms, Besseta just smiled as a gentle breeze blew over the water. “Always,” she sighed.
“Always,” Kenneth replied, hugging her tight.
Hearing a motorcycle, Kenneth let Besseta go and turned around to see a sport bike pulling into the park. “No way,” Besseta huffed, seeing the rider was dressed in black leather riding gear.
“Babe, my riding gear was mostly black, besides I don’t smell Maliki,” Kenneth said with uncertainty, watching the bike ride along the circle coming towards them. Thinking hard about Maliki, Kenneth felt he was close, and in the direction he was facing. The motorcycle was just over a hundred yards away when Kenneth caught the faint scent of Maliki.
“He copied us,” Tiffany huffed, stomping her foot. “We shouldn’t have let him see the motorcycles.”
The motorcycle pulled up beside theirs and the rider put the kickstand down as he shut off the bike. “You really need to think about wearing a different color,” Besseta snapped when the rider took the helmet off, to reveal it was Maliki.
Looking down at his leather riding gear, “Damn, this stuff holds in scent better than I would’ve imagined,” Kenneth said as Maliki got off.
“You are a copycat!” Tiffany shouted. Maliki froze, trying to figure out if that was good or bad.
“She means, you copied us,” Besseta helped, hearing Maliki’s confused thoughts from Kenneth.
“Um, yes. During daylight, you can move considerable distances on these contraptions. But they do take some getting used to.”
Stomping her foot, Tiffany spun around to Besseta and Kenneth. “Maliki has to stand in the corner!” Tiffany shouted. “When one of the kids is being a copycat, Maria makes them stand in the corner.”
Cringing, “Well, thank you for announcing that,” Kenneth said, and Tiffany’s face went pale when she realized she had given up that Mickey and his family was alive.
Spinning around, “You’d better hide that so no one, not even a cubus can ever drag that from you,” Tiffany warned.
“Please,” Maliki scoffed, walking under the pavilion. “I keep a mercury capsule with me at all times. I won’t live a life of servitude for any reason. Especially, under a cubus.”
“It’s okay, Tiffany,” Kenneth said, looking at Maliki. “He already knew, but I can’t figure out how,” Kenneth told her and turned to Besseta. “Okay, now I know what you feel like when I block you with random thoughts.”
> “Sucks, doesn’t it?” Besseta grinned, sitting down at the picnic table and taking off her backpack.
“I smell them on each of you. Or I should say, I smell a family with lots of kids,” Maliki told them. “I just took for granted that it was your friend.”
Studying Maliki for a few seconds, Kenneth finally grinned. “Perceptive.”
“You should’ve asked before you copied us,” Tiffany huffed.
“Sorry, it just seemed like a very intelligent way to move around. After you learn to keep the infernal machine upright,” Maliki told her. “And may I ask, why would anyone stand in a corner? It seems rather boring.”
“To be punished,” Tiffany scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Don’t you know anything?”
Kenneth gave a snort and fought not to laugh, remembering the first time one of the kids was made to stand in the corner. After Kenneth had explained that it was punishment, Tiffany had whined to Maria for thirty minutes to let Ciera out of the corner.
“In my day, you got a thrashing,” Maliki mumbled, thinking about that. “I think I would’ve preferred a thrashing, instead of looking at a corner.”
Pulling out a notebook and pen, “So, why the ASAP?” Kenneth asked, flipping open the notebook.
“Someone wants to meet you,” Maliki said and Besseta levitated up from the picnic table.
“If you sold us out, others will tremble at the pain you will suffer before death, for a thousand years,” she snarled.
Maliki took a step back. “Besseta, I would never give any of you up. The only reason I agreed, was that Kenneth and you said you would like to meet him. Four days ago, he showed up after the group I was leading took out a pack in Maine, and said he wanted to meet you.”
Lowering her hands as her fingernails retracted, “Who?” Besseta asked.
“Xu,” Maliki answered and Besseta stumbled back, and would’ve fallen if Tiffany hadn’t caught her.
About to chastise Kenneth, Tiffany turned and saw complete and utter shock on Kenneth’s face. “I told both of you, Xu does what he wants, when he wants, but I’m not shocked he’s here,” Tiffany sighed and helped Besseta sit down beside Kenneth.
“I’ll say,” Maliki chuckled. “One of the werewolves got away and a few hours later, I was getting reports from South Carolina that the packs were moving west.”
Leaning over, Tiffany slapped both of their cheeks until they blinked. “Do you want to meet him?” Tiffany asked. “I would suggest you do because he could find our house, if he hasn’t already. Like I said, nobody knows what all he is capable of.”
Blinking his eyes slowly, Kenneth turned to Maliki. “I suggest you take Tiffany’s advice,” Maliki said. “I don’t think he would search for Besseta’s home unless you refused; he would consider it rude. But if you refuse, more than likely, you will return home and find him there because not meeting him is rude. That, I can guarantee. When Xu wants something, he does it. He’s being polite.”
“Then, we would be honored to meet him,” Kenneth swallowed nervously.
Reaching into his jacket, Maliki pulled out a cellphone and made a call. “Is he riding a motorcycle as well?” Tiffany asked.
“No, I have a car bringing him,” Maliki replied, hanging up. “Kenneth, a word of advice. Act like you did when you first met me. Xu looks down on anyone who acts intimidated by anything.”
Feeling the anxiety in Kenneth and herself, Besseta patted his leg. “Just be yourself, babe.”
“Tiffany, how nervous were you when you met Xu?” Kenneth asked, pulling his and Besseta’s gloves off and holding her hand to calm his mind.
Shaking her head, “I wasn’t beforehand,” Tiffany told him, and Kenneth relaxed. “It was after he ‘appeared’ in my camp and told me he had been there for three days, that I became nervous,” Tiffany admitted.
Laying her head on Kenneth’s shoulder, Besseta could feel him relax and his thoughts slow down. “Xu acts like an ass, we can just stomp his ass,” Besseta informed Kenneth and he laughed.
“Besseta,” Maliki said, clearing his throat. “You make sure before you start stomping, that Xu knows I have no part in this.”
Sitting on the picnic table, Tiffany glanced down at Besseta. “I really liked Xu. He’s a scholar and loves to study. He has rooms that are so large and full of scrolls, books, and tablets, that it would blow your mind.”
“He upsets Kenneth, I break something,” Besseta warned.
“Xu tests everyone he meets,” Tiffany said and looked up to see a black SUV. “Maliki, I’m starting to agree with Besseta. You need to experiment with other colors. Black is getting old.”
“You’ve never complained before,” Maliki huffed.
“I only saw you every few hundred years, so it was no bother. But seeing you frequently, it is getting on my nerves,” Tiffany told him as Besseta and Kenneth stood up, holding hands. Jumping off the table, Tiffany stood beside them as the SUV parked behind the motorcycles.
“He boxed us in,” Besseta gasped.
“Besseta, that’s my driver,” Maliki said quickly, getting nervous.
The back driver’s door opened and Kenneth saw a man get out, but his complexion and facial features didn’t look Chinese. Kenneth studied the face, trying to place the man’s ancestry as the man stopped beside the motorcycles.
“Well, is he getting out?” Besseta asked.
Kenneth gave a jerk and turned to Besseta who was staring at the open door. Before he could speak, Tiffany did. “I’m sure he’s already out.”
“He’s standing right there by the bikes,” Kenneth cried out, pointing with his other hand.
Maliki, Tiffany, and Besseta all turned to him in shock and a small smile split Xu’s face. Closing her eyes, Besseta relaxed and could feel Kenneth looking at Xu and even got an impression of what he looked like. Slowly, Besseta opened her eyes, staring at the spot where Kenneth saw Xu.
A shadow appeared in her vision and slowly darkened, then the figure of a man formed in her vision, making Besseta jump. “How the hell did he do that?” Besseta yelped.
“Do what?” Tiffany asked, looking around.
“Just appear!” Besseta clarified.
“He didn-,” Tiffany stopped as Xu just appeared in front of them. “Still playing games,” Tiffany said, tilting her head to Xu.
Wearing a grey silk shirt and black silk pants, Xu tilted his head to Tiffany. “Games define how one can assess others,” Xu replied in a smooth but deep voice that didn’t fit his body. The voice seemed ancient while the body only looked in his mid-twenties. “It is nice to see you, Tiffany.”
“And you, Xu,” Tiffany replied, then waved at Besseta and Kenneth. “These are my friends, Besseta and Kenneth.”
Xu stepped up under the pavilion in front of Besseta. “So, this is the one trying to rid the world of evil single-handedly?” Xu grinned. “A worthy endeavor, but I’m afraid, one doomed to failure.”
“I’ve been doing pretty good,” Besseta chuckled.
Holding out his hand, “Tiffany described you perfectly,” Xu said as Besseta let go of Kenneth’s hand and shook Xu’s. “No fear,” Xu noted at how fast Besseta shook his hand.
“Why should I be afraid? If you tried anything, if I didn’t stomp your ass, my husband would,” Besseta huffed, jerking her head to Kenneth. Letting Xu’s hand go, Besseta grabbed Kenneth’s hand again, feeling his mind beginning to fill with a roar.
As Xu turned to Kenneth, Kenneth forced a sly grin as the roar died down. “Make no mistake. For Besseta, I would lay waste to the planet,” Kenneth confessed, holding out his right hand. “I’ve heard much about you, and it is a pleasure.”
Giving a warm smile, Xu glanced at Kenneth’s left hand holding Besseta’s right hand, and neither was wearing a glove on that hand only. “No, the pleasure is mine,” Xu said, taking Kenneth’s hand firmly. “It has been eons since the cubus have felt fear from any other than the first league.”
“First league?” Kenneth asked as Xu let his
hand go.
“Yes, what is now called the Asian League,” Xu replied, studying Kenneth. “I have been the most feared from by cubus. The last edimmu or vampire I can remember that caused them turmoil, was three thousand years ago in South America. They wasted no time hunting her down, before I could find her and offer her protection. You have caught the cubus in a time of battle for control, so they haven’t been able to devote the resources they normally would.”
“Leviathans,” Kenneth stated.
Xu smiled because Kenneth didn’t ask. “Yes, you are very well informed,” Xu said, tilting his head to Maliki. “It is their ego that has blinded them from the silent dangers that lurk.”
Waving at the picnic table, “Would you care to sit?” Kenneth asked, moving to the other side of the table. As everyone sat down, Kenneth slowly let go of Besseta’s hand and was relieved that his mind stayed at ease. “May I ask, how many leviathans do the cubus have?”
Shaking his head, “That is a secret they guard well. Are you sure you want to know?” Xu asked cautiously. “I don’t fear them, but I can easily be back behind my walls of warriors. I don’t see you doing that.”
“You have to know your enemy strengths before you can exploit their weakness,” Kenneth replied, taking a notebook from his backpack.
“Fifty-eight leviathans still serve them. At least, as of two weeks ago,” Xu answered, and Kenneth felt his hand go numb as he grabbed a pen. “The cubus breed and kill each other off too often to keep an accurate count.”
Dropping the pen, Kenneth reached up to cup his face in his hands. “That could be a problem.”
“So, you have seen one?” Xu asked with surprise.
Dropping his hands, “Yeah, but you killed him like two hundred years ago,” Kenneth sighed, picking up his pen.
Besseta turned to Xu and was surprised she didn’t see shock from Kenneth’s comment. “From what I’ve learned about you, Kenneth, you have learned lycan strength comes when they attack as a pack, but be warned; the ancients under control of the cubus don’t fight like lycan or werewolves. They fight with cunning, as you’ve seen in the district of Iowa.”
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