The Immortal Warriors Boxed Set: Books 1-11

by H. T. Night

  Romero sure knew a lot. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought he had one of his guys out there fighting alongside me just so we would be having this conversation right now.

  “If you think I’m afraid of looking over my shoulder,” I said, “then you’re wrong. Looking over my shoulder is all I know. I sleep with one eye open, and don’t trust a damn person.”

  “All right, then we’ll kill Tommy and you fight your way out of here.” Romero stared at me, and I stared back at him. It was a good old-fashioned stare down of who was going to blink first.

  “Let me know if that’s the plan, because it’s just you and me in a small room,” I said, as threateningly as I could.

  “What makes you think I haven’t killed him already and I’m just waiting to kill you?” Romeo asked.

  I knew he was bluffing just like he knew I was bluffing about killing Tommy. “I know you’re bluffing because you’re a businessman,” I answered. “And you’re not stupid.”

  “That’s one thing I know I’m not: stupid.”

  “I have a proposal.”

  Romero’s serious stare turned to a warm smile. “All right, let’s hear the proposal.”

  “Okay, it seems to me that the number ‘seven’ is the lucky, or unlucky, number here. Tommy has seven fights left and you lost seven fighters tonight.”

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  “The way I see it, it’s all about promoting the best possible fight on both our ends. The money is obviously out there. We just need ‘a fight’ that will bring in giant revenue.”

  “I like what I’m hearing so far. Go on.”

  “Tommy is already built up, so he needs little promotion. The problem is actually with me.”

  “With you? What problem would that be?” Romero asked.

  “No one knows who the hell I am. So... you give me seven fights over the next three months while Tommy heals. You have me fight whomever and whatever you want. I can fight vampires, werewolves, zombies... you name it. I’ll fight Smokey the Bear if it draws a crowd. I don’t care! Just make sure it’s the best you can get so this crowd will start seeing my abilities and will keep paying more to see me.”

  Romero had a big goofy grin on his face. He obviously loved my idea. “Go on,” he said.

  “I will build momentum, and you tell all your millionaire and billionaire patrons that Tommy’s taking a small break. But he’s going to come back for a super match.”

  “A super match? What kind of super match?” Romero asked.

  That was a good question, so I took a moment to think it out. I thought about the fact I owed seven debts and then it hit me. I came up with an amazing idea.

  “In one night, Tommy will fight seven times. We’ll call it ‘A Night of the Seven Deadly Sins.’ Each of his opponents will represent one of the seven deadly sins. Have a fat piece of shit to stand in for Gluttony and a greedy person for Greed, and so on. The final fight will be Envy.”

  “And who will he fight for Envy?” Romero asked.

  I smiled and said, “Me.”

  “You? Oh, I do love this idea.”

  “Trust me. Tommy is pretty envious of me. And to be honest, in many ways I am also envious of him. So it’s a perfect concept.”

  “I do have one question for you, Josiah?”

  “Go for it,” I said.

  “Don’t you think you’re setting up your best friend to fail or even get killed?”

  I thought about it and I knew in my heart that Tommy could pull it off. Tommy was the greatest fighter I had ever known, and when it came to me, we would work something out, but Romero didn’t have to know that. This was the fastest way for us to be rid of Romero so both of us could go on with our lives and no longer be indebted to him.

  “Tommy can handle himself. He’s the toughest man on the planet as far as I’m concerned,” I said. “He’ll be fine.”

  Romero had a smile from ear to ear. He loved the idea. Then he decided to go all ‘businessman’ one more time for good measure. “That’s only fourteen fights,” he said.

  “Each one of my ‘super fights’ will pay off the debt of one of the fighters that died tonight. You could build the fights up and bring in more cash from one of my fights than if each of those guys fought a hundred times for you.”

  Romero nodded. He knew I was giving him an amazing offer. “I like that deal as far as you and I are concerned, Josiah. But the deal Tommy and I had previously is off. He owes me more than seven fights.”

  “Why? He never lost. He was injured. Our deal said nothing about an injury. Come on, Romero, you’re a smart, savvy businessman. This plan is brilliant. Plus you can fight me seven of the next twelve weeks.”

  Romero smiled. He paused and then put out his hand. “It’s a deal.” I shook his hand and I couldn’t believe what I just agreed to do. Not only was I going to fight seven times for this madman, I had agreed to fight an eighth one against my best friend. I can’t even think about what I was going to put Tommy through, but this had to be done.

  This should be interesting.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Still questioning my own sanity, I went back to Gary’s training room. What the hell did I just get myself into?

  Tommy’s leg had been wrapped up by Gary, and he was on crutches. “We’re good?” Tommy asked.

  “We’re good, Tommy,” I said.

  “What did you offer?”

  “Pretty much both of our souls.”

  “Seriously?” Tommy looked concerned.

  “Not quite, but I did agree to do a couple of free fights for him and he agreed to give you three months to train for a ‘super fight.’”

  “A super fight?” Tommy did not like the sound of that.

  “I’m not going to lie to you, Tommy. It’s going to be the toughest thing you have ever done.”

  “Am I going to fight more than twice in a night?” Tommy asked.

  “That’s an understatement.”

  “What did you agree to, Josiah?”

  “You’re going to fight seven guys back to back.”

  “Back to back? Seven? Are you kidding me?”

  “Nope.”

  “They are going to be chumps at least, right?”

  “Not quite. It will be seven of the best fighters he has. He’s calling it, ‘A Night of the Seven Deadly Sins.’”

  “I have to admit, that’s a pretty good title,” Tommy grinned.

  “I actually came up with it.”

  “Nice.”

  “Look, Tommy, just worry about healing your body. I’m going to take you to Yari’s townhouse in Hollywood. Take the next two months to work on your health. Do free weights but stay off your leg.”

  “What about you?” Tommy asked.

  “I’m going to have to fight some beasts. Carni, Mani, King Kong, whatever he wants to throw at me.”

  “I can’t have you do that.” Tommy shook his head at me and I could tell he was disgusted how deep he had me into this.

  “Tommy, you came through for me tonight in a big way. I’m going to come through for you. When all this is said and done, we’ll have something to talk about in our old age. In our case, our very, very old age.”

  “Honestly, Josiah, most of this shit I wouldn’t mind forgetting.”

  “Me, too. Let’s get out of here.” With that, Tommy and I took off out of the complex.

  I transitioned into the eagle and flew high enough so we couldn’t be seen. I carried Tommy in my talons. We had a good system down where he was pretty comfortable. He would lie flat and I would dig into his clothing and fly with him across the sky.

  I dropped Tommy off at Yari’s and left him with about $3,000 in cash. “Get better,” I said.

  “I will.”

  I shook my friend’s hand and there was no talk of Lena. It was better that way. I made my way back to Victorville before morning. I was beat. I crawled into bed next to Lena and held her as hard as I could without waking her.

  “I love
you,” I whispered. That was one thing I knew for sure. I held Lena all night and day as the morning came. My mind was pretty stimulated considering the outrageous night I’d had.

  Lena rolled over and said, “Good morning, night flyer.”

  “Good morning,” I answered.

  “Should I even ask what happened last night?”

  “You can ask,” I answered her.

  “Okay, how did a ‘30 minute I need some air flight’ result in you stumbling in here at five o’clock in the morning?”

  “You want the Reader’s Digest version, or the detailed story?”

  “Just tell me what took you so long.”

  “To make a long story short, I was attacked by Krull and his crew.”

  “Are you okay?” Lena was now concerned.

  “I got through it.”

  Lena waited for me to elaborate but I didn’t want to talk about the fight and especially about Tommy. I had no idea how she’d react to us seeing each other. I didn’t want to keep the fact I was going to be prizefighting in Tijuana from her, but I couldn’t quite figure out a good way of bringing it up. There are some things that even the ‘love of your life’ is better off not knowing.

  Lena rubbed my stomach softly. “What’s it like to constantly fight for your life? I can’t imagine the stress you’re under.”

  “We’re all under the same stress,” I said. “I just take the brunt of the physical part for the entire group. I didn’t sign up for it, but there is little I can do about it now.”

  Lena nodded and I could tell something was weighing heavily on her mind. “Is something wrong?”

  “Josiah, we need to talk.” Lena sounded extremely serious. Great, she knows something’s up.

  “Okay, what is it?” I asked.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this,” she continued.

  Okay, this was serious. Lena never talks like this. “What is it?” I asked, not wanting to know.

  “Josiah...”

  “Yes...”

  “This is so bizarre. I never thought I would ever say this out loud.”

  “Lena, what is it?”

  “Josiah, I’m pregnant.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  I stared at Lena blankly. My mind was going a hundred miles an hour. I had a million questions. The main one was ‘how’?

  Everything I knew and had seen said that once a woman became a Mani, she was infertile. There was no possible way a Mani woman could become pregnant. Finally, I said, “How is that possible? How are you pregnant?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, I know how I became pregnant. I’m not sure how my body is able to be pregnant.”

  “How do you know for sure?” I asked.

  “I’ve taken seven pregnancy tests and they all say I’m pregnant.”

  “Are you sure you’re pregnant, maybe you make the pregnancy test go haywire because you’re a vampire?”

  “Josiah, I just know that I am.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I can feel it. I can feel my body changing. Trust me; I have as many questions as you do. But one thing I know for sure. At this very moment, I’m carrying our child.”

  “Our child?” I asked.

  “Who else’s child would it be?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe you’re like Mary and you had a miraculous conception!”

  “No, Josiah. There is nothing miraculous about this, other than I’m carrying your baby.”

  “My baby...” I said calmly.

  “Yes. That’s whose baby this is.”

  I looked at Lena’s stomach. I reached out and touched it. Could this actually be true? Could she be carrying my baby? How is it even possible for two vampires could conceive a child?

  I looked up at Lena and gave her a comforting smile and said, “Lena, we will figure all this out.”

  Lena looked back at me and I could tell she needed me. She needed for me to tell her everything was going to be okay. I exhaled and said, “If you are truly pregnant, then this is a divine situation. You and I are going to be parents.”

  “Aren’t you scared?” she asked.

  “I don’t know what that feeling is anymore. What I do know is that I love you and I’m going to love our child with every bit of me.” I once again smiled at Lena. Lena nestled her head into my chest. I leaned back and held her calmly. This was an amazing twenty-four-hour period. “Lena,” I said. “There is someone we’ll need to speak to. I think there was someone who knew this was going to happen.”

  “The Deity?” Lena asked.

  “Yes. She did everything but tell me straight out that this would come to pass. Now her cryptic speech makes perfect sense. I thought she was only talking about the Mani people. I see now that she was also talking about our child.”

  “When should we go see her?” Lena asked.

  “Are you okay to transition?”

  “I think so.”

  “I don’t know if transitioning will be a good thing,” I said, “especially as the baby grows.”

  “Then we better see her quickly,” Lena said.

  I agreed that this was something we needed to do ASAP. “We’ll go tonight when it’s dark.”

  We both closed our eyes and just held each other for a couple of hours. I eventually stood up and went back to my room to lie on my bed and think. For the rest of the day, I was in a fog. I kept it quiet that Lena was pregnant and I told Lena not to tell anyone. Unfortunately, we couldn’t trust anyone with this kind of information. At least, until we understood it better ourselves.

  So that night, Lena and I both transitioned and flew down to Mexico. We were off to go see the Deity. I had a feeling she would be expecting us.

  When we arrived at the orphanage, Lena and I were led down into the underground bunker by a security guard. We were led to the room where I had met the Deity the previous time. Lena seemed to be holding up well. It was extremely muggy once we were underground. It was a lot hotter than I remembered. We were both sweating as if we had just gone for a jog in 100-degree weather.

  We walked into the Deity’s room and she was sitting with two small Mexican children on the floor. It appeared they were dressing dolls and playing house. The Deity looked even more stunning than I remembered. This time she was wearing a long purple dress. She looked like an angel. There was a glow about her that seemed to be more prevalent than the last time we met.

  “Hello,” I said.

  “Josiah, you have brought a friend,” she said.

  “Yes, this is Lena,” I said.

  “So she is.”

  “Hello, Your Holiness,” Lena said. I had asked Lena on the way up to address her that way.

  “Sit with us. This is Michael and Felicia. They are two of the best help I have.” The Deity looked at the children and said, “Go, children. I need to speak to the nice man and his love.”

  Both kids kissed the Deity on her cheek and ran off.

  “Cute kids,” I said.

  “Their poor mother was murdered in broad daylight.”

  “That is harsh,” I said.

  “Most of my kids have horrible realities, but it’s my job to love them and take care of them so we can change whatever unnecessary evils have been assigned to them.”

  “How do you explain to them who you are?” I asked.

  “I don’t,” she said. “They will hear things and eventually they will know on their own without any explanation from me.” She paused. “So, Josiah, you now need guidance? Some new counsel?”

  “Yes,” I said, “to say the very least.”

  “I can imagine. You must have lots of questions.”

  “I do,” I said. “We both do.”

  Lena spoke up. “We need to understand what’s happening to my body.”

  The Deity smiled at Lena. “You are with child.”

  “Am I?” Lena asked.

  “Oh, yes, sweet angel. In you is the key that will save us all.”

  “Save us all?” I asked.

  �
��Yes, Josiah,” the Deity smiled, and then turned to Lena. “In you, sweet child, is the seed of all men. Josiah, your calling is one for the ages. But your child’s calling is even bigger than what you will be asked to do.”

  My heart sank. “How so?”

  “Josiah, you will have a long, full existence. Your child’s existence will not be so lucky. It will almost be Christ-like.”

  “Christ-like?” I asked.

  “Yes, he will be martyred.”

  “Martyred? What? You mean sacrificed?” I asked.

  “Not sacrificed. His death will be the final act that will allow the Mani to live in peace for hundreds of years. He will live an extraordinary life, but an extremely short one. What you need to realize is, there isn’t just one infant in Lena; there is also another.”

  Now I was completely confused. I looked over at Lena and she was glowing. “Josiah,” Lena said to me. “I’m carrying twins.”

  “Twins?” I looked to the Deity for an answer.

  “Yes,” she answered me. “And they will be on opposite sides of the spectrum. One will be as pure as the driven snow. The other will have a dark side, a very dark side.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I felt as if my heart was going to come out of my chest. “How is any of this possible?” I asked.

  “The heart of every man will be represented in both boys. It will be up to you to maximize each of their greatness.”

  I was floored. How could this be? Now there were twins? Are you kidding me? I don’t know what came over me, but I just laid my head back on the floor and looked up at the ceiling, completely dumbfounded.

  “I know this is a lot to hear, Josiah.”

  The Deity took my hand and I sat up. I looked at the Deity and asked, “Will both boys die?”

  “No, just one. It will be the most amazing act of unselfish love.”

  Lena was also overwhelmed by the moment. Tears were falling off her face like a faucet. I scooted over to her and held her in my arms. “Are you okay?” I asked.

  Lena stared straight ahead and calmly said, “I’ve never felt more love in my heart as I do at this moment.”

  “Josiah,” the Deity said to me. “You will need to keep Lena safe. Others will soon know that she is with child. There is a lot of evil out in the world that does not want to see this come to pass. Take her and go back to your home, and love her. Love her with all of your being.”