by Night, H. T.
“What are they? I’ll do anything.”
“I want you to donate $4,000 to a children’s charity. That is about as much damage you put on the vehicle back at the mall.”
“You said the vehicle wasn’t real.”
“It’s the principle. Eye for an eye. The second thing is, I want whatever family that is in your life to have the best Christmas they’ve ever had. I want you to make everybody around you feel special and loved. Can you do that?”
“Of course. I’m not a complete dick. I love my wife and kids. What’s the third thing?”
“Trade in this big truck for something… less macho. Seriously, man. This truck is ridiculous. Would you do all three things?”
“Yes, I will. Is a Lexus GS460 okay, because I need a vehicle to get up to the family cabin in the summer.”
“Okay, that is a fine vehicle and then your life will have a chance.” With that, I flew upward and out of his vision and flew my way back to my key-scratched truck.
I got in my vehicle and drove over to Tommy at the front of the mall. He gave me a look that pretty much said, “What the hell took you so long?”
I replied, “I went to see a man about a truck.” Then he saw my truck and shook his head. He put the crib boxes in the back and jumped in the passenger seat and said, “Big blue did this?”
“It looks like it.”
“Let’s go find his ass and teach him a lesson that he won’t forget.”
“Way ahead of you, brother. I’m way ahead of you.”
Chapter Seven
When we got back, Tommy and I spent the next four hours fumbling over the instructions for putting the crib together. We had cleaned out the game room downstairs earlier in the month to make a nursery. The nursery was right next to Tommy’s room. Which I think was comic perfection. Let him hear the babies crying first. It was the ultimate revenge for all of the times he had awakened me in the middle of the night to go train at the gym, when no one was there.
Hector got in the mix and helped out and finally, the three of us got the two cribs assembled and set up in the nursery. They were strong and sturdy. We even put the sheets on and arranged little blankets on the shelf. I threw a 90-pack of newborn-size Huggies in the closet.
Hector, Tommy and I high-fived each other. We were pretty proud of ourselves. It’s remarkable how doing something like this is just in man’s DNA, even if the man is a vampire.
I went up to the bedroom, and Lena was asleep. Her body had been through a lot over the past nine months. I was worried about her. I had never seen her so sickly, which was an unusual predicament for me because she was carrying my children. I walked over to her and kissed her head. “I love you, babydoll.” Lena didn’t seem to want to wake up. She was even snoring a bit. I got nervous about proposing to her and I decided to go find Yari and have a talk with her.
Yari was in the backyard in the Jacuzzi. I usually avoided her when she was back there alone because she had no problem grabbing at me and overtly flirting with me. I think because she was with me first, before Lena. If there was such a thing as a Mani cherry, Yari had gotten mine. Therefore, she seemed to feel that she had a free crack to touch my junk whenever she saw fit and shamefully, I had never put the kibosh on her wandering hands. If Lena only knew how often of an occurrence that actually was, she would probably ban me from talking to Yari at all. I lied to myself and told myself that I would keep Yari’s naughty roaming hands under control, and just make sure that it was always playful. Tonight, however, I had a few questions for her. And I needed to tell her that there would be no more of her hands on my junk.
I slipped out the back and walked over to Yari in the hot tub. She was wearing a devilishly sexy two-piece bathing suit and stood up for a moment, to show me. It was a crazy tiny bikini, in fact, so small that the bottoms were like dental floss between her perfect butt cheeks and the top was barely covering her nipples. My Lena was sick and bloated with two kids in her right now. And Yari just oozed sexuality, and it was so blatant that she nearly purred when she saw me and teased the hell out of me by showing me her dental floss bikini bottoms. She knew how much of an ass-man I am, damn her. I still had an attraction toward her, but I was a one-woman kind of guy. I was a monogamist. Sure was. Yari had and on-again, off-again thing with Cyrus, and I thought that whenever it was off again is when she was more frisky with me and took liberties with my junk. So, I decided to lead with that topic. “Hey, Yari, where’s Cyrus?”
“Who?” She laughed, looking up at me.
“You know, your boy toy for over a year now.”
“It has been exhausting, hasn’t it? He is so needy. And you’re darn right about the boy part.”
“Is he needy, or is it you?” I asked. “As I recall, you two seem to need each other equally.”
“Oh, Josiah. You know you boys are just like party favors that I like to play with to bide my time.”
“So, I guess it’s an off-again situation?”
“It is what it is. He’s been acting odd lately. A little distant. I think he likes for me to chase after him. Boy, does he have another thing coming.”
“I think all of us aren’t sure what to make of the situation we’re all in. We have a house full of vampires and now werewolves. Not to mention that right outside the house is an underground bunker—one that’s bigger than most malls—filled with the toughest men in the world.”
“I do need to go down there more often. It must be like a candy store down there. I need to go get some free samples of Mani machismo. See who the flavor of the month is going to be now.”
“It does surprise me that you don’t spend more time down there,” I laughed.
“There is just too much to choose from. It makes my head spin,” Yari laughed.
“So, cut Cyrus some slack. It’s easy to get lost in the mix around here. And you are intimidating, as a Mani and as a woman.”
“You’re preaching to the choir. You’re the Chosen One and you got Lena pregnant. How do you think that makes the rest of the men feel? Inadequate, right?” Yari swam across to where I was standing. I decided to sit cross-legged on the concrete deck, right next to the hot tub, so we could talk face to face.
“Any word on Krull?” Yari asked.
“Just my dreams. My dreams are pretty weird lately. It’s going to go down tremendously soon. I need to make sure all of us are ready for the battle.”
Yari smiled at me in her typical flirty fashion. “So, why do I have the pleasure of this one-on-one time, with the almighty high Josiah?”
“Don’t act that way. You will always be extremely dear to me. You know that.”
“Do I? These conversations are far and between. Some days, I wonder if you even remember that I exist.”
“Yari, I don’t see the need to make sure that you and I are cool because you’re the queen of this place. You have more clout around here than I do.”
“I doubt that. Chosen One.”
“Well, you have a lot of clout with me. You watched over me when I didn’t even know any better.”
“Trust me, I didn’t know any better myself. I just thought I was stalking a guy with a hot bod. I had to protect my interest from harm.”
“You knew what you were doing when you kicked ass to save me.” I smiled at my friend and rose up on my knees, so I could reach into my pocket. “I want to show you something.”
“Thank God. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen that beautiful package of yours.”
“Well, it’s not exactly that, but it is a beautiful package.” I reached in my pocket and pulled out the little black velvet box that Lena’s engagement ring was in. I flipped it open and showed Yari the ring. She looked at it and simply said, “That’s a fantastic ring, Josiah. Can I take it out?”
“Sure.”
“Yari reached in with her wet hand and pulled out the ring and put it on her left-hand, ring finger. “This is so unbelievable, and my answer is ‘yes.’”
I gave her a quick look of sho
ck, but she quickly gave me a wink. “Just kidding. Lena is going to love it, Josiah.”
“You think?”
“She’s a lucky girl.... Not only does she get that hearty sausage of yours, she now has a fat diamond ring to go with it.”
“I wish the sausage was enough. It sure is a hell of a lot cheaper to give.” I laughed.
“I bet it is.”
“I guess this means that your package is off limits to me from now on?”
“That’s right, Yari. I came down here to tell you that.”
She sighed heavily. “Figured that out when I saw the box. I get it. No more fondling the Chosen One’s big, silky goods. No more ass grabbing. No sexual innuendo. After tonight.”
“Thanks for understanding. If I am going to be married, I have to respect her, more than I have been. I have been sleeping with her and letting you flirt with me and touch me, everywhere you wanted to, because it felt so good and because I like you so much. I should have but I haven’t told you to stop.”
“Until now,” Yari said.
“Right. You got it. Please stop.”
She held up her hand with the ring on it. I took the ring off of Yari’s hand and put it back in the box.
“You’re disgustingly moral, Josiah.”
“Trying to be,” I said. “I do have a question for you.”
“Go for it.” Yari swam to the other side of the hot tub, rejected.
“How should I do it?”
“Propose to her?” Yari asked.
“Not necessarily that, I’m talking about actual marriage. I have never heard of two Mani getting married.”
Yari smiled. “We are blatant whores, aren’t we? Male or female. It’s just all about the next fight, feeding or fuck.”
“Geez, Yari. So crude. I’m not saying that. I’m asking if there is a special way of doing things, like Kevin Costner did in Dancing with Wolves. He had to do a Sioux wedding. Is there something similar with the Mani?”
“There is only one way to get a blessing from the Triat in regards of marriage between two Mani.”
“Which is what?” I asked.
“Your union needs to be conducted by a Mani with high stature; someone who is either equal to or higher than yours. The only way you can truly get married, Josiah, is that you need to conduct your own marriage ceremony, because no one here is on the same plane as you. You’re royalty.”
“I can’t bless my own marriage.”
“You’re right, you can’t. That only means one thing. The only two Mani qualified to do it are Atticai and Krull, I don’t see Krull exactly setting aside a date for your wedding. So your best chance is Atticai.”
“Atticai! It seems that I am always up shit creek without a paddle when I hear that name. Why not the Deity? At least there is no bad mojo there.”
“She isn’t allowed to perform marriage ceremonies. It’s not her deal.”
“Well, what about you, Yari? It would be pretty poetic if you did it. It would be as if we came full circle.”
“Me?” Yari laughed out loud. “Not quite. I’m sort of the antithesis when it comes to monogamy. Plus, I’m nowhere near your stature. Don’t mistake confidence with prominence. Atticai is your best bet to get the two of you hitched, Mani style.”
“Seriously?”
“Unless you think Krull is down for love.”
“Krull just wants to kill me outright. I’m going to need to grovel once again to Atticai. I swear this is getting old. Needing him.”
“I have heard he isn’t doing well. He is in some kind of hermit-y funk. He is still at that ranch where he was living a while back. He has pretty much cut himself off from everyone. Who knows, maybe this might be something he would want to do. You know, give him some purpose.”
“We’re talking about Atticai. I doubt that providing my happiness is a purpose that Atticai would be excited about.”
“Never hurts to ask. Why don’t you peel off those clothes and hop in here? It’s been awhile. Yari needs some tenderness.”
“Sorry, girl. I’m faithful.”
“I know you are. But I do enjoy giving you a chubby. I just want to see the magic, one last time. I won’t even touch you. I’ll just strip for you and touch myself while you watch.” She looked down at my groin and smiled.
“What can I say, Yari? You’re hot. But that doesn’t mean it goes any further. You know that song by ELO, “Evil Woman”? That’s like your theme song.”
“Humph. You’re such a goody-goody, Josiah.”
Chapter Eight
So, once again, I needed Atticai’s help. This was beginning to sound like a broken record. I didn’t want to ask him, but I was left with no choice. I checked on Lena in our bedroom. I watched her breathe while she slept, and I knew there was nothing I wanted more than to have her by my side like this forever.
There was only one thing to do. I got up and flew to Atticai’s ranch. I landed in front of his extraordinarily large and tremendously sad house. Its rustic exterior only seemed more depressing when I thought about a lonely vampire wasting away inside the compound.
I walked up to his door and knocked. After a moment, Atticai yelled from inside his house. “What do you want, Josiah?”
“I want to talk to you, please,” I said, trying not to sound like a total weenie.
“I’m not exactly in the mood to talk to anyone. Especially you. No offense, but I don’t understand why you seem the need to come here. I have made it perfectly clear that I don’t like you. As a matter of fact, I despise you.”
“Atticai, please,” I said begging. “I just need to ask you one thing, and I’ll go on my way.”
“I’m not going to fight alongside you against Krull and his army. I already told you that!”
I yelled back. “It’s not about that. It’s something even more important!” I paused. “It has to do with Lena. She is pregnant.”
It was silent for a second. Then I heard Atticai say, “What the hell am I supposed to about it?” and unlatch the door. He opened the door and said, “Come in. I’m only going to talk to you for a second. I’m not exactly that fond of you.”
“Yeah, you keep making that clear.” I stepped inside.
Atticai didn’t exactly show me too much hospitality. He had a blanket over his body, and he just sat on his stairs with his long lanky legs hanging off the steps. “Is she okay?”
“She’s doing as well as one can do. It hasn’t been that smooth of a pregnancy.”
Atticai nodded his head. “Well, I already knew she was pregnant.”
“How so?”
“A little bird let me in on it a while back.”
“Was that bird Yari?” I asked.
“No. It was one of your Benedict Arnolds who changed sides.”
“You know that’s not what happened. Everyone thought you died.”
“Only because I was killed by you.” Atticai composed himself and said, “So, if Lena is fine, then what is it that you want?”
“I need a favor of you.”
Atticai scoffed. “Effing again?”
I ignored him and continued, “The favor I need from you is that I would like it if you could marry Lena and myself in a Mani ceremony.”
Atticai expression was priceless. It was one of absurdity, shock and disdain. It all came to fruition in one immediate glance. “You cannot be serious?” he asked.
“Is it seriously that outrageous that I would ask you that?”
“Yeah, it is. You are surely not so self-absorbed that you’re not aware that I despise the sheer sight of you. I cared for Lena. Do you have any idea what it would take out of me to marry the two of you to each other? Again, I despise you.”
I cringed. Atticai had said that over and over again, but I remembered the friendship we had when he was Goshi. I refused to accept that a part of him didn’t like me. “I honestly think you like me,” I countered. “But you don’t want to admit it because of your ego. And because I ended up with Lena instead of you.�
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Atticai stood up off the steps and dropped his blanket and began pacing around. “Let me get this straight. You, Josiah Reign, are asking me to conduct your marriage? A guy you killed months ago?”
“It’s been two years.”
“There is no statute of limitations when it comes to another man killing you. But that wasn’t the only thing you did to me. You took the two things I wanted most in this world.”
“Look, I’ll grant you the whole prophecy deal. That was pretty messed up, but I had no control in that matter, no more than you did. But you and I both know you were just using Lena. You were going to use her for a human sacrifice because you needed a human virgin and you got her indoctrinated into our Mani culture, so that she was willing to sacrifice herself for the good of the Mani. That would have made you powerful mojo in the eyes of the other Mani, almost as much as being thought of as the Chosen One.”
“Hey. I never used Lena. It was what I truly believed what I needed to do. And she believed it, too.”
“Is it what you needed to do? Or wanted to do? Because when you stack it up as duty or desire, I see that this was pure desire on your part, that you had when you were going to kill Lena to advance your dream of being the Chosen One.” I stared at Atticai, and I figured I might as well lay it on the table. I might as well tell him here and now what I truly believed in my heart about him, in regard to the Triat.
“You question me? You come to my house. Ask me to fulfill a ridiculous request? Then have the gall to judge me?”
“Atticai, I am the only one who understands what it truly means to have the burden at the Mani people on my shoulders. I carry it around like an albatross around my neck. It is a selfless destiny that I have no idea if I’ll even survive. The odds are, I won’t. But I’m still willing to accept that. What about you?”
“What about me, what?” Atticai was now extremely angry, and looked as if he would attack me if I continued.
“The question is simple, Atticai. Was being the Chosen One something you wanted for the good of the Mani people or was it a notch in your belt over Krull?”
