It's Hell To Choose (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 9) (10 page)

Fucking hell!
Jennifer thought.
The video’s and the pictures on the web didn’t do this woman justice.
Bethany Anne just created a new level above OMFG. Jennifer bit her lip, she was allowing her level of ‘freak out’ to free her mind to wander instead of gibber in fear.
 

Focus!

Bethany Anne turned to the Vampires.
 
She started to take a step and disappeared, only to appear in front of the head Vampire.

—

Akio was doing everything he could to not bow to Michael. The sheer amount of power emanating from him answered the question most Vampires had in his part of the world.

Michael was real, and his power was hard to deny.

Then, suddenly, the pressure was gone, and Michael was apologizing. Akio turned to see who Michael was looking at and there she was.

His Queen.

Akio noticed the sword attached to her back and her weapons. She was no Kamiko Kana. This woman was a warrior, first. This is how she chose to introduce herself to her people, her fighters.

And even the fabled Michael felt honored to listen to her … command? No, she called him a ‘Royal Asshat.’ Akio wasn’t sure of the meaning, but he understood it wasn’t a proper title.

Then, she was on the stage and turned towards them. She took a step and was standing within arms reach.

He dropped to a knee, with all of his men behind him as they kneeled to her.

“My name is Bethany Anne” she said. “There is a requirement I require before receiving your pledge of loyalty, and that is honesty.” She turned slightly towards the Wechselbalg, “In committing service to a liege there is honor on both sides, honor is honesty, faithfulness, obedience. It is built on trust, confidence and actions.”

Bethany Anne turned back to the small Vampire group. “Kamiko Kana was none of these. She accepted pledges and dealt in false faith. As was required when evil commits dishonor, I sent my Own to make right the scales of justice. I take your pledge of life, of honor, of ability, in an exchange with my own to you.”

 
She looked down at the man in front of her, “Stand Akio,”

Akio stood as she untied the Katana sheath from her back. The saya was exquisite, etched wood both beautifully polished and ages old. Akio’s eyes opened in shock.

This was a fabled sword, one thought lost. This was the sword which could decide whether one deserved death or not.

“This is my sword, delivered to me by my servant Stephen, Michael’s brother.”

It was a second time Akio’s eyes opened wider yet.

“I am handing it to the Queen’s Elite, to rest in your sanctum and be protected and ready for use when your Queen needs it. It shall always be ready, always be sharp, and always be protected. Is this demand honorable and do the Queen’s Elite accept this charge?”

Akio bowed deeply and raised up. He held out both hands to receive the saya and the Katana to his care. He turned to face his men, “In your Queen’s name, rise.” He spoke. All fourteen men stood as one and all viewed the saya as he held it up at eye level.

“Our Queen entrusts us to protect her sword. As we will use ours to protect her and implement her decrees. Honor is restored to us through trust. Honorably will we serve, in Honor we will die.”

All fourteen men bowed to Akio, who then turned and bent to Bethany Anne, “My Queen, We are Yours.”

Bethany Anne turned to the other Vampires, “Accepted.” All of them stood tall with their hands behind their backs. Bethany Anne reached over to touch Akio, “Come with me.” Everyone who could see the two were shocked when Bethany Anne and Akio disappeared to reappear on the stage. She turned as Akio got his bearing from the sudden disappearance and reappearance, “Gabrielle?”

Gabrielle took a few steps and came up beside the two. Akio was trying to keep the shock off his face, “Please provide Akio a place here on the stage.”

Gabrielle bowed slightly to Akio, “Welcome!” Akio was momentarily astounded with all of the smiles surrounding him. Scott and Peter separated for him to step up between them. Akio noticed John looking at him and saw the huge man wink. Turning in place, Akio looked to view his men.

Bethany Anne had just returned the Honor they desperately needed. His chest was filled with the feeling that this is what the samurai knew in the ages long ago. The undying desire to merge the religious with the physical. The knowledge that honor existed in two directions and that life was now focused and balanced.

Peter leaned towards him. Akio could perceive the Were smell on him, “Here.” Akio held the sword in one hand and reached down with his left to feel a small piece of fabric delivered to him. He took a second to glance at it.

It was a patch. The same patch all of the Queen's Own wore here on the stage.

The head of the Queen’s Elite was now a member of the Queen’s Bitches.

“It’s got a sticky, rip off the back and apply it to your shoulder… Oh shit.” Akio noticed Pete’s eyes focused ahead, and Akio turned to see Bethany Anne looking in their direction and realized she had heard Pete’s voice.

She took a couple of steps towards them, but she was smiling at Peter, who was grinning back. “Always a trouble-maker, Pete?” She held out her hand. Everyone on the stage was leaning around each other to see what was going on.

“It was…ahh, fuck it. It was me!” He grinned.

“Yeah, I’ll bet.” She glanced over towards John, who was intentionally looking elsewhere. “Give it to me.”

Akio handed his Queen the patch. “Turn to your left, Akio.” He could see those in front of him smiling and decided to enjoy the turn of events, even if it originally seemed like it was trouble. He stood there as she peeled the backing off of the patch and affixed it to his sleeve. She pressed hard to make a good seal. “Akio, before your clan, before the Guardians, the Queen’s Own and myself, you are now Akio of the Queen’s Bitches.”

Akio smiled back at his Queen and was surprised when everyone on stage started hollering congratulations and pounding him on the back. He noticed that even those out on the floor, in both groups, were cheering for him.

Akio took his place in the lineup and waited for the next part in the play.

—

Kurt Williams had been a little bored through the event. He was standing just behind and to the right of Nathan Lowell, who had mentioned an opportunity to fight.

Now, fighting was where Kurt excelled, and it was something he was very, very good at. While he had been respectful of Nathan, he didn’t believe all the hype Nathan kept spewing out related to the group of humans.

And, oh yes, they were humans! He could smell them clearly. Kurt wasn’t disrespectful at all, he wanted to fight against some of the best and see what he could do. While he could have fought, and had a good chance of winning had he challenged the Alpha of the pack, he didn’t want the responsibilities that came with it.

He just loved to fight.

The adrenaline rush, the slowdown of reality, the twitch of weight to another leg that heralded the attack to come, and the rush to defend or mitigate the opponent’s efforts was where he lived to be.

When Kurt understood that Nathan was asking him to sign up for a four-year stint in a group which was focused on becoming the best fighters, it was like asking a geek if they wanted the latest video card for their gaming machine.

When asked a simple question, he gave a simple answer, “Where do I sign up?” Kurt turned to his father, who smiled and told him, “See you on holidays, son.” Kurt looked down to see his father’s hand held out to him.

His Dad understood. Kurt shook his father’s hand, had his mother cry against his chest, and was told to ‘learn something besides how to stop fists with his face!’ The day came to go to the airport, and he had grabbed his duffle. His father met him at the door, and no one spoke the whole way to the airport.

His father understood him like that. They shook, hugged in the man-way of pounding each other on the back, and his Dad only said, “See you on leave, son.”

And that was that.

Kurt was impressed with the jet they had lined up for them, and when he approached the airplane, Nathan pointed to him, and designated an area to the side of him. He walked over as Nathan told him to drop his duffel by the other luggage on the ground, and to stand with him.

Nathan did that four other times with new arrivals, and in the end, five recruits waited together. Kurt thought about what Nathan was doing when the person after him radiated a barely-controlled desire to fight, and was followed by a third person with the same attitude. It was evident. Every one of the five could see the same fire they looked at in the mirror each morning reflected back at them from the others around Nathan.

They all wanted to test themselves. Nathan didn’t force his dominance on anyone. It just ‘was’. The desire to prove himself against anyone and everyone that needed to fight folded when colliding with the indomitable will of Nathan Lowell.

Around Nathan, peace reigned.

Even when his mate came up and spoke with him, none of them felt a need to puff out their chests. Kurt was surprised to find out later what happened when he found himself alone with Ecaterina. His need subsumed itself like a puppy around any dominant alpha.

Kurt knew the stories of Ecaterina’s ability to change to a Pricolici, but this was the first time he understood she carried that same calmness within her. He idly wondered what she looked like when she got angry and then smiled as a quote from an old tv show came back to him, ‘Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!’.

Now, he was curious. The calm around Nathan was in effect, but soon he understood he was going to be able to let the challenge erupt from his throat…

—

John Grimes watched as Bethany Anne turned back around from helping Akio place the patch on his arm. John was the one who had made a point of making sure the Vampires knew that they were ‘in’ the group. He wouldn’t allow any team to hang out in the wind. They were either in, or they were out.

Michael had confirmed their desire to support Bethany Anne. If any of them had been a problem, Michael’s entrance into the event would have been very different. It would have been preceeded with the sudden deaths of Vampires and a very bloody Michael appearing amongst the carnage.

This was one point Michael wasn’t willing to bend on with Bethany Anne. He absolutely, positively wouldn’t allow a shadow of doubt regarding the oaths she would accept from the Vampires.
 
Each would be willing to follow Bethany Anne into death, or he would kill them himself before Bethany Anne accepted their oath.

No one, to Michael’s best ability, was going to come around Bethany Anne that was a risk. John figured ‘hell no’ was Michael going to confess to Bethany Anne everything he did to make sure she was safe. John knew of a couple of times Michael had just 'handled' someone, and as her guard, he approved.

John didn’t give a flip that a couple of minds had been tweaked, and people sent away. John figured better to be sent away than another two deaths. Michael was a much better man than before, but the armor between the new Michael and the old Michael was rife with holes, and the old Michael was always a breath away of coming out.

At least it was where Bethany Anne was concerned. For Michael personally, he rolled with the punches much better. Peter had come into the meeting room a little earlier and held out his hand to Michael and asked, “So, how’s the Dark Lord of the Sith this evening?”

John had wanted to both slap Pete for being glib and simultaneously put his face in his hand so he didn’t see the carnage. He was shocked when Michael shook Pete’s hand and told him in a stage whisper with a smile, “That is supposed to be a secret, young apprentice!”

John looked over to Eric whose mouth was open and then Gabrielle, who had turned from her conversation to stare in shock at Michael as well.

Pete shrugged, “That’s ok, the unknown and unwashed heathens will never figure it out!” Pete then looked around and asked, “Where are the cookies and milk?”

Michael pointed back behind him, “Cheryl Lynn has them set up back there.”

Now, Bethany Anne was ready to speak to the group, and John brought his musing to a halt.

—

Bethany Anne looked out over the group and paused.

Thoughts, TOM?

Wait, What? Why are you asking me something?