The Darkest Night (The Second Dark Ages Book 2) Read online

  Jacqueline pulled her left arm out of Mark’s embrace and pointed towards the west. “The ocean is that way.”

  Mark smiled. “I think it’s a little far, plus the salt might not do anything for your hair, baby.”

  Jacqueline snuggled a little harder into his embrace. “Do that again.”

  “What?”

  “Call me baby.”

  Mark smiled and just moved. Before Jacqueline had realized what was going on, Mark had twisted on the ground and grabbed her as he stood up, cradling her in his arms as he started walking west. “It stinks too much around here to cuddle.”

  “Mmm hmmm,” she answered, placing her arms around his neck. “But you were a badass and I was enjoying your touch too much to care.”

  “Let’s find a lake or some water.”

  “Whatever you say,” she told him. Mark walked another fifty paces before he realized she was asleep. He assumed changing into her other form took more energy from her, and he carried her over two more hills before he found a small stream heading down towards the ocean. He gently laid her down next to the water, and for ten minutes he worked to get the blood out of her hair.

  It was a damned mess.

  However, for the first time in Mark’s life, it was safe to love someone.

  —

  “I can take her,” Akio suggested, paused, and then completed his sentence, “Michael.”

  Michael turned to Akio with the young woman in his arms and smiled. “Akio, you are a friend, not a servant. You do not need to pause saying my name. You serve the woman I love, and have done so for a hundred and fifty years. I think that qualifies you pretty damned well to say my name.”

  Akio pressed his lips together, then nodded one time towards Michael. “Thank you.”

  “Now that we have that out of the way,” Michael stepped closer to Akio and held out the woman. “Here.”

  Akio accepted the female, but raised an eyebrow. Michael smirked. “This way, if anyone attacks, I get to kill them.”

  Michael thought Akio’s chuckle was one of the most pleasant sounds he had heard in a damned long time.

  Now, to move to phase two in his diabolical scheme to make a normal human being out of the Vampire.

  —

  Jacqueline could feel Mark near her, and the effort he was making to clean her hair without pulling it.

  He failed miserably. With each little jerk he would miss a few strands, and she was pretty sure there were a billion nanocytes playing tug-of-war with him, both of them yanking for complete control. Not that she cared. She put out a hand, her eyes still closed, and rubbed his leg. “No,” she told him when he stopped to look at her, “keep doing that.”

  She considered her feelings: the fact she had changed into the same form as her father, and her desire to protect Mark. “You need to work more on your fighting.”

  “Mmm hmmm,” he admitted.

  “Probably a lot on ground work, too,” she grinned. “Lots of us rolling around, sweaty, fighting for control, dominance, submission…” She let her voice trail off.

  “Sounds like a good time,” he told her. “Don’t think I’ll be that good with a submissive role, but all’s fair in love and war.”

  “Still, going to have to practice, I don’t want to be so worried about you again.”

  “When do you want to do this?”

  Jacqueline’s eyes popped open, the yellow flaring as her lips broke into a mischievous grin.

  —

  Michael turned his head to the right. “Seems like our two young ones are finally consummating their feelings.”

  Akio just nodded his agreement as he adjusted the young lady, her eyes opening and looking up at the man holding her.

  “Uh,” she looked around as the two strange men turned to regard her. “Hello?” she said.

  “Can you stand?” Akio asked, his voice soft.

  “Can you hold me like this all night?” She replied, a tiny grin on her face.

  “Yes,” Akio answered truthfully.

  She blinked a couple of times. “Oh.” She looked around, then closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

  Michael chuckled. “I guess she feels safe enough.”

  Akio shrugged. He tilted his head and spoke, “Eve, please bring the ship back down.” About half a minute later, the black Pod dropped through the night to the ground twenty paces away. Akio took the young woman over to the Pod. “Open the canopy.” Once the canopy was open, he gently laid the woman in the back seat and turned to see Michael smiling at him. Akio looked around the area. “I said I could hold her all night. I didn’t say I wanted to. If we get attacked, I’d like to have a little fun as well.”

  Michael laughed, and soon Akio was chuckling himself.

  —

  Children.

  Jacqueline’s head lolled on Mark’s chest. She was sleeping again after their second effort at wrestling. The second time, he threw her bodily into the water. She was a shit-ton more slippery in the water. Somehow, amongst all of the strenuous activity in the stream, they had managed to get off most of the blood, but gained a little mud in the process.

  Just me at the moment. Mark sent back. Jacqueline is sleeping.

  Is she tired from changing forms? Michael asked.

  Uhhhhh…sure. Mark replied.

  There was a flicker of humor in the connection in response to Mark’s answer. Well, I hope you are not in a compromising position, since you are going to have company in a little while. Yuko and Eve are arriving soon, and have new clothes for the both of you.

  Advanced stuff, Akio explained. Jacqueline’s strong desire to protect you caused her to change to Pricolici, so Yuko had to go back to the base for stretchy fabric for when she changes the next time.

  Mark thought about that a second. Ok. But what about when she goes doggy? Mark asked.

  A half mile away, Michael winced before replying, I say this only so that you don’t put your foot in your mouth when she is awake. So listen very carefully, Mark.

  Yes?

  Do not ever, and I mean ever, call her wolf form doggy. You will regrow your teeth faster than you will be able to find them after she slaps you.

  Mark thought about that a moment. I’ve got a few things to learn.

  Yes, but welcome to love and all the ups and downs that go with it.

  Mark could feel Jacqueline trying to squirm further into his embrace, and he smiled. Michael, how did you ever figure it all out?

  There was a pause before Michael answered.

  Who said I had it all figured out?

  CHAPTER TEN

  “Akio?” Eve’s voice resonated in Akio’s ear.

  “Yes?”

  “The biological readings show the young lady in the Pod is waking up.”

  Akio looked up. “Please bring her down here.”

  Akio then turned to see the Pod already descending. As he walked over to it, the canopy was already opening.

  The young lady was blinking her eyes open as she stared around the little ship she was sitting inside. “The…” she started, then stopped when Akio walked up next and she saw him. “I thought you were carrying me?” She ran a hand along the side of the chair inside the ship. “I didn’t know you were from the future.”

  “I am more from the past, Sabine,” Akio answered her. “The ship is not from the future. Let me help you out.”

  “Awwww.” She bit her lower lip as Akio reached in and easily lifted her out. “Sorry, but this was the most comfortable and safe I’ve been in a while.”

  Akio just nodded.

  “Where were you going?” The other man stepped up and Sabine turned. “Hello, my name is Michael.”

  “Originally?” Sabine replied and pointed behind her. “Paris.” She turned to look at the few lights in the distance. “I have a few friends who are holed up in a defensive group inside the city, helping each other from all of the…uh…” She turned to look at the two men. “Others.”

  Michael smiled. “You mean Were
wolves and vampires?”

  She nodded, believing that she now understood how Akio could hold her all night.

  “Do you need to be taken to them?” Akio asked. “We can easily see you safely all the way there.”

  Her eyes opened wide. “Would you?” she asked. Then she looked confused. “Wait, what about the sun?”

  Michael grinned in the moonlight. “What about it?” Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. “It won’t affect us any more than it does you.”

  “But,” she looked to Akio, who just raised his eyebrows. “I thought you were…”

  “Were what?” Michael smirked. “Vampires?”

  “Yeah,” she admitted. “That seems kind of silly when I think about it. But,” she looked over to where the fight had taken place. “I know I saw the girl change into a monster.”

  Michael pursed his lips and sighed. “No. No, you didn’t.” He told her as he reached to touch both her forehead…

  And her mind.

  —

  Jacqueline yawned and softly punched Mark on the shoulder.

  “What’s that for?” he asked, his eyes searching the night sky.

  “That’s for making me think that technology was your first lust.”

  “It was,” he answered.

  The slug became real. “Hey!” he exclaimed, giving her his whole attention. “I said it was my first, not my last and greatest.”

  “Ooohhh!” She grinned at him and then grabbed his arm to pull him close, looking up to kiss him.

  “What was that for, now?” He asked, completely confused by her quick change of attitude.

  “For knowing the right thing to say at the right time to make my heart feel better.”

  Mark blinked at her a few times. “But what if I have the right thoughts, but the wrong words?”

  Jacqueline considered his question a moment before answering. “Well, it will suck to be you. Just like every other guy for thousands of years.”

  Mark wisely stayed quiet. Moments later, the two of them looked up together as a large box started descending towards them.

  —

  Yuko shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “Young love. Who would have thought it could blossom around Michael so easily?”

  “I doubt even the vaunted ArchAngel could stamp out the attraction of hormones,” Eve replied as the two of them ignored the outside monitors once they understood what they had been seeing. “Plus, maybe Michael has changed significantly. He has been gone a long time.”

  Yuko nodded that she understood the statement, but she didn’t offer a confirmation that she believed a word Eve was suggesting. Even Eve’s own calculations didn’t support a significant chance that what she said was true.

  But even though the chance was small, the evidence that love was blossoming had been displayed on their screen just a moment ago.

  The large container settled on the ground some hundred and fifty paces away, where it was level enough. Eve went to the back and unlocked the door, then pushed one half open.

  Moments later, the two youngsters came jogging up.

  Holding hands.

  —

  Akio nodded as Sabine explained that the group inside of the city would welcome two more warriors gladly. “We will take you to your friends,” Michael explained to the young lady, “but first we have a need to do some research on a person who seems to be pulling together packs like the ones who chased you last night.”

  Sabine’s eyes involuntarily darted to the dead bodies and back to Michael. She asked, “You know that there are more like that, yes?”

  “Oh?” Michael replied.

  She nodded. “Oh yes. I’ve heard there are at least three large groups. They have camps in some of the small cities surrounding Paris. We are expecting them to attack, and that’s why I was trying to make it to my friends.

  “You were coming here to fight?” Akio queried.

  She turned to answer. “Yes. I lost friends and family last winter to a group that attacked my town. I was on a foray to gather food when it happened.” Her eyes glinted as she remembered. “I can’t fight much, but I can scout, and I know where three groups are. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to believe the group last night….” She looked around, noticing the false dawn approaching. She shivered. “Well, that they were human.”

  Michael nodded, getting what he needed from her memories.

  “I wish I had weapons and could have killed them myself,” she murmured.

  Akio pursed his lips, then turned to walk a few steps back to the Pod before reaching in and moving aside two boxes. He pulled out a third, lifting it up and over the side. he brought it back to the two of them before he handed it to her.

  Michael raised an eyebrow.

  “Inside there,” Akio explained as he gave her the box. She grabbed it with both hands, then made a small squeak as she had to grip harder to hold the weight. She lifted it back up.

  “What’s this?” she asked.

  “Two pistols and five hundred rounds of ammunition. We have two hours before we can safely approach your friends. If you truly want to be able to fight back, I will teach you how to fire that weapon and defend yourself.”

  “But,” she looked up at him, “this will only hurt humans.”

  Akio shook his head “Not anymore. Those bullets are meant to hurt Werewolves as well.”

  “Silver?” She asked, looking down at the box.

  “No, better.” Akio answered. “It is something a friend created when she was bored. The little tiny machines in the bullets will affect any who attack you.”

  “Any?” Michael asked.

  Akio looked up. “If they have the wrong type of nanocytes, hai.”

  Michael slowly nodded his head. “That is an interesting development.”

  “It was based on something TOM and Bethany Anne concocted early on. Eve modified it with the instruments in the cave.”

  “Sabine,” Akio spoke to the young woman, “please be so kind as to make sure you shoot the right people with that. Now,” Akio pointed behind her, “let’s go use some of those heads as targets.”

  Waste not, want not. Michael sent to Akio.

  It will help her understand how to shoot at people and bodies, more than, say, a tin can, Akio responded.

  Michael looked around as the two walked back towards the dead bodies. “Where would you find a tin can out here?”

  —

  “Oh my God.” Mark looked at the screens. He felt pain in his hand as Jacqueline once again reminded him of his latest and greatest love, which was not tech.

  “Aww, c’mon honey.” Mark turned to her. “You have to know that this,” he waved a hand at the inside of the container, “can never make me feel as good as you.”

  She smiled. “Or as much pain.”

  Yuko wanted to roll her eyes at the two of them. “My name is Yuko, and this is Eve.”

  The two looked down at the shorter woman. “I am an android,” Eve told them.

  “What is an android?” Jacqueline asked her. “You just look short to me.”

  Eve turned to the woman. “I am a sentient AI housed within this fabricated body.”

  Jacqueline put up two fingers and pointed to her own eyes, before switching the hand around to point the two fingers at Eve. “I found him first, so keep your advanced technology sexiness away from him, understand me?”

  —

  Michael walked away from Akio and Sabine as he thought about what he knew of the Japanese vampire’s skills, and what he thought he understood from his little experiment on the ArchAngel.

  Where he had argued with the energy of the cosmos, and at least this time, he won.

  Another hundred and fifty paces away was a small group of trees, so he continued over there as he spread his senses to confirm nothing unsafe was around.

  Unfortunately, there were only animals that were keeping their distance; nothing to fight at the moment.

  Michael walked up to
the first tree, its six-inch trunk stretching a little above his head before the main limbs branched out. There were three branches at his level. Michael rolled up his sleeve and created a minute cutting edge along his forearm, then used it to cut away the limbs stopping him from easily getting closer.

  He kicked away the fallen branches and looked at the wood, wondering if this idea was going to go anywhere.

  As near as he could tell, the Etheric was energy. Perhaps raw energy, perhaps something he could manipulate into different forms of energy.

  He needed to figure this out, and frankly, he had always enjoyed fires.

  When he was fighting the storm, reveling in the power and the pain as the lightning was drawn into his body to be channeled into the Etheric, he had come up with the idea that perhaps he could create fire as he pulled energy—heat—back and forth to try and disturb the clouds.

  Michael pursed his lips to remember what he knew. Fire, or at least flame, was the physical manifestation of exothermic reaction when items were heated above their combustion point. Some objects had lower combustion points, some higher.

  Wood, at least in the green state, required more than five hundred degrees Fahrenheit to combust, if he remembered correctly. What he couldn’t recall was how much more than five hundred.

  Michael considered what he was about to do and smiled. He reached up, used the monomolecular edge on his forearm to cut off the branch, caught it, and then cut three, foot-long segments. Taking his three pieces, he walked away from the grove and shook his head.

  He might have accidentally created a damned prairie fire if he had tried something inside there. After thirty paces he found a halfway-sandy area and cleared it out. He squatted and placed his first piece of wood in the center of the sand. Staring at it, he willed it to burst into flames.

  Nothing happened.

  He ran a hand across his head, then shook it. Maybe if he could figure out fire, he could figure out how the hell to grow his hair back. He probably looked like a future version of Yul Brynner, walking around with pistols and a sword.

  Thinking a moment, Michael put his hand on the wood and started to feel for the energy—the core that seemed to be inside him—and tried to place it within the wood. There were no flames, but when he lifted his hand, there were scorch marks where his fingers had held the log.