Disclaimer: It feels like I'm just too close to be Stephenie Meyer
Disclaimer Deuce: Look up "Vampire Killer Judgment" to listen to during this chapter...
Embry's POV
"It's a pity you're fighting off that poison... you would have made for a fine battle." He said and we circled.
I charged at him and leaped for his throat. He batted me away with a clawed hand driving his fingers in to my side. I ignored the pain as I rolled and came back up to my feet.
"Interesting... you get up pretty fast for someone whose bleeding to death."
"It will take a lot more than that to kill me."
"Yes... it will but don't you know who you speak to? I'm king Lycan, king over all werewolves, no werewolf stands my equal, I claim all as my pack."
"It's a good thing I'm not a werewolf then." I said before starting to circle again. Lycan let out a beastly laugh.
"Not a werewolf? No... not in the classic sense of the word... but just as bound to me as any werewolf... if I wanted to command you, I could as supreme Alpha."
"Then why don't you?"
"Because... you are not a pup to be controlled, you are a challenge to be conquered."
Adrian's POV
I had the same question I knew everyone had of the Volturi. Who the hell is this? My first guess was Michael Iverson but it couldn't be him... This vampire was bigger than Mike, and Vampires hair didn't grow, they were frozen in time. So who the hell was this vampire? He stood perfectly still staring at the Vlad's army.
"Why are you all standing around like idiots, he's nothing special." one vampire said before charging. The mysterious Vampire sidestepped and in two precise cuts slashed the charging vampire from right shoulder to left hip, then the head clear off, before sheathing his blade. No... That's not Mike at all... He was never so... practiced.
"Mike... I know it's you." I heard Zuri calling as she walked up to the front line. The vampire didn't say a word just continued staring at the army.
"Is it really him?" I heard Themba ask running up next to Zuri, Felix held them both back. I looked to Embry the only person with extensive history with Mike. He was staring at the giant werewolf, not even taking a look at the mysterious vampire in front of us.
"Mike... It is you isn't it?" Felix called. The vampire shook his head for a moment as if disapproving of our disturbance of him. He untied his apparel and his top fell to the ground behind him. The scars were scattered across his back. There was no mistaking the giant cut X across his back along with his many other scars... It was Mike.
Mike's POV
I can't believe I flew that fast. I thought to myself as the dust settled. I waited for a moment bent over feeling the energy running through my body before standing up weapon in one hand sheath in the other. I stared over at the Army amassed against the Volturi. Their army is at least twice as big as ours... maybe three times. I thought. I can't kill all of them... I might not even have enough control to kill many of them. Fear struck but I kept it from my face still staring in to their large army. Think Mike, Think! What would Embry do in this position. I let my eyes wander to Embry who seemed to be having a stare down with a giant werewolf. He can't help you, Jasper can't protect you this time... It's time to fly or crash and burn. I forced myself not to respond to the fear I was experiencing. No... I can't do this, and I'll die alone. I'll never see my family again... I'll never get to tell Rena what happened to me. I'll never get to say goodbye to Tanya, I'll never see James again. My thoughts turned to Rosalie again and anger overtook me for a moment. I'm sorry Zuri... I can't protect you from all of this...
"Why are you all standing around like idiots, he's nothing special." A vampire charged and almost without thinking about it a glided away and with two well practiced slashes he was in three pieces on the ground, beheaded. I looked down at him for a moment then returned my focus to the army in front of me.
I don't want to die... I'm so afraid... I can't die here... please God don't let me die. I was told that God abandoned Vampires but I couldn't believe it. I had to believe there was something more after this... something.
"Mike... I know it's you." I heard Zuri say confidently. Yuki was dead... one of my friends murdered by these monsters and I was too afraid to charge... Weak... you're weak... you have no excuse now... you've been a vampire for over a year and you still can't control your power... Where is your indignation? Didn't you care about Yuki?
"Is it really him?" I heard Themba ask. We're all going to die, just like Yuki and I can't protect them... I can't even protect myself... This isn't how this is supposed to end. The hollow pain of fear in my stomach ate at me. It's all going to end right here isn't it?
"Mike... It is you isn't it?" I finally took note of the people yelling at me and shook my head. I swallowed my fear and started to undo my hakama. It dropped to the ground revealing my scarred body.
"So you are the legendary Mike Iverson we've heard so much about." The leader called at me. I turned my attention back to him.
"I am Vlad, and I will rule the world... with you by my side, or you in as dust at my feet... I would much rather you join me but if not I will not be afraid to destroy you." Looking at the obvious numbers disadvantage I needed to ask. I sheathed my Katana
"And what would you offer me?" I asked stalling more than anything.
"Step aside... let me kill the Volturi and then we can rule together."
"I have friends among the Volturi." I said not budging an inch. He laughed as if he was talking to a child.
"Well the only ones that need to truly be killed are Aro, Marcus, Caius... and of course their wives if any still live... of course Felix and Demetri, Santiago, and Heidi." I turned my head back to the Volturi behind me.
"Really? I was hoping Heidi was already dead." I said seriously. I stared her in the eye and I saw pure unadulterated fear.
"But you would let my friends who are shifters go... and the young vampires."
"They would be forced to serve under me... as you would." I still forced myself to stall. I didn't know what I was going to do, or even if I could betray the Volturi... Deep down I knew I couldn't.
"I will give your family the gift of Vampirism. Think about it. You hold a beautiful gift, and your siblings and parents will hold gifts as amazing as yours."
"No... You won't." I said clenching both my fist at my side.
"You may have an amazing gift... but you can't stop me... your brothers... your sister... your parents... they will all serve me... with or without you."
Adrian's POV
"I will give your family the gift of Vampirism. Think about it. You hold a beautiful gift, and your siblings and parents will hold gifts as amazing as yours."
"No... You won't." I said clenching both my fist at his side.
"You may have an amazing gift... but you can't stop me... your brothers... your sister... your parents... they will all serve me... with or without you." I felt a small rumbling and looked down. Rocks were bouncing off the ground... but that was impossible Mike was at least twenty yards away from me.
"No." He said as his entire body started shaking.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this... you would have been very useful." Mike unsheathed his sword. And pointed it at Vlad. His body was shaking but his arm was still. Felix ran up to Mike's side immediately.
"Now... you die." Mike said nearly shaking in anger.
"Hey Temper, you ready for this?" Felix asked spinning his glaive between his hands. Mike laughed unsheathing his katana.
"I've been waiting for this for far too long." Mike said in response to Felix. Felix grinned back at him.
"You think you can keep up with me?" Felix asked. Mike grinned as his hand started glowing with energy. Then he ran his fingers across the blade and it started glowing blue.
"Nice trick kid, but you'll need a lot more than that to best me." Felix laughed.
"No mercy given, just death. Come on Temper, it's time to prove yourself."
"Then let's not delay anymore." Mike said. He put his arm over Felix to stop him.
"He threatened my family... He's mine..." Felix stopped short.
"Okay... I'll be back here waiting." Mike returned his gaze to Vlad.
"Now... you die." He said slowly walking towards Vlad but walking didn't seem to describe him right... it was more like he was stalking prey... his blade held out with the very tip scraping against rocks sending screeching noises out as he continued.
Two vampires leaped at him. Without breaking stride he swung through both their torsos and split their heads in two.
Six vampires ran at him. He stepped towards the first slicing him in half and reached with his open hand shooting energy through the head of the second. The third tried to flank him but Mike
kicking him past himself with a jump spin side kick continuing his momentum.
Mike flanked around and stabbed his sword in to the chest of fourth attacker and then lifted the impaled vampire with his blade cutting through the skull of the fifth. The third still struggling on the blade took a swing at Mike who reached out his open hand and disintegrated the vampires face before dumping his corpse and cutting the sixth vampire's head in half at ear level.
"Watch out for the other vampire!" Felix yelled. Mike ignored him as the one he kicked away leaped after him. Mike reached behind him and a blast nearly six feet in diameter engulfed the charging vampire. He didn't even look back... he just knew exactly where he was!
He made no reaction... he didn't gloat... he just slowly continued his path to Vlad, all the way dragging his katana.
Vlad made an exasperated motion signaling the werewolves. Two jumped in front of Mike. The first of the two swung at Mike and mike barrel rolled over the attack swinging as he did cutting the arm off to the elbow. He stepped under the regenerating arm and drove the tip of his sword in to the werewolves heart. He reached up for the face of the stunned werewolf as if to wave then blasted a six inch hole between his eyes.
The Werewolf fell to the ground in front of Mike. The second werewolf swung both arms trying to capture Mike but he closed the distance until he was standing a foot away from the werewolf then plunged his blade in to the werewolves stomach and jumped in to the air cutting the werewolf clear in half as he did.
Embry's POV
I could feel my body screaming to stay down... but I couldn't. My mind knew exactly what it meant... if I gave up Lycan would just take control of me or kill me. I forced myself back to my feet as my body shakily obeyed my will.
"You are quite something Son Black..." He said in a confused astonishment. I ordered my body to charge but it didn't... it limped forward as it was all I could do. Lycan's attention was elsewhere all together. He was watching Mike cut through his werewolves like they were a ripe tomato. I looked at his disembodied hand. It had been the one thing I'd done right... I ripped off his hand and for a moment I thought I had an advantage... until I watched him grow it back.
"Your friend will end us all... so this is how my race dies." Lycan growled. I roared back at him demanding his attention. He gave me an odd look I didn't understand since I hadn't ever had a conversation with a werewolf.
"No... It's not possible is it?"
"What are you mumbling about?" I growled at him.
"You might be the only one..."
"Only one what?"
"The only wolf strong enough besides me."
"For what?" I was growing tired of his games.
"I have a son. He would appear to be no older than you, but he's a hundred years old... he has yet to mature."
"What the hell do you mean mature? What do you mean you have a son?"
"Unlike every other werewolf I never become human... but for once every five hundred years... a hundred years ago a woman bore me a child. He's still a boy without control... he will murder everyone... you might be the only one strong enough to control him."
"And if I don't?"
"He'll be hunted down by the Volturi and killed before he learns to control his bloodlust." I didn't like the sound of that.
"He's unlike any other werewolf ever in existence, myself included... he can become a werewolf at will... but he doesn't need to be one... even in his human form he can easily keep up with vampires...but like all werewolves... he will go mad during a full moon... keep him locked away out of sight of the moon at all times."
"He has never killed a human, not for lack of trying but for lack of will... until now I've forced him to only hunt vampires... but when I die... and I will die today, he will be freed upon the world. Save him, teach him... this is my only request for you... and for it, I will give you the one thing you desire."
"And what is that?"
"A couple more years of life... now kill me... when you do you will gain some of my senses... including my connection to my son, find him... save him. Swear to me."
I bit in to his hand and used it as a weapon as I sprinted towards him with whatever energy I had left. I dove in to him burying his hand deep in to his chest. He fell on to his back yelping. I didn't have the energy to climb off him so I fell across his arm. He turned his head to me.
"I'm forcing myself not to heal to kill myself... I always thought I was Immortal... I guess I was wrong." He breathed out heavily. Coughing as he did.
"My gift to you is still a curse... I can only buy you a couple more years of life before you succumb to the vampiric poison... truthfully right now you only have a couple months left to live as it is... I can give you several more years... but I can't lessen the pain... every time you shift... it will hurt more... until it drives you to near insanity... find something to hold on to and don't let go."
"Shit... sounds like you care about me."
"Not about you... you're... the only one left... who... can... control... him." he weased heavily between breathes.
"No matter what... don't... let... him... become a werewolf... No command... can... control... him... as... a... were...wolf... ne...v...er... let... him... transform..."
Adrian's POV
"Everyone! What are you waiting for? Kill him!" The entire army of vampires converged on Mike at once. My eyes couldn't follow what happened. If not for his glowing weapon I wouldn't know anything happened at all. Mike was dodging, striking, cutting down, slashing and ripping apart vampire after vampire, as all of them attacked him at once. I focused as hard as I could only to see a small piece of it.
Mike rolled away from a strike spinning his weapon between his hands bisecting a vampire only to throw a hook kick taking another vampire's head off. Before his leg hit the ground he flipped over a charging vampire cutting him in half at the waist. His sword blurred as he cut through four arms reaching for him, then two bodies. He was a blur of movement and no one could touch him, then I lost him.
I couldn't even follow his movements, he was moving too fast. Then he stopped. The vampires were backing away... he was still outnumbered thirty to one after cutting through twenty in a matter of seconds but all of them backed away in a mix of awe, respect, and pure fear. They cleared a path to Vlad, either side giving well over ten feet, not wanting to get too close to the one know as "Temper."
Mike's POV
"Now now Mike... let's be reasonable." Vlad said backing away with both arms up pleading for his life. I didn't say a word, just followed after him.
"I promise to spare your family! Come on, we can still rule this world." I laughed.
"My brothers... my sister... my parents... you promise to spare them?"
"Yes! Yes! Of course." I shook my head following him as a drug my blade.
"And what of my uncles and aunts... would they get a free pass?"
"Yes!" he said pleading as he still back peddled.
"And my grandparents? Or would they be to weak to survive."
"No of course not! I would never harm your grandparents." he said hoping for a way out of this.
"What about my nieces and nephews unborn? What about my cousins? What about the people I knew from my childhood, the people I loved... the people I hated... would they all be spared? And all so your vampire rule can be restored?"
"Not my rule, our rule! You can rule next to me, we can rule the world with this gift of vampirism!"
"This gift? It's a curse! Everyone I've ever loved has either been taken from me or betrayed me! All because of this curse! I'll never see my family again because of this curse!" I yelled at him. He tripped and fell on to his back.
"You can if you join me!" he begged.
"So you would give me the only thing I want." I asked sheathing my blade.
"Yes... of course... you could live with those you love, perfect peace, untouched." he said getting back to his feet.
"Yes... wouldn't that be nice... to pretend nothing ever happened, and to live with those I've lost to this curse." I said looking down at my hand.
"You can have it..." Vlad said entreating me.
"You're right... that is truly what I want." I said. Vlad smiled. I lifted both my hands and blasted. And a moment later there wasn't even an ash of Vlad.
"...but I can't let millions die for my happiness." I said finishing my sentence. I sighed feeling immediately weak. I turned my attention to the fifty vampires who'd made a path for me to travel.
"To you vampires... you may leave as long as you only hunt animals from now on... your number is too high to unleash on to the population of the world... if you only hunt animals We will not hunt you down we will not kill you. But know this... if you do hunt humans, I will find out. Demetri will find you, and I will kill you." I said gravely. The group of vampires dispersed, each headed in a different direction.
I made my way back to the Volturi slowly, mostly because I didn't have the energy to do more than that. I was ready to collapse when I saw a body I recognized. I dropped to my knees and pulled Yuki's corpse to my body.
"I wasn't fast enough... I wasn't strong enough to save you." I said feeling a lump in my throat.
Adrian's POV
"I wasn't strong enough to save you. I'm so sorry Yuki... I failed you." Mike said as he bent over hugging what remained of Yuki.
"I'm so sorry." Mike cried. I didn't think it was out of place until I remembered vampires couldn't cry, but here Mike had tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Why? Why!" he yelled. Zuri went to him and hugged him.
"Mike...? Mike... your... your body is warm." she said. Mike looked at her for a moment and I saw a deep weariness in his face.
"Mike... are you tired?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment before he leaned in to Zuri wrapping his arms around her. Then I heard it... I wasn't sure it was his at first, but after hearing his regulated breathing I knew it was...
I could hear Mike's heart beating again. It wasn't beating a minute ago, but now it was... but that was impossible vampires don't... Cry? Have beating hearts? Zuri was the first to notice something else though.
"Mike is sleeping..."
Thanks for reading, I'd like to thank the many more people who reviewed last chapter, that was a pleasant surprise! Thanks again! How will the Volturi react to Mike's condition? Will he be safe? Or will the Volturi decide to remove him while he's not a threat? Remember to review, give high fives, rolls of twenties, and knucks. Catch you on the flipside.