Beast Mode Warrior Read online

  “Shut up, Tommy,” I said. “I want to hear more. I want to know how this involves Todd's turning.”

  “Yeah, how does this include your turning?” Yari asked.

  “Patience people. I'm almost there. Todd smiled at all of us and continued telling his story.

  “Marlene rode with me in the ambulance and stayed by my side until about five in the morning. Of course, she eventually needed to go home. She had been out so late and they were worried about her. Her dad picked her up at the hospital. I remember because she kissed me tenderly on my forehead before she left. And even in my pained fugue, I was highly aware of her touch.

  “After she left the room, and I closed my eyes intending to rest, I was woken by a strange man walking into my room. He was followed buy two more men. I expected them to be wearing the same white clothes as the hospital staff when I opened my eyes, but instead they were wearing black from head to toe. That wasn't a normal thing back then.

  “All three looked like modern-day rock stars and I was highly confused as to why these strangely dressed men were in my hospital room.

  “The look of recognition on the lead man's face—it was as if he knew me—but he didn’t ring any bells for me. I expected him to introduce himself but instead, he simply said, 'You want revenge, don’t you'” He was obviously the leader.

  “'Revenge?' I muttered.

  “'Shhhh. Don’t speak too loudly. This is a secret house call,' He laughed and said, 'Well, secret hospital bed call.' His voice did seem familiar, and it certainly helped soothe my emotions. He grabbed a chair and pulled it up right next to the head of my hospital bed.

  “'Revenge is an ugly thing,” he whispered in my ear. 'Those three idiots punked you in front of your girl and left you to die. Why? What the hell did you do to them?'

  “I nodded my head while lying on my back. Anger and rage started to fill me up.

  “'Wouldn’t you like to pay them back for what they did to you? Wouldn’t you like to see the look in Santino’s eyes when you repay him for the pain and embarrassment he caused you?'

  “'Who are you guys?”' I asked. He was pissing me off and seemed to know a bit too much about an incident that I was sure only a handful of people had witnessed. Unfortunately, he was right, one of those people had been Marlene.

  “'What are you doing here?' I asked specifically to the one doing all the talking.

  “'We are here to heal you?'

  “'Heal me?' I asked confused. 'The doctor patched me up with forty-seven stitches. It’s going to take me some time to heal.'

  “'I can heal the wounds that were given to you by that lunatic.'

  “'You’re going to heal my stab wounds?' I was beginning to wonder if he had walked off of the Mental Ward when someone wasn’t paying attention.

  “'Well, actually we all are.'

  “'You all are? How?'

  “'Do you want me to heal you? Do you want this gift?' He put his hand on my shoulder, 'Don’t make this decision lightly, boy.'

  “'How are you going to heal me?' I asked him again.

  “He shook his head, 'No, this gift is only given. It cannot be explained. Once you have the knowledge, then you only have two choices and I don’t think you would like those choices.'

  “I thought about the pain I was currently feeling and how I would love to be at full strength when I cross paths with Santino again and make him pay for stabbing me. I paused to think and then the words abruptly came out of me, 'Do it. Heal me.'

  “The tallest of the three stepped forward as the other two pinned me to the bed. He bit my neck and sucked. This lasted for about a minute. Then the other man who wasn't speaking traded places with the first man who bit me. Then he bit and sucked a different part of my neck. Then he and the man who spoke traded places. The man who spoke leaned over my bed and we were face to face. He was so close I thought he was going to kiss me. He opened his mouth and for the first time, I saw his incisors. They were long and pointed. They looked out of place on a human face and seemed as if they would be better on a wolf or a large cat. Before I could say anything or react, he bit down into my neck. At first, I fought him off, then my entire body went into shock as this man drank the blood from my neck.

  “It was intoxicating. Both pleasureful and painful. I wanted to shove him off me in disgust and pull him closer at the same time.

  “Suddenly, he stopped. He stood up and gave me a bloodstained grin. That was my blood all over his mouth! My blood was all over all three of their mouths. Then the man who spoke took one long pointed nail and cut his wrist open. What came out could only be described as coagulated blood. I was light headed and thought I was going to throw up. Sure that I would rip my stitches open with the action. Though that option was taken from me when he grabbed the back of my head and forced his wrist over my mouth. I tried to protest but I only succeeded in opening my mouth for the assault. It was cold, gelatinous and tasted of dirty pennies. As disgusted as I was I felt my wounds improving the more I drank from his wrist. Eventually, I stopped trying to yank his wrist away from my face and I began to hold it to my face. I needed it like I needed nothing else in my life. Soon, too soon, he pulled his wrist away from me and the three of them walked out as if they never were in the room.”

  “Wow!” Sion responded. “Did you see that man again?”

  Todd smiled, indicating a yes.

  “What a story, Todd.” I said. “Are you sure you are a Mani vampire?”

  “Why do you ask?” Todd seemed worried.

  “Well, my experience with Mani vampire is it only takes three bites to turn someone. That they added you drinking his blood is something I haven't heard of before.”

  “Well, I transition into a raven. That is associated with the Mani.”

  I looked at Todd and smiled. “Who knows, you might be some super Mani vampire.”

  “Or maybe the guy got his kicks by making the ones he turned drink his blood too.”

  “That very well could be true.”

  Chapter Ten

  Jason and I left around seven at night. That would have us arriving fifteen minutes before Joshua's match. Not enough time for Howard to try to schmooze me if he spotted me. Joshua and I dressed more casually, but both still wore sweatshirts with hoods over our heads. His was gray and mine was brown.

  We flew in and transitioned at the front. There were a couple of people in line. So we walked up and waited. I dropped two one hundred-dollar bills on the counter and Jason and I made our way into the arena.

  The match before the main event was going on, and it was brutal. Both guys wouldn't give in and time ran out. The crowd booed the heroic fighting of the two men. This was a crowd suited for the coliseum back in Nero's time.

  It was a draw. I remember Howard saying both men would only get paid five hundred bucks for a draw. Pretty shitty if you ask me.

  Both men left the arena receiving a cacophony of jeering and very little money for their efforts.

  Ten minutes went by and then the lights were dimmed. I looked to the challenger's side and was oddly pleased to see Joshua wasn't the challenger any longer. Some guy jogged into the ring with two people in front of him and the back.

  Then it was Joshua's turn to enter the arena. The crowd went insane chanting: Savage! Savage! Savage!

  Butterfly's made their presence known in my stomach. Joshua walked into the arena alone, just as he had last time. Apparently, my son didn't have an entourage like all these other fighters. He would shortly if he keeps winning. His entourage was the entire crowd or so it seemed. My son sure seemed to be a crowd favorite.

  Again, I fought pride that was slipping in. I was proud my son was his own man. I was proud that he could be a champion. I was just not proud of the way he was going about it by fighting here, of all places.

  They introduced both fighters like they did last time. Joshua's opponent's name was Hot Rod. He looked like Roddy Piper from the old WWF days of wrestling. Wore a kilt and everything.

  T
he crowd was not interested in him whatsoever. They came to see my son. And my son looked like he was going to rip Hot rod's head straight off.

  First round bell rang out and both guys went to their corners and watched the other as a predator watches their prey.

  Joshua flew across the ring about three feet in the air and dropped kicked Hot Rod in the face. Hot Rod fell to the side hard being it was a clean hit to his temple. He was already bleeding profusely.

  I was sure Joshua could have finished him if he would transition. Hot Rod was crawling around on the mat looking confused. Joshua did a number to his head. Joshua stalked him as Hot Rod tried to get his footing. Somehow, Hot Rod managed to stand on his feet and Joshua instantly swiped his leg knocking him back down again. It appeared Hot was discombobulated. It was pretty clear the man was suffering from a serious concussion from when Joshua kicked his temple. It was a pitiful display of a man trying to gather himself while another man was trying to kill him. And that other man was my son. My stomach felt like it was going to expel its contents.

  Why did I come here to watch this? What was I thinking?

  I needed to make sure my son was safe. That's why. There wouldn't be much I could do if he lost in the ring. That's what he signed up for. I just needed to make sure everything was on the up and up. And it appeared Joshua was having his sixth victory in as many weeks.

  I closed my eyes, assuming Joshua would transition into the Eagle and end the fight with his beak. As my eyes were closed, I was hearing laughing around me. I opened my eyes and to my chagrin, Joshua was toying with Hot Rod. Taunting him and kicking him while he was on the ground. At one point he stomped his chest so hard I was sure if he had been a human he would be dead.

  My heart sank as I watched my son play to the crowd. Hot Rod was done. Joshua picked him and began body slamming him around the stage over and over again while the crowd chanted: Savage! Savage! Savage!

  What had my son become? It one thing to go man versus man and fight a competitive fight to the death. It was another thing when someone kicked a guys ass and then throw him like a rag doll around the stage for the crowd's pleasure. This was a bloodthirsty bunch.

  Soon the period bell rang. Hot Rod was helped back to his corner by the four men who had entered the arena with him. Hot Rod was a mess. His trainer was slapping him in his face and kept yelling the name Janelle at him.

  The guy next to me leaned in and said, “Janelle is his daughter. She died of cancer. It's supposed to motivate him, but Savage is too much for anyone to handle.”

  After about the fifteenth time his trainer yelled Janelle at him Hot Rod's eyes opened wide. He transitioned in his corner into a werewolf on the spot.

  Shit, this whole time I thought he was a vampire. It didn't dawn on me that he could be a cognitive werewolf who was capable of controlling when and how he turned.

  I didn't know what the rules were with a werewolf, but it did please the crowd. After he turned to his black werewolf, the crowd cheered for him and it was the only time for the poor bastard.

  Jason and I slowly walked over to Joshua's side of the ring. I leaned in and whispered to Jason. “I don't think Joshua has ever fought a werewolf. Hopefully, this guy is too weak.”

  Jason shook his head. “Joshua has a surprise for him.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Look at Joshua, dad.”

  Joshua stood up before the second bell rang and did the unthinkable. Joshua transitioned into a great white werewolf.

  The crowd lost its mind. People were jumping up and down and screaming.

  Round two bell rang.

  It was the battle of the two werewolves.

  They rolled around and bit at each other. Clawing and ripping at one another.

  Joshua was on top most of the time. He was choking Hot Rod out with his powerful jaws when suddenly Hot Rod slipped out of Joshua's hold and took control. Hot Rod began choking Joshua out in their werewolves forms. Suddenly, underneath Hot Rod's black werewolf body, Joshua transitioned into his vampire form and slid under Hot Rod's death grip.

  Joshua tried to crawl away, but his werewolf opponent was too large and strong. He dragged Joshua back to the middle of the ring. This wasn't good. Joshua needed to transition back to his werewolf form. I nearly ran up to the ring.

  Joshua was losing and this seven hundred pound werewolf was sucking the life out of my sons body.

  Joshua with a last ditch effort went for Hot Rod's eyes and he lost his hold on him. Then Joshua went flying forward and as he did so he transitioned into the white eagle.

  Crap. He gets one kill shot as the eagle then he has to fight as a man the rest of the match.

  Joshua, in his eagle form, flew across the ring and swiped Hot Rod as hard as he could with his beak. Joshua did a lot of damage but it hadn't been a kill shot.

  Joshua knew the rules and quickly transitioned back. I assumed he could still fight as a werewolf being that he was fighting a werewolf. They literally needed to make a whole new rule book in regards to Joshua's abilities.

  Joshua did so much damage. Hot Rod transitioned back to his human form to get his footing. Hot Rod was bleeding from his neck and it was bad.

  Then for the next two minutes, I saw my son do the most gruesome thing I have ever seen. He was forced to either take the draw and make no money, or kill another man with his bare hands. He chose the latter. My son bit and gnawed his way to his sixth win. This was probably the worst thing I had ever seen and couldn't do anything about.

  I could do one thing. Jason and I had a chance to get my son the hell out of there. He couldn't have enjoyed what he had been forced to endure tonight. There was no way. This was the time for me to speak to him and as the match ended, I leaned into Jason and told him to follow me.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jason and I headed toward the back of the arena where the locker rooms were. I needed to get a hold of Joshua and sit him down somewhere private. Even if Howard was aware of me, I doubt he would stop me unless I took Joshua away with me. When I take Joshua away with me, then we will have some shit to take care of.

  Jason and I entered the locker room, and Joshua was the first person we saw. He was in the bathroom area cleaning his wounds with water. He was pretty beaten up from head to toe. This had not been a good match for him. He would definitely need weeks to recover from these injuries.

  I made eye contact with Joshua as he looked up from the sink. I motioned for him to follow me. I noticed a corner room that had a bucket separating the door to keep it open. It must have been some kind of janitor room. Perfect place to talk.

  The three of us made our way past the bucket and into the rather large janitor closet. We all took a wall and leaned against it.

  “Did you see the fight?” Joshua asked.

  “Yep,” I said.

  “How about you?” Joshua asked Jason.

  Jason nodded solemnly.

  “Pretty bloody. Nothing you're not used to. Right, dad?”

  I shook my head. “Is this truly what you want?”

  Joshua was quiet. A lot less cocky this time. “It is what I have chosen to do. You heard that crowd. I can't let them down.”

  “That crowd doesn't truly care about you, Joshua. They're bloodthirsty. You could get killed next week and they would move on to the next gladiator.”

  “Gladiator?” Joshua smiled. “I like that.”

  “Joshua, this isn't you. You are displaying characteristics I have never seen in you. Please, stop this and come home. You made Howard a shit load of money. You owe him nothing.”

  Joshua smiled. “You know I get paid two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a fight now. That's why I couldn't take the draw tonight. I had to end him. It was disgusting but I had to do it.”

  “You don't have to do anything. I thought you weren't doing it for the money.”

  “Well, dad. The money is adding up. I haven't spent hardly any of it. I've earned over five hundred grand. You tell me if money mat
ters now.”

  Shit. This was the worst thing he could say to me. He was doing it out of greed. Greed was a hard thing to change in a man.

  “Joshua,” Jason finally spoke up. “I know your life has been difficult. I know it because I have lived it right along with you. But this isn't the answer. You weren't meant to do this.”

  “I sure as hell wasn't meant to lead the Sons of Josiah either. But you two made me do that until we lost every last one of them to the world.”

  “It wasn't your fault, Joshua,” I said. “I take full responsibility for all of it. I put too much on you way too fast. Please forgive me for that. But please, stop this madness, you killed a man with hands and bite tonight. This type of fighting will take a toll on you. You feel the exhilaration now. And I know tonight, you were scared. I saw it in your eyes. Hot Rod didn't come to play. And that's all you did to him. You played him to the crowd.”

  “Hot Rod's dead and so is Mongoose and the rest of them. It is killed or be killed. If I want to add some flavor to my victories that's up to me.”

  “It almost killed you tonight. Your showboating almost cost you your life.”

  “Well, it didn't. I clearly stand before you alive.” Joshua stared me in the eyes as if he was challenging me. What he was challenging me too, I wasn't sure. “I'm the toughest man in the world. I prove it each week. I know you think you are ultimate when it comes to fighting, dad. I surpassed you tonight.”

  “So, what does that mean? You want to fight your dad to prove a point?”

  “I don't fight outside of the ring. That's where you and your buddies are all screwed up. You put your lives on the line all the time to just survive. You might as well make some coin out of it.” Joshua shrugged smugly.

  “I guess you have everything figured out, Joshua.” I looked at Jason and said, “Let's go. He is in even deeper than he was last week.”

  I went to the door, but Jason had one last thing to say to his brother. “I love you, Joshua. I don't want you to die.”

  That shook Joshua up a tad, but he worked through it. “I love you too, brother. I don't want you to die either. We are both in danger. I just understand it is constantly around me.”