SWNOVELS Chapter 104: Life’s Little Joys!
The celebration was underway and would last all night and well into the early hours of the morning. Stories to be told and laughter would be heard. Drinks consumed as food was devoured. Life’s little joys will be celebrated as Black Shadow bids its final farewell to its fallen warriors, returning them to the earth in a blaze of glory and honour. Kane and his men watched the passing ceremony. They watched as pack member after pack member approached their fallen brethren. Listened as they said their parting piece, sending them on their next journey, asking for no harm to come to them as they pass on. Given their last rites they watched Adonis and his men take aim with flaming tipped arrows.
“De la pământ la pământ (From earth to earth)” Adonis spoke
“Onoare, respect și mândrie (Honour, respect and pride)” The chorus rang out, and the men released the arrows. The wooden beds they rested upon engulfed into flames while the others stood straight and tall thumping their goodbyes on their blood covered chests.
The bottle hit the table as the smile hit Kane’s face. He shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t.
“But you want to” Adonis replied,
“What did I say about that?” Kane answered,
“I’m still waiting for that promise honey” Adonis fired back,
“Nice mark, sweet cheeks!” Kane returned when Adonis put the glass down in front of him, the man could only smile. The mark that sat on Adonis’s neck was one Kane himself waited a long time for.
“Just one,” Kane said, as Adonis poured the shot.
“You say that now, but you and I both know what’s going to happen. I’m a bad influence, and you like my influence and before you know it the bottle will be gone. But look at it this way, we don’t have bowling balls this time” Adonis raised his glass.
“Too small favours and bad influences” Kane raised his glass and both put down the shot.
“The ceremony was nice. I’m sorry about Brina and the others” Kane said after he put his glass down. Adonis poured another. “How many did you lose?”
“Four, we’re celebrating the lives of four tonight. The other eight were a little confused when they woke up in the medical ward, perfectly fine. Elijah explained to them what happened. Luther was relieved when Andros popped up, then punched him for dying” Kane burst out laughing, followed by Adonis.
“Well that’s a reaction” Kane said when he had control of himself.
“Andros was a little shocked by it as well.” Adonis remarked as he poured another round.
“Morților pentru viața pe care au dat-o….To the dead for the life they gave” Adonis raised his glass.
“Cum morte meminimus vivere….With death we remember to live” Kane raised his as well and the shot went down.
“How many times have you died?” Adonis asked after they downed the fourth one.
“First time was in Alpha Steve’s office,” Kane replied, placing his glass down.
“I’m so honoured that I got to be your first neck snap” Adonis poured another round.
“Be even more honoured that you also get to be my last one” Kane replied and they downed the fifth shot.
“I should tell you something,” Adonis said as he poured another round.
“What?” Kane raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“I speak Latin, but that was very sweet of you to translate for me” Adonis grinned at him and raised his glass. Kane glared at him and shook his head. Of course The Devil speaks Latin!
“Adonis, it was soooo good of you to visit, though maybe next time can we not destroy the house” Kennedy was saying as he and his brother exited the front door.
“It’s still standing” Adonis returned,
“And I’m shocked” Kennedy fired back as he looked at yes his still standing pack house.
“Adds character!” Adonis too turned to look at the house. The windows were smashed, a few doors were broken, then there were the long claws marks he made into the side of the house the night they played their game.
“It had character” Kennedy mumbled,
“Now it has more,” Adonis grinned.
“Somethings never change” Steve said as he joined them looking back at the house.
“Some things never will,” Adonis remarked. “You’re not keeping her”
“I never said anything” Kennedy looked at him wide eyed and not so innocently. Steve could only laugh.
“Where is she?” He asked after a bit.
“Saying goodbye to dad, he was already informed he wasn’t keeping her either and to prove the point Andros and Luther went with her. They insisted” Adonis said, then went on to add the last part.
“Stay out of my head” Steve huffed, causing Adonis to chuckle.
****
“Sup boys” Jackson said as he approached Johnny and Damon.
“Are you guys getting ready to leave?” Johnny asked,
“You gonna miss us?” Jackson fired back.
“Actually….yeah, its been a fucking blast, aside from a few things” Damon remarked,
“Awww, don’t cry now, we see you in a couple weeks” Jackson laughed as his eyes lit up with merriment at the confusion on their faces.
“Right the bet” Johnny nodded.
“Wait….you don’t know?” Jackson asked,
“Know what?” Damon asked,
“You boys comin to the territory in a few weeks. We can gonna train you up real good,” Jackson said, his grin getting bigger.
“Train us?” Johnny asked,
“Demon territory?” Damon said,
“Fuck yeah! You boys smell, you fall into the factions, now you need to be trained for ’em. Don’t worry we go gentle” Jackson broke out laughing.
“That doesn’t sound promising for us,” Johnny said as he looked at Damon.
“How much training do demons go through?” Damon had to ask, from the talk they had with Elijah it sounded like a lot.
“We train as factions, we train as warriors an we undergo torture trainin. Not much!” Jackson replied.
“Torture training?” Johnny and Damon’s eyes widened.
“Fuck yeah, demons undergo rigorous torture trainin. If we can survive ours, anythin anyone else do to us is nuttin.” Jackson replied,
“It a fun lil game the torturers like to play” Tyler cut in, he, Carter and Marco had joined them for the last part of the conversation.
“It call extraction. Five of us get a piece of information an they want it. Our objective is to keep it, theirs is to obtain it, an short of death and dismemberment they stop at nuttin” Jackson said.
“Fun little game?” Damon said, this didn’t sound like a fun little game to him.
“Yeah, the las time they play, it was me, Tyler, Cage, Andros an Adon, up agains….”
“Kendrick, Darryl, Chuck, Darla and Eli.” Tyler reminded him. “Darla defeain you for four days an got knock out.”
“Fuck that right her did so, pretty hard to get info from a deaf man. Chuck try an drown Andros, Kendrick beat the fuck outta Tyler and Darryl put Cage in a medic ward for three days.” Jackson went on. Johnny and Damon’s eyes were just getting wider and wider, this definitely didn’t sound like a fun game to them.
“What did Elijah do?” Johnny asked,
“Shot arrows at Adon. The bes torturer go up agains the hardes target. That man gave nuttin up an he got shot twenty four times, it end when Eli puncture his lung” Tyler said “An Eli say our game is deranged”
“And we have to do that?” Damon asked,
“No!” The voice sounded from behind them.
“Fucking ninja!” Damon blurted as he spun to face Elijah “Sorry!”
“It’s alright” Elijah waved him off with a slight smirk. “You are to be trained under the factions you fall into. You, Johnny and Alpha Kane are berserkers and will train with Jackson. Carter has already started his training as a seeker with Tyler. Marco and Kenneth under the shadows with me. Nothing to it” Elijah informed them.
“But if you interested we can set up some torture trainin. Be interestin to see how you boys do in the rooms,” Jackson grinned after he heard the sighs of relief come from them.
“I think we’re good,” Johnny nodded.
“Plus teachin Marco an Alejandro to use the link to communicate,” Tyler added. Big boy jus learn Italian! Damon looked at Tyler when Bal came through. Jackson and Johnny broke out laughing.
“Listen here you little ankle biter….”
“Come at me big boy, see how far that get you” Tyler squared off against him ….grrRrRrrrRrRrrr…. Bal rising for the challenge.
“I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to see that fight” Johnny choked out, Jackson laughed harder but he nodded.
“$50 on Tyler” Carter blurted first,
“Fanculo!” Marco huffed,
“Carter!” Damon huffed at him, he could only shrug. “I think he needs more stimulation.” The others broke out laughing.
“You know what fuck that, I go to the territory I get me trained up I’ll go a round with you in the ring. You can’t bite though or use him” Damon said, pointing at Jackson.
“Aight!” Tyler replied, his grin spreading wide.
“I stand by my bet,” Carter said.
“I’ll take that bet” Kenneth jumped on it.
“Damnit!” Johnny huffed.
“This gonna be good” Jackson said,
“What are you assholes doing?” Adonis asked when he came up behind them.
“Damon gonna take Tyler on in the rin after he get hisself all train up” Jackson said. Adonis looked at the man then started laughing.
“That’s not inspiring. I’m gonna get my ass kicked” Damon mumbled, visions of the little shoeless Delta taking out Carter flashed before his eyes.
“I go easy on ya” Tyler replied nodding,
“We have great faith in you Damon….you’ll die like a man with your boots on” Adonis commented, causing the others to break out laughing.
“That doesn’t sound promising for me,” Damon said, shaking his head.
“Hey sweet cheeks!”
“Hello honey, did you co….” CRACK! Adonis’s words were cut off right there when he turned to face Kane and ended up getting hit. He stared at the man wide eyed, blood trailing down his lip. The question written clearly across his face, you didn’t need to read his mind to know what it was. No one breathed a word, as Adonis wasn’t the only wide eyed one standing in the group.
“That’s for hitting me a third time,” Kane said, a smug look on his face. “You and I both know it didn’t need to be done”
“Yeah, I’ll give you that one” Adonis agreed, wiping the blood from his lip. “You deserved the first two,” he added.
“See you in a few weeks” Kane said as he held out his hand.
“Hope you still got your horseshoes and pray I go easy on you” Adonis replied and shook then turned to leave.
“Well that was entertainin, maybe brin him some peonies an he wont hurt you to badly. See you boys,” Jackson laughed as he caught up to Adonis.
“How’s the jaw?” They heard him ask,
“He hits like a girl” Adonis replied,
“Gonna has to work on that.”
“Wonder how hard Queeny hits?”
“Probably harder, might be why her wear the pants”
“I think he’s got a birthday coming up, maybe I should get him a nice dress”
“He look smashin in pink, it brin out his eyes”
“He would, maybe one of them shimmery fabric ones”
“I can hear you!” Kane yelled. Both Jackson and Adonis turned huge grins on their faces, fully aware everyone could hear them. Damon and Johnny were fighting back their laughter as Kane shook his head.
The others were in the process of saying their goodbyes as well. Tyler, Carter and Marco had every intention of keeping in touch with each other.
“Hey Elijah. Sorry about all the shit” Damon held out his hand to the other Gamma. Elijah never said a word but a slight smile hit his lips. Before anyone could react he grabbed a hold of the front of Damon’s shirt and pressed his lips to his.
“No hard feelings” Elijah spoke when the kiss broke. He straightened his clothes, wiped an invisible spec of dirt off his shirt and walked away. Damon could only stand there, eyes wide, mouth slightly gaped as the others burst out laughing.
“Ya vibes is showin” Tyler choked out as he walked away.
“Keep that to yourself” Carter piped in, causing the others to laugh harder.
“Wonder what’s going to happen the next time you two meet up” Kenneth laughed.
“Are you sure that man’s straight?” Damon asked as he looked in Carter’s direction “Don’t you say anything you little Italian asshole” he added when he saw Marco about to open his mouth.
“That was entertaining,” Johnny said, still laughing.
“It’s not hard to figure out why Fate liked them and decided they needed to be here” Kane said.
“Who do we go after next?’ Kenneth asked,
“The soldier!” Kane replied, he caught Adonis’s eye as he watched their SUV pull out. The smirk on his face brought one to his own. He never thought this would end the way it did. He never thought he would find kinship in a man known as The Devil.