The vampire waved a hand. “That’s what I said. You and me are gonna have words, cunt. Starting with do you know in all that bullshit about how great ya are, the one word…you shouldn’t have said?”
The vampire looked at the syringe in Tynan’s hand, now empty, which contained the blood of Nick’s son. “Blood.”
“You dare think to match me when two tenth gens could not lay a single strike? I am the Alpha of Alpha’s. I have brought the packs of England to their knees. I have the most potent blood running through my veins. I have-”
“Caused me ta lose me boner. We doin’ this or what?”
“I’m going to put bits of you in the meat grinder…” Tynan said, closing in.
“When I drain you to a prune, does that mean I have to lift my leg when I piss?”
Tynan struck first, punching Nightingale straight in the face. The vampire flew back into the wall and fell to one knee. Three rapid kicks splintered and cracked the vampire’s ribs. Tynan launched another kick that was met with the vampire’s forearm, followed by a crunch. Tynan groaned and gritted his teeth. It was only a second of hesitation, or adjustment for the pain, but in that time, the vampire put Tynan down with an uppercut.
“Oooo mate, that looked like it fuckin’ hurt. Let me kiss it better…” he smashed Tynan’s forehead with his own. “Fuck! Missed!” He gripped Tynan’s hair and pulled him up. “Big Alpha, huh? Whattya say now, ya dog cunt? Alpha piece o’ shit…how’s about I take your head off, fucker? Mount ya on me fuckin’ wall!”
He unloaded with fists into Tynan’s temple, gripping his throat. Tynan flung fists to throw him off, and the vampire let him. It brought Tynan’s wrists towards his face quicker. The vampire offered his face to be struck but left a huge gash in Tynan’s wrist. In an instant, Nightingale was on him, mouth clamped around his throat and Tynan screamed.
Radha didn’t even attempt to help him, bolting away on foot. Talia gingerly got to her feet and gave chase.
*
Lee drank the blood down his throat, holding Tynan’s arms down. He released himself and let out a cheer. “Whoa! Big Dogs feelin’ a lil buzz. Fuckin’ happy hour! Barkeep! Another round!” And he plunged his fist underneath a screaming Tynan’s ribcage. Lee wrenched his hand free, holding several splintered rib bones in his hand. “Keepin’ a dad from his kid aye…” Lee whispered as he slammed the bone shards directly into Tynan’s skull with a wet crack as bone penetrated Tynan’s forehead, blood foaming and oozing from the wounds. Tynan gripped the bone shards and screamed as he plucked them free. Just as he freed himself, Lee had produced the machete that removed his head. As Tynan rose Lee swung upwards with a sweeping uppercut movement, splitting Tynan’s head in half, but he didn’t stop. He knelt down and dug and swiped with the blade, again and again as pieces of Tynan were left on the floor underneath him. Lee sat up, struck his own chest with a fist and held his arm up. “Thank you. I’m here all week.”
Nick rose to his knees and spotted Anthony doing the same. Anthony charged Nick who waited at a lower position. Nick buried his shoulder into Anthony’s stomach, used his position to lift him in the air, turning him face down and slamming him hard into the floor. Nick launched a series of kicks into his ribs, breathing heavily.
“Nick, don’t.” Nicole said.
“I don’t care…I can smell you on him…I know it was him…I don’t care if he’s not worth it…” Nick seethed and kept going, feeling the crunch of his ribs around his ankle.
Nick lowered to his knees and gripped Anthony by the scruff of the neck, lifting him up and belting him over the head and face with a tight fist. Over and over again.
“Nick!”
The call that made him stop didn’t come from Nicole. It came from Alicia, standing behind him, a rifle in her hand. “It is worth it… It is worth anything to protect your family but not in front of your son. Even at this age, he will live by an example you set. He might see you kill one day, but he’ll be old enough to understand.”
Nick looked down at the prick that had hurt Nicole and spat over him. Twisting away, he saw Nicole reach out her free hand to him, taking him in an embrace. “It’s ok…” she whispered to him. Nick held on as he turned to address Alicia.
“Is it finished?”
Alicia nodded. “Rykard’s reinforcements are here, rounding up Tynan’s. They’ve surrendered. Why don’t you two go up to one of the rooms with a shower and get cleaned up? I’ll watch the little man.”
Nicole placed the infant in Alicia’s hands and took Nick’s hand as Nightingale lifted his head, licked his lips, and said in astonishment, “Fuck that! I wanted a war. Where is all that wolf pack paddy whack, give a dog a bone shit?”
“Who the hell are you?” Alicia cried.
“Lee Nightingale. Big Dog. The Scarlet Fiend. Leenatic Leader. Destroyer of Derrieres. Banger of Babes, Pounder of Pussy. Attaché of Ass. But you can call me whatever the fuck you want, as long as you tell me what exactly the reason is that I shouldn’t go postal and lose my shit. That I wasted all this time comin’ to this freezin’, dreary, shitty cricket team havin’, butt fuck country?”
“There’s a feast being organised for tomorrow night to celebrate the victory and commemorate the dead.”
Lee shrugged. “Meh. Good enough.”
*
Talia reached Radha and pushed her against the nearest wall just outside the compound. “How could you? I’m your mother.”
“You don’t know the meaning of the word.”
“I got you what you always wanted: the Alpha position.”
“That’s