It would be the last mistake he would make. Boris’s free hand reached out, grabbed the vampire’s neck and snapped it. His other arm, still dripping some blood, grabbed the hair on Konrad’s head. Reaching down he picked up his short sword and swung it in a deadly arc, cleanly decapitating Konrad.
With a fierce bellow, he proclaimed his victory. At the sound of another monster on the field, the remaining NVG broke, to be slaughtered by their ambushers.
Boris turned to look at Paul. Two of his medics were working on the sorely wounded man but when one of them glanced up he shook his head slightly. It did not look good. Tired and bleeding, Boris lumbered over to his friend.
One of the medics looked at him and whispered, “We’ve already given him two doses of nanites. He’s stable now, but I don’t see him staying that way. The wound across the stomach isn’t healing fast enough. And we are out of doses with all the other casualties. We’ve picked out all the ceramic fragments and cleaned it but…”
Boris thought carefully. If Janna was here, between them, they might be able to give him enough of their blood to get him to a pod, and Bethany Anne’s medical unit. But she was in a rage. Until she wore it out, it was not likely that she would return. He thought to Janna, Please come back. Paul needs you!
He was completely stunned when he heard a response. What? Who is this?
He concentrated again, Janna, it’s Boris. We might be able to save Paul, but I need you here.
The silence was his only answer.
Soon afterward, he felt the ground shuddering slightly as she pounded back to where they had started the battle.
He held Paul’s hand, saying, “Stay with me old friend.”
He heard a mumbled response, “No’ goin’ anywhere boss. ‘Lecta would ‘ill me.”
Boris made an anguished decision. Placing his still-healing wrist near Paul’s mouth, he ripped the scab off and let the blood flow. Positioning his arm so that the blood dribbled into Paul’s mouth, Boris said, “Drink, old friend. You’ll feel better.” Paul drank deeply and lapsed into unconsciousness.
Janna looked at what Boris had done and grabbed a knife between a thumb and index finger. Carefully, she cut her wrist and dripped the blood across the gut wound. With the broken bone injuries already straightened and probably healing, the gaping stomach wound was the only logical place for her to help.
Over the next half hour, Paul’s breathing strengthened. His stomach wound sealed and seemed to be healing at an accelerated rate.
Looking up, Boris saw Bethany Anne approaching with Ashur dogging her steps, on the lookout for unknown danger. “Why didn’t you ask for air support earlier, you walking fur coat? We could have taken out the entire column…”
“And perhaps compromised any chance of a positive relationship with Russia. If that had happened, the Russian civilian deaths would be far more than we lost today? We have what, a hundred or so dead on our side?” He apparently did not think the NVG dead counted in this equation. In truth, they didn’t. Either way, they would have died.
“You would have ended up killing far more than that in Russia’s military. Those men gladly gave their lives to prevent that. I do have one request, though.” He pointed to Paul. “Please, take him to your medical device. And have Alecta near him when he wakes. We had to give him much of our blood to save him, and I fear the potential consequences for him.“
Bethany Anne glanced at Paul and muttered loud enough them them to hear, “You antiquated excuse for a ambulatory, moth-eaten bear rug! Of course.” She walked over to Paul, put one hand on him, the other reaching for Ashur, and all three of them disappeared.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Near NVG Base Omega, Russia
The fleeing and broken men fled the combat, trying to put the frightening battlefield behind them. The Spartans wisely chose not to block the routed force since it outnumbered them heavily, and because the panicked soldiers showed no signs of regrouping. Instead, Boris’ new allies moved aside and merely observed, making sure that no officer was attempting to rally a return.
Personal interviews with some of Boris’ vampire allies had convinced the Spartans that they had some idea of what might cause these men to flee. After talking to Boris, they felt prepared for the appearance of his ‘other form.’ It was still a large shock when a seven-and-a-half-foot tall human-bear hybrid emerged with deadly grace from the woods. Especially when it was not Boris, but Janna. Even knowing that the monster drawn from their childhood nightmares was on their side did not lessen the awe or reduce the fear.
They were glad when she turned back to the main battlefield.
Evgeni was getting used to the first name and rank that Boris preferred. He turned to Sergeant Yosif, and said, “I’ve never felt relief at an ally leaving before.” Yosif only shrugged.
“Better on our side than theirs, sir,” he replied laconically. “Sir, should we move back to the observation positions? Or move up towards the base? There are several abandoned trucks we could use as transport if we wanted, but if we overtake those sorry bastards they might try something.
“Never seen anyone flee so hard before, not even those poor pizda slavers we ambushed last year. The ones whose slaves started castrating the wounded.”
“On foot, I think, Yosif. There is no significant advantage for us in taking the trucks. Inform Danislav of the movement and our plans since he said something about supporting us after the main action.”
The sergeant started barking orders in rapid succession and within a couple of minutes, the Spartans were moving out. Evgeni was proud of how quickly his men responded and formed up. They had given him their best, and he was determined to be worthy of their loyalty.
Boris was exhausted. He’d spent the last ten minutes teaching Janna a calming exercise when she declined to change back to human in case she needed the power and ferocity of her current form to assault the base.
Don’t lose yourself my love. I could not bear the pain of that, he thought quietly to her.
I won’t. I wonder why we can talk to each other this way, though, she replied.
That she was showing curiosity was a good sign. When the rage took over, all a person thought about was violence and the hunger.
You need to stay here, Boris. You’ve received enough wounds today. I only got a few nicks from lucky bullets. You were mauled quite badly.
Boris could feel the concern behind her thoughts. He waved her off. Don’t mother me. You’re too young to do it convincingly. Take those willing to go with you, I will follow behind once the injured are loaded.
He felt her smile like a soft brush on his mind, and she was gone. Janna had changed her focus to the mission, moving on to further action and battle. His acceptance and confidence in her strength provided him a small moment of joy before he turned his thoughts back to war.