Semper Invictus Ch. 03 - Family Ties

WARNING! WARNING! This story contains elements of Sci-Fi. If that bothers you to the point of distraction, please move on. You have been warned.

This story has actually been in the works for just over a year. After writing and rewriting many parts of it, I finally decided to set aside the minutiae and get it done. The title was inspired by the lyrics of "Ferrum Noricum" by Celtica -- Pipes Rock! Steve Iverson, the main character in this story, first appeared in "Wife and the Beast."

I would like to thank QuantumMechanic1957 and Kalimaxos for giving this a beta read, as well as those who have offered comments and constructive criticism on my previous stories.

For those who want to say this or that would never happen, remember this is my universe, a place where nearly anything can, and often does, happen. At least on paper...

And now, the disclaimers:

For those who want to say this or that would never happen, remember this is my universe, a place where nearly anything can, and often does, happen. At least on paper... In addition:

1. Characters in this story may participate in one or more of the following: Smoking, consumption of adult (meaning, alcoholic) beverages, utterance of profanities.
2. All sexual activity is between consenting adults 18 years of age or older.
3. Statements or views uttered by the fictional characters in this story do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the author.

Please refer to my profile for more on my personal policy regarding comments, feedback, follows, etc. (Yes, I DO moderate comments) And please remember, this is a work of fiction, not a docu-drama...

...

End of Semper Invictus 02 -- Quartered:

We all celebrated the wedding with song, drink, dance and of course, a wedding cake. When the celebration was over, I carried Noei upstairs, where we made mad passionate love. Later, we collapsed on the bed, exhausted from the day's activities. Our flight to Hawaii was set to leave the next day and we wanted to get a good night's sleep.

"What a day," I said.

"What a week," Noei replied.

"Tell me something," I said as I turned to face her. "Did your grandmother ever tell you about this legend?"

"No, she never did. She wanted to, several times. But Dad would never let her. Said it was just a silly fairy tale," Noei said. "Why do you ask?"

"I get the feeling she and your father know a lot more than they're letting on," I said.

"I'm sure Dad is just trying to look out for my best interests," she said.

"Of course," I said. "You know we still have two of those creatures to hunt down when we get back from Hawaii."

"Yes, I know," she said. "But right now, I just want to lay in your arms and forget about beasts and ancient legends for a little bit."

"I can understand that," I said. "It's been a while since I've had anything resembling a real vacation. You know, it feels so good to just lay here with you in my arms."

"Yes, it does feel good. Semper invictus, my husband," Noei said quietly as she snuggled into me. "Ours is a love that can never be defeated," she added when I looked at her, a bit confused. "Not even by death."

"I like the sound of that," I said as I kissed her face.

...

And now, Semper Invictus 03 -- Family Ties:

We finally arrived home after spending an excellent week in Hawaii celebrating our second wedding with lots of sun, sand, drink, and of course, sex. It really was nice getting away from the daily grind of tracking and killing inter-dimensional beasts. Noei even sat for me as I drew a picture of her on the beach, looking out over the ocean.

"That's beautiful," she said when I showed it to her. "We definitely have to get this framed."

"I'm glad you like it. I love drawing this beautiful face," I said as I kissed her. We ended up making love right there on the beach. So what if anyone saw us, we thought.

Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. As wonderful as Hawaii was, we had to get back home and back to work. And I needed to look into something that had been in the back of my mind for a few days now.

After spending a nice quiet night at home in our own bed, we got up and began our everyday routine. Noei got up before I did, took her shower, and made breakfast as I did my morning business. After breakfast, we went to the lab downstairs and caught up on the creatures' activities.

One of the two creatures I had tracked while Noei was being prepared by the Errnocht was in a town about two hours from our current location. But there was something different -- the creature seemed to be in another person than before. I pulled up the history and confirmed it.

"Could you look into this for me, please?" I asked Noei.

"Sure," she said as she worked her magic on the search tool Svan provided for us. Noei displayed what she found on the large wall monitor within a few minutes. The original host, Brenda Harrison, was killed in an auto accident just four days ago. According to the report, she was driving at an increased rate of speed when she lost control of her vehicle and slammed into a concrete post. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The report said Brenda had suffered a heart attack right before the accident.

"Seems a bit young to have had a heart attack," I said.

"I agree," Noei said. "You think the beast inside her did that?"

"Or maybe she was trying to fight it," I said. "We'll never know."

The new host, Rhonda Baker, worked as a swing-shift manager for a local hotel and was married to an over-the-road truck driver named Alan. In her late twenties, she was an attractive woman with long wavy brunette hair, brown eyes, and a smile that could melt butter. I could see why the creature would find this woman a suitable host.

"What do we know about her husband?" I asked. Noei was already ahead of me and placed his information on the screen next to Rhonda's.

"He works for Apex Logistics and spends as much as a week on the road at any given time," Noei said. "According to the company's schedule, he's supposed to be back this afternoon, in about three hours or so." I looked at Noei, surprised, and wondered how she could get this little tidbit.

"How did you find that out?" I asked as I walked to her station.

"Easy," she said. "I just hacked into their internal scheduling system." I simply nodded, figuring it was an ability Svan gave her during her preparation.

"Where is the creature now?" I asked.

"Currently at the Baker residence," Noei said. "It doesn't look like they're alone."

"We can get there in two hours," I said. "Why don't we head on down and meet with Alan first."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Noei asked.

"I prefer to meet with the husband first, if at all possible," I said. "It could save a lot of problems later. After all, we don't need an enraged husband thinking we're trying to kill his wife and try to shoot or attack us while we're dealing with a creature."

"I... see your point. Well, then, we'd better get moving," Noei said. We gathered our things, loaded up the truck, and headed out. Noei also packed a couple sandwiches and some snacks and drinks for the trip.

"Arte, something's on your mind," Noei said after we had been on the road for a while. "I can always tell, you know." I knew this would happen, and I debated whether or not to tell her my suspicions. I finally opted for honesty and full disclosure.

"Do you remember when I told you I had a feeling your father and grandmother knew more than they were letting on?" I asked.

"Yes, I remember," she said.

"Your father told me a bit about the legend," I said. "Thing is, it was very close to what actually happened. You know, it's rare for stories that old to remain so close to the truth when passed down by word of mouth. I got the feeling he knows a lot more than what he says."

"You think he may be working with the creatures?" Noei asked. There was no accusation in her question, which made me feel better.

"No, I don't," I said. "But I would like to check something when we get back home."

"The Errnocht database?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "How much do you know about that?"

"Not much," she said.

"Our transectors are designed to collect data on everyone they pass through," I said. "DNA, biographical information, you name it. That information is later added to the database, which the Errnocht use for their own analysis. We can search that database to see who has been possessed by the creatures."

"You think my father may have had one of those things in him at some time?" she asked.

"I think it's a definite possibility," I said.

"But why?" she asked. "That just doesn't make any sense."

"I think they have been tracking your family line," I said. "Specifically, I think they may have been tracking you."

"Me?" she asked, surprised. "But why?"

"To get to me. Perhaps, to keep us apart. Remember the first night we met in that bar?"

"I'll never forget it," she said.

"You had one of those things inside you. And the first thing it did when we were alone was to attack me. Rather interesting, wouldn't you agree?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "What do you suggest we do?"

"When we get back, I'd like you to do a genealogical search on your family. I'd like to know if anyone in your family shows up in the Errnocht database," I said. "Are you okay with doing that?"

"Of course, Arte," she said. "If my family has been tracked or harassed by these things, I want to know about it."

"Good," I said, taking her hand in mine. "We may need to have a little talk with your folks."

"Are you sure we should do that?" she asked.

"They have a right to know," I said.

"I suppose so," she said quietly. Nothing more was said about it for the rest of the trip. We ate a sandwich and drank one of the bottles of green tea she packed in the ice chest.

"That hit the spot," I said after I finished the olive and cream cheese sandwich she made. Noei got me hooked on those things when she moved into the house. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you liked it," she said. We reached the city where Alan lived and saw we had about 45 minutes before he was due back, so we drove by his house. Sure enough, there were two cars in his driveway, and the tracker showed the creature was there, along with two human life signs. One was Rhonda, and the other only registered as "unknown male."

We took a picture of the vehicles in the driveway and continued on our way. We reached the trucking company where Alan worked and pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later. We got out of the truck and went inside, asking for the dispatcher. The receptionist called him, then gave us directions to his office.

"Gary Simpson," a large man said as he offered his hand. "What can I do for you folks?"

"Steve Iverson, this is my wife, Noei," I said, handing him a business card. "Has Alan Baker returned yet?"

"As a matter of fact, he just pulled in," Gary said, reading the card I gave him. "Is there a problem?"

"We hope not," I said. "But we'd like to speak with him if that's alright."

"Okay, hang on," Gary said. He picked up his phone and spoke into it. "Hey, Cotton, tell Baker there's a couple PI types here in the dispatch office looking to see him. Alright, thanks." He hung up the phone and turned back to us.

"He'll be here in just a minute," he said.

"Thank you," I said. Soon, the door opened and a large muscular man wearing a short-sleeved western shirt, and Stetson came through. Gary looked up at him.

"Alan, these folks would like a word with you, if that's alright," Gary said. Alan looked at us before speaking.

"Alan Baker," he said, extending his hand. We introduced ourselves as we shook hands. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Is there someplace we can go and talk?" I asked.

"Yeah, Fred's Diner is just down the road a piece," Alan said. "It's usually pretty quiet. We can go there if you want." We followed him to Fred's Diner and ordered a cup of coffee.

"So, what is this all about?" he asked.

"Mr. Baker, is everything okay between you and your wife?" I asked.

"Please, call me Alan. Yeah, so far as I know," he said. "Why? You think she's fucking around on me or something?" I pulled out my phone and showed him the picture we took of the cars in his driveway.

"Do you recognize these vehicles?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "The one on the right is Rhonda's car. I've never seen the other one."

"When was the last time you spoke with your wife?" I asked.

"We talk every day when I'm on the road," he said. "I spoke to her early this morning."

"Everything seem normal?" I asked.

"Well, to tell ya the truth, she has seemed a bit... pre-occupied these last couple days or so," he said. "If she's been fucking around, so help me, I'll kick her ass to the curb. Is that's what this is all about?"

"We believe your wife is with... someone... we've been tracking for a while," I said, not trying to give away too much.

"So, what do you want from me?" he asked.

"We'd like to accompany you back to your house, if that's alright with you," I said. He eyed us for a few moments before responding.

I could tell he was thinking the worst, and the more he thought about it, the madder he got.

"Okay," he finally said. "You can follow me back to my house." Noei reached out to Alan.

"Mr. Baker... Alan," she began. "Just so you know, you may see some things that you might not be able to deal with right off the bat. I just want you to know that we'll be there for you." He gave her a confused look for a few seconds before responding.

"Look, I appreciate what you're saying, lady, but I was in the Marine Corps for four years. Served in Iraq. I've seen more than my share of crap," he said. I looked at Noei and nodded my head.

"Alright, we'll follow you then," I said. We left the diner and headed for Alan's house. The two cars were still in the driveway. Alan parked on the street in front of his house, and we parked behind him. Alan got out of his truck and headed for the front door. We followed close behind.

We went into the front door and instantly heard the sounds of sex coming from the upstairs bedroom. Alan's face turned red as he opened his gun cabinet. I touched his arm and shook my head. He got my meaning and closed the cabinet before storming upstairs. We let Alan enter the bedroom first.

"What the FUCK is going on here?" he thundered. The young, blond-haired man between Rhonda's legs stopped, looked at Alan, then got off the bed. He flexed his muscles as he eyed Alan. He was the same height as Alan and looked every bit as strong. Rhonda stayed in bed, an evil grin on her face.

"Well, looky here," Blondie said. "It's the cuck."

"What the FUCK did you call me, shithead?" Alan roared, grabbing the other man by the neck. The man was startled by Alan's outburst and tried to get free, but Alan wasn't having it. He slammed Blondie into the wall, cracking the drywall.

"I'm going to give you just five seconds to get the FUCK outta my house, asswipe," Alan said, spittle flying from his mouth. "After that, they'll need to carry you outta here in a body bag. GOT IT?"

"Yeah, man, I got it," the man said. Alan kneed him in the balls to make sure he got the message, then tossed him to the floor. The man groaned as he hit the floor, then grabbed his clothes and crawled out of the bedroom. A furious Alan turned to Rhonda. She laughed maniacally as he began to approach her.

"Wait," I said, grabbing him by the arm. "She's not herself."

"What do you mean?" he asked. Noei and I pulled out our transectors and activated them. Alan looked at the flaming electronic swords, and his eyes grew wide. "What the fuck! Are you gonna kill her?" he asked.

"No," I said, positioning myself between him and Rhonda. "Just the thing inside her. Please, stand back. And don't try to interfere." Rhonda's eyes grew wide, and I could see the beast inside her trying to climb out.

"YOU!" the Rhonda-Beast screeched in an unearthly voice. "I'll shred your pathetic human body and feed you to the dogs, Celt. Along with your pretty little plaything."

"I think not today, beast," I said, holding my transector at the ready. "SEMPER INVICTUS!!" Noei and I swung simultaneously, cutting the beast in four sections. Our electronic blades came into contact at some point, and the room was bathed in a blinding flash of light, and pieces of the beast flew across the room.

When the light faded, we saw pieces of the thing lying everywhere. We saw the dragon-like head of the beast attached to part of its ripped torso as it tried to crawl away. It looked up at us, fear in its eyes.

"Mercy," it screeched, holding out one claw. Noei drove her transector through its red, pulsing heart, causing it to break open and disappear in a puff of smoke. As the heart disappeared, so did the rest of the creature's body. Rhonda fell back on the bed.

"What the fuck just happened?" Alan asked, his eyes wide with fear. I pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Noei.

"See to her, if you would please," I told Noei. She took the water bottle and mixed in a packet of powder as I turned to Alan. "We need to talk," I said, guiding him out of the room.

"Damn right we do," he said. "What was that... thing?"

"That's what we've been tracking," I said. "It took possession of your wife's body."

"It made her act like a slut?" Alan asked.

"Technically, no. But it lowered her inhibitions and fed on her inner desires, amplifying them," I explained.

"Is Rhonda going to be okay?" he asked.

"It hasn't been in her very long," I said. "There's a good chance she'll recover. Physically, anyway, but she has had a traumatic experience. Mentally, her barriers have been breached and weakened."

"How long was it in her?" he asked.

"About four days, as best as we can tell," I said.

"Where did it come from?" Alan asked.

"That's a bit... complicated," I said. "Let's just say it came from someplace very far away."

"It seemed to know you and your wife," Alan said. "How is that possible? And why did it call you 'Celt'?"

"That's a reference to my bloodline. I've been tracking it for a while," I said. "And I've encountered quite a few creatures like it before."

"So there are more of those things out there? Will they come back for her?" Alan asked.

"Yes, there are more of them. I doubt they'll come back for her, though. They generally don't possess the same person twice," I told him. "There is one thing you should know, though."

"What's that?" he asked.

"There is the possibility of relapse without possession, almost like an addict or someone with a psychological issue. She may feel the desire to cheat on you at some point in the future. And it's possible she won't be able to stop herself when that desire hits," I said.

"What do you suggest I do?" Alan asked. "I won't tolerate her cheating on me. She knows that."

"I'm not a marriage counselor, but I suggest the two of you speak to one. That is if you want to remain married to her. Do you love her?"

"Yes, I love her very much," Alan said. "And I want to stay married to her. But I won't be a willing cuckold."

"I understand completely," I said. Just then, Noei showed up.

"She's regained her senses," Noei said. "She's shaken, but I think she'll be alright. She's asking for you, Alan."

"Why don't you go talk to her?" I asked. "We'll be right here." Alan wiped his face with his hands and looked at me for a bit before nodding his head.

"All right," he said. He got up and walked back into the master bedroom. He sat on the bed next to his wife, who sobbed when he took her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Alan," she sobbed. "I don't know what got into me. It was all so strange -- like I couldn't stop myself. Please, forgive me."