Himiko: Warrior (14 page)

The pause was brief, and then they were back to the training. Matt got faster and faster, and he could use the stick almost as quickly as he could think of the move. It was extremely cool, and he couldn't help showing off a bit. He grinned when he got his revenge on Sam, sweeping the Himiko's legs out from under him and making his trainer land in a sprawling heap on the ground.

"Okay, I guess you haven't got any problems going for me instead of going after the stick," Sam said grudgingly after he had gotten back up. "That was the first part I needed to teach you, but it seems that you aren't as fucking delicate as most humans. They're so fucking hung up on hurting somebody, but you've got a temper."

"I don't have anger management problems!"

Sam looked at him disbelievingly. "Of course you don't. You're a fucking Warrior; this is how we are. I just needed to peel off the layer of civilization."

Matt reeled at the stark difference between Sam's words and Pietr's earlier explanations of the Himika's philanthropic reason to be on Earth. It seemed that Warriors really were very different from other Himika. He was about to ask Sam about that, but Sam continued before he could think about the implications of what the Himiko had just said.

"Now for the next part: do what you just did, but without the stick."

Matt frowned. "You mean with my hands?"

Sam shook his head. "No, with your mind. The stick was only a visual aid to channel your power. Give me a shove or something, but only use your mind."

Matt didn't really think it would work. After all, this was what he had tried so desperately to do when he got assaulted. But he collected a little bit of his power and carefully pushed Sam.

The result was shocking. Sam bent over, fell to his knees, and got violently sick.

Jerry was at his side quickly, supporting him, but Jerry couldn't do anything but hold him while he was retching. He didn't seem to be able to stop, going on long after his stomach was empty, almost choking with it.

"Jesus, Sam, I'm sorry!" Matt didn't know what to do, looking on helplessly.

"Don't be." Sam spat on the ground. "It worked." Then he bent over and tried to throw up again.

Pietr? Could you get Robbie down here? Sam is sick.

Of course.
Pietr quickly looked through Matt's mind to check that his mate was all right.
I'll come down, too.

Matt didn't protest; he felt terrible looking at Sam heaving for air in Jerry's arms. It must have shown on his face, because there was pity in Jerry's eyes when the Himiko looked up, still holding on to Sam.

"Hey, Matt, it's okay," Jerry said.

"But I didn't want this to happen! I didn't even know I could do it."

"Really? Remember slapping my face?" Jerry seemed slightly amused. "This is the same thing, basically. And you didn't do anything he didn't ask you to do."

"Yeah, I asked for it. Literally." Sam tried to sit up a bit, Jerry rubbing his back. He didn't quite manage, though.

Matt hurried to his side, and together with Jerry, they managed to lift him away from the pool of sick and onto a blanket. He could hardly move, and his stomach seemed to be cramping too much for him to stretch out properly. Matt got him some water and tried to make him drink, but he refused. It seemed like forever before Robbie came.

"So, what happened? Oh, dear." Robbie went in a straight line to Sam. "Either you're a very good or a very bad teacher."

"Very good. Fuck, I feel like shit." Sam was hunched over, his legs pulled up.

"I'll spare you the 'I told you so'; I trust my mate to say that."

Aki came into the clearing at that moment. "Yeah? Why? Oh, shit, Sam!" Aki didn't swear very often, but his face was shocked when he saw Sam.

Sam just made a weak gesture with one hand.

Are you okay, Matt?
Pietr's voice was concerned.

"What, is everybody here now?" Matt tried to grouch, but he gratefully sank into Pietr's arms.
I fucked up.

Pietr sighed.
I don't think you did, baby. This is how it is.

Then I'm fucking out of here. There's no way I'm going to do anything like this.

Shh. He'll be all right as soon as Robbie helps him.

Matt looked up to see Jerry holding Sam while Robbie put a hand on Sam's stomach. Sam moaned, and then the tension left his body, finally enabling him to stretch out. Jerry gave him something to drink and helped him lie down on the blanket.

Sam blinked his eyes open and saw Matt. "Hey, not your fault, kid." He turned his head to Jerry. "Don't let him freak out, okay? And get lost; I need a nap." He closed his eyes again.

"Shouldn't we get him up to the house?" Matt was hovering over his trainer.

"No, that's not necessary." Robbie looked far more authoritative than usual when he was in the middle of a medical situation. "I could give him a sedative, but a nap will do exactly the same for him, and the grass is soft. Just let him rest a bit."

"What happened?" Matt had to pull himself together to ask.

Robbie huffed. "What happened is that Sam's getting soft."

"Fuck you." Sam flipped Robbie off without even opening his eyes.

"No, thank you." Robbie turned his attention back to Matt. "You hit him exactly right, and that made all of his stomach muscles contract. It feels a bit like an electric current when that happens to you, just a lot more disgusting." Robbie shuddered. "But he isn't hurt, and if I know him, he had it coming."

Matt automatically looked down at Sam, but the Himiko didn't even bother to protest. Maybe it really wasn't that bad.

It isn't. And you managed to beat the ass of the most annoying Himiko ever. That can't possibly be a bad thing.

Against his will, Matt smiled at Pietr's comment.

"So, guys, the drama is over. Go back to the cabin, and I'll take Matt somewhere else while Sam gets some rest." Jerry didn't sound like it was up for debate, so Matt reluctantly let Pietr and the other two Himika go.

Don't worry. I'll come to your rescue any time.
Pietr's words would have been very sweet, if it hadn't been for the clear image in Pietr's mind of Matt as a damsel in distress.

Fuck off.

Matt turned his back to his mate and heard Pietr laughing at him. It did more to calm him down than anything else.

"So, wanna take a walk?" Jerry asked him.

Matt nodded. "That way." He wanted to go to the lake.

They walked a bit in silence, and then Jerry spoke.

"You do realize that it wasn't your fault, right?"

Matt didn't look up. "That's bullshit. I did it; of course it's my fault."

"That wasn't what I meant." Jerry sounded impatient.

"So, what did you mean?" Matt stopped and looked at Jerry. "That it's okay to do something like that to a friend because I'm rehearsing doing something a lot worse to an enemy?"

Jerry cocked his head. "Yeah. That about sums it up." He began walking again.

"It isn't that simple!"

Jerry spun around and pushed him back against a tree. "Yes, sometimes it is that fucking simple, and you know it! That's what being a Warrior means. You stop pussyfooting around and do what needs to be done. Then you can cry over it afterward."

"Then I'm not a Warrior!" It had felt horrible to see Sam like that.

"Because you don't like the consequences of your actions?" Jerry was suddenly very close.

Matt nodded reluctantly.

"Tough luck, Matt. Because you have the ability; that means you have the responsibility to use it." Jerry pulled back and started walking again.

"I don't think I can do it."

Jerry came back to where Matt stood, the anger on his face being replaced by a kind expression when he saw Matt's look of self-doubt.

"I know it was a lot all at once, okay?" He put a hand around Matt's shoulder and started walking again. Matt reluctantly accepted his lead. "If only you could keep from using enough force to destroy a small village every time you do something, your companions wouldn't be throwing their guts up all over the place."

"I only used a tiny bit of my force," Matt protested, a little embarrassed.

Jerry turned to stare at Matt. Then he started chuckling, and he didn't stop until he was roaring with laughter.

"What?" Matt couldn't help smiling; Jerry's laughter was infectious.

"God, Matt. You're something, you know that?"

Matt shrugged. "I guess I don't. I just try to do things as well as I can. Preferably without killing myself or anybody else in the process."

They came out in the open along the shore, and Jerry stopped, looking out over the lake. He didn't say anything, but Matt could feel how he relaxed, taking in the view. Then he nodded to himself and sat down on the grass.

"Are you sure he's going to be okay?"

Jerry looked up. "Who, Sam? Of course. He's tough."

Matt sat down next to Jerry. "He didn't look so tough before."

Jerry snorted. "No. I'm going to use that against him for a long, long time to come."

"You aren't bonded, are you?" Matt didn't get that connected feeling from them that he got from other mated couples.

Jerry went very quiet. "No, we're not."

The air was suddenly so thick with sorrow that Matt had trouble breathing.

"You can feel it, can't you?" Jerry was watching him.

Matt smiled apologetically. "Yeah. Sorry."

Jerry shrugged. "Nothing to be sorry about."

"What happened?" Now that Matt knew there was something there, it would only fester if it was left unsaid.

"My mate died." Jerry's voice was quiet.

Matt went cold when he heard the brief statement. Just the thought of losing Pietr sent him into icy panic.

"I... I didn't think you could survive that."

Jerry shrugged, not looking at Matt. "Most Himika don't. But Sam was there, and the stubborn bastard refused to let me go."

There was a quiet acceptance about his words, but as usual, Matt got a lot more than just the words. Jerry hadn't wanted to live; he had wanted to die like his mate.

"How did it happen?"

"The war."

"I'm sorry."

Jerry shrugged again. "It is what it is. After Sam pulled me back up, I didn't really have a choice whether to live or not. I'm making the best of it. Stor would have killed me if I didn't."

"Your mate?"

"Yeah. He was Sam's best friend, and then we bonded. It was... eventful. A lot of big egos in a very small space." Jerry smiled a sad smile.

"Never a dull moment?"

"Definitely not. Robbie reminds me a bit of him." Jerry turned toward Matt. "Listen, I'm only going to say this to you once, so you better pay attention. Stor died because of a war that could have been prevented. I'm not going to have Sam killed now, or you, or Pietr. So you're going to stop whining and take the Assessor out, no matter what it takes, or I'll have your ass on a plate. Got it?"

Matt studied him for a long time. Then he stretched out his hand. "Deal."

Jerry looked at it, eyebrows lifted, before reaching out to shake it. Then he got up. "Let's get back to Sleeping Beauty."

***

Sam was almost able to walk straight when they woke him up. Jerry took one look at him and decided that "almost" wasn't enough.

"The kid will kill you if you do any more work today," he grumbled before reaching for his friend's arm and hoisting it over his shoulder. Then he marched Sam back to the cabin and put him to bed in the guest room. Sam didn't even protest much.

They had dinner, and Matt could feel Pietr's eyes on him during the meal. When they were done, Pietr reached out for Matt.

"Come on. Let's go to bed."

It was way too early, but Matt didn't protest. He felt more and more miserable the more he thought of the prone Himiko in the guest room.

Pietr pulled Matt into a hug as soon as the door closed behind them, and he didn't let go.

Matt let all of his defenses down and let Pietr see how terrible he felt about what he had done, and how scared he was to have to do it again.

You're okay, Matt. Everything's fine.
Pietr rubbed his back, pouring comfort into his mind. It made Matt relax a little, but he still couldn't get the image of a retching Sam out of his head.

That's a good thing. You know that, right?

Matt didn't understand what his mate meant.

You don't like to hurt others.
There was something strangely close to relief in Pietr's mind that Matt didn't understand.

Pietr tried to explain it to him.
Warriors tend to get... absorbed in their task.

Ruthless. That was the word Pietr didn't want to think.

Yeah. I know you're not that way, but...

But Matt did have a temper and he was very stubborn. Those were Warrior traits.