Free Blood Apocalypse - 04 by Heath Stallcup Page A

and watched the plane land, taxi to the loading zone and the activity begin. They watched as Jack, Viktor’s son-in-law come out and greet a small group from the plane and escort them to the military barracks where the hunters had made their quarters.
    “What’s your take on him?” Max asked as they watched him.
    “I’ve barely met the man,” Viktor replied through clenched teeth.
    Max smiled. “You don’t like him.”
    Viktor growled, “He mated with my Nadia.”
    Max tried to hide his smirk, turning his head further from Viktor. “She is of age, my son.” He tried to keep his voice neutral.
    “That doesn’t make him worthy.”
    “The fates found him worthy.”
    “The fates found him worthy of using him to further fuck me,” Viktor growled.
    When Max turned on him, his face was stoic. “Your fate was your own, my son,” he stated firmly. “It was your decision to adhere to your mother’s decree rather than stand up and take what was rightly yours.”
    Viktor’s stare shot daggers at Max. “How dare you. You weren’t there.”
    “I didn’t need to be,” Max said softly as he turned back to watch the crews unload the plane. “It was your destiny.”
    “My destiny?” Viktor could not contain his astonishment. “My destiny you say? What would you know of ‘destiny’?”
    Max laughed a deep belly shaking laugh that left Viktor confused. “You ask me what I know of destiny?” Max wiped at his eyes. He slapped Viktor on the shoulder. “Son, this is the very culmination of my destiny! It has been my destiny to keep the Sicarii in check since our creation. Every time he has risen and made himself a viable threat, I was there. With each swell of his chest, I was there to quell it. With each rise of his head, I was there to lower it!” Max shook his head. “Now he comes with an army of his kind and I bring an army of our kind to thwart him, except I also bring an army of his own kind to stand against him, to finally bind him and lock him away. FOREVER!
    “You, on the other hand, had merely to face down your mother and assume your rightful place as leader of the pack. To rise up and show her that you were indeed ready to assume the position that I left for you. But what did you do?” Max asked. “She barks, and you turn tail and run and do her bidding, leaving her in command of the mightiest pack of wolves the world has ever seen. Even if it is via proxy.”
    Viktor remained still, staring at his father in shock, the pie ces of his life falling into place. He felt a wave of shame and guilt sweep over him as he realized that Max was right…about all of it. “I didn’t—”
    “You couldn’t have known,” Max interrupted. He turned from Viktor and stared back out across the horizon, watching the sun paint the sky in oranges and yellows, hints of red licking the edges. “I never told you.”
    Viktor stood silently with his father, the rest of the base going on in its mad dash of hustle and bustle rushing to set up and settle in. But father and son stood in the dwindling sunlight and simply shared a moment. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Viktor asked.
    “I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “Hubris? A desire for humility? Whatever it was, Victoria convinced me that for you to truly be the alpha that you should be, you should rise in the pack on your own. And knowing the truth about me…would o nly be a hindrance to you.” He turned to his son, pain reflecting in his eyes, and he suddenly appeared much older to Viktor. “I never wanted this for you, son. Not for you and your family to become… slaves to a vampire!” he hissed, his hands balled into fists, his jaw set.
    Viktor placed a hand on his father’s shoulder and shook his head. “It has been a good life, father. Regardless of how I have painted it.” He lowered his eyes. “And regardless of how much animosity I have held toward you and toward…her, we have been well treated and Rufus is a good man.”
    Max clenched his