ACADEMY OF THE UNDEAD; BOOK TWO Stand Together ... Or Fall Together
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Tuition For Zombies

Clinton Stanley couldn’t wait for the Friday nights, and he drove down to the Ranch every Friday accompanied by a range of glittering emotions. And every time, Iveta was there, waiting for him by the front gate, and every Friday night offered a new thrill for him. At the start, she would gush, “Hello Clinton!” and then as weeks trickled by she would greet him with, “Nice to see you Clinton!” but two months on, she would embrace him, kiss him passionately and then coo, “I couldn’t wait to see you Clinton, because I love you!”

Initially, Chester had been wary of Iveta, and when she taught her, she kept herself aloof and distant, although the woman was vibrant and enthusisatic, and also appreciative, Chester, I love you; you’ve been so good to me! and that had the affect of gradually diluting Chester’s wariness. As weeks flew by, Chester found her feelings towards the woman subtly changing, and she couldn’t stop herself being caught up in the flood of positive emotions. Totally energised by the thrill of learning, the woman smiled often, and when she smiled, her eyes shone, and when Iveta’s eyes shone, Chester felt humble and appreciated.

Stanley noted that Iveta’s former thick European accent had been replaced by a sophisticated American accent, and as well as physically engaging with her, he could now hold conversations with her. Occasionally her dialogue showed that she was still naïve, and it also gave Stanley an insight into some of the things she engaged in. He remembered a few weeks back when she had declared, Chester was licking my vagina with her tongue, and tickling me at the same time, and she said that I had a screech-blow!

Chester knew that the strange woman was the best student she had ever taught. Bristling with a positive energy, Iveta attacked all her tasks with zest, and she tore the re-education course to pieces like no-one else ever had, and Chester kissed her every night, because she liked kissing people who sparkled and shone.

Friday nights were the best for Stanley, because that meant that he could spend two nights with his resurrected wife, a wife who now bounced around with vitality, so different to the subservient person she had been. Iveta introduced him to everyone at the commune, declaring proudly, ‘This is my husband!’ and when they ate with the group, she joined in on the lively conversations, laughing, joking and smiling. A lot of the men glanced shyly at her, and she would ask innocently, ‘Why are you looking at me in that strange manner?’ Stanley wanted to tell her, ‘They look at you like that because when you laugh or smile, you become a sexual fantasy!’ although no, let her roll along and enjoy her rebirth.

Friday nights were the worst for Chester, because that meant she was without her sparkling star for two nights, and she smiled at Clinton Stanley when she saw him, although deep down, she wanted to punch him. Resurrected’s were faithful to their Master’s, although her Master allowed her to engage with the new student, and her Master would occasionally watch as the teacher and the student got into some serious extra-curriculum activity. If Chester was a vampire, she would produce her fangs and sever Clinton Stanley’s jugular, or if she was a witch, she would turn him into a frog; but alas, she was a resurrected being, and all she could do was will the weekends to pass quickly.

Chester knew that part of the fascination of engaging with this vibrant creature was the mystery, the decadent lure of dancing in the dark, or maybe it was the spine-tingling realisation that you were dancing with the Dark, dancing with a resurrected being whose biological parents hadn’t been clearly established.

*

Two months in, and Devil sat his life-mate down to discuss the progress of the new student. “Young love of my life, either you have an extraordinary student, or else your teaching has gone to a new level, because the woman is excelling in every activity.”

“Seriously Boss, it ain’t me, because I’ve never seen anything like her. We’re doing combat now, and she’s so quick, I mean she’s lethal, and so strong.”

“Maybe as a human, she was just very athletic.”

“You could be right, but Boss, fuck me …”

“What?”

“When she engages in battle, her eyes, her eyes, fuck me.”

“What about her eyes?”

Chester bowed her head, thinking about her response, then she looked at him timidly and said, “They light up, her eyes light up, and they light up as if she’s saying, this is her, this is what she was meant to do.”

“I don’t think I follow you, life-mate.”

“When she’s studying, her eyes shine with expectation, and when she’s helping with the chores or just horsing around, her eyes sparkle; but when she engages in the combat routines, her eyes darken and glimmer with intent, and she, she looks like, like a woman on a mission, she looks like destruction, she looks like carnage, I mean she looks like she is the physical form of death.”

Devil leant back in his chair and asked nonchalantly, “Are you scared of her?”

“Of course I am!”

“Young life-mate, you laid with her again last night.”

“Boss, she scares the crap outta me, but she also excites the fuck outta me.”

Devil pondered, then asked, “With what Mr Miles told us, do you think I should kill her?”

Chester sucked her bottom lip, then said glibly, “Too late.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“She’s a killing machine, and if anybody tried to kill her, somebody will die, but it won’t be her.”

Devil pondered, then asked, “Ches, she’s a Resurrected Being like us, but what are you saying, she’s more powerful than us?”

Chester sighed, then replied, “Shit-fuck Boss, she’s one of us in some ways, but I just told you, she’s capable of becoming a killing machine.”

Deep in thought, Devil leant back in his chair, and Chester flicked a cursory glance at him then lowered her gaze to her lap as she muttered, “All the boys are shit scared of her.”

“Really?”

Chester fiddled with the beads hanging by her right ear, then she said quietly, “Yeah, they’re all hoping that she’ll go soon so’s that she don’t beat them up so bad.”

Devil pursed his lips, then said, “Clinton Stanley rang me a few nights back.”

“About what?”

“When she’d be finished.”

“She’s ready Boss, ain’t nothing more I can teach her.”

“So I can tell him to come and get her?”

Chester smiled sheepishly and replied, “Tell him Friday night, and that means I can have two more nights with her.”

“Two more nights of combat training?”

“Sheesh Boss, there won’t be no training in the two nights.”

“Hmmm, I’ll be glad to see her go, because that means that I’ll have you all to myself again.”

“Don’t be a douchebag Boss, you love watching us rumble.”

“Yes true, although I won’t be sad to see the end of her.”

“Anyway, come outside and watch her. I want you to see her in action, and then you’ll understand why the boys won’t be sad to see the end of her.”

Chester organised ten males, all armed with clubs or baseball bats, the first five forming a ring around Chester and Iveta, the other five standing in a line outside the ring and facing the girls.

Chester glanced at Iveta and said, “The boys are gunna come at me, but I want you to protect me, okay?”

Iveta gazed at the men, then she turned to Chester and said assuredly, “I will protect you.”

“Okay boys, come at me and don’t hold back.” Chester instructed.

Charlie was hesitant, and he said timidly, “Jezz Ches, my whole body is still smarting from the last time.”

“Don’t be a douchebag, because cuts and bruises heal up.” Chester replied.

“Ches,” Brett piped in, “You said that we wouldn’t have to fight her no more.”

“You mean get beat up by her.” JimBoy mumbled.

“This is the last time, I promise; I just wanta show the Boss what she’s like.”

“Holy Mackarel,” Brett sighed, then he looked at his partner and muttered, “Hey Din, get the bandages ready.”

“Okay boys, so come at me hard,” Chester began, then she turned to Iveta and asked, “You ready?”

Iveta swung her gaze around the circle of men, and then with her face lined with concentration, she nodded.

The five men in the circle rushed in swinging, and Iveta ducked, balanced, then took Charlie down with a crunching straight right, then in an instant, rocked to the right, then used the momentum to lunge to her left and knock Brett off his feet with a vicious, closed-fist back-hander. She grabbed a club as it swung at her, and with JimBoy still hanging on to the club, she swung him hard into the man next to him, and they crashed into one another and hit the ground. Instinctively, she squatted and avoided the club swinging down from behind her, then she swung her right leg out and swept the attacker off his feet. The five in a line charged, and Iveta punched the man in the middle and sent him flying, then swivelled and side-kicked the next man, and with a lunge to her left, elbowed the next man, and a lunge to her right, her right elbow connecting solidly with the next man, and Freddy, the last man standing, moaned, “Awww jeez …” as he saw the right fist come flying towards him.

Ten men on the ground, a few of them sitting up and shaking the stars out of their eyes, and Dinny, chilled by the aggressive display, said jokingly, yet meekly, “Arrhh, medic, medic please.”

Chester nodded with satisfaction as she looked at her stopwatch and said, “Good girl Iveta, 24.39 seconds.”

Iveta helped a few of the men up, asking shyly, “Are you okay?”

Chester smiled at the irony; when directed, Iveta would bust their heads open, and then in the next instant, she worried about their well-being.

Devil blew out a breath, then said wryly, “I can understand why the boys were reluctant to get involved.”

Brett pushed up clumsily, and while rubbing a hand over his temple, he asked quietly, “So when is she going home?”

*

On the Friday night, Iveta Stanley flung herself into his arms and said excitedly, “Clinton, I’m coming home with you tonight!”

“Gorgeous Iveta, I’ve been counting off the days.”

“Devil, Chester, I’m so happy!” Iveta exclaimed.

Chester produced a churlish smile, the smile reflecting her mixed emotions. Iveta Stanley had opened her up to a new world. Her world had previously revolved around her Master and her clan members, although Iveta had shown her that love wasn’t merely singular, it could be plural. Even a resurrected being could love more than one, for she loved and worshipped her Master because of fate, and she loved Iveta because the woman aroused every single one of her positive emotions. Iveta’s eyes were the window to her soul, for they often shone with joy and delight, and they often sparkled with zest and vitality, although during combat training, they became focussed, dulling down to an intense glare. Chester reflected that Iveta could possibly kill someone with the steely glare, or at the very least, scare them half to death.

While Iveta farewelled everybody, Devil led Stanley away. He needed to have a private chat with his client, and with Chester standing dutifully by his side, he said, “Good sir, a word of warning …”

“Go ahead.”

“Your wife surprises me yet makes me anxious. I have never resurrected anyone who is so fearsome and single-minded. I have no doubt that she will obey your instructions, although I must advise you to be cautious.”

“What are you saying?”

“I have never seen one a resurrected being who is so powerful, and if you wish her to kill, she will become a creature of destruction. With great power comes responsibility, and the responsibility lays squarely on your shoulders. Direct her to deal with only those who have wronged you, because we suspect that she is capable of causing untold damage.”

Stanley pondered, then asked, “Would she be capable of over-powering a vampire?”

Devil had been expecting the question, although he flinched involuntarily, then said abruptly, “Vampires are powerful, extremely strong, and they are lightning fast, and the general rule of thumb is that if you wish to capture a vampire, you do it when they are vulnerable, and that is of course, when they’re sleeping. Your wife has amazing reflexes, and her instincts are uncanny, so possibly, she could hold her own in a fight against a vampire, although the vampire that you have your sights set on could be a different matter.”

“What do you mean?”

“Stories about Taylee Crezenski’s fighting ability are legendary in these parts, and while your wife is as fearsome a warrior as we have ever seen, going after Crezenski may be biting off more than she can chew.” Devil replied.

Chester nodded, then said, “If you want to keep your wife alive, forgetting about Crezenski would be a good way to achieve that.”

Devil had no intention of telling him about his investigation of Iveta, although he felt compelled to issue a warning. He said, “Also Mr Stanley, all the people in your social circle, all your family and friends, they would know only that your wife is dead and buried, and it will be in your interests to keep it that way. As previously discussed, Iveta cannot be exposed to sunlight, and I would advise you that you shouldn’t expose her to public scrutiny. Do not take her out to dinner, don’t take her to the movies, basically, don’t take her out in public or else you may replace yourself being asked some very uncomfortable questions.”

“I understand what you’re saying, and no, nobody will ever see her.”

“Good.” Devil nodded, then he said, “If you replace your new life with Iveta is too restrictive, she will always have a home here at the Ranch, and you would be able to visit her whenever you wished.”

“Thank-you for the offer, but with everything taken into account, I will be embarking on a significant change of lifestyle.”

“Which means what?”

“I have decided to sell all my business interests, and effectively slip into a hermit-like existence, and maybe down the track I can investigate …” Stanley paused, admonishing himself for almost letting it slip out.

“Investigate what?” Devil asked.

In two minds, Stanley bit his bottom lip as he lowered his gaze. Yes or no? Tell him or don’t tell him? It wasn’t really any of Devil’s business what Stanley did with the rest of his life, although like Iveta, Devil was a resurrected being, and as such, he had little interest in societies guidelines and restrictions. Devil and Chester had been willing to assist with every step of Iveta’s transition, so maybe the sensible thing would be to keep them onside. Drawing in a breath, he said, “I spoke to your associate, Jaxon Cleaves recently.”

“What about?”

“Errr, a career change I guess.”

“You’re a very wealthy man Mr Stanley, so I would assume that if you sold your business interests you wouldn’t have to worry about a career.”

“Hmmm wealthy,” Stanley nodded, then he raised his gaze to look at Devil as he said, “And I’m also vengeful.”

“I thought we just discussed Taylee Crezenski.”

“Jaxon Cleaves told me that he could put me in contact with a … errr, a vampire hunter.”

“Hmmm, interesting, pay someone to go after her.”

“No.” Stanley said bluntly, “Pay someone to teach me.”

“Teach you what?”

“How to become one.”

“A vampire hunter?”

“Yes.”

“Mr Stanley, in respect to physical capabilities, vampires out-perform humans in every area. They are stronger, they are immensely powerful, they move at the speed of light, they have exceptional vision and hearing, and that makes them very efficient, ruthless killing machines.”

“I understand,” Stanley began, “But how efficient are they while they sleep?”

Devil held his gaze and said, “Obviously you are free to do as you wish, although my advice would be to move on and enjoy having your wife back.”

“That’s my advice too.” Chester added.

“At the very least, I intend to pay the vampire hunter to teach me. Jaxon Cleaves told me that it takes decades, not years to become a proficient vampire hunter, so I intend to devote all my energies into this new venture. It might turn out that I’m not suited to that role, but I have plenty of time on my hands, so I will throw myself into this with a fierce determination to succeed.”

“Again, you are free to do as you like, and I wish you the best of luck.”

“And look after Iveta.” Chester threw in.

Iveta heard her name, so she skipped over and cuddled Devil, then she embraced Chester and said, “I will miss you, so you will have to come and visit me.”

“I’d love to.” Chester replied.

Holding his wife’s hand, Stanley said gratefully, “Thank-you both, for everything.”

Chester watched them walk away, watched her walk away, and again, she was struck by conflicting emotions. It was good to see the end of her, because ghost stories or not, Iveta’s upbringing and the recorded conversations about her history made Chester decidedly uncomfortable. The woman could be turned into a killing machine, because her instincts and reflexes were like nothing she had seen before, and Chester knew that the woman’s steely gaze would keep her awake on many a morning; but the other side of Iveta Stanley, the warm, naïve, passionate side of the woman, while it wouldn’t keep her awake, it would have her regretting that the woman was no longer in her world. Although phrases that Gavin Miles had muttered made Chester think that maybe she hadn’t heard the last of Iveta Stanley; Servant of the Devil … open the Gateway to Hell… sheesh …what the fuck have we done?