The Alpha Male 5: Demons
by Shade
“Norman MacKenzie” said Mack. A true professional, he extended his hand to the man with the accent without waiting for me. “But everyone just calls me Mack.”
“Maksim Dimitrov,” replied the man with a nod, giving Mack’s hand a firm shake. “These are my associates,” he continued the introductions. “Luciano Baggio and Sylvain Vouillot. Our other partner isn’t with us today.”
I was vaguely aware of the pleasantries occurring near me. Men shaking hands, exchanging their welcomes. But I really couldn’t focus my thoughts to pay attention even as I knew Mack had not only just mentioned my name but was in the process of trying to make some small talk.
It didn’t matter.
Billy stood there.
A smirk spread across his face. But his eyes held all the emotion he needed and wanted to convey. He’d always had beautiful eyes, even angelic. I’d heard women my whole childhood talk about those eyes.
It was true they were the window to the soul. Although they could also be deceptive for those without the wit to see. Billy’s soul was as black as tar. And I at least could see it reflected there in the whirlpool of those eyes. They were naked in their hate.
The unclothed expanse of his upper body was proudly on display. He moved slightly and his muscles flexed also. How do I describe the movement of fibres beneath the skin? It was a body that exuded power and I was having trouble grasping the change from the man…no…no…from the boy that I had been acquainted with only a short time ago in school.
Billy Nickerson had always been athletic. One of those kids who even when he was little you just knew would grow up into a jock. I think I’d known that even when we first met on the playground at the age of nine.
Why did he chose me as his victim? I’ll never know. And, if the truth be told, I bet he didn’t know himself. It was an instant dislike. He found any way he could to torture me. And it was bullying I endured for five long years.
I remembered well the shape of his athletic physique in high school. Even as much as I hated him. Even as I outgrew him, out lifted him, and outclassed him in every way, he was still perfect. Still beautiful. Although it seemed he’d found a way to expand his perfection into a whole new sphere. That once tight, defined chest had expanded to a much grander scale. He flexed involuntarily, the valley between those thick massive slabs expanding and shrinking slightly with each breath. The striations appeared and disappeared as his skin itself seemed too tight to hold the muscle in. Muscle bunched, and he straightened from a slouch to his full height.
He’d been slouching? Fuck. My eyes probably widened slightly as he rose even taller, expanding to his full posture, and the man positively rippled. He fucking rippled with every movement.
The cords of his neck and his massive traps expanded as well as he adjusted his stance. Delts rounded, trying desperately to overshadow the thick biceps that hung underneath. They couldn’t do it though. I wasn’t sure what they’d look like flexed, but I almost thought they seemed morphed. How could one man be that big? Even his triceps were put to shame and that was saying something.
“And this is our champ…” Maksim said to Mack. There was no mistaking the sense of pride and accomplishment in his voice.
“Billy….” I breathed, saying the name before Maksim could.
I was aware that all the men had turned to look at me. Mack’s mouth might even have been hanging open a little. Had I spoken out loud?
“My friends call me Bill these days.” He spoke and his voice reached out and snapped everyone’s attention back to him. It had the hypnotic power of a raging waterfall. And carried just as much not so subtle danger.
He moved toward me. Those powerhouse legs beginning to move. The seams of his jeans near to bursting. As he put one foot ahead of the other his thighs fought for room. It gave him a kind of swagger that the biggest of bodybuilders have. As he neared I appreciated just how big he actually was. If I was tall and broad, heavy with muscle, he was taller and broader, and heavier. I felt him in front of me and he blocked out the light. Someone standing behind him would not even know I was there.
His hand extended in front of him and I couldn’t do anything but take it.
I felt his fingers curl around mine. I felt him squeeze. Forearms in stark relief. His guns tensed. And I gritted my teeth. I squeezed back with everything I had, although I had a feeling he was toying with me.
“But I’d prefer for you to call me Mr Nickerson.”
My hand felt like it was on fire, but Billy pulled me in close…real close. I felt myself forced against him. Head coming closer to his, but I had to look upwards. The muscle I’d been imagining I now felt pressing against me. Into me. And I could not escape. He leaned down enough, his mouth near my ear.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this Dickwad. I’m gonna own you.”
His voice was low and meant for only for me.
The pet name he used to have for me falling so easily from him lips and I gritted my teeth. My back straightened, and even though I felt his power hold me, I could also feel him struggle.
As juiced up as he was, I still had some power. And that gave me hope.
“Fuck you asshole!” I muttered.
Billy laughed and released his grip as he pushed me away. I could feel myself stagger backwards trying to regain my balance.
“Bill…Bill…Bill…” said Luciano in heavily accented English. “Remember to play nice.”
“Don’t worry man. We’re just catching up on old times. No harm intended.”
I’m pretty sure he intended all kinds of harm. Billy had the shit eating grin plastered to his face as he fixed me one last time with those knowing eyes. Then he turned around, and disregarded me like I was an insect far on the floor beneath him.
I felt Mack pulling at me urgently, but I felt fixed to the spot. And incredibly I was hard, cock almost painful in my jeans. When had I popped a boner?
“Lad, shake it off!” He murmured urgently. “The fight’s not won until it’s won.”
I turned to focus on Mack’s face. He had a careworn look about him, like a man who’d seen too much of what the world had to offer and was no longer impressed by it. But he also had a steely glint in his eyes. Mack was a survivor and he had been a good teacher.
“Come over here lad and let’s get you ready.”
He pushed me over into a corner away from Billy and his coterie.
“I take it this is not the first time you’ve met?” Mack asked.
“No we’re old friends Mack. But I haven’t seen him in at least a year. He was never a juicer Mack.”
“So I take it he was ordinary before?”
“He’s the one Mack. The one I told you about.”
“Shit. Fuck. And Damn lad. I’m sorry to hear that. But you’re not beaten yet. Whatever juice he’s on though, I’ve never see the like. But remember he won’t have your training. You’re not some raw recruit. You’ve got the training of an SAS Commando boy and don’t forget it.”
I nodded, my confidence coming back slowly. Even as my attention was still drawn across the room to his jeans filled to bursting with massive, hard thighs, diamond calves, and thick round glutes.
My head was grabbed by two powerful hands and my gaze was forcibly drawn back to Mack’s eyes.
“What the fuck is the matter wi’ you son?” his accent was broadening with his anger.
“Are ya some wee cunt that canna take a beating and get up again? You gonna let him make you his bitch?”
That brought me back to myself. I would be god damned if I was anyone’s bitch.
Mack saw the anger in my eyes. And I felt the challenge. I wasn’t going to be daunted. Billy was just one more obstacle in my way. I’d dealt with him before and I’d deal with him again.
The fight in the arena finished. A couple big men ran out to fetch what was left of the defeated challenger and Bill turned to me, winking. “Almost time” he mouthed, and emphasised it by slamming his right fist into his open palm.
This time I wasn’t so easily intimidated. I still felt my guts wrenching with fear, but I wasn’t going to show him that. I straightened up tall, and puffed my chest out. Maybe I was smaller than he was, but I was still a pretty impressive sight.
I was bigger than or as big as any other guy I’d yet met at this competition. And I was no shy violet. I’d built myself from a stick insect into one of the most powerful men on the Circuit. And unlike most of them, I was no juicer. Maybe I was even the most powerful man apart from this monstrosity on the other side of the room. And that made me pretty fucking powerful.
I tensed my muscles and shook my head. Jumping enough to get the blood and hormones circulating and remove the nervous uncertainty. Yes, I had power.
Mack nodded with approval. “I suppose you didn’t catch much of that conversation?”
“What?” I hadn’t caught a fucking word.
“I know those blokes. A bad crew. I think your mate Bill there is on some of this new juice I’ve tell of. Some are calling it Vulcan’s Fire. Thought it was nothing but a wee rumour, but I dunno lad. There’s no juice I’ve ever heard of that could make a man that jacked. And not in such a short period of time.”
“My friend from earlier, Jack,” I told him. “He’s on something new as well. Put on a huge amount of size and strength in a few weeks since I saw him at the Snake.”
Mack glanced back at Bill. “That’s not the most interesting part though kiddo. Did you catch the name of their fourth partner?” I shook my head. “Thought not. Goes by the name of Fong. Ring any bells?”
We exchanged a glance. Each of us knew who Fong was now after the job I’d done for Myles Boudreau. My mind inadvertently strayed to the case in his possession. A case I had won for him after he was double crossed. What had become of that? He’d referred to it as a formula. More importantly what had Myles done with it?
Fuck, Myles! I forgot all about him. Kyle said they were both coming to competition. I hadn’t seen them, but ordinary guys rarely stayed in town. They may have seen me and not the reverse.
As if reading my mind Mack said, “Mr Boudreau is out in the stands. He was looking forward to your fight. I’ll bet you that is why Fong didn’t come personally. He didn’t want to risk my security detail spotting him.”
I grunted. There wasn’t anything for it now anyway. Our fight was being announced to the roar of the crowd.
“OUR REIGNING CHAMPION, BILL “THE BEAST” NICKERSON!!!!!!!” The crowd roared. I mean it was so loud I thought it would take the place down.
Billy strutted on, flexing for the roaring crowd as he walked. Every inch a showman. And they loved it.
The winner of the last fight was waiting until Billy walked by and as he neared me I heard him say, “He’s gonna toast your ass kid. They’ll be picking up parts of your body in ten states.”
I felt my anger flare, and I punched him. I punched him so hard he was slammed flat through the metal sheeting that had been put up around the makeshift stands. He lay there unconscious.
“Well you’ve still got something left!” hollered Mack over the crowd. “Go get him lad!”
I walked into the arena and my name was announced. Although I didn’t get quite the welcome as the Beast there, I did have my admirers and they were making nearly as much noise. It was good to be a winner. They’d seen me and they knew I wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
I forgot about everything around me. Letting my adrenaline shut out the noise and distraction of the rowdy crowds. My attention focused on the big man in front of me. He closed his fists, as big as Thanksgiving turkeys. And I felt mine close in response.
I remember the Ref telling us to touch fists, and it all moved so slowly. My fist bumping against Billy’s. My body moving backward, away from him. Time itself seemed to stop for a second, each heartbeat a lifetime, and even though I felt the effect on my body. I also had the training Mack had been drilling into me the last few months. He always told me when all else fails remember your fucking training. It will save your life.
“FIGHT!!!!!!”
The Ref shouted and moved quickly out of the way.
My mind actually sharpened with the rush of blood, adrenalin, and testosterone in my veins. Just because you were a juicer didn’t mean that you were as strong as you looked. I knew that if I had any hope at all of taking down my former nemesis it would be to hit him with a full broadside.
We circled for a minute. Everyone has a chink in their armour. Even Bill the Beast had to have a chink. But he was so massive, the plates of muscle hanging thick and dense, it was hard to know where to hit him first. But in the end he was still human. And I was fast.
He leered at me. Eyes full of contempt. I heard the crowd roaring and Billy looked away, for a fraction of a second acknowledging them. That is when I struck. Moving as fast as I could I felt myself slam into him. My right hook powering into his abs. The connection of my knuckles upon his flesh.
And the pain exploded up my arm.
Billy laughed and smiled. He wasn’t even hurt. He wasn’t even flexed.
“My turn,” he growled.
Wrapping his fist around my neck I was hauled up in the air in seconds as if I weighed nothing at all. My feet were left dangling beneath me. The air cut off from my lungs as I felt myself choke, my hands wrapped around the meaty forearm, but I could not budge it.
“Now I’m going to show you true pain. True Humiliation.” SLAM!
I felt my body hit the ground, felt the impact through each bone as the very ground depressed with the force of my body hitting it.
Then without letting go he hauled me to my feet and flung me across the floor. Landing in a heap, I felt the air rush back into my lungs. Burning. I took in a great gulp of air and got back to my knees. Using my arm I pushed myself up. We hadn’t been at this for a whole minute and I felt completely outclassed.
Bill lumbered to me, all swagger. His muscles moving as he rippled. I was mesmerised.
I stood, fists up, still ready to fight although I felt exhausted. Billy stopped midway and motioned for me to come at him. Like a man with no other options I did as he bid me, forgetting all my training in the process. Throwing one punch after another at him, he just flexed and I found my fists had met an immovable force. Finally when he tired, I felt his fist slam into me. At the connection of his body to mine I felt a sense of weightlessness as I moved through the air. It felt like slow motion. Then I hit the ground and this time I didn’t get up.
I just stared above me. Like I had no control over my body anymore. It could have been seconds or hours, I couldn’t tell. But a shadow loomed over me. His face looks down at mine, and I could focus on him, slowly his features became clearer.
“What you did to me, I give you back.”
I puzzled at the words.
The last thing I saw was his fist heading toward my face. And then the world blackened to darkness.