The Dead War Series (Book 2): Desperate Times

by Simmons, D. N.

  Felicity's gaze shifted between the two men, seeing the tension mounting between them. She couldn't shake the fear that was building inside of her. The uncertainly of their future. Just what did this vampire want from them besides making a cure? “I'd like to really have an answer to his question,” she said.

  Diverting his attention from the arrogant and foolish human male before him, Cassian turned towards the female scientist who seemed to be the smartest of the group. “I'm sure you would. I would like to be sleeping in my nice warm bed in my beautiful, luxurious high-rise condo, but sadly, that's been destroyed. Your quest to be gods, have resulted in the downfall of many.”

  Vincent frowned. “I--”

  “I have no concern for your motives or whatever scientific triumphs you sought to attain,” Cassian interjected. “What is done is done. I will not answer any more of these questions you think you're entitled to.” He turned back to Vincent. “You will see for yourselves why the CDC was not the better option.”

  “We're here and I don't think we're going anywhere any time soon. Let's just do what we can to save the human race,” Dr. Powers said to the others to prevent them from further angering the vampire; a being he still couldn't believe existed.

  “Finally, one among you speaks with some level of intelligence,” Cassian remarked. “This is what is going to happen: You three will work with other scientists we've managed to gather to use what research you have to create a cure. We have a location set up that will serve as your lab. Make it work. If you need something that's not there, we will do our best to get it for you.”

  “Do you know how to kill these things?” Dr. Powers inquired.

  “You will speak only when spoken to or with permission. I'll not have you bombarding me or my people with your questions. Understand your place here. We are not your saviors. We are not your partners. We are not your friends. You are here because we have a mutual interest in preserving human life. You will do what is necessary and once a cure is created, we will use it to save as many infected humans as possible. What happens after that is yet to be seen.”

  Cassian turned, walking back to the desk in the room and leaning against it with arms crossed over his broad chest. “So far, we've only deduced that those things can be killed by decapitation. It will not be easy to dispatch them when they hunt by the hordes.”

  “So, to clarify, the humans you have here are livestock for you,” Maj. Garrett stated.

  “Exactly,” Cassian said, not feeling any need to sugarcoat the truth.

  Then with lightening quick speed, before Maj. Garrett could even scoff at the notion, Cassian was across the little room, with his hand around the human's throat, lifting him several inches from the floor. The man struggled furtively in the powerful grasp of the extremely pissed off vampire. His feet dangled wildly as he fought for air, sputtering and gasping as his eyes bulged from their sockets.

  “Oh shit!” Vincent gasped as he jumped a couple feet backward, putting as much distance between him and the other two men as possible in the cramped office. He had never seen anyone or anything for that matter, move that fast. Both Felicia and Dr. Powers fell back against the large metal file cabinet in their combined horror. If there was any doubt that Cassian was exactly what he said he would, it had been erased in that instant.

  Cassian moved in close, so close that their faces were only a few inches apart. “I can drain you dry and leave you an empty husk with less concern than you have swatting a fly. Do not test me.” He shoved Maj. Garrett back, sending the man crashing into the door before he fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath. “As for your place here,” Cassian continued. “You'll stay with the other humans and if we need your military expertise, you will provide it. That is the extent of your necessity to us.”

  “My concern is the survival of the human race,” Maj. Garrett sputtered as he slowly rose to his feet. “We all want to live to see this epidemic end.” He gently massaged the newly forming bruises on his neck left by Cassian's powerful and merciless fingers.

  Cassian sneered at him. “I don't know if it's because you're stubborn, stupid or incredibly brave. On any other given day, I would have killed you already for speaking out of term. You're quite fortunate that your life holds some measure of value to me. But understand, you are beneath me, you are sustenance, entertainment for my kind and nothing more. Continue to press me and I'll make an example out of you,” Cassian growled.

  Maj. Garrett bit his tongue, holding in the insult he wanted to release. Dying now, in that little office wouldn't help him fulfill his duty to his men or his country. So he remained silent.

  Vincent's heart was still thumping rapidly inside his chest as he witnessed Cassian's display of power. He began to really wonder if he'd be safe, even after he came up with a cure, God willing.

  Felicia went to Maj. Garrett's aid, asking him if he was all right.

  “Yeah, I'll be fine.” he said, giving the vampire a menacing glare.

  Cassian ignored the human's heated stare and turned his attention to Vincent.

  “Dr. Masterson, you are the sole surviving scientist who developed this virus. That makes you entirely indispensable. Therefore, you've just been given a promotion of the highest order. You, Ms. Anderson and your co-worker, Dr. Bale, your intimate knowledge of science and the medical field makes you both valued assets, that goes for you as well, Dr. Powers,” Cassian said. “We can't risk any of you becoming infected by this virus, therefore, the next stage in my plan will take place tonight.”

  “Wait, what are you talking about?” Felicity asked as she gave Cassian a suspicious look. She took several steps backward until she met the wall.

  “I'm sure you're already aware of what I speak. That is why you seek to put distance between us as if it would help.” Cassian waved his hand dismissively. “Had I but had a choice in the matter, I would have nothing to do with the likes of you. But our survival depends on what must be done.”

  Vincent and Dr. Powers soon joined her, their eyes wide as saucers as they peered in terror and uncertainty at the vampire before them. Is he really implying that he was going to turn them? Was he really going to make them monsters, like him? Could they stop him? All of these thoughts ran through their minds as they looked around the room and at each other.

  “M-may I speak?” Vincent asked, raising his hand as if he was in school. The thought crossed his mind, but he didn't have time to feel foolish about it. The last thing he wanted to do was test this vampire.

  “What?” Cassian cocked a brow in his direction.

  “Why?” Vincent asked.

  “This virus affects us as well, the difference is we can recover from it. As humans, once infected, you'll be useless to us,” Cassian replied.

  “But isn't that the reason you brought us here?” Vincent asked as he took one bold step toward Cassian. “To protect us while we work on the cure. You don't need to do this?”

  Cassian scoffed. “It will be done. You should be grateful. Do you think I bestow this gift on any human? Do you know how many people would kill their first born to be in your position? It has happened throughout history. Do you have any idea what you will receive? You couldn't possibly fathom. Life everlasting, power obviously beyond your mortal comprehension. You have no idea what is being granted to you, but you will. Once the sun sets, the conversion will begin.”

  Cassian walked past them, opening the door. He leaned out and gestured for someone to come in. He stepped back into the room followed by three tall male vampires. One was blonde, six-feet-six and very muscular.

  “Yes sir,” said the blonde with the brightest blue eyes. He gave Cassian a slight bow.

  “Take these three to the room where we're keeping the ones to be converted.” Then Cassian made a dismissive wave towards Maj. Garrett. “This one can join the human stock.”

  The blonde nodded and gestured for the other two men to assist him.

  “No! I don't want to be what you are!” Vincent yelled as
the blonde man took hold of his arm. Vincent struggled in the man's grasp, but to no avail. The grip that was on his arm was unrelenting and now because of his struggles, that same powerful grip was on his other arm completely immobilizing him.

  Felicity struggled vainly in the embrace of a dark haired man twice her size. Finally fed up with her, he hoisted her roughly over his shoulders and she groaned at the sudden pressure against her abdomen. Vincent and Felicia were taken from the room to their designated area leaving Dr. Power and Maj. Garrett staring back at one of the most menacing looking men either of them had ever encountered.

  The behemoth vampire looked down at the two men. “Do I really need to throw you over my shoulder and carry you kicking and screaming like some bitches from this office?” he asked. “I will if I have to, but if you make me go that far, I'll make you pay.”

  “Will it do us any good to try and fight you?” Dr. Power asked. He'd been feeling the weight of their circumstance even more pressing since meeting Cassian.

  “No,” the vampire said. “So what's it going to be?”

  Maj. Garrett turned to Cassian. “You're sending me to the 'human stock'. Killing me would be a mistake. Killing any of the humans you have here would only bring on that war you were trying to avoid.”

  “You know nothing,” Cassian said with a wicked smirk. “We have no intention of killing you...yet.”

  “What's to stop me from going out there and telling every human what you really are? What you plan to do?” Maj. Garrett challenged.

  Cassian looked at the other vampire. “Jack, take the doctor and put him with the others. Leave this one.”

  “Yes Master,” Jack said and motioned for Dr. Powers to follow him.

  Dr. Powers took another look at Cassian and saw no room for negotiation or mercy in his expression. The vampire was resolved in his decision to convert them. He decided he'd save his breath and efforts and try again later. He followed the large vampire now known as “Jack” out of the office to where they wanted him to go.

  Cassian stepped up to Maj. Garrett, so close they were only a few inches apart. He began to stare into the soldier's eyes capturing his attention. “Tell me everything you know about military protocols. I want to know where we can find weapons in this area, passcodes, and anything else you feel is pertinent information.”

  Under the vampire's powerful compulsion, information flowed from Maj. Garrett like a river and Cassian absorbed it all.

  “I take it, this one has worn out his welcome?” Ovidius speculated, stepping into the open doorway.

  Cassian nodded as Maj. Garrett was still giving him information he knew about that was classified. Both vampires listened to the human until he had no more information to give.

  Cassian smiled and released his mental hold over Maj. Garrett.

  The soldier stumbled back, blinking as he became aware of his surroundings. “You made me tell you government secrets!”

  “Yes, I did. Try as I may, Major, I see no reason to suffer you any longer. Our new converts will need to feed at First Rising, that is your purpose now,” Cassian said. “For now, I'll put you in the room with the other humans who share your fate.”

  “So, I'm just supposed to sit there like some quite little lamb awaiting my turn to be taken to the slaughter?” Maj. Garrett grimaced at Cassian.

  “Exactly,” Ovidius said, turning his back on him and walking towards the desk.

  Maj. Garrett looked at the vampire Master as he turned and settled his rear end on the edge of the desk. “I'm not afraid to die,” he growled. His gaze shifted from one Master to the other. Cassian's expression remained unreadable as he stared at the human.

  Ovidius chuckled softly. “How comforting for you.” He turned when Jack stepped up next to him. “Put him with the other sacrifices and make sure he's docile.”

  “Yes, Master,“ Jack nodded and gestured to Maj. Garrett to follow him.

  Maj. Garrett gave both vampire Masters his most menacing glare before walking out of the room.

  Ovidius closed the door behind them with a slight shake of his head. “It never ceases to amaze me the arrogance of humans to think they have authority over all things,” he said as he leaned against the door.

  “Up until this moment, they all thought they did. They have no idea how many of our kind are out there pulling their strings,” Cassian said. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

  “I'm happy to say that a nice influx of your vampires are finally starting to arrive—with humans. That's the good news. The bad news is those things have found their way to our very location,” Ovidius updated.

  Cassian hissed. “How many?”

  “Before I came to tell you, about a hundred. We took care of them, but more will come. The noise we're making is attracting them, but we have to finish fortifying this place. I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up this concern of mine.”

  “I'm sure we share this concern, what is it?”

  “The way they hunt, it isn't as random as it looks. They are going inside buildings, searching out every apartment as if they can smell or sense a human inside. As you know, I've sent a few of my vampires out to try to thin the herd, so to speak and this is what they've noticed. It's not just what they see that they go after. It's what they can sense.”

  “The gods keep pissing on us, don't they?” Cassian remarked then groaned loudly. “Ahhhhh, fuck this day!” He ran his hands through his hair, giving himself time to think. “How near do they have to be to a human to sense them?”

  “We're still unclear on that. I'm hoping they have to be close, cause if they can sense from afar...”

  “No human will be safe unless they're being protected by vampires. Not only that, this location will be swarmed by those things. We'll have to be extra vigilant to make sure they don't break through.” Cassian ran a hand over his face as he leaned against the edge of the desk.

  “I think we'll be safe here for the most part. I had my vampires seal this location up as if they were protecting it from our own kind. These things aren't nearly as strong as we are--”

  “At night... they aren't as powerful as we are at night. During the day, for vampires not borne of ancient blood or over at least two centuries old, these things are proving to be difficult to handle,” Cassian interjected. “Not only that, if a horde of thousands of them gather at the barricade, I doubt it will be strong enough to hold up.”

  “I agree, but how can we deter them?” Ovidius asked.

  “I honestly don't know. All we can do now is have a great defense.” Cassian ran another hand over his face, a highly visible sign of his growing frustration. “We'll need to keep military-grade explosives handy to kill as many of those things as we can, or at least weaken them enough to finish them off.”

  Ovidius exhaled. “So be it. By the way, the lab is almost done and so far we have seventeen doctors and scientist combined. Are we going to turn them all?”

  “I have my eyes on a select few. Those who can serve our purpose in discovering a cure. They are locked away now in a janitor's closet. Given any other day, they wouldn't reach my radar, but these are desperate times as you know,” Cassian said

  Ovidius nodded. “Very well, I'll have my lords assign some of my vampires to the task.”

  “Do you think I'd allow your vampires to turn them?” Cassian asked, one eyebrow arched.

  “My territory. Remember, you're a guest here.”

  “You're territory—true. However, those scientists I brought with me are mine. I will be converting Vincent personally. Then I'll assign the other three to my lords. Now as for any other doctor or scientist whom your coven gathered, they are your responsibility.” Cassian shifted positions, straightening his back and shoulders. “Unless, of course, you believe your jurisdiction supersedes mine in this case?”

  It was a challenge and one Ovidius didn't want to step up to. Especially not with the two of them alone cramped inside the little office. That's not even taking into account that Cassian
had nearly a thousand years on him. He'd be no match one on one. Age and army size notwithstanding, Cassian was his sire, he knew it was his territorial nature steering him at this moment, but he really did have a love for the man who'd gifted him with power and all eternity to wield it.

  Ovidius shook his head, conceding to Cassian on the topic of Vincent, Felicity, William, Dr. Powers and the other three. “They are yours to do with as you see fit.” He made a sweeping gesture toward the door. “Shall we? There's monsters to kill, humans to rescue and an army to tend to.”

  Cassian nodded, picked up his sword and walked past Ovidius, out of the office with Ovidius right behind him. Both vampires headed for the roof to get the visual advantage they needed to gauge just how badly shit was going to hit the fan. The two men watched as both of their combined vampires sliced the heads off a small pack of zombies that had found their way to their location. The vampires below moved throughout the thin crowd of zombies using their super speed, slicing through bone, cartilage and flesh as quickly as they could using the skills they obtained through decades or even centuries of fighting wars, both human and vampire.

  “There will be even more than that soon,” Ovidius said, grimacing as he observed the bloody fray.

  “It's good that you have the trucks there to add reinforcement to the trailers,” Cassian noted. “We need to discover other ways to kill these things that don't require us to have to be up close and personal.”

  “Fire?” Ovidius looked at him.

  Cassian nodded. “That's what I had in mind, especially if they began to swarm our barricade. According to reports, it has proven to destroy them.”

  “Perhaps I can look into getting flame throwers, military grade, of course.”

  “Maj. Garrett did provide us with plenty of information.”

  “I'll send some of my people out to get these weapons,” Ovidius said.

  “In the meantime, I'll search for more humans, we need at least one for every two vampires. We don't have nearly enough,” Cassian pointed out.