The Dead War Series (Book 2): Desperate Times

by Simmons, D. N.

  “We have about seven-hundred last I checked.”

  “We need at least a thousand.” Cassian turned to Ovidius.

  “Do you need help?”

  Cassian nodded. “I will take Marco with me for now.” He closed his eyes, mentally asserting himself into the mind of the younger vampire in his line, calling to him.

  Yes, Master? Marco replied telepathically.

  You will join me on the roof, now. Was Cassian's only command.

  Shortly after that, Marco emerged from the rooftop exit and approached the two Master vampires, bowing to them each.

  “Master, what do you want me to do?” Marco asked Cassian.

  “You and I will hunt for humans... to save them.”

  “Are you sure you want me to join you, Master? I can't fly... I will only slow down our progress,” Marco pointed out. Although his question was one full of logic, he really didn't understand how he could help collect humans, but the other side of the coin was that his Master had picked him to assist him. He fought hard to hide his smile, not wanting to seem foolish in his eagerness to please.

  “I need you,” Cassian said, avoiding answering the vampire's question which he was quite skilled at. He stepped up to the young vampire, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close. He turned to Ovidius. “I'll return shortly.” With that, he flew upward, the wind whipping their hair as he propelled them through the air. He listened carefully for the sound of human heartbeats as they traveled. It didn't take him long to locate several humans hiding inside a restaurant freezer with a pack of wild zombies banging at the door. Cassian landed on the rooftop of a building across the street from the restaurant so that he could get a bird’s eye view. He released his hold on Marco and the young vampire wobbled a bit before he regained his balance. He wasn't used to flying and the motion left him a bit discombobulated. He crouched low, next to Cassian, looking towards the restaurant as well.

  Cassian closed his eyes, listening carefully and heard the sound of six distinct heartbeats pounding rapidly inside the chest of the delicious humans. He opened his eyes and sighed dejectedly as he looked inside the windows at over two dozen zombies clamoring over each other trying to break through the thick steel door.

  Cassian concentrated his mental powers on contacting one of his lieutenants. If you are close to my location, come to me.

  Master, I am near you, I'll be there shortly, Chloe replied.

  I have two humans with me and once I drop them off, I can join you, Master, Alexias said.

  No, Alexias, Chloe will be help enough. I want you to focus on gathering more humans. If I need you, I will call for you, Cassian said.

  Yes, Master. I suppose it's for the best, my brother is calling for me, Alexias informed.

  Drop the humans off first, then go to him, Cassian ordered.

  Yes, Master. With that, Alexias cut off the link and followed Cassian's orders.

  Cassian and Marco waited on the rooftop for Chloe to join him.

  ~*~

  Richard held his wife, Linda tightly in his embrace. The zombies managed to trap them on the rooftop of a corner grocery store and now they were banging on the rooftop door. Both knew it was only a matter of time before they'd have to make a decision. Kill themselves or die fighting the monsters who were trying so desperately to get to them. Neither option was desirable and they weren't sure taking their own lives would prevent them from coming back to life to eat human flesh. But surely suicide might be less painful than being ripped apart by teeth and hands. Although, only one of those options didn't come with a sin attached—well they didn't think becoming a killer zombie—would be considered a sin. Still, in the end, would they even be aware of being alive again if they were to become one of those things? All of these questions were running through their minds and had been the topic of conversation since the first onslaught of the outbreak.

  When Vincent had told them to get off the road and seek shelter, a part of Richard wanted to ignore the suggestion. Getting as far away from Chicago was the ideal plan. Unfortunately, traffic had been at a standstill for over an hour and abandoning their car had been their only option. He broke into a closed corner store and helped his wife inside. They snatched a few food items off the shelves to try and wait it out on the rooftop in hopes that they'd catch the attention of rescue helicopters flying by. So far, they hadn't had much luck. With the heat kicking their ass and the water supply almost gone and damn near suffering heatstroke from the sun's tormenting rays, they were wondering just who they pissed off to find themselves in such a predicament.

  Karma's a well-known vengeful bitch with a long list of unfortunate bastards awaiting their day, but just who in the hell sent this Karma to them?! Richard wondered.

  “We need to decide right now what we're going to do. That weak-ass door ain't going to hold up much longer, Richard,” Linda said, breaking through his mental ramblings.

  “If the military couldn't do shit against these damn things, I know we don't have a fucking chance. We can't even jump from the rooftop to our deaths. Those fucking things are down there waiting for us. I can put a bullet in your head then stick the barrel in my mouth and pull the trigger. That's our best option. I don't want to risk either of us becoming one of those fucking things.”

  Linda burst into tears and tightened her arms around her husband's torso. God, this couldn't be happening! Just earlier that day, she was making plans to have lunch with Sarah, Kathy and Agnese. Now she was trying to figure out the best way to die. She couldn't begin to fathom her husband putting the cold, hard steel of a gun barrel into his mouth. His lovely, even white teeth caressing the cylindrical shape as his finger pulled the trigger sending a tiny piece of metal through his cranium destroying everything he once was and would ever be. The very thought made her want to vomit. She knew he had to be thinking the same thing. Contemplating if he even had it in him to place the barrel of his gun against his wife's temple. Could he pull the trigger? Would she even let him do it?

  The denting of the rooftop door made them jump to their feet. Oh God! The moment of truth was now before them. Richard pulled his wife closer, her face pressed hard against his chest as he kissed the top of her head. They gave their final prayers, asking forgiveness for all of the sins and they pleaded for mercy for those still struggling to survive. Linda's eyes were closed tightly as tears flowed freely down her cheeks, the salty fluid soaking the thin fabric of Richard's shirt. She could feel the hard metal end of the gun's barrel against her temple.

  “I...it's....it's okay, baby. It's okay,” she stammered, trying to her best to be brave in her final moments.

  “Jesus Christ, Linda. It's not okay. Oh, God! It's not okay!” Richard said against gritted teeth and flowing tears. He shook his head as his entire body trembled with the weight of what he had to do.

  “Don't wait to the last minute, if you do they might get you,” Linda said as she clenched her muscles, squeezing him harder in her embrace.

  “Or, you can just come with me,” a masculine voice said from behind.

  Both Richard and his wife yelped and turned around, facing a tall, very handsome, bald, clean-shaven African-American male covered in bloody, torn clothes. His hazel eyes peered at them with an unnervingly calm resolve.

  Was he not worried about the threat at the door and how in the hell did he get up here? Richard pondered.

  “Do you have a helicopter?” Richard asked, gratefully pulling the gun's barrel away from his wife's head.

  “Do you want to live?” the stranger asked.

  “Yes! Damn it, yes!” Linda belted out.

  “That's all I wanted to know,” Dante advanced on the couple faster than they could react. He disarmed Richard, tossing the gun aside. “It's pretty much useless anyway.”

  “What the fuck--” Richard looked at the man aghast. “How did you do that?”

  “No time,” Dante said. He tossed a glance at the first zombie arm that was now peeling back the metal door. He returned
his attention to the couple. “Sleep.”

  Both Richard and Linda immediately slipped into unconsciousness and he caught them before they could fall. Hoisting them over his shoulder, he took to the skies just as the zombies broke through the door. They rushed the rooftop as such speeds, they propelled themselves over the edge falling on the bloodthirsty horde waiting below.

  “Fucking ridiculous,” Dante cursed under his breath before navigating his body faster through the air. It would take him at least an hour to get to St. Louis, so there was little time to waste.

  ~*~

  Aaron balanced himself in a tree about one hundred yards away from where Jesse was feasting greedily on the grizzly remains of a family who had been running from the zombie horde. They sought shelter in a McDonald's, breaking the window in order to get inside as the doors were locked. The terrified employees didn't have time to escape when Jesse and the zombies overtook them. Seconds after their deaths, some of the bodies that still had their heads attached began to resurrect and joined the zombie party either on both feet or dragging what remained of their mutilated bodies behind them. For the past hour, Aaron had been tracking Jesse who was bitten shortly upon arriving at Chicago's south side.

  Every time the vampire had satisfied his bloodlust enough to come back to his senses, he was always in the middle of a zombie melee and was instantly attacked before he could get his bearings. That would start the cycle all over again and Aaron was starting to wonder if he'd be saving the world a lot of trouble if he'd just killed his friend before he could create any more zombies with his blind feeding frenzy. Whenever the urge came to mind, he pushed it away. He didn't have many friends...okay, who in the hell was he kidding, he didn't have any other friends other than Jesse. Budding relationships among vampires could be long lasting and even beautiful. But that's if the roles among them were clearly defined. If one wanted to advance, they may have no problem betraying a friend to advance in the hierarchy. Jesse was his best friend and was going to try his best to get him out of the mess he was in.

  He wanted to get close, but he didn't dare risk it. If he couldn't overpower Jesse, he'd only end up joining him and what good would that do either of them? So he waited and watched as some of the zombies began to leave the restaurant in search of fresh blood. He looked down from the tall tree he'd taken refuge at the desperate zombies that had gathered below just waiting for him to climb down. Now, more than ever before, he wished he was old and powerful enough to fly. He would have to jump from tree to tree to avoid those damn things and still keep an eye on Jesse. He hoped the recent massacre would be enough to quench Jesse's zombie-induced bloodlust.

  Aaron turned his attention back to his friend who was currently fighting off a zombie. Jesse tossed the zombie across the dining area, the thing landed behind the counter, taking out a register on the way over. With the reprieve, Jesse ran out of the fast food restaurant and Aaron called his name, gaining his attention.

  “Take to the trees! Don't let them touch you again!” Aaron yelled as if Jesse needed the advice.

  The last thing Jesse wanted was to be bitten again. He had no idea where they were or how much damage was done while he was killing everything in sight. Jesse scaled the side of an apartment complex to the roof. He took a leap to the nearest tree, traveling that way until he reached the same tree where Aaron had been waiting.

  “Glad to see you back to your old self again,” Aaron said, giving Jesse a once over. His friend's clothes and body were soaked in blood and decorated with bits of internal body parts.

  “How long was I out?” Jesse asked.

  “On a killing rampage, you mean?”

  “Yeah fucker, how long?” Jesse growled.

  “Several cities and one state over ago was the last time you were in complete control of your mental functions,” Aaron shot back. “I've been having one hell of a fucking time trying to keep up with you and away from you at the same time. Especially through the rural areas where it's nothing but open fields and farms and shit.”

  “You didn't kill me.”

  “I thought about it. But I couldn't. I know I said I would, but I couldn't.”

  “What if I had tried to bite you?” Jesse asked, his eyes narrowing a bit relaying his curiosity.

  Aaron shrugged. “It never got to that point.”

  “But what if it did?”

  “I don't know. We got lucky, Jesse. This whole situation is so out of fucking control.” He didn't want to have to think about the answer, let alone ever have to act it out.

  “Where are we?” Jesse asked, as he looked around at the unfamiliar landmarks. There were several businesses along both sides of the street, some were out of business. Other blocks surrounding the area were all residential. Single-family homes and apartment complexes lining each street.

  “Davenport, Iowa. So, as you can see, we're pretty far off from where the hell we're trying to get to. I'm hoping we can find some roads to travel on that aren't clogged with traffic. We need to get going,” Aaron said.

  “Lead the way,” Jesse motioned for him to take off first.

  “Try to keep up this time and for crying out fucking out, don't get bit.”

  “Fuck you, I wasn't trying to get bit in the first fucking place. The Master said we all needed to bring people with us for food and that's what I was trying to do,” Jesse said in his defense.

  “I know what he said, but it ain't possible for us to bring humans with us when we're trying to get there alive ourselves. We don't have the abilities of his lords and lieutenants. We can't fly there and avoid all this bullshit. So, I'm sorry, that's an order I don't see us being able to follow,” Aaron stated. “By the way, you lost your sword a shitload of zombies ago so you really need to stay close to me.”

  Jesse grumbled. “Fine, but are you willing to show up there empty-handed?”

  Aaron studied his friend for several long seconds before answering. “Are you willing to risk getting bitten trying to drag some humans along? We tried that. You got turned and then you ate the humans we were trying to bring with us. What if, while we're trying to do the fucking impossible, that whole situation happens all over again? You or I could end up going bloodlust crazy and getting killed by some pissed off Master. We're lucky that hasn't happened yet, but who's to say it won't? We just can't. And I'll deal with whatever is going to happen once we get there, but shit, let's get there.”

  Jesse sighed. “Fine. He calling us, I can feel him, so let's get going.”

  Aaron sighed. “We're going to catch hell when we get to those open fields. I ain't looking forward to that shit.”

  “Me neither... let's go.”

  Aaron nodded and leaped onto a tree with Jesse following closely behind him. The two kept to the rooftops and trees, avoiding the zombies below as they made their way to St. Louis. If it was possible, they would save some humans along the way... if it was possible.

  Chapter Four

  Vincent paced back and forth in the small rectangular room that was obviously the janitor's closet. Shelves of cleaning solutions and other cleaning supplies lined the walls on either side of the room and the humans being held captive inside sat nervously in the middle. He shared the tiny space with Felicia, Dr. Powers, William--who they brought in after them, and three other people. An Asian woman, with short, dark brown hair who looked to be in her mid-forties with brown almond-shaped eyes that darted around the room. Two Caucasian men, both looked to be in their thirties. One was blond and the other had jet back hair, both had blue eyes that watched him as he paced the room.

  “Will you sit down, all of your pacing is pissing me off,” the blond male captive blurted out.

  Vincent turned to him, sneering. “Did they tell you why you're in here? Do you know?”

  “They plan on turning us and you know what... I'll take being a vampire over being one of those fucking zombies out there any day,” the man shot back, pointing to the wall for emphasis.

  “You don't even know what that mea
ns!” Vincent argued.

  “Right about now, I don't give a shit. I barely survive nearly being eaten alive by those fucking monsters. If it weren't for them, I'd be dead or out there killing more people. As far as I'm concerned, we're the lucky ones,” the man said, settling his back against the cold stone wall.

  “Jesus Christ!” Vincent turned to Felicia. “What do you feel about all of this? I mean, you're sitting there, haven't said a fucking word since they threw us in here. You have to be going crazy right now?”

  Felicia ran her hands through her hair. “I don't know what to think. In the past hour, I just discovered vampires are real. This is after I had to accept the fact that the world is under attack by zombies. I don't even know if my team is all right or if they even made it to Atlanta. They have to be worried crazy about us, they probably think we were attacked like that other helicopter.”

  “I don't know what to think, I'm still trying to process all of this shit,” William said. Felicity had brought him up to speed about everything that happened inside the office and he had a lot of questions they couldn't answer. So now, he was just waiting to see what was going to happen next.

  “We have to do so something. We can't let them turn us?” Vincent protested.

  “Just what in the fuck do you plan on doing, wise ass?” the blond man asked. “I guess you didn't see the part where those fucking vampires can fly? Or how about the part where they move faster than our eyes can see. I saw the one who saved me take out two of those zombies, cutting off their heads in no time flat. I want that kind of power if it means I can protect myself. As humans, we're no match for those zombies or them.”

  “Who are you?” Vincent asked abruptly.

  The blond frowned. “What kind of question is that? What do you mean?”

  Vincent shook his head as if the action could erase the last question. “No, I mean what did you do? Why are you important to them? I don't see them wanting to turn just any human. What can you do for them?”