The men thanked the captain and they set off on their way, making a stop in town, before launching off on their new mission. They stocked up on plenty of ammo and spent some of the reward money on new clothes and food. Before saddling up to leave town, the men decided to indulge themselves at the local cat house, leaving a generous tip for the hardworking women, on their way out the door. After their rendezvous with the ladies of the night, the men met up outside and loaded the items they’d purchased before untying the horses, ready to hit the trail.
John was in high spirits, thinking about all the money they were about to make. “Imagine what we can do with this kind of cash. At this rate, we’ll be able to build our own little town,” he said, throwing his leg over his horse’s back; he gave her a slight kick and they were off.
The men blazed out of town, riding aboard their horses, trotting at a great pace, feeling good. They had their sights set on Southern Indiana, in search of any clues that might lead to them to the whereabouts of the wanted men. John and his crew knew that they were about to make money beyond their wildest dreams, as they were coming to realize, there was nothing in the world to fear, as long as they covered their tracks and kept their secret in the dark. If their Lycanthrope was kept under wraps, they’d be an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.
“We must all agree to not expose ourselves,” John said, after the horses had slowed down to a medium trot. “We don’t need to worry about being shot, so I don’t want to see anyone changing at the sight of a gun.”
The agreement was made and the hunt was on. John kicked his horse into a full gallop, with his men riding, close behind and they rode into the deep of the night, with fully adjusted eyes that cut through the blackness in front of them. After some time, they arrived at a small town, in the southernmost part of Indiana and they wasted no time beginning their search. They paid a visit to the local cathouse, knowing the wanted men would’ve stopped there, for sure.
After they’d tied off their horses, they moved towards the entrance, where they were greeted at the door by a lady; the madam. “Well hello, gentleman… how are we, this evening?” she asked, looking them each, up and down. “You all look like you could use a nice bath… and perhaps a bit more!” she squealed, along with an obnoxious laugh. “Looks like, you boys came to the right place!”
“Maybe another time, thank you,” John replied, with a smile and a tilt of his hat. He reached for the posters in his back pocket and he began showing them to her. “We’re looking for these men. They are very dangerous and we hear they may have passed through here.”
Without another word, John handed her a hundred dollars; he was sure that she had some information.
“Yeah, I remember them!” said the madam. She stuffed the bills between her rather plump breasts that were looking suffocated in her tight, red dress. “Yep, those no-good bastards tore through here, about a week ago,” she said, with a frown. “They were really rough with the girls, too.”
She bent down to retrieve a bill that had escaped the clutches of her bosom, as John tried his best not to look down the crack, where his dollars were disappearing.
“Did any of them say, where they might be going, or maybe leave anything behind?” John asked of her. “Anything personal… like a hat or shirt?”
“I don’t think… oh, wait!” she suddenly shouted. “Wait here, I’ll be right back!”
The woman ran up some stairs and she returned back, holding a shirt and a pair of pants. “One of the girls was beat pretty bad and the law came looking for ‘em. I guess the weasel couldn’t get dressed fast enough,” she said, pinching her nose and holding out the clothes. “Here… take ‘em and burn ‘em.”
John laughed and handed her some more cash. “We appreciate what you done for us here, ma’am. Hopefully the smell won’t kill us.”
She blew up with her obnoxious laughter, thanking him for the generous payment and the men quickly returned to the streets, with the smelly clothes they had been given. They saddled up and rode out of town, before John pulled on the reins of his horse, bringing them to a halt in the middle of the trail. He took out the shirt and pants and gave them a good whiff, passing them along to the other guys.
After everyone got a scent of the clothing, John spoke. “Smells like they haven’t bathed in years, good God almighty!” he exclaimed, pinching his sniffer.
Now that they had a scent to go on, it was going to be much easier to track down the men they were after. John and his men jumped back onto the trail, traveling north, using their powerful sense of smell to guide the way… the Pack was on the move and there would be no way, the wanted men could hide from them now.
The next two weeks passed quickly and just like John had promised, they returned to the military outpost… bringing with them, every single man they were hunting and they’d brought along no prisoners.
“Hats off to ya!” the captain rejoiced, with a twinkle of admiration in his eyes. “I didn’t think these guys would ever be caught! You all have to be the best bounty hunters out there, what the hell were you doing wasting your time making maps for?”
“Well, Captain,” John went to explain, letting his pride show a little. “We kind of just fell into it and decided we were better suited for this line of work. And, if anyone asks… you can just refer to us as ‘The Pack.’”
The captain laughed and agreed, waving them in to collect their rewards.
“So, what do you have for us?”
______________________________________________________
Chapter Eight
The Captain and John were agreeing on a bounty reward for the next job, while the men kicked back for a well-deserved break. No one noticed when a gentleman entered the tent and stood silently, at the far end of the captain’s table; it was as if he’d appeared out of thin air. The guest stood tall, with his long, dark hair pulled back and he was tuned in to their conversation with great interest.
“May I help you?” the captain suddenly asked, with some irritation in his voice, after finally noticing him. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with his men, for letting a stranger just wander in the way this man did.
The stealthy man took a few steps towards the captain and John, extending his hand out to shake, catching a whiff of John’s animal scent, knowing right away that he was different.
“Donovan,” the man said with a friendly smile, revealing a perfect set of pearl teeth, “Jack Donovan.”
John also noticed a foreign scent in the air, taking a closer look at the well-dressed gentleman. ‘Something isn’t right, here,’ he thought to himself, as the man came closer. John suddenly realized that the man didn’t have a heartbeat. And, that smell… it was the smell of death. Their eyes met for a brief moment, both recognizing that the other was an immortal. They were almost able to communicate, by thought alone and they both knew that for some unknown reason… fate had brought them together there for a purpose.
John extended his hand to shake, but when they did, he felt no warmth on the man’s palm. He didn’t want to touch the man’s cold skin any longer than he had to and he quickly retrieved his hand, pulling it back a little more quickly than he should have.
The man just smiled and moved to shake with the captain and the other men. “Captain,” the man named Donovan said in his thick, English accent. “My business here is with this man. May I borrow him for a short moment?”
The captain gave his graces, leaving his quarters to let John and his men conduct themselves.
“Are you and your men for hire?” the mysterious stranger asked, without any hesitation. “I have a serious problem, that I can trust only to skilled men. I will pay you fifty thousand dollars… ten thousand for each of your men.”
“You waste no time getting down to business, do you?” John replied, as he wasn’t so sure how he felt about this person. “I’m listening. But first, you must tell me exactly who you are… and what you are.”
The man took
a seat at the table and he folded his hands. “There has been a group of men chasing me for nearly twenty years,” Donovan began slowly, “it seems, they hold grudges that just won’t die, preventing me from being able to settle somewhere. So, until I can rid myself of these four relentless men, that will be impossible for me to do.”
“I’m still listening,” John said, interested in what the man was offering. “What do these four men want with you? It seems that your matter is a quite serious one.”
“The matter is personal,” Donovan responded to his question. “These four have killed many of my kind… and many of your kind, too. They kill anything they don’t understand and they cannot be reasoned with.”
“My kind, too?” John asked, surprised by what he’d just heard. “So then, you know what I am? I must ask you, once more… just what exactly are you?”
“I need to make a place, for my children and myself,” the man interrupted. “So, we can survive… because I, sir… am a Vampire.”
John thought for a moment, before responding to this revelation. “I had come to the conclusion, that Vampires were nothing but a legend. You are the first cold man I have ever met,” he admitted to him. “But, just the same as my kind, I had to see it to believe it.”
The English Vampire continued, “Take care of these four men, so that I may build a town for beings like me… for beings like us. A town, where we may live in peace and without fear… a town without any interference from the outside world.”
“Like us?”
“Yes, a town for supernatural beings,” he said back, pleading softly. “A place we can call home… a place to enjoy our gifts. I know about your gift, John and my gift is very similar. But, my gift has a certain degree of requirements and that is why I need your help.”
“So, Vampires are real, too,” said John, shaking his head, as he let it settle into his brain.
“So then, do we have a deal?” Donovan asked, with his eyebrows raised high. “Will you and your men take care of my problem, so that I may stop running?”
“Why should we?” John responded. “Vampires feed off of human blood, right? My men and I really should be hunting and stopping you.”
Donovan looked unconcerned with the glare that John was giving him. “You haven’t even heard my plan,” he said to him. “I want to set up a town, where people can give their blood freely and we will gladly pay them for their blood and services, in return. There will be no more killing.”
The Vampire smiled a little and spoke again. “This is the only way that I can see, my kind will be able to live in this beautiful, new country. If we can get rid of these hunters, no one here will even know we exist. The legend of the evil Vampire will eventually fade away with the passing time.”
“If what you say is true,” John responded, “then we may have a deal. But, a Blood Law must be put into place, if you expect any help. You must agree, that if any of your kind decides to kill any human beings, they must be put to death. Immediately. The Blood Law is my law and my word will be final.”
“Alright, I agree to that… it’s a deal, my friend,” the Vampire said, putting his hand out to shake. “Knowing that you will help brings me great delight, far beyond your understanding.”
Donovan’s pleasure was visible on his face, but the look quickly faded. “You must know… the Hunters are only three days behind me. It is my suggestion that you wait for them here,” he suggested. “I will return, once they’ve been taken care of.”
John looked up to say something, but the man was already gone; it was as if he had disappeared into thin air… only a mist was left behind. And, so it was settled and the alliance was formed between the Lycans and the Vampire and the Pack would do exactly as they had promised.
At the outpost, John and his men waited patiently for the Vampire Hunters, who would soon be approaching. Twenty years of cat-andmouse had been going on between the Hunters and Donovan and there was tremendous pressure for him to set up a town for the Baron… and there was also tremendous pressure from the Vatican, to catch Donovan and drive a wooden stake through his ice-cold heart. Every time he began a new nest of Vampires, the four Holy Hunters would find them and kill off most of his covenant.
The next couple days had passed and the Vampire Hunters approached the forest where the Pack was awaiting, just a few miles away from the outpost. As the Vampire Hunters rounded the bend in the forest road, they saw John waiting in the middle of the pass, sitting on his horse, with his hat titled down. The Hunters and their group of men came to a stop, wondering whom this person was that stood, blocking their path; they approached cautiously, keeping their guard up.
“Who are you and what do you want?” one of the Hunters finally asked.
They began closing in and John still said nothing. As they approached closer, John finally lifted his hat a little and spoke, “I have a request,” he announced to hunters. “I am asking, that you and your men… end your pursuit of the one named Donovan.”
One of the Vampire Hunters looked confused and he answered back, “It is daytime, so I know that you must be a human. Why is it, you seek to protect them? Do you understand what he is?”
“Yes,” John called back, “I know what he is and I know that he would like only to live in peace. For your own sake, I beg of you, please… just turn around and go back home. My men and I will make sure that he causes no further destruction to the earth and its people.”
“That is not possible,” another one of the Hunters responded. “For we are on a holy mission, with direct orders from Pope Pius the twelfth.”
“I knew you were going to say that,” John replied regrettably. “But, I felt that you and your men deserved a fair chance.”
Sticking two fingers in his mouth, John whistled and his four brothers leaped from the bushes, fully transformed into their Lycan forms. John and the Pack began unleashing their ambush upon the Vampire Hunters and the men carrying their supplies, slicing and slaying them with great ease. They tried not to bring attention to themselves, working as quickly as possible, but even as far away as they were, the sound of gunshots and the screams of the dying men were still heard by the men who were stationed at the military post. By the time the soldiers made their way through woods to investigate the sounds, it already too late for the Vampire Hunters and their group.
The infantry arrived on the grisly scene, having no idea what could’ve done this to these travelers and the military men eventually concluded, that it was a band of wild timber wolves. They spent the entirety of the next day cleaning up the bloody mess and burying the unidentified bodies, completely mystified by the condition of these dead men. The Vatican would never find out what had happened to their Hunters that night and after they never returned, a prayer was said for them… and, that was that.
A few months later, a brand-new town, named Wolf Creek, was opening up for settlers, deep in Southern Indiana. This town was private and you had to be interviewed by Mayor Donovan and accept his rules, if you wanted to live there. If you didn’t abide by the rules, then it was highly likely that you would never leave Wolf Creek… because they couldn’t have anyone out on the loose discussing the town with any outsiders. It was one of a few vital laws that had been written, between Donovan and the Pack… and the Pack would enforce those laws.
Donovan held interviews every night, between sunset and sunrise…
“If you settlers want to live here, all that is required of you, is to donate blood once a week at our town’s Blood Bank and the rest of your needs will be taken care of. Just sign on the dotted line.”
“I don’t like the sounds of this,” a female interviewee said with uncertainty, speaking for her husband and herself. “We are Christians and our blood is only for Christ, the Son of God. We will not sign this piece of paper, nor do we wish to live here.”
With a shrug, Donovan ripped up the contract, giving a nod towards John Davidson, who was guarding the door.
John knew what that meant; he showed them
the way outside and the couple were never heard from, or seen, ever again.
______________________________________________________
Chapter Nine
The next century passed and the year had reached 1947. With the help of a straying goat, archaeologists uncovered a hidden cave located on the northern shores of the Dead Sea. The cave had been sealed tight for over 2,500 years and the secrets inside had remained untouched until now. After months of exploring, the Dead Sea Scrolls were found deep inside this cavern in excellent condition and the Book of Blood was found undisturbed, with the intestine bindings still intact. The artifacts were carefully cleaned and put on display in a museum in Jerusalem and word of the discovery quickly traveled throughout the world. The Baron caught wind of the findings and he immediately sent his second-in-charge to see what had been found.
It was closing time at a museum in Jerusalem and the doors were set to be locked at eight o’clock sharp, no exceptions. The priceless artifacts there are one-of-a-kind and they were kept under constant guard; there was no chance of the precious items ever being stolen. Massive steel gates would drop down if the alarm had been tripped and the doors would be sealed, tight, trapping anyone who dared to try robbing this museum. The guard on duty noticed a man dressed in expensive clothes, looking very closely at the sinister-looking book that was proudly on display and he found it odd the way the man was gazing at it.
“We’re closing, sir,” said the guard, as he approached. The man didn’t seem to hear him.
“Sir, you are going to have to leave, please. You are welcome back tomorrow, of course,” he said in a friendly, but firm, voice. “We reopen at nine o’clock, sharp.” But, the man paid no attention to the guard’s request and he brushed his hand over the glass case, gazing intently upon the historical items inside.
“Sir,” said the guard once more. The man finally looked up from the case. “Pardon me, but what do you call this book, here?”
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