Empire of Blood [Box Set]

by Robert S. Wilson

  The amount of factors that go into cause and effect when it comes to seeing that which is yet to come, young one, is too great to be able to firmly know whether you have changed things. Sometimes a simple solution can make a vision go away completely and yet others, like the one you are currently concerned with, are so complex as to be impossible to truly tell whether you have been able to change the course of events. Sometimes an event to come can’t be changed at all and yet sometimes it can only be changed so near the very moment that it will further distort any chance of changing the event until that very moment. And still other times information that is necessary to truly stop the event is not there. These visions are a gift, but they can also be a double-edged sword. Obsess over the future and you will give up the present in its place. Sleep now, young one. And when you wake you will eat and then fulfill your end of the bargain. I sense your restlessness has left you fatigued and famished. Sleep and tomorrow’s full moon will bring you comfort.

  * * *

  Toby woke to find himself alone in the dimly lit cavern. He sat up and stared at the makeshift bed his father had made for himself. Even as a teenager, he was slightly frightened to be in this place surrounded by vampires. A shiver ran up his spine at the thought of blood-drinking creatures being so close by. He found himself pulling his cover up over his neck as if it would protect him from being bitten and drained of blood.

  The candlelight cast ambiguous shadows across the cave wall. He wondered where his father went as he sat there trying to remind himself that the shadows were nothing but just that: shadows. His father had seemed on edge ever since Toby arrived at the hive. This had made him even more afraid of the strange place in which they were staying. He thought about the things the Foederati had to say about his dad. He was proud of how these people looked up to him. But he couldn’t help but wish his father could somehow trade it all in for the two of them to go away somewhere safe and live quietly together without the worries of war or the fear of the Empire coming after them. But Toby was smart enough to know better. No such fairy tale would happen for them. It would be a long, hard road and Toby couldn’t help but feel like there would be at least a couple of detours along the way. Eventually he fell back asleep and dreamt of fanged shadows hovering over his helpless body.

  Chapter 37

  Message Understood

  The Queen lay curled up to Hank, her head on his chest, their bodies naked and sticky with sweat. “Soon it will be time for you to meet the Foederati, young one. You’ve kept them waiting long enough. An army cannot bear to endure battle without having met its king, don’t you think?” she said, looking into Hank’s eyes and stealing his full attention.

  “King? I know I’m somehow destined to be some kind of leader to them, but I’d hardly call myself a king of anything.”

  “Titles are meaningless, young one. Power and actions are not. When you are ready to take on the war as I have foreseen, you will be a king in the eyes of many. And they will follow you into the darkest, bloodiest corners of the war to help you bring down the Empire.”

  Hank stared off into space letting the Queen’s words process in his mind. It was slowly dawning on him that he hadn’t drank the ancestor blood but once since his arrival in this place. And yet he felt more sustained and powerful than he ever had. It was the Queen’s blood. He’d known it all along but not really acknowledged it to himself. Every time they made love, he drank from the most pure source of ancestor blood there was. She smiled at him then in confirmation. You should know by now, young one, to trust your instincts. All too often, you don’t listen to them until it’s far too late.

  Hank didn’t reply. He simply continued to let everything he was learning gel within him. And after a long thoughtful moment, he rose and dressed himself.

  “I’m ready to meet them.”

  “I know.” The Queen cast a sly grin at Hank and held her hand out for him to take. “Follow me, young one. Today you will meet your destiny.”

  Hank took her hand and squeezed it with a strange sort of respect that he didn’t know how else to express and the two left the Queen’s cavern.

  * * *

  Hanging on the wind like an eagle soaring through the heavens in the moonlight, Bellona flew with a majestic fury that sent an unseen shadow everywhere she went. That shadow reached down into the darkness of night and brought with it a growing army of angry men, women, and children of all shapes and sizes. They followed her on the ground below mindlessly slobbering as they ran, ready for the kill. She could feel every single mind as it wandered behind her. She had never cared to understand the simple human borders that she was now crossing, she only knew she was headed south to where he was. And when she was close enough she would be able to reach into the minds of the people and creatures below and eventually a trail leading directly to him would become clear.

  His name was Simon. She remembered him from his time as Mediator from Joseph’s memories. He would pay for Marcus’s life. They all would. A new spark of rage leapt out from Bellona and below she could feel as thousands of her followers lashed out and attacked those around them. Rape, murder, beatings, and bludgeoning were forging a trail south. Fires erupted in every new city she entered. When she was within a hundred miles of the swamps, she began to drop down to a lower altitude. As she did, the sense of fury and destruction she was causing below grew outward and so did the pleasure it caused within her. Joseph would be displeased with her, she knew. But he would have to allow her this one transgression. She needed this. She needed to take revenge for her oldest child of the night.

  Sweet strong Marcus. Destroyer of nations. Conjuror and conqueror of empires.

  Plumes of smoke rose all around as she lowered herself to the ground. She would meet this man face to face and take his blood for all to see. But slowly. His long-lasting suffering would be her sweetest nectar. A large old city was beginning to spread all around her as she walked. The signs read New Orleans and flashes of memory of this place came back to her. Nothing of much interest. Just an odd people who she respected for their strength and endurance. But as they currently stood in her way, she would mold them and use them any way necessary to get what she wanted.

  As Bellona came upon the French Quarter, the many shops and clubs lit up with neon light, she reached out all around her into the minds of the masses and began to play, the reflection of firelight shining brightly in her fully black eyes.

  * * *

  When Hank and the Queen entered the main cavern of the hive, a vampire whose name Hank couldn’t recall rushed up to the Queen saying, “Mother, the Foederati General is here to speak with—“

  “I know, my child. Go and give them my blessing to come inside. We’ll be waiting for them here.”

  “Yes, Mother.” And with that he turned away and disappeared. The bonfire that had been filling the cavern with firelight was nearly out and a thick cloud of smoke was hovering above it. The Queen concentrated in its direction for a moment and in a blast that made Hank jump with surprise, the bonfire erupted to its former glory. She smiled and took her seat at her throne. Hank stood in awkward form just watching the fire and waiting for the Foederati. He wasn’t sure he was ready to lead an army, he hardly knew how to handle his own internal predicaments at the moment yet be responsible for others in battle. But he knew he had advantages that other men didn’t have and a sense of obligation was growing in him lately to use those advantages to help against the Empire.

  A crowd of soldiers made their way into the cavern led by a tall confident looking man whose very posture hinted at years of discipline and leadership. His hair was short and brown and he had a small scar along his left temple. He was grinning in an almost absurd way when he walked up and put his hand out for Hank to shake. In an odd mental contrast, Hank couldn’t help but think of when he was introduced to the Emperor’s assistant, Jack Draper. Hank allowed the man to shake his hand and nodded to him. The man’s hand was sweatier than Hank had expected. Behind him all eyes were wide an
d focused on Hank.

  “General Whindsor, honored to meet you, Mr. Evans.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, too. But please, call me Hank.” Hank’s face flushed with red. He wasn’t used to this kind of attention and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

  “Hank, sorry. You can call me Bill if you prefer.” He took a deep breath.

  “Okay, Bill it is. I honestly don’t know where to start…”

  “Why don’t you two go speak in private in Hank’s quarters?” the Queen said. Hank turned to look at her and then back at Bill. Bill nodded and Hank said, “Okay,” and gestured for Bill to follow him.

  When the two were in the quiet privacy of Hank’s cavern, Hank pointed out a large rock and waited for Bill to sit there.

  “I didn’t want to say anything in front of everyone out there, but I’m going to be completely honest with you, Bill. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing. I’ve never led an army. Before I was sent to Necropolis, I was a fucking cabbie for Christ sakes. I don’t understand all this destiny shit and I don’t quite know how to deal with all of it yet. I know I have abilities—gifts?—that others don’t have and I want to do whatever I can to use those against the Empire, but I’m gonna need to be able to level with you and for you to level with me, okay?”

  Bill looked up at Hank and grinned. “Yes, sir. Roger said you would say something like that. And I’ll be damned if you’re not exactly how he described you.” Bill let out a hearty laugh. Hank just looked at him bewildered.

  “Roger?”

  Bill’s laughter slowed enough for him to blurt out the words, “Roger Tresney.” Then with a look of thoughtfulness, Bill became silent for a moment. “Roger started the Foederati. He was a very gifted man, not all that much unlike yourself, Mr. Ev—Hank. This would sound crazy if I were saying it to almost anyone else, but Roger could see the future. And he saw you. He said a man would live to escape Necropolis. He would have inhuman strength and he would also be able to see the future. Roger said he would lead the Foederati to win the final war against the Empire.”

  Hank stared at Bill for a long moment unsure what to say. As far as he had known, only the Queen and a handful of vampires knew that Hank had seen the future.

  “Well, what happened to him, where is he now?”

  Bill looked down at his feet and spoke in a solemn voice with overtones of anger and fear. “He’s been dead almost ten years now. He was found at home, strangled to death.”

  Hank mirrored Bill’s posture and stared down at his own shoes as well. “I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like he was a good man.”

  “He was. He was one of the last true American soldiers left when the war ended. They had him on the run for a long time there.” Bill looked up at Hank and smiled. “It only made him meaner, made him fight harder. He was a tough son of a bitch. And if it weren’t for him, there wouldn’t be an army of men ready to fight this war with you, Hank. And we are.” Bill spoke between clenched teeth. “You bet your ass we’re ready to fight to the death to stop that cold-blooded son of a bitch.”

  Hank thought about the day the Emperor threatened to kill his son with the coolest calmest voice whispering in his ear and he truly understood Bill’s anger. But his fear and self doubt kept him at bay. After a long moment of silence, he nodded to Bill in an awkward sort of way and then the uncomfortable silence grew heavy, filling the air of the cavern with a still sort of uneasiness that only amplified Hank’s most pressing concern.

  Toby.

  Whindsor sat quietly, expectantly. Hank turned, facing away from Bill, still trying to build the courage to say what was holding him back. A sudden loud static disintegrated the silence and a trebly voice filled the room.

  “General Whindsor, do you copy? Over.”

  “I copy. Go ahead, over.”

  “Word just came in, fifteen more safehouses have been raided: Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville—“

  “Tell me the names when I’m there. Make sure the remaining safehouses are aware of the situation and clear them to execute any evacuation plans they have on hand. It’s best we all spread out for now and lay low. Over?”

  “Copy, General. I’ll give the order.”

  Bill looked at Hank as he rose and headed toward the entrance. “It’s probably best we rush the evacuation here as well. Can you help organize that?”

  Hank hurried after. “Yeah, I can. Just let me get my son first.”

  Bill nodded as they rushed into the murky corridor.

  * * *

  As Bellona neared the thick smell of swamp and ocean, a crowd of hundreds of men, women, and children followed behind her as if each of them were blindfolded and following the same beckoning sound. She reached out into their minds, down into their souls and filled them with fury and every vile image of hatred she could muster and sent them forward toward the smell of him. He was somewhere underground with the others, she knew that much. Dozens and dozens of people ran forward into the forest ahead until Bellona could hear them splashing in the thick muddy waters.

  All the while she reached out ahead and below the ground searching for minds. It was like flipping a switch when she found them. One moment there were none and then there were many. They were to the east. She sent out new instructions to her growing army of mindless followers. They all began running to the east as Bellona rose to the sky. Sifting through the different memories of the humans underground, Bellona saw his face.

  Simon.

  She could wait no longer to get her revenge. Her body accelerated sending wind whipping and howling all around her. She could see them now from this distance. Most were fleeing the cave and leaving in large black semi trucks yet still many minds remained underground including his. Down below the followers were starting to catch up to her. They were ripe with hatred and ready to tear apart whoever might get in their way. The crowds of people and the trucks they were filling were growing closer. One by one the semis started to drive away each one following the last. There were three trucks still sitting as the fourth drove off when Bellona hovered over them.

  Then, without any warning to the people inside, there was a loud thud as a large group of the mindless followers rammed themselves into the first truck. The truck leaned sideways from the impact and then fell back on all four tires. The followers pushed into it again, this time leaning it a bit further before it fell back into place on the ground. They pushed it again and still gravity brought it right back down where it had been, this time crushing two men and one woman who fell too close during the initial push.

  Screams erupted from inside the truck and the driver scrambled to start the engine. Bellona watched from on high as the followers pushed the truck one more time, managing to get it over its tipping point and sending it sideways, its trailer crashing through the next truck’s trailer like a wrecking ball tearing through a papier-mâché wall.

  Satisfied they were getting results, Bellona turned back to her main objective. She sent an urgency out to another crowd of followers headed for the cave. They ran faster, eventually disappearing into the dark opening in the ground. Bellona soared forward toward them until her feet were again touching the ground and she broke into a run.

  * * *

  Hank caught up with Whindsor, nearly out of breath followed by a wide-eyed Toby. “Everyone who wanted to go is outside in the trucks and on their way out of here.”

  “Okay, good. My men and I are heading out now, you two should come with us. We’re gonna need your help.”

  Hank hesitated for a moment and then an idea hit him. “Okay, great, thanks.” Then he turned to Toby, “Come on, son, and stay close to me, just in case.”

  Toby nodded as they began to jog toward a cavern Hank hadn’t seen before. A loud distant crash nearly tripped them as they ran along in between stalagmites and slipped in mud and slick clear rock.

  “What the hell was that?” Hank said.

  “Probably nothing good. We need to get moving, now,” Bill said.

  Hank wasn�
��t about to argue with that logic. He wanted nothing more than to protect Toby at all costs. And if his plan worked out, he would be able to protect his son from the Empire and himself very soon.

  * * *

  The Queen watched as Hank and Toby fled the main cavern. A spark of guilt hit her for the first time in centuries as she watched them go. But she had made her decision long ago and there was no turning back now. Too much depended on her silence. The young one would meet his destiny today like it or not and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. And if they did. There would be little hope to remove the Emperor from his place of rule. She cleared her mind and instead focused on the cavern entrance. Soon they would come—soon she would come. And there would be much to watch. She grinned in bloodthirsty anticipation as a chill ran through her body.

  My children, it is time. She is here.

  * * *

  Simon and Ishan flashed in front of the Queen faster than anyone in the room but probably the Queen herself could see. A dozen or so other vampires took places around the cavern in preparation for attack as the bonfire continued to pop and sizzle in the center of the room. A moment later, what had to have been nearly a hundred humans, men, women, even small children, rushed into the cavern and charged the nearest vampire in sight. The vampires slashed throats with their claws and teeth but they were far outnumbered by the humans and eventually several vampires were knocked to the ground and torn to pieces by the ravenous crowd.

  And then she was there right before Simon’s eyes. Every bit as beautiful as the Queen but much different and yet he could feel nothing but hatred for her as she tried now to attack his Queen’s home and place of safety. But it didn’t take long to realize that she wasn’t here for the Queen.