* * *
That evening when the last of the sun’s heat dissipated outside, a hundred thousand vampires rose as one from deep within the cave. Every single consciousness was a light inside her mind turning on together like a million candles lit in unison. She felt the blood flow through each and every one of them and the pulse quicken as each of them remembered what the night ahead held in store for all. And in their varying reactions she sensed an overwhelming fear strong enough that even she could succumb to it if it were allowed to take her in and swallow.
My dear children, calm yourselves. We are many, we are one.
And with that the majority of them exhaled a deep breath and steadied their flashing synapses to focus on the task ahead without drowning in the worry of how things might turn out.
* * *
The tension in Bill Whindsor’s little rental car was almost replacing all of George Nelson’s oxygen as they whipped left and right along the curvy road beneath them. Thick trees and woods adorned both sides of the road everywhere he looked. Neither of the men had spoken from the time they left the terminal of the New Orleans International Airport. They’d only exchanged glances a number of times and only in reaction to the voice of the GPS abruptly filling the silence with its loud monotone female-like drone.
Unsure what else to do, George leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. Before long, he woke in nearly complete darkness and feeling disoriented as the car slowed to a stop. Bill pushed the gearshift into park and killed the engine. Distant sounds of reptiles and birds chipped at the outside of George’s window as Bill cleared his throat.
“Well… we’re here,” he said with finality.
The two just looked at each other for a moment and then fumbled out of their seatbelts and out of the car. It could have been the beginning of a horror movie from old for all the sounds of the night and sense of foreboding that came with realizing you were hopefully all alone in the dark. Except in this case, George knew they wouldn’t be alone for long. There was no guessing, no hopes of not meeting monsters, because on this very night they would come face to face with just that. Real life monsters. About a hundred yards to the east a large black semi truck and trailer stood parked in the middle of nowhere. It was barely visible save for the glint of moonlight that caressed its shape with a blue-gray glow.
A huge fire burst from in front of the car a few hundred feet ahead. In the firelight, several pale shapes dressed in dark clothing could be made out standing behind the huge yellow flame.
“Welcome, Mr. Whindsor and Mr. Nelson. We understand you’ve both only recently made each other’s acquaintance as well, so maybe you’ll be prepared for yet another meeting of new minds,” a thin voice called from behind the fire.
George held back the urge to complain about the near heart attack their little pyrotechnics had nearly caused him and gave a lame sort of wave against his body’s unwillingness to move.
Bill bowed respectfully and called out a hello.
The next moment the vampires were there standing all around the two men, not menacingly, but so suddenly that it startled both of them into a quick jump of fright. They stood tall, dressed in suits, their fangs very obviously visible outside of their lips. They seemed to wait in a mockery of human patience and courtesy. The one in the middle, with blond hair and blue eyes and the look of a man in his mid thirties stepped forward and held his hand out to George. With a hand shaking more than extending, George shook the cold clammy hand and tried not to explode in utter terror.
The vampire smiled at him as if to say he knew how terribly painful and frightening this was to the old man and yet with a sense of familiarity as well.
Then he turned to Bill and shook his hand.
“Gentlemen, I am Simon. I’m afraid Ishan could not be with—“
A voice called from behind George and Bill, “I’m so sorry I’m late, friends. Please,” and then before George could even turn around a short man with long black hair and a charming yet troubled smile on his face took both George and Bill’s hands and shook them simultaneously in a strange sort of custom unfamiliar to George.
“I am Ishan, and who might you be? I’m afraid I was otherwise occupied when this meeting was set in motion.”
The two men introduced themselves and George noticed the livid tension between the two vampires he now stood between. Looks like there’s trouble in Vampire Paradise. Eventually the niceties turned to business and places were set for everyone to gather around the fire and strategize.
“The best we can tell, the Imperial vampires disappeared a few days ago. No more road blocks, no more harassing people out of their homes, not a single sign of them has been noticed since. It’s almost as if they went into hiding. So, I’m inclined to think that’s exactly what they’ve done. They’re hiding long enough to divert our attention or to strategize their next move,” Bill said as he continued to draw aimlessly in the mud with a broken stick.
“That makes sense, however, I would be concerned that it’s possible they already know where we are and that the Foederati are helping us. It’s better to assume the worst at this point, otherwise we won’t be ready when the worst comes knocking on our door.” Ishan sat crouched forward moving his hands over the fire as he spoke. Even the other vampires seemed to be wary of this strange behavior. “Are the Foederati factions ready to move?”
“Each one is standing its local ground, awaiting orders. At this point our years of planning and strategizing have run out of usefulness. I mean we certainly never accounted for rogue or enemy vampires being in the mix. It drastically complicates making any concrete decisions when we have no idea where they are or what they’re up to.” Bill set his stick aside and sat back returning Ishan’s gaze with an expression of being backed against a wall and asserting himself.
“I completely understand, Mr. Whindsor, there’s no need to get defensive. We too have been acting on impulse,” he gave the blond vampire a bitter glance, “but the time has come for regrouping and decisive action. I would ask that you send every faction within a five hundred mile radius to help protect the hive as being near the Queen is the best chance any of us have of fighting back when they do finally attack.” Staring into the fire, Ishan stood and took his hand out of the flames and spit in his open palm creating a loud popping sizzle. Then he rubbed his hands together and faced Bill. “You might even consider sending the rest of your factions in an entirely different direction to help take some of the focus away.”
Bill nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. It’s not just up to me. But I think you’re right. But before we do anything I think you need to hear what George here has to say.” Bill turned to George and patted him on the back. George smiled at his new friend and looked into what felt like the heart of darkness: the vampires standing silently around him. But once he started talking the fear dropped away piece by piece the more he spoke. He told them about his days working with Caesar, about the book that he received. He told them about confronting Caesar and waking up in the hospital from the coma. They listened in anticipation as he told them what he had seen in the book. Bill began handing copies around to them as George described the things within their pages.
After several hours of discussion of what the Emperor could be, what could have kept him alive all those years, and what this information could do to wake the citizens from their religious slumber, Bill and George became worn out and were given leave to return to a nearby safehouse. There was still much to be decided and much to learn, but for tonight they had exchanged as much as they could. Tomorrow would be another day.
Chapter 32
Deadly Dreams
The familiar smell of sulfur was building again and Hank tried with every ounce of his being to will himself away from the trail he was following. A tall building near to crumbling told him it was time to turn the corner again and his body obeyed without a second’s hesitation as though he wanted to take part in what would happen. Toby’s heartbeat picked up again once Hank was past the
corner. It drowned out the sounds of war that Hank so vividly remembered from before. Nothing was different from the last time he experienced this vision except for the fact that this time he knew how it would end and he simultaneously tried to stop himself and take in every detail he could. Maybe something important would help him find a way to prevent it.
Toby’s scent floated over the road, the mangled cars, and the huge pieces of concrete, steel, and mortar scattered everywhere. To Hank’s right, the blood’s odor came from an open alleyway almost powerfully enough to knock him back. And right there against the brick wall sat that blue dumpster where his little boy was trying to hide from his terrible monster of a father.
The anguish of every step closer distracted Hank from taking in the details and before he knew it, Toby’s body was being lifted from the dumpster by that pale, sculpted hand that couldn’t be pried loose. The smell of sweet young flesh hiding the most delicate life’s blood overpowered Hank then and he tore into the boy’s neck and began to suck the crimson nectar from within. Toby kicked and screamed and clawed at Hank’s hand.
“DAD!”
But Hank only drew the blood out faster, letting it pool into the back of his throat and then taking large gulps of pure ecstasy. And then as this future consciousness began to fade, the last thing he saw was the first memories of a little boy—his little boy—lying in the dark in a deceptively huge playpen and feeling so very scared and alone.
* * *
Hank jumped up from the hard dusty ground, gasping for air and choking on his own tears. When he’d seen the Queen before, he’d been under her spell and now he needed to know more than anything just what it would take to keep this terrible thing from happening. As soon as he could breathe again, he ran as fast as he could out of the room and stepped clumsily over stalagmites and rocks until he found himself in the firelight of the main open cavern.
Several vampires that Hank didn’t recognize crowded around the Queen as Hank made his way closer. There were humans in the cave too. They spoke of some coming attack from the Empire. But right now, Hank didn’t care at all about the Empire, he only wanted to stop the monstrous thing he now knew beyond a doubt he was going to do to his only son. Pushing his way through the crowd, the many eyes of the group started to turn to him including the Queen's. She looked at him without even a hint of curiosity. No doubt, she’d been expecting him. Their eyes locked and she spoke.
“The time will come for your concerns later, my child. Right now we must—“
Hank shoved the remaining few vampires out of his way and took one long step up close to her and before he could say the words screaming to come out of his mouth, arms of monstrous strength grabbed him from behind. Hank only responded by letting his muscles relax and gritting his teeth.
“Now, as I was saying, young one. You will wait your turn to discuss the matter of your concerns with me privately. Right now more important issues are at hand. Ishan, you may release him, he will obey me or he will die—and your mother doesn’t need you to do her bidding without request.”
The grip on Hank loosened and he stepped away from the crowd without looking at any of them. However, a faint whisper in a language Hank didn’t recognize slid into his right ear and sent chills throughout his body. Because whatever had been said in that ancient tongue was pure guttural hatred made speech.
* * *
After a couple of days and nights staying underneath The Blue Mermaid, the reality of just how close they were to the coming frontlines of war was hitting Toby like a brick wall as he lay in bed. It was the closest thing he could imagine to living in some kind of bunker. Even being as far underground as they were, the slightest provocation called for complete quiet and every single person that passed by from time to time seemed to be on alert if not completely on their last nerve as well.
Dustin helped to keep him calm. He now had two stake guns armed and ready and was always trying to keep Toby in high spirits with his good humor. It wasn't easy to let go of the stress but Dustin could dislodge that hard sense of anxiety often enough to take the edge off. They had been given a small enclosed room with bunk beds much like the one they stayed at in the last Foederati facility.
It wasn't the most comfortable situation but Toby kept himself focused on the anticipation of being with his father again. Jonathan had come by their room the night before to tell them about the meeting. Toby couldn't help but envy Jonathan for being able to go where his father was. But more and more with every conversation Toby listened in on between Dustin and Jonathan or any of the other Foederati, it was becoming obvious that they were just on the brink of battle, possibly full on war erupting right here in New Orleans. Maybe even the whole country. The Foederati were apparently standing by all over the country.
Did they even have a chance against the "Avengers" and the Empire? Toby tried to imagine life without the Empire. He was surprised to find the thought jolted his stomach with fear. He'd never lived without the Empire. He couldn't help but fear what could possibly take its place. But in that fear there was some hope too. A dim hope, but one he could hold on to.
Toby was tracing lines in the brick wall as he lay in bed when the first screams came. They weren't screams of pain or horror, but almost a warlike screeching. And in the next instant everything changed right before his eyes. One moment he was lying in bed lost in his own thoughts and the next Foederati were scattering around, warning everyone to take cover in their rooms and telling Dustin and Toby particularly not to come out for anything.
Shortly after that, the screams of pain and slaughter brought Dustin to full attention. Toby recognized several of the voices to be some of the people he had met since arriving. Each one of them with their own life of hopes and dreams and now they were suffering and they were supposed to stay in this room and do nothing. It was more than he could bear.
"Dustin, give me one of those stake guns. Can't we do something?" As if to further accent Toby's words, a deep bellowing sloshy scream erupted close to their door and a puddle of blood began to ooze into the room from underneath. Dustin grabbed Toby and stuffed him into the corner where he couldn't really see much. What he could see was Dustin waiting with both stake guns raised between Toby and the door with his back against the wall.
The next second the door seemed to explode and the room filled with black flowing shapes. Dustin screamed and fired several stakes into the black mass of movement. At least one of them hit its mark and one form fell to the ground screeching in fury.
Sharp claws snapped around Toby's ankle and pulled so hard he nearly felt his leg pull from its socket. His body started to slide away as Dustin turned around. Dustin shot off a single stake into the creature whose terrible grip was now excruciatingly getting tighter.
Toby screamed and before Dustin could stop it, another black form, this one's yellow eyes visible beneath its dark cloth-like exterior, grabbed hold of one of Dustin's stake rifles and crushed it to pieces. Dustin turned to aim the other gun when the ground began to shake violently, breaking loose large chunks of brick from the walls and sending them in various crashes along the floor.
The next instant the vampire was on Dustin. The man fell to the ground with a thud and the vampire followed, its teeth firmly pressed deep into the flesh of Dustin's neck. Toby ran up to the creature and kicked it as hard as he could but it only continued to suck at Dustin's neck, paying no notice to the boy's attempts to stop it.
Just then a bloody and bruised Jonathan rushed into the room took one look at Toby, the heap of vampire and Dustin on the floor and then blasted a stake into the creature's back, sending it somersaulting over Dustin's motionless body.
Toby dropped to Dustin's side. "Dustin, can you hear me? Dustin, please?"
Jonathan was watching outside the door and kneeling just behind the wall, glancing back at the two of them from time to time. Toby, unsure how to check for a pulse, cupped his hand over Dustin's mouth and felt a slow steady warm breath. Toby nearly gasped with relief. "He's al
ive!"
"Good. Maybe. Listen, kid, we may have to leave him behind. I don't think the two of us can lift him and he doesn't look like he's going to be getting up very soon. And my first priority is to make sure you live."
"I will not leave him," Toby said glaring up at Jonathan.
Jonathan sighed in response, and began looking over Dustin with calculating eyes. "Tell you what, kid. Help me roll him over and up into a sitting position and maybe we can get him conscious enough to get the hell out of here."
Toby smiled as he moved into position to push Dustin over. The two of them shoved at Dustin's hip and shoulder. Eventually they managed to knock him on his side and from there he went to lying on his back with very little effort on Toby and Jonathan's part. The next moment he gasped and coughed up a big spurt of blood. Jonathan and Toby pushed at his back so he could sit up.
Empire of Blood (Book 2): Fading In Darkness Page 19
