by J. Thiele
Kara was offered an intern’s position at the General hospital and Rose was given a stern warning for not calling in sick.
Casey, Rick and Ray headed over to the warehouse, while Pearce went home to give Rose the news.
* * * * *
When the three unemployed law enforcement officers arrived, Damon was just about to serve Victor his first meal as a hostage in the underground cell. They went down with him to ensure his safety against master vampire. Damon tossed the bag of blood into the cell. Victor looked at it confused. “Drink! It’s the only nourishment you will get.” Damon told him.
He bit into the plastic sack and tasted the sticky substance, repulsed he spat it out. “What is this vile concoction?” he demanded.
“You’ll get used to it I assure you. I have. So don’t waste it,” Damon suggested. “There will be no more until tomorrow.”
A split second later, Victor was at the cage door clutching the bars and snarling. He quickly released his grip when he realised they were marred with sterling silver and burned his hand at the touch.
“YOU CAGE ME LIKE AN ANIMAL! I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!” Victor’s rage made them all flinch and they swiftly retreated to the living quarters.
* * * * *
Pearce went home to an empty house, Rose was rostered on for her first shift since she and he had become an item. Against doctors’ orders, he helped himself to a cold beer from the fridge and sent up a silent toast to his early retirement. ‘Fuck! I’m getting too old for this shit anyway.’ He thought to himself.
Just as the spout reached his lips, a loud knocking commenced at the front door. He peered through the window to see three men in dark suits and wearing sunglasses standing on his landing.
“Christ it's the fucking men in black,” he said out loud as he went to open the door.
“Detective Pearce?” one of the strangers asked.
“Nope, just plain old Anthony Pearce. Tony to my friends. Case ya haven’t heard, I’m on the shelf, effective immediately.” He informed them.
“Sir we’re from the F.B.I Special Divisions, we’d like you to come with us. There is someone requesting to speak with you.” he was told.
“Yeah well, I’m a little busy basking in my retirement. Tell who ever sent ya to make an appointment.”
He went to close the door and return to his cold beer, in peace.
“Sir this isn’t a request, it’s come from the big house. It concerns your colleagues—Marks, Powell and Aspley”
Pearce stopped in his tracks. He would not allow any more trouble to come their way and so agreed to accompany them to wherever it was they had planned to take him.
* * * * *
They drove for what seemed like hours. The windows were tinted black, they were so dark he had no idea of where they were taking him. Suddenly he felt the car descend, he was oblivious to his location and didn’t know they were driving him underground to a secret facility.
The car came to a halt and all the doors flew open. He was greeted by another man in a suit. “Please follow me.” The man said in an official voice. Everything looked space aged to the old timer, sterile and computerised.
“Where in God’s name are we?” he wanted to know, glancing around his surroundings.
“We’re underground sir.” The man told him. “In the literal sense, we’re under the surface of the city.”
“WOW!” he responded in amazement.
He was led to an office where he was instructed to take a seat and wait, who was he to argue with the 'Men in Black.' Soon after yet another man entered the room and sat opposite him.
“What’s this about?” Tony questioned.
The man informed him that they were well aware of the Vampire hunting, he and his team were involved in. That they were excited that a team of well deserving officers were able to track and annihilate a creature of the night the way they had the Moresby boy.
“What are you talking about?” Pearce spoke up.
“The body that was passed over as your suspect? We exhumed it and determined it was none other than a man of similar age, had that died as a result of a vehicular accident; His body was donated to the medical school for research purposes. Let’s not toy with each other Detective?” The man said.
“Why would you exhume his body without a reason?” Tony squinted suspiciously.
“Oh we had a very good reason Mr. Pearce, the witness’s statements clearly resembled an attack from a rabid out of control Vampire. We have been keeping things under wraps to avoid mass hysteria from the public. But you and I both know they are out there and they are very real.”
“Okay, let’s say you’re on the level. What do you want with us?’
“Simple Mr. Pearce, we want you and your team to work for us. You will be paid by the government and still receive a full pension. But you will remain incognito as far as the public are aware.”
“Doing what?”
“Exactly what you have been doing. Tracking down and exterminating the undead.”
“If we refuse?”
“We expose you for fraud against the public, telling them the truth about the body we exhumed. You could all be jailed for it, as I’m sure you’re aware. It would be a
Pity to see the lives of so many good officers turned to shame, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s black mail!” Pearce stood, his chair pushing backwards with his outrage.
“Sit down sir. It is merely a job offer with an unfortunate outcome if you refuse. Of course the department will cover all your needs and expense’s. We’ll supply anything that you and your team deem fit to fight your cause. This includes weapons vehicles you name it and it will be at your disposal.”
“I’ll have to talk to my people; I can’t and won’t make the decision without them.”
“Of course, there is one other thing. Mr. Pearce.”
“Go on.”
“Cartwright, you will hand him over to us immediately.”
“For what?”
“That is obvious.”
“Go fuck yourself! We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. And the city would be terrorised by his maker.”
“The choice is yours. If you decline the offer, it's off the table and you all go to prison and Cartwright is ours anyway.”
“Good luck with that, I’ll turn him and his kind on the city, and inform them to dig deep first.”
“Fair call Detective, keep your pet…for now. But I’ll be watching so I warn you, keep him on a tight leash. The first sign of trouble, and I will personally turn him into vapour.”
Pearce left the room and was escorted back to the waiting vehicle ready to return him to his home and his now flat beer. 'Assholes' he confirmed to himself.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
As soon as Pearce was dropped at his residence, he called Casey, “Where are you?” he asked
“At the warehouse with the others.”
“Right stay put I’m on my way over.” He hung up and sped over to inform them of the negotiations.
“That’s crazy,” Casey said “not to mention blackmail.”
“I will not assist you in exterminating my kind.” Damon insisted.
“What if we just say no?” Rick questioned Pearce, and was promptly given the alternative.
Kara showed up with a fresh supply of blood. “What’s going on here?” She asked as she sat comfortably in Casey’s arms.
Once she was filled in and had a moment to absorb the information, she came up with an idea. “Damon, how often does a vampire turn rogue?”
“More regularly than you think, “he told her. “Often the maker isn’t ready to replenish our species, and do not know how to handle a new responsibility. Just like humans if they reproduce when they are not mature enough.” He paused then went on “And sometimes as was the case with the Moresby boy. His soul was already twisted from being tormented and his last experience in his human existence was violent, and so violence be-gets viole
nce and so on.”
“And what’s the remedy for the one who turn rogue?”
“Unfortunately there isn’t one, not that I am aware of. I tried to turn young Wes around, with love, punishment and even compelling him to change his behaviour, but it was to no avail.”
He hung his head in despair and disappointment.
“Then we hunt the rogues. The ones that are upsetting the balance.”
“We? What do you mean we?” Casey asked her.
“Whether you like it or not sweetheart, I’m a part of this team. I have my purposes. Who else will patch you up, and kiss you all better, and besides, I’m the only one who can do the shopping for Damon.”
“She has a point.” Rick said agreeing with Kara.
“You all have a purpose.” Pearce informed them. “But unless Damon here is on board, we’re all fucked. If we’re going to pull it off we need all of us to work as a team…So how bout it son, are ya in?”
Damon stood, unsure of his feelings; he enjoyed the company of his new companions and the feeling of being a part of a team. When he was alive all those years ago, he was known as a good man, this was his chance to regain some of that pride in himself. Though the cost of it being at the betrayal of his own kind left a bitter taste in his mouth. He spun and looked at the team one by one “Just the rogues?” he asked.
“Just the rogues,” they all confirmed.
Pearce’s phone rang at that moment and a voice came through the speaker. “Have you made a decision Detective?”
“We have, we are just fine tuning our strategies. We’ll be in touch. Oh and when’s payday? ” He hung up. “Right the first thing we’re going to need is a place to call headquarters.” He decided.
Damon looked around, I’m comfortable here, and I am limited by day, you all have access and Victor is already in confinement, will this place suffice?”
They all looked around and nodded their heads in agreement.
“It’s as good a place as any,” Pearce decided. “We might have to do some more renno’s, but I think if you’re okay with it, I’ll let them know we’re good to roll.”
* * * * *
A few nights later once all the renovations were complete, the team had retired to their own homes and Damon was alone. He was inspecting the new quarters that were on the lower level, complete with facilities for his human counterparts, a kitchen and desks complete with state of the art computer systems. His private space was limited to the loft. Windows were installed with a specialised tinting that allowed the humans to work by day without excluding Damon. He was impressed with his new existence and was looking forward to a future that now held a purpose.
He heard a loud knock at the newly built back entrance and went to investigate. As he approached he could see who the culprit was for all the ruckus. His eyes widened and he was stopped in his tracks….Beth.
###
Bloodties
Copyright 2014 J. Thiele
Published by J. Thiele at Amazon
This is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, places and events are either the
product of the Author’s imagination or used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments,
events or locations are entirely coincidental.
Amazon Edition License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Amazon.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
CONTENT WARNING
The following eBooks contains Adult (18+) Themes, including graphic sexual scenes and language that may offend or disturb some readers.
All characters are fictional and portrayed as mature adults 18 years old and over.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Acknowledgments
Book 3 – Line of Descent
Dedication
This book is dedicated to
Melissa Bell
I promises I’d do whatever it took.
Acknowledgments
~ Melissa Bell ~
Cover Design
Line Editor
You capture my thoughts and turn them into amazing pictures,
that bring my books to life – Thank you.
~ Sue Denman ~
Editor
Thank you for picking up on my errors and letting me know
when the sentence should stop.
And for forgiving my lazy index finger.
Chapter One
He felt the bullet enter his back between his shoulder blades and he fell to the ground. The wound burned as the battle raged on around him. The war waged on as his eyes closed and he passed out from the loss of blood. When he woke it was dark and the battle field was eerily silent. As he turned his head he saw the bodies of his fallen comrades strewn all around him. No-one was left standing.
He staggered to his feet and searched for other survivors, but soon realised he was alone. His sense of direction was blurred, so he wandered aimlessly for what seemed like hours. The wound in his back continued to pinch with every movement. He had to find help, or he too would fall victim to the war.
Two days had passed and his injury was beginning to turn septic. He slipped in out of consciousness. Too weak to continue, he resigned to the fact that he was going to perish.
He could hear his pulse in the depth of his eardrums slow down to a slow beat. He opened his eyes for a final glimpse of the world he was about to leave behind. Knowing he would never see his wife and children again.
By the light of the moon he saw a figure, a god perhaps, or maybe an angel, swoop down from the heavens. He felt himself being scooped up and carried away.
It took almost 300 years for him to realise his god was no more than a devil in vampires clothing.
* * * * *
Damon met Elizabeth Moresby in the year 1920. She was the wife of a saw-man at the old timber mill on the west side of the city. She would come down to the mill every night and eat with her pig of a husband who would work into the night, sawing logs of wood that were sent in by the lumberjacks contracted to clear the mountains skirting the city.
Damon would watch her from the loft of the mill. Discovering that listening to her voice seemed to calm his angry heart.
He was angry because he should have been buried three centuries ago, when the French Revolutionary war was being fought. A musket was aimed at his back and he fell with his comrades: destined to die an honourable man that should have left his family proud.
However, because of the interference of his maker, his body was never retrieved, No-one even knew he’d been wounded. He was considered a deserter, with no way to prove his innocence. He lived as a creature of the night, repulsed at his own existence and bitter to the core that his maker was urging him to turn his beautiful Beth
into his forever companion.
He’d watch her every step on her journey home, ensuring her safety right to her front door. Victor had been on a feeding frenzy and people of the city were being massacred by his hand. The city was on the hunt for a madman or a cult, they weren’t sure what, but they were scared. He would not allow his Beth to fall prey to his masters’ hunger.
Finally one night, he stepped out from the shadows and made his presence known to her. At first he would simply escort her home, again ensuring her safety, desperate for conversation with his beauty just to hear her melodic voice. Eventually she fell in love with the vampire Damon Cartwright. Even after he exposed his gruesome identity to her, she did not flee from his company. He made her feel safe, like a woman, like she was beautiful.
Victor would taunt the young vampire. “You must turn her if you want to keep her.” Damon ignored his taunts, but they went on and on. “She will age, and then she will disgust you.” He would say, “It is time you became a maker, she is a fine specimen to join our realm.”
“NO!” Damon responded, “I will not subject her to this disgusting existence. Not alive, not dead, never to frolic in the sun again, never to set her eyes on the faces of her children again. You have no right to demand this of me.”
“I have every right. You feed from her and her alone; you are losing your way. Turn her!” he demanded.
“NEVER!”
* * * * *
Months passed, and with it grew Victor’s anger toward his prodigy. Even under compulsion Damon resisted the orders to turn Beth and take her as his own. Victor in turn took his anger out on the city. Bodies were turning up everywhere. Some were dismembered, some drained of blood and some simply vanished.