The Lycan Chronicles

by Schroeder, Brent

  “Stick around, Gibson,” Max said, with a smile on his face. “Because, we’re going to get your friends… the ones that got you killed. The Baron always said that you could never be trusted.”

  “Rot in hell!” Gibson shouted back, with blood gurgling from his mouth.

  The Vampires laughed, each walking up and spitting in Gibson’s face, as he slipped down even further, until the wooden stake finally poked out through his shoulder. Gibson died three hours later, a horrible, drawn-out death, but he had betrayed the Vampires of his own free will, already knowing the price he’d have to pay.

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  Chapter Sixty-Two

  A huge shipping vessel was being refueled at a small village along the English Channel. Only a skeleton crew remained to load up food and water supplies, as the remaining crew had stepped into town to drink at the pub and make a much-needed visit with the local working girls. An old, weathered-looking man sat at the bottom of the ramp leading up to the huge shipping vessel, drinking a bottle out of a brown paper bag and whistling to himself, between sips of his drink. The old man stood, guarding the entryway ramp to the ship. Killing time, he threw pieces of beef jerky to his dog that sat with him wagging his tail, just happy to be alive and waiting patiently for his next piece of meat.

  “How’s it going, old man,” Maximilian asked, as he stepped out from the shadows, scaring the shipmate and his dog.

  “Damn!” the man yelled out, nearly spilling his bottle of booze. “Where the hell did you come from? You scared the living shit out of me, asshole! What the hell do you want?”

  “Not much,” Maximilian calmly replied. “Just your ship.”

  The old man laughed and took another swig out of his bag. “That’s a good one, mate, you’re really funny. Now, get the hell away from me, you’re already getting on my nerves,” the man replied, standing up and reaching for the double barrel shotgun that was sitting beside him.

  Maximilian just smiled in return. “Yeah, I think I’ll be taking the ship.”

  The old man gave Max a look that said he was crazy. “No one gets by me, sonny,” the man said, now holding his gun. “Do I need to explain any further? Now step off!”

  Max replied with the back of his hand, slashing the old man’s throat with his sharp Vampire nails, sending his head rolling off into the English Channel. He took his foot, shoved the rest of the shipmate’s body into the channel, with an light kick and took a quick look around, before turning and walking right up the ramp and into the ship.

  Cabin to cabin and floor to floor, Max moved about the large vessel, appearing from the shadows and capturing all of the crew who were still on board; they never saw him coming. He worked quickly and quietly down in the hull of the ship, chaining up the men by their feet, gagging them with rags and tying their hands behind their backs. Once all of the crew was stored away, Max found the ship’s captain sleeping in his personal quarters, deep below the main deck. He awoke the man from his sleep, using his Vampire spell of glamour and he told the captain that he wanted to go to America. Max gave him the location and the captain immediately stood up and got dressed, without any questions.

  Smiling as he left the captain’s quarters, Maximilian flipped open his cellphone, making his way across the ship’s main deck, looking out to the fog and choppy ocean waters.

  “All’s clear…hurry,” was all Max said, before he quickly hung up the phone.

  Maximilian hurried over to the boat ramp and within minutes, the black limos began pulling up to the docks, unloading eight Vampires, one by one, including Baron Valvasor. They strolled up the ramp, passing Max and heading directly for the ship’s cabins, underneath the main deck, far away from the sunlight that would be shining in the next couple of hours. The last limo left the scene, leaving the Baron walking down the dock and up the ramp, with a chained woman on the end of a leash… his pet. After he was aboard, the stainless-steel ramp pulled up and the shipping vessel set off, heading for America.

  The Baron moved down into the lower part of the ship, looking over the captured crew. “Should be enough food to hold us,” he said, rubbing his old, wrinkled hands together, as Max followed close behind with a satisfied look of accomplishment on his face. They left the captives untouched, for the time being and Max lead the Baron to the vessel’s captain. They stood together at the bow of the ship, as the massive craft moved further out to sea, cutting through the choppy waves like they were butter.

  “How long must we stay on this vessel?” the Baron wanted to know.

  “Two days and two nights,” Maximilian replied. “Our people will be waiting for us, as soon as we arrive in America. They will be providing us with transportation to Wolf Creek.”

  “I’m relieved that I was able to trust you with all of the arrangements, you have never failed me,” the Baron said, looking out to sea.

  “Thank you, my lord,” Max replied, with a spark of surprise in his voice.

  The group stood in silence, as they traveled further out to sea, the lights along the coast no longer in view, as Maximilian spoke a word of warning. “We’d better head down below deck… it will be light soon.”

  JD, Wendy and Sebastian packed their belongings, as fast as they could, but it still wasn’t fast enough for JD… he knew what was coming and he wanted to put as many miles between them and Wolf Creek as he could.

  “Come on, I want to be out of here by sundown. Take only the things you cannot live without,” JD said, visibly frustrated.

  “I’m hurrying, JD,” Wendy said, taking some expensive jewelry from her top dresser drawer. She was quite upset, thinking about the deaths of the other members of the Pack. “Are you sure they’ll even come?”

  “Yes, I’m positive,” JD replied, grabbing some clothes from the closet. “In full-force,” he added. “Wendy, the Baron is a ruthless madman. I did more than just insult him, I attacked him and that won’t go unanswered,” he told his wife. “I really screwed the pooch on this one.”

  “I told you not to go to England, JD, why didn't you listen?”

  “They sent a fucking kill team here. To kill our son. And, if I remember correctly, they also murdered you and Sarah. And, there was no way we could’ve saved my brothers, if we went back f….”

  Wendy ran to JD, latching onto him, doing something that she rarely ever did, cry. “I’m so sorry, baby!” she sobbed into his chest. “I’m really so sorry…”

  He held her in an tight embrace and for a while… neither of them a thing.

  “Hurry up, I told JD we’d be ready to leave by sundown, right after the town meeting at city hall,” Nate was telling Sarah. “Hurry, hurry, hurry!”

  “Why is there a meeting?” Sarah asked, as she went to grab some suitcases from their bedroom closet.

  “He’s letting the humans know that the Blood Law is no longer in effect and that everyone needs to get away from Wolf Creek,” he explained. “I’ve seen the evil that’s coming this way… and it is most definitely coming.”

  “Do you think they’ll even listen to him?”

  “I don’t know, Sarah. And, I don’t really care, to be perfectly honest.”

  He began unlocking his safe that was hidden away underneath the bedroom carpet. “Either way, trouble is on its way here and we are way outnumbered,” Nate continued on. “I think they’ll listen, especially after the mess at the game. Most of the people know the truth and that should be enough of a warning, I would think. If not, God help them.”

  “Moonflower, I can’t hear you moving up there!” Sarah shouted up the stairs. “Quit texting and get your butt moving!”

  Everyone was gathered in town to hear the important message that JD was about to deliver and everyone was in attendance. Jerry Davich was there, still clueless as to what was going on, but he was absolutely certain that the news was not going to be good.

  “Alright,” JD’s voice could be heard through the crowd. “I’m going to get right to the point
and I suggest you people listen to every word I say.”

  “What’s going on?” Jerry called out.

  “The Baron and an army of Vampires are on their way here and anyone still here when they arrive looking for us, will probably be killed,” JD warned them. “The Blood Law is no longer in existence.”

  “You want us to pack up and just leave our homes, all before sunset?” someone shouted over the crowd.

  “Yes,” JD answered,” and not only do I want you to, YOU want to. You’ll probably only have until tomorrow night to be gone, so I suggest you get the move on. I’m leaving with my family, tonight, after I close the Vampire club….”

  “Where are the rest of the deputies?” Jerry asked him.

  “They’re all gone… they’re dead,” JD regrettably answered. “Someone, we don’t know who, tipped off the heads in Alnwick. Nate and I barely made it out alive… and there was nothing we could do to save them,” he said, before pausing. “I’d rather not talk about it… it wasn’t a pretty sight.”

  “He can’t be reasoned with?” Jerry wondered.

  “Stay if you like,” replied JD, who was shaking his head. “But, I’m telling all of you to leave. Go east or west and I’ll go another way, they’ll be after my family, not you and me. So, don’t follow us, as I will not be able to protect you folks any longer.”

  Someone stepped up next to JD and shook his hand. “JD’s right. We should’ve figured this day would’ve come, sooner or later. Realize what we’re dealing with people and remember… our lives here were good while it lasted.”

  “That’s all from me. Thanks, everyone, it has been a pleasure serving you,” JD said into the microphones. “I am, at this moment, resigning as Sheriff of Wolf Creek. Along with this, your services will no longer be needed. Your contracts are null and void,” he said, signing off. “The best of luck to all of you… now everyone, go!”

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  Chapter Sixty-Three

  “Follow us into the port and pull your vessel in! Prepare to be boarded!” a Coast Guard shouted over his bullhorn.

  Under the Vampire’s spell, the captain never radioed to shore, when the ship came in along the coast of West Virginia and they would now be meeting the United States Coast Guard, with no papers and no passports. The boat obeyed the orders and the Vampires stayed hidden away, as four armed officers with M16s climbed aboard.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” the Coast Guard officer asked the captain, who was in somewhat of a stupor from the Vampire’s glamour. “Have you been drinking or taking any drugs, sir?”

  There was no answer to this, as the captain just stared forward.

  “Sir, where is this ship coming from, where are you going and how long do you plan to be in America?”

  “Must get to America… America,” the captain said in his thick English accent. He repeated himself again and pointed to the shoreline.

  “Yeah. Well, you made it, but you’re coming with me,” the officer responded.

  Three of the officers had split up and were moving about the ship to further investigate… that’s when Maximilian made his move. He crept stealthily through the shadows, slipping up behind each Coast Guardsman, slicing their throats, preventing any shouts of warning from any of the three. Max then hurried to where the captain was being cuffed, no longer hiding his presence. The officer saw him walking up, but unfortunately for him, the officer saw no threat by the way Max was making his approach. Maximilian closed the distance between them and he reached out, snapping the officer’s neck with a sickening crunch, killing him instantly. He then turned to the captain who was standing with an expressionless face and Max snatched him by the arm and locked his teeth into his neck, sucking the life from the old seaman as he twitched and convulsed.

  Once Max got his fulfillment, he tossed the body aside and wiped his lips, taking a quick look around to see if anyone else was around watching him. “I prefer them freshly shaved and smelling like a French whore, but sometimes food is just food,” he said, as he moved towards the hull to get his people.

  He flipped open his cell phone and hit a few buttons. “We’re here. Pull the trucks up, at the end of the docks.”

  A half-hour passed and Max finally saw two semi-trucks with trailers, rolling down the hill and onto the pier, both stopping at the last docked ship. The Vampires onboard the ship followed each other off and they climbed aboard the trucks that waited for them at the end of the pier.

  “So, you’re Leon,” Max said, looking him up and down. “Thanks for everything… you will be rewarded greatly.”

  “I look forward to seeing the Baron,” Leon replied. “I have been a loyal subject of his, for hundreds of years.”

  “Yes, indeed you have,” Maximilian responded. “And, it will not go unrewarded.”

  “Get everyone into the trucks, it’s about a fifteen-hour drive,” Leon instructed. “You will be in Wolf Creek by sundown, tomorrow night.”

  The Baron was the last one to leave the ship, with his pet woman still in tow on her leash.

  “Hello,” the Baron greeted, when he came closer. “Nice to see you, Leon, it’s been a long time. So, would you like to be the next in line to run Wolf Creek?”

  “Yes, sir, I would like that,” Leon responded gratefully.

  “Then we will discuss this more, later,” the Baron responded. “Leon, help me up into the trailer.”

  Everyone loaded up into the trucks, as Leon shut the latch on the back doors of the semis and before he climbed in, he walked away to make a phone call. “Hey,” he whispered into his cellphone. “Have you cleared out of town yet?”

  “No,” JD answered back. “We’ll be gone in a half-hour. Are they here yet?”

  “Yes, they’ll be there, late tomorrow. You’d better be gone… the Baron brought more than you can handle.”

  “Thanks, Leon, you’ve proven to be a good friend to me. I’m sure we’ll meet again someday. Might be a hundred years from now, who knows,” JD said to him. “Take good care, Leon.”

  “You too, Sheriff. Now get that family of yours and run like hell, because hell is on the way.”

  After his call, Leon hopped into the passenger’s seat, in the cab of the truck, protected by heavily-tinted glass that would block out any sunlight; the driver would use a specialized screen to see where he was going, during the daylight hours. The two trucks rolled out of the marina, each containing close to one hundred Vampires, all of them fully-locked and loaded.

  All of the Packs’ family members gathered at JD’s house, discussing the routes that everyone would be taking and the new lives they would be starting. The wives of Tony, Wayne and Brad were sitting and waiting with Wendy, as well as Tony’s daughter, Whisper and Chumlee, Brad’s son. Chumlee and Whisper were the only two remaining children of the Lycans’ choosing a different path of travel… all of the other children left for California, figuring that they would hardly stand out, among all of the weirdo’s out in Hollywood.

  “We’re going south,” JD told the group, as they loaded up the last of what they were bringing. “We’ll travel deep into the swamps of Louisiana and hopefully we can lose them. Then we’ll take it from there.”

  “Everyone follow us. But first, give me your cellphones, laptops, or anything else that can be used to track us. We don’t need to make it any easier for them,” Nate explained, as everyone started to groan.

  Everyone did as Nate asked and they all threw their cellphones, tablets and laptops into a pile, as Nate stomped them to pieces with his boots. After that was taken care of, they jumped in and JD led in the first vehicle, taking I-65 south, headed for the deepest, darkest parts of the Louisiana swamplands, in hopes of finding refuge from the Baron and his Vampires… who were well on their way.

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  Two semi-trucks pulled into a Texaco gas station and diner, frequented mostly by truck drivers and outlaw bikers. The Baron and his traveling band of Vampires need
ed to fill up on gasoline and get something to eat… free of charge, of course. The driver hopped out and walked around to the back of the truck, banging on the door, before he opened it. He looked inside and saw that the Vampires were all hanging by their feet, like human-sized bats in a dark, hidden cave.

  Maximilian opened his eyes and fell down from the rack, landing on his feet. “What’s going on? Why have we stopped… are we there yet?”

  “No,” Leon replied. “We’ll be in Wolf Creek soon, only a couple more hours. We need gas and I was wondering if everyone wanted to get something to eat, since we’re way out here, in the middle of nowhere.”

  Max looked around, before waking the others. “Yeah, I think we’ll get a bite to eat, like you suggested. Oh and don’t worry about paying for the fuel.”

  Inside the diner, the smoke was pouring from the grill and the cook behind it was busy taking care of an order. He lit up a cigarette and began pressing a big ball of hamburger meat into a patty, using his bare hands. He wiped sweat from his forehead with a dishrag, turning to look out the window, after hearing thunder outside. As he looked, he thought he saw some movement out in the parking lot, so he squinted to see a little better.

  The thunder rumbled again, but this time there was a quick flash of lighting.

  “What the fuck is that?” the cook shouted, dropping the ball of meat. “Bunch of fucking weirdo, gothic people out there! Must’ve been a concert somewhere close,” he figured out loud. “Hey, Joe! You need to come out here and see this!”

  The owner, Joe, came out to see what all the fuss was about. Joe was used to breaking up fights between the bikers and truckers, casually grabbing his baseball bat on the way up front. “What the hell are you yelling about?”

  “You better have a look outside.”