Homeless

  I stood looking out at the I-90 floating bridge. I-90 was the larger of the two floating bridges that went across lake Washington. There was a little park that was above the tunnel that I-90 went through upon entering Seattle. I stood with one had on the railing the other holding the huge sword across my shoulder.

  The young black vampire’s name was Ed. He was the only American vampire to come back with John Barleycorn and Tabitha. But his returning with John and Tabitha was solely for the purpose of curing his curiosity in regards to me.

  I explained in general to Ed what was going on in regards to the Council. He pretty much said what John Barleycorn had said with taking on the Council and wanting to kill Cline. He had said that it was impossible to kill an Ancient. And that I was crazy to try. We did not know what had happened to Sebastian, I was beginning to wonder if he had abandoned us.

  John believed that Sebastian had something to do with the explosion that destroyed Gloria and my house, a theory that I did not believe. John and Tabitha were in Tabitha’s bedroom when the explosion happened. The blast had knocked them through the bedroom wall. They said they hadn’t heard anyone by or in the house since they had returned from the errand that I had sent them on. I knew Sebastian was a sneaky b*****d but I don’t think he could have set any explosives quietly enough to go unnoticed by John or Tabitha.

  Something was missing here, I just knew it. Could the Council have acted so quickly? Could John have set the bomb at the Council’s bidding? If he did, did Tabitha know about it? If she did, would she tell me? Would she betray Gloria like that for John? Or were they acting out of fear of the Council. I don’t think I could kill Tabitha for all of this, but I would definably kill John for this if he proved false. Damn it, where’s Sebastian?

   ’You’re thinking awfully hard over here Conner.’ Gloria came up beside me and put her arm around my waist; I took my hand off the rail and put it around her shoulder. It seemed a great deal of time had passed since Gloria and I had some alone time together. It’s been a little over six weeks since Augustus broke into our house. There was no way Gloria and I were going to be able to live quietly ever after, if we wanted a quiet life together now we were going to have to fight for it.

   ’I’ve was just chasing rabbits in my head.’ I said to Gloria, then I leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

   ’All my clothes…what a waist. And here I am stuck in this stupid dress and this damn fur coat.’

   ’Do you want my shirt baby?’

   ’Yeah, I’m tire of wearing this damn coat.’

    I also was still in the clothes that old Alvito had made for us. I stabbed my sword down into the concrete, without much effort I buried the sword a good eight inches into the sidewalk I was standing on. I laid my jacket onto the rail and took off my shirt and handed it to Gloria.

   ’Thank you.’ Gloria in a flash turned and ran off into some trees, a few moments later she was back beside me in the shirt I had given her. She had been rolling her sleeves up when she walked back up to me.

   ’You know what?’

   ’What’s that?’ she asked.

   ’We lost the cars, the money and everything else.’

   ’We didn’t lose everything Conner.’

   ’Oh yeah?’ I asked.

   ’We didn’t lose each other.’

   ’This is true.’ but the thought did little to raise my spirits.

   ’Did any of those rabbit trails give you any ideas on what we should do next?’

   ’Well, Sebastian and I were going to round up everyone and then go after Cline. Right now, I don’t know.’

   ’Cline’s still a danger to us with or without Sebastian.’

   ’Damn it, where is he?’ I wondered.

   ’Conner, someone’s coming!’ John said jumping up from the ground.

  I could only hear one set of footsteps coming towards us, and whoever it was made no effort to conceal their approach. I did not pull my sword from the sidewalk; Sebastian came up the road carrying a huge crate.

   ’What hell happened to the house?’ asked Sebastian when he saw us looking at him.

   ’Some one blew it up. Sebastian where the hell have you been?’

   ’I told you, getting this.’ Sebastian said dropped the large crate onto the ground in front of him. ’Someone blew it up?’

   ’It seems that way.’ I said.

  Emma walked up to Sebastian and gave him a hug. ’I thought you left us.’

   ’Are you kidding me? It just took me a bit to find you all. Who’s this?’ Sebastian asked looking at Ed.

   ’I’m Ed. John Barleycorn told me this ridiculous story about a new governor that came to power here and that he was calling for some damn assembly of North American vampires to kill a Ancient? What can say, curiosity got the best of me. I had to come and what this was all about.’

   ‘Well what can I say Ed, you heard the truth of what’s going on.’ responded Sebastian.

   ‘Are you guys really gonna try to kill Cline?’ asked Ed.

  Sebastian patted the large crate and said with a smile, ‘That’s the plan.’

   ‘I’m sorry to say you guys, but I don’t want no part of taking on an Ancient. Sorry.’

   ‘Oh you don’t have to apologize Ed.’ Sebastian said flashing a big smile.

   ’I don’t?’

   ’They’re not going to give you a reason to say you’re sorry Ed.’

  Ed turned to John, ’What do you mean John?’

   ’Simple, you don’t have a choice in the matter. You’re going to help them, or Sebastian’s going to kill you.’

  Ed looked to all of our faces to see if John was joking. I figured I should say something.

   ’Ed I am no tyrant, but we are in a terrible bind. If we don’t stand together and fight, we will either be the slaves of Cline or the East.’

   ’I see no difference in any of my choices. I’m going to be a slave to someone, so why should I choose you and not run for my life and take my chances?’ Ed asked.

  Sebastian answered for me, ’Because you won’t get away, I’ll kill you here and now if you try to run. Second, after this is all over you’ll be free to do as you wish. But as of right now if you want freedom, you’re going to have to fight for it.’

   ’Looks like I don’t have much of a choice do I?’

  Sebastian looked hard at Ed, ’Only with Conner do you have a choice.’

   ‘Yeah what kind of choice is that Sebastian, I either fight with you or you’ll kill me.’

   ‘The choice I give Ed is fight for your right to live in peace. The East is coming, do you really think they’ll allow us to live and let live here once they’ve destroyed the Council?’ I asked.

   ’You’ll leave me in peace when this is all over Conner?’ Ed asked me.

   ’You have my word. I never wanted to be a Governor, nor did I want anything to do with the Council. When this is over, you’ll have my blessing to live however you see fit.’

   ’Okay, but we’re as good as dead as soon as set foot in France.’

  I walked over to Ed and shook his hand, ’Thank you.’ I turned and looked at Sebastian, ’So what’s in the crate?’

  Sebastian smiled from ear to ear, ’A surprise.’

 

  Since we didn’t have a house anymore and my little family had grown, I led our group deep into the Cascade Mountains. There’s a pass by the Canadian border that had an extensive mining history. The nearest town to the pass was this little place called Mazama. Driving up the old Northwest Highway if you took a left at Mazama, the road ended some hour and a half drive back in the mountains. There at the end of the road, was a bridge that had been washed away. But if you crossed the wrecked bridge and continued deeper into the mountains, hidden and forgotten by the world was an old mining town.

   At one time the little mining town had a population that near a thousand people. But once the Second World War started, the U.S. Government put a radar station on one of the peaks going over the pass. The mining town was closed down, but the buildings were still there. I remember as a teenager camping and riding my dirt bike there, most of the buildings were one room houses. The building’s doors and windows were long gone; I remember the empty building radiated a sense of dread. I think the oddest part of the old ghost town was there was the lack of noise. No birds, no grasshoppers or wind in the trees. It was abnormally quiet, and upon us arriving in the middle of the night, not much had changed.

  I figured that the old, forgotten ghost town would be ideal for us. It was remote, there were plenty of wildlife to eat, and those who wanted to feed on humans would have to travel some distance not to attract any notice here. I didn’t care if the others feed on humans, but I wasn’t planning on changing my habits because some jackass blew up my house. Ed griped about having to travel so far to eat, Gloria bitched because of the crappy living conditions. Emma was ecstatic at the unlimited possibilities of scaring birds outside of the hidden valley.

  John Barleycorn had shown the same indifference that Sebastian had at our new living conditions, Tabitha on the other hand looked at everything as one large adventure. She had told Gloria on the run up here she was thinking about trying her luck on feeding on a human. She didn’t like the idea of killing someone, but humans just smelled so good to her and she didn’t think she would be able to resist the temptation much longer, John was happy about that. He had remarked that bagged blood tasted stale, and there was no way he was going to feed on animals.

  Sebastian didn’t care what he ate as long as he could eat in peace. The funny thing about Sebastian was he only ate once or twice a year now. And that eating did little for him after all the long years he lived. I guess after awhile, feeding became nothing more than having a sweet tooth.

  Sebastian had set the large crate down in front of the house that Gloria and I clamed as ours. I was a bit hungry so Sebastian told me to go hunt and he wouldn’t open the crate till I returned. After about ten minutes I had found a large buck. I didn’t kill it; I wanted to see whatever lunacy Sebastian had shipped back from Spain. So I just dragged it back to town by its neck. Gloria gave me a dirty look when I sat down on the top step of the little house.

   ‘Conner for crying out loud will you kill the damn deer already please?’ Gloria asked watching the whaling buck fighting to get away from me.

  I frowned at Gloria, ‘Where did everyone go?’

   ‘I don’t know. Conner the deer! Please!’

  I drained the buck within a few minutes, still being a bit hungry I started ripping the buck apart and gnawed away at him.

  Gloria gave me a concerned look, ‘Conner what’s happened to you?’

   ‘What do you mean what’s happened to me?’

   ‘I don’t know, I feel like I’m losing you.’

   ‘Losing me? What the hell are you talking about?’

   ‘I don’t know. I just feel like I don’t know you anymore.’

  I dropped the buck and walked over to Gloria and put my arms around her, ‘What’s a matter?’

   ‘Conner the cab driver, you wanted to make sure he was dead. If he wasn’t, would you have had me kill him?’

   ‘Gloria, it’s not that I wanted him dead, but we just couldn’t leave him in the hands of the authorities could we?’

   ’No.’

   ’We were under attack; someone had just tried to kill us. We couldn’t leave him, and we could take him at that moment. What else could we have done, but make sure he was dead?’

   ‘You’re right, but it was just the way you said it. It sounded so cold, and that’s not you. Plus what you did at the Council, and that,’ Gloria said pointing at the dead buck, ‘was that really necessary?’

   ‘Is what necessary, eating?’

   ‘No Conner, dragging the damn thing back here by the neck.’

   ‘I guess not. I wanted it fresh and I was wondering what in the world is in that crate…I didn’t want to wait till after I ate. I’m sorry I guess I should have been more thoughtful.’

  Gloria hugged me back, ‘I just don’t want to lose you though all of this.’

   ‘You won’t, I don’t know what we’ll do after this. But once we’re past this, things will be better.’

  Sebastian walked up to us and I let go of Gloria, ‘I sent John and Tabs back to Kirkland to let everyone know where they’ll be able to find us.’

   ‘How will he do that?’ I asked.

   ‘He’ll find a few people and let them know and then he’ll come back. Those he talks to will find others and tell them and then they’ll head here. And so on till everyone’s found.’

   ‘They’ll come this time?’ Gloria asked.

   ‘Oh yeah. They’ll come this time, once they hear what Conner did in the Council they’ll fear him more than the Council…they’ll come.’

  Emma came running up to us with a smile on her face, ‘Is it time to open the crate Sebastian?’

  Sebastian walked up to the crate and ripped the top off. I looked into the crate; one could only imagine what Sebastian had shipped back from Spain. Inside the wooden crate was filled with popcorn foam, within the foam were bubble rapped individual bundles. Sebastian reached in and pulled one out that was about three feet long and tossed it to Emma.

   ’What is it?’ she asked.

   ’Open it and see.’ responded Sebastian.

  Emma tore through the bubble wrap, under the wrap the object was wrapped in an oil covered canvas rag. Gently, Emma removed the rag. There in Emma’s hand was a graceful looking falcata sword. The blade was white; the handle was ivory interlaid with gold.

   ’Is this mine Sebastian?’

   ’Yes.’

  Emma walked up to Sebastian and hugged him. ’I’m going to cut Augustus’ head off with it.’

   ’Keep it with you at all times Emma; never should you be without it.’

   ’I will Sebastian, thank you.’

  Sebastian smiled at Emma. I knew Gloria did not like it when Sebastian encouraged Emma, but his gentleness towards her made me smile.

  Sebastian dug in the crate for a moment, he retrieved a smaller one. He handed it to Gloria, ’Here’s something that’s a little more graceful.’

   Gloria ripped open the covering; inside were two large knives. The blades were about eighteen inches long and had the same shape and handles that Emma’s sword had.

   ’I carried those knives into my very first battle over four thousand years ago, they’re very sharp.’

   ’Thank you Sebastian.’

   ’With those in your hands, no one will ever be able to bully you again.’

   ‘Where did you get these, are they yours?’ I asked suspiciously.

   ‘Roberto.’

   ‘He gave you all of these?’ I asked.

   ‘No, I figured it would be faster if we stole them then for me to make them. We don’t really have the time to make a few hundred vampires for flesh harvesting. And I don’t want to look for bronze and I don’t feel like making a forge.’

   ’A few hundred vampires?’ I asked with wonder.

   ’Emma’s sword alone would take thirty of forty vampires. Molted vampire flesh doesn’t go far. Your sword alone took close to two hundred vampires to make.’

  I was stunned, two hundred vampires, ‘Did you know them?’

  Sebastian shrugged, ‘We were at war, we made them just for the purpose of using them to make weapons. Conner fighting the Nephilim was a dirty business. Plus in the later years, there were renegade vampire tribes. After we threw the Queen Mother down, she made vampires everywhere for the sole purpose of causing mayhem. They fought with us and each other; we had several wars with them.’

   ’So what’s happening now with the East is nothing new?’ I inquired.

   ’No this is something completely new, Nephilim and vampire allying themselves together. There’s been nothing like this before, in truth I’m still not sure I even believe it.’

 

  The next morning it snowed hard for several hours. Gloria took Tabitha to the small town of Concrete during the night to find some new clothes, they had returned just before dawn. Ed said he was going to travel to Canada to feed and would be back in the later that night. I stood in the door way of the one room house and watched the falling snow. The house only had two windows in it; they were on either side of the doorway. There was no trace of glass in the house or on the ground outside, the front door was also long gone. Not that vampires cared much about the weather.

  I pulled my wife-beater off that I had worn under the shirt I gave Gloria and walked down the three steps of the house. I walked several hundred yards out away from the house; I closed my eyes and let the snow fall on my shoulders. I could feel each snow flake landing on my hard skin. Off in the distance I could hear Sebastian and Emma.

   ’Sword up, up, up, up!’ Sebastian shouted. There was a loud clang has Emma and Sebastian sword crashed into each other.

   ’What are you doing? Stabbing at a vampire is a waste of time, do you think that stabbing someone would do much in slowing us down?’

  Emma giggled, ’I don’t know, I guess I never thought about it.’

   ’When fighting a vampire with a sword, you need to cleave them. If you get a shot at the neck that’s great, but in fighting an experienced fighter you want to aim for the arms or the legs.’

   ’You mean take pieces of them one at a time?’ Emma asked.

   ’Yes, defend!’

  There were several clangs as Emma’s and Sebastian swords met.

   ’Good! Now attack.’

  I heard several more metal on metal strikes, and then I heard a large tree crash to the ground.

   ’What are you doing? Don’t be so reckless.’

  Emma laughed at Sebastian’s comment then I hear several more strikes. They’re sparing was moving in my general direction, not wanting to get into the way I headed back to my house. Gloria met me on the way back.

   ‘Penny for your thoughts?’ she asked.

   ‘I hate this inactiveness, I feel like we should be doing something more.’

   ‘Yeah, it’s too bad we couldn’t have our house way out here. Conner how did you find this place?’

   ‘I used to camp here as a teenager. Funny thing is, this place used to spook me out, it was so eerie. But anyways…’ I just kind of let my thoughts drift, ’This place looks different covered in snow. I’ve never been here in the winter time. Buried somewhere over there is the creek, I doubt that it will unfreeze till sometime after late spring.’

   ’Conner what’s wrong?’

   ‘I’ve been trying to understand how all this has happened.’

   ‘Can I ask you something?’

   ‘You just did.’ I smiled and looked into Gloria’s eyes.

  She rolled them and said, ‘Please don’t be cute Conner. Are we really going to try to kill Cline?’

   ‘Yes.’

   ‘Do you think we’ll win?’

  I sighed and thought about her question for a minute, ‘No, but I would rather take it to him then wait around for him to kill us. But on the other hand, like Roberto said when we were in Spain the first time, “Who is strong enough to challenge an Ancient, or crazy enough too?” So maybe our attack will surprise him enough, so who knows. Sebastian seems to believe we will win.’

   ‘Sebastian‘s crazy Conner.’

   ‘Maybe, who knows what four thousand years will do to a person? But I don’t think he’s suicidal, I honestly don’t think Sebastian would attack Cline if the only outcome was death.’

   ‘Maybe you’re right, but I think he would if there was only a ten percent chance of living.’

  I chuckled at Gloria’s assessment of Sebastian, ‘I think you’re right on that.’

  I reached out and hugged Gloria, ‘I do not know how we will get past this, but we will somehow.’

 

  The amount of snow that fell over the next three days was incredible. I was glad the cold no longer bothered me. It was one of the perks of being vampire, how I hated the cold. The snow on the ground was frozen, so it crunched when you walked on it. Ed was late getting back from his hunting trip, he came back yesterday morning. He had gotten lost in the snow storm that we were going through. All of our scents had been buried under the two feet of snow that had fallen, it was only by dumb luck that Ed had found us.

  He had heard Emma and Sebastian sparing, the two of them spared without rest day and night. Sebastian had long cease giving instructions to Emma in the art of fighting with the sword. Outside of their swords striking each other and the occasional tree falling, the only thing we heard was Emma’s loud snarling.

   Once the snarling between Sebastian and Emma became so loud and fierce that Gloria made me check on them to make sure that their sparing had not turned into a real fight. I wasn’t sure when I got up to them that they weren’t actually fighting.

  Emma swung her falcata at Sebastian when he checked her swing, the force of the blow sent Sebastian flying backwards through the air. Upon landing Sebastian grabbed a huge downed tree and threw it at Emma like a spear. Emma with the speed of a snake jumped out of the way of the tree and chopped it in half as it went by. Emma watched the two pieces fall to the ground and laughed.

   ’Hey Sebastian, that’s cheating. We agreed that we wouldn’t throw trees.’

   ’Nah, nah, nah. We said we wouldn’t tear up tree and throw them.’ pointing at the two pieces he went on, ’That one was all ready down. So that one doesn’t count.’

   ‘That’s crap Sebastian, the idea behind the rule was not throwing trees.’ Emma looked at me and smiled, ‘Hey Conner.’

   ‘Hey. Gloria wanted me to check on you two. She had thought you two were getting out of control out here. If you all are going to throw trees, make sure they don’t fly towards the camp.’

 

  It was on the evening of the third night that the first of the North American vampires came into camp. He was an overweight looking one with plain features; he walked into our camp with great boldness. He was not one that looked like he was used to answering to anyone, he was his own master. I was inside my little house with Gloria when he came into camp.

  He walked up to Ed and spoke, ’Listen here you, I don’t know who you think you are but know this, I answer to me and me alone. The only reason I came here is to tell you what I told that idiot John Barleycorn, I ain’t fighting for you or for anyone else. And the next time you send that jackass to me I’ll tear him apart, him and his wench.’

  I looked at Gloria and the right side of her mouth curled up in a smile, I grabbed my sword on the way out the house. He still had his finger in Ed’s face as I came outside.

   ‘What was all that you were saying?’ I asked coming down the front steps. He turned and looked at me. His eyes went from mine to the sword, then back to mine. The newcomer’s demeanor quickly changed at the sight of me walking up to him with the large sword.

  I did not know if this large vampire had ever seen bowlon-new’bach blade, but it definitely had his attention.

   ’Listen, you may be a big shot in Europe but here in the States I don’t answer to no…’ His little speech lost momentum the closer I got to him. Once I was within arm’s reach of him it died completely. I glared right into his eyes, like I was trying to burn his eye right out of his skull.

  Sebastian and Emma quietly came from where ever they were sparing and looked at the stare down the newcomer and I were having. He caught Sebastian and Emma out of the corner of his eyes; I could see he was looking for some way to escape. Gloria walked out of the house with one of her large knives. Ed, still sitting on the over turned crate smiled at him.

   ‘I, I…’ stuttered the newcomer.

  With a lightning speed I swung my sword at him. I struck the vampire right below the left shoulder. With the downward swing I cut right through his arm, his torso and severed his other arm right below the elbow. With a gasp he fell to the ground in four pieces, I stabbed down with the point of my sword right below his throat and pint him to the ground.

  His eye were wide with shock, ’Now then, what were you saying?’ I asked.

  From across the way I could see Sebastian and Emma smiling. When the newcomer did not answer I removed the sword from his chest.

  I pushed the lower end of his body towards upper part of his torso; once the two pieces touched his body quickly repaired itself. Once back together he rolled over onto his knees and tried to get the stump of his right arm to touch the severed limb. Once the arm was reattached he grabbed his other arm and reattached it. After he was whole again he turned and faced me.

   ‘Now what was it you were saying?’ I asked, ‘I kind of missed what it was before I came out.’ I swung the large sword up and lade it across my shoulder.

  He was speechless, Sebastian walked over to us and stood next to me, ‘Well now, I bet you weren’t expecting that were you big boy?’

   ‘I, how is, I…’ stammered the newcomer rubbing his chest where my blade had cut him through.

   ‘My name is Conner, the powers that be are preparing for war, and to survive we are too. For reasons beyond my control I will be needing all that I can find and that includes you.’

  The newcomer finally was able to speak, ‘My name is Andrew, I don’t see how your problems with the Ancients of Europe have to do with me.’

   ‘My troubles with Europe are everyone’s problems. The Armies of the East are preparing to invade.’

   ‘That’s not what I’ve heard, I’ve heard that you have offended the Ancient Council and now they want to kill you. I want nothing to do with your problems with them, you caused them and you deal with them.’

  I could feel myself getting angry with this guy. I showed Andrew the ring that I was given by Roberto, ‘Do you recognize this symbol?’

   ‘The seal of the Ancients?’ Andrew asked.

   ‘Yes. Come inside, I’ll explain everything to you.’

  Andrew followed me into the small one room house. Since there was no furniture, we all sat on the floor in a circle. I explained to Andrew all that had happened in the last month and a half.

   ‘So you’re really planning to take on an Ancient?’ Andrew asked.

   ‘The Council is not going to interfere with Cline and Conner. They will wait to see what happens first.’ Sebastian answered.

   ’And how do you know that?’  Andrew snapped at Sebastian.

   ’Sebastian has fought for the Council since the over throwing of the Queen Mother. If anyone could guess the mind of the Council, it would be Sebastian.’

   ’The Queen Mother, that’s bullshit. The Queen is nothing more than a bunch of fairy tales. Everyone knows that.’ answered Andrew.

   ’The Queen Mother is as really as you or I, but I’m not going to argue whether she is real or not with the likes of you.’ Sebastian replied.  

   ‘Whatever, who cares. I’m not going to help you try and kill an Ancient. And that’s the end of it.’ said Andrew.

  I laughed, ‘Do you real think you have a choice? You will fight for me, or Sebastian and I will burn you alive. If you manage to get away, we will hunt you until judgment day. Europe will not be safe for you, the East won’t be either. So where will you run, South America? From what I hear, that isn’t a good place to go. Like I told Ed, after this is all over you’ll be free to do whatever. But if we do not unite, there will be nothing to stop what‘s coming. You‘ll will either fight for the survival of our way of life, or you will die.’

   ‘I just don’t see how killing an Ancient will help us in fighting the East.’ Andrew stated.

   ‘We need the Council; the Council is no longer unified. We need their strength unified to fight them.’ said Gloria.

   ‘Killing an Ancient will only unify them in trying to kill anyone who helps you.’ responded Andrew.

   ‘Maybe you’re right, but if we become strong enough to kill Cline, the Council will not risk itself becoming weaker by attacking us. The Council will have to gather its full strength to come after Conner. We just have to stay alive long enough for the East to invade. Once that happens, they will have to turn and fight them.’ said Sebastian.

   ‘This is madness.’ Andrew replied.

   ‘Yeah!’ laughed Sebastian.

  Andrew just looked at Sebastian and shook his head. Sebastian got up and headed outside, ‘Emma you’re it.’ called Sebastian over his shoulder as he walked out the door. Emma was up in a flash flew out the door and chased Sebastian with a wild swing of her sword.

  After a few moments Andrew went on, ‘What’s wrong with that guy?’

   ‘Who Sebastian? He’s old and bored. I think he’s the only one looking forward to any of this.’ I said.

   ‘His enthusiasm is rubbing off on Emma.’ added Gloria. John Barleycorn and Tabitha came through the door of the house. John looked distressed; Tabitha was carrying a new backpack on her back.

   ‘We did a little shopping while we were out. I noticed Conner you were still in dress pants and those uncomfortable looking dress shoes. So we got some stuff for you, a few things for Gloria and something for Sebastian.’

   ‘Thank you Tabs. Well John, what’s the word?’ I asked.

   ‘I found Butch, he going to look for some of the others then he’s going to head this way. And from the looks of it the spies of the Council have all fled.’

   ’Did any of them find out about us gathering everyone up?’ asked Gloria.

   ’Now how in the world would I know that? All I know is they’re gone, everyone else is trying to hide. The word is out that Conner survived the Council so they’re in a panic. Butch thinks he knows where they are so he went south to see if he could find them.’

   ’Thanks John.’ I said. South, I wondered how far south they went.

  John nodded and went out. Andrew followed John outside calling his name as he went. Tabitha walked over and sat next to Gloria, she opened her backpack and started going through some of the things she packed. Tabitha handed Gloria a stack of things.

   ‘Here you go hun, it’s not much but it’s better than nothing. Here you go Conner.’ she handed me a few pairs of jeans and a few shirts.

   ‘Thank you.’ I said taking the stack of clothes from her.

   ‘Oh, I have something for you; while we were out I saw a leather store. So I stopped and made you something.’ Tabitha pulled out a plastic bag and handed it to me. Looking inside it looked like she got me a shoulder holster; I pull the holster and looked at it. The holster had two straps that were like those from a backpack, but across the back was a sleeve about a foot and a half long. The leather was about a half an inch thick, the sleeve had five snaps that ran down the middle so the sleeve could be opened.

   ‘What is it?’ I asked.

   ‘It’s a holster, sleeve thing for you sword. The sleeve part goes across you back. See I put the sleeve part at an angle so it the sword wouldn’t bang into your legs while you ran or walked. And since you’re right handed I made it so the sword sticks out over your right shoulder. Do you like it? I put snaps on it so you wouldn’t have to draw it all the way out, you could just unsnap it.’

   ‘Thank you. Would you two excuse me please?’ I asked.

   ‘Sure.’ both the girls said at the same time.

  I picked up a pair of the pants and a shirt and headed towards the door. I slung the holster over my shoulder and grabbed my sword on my way out.

   ‘Oh Conner here, I got you a pair of boots, I didn’t know what size you wore. I hope they aren’t too big.’

   ‘Thank you Tabs.’

  Tabitha tossed me a pair of hiking boot that were tied together by the laces. I caught the boots by their laces and hung them over my shoulders and walked out into the night. Walking away I heard Tabitha ask Gloria what was wrong with me, that I seemed down. I shot into the woods and did not wait for her to answer her.

  As I ran, I could hear Sebastian and Emma sparing. The sound came from the front and left. As I ran I could hear them drifting past me till the sound of them was far behind. I ran and ran till I thought I might see the ocean, it felt good to run. If it wasn’t for Gloria I might never have stopped. Off in the distance I was starting to hear the sound of cars on a highway. I figured it was time to stop running. I slowed to a walk, then I just plain stopped. I slid the boots and the holster off my shoulder and dropped my clothes and my sword.

  I stood there like a statue for hours listening to the cars and the sound of the snow falling around me. When I opened my eyes, I could see the sun starting to rise in the east. Somewhere out there where the sun came up they were out there, I wondered what the Queen looked like. Hephaistion and Roberto said I looked like her, I wondered how much we looked alike. Was it our eyes, our skin, or was it the blue tint that I had.

  I sat in down in the snow and kicked off my shoes. I grabbed the boots that Tabitha had stolen for me and I tried them on. Great, way too big.

  Damn.

  I threw the boots into the woods. I jumped up and grabbed my dress shoes and threw them also in a fit of rage.

   ’S**T!!!’ I screamed at the top of my lungs. I grabbed my sword and chopped several large trees down with single swings.

   ’You son of a b***h!’ I said dropping my sword. I grabbed the first large stump, ripped it out of the ground and kicked it in the direction of the distant highway. I could hear the stump smash through the trees off in the distance.

  I looked down at the jeans that Tabitha had got me, I quickly slid out of my slacks and threw on my jeans, at least they fit. I shook the rest of the snow off of me and put my new shirt on. I slid my sword into the holster and swung the straps over my shoulders. There was a single strap with a small buckle that went across my chest to keep the shoulder straps on my shoulders.

  The sword fit quite nicely on my back, I turned to walk back towards camp and looked right at Sebastian about forty yards away leaning against a tree. I stood there for a second looking at him, as I approached Sebastian he leaned off the tree.

   ‘Feel better?’ he asked without humor.

   ‘Let’s go.’ I said as I walked past him.

   ‘To?’

   ‘We’re not waiting for anyone else to come here. We’re going to find everyone we can. If they as much as b***h, we’ll burn them on the spot.’

  We walked for a bit before Sebastian spoke again, ‘Then what?’

   ‘Cline.’

   ‘Good.’ I was getting bored sitting around.’

  I let a rumble come up my chest at Sebastian.

   ‘Not that that is your fault, but you know me. Can’t sit still for long.’

   ‘I don’t think Roberto would let us barrow his jet to get to France.’

  Sebastian chuckled, ‘No, I don’t think he will.’

   ‘Do you have an idea on how we’ll get there?’ I asked.

   ‘Sure do.’

   ‘And?’

   ‘Easy, swim.’

  That was not something I was too excited about doing, ‘How do you keep yourself going in the right direction when you swim?’

   ‘Oh that’s easy. You swim in one direction and when the sun comes up and if you’re not facing the sun, you change direction. Sooner or later you’ll hit land. But swimming the Atlantic Ocean isn’t a science.’

   ‘Great. So in truth we could land somewhere in Africa.’

   ‘Oh I would hope not. But yes, that could happen.’

  I reached down with my left hand and pull my sword tip up and started running. I didn’t know if I would catch the tip with my calf, but I wasn’t going to find out.

  When Sebastian and I ran into the camp we startled everyone that was there. Gloria and Tabitha were inside the house, they quickly came out. Emma and Ed were sitting on the over turned crate, they looked at Sebastian and I with a bit of alarm. John Barleycorn and Andrew were deep in a conversation that came to a quick halt and turned and looked at me.

   ’Ah oh.’ whispered Gloria to Tabitha.

   ’We’re leaving.’ I announced.

   ‘To where?’ asked John.

   ‘To where ever I say.’ I barked, ‘Sebastian, how many other swords and knives and crap do you have?’

   ‘A few, but not more then we could carry.’

   ‘Good, pass them out. Ed, Andrew, if either of you try any funniness, you’ll share the same fate as Cline’s b***h when I get my hands on her. Now move.’

  Sebastian headed off in the direction of the little house he had taken over. Ed, Andrew, John and Emma quickly followed. Tabitha turned and went back inside of Gloria’s and my little house. Gloria walked down the little steps and walked over to me.

   ‘Are you okay?’

  I sighed, ‘I’m so tired of this s**t. Gloria I can hardly breathe because of it. Every time I stop to think my head feels like it’s going to explode. I’m going to find everyone, then I’m going to kill that son of a b***h Cline.’

   ’Then?’

   ’I don’t know. Run like hell I guess.’

   ’Will the Council come after us?’

   ’I believe so. We just have to stay alive long enough for the East to come. Maybe when Europe empties to come after us the East will.’

   ’Do you think they will?’

   ’If they don’t, we’re as good as dead. What do we have but a few unwilling people, crazy old hard a*s and a half insane teenage vampire. That against the entire might of the Council, but for the life of me I can see no other way.’

  Gloria hugged me, ’Kill Cline, run like hell. Doesn’t sound like such a bad plan to me.’

  Good old Gloria, you got to love her. The group came back with Sebastian. Emma had two other falcata swords tied together with a few strips of old cloth and had them slung across her back. Sebastian had two short Roman looking fighting swords in sheaths slung over each shoulder and he was caring the simple falcata that he had used in his sparing sessions with Emma. John Barleycorn and Ed both had simple two handed broad swords and they both had the swords slung across their backs. Andrew had what looked like a falcata across his back and short Roman sword sheathed and hung over his shoulder. In his right hand he carried a simple battle axe, it fit him.

   ’I’ll be needing a rematch now Conner.’

  I growled at Andrew without amusement.

   ’Damn, I was just kidding.’ answered Andrew.

  Tabitha came out of the house with her backpack on, she stuff the second knife that Sebastian had given Gloria into her belt, I took one look at us and shook my head, ridiculous I thought to myself.

  Tabitha saw my disproval, ’Conner what’s wrong?’

   ’We look like a bunch of damn idiots, that’s what’s wrong. Like a bunch of rejects from a renaissance fair. All we’re lacking are some damn green tights.’

   ’Conner please, do you have to be so negative?’ Gloria asked.

  I sighed and looked at Gloria for a second, ’John, where the hell did the guy say he was going?’

   ’Who Butch?’

   ’Yeah he’s the one that said he knew where other were?’

   ’He said he was going to head south, other than that he didn’t get into specifics on where he was heading.’

   ’John let me make this a little more simple for you. I would like to find the others that Butch went looking for, if you would be so kind as to give me and idea where he might look so I don’t have to get pissed and pull your head off and kick it to the moon, I would be grateful.’

   ’Conner there’s a lot of places that they could have gone; there’s no way to be exactly sure.’

   ’John please, pretend that your life depends on it. If you did that, where would you start?’

   ’L.A. I think.’

   ‘Now, was that so hard? While we’re running try to think on where else they could have gone, okay?’

   ‘Sure.’

   ‘Thank you John.’

   ‘Sebastian, are we ready to roll?’

  Smiling Sebastian said, ‘As far as I can tell.’

   ‘Lead us out then.’

  Sebastian turned and started running. The sun was coming up on our left. The snow finally stopped and the clouds were breaking up. Small patches of blue could be seen in the east. Again with the east, out there somewhere they waited for us. Somewhere out there, those twelve conspired against each other and us. To the east the sun rose again.

   ’Hey, the sun’s coming up. Are we planning on running in the day time? I don’t like being out in the day time.’