The Southerners

   ‘Here they come.’ Ed said nodding in the direction that we came from.

  I turned slowly grateful that I already had my sword drawn. Emma walked up beside me with her falcata hanging beside her. Sebastian drew his sword and walked up next to me, Gloria fell in behind me and Sebastian. Ed and Andrew stood next to Sebastian and John and Tabitha stood next to Emma. Jason stood behind our line. I could hear through his fidgeting with his wished to run, but his common sense was over ruling his need to.

  I could hear Andrew taking deep breaths as he was waiting for what he feared would turn into a fight. Emma swung up her sword and twirled it a few time, she was ready to rock and roll. This would be the first time I had ever been in contact with the vampires from the south.

  In the distance I could see the five vampires running recklessly towards us. They were in no kind of a formation as they ran; it looked more like they were in some kind of a wild mad house race towards us.

  The small clearing that we were standing in the middle of was no more than fifty yards at its widest point. I would give them to the edge of the clearing; if they entered into the clearing at their current speed and the recklessness I would attack them.

  I could hear their heavy breathing; they destroyed the underbrush as they ran. When I made eye contact with the vampire that was in the lead of their pack he snarled and accelerated his pace towards us. The sudden increase in speed from the lead vampire and his snarl made the Southerners frenzy as they came at us. They were a half a mile away from the clearing; their faces were of pure madness.

   ‘If they hit the clearing at their current speed we attack. If you run Sebastian and I will hunt you and kill you, which includes you Jason. Emma hand him one of your falcata swords.’ I said.

  In lightening quick speed, Emma had the two falcata swords off her back. She gave one to Jason and kept the other for herself. She twirled them both and snarled in anticipation of the coming fight.

   ‘Easy Emma, only if they come into the clearing.’ I said trying to calm her a bit.

  Emma was itching to try out her knew skills she had learn from Sebastian. I took a deep breath trying to catch a whiff of the approaching group.

   ‘I’m going to waylay the first one that comes into the clearing. Emma, Sebastian, try to keep the rest off of me till I’ve recovered from my first wild swing. The rest of you come in after Sebastian and Emma. Gloria, you and Tabs keep them from putting themselves back together as the fight develops.’

  Everyone nodded an acknowledgement to my directions. At a hundred yards out the rampaging group of vampires coming straight towards us slowed their wild pace. They came to a complete stop at the edge of the clearing.

  The four males were up front in a line, the female was pacing back and forth behind them, three of the males were snarling fiercely. The female had a high pitched snarl; it was hers that was the loudest of their group.

  All five of the vampires looked wild and unkempt. Their skin was an olive color and very dirty. They all had black hair; the female’s was very long and wavy and was full of forest debris. I met the female’s eyes and wondered if this was what Gloria was like before we had met.

  All of them looked to be between the ages of twenty and thirty. Not that that mattered much. Roberto was over four thousand years old and did not look much older than Emma, and she was older than me. I snickered at the thought.

  The Southerners snarling and growling intensified at my snickering. Emma quickly twirled her two swords in front of her and let out a fresh snarl as an invite to fight, which in turn only brought more snarling from the Southerners.

   ‘Quiet Emma.’ I said gently, Emma was quiet at once.

  The South American vampire that was quiet rose his right hand to shush the others standing with him, they were quiet at once. He stepped boldly into the clearing by himself. His friends all went into fighting stances, this could get out of control real quick I thought.

   ‘Hello.’ the Southerner said politely in a heavy sounding Spanish accent.

 I did not respond to the friendly voice.

   ’My name is Pablo. The most peculiar thing happened a few days ago. Several vampires from these parts came across my lands. I was greatly vexed by that insult, if one of our friends travels north to look at flowers they are burned instantly by you people. I am greatly distressed by all of this.’

  I again said nothing.

   ’Will you not answer to this insult?’ Pablo asked.

   ’Do you think I give two rat’s asses about you being offended?’ I said rudely.

   ’You should pure blood.’

   ’And why should I?’

   ’Because I am the one who will decide whether or not you shall live another few minutes.’

  At Pablo’s comment I looked at Sebastian. Sebastian looked back at me and was complete shock at Pablo’s words, Sebastian and I started to laugh at the Southerner’s threat. Pablo seemed shocked that we would laugh at what he assumed would have frightened us, which in turn made us laughed even harder.

  After our laughter subsided, I shook my head and said, ’Damn that was funny. Get the hell out of here and go back to South America while you still have your legs.’

  Pablo bared his teeth at me with pure fury. All of my humor vanished immediately as I posed to strike, our entire group was ready to move the moment I attacked.

   ’That’s right s**t for brains, I got your a*s!’ I let the most horrible snarl come up my chest and my skin flashed grey as I tried to burn Pablo’s eye right out of their sockets with my glare. After letting my snarl go my whole group with the exception of Sebastian and Emma took a step back away from me. I had to admit, the sound of battle coming from me made even my blood run a bit cold, but I would never thought that my friends would feel the need to step away from me in fear.

  The effect on the Southerners was obvious. All but Pablo took several steps back like they’ve were threatened by fire. Pablo realized his chances to intimidate us had backfired horribly. I could see now that all he hoped for was to escape the clearing with his life.     

   ‘That’s your cue leave now.’ I said with a little humor.

   ‘My lands as you know…’ Pablo let his thought trail off, ‘I spoke to Butch. He said you were going to attack Europe. That that was the reasons they were fleeing south.’

    ‘You’ve seen Butch?’ asked John.

    ‘Yes. We caught him and he explained why there was such a panic up here. We had to come and see if what he had said was true.’ Pablo explained.

  The turn in his demeanor was remarkable I thought to myself, ‘Oh yeah? Why so the huffing and puffing?’

  Pablo smiled, ‘Hey we have a reputation to keep, no? So the nine of you are going to take on Europe?’

   ‘Not all of Europe. Just Cline.’ I said flatly.

   ‘Ah, the devil himself.’ responded Pablo.

  I chuckled and nudged Sebastian’s arm with my thumb, ‘Hey, here’s someone that thinks there is somebody worse then you.’

  Sebastian smiled at my assessment.

   ‘I do hate the Europeans. I was from Spain originally until the Council exiled me to the south. I tried to go north to America, but John there and his friends would not hear of letting me come north.’

   ’You Southerners have always been too uncivilized to come north. Do you not remember what happened the last time one of you tried to move north?’ responded John.

   ’I had heard rumor that she was burned to death.’ replied Pablo, ’and that is not what one would call civilized, I remember the Inquisition.’

   ’I remember it too, what’s your point? If I remember correctly it was you dirty Spaniards who started it!’ snapped John at Pablo, ’Fire is the only thing you heathens understand. Hence why we used it, and to my knowledge this is the first time you dirty b******s have stepped foot in North America since we burned that crazy b***h!’ John yelled at the group of Southern vampires.

  The bad blood that burned between the Northern and Southerners was obvious, both groups instantly turned grey and foamed at the mouth with venom. Sebastian and I just looked at each other.

   ’Other than trying to fire up all the old beefs, did you have a purpose in coming here?’ I said to Pablo.

   ’If there was one that had the courage to attack Europe and the strength to achieve victory there, then I would be a part of that victory in spite of the company. John Barleycorn the rat of rats and Sebastian the devil’s imp, such interesting company you keep pure blood.’

   ’My name is Conner, John’s lady is Tabitha. The young one here is Emma. Others are Ed, Andrew, Jason and last but not least Gloria my wife.’

  I could hear Gloria’s face move as she smiled behind me at hearing me call her my wife.

   ‘My name is Pablo; these are Jesus, Louie…’

   ‘Do you think we care filth?’ John snapped.

   ‘Be quiet John.’ I said quickly trying to keep the peace.

   ‘Conner who cares what their names are? Are we caring now about who these heathens are?’

  I turned and looked at John, ‘Be quite!’ I snapped.

   ‘You must forgive the rat Conner he cannot help is disgusting ways, after all is he just a rat.’ Pablo said in response to John’s rudeness.

  John growled in his chest, and I do believe that was the first time I ever heard him growl. I smiled at John’s anger; there was nothing about John that seemed scary or intimidating to me.

   ‘Pablo I would ask you to please keep your comments to the issue at hand for the moment until things are a little less tense.’

   ‘Of course.’ he said bowing slightly.

  His bow and manners reminded me of Spain and the vampires I encountered there, I grimaced at the thought.

   ‘Are you telling me that your chasing of Jason was not to harm him but an attempt to find me?’ I asked.

  Pablo did not answer right away; he smiled then said, ‘I wouldn’t say we were chasing him to find you. Rather that in chasing him, you would come to me.’

   ‘Well now that you’ve found me, what are your intentions? Because if you expect me to say I’m sorry that vampires from here are running from me across South America, well I’m sorry that’s not going to happen. Because now that I know that this Butch has chased them down there that’s where I’m heading next. If you have a problem with that, I would be more then grateful to removing that problem for you.’

  I swung my large sword up and rested it on my shoulder; Pablo’s eyes followed the large sword.

   ‘My true complaint is against Europe, I am willing to put aside our mutual dislike of each other for Europe.’

   ‘Bull s**t.’ snapped Andrew at Pablo.

   ‘I don’t remember asking you a DAMN THING!’ I yelled at Andrew.

   ‘Well I’m telling you Conner!’ Andrew yelled back putting much disgust in saying my name, ‘I’ve known these Southerners for a long time, and I was there when they burn their poor little Mary. They can’t be trusted!’

  The mention of the vampire that was burn years before I was even a vampire caused all of the Southerners to instantly become angry all over again.

   ’That’s right, I was there when she was burned, and I was the one started the…’

   With the speed of light I swung my sword like a baseball bat at Andrew and struck him across the forehead with the flat part of its blade.

   I don’t know if it was from the power of the swing, or the shock of it, but Andrew dropped his axe and stumbled backwards. Sebastian was on him in a flash, man Sebastian was fast I though watching him move towards Andrew. He grabbed Andrew by the arm and quickly swung him around, as Andrew’s feet came off the ground Sebastian let go. Andrew slammed into a tree and was on him with two drawn swords.

   ’You speak again, you die. Understand?’ Sebastian said quietly.

  Andrew thought for a second to long, Sebastian stabbed the tree right next to his head.

   ’Do you understand?’ Sebastian asked again more menacing.

  Andrew did not move for a second, then he nodded yes.

  Sebastian was beside me in a flash with his swords sheathed, ’We’re going to have to kill him before we leave for Europe.’ Sebastian whispered to me.

  I looked at the Southerners; they had a look of both awe and shock at the speed of Sebastian’s attack.

  In my mind I knew we couldn’t take Andrew with us to Europe, he was a danger to us with his constant undercutting of my authority. But on the other hand I couldn’t let him go free here; he could run to the Council and spill the beans on what we’re planning. Sebastian was right; unless there was a one hundred and eighty degree turn we were going to have to kill him.

  Damn it, I did not relish the thought. I knew that Sebastian would do it without thinking twice, but I would miss Andrew’s sword once we got to France.

   ’Pablo?’ I asked.

   ’Yes?’ answered Pablo.

   ’If Andrew becomes disrespectful to you and your friends again in the way that he just was, you have my leave to kill him. We will not interfere.’

   ’Thank you.’ Pablo said with a slight bow.

   ’Where to Conner?’ asked Sebastian.

   ’South, we have got to find the others and head east. Pablo do you have an idea where Butch going?’ I asked.

  Pablo shook his head, ’No, but it won’t be had to find him, he’s either going down the east or west coast of the continent.’

   ’Why do you think that?’ I asked.

   ’It just too dangerous to go down the center of the continent. Remember South America is different then up here.’

   ’I’m starting to understand that.’ I grumbled.

 

  It took us two days to reach the U.S. Mexican border. Because of the Mexico’s population it took us another day to get down through Panama. During the day’s long journey through Central America we came across three different vampires, to my dismay we killed all three of them, Sebastian explained that we had no choice once John said he believed they were Council spies.

  Sebastian would spend no time interrogating them; he said it was safer to just kill them then to try to question them. Though I understood the need for secrecy, it still bothered me. Once we crossed into South America the party became uneasy. The fear of South American vampires were not easily let go of.

  I did not understand their immense fear after spending time around Pablo and his friends, outside of their lack of good hygiene Pablo seemed he could have fit right in with the European vampires. As for the other four, other than their accents they seemed to be the same as any other vampires. But the one difference I did see between them and us was they had more comradely between them then us Northerners.    

   It did not take long for John to pick up Butch’s trail; he had headed down the west coast of the continent. The trail was faint, I could hardly smell it but John having years of practice at this could follow it with one nose tied around his back.

   Once evening fell on the first day in South America, the group fed on a dirt poor village, the ruthlessness of the feeding was like nothing I had ever seen before. Gloria, Emma, Tabitha and myself abstained from the feeding frenzy, I shook my head as everyone fed till I thought they would explode, none of the villagers would live though the night. Sebastian was smiling from ear to ear as he walked back towards us.

   ’Now that’s what I call a…’ Sebastian did not finish his thought when he saw us standing there on the edge of the village, ’What’s a matter?’

   ’The village.’ I said.

   ’What about it?’ Sebastian asked looking back at it.

   ‘Sometimes I just, I don’t know Sebastian. The lack of compassion towards human life is amazing to me. You all just came into some unknown poor village and massacred it; do you not feel anything for them?’

   ’No I don’t. Conner in case you forgot, you do know that we’re vampires right?’

  Anger rushed over me I walked up and grabbed Sebastian by the arm and spun him around so he was facing the village, ’Look at them Sebastian!’ I snapped.

  Sebastian scanned the village, there lying all over the place were the dead villagers. Torn and broken the villager’s bodies laid in the unnatural positions of death. Men, women and children, the vampires discriminated against none. The hunger knew no boundaries; it did not care for race or creed. Nor did it care if the victim was rich or poor. The kindest hearted person I had ever known was Gloria and I knew she had killed both men and women, rich and poor.

  We could hear the scattered villagers being hunted outside the village. I walked over to one of the small dead children and picked it up by the arm. I tried not to see if it was a boy or a girl and I brought the child back to Sebastian. The child’s neck had a large angry bite that had taken a chunk out of it, the very sight of it made my skin burn.

  Holding the child in front of Sebastian’s face I yelled at him, ’Look at this child Sebastian, LOOK AT IT!’ I screamed at him.

   ’Conner…’ Gloria said trying to calm me.

  Sebastian looked straight into my eyes, deliberately avoiding the child.

   ’Don’t you ignore it, look at it.’ I reached down and grabbed the child by the back of the neck, I turned it lifeless face towards Sebastian, ’Look at its face Sebastian.’

   ’Conner please.’ Gloria said again.

  Sebastian looked at me with a blank stare, then slowly he looked at the child.

   ’Tell me you feel nothing.’

  Sebastian took a deep breath; he looked hard at the child and said, ’No.’

  I shoved the dead child’s face against Sebastian’s, flinging blood all over him and me, ’It’s a CHILD Sebastian, a child!’

  Gloria quickly reached out and gently pulled the child out of Sebastian’s face, ’Conner, give him to me please.’

  Sebastian did not take his eyes off of mine. I remember the last time we looked at each other like this; it was back in Spain at Roberto’s castle. It was before him and I had become friends, he had Emma by the hair between us.

   ’Conner please, give me the little boy.’

  I looked down at Gloria, then the little boy. My hand was covered in blood; I found it hard to believe that the child wasn’t completely drained. The thought caused me to have a sour taste in the pit of my stomach.

   ’Conner please.’ Gloria pleaded.

  Holding the child by the neck, my vampire strength completely crushed his little neck. I dropped the child like he was on fire; Gloria with vampire speed caught the child as he fell. Holding the child, she slowing walked into the village.

  Looking about me I noticed that everyone was back from chasing the humans. The all were covered in blood, they all had the look of shame in their eyes. They must have heard the conflict between me and Sebastian and returned to see what was going on. It was Andrew who broke the spell.

   ’This is the guy we’re following to Europe? What a puss.’

  Before Andrew could turn and walk away I had my sword drawn and came right at him. Andrew heard the claymore come out of its sleeve and charged with his axe.

   Andrew made the mistake of trying to cleave my head as I went for his legs. His swing went over my head; I chopped his legs off in one swing. Not losing the momentum of the swing I came back around and took his head before his legs even hit the ground.

   ’Burn him.’ I said replacing my sword back in its sleeve. I looked at everyone individually, then turned and walked away from the village.

 

  Andrew was not the only thing they burned, the Southerners burned the whole village with him, no one spoke the rest of the night as we ran south on Butch’s trail. As the sun came up Pablo ran up beside me.

   ’Are we running through the day?’

   ’Yes. Or at least I am.’

   ’Tell me friend, why did you care so much about the village?’

   ’There’s a vampire that serves one of the Ancients; he was a Catholic priest when he was human.’

   ‘That would be Horatio.’    

   ‘You know Horatio?’ I asked.

   ‘Everyone knows Horatio.’ Pablo said with a smile.

   ‘Horatio call us vampires an abomination.’

   ‘That sounds like Horatio.’ laughed Pablo.

   ‘You think when we act the way we did in the village we’re not?’

   ‘My friend I could care less if I am.’

   ‘Pablo do you know where the vampire came from?’

   ‘Of course, everyone knows the myth of the Queen Mother.’

   ‘Sebastian would argue she is no myth, but anyways that’s not the point. Do you know how she was made, the Queen Mother?’

   ‘A Nephilim made her.’

   ‘Do you know how he made her Pablo?’

   ‘Magic, he twinkled his little nose and poof, there she was. I don’t know Conner, nor do I really care. I know that we are what we are and I’m not going to lose sleep over it, well I do but you know what I mean.’

   ‘Yes I do.’

  Pablo and I ran in silence for a bit, ‘She was raped you know.’

   ‘Who was?’ Pablo asked.

   ‘The Queen Mother, she was raped by a Nephilim. You and I are the b*****d children of a rape. I think that I am one of the few if not the only vampire that was made out of love, did you know that Pablo? Gloria made me; do you know how that came about?’

   ‘No.’

   ‘Gloria and I were hiking in the mountains of Washington State. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing and bumped her in the mouth with my hand.’

   ’Did you know she was a vampire?’

   ’Yes, it’s kind of a long story how I found that out, you should ask her about it. She rather enjoys telling the story.’

  Pablo and I looked back at Gloria as we heard her chuckle to herself.

   ’What? What is it?’ asked Tabitha, who ran beside her.

   ’Nothing Tabs go back to sleep.’

   ’That’s not very nice what are you laughing about, did I do something?’

   ’No silly, Conner’s talking about bird watching.’

   ’Oh I wasn’t listening.’

   ’I’ll tell you about it later.’ Gloria said with a smile.

  Pablo and I looked back towards the direction that we ran, Pablo sighed, ’So you two spent quite a bit of time together before you became a vampire?’

   ’Yes.’

   ’And she did not attack you?’

   ’No.’

   ’Conner you’re crazier than I thought. Weren’t you afraid she would kill you?’

   ’It crossed my mind from time to time.’

   ‘But yet you stay with her.’

   ‘Let’s just say Gloria made herself hard to resist.’

  Again we heard Gloria chuckle behind us.

   ‘Why is that funny?’ asked Tabitha.

   ‘Tabitha, hasn’t Gloria told you how we met?’ I asked over my shoulder.

   ‘No, now that I think about it.’ she answered.

  I slowed my run down a bit till I was almost walking, ’Well, it’s like this.’

  I started at the beginning and went through the whole story. About me getting upset with her back in the collage atrium. Getting drunk that night, then the next day her buying my coffee. Then me shooing her off and having her end up in my apartment.

  I got a lot of hissing and booing when I told them about me shooting at her, but  they all laughed hearing about the cops showing up, then they really cheered when I got arrested for Gloria throwing the couch through the wall.

  I told them about the house that we had and how Augustus broke into it. Everyone wanted to hear more about Roberto and the Council, and how I cause such an up roar with them. I told them about the house being blown up, to which Gloria sighed deeply with regret.

   ’I am not an abomination Pablo, if you wish to be that’s fine. We all have choices in life, that’s the best part of being alive is to be able to choose one thing or another. I may look like a monster, but I choose not to be one. I myself choose not to be an abomination.’

   ’Fine speech, but you must understand that others are not going to see the world the way that you do my young friend.’

   ’They don’t have to. But they will respect mine and Gloria’s right to exist.’

   ’And if they don’t? Then what, you’ll kill them? How is that any different the villagers?’

   ’That’s easy, those who choose to hate Gloria and myself make that choice. They could choose to leave us in peace, but they did not. Gloria and my abstract life style bothered no one, even the blood that we drank I bought from a blood bank right before it would have been destroyed. From a human stand point it might have been a little gross but no one was violated in the way that those villagers were. That child that I picked up wasn’t even drained.’

  Pablo did not answer me, he shrugged and looked away, ’I’m strong enough to kill you here and now, but that does not give me the right to do so. But I am not going to argue endlessly the morality of being a vampire with you Pablo; if you choose to fight with me then you do so of your own free will. But if you choose to follow me then you will do what you’re told or I’ll kill you. That my friend is the only morality or law if you will that you must follow.’

   ’So we get to choose whether we get to follow you or not now?’ Jason asked.

   ’No!’ I barked.

   ’How come he gets a choice to decide?’ Jason whined.

   ’For one, because I said so. And if that’s not good enough let me give you another reason, because you’re one of my subjects. Pablo being from another province, I have no authority over him.’

   ‘What if I wish to move to South America then?’ Jason asked.

   ‘For one I don’t think Pablo will allow it. Two, I don’t think the Southerners will be very welcoming to you.’

  Jason looked at the Southerners; one look at them finished his confusion on what province he lived in.

   ’Shall we?’ I asked the group. Everyone looked towards John; he nodded to me and picked up the trail again.

   ‘I think I see why the Council fears you Conner?’

   ‘Oh yeah?’

   ‘You see things differently than the rest of the vampire world. Maybe it’s because of the way you were made. But my friend, I’ve live many long years and I know you were no saint in your past life. But that is neither here nor there; our world cannot ignore you. Can’t you see that? You trying to live of life of solitude has led you to defy the natural order of our world. Your silly little dream of living forever happily ever after has thrown everything out of balance.’

   ’I don’t follow you.’ Pablo’s line of thinking did not make sense to me.

  How could I wishing to live and let live with Gloria make such a mess of the vampire order.

   ’Conner you truly do not understand our nature do you?’

   ’Live and let live?’ I asked.

   ’It is a good thing you’re strong, our nature is to destroy Conner. To conquer and to rule. To be strong, to be the head of all creation. Horatio is right in calling us an abomination, but I don’t worry myself to death trying not to be what we are. You on the other hand strive to be better than our nature, this my friend is what the Council fears.’

   ’I don’t see why they should.’

   ’The answer to that is my friend, what if others try to follow you in that belief? Where would that leave the Council?’

  I was starting to follow Pablo’s logic, ’I can care less what others think about the way Gloria and I live. But those who try to hurt our happiness will face a fierce anger.’

   ’I do not doubt that, I saw what you did to Andrew. I saw what almost happened between you and Sebastian over something as simple as a human child. But I must say you’ve made me look at things with a different light.’

   ’How so?’ I wasn’t following Pablo again; I found it hard to believe that he had found his conscience.

   ’When I first came here to South America I was at a loss. I came from the high society of Europe, exiled to the jungles and badlands of the New World.

   ’The vampires I encountered here Conner are nothing more than animals. Wild, violent and crazy. They care nothing of art or music, there was a time when I would spend night after night in the theaters of Europe, I remember listening to music like you wouldn’t believe Conner.

   ’These creatures here care nothing for it. They’re more animal then man, so to speak. I tried to make the best of things when I came here, but the vampires here would attack you on sight for no other reason than to fight. They hide in their jungles and eat everything from fish to man. I have often thought of gathering a small group such as these and killing them off. Remaking South America into a place of light and music. Ah listen to me friend, how I dream big dreams.’

   ’Your friends don’t match that description.’ I said about the other Southerners.

   ’Oh no, but they are still quite wild. They see the benefits of living civilized. But as you’ve seen they would not do well in the finer places of the world. Even I have become less civilized. Listen to me; I talk about killing off the vampire population of South America.’

  I did not respond to Pablo’s assessment as we ran. I let the things that we talked about rattle around in my head for a while.

  After some time Pablo broke into my thoughts, ’Tell me, if Cline left you in peace would you still go to Europe to kill him?’

  I did not answer at first, but after a few seconds of thinking about it I said, ’Yes, there’s no promise that Cline could make that I would trust. Two, I really can’t stand him. And after everything that he’s pulled with my family he’s pissed me off too much to not want to kill him.’

  To my surprise Pablo laughed, ’Well then I’m in luck, the new way of things are not so civilized. I shall have a place in this new world that you’re shaping!’

   ’I ain’t shaping nothing!’ I snapped which in turned made Pablo laugh again.

  All eyes shot up towards John as a bolder the size of a small car went smashing through the trees narrowly missing John.

   ’What in the hell?’ I said watching the larger rock take out about a dozen trees.

  I quickly drew my sword, and like clockwork everyone that was armed did the same. Off in the distance I heard a large belly laugh.

   ’Damn it,’ a mysterious voice said laughing, ’I almost got you John!’ it said and laughed some more.

   ’Stupid Butch.’ John said sheathing his sword.

  I walked up to John with my sword still drawn, ’What the hell was that?’

   ’It’s okay, stupid Butch screwing around.’ John explained.

   ’Americans’ Pablo mumbled to himself as he shook his head. 

  Butch was interesting one to look at. He was tall, good four or five inches taller then I. Not only did he have a large beer belly, he was as broad as a refrigerator. Butch had to be pushing close to three hundred pounds. He had a large beard and a long pony tail, he reminded me of some biker. He was wearing black jeans, a black shirt and black motorcycle boots.

   ’Hi!’ Butch said enthusiastically, ‘So you must be Conner.’ The large vampire walked up to me with his hand out; switching my sword from one hand to the other I shook his. Butch’s gasp was not what I expected, his meat hook of a hand swallowed mine, but his grasp was gentle.

  Letting go of my hand he took a step back and looked at our mixed group, ’Hello Ed it’s been a few years. Pablo, it’s good to see you again. Oh and there’s my Gloria,’ Butch looked me up and down and said, ’see I told you, you liked the rough type.’

  Butch laughed again loudly, ’You, I don’t know you.’ Butch said walking up to Sebastian.

   ’That’s Sebastian.’ I said to Butch.

  Butch walked up to Sebastian and looked down at him, Sebastian fearing no one looked back up at Butch.

   ’You’re a dangerous little man.’ he said with a smile, ’I’ve known a few in my years, I’ve found it wise not to pick on dangerous little people.’

  Sebastian showed no emotion at Butch’s assessment of him, he just looked right into his eyes, I would say Sebastian was bored at most.

  Butch laughed and placed his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, ‘Well, I look forward to fighting alongside you my little friend.’ he said with a good laugh.

   ‘Well I see you found us John.’ Butch said with a smile.

   ‘Us?’ asked John.

   ‘Chloe was worried so I came back up the trail to see who was around, and that scary looking b*****d there,’ Butch said pointing at me with his thumb, ‘You could hear running miles away.’

   ‘Chloe, is Tom with her?’ John asked.

   ‘Oh yeah Tom’s with her. So are Trevor and that weirdo Allen. I’ve found no trace of Andrew though.’

   ‘You won’t, he found us back in Washington State. He was being difficult so Conner killed him a few hours ago.’

   ‘Really?’ Butch said with a smile.

  To my surprise Butch walked over to me and gave me a big old bear hug, ‘Thank you, thank you!’ Butch said trying to kiss me on the cheek.

   ‘Get the hell off of me!’ I said shoving the vampire off of me.

  Butch laughed some more, ‘Oh don’t be that way sugar.’

   ‘Butch I wouldn’t, Conner’s not in a good mood.’ John warned.

   ‘Well we wouldn’t want you panties turning grey.’ Butch said slapping me on the side of my shoulder with his hand. He turned and walked back towards the trail that we were following, ‘Come on everyone, I’ll show you were everyone’s hiding.’

 

  Trevor and Allen were older, average looking vampires. Neither of them seemed to mind the thought of being drafted into the war against the Ancients, I guess they figured it was inevitable. Tom and his girl Chloe reminded me of college sweet-hearts, they on the other hand were not so thrilled about being drawn into this. They did not seem like they would be much use in the fighting to come, too bad for them.

  We passed off the weapons that Andrew had been carrying to Butch; he seemed pleased with the idea of having an axe. He was amazed that he could chop trees down in one swing with it. But nothing surprised him as much as when I showed him how it could cut right through solid rock.

  As we were heading back north, I got a taste of the wildness of South American vampires. The eighteen of us were attacked by a single naked vampire male. His face looked more like an animal then man; it reminded me of the pictures I had seen in science class of the Neanderthal skulls.

  Seeing firsthand the ferociousness of the true South American vampire, I could see why when Pablo and his group ran up on us there was such fear in our group. Though we were in no real danger of the lone vampire, having to fight five of these wild things with half our number would have been ugly.

  Once we crossed into Central America, our direction turned somewhat eastern. We traveled up the Gulf of Mexico back into the States. We ran straight through the days and nights, turning off our eastern direction only to avoid human contact.

  Somewhere in northern Louisiana we raided a sporting goods store after it had closed to get sturdier clothing for our trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Sebastian had whispered to me to ignore the shoes, my feet were the best footing I could ever use. Our friendship had been cold since the village massacre, but as we left South America and closed in on the Atlantic Sebastian’s quietness seemed to leave him.

  I grabbed a roll of parachute cord off a rack and handed it to Tabitha, ’Here, put this in your backpack, we’re going to need it later.’

   ’Okay.’ Tabitha said placing it in here pack.

   Walking though one of the isles I could over hear Sebastian talking to Gloria.

   ’Sometimes I do not understand your husband.’

   ’That’s okay Sebastian, sometimes I don’t either.’

   ’I still can’t get over how mad he got back there at the village. We are what we are Gloria.’

   ’I know that Sebastian. Though none of us had the choice to become a vampire, I do not think Conner will never accept what we are. It’s just not in him. I thought you two were going to fight.’

   ’Me and Conner? Nah, Conner is a passionate person. When he started yelling at me, I could understand his point of view. We were wrong to terrorize that village as we fed, and he was right we shouldn’t kill needlessly. It’s just something I’ve never thought about, Gloria I was thirty one by your way of counting when I was changed. And now I’m forty two hundred years old give or take a century.

   ’You’re what Gloria, sixty some odd years old? And you’ve been a vampire what, forty of it?’

   ’Something like that.’

   ’I’ve been a vampire for over four thousand years Gloria, Four thousand years. Oh how when I say that it makes me feel old. Sometimes I wonder if I sided with you and Conner in hope that someone will kill me. I speak thirty some odd languages, there’s nowhere in the world I haven’t lived.’

  Sebastian shook his head in sadness. I walked over to him and smiled.

   ’You know what you should do if you haven’t done it, you should try to go into outer space. Maybe see about going to the moon or something Sebastian, be the first vampire in space. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the thing will blow up and you’ll get killed.’

  Sebastian smiled at me, ’I don’t think N.A.S.A would accept me as an astronaut.’

   ’Who said anything about joining N.A.S.A.? I don’t think you would pass the physical. I know the Russians would take you up if you paid them enough.’

   ’Yeah where am I going to get enough money to do that?’ he asked jokingly.

   ’I don’t know, maybe Gloria will rob a bank for you or something.’

   ’Conner!’ Gloria said irritated, ’I haven’t robbed a bank in a long time.’

   ’Oh you haven’t? And how did Augustus find your track?’

   ’For you information, that was an armored car that I robbed, it was not a bank.’

   ’Well I’m sorry; maybe Gloria will rob an armor car for you Sebastian.’

 

   The morning after we broke into the sporting goods store we headed off again. I had asked John how far north we were going to go before we headed into the ocean, he had said we need to get farther north before we headed east. When it seemed we were heading slightly northwest I gave up completely trying to figure out where we were going. When I asked him about our direction he said it was a good idea to back track once in a while to make sure we hadn’t had any visitors poking around.

  We were on our third day of running since turning around in South America, and it was something like seventh or eighth day since leaving our mountain hideout back in Washington State. I was getting rather bored with all the running, and I was tired of feeding on the wildlife. Human blood, even if it was old bagged blood tasted better then deer.

  Feeding on the wildlife reminded me of eating army food. Taste like sawdust, never enough and guaranteed to give you the s***s. I was so going to kill Cline for messing with Gloria and for blowing up my house.

  Jason complained a great deal when we hit what I figured was the Appalachian Mountains. I had forgotten what John has said about Jason’s dislike of walking on snow. It had almost turned into a fight when I drew my sword and threatened him with Andrew’s fate if he did not move his butt. After a lot of yelling and swearing he finally relented and we started up the mountains.

  As the sun set on the third day I figured it was a good time for us to stop and rest a bit. Lets some folks do a little hunting, we were going to need to before the crossing of the Atlantic, no one has dared to hunt since the village, I think they were to worried I would get upset again.

  I told the group that they had till morning to be back from hunting, I also said that they could not be picky, if the first thing they found was an animal so be it. If it was a stinky old wino then that was what they could have. If they weren’t back before dawn we would stop moving towards the ocean and come look for them.

  I also told John that it was by then end of tomorrow I wanted to be standing on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. I was tired of back tracking and he was going to take us by the straightest path to the ocean, with a little complaining John agreed. 

  I was so tired, never since becoming a vampire did I ever want to sleep like I did at that moment. I was tired of the complaining, I was tired of the running. I was tired of not having alone time with Gloria, I was just tired. As the sun completely disappeared I walked under a tree and lay down on my side and closed my eyes.

   ’Conner?’ Gloria said sitting down in front of me.

   ’Yeah?’

   ’Are you okay?’

   ’Yeah.’

   ’Are you sure baby? You’re looking awfully white, whiter than normal.’

   ’I just feel really tired.’ I said with a sigh.

  I opened my eyes to see Gloria looking at Sebastian.

   ’Really I’m fine.’ I said reaching out and patting her leg.

   ’Okay.’ Gloria said with a look of concern.

  Sebastian smiled weakly at me turned and ran off. I was too tired to worry about where he was going.

  As the sun came up in the east everyone was back but Sebastian. I was too tired and to cranky to have Sebastian be gone like this, what was he thinking? I found it hard to believe that Sebastian needed to feed now after all I had said about wanting to leave as soon as the sun came up. Everyone in our group gave me plenty of room as the sun poked its sleep face over the far horizon.

  Just when I was going to go looking for Sebastian, we heard him coming up the path that he had ran down late last night.

  Sebastian had a five gallon bucket covered in blood with a lid on it and a large deer on his shoulder. The thought of eating a deer right now made me want to crap my pants.

  Sebastian dropped the large deer on the ground next to me and the held up the bucket for me to take.

   ’Here Conner take this.’ he said.

  I reached out and took the bucket for Sebastian; he poked a hole on either end of the bucket, ’Drink it.’

  Smelling the blood made my stomach growl. I lifted the five gallon bucket to my mouth and took a good swig. The best part about being a vampire was that I have to breathe, so I could continually chug-a-lug without stopping. I had never tried to drink five gallons before; I was surprised that I did not feel full as I drank.

  I could feel the blood rushing through my body like fire. I reminded me of drinking whiskey without the burn in my throat. Feeling like a water melon I dropped the bucket on the ground.

   ’Thank you Sebastian, I needed that.’ the fatigue was quickly vanishing from every part of my body, ’Where did you find so…never mind.’

  Sebastian smiled, ’Eat your deer Conner, you’ll feel better.’

   ’That was fresh human blood wasn’t it?’ I asked.        

  Sebastian did not answer, he just poked the deer with his toe, ‘Conner, we need you strong, crossing the Atlantic will be difficult even for me. Though I rarely feed anymore, I will after we get to the other side. All this running will take it out of you, and you haven’t been feeding enough. Now that you’ve drank like five gallons and you’ve ate a large deer and drank what it has to offer, you’ll be back to your grumpy self in no time.’

   ‘You’re all heart.’ I joked picking up the deer and taking a large bite out of its neck.

  Sebastian walked away from me and looked up into the mountains, Gloria walked up beside him.

   ‘Where did you find all that blood Sebastian?’ she whispered quietly.

  Sebastian smiled at Gloria, ‘A large fancy hunting club has a cabin up here, I paid them a visit.’

   ‘Oh my Sebastian.’ Gloria said with a little distress, ‘Don’t tell Conner that.’

  I smiled as I ate my deer; Gloria had to know I could hear them, ‘When I’m done eating we’re leaving!’