Blood Apocalypse - 04 (24 page)

“Sicarii, we are ready. The trucks, they are loaded, and the final cars have been loaded,” the little messenger stated.

“Very well, Puppet. Let us be off. We have a war to wage,” the dark vampire said.

The messenger spoke into a radio and a moment later the train began pulling, rocking the passengers as each car was jerked forward. “Soon master, we shall rain death upon the hunters and there will be nothing left to stand in our way.” A smile crossed his pale face.

The dark vampire laid down in his private car. “I still worry, Puppet.”

“What could possibly worry you, Master? You have thought of everything. You have planted the seeds of fear so deeply into the hearts of the hunters that they have all gathered together in hopes that their combined might…”

“No, Puppet. You forget that the hunters began coming t
ogether before Mr. DeGiacomo returned to them,” the dark one said. “No, I fear that I may have missed something.”

“What could you have possibly missed, Master?”

The dark vampire looked at him and shook his head. “If I knew that, Puppet, it would not bother me, now would it?” The dark vampire scraped his hardened nail across the oak countertop shaving thin slivers of wood from it. “No, there are ghosts of dreams that haunt me. Something on the edge of my mind that waits for me to remember. Something that I fear may be important, but I can’t quite identify it yet.”

“I don’t know, Master. I fear it is just nerves.” The little messenger tried to calm his master. “You are finally about to realize your dream of world domination and you are simply nervous, that is all. You were created for this, after all. Now it is your moment to shine and you fear the world stage.”

The dark vampire shot him a flat stare. “Puppet, you are a master of idiocy, did you know that?”

The little messenger paused a moment and stammered, “P-p-please, Master, forgive me. I j-just wanted to relieve your mind, that is all.”

The dark vampire sighed and pushed him away. “Leave me. Perhaps the silence will help my mind to remember what it is that I need to know.”

“Of course, master.” He scraped and bowed before exiting the train car.

The dark one sat in the dimly lit train car, the only sound the noise of the train moving along the tracks. The rhythmic sound reminding him of a heartbeat. A mechanical heartbeat, but a heartbeat nonetheless.

*****

“Colonel, we have reports coming in from spotters,” the technician stated, looking up from his console.

“Report,” Mitchell barked.

The tech handed the hardcopy to the command duty officer. “Houston Port Authority reports a cargo ship arrived early last night. Her captain had rerouted there for mechanical difficulties. Somehow, the entire crew disappeared and every shipping container onboard was empty.”

“Say again, Lieutenant?” Mitchell asked.

“Oh, it gets better, sir,” the junior officer went on, “Countless semis had been jacked in the past week and many of them showed up on Port Authority security cameras. Not to mention…oh damn…Colonel? They got a train, too.”

“A train?” Mitchell came out of his chair. “Let me see that report.” His eyes scanned the report and his mind raced. He all but fell back into his chair. His mind continued to race as he contemplated the ramifications of the report.

“Lieutenant, find me someone who can calculate the number of bodies, human or vampire, that could be crammed into that many shipping containers. And let’s not forget the bulk cargo hold,” Mitchell ordered.

“Yes, sir.” He turned to find the information.

Mitchell turned back to his techs. “I want a layout of the most direct lines for that stolen train from the Houston Port Authority to here. Then contact every law enforcement agency between here and there…every state law enforcement, every podunk piece of shit town, every major metropolitan city, every township, every burg, anything that has
people
in it and I want them to SHUT THEM DOWN! Enact martial law if they have to, but get those people INDOORS! Tell ‘em to lock ‘em down if they have to! Get the people off the roads.” He was practically yelling now. The technician barked back a ‘yes sir!’ and turned to track the fastest route for the train.

“Next, I want every highway, byway, country road, an
ything that runs parallel to that train line
cleared
of all traffic. If those trucks are loaded with what I think they’re loaded with, we want NOTHING to meet them on the road or to get in their way! I don’t care if we have to get every state police between here and there, clear those goddam roads!”

“Colonel? What’s going on?” Jackson asked as the OpCom began hopping to fulfill his orders.

“They’ve hit American soil. And they’re on their way here,” Matt said. “And these are just the ones we know about. There’s no telling how many are already here and eating their way across the country to us.”

*****

“Very well.” Maxwell finally made a move forward. “The challenge has been accepted.” He stepped between the two men and held his hands outward to keep the two apart. “You are the challenger. You may choose where the challenge is to take place.”

“Right here. Right now.” Viktor’s teeth clenched so tightly that Max feared he might break a few.

Maxwell nodded. “Very well.” He turned to the larger man. “You are the Pack Master. You may choose which form. Human or wolf?”

The larger man looked down at Viktor and shot an evil smile that did not reach his eyes. “Human,” he spat.

“Very well. The challenge has made and accepted. The terms have been made and shall be met. If either party breaks the guidelines, they will be made forfeit and the other shall be named the victor of the match. Do both parties understand the rules as I have explained them?”

Both men nodded. “Good. You shall both have ten minutes to prepare yourself and then we shall meet back here.”

Viktor turned away and began peeling off his shirt when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and met his mother’s gaze. “Things are not what they seem, my son,” she whispered.

“How dare you…”

“Listen to me, or you will not be victorious,” she whispered quickly. “Mario is strong, but he is slow and dim of head.” Her eyes darted over her shoulder then back to him. “Also, he has a weak left knee and a bad right shoulder. He is right handed and will try to fool you into thinking he is not.”

Viktor stared at her, not believing a word. “I do not—”

“I do not care if you trust me now, just believe my words, my son. Once you have beaten him and taken your rightful place, I will explain all to you. Until then, know that I am cheering for you in my heart. Until then, I must keep up appearances.” She turned quickly and left him standing there, unsure what to think.

“What was that all about?” Maxwell asked.

“I’m not sure.” Viktor shrugged.

“What did the she-bitch say?” Max asked. “Did she ask you to rescind your challenge?”

“No,” Viktor replied, still in shock. “She said that Mario is big and dumb and has a weak left knee.”

Max nodded. “Yes, he does. I can see him favoring it as he walks.” He nodded toward the larger man. “He also has a hitch in his shoulder.”

“His right shoulder?” Viktor asked.

“Yeah,” Max said. “See how he keeps jabbing with his left as he warms up? He’s a righty, but he’s trying to loosen up his left arm as if he leads with it. When he does throw his right, he has a hitch in it. I’d bet money he got it dislocated pretty bad…and recently or it would have healed already.”

“Either that or he’s not a natural born wolf?”

“He’d have to be or he couldn’t be Pack Master.”

Viktor stretched and loosened up. “What are the odds, he knows any of the Lycan moves?”

Max studied the larger Mario a moment more. He turned back to his son with a smile. “None.” He patted his son on the back. “Rip his head off.”

“I plan to make him hurt a lot before I do that,” Viktor replied.

As the two men approached each other, Max stood between them. He scratched at his beard and studied his watch. “Are you both prepared?” he asked as a formality. “The decision is final. There can be only one.” He turned to the assembled wolves, many of whom had laid bets on the upcoming battle. “The victor of this battle WILL BE the Pack Master, the new Pack Alpha, your king. Any who would disagree, speak now.”

When nobody spoke, Max raised his hand high in the air…both men watched each other, their eyes glued to each other’s. Max lowered his hand and Mario lunged for Viktor hoping to grapple him to the ground, but Viktor leapt into the air clearing the larger man and watching him go face first into the concrete floor.

As Mario slid across the floor, Viktor spun and jumped to land on his back, but despite Mario’s huge size, he spun and raised his feet, catching Viktor in mid-air and launching him up and over him. Viktor landed on his feet, and Mario rolled to his.

“You move pretty well for a fat boy,” Viktor taunted.

Mario glanced down at his rippling muscles and flexed. “This isn’t fat!” he yelled, but when he looked back up, his jaw was crushed with a right cross that sent his head snapping to the side.

Viktor spun to the opposite side and grabbed Mario’s arm, twisting it into an arm-bar and dropping the man to his knees. He continued to apply pressure until he was sure the man’s arm would break, but Mario spun his body under him and got out of it, pulling Viktor to him and into a bear hug.

As Mario squeezed, trying to crush the air from him, he laughed. “Thought you could better me, little man? You’re just a spoiled elitist.”

Viktor threw his head back, crushing Mario’s nose, then leaned forward and brought his heel down on the cap of his right knee as hard as he could. Mario howled in pain and dropped to his knees, further crushing the kneecap against the cold concrete floor, but his arms refused to let go, or loosen.

Viktor threw his head back again and again, further destro
ying Mario’s nose, then wiggled down just enough to let loose a barrage of elbows to Mario’s ribs. Viktor felt the ribs on his right side begin to give so he concentrated all he had on his right elbow and continued his onslaught on Mario’s side until the man let him loose and he rolled away gulping down huge gasps of air.

Mario lowered his arm to cover his ribs and could barely stand, but Viktor sucked in air as fast as he could to recover from the lack of oxygen. He was still foggy headed but knew he had to strike while the iron was hot and Mario was injured.

Viktor gauged his distance, jumped through the air and landed a flying kick to Mario’s face that dislocated his jaw and sent numerous teeth flying across the facility’s floor. Mario, still on his knees, refused to go down. He pushed himself up with his hands and stared daggers at Viktor who walked back to him with purpose.

Viktor reached out and grasped a handful of hair with one hand and drew back a loaded fist with the other. “Do you yield?”

“Fugg off, pup,” Mario mumbled through his ruined excuse for a mouth.

Viktor brought his fist crashing directly into the center of Mario’s face, flattening his already crushed nose and sending great gushes of blood in all directions. He cocked his hand back again. “Do you yield?” he asked again louder.

Mario tried to spit his blood in Viktor’s face but accomplished only oozing a great blob of it down his chin. “Neber,” he spat out.

Viktor smashed his face in once more, this time feeling the bones crush and grind under his knuckles. “Will you yield?” he asked.

Mario’s body swayed like a rag doll tied to a string. Viktor suspected the only thing holding him up was his grip on the man’s hair. He cocked his fist back once more, ready to strike a final blow but held himself. Viktor studied the ruined face of his opponent before loosening his handful of hair and watched Mario slump into a bloody pile on the floor.

He turned to Max and waited for him to declare him the vi
ctor of the match, but he didn’t need to as the room erupted with cheers from the other wolves chanting his name.

18

“A moment of your time, my lord?” Damien asked as Foster lay stretched out in his chambers.

Foster looked at him with a curious eye. “Of course, child. Come closer.” Paul studied him a moment then leaned back again. “You’ve changed, my son.”

Damien didn’t avert his eyes this time. He chose simply to lie. “I’ve matured somewhat since my unfortunate…
incident
.”

“Ah, yes.” Paul nodded. “You do know that I had your little friend prepared for you, don’t you?” He gestured to the corner where a polished white skull sat upon a bone staff.

Damien approached it tentatively and ran his fingers along the polished bone. It was beautiful and ornate. He turned it in his hand in order to gaze at it. Whoever had finished it had inset red gemstones where the eyes should be. He smiled as he remembered his little Mexican rose. “Thank you,” he said softly.

“I’d hoped you would like it.” Paul sat up slightly. “First loves and all that…”

Damien held the skull close to him a moment then turned to Paul, “My lord, who is Rachel?” he asked bluntly.

Paul’s brows creased. “Rachel? I don’t believe I’m familiar with a Rachel.”

“Voluptuous, powerful, insatiable…” Damien added.

Paul’s brows rose. “Someone like that I’d definitely reme
mber. No, I don’t know a Rachel that meets that description.” He absently picked at a nail.

Damien studied him and didn’t think he was lying to him. Still… “What about a Lilith?”

Paul froze a moment then turned to Damien. “Lilith who?”

“It’s just a name, my lord.”

“No, not that name,” Paul hissed. “Where did you hear it?”

“From Rachel.”

“And who is this Rachel?” Foster demanded.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I only just met her and I was hoping you could tell me more of her. She…intrigues me.”

Paul’s eyes narrowed as he studied Damien. Suddenly he no longer trusted the young vampire, yet he couldn’t say exactly why. “Where did you meet this Rachel?”

“Here, in this underground structure. Only a bit ago. She is most beautiful and she has the most delicious body…”

“But who is she?” Paul demanded.

“I don’t know.” Damien sat beside him, his eyes giving him their most innocent of looks. “There have been so many new vampires added to the fold of late, I had hoped you knew her.”

Paul sat up and tapped at his chin in thought for a moment. “Voluptuous, powerful, delicious…you fucked her, I take it?”

“More like, she fucked me,” he admitted with a sly smile. “More than once.”

Paul was instantly jealous. “What the hell would a vampire like that want with a newborn like you?”

“A sex slave,” Damien answered. “Or…so she said.”

Paul glared at him. “The next time you meet up with her, inform her that you are
mine
. If she wants to use you for a roll in the hay, that’s her business. But if she wants to make you a sex slave, she needs to talk to ME about it. Got it?”

Damien nodded. “Yes, my lord.”

“And no more talk of this Lilith either. We do not speak of her.”

“Why not?”

Paul shot him a warning look. “We just don’t,” he said. “If your Rachel wishes to discuss Lilith, I want to know why.”

“Of course, my lord.”

*****

Mitchell and Tufo stood side by side watching the tech crews finish running the systems checks on the last two POD systems installed outside the OpCom. The two PODs were on either side of the large concrete bunker and faced out toward the dry lake bed. Anything that got past the gauntlet of the other four PODs set up on the surrounding hillsides of the dry lake bed, the drones that would be in the air, the C130 that was planned to bring the rain, not to mention the scores of wolves, hunters and whatever
others
that Loren the Wyldwood had talked into joining them…they would have to make it past these last two POD emplacements in order to get to the command center.

Tufo smiled as he patted Matt on the back. “For the first time since this whole thing started, I think we not only have a chance at winning, but I actually feel sorry for the bastards co
ming at us.”

Matt continued to stare out past the dry lake bed, a cold chill giving him shivers in the dry desert heat. “I dunno, Mark, I have a real bad feeling.”

Mark looked up at the taller man and shook his head. “I don’t see how. We have every avenue covered. We have ground pounders, air support, weapon emplacements—”

“I know,” Matt interrupted. “I know, this is just a feeling.”

Mark thought a moment, scratching at his chin. “Is it because you’ll be shifting and you’ll have to entrust me with the troops?” He was unsure if he really wanted to know the answer.

Matt continued to stare off toward the end of the dry lake bed. “Perhaps, partly. The shifting part, yeah.” He waited a m
oment longer than Mark would have liked before he added, “But I trust you with the men. If I didn’t, you wouldn’t be my XO.”

Tufo stood there a moment and contemplated his statement. “I know you aren’t thrilled about the shift. And even less thrilled that some hippie is going to be able to ‘direct’ you in battle, but consider this…” he turned to Matt and got his full attention, “this guy has been around for a couple of
thousand
years. He’s military, Matt. Maybe not modern military, but he knows tactics and he knows you’re important, so he’s not going to use you as cannon fodder.” He patted his old friend reassuringly on the back. “You’ll be back, large and in charge before you know it.”

Matt nodded slightly his eyes still gazing off at nothing. “I hope you’re right.”

“I’d bet money on it.”

*****

Laura pulled up to the hangar that had always been her home away from home. As she sat behind the wheel of her Jeep, she shook her head and thought,
Hell, who am I kidding? This IS my home!
and laughed at herself. She stepped from the vehicle and went to the guard shack.

“Miss Youngblood,” the guard greeted her, tipping his hat.

“George, how ya been?” Her voice reflected an honest concern.

“Busier than I thought we’d be, ma’am.”

Her eyes narrowed. “How so?”

“Didn’t Gunnery Sergeant Tufo fill you in, ma’am?”

“I was pretty busy before I left there. Why don’t you tell me.”

“Well, ma’am, Tinker Actual has been chomping at the bit to reacquire the hangar for some damned reason. We can’t figure out why. They’ve been out here three times since y’all pulled up stakes and headed to Nevada. The last time, Miller gave it to them with both barrels, if you catch my drift.” He gave her a smile and a wink.

Laura returned the smile and nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure he did. So what then?”

“They backed off. Miller told them that until the colonel came and finished cleaning out their stuff, it was still his.”

“Good for him.” She started to enter the hangar.

“Then Mueller’s family showed up…” he added, stopping her in her tracks.

“What was that?” She backed up.

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned again. “Mueller’s family showed up. The colonel called ahead and cleared them for VIP treatment. Miller went and picked them up at the gate himself. Can you b
elieve they hitched here all the way from—”

“Where are they now?” She was suddenly all business.

“Oh, um…inside somewhere I guess.” George seemed confused. Laura wasted no time getting inside and noticed all of the equipment crated and stacked along the walls of the hangar. It actually choked her up to see all of their work waiting to be shipped out.

She marched to the end of the hangar and saw Miller sig
ning off on the daily reports. “Sergeant? Where is Bob Mueller’s family?”

“Miss Youngblood? I didn’t know you were coming back—”

“Where are they, Sergeant? I need to speak with them.” She planted her hands on her hips in her ‘all business’ pose.

Miller thought a moment. “I think they’re in their room.” Laura gave him an expectant look. “Oh, um, room nine of the JO’s quarters, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” she yelled as she darted for the elevator.

As Laura approached the door of Room 9, she suddenly got a knot in her stomach. She paused just as she lifted her hand to the door, then knocked softly.

“Is the food done alrea—” Barbara paused and looked up at Laura, taking in the nearly six foot tall, dark haired beauty. “Bob didn’t tell me they had
models
working here,” she said with more than just a hint of jealousy in her voice. She put a hand on her hip and struck a defensive pose. “I swear to God, if you tell me you’re here to fight for him, I’m just going to shoot you and be done with it. I’ve been through too fucking much already.”

Laura took a half step back and gave her a wide eyed stare, her mouth hanging open. “Umm…no!”

“Then you better have a good reason, because I’m really feeling inadequate and I have a gun,” Barbara quipped.

Laura couldn’t help but smirk on that one. She measured up the tiny little woman with her dark pixie haircut. “I can see why he finds you so adorable.” Her smirk slowly turned into a smile.

“Don’t patronize me, Amazon. I’ve had a rough couple of days.”

“Mom?” Bobby asked, his voice sounding sleepy, “Who’s at the door?”

Barbara turned and gave her a curious look, waiting for Laura to announce her intentions. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Laura Youngblood. I’m the...er, well, I
was
the Executive Officer of the squads.”

“Was?” Barbara’s brows rose in question.

“I recently quit,” Laura admitted. “I just came back here to clean out my office and I heard you were here. I wanted to speak with you.”

“Okay. Speak.” Barbara still held the door and acted uni
nviting.

Laura stared at the woman a moment, then sighed. “Fine. If you want to stay here with a handful of underpaid military guards and no other females to talk with, that’s your choice. I just thought I’d make myself available to you. I guess I should have known better. I’ll just get my things and leave.”

She turned to go when Barbara opened the door and stepped into the hall, “Wait,” she sighed. Laura paused in the hallway and turned back around. “Okay. Maybe I came across a little…”

“Bitchy?” Laura finished for her.

“I was going to say ‘strong’, but…”

“No, I think bitchy is closer.”

“That’s probably what Bob would say.”

Laura stepped back to the door and extended her hand, “Do over?”

Barbara shrugged. “Why not? Hi, I’m Bitchy Barb, want to be my friend?”

Laura laughed and shook her hand. “Hi, I’m Luscious Laura, here to steal your husband…”

Both women chuckled, until Barbara looked up and said stonily, “I’d shoot you dead.”

“I’ve got a man that I’m quite happy with, thank you,” Laura said defensively.

Barbara sighed. “Oh thank goodness. I read a book once about Amazons and they were all…”

Laura shook her head. “They were what?”

Barbara almost blushed. “L-E-S-B-I-A-N-S,” she spelled the word then pointed to her son. Laura snorted and shook her head.

“Not a problem,” she replied. She glanced over at Bobby who was trying to drift back asleep in front of a television with cartoons playing. “But I did want to ask you about who or what was after you.”

“Vampires,” she said softly. “At least, I think they were.”

Laura nodded. “And the colonel knows about this?”

“Bob does, so I’m sure he does.”

Laura nodded. She looked over her shoulder and did a me
ntal count of the security that normally watches the hangar. “If you don’t mind, I think I may stick around here for a while. Just to make sure you and your son are safe.”

Barbara’s eyes widened. “Do you think they followed me here?”

Laura shook her head. “Highly doubtful. But just in case there’s any trouble, one more calm head in the fight won’t hurt.”

*****

“That one?” Damien whispered to empty air. “Are you sure?” To an observer, the young vampire would appear to have lost his mind. But in Damien’s mind he could both see, hear, and feel who he spoke with and she was becoming his mentor, his master, his lover, his… everything.

“Yes, that one, lover. He has almost two centuries behind him. Can’t you
feel
the power from him?” He ran his hand along the silky smoothness of her thigh and felt himself hardening at the thought of them wrapped around him again.

“No, I can’t feel
him
at all,” he chuckled.

She smiled at him and patted his hand. “In due time, lover. First, we must gather for you as much strength as you can hold,” she whispered into his ear. “If you are to fulfill your destiny, you will need to take baby steps.”