Empire of Blood (Book 2): Fading In Darkness (25 page)

"What?"

"
Daryn
, man, you've got to see this shit."

"Tommy Ray, what have I told you about showing up out of nowhere without calling first?"

"I know, man. Just listen, I couldn't call about this. When you see it, you'll totally understand. Come on, open the fucking door already."
Daryn's
right hand trembled as it rested fingers spread against the screen of the door.

"
You been
drinkin
' again, man?"
Daryn
asked.

"Fuck no, man, just let me in already, will
ya
?"

Daryn
sighed, unlatched the white-painted hook barely holding the screen door in place and pushed it forward. It nearly fell from its hinges as he held it open to let Tommy inside. Tommy rushed past
Daryn
and went straight for the TV and turned it on.

"What the hell is all this about, Tommy Ray?"

"Just watch." Tommy leaned forward and turned up the volume as crowds of people were shown on the screen rioting and setting an Imperial church on fire.
Daryn
froze.

"What the hell?"

"
There's riots
startin
' all over the country, man.
All because of this."
Tommy reached into his jacket and pulled out the book and handed it to his brother. "Look at it, man. The
fuckin
' bastard lied to us. He lied to us all. It's no wonder people are burning down the churches."

Daryn
stared down his brother. Tommy could feel the anger and confusion building in his brother. He’d known the only way he would take him serious was if he showed him the riots.
Daryn
plopped down on the couch and began to rip through the pages, looking each over slowly and then turning to the next. Tommy sat next to him quietly and watched as his brother pored over each page. Eventually his expression changed from one of fury to one of bewilderment.
Then one of fear and finally again one of anger.

"Jimmy
Hostetter
told me
there's
some folks
fixin
' to try and take out the Empire. He said they're
lookin
' for recruits and the like. I'm
thinkin
' about signing up."
Daryn
rose up from the book and locked eyes with him.

"
Whyn't
you stay here tonight, Tommy Ray. We'll watch some more on the news and look some more at this book and make some calls around town and then tomorrow maybe I'll go with you, okay?"

Tommy nodded.
"Sure thing, man."
The two sat looking at each other in silence as the sounds of chaos from the TV filled the room.

Chapter 36

The Next Move

As Simon entered the main cavern of the hive, he could see that guilty look on
Ishan's
face. He found it hard to be angry at the elderly vampire after he himself had recently done things not quite appropriate. Sure, the Queen assured him there was nothing wrong with it, but deep inside Simon felt differently. And he was sure, so did
Ishan
.

But none of that was important now. The Empire had made their first attack, even if it was completely ineffective. The reality of what was happening was starting to take over and Simon had no other choice but to think of all the consequences that would or wouldn't present themselves now.

Yes, the Empire doesn't yet know exactly where we are. But they know enough to find us soon. I think we should spread out. Wait for them to try and attack where they will and take them from all sides. Surround them.

Why didn't you tell me,
Ishan
?

The same reason you didn't tell me about your time with the Queen.

Simon and
Ishan
glanced at each other then yet Simon's eyes would not quite return
Ishan's
gaze.

Both are over and done with. We have a war at our doorstep and I don't imagine it intends to come back later. We're going to have to act now. Do you see any flaws in my reasoning?

No...
Ishan
.

Yes?

Thousands of ancestor vampires died.

I know. I saw it all through your eyes just now as you remembered it. They're not from our line. They may be of our kind, but they're not of our line. Protecting our own is much more important. The Emperor obviously has access to another hive of vampires beyond our understanding and there's no reason to believe that there's anything we can do but defend ourselves against them. I worry there are far more than we know of. Shall we make preparations to evacuate?

The Queen?

She will stay. You know she can more than defend herself.

Yes. I'll make the announcement myself. You go and
be
with her. Send her my love.

I will.

In a blur of motion only Simon could make out,
Ishan
was gone. Simon looked after him for a long time. Watching the imprints
Ishan's
feet had made in the dirt on the ground.

* * *

The sounds of gunfire and explosions ricocheted back and forth all around Hank as he followed the trail. Once again, it was the same as before save for one thing this time. This time he could feel the event coming that much closer. He had days at most before it would occur. He had a plan to prevent it from happening, but he had no way of knowing if it would work. Would the visions change if he made a decision or plan that would keep it from happening?

Toby's heartbeat beckoned and Hank once again found himself behind the boy, following in step, bloodthirsty and eager. His feet dragged against chunks of concrete and brick as he went. Sulfur burnt his nose with every breath. There it was again, the open alleyway. As Hank turned the corner, he saw the last small moment of movement Toby had made as the boy tried desperately to hide from his terrible monster of a father.

In less than a flash, Hank was leaning against that blue dumpster, reaching inside and grabbing
ahold
of his son's collar and pulling his body up through the piles of trash. With each inch he brought the child closer, he could hear that beating heart echoing inside his brain. It was equally like a drum beaten in battle's triumph and a growing ominous thunder.

This time Toby's head surfaced from the mess in almost slow motion and Hank could see the tears rolling down his face. The fear that terrorized him to his very core as he clawed and kicked and screamed and fought to keep this thing that used to be his father from taking every drop of life's blood from within him.

The vision deteriorated in an instant, replaced by the dim candlelight inside Hank’s small quarters within the hive. He got up from the bed he had made himself on the floor and crept over to where Toby lay and watched as the boy’s chest rose and fell with the soft breath of sleep. Like his father, Toby had managed to shift his sleeping schedule to somewhat conform to the vampire’s nighttime pattern.

Toby turned over and his breathing took on a quiet snoring. In that moment, Hank made a decision. A decision that sent a chill through his spine, but one he knew he had to make. He would tell his son everything tomorrow. He would tell him all about the visions. About what might
happen.
There was no other choice. He had to prepare the boy for the possibility that his father would try and murder him some time within a matter of days.

As he sat there watching Toby, he wept at the feeling of an unending drop below him. How could he ever do anything to hurt the one thing that had kept him alive
this
past few years? And with that thought he rose up to his feet and slipped out of the room. Hank wanted more than anything to speak with the Queen now. Maybe she had some other information that could help him. If nothing else she could tell him if the visions would change when he found the right solution or not. At least for now, there was nothing more he could do.

Heading along the long dark corridors of the cave, Hank nearly ran right into Dustin. He knew then that his mind must be over-occupied. He should have heard him coming.

“Hey, man, you all right?”
Dustin said.

Hank gave a nervous disturbing sort of laugh.
“No, not really.
What are you doing out and about?”

“You do remember I’m human, right?” They both laughed. “I stay up later now, I suppose, but I can’t seem to turn myself nocturnal—listen, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the Empire attempted an attack. Someone tricked them and led them to some other place and I guess we got a bunch of the Empire’s vampires, but probably any day now a
shitload
more will be coming. The vampires here called for us to spread out today, so I’ve been getting my stuff ready. I was just coming to let you know.”

“Yeah, I hadn’t heard about all that. I’m going to speak with the Queen now. So, I’ll see what all I can find out. But listen. I know you don’t have time or the ability to keep an eye on Toby, but I had another vision and everything is fitting together that this is going to happen. The spreading out fits with the fact that in the vision, Toby’s outside and the gunfire and…”

“Hank, I’m sorry, man. You have got to get it into your head that you are not going to do anything to that poor kid. I know you too well. You are
not
going to kill him. So, can I please just say goodbye and get on with what I need to get done?”

Hank nodded. He knew no matter what he said, Dustin would never understand. The visions were too real to ignore. The two men looked at each other a long time before Dustin grabbed Hank up in a huge, nearly painful, bear hug.

“I love you, man. You need to worry more about this goddamn war, okay?”

“Yeah.
I guess.”

Dustin patted him roughly on the back and then turned and walked away. Hank stood there watching him go for a moment before continuing on his original course.

As he came closer to the Queen’s quarters, that thick intimidating feeling began to stir in the air. It was a familiar thing to Hank now when he was near her. It was like her power emanating out to him and trying to seduce him yet again. This time as he entered her room, he covered his eyes and spoke.

“Is it okay for me to enter? I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No, child, you may remove your hand.” She seemed to giggle as Hank slowly pulled his hand from his eyes. The Queen was sitting Indian style on the ground, her crimson irises lighting the room with an eerie sort of dark visual ambience.
Ishan
sat alongside her, a surprisingly calm expression on his face. After the immense vibes of hatred Hank had been getting from the ancient vampire, he was relieved to see that
Ishan
was dealing with Hank’s pairing with the Queen much better than he had been before.

Hank nodded to
Ishan
and
Ishan
returned the gesture.

“I need to know everything I can about these visions that you can tell me. I know you have had them for a long time and I have a lot to learn but could you maybe just answer a few questions?” Hank asked.

“Child, I will do my best. In fact, lie down and I’ll see what I can do to show you what I know with my mind.
All right?”

Hank nodded.

The Queen beckoned him closer with a single finger’s gesture. At first the room seemed to become tense with
Ishan
watching, but then he turned and bowed and left the room. When he was gone the Queen reached out and caressed Hank’s face.

“He may be the strongest of my children, but he sure has one of the largest weaknesses. But he’s not here now. Wouldn’t you like to take advantage of that?”

Hank closed his eyes. “No, I’m sorry. I’m far more concerned about what’s going to happen to Toby. Can you help me?”

“I said I would, did I not?” she said in a near hiss.

Hank stepped back in reaction and the Queen stepped closer and grabbed hold of Hank’s wrist.

“Why don’t we help each other, young one? I’ll give you what you want, and you give me…” Hank’s jeans unbuttoned and fell loose, “what I want?”

Hank fought the mix of anger and desire that was starting to take over and gently buttoned his pants back and took a deep breath. “If that’s what you want, I need to have the information first. Then I would be glad to do whatever you want in return. But I can’t do something like this with all this worry on my mind.”

The Queen raised an eyebrow at him in a quizzical yet inviting manner. “Your resistance to me never fails to surprise me, young one. I shall do as you ask. As I said before, lie down and close your eyes.”

Hank gave her one last look of
uncertainty,
he lay down on the ground in front of her, and closed his eyes. The next moment he could feel her presence enter his mind. He saw images of pieces of visions he couldn’t understand. People he didn’t know, vampires he didn’t know. Events from the past, present, and somehow, maybe she was even letting him see the future as she had seen it. It was hard to be sure. Each one was only a fragment.

The amount of factors that go into cause and effect when it comes to seeing that which is yet to come, young one, is too great to be able to firmly know whether you have changed things. Sometimes a simple solution can make a vision go away completely and yet others, like the one you are currently concerned with, are so complex as to be impossible to truly tell whether you have been able to change the course of events. Sometimes an event to come can’t be changed at all and yet sometimes it can only be changed so near the very moment that it will further distort any chance of changing the event until that very moment. And still other times information that is necessary to truly stop the event is not there. These visions are a gift, but they can also be a double-edged sword. Obsess over the future and you will give up the present in its place. Sleep now, young one. And when you wake you will eat and then fulfill your end of the bargain. I sense your restlessness has left you fatigued and famished. Sleep and tomorrow’s full moon will bring you comfort.

* * *