The Dead War Series (Book 2): Desperate Times (9 page)

Ovidius chuckled softly. “How comforting for you.” He turned when Jack stepped up next to him. “Put him with the other sacrifices and make sure he's docile.”

“Yes, Master,“ Jack nodded and gestured to Maj. Garrett to follow him.

Maj. Garrett gave both vampire Masters his most menacing glare before walking out of the room.

Ovidius closed the door behind them with a slight shake of his head. “It never ceases to amaze me the arrogance of humans to think they have authority over all things,” he said as he leaned against the door.

“Up until this moment, they all thought they did. They have no idea how many of our kind are out there pulling their strings,” Cassian said. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“I'm happy to say that a nice influx of your vampires are finally starting to arrive—with humans. That's the good news. The bad news is those things have found their way to our very location,” Ovidius updated.

Cassian hissed. “How many?”

“Before I came to tell you, about a hundred. We took care of them, but more will come. The noise we're making is attracting them, but we have to finish fortifying this place. I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up this concern of mine.”

“I'm sure we share this concern, what is it?”

“The way they hunt, it isn't as random as it looks. They are going inside buildings, searching out every apartment as if they can smell or sense a human inside. As you know, I've sent a few of my vampires out to try to thin the herd, so to speak and this is what they've noticed. It's not just what they see that they go after. It's what they can sense.”

“The gods keep pissing on us, don't they?” Cassian remarked then groaned loudly. “Ahhhhh, fuck this day!” He ran his hands through his hair, giving himself time to think. “How near do they have to be to a human to sense them?”

“We're still unclear on that. I'm hoping they have to be close, cause if they can sense from afar...”

“No human will be safe unless they're being protected by vampires. Not only that, this location will be swarmed by those things. We'll have to be extra vigilant to make sure they don't break through.” Cassian ran a hand over his face as he leaned against the edge of the desk.

“I think we'll be safe here for the most part. I had my vampires seal this location up as if they were protecting it from our own kind. These things aren't nearly as strong as we are--”

“At night... they aren't as powerful as we are at night. During the day, for vampires not borne of ancient blood or over at least two centuries old, these things are proving to be difficult to handle,” Cassian interjected. “Not only that, if a horde of thousands of them gather at the barricade, I doubt it will be strong enough to hold up.”

“I agree, but how can we deter them?” Ovidius asked.

“I honestly don't know. All we can do now is have a great defense.” Cassian ran another hand over his face, a highly visible sign of his growing frustration. “We'll need to keep military-grade explosives handy to kill as many of those things as we can, or at least weaken them enough to finish them off.”

Ovidius exhaled. “So be it. By the way, the lab is almost done and so far we have seventeen doctors and scientist combined. Are we going to turn them all?”

“I have my eyes on a select few. Those who can serve our purpose in discovering a cure. They are locked away now in a janitor's closet. Given any other day, they wouldn't reach my radar, but these are desperate times as you know,” Cassian said

Ovidius nodded. “Very well, I'll have my lords assign some of my vampires to the task.”

“Do you think I'd allow your vampires to turn them?” Cassian asked, one eyebrow arched.

“My territory. Remember, you're a guest here.”

“You're territory—true. However, those scientists I brought with me are mine. I will be converting Vincent personally. Then I'll assign the other three to my lords. Now as for any other doctor or scientist whom your coven gathered, they are your responsibility.” Cassian shifted positions, straightening his back and shoulders. “Unless, of course, you believe your jurisdiction supersedes mine in this case?”

It was a challenge and one Ovidius didn't want to step up to. Especially not with the two of them alone cramped inside the little office. That's not even taking into account that Cassian had nearly a thousand years on him. He'd be no match one on one. Age and army size notwithstanding, Cassian was his sire, he knew it was his territorial nature steering him at this moment, but he really did have a love for the man who'd gifted him with power and all eternity to wield it.

Ovidius shook his head, conceding to Cassian on the topic of Vincent, Felicity, William, Dr. Powers and the other three. “They are yours to do with as you see fit.” He made a sweeping gesture toward the door. “Shall we? There's monsters to kill, humans to rescue and an army to tend to.”

Cassian nodded, picked up his sword and walked past Ovidius, out of the office with Ovidius right behind him. Both vampires headed for the roof to get the visual advantage they needed to gauge just how badly shit was going to hit the fan. The two men watched as both of their combined vampires sliced the heads off a small pack of zombies that had found their way to their location. The vampires below moved throughout the thin crowd of zombies using their super speed, slicing through bone, cartilage and flesh as quickly as they could using the skills they obtained through decades or even centuries of fighting wars, both human and vampire.

“There will be even more than that soon,” Ovidius said, grimacing as he observed the bloody fray.

“It's good that you have the trucks there to add reinforcement to the trailers,” Cassian noted. “We need to discover other ways to kill these things that don't require us to have to be up close and personal.”

“Fire?” Ovidius looked at him.

Cassian nodded. “That's what I had in mind, especially if they began to swarm our barricade. According to reports, it has proven to destroy them.”

“Perhaps I can look into getting flame throwers, military grade, of course.”

“Maj. Garrett did provide us with plenty of information.”

“I'll send some of my people out to get these weapons,” Ovidius said.

“In the meantime, I'll search for more humans, we need at least one for every two vampires. We don't have nearly enough,” Cassian pointed out.

“We have about seven-hundred last I checked.”

“We need at least a thousand.” Cassian turned to Ovidius.

“Do you need help?”

Cassian nodded. “I will take Marco with me for now.” He closed his eyes, mentally asserting himself into the mind of the younger vampire in his line, calling to him.

Yes, Master?
Marco replied telepathically.

You will join me on the roof, now.
Was Cassian's only command.

Shortly after that, Marco emerged from the rooftop exit and approached the two Master vampires, bowing to them each.

“Master, what do you want me to do?” Marco asked Cassian.

“You and I will hunt for humans... to save them.”

“Are you sure you want me to join you, Master? I can't fly... I will only slow down our progress,” Marco pointed out. Although his question was one full of logic, he really didn't understand how he could help collect humans, but the other side of the coin was that his Master had picked him to assist him. He fought hard to hide his smile, not wanting to seem foolish in his eagerness to please.

“I need you,” Cassian said, avoiding answering the vampire's question which he was quite skilled at. He stepped up to the young vampire, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close. He turned to Ovidius. “I'll return shortly.” With that, he flew upward, the wind whipping their hair as he propelled them through the air. He listened carefully for the sound of human heartbeats as they traveled. It didn't take him long to locate several humans hiding inside a restaurant freezer with a pack of wild zombies banging at the door. Cassian landed on the rooftop of a building across the street from the restaurant so that he could get a bird’s eye view. He released his hold on Marco and the young vampire wobbled a bit before he regained his balance. He wasn't used to flying and the motion left him a bit discombobulated. He crouched low, next to Cassian, looking towards the restaurant as well.

Cassian closed his eyes, listening carefully and heard the sound of six distinct heartbeats pounding rapidly inside the chest of the delicious humans. He opened his eyes and sighed dejectedly as he looked inside the windows at over two dozen zombies clamoring over each other trying to break through the thick steel door.

Cassian concentrated his mental powers on contacting one of his lieutenants.
If you are close to my location, come to me. 

Master, I am near you, I'll be there shortly,
Chloe replied.

I have two humans with me and once I drop them off, I can join you, Master,
Alexias said.

No, Alexias, Chloe will be help enough. I want you to focus on gathering more humans. If I need you, I will call for you,
Cassian said.

Yes, Master. I suppose it's for the best, my brother is calling for me,
Alexias informed.

Drop the humans off first, then go to him,
Cassian ordered.

Yes, Master.
With that, Alexias cut off the link and followed Cassian's orders.

Cassian and Marco waited on the rooftop for Chloe to join him.

~*~

Richard held his wife, Linda tightly in his embrace. The zombies managed to trap them on the rooftop of a corner grocery store and now they were banging on the rooftop door. Both knew it was only a matter of time before they'd have to make a decision. Kill themselves or die fighting the monsters who were trying so desperately to get to them. Neither option was desirable and they weren't sure taking their own lives would prevent them from coming back to life to eat human flesh. But surely suicide might be less painful than being ripped apart by teeth and hands. Although, only one of those options didn't come with a sin attached—well they didn't think becoming a killer zombie—would be considered a sin. Still, in the end, would they even be aware of being alive again if they were to become one of those things? All of these questions were running through their minds and had been the topic of conversation since the first onslaught of the outbreak.

When Vincent had told them to get off the road and seek shelter, a part of Richard wanted to ignore the suggestion. Getting as far away from Chicago was the ideal plan. Unfortunately, traffic had been at a standstill for over an hour and abandoning their car had been their only option. He broke into a closed corner store and helped his wife inside. They snatched a few food items off the shelves to try and wait it out on the rooftop in hopes that they'd catch the attention of rescue helicopters flying by. So far, they hadn't had much luck. With the heat kicking their ass and the water supply almost gone and damn near suffering heatstroke from the sun's tormenting rays, they were wondering just who they pissed off to find themselves in such a predicament.

Karma's a well-known vengeful bitch with a long list of unfortunate bastards awaiting their day, but just who in the hell sent
this
Karma to them?!
Richard wondered.

“We need to decide right now what we're going to do. That weak-ass door ain't going to hold up much longer, Richard,” Linda said, breaking through his mental ramblings.

“If the military couldn't do shit against these damn things, I know we don't have a fucking chance. We can't even jump from the rooftop to our deaths. Those fucking things are down there waiting for us. I can put a bullet in your head then stick the barrel in my mouth and pull the trigger. That's our best option. I don't want to risk either of us becoming one of those fucking things.”

Linda burst into tears and tightened her arms around her husband's torso.
God, this couldn't be happening!
Just earlier that day, she was making plans to have lunch with Sarah, Kathy and Agnese. Now she was trying to figure out the best way to die. She couldn't begin to fathom her husband putting the cold, hard steel of a gun barrel into his mouth. His lovely, even white teeth caressing the cylindrical shape as his finger pulled the trigger sending a tiny piece of metal through his cranium destroying everything he once was and would ever be. The very thought made her want to vomit. She knew he had to be thinking the same thing. Contemplating if he even had it in him to place the barrel of his gun against his wife's temple. Could he pull the trigger? Would she even let him do it?

The denting of the rooftop door made them jump to their feet. Oh God! The moment of truth was now before them. Richard pulled his wife closer, her face pressed hard against his chest as he kissed the top of her head.  They gave their final prayers, asking forgiveness for all of the sins and they pleaded for mercy for those still struggling to survive. Linda's eyes were closed tightly as tears flowed freely down her cheeks, the salty fluid soaking the thin fabric of Richard's shirt. She could feel the hard metal end of the gun's barrel against her temple.

“I...it's....it's okay, baby. It's okay,” she stammered, trying to her best to be brave in her final moments.