CROW (book 3)

As Justin ventured through the dense foliage, he became enthralled by the vibrant beams of orange light that filtered through the thick canopy above. The rays danced and flickered, creating a breathtaking display that enveloped him in a warm, otherworldly glow. Despite his camouflage attire and weapon, Justin found it difficult to focus on the task at hand, his mind still haunted by Amy’s lifeless gaze.

With a sudden gunshot from behind, Justin was jolted back to reality. He swiveled around, pressing his head against a large tree, closing his eyes and reflecting on what had led him to these woods. The buzzing of a beetle and the voices of the C.R.O.W. members filled his ears, a reminder of the renegade group’s mission to eradicate vampires.

Rex, the strict commander of the group, relied on his military experience to establish the organization. While the other members lacked formal training, Justin couldn’t underestimate their strength, especially Victoria and Ashley B., formidable adversaries in direct confrontations with vampires. At times, they even frightened him.

Justin struggled to divert his thoughts from the monstrous transformation that had turned him into a vampire. Amy’s untimely demise lingered in his mind, and he often found himself blaming Milo, Ma’at, or Grendel for the tragic events. Another gunshot startled him, urging him to gather his thoughts and regain his composure to avoid detection.

In his memory, Milo’s calm and chilly voice echoed, reminding him that he was not a vampire but a Kaw-Sekhum. The distinction mattered, but Justin knew he had to focus completely on the task at hand, disregarding his inner turmoil.

The C.R.O.W. crew had extensive experience in hunting vampires, unlike Justin, who had only been exposed to this world for less than a year. He had witnessed their exceptional skills and was in awe of their otherworldly abilities.

As Justin closed his eyes, footsteps approached from his right side. He knelt down and reached for a stone, swiftly throwing it to divert the lone pursuer. With a turn, he aimed accurately, hitting the stone and the tree behind it.

Rex, nearly as tall as Justin, rushed toward the noise, tightly gripping his gun as he approached the hit tree. Kneeling down, he picked up the stone that Justin had flung.

Filled with anticipation, Justin readied his shot, but a sudden impact on his shoulder caused his aim to falter. The shot missed its target, and Rex retaliated, shooting Justin twice in the chest. Exhaustion overcame Justin as he groaned, his shoulders slumping. Looking down at the jacket that was now bursting with bright colors. He examined the paint on his camo jacket with frustration and rage, regretting his inability to defeat mere humans.

Rex clapped Justin on the shoulder, moving past him to join Ashley B., his younger sister and a prominent member of C.R.O.W. “Almost,” Rex murmured, turning his attention back to Justin, “but in the world of vampires, almost won’t suffice.”

Ashley B.’s pitch-black, pulled-back hair glistened in the sunlight, emphasizing her familial ties with Rex. The similarities confused Justin, as her features differed from her brother’s, with a rounder and softer jawline.

Turning back to Justin, Ashley B. murmured something comforting, urging Rex to be kind. She reassured Justin with a smile, acknowledging that she had intervened to save him during the confrontation. Justin wondered if she stayed with the group primarily to keep an eye on her brother rather than sharing the same enthusiasm for killing vampires.

Rex’s gaze shifted between them, emphasizing that the vampires they faced were not to be underestimated. “Well then, we’ll have to remind the vampires to play nice. One-on-one fighting is the only kind that counts in war,” he poisonously remarked. “What we’re doing here isn’t a game. They’re looking for a fight. They will not think twice about killing anyone in our group.”

As the noxious odor assailed his senses, Justin struggled to speak, his words turning into a choking fit as he fought off the urge to vomit. Both Rex and Ashley turned their attention to him, their brows furrowing in concern. “Do you smell that?” Justin managed to wheeze, leaning on his knees for support.

Simultaneously, a dense fog began to envelop the woodland floor. Emerging from the mist, Victoria’s frantic shrieks pierced through the air. Victoria, along with Rex, was one of the founders of the group C.R.O.W. Upon hearing her distress, Rex and Ashley assumed a more serious stance, their eyes fixed on the fog as they tried to determine her location.

Rex swiftly reached out and grabbed Victoria as she sprinted towards them. “What happened?” he yelled, his voice filled with urgency, while Victoria anxiously peered over her shoulder. For a brief moment, it sounded as if she whispered the word “vampires.” Rex’s eyes widened in disbelief, his gaze shifting to the clear beams of sunlight cascading through the overhead canopy. “Vampires? They can’t be out in daylight.”

Victoria, her breathing heavy, replied with a huff, “Fine, zompires or whatever the hell we’re calling them. One of those fuckers nearly took a chunk out of my arm.” Without hesitation, Rex took hold of Victoria’s arms, examining them closely for any cuts or bite marks.

As the smell of decomposing flesh began to dissipate amidst the fog, a lingering scent of burnt chalk hung in the air, indicating that the fog was not natural. It meant the zompires could function even in daylight, turning the element of surprise into their advantage. “It’s an ambush!” Rex shouted, though it was a redundant observation, as everyone had already reached the same conclusion.

“We won’t be able to fight them off with these,” Rex gestured dismissively towards their paintball equipment, realizing its futility. Ashley B frowned, her gaze fixed on the direction Victoria had come from. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she realized that their vehicle and the shooting range lay beyond the encroaching fog.

Rex and Ashley B both peered into the distance, their eyes focused on the obscured path ahead. Ashley B sighed, already anticipating Rex’s response. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”

Justin couldn’t gauge the exact distance to the shooting range, but he estimated it would take them another 20-30 minutes to reach it through the dense woods. The haze created by the zompires would undoubtedly make the journey back much more time-consuming.

Rex continued scanning the forest, his fingers still tightly clasped with Victoria’s. Through the thick fog, visibility was nearly nonexistent. Victoria’s voice trembled with confusion, “I always assumed only the priest could create zompires.” She glanced at Rex, who seemed to be ignoring her. Panic crept into her tone. “I thought they still considered us allies. Why would he send them after us?”

Justin speculated that if Malachi discovered his collaboration with C.R.O.W., he would assume Justin had divulged the cult’s plans. Perhaps Justin would have stayed with the group if Amy were still alive. They had offered him an alternative to murder. But now it was too late, and he knew too much. The group intended to eliminate him before he could become a liability. However, Justin kept these thoughts to himself, knowing they wouldn’t understand if they were to find out what he was.

As Rex guided Victoria in one direction, Ashley B led Justin in the opposite direction, Justin noticed that whatever was lurking in the fog emitted the distinct smell of zompires. He could hear their struggling and tripping over each other, indicating that the fog posed as much of a hindrance to them as it did to the humans. However, it seemed that the rest of the group was unaware of this.

Based on the noise level, Justin estimated there were around twenty zompires in the vicinity. However, he hesitated to share this information, being cautious about every action he took in front of the group. While he now considered the members of C.R.O.W. As friends, he knew that revealing his true nature might not be accepted. He struggled with self-acceptance himself, and he had no notion they would be willing to approve of what he was.

Justin and Ashley B maneuvered cautiously, skirting around the fog, moving stealthily from one tree to another. Justin murmured, “What’s the game plan?” as he followed Ashley B closely.

“Focus on reaching the van as quickly as possible,” Ashley B whispered back, glancing behind her briefly before continuing forward with caution.

Justin realized that if he were alone, he could have made it to the van already, potentially defeating most of the zompires along the way. Instead, he stayed by Ashley B’s side, listening intently for any signs of danger lurking beneath the artificial fog.

Despite Ashley B’s composed demeanor, fear raced through her veins. Acting on impulse, Justin reached out and took her hand, startling her. She swiftly turned to face him, her expression reflecting surprise, but no words escaped her lips. Seeking to reassure her, he guided her away from the immediate danger lurking just five feet away.

Had one of them stepped on a branch or kicked over a rock, their cover would have been blown. Justin had imagined that he could handle a few of them alone, primarily because decapitation seemed to be the most effective method against them.

However, with the presence of a larger group, he might have been overwhelmed by their combined strength at such close proximity. His inability to demonstrate his true power in front of C.R.O.W. was another concern. If they were to discover his true nature, he doubted there would be a happy ending.

His plan was to seize one of the weapons when they reached the van, allowing him to unleash his full strength against the zompires on his own. Although the bullets themselves would have little effect, the tar-like substance in the bullet’s center prevented the zompires from fully recovering, leaving them in agonizing pain and rendering them helpless before decapitation. It was the most viable option for eliminating them at that moment.

Once that happened, they could make use of the wire saw, a tool that almost felt like it was specifically designed for dealing with zompires.

Decapitation was not as simple as depicted in movies, but the zompires’ decaying bodies and the tar-like material on the wire made the task relatively easy. It could be compared to cutting warm or frozen butter, depending on the level of deterioration.

Justin prepared himself for the upcoming confrontation, hoping that his plan would succeed and that he could protect the group without revealing his true identity.

Justin made a thoughtless mistake, he stepped on a branch, and the sound resonated through the woods. The air was thick with unsaid tension. Before they could move, they appeared to be besieged on all sides.

At that second, he knew he had to act quickly to save them both. He turned to Ashley B and asked, “Do you trust me?” Their arms extended in front of them, hoping to ward off the approaching zompires, even though deep down they knew it was futile.

Confused and terrified, Ashley B shouted back, scanning the encircling zompires with growing desperation. Their situation seemed impossible, with more zompires closing in on them. Justin pleaded with her, “I need you to believe in me. I need to know you won’t tell anyone else. If you promise, I can get us out of here.”

Uncertain but realizing the gravity of the situation, Ashley B began loading the paint pistol, eager for any means to push back the zompires, even temporarily. “Okay,” she answered hesitantly, “whatever it is, just do it. I don’t want to die in this place.”

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone,” Justin urgently yelled, his focus divided between Ashley B’s response and the approaching zompires.

Just as Justin struck one of the zompires in the face, another lunged at him from behind, causing Ashley B to unleash a blood-curdling scream. Fear coursing through her, she conceded, “I’ll keep whatever stupid secret you have. Do whatever you fucking have to do, Justin, and do it now.”

In a swift motion, Justin scooped Ashley B up into his arms, feeling a momentary surge of strength and purpose. He had seen this in movies, and for that moment, he felt like a superhero. “Hold on,” he warned, his voice laced with fear, as Ashley B wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He knew he could safely get them out of immediate danger, but now his fate remained uncertain.

As Justin carried Ashley B, sprinting through the woods to escape the zompires, they left their pursuers far behind within seconds. Catching his breath, he finally noticed why Ashley B had screamed--a deep gash on her arm. His immediate concern was to cover the wound and mask the scent of blood before the zompires could detect it. However, his mind also raced with the realization of the danger he posed to her.

Ashley B took off her light jacket and quickly wrapped it around her injured arm, concealing the wound. Justin turned away, trying to resist the temptation that welled up within him, the scent of blood causing his mouth to water.

Struggling to explain himself, he turned back to Ashley B, avoiding looking at her arm. “I can explain everything, but not right now. Just give me a little more time. Once we’re both safe, I’ll tell you everything.”

Stepping back, Ashley B’s voice trembled with fear and disgust. “You’re one of them, you’re a vampire,” she accused, her expression a mix of terror and revulsion. “What are you doing? Trying to learn our secrets? Did you kill Amy?”

Justin felt a sharp pain in his chest as he recalled the night Amy was murdered, the night Ma’at and Malachi had urged him to change her. Despite his refusal, tragedy struck, and Amy lost her life. Seeing the anguish on his face, Ashley B’s expression softened slightly as she retreated further.

“No, I couldn’t, I didn’t,” Justin stammered, emotions welling up as he relived that painful memory. “Everything I’ve told you is true. I just didn’t tell you what happened to me. I didn’t think you would understand.”

As they conversed, the zompires drew closer, their presence a constant reminder of the imminent danger. Wiping his face, Justin snapped out of his reverie and turned to Ashley B, gripping her upper arms firmly. “I can get us to the van. And you need to get patched up. I can eliminate the majority of the zompires before Rex and Victoria reach the van. You have to trust me.”

Gently nodding her head, Ashley B glanced over his shoulder, realizing there was no easy escape route. She understood that she had to trust Justin, or their lives would be in jeopardy.

Ashley glanced at Rex as he approached, concern etched on his face. Victoria followed closely behind him. When Rex noticed the bandage on Ashley’s arm, he hurriedly made his way to the van.

“I’m fine, Rex. Just a minor scrape from falling against a rock,” Ashley lied, knowing that providing too many details would raise suspicions. It was better to keep the lie simple and avoid further questions. When lying, it was important to keep the lies as general as possible.

Rex reached out to inspect the dressing, satisfied with its appearance. It was then that he realized Justin was missing. “Where is Justin?” he asked, his tone filled with worry.

Ashley gestured towards the woods. “He just left,” she replied, a half-truth that conveniently omitted the length of time she had been waiting. “He armed himself and went on his own.” While Ashley momentarily tried to accompany Justin, she didn’t put up much resistance when he insisted on going ahead alone.

Following the events that led to Ashley A’s death, she had become wary of engaging in one-on-one encounters with vampires. Additionally, she wasn’t sure if she could fully trust Justin yet, so she chose to remain behind, accepting the argument that she wasn’t in good enough shape to handle a rifle.

Ashley was surprised by Rex’s reaction. “And he just abandoned you?” What if the zompires made there way over here? “What if...” he began, his fear palpable.

Ashley cut him off, raising her voice more than intended. “I’m not helpless, Rex!” she asserted. “There’s plenty of space between here and the forest line for me to arm myself. I’m sitting on top of a vehicle that has more explosives than a redneck’s 4th of July celebration.” She paused briefly, then continued. “I understand that you see me as your little sister and feel the need to protect me or whatever. But I chose to be part of this mission. Don’t treat me like a child.”

“Don’t start,” Rex warned, locking eyes with her. Victoria, who had often cautioned Rex about being overly controlling and urged him to trust the team more, gave Ashley an apologetic smile and raised her hands in a gesture of non-involvement. She then retreated into the back of the van.

“In any case, he should have waited for us,” Rex said, attempting to appear calmer than he felt. However, the clicking of his jaw betrayed his inner tension.

A moment later, Victoria emerged from the van, wearing a full-body Kevlar suit. She hadn’t bothered to conceal it under her clothes since there was no need to hide it in the middle of nowhere.

“How bad is it?” As Victoria looked down at Ashley’s damaged arm, her worry was clear, and she posed the question.

“I’ll live,” Ashley said, an attempt to reassure Victoria with a grin didn’t fully mask her inner turmoil. The revelation that Justin was a vampire had shaken her to the core, and she had to find a way to maintain her composure while grappling with the implications. She knew she had to play out the arm injury convincingly to divert attention from her concerns.

However, the immediate danger from the zompires lingered in Ashley’s mind. She couldn’t help but question Justin’s true intentions. What if he was working with the zompires and had led them all into a trap? The thought made her feel sick, adding to her growing unease. What if Justin was waiting for them in the fog, ready to strike the moment they appeared?

Rex entered the van momentarily and emerged seconds later. “There are still three vests in here,” he said, directing his attention to Ashley. “Didn’t Justin take one?”

Ashley struggled to respond. Everything had happened so quickly, and they were in such a hurry. Justin had assisted her in cleaning and dressing the arm wound, but he had insisted on going ahead as soon as possible, claiming it was safer for him to confront the zompires. He had taken a gun and left before she even realized he was gone.

Rex, gripping the side of the van tightly, glanced towards the forest. “That foolish kid is going to get himself killed,” he muttered in frustration, slamming his hand against the side of the vehicle. He disappeared inside momentarily and then reappeared wearing a Kevlar vest, similar to Victoria’s, and carrying two shotguns.

“Come on,” Rex urged Victoria, tossing her one of the shotguns. “We need to hurry and get in there before it’s too late.”

Ashley’s heart raced as she joined Rex and Victoria, her mind filled with conflicting thoughts about Justin’s true allegiance and the impending danger they faced. She knew she had to trust her instincts and focus on surviving the immediate threat while grappling with the unsettling reality of the vampire that was among them.

As Rex’s attention shifted from his sister to the memory of Ashley A’s tragic demise, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger and frustration. Killing vampires had become second nature to him and his team, but he understood the importance of remaining vigilant. One momentary lapse in focus could lead to disastrous consequences, as they had experienced with Ashley A.

The haunting memory of that night replayed in his mind. Malachi’s group had brought in a new kind of vampire to their warehouse, and they had her trapped in an electric field on the highest level. Despite her small and frail appearance, there was something different about her. She didn’t exhibit the usual aggression or resistance they had come to expect from vampires.

Tears streamed down her face as she begged for release, a plea that struck a chord with Rex and the others. It was unusual for vampires to show such vulnerability and desperation. The group stood divided, observing her from one side of the unseen dome, with Victoria by Rex’s side and his sister on the other.

They hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. This girl didn’t fit the typical profile of a vampire. With her piercings, tattoos, and brightly colored hair, Rex couldn’t help but associate her with the image of a troubled human, perhaps even a junkie. While none of these attributes were definitive signs, Rex had encountered individuals like her before, and he had little sympathy for their self-destructive lifestyles.

However, the thought of killing a human didn’t sit well with him, even if he didn’t particularly care about this girl’s fate. If Malachi had been wrong about her, it would weigh heavily on his conscience.

Just as Rex’s thoughts were consumed by the memory and his conflicted emotions, a clattering noise from behind a stack of machinery drew his attention. Devon, a seemingly insignificant member of their team, popped his head around, quickly picking up an empty cup from the floor. Rex couldn’t help but feel annoyed by Devon’s presence.

Devon was the stereotypical computer geek, spending most of his time behind monitors and lacking any notable accomplishments. Rex held a disdain for him, finding his pale complexion and lack of social skills unimpressive.

Apologizing for the noise, Devon retreated back to his domain of wiring and monitors. He oversaw the technical aspects of their operation, including security, and was responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of their facilities. In that moment, Rex’s annoyance towards Devon served as a brief distraction from the weight of the situation they were currently facing.

Devon always kept to himself, and hardly talked to anyone else in the group. Rex would simply bark an order and anything he desired would occur. It was almost as though everything was automatic. That is, until that fateful night. The mistake, if you can call it that, was something none of them could forget or forgive Devon for over a year later.

Ultimately the night felt like it was going on forever. Then everything happened at once. It could all have been prevented if they only thought about how strange the quest was. But they had no reason to question the church, their “anonymous” donors appeared to be the most trustworthy. After all, why would anyone doubt a Christian group that appeared to be only concerned with doing good in the world?

Even now it was hard for Rex to piece together what happened. One minute they were all standing around wondering how they were going to kill this girl who was so pathetic it almost felt wrong to end her.

That’s when it happened. He lifted the ak-47. And at that same moment the force field that held the monster in, failed. Almost as if it knew the exact moment it dropped, it lunged for Rex. Ashley tried to push him out of the way, the gun fell, or ripped from his hands. He now couldn’t recall the exact details.

That was when Ashley grabbed Rex’s sister. In the struggle Ashley A was shot. Before Rex could stand, Victoria jumped on its back, kicking the gun out of the monster’s hand. As Victoria held her down, Rex got a wire saw. He rang it around its neck, and with a failed start and a lot of elbow grease , he was finally able to cut its head off.

This was the first time killing one of the new vampires. And till this day, was still one of the strangest things he had ever seen. When the body died, it turned to stone instead of the typical dust. The bleeding blood from the severed head and body began to harden and crystallize into a beautiful gem.

Rex shook his head, still in the woods and surrounded by zompires he couldn’t let his focus wonder. The further along they went the less dense the fog had become. And just like being in the eye of a storm, the way head was crystal clear. That’s where they found Justin. He stood alone in the center smashing his foot into the ground. He didn’t seem to notice Rex or Victoria until they were only a few feet away. That was when Rex realized what Justin was doing.

These new vampires, the ones they called zompires, existed as a subspecies. Moments after they die, their blood turns hard, much like a jewel that can be easily shattered, therefore it was easy to know when you killed one of them. That was exactly what Justin was up to at the moment. A thick layer of scarlet, crystalline blood covered the floor beneath his feet.

When Rex checked the surroundings, he saw that there were no other zompires around. “Did you kill them all?” Rex inquired, lowering his guard somewhat as he surveyed his surroundings.

“I think so,” Justin said as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “I took refuge in a tree.” He directed his finger to a large tree a few feet away. “I just took them off one by one. Then I came down here to destroy them. Make certain they do not resurrect.”

This was unnecessary, but it did help with cleanup. When you smash the body enough, you can’t tell they were ever humanoid in the first place. If someone came across this, they might find it strange. However, no foul play would seem to have occurred.

Yet, that wasn’t Rex’s primary concern. How many of them were there? If there were as many as there appeared to be, Justin would have been overwhelmed before he could finish them off, no matter how high up in the tree he was hiding. That’s assuming he had enough ammunition to kill every one of them.

Justin shrugged and said, “I don’t know. Maybe a dozen. They were dispersed, but once I shot one, the rest went to check it out. I picked them off one by one. They didn’t even notice me.”

Rex cast a glance at the ground. It would have been easier to tell if they hadn’t all been smashed into red chunks by this point. However, there appeared to be far more than twelve of them. And they weren’t all in one place, as Justin implied.

Rex turned to Justin, a million questions in his head. His story didn’t add up. “Damn you, kid. Excellent work. Leave some of the bastards for us next time.” Rex smiled broadly before patting him on the back. “Let’s do one more sweep before heading back. It’s been a long day.”

If Justin had been lying now wasn’t the time to question him. Rex would remain on guard until he felt safe and secure enough to address the discrepancies.