Chapter Two.
Elaine Robert’s had been making her own quiet investigations into whom we were, but we had taken considerable care to ensure it looked as if the Calldonian Mounted Police had simply sent much needed staff to fill the various positions, and that there was no obvious links uniting us other than one of law enforcement.
We had also caused as minimal interest as possible within the community and simply quietly became involved within the local LWC church, and involving ourselves within their family activities.
Ebreberta was basically central station for the LWC church in Calldonia, although it did have a long history of the old faith where old timers had multiple wives, that aside we were from the main church, and our president was recognised by us as the Chosen One and our leader.
This gave a basic level of protection, as faith in action, played an important part in our way of life, and it was also an incredibly strong defence against evil forces. Vampires were regarded as evil forces and fed from those alive, and not just on blood. But also on people’s emotions, thoughts, fears and memories as well as energy, and with their life force draining the soul and feeding on its life essence.
Ancient and powerful vampires like Elaine Roberts could sent out tendrils of energy and seek out victims, slowly or rapidly draining them of their life-giving energy. However, this also exposed them to others of the night, those who with equal powers could manipulate and entrap them, so that they became mesmerised and exposed to an attack.
As such the masters were cautious to feed in this manner and unless certain of their power base they avoided such conflict, past wars had taught them we were a more than a mere threat, and they preferred to avoid detection lest we became aware.
Our advantage was twofold, as we looked 100% human and secondly until we transformed there was no way, that another life force could detect our true abilities. And while the vampires numbered in the millions, we were few by comparison and also by a few, thought long dead, but caution was preferred just in case, such was the fear of our kind to these evil creatures.
Our family had passed their initial inspections and as such we became accepted into the community while we also slowly built our identity and our powerbase, and later, and on two occasions the deputies were involved in arresting some of Elaine Roberts staff while they overstepped their authority and tried enforcing their will on some of the less fortunate towns people.
However, Rebecca Langston the Marshal, had come to an agreement with the leading families’ attorney to simply inform the family of who was in custody, and secure them for the night. Suitable compensation was paid to the offended family and a contribution given to the community, in return the offenders were released into the custody of the attorney, and to face the anger of the family.
I learnt there was a golden rule and which was usually enforced firmly. Do not crap on your own doorstep. Incredibly this was a wise action and endeared the family to the locals, well endeared is too strong of a word, as it means or implies favour or suggested such, when in truth it was more a case of tolerated.
Whatever a person calls it, the towns folk largely depended on this family for a living and to alienate them was unwise, so on the surface all was rosy and the family was embraced, and when on occasions a few employees drank too much alcohol or found themselves in trouble, it was accepted and kind of tolerated, even though in truth it was utterly hated.
This gave me an opportunity of building bridges of friendship with James Elis MacConkey the third. James was the families’ main attorney and as such I was able with my families help to become aware of situations developing and manipulating them to our advantage. And then step in and with a curtesy phone call and pre-warn James of impending trouble.
Stephen one of my family acted as my liaison officer and endeared himself into the family, and slowly we filtered our way into their organisation. Eighteen months had passed and those responsible had become known to me within months of my arrival, however, I was patient, and quietly built my powerbase and waited my opportunity; eighteen months and nine days had passed when I made the first strike.
Winston Franklin an old miner who had a reputation of drinking and fighting had returned to his home after a reported break-in and the removal of his precious hunting rifles, and the death of two of his hunting dogs. Rebecca had placated the family and promised to have her best deputies investigate into it.
Five days later, Winston received a phone call claiming to come from a Deputy Wilson who had apparently apprehended an intruder and was reported to be carrying the lost hunting rifle.
Winston immediately requested that the prisoner could be kept where he was and not taken into custody, as he wanted his revenge for the death of his dogs.
The next day Winston never reported to work, and enquiries were made, and by two days of absence Rebecca was contacted and questioned as to who had phoned Winston. All phone records showed clearly no such calls had emanated from our locations and I knew the surveillance technology would verify the truth of our claim.
Five days later the remains of Winston were discovered, and his husk of a body had been drained of blood, this caused Elaine Roberts to consider who in her family had attacked one of her employees.
Six days later three further employees died in a similar fashion, and this enforced the fear that a rival vampire faction had started seeking a foothold in Elaine’s kingdom. Only it was a smoke screen and diverting attention from my family. I had sought revenge on four of the offending murderous gang who had killed my wife.
Yet I knew that I had six further to take out, and I had learnt from Winston that there were at least fifty additional so-called hunters who were responsible for the death and stealing of land across Canada. And ultimately, I now had my aim or attention on Elain Roberts, but I was wise enough to understand that she was beyond my immediate reach, yet there were those in my family who would be able to fill that function.
As time passed, Rebecca Langston had grown to love me, and we held a special place in our hearts for each other, however, she was still not aware of my true nature and all was going well until one fatal night a group from Raymoulds Mining, which belonged to Elaine Roberts, had ventured into town, and they had celebrated a huge bonus and had ventured into drinking away their earnings.
Rebecca and I had been off duty and between us we had visited the local Cinema, and then gone for an evening meal. Everything had gone well, but we had both drunk far too much to safely drive ourselves to our respective homes.
I had unexpectedly found a new partner, I knew I could never replace Sue my first wife, yet I loved Rebecca and we had much in common. So, we booked ourselves into one of the towns guest houses. I had underestimated the towns locals and within less than an hour we found ourselves interrupted by a crowd of angry torch bearing drunken miners.
Only these torches were of a fire brand and not batteries, quickly I informed the family but by the time they arrived the damage had been done. Rebecca lay fatally wounded by my side, as a shot gun blast had almost killed her outright and another shot had injured me, there were numerous arrests and violence like the town had not seen in over a hundred years.
Honestly, I cannot say how, but I had managed to hold my temper and had not transformed, I also knew CCTV covered the town, and that we had been observed, however, had I transformed into my true nature it would have revealed more than my family was prepared to give.
My deputy tended to my medical needs and Rebecca was rushed to what little the town had and called a hospital, and my deputies took away fifteen miners under armed guard and had them under lock and key. Only Elaine Roberts attorney had different ideas as his wife’s sister’s son was among those arrested and the one who was responsible for shooting a Calldonian Marshal.
Why they had got it into their heads to attack two Calldonian Marshals, I had no idea, well that was until Grampa Shem walked into the office and made his way into the cell room.
He had spilt alcohol onto his clothing and as he had drunk a bottle of home brew, he could have breathed fire, his breath was toxic. One of his nephews was in on the act, and locked him amidst the prisoners. Two hours later an old woman bailed him and he was led away.
Gramps then confirmed to me, “They were mesmerised and commanded to act, it appears someone wanted Rebecca dead,” he said.
I looked at him as he continued telling me what he had read from their minds, they were drunk, and uninhibited by the alcohol, and for gramps it had been a simple matter of mental manipulation and in leading them into a trance.
He also instructed them to reveal who had entranced them. It was James Elis MacConkey the third, and Gramps verified to us that he was a third-generation vampire and with considerable powers in his own right.
Also, it transpired I had not been the target, only unfortunate to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It appears Rebecca had served her purpose and it was thought I would make a suitable replacement, only the stupid drunks had not wanted witnesses and decided to take me out. MacConkey’s problem was his wife’s sister demanded that her son be freed.
