Free Empire of Blood (Book 2): Fading In Darkness by Robert S. Wilson

them.
    "Yes?"
    "The little bugger's flown the coop. His 'babysitter' took him as far as Chicago before the sodding prat responsible for tracking him got ahold of me. They haven't moved though. Maybe they won't be heading out too quickly."
    The Emperor rolled his eyes. "Is that all? You have his location. Just get out there and keep tabs on him. The boy isn't worth much to me dead. If his father does as he's told, we'll need the boy to arrive back home in time to welcome him back. I can't have my best motivation for Mr. Evans up and dying just yet."
    "Aye, sir. I'm already on my way."
    "Good, good. Oh, and Draper?"
    "Uh?"
    "Pick yourself up a snack on the way. My treat. Just don't make it a habit. I don't mind making arrangements, but you go getting seen or leaving evidence and you know where you'll be headed."
    "That's very kind of you, sir. I'll make sure not to spill a single drop. I might even make a toast in your honor."
    "You do that. Just be sure you don't lose track of the boy." 
     
    * * *
     
    Draper smiled as he looked at the family of four coming out of the rest stop.
    "Oh, I won't sir. I'll catch up with ' im soon enough. Goodbye, sir."
    He hung up the cell phone and put it in his pocket and headed toward the vending machines where those two sweet little boys and their mummy and daddy were currently walking. Their smell was so sweet even over the cold crisp air filled with scents of motor oil, perfume, garbage, and dog shit.
    He'd made a habit out of it already. There wasn't anything the Emperor or anyone else could do to stop him. Not only did he have a natural thirst to contend with, but he also had an insatiable desire long before he'd ever stopped being human... physically. Because before Jack Draper had even been a vampire he'd already long been a monster.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 10
    The Meeting
     
     
    An eerie nostalgic sense of fear gripped Hank's heart as the car pulled to a stop just outside the border of the city. It was dark by then and the lights of the city cast an all too familiar glow. In the rearview mirror, the driver gave him a nod and Hank took that as his cue to get moving. He stepped out of the car, thanked the driver, and began walking toward the huge "welcome" sign he had never actually seen before in person.
    Hank pulled the map from his pocket. He wasn't sure if he'd ever been on this side of town before and the map didn't give any indication that he was wrong about that. The sound of the car driving away behind him made him grab hold of the bag hanging at his side as if it was some sort of security blanket. He fought the urge to have another vial. It was best to save as many of them as he could.
    He made his way along the sidewalk underneath that infamous sign looking up at it with a mix of wonder and dread. He reminded himself of his would be friend Ishan in order to attempt to calm himself. As if on cue, Hank noticed a figure off in the distance. Judging from what Hank could remember about the master vampire, he felt there was a good chance either he was hallucinating or it was Ishan himself waiting for him to arrive. The closer he came the more sure he was that it was him. The long straight black hair, short stature, and as he came close enough to see them, those frightening red eyes were the final confirmation.
    "Mr. Evans, it's great to see you again."
    "Didn't I tell you to call me Hank?"
    Ishan laughed.
    "It's great to see you too, though."
    Ishan looked at him thoughtfully. "The council is waiting—well, most of us are. I believe we'll have a late arriver."
    "I have to be honest. I have no idea what to expect from this meeting."
    "Indeed, it will be a new experience for us as well. We're used to spending most of our time trying to get through it without managing to break the blood pact. You'll be the first of your position to have already gained our respect, so to some it will be uneventful and confusing, I'm sure. But to myself , it should be quite interesting."
    Hank