Return of the Phoenix - 01 by Heath Stallcup Page A

although it took a while to develop the taste. Cattle and other livestock could be substituted, and the vampirism doesn’t transfer to them.
    “With time, we developed ways to bleed a little from the livestock and keep them alive. Much the same as you might ‘milk’ your livestock. Keep the stock alive and simply take what was needed to survive. It sustains us, but we are weaker than our brethren who still feed on humans for sustenance.”
    Jack set his tray aside and tried to get a bit more comfort able. “So why don’t more vampires do this whole ‘vegetarian’ thing like you do?”
    “To them, it is a sign of weakness. It makes you weaker and slower to feed on anything other than humans and to other va mpires, it is not only offensive, it is practically heresy,” Rufus replied. “It is the cause of our own civil war.”
    “Civil war?” Jack asked, in disbelief.
    “Yes. You see, there are more and more of us converting to what we call ‘The New Way’ and fewer and fewer of the those who absolutely refute it and demand we convert back to the ‘Old Ways’…the way it was meant to be. It has become the main political point in what has become the Great Vampire Civil War.”
    “Okay. And where exactly do we fit in to this scenario?” Jack asked, not sure he was going to like the answer.
    “That is what I was hoping to speak to you about,” Rufus said as he sat on the edge of the chair. He paused as if gathering his thoughts, choosing his words wisely. “Many of the vampires you and your team have hunted down over the past few years have been ‘ Lamia Beastia ’ that were set up to appear as Hunters.” Rufus peered into Jack’s eyes to see if he was catching on. “The Hunters are ‘Lamia Humanus’ and they are those who feed on humans. They are cunning, ruthless and vicious in their attacks against both humans and us.”
    “Wait a minute!” Jack interjected. “You mean to tell me that of the two sides of vampires, we’ve only been killing the so-called ‘good guys’? And that you and your goat-suckers are the good guys and we should just leave you the fuck alone?”
    “Well,” Rufus replied, “yes, and no.”
    “What the fuck? I’m supposed to just believe that—”
    “No, please, you must understand something, first,” Rufus stated, putting his hands up to stop Jack’s outburst. “Firstly, yes, you are correct that there are two sides in our civil war. Secondly, you haven’t only been killing our side, but you have been mostly killing only our side because the other side has been laying the proverbial bread crumbs to our doorsteps. And thirdly, there was no way for any of you to know or realize that there were any vampires out there who weren’t a threat to humanity.”
    Jack stared at Rufus for quite some time before simply sa ying, “Right.”
    “Look, I realize that this is a lot for you to try to take in and understand. And I do understand that you are not yet prepared to believe what I say. I can only hope that as you heal and become more mobile, that I can show you more proof and perhaps co nvince you that what I say is true.”
    “And if you can’t?” Jack asked.
    Rufus shook his head as he stood and replaced the chair in its original position. “Then, I’m afraid you will leave here and tell your friends that you were saved and given medical treatment by a bunch of crazed vampires who tried like mad to convince you to assist them in their cause. Either way, you will leave here unharmed…as promised.
    “I mean it when I tell you that we mean you no harm, Mr. Thompson. I only wish for you to understand the situation that we are in and the situation that you and your team are making worse for us by killing our kind when the really bad vampires are out there trying to destroy us and using you as their weapon.” With that Rufus turned and left Jack alone in his candlelit room to ponder the possibilities.
     
    *****
     
    Senator Franklin put away the summaries of the