Shining in Crimson: Empire of Blood Book One (A Dystopian Vampire Novel) by Robert S. Wilson

vampire who not only raped his mother, he now knew, but also took his life and forced him to relive this hellish night once again. Though he was sure Peter couldn’t have done these things knowingly to him, it made no difference to Simon.
    After what seemed an eternity watching this traumatizing scene, everything around him began to glow again. There was another red flash and everything changed. Now he was just one year older, in his living room, standing and watching the television as his mother sat right up in front of it, watching intently. She smoked a cigarette, sitting Indian style with a large round, black ashtray on the floor in front of her. Simon knew immediately what he was watching. It was the first of many live evening press conferences called by a man named Joseph Caesar. Joseph Caesar was the leader of a militia called the Seven Seals of God. On the TV, he raised his arms to hush the large crowd and began to speak as Simon listened with excitement.
    "I am the lamb of God," Joseph Caesar said. "I have been found worthy by the Lord of all of heaven and earth to break loose the Seven Seals of God and open the scroll of life!" he yelled as he beat his fists on the podium before him. Simon felt a chill of pride run through his entire body. This was much better to relive than what he’d just endured. Right here, he was reliving history in the making. He was watching the first step marking the beginning of events leading to the Empire. There before him on the screen, speaking behind a podium to a crowd of reporters and spectators, stood America 's future Emperor. Simon could hardly contain the pleasure filling his heart. As he listened to Emperor Caesar continue his speech, Simon noticed the glowing again. He didn't want to go.
    Regardless of what he wanted, next came the red flash taking him somewhere new in another time. It was dark and explosions erupted all around him. He was wearing his camouflage fatigues. One of the devil's men came out from behind the remains of a black truck. The man wore United States Army fatigues. These were the wolves in sheep's clothing. Caesar had taught his army this. The United States had turned away from God. Its government had abandoned him and Joseph Caesar and the Seven Seals of God had brought about God's great war , Armageddon, against them. It was the last war, Simon knew from reading his bible. It would bring about the peace on earth that God had promised.
    Simon pulled the trigger of his fully automatic Ak-47, bringing the man down in an instant. He watched with hatred as the man twitched for a moment then went utterly still. Then, Simon moved forward, stepping over the body, looking for more of them. He kept an eye out at all times for bloodsuckers. Ever since the war broke out, they seemed to be everywhere. They no longer tried to hide except in the light of day. They often attacked men from both sides. The constant spilling of blood had brought them here. He knew now, though he didn't then, why some of the vampires seemed almost human while the others were anything but. It was mostly natural vampires attacking men as they fought for the fate of the country. Either way, he hated them all the same. Except for Peter. Simon hated Peter even more. The sound of explosions echoed in the distance as Simon walked onward beneath a gigantic concrete bridge towering over him. It looked almost black in the moonlight. Simon was just about to look behind himself when the glowing started again.
    Everything became brighter in a brilliant white glare until flashes of red began occurring rapidly at random. This time they brought only images of different times and places in his life. He saw his father slamming the front door when he left for good. He saw his mother in her coffin on the day of her blessed funeral. He saw each and every face of the men he murdered during the great war . Then came the women. The women his disgusting addiction led him to desecrate himself with. He saw his own