Grey and Honies

Books By R.J. Green

TANNY ANDERSON – Barefoot, Prickles & Thorns

SEARCHING FOR THE ENEMIES

GREY AND HONIES

GREY AND HONIES

R.J. GREEN

published by Smashwords

This book is a work of fiction. Names, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Copyright © 2012 by R.J. Green

Unlike written words which can mend

those leaving the tip of your tongue never bend.

Acknowledgments

This book is personal to me and my family in many ways, to my daughter Moyalee who I cherish with all my heart, thanks for all those wonderful memories. To family and friends who contribute to my life in a positive way, to my faithful editors P .S. Poyser and S. Gordon thank you. To my fellow soldiers fighting away from home, God be with you and your families, to victims of rape and child abuse you are not alone, to the homeless and jobless who yearn to be free from poverty, to the world seeking freedom and prosperity, don’t give up. A big thank you to my fans who continue to support me, love you.

CHAPTER 1

I pulled with all my might. Ken growled at the top of his lungs ’til finally I ripped both arms from his shoulders. I sank fangs into his neck and sucked his body wither; cold and gently the serum trickled down my throat. The other three vamps who’d accompanied us began to retreat. I pounced upon them and drained their veins of the curse mother warned not to drink. I am the joker of Otherworld, labeled a weakling because my enzymes fail to digest human blood. Don’t ask me why it makes my teeth loosen, skin wrinkle, temperature spike to a boil; usually I spend days crumpling ’til being nursed back to health.

A popular myth among us stated vampire’s blood can only be digested by Grey, a child of the devil mothered by vampire, so rare none had been spotted for over a thousand years. Another clan of killer vamps called Assamites used to be cannibals — a curse slowed their thirst for kindred blood. With solid square jaws, greenish blue eyes, slender and muscular physique — I despised the thought of turning into a monster, however for some strange reason my confidence had begun to surge, with the desire for food satisfied. Still I couldn’t comprehend how I managed to kill four vamps, all, almost twice the size of me.

I dragged their carcasses to a nearby swamp and dumped them among the cypress where yellow eyes of alligators glistened above the silver black waters. As I turned to depart a gator sprung out of the water and aimed at my head, her mouth widened, her eyes became red.

Damn! I said, failing to burst into a cloud of mist for the first time. With arms pumping and legs moving just as fast, I raced away in a winding pattern, drifting further into the forest. Finally I exited into an open area, in the distance light flickered from a window. I blinked twice before rushing, fingers across face, but the house had now vanished. Out of breath and confused I tumbled to my knees and cursed the stars and the moon. The faint stenches of werewolves drifted from within the woods. Knowing full well I infringed upon their territory, I followed the wind to mask my odor. So far I had luck.

Welcome to hell, for this wretched flesh of mine awaits the sizzling sun that had begun to break the plain yonder. I’d been wandering since forever dawn. My body quailed from the carnage I devoured, the numbness in my legs worsened, my head pounding faster than usual, my heart, well there hardly was any beat. For the latter part of life I’ve never faced the sun. Mother blamed it on an allergic reaction that made me sensitive to light. Thick black curtains hung from my windows and I was only allowed out during night — like tonight when they mocked me to get out and be a man, a real hunter. Why did I listen to those bullies?

Now I must leave Otherworld and go to Mainworld, never to glance upon the faces of dear Leone and Madame Katherine who rooted for me and expected to share in the glory of the hunt when I returned. In the opposite direction I continued to stroll along the rugged terrain, pushing myself harder adding more distance between us — now I’d reached the limits. A sudden craving for vampire blood had me drooling. As I came to a crawl I homed in on the squealing of bats seemingly from within a cave.

In an oversized dining room, velvet curtains plastered all the windows shutting out the lights; candles flickered from a chandelier hanging above, portraits of famous vamps cuddled the walls.

Where are they? Katherine whispered to Leone who sat next to her at the dining table sipping a glass of red wine. Both ladies had pale white skin and long black hair nestled below their shoulders.

Drake will be okay Madam, said Leone, her blue eyes widened. I’m sure Ken will take good care of him.

I’m not worrying about my son dear.

What worries you Madam?

The future of our clan depends on Drake’s death.

Madam, Leone blurted, jumping to her feet. I don’t understand.

Katherine glided towards Leone and stroked her shoulder gently.

Drake is a Grey Dawn, she said.

Leone’s knees buckled as she headed for the hallway.

Ken is our only hope to put an end to him, Katherine continued. He’s an Assamite I managed to tame a few centuries back.

Assamites are useless! Leone yelled.

The spell is broken! Katherine thundered. They’re our people Leone, vampire killers. You don’t need to be ashamed.

A shadow of doubt flashed across Leone’s face. In the hallway she shoved a door wide open and entered her bedroom. How can it be? she whispered to herself. Drake had been nothing but good to her; at times his persona lacked that of a vampire which Leone found most charming. She recalled his cold hand sliding down her thighs the way she guided them, as they sat on a bench at their favorite meeting place: a secluded garden at the far end of the castle. They’d been secretly courting behind Katherine who’d chosen Ken for Leone.

Like the seeping of smoke from a dying fire Katherine worked her way to a bedroom on the third floor where she kept watch on the full moon cresting yonder. She still had a good forty-five minutes before she had to be in her coffin. By a window that overlooked the garden at the far end of the castle she’d been peeping from behind dark curtains. The thought of her son Drake lingered in her cranium. Technically, she’d adopted him when she found his mother dead. Drake grew to be quite a gentleman, but Katherine feared one day he might discover his true identity; she read his mind more than a century ago and had worked effortlessly to poison him against human blood, literally. She had every detail planned to her advantage. She figured if he’s a weakling for human blood with a secret dose of cyanide no way would he want to take a bite out of a vamp, well, that’s what she thought and it had been working ever since.

Katherine’s thoughts wandered into MAINWORLD — it was the winter of 1907 when she and her chauffeur stumbled across a small cottage hidden among the pines, after abandoning their White Steam Car whose 30 hp engine had come to a halt. The chauffeur raced ahead and found the door ajar; he shoved it wide open then entered.

Inside the house a female’s head had been tossed opposite her body that had nerves twitching. A man with an axe held high in the striking position froze like a statue with every bit of blood drained from his corpse. A boy skulked in a corner next to the bed, his teeth clattering out of control, eyes rolled back in their sockets, blood covering his face and hair.

Katherine and her male servant entered the small room where the wooden floor trembled beneath their feet. The dead man holding the axe hit the ground with a thud. The youngster did not budge.

Get up boy! the Chauffeur thundered. Why did you kill your parents?

A rustle among the shrubs snapped Katherine back as she scanned the area, attempting to detect if Ken had returned. A human figure hidden by the darkness came to a crawl. The creature had on a monk's cloak. From beneath the cowl lights glowed from eyes which now stared towards a petrified Katherine. The mysterious figure slithered away then disappeared into the woods. Katherine took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, even though she wouldn’t admit it, she was just as scared as the first time she stared into Drake’s eyes.

I came towards the cave’s entrance and paused midstep. A strange smell hovered ahead, not the mixture of urea and mold tainting the air, something else, stronger than bats’ blood, way stronger. My attention to the squeaking dwindled as my eyes focused on a figure whose head glowed from beneath a cowl. With the mind roaming I assumed this to be another nightmare — I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was back at my real parent’s house, only this time my stepfather lay dead too, I’m not sure what killed him, but I was sure happy. The bastard hacked off mother’s head.

A man with a hoarse voice screamed at me to get up.

He’s just a baby for heaven sake, a woman blurted.

He’s not too young to kill, are we boy? said the man, tucking away a pistol beneath his coat. The lady stood by mother’s Berkey & Gay dresser and fixed her hat in the mirror.

The poor thing can’t even lift an axe, she pointed out.

He’s a lot stronger than he looks Madam, he accused. What is your name boy?

Can’t you see he is too scared to talk, she said. Poor thing seems so lost. I will take him home.

I reckoned this is his home Ma-

I’m taking him with me, she interrupted.

You gotta be kidding Madam Katherine?

Do as I say, Katherine demanded, walking towards the exit. I pay you well, besides the boy might come in handy. My psychic powers will tell.

The man made an eerie sound inside his throat. Welcome home boy, he said.

The woman stared into my eyes and stepped backwards; sweat gathered on her forehead and began to drip down her face.

Katherine’s heart pounded faster and faster, she’d glimpsed death, felt its presence, and knew her time had been near.

What’s the matter Madam? the man asked.

She’s dying, I whispered.

Nobody else gonna die around here you evil little thing, said the man in a threatening tone. Maybe I should take you to the sheriff myself. As the man moved towards me a tumbling sound came from behind where Katherine fell sprawled out on the floor.

While I don’t like to reminisce about that particular night and wished to rip the memory from my mind, I don’t have a problem seeing dead people, to be quite frank it excites me.

A twig snapped from within the cave and pulled me back to reality as the creature came forward. I stood despite my legs telling me to run as fast as I can, but I needed this cave, for death stared upon me either way. I had less than ten minutes to find a nest.

The creature swung his coat and covered me, I sensed the warmness of his world where fire reigned, yet the greenness of the mountains towered above the clouds, like Salmon swimming upstream — rivers of diamonds flowing against gravity — a place lost souls fought to be free, and those in Purgatory tempted to take baths in lakes of gold. My body tickled with excitement, a part of me belongs here, but the creature kept going. Finally he landed at a cemetery — an open area surrounded by mountains and forests, the only light was that of the moon but now hidden by a dark cloud. A few people walking back and forth vanished into thin air.

The creature removed the cloak, his body was that of a god, bigger than all the people I had ever seen, a white male around early forties but don’t let that fool you, he is as old as time itself. He claimed to be the last son of Satan, until I came along.

I never heard of the name Engulf before, I told him.

You’re such a weakling to be called a half brother, he said. A true Grey Dawn doesn’t fear the light. We gods despise blood suckers who send useless bodies to our world, our father created you to prevent such occurrences, so do your part Drake!

I must go now, I said. How dare he encourage me to eat my own people.

Darkness are days when asleep, he whispered. Wake up!

I did and dawn became day. The burning spirit had left my body. The sun glittering through leaves from branches dangling above penetrated my skin that had begun to tan. I walked away from the cave without looking back.

CHAPTER 2

During my early childhood Madam Katherine used to tell me stories about Soul Creepers — blood relatives of Satan and are referred to as the dons of hell. They’re usually the first to greet a person who’d committed homicides, tortured helpless victims, or had perpetrated other evil deeds; they disliked rapists and pedophiles, denying them direct access to hell. Soul Creepers’ main duty — to convince affluent humans to sell their souls, usually in return for something they craved, like material objects, or vengeance against one’s enemies.

Engulf was pushing to give the Fire Kingdom a makeover, if what he’d claimed to be true then that would make me a Creeper, with a mind to do whatever I choose I found it unlikely. For decades I suppressed my distant past; now that Engulf had evoked my memories it all came back to me, vividly. I recalled the courthouse, the farmhouse, the castle, and a gorgeous mansion on a lake I had yet to discover other than in dreams. Starting with the one hundred year anniversary since my execution, how I lived beyond that day, the first time I realized I could not live without Katherine, with a sense of defeat I did return to her after running away.

Mr. Morgan, Judge Thatcher grumbled from his throne. You are our psychological expert in this new phenomenon.

Delayed, your highness Mr. Morgan whispered from across the room, before the place erupted into laughter. He has a delayed effect.

Are you saying he’s slow? the persecutor beamed.

I’m innocent you suckers! I said. Go ahead, lock me up!

Order in the court! Judge Thatcher’s voice thundered.

Get down prisoner 12666! a guard bellowed. Don’t move!

"You gonna die from a heart