When Stars Bleed

The sky was dark while it hid the stars and moon by the dark clouds that covered the entire sky. Drake was grinning as he walked beside me.

"Your brothers were born the predators it seems." He pointed out as we watched them kill and feed for the first time. I merely nodded.

"But you were born the leader." He turned to me and ceased his pace, as I did the same to match him.

'Do you think they're ready? Ready to turn the others?' Drake sent his thoughts into mine.

I looked back at my brothers, they were quietly laughing and grinning among each other.

'They could be. They don't know what the next step is.'

"Then it's time to tell them...after you of course," Drake said with a little bow and held out a hand towards their direction. I took a deep breath and walked quickly towards them.

"How was it?"

Haner grinned and wiped off what little blood that remained on his lips.

"It was more then I could've thought possible," Jonathon said while copying Haner's actions. The others nodded.

"Good, well then onto the next step," Drake said while his grin returned.

"What would that be?" James asked with precaution in his voice. He was still untrusting of Drake.

"Sanders..."

"...To turn...the rest of the men. Those who served loyally to us." I turned and walked back to Drake's castle. It wasn't long before the others were running to catch up to me.

"All of them?"

"How are we going to do that?"

"We'd be greatly outnumbered."

For the next few minutes, their questions were flying out of their mouths and I tried my hardest to answer them just as quickly. Drake's low laugh was easily heard by my ears.

I paced back and forth in my closed room. I was restless, today was the day we were going to go and turn hundreds of soldiers. To prepare ourselves for tonight, we stopped feeding for the past five days.

'Sanders...it's time...'

'I'll be down in a minute.' I dressed in my usual light armor and placed my sword in its scabbard on my left side.

We had called a meeting for all the men who were in the army to meet us at the main base camp. It would be simple, with five hungry vampires and one on guard, none would escape.

"Alright, altogether we should have fifty each, while Drake stands guard."

"Not like anyone can getaway from us," James scoffed and Haner joined in on his laughing.

"It's just a backup plan. We'll assembly the men like we would any other time, take them into the separate halls," I looked at Drake. "Which you said is barricaded."

"That's right." He smiled his grin and I turned back to the others.

"Now you only have mere seconds before they start realizing and attacking. We must be quick. Don't drain them at first, just enough to make them weak. Then...well you know what to do..."

They laughed and shared a quick joke, before we started making our way to the core of the camp. Drake stopped at the main exit of the base, while we walked towards our men.

"Good evening Gents." Zachary smiled and walked over to his section.

"Evening Sirs." The soldiers shouted.

"Tonight, I want all units to go with their Colonel. My unit will follow me." I commanded and walked over to the farthest hall from the entrance, with my men following.

A part of me wanted to scream from them to stop, to run for their lives, but a stronger and bigger part of me kept my mouth shut, my conscious clouded, and a smile upon my face. That part of course was thirst.

"Alright men, I want you to go to the back of the hall, I'll join you in a moment."

They followed my directions and went towards the back, where all the doors and windows were blocked, as I locked and blocked the main door.

My brother's thoughts were very faint but still graspable, they were doing the exact same thing. Although James had already started feeding, his thoughts made my thirst uncontrollable, I needed to feed.

Most of my men were already in the back, except two stragglers, waiting for me no doubt. They were the first to die and be changed. Their blood corrupted me, it made me give myself over to my natural blood crazed state, letting myself become a monster.

As I gave myself over, an idea seeped into my mind. I called three of my men to come to the front of the room to assist me, and they came willingly. Soon I was covered in blood, my belly to full to consume any more, yet I still had twenty others to turn.

The last twenty I would have to fight, uncertainty must now have filled them. I welcomed the fight as I entered the room, where the soldiers stood, this fight would surely enhance my appetite. Their swords were pulled, they must have heard the screams and I was covered everywhere with blood, my soldiers and my own.

"General...what on Earth..."

"Shh...it'll all be over soon." I grinned and the fight started...and soon ended.

I opened the door and walked out, screams were still going on. Drake stood in the middle, where my men once stood, when their hearts were still beating. As I walked towards him, a loud crash drew my attention towards James and Haner's room. The broken men were trying to run out.

"General, General, help he has gone mad..." Soon around forty very alive soldiers were standing in front of me, while my brothers stood behind them. Another fight started. As I sank my teeth into a young man, he wasn't even a man yet, I heard Drake laugh and yell out with a booming voice.

"Let us reign for hundreds of years. Our power will be so great, that no one would dare stand up to us. They will flee at the very sight. Our wars will dominate all others. We won't be stopped, we can't be stopped. And you M. will now be General...Master of the Shadows. These Shadows that were once your fearless men, your followers, they will now live forever along your side. All the fallen men that occurred under your command, will happen no more. Now your men will never fall, let them rise!"

Something over took me, with my deep red eyes, I howled up to the sky. In my mid yell, I heard my brothers copy me. As I stopped, they still continued, I smiled and saw the sky, through my eyes it was red...the stars were bleeding.