She nodded, accepting the burden without complaint.Others moved to stand beside her—brothers and sisters who would continue our spiritual practices in our absence.
As I looked at them—those going and those staying—I felt a profound sense of both pride and fear.We had built something precious in this place, a fragile bridge between damnation and salvation.Now that bridge was stretched across an ocean, to battlefields soaked in blood and riddled with bullets.
“Prepare yourselves,” I told my chosen twelve.“They will return tomorrow for our answer.And may God have mercy on our souls, for I fear General Gantry will not.”
Chapter 11
Dawnhadnotyetbroken when I gathered my chosen flock in the convent’s courtyard, the cobblestones still slick with evening dew that soaked the hems of our habits.The darkness suited us, of course—creatures of twilight preparing for a war we neither chose nor desired—but I felt its weight more keenly than usual as I studied the anxious faces before me.Ruth’s fierce determination.Rebecca’s wary composure.Maria’s quiet resilience.These souls I had guided toward redemption would now follow me into mankind’s most unholy endeavor, and the responsibility of that truth settled like lead in my hollow chest.
“We begin with what we know,” I announced, my voice carrying in the predawn stillness.“Each of you possesses unique strengths that have sustained you through your transformations.Now we must channel those abilities toward protection rather than predation.”
Maria stepped forward, her hands clasped before her.“Sister Alice, are we truly to become soldiers?Is there no other way?”
“Not soldiers,” I corrected gently.“Guardians.Our purpose remains unchanged—to protect life, to resist our darker natures, to seek redemption through service.”
It was a subtle distinction, and I wasn’t sure I believed it.The General clearly had more soldierly expectations for our unique militia than I did.To stay true to our principles under the thumb of the U.S.Government would be a challenge, but I had to believe we’d sort it out.No temptation would ever befall us apart from which the Lord would not provide a way of escape.
“I assume we will not fight alongside human soldiers,” I surmised.“As much as the U.S.Government wishes to leverage our uniqueskills, it’s also to their advantage to keep our true nature a secret.This should afford us some degree of freedom, oddly enough, that might not be possible if we are under constant surveillance.Those who know about our true condition are few and far between.”
Catherine stepped forward.“Sister Alice,” she whispered, though we all heard her clearly, “the battlefields will run red with blood.When the scent fills our nostrils, when the wounded cry out all around us...how can we be certain our nature won’t overwhelm our intentions?”
I had just opened my mouth to answer when the convent gate creaked open, admitting General Gantry and Dr.Gallow into our sanctuary.Gantry’s uniform gleamed with brass buttons catching the light from our lanterns, while Gallow’s white coat seemed to absorb the darkness rather than reflect it.
“An excellent question,” Gantry called, his voice carrying the practiced command of one accustomed to being obeyed.“One of many practicalities we’ve come to address.”
My flock instinctively drew closer together, their posture shifting from mere wariness to defensive readiness.I stepped forward to meet our unwelcome guests, positioning myself between them and my charges.
“General.Doctor.I was not expecting your visit until tomorrow evening.”
Gantry’s smile never reached his eyes.“When one requisitions military assets, Miss Bladewell, inspection cannot wait on convenience.”
“The souls belonging to my flock are not assets,” I replied, the words emerging with more edge than I intended.“They are souls under my guidance, volunteering their service under specific conditions.”
I proceeded to outline the training regimen I had devised, emphasizing my intimate knowledge of each vampire’s capabilities and spiritual needs.I spoke of controlled feeding protocols, prayer rituals to maintain discipline, and the importance of keeping them together under my supervision.Throughout my explanation, Gantry nodded with what appeared to be genuine interest, while Gallow scribbled notes in a small leather-bound journal, his pen scratching like an insect against paper.
When I finished, Gantry studied me for a long moment before speaking.“Your commitment is commendable, Miss Bladewell.However, I believe you misunderstand your position.”
He turned toward the gate and raised a hand in summons.A moment later, a man entered the courtyard, his steps measured and silent against the cobblestones.He wore a captain’s uniform, crisp and authoritative, yet something in his movements betrayed him immediately to my senses.
No heartbeat.No breath clouding the chill morning air.His eyes, when they met mine, held the knowledge of decades, perhaps centuries.
“Captain Julian Mercer,” Gantry introduced him with clear satisfaction.“He’ll be commanding this unit’s operations.”
Mercer offered a precise bow that belonged to a different era.“Miss Bladewell.Your reputation precedes you.”
I studied him with growing unease.His control was remarkable—no visible signs of bloodthirst, no resistance to the crosses that adorned our courtyard.He carried himself with the confidence of one who had made peace with his nature long ago.
“You’re one of us,” I said simply.
His smile was cold but not unkind.“I have been serving my country in various capacities since 1865.I’ve found patriotism to be a more practical path to acceptance than prayer.”
The revelation struck me like a physical blow.Another vampire—one who had found a different way of trying to reconcile the moral implications of his condition, one who had aligned himself with human powers rather than divine mercy.
“Captain Mercer has extensive combat experience from multiple conflicts,” Gantry explained.“He’ll oversee all tactical decisions.Your role, Miss Bladewell, will be that of spiritual advisor—maintaining morale and discipline among the recruits.”
“I see.”My voice sounded distant to my own ears.“And who will maintain discipline within the military command?”
Mercer’s expression remained placid.“I assure you, Miss Bladewell, my control has been tested through decades of service.The general and his colleagues have nothing to fear from me.”
