Hostile Genus: An Epic Military Sci-Fi Series (Invasive Species Book 2) Ben Stevens (best contemporary novels txt) 📖

of them, is probably what made it click in my head later that night. The idea, the notion, the truth, that I was not an animal, but a god. A wolf amongst dogs was an understatement.

“I was not content to live like a savage and hunt my prey in the wilds the way those who attacked you did. I had a much grander vision, and so I set out on a quest. I sought out and approached the banditos that roamed the countryside and made them offers. Offers of immortality and power. Offers they couldn’t refuse. Those who did became my dinner. Those who didn’t became the soldiers in my new army; the lieutenants in my new cartel. We organized, we grew, we built. Before long, we took human slaves and kept them in pens, kept them alive and used them as our never-fail, always-available food source. One thing led to another. I rewarded the most obedient humans with privileges of comfort and some manner of freedom, and soon my cartel had loyal foot soldiers that could serve and protect me during the daylight hours. The system of reciprocation I showed you tonight developed. This city was built. This kingdom was born. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Maya listened intently, and, encouraged by the candid nature of Don Luis’s tale, she continued to stare longingly into his dark eyes, continuing her charade of excitement and arousal. She would have done any actress from Ratt’s old cinema movies proud. Don Luis, excited by Maya’s show of interest, continued his tale without reservation.

“The world was my oyster, or so the saying goes, but one thing loomed over my shoulders, one thought troubled my daily torpor. It was the same, age-old question that has haunted every man since time began. Being essentially immortal did not make this ponderous conundrum go away.”

“What was it?” Maya asked huskily between heavy breaths.

“Where did I come from? Or, more precisely, who made me?” Don Luis’s eyes flashed like fire. “The question turned from a mildly amusing riddle to a burning need, an obsession as strong as my thirst for blood. Especially one night after I observed a peculiar phenomenon.” Don Luis stared off at the blank walls of the chamber as he recalled the event that had changed his afterlife.

“A few years after New Puebla had become the functional society that it is today, I was betrayed and bitterly disappointed by one of my top lieutenants. The man, a cousin of my Sofia, disobeyed a direct order I had given him. It’s been so many years now that I can’t remember exactly what the order was anymore...” Don Luis trailed off; then his eyes flashed again.

“It had something to do with taking the cattle, er, humans in public. Yes, yes, that was it! I told my men that they couldn’t do that. It would create fear and dissent. It was the same reason that a rancher removed the animal to be slaughtered from the animals that were to remain alive. If you kill one in front of the others, they tend to… freak out, and things don’t work as smoothly anymore.” Maya got the clear and distinct message that it wasn’t the rape and murder itself that Don Luis had outlawed, just the location. Just don’t do it in public.

“Anyway, the man had done just that, and there was blowback. The humans rioted, and many had to be put down before order was restored. I was extremely angry with my fiancée’s cousin for disobeying me and costing me a good percentage of my stock, not to mention the headache that all the PR would most assuredly give me. I chose to have this man executed in public the day before I married Sofia, cousin or no.

“Death by sun. It was easy; it was clean, not messy. It sent a strong message. The other vampires would learn to obey. The humans would be placated, feeling that justice had been served, that their king was fair and benevolent. Sofia would also learn that queen or no, cousin or no, I was the boss and not to be trifled with. It would set the stage for a healthy and proper marriage.”

“I would never question your authority, my lord.” Maya leaned in close to Don Luis and rubbed her body against his. He smiled at her and continued his tale.

“Still, it didn’t quite work out the way I had envisioned. I had this man tied to a stake in the city square in the late hours of the evening. The humans had woken early, for all wanted to be there and witness the rising sun of justice, the King’s Law. The vampires of the city, myself included, retired, of course, just before the first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon. We would come back at dusk to sweep away the ashes of our fallen comrade and take stock. And that is exactly what we did, but when it was over, the inventory was off, the numbers didn’t add up. The lieutenant burned, all right, and according to loyal human testimony, it was a glorious torch. It gladdened the hearts of those who had lost friends and family during the brief uprising to witness some vampire death for once, and I was happy to provide it. I could not abide anyone disobeying my laws. But something revealed itself slowly as the night went on. A good number of my men seemed to be missing, most of them belonging to the contingent that the now-crispy lieutenant had commanded. At first, I thought, incredulously, that the lieutenant’s men had been so loyal that they had left New Puebla in some sort of protest or tacit rebellion against my justice, but a quick search of their assigned domiciles revealed the truth of the situation.” He paused. “They had burned in their sleep.”

Honestly intrigued and no longer acting, Maya cocked her head a bit and squinted at Don Luis.

“At first, it was a mystery,