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Southern Gentleman

Prologue

I stood in the light drizzle with my back to the wall. People bustled around me talking over one another in a constant background buzz of chatter. The scents of their individual beings wafted around my nose as I observed them. Their emotions swirled around me in a constant attack of lust, anger, and boredom.

"Major," My sire called with her heavy Hispanic accent, "Come."

I flicked my eyes in the direction of her voice. Her emotions were bored, irritated, restless, and the ever present grief running under them all.

I moved silently and quickly. I slipped out of the minds of any humans that had been watching me by pushing their boredom back at them. They became uninterested easily. I followed my petite Mexican maker through the streets of this city easily as she slowly collected her soldiers.

They all slowly returned to our side with fiery bright eyes from their hunts. I felt their satisfaction at being given this reward.

How naïve of them; to believe that this is all they will be seeing after this battle.

I monitored the emotions around us checking miles ahead of us for any threats. Protecting my sire is top priority for us all. We must always protect her.

We slowly returned to full numbers as we fled the city. My men sated finally after so long without blood in their systems. They were foolish newborns.

Maria purred my name as we left the city limits. I glanced to her in concern feeling her emotional cocktail. She was feeling mischievous, anger, and lust.

"Please subdue the oldest here Jasper." She purred as she sat lithely on a rock behind me.

I nodded minutely as I let fear seep into the oldest three vampires. Without much help, their fear spiked rapidly. They knew what this was now. They knew what was happening.

I sent my sire a small dose of wariness. She sent back a cocktail of impatience and encouragement. It was our way of confirming orders.

Before they even knew what was happening to them, I killed the three vampires before my maker and the younger newborns.

A gleeful laugh rang out as I burned the body parts. The choking smell of burnt vampire flesh surrounded us. She danced gracefully over to me caressing my face lightly before turning to the inferno. Maria inhaled deeply before letting out a happy sigh.

With her head tiled back in content she smiled with her eyes closed, "This is your forewarning mis niños. Make yourself useful or at one year Major Whitlock will dispose of you in front of the newborns."

She danced around the fire for a moment before turning and smiling at me, "Let us go back to camp. Lead the way Major."

I nodded lightly before taking off for camp. I just wanted to be alone. Her emotions were gaining more lust and I did not wish to be around when she decided to release some of it. I did not enjoy being her fuck toy.

Upon arriving at camp, I was able to slip away just as Maria decided upon her victim; a newer male but one of the bigger, burly ones. His emotions leaked with pride at being picked for this. He will be the one she picks for the rest of the month. He doesn't understand the magnitude of what he is about to embark upon.

I let a subtle sigh out as she saunters away with her victim. I'm happy that she is uninterested in me still.

I read quietly in my tent while the newborns and other officers train around me. The camp is centered on my ability. I can feel every soldier on the grounds. I can feel every single one of them as they fluctuate through their new confusing life; the intense mood swings.

After so many decades here in this war, I have perfected blocking the newborns. I can block them out for the most part; the emotions a subtle hum in the background of my mind as I read. Yet I can still read the fluxes in them all, keeping my eye out for any problems.

Today, the emotions were worried. They always were after a group was killed. Some were not worried; some were elated by the destruction of ones they didn't like. It was the usual cocktail.

I read peacefully in my tent letting the newborns worry for the better part of the day. I closed my eyes sadly when the lust from my sire spiked and the pride from the newborn turned to horror and regret.

I could no longer concentrate on my book when the newborns got into a fight with one another. It was my job to train them and take care of them. Major Whitlock was a feared name around here.

I sent out a heavy dose of fear as I approached the training field. The soldiers bowed their heads and stood as still as they could. The brawling group lay sprawled out in the dirt with fear and regrets ripping them apart from their own accord.

"We do not fight amongst ourselves." I said loudly and coldly.

I gave them every ounce of fear I could concoct. They withered in fear as they begged for their lives.

I felt my Sire's pride pulse towards me as she messed with her toy.

I killed them easily in front of the army.

"We do not fight amongst ourselves." I repeated again looking at my army.

"Yes Sir." They all called back strongly. They knew their place.

I retired back to my tent hoping for time to myself. The newborns were fearful and worried but also determined. They all wanted to prove their worth to me.

The newest batches of newborns were due to end their change today. I felt their emotions begin to change as I finished my book.

I stoically made my way to them. The army parted and bowed their head to me as I walked by. They respected and feared me.

As the newborns awoke, I stood impassively in front of them.

"My name is Major Whitlock. You have gone through extreme pain and survived for three days. You have emerged as immortals. You are vampires. The savage burn in your throat is the bloodlust. You will obey me. I will not guarantee any of your lives. You are now soldiers in Mistress Maria's army." I stated looking them each in the eye.

One smaller girl was angry, scared, and defiant. I felt her hope before she moved. I turned swiftly taking off her head as she neared me. I turned towards the rest holding her head in my fist.

"You will fear me. You will address me as Sir." I hissed letting my eyes darken.

They shivered in fear. The girl was taken to burn.

"What are your names?" I asked standing with my hands clasped behind my back.

They each struggled for a moment to recall their own names. Sometimes they never did get their memories back. We gave them a new name or let them name themselves. They were useful since they couldn't remember being human. They didn't fight with their own morals.

I had a Juan, Charles, Marie, Montgomery, and a Sandy so far.

The last newborn seemed calmer than the rest. Almost like, he knew what was going on or how to respond.

"My name is Peter, Sir."