Hey everyone, sorry for not getting another chapter up last week. School got the best of me. Here is Chapter 23 though. Enjoy and remember none of the characters belong to me.

Chapter 23

JPOV

It has been about a week since I was taken. The time in the bag made me lose my sense of time for a while. I guess it really doesn't matter how long I have been here. I fell right back into my old role. For the most part, I guess. I don't have to change any humans which is good.

Maria doesn't think my control is back up to par to create the new vampire, but I am still The Major and one of the best trainers she ever had for this shit show of an army. Right now, we are at 25 newborn vampires. There are 15 changing in the barn over to the side. several will be waking up here shortly and I know it will be hell to pay. One is about 6 foot 7 and ready for a fight. He kinda looks like Emmett but less dimples. Though I have not seen him smile so maybe they are there.

Training has been hard. Hector has been watching my every move. If I am in the yard, he is my shadow. Following my every move. He will get humans from Maria. Ones that she found. No more children thank goodness. I told her straight as soon as I saw her. If I ever had to drink from a human child again, I would kill her, and nothing could stop me.

Hector did not take that threat very well. I haven't figured out why he is the one to be with me. I couldn't see a gift that he may have, and I hadn't seen him fight but I am a formidable partner and Isa never mentioned him, so he can't be that old. The age brings experience, so I still expect I could beat him. Maybe some time I would figure out the gift, but I do not want it used on me first. I have learned that lesson already.

The Major and I have been working together more and more. He is showing me aspects to my gift I have not realized I could use. Probably would have been helpful in the years I spent going through high school, but he just laughs saying he wasn't need for that horror like he was for the years previous. I figure that is a fair assessment.

I hear the increase in heart beats in the barn and I'm in there is a second. I don't understand why Maria cannot wait a little between biting humans and changing them. It would be so much easier to control them if we could get one fed before other wakes up, but she never was the most considerate when it came to the soldiers. Or the leaders of this rag tag group she has created.

All at once there were 4 new sets of bright red eyes growling and snapping at me. I let the compliance and awe roll over them hoping to not introduce them to the fear and anger that I had previously used as a deterrent. This seems to be working better.

Hector was waiting outside for this part of my job. He had mentioned that I was his responsibility and they were mine. I think it was fear that kept him from welcoming the new recruits.

"Well, isn't this your lucky day ya'll. I am The Major and you will refer to be as such. I will not take any disrespect in this area. Now for a quick rundown, you are all vampires, yes, we are real. That burn in your throat will be quenched shortly. I am your commanding officer in the next year of your life. We are at war for feeding ground and you will be the foot soldiers in this plan.

"I don't want to hear any objections. Now we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Which do you prefer?" My tone turned darker as I asked the question. The answer is always the same, but hell, I hadn't been in charge of this part in years and I hated the wake-up phase.

There were a few humans held in another barn that the newborns could hear sobbing or praying. They glanced at the others changing around them. I rose my eyebrows. "Ahh, you all hear dinner to ya? Well here's the thing, I need to know you won't go running cause I really don't need the exercise today."

I could feel the resolve they all had. It happens every time more than one wakes up in a room. They look around the room like they are doing right now, then they smirk to one another. 6' 7" was the one to initiate it this time. I may not like him as much as I thought I would.

Next, they start to close in on their victim. In this case it was me. Luckily, I am basically a boy scout, I'm always prepared. Well The Major is, and we are working together now, so I am. I rolled my shoulders and sent them all the fear and heart ache and loneliness that I hold inside my body for my sweet Isa.

Now it isn't my normal cocktail for when I want the newbies to cower, but I didn't have to think very hard on this one. I feel this pain constantly and the ache in my chest begs me to go to her, but I have not defeated our sire and I cannot return to her without at least succeeding in doing that.

"Now, I already warned you about the running away thing, let me clue you in that you cannot win against me. We are going to get you fed and meet up with the rest of the army now." In typical newborn fashion the growling and involuntary information overload took hold once again and I was again fighting a losing battle. I really wish The Captain was here right now. He was good at this.

On the other hand, I never want him back here in this hell hole.

I get one of the older soldiers to bring me a few humans to the barn for feeding time. He corrals a few out into the day light. They are crying and whimpering. Weak creatures really. I let the ones under my control out from the emotional onslaught as I tell them they get one each.

They rush forward and basically tear the humans they grab apart. Feeding time with new vampires is always disgusting. I remembered to keep far enough away to 1. Not get blood on me when the limbs of the meals came off and 2. Not be considered a threat to their meal. I did not want to add that to my pile of shit today.

Hector stood watching me observe the new recruits. I wanted to see if any of them had a talent I would need to be aware of and if they were going to make me chase them at any point. Once they were finished, I stepped over to them. They had moved away from their kills signaling that I was free to approach.

"Okay, clean up. Grab the human that you drained and any of their parts. Any that are missed will be removed from you until you earn them back."

They picked their humans, but that doesn't mean it was clean. There was blood soaking into the earth from where they couldn't keep it all in their mouths. Not to mention the body parts that were scattered around from the last quarrel I had to break up. Those fuckers still didn't deserve their limbs and knowing the sand and dust would make fusing them back onto the body that much harder, I left them in the sun.

The young ins listened pretty well, all except a short stocky man that had shaggy blonde hair that hung as if he had been riding the waves all day. He missed a hand as he turned to walk away.

"Hey, you wanna finish picking up your meal there soldier." I asked him. I could feel his distaste for the action and his resistance. He didn't like being told what to do. This is another common act of defiance from the freshly awoken vampires. They don't actually think I will take their body parts.

No time to learn like the present as my mama always taught me.

"You can grab that one can't ya 'Major'" The young one snarked at me. Oh, now he will pay. I hate disrespect in any form.

Too fast for him to see I grabbed his arm and removed it at the shoulder. He cried out in pain and fell to the earth in a pile of human remains and clumsy granite vampire flesh. "Do not underestimate me boy, it may be the last thing you ever do. I will be keeping this until you can earn it back. Now get up off your lazy ass, grab your meal and follow me."

I handed his arm to a higher-ranking soldier and told him to put it in with the other removed limbs. We needed somewhere to keep the punishment pieces. He will be wishing he had that in a few minutes for sure.

I stride over to the bon fire and instructed everyone to throw their meal and lineup. Though some hesitated and the smell was horrid, they did what I asked and were growling and barely controlled in about 5 minutes. The sights and smells were getting to them. Time to put them in the pit.

They followed me over to a staple item in any camp of Maria's. The pit. As they crowded around to see the other recently awaken demons, I walked behind them. They were slightly horrified at the sight. I grinned and kicked each and every one of them into the pit with the others before they even registered their companions were falling.

I have always been a fast mother fucker. You don't survive if you aren't.

"Goodluck, hope you learn something. If you lose a limb one of the others will probably take pity and help you get it back on. Any of you who cannot last longer than 5 minutes against me by the end of the week will be executed." I nodded as I walked off and listened to what was happening in the pit.

I hated this method, but it did loosen up the group and made them anxious to fight when they got out. Maria had decided that this was the way we were raising this batch and I just listened. I didn't want to be here anyway.

I sat and listened and observed the trainees for several hours. It wasn't until I took stock of myself that I realized the pull in my chest had lessened and the breeze was bringing in 3 scents I recognized acutely.

My mate was here.

Thanks for reading, until next time!