Read Online C.O.T.V.H. (Book 1): Creation by Dustin J. Palmer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dustin J. Palmer
Tags: Urban Fantasy/Vampires
Ads: Link
away the mayo from the corner of his mouth with a napkin.
"It's complicated. There were a lot of factors . . . but what it really came down to was that he quit to protect you and your mother,” he took another sip of coffee. “I told him not to do it. But he was determined to try. Said it was the only way to keep you safe. I told him that there is no safe! Not from them, but he wouldn't listen. So, I told him what I really thought. That he was abandoning us when we needed him the most," Cort grew quiet as he blew on his steaming coffee.
"He told me you two hadn't spoken in a long time, but didn't really elaborate."
Cort smiled, “I can understand him not wanting to talk about it. Times were tough. Twelve hunters were killed that year, including one of John's best friends, Terry Williams, Billy Williams' boy. I think that was the nail in the coffin for John’s hunting career. Terry was just a few feet away when one of the blood suckers cut his head clean off.” He snapped his fingers for effect. “Just like that. They never did find his head.”
Jake stopped eating his full attention now on his grandfather.
“ It could have just as easily have been your dad. After that I think . . . I think John just lost his nerve,” Cort sipped his coffee. "I wasn't very . . . understanding, I guess you'd say."
"Man that's terrible . . . I had no idea.” Jake said quietly. “Is that why you don't talk anymore? Or didn’t talk . . . or . . .” he trailed off.
"Not exactly. We'd been having problems since John was a teenager. I just pushed too far that time around. Let my temper get the best of me and said some things I really shouldn't have. He did the same. At the end, he told me he didn't have a choice and that he didn't want to see me again. Damn near broke my heart. Funny thing is . . .” he chuckled. “I quit hunting a couple of months after he left. Just didn’t have the heart for it anymore."
Jake finished the sandwich and stared up at his grandpa. He had often wondered what it would be like to have grandparents. Now he had one and it amazed him how much like his dad he really was. He even had some of the same mannerisms. The same hand gestures when talking. The same laugh. Jake had a feeling that if anyone understood what he was going through it would be him. "Grandpa?" Jake looked down at the table. “Can I call you Grandpa?”
The older man’s eyes lit up, his mouth curving into a smile. “Of course you can call me grandpa!" he laughed with tears sparkling in the corner of his right eye. "Boy, you have no idea how much I’ve wanted to see you. And after all these long years, here you are.”
Jake smiled weakly then lowered his eyes. "Grandpa . . . I stabbed Mr. White, I mean that vampire, I mean, whatever he was! I stabbed him in the back. He was hurting Dad, I saw the knife and . . . and I didn't even think, I just grabbed it and . . . I didn't have a choice!"
"Well good for you!" Cort said, leaning forward and patting his hand. "That's the Bishop blood running through your veins!”
He doesn’t understand . . . “But I stabbed him! I stabbed him and then Dad killed him!”
Cort set his coffee mug on the table and leaned forward gently lifting up Jake’s chin so he could look him in the eyes. “That thing wasn't a man Jake, and he sure as hell wasn’t your daddy’s friend. He was a monster. A vicious killing machine that would have ripped John limb from limb, drank his blood and then done the same to you!” he slammed his fist hard on the table. “If you hadn't done what you did you'd be dead right now. Don't you ever feel sorry for them! You hear me boy? Not ever!"
"Yes sir," Jake answered, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
His grandfather’s eyes softened a little and he reached over again patting his hand. "I'm sorry, Jake. I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry that you even have to know about all this shi . . . uh
"It's complicated. There were a lot of factors . . . but what it really came down to was that he quit to protect you and your mother,” he took another sip of coffee. “I told him not to do it. But he was determined to try. Said it was the only way to keep you safe. I told him that there is no safe! Not from them, but he wouldn't listen. So, I told him what I really thought. That he was abandoning us when we needed him the most," Cort grew quiet as he blew on his steaming coffee.
"He told me you two hadn't spoken in a long time, but didn't really elaborate."
Cort smiled, “I can understand him not wanting to talk about it. Times were tough. Twelve hunters were killed that year, including one of John's best friends, Terry Williams, Billy Williams' boy. I think that was the nail in the coffin for John’s hunting career. Terry was just a few feet away when one of the blood suckers cut his head clean off.” He snapped his fingers for effect. “Just like that. They never did find his head.”
Jake stopped eating his full attention now on his grandfather.
“ It could have just as easily have been your dad. After that I think . . . I think John just lost his nerve,” Cort sipped his coffee. "I wasn't very . . . understanding, I guess you'd say."
"Man that's terrible . . . I had no idea.” Jake said quietly. “Is that why you don't talk anymore? Or didn’t talk . . . or . . .” he trailed off.
"Not exactly. We'd been having problems since John was a teenager. I just pushed too far that time around. Let my temper get the best of me and said some things I really shouldn't have. He did the same. At the end, he told me he didn't have a choice and that he didn't want to see me again. Damn near broke my heart. Funny thing is . . .” he chuckled. “I quit hunting a couple of months after he left. Just didn’t have the heart for it anymore."
Jake finished the sandwich and stared up at his grandpa. He had often wondered what it would be like to have grandparents. Now he had one and it amazed him how much like his dad he really was. He even had some of the same mannerisms. The same hand gestures when talking. The same laugh. Jake had a feeling that if anyone understood what he was going through it would be him. "Grandpa?" Jake looked down at the table. “Can I call you Grandpa?”
The older man’s eyes lit up, his mouth curving into a smile. “Of course you can call me grandpa!" he laughed with tears sparkling in the corner of his right eye. "Boy, you have no idea how much I’ve wanted to see you. And after all these long years, here you are.”
Jake smiled weakly then lowered his eyes. "Grandpa . . . I stabbed Mr. White, I mean that vampire, I mean, whatever he was! I stabbed him in the back. He was hurting Dad, I saw the knife and . . . and I didn't even think, I just grabbed it and . . . I didn't have a choice!"
"Well good for you!" Cort said, leaning forward and patting his hand. "That's the Bishop blood running through your veins!”
He doesn’t understand . . . “But I stabbed him! I stabbed him and then Dad killed him!”
Cort set his coffee mug on the table and leaned forward gently lifting up Jake’s chin so he could look him in the eyes. “That thing wasn't a man Jake, and he sure as hell wasn’t your daddy’s friend. He was a monster. A vicious killing machine that would have ripped John limb from limb, drank his blood and then done the same to you!” he slammed his fist hard on the table. “If you hadn't done what you did you'd be dead right now. Don't you ever feel sorry for them! You hear me boy? Not ever!"
"Yes sir," Jake answered, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
His grandfather’s eyes softened a little and he reached over again patting his hand. "I'm sorry, Jake. I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry that you even have to know about all this shi . . . uh
Similar Books
