Read Online C.O.T.V.H. (Book 2): Judgment by Dustin J. Palmer - Free Book Online

can’t be half in half out with this.  If you are, you’re going to get yourself or those around you killed.  Considering my three grandchildren are going to be on your team, I’d very much like for that not to happen.  I like you son.  You seem like a bright kid.  But if you don’t cut it in training, I won’t hesitate to let you go.  You will always be family and you will always have a place at my table, and a safe bed to sleep in, but that doesn’t cut you any breaks with me.”
    “I understand.”  Jake nodded solemnly.  “I hope I don’t let you down.  That I don’t let Dad, or Grandpa, or Mom, or even myself down.”
    Billy suddenly rose from the table and pulled his belt back together.  For the first time Jake noticed the very large gold buckle he was wearing.
    “You see that?” Billy said, putting his hands on both sides of the large buckle.
    “Yes sir.”  Jake answered.
    “It says ABRC. That stands for Amateur Bull Riding Championship.  You know how I got that?”
    “How?”
    “Some fool I was hunting with bet me two hundred dollars I couldn’t last eight seconds on the back of a bull.  So I signed up for the tournament and lasted a hell of a lot longer than eight seconds,” he said, with a large grin.  “I won the whole damn thing.”  Jake started to say something but Billy held up his hand.  “The point is I didn’t like someone telling me I couldn’t do it.  I didn’t like myself thinking I couldn’t do it.  So I went out there and proved to myself, and to that hunter, that I could do it!”
    Jake nodded that he understood.  “Who was the hunter that bet you?”
    “Cort Bishop.”  Billy laughed.  Jake joined in his laughter.
    Billy sat back down in his chair.  "You know kid.  After all these years, the thing I feel the most toward that lonely, perverted Maker isn't hate.  Not really.  The thing I feel the most for him is pity."
    "Pity?" Jake asked completely shocked.  “But he locked you up.  He was going to turn you into one of them!  Pity is the last thing I’d feel for him.”
    "Yeah but he wasn’t doing it out of some evil desire to torture me.  He was a slave to his nature.”
    “That doesn’t change what he was, what he tried to do.”
    “Jake my boy, I've lived a good life.  Sure, there has been some terrible, terrible pain and I’ve seen some really horrific things.  But I have a loving wife, friends, children, even grandchildren.  That poor bastard had none of that.  He was just lonely.  Lonelier than any human could ever know.”
    Jake’s mind thought back to Tiberius sitting alone in his dungeon for centuries on end, just wanting someone to talk too.  When he put it like that, Jake could definitely see where he was coming from.
    “What is it like, living hundreds of years without ever knowing love, or being able to grow close to someone unless you want to condemn them to a life of hell?”  Billy added.  “Like I said, I feel a great deal of pity for a creature like that."
    Sandra came in lightening the mood with her very presence.  She wrapped her arms around Billy's neck and kissed him on the cheek.  "Everything okay, cheri ?" she asked, looking over at Jake.
    "Sure thing hon, just having a good talk with an up and coming vampire hunter is all."
    "Okay.  Well, you are neglecting the rest of your guests," Sandra said, rubbing his shoulders.  "Come on Jake.  I think Amber was looking for you."
    Jake's eyes lit up.  He could barely contain his excitement.  "Really?"
    Billy gave him a hard stare.  "That's my grandbaby, Jacob.  Don't you forget that."
    "Yes sir."  Jake swallowed.
    "Oh be nice you big mean grizzly bear." Sandra said, kissing her husband on the top of his head.  "They're just kids being kids."
    "I know perfectly well what kids being kids can get up to.  That's why I'm warning him up front."
    "Okay.  Well . . ." Jake said, standing up and pushing his chair in.
    "Oh go on sweetie.  Leave your plate, I'll