The Darkest Night (The Second Dark Ages Book 2) Read online

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Legal

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  Social Links

  Series List

  DEDICATION

  To Family, Friends and

  Those Who Love

  To Read.

  May We All Enjoy Grace

  To Live The Life We Are

  Called.

  The Darkest Night

  The Second Dark Ages 02

  Beta Editor / Readers

  Bree Buras (Aussie Awesomeness)

  Tom Dickerson (The man)

  Sf Forbes (oh yeah!)

  Dorene Johnson (US Navy (Ret) & DD)

  Dorothy Lloyd (Teach you to ask…Teacher!)

  Diane Velasquez (Chinchilla lady & DD)

  JIT Beta Readers

  John Findlay

  Micky Cocker

  James Caplan

  Joshua Ahles

  Keith Verret

  Kimberly Boyer

  Jed Moulton

  Kelly ODonnell

  Thomas Ogden

  Alex Wilson

  Sherry Foster

  Paul Westman

  John Raisor

  Mike Pendergrass

  Brent Bakken

  If I missed anyone, please let me know!

  Editors

  Stephen Russell

  Lynn Stiegler

  The Darkest Night (this book) is a work of fiction.

  All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright © 2017 Michael T. Anderle

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  LMBPN Publishing

  PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

  Las Vegas, NV 89109

  First US edition, 2017

  Version 1.0

  CHAPTER ONE

  Frankfurt, Germany, approximately one hundred fifty-one years after the WWDE

  The streets of Frankfurt were wet; the air was heavy and humid this dark night. Between the occasional sheets of rain coming down and her son asking questions, Sarah Bearnstred wasn’t paying nearly enough attention when she took a left down the wrong alley.

  “Oh!” She pulled little Michael close when she noticed the man farther down the dark alley turn around, holding what looked like a body close to him.

  “What is it, Momma?” Michael asked, peeking around his mother’s hip to stare into the darkness.

  “Yes, what is it, Mother?” the man’s voice asked from the darkness. Sarah was screaming inside, the aggravation she was feeling a moment ago lost in the recesses of a mind now paralyzed with fear.

  “I’m sorry, I was trying to get back home.” Sarah spoke in a clipped fashion as she took a step back, gently pushing her son behind her.

  “I do believe,” the man said as his footsteps clicked on the pavement in the alley, closer now, “that you are far away from home, little woman.” He took another two steps into the pitiful light cast by a dim bulb that must have been salvaged from a building in the part of the city that had fallen into disuse. “I smell France on you.”

  “Oui,” Sarah answered, as she took another step back Now little Michael was almost out of the alley and Sarah set her shoulders. She was completely aware of who, no, what she had found.

  And probably who, as well. “You are the Duke, are you not?” she asked, trying to keep as much fear out of her voice as she could.

  The man paused and raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You know of me?”

  “Oui,” she agreed. “I’ve heard of you.” She grabbed her young son’s arm again, his curious nature not a benefit at the moment as he edged forward to see better. She pushed him back behind her once more.

  “How delightful,” the smooth voice responded as he took another step toward her.

  Sarah kept her eyes on the man, who was now maybe ten steps down the alley. She had already accepted that her trip to this city was a mistake. She set her lips and knelt, pulling Michael closer. When he was next to her, she leaned over and kissed him on his cheek. “Momma loves you. Now do as I tell you and run down the street to our hotel. I’ll be along to meet you at the room later.”

  “But ...” the young boy started to argue, but stopped when his mother’s fingers tapped his lips.

  “Go!” she told him and was relieved when he obeyed, his running steps taking his little body away from the alley.

  The man’s eyes opened in surprise. “You are a brave one, child. I can hear your heart,” he told her, taking another step forward. “Bah-bump, bah-bump, bah-bump.” He smiled. “It is courageous of you to surrender your blood in lieu of your son’s life. I am not a totally cruel and heartless man. I recognize the love you have for him, and I will honor the sacrifice you provide.”

  “I won’t go down without fighting!” she hissed. “You are the spawn of Satan himself, and ...”

  His rush caught her by surprise; her feeble attempts to pull his head away, to separate the teeth penetrating her neck, were futile. Sarah wanted to scream, but the languor that set in as he drew the blood from her body made that impossible. A single tear left her eye and traveled down her face. She had lost the ability to stand, but her body was held up easily by the man embracing her as he pulled her deeper into the dark alley.

  Her final thoughts were of her son, hoping he stayed away and that the monster draining her blood would honor his word.

  New York City State

  The city was a damned mess.

  Akio’s ship hovered ten feet over the tallest building in the city. With clouds in the night covering the area, he dropped out of the Pod and landed on the roof. He spent a little time looking over the city and the surrounding area before making his way down to street level. He pushed out a bit of fear to keep the area around him clear.

  He read the minds of those he encountered as he walked the streets. The most interesting bits of information came from the police.

  There had been a major battle here that he and Yuko had helped fight in just the last day, and it had changed people in various ways. Some of them grew closer, some farther apart.

  A few had killed themselves.

  The fights in this city were intense, and if it were any other time, he would stay and help. However, his duty, his obligation was to finding Michael and he was close.

  He could feel it.

  Akio allowed his mind and body to wander over to t
he airport, where he was able to read the men and women drinking coffee and talking while they worked. They were directing the various ships which had arrived late before the massive battle to clamp onto the massive towers, reeling them in and connecting them for passengers to debark.

  Only one ship was currently connected to the massive structures.

  One woman spoke to her friend as the two of them came around a corner of a building. “We’ve lost them. The Captain of the ArchAngel said he was going into the storm to shake the pirates behind him.” The lights cast their faces in shadow as Akio read their thoughts.

  He pursed his lips and stepped back into the shadows. “Eve?”

  “Here,” the AI’s voice came back.

  “Bring the ship to me,” Akio replied.

  “There is a hidden square about —” Eve started, but Akio interrupted.

  “Here,” Akio told the AI. “Now.”

  ---

  Sherry Logstrum let her friend continue to the Control Area as she stopped to enjoy the night for a moment. She pulled out a small stick that had been soaked in a few mildly soporific chemicals and placed it in her lips.

  It helped keep the dreams away at night.

  She happened to notice a man in a black robe with a hood over his head and a sword step out of a dark spot some fifteen paces away. He walked into the same area where the big fight against those creatures had occurred a while back.

  Sherry had taken a couple of steps out of the light to try to see better when the figure looked up. Sherry followed his gaze and her mouth opened when something as dark as the night floated down without lights. “You…” she whispered as the man opened the floating ship’s canopy and jumped in. He turned in her direction and smiled. She could see his white teeth reflecting light.

  “No, Sherry,” the man said. “I am not a figment of your imagination.”

  With that, the canopy closed and the ship rose silently into the night. Sherry watched the sky, wondering if she would see it cross the stars.

  Her stick lay on the ground, forgotten.

  Over the Atlantic Ocean, in the renamed Antigrav Ship ArchAngel

  Miles O'Banion, Captain of the ArchAngel was standing on the deck looking at the dark clouds that stretched across the horizon and the sea raging far beneath them. They warned him to turn either to the north or to the south.

  If only he could. He looked over his shoulder and chewed on a toothpick as he eyed the ship chasing them.

  He was tempted to raise the flag of the boat’s previous owner, but he feared what the ship’s present master would do if he found out, more than he feared the results of the storm.

  And he would find out, because one of the two youths who were awake at the moment would tell him. Especially the young and pretty one coming towards him right now. He sighed; answering this one was always challenging. Her mind was like a trap, fast and hard.

  “Why aren’t we turning?” She asked him and then turned to follow his eyes. “Them?”

  “Aye,” the Captain agreed. Short answers usually worked best with Jacqueline. She wasn’t altogether human either, but her curiosity was exactly like his wife’s.

  Jacqueline walked closer to the stern of the ship. “There are a bunch of people looking at us. I can’t tell if they are all men or not.”

  The Captain took a couple of steps to his right and spit over the side of the ship before returning to stand near the young woman. “Unlikely to be an all-male crew. There are many times that evil runs in the hearts of women, as well.”

  Jacqueline turned back to regard the Captain. “Pirates?” He nodded and she pointed behind her towards the other ship, “Then why the hell aren’t we waking up Michael?”

  The Captain chewed on the toothpick, biting harder as he jerked a thumb back over his shoulder at the dark storm clouds on the horizon. “Perhaps you can explain to me how anyone can sleep like the dead with that about to hit us? Even I can hear the deep rumble of the thunder; it is like he … Oh!” The Captain’s eyes opened wide, showing Jacqueline a touch of fear. “I meant no disrespect when saying he slept like the dead.”

  Jacqueline waved a hand at the Captain. “I didn’t hear anything.” She nodded. “I wouldn’t suggest saying that around him, but I don’t care. I grew up in a different generation.” She looked at the Captain and asked, “Why aren’t we waking up Michael?”

  The Captain blew out a deep breath. “Because I would rather face the storm in front of us than the Master’s temper should I wake him from a sleep where he specifically said to not interrupt him.”

  “And those guys?” Jacqueline asked, nodding towards the supposed pirates behind them.

  “Rarely do they go into the storms; it can be too dangerous for them. So we jump into the storm just deep enough to get away, then choose another direction to cut back out of the storm. Worst that happens is the pirates pick the same direction we do and we meet up again outside of the storm.”

  “What about them coming into the storm with us, wouldn’t that be the worst case?”

  The Captain nodded sharply at Jacqueline as he stepped towards the bridge. “Yes, and let’s hope that doesn’t occur.”

  The Pirate Ship Folly

  “My name isn’t Billy the Bold because I shy away from a small bit of rain!” the Captain of the Folly asserted to his people. Those who didn’t need to be on station had congregated on the deck as the Captain pointed ahead of them. “There goes a fat sheep, and it has been far too long since Folly last tasted mutton!”

  One of his ship’s crew shouted out, “I thought you were called Billy the Bold because you asked Henrick’s wife to screw you right in front of Henrick ‘imself!”

  Billy chuckled along with the general laughter of the crew. “My erstwhile best friend didn’t give me a good description for Henrick. So yes,” Billy winked to the group, “that story is true as well.” He twirled his hand in a circle and pointed back again to the ship ahead of them, “But let’s not lose the point I was making. We have a chance today to grab us a sheep who is thinking the storm will protect it from the wolves of the Folly!”

  The same voice bellowed back, “I’m tired of stale bread and water, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that fat fuck over there has real meat on board. Who’s ready to eat some?” he finished. There was cheering in the group.

  Billy took the crowd back from his shipmate. “Then let’s make way. Tighten up everything and let’s be about it, you dogs.” Billy looked over his shoulder. “The Folly is going hunting in the deep dark tonight!”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Antigrav Ship ArchAngel

  “All I wanted,” Michael grumbled under his breath to himself, trying to contain the ire in his mind from being released through his now grinding teeth, “was a little peace and quiet to consider my next fucking steps.”

  He thought a moment about the curse word tripping off his tongue before his lip curled as he remembered the red-eyed woman. “I’ll be back soon, Bethany Anne.”

  He rose from the bed to take a couple of steps towards the door. The light, hesitant tapping from the Captain was quieter than the thudding of the Captain's heart. Michael could easily hear both through the thickness of the cabin door.

  "Right after I kill a few more people who desperately need it," he concluded before turning the knob to unlock the door. He pulled it open.

  Michael was looking down at the Captain, who had a small drop of sweat glistening on his forehead, when a strong female arm shoved the nervous man out of the doorway and Jacqueline made her appearance. “Jacqueline,” Michael nodded at her presence. “Using others as a shield, maybe?”

  “No, Sensei, but the Captain,” she jerked her head in his direction, “thought he was man enough to knock on the door. However, we both know if his heart beats much faster just because he needs to talk with you, he will drop dead—” A loud thunk sounded beside her, and she glanced down.

  The Captain had fainted.

  She turned back to Michael and raised an e
yebrow. He smiled. “I didn’t say anything.”

  She rolled her eyes and put two fingers in the air, wiggling them next to her head. “You sure you didn’t do some Vampire voodoo on him?”

  Michael leaned into the hallway. Jacqueline moved aside so he could peer around the corner at the comatose Captain. He straightened up and said, “Why would I do that?”

  “Because you’re Michael and shit.” She pointed at the Captain. “That right there is just your style.”

  Michael pursed his lips. “Ok, that’s a fair accusation. But I didn’t do it. He hyperventilated after you accused him of being too scared to talk with me and down he went.”

  “So, it’s my fault?” She asked looking between the Captain and Michael.

  “Yes.”

  Jacqueline made a face and went over to the Captain. She bent down and picked him up, then looked both ways down the hall. The Captain’s head made a solid thwack sound when she didn’t pay attention while turning around.

  Michael grimaced for the poor Captain as Jacqueline's eyes widened from her mistake. She adjusted the Captain and lifted him over her shoulder. “I can’t believe I have to go throw water on his face to wake his ass up.”

  “Keep hitting his head on the walls,” Michael replied, “and it will take more than some water.”

  “He’s not getting a kiss from this princess,” she retorted as she took off down the hall. “By the way, Sensei,” she yelled back, “we have pirates tracking our ship into a big-ass storm.”

  “Worse than that,” Michael answered as he turned around. He didn’t bother to raise his voice for the Werewolf. “We have no Captain at the moment.

  The Pirate Ship Folly

  “Move your land-loving lard-ass!” Billy yelled at two of the crew who were stowing a bit of the external equipment in the shelter on the ship as the rain and wind buffeted them.

  He pressed himself against the bulkhead to let them pass before taking two more steps and opening the hatch to the bridge. He walked over to the controls and looked at the screen that showed all ships in the area. “Is that shit working?” he asked, leaning down to study it one more time. “It keeps fading in and out.”