There Will Be Blood

Greetings, Fire Enthusiasts.

My first attempt at a full length novel was intended to be a crime thriller. I do some basic outlining now; however, back then, in my early twenties, I believe I was a full on pantser. That might explain how the following came to be. I had two small town police officers that were chatting on a street corner well after midnight. They had just finished checking that all of the doors were locked on main street. Suddenly, our villain stepped from the shadows and ended up being a vampire. Nobody was more shocked than me.

[Please allow me to introduce you to the series. I have edited some content for time constraints.]

Nathaniel knows the Bible front to back, and knows there is no place in God’s kingdom for the undead. The woman and her infant children he saves from another vampire is not so sure that he can’t be used for good. This starts him on a journey of self-discovery.

“He is the great beast,” Nathaniel said. “There is nothing that he is incapable of.”

Vincent appeared to survey the young dead woman within his grasp as if admiring his handiwork. With a sigh, he tossed her aside and began to slap his hands together as if intending to clean them.

“Name calling,” Vincent said. “Just call me father and let us be done with it, once and for all.”

“Father?” Michael asked.

“Certainly,” Vincent answered, never taking his eyes from his alleged son. “Did he not tell you? I am his father. I have raised him since he was a boy.”

Even back then, I thought we needed more vampire stories like a hole in the head. Little did I know that there would continue to be an insatiable hunger for them. Once I had committed to tell that story, I embraced the crossover or edgy angle. It wasn’t going to be Christian fiction. There would be blood. Lots of it.

“I must go,” he said.

“Not before I speak with you,” she began. “I want you to know that you did a wonderful thing here.”

“I caused all of this.”

Barbara practically leapt out of her chair. “Don’t you dare go there with me! This house is full right now with people who owe you their very lives! Their very lives! God brought both Vincent and you into our lives. He turned Vincent’s evil into good. The Bible says that.”

“Yes, I know,” Nathaniel acknowledged. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Barbara was amazed. “So how can you know the scriptures and not believe?”

“Oh, I believe. I believe that I am working outside of God.”

“Still?” she pleaded, grabbing him by the arms. “After all of this, you still believe that God doesn’t know you? That He has no use for you? That He did not use you this week for good?”

Heaven and Hell have been at war from the beginning.

Now they’re using vampires.

Book 2: Flash Point.

Outside the sanctuary, they found another. They had to slide it out of their way in order to open the door. When they did, they found precisely what they had expected to find. The place was filled with rolled up charred remains. In the light of the sanctuary, the smoke and heat could be seen wafting off.

“My God!” Luis whispered.

“No, it isn’t.”

At the front of the sanctuary was a figure. At first glance, he appeared to be a tall man with a medium build, although he stood with his back to them, his hands clasped behind him. “I know you’re not referring to me,” he laughed. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”

The man wore slacks and a dress jacket. His dark hair was slicked back. The candlelight reflected off gold jewelry on several fingers as well as his left wrist.

“You know,” he continued, but still didn’t turn around to face them. “There’s something about this architecture that I’ve always liked. I don’t know what it is. I guess it’s familiar.”

“Whatever happens,” Nathaniel instructed. “Do not speak.”

Luis turned as if to ask why, but Nathaniel gave him a sharp look. He turned back just as the figure before them turned. He was still holding his hands behind his back.

“That’s right, dear Luis. Don’t speak. Truth be told, none of your brothers said anything either, and it didn’t save them. Who’s to say what may happen?”

“Just what is it that you want, Devil?” Nathaniel asked.

The Devil straightened up his posture. “I really don’t like that name,” he said. “I prefer Satan. You may call me that.”

The Devil is alive and well, and none too pleased that one of his vampires seeks God.

Book 3: Infernal.

Satan marched into the room. “Sit,” he said to the vampires who lurked closest to him. When they didn’t, he paused and stared back at them. “Sit or I shall remove your legs. Trust me when I say that I can do this in a great many ways. You no doubt have heard I am not a man of my word, but you will be alive to endure it. I can promise you.”

The four turned and glanced at Josef who nodded silently. All in the room sat except Josef. Marie stood her ground.

“Why are you here?” Josef asked her.

“I was invited,” she replied, glancing at Satan. “I didn’t feel it was an invitation I could decline.”

“Oh, please,” Satan said. “They were quite finished, and very lucky that I allowed them to do so. Such grand words, Josef!”

“We’re supposed to believe that you’re the Devil?” Josef asked.

“Yes, Josef,” he said, non-plussed. “I am he.”

The Elder-General gritted his teeth. “I’m having a difficult time believing this,” he added.

“Said a vampire,” he said sarcastically. “I could show you my true nature, but it isn’t pretty. I could kill every living thing in this board room with my will alone; however, I have need of you, so I won’t.”

Josef and the Devil held eye contact.

“What need do you have of us?” he finally spoke.

“Are you familiar with a vampire named Nathaniel?”

“I am familiar with many vampires by that name,” Josef replied. “Felipe?”

Immediately, Felipe clicked open a database and began typing away. There were a great many references with that name. Some deceased. The data went all the way back to before the printed word. This was the cyber version of original material, which had been researched and compiled well before computers.

Satan waited.

“I have a Nathaniel who was involved in the deaths of several other vampires?” Felipe offered.

“Bingo,” Satan said. He rubbed his face and tapped his forehead. “It is curious you know of this, yet allowed him to live. I thought vampires killing vampires was an offense punishable by death? Perhaps I have been misled.”

“Forgive me, my brother,” Marie said, leaning into Josef. “But perhaps as the evidence suggests, the great Satan has already failed in this personal vendetta of his.”

“Until the sky rolls back like a scroll. I have failed nothing,” Satan said.

This summer, I will begin working on the 4th installment in the Dance on Fire series. All of the traveling that my wife and I have been doing since Infernal was released shall come into play. And my most recent release will also have something to do with what happens. Both this series and that book use my hometown of Kingsburg, California as the main setting. Truth be told, it was secretly book 3.5 in the series. I just didn’t tell anyone. I wanted it to be a surprise for my local fans.

One of these days I’m really going to have to explain why Kingsburg is so haunted.

We’ll talk soon.