Eideann's War
Here is where you can read short stories written in the same world as my Eideann's War vampire series.
WIND OF CHANGES, is the first novel in the Eideann’s War Series. The series could be compared to a blend of the movies Highlander and Underworld. My vampire is a change from the norm, and based on the myth of The White Women of the Scottish Highlands. My vampires can go out in sunlight, do not fear crosses or garlic, and have fangs in addition to a feeding claw - all aimed at making them the ultimate predatory machine.
Here is a brief synopsis of WIND OF CHANGES:
Vampires have lived for centuries, in the shadows of humanity with the aid of the Seers, an ancient group designed to maintain the delicate political balance. During the year 2020 in Atlanta, rogue vampires set out to change the balance in their favor. There is a price for this ultimate power, if any survive . . .
Though currently, WIND OF CHANGES has yet to be contracted for publication, I've decided to publish to my website and blog background chapters (or teaser chapters) which do not currently have a home in the series. I hope you enjoy!
Weylyn's Creation
Leipzig, Confederation of the Rhine
October 19, 1813
Weylyn Itai stood among the slain soldiers. The bloody battle ended ten hours after Napoleon’s troops attacked. The allied forces were victorious and drove the French back across the Elster River. Since the bridge was out, some swam, most died.
It pained Weylyn to see the destruction. He sat upon the cold, hard ground - rough terrain covered with brown leaves and the distinct red of blood under him. The smell of gun powder and smoke from the cannon fire still hung low in the sky. It hurt to breath in the foul air. He wanted to go home, to Prussia and to his wife, embrace her again and smell the sweet scent of her auburn hair.
He looked down at his hands, those capable of slaughter, covered in blood and filth, and wept. While they won the battle, Weylyn didn’t feel victorious. He made the sign of the cross and prayed.
“Lord, please forgive me for what I have done to my brother.”
“It’s no use. He doesn’t hear your plea.”
The voice startled Weylyn. He turned around and through the haze saw a man wearing odd robes, almost like the priests wore. He stood behind Weylyn.
“With most certainty, Sir, I know you are wrong. The Lord sees all.”
The man moved closer. “Perhaps he does. But I can tell you he cares not for you.”
The man’s long dark hair hung down his back. His green eyes matched his robes.
Weylyn rose to his feet and readied his bayonet. “Do you challenge my faith?”
“You are misled, Prussian.”
Enraged by the stranger’s accusation, Weylyn thrust his bayonet directly into the man’s stomach.
The man clutched his stomach briefly, then removed his hands revealing no wound, only ripped fabric.
“You are the devil!” Weylyn yelled, and thrust his bayonet again at the man.
The man stood and allowed Weylyn to pierce his flesh again.
Weylyn stepped back preparing to lunge, but as he did so, the man moved with an unnatural swiftness and kicked Weylyn’s legs from beneath him. Weylyn fell to the ground onto his back. His eyes filled with fright and surprise as the man moved on top of him.
“I’m not the devil. I am your salvation,” the man said.
He looked into Weylyn’s eyes. It felt as if he caressed Weylyn’s soul, taking control. He couldn’t move and felt compelled to obey the command of this stranger.
“Now Weylyn of Prussia, I end this life in exchange for another.”
He grabbed Weylyn’s head, twisted it to the side, slashed his throat and drank deeply from the warm fluid which spilled out. Weylyn prayed silently as his vision distorted, and he felt weak.
* * *
Weylyn opened his eyes to the faint glow of a fire and a great stone hearth. He sat up slowly realizing he was in commoner’s clothes and sitting on a cot.
He heard a woman humming in the distance. He searched his memory to recall his own death. Weylyn remembered sitting at the battlefield, but he knew he didn’t die in battle. He retraced the events over in his mind.
There was the battle. We won. I sat on the ground for a few moments to catch my breath. Then a man . . . THE MAN!
Weylyn jumped up at the realization of what happened, but felt lightheaded. He stumbled across the room and fell into the dark wooden support beam. His stomached ached with hunger.
A young woman entered the room. She had fair skin and dark hair. She called out in a language which Weylyn didn’t understand.
She moved over to him, placed his arm over her shoulder and guided him to the cot.
“Please sit. You must eat, you are very weak.”
Weylyn nodded.
She took Weylyn’s hand and grabbed his pinky finger. He noticed the nail on that digit was very long and sharp. With that nail, she slashed the skin on her wrist.
“Here.” She placed her arm in front of Weylyn’s face.
Repulsed by her actions, he drew back.
“Please, drink!” she commanded, and moved her wrist just below Weylyn’s nose.
Weylyn felt an urge to drink the ruby substance dripping from this woman’s arm. He couldn’t rationally explain it, but the wonderful smell and the urge became too intense for him to fight. He took her hand. He licked very gently at first. The blood tasted sweet, unlike anything he’d ever had before. He locked his lips over the wound and began to suck the nourishing substance.
“Ah, excellent. It is good to see you are awake.”
Weylyn looked up and saw the long haired, green eyed man from the battlefield standing beside them. The man said something in the same language the girl used earlier.
She gently removed her arm from his grasp. She moved from the bed and went out of the room.
“I know we had a rather difficult day yesterday, but please allow me to introduce myself. I am Cedric. You are now in my home, as a guest.”
“Do you feed all your guests blood?” Weylyn said sarcastically.
“Only the ones who are of Eideann’s blood.”
Weylyn looked blankly at Cedric.
“I am a soldier in the Prussian army, I . . .” Weylyn stopped, as his mind searched for the words.
“You were a human soldier and now you are something physically different. You are one of Eidiann’s Children – a vampire.”
Weylyn shook his head, as if to erase the words he just heard. “This can’t be. How can I be a vampire?”
“I created you. I am one of Eideann’s Children.”
“Who is Eideann?”
“Eideann is the creator of our kind. She is our leader and mother.”
“Yes, but who is she where did she come from?”
"Why do you ask?" Cedric inquired.
Weylyn thought briefly, then answered, "I would like to know of her story."
“Fair enough." Cedric stated, then he continued. "The High King, Eochaid Ollathair of the Tuatha De Danann, known as Dagda, and the Goddess Morrigan coupled on Samhain, around 1200 BC. A child, Eideann, was conceived. Both refused to raise her, and with no one to care for her, she died within days of being born. Eochaid Ollathair and Morrigan each blamed the other, claiming trickery as cause for their union, and never spoke of it again. But after time, Morrigan felt sorry for the child and would visit the buried corpse – sometimes in crow form, or wearing a dark, hooded robe most resembling the crow. Morrigan would take blood from slain soldiers and pour it over the grave. She did so repenting the blood spilled for her carelessness. Eochaid Ollathair felt guilty as well. He returned on May 1st, during the celebration of Beltane. A great bonfire was erected near her grave and Eochaid Ollathair used his magic spear to return Eideann to life. However, neither knew about the others meddling and Eideann rose as a vampire – damned to consume blood for eternity. In the beginning Eideann would rise from her grave once a year and feast on human blood. As time went on she became more powerful and required more blood to quench her thirst.”
Weylyn sat quietly, trying to process all the odd information he just heard.
“I know this is difficult to fully grasp. I will teach you and train you before you are released from my care.”
Cedric turned and began walking out of the room.
“Wait. One more question,” Weylyn called out.
Cedric faced Weylyn.
“Elvia. She’s my acolyte.”
Weylyn was taken aback by Cedric’s response.
“But how did you know what I was going to ask?”
Cedric grinned. “It’s a gift I have. I hear thoughts of others.”
Weylyn didn’t believe him. So he thought, prove to me then, what is an acolyte?
“Ah, yes. An acolyte is a servant of the vampires. She is my daughter.”
“Your daughter? She does your bidding, even though you are a vampire?”
“Yes. She wishes to serve Eideann even though she wasn’t a chosen one.”
“Am I a chosen one?” Weylyn asked.
“Yes, Prussian. Rest now. We can talk later.”
Cedric walked out of the room and Weylyn sat, trying to absorb the entirety of the dizzying conversation.