The Return Read Online Free PDF Page A

better than he had in a long time. It didn't make any sense.
    She led him to the opposite side of the clearing, where a Union soldier sat against a tree, eyes staring vacantly ahead, the rise and fall of his chest the only indication that he was still alive. "I saved this one for you," the woman said, coaxing the man to stand. "He's the one who shot you."
    The soldier was standing rigidly, staring straight through him. Zac waved his hand in front of his eyes, but there was no response. He didn't even blink. His eyes flickered warily to the woman who was now standing behind the man, their heights even. As her eyes changed into two black pools of nothingness she sunk her teeth into the soldiers neck. Zac gasped in horror as she began to drink the mans blood. Pulling back, she smiled wickedly at him, her mouth and chin red with the soldier's life.
    It was then that he caught the smell on the air. Somehow he knew it was the scent of fresh blood. It was intoxicating and his mouth tightened as his teeth began to ache. Before he could stop himself he lunged for the soldier, sinking his teeth into the open wound over his jugular. Knowing he should be repulsed at the notion of drinking another mans blood; he drank like he could never get enough. When there was no more, he let the man drop limply to the ground.
    The woman smiled at him, seemingly pleased with the result. As he wiped his face with the back of his hand, he doubled over as pain ripped through him. Grasping his chest he fell to the ground as his heart raced, gritting his teeth. The pain was worse than the gunshot by far.
    The woman knelt beside him and crooned into his ear, "Don't fear, dear Captain. It will soon pass."
    He gazed into her eyes as the pain took him into unconsciousness and he knew no more.
     

 
    When Zac finally woke, he found himself in a bed, the curtains of the simple room drawn tightly over the windows. Rolling onto his side, he dragged himself to his feet. The room seemed to shimmer around him, every little detail sharper, more defined. Rubbing his eyes didn't seem to change anything. The clarity made his head ache something fierce. Getting up, he walked towards the window and opened one side of the curtain, letting daylight flood into the little room. Suddenly, he jerked back into the corner away from the direct sunlight with a yelp. It was hot; so hot it felt as if it had burnt him.
    The bright light seemed to hurt his eyes, his skin tingling. Reaching out tentatively, the warm sunlight fell over his hand. He pulled back instinctively as his flesh seared, holding his hand to himself. Expecting to find a burn there, he stared in shock as his hand healed in front of his eyes. Seared flesh disappeared into smooth, unblemished skin.
    Leaning back against the wall, he caught sight of the woman was sitting in the shadows watching him and he jumped, startled. "What have you done to me?" he grimaced, cowering back into the shadows.
    "I've given you an incredible gift," she said. "You will never age and you will never die."
    "Why can't I tolerate the sunlight?" he hissed.
    The woman only sighed.
    "Answer me!" he yelled at her.
    "You won't be able to go out into the day anymore."
    "What are you?" he stammered. "What did you do to me?"
    "You, dear Captain are a vampire," she stated. "I saved you from death."
    Zac slid down the wall and sunk his head into his knees. He was a vampire? A devil doomed to walk the night for eternity. Was this what he was now? A monster?
    "And what choice did you give me?" He lunged across the room faster than he thought possible, grasping her around the neck, but she pushed him across the room, his shoulder punching a hole in the crude plaster and he fell to his knees. She'd thrown him like he weighed nothing at all.
    "Shh," she whispered in his ear, suddenly at his side, placing her hand over his mouth. "Do not fear, I will teach you. You and I will rule the South. Don't think I didn't see you fight yesterday. You