The God and Goddess of War

Chapter One Recruit

    I wander through the streets of Houston, looking for new recruits. Maria needs new fledgling vampires for the army. I walk through an alleyway and see a small girl shaking like a leaf. I go over to introduce myself to her.

    "What's your name Sugar?"

    "Br... Bree T... Tanner," the young girl stutters out.

    "The names Izzy, welcome to the army," I say to the girl no older than thirteen.

    After I get her name and tell her mine, I strike not giving her the chance to react. I bite her in the neck close to her pulse point.

    She screams in pain from my venom running through her bloodstream like molten lava.

    "You will fight for me! You will obey your leader, Maria," I state with authority.

    The girl falls to the ground unconscious due to the venom. I pick her up and move out of the alley with my vampire speed. I run for several miles before we reach camp. As we near, I slow to a jog.

    The camp is a small area of land with a few barns and lots of dirt. It's still small but will expand as Maria takes more territory from other warlords.

    It's quiet here... most of the time. You lose track of it. I don't know the date because it's unnecessary.

    That being said, I know where I am. We are in the outskirts of Houston, Texas.

    It's nice to be in the outskirts. We can feed more often here.

    I've been with Maria since she sired me many moons ago and have been fighting with her in the vampire wars ever since.

    I am her Major, since my mate, Jasper Whitlock, escaped with his venom brother and sister.

    I miss Jasper a lot; the feeling of our mating bond still rips at my chest daily. But he needed out of the wars. I don't know what would have happened if he didn't.

    I will never forget that I had to fight with him to leave with his venom brother.

    "Jasper go. I will get to you as soon as I can. You know you need to get out of here," I said pleading.

    "I can't leave you Izzy. I can't let you get hurt!"

    "Jay go. I can take care of myself. I know you're afraid, I can feel it. I will find you as soon as I can. I love you."

    "I love you too. You're right. I need to be with Peter and Charlotte. I will miss you my angel. Please be safe," he said with venom tears that will never fall.

    "I will, don't lose hope. I love you."

    With that we gave each other a passionate kiss. As Jasper descended from the camp, with his honey blonde hair blowing in the wind; I felt the mating bond kick back in. The further he went, the more pain I was in. I would never forget the promise I made him so long ago.

    As I come up to the compound where we put the people that have been bitten, I drop Bree off and head to my living quarters. On my way I stop to talk to Mark, one of Maria's lackeys.

    "Mark, please inform Mistress Maria that I changed a young female. Her name is Bree Tanner. She's the one with the dark mahogany hair, chocolate brown eyes, and is wearing a green flannel shirt."

    "Yes Major, I will let her know and take a look at her," Mark says bowing his head in respect.

    "Thank you Mark. You are free to go."

    I make my way past four big barns before I get to my quarters. I go inside and to my basin of water. I use it to rinse off the dirt and grime of the day. Maria doesn't allow us running water. If we want to bathe, we have to collect water ourselves.

    After I'm clean or as clean as one can be without running water, I get dressed and go over to my favorite seat that smells like Jasper. I then give myself over to my thoughts.

    I think about Jasper and the promise I made. I try to think of a plan to escape. There's not a good way to escape other than to run and try not and get caught.

    Pound! Pound! Pound!

    I'm brought out of my musings by the sound of someone knocking on my door.

    "Come in, the doors unlocked," I call out.

    Mark walks into the room looking around.

    "Major Izzy, Maria would like to talk to you in her quarters," Mark states with a slight frown on his face and head in a submissive position.

    "Thank you, I will be there in a few minutes. You are free to go."

    "No, thank you my lady," Mark bows and leaves.

    As soon as he leaves, I fall to the ground in excruciating pain. My bond with Jasper has weakened to a point that if I don't see him soon the it will break.

    The pain is worse than going through the change to become a vampire. I fight it back and crawl over to the door. Gradually the pain goes away.

    I run to Maria's quarters. As I near, I hear Maria say, "Izzy needs to go. She's a liability to us. She changed a child to young an age. If the Volturi find out we're all as good as dead."

    I don't wait to hear what she has to say next. I run, I grab Bree first knowing they will kill her. Together we leave the camp ads Texas.