Vampire meets mob enforcer: An excerpt from CADEN IS COMING: A Southern Vampire Epic

Caden is Coming: A Southern Vampire Epic is the tale of a vampire clan out for vengeance after the home of their leader is robbed, and a valuable history of the undead in America—written in blood—is stolen. The back roads of the south are soon filled with traveling bloodsuckers on the trail of the thief and determined to get their Maker’s book back from him and woe to any mortal who gets in the way. In the excerpt below, the novel’s protagonist, Henry Marko, an enforcer for the Baltimore Mob representing a party interested in buying the book, and its main antagonist, Lafayette Caden, the 147 year old chief of a vampire clan, meet for the first time. Caden and his clan have besieged a rural gentleman’s club where Marko was to meet with certain parities claiming to have possession of the Archive of the Clans. Caden is determined to get his stolen property back, and Marko just as determined not let that happen. The two are standing on opposite sides of an open doorway, a threshold Caden cannot cross, but who nevertheless finds a way to get at those beyond his reach.

A excerpt from CADEN IS COMING: A Southern Vampire Epic:

The vampire’s eyes glowed with liquid fire. “My given name is Lafayette Caden and you know what I am. Through misplaced trust, I have been the victim of a thief, a low piece of mortal vermin, whom I have dealt with, but I have yet to have my property returned. It is a leather-bound book, known to all of my kind as the Archive of the Clans. It was taken from my home in Georgia to be sold to peddlers and merchants. I know what I seek is to be found here in this mansion, so don’t lie and make things worse for yourselves.”

“I can say with all truth I haven’t once laid eyes on your Archive of the Clans since I got to this miserable little shit hole,” Henry replied. The malice coming off Caden was tangible, almost a physical force, but Henry refused to retreat, making sure the toes of his shoes remained up against the door jam.

“Then you have quite a problem, Mr. Henry Marko of Baltimore, Maryland, because I will have my Archive returned to me long before the sun rises. You, on the other hand, may not have nearly so long.”

“Like I said, I’ve not seen your damn Archive, if I had, then I’d be half way back to Baltimore and you’d be shit out of luck.” Henry could feel the cold sweat bead under his arms, but street rules still applied, never let them know they got to you, no way, no how.

“You would do well to listen better, Mr. Henry Marko. I will have more than just my rightful property returned to me. I have been put to a great deal of trouble, have been forced to take leave of my comfortable home and take to the road. More than that, a most esteemed member of my clan has perished at the hands of a mortal this very night. I will have vengeance for my fallen servant. I will have vengeance for my humiliation.” Caden raised his voice to make sure it was heard by those inside. “All those whose hands have defiled my Archive will not live to see the sun rise, the rest of you can walk out that door of your own free will, get down on your knees before me and beg me not to open you up and fill my mouth with your life’s blood. Those who do not catch my favor or cling to your vanity and refuse to grovel will be fed upon by my clan. Like me, they have traveled far and are quite hungry. But the one who puts the Archive into my hands, I will not touch, this much I will swear, nor will any member of my clan put so much as a single finger on him also. They will be free to leave, but only after they return to me my rightful property. This I swear and I always honor my word and remember those who honor me. I hope you heard that in there, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Reilly, and Mr. Holland. As you can see, I happen to know all of you while you know nothing of me.”


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