Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 00:33:07 -0600
From: Dan Nelson-Kangas <danielt315@gmail.com>
Subject: Jake's War Chapters 15-17

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction from the author's imagination.
The story and its characters are products of the author.  Any similarities
to other stories or characters are purely coincidental. Any similarities of
characters to persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.  This story
contains homosexual themes, if that offends you or it is illegal for you to
read such material, read no further.  The author retains all rights to this
story.  Do not reproduce or post this story on other sites without the
author's permission.

Author's Note: This is the final installment of this story for now. I guess
I'm ending this 'part'.  This part of the story has been told, but many
doors have been left open (at least in my mind).  I can't decide where
exactly to go from here, whether it's time for some flashbacks about Jake
or if I continue where this part will end.  We'll see, I hope you have all
enjoyed what has been written so far.  Also, I have ideas for other stories
that exist in the world I have created in this story, and I'm thinking of
doing a 'remix' of this story to improve what it might be lacking.  I will
definately do this if I continue the story. I'm also working on a couple
other stories that are not vampire ones.  Thank you to all of those who
have sent me feedback.  It means the world to me!!!  Comments, and all that
are still welcome at danielt315@gmail.com. Love ya all!  - an

Chapter 15


	Ryan looked flustered for a moment, then furious.  "It's too late,
Count!"

	"We'll see about that," Jake said, stepping further into the room
towards the entrance from the hall.  Jake had entered the mansion through a
secret passage only he knew about.  It led him directly to his study.  He
sent Tristan a mental message reassuring him.  Ryan had raised his gun and
pointed it at Tristan.

	"Don't be foolish," Jake said coolly.  "You can't win this one."

	Just then, someone flew through the door from the hall and tackled
Jake.  His gun went flying as Paul landed on top of him, bearing his fangs.
Jake was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and threw Paul off and
leapt to his feet.  Paul slammed into the ceiling before falling back to
the ground and hopping back to his feet. Jake drew his sword as Ryan and
Paul both drew their swords and rushed at him.  Tristan watched helplessly
as both Paul and Ryan started swinging their swords at Jake.  Jake's body
twisted and bent like there were no bones in his body.  He leapt over his
opponents' swords when they swung low.  Metallic clangs echoed through the
room as Jake blocked every swing of Ryan and Paul's swords.  His arms
looked like blurs to Tristan as Jake lashed out with his swords at his
opponents.

      His opponents backed Jake into a corner, he blocked a swing from Paul
and leapt back, planting his feet on the wall before launching forward,
flipping in the air to kick Ryan in the chest as his sword clashed again
with Paul's.  Ryan flew across the room, slamming into a bookcase, breaking
it and causing books to tumble everywhere.  Paul lashed out again with
twice the fury as before.  Ryan lay stunned across the room but recovered.

      When Ryan got up, however, he didn't come back to fight with Jake, he
ran towards the couch where Tristan lay, his sword abandoned among the
books.  He pounced on top of Tristan and sank his fangs into the helpless
man's neck as Jake's sword clashed with Paul's again.  Jake bellowed in
rage but knew he couldn't do anything to help Tristan as long as Paul was
up and swinging.  Boiling with rage, Jake went on the offensive against
Paul forcing him to back up into a wall.  Paul tried to escape, but Jake
kept him trapped.  In desperation, he lashed out at Jake's midsection.
Jake leapt over the sword and brought his own across Paul's throat,
beheading him.  Without hesitation, he leapt to where Ryan was on Tristan,
and yanked him off.  Ryan looked at him with blood dribbling down his chin
and started to laugh.  He stopped as Jake's hand around his throat closed,
crushing it and snapping the bones.  He buried his sword in Ryan's heart
before tossing the body, sword and all, across the room.  It hit the wall,
cracking the plaster, and then landed on top of Paul's headless body.

	Jake looked down at Tristan.  He realized instantly that Tristan
was in bad shape and that he had lost a lot of blood.  He quickly drew his
dagger and cut the bonds and gag from him.  He pierced his finger and let
the blood drip on Tristan's neck heal the puncture wounds.  Jake realized
that it wasn't enough, that he had lost too much blood.  "Tristan, you need
to hold on.  You need to answer a question."

	Tristan stirred and moaned.

	"Tristan," Jake said, fear in his voice.  "Do you want to live?
There is only one way."

	Tristan moaned again and seemed to be losing the battle.

	"Tristan!" Jake shouted. He continued in a whisper, I don't want to
lose you too."

      Jake tried to rouse Tristan, and he probed his mind to try and stir
him as well.  His voice shook and grew loud as he spoke
again. "Tristan... tell me now if you want to be what I am!"

      Tristan's eyes opened for a moment as he looked at Jake, "Yes, if it
means I'm with you.  I want to live."

	Jake bit his wrist and held it to Tristan's lips.  "Drink, Tristan;
drink and live."

	Tristan did drink, and the effects were instant.  As the blood
rushed into his system, he became more alive and tried to drink more from
Jake.  Also with the blood came memories from Jake.  Tristan saw Jake's
life through Jake's eyes.  The last images were of him.  He felt the way
Jake felt for him—he realized that Jake cared for him more than he had
cared for anyone in a long time.  Jake loved Tristan.  Jake cut him off
when he knew he had enough and the memories ceased as well.  The wounds on
Tristan's neck vanished completely as did the wound on Jake's wrist.

	Tristan looked into Jake's eyes and then leaned up and kissed Jake.
Jake returned the kiss.  Tristan then laid back and fell into sleep.  Jake
breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Tristan wasn't going to die, that
he wasn't going to lose yet another person he cared for.

      Suddenly, Jake flinched as he felt a presence in the room.  He looked
up and standing in his study doorway was a tall, pale-skinned man with
shoulder-length black hair and hollow gray eyes.  His slender frame was
dressed in a black coat over black clothing.  His facial features were
sharp and well-defined.  He was stunning and elegant.

	"Touching," he said.  "Now it's time for Tristan to go with me."

	"What do you want with him, Zalmon?" Jake said, rising to his feet
to face the man.

	"Haven't you figured it out yet, Jaakko?" Zalmon teased.  "Don't
you realize who he is?"

	"The descendent of Nikolai Chavdar," Jake said.  "You killed many
of his ancestors, he'll never join you!"

	Zalmon smiled maliciously, "Who said anything about him joining me
or staying alive for that matter? Don't you realize what you have done by
turning him?  His blood is more powerful than any we have ever known!
Completely drain the source and add that to already powerful blood strain
like my own and you would get..."

	"Impossible," Jake said.

	"Is it?" Zalmon asked.  "Imagine, Jaakko, an indestructible
vampire.  His blood mixed with mine will make me that. No one will be able
to stop me.  Come, Jaakko, can't you see?  Your only option is to join me!"

	"Never!" Jake bellowed. "I'll kill you before you lay a hand on
Tristan."

	Jake leapt at Zalmon and pinned him to the ground.  He growled as
he bared his fangs.

	Zalmon laughed, "Come on, old friend, you can't beat me!"  With
that, he threw Jake across the room.  Jake slammed into the wall and slid
down.  He recovered quickly, leaping to his sword and pulling it from
Ryan's body and flew at Zalmon.  Did a major back flip to avoid Jake's
first swing, as he landed; he pulled his own sword and brought it up just
in time to block Jake's second swing. The fight was intense, Swords clanged
and clashed as the two leapt around the room.  Jake managed to land a kick
against Zalmon, sending him flying into the door to his bedroom, shattering
the wood.  Zalmon recovered and caught Jake as Jake attempted to take
advantage; Zalmon knocked Jake into a wall, smashing the plaster.

	Zalmon rushed to strike at Jake, but Jake leapt over Zalmon,
bringing his sword down, slicing through Zalmon's clothes and drawing blood
from his back.  Zalmon roared with rage and turned rapidly to attack Jake.
Jake had to strain to keep up with Zalmon as he leapt around and struck at
him.

	Jake was weakened by his fight with Ryan and Paul and from the
blood loss from feeding Tristan.  So despite his efforts, Jake was hit as
Zalmon swung wildly and leapt around, pushing Jake back against a wall. He
blocked Zalmon's swing, but Zalmon twisted his sword in a tight circle and
knocked Jake's arm enough to make him lose his grip, Zalmon's swords sliced
into Jake's shoulder a split second later.  Jake was hit badly.  Zalmon's
sword connected with the same place he had been wounded the night before
and the sword struck hard.  His clothes were ripped and blood was pouring
in large quantities from the big wound.  Jake groaned and staggered back.
He tried to fight with his one arm, but Zalmon was far too strong and he
was losing blood far too fast for his already blood-deprived body.  Zalmon
knocked the sword from Jake's hand and kicked Jake over onto his back and
stood over him with his sword at Jake's throat.  Blood was still dripping
from Zalmon's back, but not in the amount that it poured from Jake's
shoulder.

	"Join me!" Zalmon said.

	"Never!" Jake cried with what strength he could muster.  He looked
up and saw he was in front of the couch and off to the side near the
windows.  He could see Tristan's angelic face as he lay on the couch,
sleeping.

	"Then you will die!" Zalmon hissed as he raised his sword.  As he
was about to bring it down, he was distracted by one of the large windows
further down the wall shattering inward into a million pieces.


Chapter 16


	Tristan woke as the window shattered.  He looked up to see a
strange man standing over Jake with a sword.  Both were looking towards the
window which was partially hidden from his view by the back of the
couch. Tristan tried to get up, but found that he was too weak to move.  He
looked for what had broken the window, but couldn't find anything.

	Suddenly, Tristan saw a figure fly through the window and land
among the broken glass.  He was of medium height and muscular with long
brown hair and deep brown eyes that seemed to glow.  The large black cloak
he wore rustled slightly. His face looked like it had been carved from
stone.  It was pale, but hauntingly beautiful. Tristan could see a rage
flash in his eyes as he looked at the man standing over Zalmon and Tristan
could feel the power radiating from him.  It made him terrifying and even
more beautiful. He walked with a confidence and grace that Tristan had
never seen before.  He strode over to where the man stood over Jake and
struck out and grabbed him by the neck.  He lifted him off his feet and the
man dropped his sword.  Jake was staring up in astonishment.  The brown
haired man sneered at the man he held in his hand before he struck out with
his other hand.  His hand penetrated the man's chest and pulled from it the
man's heart.  He tossed it out the window.  The man he held looked shocked
and then faded.  The man holding him appeared to break him in half before
throwing his body out of the window.  He wiped his bloody hand on his cloak
before kneeling down by Jake.

	"My Lord Daniel!" Jake exclaimed weakly.  "We thought you dead!"

	"Easy, my son," Daniel said and he bit his own wrist and applied
the blood to Jake's wound before allowing Jake a drink of it.  Jake's wound
healed over almost instantly.  Jake was flooded with visions and memories
like Tristan had been.  As Daniel pulled his arm away, Jake was able to sit
up and look at the man he had called Daniel.  He then looked over to
Tristan to check on him.

	"He is unharmed," Daniel said.  "You did well."

	Tristan tried to move again but was still too weak. "What's going
on? Who are you? Who was he?" His eyes looked towards the window.

	Jake started to speak, but Daniel cut him off.  His voice was deep
and calm and his voice carried the power that radiated from him.  His
accent was unlike anything Tristan had heard, but it was soothing and
clear. "I, young man, am Daniel, sire of Marek, and grand sire of Jaakko
here.  The other man was Zalmon.  As for what is going on, I believe we
just ended the war that has plagued our kind for far too long and you have
become one of us."

	Tristan nodded but didn't know what to say.  Jake spoke up, "sir,
all of us had thought you were long gone.  You haven't appeared in nearly
three hundred years."

	Daniel smiled, "my son, you must understand that when you get to be
as old as I am, there are more important things than being among people.  I
live a quiet life now; I rest most of the time.  I watch the world though,
and when I heard about Tristan here, I felt the need to come and make sure
he remained safe.

	"Oh, and to answer your question," Daniel said, looking at Tristan
and grinning.  "I'm nearly two-thousand five-hundred years old."

	"He is the oldest living vampire, by a long ways," Jake added
before turning to ask Daniel another question.  "Why is Tristan so
important?"

	"Because what Zalmon said is true," Daniel said.  "Tristan has
blood more powerful than any other than my own.  If Zalmon were to drink
Tristan dry, the combination of the blood would make him so powerful not
even I could have stopped him.  I couldn't allow Zalmon to destroy
everything we stand for."

	"But shouldn't I die too?" Tristan asked, "If my blood is so
dangerous."

	Daniel shook his head, his long hair swinging around his head.
"It's not dangerous unless used for wrong.  And it would have been the
combination of your blood and Zalmon's that would have made a vampire more
powerful than I.  Your blood alone makes you a very powerful vampire, but
not indestructible.  Trust me; you will be quite safe with Jaakko at your
side.  He will show you the way, and if ever a threat arises that Jaakko
and you can't handle, I will return."

	"You aren't staying?" Jake asked as Daniel moved towards the
window.  Jake followed him.

	"No," Daniel said.  "I quite like my life right now.  And as far as
anyone else is concerned, I was never here and you, Jaakko, killed Zalmon."

	Jake looked confused, but Daniel stepped up and embraced him.  "It
will all be okay, Jaakko.  You'll see.  Now, you have Tristan to love and
take care of.  If you two ever need me, I will return."

	With that, he broke his embrace of Jake and bowed to Tristan before
leaping out of the window into the sky which showed the first hint of a
dawn still a couple hours off.


Chapter 17:


	Jake sat in his dining room among the numerous guests in his home.
A week had passed since Zalmon was killed and around the world his
supporters either surrendered or were destroyed.  Many of the vampire elite
including the council had traveled to Jake's estate to celebrate the end of
the war that had raged for a century and nearly brought them to
destruction.

	Jake's mansion had been fully repaired including the stone wall,
gates, and the damage in Jake's suite.  Tristan had been asking countless
questions about that night and how it fit into the grand scheme of things.
Jake told him of how Julian had informed him of the traitors, and so Jake
set up a trap and then remained near to the compound waiting to see if
something happened.  When he heard Tristan's call, he had quickly returned
to the mansion and entered through the secret passage.  Apparently,
however, Zalmon had followed him through it.  Jake then told Tristan about
how Daniel was revered as the greatest of the great vampires.  Many
suspected he was still alive, but no one knew for sure other than Jake and
Tristan.  Jake told of how Daniel had been created so long ago as the first
fledgling of one member of the First Generation—the vampires sired directly
by the Source.  He was the first vampire created rather than born.  After
him, no more vampires were ever born, they were only created.  Daniel lived
on as the vampires of the First Generation and his own generation were
killed or they chose to die.  Around three hundred years ago, Daniel had
vanished under uncertain circumstances.  Some argued that he had finally
chosen to end his life on Earth, while others argued that he had merely
gone into hiding.  No one was sure.

	Jake smiled as Julian walked over to him.  He looked clean,
healthy, and happy.  Jake had ensured that he be given a full pardon by the
council for his help in Zalmon's demise.  He would be one of the watchers
that would remain with Jake at his mansion after the festivities.  Jake was
sorry to see the vampires and watchers he had come to know as his family
leave.  However, the war was over so everyone was going back to their
lives.  Shane would be staying as he was still a fairly young fledgling of
Jake's and of course Tristan would stay.  Alicia promised she would return
to the area after she did some traveling with Josh.  They had become rather
close rather quickly.  Julian, Dante, Chris, Amy, Jess and Jane would be
the watchers that would remain at the Valdemar estate.  Julian told him how
happy he was that he would be staying before he moved on to talk to other
guests.

	Brad walked up to Jake and put his arm around his shoulder, "Can
you believe it, old chap?"

	"Believe what?" Jake asked, smiling.

	"The war is over at last!" Brad exclaimed.  "We can rest in peace
now."

	Jake squeezed his friend's shoulder, "it is a weird feeling to know
that I don't have to go fight anymore.  It's a good feeling though.  It's
been a long time coming.  We have a lot of rebuilding to do though"

	They chatted about Brad's plans to return to England to his estate
there.  They were interrupted by Teresa and Nathaniel calling for silence.

	"Family," Nathaniel said, "we have gathered here in Count Valto's
beautiful home to celebrate a great victory—the victory over Zalmon "

	Tristan came up beside Jake and Jake wrapped his free arm around
him.  He smiled at his good friend and his new lover.  Nathaniel continued
speaking, "... and our kind has faced many problems in the past century,
but we have prevailed over our enemy and preserved our future."

	Teresa picked it up from there, "we want to thank every one here,
and every one who couldn't be here that has helped in our efforts.  We want
to extend special thanks first to the watcher Julian for the information he
provided us that led to Zalmon's demise."

	Applause echoed around the room before Teresa continued, "next, we
must extend the deepest and most sincere thanks to Count Valto, our beloved
Jake.  The council has decided unanimously to give Jake the highest
recognition for bravery.  We hereby bestow on Count Jaakko Valto the title
of Protector."

	Everyone burst into loud applause as Jake blushed and went to where
Teresa and Nathaniel stood.  They handed him a bejeweled sword that rivaled
his family's sword in extravagance.  Tristan looked at Brad for an
explanation.

	Brad smiled, "Protector is the highest honor for a vampire.  Very
few have the title.  Teresa, Nathaniel and Mathias are the only ones still
alive that hold the title.  Well, unless you count Daniel, but no one is
really sure if he's alive.  Jake's sire Marek had the title as well, but he
was destroyed a couple centuries ago."

	Tristan nodded.  Jake had told him about Marek's demise and how
devastated he had been.  Jake turned now to address the assembled crowd so
everyone quieted.  "Thank you all for this honor and thank you for joining
me here in my home to celebrate this great achievement.  It was as much all
of you that brought down Zalmon as it was me.  It was our unity that was
our strength."

	Everyone applauded before Jake continued, "I want to extend special
gratitude to those who have served with me." He looked at each of
them. "Without you, I would have been lost long ago.  I'm going to miss you
all.  And let us all remember those who lost their lives in the fight for
our survival and the preservation of our freedom."

	Again, applause echoed across the room.  Jake smiled and lifted a
glass, "I propose a toast to all of you.  May we remain united and strong."

	Everyone lifted their glasses and toasted, Jake took a sip and then
continued.  "Now, this is a celebration, so let's celebrate."

	He walked to where Tristan was and embraced him as everyone resumed
the party.  Music played as people danced in the hall.  Jake kissed Tristan
and led him to the floor where they began to dance.

	"So," Tristan said.  "What is immortality like?"

	Jake laughed softly, "it can be lonely, but now that I have you, I
think I won't mind it so much."

	Tristan blushed slightly but smiled.  He was glad he had Jake.  "I
love you."

	"I love you too," Jake said.