Xander Valdis wiped the blood from his lips, his belly warm and full of human blood. He grinned gleefully into the darkness, his night vision picking up the movements of the vampires and dragons around him. The Surge had taken Denver by force, their army spilling out of apartments and houses, rising up and eating their neighbors in a great feed.

The virus they’d sprayed over the cities in the years leading up to the Dark Sun had infected tens of thousands of people. The moment the sun went dark, the great armies of mindless vampires had taken to the streets, feeding and reproducing until entire cities had been captured by them.

Even the dragons had taken part in the feed, gleefully feasting on human flesh, reveling in the feeling of their true form. For two thousand years, the dragons had been trapped in their human bodies, much like the vampires had been trapped in darkness.

Feeding on humans during that time had been difficult. With their power severely limited, most vampires had to go to other means to procure their life blood. Animals, the dead, blood banks, many vampires had even managed become surgeons. All just to get the fix they needed to survive.

Unlike the vampires, the dragons could still walk in the light of day. The dragons who had come over to The Surge were some of his most valuable resources. Esher had served his purpose well, funneling great stores of wealth from multiple countries into Xander’s coffers. It had built his Dark Sun Machine. Even though he’d had to hide from the Silverdrake clan and their constant interference with his plans.

Many immortals still feared Xander’s power. And he didn’t blame them. As the oldest living immortal on the planet, he was the elder god of them all. Even the long-time Alpha of the Silverdrake clan paled in comparison.

In Xander’s opinion, immortals were superior to the weak humans who were native to the planet Earth. The immortals had every right to use the resources of the planet for their own means. Humanity was nothing but playthings and food for immortals.

He intended to put everything right again. The witches would be awakening to their true power. They would still be weak from their lack of training.

But the awakening witches would bring with them their immortal wombs. What he could do with those female bodies, ripe and ready to take his ancient seed. Gama would pay for her betrayal. Xander hoped the Goddess knew what he intended to do to her precious bastard children. He would take witches and humans alike to breed and to feed upon.

Glee filled his heart again and he dove back into the corralled crowd of screaming humans. Esher’s massive black dragon head darted into the crowd, crunching a man’s body in his grinding jaws. The Surge had pinned five thousand people in the Denver Superdome. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, but twice the fun.

Xander grabbed a young woman, whose dark hair hung in sheets around her pale face. She screamed repeatedly as he held her terrified body close to him. Her fear was palpable and arousing. He considered raping her as he drained her blood, but decided against it. Who had the time for such things with so many bodies to suck dry?

He bit at her neck, opening her vein into his hungry mouth. He lapped up the blood as it coursed through her and into him. She struggled and shuddered, giving one last fight before he took her life. The pleasure of those final throes. The knowledge that she was a pathetic cow, meant only for his food, was what tasted so sweet on his tongue. He could never get enough of that particular flavor.

As he let the girl drop to the floor of the superdome, he felt his glass pad ping in his pocket. He wiped his lips and withdrew his device, tapping on the screen.

“Lord Valdis,” the vampire said. “The new vampire armies have taken New York and Paris. Tokyo and New Delhi will soon follow.”

“Very good,” Xander replied.

The Surge had used a virus to create an army of rabid, zombie-like vampires to ravage the cities of the world after the veil was lifted. The Surge would rise again and immortals would take their rightful place at the throne of mankind. It was already happening.

“Tell them it’s feeding time,” Xander said. “No holding back.”

“Yes, Lord Valdis. I will tell the armies your orders.”

The odds were heavily stacked in Xander’s favor, and that was just the way he liked it. He would keep the world in eternal night forever.