C.O.T.V.H. (Book 1): Creation by Dustin J. Palmer

Lubbock.”
    “ Grandpa Cort, as in your dad? I thought he was dead."
    "He's not dead. I just haven't talked to him in a while," John sighed. "We didn't exactly part on good terms."
    "Then why are we going there?"
    “ Because he’s the only one that can help us.”
    Silence grew between them for several long minutes. Vampires! Jake thought over and over in his head. It just seemed impossible.  But he couldn't ignore what he'd seen.  How else could you explain body parts exploding into flame when the sun hit them? He had heard his parents arguing about his dad going back to hunting, but he’d always assumed it was bears or something like that. That’s why she worried about him getting hurt. But hunting vampires had never occurred to him in his wildest dreams.  Jake closed his eyes shaking his head. The image of Mr. White’s ferocious teeth, snapping like a crazed beast wouldn’t leave his mind. The lost, hungry look in his eyes . . . it would haunt him for the rest of his life. He really would have preferred aliens.
    Jake lifted his head and stared at the edges of the blue handkerchief peeking out from the closed ashtray. "Wait . . . if those things are poisonous, why keep them?"
    “ Because those little babies carry quite a bounty on them. They are worth at least three grand apiece.”
    Again, Jake’s mouth dropped open. “Who on earth would want to buy vampire fangs?”
    John yawned deeply then slapped his cheeks. "I'll tell you what, once we get your mother back and everything calms down, I'll fill you in on every little detail of what I used to do. But right now, I'd rather not get into it.”
    Jake started to say something but John held up his hand. "Jake . . . later." he said, in a tone letting Jake know the conversation was over.
    Jake closed his mouth swallowing his questions. The entire world had just changed forever. Things would never be the same. As they passed the city limits sign entering Lubbock, Jake couldn't help but ask. "So how exactly is Grandpa Cort going to help us?"
    "He’s going to keep an eye on you for a while.  I'm dropping you off at his house then heading back to search for your mom."
    That was the last thing he expected to hear. "Dropping me off?  Why?  I can help you!"
    "I have to get you some place safe, Jake.  Believe me I don't want to, but I need to focus entirely on your mom right now.  I can't do that if I have to worry about taking care of you.  You’ll be safe with your grandpa."
    "How will an old man keep me safe from vampires ? Why don’t we just call the cops?"
    John gave a dry chuckle. "Son, that old man is the Cort Bishop. He’s the biggest, most badass vampire killer to come along in the past hundred years.  No one, and I do mean no one, has killed more vamps than he has. Besides, if we call the cops we’re just going to get them killed. That or they’d lock us up in a mental hospital."
    Jake nodded. That made sense. He was neck deep in what was going on and even he wasn’t sure if it was real. Wait a second . . . did he just say Bishop? “Wait, why did you call him Cort Bishop? If he’s your dad why does he have a different last name?” The same name the vampire called out.
    "Jake, there's a lot you don't know about my past.  Things I hoped you never would know. Things I really don't have time to get into right now.  Just know that there is absolutely no one in this world that I trust more than him."
    “ Dad you can’t expect me to sit here and not ask questions after you tell me that my Grandpa’s name is the same one that Mr. White . . . err . . . that vampire called out back in the house. Did Mr. White know Grandpa?”
    John grimaced. “I was hoping you hadn’t heard that. But I guess there’s no point in you not knowing. Bishop is my name. It’s your name, your real name.  I changed it to protect us from something like this happening. No one but Pam Williams, a doctor that worked with your mother, knew who I really was. She’s an old