C.O.T.V.H. (Book 2): Judgment by Dustin J. Palmer

hundred and ten percent, work harder than you ever thought possible, and turn your body into a piece of iron, you will be one of the deadliest creatures on the face of the Earth. Does anyone have any questions?"
    Jake raised his hand.  Lucas acknowledged him with a nod.  "Not meaning any disrespect Sergeant, but what good are fists against Vampires?"
    "That's a very good question Bishop.  Punching a Vampire is like punching a brick wall.  They regenerate broken bones, bullet wounds and just about every type of injury you can give them.  So like Bishop said, what's the point?  Does anyone have an answer?"
    He waited several long seconds until Donnie raised his hand.  "Because Sergeant, even bricks can be broken." 
    "That's right Williams.  And that's exactly what I'm going to train you to do.  I will teach you to use everything in your environment as a weapon.  When I'm done with you, the bricks will tremble."
    Jake saw Buck roll his.  Though Lucas had had his back turned, he somehow caught it.  "Alright Turner.  You just volunteered to be my first assistant.”  Buck rose to his feet, his face going white as a sheet.  "Step into the ring," Lucas commanded.  "Now come at me with everything you've got!  Don't hold back."
    Buck swallowed the lump in his throat and went after him, swinging wildly.  In mere seconds, he was lying flat on his chest his right arm pulled tightly behind his back.  Lucas leaned down and whispered in his ear.  “Roll your eyes at me again boy , and I’ll break it.”  Buck nodded then tapped out and was pulled back to his feet by Lucas.
    "Who's next?  How about you Bishop?"
    Crap.  Jake thought to himself.   He walked into the ring, heart pounding.
    "Now come at me," he said, waving him on. 
    Over the past year Jake had learned much from training with John, but Lucas quickly taught him that he didn’t know anything.  Like Buck, he too was off his feet before he even knew what hit him.  One by one, each of the group was knocked to the ground.  Even the girls were planted hard on the ground.  Surprisingly, of them all Amber lasted the longest.  It was brutal.  It was violent.  It was hell.  But as Jake paid attention, he began to learn.  By 5:30, the lesson was over and the group was utterly exhausted.
    To Jake’s complete surprise, it wasn't Ortega, or Lucas or even Castle that taught their next lesson.
    Cort sat in a rocking chair on the porch of the Williams' house eating a red apple. He’d cut it to pieces with his large bowie knife and then pop it into his mouth. 
    "Hi Grandpa," Jake said, stepping onto the porch.
    "Howdy Jake.  Glad to see you survived your first day," Cort said, with a nod and a smile.  "Evening," he said, to everyone else as they approached.
    "Good evening, sir," everyone else said.
    "Ah now don't start that crap.  These jokers teaching you might be military but I most certainly am not.  So don't you dare start with that yes sir no sir horse shi . . . uh stuff. Okay?" 
    "Okay," everyone said, relaxing a bit.
    "Well pull up a chair," Cort said popping the last piece of apple into his mouth and sliding the knife back into the sheath on his belt.  Everyone took a seat in chairs around the porch and Cort began.  "You're probably all wondering what an old coot like myself is doing teaching you young kids?  Well I'll tell you.  I suspect I know more about vampires than any man alive.  I have been hunting them since I was fifteen years old.  
    “Donald, Amber, it was my old man and me that rescued your Grandpa when he'd been kidnapped back in oh, ’57, ’58?  I forget which.  Buck, your Grandpa Tommy was my partner for over twenty years.  One of the best hunters I've ever known.  Whisper and Diana, combined, your daddy and grandpa and I hunted over two hundred times together.  Yep, I've seen it all."
    "If you've seen it all how come you're here and not heading out with the others? Aren't they hitting a den somewhere in