Leonid looked down at her as she finished off the provisions. His hand smoothed over her hair, and she smiled up at him. He pulled her hood up further over her midnight black hair to keep the falling drizzle off her. Leonid softly told her to sleep; Tegan tucked her head into the crook of her arm and was asleep in minutes. Sleep was also something he hadn’t experienced since he was Made, but he remembered it. His daughter’s ability to sleep so readily was testament of her training.
Leonid ensured she was covered. She slept in her long black hooded coat. Tegan had been on so many training sessions outdoors, she could sleep fully clothed and fully armed. The coat had been designed by him for training. Having a tight-fitted bodice with a double zip for warmth. The skirt of the coat had a slight flare allowing ample leg movement. The hood was light in weight but deep enough that it offered protection from the elements as well as curious eyes. There were two deep pockets, but after months of cracking the edge of his sword off his daughter’s knuckles, she had finally stopped trying to put things into them. Under her coat, Tegan wore standard training attire: simple black t-shirt, tight-fitting cargo pants, and knee-high soft leather boots. Black-on-black to disguise them in the darkness. Unfortunately, his daughter was whiter than moonlight; she was so pale he teased her that it was she who had the reflective skin. Her skin seemed to repel sunlight no matter how much time she spent outdoors.
Her mother, Celeste, had been the same, paler than snow, with blood red lips. Leonid had called her ‘Snow’ after the well-known fairytale, despite Celeste’s protestations. Tegan’s lips were a more muted pink, her eyes a deep violet blue, that changed in colour depending upon her mood. Her eyes were not the only physical feature she inherited from her biological father. It wasn’t lost on Leonid that Tegan looked more like a Vampyre from one of her fiction books than he did. His daughter was beautiful, as her mother had been before her. Whereas Celeste had been a beautiful delicate flower, he had ensured her daughter had thorns, training her relentlessly since she was a child, ensuring that she was lethal. A weapon. All Akrhyn had the ability to be weapons, they were more than human: faster, stronger, deadlier. The Ancients had infused them with their gifts in order to hunt Drakhyn and protect the weaker species from the monsters that preyed on them in the dark.
As he kept watch in the woods a few feet from his sleeping daughter, he reflected on the purpose of this journey. He had resisted this trip for as long as possible, but now he had no choice. Tegan was now eighteen and although he knew the right thing to have done was to have taken her to the Headquarters years ago, he was still reluctant to make the journey now, given her mother’s dying wish. In truth, if the mirror message hadn’t come through, he would have kept her closer to home in the mansion, away from the Sentinels and general Akrhyn for a little while longer. Nevertheless, his daughter had passed her final Trial and the time to keep her secluded was over. His daughter was fully aware of the place they were going and more importantly, she knew what lay in store for her there. Leonid was sure she had never had any desire go to Headquarters. He believed his daughter was content not to discover her roots… or her family. He wished he had time to investigate this further, sure that The Sisters were playing tricks – but time was not on his side.
The Headquarters were outside of Prince George and were the main office for the Northern hemisphere. The Principal was a formidable warrior, having instilled his own unique training in his soldiers. Leonid scowled as he thought of Salem Holt. It was difficult to think of his former student with fondness considering all that had transpired. Shaking his head as if to shake the past from his thoughts, he reminded himself that he needed to keep watch tonight. There would be plenty of time to ponder the last eighteen years once he got to Headquarters.
Looking down at Tegan’s still form, a small smile escaped. Even in sleep she had been trained to be as silent as possible. Looking back out into the darkness of the woods, he thought to himself that he had trained her well. She was exquisite – a soldier to be proud of.
Tegan woke from the slight touch on her shoulder from her father. Rising swiftly, she took the small canteen of water her father handed her, sipping gratefully. Last night’s jerky had left a bad taste. She had used a mint paste on her teeth before sleeping but it wasn’t the same as brushing. Simple items such as toothbrushes and hairbrushes were not permitted on scouting or training missions, both considered too risky as they could be used against the person in a spell. In their world, leaving traces of anything was considered too dangerous. Which meant until Tegan was at their destination, the green paste and her finger were the only means of dental hygiene available to her. Checking her weapons were still secure and confirming nothing had moved in her sleep, she signalled to her father that they were good to continue. As they left, Tegan checked behind her to make sure there was no evidence of them having stopped for a few hours. Moving through the woods as before, quietly and swiftly, they approached the city of Prince George, her father informed her that it would be just as quick to travel through the city as it would be to travel around it.
Headquarters were to the north-east of the city, surrounded by woodland and equipped with state-of-the-art security. Her father had practically challenged her when he mentioned the security, Tegan had returned his look with an eager smile of her own. It had been awhile since she had come across technology good enough to keep her out. Reaching the end of the woods, Tegan removed her travelling coat and pulled out a faux leather jacket from her pack. She rolled her coat like a blanket and tucked it into her pack. The black leather jacket had an asymmetrical zip and she was quick to secure it against the cold. It was November in British Columbia; the temperatures were already below freezing. Snow was threatening on the horizon and even beginners knew that tracking became easier in the snow. Her father had donned a black double-breasted wool coat and with a few quick glances they entered the city. Tegan had never been to Prince George before, it seemed to be a vibrant and beautiful city. Leonid pulled a phone from his pocket; Tegan hid her surprise, it was unusual for her father to rely on technology.
“Daughter, stay vigilant,” Leonid instructed as he made a call. Tegan positioned herself against the building they had stopped beside. Her eyes ran greedily over the outskirts of the city, taking in the buildings and the few people that were on the streets at this time in the morning. A number of cars passed, and she studied them with interest – her father wasn’t keen on cars. He had lived for so long, acquired an enviable wealth but hadn’t really invested in frivolities as he called them. Cars were one of those things he considered frivolous. They had one car at home in which father’s servant, Pyotr drove for them. Father would not allow Tegan to learn how to drive – it was the only area of learning that she felt her father was failing on in his teachings. She understood. Mostly because it was how her mother had died and Leonid had cared for her mother a great deal. However, as she watched the cars passing, her lack of understanding didn’t deter Tegan from being curious at the range of cars that drove past in the cold crisp morning.
It frustrated her that her father wouldn’t allow her to drive and had gone so far as to limit her learning even things like car makes and models. She had argued many times that she couldn’t be as good of a tracker if she couldn’t identify cars. Father had scoffed and reminded her that what they were tracking wouldn’t be driving cars. Reluctantly, Tegan had let it go. Father was right. What they were hunting stayed to the shadows and the night. The Drakyhn were an abhorrent race of evil, they could pass for human if you didn’t know what you were looking for. Gloves hid short bony fingers ending in talons, sharp enough to slice through flesh and bone. They came in varying sizes, with pointed ears and slanted eyes, but the black irises meant Drakyhn were sensitive to the light. They were also completely hairless, their skin smooth and unblemished. The only way to kill them was either fire or decapitation – any other kind of wound would eventually heal. Afterall, Tegan had never heard of any being, natural or supernatural, that could reg
row their head.
It was unusual for Tegan and her father to be out and not hunting Drakyhn, but he had told her during training some days ago that she was to be ready to leave for her journey to the Northern Headquarters. He was needed elsewhere and it was time for Tegan to make herself known. Tegan was a soldier first, a daughter second, she hadn’t questioned other than to ask the means of travel. Father had informed her that they would travel by train to Jasper and then the remainder on foot. Tegan had curbed her disappointment, she was eager to try alternative means of travel, having never been on a boat or plane, but father had never allowed her to travel that way. They had been on a train once and she had enjoyed it, but the cramped carriages had unnerved her to start with. Fighting would be difficult in such tight spaces. She was eager to try flying but was hesitant that there would be no ground beneath her feet. Father had laughed, agreeing with her that the ground would be a long way down. Tegan was remarkable, he had told her, but he doubted she would survive the fall. Tegan had asked if he would. Vampyres were practically indestructible, the only thing they had in common with Drakyhn was the means of their demise. Decapitation or burning – burning all of their body to ash, not just a husk, but making sure there was no bone left. Bones held memories and a memory was a living thing that could bring anything to life with enough will and magic.
“Tegan, are you paying attention?” her father’s sharp tone brought Tegan out of her musings.
“Yes, father. So far nothing out of the ordinary, although I think the diner on the corner is about to have trouble from the looks of the three men that just walked in there.” Tegan was watching but she knew her father would tell her that the humans had their own means of policing other humans. It was only the supernatural that she was to concern herself with.
“Leave them, they are not our concern daughter.” Leonid stood beside her, his eyes on the diner but a hand at the small of her back, urging Tegan to turn from the diner and onto the road. They walked in another direction, although he murmured a warning as she turned her head and watched the diner over her shoulder.
“I could stop them without anyone knowing,” Tegan protested softly.
“They are not our concern,” Leonid repeated.
“Aren’t we here to protect humans?” Tegan cast another glance over her shoulder. She could detect movement in the diner and her feet itched to go over there and investigate.
“Protect humans from Drakyhn and other rogue creatures of the darkness, not from themselves. They are a useless race, bent on self-destruction,” Leonid sighed. “Come, we have far to go today.”
With one last look over her shoulder, Tegan faltered when the door to the diner was flung open, a human male had been thrown through it. Her father’s hand tightened on her elbow and she was steered away from the fight that spilled out into the street.
They worked their way through Prince George and Tegan soaked in as much as she could, as they moved through the city. The main centre, or Bowl as it was known, was set out in a simple grid fashion. Her father kept her from the city centre, avoiding the main tourist areas, keeping to side streets and back alleys. No one paid them any attention and the few that they did pass were more interested in huddling into blankets and cardboard boxes, trying desperately to stay the chill of winter. Tegan knew of homelessness. She had read about it and been told about it, but she had never witnessed it first-hand. To see people on the street with nothing but the clothes on their backs and some threadbare blankets overwhelmed her with sadness. She knew she could do nothing for them just now. To stop and offer aid or money would draw attention to them both, but she made a mental note to come back here and try to offer comfort to those that had nothing.
“We can come back daughter,” her father echoed her thoughts. “Another time.”
Tegan looked at her father in gratitude. “They have so little. They must be freezing.”
“There are shelters that allow them to stay the night off the streets,” her father explained.
“They cannot stay there all the time?” Tegan asked perplexed as they moved quickly through the streets.
“Some offer it, some don’t,” her father looked at her once. “Remember daughter, some of these humans don’t want to be kept inside, the street is where they feel safer.”
“I don’t understand,” Tegan frowned as they waited for traffic to slow so they could cross the street. “But I know that it is not for me to judge them,” she sighed. “But we can come back and give aid to those that need it?”
“We can. Or it may be better if I make a donation to one of the shelters, offer blankets and clothing, not draw as much attention to you.” They crossed the street and her father led her into another back street, away from the main hustle and bustle. “You will be busy soon.”
“I will,” Tegan agreed.
“We shall talk later, save your breath, you never know who is listening.”
Tegan looked around the almost empty street and was about to comment that there was no one there when she caught sight of a shadow moving down an alley across from them. Drakyhn stayed in the shadows in the daytime, sunlight was too powerful for their eyes, blinding them, making them vulnerable. A quick look around the street confirmed there was little human movement, other than the handful of scattered homeless people. Easy pickings, she thought as she touched her father’s elbow signalling to him, before crossing the street towards the alley. Tegan reached under her jacket removing her knives from their holder on her back and shifting them to the front. Ducking into the alley, she moved stealthily down it, heading deeper into the shadows, alert for a darker shadow which would identify if it was Drakyhn.
Movement to her right had Tegan spinning into a defensive crouch, knife in her hand ready to fight what lurked in the shadows. Whatever it was darted deeper into the alley and further into the darkness and Tegan was quick to follow. The alley stopped at a dead end and Tegan scoured the shadows looking for a darker shade of black, that would identify the Drakyhn. Tegan threw her knife and an answering hiss was her answer. Her next knife was in her hand and she threw it quickly, this time aiming slightly to the right. She heard another hiss. Darting forward quickly with another knife in her hand she finally had eyes on the Drakyhn. It was tall, taller than she had seen in a while, which meant her knives had hit the Drakyhn in the lower abdomen rather than the chest. A Drakyhn’s heart lay on the right side of its chest, slightly lower than Akrhyn or humans. However, as she watched the Drakyhn pull her knives out of its abdomen, Tegan knew she hadn’t even nicked the heart. A knife to the heart wouldn’t kill it, but it would slow it down. Tegan advanced, steadily reaching behind her, withdrawing her short sword from its sheath on her back. The Drakyhn shifted quickly to its right, trying to manoeuvre itself into a better position to escape and head back up the alley. Tegan mirrored its movements and the Drakyhn became still.
“You seek to fool me with a child?” The Drakyhn spoke – its voice a low grating growl as if it was not used to speech.
“Fool you? It is easy to do so, sobaka,” Leonid said from the shadows. The Drakyhn hissed again in response. “You give it time to heal,” Leonid murmured to Tegan.
“I’m waiting,” she replied, seemingly at ease as she stood with her sword in her hand. The Drakyhn’s attention was on her again, its thin pale lips drew back in a snarl, revealing the pointed teeth of its kind.
“You wait too long.” The Drakyhn sprang forward, talons outstretched like curved knives, which was exactly what they were; weapons. Tegan half spun, raising her sword in a smooth arc, she dipped low as she brought the sword up, effectively avoiding the taloned hands and sliced through the neck of the Drakyhn. The dismembered head rolled three times before resting at Leonid’s feet.
“You waited too long,” Leonid repeated the words the Drakyhn had said as he bent to pick up the head and cursed softly as he tossed it back beside the body. Black blood oozed from the corpse, staining dark forgotten corners, which would forever be stained blacker with
the death of the Drakyhn. “Burn it. I’ll check we attracted no more attention than we needed.” Leonid turned from his daughter and the corpse. “Remember to…”
“Check it over,” Tegan sighed. “I know father.”
“Habit daughter mine, habit.”
Tegan could hear the light humour in her father’s voice as he moved quickly up the alley. With no hesitation, she dropped into a crouch and began to search the body of the Drakyhn. Finding nothing of interest, she pulled a small can of lighter fluid from her backpack and then quickly set the body aflame. Drakyhn bodies burned quickly and soon she was heading to the mouth of the alley, leaving behind nothing more than scorched cement.
“Every trace?” Leonid asked.
“All of it. I scattered the ash.” Tegan confirmed. “Anything out here?”
“Nothing for us to concern ourselves with,” Leonid replied. “Come, we have lingered here too long.”
Both moved away from the alley quickly and quietly, ready to resume their journey through the streets of Prince George. Had Tegan looked back, as she did with the humans at the diner, she would have seen a darker shade of black watching them from the shadows.
As they approached the Headquarters, Tegan felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach. She frowned even as she looked over at her father. He had taught her how to become emotionless under stressful situations, enemies could detect weakness. Heartbeats were easy ‘tells’ attesting to the levels of your emotions, whether you were lying, anxious, exhilarated. Even humans could tell an emotion from a heartbeat – if they were close enough. Leonid had taught Tegan how to clear her mind, even in the throes of panic he trained her to switch it all off. Feel nothing.
Into Darkness: The Akrhyn Series (Book 1) Page 2