Feeling tired and hungry, Lost wanders over to the mist and controls one of the goblins to throw thin cookies through the vent. “To be fair, Titus did that and you can’t prove I was the one behind it. These are good and almost make me want to play nice. How do I know you won’t abandon me again? Not that I want you around all the time anyway. I’m too big for you to treat like a baby. That means you can’t win me over with shiny objects and toys. You have to prove that you want us to be a real family. Don’t give me that having eternity thing Clyde was telling you before either. I don’t want to wait that long for you to get things right.”
Lost smiles when she sees the glint of one of Chastity’s fangs, but her expression changes when her mother licks her lips. The older Dawn Fang taps her head while getting off the orb and walking to the edge of the roof. She steps onto the rising ladder, which gently lowers her to the ground and turns her towards the hole in the wall. Swallowing her snacks, Lost cannot hold back her curiosity and jumps down in the hopes of catching up with Chastity. The instant she enters the building, she is hit by a wheelbarrow that is filled with enough materials to fix the hole in the wall. She glares at her mother, who is standing in the doorway and dangling a golden key in front of her face. Lost tries to follow, but is immediately shoved back by a telekinetic wave that is stronger than anything she has felt before.
“Clean up your mess like a good daughter and we’ll have our fun tomorrow,” Chastity states with a chuckle. Clapping her hands causes a dwarven barmaid to enter the room and bow to the confused girl. “Matilda here will get you whatever you need since you sound hungry. No sense in us being family if I don’t let you enjoy the perks. I’m trusting you to get this done by the morning. Sleep well, dear, and good luck.”
*****
Not far from the Scrumptious Siren, the small town of Brazy has emerged thanks to many patrons who wish to remain nearby. While it is no more than two miles across at its widest point, it has become the home to many shops due to being on a blossoming trade route. The citizens live in one of the four corner towers, which are topped by cabin-shaped penthouses for the local officials. Not wanting to place visitors in the cramped apartments, a small castle has been erected in the center of the simpler buildings and adorned with signs to let people know there are rooms available. Merchants are at every street corner, their wares ranging from food to jewelry with prices that they are only too happy to haggle over. Instead of a wall, Brazy is surrounded by a wooden fence that is patrolled by guards who have no armor and depend more on their well-trained dogs than their swords. It is only at night that the four gates are locked with chains that emit a low hum, which warns intruders of their magical nature.
“Why am I here?” Mab asks as she slumps in her chair. Gazing at all the frilly clothes in the store, she makes a gagging noise until the merchant hushes her. “Clyde and I were going to find a womb-born to have a chat with. Now, I’m stuck here and he’s off having real fun. Why would anybody wear these things? They won’t hide you in the dark and all that lace will snag if you have to escape through a narrow passage. Don’t even get me started on how theses shoes will get a person killed.”
“Please try to act like a normal person while we’re here,” Chastity whispers, the vampire pacing in a circle. She repeatedly glances at the curtain to a changing area that Lost’s bunny is silently guarding. “All I could think of for bonding with her is shopping, but she’s giving me the cold shoulder again. I needed someone to come along and you’re the only other woman I could ask. The boys would just make things awkward. Feel free to pick something out for yourself since I’m paying. Come to think of it, do you have any clothes other than the black shirts and pants I always see you in?”
“I’m a thief, so standing out goes against my priorities,” the burglar mentions a little louder than her friend would prefer. With a yawn, Mab goes to a collection of belts and pretends to be interested in them. “Personally, I think you’re trying too hard. She’s no longer interested in going back to Nyte and there are a lot of people searching for her. Lost can only stay at your place or come with us to Nytefall. Either way, you’ll get to spend time with her and develop a bond of some kind. That’s if you want one in the first place.”
“Of course, I do,” the hostess quietly insists. Holding up a sky-blue dress, she frowns at how it looks against her skin and puts it back. “I’ll admit that it’s difficult since she’s practically an adult. There’s nothing there right now beyond two strangers who happen to be related. I tried to act like the proud parent this morning when she controlled Titus and had him fix the wall. My reward was her pretending that I wasn’t talking. Not even sure she would have come here without me promising to buy her bunny some tomatoes. That thing is still creeping me out a bit, but it comes with her, so I have to accept it.”
“Have you figured out her problem with socks?”
“No, but I’m glad stockings don’t count.”
The vampires are startled when the merchant abruptly jumps to her feet and stiffly approaches to explain, “I tried to go to school with regular kids when I was eight. They didn’t like me because I was strange and bit a girl when she teased me. During lunch, they would fill their socks with manure and hit me until we were called inside. All of the kids got sick from doing it, but I got in trouble because they said I cast a curse on them. My parents had to keep me away from town after that, but I was able to go back once my mind jack powers appeared. Even so, socks are disgusting weapons just waiting to be used. I can only imagine what other people have put in them to torture children like me.”
“That’s horrible,” Chastity whispers while waving her hand in front of the mind-controlled mortal. Using her charm mist, she helps break the girl’s psychic hold and eases the groggy woman onto a chair. “Let’s not use our magic so freely, honey. I apologize for my daughter. She recently learned some spells and you know how kids can be when they get a new toy. I swear, she’s a genius, but not the best at dealing with people. Do you happen to have this dress in . . . What are you doing, Mab?”
“Lost is hogging the changing room and you told me to look for something,” the burglar replies with her shirt partially lifted. Tossing the crimson top onto a table, she puts her jacket back on and goes back to wandering the store. “This is so boring. People should just come in, get what they want, pay if that’s how they do things, and move on. I can understand someone like you putting a lot of thought and time into her clothing since you survive mostly on your appearance. Lost doesn’t seem the type, especially since she has a more slender frame than you and most of these clothes require an ample bosom. Hope you weren’t a really late bloomer or that kid is going to wake up with a surprise one day.”
Chastity is about to snap at her friend when the curtain is drawn back and Lost wanders out wearing a crimson nightgown over her regular pajamas. Spinning in front of a mirror, she is entranced by the twirling fabric and continues rotating until she gets dizzy. With a sigh, she skips back into the dressing room and takes out a set of knee-length pants and a long-sleeved top that do not match. Lost holds them in front of her and gazes at her bunny, which cocks its head to the side before flattening its ears. Tossing the clothes over her shoulder, she gets out a dark blue teddy and wriggles into the lingerie while clumsily removing the nightgown. The front sags due to her lacking the bust to fill it out, so she starts jamming random items into the cups. With a snap of her fingers, she takes everything out and hurries to a wall where she pulls down an ivory corset. Pulling it over her head, the vampire tightens it until she feels her insides squish up into her chest.
“You go to sleep,” Chastity commands the charmed merchant. Telekinetically stripping her daughter down to her regular clothes, the embarrassed Dawn Fang tries to ignore Mab’s echoing laughter. “What in all of Windemere are you doing? First of all, you don’t put everything on over your clothes. Those are supposed to be taken off and then you put the other stuff on. Second, why are you only grabbing items that you sleep
in? I mean, you can go out in public with some of this stuff for certain reasons, but you’re not doing that. There are plenty of shirts, pants, and dresses here.”
“It’s not sanitary to put clothes directly on your skin without cleaning them first,” Lost states as she inspects a collection of sleeping pants. She throws a few that she likes over to the counter and practically dives into a bin of cheap tops. “I like wearing things you can sleep in. They’re comfy, lightweight, and so soft to the touch. Just like bunny. Besides, you never know when you’ll find the time to take a nap, so best to be prepared.”
“Lost is definitely your kid, Sullivan, since she’s always got her mind on something bed related,” Mab says as she holds her aching sides. A puff of charm mist forces her to calm down, but she continues chuckling after a minute of waiting for an order. “Seriously though, I don’t see how this is supposed to help you two bond. Your tastes are entirely different and this comes off as trying to buy her love. With all the life advice you keep giving us, Chastity, it’s amazing that you can’t get your own act together.”
“It’s harder to use advice than to give it,” the hostess admits while she drops five diamond spheres on the counter. Throwing the clothes to Lost, she claims a matching set of lingerie for herself and a belt to give to Luther. “Talking and shopping haven’t worked. I’m not sure what that leaves for us, Lost. All I can think of is asking for you to stay at the Scrumptious Siren. You won’t have to do anything while I tend to my business. The next move is yours, Lost, since I feel like I’ve done all I can. If we’re going to be a family then you need to accept me just as I have to learn about you.”
Looking from Mab to Chastity and back again, Lost picks up the teddy and holds it out to her mother. “Buy me this thing and I’ll give you a chance. Not sure what it’s supposed to be worn for, but I saw you had several in the wardrobe. This one doesn’t smell as bad, so it’s going to be mine. I promise not to cause trouble too. No more holes in the wall, goblins dancing on the roof, and, if you happen to discover it, cakes stashed in couch cushions. You never know when you’ll get locked in a room and need a snack.”
“Deal,” the black-haired Dawn Fang declares.
Without warning, Lost growls at the entrance and backs away from a voice that only she can hear. Taking control of Mab, she has the burglar rush to the back of the store and pick the storeroom lock. Releasing her hold, the girl rushes through the doorway and leaves the others behind. The two women are about to split up in order to catch Lost when they hear a familiar set of voices and one that they have never heard before. Not wanting to get into a public fight, Mab grabs Chastity by the wrist and pulls her into the shadows. Her face is still sinking into the darkness when she sees Decker, Kai, Stephanie, and Archillious walk through the front door. For the briefest of moments, the escaping Dawn Fang swears that the strange man wearing part of a jester outfit is staring directly at her.
10
“Not that I don’t want to help, but I thought you would want Mab on this job,” Luther says as he walks alongside Clyde. He looks back to see if Titus is still following, the larger vampire having left the road to move among the trees. “The man looks like a stalking bear with blunted horns on his shoulders. I know you’re angry about me keeping Chastity’s secret, but she trusted me as a friend. As I said, it wasn’t my story to tell and I refuse to break the bond that the two of us share. The only thing I can do is apologize.”
“Sorry, were you talking about something?” Clyde asks with a smirk. The snap of a branch causes him to stop and glare at Titus, who lumbers out of the woods. “So, taking the behemoth along for a sneak and grab might have been a mistake. Figured it was best to get him away from Lost before she took him over again. Can’t tell if she considers you a toy or a threat. In regards to whatever you were rambling about, Grathan, I brought you along because Chastity needed Mab for something. As far as you keeping that little secret, I really only want to know if you would do it again.”
Without hesitation, the forest tracker stares into his friend’s eyes and claims, “Yes. I would do it even with what I know now.”
“That’s the loyalty I like to see among my people,” the grinning Dawn Fang declares with a bone-jarring slap to Luther’s back. Helping the groaning warrior to his feet, Clyde bares his fangs and nods his head at the trees. “Our prey is nearby. All we have to do is cut through that part of the forest and wait for an opportunity. Don’t worry too much about hiding because I’ll cloak us with illusions while we make a plan. Our goal is to grab a womb-born and escape without inflicting any casualties. That second part is very important. We don’t want to make an enemy out of Lost and hurting her friends could do that.”
“Small problem. None of us know how to interrogate without using pain,” Titus points out as they slip into the forest. Scratching at one of the scars on his arm, the muscular vampire does his best to avoid breaking any branches. “We also have to choose our target carefully. If you kidnap a psychic or one that can teleport then this becomes a waste of time. Honestly, I’m not even sure why we’re doing this. Lost can answer our questions as long as everyone except Bob and Luther keep their distance. She seemed to be comfortable with Gregorio too.”
“Call it a gut instinct telling me to do this.”
“Same one that convinced you to steal the Orb of Durag?”
“That worked out in the end.”
“Only because the world was thrown into chaos right when you were being executed.”
“Luck is always a part of survival.”
“So is common sense.”
Hissing through his teeth, Luther transforms into a raven and flies into the branches, his ebony feathers helping him disappear into the canopy. Trusting the forest tracker to take care of himself, Clyde and Titus continue making their way towards an ever-growing din of voices. As they get closer to their target, the vampires begin to find the dried husks of animals that they carefully step over. Most of the drained beasts are deer, but they also find an entire wolf pack in what they realize is the middle of the large hunting ground. The occasional torn backpack makes them wonder if travelers have been devoured by the womb-born army, which is showing more boldness in their feedings than Clyde had expected. Coming to a strange circle, Titus clicks his tongue and kneels to carefully pull a half-eaten mushroom out a pile of leaves. Getting a sense of what is going on, the pair continue picking out signs of ravenous behavior such as bird nests with egg shells and bushes violently stripped of their berries.
Coming to the edge of the forest, Clyde frowns at the circle of tree stumps and trampled underbrush before them. The womb-born have made a sloppy campsite, complete with a stream that they have created by redirecting part of a nearby river. Flies have been attracted to strange mounds that the vampires gradually recognize as rotting dread boars. The carcasses have been stripped of their metal hooves and tusks, which have been fashioned into crude weapons for some of the Dawn Fangs. The meat and organs are brown from being bathed in fire, the piles of cooked food acting as a communal larder that the womb-born grab bites from whenever they pass. A few tents have been made using the skins and bones, but most of the army have claimed patches of exposed earth to sleep on. Titus grunts low and nods his head toward a vampire with a shock of blue hair, the young man wandering among the others and putting on the air of one who is in charge.
“We avoid that one,” the warrior whispers while taking a step back. Not knowing what kind of illusion is protecting them, he remains stiff and keeps his voice as soft as possible. “I remember Lost was talking to him before they attacked the fake army. Believe his name is Eighty and she gave him a long title. Doesn’t look like any of them have learned about routinely checking for illusions. You know, I have a few ideas on how to get some answers from our future captive without leaving any permanent marks. Keep in mind this is only a theory and it involves that blood thing I can do. Be nice to get some real use out of that since it’s rather useless against old-world vampires.”
“Beats my idea of having you stand behind me looking scary,” Clyde replies, his attention more on the sky. He barely makes out the darting form of Luther, who stays high above the oblivious army. “Probably should admit that I’m scratching an itch here. Something about these womb-born worries me. They’re very different from Lost, which doesn’t make sense if she led them for years. I have a feeling they changed in her absence, so I want to know how. With any luck, Luther will pick out a perfect target, I can make the grab without getting caught, and you can get the information that we need. Be nice to get this done before morning.”
Titus looks at the sky to get a general idea of how much time they have and scowls at the tight schedule. “Good to hear you being so optimistic. There’s a small town about twenty miles to the east, which we can work out of. Traveling might be a problem. Our path can’t be a straight shot since we’ll have this army chasing after us. Unless we can take the person without being . . . Wait, you’re the only one doing the grab? I don’t think I follow.”
“I’m going to need a big meal after this,” the other Dawn Fang says while taking off his jacket. He takes five metal decanters out of the lining pockets before handing the garment to his friend. “These and pushing my heart to ten times its normal speed should give me enough of a boost to run at full speed without losing control. Might use a little bit of Lord’s Rage to give off a predatory aura and scare the weaker ones. The original plan would have been Mab snatching the person from the shadows, but we have to work with what we have. Head out and I’ll meet you at the town.”
“You could have told me to go there earlier.”
Lost (War of Nytefall Book 2) Page 17