by Jones, L. A.
"Well nice to see you're still alive."
Tavis opened one eye warily as he recognized the voice. "What do you want Keon?"
Keon chuckled. He grabbed a box that lay nearby. He made a makeshift chair out of it by tipping out the contents and flipping it over. He sat on the chair and scooted closer. "Can't a guy stop by to say hi to his favorite recruit?"
Although his coffin lid was closed, Tavis couldn't stop himself from turning his head away. "You are going to have to be more specific seeing as you recruit a lot," he grumbled.
Keon's smile vanished as he clenched his fists. "Don't remind me,"
Tavis didn't say anything and there was an tense filled silence for the next few minutes.
Until Keon sighed and asked, "so how are things going with General Dickson?"
Tavis chuckled softly. "You mean General Dick? Oh he is fine! A real cream-puff."
Keon couldn't stop himself from smirking. "What's it like training under him?"
"What do you care?"
Keon tried to keep his voice neutral, "just curious."
Tavis snorted, almost inhaling a face full of dirt. After coughing it all out he sat up and pushed open the lid. He drew up his legs and folded his arms as he turned to face Keon. "He trains us from dusk to dawn, sometimes even after that, like we are nothing more than goddamn animals. We learn how to use our powers, and how to fight other hiddens. Either way you look at it though, the drills and the training are still nothing short of torture."
Keon chuckled and leaned back. "I remember when I first learned how to use my powers. It wasn't fun either."
Tavis raised an eyebrow. "Who taught you?"
Keon snorted before saying, "it doesn't matter. At least not anymore."
Tavis just shrugged before he went on to describe the torture. "We are trained to use the same power for two straight weeks until we are ready to collapse. He gives us nothing more than rabbits and other small animals to feast on in the meantime. Thus aging our looks and our reflexes and yet still we train. He says 'it makes us better fighters.'"
"Doesn't it?" Keon inquired.
Tavis just shrugged. "I wouldn't know seeing as I have been sent into battle yet. They teach us how to fight other hiddens and yet they never give us any opponents to fight."
Keon exhaled a slow breath. "Maybe he's just trying to make sure you are ready."
Tavis laughs scornfully. "Or he is just a sadist."
Keon laughed aloud. He then crouched lower so his ear rested near Tavis's mouth. "But what else does the General do?"
He shrugged. "You mean besides making us all contemplate suicide? Nothing much else expect on Fridays he goes into town."
"Why?"
Tavis rolled his eyes. "To get food why else?"
Keon was careful to hide his smirk while Tavis just slowly raised his eyes to stare up into the tent.
He finally said, "I think his favorite type of food is young redheads. Females usually and in their late twenties."
Keon shrugged casually. "Everyone has to have a type I suppose."
"Keon!" General Dickson barked, "what are you doing here?"
He threw up his hands in a contemplative gesture. "Can't a guy take a midnight stroll."
General Dickson just snorted. "Well if you aren't going to do anything really productive then make yourself and grab the other shovel."
Keon just shrugged his consent and leapt over the hole. It looked deep, about two feet, and the dirt looked especially dark in the pitch black night. The field was pretty bare expect for wild grass and the woods looked to be about a mile away.
"Well don't just stand there!" Dickson snapped, "start shoveling!"
Keon picked up the old shovel and heaved more than a pound of dirt. It may have been pitch black, but with his vampire eyesight Keon could still the girl laying at the bottom of the pit. She looked young and and was wearing a brown dress. Probably a bar maid from one of the local taverns. Cheap wench that nobody will miss. Keon chuckled before the moon came out from behind a cloud. The piercing white light shone down on to the field and onto the grave. It was the moonlight shining on her that made Keon notice her red hair. It was long and lay about her head like a pool of blood as if someone has smashed her head in.
Keon's good mood quickly dissolved as he heaped a pound of dirt onto the girl's head. I hate redheads, he gripped inwardly, they remind me of my mother. Keon's mood soured as he thought once again about the one woman he despised the most. God I hated her! As if it was my fault she bore me out of wedlock. If she had kept her legs closed than she wouldn't have that problem. I didn't ask to be born. Hell! I never wanted to be. All the insults and the punishments I endured because of that woman. She hired me out like a goddamn slave and took all my money. She abused me and treated me like I was less than dirt. The last word was what drew him back to his present situation. He smiled as he turned to stare at Dickson's back who was too busy shoveling to notice. And besides, Keon added gleefully, I got my own back. Once I got turned into a vampire I paid the woman a visit. The look on her face before I ripped her to pieces was delicious. She begged for her life even pleaded with me to spare her. Lord! It had been sweet!
He sighed with the memory.
Dickson glanced over his shoulder and snapped, "why are you stopping? Keep your mind on the task at hand. We only have one more hour to bury this woman. It was hard enough to find this field away from the training camps but to also make sure no one saw me....that had been equally as bothersome." He grumbled as he turned back to shovel the last mound onto her grave.
This was what reminded Keon that he had to act fast. Thankful for the tool in his hand, he slowly raised the shovel above his head. As swiftly as a corn snake he brought the shovel down on Dickson's head. Dickson spun around in mere seconds before the shovel hit him.
"Keon! What the hell are you doing?"
Keon grinned as he broke the bottom off the shovel and stabbed the jagged wooden edge into the General. Dickson gasped as Keon swiftly yanked the stake back out. His body then slowly began to crumble and burst into dust.
"Can't say I am surprised," spoke a voice from out of nowhere, "I figured that guy was about two hundred years old. Most vampires when they die still retain their human form at least until you reach the two hundred number. This is when the dust begins to settle so to speak. Strangest thing really."
Keon spun around and held up the stake. Tavis stood merely a foot away, grinning.
Damn! Keon thought, I didn't want to have to kill him but...
Tavis sighed before saying, "I can't say I will miss the jackass but I am sure the others will be surprised when they find out Recruiter Keon did him in."
Keon froze.
Tavis, however, just kept walking around the grave. "I am sure they will be surprised to say the least. I bet they were expecting it to be one of his solders."
Keon thought fast. "No one will believe you if you say it was me. They will be take your word over mine."
"They will if he has a witness."
Keon spun around towards the new speaker. Jaxon snickered as he walked to stand by Tavis.
He placed his elbow on Tavis's shoulder and grinned.
"Where did you come from?" Keon snapped.
Jaxon pointed towards the trees. "I know they are more than two feet away but to a vampire's eyesight it's easy to spot someone in the dark. At least someone committing a murder."
Tavis chortled. "I knew you were up to something the moment you asked me about General Dick's schedule."
"You knew?" Keon rasped.
Tavis threw his head back and laughed. "Of course I knew! Why the hell did you think I even told you?"
When Keon didn't answer, Tavis spoke for him instead. "It's because I knew what you were probably going to do and I knew I could work it to my advantage."
Keon's ears perked up again. "Your advantage?"
He sighed deeply when Tavis and Jaxon's smiles grew wider. He threw down the stake and massaged his temples
. He asked, after sighing deeply, "what do you want?"
Tavis didn't even hesitate with his answer. "Freedom."
"Treason! What do you mean treason?!" The Sovereign thundered as he sprung from his chair.
Keon, Tavis, and Jaxon remained on their knees and tried hard to restrain their smiles.
Keon answered, "we found evidence among General Dickson belongings that he was deliberately fouling up your attempts to find the last witch. Several parchments of false reports indicting where the last witch was. When in truth, nothing even remotely resembling the last witch was found there."
The Soveriegn clenched his fists. "But Why?" He finally sputtered.
Tavis piped up with the answer, "he was trying to undermine your authority Sovereign, the further he foiled your attempts to find the last witch the more he made it seem like you were wasting your time on a wild goose chase. He was making a fool of you, my lord!
Keon shot him a nasty glare but Tavis knew that that last line would help drive the point home.
The Sovereign's black cloak swirled around him as he spun away from them. He stalked off to the side and slammed his fist in to the wall. Several broken stones fell onto the flor as a result.
"Morgan!" The Sovereign bellowed. "Morgan, where are you?"
A swirl of black smoke emerged from the stones before the green woman was seen. "Yes?"
He spun around and pointed accusingly at her. "You are supposed to be my demon seer! Your visions are suppose to warn me when one of my followers start plotting against me."
Morgan shrugged. "My powers may be at your beck and call but I cannot force them to protect you. Guarding yourself against plots and treason is what your suppose to do."
"How can I worry about plots when I am busy completing my great plan!" The Sovereign thundered. He walked to his desk and waved his hand over the papers strewn all over it.
Morgan took her time responding, "I know the great plan has long occupied your thoughts Sovereign, but you must take care not to grow over confident in your power. You still have much to do if your goal is to succeed."
The Sovereign snorted as he turned away. He clasped his hands behind his back and paced in front of the three kneeling vampires in front of him. He paced twice before finally stopping.
He stared down at them, his face still hidden in his dark cloak. "Have you brought this evidence with you."
Keon nodded. "Yes. I have given the files to Morgan. She can confirm what we have said."
The Sovereign turned to Morgan. "Well?"
She nodded in assent.
The Sovereign chuckled under his breath. "Well thank you for bringing this issue to me Keon, Tavis, and Jaxon. I believe rewards are in order."
He raised his hand and placed his palm on Keon's head. "Arise Keon Dougan, the new Commander of the Night Shadow clan."
Keon smiled at the thought of now being in charge of one of the largest vampire clans in the world.
He placed his hands quickly on both Tavis and Jaxon. "Arise new member as well new members of the Night Shadows. Their fortunes, their prestige, their weapons, and their very lives now belong with you."
He spoke after clasping his hands behind his back again. "To be part of a vampire clan is to be aligned with the greatest protectors of the realm. No one dares harm or trouble you as long as you belong to one of my clans. My sovereignty reigns superior and greater then any other hidden branch of government. Whatever you demand shall be yours regardless of who it rightfully belongs to."
He then raised his head and gestured for them to go. When he turned was when Jaxon spoke. He was still on his knees when he asked, "if I may ask a boon of you my lord?"
The Sovereign spun around. "What?"
Jaxon gulped. "Rome's pet Henry...although he was once a witch he was turned into a vampire before the slaughter of his people. Therefore, he is not the one you seek."
The Sovereign shrugged.
Jaxon took another deep breath before continuing, "I have long since noticed that the way he treats Henry is nothing short of disgraceful. With your humble permission, I beg you to remove him from Rome's custody and give him to me."
Wax dripped from the flickering torches in the room; the dripping making the tension thicker and thicker.
"Morgan," the Sovereign said, "come with me." He beckoned her to the next room while gesturing to the trio to remain.
Morgan limped slowly after the Sovereign's stride and narrowly missed having her cloak caught in the door. He motioned to the door attendants to be gone. Morgan snapped her fingers and the two dark standing shadowy figures evaporated.
The Sovereign chuckled, "is there nothing that you cannot do?"
Morgan didn't answer instead she just clutched her crystal ball. "What is it that you wish to discuss Sovereign?"
He sighed heavily. "Are you sure Henry is not the one you foretold?"
Morgan nodded.
"Damn," the Sovereign swore aloud, "I had hoped that because he was the only remaining witch in the world that he would indeed be the one. When I found out he had already been turned I truly thought the fates were with me." He paused to sigh. "I should have know that nothing is that easy."
"I had told you that I didn't believe he was the one," Morgan pointed out.
"But there was an off chance that you could have been wrong," the Sovereign added, "and judging by the way how fast my prosecutors went mad after drinking witches's blood I had hopes that Henry's blood would be a cure."
"Hence why you gave him to Rome," Morgan duly noted.
He nodded, "Henry being a vampire meant he had an endless supply of blood to give. Just feed him a couple of humans or animals and he will be right as rain. However, it soon became apparent that he was no cure."
Morgan nodded, "especially when all of the prosecutors went barking mad and actually ate each other. It's still a miracle that Rome has not followed their fate."
"I once believed that Henry's blood was what kept him sane but now I know that it is not the case. I gave him to Rome to keep alive just in case he was the witch you were looking for."
"And as a back up," Morgan added, "because you know witches cannot attack other witches. They defend themselves against others but cannot attack or kill their own kind."
"Part of their belief that balance in life must be maintained," the Sovereign speculated, "or perhaps they were just to weak to see that killing is necessary."
"Does it matter?" Morgan stated.
The Sovereign chuckled. "You are right, it doesn't. At least not anymore."
He walked toward the window and stared out into the starry night sky. "Do you believe if I give them Henry it will be beneficial in my ultimate goal?"
Morgan smiled with her yellow teeth shining in the torchlight. "Oh yes Sovereign. It will."
"Good because it will also help me figure out what to do with Rome" he concluded.
He turned back to the doors and waited for Morgan to summon her shadow servants. She snapped her fingers and two promptly appeared.
However, before the servants threw the doors open, Morgan asked, "do you believe by bringing him here it will help you find a cure for the madness caused by the witches's blood?"
"Either that or give me a great new opportunity to see how effective my new torture instruments are," he muttered and with that the doors flew open.
"I still can't believe it," Henry murmured breathlessly, "I still can't believe you came back for me." He stared at Jaxon with big eyes as he rubbed his wrists.
Jaxon just laughed softly as he patted Henry's shoulder. "I told you remember? We are brothers and brothers stick together."
Wade, Tavis thought as he stared at them. Jaxon and Henry stood a few feet away looking at each other affectionately.
"Cute huh?" came a voice from behind him.
Tavis groaned. "Still here are you?"
Keon shrugged. "I suppose I should thank you."
Tavis waved away his statements. "It doesn't matter. In the end we both got wh
at we wanted. You get your promotion and we get our freedom."
Keon frowned at this.
Tavis stuck his hands in his black pockets and adjusted his derby hat."I do hope you haven't forgotten a deal. If you have then perhaps I should go back and talk to Morgan."
Keon forced his face back into a smile. "No need." He held up his hands as a gesture of peace.
Tavis just nodded.
Keon cocked his head and was about to leave. However, before he left Tavis alone forever, he had to ask, "how did you manage to fake those documents and so well that they would fool Morgan?"
"Who said they were fake?"
Keon spun back around.
Tavis smiled. "The funny thing about sadists is that they are careless. They honestly believe their victims are alway too scared to fight back or at least attempt to outsmart them."
"Plus," he added, "in all the time I served under him he never did keep a clean desk or organize his papers."
Keon threw his head back and laughed. "Something tells me that a few centuries you will be more sadistic than he."
"So where to Tavis?" Jaxon asked him as he readjusted his shoulder strap.
Tavis looked sharply back at him. "You mean you want to come with me?"
Jaxon nodded as if it should be obvious.
"And what about him?" Tavis flicked a thumb towards Henry was up in a nearby tree staring at a bird's nest.
Jaxon shrugged. "Well he is coming too right. He needs us. I mean hell Tavis, you helped us get our freedom so that kind of bonds us to you. We are like brothers now."
Brothers, Tavis turned the idea over in his head. He liked the thought of that. "We would have to give you new names though."
Jaxon raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Tavis explained, "because your old names represent your old life so your new ones should represent your new one."
Jaxon nodded, looking extremely pleased.