Dawn to Dark

by Halston James

  The man pushed Yanel’s helping hands away and stumbled back. “No, get off me. Everyone here ignores me. This whole village wouldn’t care if I left tonight. They’d never notice.”

  Guilt threatened to swallow him up and end the plan right then, but the image of his Queen huddled in a ball, cold and hungry, flashed in his mind. He had to. “Then why stay?”

  The man shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never left before.”

  Yanel felt the man’s curiosity and knew he could play on it. “This is my first time too, but I heard about this—never mind. It’s ridiculous.”

  The man stood straighter. “What? What did you hear?”

  “Well, I haven’t explored it yet, but I heard there’s a fair maiden trapped in a tower west of the twin mountains. She’s told to have the longest hair ever seen with skin kissed by the sun and eyes dark as night,” he told the man. As he painted the picture of his Queen, his love for her grew. He needed her touch. Craved her soft lips pressed against his.

  “That’s a day’s ride from here. Why haven’t you gone instead of coming here?” The man’s eyes held lust, but suspicion lingered at the edges.

  Yanel shook his head. “I’m on a journey to broaden my village’s trade to ensure our growth. I haven’t the time to wander right now. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you in case she is real. I should keep her to myself.”

  The man’s eyes gleamed and Yanel knew he would set out to find his Queen.

  “I should give you this warning if you plan to seek her out,” Yanel called to the man as he turned to leave. “No, never mind. I’ll keep it to myself as I should’ve before.”

  The man grabbed Yanel’s arm to keep him from leaving. “Sir, please. I have nothing to keep me here. I wish to be successful at something in my life and if you can help me, please find it in your heart to do so.”

  Yanel should’ve felt guilt or sadness, but his love for her overruled everything else. “She requires silk as a token of love. If you don’t bring silk, she will not let down her hair for anyone.”

  His Queen deserved every piece of elegance and riches known to man, not the hovel he’d thrown her in. The man nodded and ran off into the night. Yanel wanted to chase him and break his knees so he couldn’t travel to his Queen, but she needed him. She needed to feed.

  Thoughts of another man touching her heated his blood. Red hot anger pulsed in his veins and he took a step in the direction the man had went, but the raven cawed in the distance. It was watching him for his Queen and its call in the night cut through the haze clouding his mind.

  “Yes, my Queen,” he whispered into the night then headed back to the party.

  The next morning, Yanel and his crew left the small village and began their travels to the next. The road was long and rough, but they made it in three days without incident. The same scenario played there with the celebration and Yanel, once again, found the loner of the group. He didn’t need much convincing, much like the man from the first village, and Yanel sent him on his way.

  When he laid down to sleep that night, the raven came to him. It croaked and hopped close to his bedding by the fire. The others in his caravan slept like the drunken dead and didn’t notice the movement or sound of the raven.

  Yanel sat up and welcomed the bird to him. Its feathers were soft against his hand, and once again, images of his Queen filled his mind as he made the connection to the bird.

  She wrapped herself in blue silk, a smile spread across her face. Dancing in the moonlight, she hummed a tune he’d never heard as her feet moved across the stone. In the shadows, he saw something bulky. She stopped dancing and looked at the shadows. “Thank you, my love. He helped me heal, but I have no use for him. I need to find a way to dispose of his body without dumping him out the window. Find a solution, Yanel. Help me.”

  And then he was back at the camp. The bird nuzzled against his chest, then moved away. “I will find a way, my Queen.”

  The bird croaked and flew away. He laid back down and thought of ways to get rid of the bodies that would surely pile up in her tower by the time he got to her. A while later, he fell into a deep sleep and dreamed of his Queen.

  4

  The queen looked down at her captor and anger seethed inside. He used some pieces of wood he found to scale the wall, which was what most of the men used to climb up to her. She rubbed her fingers along the silk draped across her chest and over her shoulder. The third man to find her brought the piece of fabric in a beautiful shade of purple, and it was easily becoming her favorite. She didn’t have much to choose from, but the color was simply elegant.

  The sound of grunts as Yanel ascended reached her ears and she grimaced. He’d been the reason she was thrust into the tower and left to die, but strangely enough he was her savior. With enough humans to drain, she could throw herself out the window and survive. The plant leeched her powers little by little and she constantly felt its effects. Even absorbing the essence of the humans didn’t let her reach any kind of substantial power. She couldn’t leave the tower on her own, and Yanel was the reason why.

  At that moment, his head came into view. She didn’t help him in, just watched as he pulled himself up and into the opening.

  “My Queen.” He huffed and ran to her. She let him wrap her up in his arms and kiss along her neck.

  When she felt he’d had enough, she pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “Did you figure out a way to dispose of them,” she asked, motioning to the bodies in a pile against the wall on the opposite side of the opening.

  As if her words triggered some kind of switch, his nose scrunched up and his face contorted. “Gods, that is awful. I think I have an idea.” He gagged, “But I’m not sure it will work.”

  She moved her head to the side so she could roll her eyes without him seeing. “I’m sure it’s brilliant, my love.”

  He removed his shirt and wrapped it around his head to cover his mouth and nose. He pulled a short, metal object from a pocket and walked to the north side of the tower. She stayed on the southwest side where the opening was to breathe in fresh air. He chipped at something for an hour while she watched from the other side of the room. The sun sat high in the sky and the rays finally started to come into the room. She couldn’t wait for the sun to sink further and fully reach inside her prison. It warmed and lit the room entirely, and once the disgusting bodies were disposed of, it would be a nice way to lie on the floor naked and let the sun kiss every inch of her skin.

  “My Queen, I’ve finished,” Yanel’s muffled voice called to her.

  She turned from the opening and found him standing next to a hole in the floor. She gasped. “Are you mad? Taking a piece of the flooring could cause the whole thing to crumble!”

  “No, come look. I watched the builders put the floor together when I was younger. There are three long beams running under the floor and a wooden layer under the stone. I’ve taken out two stones and made a hole in the wood to drop the bodies in. You’ll never have to see or smell them again, unless you leave the stones up,” he added.

  She edged over to the hole, keeping an eye on Yanel to make sure he wouldn’t just push her down and be done with her. “What’s stopping me from just climbing down and digging my way out of this prison?”

  He grimaced and rubbed at his hands nervously. “We made sure to plant the ivy everywhere.”

  Confused, she stared at him until he motioned toward the hole. She got on her knees and crawled over. She couldn’t fully see inside as the sun wasn’t able to light the inside of the tower, but she smelled the foul smell of ivy. It reeked of the plant and she could make out the outline of vines all over the inside of the tower. It was everywhere inside and out. No wonder it was a constant battle to hold energy. “Get rid of it,” she seethed.

  “I can’t, my Queen. I have to go soon. I have duties, but I’ll return and chip away at them until you’re free,” he vowed.

  She rested her head on the cold stone and did her best not to lash out and kill the
man. “Get rid of the bodies and go.”

  “Yes, my love,” he answered, then moved to the stinking mass.

  She looked away as he dragged the bodies one-by-one to the hole he made and stuffed them through. The thud of them hitting the bottom echoed through the room. She closed her eyes and pictured her castle with her lovers begging to pleasure her, their hands touching and stroking her skin, greedy for a taste.

  “I hate to ask this of you, my Queen, but is there a piece of fabric I can use to wrap around the stone before I place it back over the hole? It will make it easy to spot and lift for later,” he reasoned.

  She looked at the stone and noted its size. The scraps they brought her weren’t big enough to wrap around it. He must’ve seen the answer on her face, because he spoke softly a second later. “The purple one will do.”

  She bunched the silk in her fist. “No. Find something else,” she quipped, her words a lash of anger. He took everything from her and now he wanted more? Oh, no.

  “I will bring something to replace it next time. You have my word,” he offered as he took a step in her direction. She stepped back and pressed her lips together. “Please, my Queen. I need to get this done so I can leave. You’re already so thin and your hair…”

  Her hand brushed down some of the strands. It was drying out from the lack of attention and care she usually gave it. Her once silken mass of waves and curls had become flat and tangled. She pulled the silk from her shoulders, baring her skin to his eyes. She saw them heat but felt nothing. her desire snuffed out by the cruelty of the man in front of her. She knew it wasn’t him alone that stole it all away, but he was the only one standing in front of her.

  He closed the distance between them and ran a finger over her collarbone. He was right, the bone stood out against her skin instead of being a slight curve leading to her neck. She needed more, and he was the only way to get that. His arousal pressed against her like a thick blanket covering her senses. Determined to continue her fight, she let him in. His devotion to her washed over body on a wave of pleasure. She rode the current until she climaxed, demanding more and more from him.

  She felt him weaken, so she pulled back. Without him, she may actually perish. They did well by surrounding her with ivy. “You must go. Send more humans to me, my love. I need them.”

  She sent him away with a kiss and his vow to return with sustenance.

  Yanel was exhausted by the time he arrived at his home on the outskirts of the village. His legs wobbled as he walked through the door, fatigue washing over him. He dragged his feet through the main room to his corner of the home and collapsed onto the cushion. Darkness swallowed him instantly.

  He didn’t dream that night. Only inky darkness kept him company through the night hours. The sound of rustling wings reached his ears and lured him from his slumber. As his consciousness swam through the sludge between sleep and wakefulness, the bird croaked. It didn’t cease until his eyes pried open and he sat up. She demanded his attention.

  Yanel rested his weight on one arm and tried to rub the weariness away from his face with the free hand. It was a mistake to skip eating before sleep if his severely weakened state was any indication. He made note to eat his fill after pleasing his Queen in the future.

  At that moment, the bird rubbed against his arm and the queen’s image came into his mind. Her cheekbones seemed more prominent and her eyes more tired than before. Her brown hair shifted behind her as she looked away, and he noticed it was a few shades lighter. She was fading. He rose from the cushion and changed clothes, then grabbed a loaf of bread from the table in the main room. He hadn’t filled the water buckets when he returned so he couldn’t wash himself or drink. Cursing under his breath, he left the cottage and trekked to the castle.

  “So soon, cousin? We’ve barely celebrated your return home, yet you’re trying to leave again,” Malik said from his place behind a grand desk. Papers littered the top and three messengers stood to the side waiting for him to sign the agreements for trade so they could deliver them.

  Yanel shifted his weight knowing his Queen needed nourishment as soon as possible and he was the only person that could provide it. “Yes, King. We need to expand now to establish who is friend and who is foe. What if word spreads about the fall of the witch and someone decides to march on us to test our strength?”

  Malik’s confused expression aggravated Yanel. “I don’t see how expanding trade shows strength. Are you weary from your travels? Take a week to rest, cousin. Come eat, and drink, and recharge your body.”

  Yanel’s frustration caused his voice to escalate as he said, “If we have contracts and established allies throughout the lands, then it is less likely for an enemy to show up at our door. How is that complicated?”

  Everyone in the room stared at him. Malik cleared his throat. “Everyone, please give my cousin and me a moment alone.” He waited until they all left before turning to Yanel. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but that outburst was unacceptable. You gave this position to me, now you have to respect it.”

  “I didn’t mean to disrespect or offend you, Malik. I just have a lot on my mind and I need to get out of here. Please let me go. I’ll even go by myself if finding people is the problem,” Yanel offered.

  Malik shook his head and looked down. “You can ask the crew you rode with if they want to accompany you, but pick other horses. And only take one cart.”

  Yanel clasped Malik’s arm with a smile. “Thank you, cousin. I appreciate it and I’ll take one man with me on the cart. We’ll be travelling a long distance, so don’t expect us to return for a while. There’s no telling how long it will take.”

  “Well, send word when you can and mark which places you intend to visit just in case something goes south. And Yanel,” Malik added as he turned to exit the room. “Visit with your mother before you go. She misses you.”

  Yanel assured him he would do so before he left and set out to collect everything he needed. One of the men agreed to travel with him and they planned their route together, then passed it off to the castle staff for the king. They left by midday.

  Yanel was able to convince a young man to seek out his queen at the first four villages. They were a month into their travels and the villages were further and further apart from one another. He needed to convince more than one man at each to keep his queen alive and well for him to come back to. The raven visited him once a week to remind him of his task. Each time he saw her, her hair was a bit longer and lighter, her skin a shade lighter and frailer. But each time one of the men he sent arrived, her vibrancy returned for a day or two.

  To his surprise, the men that travelled to her spread the word with each village they passed through. She never had to go more than a week between feedings, but it wasn’t enough to sustain her youth and beauty. Her collection of silks grew, and some even brought clothing and gold.

  Months later while watching her dance in the moonlight, a young man climbed through her window. She welcomed the man with open arms and bare skin, and he watched as his queen took the man into her body. Horror and shock warred inside his mind as the scene unfolded. She threw back her head in ecstasy and he saw the man’s face. Pleasure was etched in every detail. Jealousy and rage filled him. He thought she merely fed on their souls with a kiss. Had she done that with every man that invaded her fortress? Was she tainted by every filthy person that came to call? Taking their offerings and rewarding them with her pleasure?

  He screamed with hatred of every man he’d ever spoken to about his queen. She was his to please. His to pleasure and be consumed by. His riding companion shot up from his bedding by the fire, startled by Yanel’s scream. “What is it? A beast? A snake?”

  Yanel’s anger flamed inside him and needed an outlet before it burned him alive. The raven flew away and blended into the night sky, fleeing from danger. The man cowered on the other side of the fire as Yanel stood from his bedding, shoulders heaving with each panting breath.

  “Yanel?”


  And then the man was being strangled by Yanel’s strong hands. He watched as the man clawed at his arms and hands, doing everything possible to peel away his vice-like grip. Veins in the man’s eyes popped as his skin took on a bluish hue, and still Yanel squeezed. Popping sounds echoed in the man’s body and he sagged to the ground, limp limbs hitting the dirt with a thud.

  Immediately, shame swallowed his anger and staunched the fire within. Guilt clenched his heart, squeezing him until he couldn’t breathe. “Hippon,” he rasped while shaking the man’s shoulders. “I’m sorry. Hippon, please. Wake up. I’m so sorry.”

  The raven cawed somewhere in the distance, snapping Yanel out of his panic. He needed to hide his poor friend’s body and move before someone saw. Urgency fueled his shaky movements as he flipped the body onto the blanket the man used to bed down, and dragged it away from the fire, burying it between bushes in the woods not far from the trail. It took a long time to do all of it, as his full strength hadn’t returned since his moment of bliss with the queen. If anything, he felt weaker each day as he woke up, but he couldn’t figure out why.

  Sadness was a constant rock in his stomach as he covered his friend’s body with dirt, rocks, and leaves. When it was done, he returned to the fire and rolled up the man’s other bedding, tossing it into the cart along with his own. The horses weren’t too keen on getting strapped to the cart so soon after their rest was disturbed, but he had to move. He couldn’t leave his queen unattended anymore. She was being taken advantage of in her weakening condition. All the men he’d sent and those that heard of her would be arriving in drones. She could be overpowered, and any number of horrid things could be done to her body. Possession, hot and hard, consumed every cell in his body. He needed her. Craved her. And he would kill anyone standing in his way.

  5

  The queen lifted the stone using her silk sash and lowered it back into place in the floor. The last man that she consumed was strong, so his essence held more of a kick to it than most. She rearranged the saree one of the humans gifted her with and looked around the room. Her bed of pieced-together fabrics was strewn about from her latest rumble. The aftershocks of her orgasm still pulsed in her veins and she sighed, wishing she’d have kept him for just a few hours more to milk him for every ounce of pleasure he could give. She needed multiple lovers at once to give her the edge she needed to escape, though being in the tower wasn’t so bad now that men arrived more frequently. If they continued to be as strong as the last, and she could pace herself, she’d be able to flee within a couple days.