Invisible Dawn

by Weston Kincade

  Madelin attempted to answer them, but each time she opened her eyes, the faint lights stabbed them with millions of tiny daggers. They stood in silent anticipation as her words echoed from under shadowed hands. “Everything does. Lord Alain came after me when I refused his proposal.”

  “Oh God!” Farlin muttered. “No one turns down Lord Alain.”

  “What the hell do you mean, no one turns the bastard down?” Daniel mocked.

  The servant had his suspicions, but asked anyway, “What kind of a proposal was it, Madelin?”

  “Marriage.” She hid her face in her arms.

  “What the hell?” Jedd exclaimed. The shock of her answer was etched on his face for all to see. It took a moment to organize his thoughts, which turned to the actual attack. He found it difficult to ask, but the state of her dress made it impossible to brush aside. “D-d-did he rape you honey?”

  The question alone lit bonfires in each of the men’s eyes. They saw her dress and how he left her, lying sprawled and disrobed.

  It looks like our suspicions were right, thought Jedd. If I’d just found another place to stay, then this wouldn’t have happened.

  As her eyes adjusted, Madelin uncovered her face and tried to prop herself up. “Yes, I think,” she responded with a calm that was only skin deep.

  “I’m gonna kill him!” shouted Daniel. Removing the gun from his waist, he turned and headed for the door.

  “NO, YOU CAN’T!” screamed Madelin. Her arm stretched out to him as though she could stop the large man with a thought.

  Daniel did, halting at her command. He turned to her and they all saw their own pain reflected in his eyes. “Why not?” he asked through the confusion. “After what he did to you, why can’t I?”

  “Because … I tried to fight back and couldn’t do a thing.”

  “He can feel pain right?” Daniel scorned.

  Madelin remembered Alain’s reaction to her well aimed kick and nodded.

  “Good, I’m about to bring him loads of it.”

  Daniel took a step forward but Farlin barred the door. “She’s right. You can’t go up against him.”

  “Why the hell not?” demanded the veteran. The question was growing old and he was tired of hearing it.

  “He’ll kill you with the flick of his wrist,” replied the servant and poked Daniel in the stomach. He winced and a dab of new blood blossomed on the bandage. “The reason he didn’t kill her is that he actually feels for her,” Farlin explained.

  Daniel cocked the pistol and checked the chamber. “Well, he hasn’t met someone like me. I’ve killed more people than I can count, some of them for nothing more than living. A scratch ain’t gonna stop me. Hell’ll freeze over before I let someone like that walk away. There’re consequences, and I’m here to introduce him to the judge, jury, and executioner.”He released the safety on the weapon and attempted to brush by Farlin. The servant did not move.

  Madelin pleaded, “Daniel, don’t. His time will come, I promise you that, but neither of us is in the right shape to take on someone like him. I don’t know what it is about him, but Juno explained a few things that made a lot of sense.”

  The mention of her conversation with Juno startled them, including Farlin. “When did you meet him?” asked her godfather.

  “Earlier today,” she answered.

  “How the hell did you get him to talk to you?” asked Roger.

  Madelin smiled as she remembered the flirtatious encounter. “Sometimes being beautiful can work in your favor.” Then, as the events of the day came to mind, she added a disturbing afterthought, “Other times, not so much.”

  The ex-mercenary harrumphed, but stayed his hand for the moment.

  “So you see, Daniel, I need you with me right now. Anyway, didn’t you say something about meeting up with Farlin’s specialist this evening?”

  He was frustrated, but knew better than to argue with her. Daniel flicked the safety on and tucked the handgun back into his pants. Then, Farlin met his gaze. “She’s right. He’s expecting you. I think he would like to see you too, Miss Madelin. You are in need of his assistance.”

  “I’ll be right back then,” Jedd said as he stepped past Farlin. He took the stairs two at a time, adding, “I sure as hell am not letting Madelin stay here again. Be right back with my bag.” Roger followed in pursuit of his own belongings.

  Daniel shrugged and looked at Madelin’s cloaked form. “I’m always packed.” She nodded back and pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders.

  “You sure I can’t have a go at him now?” he asked, his vain hopes dancing on a blade’s edge. But he knew she was right. While he felt refreshed after last night’s sleep, his body still complained. His wounds were getting worse, and he was in no shape to fight, but that would not stop him if given the chance.

  She nodded and whispered, “Please don’t.”

  By the time the two men returned, Madelin’s arm was looped across Daniel’s broad shoulders. His free arm encircled her waist, supporting her fractured form, while his other hovered dangerously close to his firearm. She tried to sustain her own weight, but giving in, leaned into his supportive embrace.

  “Everyone ready?” asked Farlin who had already dawned his coat and ivy cap.

  They all nodded. “Yes, and Alain is nowhere in the manor,” Jedd added. “I can see his aura off in the distance, but I’m not sure what he’s up to.”

  “So long as he’s not here, all the better,” muttered the head servant.

  “I take it, he doesn’t know what you’re about?” asked Jedd.

  “Frequently,” Farlin replied. “Let’s go.”

  The small group made their way through the moonlit streets, past the schoolhouse, and toward the outskirts of town. Leodenin and Alain remained elsewhere. There was less evidence of civilization the further they ventured. Solitary houses sprung up after passing acres of farm land. The trees that shrouded the town in eternal shadow became far less abundant along the road.

  By the time Farlin slowed to a stop at a long dirt drive, Madelin was asleep in Daniel’s arms. Jedd assessed the group’s condition and noted by the light of the moons that blood was seeping through the veteran’s bandages.

  He isn’t showing any signs of fatigue, but the strain of carrying Madelin has to be taking its toll. The man would go to the ends of the earth for her, no matter the cost, Jedd thought with admiration. His gaze turned to Roger who walked beside him. His eyes were searching the distant forests for signs of trouble. Good men are hard to find, but luck has blessed me. At the thought, a grateful smile crested his lips.

  “We’re almost there,” Farlin added before turning down the overgrown road.

  Jedd checked his watch. Almost 2:00 a.m., he thought as a yawn widened his face. It had been barely an hour since they left, but the day had been long.

  Alain’s head servant took the lead at an accelerated pace and veered down the side road. Weeds and plant life struggled into the air along most of it, making the walk more difficult. However, Farlin stayed to one side where a narrow path was well worn. They found themselves traveling into the forest and under enormous trees, far larger than those within the city. Each had dense spreading foliage that hung high above. Even the light of the three moons found it impossible to reach them under the great branches.

  “Now, you might be surprised to meet the man, but please be polite. He’s the best at what he does and you won’t find anyone like him. We depend on him and he’s your best hope of finding help.” Farlin’s murmured words echoed off the ancient trunks as though even the plant life supported him. “Also, please keep this meeting and his identity to yourselves.”

  Before long, a small cottage appeared in the distance, hidden in a small clearing. The home was out of a fairy tale, with a yellow thatch roof and quaint, deep-set windows. A diminutive garden of vegetables and fragrant spices took up most of the side yard.

  The weary travelers followed Farlin up the stone-paved walkway to the front door. He
knuckled a ratta-ratta-tat-tat-tat on the door and waited for the specialist to answer. They did not wait long. As the old wooden entry pulled open with a squeak, Madelin glanced up from her slumber to see a slender face framed in long, black hair. The shadowed entryway hid Jedd’s astonishment at seeing a man with a sea-green aura almost as vibrant as Madelin’s. It ebbed around him as though waiting for the right moment to illuminate the room. Jedd had seen him once before, outside the schoolhouse earlier that day. The man had brushed them off without a care.

  “Juno,” Madelin whispered as a petite smile played across her lips.

  Juno returned it as their eyes met. However, seeing the group’s condition, he waved them inside. “Hurry, hurry, set her on the couch.”

  He checked that they were not followed, then shut the door and strode into the dining room. It had been converted into a small study and was littered with books and vials. He put Farlin to work gathering more bandages and washcloths. A bowl of water sat next to the couch.

  While the servant gathered the other necessary items, Juno concocted a salve using herbs and other things from sealed jars on his shelves. As he mashed them together with a small mortar and pestle, he interrogated the men. “What happened to her?”

  “Your damn friend is what happened,” replied Jedd in frustration.

  Juno paused. “My friend?”

  Jedd could not contain his anger anymore. “Yes, your friend. The one you went to visit earlier today. He got angry and went after her,” he shouted.

  “I believe you misunderstand my reasons for dealing with Lord Alain, but we will get to that later. Just know that I have every intention of helping the mademoiselle and Mr. Robertson.”

  “Then, why the hell did you avoid us today?” asked Daniel, his frustration growing.

  Juno finished the paste and carried it to the couch. He shifted Jedd aside and seated himself on the floor next to Madelin’s exhausted form. Juno lifted the blanket from her and scanned the devastation Lord Alain had inflicted. As he answered the question, he dipped his fingers into the salve and dabbed it on her blotched bruises.

  “Because I couldn't be seen with strangers like yourselves in the midst of dozens of townspeople. Did you ever wonder why Farlin brought you to see me in the dead of night?”

  After the question sunk in, Juno added, “You’re lucky you weren’t followed, or else I fear none of you would stand a chance against Alain and the others.”

  All three of the men looked at one another, surprised that it had not occurred to them. Their concern over Madelin had taken priority and none had noticed the head servant’s manipulations.

  “The others?” asked Roger, who was the first to catch the word.

  “Yes, the others. There are many who look to Lord Alain,” answered Juno. He worked his way down Madelin’s body.

  Jedd set a firm hand on the slender man’s shoulder before he could reveal her lower extremities and waist line. Her godfather leaned down to Juno’s ear and whispered, “Keep your hands clean, boy. No need to put her through more pain and embarrassment. We’ll make you regret the day you were born if you violate her privacy again.”

  “Again?” Juno mouthed. His hand held the edge of the quilted blanket as though time had stopped. Juno fought to maintain his calm, but his words filled with hate. “Alain, your time has come,” he muttered.

  Juno said no more, instead concentrating his energies on Madelin’s ravaged body. He set the quilt down and left Madelin her dignity, instead massaging her legs and arms with the salve.

  After he finished, he turned to the others. Jedd still stood over him, while Roger and Daniel situated themselves in wooden rocking chairs on the opposite side of the room. Farlin sat in the dining room, peering out the window. Juno rose and placed a hand on Jedd’s tense shoulder. “I understand your pain. Have a seat. We have done all we can.”

  The old veteran’s eyes were glued to Madelin, but as Juno stepped up to him, their eyes met. It was odd, but looking into Juno’s soothing gaze put him at ease.

  The tall host in regal garb acted out of character. He did not possess the same egotistic, self-assuredness of Alain, but was still confident in his actions. He grabbed a bowl of clean water, more salve, and a washcloth before kneeling in front of the leathered man. “Lift up your shirt. What I’ve prepared will help the wounds to heal faster.”

  Daniel lifted his shirt and peeled away the bandage. The teacher gazed at the oozing wound and shook his head. “What did this to you?”

  As an answer, Daniel lifted his hand from the armrest of the chair. In it was his 9 millimeter handgun. “Something similar to this. It shoots things so quick that they go through whatever you’re pointing at.”

  Juno nodded and asked, “Is the bullet still inside?”

  Roger answered for him with a loud snore, as though announcing his success at surgery only days before.

  Daniel nodded at the Cajun and said, “Nah, he got it out for me, but how’d you know it was a bullet?”

  “Like I said, there is a lot you don't know about this town, the people in it, and my relationship with those in charge.”

  Juno stared at the wound, delving into Daniel’s side with a finger. “I see where it went in, but it looks like it bounced around a bit…” A deep throated sigh announced Juno’s intrigue as he probed further into Daniel’s belly. “I can’t believe you’re still standing. This should’ve killed you, but it doesn’t look like it pierced anything vital. How is that?”

  Daniel shrugged. “I’ve always been pretty hardy.”

  Ignoring Juno’s medical assessment, Jedd cleared his throat. “Okay, explain it to us,” he interrupted after finding a seat. “Your relationship to those in charge, I mean.”

  Juno told his story while he cleaned the veteran’s wounds and applied his salve. Daniel winced under the pressure of the specialist’s fingers, but otherwise listened.

  “Believe it or not, Alain and many others in this town are not from this plane. They came here fleeing their own world … a place full of guns and many more people. They were outcasts among their own people. One reason for their exclusion was an ability that no other family had. It was a talent passed on through genetics, and families of that world never intermarried with those of other royal lines. Because of this, very few children were born capable of living beyond the competency tests. However, this was not a problem since each individual lived for hundreds of years.”

  “But what if something were to cause the people to die en masse? Wouldn’t that decimate the family?” interposed Jedd.

  “Yes, that was a problem. Each person is capable of living much longer than anyone on this world. However, they are still susceptible to harm and even violent deaths. The other families grew tired of the tyrannical rule and cast the Traditor Family out. A bounty was placed on the heads of anyone in the Traditorian line and the other families soon slaughtered each Traditorian they found. There were far too few left at the end. If the murders continued there wouldn’t be enough to actually escape.”

  The others nodded.

  “The last fourteen members of the royal family banded together and used their power to find a new home, one where they could walk around in the high point of the day without fear of harm from people or the sun.”

  “So, they came here,” Jedd finished for him. “But why? And what did they have to fear from the sun?”

  “The Traditor Family is very different from families on this world. They are known as vampires,” explained Juno.

  “Oh, shit,” Daniel sputtered. “You’ve gotta be kiddin' me.”

  “I take it you have heard of them.”

  Jedd explained, “On our world, there are stories of vampires walking the streets at night. They suck people’s blood, kill them, and sometimes turn them into vampires. The way to kill them is with a stake through the heart, cutting off their heads, using crosses, or garlic. Things like that.”

  “It sounds like someone has taken a few liberties with the truth, but much
of what you say is correct. A stake through the heart would do it, along with just about anything else you pierce their hearts with. While you can cause them pain by harming their bodies, it won’t kill them. Also, cutting off their heads works. That is why many of the bounties were filled by bringing in the heads of Traditorian family members.” He allowed his words to settle before continuing.

  “The sun is very much a problem, although not so extreme as to require them to remain out of daylight all of the time. On their own world they could go out during the day, but too much of it would cause a kind of deficiency that resulted in a long, painful death. However, crosses and garlic are products of fairy tales.”

  “What about the abilities you described. Do they extend beyond shifting from plane to plane?” asked Daniel.

  “They are capable of more than the people on this plane, but that is not a result of their abilities. As members of the Traditor Family, they are genetically disposed to exceptional strength, agility, and an extended lifespan. This does get transferred, but their ability does not. They also have a thirst for blood as you described, but it is not required each night. In fact, the family only drinks on rare occasions, about once a month.”

  Jedd leaned forward in his chair and asked, “How do you know how often they drink?”

  “Because there is even a method of selection set up by the local government,” he replied.

  “Your local government supports them?” Jedd exclaimed with credulity.

  “They are our local government,” replied Juno as a matter-of-fact. “From what you have seen so far, who runs the town?”

  The difference in social classes and their apparent magic abilities and auras became clear to Jedd and both men nodded at the established power structure. But how is it that Juno possesses such an aura? wondered Jedd. He stored the question for later. Juno was of no threat at the moment, but that could always change.

  Then Daniel asked, “So how do they do it?”

  “As unoriginal as it sounds, they call it Selection. Someone within the town is selected at random once a month. The Traditorian Family pursues them. Once they are caught, each family member takes a drink. There is enough blood in one human to feed them all … at least for now, but the victim dies as a result. The family has grown, though, and has begun increasing the selections. The last time I checked, there are well over a hundred members.”