Juno stepped into the circle unhindered as Alain finished tasting Roger’s essence. The youthful lord held the semiconscious man at arm’s length, before dropping him to the ground. He met his younger brother’s gaze with a snarl while Roger’s blood coursed down his chin.
“Where is the girl?” he asked, licking the man’s blood from his lips.
“Elsewhere. You’ll never have her.”
Alain laughed. “I will find her, and rid the world of that pest.”
“Only because her existence is a reminder. You would punish her for the shame of what you did?” Juno’s eyes narrowed as disgust infused his face. “What kind of a man does that?”
Alain repeated his question. “Where is she?”
“Where you’ll never find her.”
The Vampire Lord’s face contorted in anger. Pulling his sword from his sheath, he stalked up to his younger brother with a snarl. Juno stood rooted to the ground, his body tensed in anticipation. Blood dripped from the tip of his sword and stained the ground in small crimson pools.
“I will have her, NOW!” screamed Alain. His patience had run out.
“You have me to deal with first,” rasped Juno, “and you WILL deal with me!”
Alain fell back as Juno approached. He swung his Grosse Messer in tight circles, flinging the last bloody droplets off the blade.
“Guess what?” the younger of the two asked. “We killed Adelaide tonight.”
The words scarred him, but he knew they would infuriate his unbalanced brother. Dozens of their family had died at the hands of this small group. It had taken hundreds of years to grow large enough to rule this small community, and in one solitary night they cut that number in half.
As the words sunk in, Alain’s eyes blazed. “You would kill your own sister?” he spat. “You are no brother of mine.”
“Well, we finally agree on something.” Juno’s words caressed the lips of his patronizing smile.
Testing the waters, he struck out with the tip of his sword. The elder lord was a second slower, but still knocked the sword aside with ease. Juno seized the lapse in focus and leapt forward with his sword at attention. Alain parried and then reversed. Juno blocked with a swirl of his sword, then struck again and was parried. Each deflected blow rang out as the two danced through the forest.
Their eyes blazed with hatred. The blades flashed in the moonlight as they fought on, teeth bared. Juno leapt to avoid Alain’s assault and sped up the trunk of the nearest tree. He propelled himself off and avoided another heavy swing as Alain’s blade lashed through the air.
Daniel watched as the fight moved into the trees, each one passing so fast that the swords’ reflections appeared as a modest light show. His captors were unable to restrain themselves and disappeared into the trees to better see the duel. Daniel ran to Roger’s side and felt his neck. There was a strong pulse, unusual for someone so close to death.
“Roger, Roger, can you hear me?” he prompted, while trying to avoid the attention of the vampires roosting above.
The Cajun mumbled a few incoherent words and his head shifted from side to side as though reliving a torturous nightmare. The blood no longer seeped from the two puncture wounds in his neck, but Roger seemed unable to focus. His pupils were dilated like he had overdosed on a potent drug and his body had been mutilated by vampires as they ripped him away from his friends.
Daniel pocketed Roger’s gun and lifted the gambler to his shoulder. He headed back the way they came, searching for the others. He would come back for Juno. Logic told him that the rebel was the most capable of the group and the most likely to win this fight.
He swept through the forest’s shadows and passed under ancient trees, wary of those that might be watching. Most of those in range of the royal duel had set their sights high above, but the further he went, the more vampires he found scavenging the forest.
Soggy leaves and twigs squished underneath him, but Daniel halted when a branch snapped underfoot. Nearby, a stout, blood hungry vampire glanced his way. The ex-mercinary lowered his friend to the ground and arose with iron rod in hand. It was dark, the heated end having quenched itself in blood.
The large vampire drifted closer, smelling blood on the wind. He followed it and stepped into a large shadow in time to hear the wind part behind the arcing rod. The force of the blow bent him over, but he grasped the black rod in a fat fist. Daniel tried to jerk it free, but the man held firm. The vampire stood up and glanced where Daniel had been, but found no one at the opposite end of the weapon.
The scent of blood was still in the air and with a subtle sniff, the thirst driven vampire’s attention was drawn to Roger. He knelt down next to the gambler’s body and groped at the ground. Finding a leg, he dropped the rod and grasped the gambler’s calve in both hands.
Daniel grabbed each end of the cast iron rod as the creature raised Roger’s leg to his lips. Before it could taste the Cajun’s steaming blood, Daniel draped the rod over the vampire’s head and pulled it back across his neck. The large man’s head was lowered and the rod entered his mouth like a horse’s bit. The vampire’s teeth came down on the iron bar with the disappointment of a starving man, foiled in his last meal. He dropped the leg and straitened up, almost bursting from Daniel’s grip, but the old veteran held tight. He was lifted into the air, but pulled the rod close, clamping the man’s head to his chest. A large hand grasped the veteran’s leg from below and jerked downward.
It won’t take long for the great lummox to pull me off, thought Daniel, fighting through the pain of his dislodged leg. I’ve got to do something.
He grasped the ends of the iron bar with every ounce of strength he had and jerked the creature’s head to the side and down. Daniel anchored the point in the man’s shoulder and the vampire gave his leg one last inhuman tug. He used it to his advantage, forcing the rod back until the creature’s neck cracked, the bones twisting and breaking under the vampire’s own strength. Planting the sharpened end in the Vampire’s neck, he used his weight and the vampire’s pull to rip the man’s head from his torso, as though he were leveraging a supplanted rock. Daniel landed with a groan, then listened for others. The only sound was that of the vampire’s disembodied head and torso thudding to the ground.
Through the shadows, a rift glimmered in the distance. Daniel flexed his leg and hammered the knee into place with his palm, then hefted Roger over his shoulder and limped toward the portal.
Jedd and Madelin finished the solitary vampire that had ambled their way and spotted a hunched man shambling toward them. Daniel appeared under the multicolored rays of the moons with Roger hoisted over his shoulder. The veteran stumbled over and laid Roger on the mossy forest floor. His eyes widened when he spotted Leodenin lying unconscious against a tree, covered with vampires, and attempted to eject themselves when his gaze landed on the remains of the PASTOR Commander.
“Looks like you’ve been busy. I’m glad to see that you aren’t hurt,” he whispered, perusing the shadowed battlefield and then his friends. “Roger wasn’t so fortunate. He’s been bitten.”
“My God, Roger,” Madelin chanted, falling to her knees. His body was in ruins and he moaned from his dreamlike horror.
“On his neck,” Daniel muttered. He was unable to look at what Lord Alain had done, so stared at the bloody mess scattered around them.
Madelin turned Roger’s face aside and scanned the uniform punctures. “Sweet Roger, stay with us,” she whispered.
“Maddy…,” whispered the gambler before trailing off into a tortured sleep.
“Where’s Juno?” asked Jedd.
“He’s fighting Lord Alain.”
“Jesus.”
Both of them looked into the distant darkness. However, only Jedd saw the dozens of auras clustered in a circle. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face his goddaughter.
Worry creased Madelin’s brow as she looked into his eyes. She unbuckled the sword and handed it to him. “Come back to me. I can’t lose you again.”
“I know, I will.” He buckled the sheath over his belt and wiped the blade on the dead vampire’s ruffled shirt, then stowed it for the moment. “Take care of Roger.”
He turned to Daniel with downcast eyes, ashamed to leave Madelin behind. After swallowing his fear, he mumbled, “Let’s go.”
The two flew through the forest unmolested before reaching the group of vampires. The two men were forced to crane their necks to see Juno’s relatives. Dozens sat on large tree branches circling the two brothers, as though watching the entertainment from the nosebleeds of a stadium. Even the crisp night air stagnated in anticipation of this battle.
Juno and Alain flew at each other, crisscrossing as they made their way from tree to tree, swords held high. The clang of swords rang out as the two met twenty feet up. A sudden fluttering of blades reflected the falling moonlight just as Juno leapt under his brother’s plunging sword tip. The younger Traditor twisted midair, but was unable to avoid the blade. It sunk into his side before momentum tore it free.
Juno’s sword arced wide as he trailed by his opponent. The edge of the Grosse Messer sunk into Alain’s heel, severing the tendons as momentum carried them apart. Alain lit up the night with a pain filled scream as he tried to land on the tree trunk. His wounded foot slipped under the pressure and he crashed into the ancient tree, then tumbled to the floor below with a thud. His body lay contorted amongst the large roots. The elder vampire shifted with a grunt and pushed himself to his feet as blood gushed from his ankle in pulsing waves.
Juno landed on a knee and took a haggard breath. He held his side, but blood seeped around his hand and coated his shirt. Alain leaned against the tree and glared at his younger brother with pained fury. The other vampires fell to the ground around them, but did nothing more than watch.
“I’ve denounced you, young Paria,” Alain shouted through the pain. “You are an outcast and have no claim to the throne. Leave now and I will forgive your insolence and allow you to live another day.”
“Even now, you presume to give me orders,” Juno replied and rose to his feet. “This is the one place we can call home, or what’s left of it. Your greed and malcontent has thrown it into chaos. But now I have you.” Juno held his blade up for all to see as Alain’s blood coursed down its edge.
“You can never beat me!” Alain raged, launching his sword at Juno’s back.
The sword whistled through the air and Juno spun to face his older brother. Sidestepping the projectile, he grasped the hilt as it flew past, spun, and hurled his own at Lord Alain. It flipped sideways, end over end, blade over hilt. Shock etched itself in Alain’s face before the blade decapitated him and embedded itself in the ancient tree.
Alain’s body hung for a moment before crumpling to the floor. Then another man stepped forward, dressed in a decadent white shirt and rust colored jacket. His chiseled face announced his relation to the two brothers. In a booming voice, he ordered, “Hold now, Juno.” The words were of a language reminiscent of French and Latin. All member of the Traditorian family listened intently while Daniel and Jedd stood behind the circle, unsure what was taking place.
“Esteban, why am I not surprised?” asked Juno, switching to the traditional language.
Blood seeped from his wounds, but Juno maintained his composure in front of his family. However, as the adrenaline ebbed, he felt his strength going with it. Still, he fought to stand.
Esteban replied, “Because you always knew I would lead the family.”
“Snakes like you are not worthy to lead,” Juno hissed.
“More worthy than you. You are a traitor and nothing more. I will lead our family out of shame and back into power.” Esteban stood untarnished before Juno, as though he had just stepped out of the shower and dawned clean clothes.
“Over my dead body,” intoned Juno, but his strength faded and fatigue forced him to his knees.
“That, monsieur, is the plan.”
Drawing his own sword, he advanced on Juno, who knelt defeated before him. Unable to raise his sword in protest, the vampire rebel awaited his doom. Esteban brought his blade above his head. Then, with a scream of triumph, he brought its shimmering edge down on Juno’s neck. It came to a jarring stop a hair’s width away when Jedd slipped through the mass of people and interposed the late Adelaide’s decorative blade between them.
“Whoever the hell you are, you’re about to get a world of hurt,” promised Daniel. He tromped through the crowd clutching the iron rod in a large fist.
A stunned expression infused Esteban’s face as the two blades met. Jedd thrust all of his might into his weapon and forced the Traditorian Elder back.
After a few teetering steps, his eyes focused on them. “It can’t be true. Where’s Adelaide?”
“On my kitchen floor,” Juno whispered. His exhausted gaze climbed the polished man. “Brother, I do not imagine there’s much left of her after the explosion.”
“How dare you!” cried Esteban as the circling vultures began closing in. Esteban held up a hand, and they stopped. “These are mine.”
He struck out at Juno with a sweeping arm, but the scarred veteran braced his weapon with both hands. The sword clanged against Daniel’s iron rod and Esteban burst into a flurry of screaming madness. Juno attempted to stand, but his effort was futile. He fell back to the ground and watched as Jedd and Daniel operated in tandem, parrying Esteban’s uncoordinated blows.
The sound of sword glancing off steel and iron echoed through the forest. The force of the impact jolted them to the core. Sweat rolled off both men as they weathered the Traditorian Vampire’s rain of blows. Although his technique was raw and less skillful than Juno’s, his strength and agility were overpowering the pair.
Jedd shuddered under the Traditorian’s sword and fell to one knee. The blade sliced toward him, intent on splitting him in two. Daniel lay out of reach and without the strength to parry it. Throwing his arm up, Jedd grasped the oncoming blade in a blackened hand and was again astounded when the sword stopped. The strength behind the weapon pressed down on him, but he held the blade’s edge in hand. Esteban stared in horror.
Jedd plucked the sword from the vampire’s hands.. “You don’t deserve this,” he muttered from under a rising gaze.
Esteban flew at Jedd with flailing arms, eyes blazing, and teeth bared. Jedd blocked the onslaught with his deadened arm, but even his tremendous ability was unable to cope with the vampire’s fury. Seizing the moment, he ducked under the man’s hands and swung his blackened fist into Esteban’s midsection with all his might. At the same time, a jack hammering knee caught Jedd in the face. Both men flew into the air and landed sprawled on the ground. Jedd got to his feet and straddled the world revolving beneath him while Daniel helped Juno. Esteban rose on unsteady feet, ill equipped to continue at the moment.
With a look at the salivating vampires, Jedd muttered in panicked tones, “Guys, we’ve got to go.”
Dozens of gazes lapped at their bloody bodies, but Jedd’s last blow gave the vampires pause. Madelin’s defenders burst through the wall of creatures with what energy remained and made their way toward Madelin. Vampires trailed them but kept their distance, unsure what to do without Lord Alain. They covered half the distance before Esteban took charge.
The new Vampire Lord let out an unintelligible roar in Traditorian language. It echoed through the forest and the remaining family members ran toward the voice as quick as their legs would carry them.
“He’s forming them up for another attack,” murmured Juno, leaning on Daniel’s shoulder.
As the three of them came upon Madelin and Roger, they watched the vampires hovering over Leodenin vanish and retreat toward the call. He moaned as blood coursed from all over his body.
“Good to see you back,” Madelin replied with relief, but concern entered her eyes when she saw Juno held between them.
“Looks like we switched roles,” he commented and smiled back.
“That it does,” she answered.
>
A sudden, eerie silence interrupted their banter as the calls stopped. In the distance, the collection of auras began rushing toward them.
“We’ve got to get out of here. Is that portal safe?” Jedd asked, nodding at the oblong shape over Marlin’s corpse.
“I think so.” She sounded less than confident. Glancing over the bloody area, she shouted, “No … No, Leodenin can’t get away.”
Two of the shifter’s agents grasped him by the arms and dragged him into a jungle of bushes. Embers of hatred burst into flame when Jedd spotted them. His chance at killing the man was dwindling, but the advancing army reminded him of the immediate threat.
“No time, Maddy, we’ve got to go now,” he sputtered.
Jedd grasped the semi-conscious Cajun and dragged him toward the portal. Madelin grabbed his feet as the mob of auras loomed closer. They rushed to the portal and lifted him through with Daniel and Juno following behind.
“I don’t even know if I can survive in this other world,” slurred Juno as his mind slowed with the loss of blood. “Your friend might not either.”
“I know, dammit, but we don’t have another choice!” shouted Daniel.
Without another word, the veteran placed an arm around Juno’s waist and lifted him from the ground. As he stepped into the crimson world, he turned to see the army of pale vampires converging on their position.
Jedd and Madelin began closing the window, but before it shut, one unfortunate vampire grabbed hold of Jedd’s collar. Her manicured hand was sliced off the instant the rip sealed and the dismembered arm fell twitching to the red dirt at their feet, a memento of their survival.
* * * * *
Chapter 28: Escape
Invisible Dawn Page 32