Light of Dawn

by Angela Colsin

“I get the feeling you still don’t, or you’re not easy with the information at least.”

  “I don’t even understand what a draconian is, so of course I’m not easy with it.”

  Rounding a corner, he stopped and took in the surrounding area to sense threats. In turn, Charlotte was watching him, as if hesitantly curious.

  Detecting nothing to worry about nearby, Ulric started moving again, asking on the way, “Ever hear of a dragon?”

  “You’re a dragon?” Charlotte queried, her tone bland. “Okay, then where’s your scales? Or your wings?”

  Smirking, he replied, “I’m not a dragon, I’m a descendant of humans imbued with the blood of dragons.”

  He doubted the extra information would make things easier to swallow, but it didn't matter anyway. If he didn't get her out of there and find out where she'd sent the box, he might have to kiss it goodbye.

  After everything he'd already done to obtain it, he'd be damned if that happened.

  Chapter 6

  Charlotte was convinced that one of the two of them was absolutely insane.

  But as the information Ulric offered actually began to settle in, she noticed something about him that she hadn't before. There were markings along each side of his face which seemed to glow blue, but began fading to black as he walked through the alleyway.

  She would've chalked it up to using a foundation that concealed tattoos which had washed off in the rain, but then what would explain the black horns she also spied jutting from his temples that were now fading from sight?

  I'm the crazy one, that's what.

  Before she could ask about it, he stopped at his car and settled her on her own two feet finally, an arm latched around her waist. Her legs were still numb, but she tried to stand on her on anyway, and only stumbled right back into Ulric before he could get to the door of his vehicle.

  His grip tightened as she gasped, her face planting against his chest. The warmth of his body combined with his earthy scent was far too inviting in the cold rain for her peace of mind.

  Pulling back, Charlotte glanced up to see him giving her a scrutinizing look. “Done trying to walk yet?”

  “Kiss it, dragon boy,” she grumbled, pushing herself back before noticing his car, and was actually impressed. Dragon boy was getting around in a dark blue, two door sports car that had to cost more than the building it was parked beside.

  Reaching over to open the passenger door, he directed, “Get in.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “No,” Ulric retorted, ignoring her gasp as he lifted her to settle in the seat, then shut the door.

  Charlotte couldn't help but scowl as Ulric crossed around the front of the car. She could've tried to run, but he'd catch up when her legs were still so rubbery. Also, she wasn't entirely sure he was wrong about her safety. Whether she believed what he was saying or not, someone was after her, and he'd taken care of it.

  So she stayed put.

  Besides, she appreciated being out of the cold, pouring rain, frowning at her soaked gray jacket, shirt, and jeans. By the time Ulric climbed behind the wheel and started the engine, she was trembling and trying to keep her teeth from chattering.

  That's when he let an irritated sigh of breath just before reaching into his backseat. Charlotte watched uncertainly as he tugged a large leather jacket into the front that he handed over.

  “Here, it’ll help.”

  Surprised, she hesitantly took the garment, and only grew more baffled when he turned on the heater.

  “Why do you care?”

  “I’ve honestly been trying to figure that out, lady.”

  Charlotte rolled her eyes as the car slipped into motion, straightening his jacket out to cover her as she asked unenthusiastically, “Where are you taking me then?”

  “Somewhere they won't find us so quickly. On the way, you should know that whoever you sent the box to will be in more danger if you don’t tell me where they are than if you do. Consider that while you’re trying to save their life.”

  Letting a loud, vexed sigh through parted lips, her head fell back against the seat. “I hate you,” she grumbled without any lack of sincerity.

  “Only because I'm right, and anyone you might’ve told about the box could be in danger as well, unless they have no idea what it looks like or where it’s going.”

  “I told my best friend, but she never saw a picture, and I didn't send it to her,” Charlotte finally explained. “I sent it to someone I thought might know what the damned thing is.”

  Ulric listened carefully, keeping his eyes on the road while asking, “Did you try to open it?”

  “Yes, but it wouldn’t budge.”

  “Good.”

  His reply reminded her that he knew more about the box then she did, and Charlotte cast him a curious look, asking, “What the hell is that thing anyway?”

  “It’s a curse box crafted by a mage to protect the contents, which is more than likely some kind of magic relic or cursed item.”

  Staring at him blankly, Charlotte realized that this wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Magic relics and cursed items just added to the blow that vampires and dragon men existed, among other things.

  It was too surreal, like something in one of her favorite video games come to life.

  Ulric glanced in her direction briefly, and upon spying the look on her face, he shook his head, “Human’s never do accept the truth easily.”

  “Oh, kiss my ass,” she retorted, unable to take any condescension just then. “Put yourself in my shoes.”

  “Whether you want to accept it or don’t, it's the truth. I haven’t lied since we met.”

  Charlotte grumbled. Maybe he had been completely honest, but it didn’t matter much when the truth was so hard to handle. “Why don’t you start?” she muttered. “Maybe then I’ll be able to cope.”

  Ulric looked amused, but he never cast those cobalt eyes back in her direction. “If it helps, I could ask you a seemingly unrelated question.”

  “Sure,” Charlotte sighed, “why not?”

  “Do you know anyone named Isadora?”

  “Nope, never heard it before.”

  “Didn’t think so,” Ulric returned, adding, “but don’t feel alone. You’re struggling with believing this, and I’m struggling with the notion that once again, this box has slipped right between my damned fingers.”

  “How did you find me anyway? If you don't know James Claybourne, then how did you get my information?”

  “I have my connections,” he answered vaguely.

  Charlotte gazed over at him and pursed her lips, hesitating before she asked, “Why are you after it? Just because it's worth a lot?”

  “To the person who hired me, it is.”

  “Hired? Then you're like a mercenary or something?”

  “Yes.”

  That made sense. He'd been so bored with threatening her, and casual when he'd killed the vampire who'd bitten her, that he had to do things like this regularly. But she wanted to pretend, for just a few blissful moments, that none of it had happened at all.

  In her endeavors, she paid more attention to her body, realizing she was aching a good bit, especially the side of her throat where she’d been bitten. Reaching her fingers up, she tentatively touched the puncture wounds in her neck and cringed.

  Ulric must've noticed because he suggested, “You might want to zip your jacket up to hide that.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing,” she admitted, then glanced back at him, looking at his … marks. Hoping they were tattoos, she suggested, “You know, for a mercenary, you’re not exactly incognito. Anyone could point out those tattoos and something could lead back to you.”

  “Already seeing me for what I really am?”

  Charlotte blinked in confusion. “What?”

  “If you're noticing my marks, it means you're accepting the truth. Humans don't see what they don't understand, or don't believe. Sometimes we call it the Veil if you want to simplify it.
”

  “So no one else sees your tattoos because they don't believe you're anything but a human?”

  “They’re not tattoos, lady,” Ulric pointed out. “I was born with them. All draconians have marks somewhere on their bodies, but to mortals, we look ordinary.”

  That must've been what he'd meant when he'd said this is your realm, so you don't see us here. But the wording of his previous statement had her even more confused.

  “Wait, mortals? You're not … mortal?”

  “No,” he answered. “I'm over three centuries young and still going.”

  Charlotte found herself staring at him, saying without thinking, “Holy shit.” His age was the last blow she could handle, changing the subject to something much more simple in order to get her mind off of it. “Will you tell me exactly where we're going?”

  “You want to keep your friend safe, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Then I'll take you to them so we can get the box. After that, I'll leave and this doesn't need to be mentioned again. How does that sound?”

  Charlotte stared down at his jacket covering her legs. Taking her to Julian's wouldn't be so simple, but Ulric didn't know that because she'd never told him where the box was being sent. Damned proud of myself, too.

  Her hesitation prompted him to ask, “Don't trust me?”

  “Hell no,” she retorted quickly.

  “I saved your life. Shouldn't that earn me a simple favor?”

  “But it's not simple,” she finally admitted. “The box isn't with anyone here. I sent it to someone in Florida.”

  The car nearly swerved, telling Charlotte he wasn't happy with the news. But Ulric seemed to be containing his frustration when he asked hopefully, “Did you dump it in a mailbox?”

  Again, she shook her head, though more hesitantly this time. “No, I took it to the post office to have it mailed off with express delivery.”

  “Damn it,” Ulric exclaimed, “it'd be easier to find if it were stationary. Did they give you a tracking number?”

  “Well, yeah, not that I have it with me, and I've already deleted everything from my laptop concerning the box.”

  He emitted a long, agitated growl, and Charlotte asked warily, “You’re not gonna grow horns again, are you?”

  “I damned well might,” he grumbled. “This box is really starting to piss me off.”

  “But at least you know where it’s going, right?”

  “Unless a competitor finds it first,” he snapped. “What’s the name of the recipient?”

  Again, she hesitated, which she knew would only piss him off even more, but she had a good reason.

  Though the existence of vampires wasn't something Charlotte was ready to accept, the attack in her apartment proved they were real. So if she told him where the box was going, she could go back home—and still be in danger.

  She wanted to live beyond tonight. Actually, she wanted to live beyond this year, and it occurred to her that she had a bartering chip with Julian's address. So she withheld the information long enough to ask Ulric a question.

  “Before I answer, tell me something. Will those vampires give up now that you killed so many of them?”

  Ulric scoffed. “I didn't kill many tonight, and if they want you, they'll find a way to get you.”

  That told her all she needed to know. As it stood, she could give Ulric the information he wanted and try to fend for herself, or she could withhold it in exchange for a little help.

  Considering the situation, that meant going with him to Tallahassee.

  A part of her suddenly seized on the idea, as if eager to have the box back in her personal possession. After the way she'd acted at the post office, Charlotte forced the thought away and told herself she only wanted to go because she couldn't let Ulric travel to Julian's alone after how he'd threatened her life.

  She just hoped her bartering chip was worth enough.

  Charlotte looked worried, likely trying to come up with some way of surviving, and Ulric couldn't blame her. Mortals weren't very successful when it came to combating the undead, so he could only imagine what was going through her head.

  In turn, he knew he could drop her off at a sanctuary such as a Spire, but Isadora said Charlotte would lead him to the box, or his ultimate goal in getting payment anyway. That being the case, and with her life in danger from vampires—which he didn't typically want to see anyone hurt by—he proposed something a little different.

  “You should come with me to Florida. When we get there, you can give me the address, and in the meantime, I'll make sure the bloodsuckers don't get to you. Deal?”

  Charlotte sighed, admitting, “I was considering that.” After a brief pause, she suddenly muttered, “Shit.”

  “What?”

  “My cat, Pepper. I can't just leave him behind.”

  “Don't worry about your pet. I know someone who can look after it, and you'll only be gone a day or two.”

  “I wouldn't worry if I trusted you, or anyone else you know.”

  Following the rebuke, she thought quietly for a few more minutes, as if trying to come up with alternatives, then groaned in defeat. “I guess you're right. It won't be too long.”

  “It's a deal then,” he confirmed. “What's the city? When we arrive, you can give me the street address.”

  “Tallahassee,” she grumbled without resistance.

  “Northern Florida, good,” he mused aloud, glad it was as close as possible. “For tonight, we'll stay at a hotel to make sure no one's following us, then head out at first light.”

  He thought she'd be pleased, but Charlotte looked even more disgruntled than before. “This isn't acceptable?”

  “No, it's … fine,” she muttered. “I just don't like you very much. Still, I guess your company would be better than becoming someone's meal.”

  Somehow, Ulric found that both amusing and offensive at the same time, as if he might've cared what she thought of him.

  “Come on, I'm not that bad,” he suggested, and Charlotte cast him a look that said she was unconvinced. Actually, the full implication of the expression was more along the lines of bitch, please.

  Apparently, Ulric had a long way to go if he actually wanted to earn her favor.

  Not that he knew why he would. In fact, if she wasn't happy with him, then he was extremely unhappy with the way he was feeling, knowing deep down that even if Isadora hadn't mentioned anything about Charlotte leading him to his goal, he'd still be uneasy about leaving her behind.

  His reaction to seeing her attacked and bitten proved as much. I went into Wrath. But why? There was something unusual about this mortal, and it wasn't just her fae lineage as he'd first assumed. Instead, it was more like something was there that he just wasn't seeing.

  Maybe time would tell. Until then, he'd keep his end of their bargain and let her lead him to the box to ensure success in payment as the vision directed, hoping it wouldn't be completely hard to get along with her on the way.

  Chapter 7

  The hotel Ulric chose wasn’t a five star establishment, but it was much nicer than anything they needed.

  Once an attendant led them up to their room, Charlotte hurried inside, turning the heat on while Ulric shut the door and walked to a window to glance outside.

  “Just out of curiosity,” she started, “why are we in such a nice hotel?”

  “Vampires would expect me to go cheap to trip them up,” Ulric explained. “So if they're looking, they'll check the motels first, then try the more expensive places.”

  Charlotte’s brow narrowed in confusion. “That makes absolutely no sense.”

  “Because you don’t know draconians,” he clarified. “We're avaricious, like the most expensive things, so a nice in between was the best choice.”

  “Oh,” she drew out, pursing her lips, the situation bothering her more with each moment that passed.

  Heading to the couch, Ulric mentioned when he noticed her expression, “You shouldn’t look s
o down. Like me or not, you’re damned lucky I showed up.”

  “Why? Because you destroyed my apartment before threatening my life?”

  “No, because if I hadn’t, those vampires would’ve killed you, or worse.”

  “Well, all things considered,” Charlotte started, walking over to sit down in a recliner across from him, “I’d rather someone who hadn’t been intent on making threatening demands of me come to help.”

  She removed her shoes and tugged her feet up into the seat to attempt warming them while Ulric countered, “But would they have been a draconian? Our blood is poisonous to vampires, and that gives us an advantage.”

  He hadn’t sounded proud, only truthful, and hearing his explanation, Charlotte had to admit it was strange that he'd been there.

  “If that’s the case, then I guess I’m glad, even if you bullied me.”

  Ulric smirked. “You would’ve done the same in my shoes. But if it's any consolation, I never intended to hurt you, just assumed I could intimidate information out of you.” Shrugging, he confessed, “Guess I was wrong.”

  She felt a rush of pride over his admission, though she wasn't entirely certain she could forgive him when he'd scared the hell out of her so badly. Still, Charlotte decided to try getting past it when it would be much easier to travel with someone she was indifferent about than someone she hated.

  So, in the effort of getting along, she offered a casual shrug and mentioned, “You told me those vampires wouldn’t let up.”

  “Probably not. If you were just a walking meal, they wouldn’t have come in multiple numbers, or even risked entering the building in mist. So the reason they want you has to be something more unique.”

  Charlotte wished she knew what it was, but without knowing much about vampires, it was impossible to guess.

  In the meantime, she had to figure out a valid excuse for missing work, thankful for the sick days she'd accumulated. She also wondered if Edith would miss her online, or try to call and become worried.

  For that matter, would anyone drop by during her sporadic trip and wonder where she'd gone?