Dawn's First Light

The buzz of the cell phone against her hip made her jump. Her phone never rang unless it was Maggie calling to harass her. But, this wasn't the iPhone buried in the bottom of her purse. This was THE PHONE. The one she was required to have with her twenty-four/seven. It was the Sons' version of the bat phone. She squealed in excitement and read the display on the screen.

Not only was Robbie covering the rest of her shift with full pay. Lori was finally going to get the chance to show her stuff. She didn't know whom, but someone at the compound needed a donor. Hurriedly, before Robbie came in to relieve her, Lori dismantled the house she'd been making on the counter out of straws and straightened the shop. Sure, she was nervous. And the extra stop by Dr. Sterling's office tomorrow morning for a check-up, which was required of all new donors, would cut into her study time. But, dang! Finally she had something important to do.

*****

Bryce spent the afternoon wandering through the dark shade of the woods, brooding. He was glad Lance agreed to back off and give him some space. Bryce knew he'd get over Janine. It was just that he felt he deserved at least one day to nurse his wounded pride before he had to do it.

He wondered if he should give up searching all together. His luck had hit a dry spell and he was never going to find his soul mate. Every time he tried, she ran off into the arms of another man. It wasn't fair. When was he going to get his turn? The sun was starting its downward trek in the sky. In a few hours the big ball of orange fire would disappear behind the horizon and mark the end to another miserable day.

It was so hot even the leaves on the trees drooped from the oppressive heat beating down on them. There was no breeze and the air was still and stagnant. Under the dome of the hazy sky, he caught the musky scent of his brothers. They were out on the hunt. The best time to hunt was sundown, when the cool evening wind and the cover of the approaching darkness coaxed the deer out of hiding. The warriors could feed themselves. But, it would be a little trickier at this time of day without a tracker on point to help them out. Pushing his wounded feelings aside, he moved toward their scent.

Chance tapped Keene on the shoulder and pressed a finger to his lips. Keene was a bit out of his element in the woods. Without the cover of the city's background noise to cover his footsteps, the deer would hear him coming a mile away. And since he had taken the responsibility of feeding the guy. He sure as hell didn't want Keene bolting into town in search of easier prey.

A young buck chewed contentedly in a patch of rich, thick summertime grass. Pausing to lift his head at the sound of Keene's footsteps, he twitched his ears back and forth like radar beacons before dropping his nose to the ground to resume eating. Chance was glad that he'd never been forced to live as Keene had. Chance's main source of nutrition walked on four legs, not two.

Humans were a necessity. But, they were cherished. He and his brothers never took more than what was absolutely necessary for their survival. There were ceremonial hunts that permitted killing the prey. Animals only, never people. Even as devout as the brothers were in their beliefs. Their predatory natures had to be appeased in order to keep the beast in check. Chance had never taken a human life for any reason. That wasn't necessarily true for Keene.

Keene crouched low, studying the deer. He loved the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of taking down prey. Roark birthed him into this life. But, taught him nothing. For so long, Keene hadn't realized there was another way. That he didn't have to kill people for food. In the beginning, there had been accidents, before he learned restraint. He still carried the guilt for all the lives he'd taken. It was only recently that he'd discovered that he could sustain his life by feeding on animals. The blood was weaker. And the flavor took a lot of getting used to. But, he felt a certain measure of freedom in the restrictions placed on him by the brotherhood.

Most of the brothers would never know the life he'd been forced to live. And they took the freedom of not having to kill to survive for granted. Springing forth he uncoiled his preternatural strength and agility, quickly dropping his meal and sinking in his fangs. The blood filled his mouth and rolled down his throat. He drank deeply and shook off the temptation to keep drinking till the last drop was gone. The brothers held all life in high regard and didn't kill, not even animals. They would drop their prey, take what they needed, and release the dazed animal back into the surrounding woods.

Keene could get away with killing the deer. There was no penalty for killing an animal. And on rare celebrations, killing was part of the brothers' rituals. But, if a human was killed no matter what the reason, other than defense. The price was steep. Any vampire who took a human life was hunted down and put to death. It was the very reason the Sons existed.

After releasing his dinner, watching the deer's white tail bobbing up and down as it bolted into the woods, Keene stared out into the daylight. The air was fresh and clean. It might be an illusion, but he felt a genuine sense of purpose and deep peace. He had taken enough from the deer to sustain him. But, his hunger was only temporarily sated. Soon, he'd need human blood.

Chance fist bumped Bryce, greeting him. "Where you been?" he asked. Trackers operated under the common misconception that the woods belonged to them and that they were the only ones who could hunt worth a damn. Bryce had most likely caught their scents and thought they needed a hand or a damn tour guide. Hell, Keene had proven him wrong on that point. The man was wickedly fast when it came to scrounging up a meal. The deer probably didn't know what hit him. It gave Chance a case of the chills to watch the fierce efficiency of Keene's hunting style. A human wouldn't stand a chance.

"Nowhere in particular," Bryce answered. Shoving his fists into his pockets, he toed at the ground with his boot. He did not want to get into an in depth discussion of his whereabouts with Chance. The two of them weren't close and he didn't feel a heart to heart was necessary.

He was impressed as Keene emerged from a dense copse of trees and the deer clumsily bolted into a nearby cornfield. How many warriors did it take to scrounge up dinner in the middle of the afternoon? Apparently one. Bryce dipped his head in a nod to Keene. "Hey," he said in way of greeting. He didn't begrudge the big guy anything. Along the line, every one of them had been forced to make choices. And had done things that hurt others, things they weren't proud of doing. He had no right to judge anyone.

Keene returned the tracker's nod and turned to follow Chance back to the compound. The electronic device on his ankle ensured that he wouldn't stray too far away. But, the threat of Roark was far, far more effective in making sure he stayed put.

"You coming back with us?" Chance asked Bryce. He really hoped Bryce was ready to face the music. Everyone was having a hard time blocking Janine and Patrick today. It might be best for Bryce if he didn't come back for a while. Like say till the happy, horny couple was well out of the honeymoon phase of their marriage. And damn, didn't they all hope that happened soon. But, he had to admit, he had no idea whipped cream was so versatile.

"Not yet," Bryce answered. His head was already filled with unwanted thoughts. Janine was a loud broadcaster. She wasn't purposely intending to hurt anybody. But, he could not be under the same roof with her and Patrick right now. Humiliation aside, it stung to know all the various ways they celebrated their union as husband and wife. To catch a random surge of the pleasure she gave to another man was torture. He had no pride left, per se. But, he could not bring himself to face them.

Chance nodded in understanding. He got it. Bryce was doing his best to handle the situation. But, there was only so much anyone could expect of him. "Yeah, ok. Well...I guess I'll catch you later then," he mumbled before he humiliated either one of them further.

"Yeah, sure." Bryce retreated deeper into the woods. Distance was a wonderful thing. The farther away he was from the compound, the easier it was to block Janine and Patrick's sexual escapades from his mind. He could not fathom why Dane, punishment or not, didn't send him away. There were other trackers. And the brothers didn't necessarily need him or his emotional bullshit. He wasn't doing anybody any good simply hanging around here.

Dane had never struck him as sadistic. And he liked to believe the man had a reason for whatever decisions he made. Maybe, it had never occurred to Dane to send him away in the hopes of sparing him some small measure of dignity. Bryce had never asked for a favor or any type of special consideration before. But, maybe it was time he did. What about Lance, and Marcus and Sam? The four of them were a team. Even if Dane did grant him an official pardon, could he leave his best friends behind?

Damn, he hadn't thought of that. There was no way Dane would ever let the four of them return to the city together until their punishment was served in full. Shit. He couldn't ask Dane for anything. Because, right now Bryce wasn't so certain if Dane offered to send him back alone, that he wouldn't go. Maybe, the outer perimeter, out by the gravel roads that led into town would be far enough away. Shoving his hands in his pockets and stomping off, he knew it wouldn't be. Hell, Alaska was too close to fully escape his own damaged ego.

Chapter 9

Kayla flipped on her signal and exited off the interstate. She burst into a crying jag of sheer relief. Her hands trembled as she turned the wheel to make the turn onto the main highway. The car was on its last leg. Smoke rolled in hissing white clouds from under the hood. And the engine made the most piteous sound she'd ever heard from a piece of machinery. Something dripped from underneath the dashboard and collected on the filthy floor mat in a puddle of sweet smelling liquid. None of it mattered. She was here. She had finally reached her destination.

No doubt, by now, Roark had figured out that she was missing. He was probably flying off in a rage and taking it out on anybody suicidal enough to cross his path. God, she hoped Angel, the newest girl, and the one most likely to take her place, laid low and kept out of his way. She just couldn't think about things like that right now. Kayla needed to find Keene quickly before Roark came looking for her. And she knew he would. To let Keene escape made him look weak. To let her escape with her life intact made him look like a fool.

Less than twenty miles from the compound, Kayla coaxed the car into motion and uttered one last prayer that the vehicle stayed moving long enough to get her there. She rolled past a police cruiser and drove like she had lived in the town her whole life. The sheriff raised a curious eyebrow at her or maybe, it was at the car. But, he made no move to follow her out of town. And that was a good thing. She had no ID, no driver's license, the registration was probably illegal, and locking her up in jail was the same thing as signing her death warrant. Caged like an animal was not the way she wanted Roark to find her. If he was going to kill her, she at least wanted him to work for it.

Roark planned to keep Keene alive as a display of his power. Fortunately, Kayla didn't think she'd have to worry about that if Roark ever captured her. He would torture her and make her suffer horribly. But, at least, unlike Keene, Roark's vengeance on her would have a time limit. She was human and as such could die.

*****

Roark searched the townhouse, checking all the rooms, looking for Kayla. He watched her go into the shop across the street. But, distracted as he was, he hadn't noticed her come out. She'd been gone for hours. And he knew damned well it didn't take her that long to spend a few hundred dollars. He had needs. And fulfilling his needs was her job. He had called for her. And she had not answered. It was insulting and damned rude. And he was going to make her suffer for her negligence.

His powers were not infallible. Through the link, he sensed her and the physical distance that separated them. But, that couldn't be right. She'd never leave him. She wasn't that stupid or that brave. He stormed into the oversize living room, demanding answers from somebody. "Where is that bitch?"

Angel shuddered and curled into a ball on the L shaped sectional sofa. The master was fuming with anger and shaking with the force of his rage. She was genuinely terrified. He'd kill Kayla when he got his hands on her. And there wasn't much she could do to help her sister. But, she could take the brunt of his rage and maybe lessen the heat of his anger. "I don't know, Master."

Angel scrambled off the couch and dropped to her knees at her master's feet. Eyes down, chin tucked, palms flat on her thighs, knees spread wide, and feet tucked under her butt. Just the way Kayla taught her to do. Angel held her breath, terrified that her shallow panting gasps would give away her fear. The master wanted her afraid. But, he punished relentlessly at the first sign of fear. He wanted her willing and compliant, emotionless as a doll. And in his current blind fury, she feared Kayla's life wasn't the only one in danger.

Vampires weren't nearly as cool as they appeared on TV. And her life had taken a decided turn for the worst since she'd followed Kayla out of the club a month ago. She'd had many lessons since that night, all of them in pain. Roark fed her, clothed her, sheltered her, and she had nothing to worry about except surviving till the next day. Kayla was a dead woman. Deep down inside Angel knew it. "May I pleasure you in her place, Master?"

Roark contemplated the dark haired beauty at his feet. She was coming along nicely, almost ripe for the picking. In a few short months, maybe less, he'd break her. The stink of her fear filled the air. And he grinned. Fear was a natural human response to being in the presence of a larger, much more dangerous, predator. She could prevent her reaction to him no more than she could stop her body's response as he stroked her clit and made her come with the full knowledge he'd punish her for doing so. Humanity was a beautiful thing, so simplistic, and so easily damaged.

He snapped his fingers, summoning his minions. "Find Kayla. Don't bother bringing her back here. Do with her what you will with her and make sure you clean up the mess. I want proof, gentlemen. Bring me her pretty blonde head."

He returned his attentions to the girl on her knees, reveling in the scent of her fear. Aroused and hard, his cock ached at the prospect of breaking her far sooner than anticipated. "I suppose, you'll do."

"Thank you, Master," Angel said, her voice tremulous barely hiding her terror. She was in college, not so long ago. She had hopes and dreams. And she'd never appreciated them until she didn't have them anymore. It would have been easy to blame drugs for ruining her life. No substance wrecked her life. She'd done it to herself. And this was her penance for her own stupidity. With trembling fingers she lifted her t-shirt over her head and unclasped her bra, sliding the straps free from her arms. Dreading what was to come next.

Roark unzipped and cupped his erection in his palm. The girl was quick to follow his instructions, far too eager in her desire to please him. Kayla always picked the most suited for his tastes. He stroked her short strands of silky black hair as the tightness in his groin built. She showed him the respect he deserved, laving her pink tongue over his cock. Suckling him with wild desperation while she cowered in fear on her knees at his feet. With a hard groan he finished, thrusting his plump head in and out of her mouth as he shot his release down her throat. She willingly swallowed every drop of him and lapped up the bit that dribbled over her chin.

Clutching her hair mercilessly in his fingers, he yanked her to her feet and twisted her head to the side with a hard jerk. He bit down, sating his other primal need. She gasped and writhed in his grip. But, knew better than to cry out. He took enough to weaken her. But, not so much that she lost consciousness. This was just the beginning of her pain. He'd make her wish she'd never offered to take Kayla's place in his bed.

He was quite the literalist. And when she'd so willingly dropped to her knees and offered to take Kayla's place, she'd take it in all things, including Kayla's punishment. He dragged her to his bedroom by the nape of the neck and threw her on the bed. Undressing he watched her cower in the center of the black silk comforter. Sliding his leather belt from the loops of his sacks, he wound it around his fist and beckoned to her with his index finger to crawl to him of her own freewill.

She hesitated, which was a bad mistake. Roark grabbed her by the ankle and hauled her to him. She resisted, just a twitch of the ankle and a reflexive jerk. It seemed he'd underestimated her and she had a bit of fight left after all. Good. He liked breaking the ones that had something to live for most of all. He forced her onto her belly and spread her thighs, burying his length into her with one ruthless thrust of his hips. This one he would teach to fully appreciate him. This one would never leave him, until the day she died. He'd make sure of it.

Chapter 10

Lori sat in the rec room watching TV to pass the time till her recipient showed up. She had been pigging out all day on ice cream. But, just to be extra sure she didn't pass out and look like a total dork, she slugged down a heavily sugared can of soda for good measure. Maybe, it was the sugar kicking in that caused her to bounce nervously on the couch cushions. Or maybe it was that she really was nervous in a hyperactive, excited kind of way. Who would it be? All the fanged at the compound seemed to be hooked up with a donor. And she couldn't think of anybody who didn't already have someone.

A blush heated her cheeks and her heart raced. Bryce and Lance were pretty new to the compound. Maybe, it was one of them. Hell, she'd give Robbie back the remainder of her day's pay for the privilege of feeling Bryce or Lance's lips on her skin. They were both drop dead gorgeous. Bryce was more her type. Tall, dark, and handsome. But, Lance wasn't anything to sneeze at in the looks department either. Could a girl get that lucky? Ok, so it wasn't like they were going to make out. And her duty here was strictly business. But, a girl could hope, couldn't she? Lori's mouth dropped open as Keene entered the room. "I'm feeding you?"

Lori snorted and scoffed under her breath. She considered it poetic justice. Especially since earlier today, on the very same couch, he'd dismissed her as an appetizer. Hilarious. She should refuse. Make him starve. He didn't think she was strong enough to feed him. Ha. Ha. Somebody ring the dinner bell, please. What Dane said went. And she happened to be the only special on the menu. Nobody turned down a free meal these days. And Keene was about to find out that she could provide him with more than enough.

Keene shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He'd been given instructions that a donor was in the rec room waiting for him to arrive. He expected a large male or someone sturdier than the tiny waif that sat on the couch. "There must be some mistake," he said, turning on his heel to search for his host. He could accidentally hurt her. She was so fragile and small. Although the deer had taken the edge off his appetite, he was still hungry.