Dawn's Path: Completed Work

And this was the life Janine wanted. And the one he had agreed to give her. Frozen in time. Shying from the sunlight. Hiding in dark shadows. And dying to everything she'd ever known and loved. Patrick had spotted the notebook she kept tucked away in her hip pocket. He wasn't trying to be nosy. Ok, so he was a little curious. And he'd flipped through the pages. She'd recorded everything. At least what she thought was important. Everything, a hundred years from now, long after she forgot what it was like to be human, she needed to remind herself that she had been. This was the promise he'd made. Not that she didn't have to die sometime in the future. Just that she didn't have to do it so soon.

Her carefully cataloged notes were evidence of her trust in him. She expected to wake up, changed but never changing, living but not technically alive. What she'd asked condemned them both to an eternity of sameness in a world that changed while they did not. Time would no longer have any meaning. And in stealing that from her, he would commit the greatest atrocity of them all.

Dane and John Mark were on the mat, as Patrick suspected they would be. A little physical activity and a good skull cracking would hone his focus. This was what he lived for. And the reason, even after all the wrongs he'd done, he kept on going. Janine was his world. But, this was his life. The man he was deep in his core. The brotherhood he'd served so faithfully did far more for him than he'd ever done for them. They'd kept him alive when all he wanted to do was die. He'd lay down his life for his brothers and the humans they vowed to protect. He'd risk his soul for Janine. But, his life belonged to them.

Patrick grinned cockily and stepped to the edge of the mat. Dane and John Mark both were big sons of bitches, meaty and muscled walls of flesh and bone. A damn lethal force when the occasion called for it. But, he wasn't exactly a pansy. He could hold his own against any brother. His size made him easy to underestimate. His physical appearance was deceptive. Far too often he'd bested an opponent simply because his young, pretty face lent to the perception of inexperience. He was fast on his feet. And he could deliver a hell of an ass kicking on a brother twice his weight. And tonight, proving it was exactly what he needed.

John Mark broke free of Dane's headlock and grinned wickedly at Patrick. Standing at the edge of the mat, looking so innocent and harmless, Patrick bowed. The wiry son of a bitch wanted to go a few rounds. John Mark returned the bow and gestured widely to the mat in invitation. A good ass kicking might do the cocky son of a bitch some good. Get his mind off things.

Tomorrow night would be a strange turn of events for all of them. The brothers had spent so much energy and time protecting Janine from their baser natures. The woman was a constant source of temptation, a meal in stiletto heels. She had a knack for getting herself in trouble and for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The scent of her human blood or maybe it was just her non-stop talking that drove some of the younger vampires to the brink. After tomorrow night, they wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. Ironically, they'd be protecting everyone else from her.

Baby vampires were difficult to control and their appetites voracious. And somehow, John Mark couldn't visualize Janine stalking through the woods in a designer outfit and stiletto heels hunting prey. Like all newborns, she'd come with her own set of challenges. And luckily, the duty of babysitting her, of keeping her from sucking the entire town dry, fell primarily on Patrick's shoulders. John Mark had seen the damage she could do with a charge card. And he could not imagine, didn't want to think about what she'd do with a pair of fangs. Patrick was going to be busy for a long damn time.

Dane bowed to Patrick and cracked the bones in his neck, realigning them. John Mark had a damn near unbreakable stranglehold. And it'd taken everything he had to slip free. Sparring was fun no matter who the opponent. And besting John Mark was a true testament to his abilities. His second and he were too evenly matched. Dane had trained Lucien. And even in death, Lucien still lived on in the knowledge he'd passed down to John Mark.

Patrick was eager to get on with the fight. His toes curled against the canvas of the mat. His grin was eager. Dane understood Patrick on a level few others did. Tonight wasn't about fighting or burning off excess energy. Tonight was about forgetting what he had to do tomorrow. And not just for Patrick, but for all of them. They all loved Janine. She brought out the best in them, and sometimes, the worst. Janine was vivacious and so full of life. Out of all of them, she was the one that truly lived. Her love of life drew them to her and bound them there. And tomorrow night, that spark would die out. Dane had no doubt she'd survive the transformation. She was too damn stubborn not to. But, as for the Janine they knew and loved, that part of her would be changed forever. You couldn't stand on the other side of eternity and not be fundamentally different. You just couldn't.

Dane bowed to Patrick and to John Mark and took his place on the mat. Tonight they wouldn't spar. Tonight, they'd call on the ancients to lead their steps in the dance. Tonight, they'd find the strength to lead them through the bleak task awaiting them tomorrow.

Will set down his pool cue and motioned for his son to follow him to the gym. He felt the tug of the power, drawing him to the mat. Calling him to the dance. Coaxing him to add his strength to the steps. Inhaling deeply, he brought his son with him to the edge of the mat and hung back for a moment before joining in. The moves were a thing of beauty, synchronous and natural, flowing like water. They had danced this dance before. Father and son. Brother to brother. The movements were elemental and as natural as breathing, grounding and centering them, binding the individual members as a synchronous whole. Stripping their shirts and shoes, Will stepped onto the mat with his son to join in the ancient dance of the brothers.

Keene felt a stirring deep in his heart. He was planning to settle in on the couch and watch an old rerun. But, the pull was beyond ignoring and he followed it where it led. Bowing low, he took his place amongst his brothers. His movements flowing in sync to theirs, he added his strength to the dance.

Bryce cuddled next to Kayla. He was relaxed and fully sated after their marathon session. He heard the whispers of his brothers in the depths of his soul, calling him. Grabbing her hand and tossing her clothes at her, he impatiently waited while she dressed. As they approached the door, he pressed a finger to her lips silencing her questions before she could draw the breath to ask them. Pulling her forward, he kicked off his shoes and motioned for her to do the same. Gliding onto the mat he moved his limbs to the ancient dance, allowing the energy to flow through him and around him, binding him in the invisible tether that connected brother to brother.

Kayla watched silently, perched on the edge of the mat. The men danced, their movements flowing from pose to pose. She closed her eyes imagining the thread of pure strength that ran from body to body and from soul to soul. Tiptoeing onto the mat, she gave her body and her mind over to the ancient rhythm and let the energy command her body to dance the steps.

Lance pulled Angel to her feet. He'd felt the call. Sensed the energy. "Get dressed, I have something to show you." The compound was silent and deserted as they wound through the hallways, making their way to the gym. Pulled by the draw of the energy, the pure source of their power. He dragged her onto the mat. Placing one hand gently around her waist, he cupped her wrist in his hand and pressed her body against his guiding her in the steps of the dance. The energy flowing from brother to brother poured through Lance. Chasing away the negativity of the dark memories he shared with Angel. He absorbed the purifying light and conducted it, through his blood bond, into her.

Angel felt the tingle as the energy ran along her skin and dug deep into her soul. In her mind, she could hear the ancient beat, her heart pounding in rhythm to it. Her doubts and fears were washed away. Replaced with purity and love. She felt the love that Lance had for her and that each brother had for the other. Letting the force of it fill her and drive Roark into the darkest recesses of her mind, her limbs began to move independently from Lance's as she danced, releasing the energy and sending it back to its source.

The Shaman drew in the energy and returned it to his brothers. Moving his limbs he sent his voice up, chanting to their goddess and praying to their ancestors. Souls and bodies intertwined and moved as a singular unit, sharing the purifying energy, taking it in and passing it on. The power harnessed and conducted by the dance shimmered and flowed between the bodies in golden strands of light. The magic worked in the steps healed, it strengthened, and it bonded each of them together as one. After the dance ended the group stood in silence as he sent up a last offering of prayer and burned white sage, wafting it over the heads of the his brothers. The pungent smoke drifted in swirling plumes. The dance had taken what it needed. And it had given what it had to give.

Chapter 34

Janine's eyes frosted over with bliss as she combed the racks of clothes and piled Toby's arms with intended purchases. She approached shopping as she would a job, with respect, duty, and honor. But, she justified her exuberant spending by picking up something for everyone. At least that way it was fair. Patrick really shouldn't have given her carte blanche. So, it was his fault, actually, that she was burning through so much cash. Rationalization was so much better than shopper's remorse.

Not that she would know much about remorse. Hell, she didn't even bother to check the price tags. She saw something she liked and she went for it. She found things her friends needed and would never buy for themselves and the heap Toby obediently carted around for her grew and grew. She was doing her civic duty to the compound. If not for her, the whole lot of them would be happy to run around in tacky clothes from the Super Center. And that wasn't going to happen as long as she was around to prevent it.

So few people had a true appreciation for her talent. And it was obvious who could and could not see her vision. Alex tried. But, there wasn't a decent shopping bone in the woman's body. Candace kept nudging her toward the sale racks. But, who wanted last season's cast offs? Robbie hid out of sight, hoping to avoid her altogether. Starr and Sebastian had joined them, as promised. But, it was almost comical to see the pained expression on Sebastian's face as he endured their excursion to the women's section of the store.

Luckily, Janine had a few fans that shared her love of fashion. Starr approached shopping with the zeal of a kid in a candy store. Leigh was just happy to be away from the farm for a few hours. But, she had no fashion sense and Janine had needed to coach her on the finer things of life. Obviously, Alexander kept her on a tight budget and Leigh had put back most of what she'd picked out. Janine wouldn't hear of that. Leigh did so much for all of them. And she should have nice things. Silk instead of cotton. So, when Leigh wasn't looking, Janine had added the things she'd put back on the racks to the pile in Toby's arms.

One person Janine would never have to worry about was Anna. That woman knew how to spend money. And she did, with wild abandon. The brothers teased Toby about being whipped. Janine didn't see him that way. He was just smart. When Anna had 'died' he'd taken care to make sure she could provide for herself. He'd done some creative something or other on the computer and shuffled Anna's funds around so that she had access to her accounts. Not that she needed them. The brotherhood had plenty of money. But, still, it was nice to be able to take care of yourself.

Janine no longer had a checking account. She relied on Patrick and the brotherhood to provide for her needs. She wasn't a slouch and she did her part for the cause. She just hadn't planned well for her future and had no savings to speak of. The constant dangers of the world outside of the compound made it impossible to work. And after tomorrow night, she'd no longer technically exist anyway.

Toby would kill her on paper. Her feelings about it were ambiguous. She had to 'die' to live. It was just too macabre to plan your own death so she'd let Toby do it for her. He'd chosen her demise well enough, she supposed. She'd go down peacefully in her sleep thanks to an aneurysm. She had few friends from before. And the thought of the intricacies attached to dying, the funeral and the grave, were just too depressing. So, she'd told him to skip the particulars.

She'd have to lay low for a while. After tonight, it was online shopping for the next decade or two. The city was off limits. And Hanna's was a nice little place to shop to scratch an itch. But, Hanna's couldn't provide everything a girl needed. It was a risk that someone might recognize her. And considering she was supposed to be dead after tomorrow, she couldn't chance an excursion to the big malls in the city. Dane didn't allow travel too far from the brotherhood's territories. Especially, not for something he considered as frivolous as shopping. So, she'd have to endure her fanged exile to the world of point and click. It didn't matter anyway. Not really. What was a decade or two when you had centuries? And far too soon anyone who might remember her would be dead.

Tonight was about shopping, spending someone else's money, and having fun. Not dwelling on all the 'friends' who wouldn't take the time to mourn her or visit her non-existent grave. Everyone she cared about was here. And it just wasn't worth it to her to waste what was left of her human life thinking about anything beyond the task at hand. Tonight she was celebrating herself. And tomorrow, she died.

With the purchases neatly folded and bagged, handed off to Toby. Janine refused to look at the total tucked away the receipt in her handbag. Dane would not be happy she'd spent so much. And she didn't care. What was he going to do? Kill her? Not likely, considering she was already on death row. Forcing a smile she truly didn't feel, she led her entourage out of the store.

Damn it, she was still queen for the day. So, she got whatever she wanted. Right? And this queen was hungry. She pondered her last meal. Ugh, she didn't want to think in terms of firsts and lasts. But, how could she not? Tomorrow, she doubted if she'd be able to take a bite and keep it down. She'd be too nervous to think about food.

What did someone eat when they'd never eat again? Lobster? Steak? Caviar? Wasn't she supposed to crave some fancy, extravagant, ridiculously overpriced dinner? Her stomach balked in protest at the thought of her last meal being some pretentious affair. What she really wanted was some greasy comfort food, a cheeseburger and fries, maybe a chocolate shake. Most of her companions couldn't stand the smell of human food. They would pretend to eat and enjoy sitting in a restaurant crammed shoulder to shoulder with humans. If that was what she asked of them. Dining out was a uniquely human experience. And maybe, that was another reason why she'd insisted on dragging Leigh along. At least then she wouldn't have to eat her last meal alone.

Anna frowned as Janine tiptoed uncomfortably around the subject of food. Entering a restaurant, confined in close quarters with human beings, the smell of food, and pretending to eat, was too awkward for all but the stoutest of vampires to suffer through. The last meal was too important to skip. She would not allow Janine to settle for a pretzel and a coke from the food court. Janine was hiding her fear well behind a mask of a plastic smile. She had shopped and tittered her way through the uncertainty of what was to come. And her brave front was slipping with each dreaded tick of the clock.

Anna didn't have the aversion of food common to the others. She'd sit in front of a meal she didn't intend to touch and give Janine the comfort she needed to enjoy the last and perhaps one of the most important of human experiences she had left. "I know just the place," she chimed.

Everyone thought they knew what they'd eat for their last meal. Who hadn't thought about it at one time or another? Which delicacies they'd miss the most above all others? The answer wasn't as complex as it seemed. The lure of haute cuisine lost a certain something when it was the last meal you'd ever eat. Janine needed comfort food, greasy fries and a juicy burger. The pub around the corner from her old rental house was famous for such fare. Friendly and homey the atmosphere was as comfortable as a broken in pair of jeans. And the food never disappointed. She had taken Chance there the night before his transformation and he had left happily stuffed and grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Janine nodded in appreciation at the way Anna diffused her unease with the mere suggestion of the perfect place for the perfect last meal. Anna had been cooking for her since the day she'd sprouted fangs. And she knew Janine's likes and dislikes better than Janine knew them herself.

The pub wasn't one Janine had frequented when she'd lived in the city. Her old apartment building was located on the other side of town from the pub Anna recommended. A single girl did not take the train at night alone and Janine hadn't owned a car. Housing in the city came with a premium price tag and she'd had to choose between adding to her shoe collection and a vehicle. The shoes had won, naturally. She never ate dinner out by herself. And although Alex lived only a few blocks away and had a car, when the thing actually started, she was on a tighter budget than Janine was.

The kind of guys Janine had dated before Patrick and she became an item were all about impressing their way into her pants. She'd had plenty of expensive dinners in classy places with candlelight, soft music, and waiters in tuxes. Tonight, she wanted no part of a stuffy meal and pretentious people staring down their noses at her. A neighborhood pub filled with local people enjoying each other and the food fit the kind of mood she was in. "I like the way you think."

Sebastian trailed behind the chattering women and sniffed the air. He wasn't the only one that had caught the scent of a rogue nearby. Anna quickened her pace, hurrying Janine toward the SUV as she distracted her with small talk. Toby was shuffling the packages in his arms to free up a hand in hopes of reaching his cell phone to call for backup. Alex drew closer to her mother and wrapped an arm casually around her shoulders, steering her tightly into the protection of the group. Starr, his mate, matched his steps, nervously scanning the dark shadows for a sign of the rogue. And Robbie had unzipped her jacket, eyes narrowing as she palmed the dagger hidden at the small of her back.

Sebastian should have known there'd be trouble. He'd been tracking random rogues since his arrival in the city. And although Roark had thinned their ranks, their numbers abounded. As plentiful as they were though, he'd had yet to engage even one. The rogues stayed hidden, sticking to the shadows as they stalked the city's many dark places for prey. They didn't trust easily. Since Starr and he had been adhering to the Sons' dietary edicts, they no longer smelled like their brethren. They smelled of the brotherhood. And the same vampires he'd considered kin feared him. Nobody was talking. He had gathered not one piece of information about where the rogues hid and more importantly, about what they ate.