Dawn's Promise

Alex shook her head giggling, "I don't think I can handle another party like the last one." Anna and Janine had been so much more entertaining than all of the scantily clad male dancers combined. But, being crammed shoulder to shoulder in a room filled to maximum capacity had been too much for her.

Robbie squeezed Candace's hand hopefully. "Who knows, maybe you'll be next."

Anna grinned broadly. "Any excuse for a party works for me."

Candace stood from the table. "I'd better go and try to find my son. It's hard telling what kind of torment John Mark inflicted on him today," she said, searching for an excuse to gracefully end any conversation that would eventually end up about her love life.

Robbie lifted a sculpted auburn eyebrow curiously at Candace's abrupt departure. "I think someone's got cold feet," she whispered, conspiring with the women at the table.





Chapter 41

Chance reached the bluffs just as the sun sank in a downward trek into the western sky. He paused, noticing the man who stood the edge, very close to the steep drop off, preoccupied and pensive, peering out into the treetops down below. The man was dressed in a worn black hoodie and a pair of faded light blue jeans. Well-used tan hiking boots poked out from beneath the frayed hem of his jeans. His straight, raven's wing hair fell just to the tops of his shoulders. His bronze colored skin stood out in sharp contrast to the pristine white blanket of snow, covering the rocky ground. Chance had never seen the man before. But, he knew the man was a vampire. Cautious of all things fanged and unfamiliar, he kept his distance, choosing the southernmost peak of the range.

"The view is much better over here," the man said, turning his gaze from the range below to Chance.

"Oh," Chance replied causally. He didn't think he was in any danger. Besides, if the vampire wanted him dead, there really wasn't much he could do about it. But, he'd just as soon keep some space between them.

The man smiled knowingly. His brown eyes gleamed a tawny gold in the fading daylight. "Not really sure of who your friends are, are you? Don't worry, you're safe." The boy wasn't afraid of him, just wary.

Chance may be unsure of him. But, there was no trace of the acrid scent of fear in the air. The Great Father smiled, stepping back from the edge gesturing with his hand to wave the boy closer. So much like his father at their first meeting, Chance eyed him suspiciously and remained stubbornly planted in his spot.

"I like to come here and watch the town below. If you listen, you can hear the people. Listen in on the bustle and pace of their lives." He sidestepped as the boy edged closer. Eager to reunite with his brother, the Great Father had returned to the compound a few days earlier. Whatever business his brother, the Prophet, had yet to complete out west would have to wait until his business here was done.

"Sorry, I don't think I can hear them. Plain human," Chance said. Moving closer to the spot the man boasted had the best view. Warily watching him out of the corner of his eye, Chance sized him up. The man was easily two heads taller and about one hundred pounds heavier, pure muscle and power, so much power in his calm, confident stare that Chance could feel it zing along his skin leaving goose bumps in its wake.

The man threw back his head in laughter at Chance's admission. "I know."

Chance shot him a glance, frowning. There was no need to rub it in. He knew he was weaker and slower than the man. He looked out, his feet planted in the spot where the man had stood a few minutes earlier. He saw the brown, gray, and black peaks of roofs and the faint gray puffs of smoke wafting up out of the red bricked chimneys. He could see an occasional black ribbon of road winding through the landscape down below. "Nope, can't hear a thing. But, the view is amazing."

"You didn't come here for the view."

Chance shook his head. "Not really. I needed time to think."

The man smiled in that calm, knowing way of his. "Ah...the trials."

"Yeah." Chance turned to the man and wrinkled his brow in confusion. "How'd you know?"

The man shrugged nonchalantly, as if they were discussing the weather instead of his fate. "Word gets around."

"At first, I was in it for the challenge. But now, I've realized it means so much more." Chance shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, shivering against the chilly wind gusting up from the bluffs and sending puffs of loose snow swirling into the air.

"Yes, the life of a Son isn't without sacrifice. These are the lives we die to protect." The man pointed to the town below. The Great Father stepped closer. Close enough to stretch out a hand and touch Chance's temple. "Hear them," he whispered.

Chance flinched as the man's fingers made contact with his skin. He ground his teeth against the sudden influx of sound from the humanity below. Voices in a loud shout flooded his consciousness. "So many people," he gasped jerking away from the man's fingertips.

"Every life is sacred, The Great Father whispered. He walked away from Chance, leaving him standing in the dim of nightfall, alone. His brief contact with the boy had been enough to catch a glimpse of his heart. They would meet again. Soon.

Chance watched the man fade into the darkening wall of pine. He gasped for breath, clearing his spinning head. The man had given him a glimpse into the soul humanity with just a touch. The sound that had invaded his mind was one of life, the only thing worth fighting, sacrificing, and dying for.

Chance followed the trail through the shallow carpet of snow, walking back the way he'd come. His mind was made up. He was joining the band of vampires. Soon, he hoped. If he earned the right, he'd call them Brother. His main worry was, how to tell his mom.

Darkness fell fast around him, swallowing him whole. He sped up his pace eager to get back before he ended up getting lost in the wood. Voices carried on the cold night wind not far from the path drew his attention. He recognized Will's deep tenor and his mother's soft feminine laugh. He veered off the path, curious about what they were doing.

"Mom?" Chance shuddered in revulsion at her fangs, coated with the tacky red blood of the deer. He'd never seen her or any of the others hunt before. When she'd fed from him, he had been deep asleep, spellbound. Now he was getting a look at her true nature. The nature of what he intended to become.

"Hi baby, what are you doing out here?" Candace said, swallowing and self-consciously retracting her fangs.

Will withdrew from the deer licking the wounds closed and releasing the animal. Clumsily, the buck bounded off into the woods. "Hi, Chance," he said, closing his hand around Candace's to still her. He squeezed her tightly, hoping to reassure her. He knew Chance had seen them feeding. The look that plastered on his son's face said it all.

Chance shuffled uncomfortably. His breath formed white plumes into the night air. "Hi," he said weakly. He tried to hide his repulsion at what he'd seen, from his mother's watchful eye. "I was walking back to the compound and I thought I heard your voices."

"Yeah, just doing a little hunting," Candace replied, blushing.

"Yeah," Chance replied, shoving his hands deep in his pockets. He was at a loss for what to say, should he congratulate her for her hunting prowess or just pretend like he'd seen nothing at all? "It's sure getting cold out here." He shivered exaggeratedly. He smiled as her tiny arm snaked out, wrapping around his waist and pulling him close. No matter what she was still his mother and he still loved her. But, he didn't think he'd let her give him a peck on the lips, not for a long time.

Will fell into a casual pace beside Chance, his heart swelling with pride. Chance was a good kid. He hadn't faltered where others would have. "How are you holding up?" Will asked, clapping him on the back.

"Good, John Mark hasn't killed me, yet," Chance scoffed.

"He'd better not hurt my baby," Candace said, her voice gushing with motherly concern.

"Mom," Chance said in warning, utterly embarrassed. He was going to tell them about his encounter with the man on the bluffs, but thought the better of it. That moment was a private one, meant only for him. "I've been wanting to talk to you guys." Chance bit his lip, glancing at his mother out of the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction.

"Once we get inside and get you warmed up." Candace ordered. Not being sensitive to the cold was one luxury she enjoyed. But, even in the dark, she could see the redness spreading across Chance's cheeks. She had a pretty good idea of what Chance wanted to talk to them about. She could see it in his eyes. What was once uncertainty and hesitancy had solidified into hardened resolve. Her son had made his mind up. Hell or high water, even death, would not change it.

Chapter 42

Alex was the only one left. All the other women had moved on to do bigger and better things. She sat, enjoying the quiet, and the warmth of the mug wrapped in between her fingers. Lost in thought. She thought about her parents. By this time of night, her father was usually passed out in his recliner, dozing fitfully through the evening news. Her mother was probably straightening up her already immaculate kitchen, finishing the after supper clean up. Even though she saw them often, she missed being home with them. How had she ever survived the years in the city on her own? "You big baby," she grumbled aloud.

"What'd you say?" Chance asked, poking his head out of the refrigerator. He snagged onto the last plate of left over chicken, popping it into the microwave. Janine was always so worried over her weight. She'd probably thank him for doing her a favor.

Alex smiled across the room at Chance. Self consciously smoothing back her hair. "Oh, nothing. Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

Chance flashed her a perfect white smile that raised a blush to her cheeks. "You didn't hear me? Now that's a first." He retrieved the steaming dish from the microwave and sat at the bar separating the kitchen from the dining area. He'd seen his mother's aversion to food and he didn't want to chase Alex off. Although she was very quiet and more than a little distant sometimes, he enjoyed her company and he hated to eat alone. He jabbed the chicken with his fork, popping a bite into his mouth and chewing. "Perfect. "I hope Anna stays," he said, washing down the spicy mixture with a big gulp of ice water. "I can't cook to save my soul. Do you think she will?"

Alex chuckled at the speed in which Chance devoured his plate. "I didn't realize we were starving you."

"You're not," Chance said, swallowing down another mouthful. "I hate microwave dinners. Before, mom always cooked, but now...that aint happening." He grinned up at Alex and scraped bits of sauce off the plate with the last morsel of chicken speared on his fork. "I guess I'm going to have to learn how to cook."

"Have you decided to stay human?"

"I haven't passed the trials yet," Chance reminded her.

"But, you will," Alex interjected. "You won't need to learn how to cook."

"It'll happen that fast?"

"Yes," she answered.

"How will it happen?" Chance dropped his dirty dish in the dishwasher and walked across the kitchen to sit next to her at the dining room table. No one had told him the particulars of how the change would take place. And as much as he didn't want to know the down and dirty technicalities of how it would happen. With a morbid fascination, he actually was curious.

"You should probably ask John Mark or Dane," Alex replied softly. She was hesitant to talk about it, not wanting to break his concentration this late in the trials. He'd find out soon enough anyway.

"No, I want you to tell me. Can't you tell me?"

Alex sighed and went into a vague description of how a human was transformed into a vampire. "As a part of the ceremony, the Great Father will drink from you and you will drink from him."

"Is that how it was for you?" Chance asked. Alex shifted uncomfortably in the chair and rubbed her fingers over her wrists, trailing them up to her neck.

Alex shook her head and stared at the half-moon scars on her wrists. "Sort of. The brothers changed me. But it is different for you. For those destined to be warriors. The Great Father always leads the ceremony."

"Did it hurt?" Chance's mind reeled and his stomach turned at the thought of drinking blood. And he was no lover of pain. But, he had to know.

Alex smiled bitterly and nodded her head. "That's part of the ritual."

Chance gulped frowning. "Sounds great, I can't wait."

Alex gripped his wrist tightly with her fingers. He looked a little green and she wasn't sure if he was going to puke up the plate of garlic chicken he'd wolfed down so voraciously. "Are you certain this is what you want? Once you've chosen, you can never go back." A part of her wanted him to be afraid, to choose his humanity instead, and to stay safe.

"Do you regret it? The choice you made?" Chance's voice was low and soft. He lifted his eyes from her freckled fingers so pale in contrast to his tanned skin and looked up into her brown eyes, searching for her answer in their depths.

"No, only that Lucian isn't here to share it with me." She sighed, "Forever is a very long time." She blinked against the tear, sliding down her cheek, flinching as his warm fingers reached out to brush it away.

"You loved him a great deal," Chance said gently. He dropped his hand, rubbing the salty moisture of her tear in between his fingertips. Slowly, he reached out and leaned forward, pulling her into an embrace.

"He was my life." Alex closed her eyes. Chance's touch sent a jolt of fire through her body, stirring thoughts that she believed to be forever extinguished. She had resolved herself to a life of chaste loneliness while she waited for time to pass until she was reunited with Lucian on the other side. She vowed never to love another the way she'd loved him. Confused by the unfamiliar sensation of another man's arms around her and shocked by her reaction, she pulled out of Chance's embrace.

"I'm sorry." Chance said softly. He didn't mean anything by the hug. She looked like she needed one and he'd only wanted to reach out to comfort her. "I didn't...,"

Alex held up a hand to silence Chance. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Standing, she gathered her mug and retreated to the kitchen. Rinsing her mug, she pretended not to notice Chance pass her on his way to the hall. He paused and pursed his lips to say something. Then decided not to. Probably better that way. She wasn't about to consider losing her heart to another warrior. She couldn't take the risk that one day he'd go out on patrol or be pulled into a battle and never come back just as Lucien had.











Chapter 43

Chance was too wound up for sleep. Tomorrow was the final day of the trials and he had no idea of what to expect from John Mark next. A thousand different scenarios ran though his mind, each one more grueling and terrifying than the next. So far he'd been almost frozen to death, dropped off a log into sub zero water, steamed like a lobster, damn near castrated with a paintball gun, and mind fucked at least a dozen times. What else could there be? And for all his brushes with death, he still had to face his mother and tell her his plans. If John Mark didn't somehow manage to finish him off, she probably would.

Determined to relax, he filled the tub with steaming hot water and clicked on the jets. Vampires knew how to live it up. Chance had to give them that much. A luxurious tub like this was something his mom could have never afforded on her salary. Slowly, his mind unraveled, his muscles uncoiled and he drifted off to sleep.

Chance gasped as rough hands shoved him under the water and pulled him up by the roots of his hair. Chance coughed and sputtered as he struggled to focus on the big warrior looming over him.

"Enjoying a late night soak, princess?" John Mark teased. He'd come by to check up on the kid and found him drooling in the tub. Damned kid was going to drown before he ever made it to the last trial.

Chance laughed as soon as he could catch his breath. "Hell, I'm beginning to think you like the view," he rattled off, snatching a washcloth to cover his bits.

John Mark snorted at Chance. "Tomorrow is it boy. By this time tomorrow night you'll have passed the trials or be in the ICU. You'd better rest up, cutie pie. And get out of that damned tub before you drown," he barked.

"What will it be? Climb Everest blind folded? Walk across hot coals? What?" Chance rolled his eyes, how many other forms of physical torture could John Mark concoct?

"You'll find out, sweetie. We'll see what you're really made of. How's a round of hand to hand sound against Dane, Will, Patrick, and," John Mark patted his chest, "Yours truly sound?"

"That's it?" Chance scoffed, trying to sound nonchalant. "Too easy. Kicking your ass will be my pleasure." He watched as John Mark sauntered off. Chance was betting on getting to know the ER staff real well. Maybe, he'd get a pretty nurse to give him his sponge baths. His mind raced with solutions. One human guy against four vampires? There had to be a way to take them down and he had less than twelve hours to find it.

Chance poured through thick leather bound volumes, searching randomly for some kind of a clue that would help him. Vampires had to have a weakness. But, unfortunately, it wasn't like he could search the Internet for the answers he needed. The words on the pages blurred in his sleep heavy eyes. He stifled a yawn as Alex quietly slid in through the library's open door.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" she asked, frowning at the weary hazel eyes staring up at her. Chance sat with his feet propped up on a heavy stack of hardbound books. Books that contained volumes of lore, story after story filled with Native American myths and legends. His head rested against one of the sides of the red silk upholstered wingback chair as he skimmed sleepily through the ragged book on his lap.

"I could ask the same of you," Chance retorted. He was tired and his patience with skimming through story after story of legend was wearing thin.

Alex shot a condescending smile at him. "You know, I'm somewhat of an expert in Native American lore. Maybe I could help." She slid the book out from under his fingertips and flipped through the pages.

"I doubt it," Chance replied, shaking off the dragging feeling of malaise that was pulling him under. "I've been at this for hours."

Alex sat in the wingback across from him and primly crossed her legs at the ankles. "Try me."

Chance sighed, "Tomorrow I'm going to get my ass handed to me unless I can figure out a way to beat the brothers." He snickered, "I thought I was a pretty big guy, able to handle about anything that came my way. But compared to the brothers, I'm a little scrawny weakling. Hand to hand against a vampire. How can I possibly hope to win? Unless I can find a weakness, I'm going to be visiting the ER or maybe the morgue."

Alex ran her hand through the crimson locks of her hair. "Remember, they were human once. Every one of them but Patrick went through the trials and beat their opponents. Its not impossible."

"But how?" Chance shifted in his chair. Alex had a point, John Mark and Dane had gone through the trials, faced the same challenges he was going to face in the morning. How had they done it?

Alex cocked her head in thought. She couldn't tell him exactly what to do. That would be too much like cheating. But, she could give him some advice. "By now you've been around us long enough to realize a few simple facts. Daylight doesn't burn us. Crosses don't repel us. Stakes through the heart do nothing but piss us off. And garlic, just plain stinks. You've seen our strength, speed, and agility with your own eyes. But, there is a way."