Dawn's Promise

"How can you sit there and watch them put their hands all over our women?" Patrick huffed. He snagged a dark amber glass off the server's tray sniffing at the strong smell of whiskey and amaretto. "How can you let them drink this?" He shot a glare at Toby, who sat casually, grinning knowingly as he watched the women gravitate around the four men.

"Relax," he said, slipping the glass from Patrick's hand. "They're just getting warmed up. It gets worse, much worse. As for the men, look at them. They may be starting a little sizzle," he smiled slyly, "but guess who's got the equipment to put out the fire."

Patrick scoffed, not amused by Toby's casual observation and ducked. A bra flew over his head and landed on his shoulder. "Now I understand why we drew straws." He threw the lacy scrap of fabric back into the fray of screaming women. "What kind of shape are they going to be in?"

Toby shook his head as Janine and Anna wobbled back to the table arm in arm and grabbed another drink off the tray. Janine held on to Anna, keeping her balance as she shimmied out of her shoes and flopped them on the table. "Bad, my brother, very bad."

"So, what'd you get her for Valentine's Day?" Toby asked Patrick casually. He'd tried to help his brother out, directing him to web page after web page overflowing with engagement rings. But, Patrick wouldn't hear of it. Insisting that he and Janine had a great relationship and that he didn't need to give her a ring to prove it, he ignored his advice. What else could a friend do? Patrick might not think Janine wasn't interested in marriage. But Janine, he was almost certain, thought differently.

"Don't worry," Patrick said, kicking back in his chair smugly. "I've got it covered." He had no doubts about the present he'd picked out. Janine was going to love it.

"Alex, loosen up," Leigh said, dragging her daughter onto the makeshift dance floor.

"Mom. I don't want to dance."

"Well at least pretend to have fun," Leigh chastised. Alex had been sitting in the corner like a bump on a log since the party began. Leigh was beginning to get concerned over her daughter's apparent lack of interest in having fun, in the opposite sex, and in life in general. She seemed stuck in a rut and deeply depressed. While Leigh understood the cause for Alex's grief, no amount of grieving or self-sacrifice would ever bring Lucien back. Alex needed to learn to live again. She grabbed her daughter's hand and planted it on the butt check of one of the dancers. "Here feel these buns."

"Mom!" Alex gasped in shock. Jerking her hand away from the oiled flesh, she blushed in embarrassment. She had been thinking of butts, for more than a week now, one butt in particular, Chance's. She couldn't seem to get him out of her mind. He'd looked good before the change, but now. She shivered in delight thinking about how he'd looked standing naked under the pale glow from the moonlight up above the night of his transformation. Breathtaking. Thinking of him, of his body, somehow it made her feel like she was cheating, betraying Lucien's memory. Once her mother was fully occupied with Anna, Janine, and the scantily clad dancer hell bent on extracting a big tip, she slipped off the dance floor and back to her seat.

*******

Chance and Will tracked the great cat through the snow-covered terrain stealthily. The cat was majestic, a true ruler of his domain, powerful muscles coiled beneath his tawny fur, ready to spring into action at the first sign of danger. Chance crouched, waiting for his window of opportunity before he leapt charging at the animal landing firmly on its back driving his fangs in releasing a thick rush of sweet sustenance into his mouth.

The warriors sated with blood from their hunt loaded their gear. The drive back would take the remainder of the night. There was plenty of time to get back for the sunset wedding. But at his insistence, they were heading back early. Dane felt the buzz of danger running through his veins. Something wasn't right. He couldn't tell what, but being so far from the compound set him on edge.

******

By one in the morning the dancers called it quits and the party began to wind down to its last few stragglers. Janine sat sandwiched between Leigh and Anna. The three of them shared a light pink, frothy drink, sipping lightly from the straw relishing the sweet, fruity taste. "Come on girls, its time to get you home," Toby said, pulling Anna to her feet.

Janine hopped up, squeezing her aching feet back into her pumps looking expectantly at Patrick. "It's officially Valentine's Day, What'd you get me!" She had a nice buzz going, pleasantly tipsy; an offering of something gold and shiny would truly make her night.

"I'm not telling. You'll have to wait," Patrick teased, helping her wiggle into her coat.

"Aw come on," Janine pouted, snatching up the last two bottles of beer off the table. "For the road," she said, handing one to Anna.

"Nah, I'm good, really good." Anna set the bottle back on the table. Her head was spinning as it was. She didn't want to spend the rest of the night and most of the next day hung over. "I didn't get you anything for Valentine's Day," she whispered to Toby with a hint of panic in her voice.

Toby grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I didn't get you anything either." Her present was wrapped up tight, waiting for her back at the compound.

Anna sighed relieved and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're the best boyfriend ever."

"Oh my GOD! You guys are finally official!" Janine bounced, hugging Anna.

"Did I say that aloud?" Anna asked, looking at Toby for confirmation.

"Sure did," Toby replied with a sly grin. Mentally he struck a point for himself.

"What I meant was..." Anna was stopped mid sentence by Toby's lips pressing lightly against hers in a soft gentle kiss.

"I'm the best boyfriend ever," Toby said finishing her words and tasting the sweetness of her lips. He felt that he'd made major headway tonight he wasn't about to let her back out on it now.

Anna blushed looking away. "Yeah."

"I'm going to take mom home. I'll catch up with you later," Alex said as she navigated her giggling mother to the exit. "Mom, you really can't keep the g string for a souvenir, what will dad say?"

"Say? Hell I'm going to make him wear it!" Leigh teased, swinging the scrap of tiger print fabric on her finger. A roll of laughter filled the room behind them as they left.

The drive home was filled with lilting feminine giggles from the backseat. The women whispered softly amongst themselves as Patrick navigated the SUV along black stretches of highway. He hoped his guess was right and he'd gotten Janine what she'd wanted for Valentine's Day, gauging by their conversation, he wasn't so sure.

He shot a glance over to Toby. Toby shrugged his shoulders shooting him an "I told you so" look. Who could know what was truly in a woman's heart? Sometimes, a guess was all a guy had. Janine never tell him what it was she truly wanted. That was the only thing he knew for certain.

Candace wiped oil from the dancers' skin off her face and wrinkled her nose at the lingering scent of cheap cologne on her clothes. She sat in the back, stuffed in between Janine and Anna. Drunkenly, the two women leaned heavily on her shoulders. Anna snickered and Janine babbled incessantly about the magic of Valentine's Day and weddings. Nervousness niggled at the back of her mind. Tomorrow was her wedding day. The day she'd dreamed about since she was a little girl.

The male dancers meant nothing to her. They hadn't even managed to make her pulse race one little bit. Will was the only man who made her heart beat wildly crazy. His kiss was the only kiss she craved. Janine was a stickler for the old superstition about not seeing the bride until the wedding. She'd be watching her like a hawk until it was time. Besides, Will was off enjoying his last night as a single man. Had Chance arranged a similar party for him? The thought left her seething in jealousy. Quickly, she pushed it out of her mind and counted the hours till tomorrow.

*******

The sun peeked lazily over the horizon by the time Dane pulled up the hidden drive and into the garage. Nothing seemed amiss, there were no strange smells to warn him, and nothing was out of place. Perhaps, his internal radar was off kilter. He needed to spend some time deep in meditation today, get in contact with his inner self, and sort through his feeling of unease. He nodded to the men and walked into the compound, taking careful inventory of his surroundings.

Will, sated by the hunt started down the hallway toward his room and then remembered, he couldn't go in there. Janine was very specific about where he'd be sleeping today, and it wasn't with Candace. He couldn't see his bride until tonight on the bluffs. Knowing Janine, she probably had the door to his room booby-trapped to keep him out. No one wanted to deal with Janine. Once she sunk her teeth into something she held on like a terrier. He passed the closed door and went to Chance's room. Any day he got to spend with his son was a good one. And today was the best day of all. He'd been waiting for this day for twenty years. Dreaming of it. And finally, his dream was coming true.

Chapter 62

Janine bounced out of bed, eager to start the day. She had so much to do. After showering and washing her hair, she noticed the tiny diamond studs resting in her earlobes. He'd done it. Bought her something glittery and gold. Her heart sank in disappointment. It wasn't that the earrings weren't pretty. They were. They weren't what she'd hoped for though. She wanted a ring, an engagement ring, and a promise to love her forever. Quickly, she forced the thoughts into the back of her mind. Patrick would pick up on them. And she didn't want anything to ruin Candace's special day. Hopping onto the bed, she showered Patrick with kisses. "Thank you, Patrick, thank you."

"I'm glad you like them," he replied. He could sense the happiness radiating off of her in waves. She loved his gift, just like he knew she would. But, there was something hidden behind her exuberance. A sense of sadness or disappointment beneath her happy façade, maybe it was just the wedding. She always cried at weddings. And she'd been working non-stop to make this day special for Candace. "Happy Valentine's Day, Janine."

Janine rested her chin on Patrick's chest and forced a wide smile. Maybe, she'd get what she wanted later. There was always her birthday to hope for. "Happy Valentine's Day, Patrick. I love you."

He didn't know why. But, those three words made him cringe. She shouldn't love him. He had nothing to offer her. Baubles and dim promises that faded to dust in the light of day were the best he had. He couldn't love her. Not when it meant eventually losing her. He bent and kissed the tip of her nose, opening his arms to release her.

******

"Toby, can you run a systems check? Go through everything, every e-mail, every

phone transmission, every piece of circuitry and electronic system. Everything and let

know if anything turns up?" Dane couldn't shake the feeling. He'd paced the compound all day and came up with nothing of significance. But, still the niggling worry in the back of his mind grew from a whisper to a shout.

"What's shakin' boss?" Toby asked, frowning.

"I don't know," Dane said. He left the tech room and made his way back to his study. He couldn't shake his growing sense that things weren't as they seemed. Rounding the corner, he saw Neil slouched against the wall, waiting for him. Dane did not like this man. There was something in his innocuous smile that left him cold. "Come in," Dane said, opening the office door.

"How was the hunting trip?" Neil asked. He followed Dane into the office and stood to the left of the wingback chair flanking his desk. Dane sat in his chair behind the desk and eyed him curiously.

"Fine, just fine. How'd everything go here?" Dane asked. His internal alarm was going off full tilt now, had been ever since the man stepped into his office. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Neil shifted his weight nervously, clutching his hand to his side. Last night he gathered valuable pieces of information about the brotherhood. Primarily, where the weapons were stored. One day in the gym and he knew he'd never be one of them. He'd never be good enough to fit the bill. He saw what the brothers did to rogues. His friends, that night on the battlefield, died because they weren't good enough, in the brother's viewpoint, to save. Neil meant to set things right. Take out their leader and usher in a wave of chaos, splintering the strength of the brotherhood and open the door wide for those like him. Why should the brothers be the only ones to live in luxury and safety? What about everybody else? Weren't they entitled to the same?

Kore, his now dead mistress, was a sadistic bitch. But, she was right. The brothers had to be stopped. And she'd taught him well. Assured him that a bullet to the brain would kill even the strongest of immortals. He was about to find out. It didn't matter if it worked or not, he probably wouldn't live long enough to see the result. The brothers would cut him down. But, not before he got rid of their leader. Ultimately, that was all that mattered.

Along the way, they'd run into small bands of strays. Homeless, terrified, and victimized, by the brothers and bigger bands of rogues, who true to their nature, preyed on the weaker strays. Their options were limited. Hide or spend the rest of your existence bowing to the powerful, cruel rogue masters. Neil had been doing that his whole life, groveling at the feet of the stronger, cowering and sniveling, playing a game he could never hope to win.

There were too many others out there like him, hiding in the shadows, suffering and barely getting by in squalid conditions, afraid to make themselves known and live the life they should be entitled to, because of the brothers, and they deserved better. This one act, his sacrifice, would level the playing field considerably. Put the odds more in his favor. And wasn't it better to be remembered as a martyr for the cause than to not be remembered at all? "I'm not much of a warrior, that you know. But I'm a hell of a good shot. That I'll bet you didn't know." Neil pulled the pistol he'd stolen from the weapons locker, a compact beauty of cold, oiled, black steel, out of the waistband of his jeans and pulled the trigger.

"But I'm faster," Alex said, releasing a blade. The sword struck running through Neil's throat pinning him to the door. Without hesitation she pulled the sword free and swung it broadly, drawing the lethally sharp edge across his neck separating his head from his body. His body fell with a hollow sounding thud lifeless against the tiled floor. His blood pooled in a puddle beneath him.

Last night after tucking her mother safely into bed, she'd walked home hoping the cold snowy night would help to clear her head. During the walk, a vision came, sending her to her knees. She saw it, Dane laying dead his blood flowing from a bullet hole in the center of his forehead. Dead. She saw Neil point the gun to his temple and pull the trigger, killing himself before the warriors had a chance to kill him. By the time she'd awakened, dawn was rising in the sky. There wasn't time to warn Dane or the brothers. She ran.

Dane sank back in his chair, flinching as the bullet worked its way free from his shoulder. "Luckily, he wasn't that good of a shot after all. Thank you, Alex," he rasped. "How did you know?"

She heard the heavy footfalls of boots down the hall behind her and loud male shouts growing closer. Her hands trembled, the sword in her hand vibrated, dripping blood onto Chris's tile floor. Alex wavered on her feet. She'd never taken a life before. And never anticipated that she'd have to put the hours of training John Mark heaped on her head to use. Disdainfully, she wiped the blood staining her blade clean on the back of Neil's t-shirt. "I didn't. But Kokumthena did."

*****

Dusk fell across the landscape. Despite the day's events, Dane insisted that the wedding take place as scheduled. But, the dark cloud of threat hung heavily over all their heads. It seemed none of brothers were destined to know peace. A war they prayed was over, still raged on.

Candace held her head high, walking into the center of the circle of people familiar to her. She was saddened by Neil's death and heartbroken that she had led him here, unknowingly endangering the people she cared about the most. It was no longer just Chance and she. But, a whole community of people she called family. Her heart sang as Will looked down at her, his brown eyes glowing with love. "Ni-haw-ku-nah-ga, you are my wife."

She returned his smile, looking up at him. "Ni wahisu, you are my husband." Her heart pounded as Dane drew the dagger across her palm adding her blood to mingle with his and Will's. She drank when the cup was passed from Will to her. Swallowing the sweet mix of lives combined as one. She lifted her face, eagerly meeting Will's lips as Dane and the others chanted over them, praying to the ancestors and the spirits for their longevity, prosperousness, and happiness.

After a beautiful ceremony on the moonlit, windswept bluffs, and the very posh reception carefully planned by Janine, Candace smiled, turning her back to the assembly and casually tossed the bouquet over her shoulder. It didn't matter who caught the flowers. She only hoped that the lucky lady who did would find the same happiness that she had. She chuckled gleefully as Will scooped her up and carried her through the woods, anxious to get the honeymoon started.

Alex, Janine, and Anna stood in a loose triangle, watching the colorful mix of flowers sail through the velvet star swept sky. None of them leapt to catch the bouquet as it tumbled to the snowy ground. None of them were willing to beat out the other for the prize. They watched as the bouquet landed in the snow, sending a spray of brightly colored petals free from the blossoms. Laughing, the three of them bent to pick up the tattered pieces of the bouquet, their fingers locking around the fragile blooms, lace, and ribbon.

The three women ran to the edge of the bluff, giggling as they sent the bouquet sailing through the air, disappearing into the jagged pines below. Who got married next, if any of them did, was unimportant. What mattered, what was really important, was their friendship. No matter who was next or what came at them, they'd handle it together. Supporting each other through the good and the bad. Sisters forever. Arms wrapped around each other, they joined the party, celebrating life, friendship, love, and new beginnings.