New Kingdom: Australian Court Ch. 02

She knelt to the ground wrapping her arms around herself. Searching her mind for something to control her panic, she found herself repeating those words that she could imagine her father saying.

"Use your senses. Use your senses. Use your senses," she whispered.

She closed her eyes and, again, felt the light behind her lids. She turned to her left and right but the light faded. Slowly she stood reaching inside until she was now able to calmly breathe. Moving slowly, she stepped forward closer to the compelling light, heat and fresh air.

***

Alena stood behind Gabriel as he silently communicated with his brothers. Each party had stopped for a break not because they needed the rest but because they needed to evaluate their plan. Conlaoch's group had met resistance when they reached the Bush. While the locals had known of Conlaoch and appreciated the control he had once reigned over his people, they were not about to allow them access into their town. He had talked with their officials until he was confident that Abigail had not crossed their boundary line.

"How can you be certain?" Gabriel asked.

"The newborns in the land cannot tolerate the day so these people guard their land at night. They had requested help from me but I hadn't understood what they needed. These newborns....they're unlike anything I've ever seen."

"Monsters," Edward interjected. "I've seen them crawl out of the ground like worms."

"I wish it was just that," Conlaoch answered. "The officials told me that these newborns take to the skies like birds of night. Bats. And they feast on humans. Jesus, Gabriel, they've been taking children."

"Killing?"

"No. Worse. They are changed and then return to the community to take more children. One man had to kill a newborn that had once been his son."

"Do you think any have passed through without their knowledge?" Gabriel asked.

"No, I can't feel any vampires. Including Abigail. But I'm leaving some of my men behind to guard the line until I can send Alex back. He can help them. They will let him help them. We'll move back and meet with you."

"Sounds good. We've reached the mountains but I can't feel her here."

"Gabe," Alena said when she could tell her mate had broken connection with the others. "Do they know anything?"

"Only by process of elimination," he answered without turning to her. "Edward and Tec will continue their path. Conlaoch will meet with us. She's here but I can't feel her."

"Then we'll find her," Alena stated. "She's smart and you're smarter."

"If that were the truth, she wouldn't have been taken. We take one step forward and get thrown ten backwards."

"It happened," she said walking around to face him. "We'll find her and it will never happen again."

"Remember when I joked about a convent? Well, it's no joke now," he replied with a grin. "I didn't realize how fast she would grow. She should have been trained but she became an adult within days."

"That was easy to miss," Alena argued. "She was hardly acting like an adult yesterday evening, sulking, refusing to eat ..."

"And that worries me. She will need to feed soon."

"You don't think she will ....? Gabe, she won't."

"You don't know. She's young. Untrained. And hungry. I keep hoping that she will use her senses."

"But?"

"But that will push her to seek relief for her hunger."

***

Alex had kept a steady pace through the morning. As the afternoon quickly approached, he had moved within the cover of the tress slowing his progress but saving him from the scorching sun. The comforts of coastal communities were far behind him and he was quickly moving through sparsely populated towns.

He had met friends along the way who would have gladly joined him in a hunt but quickly refused to assist in this rescue. Conlaoch's people were losing their hold quickly. Too many humans were dying or being turned into monsters. He sympathized with the dilemma because he had experienced their pain not too long ago.

He continued moving as the sun burned across the sky. As the Blue Mountains came into view, he circled the base to avoid the highly populated tourist attractions. Certainly she would not have been taken at night to be hidden away in some resort.

With a smirk, Alex remembered the reason she was in his country. Maybe she was here, holed up in some honeymoon suite with the other freak. As soon as he had formed the thought, he regretted it. She was hardly a freak. Neither was her brother. He knew that whatever had led her to this place, no matter how foolish, had been for a reason important to her.

Alex glanced at the sky and cringed when he realized how quickly the hours had passed. The sun had started its decent casting its final rays on the clouds above. The effect created a fiery image of orange, red, and yellow flames in the sky. He had never failed to appreciate the majestic scene before him but today, the scene reminded him that she was alone. And the protection of daylight was about to abandon her.

***

Abigail continued to move slowly through the darkness. Several times she had questioned the sanity of moving down a path based on heat, smell and a false sense of light. Just when she was ready to quit, she could hear her father encouraging her to use her senses. And she moved on.

She stepped softly knowing that her captors would not be able to resist the allure of fresh blood if she should cut her foot. After her first several steps, she had lost count of distant and time. She just kept moving. The light behind her lids suddenly grew brighter tempting her to open her eyes but she hesitated fearing the darkness that might greet her. She slowly moved ahead following the light, fresh air, heat and ..... him.

That sensation, that she felt only when he was near, started tingling in her fingertips. She took another step debating whether or not she had lost her mind but felt the jolt move through her arms. Losing control, her eyes flew open and she sought that source of excitement. The darkness was no long a black wall imprisoning her but was now a gray room lit by a small hole in the distance ahead. It took Abigail a few seconds to realize that she was staring at the source of light. It was the darkening sky. Had she really been taken from her room twenty-four hours ago?

She moved quickly running for the exit that promised freedom. In an instant, she dropped those skills that had led her this far and relied on her baser more human qualities. Racing to the light, she failed to hear the scuffle of someone approaching. Feet pounded on the rock and wings fluttered through the air. She was only two feet from the mouth of the cave when she finally heard her captors closing in behind her.

Stepping into the light, she stopped. Her bare toes dangled over the edge of a drop that seemed to have no bottom. Abigail quickly grabbed at the rocks behind her steadying her stance. The vampires rushing her had stopped at the line separating darkness from light. That line continued moving toward her as the sun lowered in the horizon. She searched for an escaped but found only the very steep and rocky terrain surrounding her. With her captors' restraint lasting only a few more minutes, she quickly decided to take her chances.

Before she started her daredevil escape, she grabbed the jagged rocks and screamed, "Alex!"

***

He jumped at the sound of his name. Instantly recognizing the voice, he raced forward looking at the steep incline before him. He knew it was foolish for him, a human, to be so close to these caves. But the sound of her voice and the panic that he heard in it, forced him to move on. He had already climbed the base of the mountain when she screamed but now, as the electric currents of her nearness moved through his body, he climbed forward like a madman.

Darkness had claimed the valley and was reaching him quickly. He glanced over his shoulder to verify that his faithful sword was sheathed and within easy reach. He would not be able to climb and hold it because both hands were needed to get up this damn mountain. The slope was only slightly less challenging than a wall.

When gravel fell into his path, he looked up to find Abigail two hundred feet above him. She was sliding down the hill on her backside clawing at the rocks with her hands and feet. Her pale pink robe was not protecting her against the rough terrain nor was it providing any cover for her modesty. He grabbed the rocks and moved faster feeling the burn in his muscles and lungs.

They were less than fifty feet apart when the mountain was suddenly cast into the eerie gray of twilight. The sun had abandoned them leaving them to defend for themselves against the night's predators. Alex knew that Abigail and he were no longer alone. The sounds had started several yards away but quickly moved closer. He knew the attack was coming and had less than a second to prepare.

Quickly unsheathing his blade, he impaled the first attacker but was unable to kill him instantly. The monster's claws slashed at him ripping a gash in his arm and chest. Alex withdrew the blade quickly and cut horizontally cleanly slicing through the flesh and bones of his attacker's neck. He kicked the headless body away and moved to another.

The remaining four were of the same ghostly color. One grabbed Abigail and three charged at him. Fortunately his injured arm was not the same that wielded his lethal blade. But it still hurt like hell. Once again he moved like the demon that had fought with Gabriel's army. The vampires' strength was immensely greater than his but his skill could only be compared to Gabriel himself. Alex turned to thwart an attack while twisting his blade into the gut of another. He had killed all three when he turned to the one holding Abigail.

"Let the girl go," Alex ordered.

"As you wish," the vampire replied in a childish voice. "As you wish."

Before he could move, the vampire had leaped into the air with Abigail in his arms. Alex stared up helplessly and then screamed when he saw the girl released in mid air. The drop was about twenty feet but her landing would be on the rugged slope of the mountain. He watched in fear as she fell and hit the earth.

Alex moved to her but was suddenly imprisoned in small cold binds. He looked down to see the blue gray skin of the arms holding his own arms close to his chest. Trapped in a rookie hold, he cursed himself for being so careless and waited for the crushing hold that would end his life.

He was not anticipating his attacker's ploy. Careless again. With resignation, he looked to Abigail as he felt the fangs pierce his neck.

***

Abigail had turned into the stones that surrounded her. She was unable to move when she saw the three vampires attack Alex. Although they had torn at his flesh, he had quickly killed them. After the last one had lifted her in the air and dropped her to the ground, she had hit so hard that the air had rushed from her lungs.

Crawling to her hands and knees she looked up to find Alex trapped in the arms of the last vampire. He was staring straight at her as the monster feasted on his blood. She could feel his fury and humiliation at this attack. He was a proud human who had never shared his blood with anyone. He had come to save her. How could she let him die in shame?

Her fury ignited in her veins. With a menacing hiss, she crouched on her toes in an attack stance. Both Alex and his attacker froze as she leaped through the air pushing the vampire down the hill. She gracefully jumped down the rocks and landing on his chest. The monster that had held her tightly in her abduction and had pinned Alex's arms in a death hold was now pressed between her and the hard earth. He started to wail but was quickly silenced when she grabbed his shoulder and head. Twisting in opposite directions, Abigail beheaded the vampire in one move.

She crawled away from the corpse collapsing a few feet away.

"Move," Alex commanded nudging her with the toe of his boot. "We can't stay here. Move."

"I can't," she groaned. "I can't."

"Move!" he repeated jerking her up to her feet. "We won't last five minutes out here."

Only then did Abigail sense of smell realize that he was bleeding enough to attract more vampires very quickly. She accepted his offered hand and slowly attempted to descend the mountain. They froze when gravel slid to their feet from somewhere above. Without looking back, they knew that more vampires were quickly approaching.

"Go," Alex said quietly releasing her hand. "You're quicker than me. I will ... delay them... chasing you."

"No."

"Damn it, go girl!" he said slightly shoving her away.

Abigail watched as he turned to the incline. The darkness hid the approaching attackers but their shrill giggles echoed through the evening. Alex dropped his shoulders never reaching for his blade.

"Alex?" Abigail whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"A lot. But mostly this."

Alex turned just as the large rock smashed against the back of his head. He instantly felt the pain, then the overwhelming darkness. As he submitted to the impending unconsciousness, he felt gravity pull his body to the earth and then small arms lift him from the ground.

***

More than twenty-four hours had passed since Abigail had been taken from her room. Gabriel knew that humans regarded the first forty eight hours as the most important in finding a missing person but his world moved a hell of lot faster. In a life where time barely had meaning, he knew that his daughter could have been killed or tortured beyond repair. Once again he fought the despair that kept nagging at him. His loss of control in this world was almost suffocating him now.

Edward had reached a dead end and joined Tec's group as they continued moving across the big island. His own party now waited for Conlaoch to arrive. His brother knew the geography and people better than he. Every advantage was needed now.

Darkness had enveloped the land but posed no hindrance for Gabriel and the others in the search party. A vampire's eyes could adjust but they had to look beyond human perception of sight.

"Use your senses, Abigail," he thought quietly.

He regretted never teaching the children how to use their natural gifts. It was an error that would be corrected as soon as he had his family together again. Much like his brothers, he was more than happy to hand over his responsibilities of this world. He just wanted his children to inherit the best possible world absent of the Third Creation's mistakes.

"Gabe," Alena said breaking the silence. "Is there anything I need to know?"

"Not yet," he answered. "I'll share it with you."

"Sometimes, in the past, you've just known how things would be. What do you know now?"

He hesitated and then pulled her into his arms. Without saying a word, he placed his cheek against her hair and held her quietly. To any observer, Gabriel appeared to be consoling his mate in a time of tragedy. But her expression, widening eyes and a small smile, would have explained how he was just dealing with the unknown.

"How the hell do human fathers ever let go?" he asked with a groan.

***

Alex woke to the immediate sense of pain. Groaning, screaming, cursing, or crying would have been his first choice of reaction but he remained still. Not knowing where he was or who he was with, he reminded himself to be cautious before alerting anyone.

"Alex," Abigail whispered close to his ear. "It's ok. We're safe. Try to drink some water."

"Safe? I'm pretty sure I'm dead."

His lids barely slit open when he groaned and turned his head. Nausea immediately claimed his stomach and he turned to his side to heave. He felt worse than he could ever remember feeling until something cool pressed against his head.

"I might have damaged something with that rock," she said quietly, moving her hands across his face and neck.

He might still feel like he had wrestled with the devil but damn those hands felt better than any medicine. He could barely breath and totally unable to speak when he felt the euphoria seep through his veins.

"I know you wouldn't want me to heal you the, uh, normal way we would," she explained. "But I had to stop the bleeding somehow."

"What the hell is she talking about? The normal way?"

Suddenly his eyes flew open and he shrugged away for the comfort of her hands.

"What..." he started with a horse voice. "What have you done to me?"

"Nothing. I just stopped the bleeding."

"How? What did you do?" he demanded. "I don't want to be like you."

He immediately regretted his words as he watched her expression crumble. She quickly nodded, blinked away the tears that had suddenly appeared and gave him a brave smile. One that did not reach her eyes.

"I know," she agreed a little too quickly. "No worries there. No biting or feeding involved."

"Then how ....?"

"If you must know," she answered. "I spit in my hand and pressed the saliva to your wounds. Of course you would have healed quicker if I had, you know, fed from you but god forbid that you would be associated with me. Filthy mongrel that I am."

"That's not what I meant," he groaned trying to sit up.

"Sorry," she snapped. "Wouldn't want to offend the mongrels. Freak, was it? Wasn't that what you called me?"

"No. Yes. Damn it Abigail, give me a minute. I said it and I'm sorry. Ok? I was mad as hell that you had hitched a ride to be with him. But what the hell? I still ran to your rescue. Not that I was much of a hero since you had it under control."

"I didn't have anything under control," she replied. "It was running for my life. It wasn't until I saw that thing killing you that I was able to do anything. And thank you. And you're forgiven."

"So what's the next move?" he asked obviously uncomfortable. "Please say home."

"I need to see him," she answered and then added when he groaned. "Please let me try to explain. We, Josh and I, we're just like him."

"You don't know that," Alex interrupted.

"I do. Or we would have been. It's the reason why Josh agreed to help me. He now sees that it was stupid to try anything without our father's help."

"And you? Do you see that it was stupid?"

"Maybe," she answered and then responded to his glare, "Yes, I was stupid to do it."

"You weren't stupid. Just the plan."

"Thanks for that," she added with a smile. "Anyway, I wanted to give him the same chance I was given. Not, what did you call it, have a booty call."

"Ah, yeah, damn. Sorry. What makes you think he is here?"

"I really didn't know. I was just trying to get away from the parents. And I thought that it would make sense that the land with the newest but worst problems were under some kind of attack. Actually I don't know that he was here, but..."

"But?"

"He knows that I'm here," she answered quietly. "My dad was right. Once I was out from his protection, I immediately appeared on the radar."

"So he's here. He tried to snatch you. Let's go home and talk with Gabriel."

"Do you think my dad is willing to have peace talks with someone who took me right out of my bedroom? Right out from under his nose?"

"A lot of us have wounded pride where you're concerned," Alex answered with a grin, "but he's reasonable."

"Alex," she said twisting to face him, "I have to find him. I will go alone."

"Fuck!" he roared. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. I just knew this wasn't the end of it. He's going kill me you know?"

"Then go home and you won't have to meet him."

"I'm not talking about this mysterious brother," he said standing to his feet. "I'm talking about Gabriel."

"Why are you such a fatalist?" she asked accepting his hand for assistance.

"I'm usually not," he answered. "But I've never had my arse kicked by a girl before either."