Dark Beauty (Seeker)

by Browning, Taryn

  “Are you saying we have to plunge the dagger through their brain?”

  Chapter 4

  Isabelle started her training session working on outside-inside kicks. According to Mr. Know-It-All, aka, Abram, a kick to the side of the head stunned them, but only for a moment. Seekers had to be ready to take them down in the next move. This way, they were lower to the ground and easier for Seekers Isabelle’s size to plunge the dagger downward, using the momentum of gravity to create a more powerful strike.

  “Let’s do it again,” Jared said.

  Abram played the Daychild, and Isabelle assumed the role of Seeker. Luckily, Abram had put his T-shirt back on. She wasn’t about to spar with him half-naked.

  As before, she jumped into a kick, her leg stretching so high it caught Abram’s temple, only he changed up the game. He blocked her kick and swept her leg out from under her, causing her to land on the mat.

  “What the hell was that? I thought we were working on kicks.” Isabelle flipped onto her feet and set herself, ready to fight.

  “Does a vampire always do what you expect?” Abram made a come-on gesture that infuriated her. She decided if he could change the game, so could she.

  Isabelle spun into a roundhouse kick, her favorite, and took him out at the hip. As Abram fell to the side, she was ready to administer the next blow. She knocked him to the right with a hook to the jaw. He stumbled dizzily. Isabelle waited for him to tip forward so she could take him to the ground, get in a good position above him, and pretend to drive the dagger into his skull.

  Catching her by surprise, Abram kicked her in the stomach. She flew backward, wondering if he’d faked his dizziness to gain more time between blows. She righted herself and went at him again. He blocked her jab and ducked before her foot made contact. Damn, he’s fast—which annoyed her even more.

  “Get out your dagger!” Jared said, breaking Isabelle’s concentration.

  As she reached for the dagger in her boot, Abram flipped her on her back and pinned her to the mat.

  “You’re dead,” he said, climbing off her and rising to his feet.

  Abram extended his hand to her. She dismissed his gesture and rolled to a stance. She’d never needed a man’s help; she certainly wasn’t going to start now. Isabelle’s father had left her mother when she was a baby, not prepared for the responsibility of raising a future Seeker. She guessed he should have thought about that before marrying her mother, but that’s all right. Isabelle and her mother had done just fine on their own.

  “Well done, Abram,” Jared said, giving him a pat on the back. “Isabelle, you’re going to have to be faster with that blade.”

  Goosebumps formed along her skin, and the tiny hairs on her arms rose. Her Seeker sense had set in. This meant only one thing— there was a vampire nearby. But how? Astonishment and fear consumed her. Abram wasn’t kidding – Daychildren really did exist.

  A loud crash erupted behind them. Isabelle flew into a fighting stance, scanning the room for her prey. The others did the same. No one moved while three sets of eyes cased the room for the intruder. They seemed to be alone, but her acute senses told her otherwise. Then she saw it. The chair she had sat in moments before split in two at the far end of the warehouse, as if it had been launched across the room.

  Chapter 5

  Abram took hold of Isabelle’s arm and yanked her around a concrete slab Jared had created to replicate an alley wall. With his arm extended and holding his dagger in strike position, he shoved Isabelle behind him. She jerked out of his grasp. How dare he treat her like a helpless girl? Jared leapt to her side, brandishing his own silver blade. Isabelle ignored her frustrations and followed suit, sliding her dagger out of her boot. She wanted to ask Jared what had happened, but knew it wasn’t the best time. Whatever had thrown the chair was somewhere inside the warehouse, waiting for them.

  Jared gestured for her and Abram to back him up. Isabelle grabbed his arm. She knew he was a good fighter and capable enough to take on the intruder, but something in her wanted to hold him back. Jared rested his hand on hers and nodded, indicating it was okay. She released her grip and readied herself to defend him at the first sign of a threat.

  A wooden stake zipped through the air, whizzing past their heads. Jared slammed himself back against the wall. A crackling erupted from behind them. The wall they used as a shield started to shake. Isabelle glanced down at the concrete barrier, which was molded into the floor. A crack etched along the base. Then, something heavy pushed into her back. As she turned to see the hard object that was leaning against her, she realized the wall was caving in…on them. She sprinted out of the wall’s path, jumping through an open door as the concrete structure shattered to the floor.

  Jared and Abram followed and slammed the door behind them. She no longer cared about the need for concealment; whatever was hunting them knew exactly where they were at all times.

  “What’s happening?” she said to Jared, panting.

  “It’s one of them, a Daychild. He’s found our training facility.” He peeked around the faux brick wall. A mock-up entryway created for training purposes wouldn’t protect them long. They were exposed on all sides.

  Isabelle thought about the objects that had been tossed and collapsed. “But the chair, and the wall?”

  Abram placed his hand on the door knob, getting ready to start the battle. “I guess I left something out. The Daychild has a certain ability.”

  “Telekinesis,” Jared said, aligning himself behind Abram.

  Isabelle stopped Abram from moving. “You mean this thing can move objects with its mind?”

  “If it’s who I think it is,” Abram said.

  “What, you know him?” Isabelle couldn’t believe this. Not only was there a Daychild in her city, but Abram knew about it and hadn’t told her. She wondered if Jared knew as well. This was information she needed to know before now.

  “Are we ready?” Jared said, signaling Abram to open the door. Hiding wasn’t going to kill the enemy. Isabelle was practically chomping at the bit to get out there and practice her new moves. She glanced at her dagger. This is going to be so awesome!

  On the count of three, they burst through the door armed and ready to take out the Daychild. At first, there was no sign of it. Jared went to the right, and Isabelle moved straight ahead with Abram on her heels. There was no way Isabelle was going to let him get the kill. This vamp had come to her city – he was all hers.

  Fighting broke out in Jared’s direction. Isabelle shot over to the right and spotted the Daychild. He resembled a human, only his eyes were angry and black. His long dark hair lay shaggy and disheveled past his shoulders. He looked straight out of a hair band that had done way too much head banging. She’d never actually seen a demon, but figured this must be what they looked like. The Daychild opened his mouth in an angry snarl, revealing his fangs. And his smell, ugh – like skunk, rotting meat, and a Port-a-Potty all rolled into one.

  Jared knocked the Daychild backward with his fist. The Daychild flew into a pile of foam blocks they used to practice jumps and flips, and his dark eyes focused on something behind Jared. Just as quickly, a paint can on a windowsill levitated off the peeling wood and propelled itself forward. Isabelle sprinted into a leaping sidekick, catching the can with the bottom of her boot and sending it into the wall before it struck Jared in the head.

  “Emanuel!” Abram said.

  The Daychild stumbled upright, laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Abram said. “There’s three of us and one of you. The odds are against you.”

  The Daychild set his hard gaze on Abram. “I already took out one of your worthless Seekers. What’s three more? Did you seriously follow me down here? You’re not going to beat me. Besides, there are more of us now. We’re not as easy to kill as the weak vamps.”

  Isabelle thought about what Emanuel had just said. He’d taken out a Seeker. Why didn’t she know about this? Was this the real reason Abram had come to her city? “Why
are you here?” she asked boldly.

  “Mmm, now, you’re a Seeker I’d like to sink my teeth into.” Emanuel appraised her, cocking his head to the side. “I could find lots of fun stuff for us to do together.” He took small steps toward the exit.

  Vomit rose into Isabelle’s throat. She swallowed, doing her best not to take his words too seriously. He was a disgusting half-breed. Anything that came out of his mouth was either a lie or very twisted.

  “You’re delusional if you think you’re getting out of here alive.” Isabelle wedged the knife behind her back and somersaulted across the room, landing only feet from Emanuel. He threw a punch. She blocked it and administered a kick to his temple. He stumbled back, clearly disoriented. She shoved her knee into his groin. When he doubled over, she came down on him with an elbow. She chuckled, not knowing where she’d come up with that move. This was more like the WWF than martial arts. Pinned to the ground and writhing under her hold, Isabelle removed her dagger from her back and plunged it into his skull. Emanuel stared at her in horror, apparently shocked that the pretty young thing of his twisted fantasy had taken him out.

  Abram peeled her off Emanuel’s large mass just as he turned to green goo and melted into the concrete. All traces of him disappeared. Isabelle’s dagger clattered to the concrete.

  “Get off me!” Isabelle shoved Abram and glared at him. “I had it. He’s dead.”

  “You should be thanking me,” Abram said. Isabelle ignored him and went for her blade. Abram shot in front of her. “Demon blood is like acid for humans. Unless you want blisters and a serious burn, I’d be careful which part of that dagger you touch.” He stepped aside.

  Isabelle knelt down over her dagger, examining the blood-coated blade. She picked it up by the hilt and took it to the bathroom to clean.

  She returned to Abram and Jared, plotting next to Jared’s desk. “So, when were you both planning to tell me that a Seeker had been killed?” She brushed her gaze past Abram, not surprised he didn’t fill her in. But Jared was her mentor. It was imperative that he told her the truth at all times, as he had told her himself – he was not one to omit details.

  Jared could feel her pissed-off energy as he approached her and laid his hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t want to put this on you all at once. This is your first week in the field. I wanted you to practice slaying vampires, not having to worry about whether they had demonic powers, too.”

  “But I deserved to know what was going on.”

  Jared regarded her, making it obvious he’d never been in this situation before. “I agree. That’s most of the reason Abram’s here.”

  Abram rounded the desk and stood beside her. “The Seeker he killed was my cousin, Clarissa.”

  Chapter 6

  “I was supposed to protect her, not only because we’re family, but because I was training to be her mentor,” Abram said. Sadness filled his bright blue eyes, and he cleared his throat. “I followed him to your city, so here I am. Luckily, the Apotheosis felt bad for me, so they let me stay and appointed a stand-in until I returned.”

  “I’m sorry,” Isabelle said. “I didn’t know.” She had the feeling he didn’t want to discuss his cousin’s death any further. She’d never been great in these situations, so she changed the tone of the conversation. “Well, he’s dead. So you can go back now.” Her words came out harsher then she intended.

  “And leave you…not a chance. You’re stuck with me now.” Abram smiled, not seeming to care about her insensitive response – probably because he knew his presence would annoy the crap out of her.

  Jared’s cell rang. He held up his hand and excused himself from the conversation.

  “For your first Daychild kill, you did well. I especially liked the Hulk Hogan move you pulled out at the end.”

  Isabelle laughed. She remembered thinking the same thing when she used her elbow and tiny body to slam Emanuel to the ground. Maybe Abram wasn’t that bad. Only slightly irritating. “Thanks.” She glanced over to the spot where Emanuel had disappeared. “So, they just turn into a sticky mess and disappear?”

  “Yup.” Without Jared as a buffer to dispel their tension, their interaction was uncomfortable, to say the least.

  Isabelle decided to keep the conversation moving. She figured she might learn something from Abram. Maybe. “So, tell me, how did you learn so much about this new hybrid vamp?”

  He smiled. “I’d like to say I read it in a book or that my mentor told me, but it was pretty much trial and error. Two Daychildren, Emanuel and Ricky, showed up one night when I was seeking. I was confused because they looked human – well, other than their black eyes and horrible smell. It’s enough to make your eyes water.”

  They both chuckled. Isabelle noticed how cute he looked when he laughed. He wasn’t just handsome, but he had a baby face, one that promised no matter how much he aged, he would still look youthful.

  “As you can imagine, the first thing I tried was staking them through the heart.”

  “Ha—I’m guessing that didn’t work so well.”

  “The dude ripped the stake out of his chest and threw it at me.”

  “He threw it at you?” Isabelle doubled over, not sure why she was laughing so hard. It wasn’t funny. Actually, it was downright scary.

  “Anyway—” Abram composed himself. “That’s when the fun really began. Emanuel threw a brick at me, only he didn’t use his hands. That’s when I realized we were dealing with something other than the standard vampire.”

  Isabelle’s eyes widened. “Did it hit you?”

  Abram lifted the sleeve of his tee and pointed to a three-inch scar on his bicep. “It cut me wide open.”

  “Looks painful. How about the other one, what could he do?”

  “Who, Ricky? His ability was worse.”

  Isabelle wondered what ability could be worse than telekinesis.

  Jared entered the warehouse, shaking his head, a frustrated scowl across his face. “Just got off the phone with the Chapter,” he said. “It looks like the other one just attacked a student—she’s dead. Definitely a Daychild – he drained her of blood and even ate a few of her organs.”

  Isabelle’s gag reflex kicked in. Sure, vamps drained humans of blood, but eating organs, that was just nasty. “Are they sure it was him—?”

  “Ricky,” Abram said.

  “Yeah, this happened less than an hour ago. I’m betting our Emanuel didn’t do it.” Jared turned to Abram. “You said you followed them both down here, so most likely Ricky’s still here, right?”

  “I would think. I haven’t heard anything from the Seeker in my city. I guess Ricky could have moved on to another city, but I doubt it. There aren’t many. They probably stick together.”

  Jared snapped into mentor mode. He scratched the scruff along his jaw line, contemplating their plan. “Isabelle, go with Abram. I want you both to patrol the area around campus. There shouldn’t be many students around. They canceled classes and put the campus on lockdown. All of the students have been told to remain in their rooms. Abram, fill Isabelle in on his ability so you guys are prepared.” Now pacing, Jared concentrated on the floor, then raised his head to deliver his final thoughts. “And both of you…be prepared with daggers. I’ll get extras from the weapons room.”

  Chapter 7

  Packed with her new dagger in her boot and two wedged into her jeans around her back, Isabelle patrolled the perimeter of campus with Abram. He, too, had assembled a handful of blades, although his belt was already equipped to hold them. He concealed his weapons with a light jacket. She knew he had to be roasting in the heat.

  Now approaching dusk, they’d have more to contend with than Daychildren. The night children, otherwise known as vampires, would be rising from their slumber, ready to ravage the city streets for their next meals. So, the two Seekers had also armed themselves with stakes.

  The old city buildings looked eerie, with the dimming sunlight casting shadows along the limestone walls. The college campus was qu
iet, other than the police patrolling the walkways to classes and entrances to the historic-looking dormitories. Life outside campus didn’t slow. Carloads of people on their way home from work sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

  Isabelle was relieved that their weapons were hidden. Seeking in the daylight was dangerous. There were no evening shadows to hide Seekers from the public’s prying eyes.

  “Tell me again,” Isabelle said, crossing the street and stepping up onto the sidewalk. The campus seemed pretty well secured, and she thought branching out into a larger radius around campus would be more advantageous. “How exactly did you figure out how to kill them? They ended up down here, so you obviously weren’t successful that night. Was that the night your cousin was murdered?”

  “No. A few weeks later. Clarissa and I went to the local Chapter, but no one had any idea what we were talking about. So, we researched demons on our own. It turns out a demon is a human who has been taken over by a fallen angel. By accident, or most likely, on purpose, the vampire king ‘transformed’ a demon, creating a hybrid vampire – what we now call Daychildren, thanks to you—vampires that can walk in the sunlight and possess demonic abilities,” he said with a half-smile.

  She turned down a side street lined with residential row homes on both sides. Each home reflected historic charm with colorful stained-glass windows and short wrought-iron fences. Most were a different color brick—red, gray, and even royal blue. That one stuck out among the rest. The side street seemed to have less pedestrian and commuter traffic than the main road. This was good for exposure purposes.

  “So how did you figure out how to kill them?”

  Abram purposefully stepped over the cracks in the sidewalk. “A few weeks after our first encounter, Clarissa and I were out looking for vampires, and we came across Emanuel and this other guy, Paul, attacking a couple. Unfortunately, we were too late. They’d already killed them before we could do anything to help. Clarissa threw a punch and knocked Emanuel to the ground. I took the opportunity to go for Paul. I was able to take him down, but I noticed Clarissa was struggling with Emanuel. She’d cut him and his blood had gotten all over her arm. In obvious pain, she was disoriented. I left Paul to help Clarissa.” He paused, hesitating before he continued, like the words were too painful to repeat. “Emanuel broke her neck and fled. When I got to her side, she was dead. I lost my stake in the fight, but I noticed Clarissa’s silver blade wedged in her waistband. I pulled it out and aimed it up just as Paul dove on top of me. The blade punctured his skull, and after a second of oozing green slime, he disintegrated. That’s how I figured out how to kill them.”