Birthrights

by Butler, Christine M.

  Caislyn woke the next morning and looked at her hands immediately, as was the norm for her. She saw the telltale signs of graphite on her fingertips and immediately picked up the sketch pad to see what she had done in the middle of the night. There were five pages of sketches this time. That was a bit unusual. Normally, when she had an auto sketching session in the middle of the night it would only be one page and she would be back to bed. Five was a record for Caislyn. She looked through the pages.

  One of the pages struck her as odd, she was on top of a building, and judging from the previous sketch she knew exactly which one. It wasn't far from her apartment. The page she was looking at though showed Caislyn grabbing onto another woman. From the looks on their faces, they were both scared. Caislyn was looking over the edge of the building while the other woman was looking straight forward. She looked as though she feared for her life. The fear in her dark eyes seemed to draw Caislyn is as she looked. They had to be either darkest brown or black. The woman's hair hung just past her shoulders in thick, dark, curling splendor. Caislyn couldn't tell what color her hair was, because the lighting was all wrong. Either way, the girl looked as pale as a vamp, but she didn't seem to have that undead air about her, “A mystery for another day,” Caislyn said to herself.

  If Caislyn thought that the spell would work itself out within short order, she had been mistaken. She had been busying herself with store inventory and sketches for almost two months. The disappointment that nothing had come of her spell was wearing on her and she felt she needed a break from her personal reality. A break would not come anytime soon though, it was nearly time to open the store again today, yet another tedium tying her down to this town, this apartment, this store, so that she could not be out actively looking for her parents the way she wanted. She had no doubt that her parents had been moved from this town. As small towns go, it was a gossip mill. It was like that long before the non humans came out and it remained that way for as long as Caislyn could remember. She finished getting herself ready and walked downstairs to the bookstore to open up.

  Later that day, Caislyn sat slumped over the counter in her parent's bookstore, feeling rather defeated. Tonight would already be another new moon and yet nothing had manifested itself since the night of her ritual. She was doodling on the sketch pad she kept near, in case she started to get a vision. Her visions rarely happened during the day, but on the occasion that they did, she liked to be prepared. The wards at the front door of the store tinkled to life announcing that a Fey had just come in. Unlike the wards on the ritual room door, the ones on the front of the store had a different sound for each type of being that walked through them. Fey, vamp, witch, lycan and human, all had different tones. Of course you couldn't distinguish between different types of Fey or lycan, but at least you had a semblance of what you were dealing with. The wards also kept out those who meant harm. Caislyn couldn't see who had entered from her viewpoint so she assumed he or she must be a small Fey. Just to be polite and keep up the air of actual customer service she half shouted a greeting.

  “Good day to you, if you need any help I'm over at the register.” Caislyn looked at her watch; it was nearly closing time for her anyway. She had posted new hours after her parents went missing. Today was one of those days she had posted as an early close so that she had time to go and check on any leads about her parents. Just as she was thinking about the fact that there were no more leads to follow a short, stout man with reddish hair popped up by the register. He couldn't have been much more than four feet tall, if that. He did have a bright smile about him though as he looked up at Caislyn with intense amber eyes too bright and too odd in color to allow him to pass for human.

  “Good noon day to ya, lass,” he spoke with a gentle Irish lilt that reminded Caislyn a bit of her father. “Me name's Angus. I have something' here fer ya.” He fingered a little card that was in his hand, no bigger than a typical business card. It was predominantly black with a few splashes of color here and there. “Twill get ya to the party. 'Tis the questions you ask there that will lead you to the answers ya seek.”

  The Irish were sometimes as hard to decipher as their riddles, but Caislyn continued to listen to the little man. The frustration was clearly showing on her face, though she held it calmly out of her voice when she spoke “Is this about my parents?”

  “Aye, lass, 'tis in fact.” Seeing her frustration, the little man felt compelled to add, “All I can offer ya, I've been bound, ya see. Can't say this or that, but the card I can give and promise ye this, twill lead to that which will bring ye answers.” He reached out and took Caislyn's hand, turning it palm up so that he could place the card there. His fingers lingered, for a gentle moment in her hand before he closed her own hand around the card. “Be wary, lass. 'Tis a rough road ye travel, though you won't be on it alone for long. Not that the company will make the path any less difficult, ye see.” With a sigh he allowed his hands to fall from hers and began walking back to the front of the store towards the door with his odd gait that reminded her of her the ommpa loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Caislyn managed a nod of thanks and mock understanding before she heard the familiar tinkle the door gave off as the Fey left the store. She looked down at the card clasped ever so gently in her hand.

  The moment Caislyn opened her hand so that she could view the card full on, she nearly laughed. She had almost been dreading what it would say. She recognized right away though. This was a card you get as a sort of invite to a rave. A rave, being the type of party where everything goes, the music is as loud as the revelers can stand, lasers flash, and dancers, well they do so much more than dance at these things. Caislyn hadn't been to a good rave since before her parents went missing. Just as the thought popped in her head she chided herself and remembered this was not a chance to go party, this was a chance to get answers. 'The little Fey man had told her so,' she thought to herself, nearly laughing at the thought. The only problem was, the raves always coincided with specific moon phases. This one was for the first Summer New Moon. This was a new moon night, so the rave had to be tonight, which didn't leave Caislyn a lot of time to translate the riddle that was the card. These raves were for the magical in nature. The card was a clue that led you to the golden ticket, so to speak. You had to find the guy they called the “Ticket Master” in order to get your pass that you needed to get in to the party. And you had to do it by a certain time of day or all was lost and you would find yourself sitting this rave out. Caislyn had been to her fair share of raves before her parents went missing, so she knew the protocol. She also knew, as she looked down at her watch again, that she was running out of time.

  Caislyn looked again at the little black card that sat in her palm. The glyphs that seemed to jump off the card were calling to her. She knew two things instantly. There would be no humans attending tonight's little party and that, she knew, because the card was charmed. As she looked at the card she realized no human, or lycan for that matter, would be able to read the clue. The lycans would be able to smell the charm on the card and take it to someone who could decipher it for them, but the humans just wouldn't know. The party, it seemed was a product of witches and vampires. Only a witch could charm the cards, only the vamps would worry about keeping humans out. Which also meant this was to be a vegetarian party for them, or at the very least a party where they brought their own favors. As a general rule, Were-critters weren't welcome to the indoor raves, and most definitely not the full moon parties. Even the rave scene doesn't have enough Ketamine to keep a werewolf down for long. Since it was only a new moon, maybe there would be a few who would show up.

  Caislyn went to lock up the store, looking at her watch once again, it was already five o'clock. The ticket master usually only hung around till about six. Caislyn began cursing the little man for showing up so late to give her the card with the clues. After all, she still hadn't even sat down and deciphered it to know where to meet up with the ticket master. Once she did, she would have to get to wh
ere ever he was, which usually wasn't anywhere near the vicinity of the rave. Considering most indoor raves were held in this part of town since the humans had long since abandoned it. Caislyn realized she was going to have to figure out where this rave was taking place and hope she could sweet talk her way in. She retreated to her apartment above the store and started putting thought into the charm that was placed on the card. Cais was hoping she could figure out who had placed the charm, since they often have their caster's signature attached to them.

  Before long she was sitting at her kitchenette staring off into space when she reached out for her notebook. She started sketching, though she was still staring off blankly into the wall across from her. When she came out of the trance, Caislyn had a sketch of her on a rooftop; it was oddly similar to one that she had drawn on the full moon. She looked at it and saw that the stars were shimmering brightly in an otherwise blackened night sky. There was no moon to speak of and the building lights were dim, if present at all. It was then that she realized she knew the building. It was the old Chesson building just a block over from her place. The building used to belong to the Pasquotank Arts Council before the humans left town in droves. It had long since been abandoned, but it was a great spot for a rave, since it used to be a theater and the acoustics inside were fabulous. Even though she lived in the city limits, Elizabeth City was really nothing more than a suburb of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. In the sketch, Caislyn realized she was wearing certain clothes that she wouldn't normally wear unless it was to go out clubbing. This had to be where they were holding the rave tonight. If not, she wasn't supposed to be at the stupid party anyway. According to her vision she was supposed to end up on this rooftop.

  “If I remember right,” Caislyn said to herself while getting ready. “I wasn't on that rooftop alone.” She didn't bother going for the sketches she had done two months earlier. Instead, she continued to get ready for the rave. She would have to get there early in order to try to slip past the gatekeepers. The gatekeepers were the guardians of the party. They worked the door to make sure everyone had tickets and belonged there. They were also there to make sure you oathed in. Oathing in was a way to keep the peace at mixed non-human parties. Everyone took an oath at the door to intentionally to do no harm to others while they were there. All non-humans were serious about their oaths though. For some, it seemed a trait that their blood would not let them break. For others, like the witches and lycans, it was more because they took oaths seriously after years of staying in hiding from humans and having oaths of allegiance being the only thing that kept them from the gallows or the fires. Besides, those that broke their oaths were placed on a permanent ban from any other functions. The gatekeepers held a list, albeit a short one.

  ***

  Artful Arrivals

  A stray strand of hair fell into Jaxon’s face, tickling her nose as she stared out the window of her office. The view was nothing more than a deserted street between the art gallery, where she was recently hired, and what used to be the Pasquotank County Courthouse. She imagined that years ago, the building was probably quite charming with its Dogwood trees planted in the small green grass of the courtyard. But now, it just stood showing years of neglect. The trees hadn’t been trimmed, and the courtyard’s lawn was yellowed and dry. The concrete outer walls showed slight cracks and even a few daring attempts of graffiti. Evening had come across the town in a curtain of darkness, and the streetlights’ harsh glare made the building look even more worn and dreary.

  Jax often wondered what this little town had been like before the monsters had come out of hiding and before the Years of Darkness when chaos and fear ruled. What a different world it must have been. She could almost see people bustling about the streets, and cars of all types hurrying from one stoplight to the next. Jaxon imagined little shops and stores open to their customers without bars on the windows or wards on the doors for protection. Neighbors smiling and waving, chatting and gossiping, never once scared to meet the eyes of those in their company. Children laughing and giggling while riding their bikes and skateboards along the sidewalks.

  Jax smiled softly to herself, still immersed in her daydream when the alarm on her watch beeped loudly at her. She jerked slightly as it startled her and she looked down realizing that it was almost the end of her co-worker's shift.

  ‘Maybe I can get Stacey to close up for me tonight so I can get home and get ready for my training,’ she thought. She had been training with her swords and knives since she was healed enough to wield them. The family who had taken her in while she healed was amazing. Jason had taught her well. He had explained to her how guns were easily maneuvered from a person, but swords, knives, and daggers were easy to conceal, easy to use, and just as deadly. They also had the added bonus of being silent killers. He spent months working with her as she continued to heal. The work with the swords was more than just exercise and therapy for her body, it was a sort of Zen meditation for her. The way her body worked, the way the blades became an extension of herself made her feel powerful and serene all at once as she worked out. Swords were her favorite, but she also practiced with all sorts of other blades, just in case. Jaxon seemed to have a natural ability with the weapons. She also enjoyed the rigorous training schedule she had created for herself. The better I am,' she thought, ‘the less vulnerable I’ll be.’ Vulnerable and helpless was something Jaxon never wanted to be again.

  She stood and moved around the desk towards the door, taking a quick glance at herself in the mirror that hung on the wall. Most of her dark brown hair was still pinned up on top of her head, allowing for a few tendrils of curls falling in just the right places to frame her face. Her light auburn highlights streaked through her curls, adding to her hairs’ natural gleam. Dark eyes peered out from thick lashes and a pale complexion.

  Once upon a time, people would have swooned over her porcelain skin, saying how she looked like a china doll. Once everyone found out that vampires were real, they all looked at her differently and even avoided her. It was obvious they thought she could be a vampire. Her parents had even home schooled her, to keep her challenged as the schools were unable to, they claimed. But she had wondered if it was because the other parents didn’t want their children around her. Of course, if they had thought it through, then anyone would have seen she was only human because she could be out during the day. The vamps would have been dust if they went into the sun. At least she’d heard they would, but that wasn’t the point. She wasn’t a vampire, but people sometimes still looked at her as if there was a possibility. It was just natural for people to be more frightened of the unknown, even if the known was worse than their nightmares. She was thankful that she wasn’t left with scars from her last battle with Rick. Had her face scarred the way the doctors at first thought it would, she would really look like the monster people tried to make her out to be.

  There were times she felt like her complexion was more of a curse than a blessing. It was really hard to find clothes whose colors didn’t reflect off her skin, which is why she wore a lot of black. People just thought she was trying to be morbid, but really, she just looked better in the darker colors. While her looks made her stand out a bit from everyone else, Jaxon really didn’t mind at all. She was definitely her own person, and felt that one shouldn’t conform to what everyone else was doing. Her parents used to tell her constantly, “Be yourself and be proud of who you are.” Jaxon smiled slightly at the memory of her parents. They were good people. Both of them were hardworking and compassionate, they never judged anyone, and were always willing to lend a helping hand. They supported the causes of the Other Than Human Society. Her parents thought that all creatures were a part of God’s great plan, and deserved the same chance at happiness as humans. “After all, why would God have created them, if they weren’t meant to be here?” her mother would say. Jaxon missed her parents so much. They had died in a car accident right after she turned 18. She sighed softly, letting go of the memory of her parents and walked
out into the gallery to find Stacey.

  The tall blond was behind the counter against the far wall looking at pictures of handsome men on the computer. “Stacey, when are you going to realize that looking at those match making sites is not going to bring you love and happiness?” Jaxon questioned as she sauntered up behind her co-worker.

  “Honestly Jax, who said I’m looking for love? I’d settle for something absolutely mouth watering to stare at across the dinner table! Besides, who are you to give me advice? The whole six months you’ve been here, I haven’t seen you on one single date!”

  “That’s because I have standards, Stace!” Jaxon laughed. “I won’t settle for anything but love, and I’m not sure that even exists anymore.”

  Stacey gasped, “Oh, come on Jax, really? You don’t believe in Prince Charming and white knights?”

  “Definitely not!” Jaxon insisted. “Some fairy tales really were nothing but fiction, Stacey.” Jaxon tried to change the subject before they went any further, “Hey do you mind closing up tonight? I’ll do it tomorrow night since I know you’re gonna want to leave early for that date of yours.”

  “Really? You don’t mind me leaving early tomorrow? Sure, I’ll close up.”

  Jax smiled and laughed a little at Stacey’s enthusiasm as she headed back to her office to retrieve her purse and jacket. She paused a moment, as an odd feeling came over her. Jaxon shook her head, telling herself that it was nothing. Living downtown wasn’t the safest place these days, but Jaxon couldn’t afford the luxury she had once enjoyed in Raleigh. Just then bells at the front jingled, notifying them that they had a customer.

  She sighed, knowing their customer was something other than human. A human wouldn’t dare be out after dark around here. This part of the old city was known for its high crime rate. And only non-humans were naturally equipped to handle whatever may come their way. Although human, Jaxon always enjoyed the night. She was equipped as well, not naturally, but rather more with a nice dagger hidden in her bag. Always be prepared, she thought, another lesson she had learned from her time with Rick.