He seemed to be surprised by my tenacity and I used that to my advantage. In less than a split second I swung and caught him by the neck, separating his head from his shoulders. I barely had enough time to watch his body hit the floor for another Warrior of Light came from out of nowhere and I missed the tip of his sword by a millisecond. I catch him with a quick kick to the chest, knocking him backwards and from the corner of my eye I see another Warrior being plunge a dagger into Granny’s chest.
“Nooooooooooo!” I scream as I make quick work of my current opponent and head for Granny’s murderer when I am hit from behind and hit my head against the wall. As I slip into a state of unconsciousness I cannot help but think what could I have possibly done to bring this much pain and terror to my home. I hear screaming in the background and I am powerless to stop it. Me. Dawn. The daughter of the legendary Demetrius and Kai Stewart. There is a fire. I can sense the heat. My home is being ransacked. More screams. More gunshots and then finally…silence.
Chapter 3
I awake slowly to the sound of a car speeding down the highway. I am in the backseat. My last memory is of my Granny being stabbed in the chest followed by a fire. And lots of screaming. Did anyone make it out ok? I try to sit up but I am nearly blinded by a headache the size of Texas and I hear an all too familiar voice speak to me. “Stay down. You have suffered a serious head injury. I need to get you to safety.”
Aiden?
Darkness surrounds me again and I welcome it. I am not ready to face whatever reality awaits me.
I awake again to the chill of an air conditioned room. I am tucked underneath a mountain of blankets. I sit up quickly and survey my surroundings. I am in a bedroom, laying atop a king sized bed beneath the black and white sheet set. A wall fan is spinning on low above me. Across from me is a wall length mirror and to the right of me is a walk in closet. I take a look at the tan carpeting and it dawns on me: I am not in the compound. I jump up and look for my sword. It is gone along with the two semis that stuffed into my waistband. The memory of my final moments in the compound plague me: An explosion. Granny is knocked on the floor unconscious. I fight two Warriors of Light and kill them both, Mother is surrounded. Granny is killed. I hit my head. There are screams. Gunshots. A fire. Darkness. And now, I am here.
I have to get out of here and make my way back to the compound somehow. I need to know if my parents survived. How many of the Guardians are left? Why did the Warriors of Light come? I dart to the door, and surprisingly it is unlocked. I suppose whoever saved me does not want me to feel like a prisoner. I round the corner at full speed and slam right into the midsection of a very hard, thickly built man and bounce off of him like a dodge ball and crash into the back of a chair. What the hell? I hop to my feet and glare at the man before me. So I did not hallucinate. It was Aiden who rescued me. How? Why?
“What am I doing here?” I ask staring him up and down.
“If you’d take a seat, I will tell you.” He says all too calmly.
I position the chair the way that it was before I bounced into it and take seat. Something isn’t right. Why would Aiden drag me out of the scene? How could he when there was danger at every corner?
“I am your last resort Dawn. Your home was invaded by Warriors of Light who must have been tracking your parents’ activities. It was no coincidence that you ran into me at the college last night, or that I was scheduled to be your instructor. I knew they were coming. I even tried to warn your parents but both of them made it clear they were tired of running…and to be honest I don’t blame them.” Empathy fills his eyes as if he knows a damaging secret that I don’t know and panic threatens to overwhelm my senses.
“Are they…”I can’t even bring myself to say it. I don’t want to say it.
“I don’t know Dawn. By the time I arrived half of the compound was dead or dying. I found no signs of either of your parents and had I not pulled you out when I did, you would have been dead too…”
Tears build up behind my now closed lids, while a knot in my throat threatens to reveal the panic that desperately wants to escape.
“How did you know when to come…?”
“I sensed it. Your mother sent out a mental SOS to anyone with similar abilities in close proximity and that is how I knew…”
I need a moment to let his last statement digest. My mother sent out a mental cry for help. Everyone in the compound knew the danger that approached our door but me. What if it were me who opened the door? Would I still be standing? My beloved Granny is dead. My parents are missing along with half of the compound gone. And I am the only one left. Why?
I can feel him leaning beside me, his big hand resting on mine. I open my eyes and the tears escape. He reaches for me and I cling to him. He is all that I have. A cry escapes my lips. I yell. I scream. I punch. WHY? Why does the Light hate us so? He gathers me into a protective embrace and bears the brunt of my pain. I have to find my parents.
As if reading my mind he says, “I can take you back to the compound when it dies down. Perhaps tonight. I need you to grab what you can because they will send their mercenaries to finish the job.”
By this time I am trying my best to summon as much calm as possible, but everytime I close my eyes and see what that light bearing monster did to my grandmother…more tears rush out.
“I will protect you Dawn. No one will harm you. You are safe with me. I promise.”
I want to believe every word he says to me tonight. But a part of me senses a dangerous omission of truth, and instinctively I proceed with caution. Just because I grew up around him, and my parents trusted him, that does not mean that I know everything about him and this is a fact that will one day save my life.
He escorts me to his room, allowing me to lean all of my weight onto him where he ushers me into bed once more. Wiping my brow, he tells me he will return before dark and as soon as he closes the door, the dam of tears fills to capacity once again and I sob until I am no longer conscious.
I wake up a few hours later to the sound of the television blaring in the living room. Every bone in my body aches, and the seasoned delicious taste of the last croquet my Granny will ever make for me is long gone and diluted. I swing my feet over the bed, my braids along with the many things that have transpired weigh heavily on my mind. I creep into the living room to find Aiden kneeling on the ground wiping his sword clean. He raises his eyes to meet mine.
“Are you ready?” He asks still cleaning.
I nod. No I am not ready to see the aftermath of a nightmare that took place without warning.
“Your shoes are in the hall closet. And while you are in there grab one of my jackets. The Warriors of Light have been tampering with the weather again, so it’s snowing.”
Snow in September? Not particularly unusual now…the world is changing. As more of the House of Light continue to interrupt the natural balance of earth through constant use of their powers, snow in September toppled with 90 degree weather in January is not unusual. The humans blame it on pollution, which to an extent has contributed to the wacky weather changes. If only would they believe… The House of Light in many religions are mistaken for angels. They are not. They are a far cry from angelic…at least in my book. Just as the House of Darkness is equated with demons, which they are not; it is simply a matter of opinion and which side of the coin one is lucky enough to fall on. I suppose the House of Darkness being linked to evil is more fitting because they wanted to rule over mankind while the Light wanted to protect us. However over time the lines have blended and now the Light no longer wants to protect us but to rule us while at the same time eradicate a race of people whom they deem to be the biggest threat.
The House of Light, especially in the Celtic cultures are still being recognized as Fae or Faerie: Seelie and Unseelie. Seelie being Light and Unseelie being the opposite. Neither are fitting titles. No they are not the playful spirits who aids humans or the trickster deities who find amusement in our failures. No. Both Houses are not to
be played with. In other cultures they were viewed as gods, and perhaps that may be a more fitting title because like any and every god, the goal is to rule.
I lace up my Timberlands quickly and grab a black, paper thin sweater from the hanger. Aiden is waiting for me at the door. He is dressed from head to toe in black. His dark hair slicked back in a lengthy ponytail that he keeps tucked beneath his collar. Black wife-beater, black camouflage and combat boots he looks more like someone in special forces than the man who watched me grow up. He leads the way to his car, a black Humvee and we quickly get inside. He was not lying when he said that it was snowing. The vision is all white. Mountains upon mountains of snow caked up along the sidewalk and I wonder how any of can survive weather that has become as unpredictable as my mood swings. Humans depend on the predictability of the weather in order to maintain fresh food supplies. We cannot survive like this.
The drive from his apartment to my compound is roughly about 45 minutes, and throughout the ride, the image that keeps replaying in my mind is my Granny. I know my parents are somewhere out there with plans of rebuilding. But another question burns in my mind: if they are alive, why did they leave me to die? Why did Aiden have to come to my rescue? Something isn’t adding up, unless; they left believing that I was among the dead. I glance over at Aiden and wonder if I could really trust him but I shake off the thought. I have enough to worry about.
When we arrive, Aiden parks on the side street and upon view my heart breaks. Yellow tape surrounds the entire area. The underground parking garage collapsed and I can see where the front of the three story building was blasted away this morning. I leave Aiden behind as I zap past him with inhuman speed and I enter the foyer. The bodies have been cleared away perhaps by human authorities. Shards of glass and debris littered what used to be the living room floor. I feel a breeze behind me and it is Aiden who frowns at the scene. A single tear runs down my cheek and I force myself to find my strength.
“We have to move quickly Dawn. I told you there will be mercenaries soon…” Aiden whispers gently.
I zoom past him to the kitchen where my grandmother met her demise and suddenly I hear the familiar bark of Biscuit, Granny’s husky. “Biscuit!” I call out to him and from behind the stairs is a soft whimper. I run to find him limping. His front leg is broken, but he wags his tail nonetheless to greet me. “Biscuit!” I croak as I kneel before and scratch behind his ears. “It’s alright boy, “ I tell him. “We are going to get you out of here.” Aiden emerges from the living room and kneels next to me. “Go grab what you can. I will take care of him,” he promises. I nod and then race up the stairs to my room.
Thankfully my room is intact and from my closet I grab my duffle bag that was packed a couple of weeks ago by Granny. She didn’t tell me why, she just said it is a cautionary measure in the event the compound is breached and I needed to escape quickly. I fight back more tears. She must’ve foreseen that this would happen. I grab the purple duffle from my closet and look around to see what else I would need. I have no room for my desktop, but I go in and delete everything from my files. Who knows who else may be looking for me? I don’t need anyone else knowing more about me than myself. Those days are over with. I do pack my laptop, its charger and my tablet. I reach into my drawer and pull out my wallet. My parents provided me with my own bank account and I know I have more than a few thousand dollars saved up which will do me good. I fold up a few blankets and personal items and within 15 minutes I am ready to leave the only home I will ever know.
I race down the stairs dragging the duffle along with me to find Aiden with Biscuit who is now on a leash. In Aiden’s arms is Biscuit’s 30 pound bag of food and we are off. By the time we make it to the Humvee, with Biscuit safely tucked away in the back seat, a deafening noise rocks the neighborhood. The ground quakes and before I can figure out what is going on, Aiden slams onto the accelerator and we speed off.
The compound explodes. I don’t even bother to look behind me to know that I am being watched.
Chapter 4
Dawn
Aiden makes a splint for Biscuit the moment we are safely locked away in his apartment. The cold is getting to me now and I wonder how long this is going to last. Biscuit appears just as grateful as I am for Aiden’s help and demonstrates his affection every few minutes by continuously licking Aiden’s face whenever Aiden bent over to reach for something.
Aiden gives me his room and allows me to settle in. A part of me feels guilty for putting him out of his space, but he assures me he doesn’t mind. He cranks up the heat and gives me my space to shower and think I which of course I do. September 15th is the day I was born and the day I lost everything. We never celebrated birthdays; my father felt like it was a waste of time and precious resources. And today will forever be ingrained in my consciousness. I used to want to resent my parents for never allowing me the luxuries of growing up. Birthdays, holidays…but now, after experiencing my first real loss, I can see why my father did not bother.
Aiden’s bathroom is white and clean: Clorox bleach clean. Sterile. My parents would approve. I strip down and let the water run until it is steamy hot before stepping in. I bundle my braids high on top of my head and allow the hot water to massage away at my brown skin. I lather up with the ivory soap he gave me, and in the midst of the scrub I break down once more. I vow that this will be the last time I shed a single tear. It will be about survival from here on out.
I step out and dress quickly in a pair of black sweats, and sports bra that I cover with a tank. When you are raised in a household full of warriors, cute pj’s are out of the question. Aiden is in the kitchen doing something that I thought he would never do: cook.
“Hungry?” He smiles as he prepares a couple of steaks with seasoning. My stomach growls.
“Yes I am. Thank you.”
“Cool. And no need to thank me kid. Have a seat. Biscuit surely has made himself comfortable.”
I quickly glance in the direction where Biscuit relaxed, stretched out on the couch knocked out.
I force a smile. “I see.”
“So how do you like your steak? Well done or medium rare? Personally I like my steak rare, but hey to each his own right?” He flashed me a grin that temporarily made me forget why I was even in his house.
“Well done please,” I say taking a seat on a bar stool facing the counter.
“Suit yourself but you are missing out.” He continues to season the meat while I rest my head on the counter.
“You are stronger than what you think you are Dawn,” he says spraying some vegetable oil in the skillet. “You are probably stronger than your parents combined.”
“I don’t want to be strong. I want to be normal,” I groan.
“Yeah well there are plenty of entities who wish they had half of the power that you have flowing through your veins. Your parents knew this, which is why they kept you under lock and key until the time came-“
“For me to lose everything…”
His expression goes blank for a second before softening. “I know this is hard for you Dawn. I can only imagine what you are going through.”
“I’m sorry Aiden. I-I-“
“Don’t worry about it kiddo.”
He turns around and finishes moving about in the kitchen from refrigerator to stove and then back to the counter. 45 minutes later, he presents in front of me a thick T-bone steak with sautéed mushrooms with garlic and tomatoes, mashed potatoes and a garden salad. I dig in. The first bite is mind blowing I must say. Any woman would be lucky to nab a guy like Aiden. Not only is he gorgeous and strong and intelligent, but the man can cook. I hope I am lucky enough to find someone like him one day.
“And maybe you will,” he says with a wink as he takes a bite of his food.
I can’t even swallow I am so humiliated. I forgot he could do that: get inside my head without my permission.
“Stay out of my head,” I grumble.
He laughs and we eat in companionable silence un
til I am stuffed beyond capacity. I wash my dish and then excuse myself into the solitude of Aiden’s room. Climbing into the bed I do not think that I could be any more tired after all of the sleeping I have been doing but my body doesn’t think so. I drift off without a second thought. Tomorrow is when survival begins.
Aiden
I have always been attracted to her. Ever since she was a child. And no, I am not what you humans would consider a pervert, preying on the innocence of a child. Even members of my kind have their limits. Attraction is not always sexual, even though nowadays I have noticed her blossoming into womanhood. Attraction means what it means: I was drawn to her. There has always been this extra something about her that made me want to remain close even though I have been ordered by the high queen, my mother to kill her.
At first I thought it would be as easy as any other mission had been for me. To kill a child, a being incapable of defending itself should have been nothing. Her parents were not always as prepared as they thought they were and the moment I entered her nursery, unbeknownst to her parents I believed it would be just an ordinary job. I cursed my mother for the redundancy of such a mission. But the instant I raised my blade over her tiny chest she opened her eyes, and I was done. The moment her blue-grey eyes met mine I saw everything that she was destined to be. There was something indefinable about her and in the instant I wanted to be a part of every chapter of her book and not the final ending. It was then that I sworn off my allegiance to my mother and to the House of Light; when I vowed to protect her.
In the Light of Darkness Page 3
