Shadow Born: Book 1 of the Shadow-Borne Chronicles

by Paul A. Cagle

  "Yes, sir. For those staying, rooms have been prepared."

  "Excellent." He turned to Alec, Steven and Marcus. Dorn excused himself and exited giving Alec the thumbs up.

  "Gentlemen, please do behave yourselves tonight. I'm talking directly to you, Alec," Silas said smiling at the young man. “Don’t let anyone goad you into saying or doing anything rash.” Alec nodded that he understood.

  "On a serious note, Alec and Steven, be careful tonight. If you need security do not hesitate to let them know, okay?"

  The two young men nodded and Marcus said, "I'll look after them, Silas."

  "That's what I'm afraid of," Silas said smiling and turned to go. “We will get through this.”

  Once they were alone and the doors were closed, Alec got up and poured himself some scotch and downed it. It burned, but in a good way. Alec did not share Silas’s optimistic views on the situation.

  "Nervous?" Marcus asked coming up behind him and pouring himself a drink as well. Alec filled his glass and downed it a second time.

  "Nah, what makes you think that?" He laughed and poured a third glass but just sipped on this one. Steven sat quietly on the couch watching the amber fluid flow as he twirled it, lost in thought.

  "Well, if it helps, you look really nice tonight."

  "Thanks, Marcus. So do you." They clinked their glasses together.

  Marcus took a step back to look Alec up and down. “You know, you really have changed. And not just physically. You’ve grown too, as a man.”

  Alec tried to hide his embarrassment. “I know,” he said quietly. “A lot of it is thanks to you and Silas. You’ve helped me in so many ways. Provided I survive this I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  “Oh, I can think of a few ways,” Marcus said smiling.

  Alec burst out laughing. “Should I even ask?”

  Marcus grinned. “Not if you don’t want to be embarrassed,” he said winking. Marcus gripped Alec’s shoulder and squeezed it. "Just be respectful of the council, even if you are disagreeing with them. Fuck them if they think they are getting rid of you."

  Alec was surprised at Marcus's language. He'd never really heard him curse.

  "Just saying."

  Alec laughed and rolled his eyes. It felt good to have a friend like Marcus.

  Marcus looked at Alec. “I’m behind you one hundred percent. And Silas has done everything in his power to keep you safe. If anything major comes up, let Silas handle it, okay?”

  Alec nodded once.

  The two men chatted a bit more when the door opened and Xavier came in. He approached them and bowed. "The council is ready," he said to Marcus.

  Marcus turned to Alec. "Don't be nervous." He smiled that cocky smile of his and clapped Alec on the shoulder.

  "That’s easy for you to say,” Alec said grinning. “Thanks Marcus, for everything. You’ve been a good friend. Just in case…tell Silas I said thank you." Alec grabbed his friend and hugged him tight, feeling the hard muscles of Marcus’s chest pressed against him. He wasn’t used to having friends that looked out for him and didn’t know if this was appropriate or not, but it felt right. Marcus returned his hug.

  “Don’t think like that,” Marcus said quietly into his ear. “We will get through this.” He pulled back and smiled at Alec, who only nodded. “You and Steven both have friends on the council.”

  Xavier led the three men down a hallway and through several doors. Alec was burning blood and memorizing the twists and turns in case the council voted against him and he had to fight his way out. He didn’t think he could handle that many vampires at once but he planned on making it a costly endeavor to subdue him.

  Marcus stopped at a hallway and turned to the young men. “This is my stop. I’ll be with Silas during the proceedings but I’ll keep an eye on the two of you.”

  Xavier led them further down to the end of the hallway and to a double set of doors thrown wide. As the two young men entered, Alec could see the chamber and it took his breath away. The room itself was large and to his left were rows and rows of stadium seats, which were filled with hundreds of chatting vampires. The floor was black and white marble with an emblem emblazoned in the middle, below it a phrase that Alec assumed was Latin. A raised dais occupied the right side of the floor, upon which sat a large semicircular table with chairs on the back side.

  There was an air of excitement in the room. Alec supposed when you were immortal something like this would get rid of the tedium of eternity. The room fell silent as Alec and Steven were escorted in and shown where to stand.

  Xavier nodded to the two young men and exited the way he came.

  Alec squared his shoulders, straightened his back and walked to the spot that Xavier had pointed to, just the way he had practiced with Marcus. He followed everything Marcus told him to do. He walked in slowly and confidently, meeting everyone's eyes and nodding here and there if he recognized someone. Hisashi was in the front row and nodded back. Alec didn’t see Jacob but he hadn’t really expected the recluse to show up.

  Every eye in the room was on him and Steven, but mostly him.

  Some of those present smiled back at Alec and nodded a greeting in return. So far so good, Alec thought to himself. He stood in the center of the floor as Marcus had instructed him and put his hands behind his back. He saw Steven do the same thing from the corner of his eye. He turned his head and winked at the young man, making sure no one saw him. He didn’t want anyone to mistake the wink for arrogance.

  Alec looked to his left and saw the five vampires that had attacked him and Jake. As Dorn had explained they were chained to the wall with silver manacles and armed guards standing in front of them. Alec turned and walked towards the shackled men. The guards nodded to Alec as he approached. They didn't try to stop him but then again, he didn't attempt to get to close. All five of them looked weak and sickly from the silver.

  They were wearing clean clothes and none of them looked unkempt. They had obviously been feed and cared for and showed no signs of neglect. Other than the effects of the silver, they all looked just fine. With Alec's heightened senses he could smell the silver chains that bound the five men. It had an acrid, metallic smell to it. It was slightly bitter and unpleasant. After a few moments, he walked back to stand beside Steven. He wanted everyone to see him facing his attackers. Several people had been watching him as he approached and reviewed the men. Alec could hear whispering.

  What did the others think of him viewing his attackers? Did they think he was taunting them with their failure or did they think him brave for boldly walking to where they were chained and meeting their gazes? Alec didn't really care what they thought. He had done it to see if any of them showed any remorse for their actions. The only thing he saw in their eyes was hatred.

  Alec watched as Marcus appeared behind the large table and began arranging papers and paraphernalia that Alec couldn’t make out. A woman in tight leather with flame colored red hair caught Marcus's eye and with is heightened senses he heard Marcus say, "Oh holy hell. What is she doing here?"

  Alec found the woman Marcus was looking at. She definitely stood out. She was the only woman not dressed elegantly. Instead she looked like she had just ridden her motorcycle in and was still wearing her riding leathers. Her flame colored red hair was pulled back into a ponytail that reached to the middle of her back. Her skin was very pale and she looked like a hard wind might blow her over. Her features had a sort of pixie-like look to them. She was beautiful.

  Alec looked a question at Marcus who pulled out his phone and sent Alec a text. He obviously didn’t want to be overheard.

  Aleisha Night…Nightshade. She's an assassin of sorts. Probably hired by Laramie to show off and make you nervous. Don’t be! Marcus had sent.

  The woman in question looked up like she had heard her name and nodded once to Marcus who nodded back. She then focused her piercing gaze on Alec and stared at him as if she were memorizing his every mov
e. It was very unnerving.

  A hush fell over the crowd and Alec looked up to see the five council members walking to their respective positions. The five stood there and another vampire dressed in a black suit with a shield emblem of black with five blood red slashes down the front, pinned to his lapel raised his hand for attention.

  “The council would like to thank you all for coming this evening. This meeting is to determine what actions to take in the unprecedented case of Alec Carson and to determine what is to be done regarding his attackers. This evening we shall also discuss the human Steven Reynolds, and his outcome will be decided. We are represented on the council by Laramie, Victoria, Reginald, Silas and Sabina.” As their names were called each nodded and sat at his or her chair.

  Alec had met Laramie and Sabina, but Victoria and Reginald were new to him. Victoria looked like she had just walked out of a fashion shoot. Her blonde hair hung past her shoulders in long luxurious curls and her blue eyes sparkled alluringly. She was breathtakingly beautiful. In contrast, Reginald looked like something out of a Tolkien novel. He was roughly five and a half feet tall with a mass of curly brown hair on his head and inquisitive brown eyes that seemed to take in everything at once. He certainly wasn’t what Alec had been expecting.

  “As usual,” the announcer continued, “there will be no interruptions to the proceedings and no one will be allowed to talk save that they are called to do so by the council. We are begun.” He bowed to the assembled crowd and turned and bowed deeper to the council. He then backed to his position beside the dais and waited. Alec noticed that the council’s seconds were standing behind their respective council members. Marcus looked at Alec but there was no indication of any favoritism. Alec knew Marcus well enough by now that he saw his feelings in his eyes. Be patient and don’t speak out or be disrespectful.

  Reginald stood and viewed the assembled crowed and then his eyes dropped to study Alec and Steven. His voice when he spoke was much deeper than Alec had expected. He almost imagined that the man would sound like a chipmunk.

  “We are come upon interesting times and find ourselves at a crux in the history of vampire kind. Mister Carson and Mister Reynolds, please step forward.”

  Alec and Steven nervously walked forward to approach the dais and table, which Reginald was standing behind. When they were close, closer than Alec would have thought they would have been allowed, Reginald nodded that they should stop.

  Reginald thought for a moment choosing his words. “Your testimonies as well as others previously recorded, have been viewed and weighed accordingly and it has been decided by this council that said testimonies will be the evidence by which we make our decisions. Do you understand?” Reginald looked at each man in turn both of whom nodded once.

  “We do not make any decisions here tonight with a light heart. What we decide will have repercussions on future events and council proceedings. We have debated and discussed these actions and now must make decisions based on what we have before us. This is not a simple task, but it is one we must decide upon. Silas wishes to say a few words”

  Xavier held a glass carafe of blood and filled each of the council member’s glasses with it. Several of them picked up their glasses and were clearly waiting for something. Laramie ignored his and crossed his arms across his chest.

  “Thank you, Reginald and council members for indulging me. Alec Carson has come to us by strange means. His existence is stranger yet. I think we would be doing Mister Carson and ourselves a grave injustice if we decided on a rash course of action. Both Mister Carson and Mister Reynolds were paramount in the discovery of Senator Taylor and Vincent VonBell’s misdeeds. Without their help our situation could have been dire had things gone wrong with the hostage situation.” Alec assumed by now that was all common knowledge, most of it anyway.

  Silas motioned for Alec to approach the table and turned him to face the gathered crowd. Alec could clearly smell the blood that Silas had in front of him. It smelled like warm iron. There was a slightly acrid smell to it as well that Alec couldn't place but set off an alarm in the back of his mind.

  "Alec Carson has shown himself to be a kind, intelligent, genteel young man. He deserves the right to exist and with his permission we can further study his situation. There is a lot we can learn here."

  “Bah,” Laramie spat out. “Alec Carson is nothing more than an abomination. He was an accident and doesn’t deserve anything more than we would mete out to an illegally created vampire. The laws must be upheld.” He glared at Alec, daring him to say something.

  Alec however was preoccupied. He knew that strange smell from somewhere and knew that it was dangerous he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Silas released him and he slowly walked to stand beside Steven. That smell had gotten to him and he couldn’t shake it. What was it?

  “We have debated this much and much. It is time to decide on a course of action,” Reginald said and all on the council nodded.

  Reginald raised his glass of blood and saluted the council members. “As those who have gone before us, so are we now, here to decide fates and pass judgment. Let your wisdom guide you here today as we move forward." Reginald raised his glass, as did the council and their seconds, everyone except Laramie and Cassandra.

  Suddenly it hit Alec where he’d smelled that scent before. "STOP!" he shouted into the quite room. His voice boomed loudly, louder than he had meant for it to have.

  The five vampire council member’s eyes were on Alec, everyone still holding their glasses. Laramie glared at Alec with a small triumphant smile on his face. There were murmurs around the room.

  "It's poisoned," Alec said walking towards the dais before anyone could stop him. He reached over and took the glass from Silas's hand and sniffed it. The acrid scent of silver was definitely coming from his glass. "There's silver in it," he said looking directly into Silas’s eyes.

  Silas looked shocked and took the glass gingerly from Alec. He sniffed it. "Alec," he said quietly, "I don't smell anything."

  "I'm telling you Silas, there's silver in that glass. It’s the same acrid scent I smelled when I was near the chained vampires."

  Victoria, Sabina, and Reginald all eyed their drinks suspiciously but none had said anything yet.

  Laramie stood then. "Oh, this is ridiculous. How dare you interrupt this council with your hysterics? Silas, drink and prove to his fool there's nothing wrong with the blood."

  Silas searched Alec's eyes. "Don't do it," Alec said quietly.

  "Oh, I'm sorry, is your pet human having issues? This is nothing more than a delaying tactic. He knows he’s an abomination and that he will be punished as such!” Laramie spat.

  That did it for Alec. He snapped then and turned on Laramie. He stormed up to him walking around the table. "You did this, didn't you?" he demanded. He could smell silver in Laramie's glass as well. "You and Cassandra were the only ones that didn't have your glasses raised. As a matter of fact you had your arms crossed and as far away from the glass as you could get."

  "How dare you take that tone with me!" Laramie snapped. "This is all because we didn't pay you the attention you wanted and dote on you the way the other's have been! You should have been killed the moment it was found out you were still alive."

  Alec was furious. Part of it was because he was burning a lot of blood; part of it was all the stress that had finally found a vent.

  "Okay then, if the blood doesn't have silver in it, why don't you drink some?"

  "I will NOT be told what to do by the likes of YOU. You are an abomination." Laramie practically spat the word in his face.

  Reginald had finally recovered, he and Silas were trying to restore order but Alec and Laramie were ignoring them. Silas's face was a storm cloud of anger. His eyes practically sparked.

  "Fine," Alec said and grabbed the wine from the table. Before anyone else could do anything Alec grabbed Laramie's hand and poured a small drop of the blood from the cup into his palm. He didn't p
our as much as he wanted because he didn't want Laramie to sling it in his face like Cassandra had done to poor Steven.

  With his other hand, his left, Laramie back handed Alec who had been focused on his right and not paying attention. Alec took the hit but strengthened himself to make sure it didn't knock him off the stage.

  "HOW DARE YOU!" Laramie shouted. His eyes had turned black and his fangs were out. It was a very creepy look. His features became…otherworldly.

  Alec turned then and backhanded Laramie the same way he'd been struck. Before he knew what was going on, two silver laced daggers were at his throat and the assassin Nightshade was holding them.

  There was dead silence in the room so no one missed it when Laramie screamed, "KILL HIM NOW!"

  Oh Boy.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  A Surprise

  Before Laramie's voice had even died away Aleisha…Nightshade… whatever her name was, was in motion. She viciously swiped her daggers across Alec's throat, or where his throat had been, since he quickly backed away. She didn't show any surprise that he had moved, she simple kept jabbing, slicing and stabbing. Alec was hard pressed to keep her at bay.

  With a backwards jump Alec cleared the table and landed on the front side of the dais. He then flipped himself backwards and landed on the meeting floor. Nightshade didn't miss a beat and was across the table and stabbing her silver laced daggers at Alec's face and chest. He dogged, spun and turned to keep the daggers from finding their marks. Guards were closing in on them but Nightshade motioned them back. Alec decided he'd had enough of this and went on the attack. He dropped and swept his leg out trying to trip Nightshade up. But she wasn't there anymore.

  Alec stood quickly, confused. Something inside him sensed movement behind and he threw his head to the left. Above his right shoulder a dagger stabbed forward. It had been aimed for the base of his neck. He grabbed the hand holding the dagger and flipped Nightshade over his shoulder and threw her. She landed on both feet and charged him.