Christmas Consort

Dawn's Truce

The voices were quite near though soft and comforting. Kylie tried to ignore them, to sleep a little longer. She knew she needed a lot of rest but didn't want to wake enough to remember why.

"That's good. The rest will do her good. The sun will be up soon."

"Forget about her, I want you to come tuck me in." This voice was moving away. Good riddance, Kylie thought.

"Really?" This voice followed the first, went the same direction.

"Yes. Help tuck me here. And here. And I, oh, right here, this might require special attention."

"I live for nothing if not to give you, and this, and this special attentions."

The room around Kylie felt bigger and a morning bird began not to whistle but to scream. I should get up. I need to get up...but why?

Sunrise. Time to escape. Except Kylie could hardly drag herself off the couch. How long had she been awake yesterday? Driving into the night, thinking she was almost at the house and could rest. As if that wasn't enough along with a car accident, the attack, being dragged to this place. All that wouldn't matter one iota if she ended up dead with these, she braced herself and said it out loud, "Vampires."

The one she wanted to see wasn't like these. He...he had saved her life and left without vengeance after she shot him.

I could use some help now. She opened her eyes to hazy streams of light beaming through cracks around the edges of the shutters. She stood and the whole house went sideways. She hit the floor, cringing at the thump.

She lay still listening to the house and her own breathing. No one was coming to investigate. Of course not. The sun was up and the vampires were asleep or dead or whatever it was they did during daylight hours. She crawled on all fours to the nearest possible escape route.

The windows opened in easy enough, but the shutters were locked tight. The metal appeared to be a simple lever action and twist. With one hand she gripped as hard as she could and twisted her hand off the knob. Nothing. She braced her fingers with her other fist squeezing everything together and leaned her body into trying to turn one little knob. If it was a jar of pickles she could beat the thing on the floor. A quick glance around the room revealed nothing with which to beat the knob.

Maybe some of the others are looser. She moved methodically around the front room, holding onto furniture and window sills to stay upright. She gave each shuttered opening as much strength as she could muster for a couple tries. Some where, maybe from the bar owner at Tabby's, Kylie picked up the phrase, third time's a charm. She went back around to test each one a third time before moving down the hall.

Was that a floor creaking? Her stomach growled as if to answer. No wonder I'm so weak. She couldn't remember when she last ate a real meal. Doesn't matter. Have to get out of here.

There were three rooms off the first floor hall and a restroom. She hardly noticed the furnishings of a study, a bedroom, a sitting room. Shutter. Shutter. Shudder. Her arms were shaking now with each effort. Of course there was the blood loss to consider.

In what she figured had to be the eastern most room the metal knob was actually a little warm to the touch. She jerked back momentarily before realizing it was the heat of the morning sun.

She slumped down on the nearest piece of furniture, a dark leather couch with buttons crisscrossing the seat back. There was a name for that she had heard or read somewhere. If I can't even think straight, maybe...just a little nap. What could it hurt? The vampires were out for the count. Surely she had time to rest her body. Wasn't that what mom always said? Give your body time to rest and recuperate.