The Midnight Within

Chapter 21

Propping open the back door Stevo hauled out the last of the garbage and reached for his smokes. Stevo hated the night shift, hated dealing with the drunks and then having to clean up after them when the bar closed at two A.M. It meant he wouldn't get home until will after the sun rose. It had been one of those long exhausting nights where the only thing keeping him going was to dream about the vacation he wanted to take in the spring. Blowing smoke into the cold morning air he dropped the butt onto the gravel and looked out over the empty country road. It was always peaceful this early except for those few times he had to wake some drunk up from behind the wheel of their car. Pushing off from the wall with a dry cough he picked up the bags and headed for the dumpster. His old lady had been nagging him for weeks to go in but other than the coughing he felt fine. Halfway across the lot he heard the first wolf howl. It was common to see the occasional wolf out here, bear were more of a problem than the wolves, still, he picked up his pace a little as a second howl joined the first. He quickly put the bags in the dumpster and headed back to the bar. It looked like rain as dark heavy clouds covered the early morning sun. As Stevo reached the door he glanced over his shoulder, quickly scanning the trees at the edge of the lot. He didn't see any wolves, what he saw was a man wearing a cowboy hat, leaning casually against the dumpster. Swearing under his breath as he reached just inside the back door for his trusty pool cue. He hadn't had to use it in a while and it felt good in his hands. " Hey, Buddy, we're closed, you can't be back here. " Blacks grin was menacing as he crossed his arms. If the bar-back wanted a fight, he was more than welcome to it. It had been a long journey north with many miles put between the south and some town quite close to their destination." I don't want to hurt you, so just go home and come back when we are open, OK? "Gripping the cue, Stevo took a few menacing steps away from the building. He didn't like the looks of this guy at all but he had to be at least a hundred pounds soaking wet." I don't want to hurt you either, but they will. "Like wraiths the twins stepped from the gathering shadows, their icy eyes locking on the burly man with hungry intent. Stevo had time to swing once, the cue slicing through the air before Shatter snatched it with one hand, snapping it over one knee before tossing the piece's aside." You need to be faster than that old man. " Shatter snarled as Broken moved in, sweeping Stevo's feet out from under him. They wasted little time, falling on him and tearing him open. Growls and screams filling the early morning air. Black stepped over them and entered the darkened bar. Moving through the kitchen he walked out into the main pine paneled room. He never lost his infinity for these little dive bars and this one didn't disappoint with it's wrap around bar, old wooden stools and dirty glass. Black ran his fingers over the scared and pitted wood as he walked slowly behind the bar, his eyes drawn to the long rows of gleaming glass bottles. He had intended to make it to Disdain but with the eastern sky painted in pinks and purples he decided they needed a place to spend the day. They could have kept going, as the sun didn't hurt them like it did the others. Sunlight for them hurt like a bad sunburn but did not kill, although he had seen newborn vampires scorched until they were nothing but walking blackened husks. A favorite punishment of the elders, along with the taking of their fangs. They could have also stolen another van or a car but the last thing he wanted was for the police to be on the lookout for anything they took. Easier to walk and think." You're unhappy." Shatter spoke from the darkened kitchen." Not unhappy. I just don't want to be here. "" We can go south again, away from the cold. "" No, I need to finish this. I need to see her. "" She knows we are coming. She sees the past, she knows about Elisabeth. "Black froze, his head snapping up. How had he forgotten about their lost sister, and how did Shatter know about Mia. He had kept his thoughts about her to himself. Did it have something to do with why Jack wanted them to come home? He didn't think so and didn't want to even think about the other possibility. " Forget them, We shall dance on their corpses. "Broken walked in, dropping Stevo's body with a sickening wet plop on the dance floor." This one dances no more! " With a maniacal grin and a barking laugh he joined his brother, slipping an arm around Shatter's waist he laid his head on his twins shoulder. To the twins everything was a game and humanity nothing more than walking happy meals.Sighing Black dropped his bloodstained hat onto the bar and made his way to a booth against the wall. Sinking down he stretched out his legs across the worn leather seat. Was he doing the right thing? Was he leading them to their deaths? He was suddenly disturbed by his own thoughts he closed his eyes and was not surprised to see Mia's face taunting him. It was going to be a very long day if he spent it brooding over a stupid mortal woman and a past he had no way of changing. When the first rays of sun hit the window behind him he slowly drifted off, letting the heaviness overtake his limbs and plunging him into merciful slumber. And as sleep claimed him he heard a voice, soft and angelic. It beckoned him home in a different way and filled his dreams with nightmares.