Ancient Darkness (On HOLD)

Chapter Fifteen - Grave Discussion

Owen had meant for the others to make their way to Miss Sorenson's bedroom so that he could make formal introductions but when he knocked on the door and received no answer, he forced his way in to find that she had curled herself into a corner of the room and passed out from exhaustion.

His eyes locked onto her face as his heart began to quicken; he didn't understand the reaction but he knew that he wasn't the only one to experience it. His conversation with Lucian had solidified a number of his theories and the astonishing knowledge pounded through him - whatever became of their association would change how their family functioned.

He moved slowly across the empty space, not wanting to startle her awake before he could make her comfortable within the bed. Once he placed a compulsion upon her, she would sleep through from dawn until dusk as they took to their places beneath the earth.

Wanting to feel her within his arms once more, Owen bent at the knee and carefully rearranged her slim body to fit close to his chest as he rose and moved to set her upon the thick mattress. The quilt had decorated the bed for as long as the house had been built, forgotten and left to provide a surface for dust.

Her lightened hair gleamed in the soft glow of the room, giving her an angelic look. She appeared to be as innocent as a child even though he could not convince himself to think of her as such. She was very much a woman, one that had him fighting against his own nature and the nature of his family. His head told him that the threat she presented needed to be resolved quickly – thus agreeing with North's plan to make her submit through torture but the monster that he held caged screamed for blood and death at the very notion.

Whether any of them approved of the knowledge or not didn't matter, she was under the protection of an Immortal, one that was considered to be ancient.

His fingers drifted with unfamiliar tenderness over the lines of her relaxed face - she was in the arms of a wild and dangerous creature but she slept in peace.

"Who are you and what are you doing to us? To me?" He quietly demanded. His connection to the twilight allowed him the surety that he was running out of time before the sun truly began to rise - it was a force that he could not deny. His kind were denizens of the night, they could survive for a few short moments beneath the burning daylight rays before skin began to disintegrate and the particles within their bodies boiled.

It was not pleasant by any means but it was an effective way to die when one did not want to leave any evidence. Ashes to ashes as humans were wont to say.

With Sang's mind in such a state, it was quite easy for Owen to slip past her lowered barriers and command her into a deep sleep, one where she would not stir until he released her. The compulsion had the full force of his will behind it. She could not be allowed to slip away while he rested, oblivious, beneath her feet.

He felt the presence of Sean from beyond the closed doorway, "Enter."  There was something lurking within his brother's mind, something that had him tensed and wary.

The door creaked slightly and Owen waved a hand so that Sean could feel free to approach as he remained propped on the side of the bed.

"What bothers you?" He murmured, unconsciously stroking along the soft skin of Sang's arm.

Sean rubbed a hand down the crest of his face, "I am unusually tired this night and I feel as though trouble is brewing upon the horizon."

Owen snorted, amused, "You begin to sound like North - according to him we doom ourselves by simply breathing."

"Bah, the day that I begin to agree with his premonitions is the day that I know my time has come to journey onto the next life." Sean's eyes drifted from his friend to that of the woman, "She will bring us change and I'm unsure yet whether it will weaken us or make us even stronger as a family."

Owen reached forward and clapped the ancient healer on the shoulder, "We have faced many things together and although most of them have been painful, we are still lingering, still fighting and finding joy from the world."

Sean's eyes sharpened, "That we do but are all of us thinking that the darkness continues to swell within our hearts and we should perhaps wish for nothing more than the shadow path."

"You knew." Owen guessed with certainty, suddenly ashamed that he had caused his friend another worry.

"We all know. You are our leader, a prince whether you claim the title. All of your brothers fight for you even when you give up. Sang was able to stop you when I had doubts that even we could change your course." Sean clasped her delicate hand and raised it to his lips and his head bowed, "We owe her thanks just for that no matter the reason behind it."

Owen pulled them both their feet and away from the alluring creature, "I should apologize to you all. I promised to see you through even the darkest of times and I faltered. I failed."

"You did no such thing, brother. You have always been the strongest of us but even you must have struggles sometimes," Sean looked once more to their unexpected guest, "North will not go easy on her in his efforts to establish her true purpose but I have the feeling that the fates have finally decided to grant us some grace."

"Lucian and I spoke of the chance that she may be a spell crafter," Owen admitted, forcing aside the hope that the human would prove to be as innocent as she appeared.

"A good theory but only time will tell us the truth of it. For now, we must rest and prepare for what comes tomorrow."

Sean and Owen slowly made their way into the basement where the majority of their brothers stood waiting to lower themselves into what humans would believe to be graves. Nine holes peppered the dirt floor, deep and wide enough for them to situate themselves before they commanded the earth to cover them over. During their sleep, their organs ceased to function and if found, they would appear as dead but it was their spirits way of flying free from the bonds that held it stationary. Unaware of their physical selves, the Immortals would spend the daytime in death states as they healed in mind, spirit and body.

"Where is North?" Owen asked, as he moved to his own resting place.

The others all shrugged whilst they stepped effortlessly through air into the deep cradles, preparing to lay themselves to rest.

... ...

North floated aloft as he stared down at the small human girl on the bed - she was a problem. None before her had had the ability to connect as they did and he was prepared to use whatever means necessary to ensure that no threat to his family remained.

His finger traced the line of her small nose, "I will kill you if I must even it destroys my already tattered soul, sweet one."