Chapter 10
Austin was glad to be getting back to the ranch with the colt but what left him unsettled was the fact that with two special cases in town, it could spell trouble. At least Sam could take care of himself and the girl Natalia seemed to be knowledgeable and she had her grandmother. What was really bothering Austin was the fact that Angela was missing and to top it off Sam was insisting that he keep an eye out for abandoned cabins or something like that. The first thought was that Sam was a part of her kidnapping but then he discounted that since the boy was honest in his own confusion and determination to find her. Then there was the request itself.
Austin thought it a little foolish for Sam to trust him so much with finding any clues to her disappearance. Then again maybe the reasoning was as simple as the fact that she was a friend to both of them. Austin gave a slight smile since she and Chris always told him that he tended to overthink things at times. He might be doing that right now but then again it was Angela.
He remembered the first time they met. It was the height of the American Revolution and he was more or less taking a stroll through a battlefield. He was dressed in the typical wear of the time and he carried a rifle. Anyone could have mistaken him for a militiaman and occasionally he did take a shot at a British soldier to keep up appearances. It was there that he saw her wielding a British saber as she marched with the South Carolina militia.
How she managed to convince the commander to let her march with the militia was a mystery. He knew that she wasn't the type to use seduction as currency and he never did find out. He did however remember how they met. She almost killed him and that was when he discovered that she was a hunter.
They came face to face on the battlefield. She raised her musket and pointed it at him. He didn't know she was a female since her hair was tucked up in one of the men's hats and she did have that gleam that spoke of the kill in her eyes. It was when she spoke that he realized that she was a hunter. She called him 'vampire.' His reaction was to start to fight and it was not with guns.
She shot and he dodged. Her reaction was to charge wielding her blade. He was able to disarm her but she countered with hand to hand combat. They collided and he was able to yank her hat off to reveal her length of hair and it was then he noticed her eyes. The glow typical of vampires and Halflings alike was evident in her eyes and it stunned him. Once she locked him against a tree, she gave a sniff and backed off. She told him to get lost or help hunt down the ones being drawn to the carnage. That had been the most memorable experience Austin had.
They didn't meet again until Prohibition and of all places… Chicago. He had finished a job hunting down a human who had been contaminated by demon blood and disposed of him. It was there that he discovered that she was tracking a demon and a powerful one from the looks of it and the reason for the humans with the demon blood. He stumbled onto it when he happened to meet her in the same theatre she was in. He came just to watch the latest picture film and he spotted her… well caught a whiff of her scent.
He followed it to the backstage area where he found her restrained and was about to be killed by some guy. Austin acted first and sprang forward to help her out. It was then that he saw the eyes flicker yellow. It startled him since he had only seen the black eyed hell bitches. This was new to him and the distraction gave her the opportunity for her break free and spring after the demon.
The demon escaped and Austin thought she was going to kick his ass for letting it happen. Instead she gave him a once over and then pulled out a scrap of paper. She handed it to him and told him to go there. As it turned out it led to the academy and by extension the Centurion. Now he was one of the top 'agents' of the order and a popular teacher of the students. He owed her a debt for that but she said to forget it and it turned into a friendship. Yet to Austin, he still owed her quite a debt.
Now she was missing. It seemed like as good a time as any to start to repay it. He would help Sam. Even though the stench of the blood was strong on him, he did like him. He saw a good person at heart and it was clear that he looked up to his older brother. He figured that was part of the reason she decided to travel with them. He would look into the cabin up here in these parts. Maybe the old man might know something about it.
It was then that Child of the Water gave a slight tug and whinny. Austin looked up and asked, "What is it boy? You find another special case that I didn't know about?" He gave a wry smile and patted the horse's neck.
The horse tugged on his lead in a particular direction. Austin looked out in that direction. It led out to the middle of nowhere. Then again the ranch was in the middle of nowhere so that was hardly a moot point. He scanned hoping to see something. Even with his enhanced vision as a vampire, he still had limitations on how far that could go. It also was damped slightly by the fact that he still had some light sensitivity issues. Even after two hundred years he still had an issue with broad daylight and full sun. It was better than most vamps.
The horse tugged again in the direction he was looking in. After what happened earlier, he wasn't about to doubt the horse. He got the feeling that the horse and his sibling were related to this case and he did overhear something about warrior brothers. He looked at the horse in the face and said, "Well, I learned my lesson the last time. If I give you a bit of a leash, don't strangle me with it."
The horse gave a nicker and another tug. Austin gave a slight nod and lengthened the lead rope. He gave a slight pat on the neck to let the horse know that he was given his head. "Go ahead. Lead the way Pup."
The horse gave a nicker as if he took offense to the nickname that Austin gave him. Austin couldn't help but chuckle. He said, "Get used to it Pup. Believe me you don't want to know the name I have for your brother."
Giving the horse a leash proved to be something of a mixed blessing. Austin wasn't sure where they were going since it was away from the path to the ranch but he relied on the horse and what it was sensing. He asked, "Are we getting closer?"
His answer came in the form of a feeble squawk. The horse picked up the pace and made a beeline to the noise. It stopped when it reached the source and lowered its head to nuzzle something on the ground. It gave a reassuring rumble and it was answered with another feeble squawk.
Austin moved forward to see what he spent probably thirty minutes walking towards. He saw an eagle lying on the ground and from the looks of things was badly injured. He watched the horse give a gentle nuzzle to the bird. He was surprised the bird didn't retaliate with its talons but it was like they knew each other and trusted each other.
The horse turned to look at him and Austin stepped forward to examine the eagle. The wings were badly mangled and he could make out some lacerations on the torso. Closer inspection revealed that the eagle was a female and she was beautiful. From the looks of things someone had grabbed her and wrestled her. She fought back since he found bits of blood on the talons. Austin leaned in closer to take a sniff and he was instantly repelled by the scent. Demon blood and full blooded. It stank to high heaven.
For some reason, Austin felt angry. He had no reason to be since it was an animal but then again he detested it when they were mistreated. And she was a pretty one. Austin had seen them in flight but never one up close. She didn't try to attack him when he ran his hands over her feathers. The horse gave a nudge to his shoulder.
I must be crazy. Makes me wish the princess were here. She would understand this better than me. Austin sighed. He may be able to help her with the physical injuries but the connection between the horse and her was something that would have to be explained. He would have to explain things to the old man.
Being as gentle as he could, he lifted the eagle up. He cringed when she made a sound of pain but he continued to tuck her under his arm. Wrapping the lead around his wrist he said, "Alright Pup, let's get back to the old man."
Natalia paused while she finished making the satchels as Nana instructed. Something had happened. She looked around the kitchen to see if anything was out of place. All she saw was Jerry playing with his car in his playpen and he was giggling. She frowned as she stepped away from her work to look around.
She made her way to the front of the store and peered out the glass door. Suddenly she saw one of those monsters in front of her. Well the demons as Sam referred to them. She jumped a little as it turned to look at her but it didn't move. A noise caught her attention and she turned to see the direction that the demon had turned its head to.
It was a horse but it wasn't like the one that led her to Sam. It was different. It whinnied and stomped its feet but in a more aggressive way. It was minding its own business as the demon started to move and a dark shadow began to emerge from it. Natalia blinked to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating but the blink indicated that she was seeing something… possibly a vision.
Suddenly an eagle swooped down on the demon and they fought. It was startling since it was similar to the dream she had about the eagle fighting that other demon. Natalia watched as the pair struggled and it seemed an even match. That was until the demon grabbed the eagle and man handled it roughly. The wings were either broken or sprained from what Natalia could tell. She shuddered as the demon threw the eagle down and the shadow swooped over the horse. She couldn't help and gasp when the demon turned and gave the eagle a hard kick to the delicate torso. The cry of pain was more than she could bear since it sounded like a hurt child almost and she shut her eyes. When she opened them, the image was gone.
The next sound she heard was the thumping of Nana's cane on the ground. She turned to see her grandmother staring at her from the entrance to behind the counter. Her hands were on top of the cane and she stood there as if waiting for Natalia to speak. Natalia took a breath and slowly let it out as she returned the look.
"See something you did."
It was more of a statement rather than a question and Natalia knew that Nana sensed something was off. She gave a slight nod as she caught her breath. She glanced back outside and found the street empty except for the occasional passerby. She looked back and replied, "I think I did Nana."
The old woman gave a grunt of acknowledgment. She hobbled over to the counter and motioned for Natalia to come forward. "What did you see?"
Natalia started to explain what she had seen. When she had finished, the old woman said. "Courage reaches out even when she cannot. Protects them she does. Lucky they are to have someone like courage."
Natalia understood who she was referring to… at least she thought she did. She was certain that courage was the eagle since she saw it when she came to rescue her. The 'them' she suspected were her companions. One she was certain was Sam. What struck her as interesting was the whole thing regarding the horse. Ever since Austin mentioned the name of the horse that caused the racket at the back of the store, she wondered if the sibling he talked about was the brother. It wouldn't be that farfetched to conclude that the horses represented brothers and possibly Sam and his brother. That led to the thought about the warrior brothers. There were all sorts of stories and legends about them and supposedly the horse that they favored and started a special breed of horses. She wondered…
"Thinking of something you are," Nana said. She had been watching her granddaughter and knew when she was in deep thought.
Natalia looked at her grandmother, "I was thinking about today and the horse Child of the Water. It's the name of one of the warrior brothers and according to Austin, it made a beeline for Sam." She paused to evaluate how her grandmother would take her theory. She knew that some of the elders of the tribe were strict about their own traditions but Nana had been schooled in the old ways as well. So maybe it was all right. She ventured, "I think the warrior brothers are trying to reach through to us. They may have succeeded with Sam and I see things but by their inner spirits. I know the demon marked me and I am sure that he marked Sam."
Nana studied her granddaughter. For a long time she knew that the day would come when the veil would be lifted and she would no longer be able to shield the girl. It started when the demons came and placed their hold on the town. Now that courage had come and was in trouble, it was lifted even more. She nodded and replied, "The dark one has marked many but his purpose with courage is confusing."
Natalia was confused even with that. Still there had to be a way to know. She then asked, "Couldn't Old Mad Johnson help? The warrior brothers roam in the space between spaces where dreams exist. The old man knows the ways of walking those places."
Nana nodded in agreement. When Sam had been brought in, she could tell that he had been in a dream walking state. It was unusual for someone to do that alone and without proper guidance. It was an idea to consider. She was about to answer when the bell to the door opened. In walked the old hunter from earlier and another younger one.
Natalia recognized them both and greeted them with the politeness she used on all customers. "Welcome. Is there something I can help you with?"
Sam sat at the table rubbing his eyes. He had flipped through Angela's journal, skimming for any indication about the yellow eyed demon. Most of the entries spoke of giving clues of his lackeys to his dad and reports on his welfare at Stanford and on the solo hunts Dean did. They all mentioned something along the line of these lackeys knowing where he would strike next but nothing on what exactly those plans were. It was puzzling to Sam as he read them. The funny thing was Yellow Eyes wasn't mentioned until after Angela had met his mother. It was almost as she didn't meet the demon until then but judging from what he read about the exchanges between her and Dad, she must have known more than what she let on. What are you hiding Angie? Are you protecting us from what the demon has planned?
The reflection in the pool of water in the bowl rippled with images until they faded away. The viewer stood for the longest time after the images were gone, staring at the water. The mission as moving forward and soon the prisoners would be rescued.
"I don't see why we have to make sure the humans fight this battle. We are more than capable brother."
The viewer turned to look at his brother. There was a reason they called his brother Monster Slayer and part of it was due to his impulsive nature. His brother was said to be the best at slaying the monsters that plagued the mortals. Some stories spoke of both of them slaying the fiends and some spoke of him keeping the hearth going for his brother. His personal favorite involved when he and his brother went to the pit to retrieve their father's remains by playing the ball game.
Gazing at his impulsive sibling, he replied, "You know the rules as well as I, Brother. We can observe and occasionally give a divining but never interfere. Our realm is to patrol the gates and occasionally venture to the other realms if the order is given."
Monster Slayer scoffed, "Come on Brother. We are warriors. We fight and protect the living."
"And we also created the lineages that do our work in the world of the living."
Monster Slayer looked at his younger brother. Child of the Water was always the logical one. He preferred to plan his attacks out and usually that had to be the case. It worked when they retrieved their father's remains and brought them back to their mother. He gave a smirk, "Yes the hunter lineages and look how well that turned out. One clan is nothing but renegades."
"Such as always the case when tradition fails to satisfy those caught up in the changing world," the younger brother replied.
"Ingrates."
The younger brother laughed. His older siblings could find anything to gripe about if it didn't make him happy. In fact his brother was most happy when he was slaying monsters. He replied, "Misguided. It happens to all of us." He gave a slight chuckle at the face his brother was making which was telling him that he must be crazy. It was how they always 'discussed' things.
Monster Slayer scoffed. It was just like his brother trying to find the best in everything… even in the things that they fought against. That was his nature. Yet he wouldn't have his brother any other way. They were in the fight together. He replied, "Whatever you say Little Brother. So what about that human who breached our security? What's his story?"
Child of the Water looked back at the still water and back at his brother. He replied, "It is an interesting case. Humans generally don't break through our barriers like that."
"I don't know about you but I think he was a spy and it was foolish to let him go," Monster Slayer replied and crossed his arms.
Child of the Water gave a slight shake of his head. He replied, "In case you didn't notice, he had no idea what he was doing here. My namesake even found him."
"Just what are you saying Brother?" Monster Slayer looked at his brother with suspicion. There were times that his brother had a tendency to pay attention too much to the details.
"Besides the ones who are sensitive to dream walking, there are a few humans who can make it this far and they typically are part of the lineages we created," Child of the Water looked at his brother in the eye.
Monster Slayer looked at his brother with narrowed eyes. This was true but one couldn't be too careful. That human was the first to breach this far in over a century and that had been one of those ingrates who tried to kill his brother. That pissed him off seriously and he became much more paranoid about security of their inner sanctum. He even suggested that they hide out in the mortal realm. Like the gods, their powers would be greatly reduced but they were still powerful enough to erect a sanctuary and hide.
His brother of course insisted that they stay and that it was a misguided effort. It was frustrating since it seemed that the ingrates always wanted to blame his brother for what they called a cursed life. It was easy to do since his brother always appeared to be a meek lamb and a non-threat. It was always a good laugh when his brother was under estimated even by the younger gods who tried to beat them in the ridiculous challenges they came up with.
This time though, the fact that his brother mentioned that the human might be from one of the lineages put him on the alert. He replied, "So you're saying that he may be one of ours?"
"He does have a brother and he's a lot like you," Child of the Water replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "Besides I could sense that he had been dream walking before. Her scent was on him."
"You mean that one…"
"Yes my brave slayer of monsters. Absolution has a strange way of leaving her mark on things. One could see it as a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at it."
Both brothers turned towards the owner of the voice. Child of the Water gave a respectful bow while Monster Slayer gave a nod. He was the one who said, "So your brother's favorite toy has been messing around with things again."
Cloud of the Water gave his brother an elbow. He said, "Absolution has suffered enough."
"Oh right," Monster Slayer replied with a sarcastic tone, "The contest really did a number on her. It's not like she can't handle herself."
"You know that's not what I meant," Cloud of the Water replied. He gave a narrow look that said he was annoyed and he probably would punch his brother.
"I know what you meant, stupid."
"Sure… jerk."
"Both of you settle down," the queen said. She had appealed to the brothers to help her reach one of the sensitives in order to rescue her brother. The demon that had used the spell to bind him was one of the more powerful within the hierarchy and he had used one of binding spells that could have been considered long forgotten.
It didn't help that she found out that this demon answered to another and that he had plans. Part of those plans was the involvement of humans like the one that came through earlier. The reason for it, she wasn't sure but she was attuned to the fact that the human was unique. Perhaps it could be possible to reach out to him to get to Absolution. It had been her idea to appeal to the chosen one but the efforts of the brothers had been thwarted when they tried to use the vision quest methods. They did manage to contact her brother and his information turned out to be a major revelation.
As it turned out, the demon was going to use her brother to break Absolution further. Her brother had the power to take memories and create the worst possible nightmares to the point where the dreamer couldn't tell the difference between reality and illusion. For it to work however, he had to delve deep into the mind and reach for the deepest of fears. She knew her brother though and he would delay as long as he could while she pushed the players into position.
She looked at the brothers who had started wrestling. The eldest was telling his brother that no matter what, he always could kick his ass. Never had she met a pair of siblings that had so much affection for each other and yet they could get on each other's nerves. She said, "Both of you know that with Morpheus bound, the demons could force him to create nightmares for any being, human and nonhuman alike. The best choice would be to try and reach the human again."
The brothers stopped what they were doing and broke apart. Cloud of the Water spoke, "It would be difficult. Unless he went to one of the old ones versed in this."
The queen smiled, "I am sure that he will find his way. After all besides him, another was touched by the demon Absolution seeks. Together they will send him here. In the meantime, you should both keep trying to reach Absolution. I sense that spirit is at work and plus the Lady spoke to me."
The brothers nodded in agreement. They turned to go carry out the queen's request. Monster Slayer whispered to his brother, "Should we mention that one of the spirit animals got loose and is bound to Absolution?"
Cloud of the Water looked at his brother with a look. He shrugged his shoulders.
A/N: We know Natalia is just like the other psychics. But what is up with the warrior brothers? Something about them is familiar *smirk* What happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter of Dark Secrets...