Dark Knight of the Skye (25 page)
Read Dark Knight of the Skye Online
Authors: Robin Renee Ray
“You smell like the rest of them, no offence,” she smiled in reply.
“I had that coming, didn’t I?” D`nae smiled back. “Think she’ll remember me?”
“Of course, but first she must deal with her own fear. We dogs never forget.”
“Don’t call yourself that. Just because those bastards did, doesn’t mean anyone else ever will,” she said, reaching for Tabitha’s chin when Duchess tried to take a snap at her. “Duchess Creel, you better not bite me again.” Then she walked back over to the others, looking back once with her brows wrinkled at the dog’s behavior, wiping a tear from her cheek.
Grady dabbed at the wound on Arnaud’s arm as Danny spread the map across the hood of the truck. He handed Arnaud the gauze and told him to hold it against the wound then walked over to join Danny, as D’nae did the same. “Cortez, tis a micht far fae whaur we be richt noo, but it won’t tak lang ance we get here,” Danny claimed pointing at Raton, New Mexico.
“That’s right, then we skip over Eagles Pass, right into Taos. I think maybe we should change our direction here though, because I personally think he believes this is the way we’ll be coming,” Grady said searching the map for another way around the badlands and into Colorado.
“Look, Alasdair couldn’t have taken my mother more than two days ago, and I believe if he wanted her dead, we would have found her that way. So, can we just get in the truck and look at this stupid map when we get to wherever we’re going?” D`nae snapped, walking over and yanking the passenger side door open. “Get in!”
Danny and Grady jumped at the same time. “Fit’s a body tae dae?” Danny smiling at Grady, then walked around him patting him on the back and got into the driver’s side of the truck. Grady rolled up the map, watching as Tabitha picked up the big brown and black spotted pit bull that had calmed down almost completely. Arnaud slid into the middle of the back seat, and slid right out the other side when Tabitha got in with the dog. Grady started laughing and began to get in beside her, when the dog went wild, barking and trying to take a bite out of him. Arnaud was standing back, shaking his head, doing everything he could not to laugh out loud, but soon lost it when Tabitha looked over and winked at him.
“Both of you, get in. She will behave herself as long as you both mind your manners,” Tabitha explained, stroking the dog’s ears.
“I was getting in. She tried to get me, remember,” Grady said as he slowly got back in next to her.
“Yes, but you did not have my permission,” Tabitha replied, causing D`nae to turn around in the seat.
“And in such a short time. My mom’s going to love you, and I know she’s going to be just fine. He didn’t hurt me and he’s not going to hurt her.”
Tammy, D`nae’s mother, lay covered from head to toe on the cold stone floor, as dead as the beast that slept in the king size bed not ten feet from her. The sun was setting and his body was taking on visible life once again. Alasdair rose, swinging his nude legs off the bed, and setting his bare feet onto that same cold floor. He lifted his head and stretched his back, before standing and raising his arms above his six foot stature. The light of the fireplace was just a dim glow of its former self, until he walked over and tossed a few pieces of wood onto the red hot coals. He picked up his black floor-length satin housecoat, and sat down in one of the two high back chairs at the foot of the bed and waited. The bottom of the cloth covering Tammy moved and Alasdair’s legs spread slightly as he leaned forward in the chair. It rose and fell at her chest and a moan escaped from her lips. Alasdair smoothed his thick red hair back on one side and push himself to his feet.
He tied the sash on his robe closed, walking as if on air, then bent at the waist and ripped the cloth off of his newest creation. Her pale white skin was breathtaking, and shades whiter than most, because of how pale she was to begin with. Her arms were shackled at her sides and her ankles were firmly in place. Her shame showed on her face when she turned to look at him for the second time, only now she lay even more vulnerable; nude and no longer one of living. The brown of her eyes had lightened, but the haunting truth of her knowledge was still there.
“Who am I, woman?”
“What else can you do to me? Kill me? Been there done that, wanna cut me up now?”
“Do not tempt me,” he hissed, thinking she was indeed her daughter’s mother. “She came by her mouth honestly.”
“She was raised by strong women!” Tammy replied, dropping her upper back heavily to the floor.
“You think acting like you do not care will make me have pity on you, don’t you?” he asked leaning way down as he walked around her head, looking down with his hair half covering his face.
“Pity? I’m the fucking walking dead. I have two inch teeth in my mouth… like I said,” she sarcastically replied, turning her head to keep from looking back at him.
Alasdair curled his hands into fists and stormed to the bed, yanked the bedspread off and threw it over her body.
“Cover yourself, it sickens me to look at you.”
“Guess you should have thought about that, huh?”
“Do you know what I have planned for you? Do you really want to know your purpose in this little scheme of mine, woman?”
“You have me here to trap my child,” she said trying to shake the cover off of her face.
Alasdair went to the dresser on the other side of the bed and picked up one single key. He removed his robe and put on the pair of pants that were lying across the back of the chair. He slid on his slippers, then walked up to the head of the bed and pulled down on the golden chain, afterwards going back and kneeling down next to Tammy. He pulled the cover away from her arm and unlocked the iron shackle on her right wrist, continuing to do so until all her limbs were free.
“If you try anything stupid, I will rip out your throat,” he explained, picking up his housecoat and tossing it back toward her, where she let it drop to the floor as she got to her feet. “Take it or go out nude, it is your choice.” Tammy quickly picked it up the moment she heard someone knock on the door.
“Enter,” Alasdair proudly ordered, sitting down in his high back chair and crossing his legs.
“He returned before dawn, my Lord,” Michael bowed.
“And?”
“He is dead. His remains held this blade, but he managed to write the letter four with his blood.”
“What of Arnaud and the other one… Pete, or whatever his name is?”
“They must be lost as well, my Lord,” he replied bowing further to the floor.
“Good enough. Ready the yard, I wish to show Mrs. Creel the treat we have in store for her, then maybe she will see that she is not as all knowing as she seems to think that she is.”
“All knowing? Just because I could see your past doesn’t make me think anything,” Tammy said, walking closer to the fireplace.
“What do you see now?” he asked looking at her form in the light of the fire.
“A scared little boy, inside of a raged filled man. Why does the past have to dictate your future, Alasdair?”
“I never told you my name,” he said standing up. “How did you do that? Did Michael tell you?”
“You had fire in your eyes when you thought of nailing me to that cross so they could find my burnt remains,” she turned to look at him. “Why have you changed your mind?”
“Maybe I wish to use you in another way, or maybe I will change my mind again and place you there at the last moment,” he replied, stepping closer to her.
“It doesn’t…” she paused, then collapsed to the floor gripping her stomach.
Alasdair went to the golden chain and pulled it twice, then hurried back to her, lifting her like a child and sat her down in the chair he had been using. He pushed her hair back from her face. Her eyes opened just a slant, and she said, “Why?” He looked away. One knock sounded on the door and Michael rushed in with a tray that held a crystal pitcher, and two silver goblets. He set it down and backed out as fast as he had entered. Alasdair reached around and poured the thick warm red fluid into one of the cold goblets and lifted it to her mouth. Tammy turned her head, refusing his offer.
“If you wish any chance of seeing your child, you will have to feed to survive,” he explained in a soft tone.
“I would never allow my child to see me like this,” she replied pulling away from his grip, closing the robe tighter.
“There are worse things in this world,” he added, drinking down the offered blood. “You will soon find that out for yourself.”
“Another threat, Alasdair. How long will it take to die if I don’t feed?”
“You won’t have that long to worry about it,” he replied, sitting down the glass before standing and walking around to the bed. “You disappoint me. I thought you would fight the way that she did.”
“You did not do this to my child or I would have known,” she said, turning in her chair to face him.
“No, but she wanted to survive, and I allowed it.”
“Allowed it,” she blurted out with a laugh. “And who are you to think so highly of yourself?” Then she doubled over in pain.
“God enough to make your pain go away with the snap of my finger,” he snickered, snapping his finger.
“Oh really,” she replied. She picked up the pitcher and drank, then slammed it back down splattering herself with the blood. “I’m no God, and I just eased it off fine, didn’t even have to snap my finger.” Then she too stood, but walked over to the fire with her back to him.
He became so enraged that he slammed his fist into the wall, breaking through the stone into the bathroom on the other side. Tammy flinched but didn’t turn around. He grabbed his shirt off of the foot of the bed and walked out of the room, slamming the door so hard behind him that the picture that hung on the wall next to it fell to the floor. “Arrogant bastard,” she whispered, and then returned to her chair, wiping the sides of her mouth. A few minutes later, she was standing and backing into the wall behind her, as Alasdair stormed toward her with a bundle of white rope in his hands.
“You have hit my last nerve,” he stated, before he reared back and knocked her unconscious.
Michael took her by the feet, while Alasdair carefully took her under the arms. Michael noticed the care Alasdair was taking, and a strange look crossed his face. When Alasdair noticed how Michael was watching his tender movements, he dropped her to the floor and ordered him to take her to the waiting cross outside. He then picked up the rope and stormed right back out of the room. When Michael came out with Tammy over his shoulder, Alasdair was leaning on the cross that he had placed in the yard for the sole purpose to traumatize those who were coming after him. He pulled a locket from his pocket, and opened it. Inside were two photographs: D`nae’s picture on one side and an older woman’s on the other. He snapped it closed and put it back into his pocket. When Michael got to the foot of the eight foot, white towering cross, he flipped Tammy over his shoulder, letting her body plummet to the ground. Alasdair walked calmly over to Michael and put his arm over his shoulder.
“You have been with me longer than any other, and you have been most faithful to me,” he proclaimed, turning Michael, who was smiling proudly, to face him. “But I am in more need of you now then I have ever been, my son.”
“Anything my Lord… I will do anything that you ask,” he replied reaching up and lightly touching his arm.
“You don’t know how pleased I am to hear you say that.” Then with lightning fast reflexes, Alasdair snapped his neck then pulled him into a loving embrace. “Your body will serve a great purpose,” he said, hanging the locket over his neck.
* * *
D`nae and the others had reached the badlands near Eagle Pass, and dawn was close at hand. Grady was driving while Danny and D`nae searched the area map for any signs of a town, or even anything remotely close to one. Tabitha spotted a dark shadow on the side of one of the lifeless cliffs and suggested they try to get to the back of one of the many caves that they had passed.
“And what if we take the time to get up there and it doesn’t go back far enough?” D`nae asked.
“Showing the roots again… didn’t you just figure out how to get off the ground?” Grady asked, looking in the rearview mirror.
“Hey, that’s right. We can go check them out. Too bad you just get hairier than you already were, fur-face,” she replied, raising her hand to high-five Tabitha, who just stared at her hand.
“She’ll nae be fur kenin ye, luv. Aboot ye remark, Ah luv’d it!” he laughed.
“It won’t be long until I have her knowing all the cool things. She already loves fast food.”
“You can say that again,” Grady interjected.
“I wish there was one of those fast food homes here right now,” she added, causing everyone to laugh, even herself.
Danny and Arnaud headed off to look into a few of the caves, while the others waited back at the truck. About thirty minutes later, and not an hour before the sun started breaking over the horizon, they came back down behind the truck. They explained that there were two caves higher up than the one that Tabitha had seen and both ran back down behind the lower one, making the perfect shelter to stay for the day. Grady told the others that he and Tabitha would find the closest town and figure out where they would head to the next night, with Tabitha chiming in about finding already cooked food. D`nae was much more silent than normal, which caused the rest to focus on her.
