Nocturnal, BK 1 of Lightwalkers (completed)

VIII - Seth

Seth

I sat up in bed. The nightmare had been so vivid. I ran a hand through my damp hair, smoothing it back from my face. The room was dark, except for the light that crept out from underneath the curtains. Where?

A melody played faintly in the back of my mind. Jon! I was half off the bed before I realized that it wasn't him. Confused, I looked at the room carefully, remembering the events from last night as I slowly figured out where I was. There was no way that could be Jon. The guy, Nick; his rhythm was so close to Jon's, it made my heart hurt. It was him, in another room nearby, that I heard.

Falling back in the sheets, I stared at the ceiling. I thought about Jon as I checked my phone for messages. He was my only family now. Mom had told us that she'd moved here from England with her only sister when she was in her twenties. Aunt Daisy had died when I was ten. I still remember Mom just staring at her grave, not even crying. Jon and I had buried Mom next to her, not knowing what else to do.

I needed to find Jon, and I needed to do it quickly. I'll be damned if I was going to bury him too.

I got up and dressed. The bite wound on my neck looked particularly nasty, and it hurt just as bad. My blood was pooling under the puncture wounds, like the bruises you get after giving blood. Well, I guess I had given blood in a way.

After grabbing the knife, I opened the door and looked out into the main room. It was empty, even though I could still hear the melody for Nick nearby. I stepped out.

"Leaving us so soon?"

I just about jumped out of my skin as I turned to see Nick in one of the arm chairs by the window. Had he been there the whole time? I shook my head, trying to clear it. I looked at Nick again. He sat mostly in the shade, but sunlight fell across his bare feet. Weren't vampire suppose to burn in the light?

"Most vampires burn in the sunlight," Nick said, noticing my gaze. "Though, there are very few of us who are actually powerful enough to walk in the light."

I shook my head. To think that things like vampires even existed, much less special vampires. There was so much I didn't know, it could have easily filled a library. Or worst, kill me. I clutched the knife tighter in my grip.

"I have to find my brother," I said, and turned towards the door.

"Seth, if your brother was taken by a group of vampires," Nick paused, then continued. "The chances that he is even still alive are very slim."

"He can't be dead. He's alive, I know he is. He has to be." I looked back at Nick, taking comfort from the leather texture of the knife's casing in my hand. Nick was standing now, in the full light of the sun. "Until I see his dead body, he's still alive, and I will find him."

Nick moved closer to me. "I would like to help you, if I could."

"Why?" I couldn't help but to ask, even as relief seeped into me. Even if he was a vampire, I think he'd be a big help. What was the saying? Fight fire with fire?

"That dagger you have, did your father ever tell you about it?"

I looked at the knife I held in my hands. "No, he died when I was small, right after Jon was born."

"May I?" he asked, extending his had for the knife.

I hesitated at first, holding it a little tighter but I passed it to him. I wasn't addicted to it, the feeling of emotions – the fear, the hatred, my worry for Jon; they all intensified as the knife left my hand. Nick turned it over, inspecting every inch of it with serious eyes.

"It has been a very long time since I've seen this blade. Especially from this angle." He smiled at me like he'd said something funny. I didn't get the joke.

"This knife, it is a blade that marks the leader of Orion's Order, a powerful group of humans. If that was your father's, there is a good chance that you still have family, or at the very least, friends out there. Those who would help you find your brother."

I felt weak all over, and I didn't think it was because of the blood lost. I sank down on to the couch, sitting on the edge as I stared out at nothing. More family? And what about the Order? Had Mom known about this?

Nick passed the knife back to me, and I sighed as it numbed the raw emotions in me.

"You mentioned that you were attacked in the woods when your brother was kidnapped. Do you know who has your brother?" he asked.

I thought back. The vampires had been talking about someone else, someone who wanted Jon. "All I know is that it's some person named Michaela, but I-"

Nick placed a hand lightly on my shoulder. The moment his thumb brushed the skin of my neck, a scene flashed before my eyes.

The stone room was still, a crowd of people staring up at me. No, not me; they were staring at the man standing next to me. It was Nick, he stood still holding a sword high. He was talking but I couldn't hear what he was saying. It was if someone had turned off the sound. Nick brought the sword down, down towards the man kneeling at his feet-

"Seth?" Nick was shaking my shoulder gently, trying to get my attention.

I stood, stepping back away from his reach. What the hell was that?

"I need to go." Clutching the knife until my fingers hurt, I turned for the door and walked out to the hallway.

"Seth, wait!" Nick called after me. "Samera-" was the last thing I heard behind me.

I took the elevator down, and focused on my breathing. Hearing things was one thing. I was used to listening to the Jon's melody.

Hell, I'd even accepted the new sounds. Well, okay, I was still working on those. But freaking visions?

I ran a hand through my hair, leaning against the back wall of the elevator. Maybe I'd just imagined it?

I looked at the knife in my hand as Nick's words echoed in my mind. Orion's Order. Maybe there was something back home, in Dad's things. Something Jon and I missed that night we looked through them.

The elevator doors opened and I stepped out.

"Seth."

Samera stood in the lobby, obviously waiting for someone.

"Weren't you just upstairs?" I asked. She gave me a tired look and held out a card. I took it hesitantly.

"Nickolas wanted you to have this, but you left before he could give it to you."

I could hear the note of disapproval in her voice. I glanced down at the card. It had 'Nickolas von Klaus' printed in bold stylish letters, with a phone number underneath.

"Call us if you need anything. Michaela isn't the type to let something go once she has it." Samera turned to leave, but I grabbed her arm. She looked at me like I was insane. I probably was.

"You know Michaela? Do you know where she is?"

"No. I don't." She pulled her arm from my grip. "And neither does Nickolas, before you ask."

I took a deep breath and let it out. I needed to calm down. Freaking out wasn't going to help.

"Look," Samera's voice was gentle. "We don't know where she is now, but I'll see what I can find. It wouldn't be much effort with Nickolas' resources."

This was good, a solid step in the right direction. It occurred to me that it was probably through Nick's ties with vampires that they'd be able to find Michaela. I just needed to be careful, I couldn't get too tangled up with them.

I looked up at Samera. She was watching me with a dark glint in her eyes, and it took every bit of my being to keep from shivering. Was she really human?

"Thanks," I managed to say.

She just shook her head in reply. "Don't thank me yet."