Keeper of the Dawn

“The rectory is down the hill, so I don’t always see what’s going on,” Father Lars said. He hesitated. “But, yes—someone did break into one of the alms boxes about a week ago.”

“Did you call the police, Father?”

The man smiled. He really was the perfect priest—warm smile and cheery red cheeks, deep brown eyes and salt-and-pepper brows. “Father” was a good fit; he would probably have been a great dad, gentle and patient.

“Detective Valiente,” Father Lars said, “when a man is desperate enough to break into an alms box, I trust in God that he needed the money. No, I didn’t report the theft. What could the police have done anyway?”

“Father, thank you for your time,” Mark said. “I’m glad to have had the chance to see your beautiful church.”

He was surprised when the priest smiled with a touch of bemusement. “I’m happy that my church can please a vampire. One living in the light, of course.”

Mark was startled. “Father—”

“I am a friend to many Others,” Father Lars said. “Please, come back anytime.”

Mark shook the priest’s hand again. Then he turned to leave and walked along the path. Alessande scurried around behind his back to watch as they moved away. She was sure that she saw dark shadows lurking by the side of the church, as if they were emanating from the graves. She felt a chill seeping into her again, despite the warm coat of fur she had given herself.

When they were back down the hill near the car, she scurried to the ground and resumed her true form.

“That’s it,” she said. “That’s the church I saw in my nightmare. Well, the inside of it anyway. You were there, and Brodie and Rhiannon, and I was...”

“You were going to be killed,” he said flatly.

“We have to use this knowledge, Mark. I believe we were given a warning. And I know Father Gunderson—I know him because he’s Elven. Well, half Elven anyway.”

He swore softly to himself. “Of course. I knew there was something about him.”

She smiled. “It’s because he’s mixed. His father was Elven. His mother was human. I think he’s spent most of his life being as human as he could. He’s a good man, I know. I’ve seen him in the councils for years.”

“We have to tell the others everything we saw in our dreams—maybe they’ll know what it means,” Mark told her. “For now, we need to go and get the Hildegards.”

* * *

Mark knew that Alessande was suspicious of the entire Hildegard family—and with good cause.

After all, Brigitte had tried to kill them twice.

But both Alan and Charlaine looked so horrified and confused, Mark couldn’t imagine that even shapeshifters could put up such a front.

Alan swallowed hard. “Is—is Brigitte all right? Forgive me—I understand that she tried to kill you, but...she is my sister.”

“Brigitte is all right, but you have to understand that we’re holding her and have no intention of letting her go,” Mark said.

“But she’s...safe?”

“Yes, she’s safe. I gave her a good bite when she tried to rip me to shreds, but Alessande and the Gryffald cousins took care of her, and she’s fine—conscious, and claiming to be the brains of the Bring Sebastian Back to Life movement.”

Alessande spoke up then. “We need one of you to talk to her. We’re getting desperate. Whoever is doing this is still keeping an Elven girl captive. We’re trying to get her back before they use her in one of their rituals.”

“Because if they do—she dies,” Mark said.

“Let me get my jacket and we’ll follow you in my car,” Alan said.

As they drove back to the House of the Rising Sun, Alessande said, “The church is so close to the mansion and Father Gunderson said that he was a friend to the Other community. Do you think the Hildegards know that church? Maybe some of them have even attended services there over the years.”

“It’s quite possible,” Mark said. “Likely, as a matter of fact.”

The dogs greeted them enthusiastically on their arrival, then growled warningly as they saw Alan and Charlaine exit their own car.

“Are we all right?” Alan called.

“Unless you suddenly go crazy and attack one of us,” Alessande said.

“We’re here to help,” Alan reminded her.

“Of course,” Alessande said. “Please, follow me.”

They headed for Gwydion’s Cave, where Brodie let them in. Mark didn’t give them time to admire the wonderful assortment of decorative artifacts as they passed through the house; he led them straight to the basement.

When Alan entered, they all stood back and let him take the lead. “Brigitte,” he said sternly.

“Alan!” the youngest Hildegard gasped. For a moment she looked as if she were little more than a very innocent child.

Mark knew better. And glancing over at Alessande, he could tell that she was feeling the same.

“Brigitte, what have you done?” Alan asked, walking over to her.

Rhiannon, who had stayed to watch her, rose and backed away from the couch, allowing Alan room to sit down.

Brigitte seemed to shrink away from him slightly. “Alan, I... We are Hildegards! I read the diary years ago, and I knew that Sebastian was destined to come back. I only did what I had to do as a member of our family.”

“Brigitte—you killed people!” he told her.

“No, I never killed anyone,” she protested.

“Oh?” Alessande said angrily, walking up to stand at the foot of the couch. “Two women are dead, and you claim that you’re the head of what’s going on, so you killed them. They were held captive, held in terror—and then their throats were slit. Not to mention a junkie, a drug dealer and your own butler.”

“Jimmy killed himself!” she cried.

“Out of fear of facing a more horrible death?” Mark suggested.

She swallowed hard. “Okay, I’m not the head of the cult.”

“Then who is?” Mark hadn’t meant to shout, but his voice was so deep and powerful that the room seemed to shake.

Brigitte definitely did.

“I don’t know! A priest, but I don’t know his name or even what he looks like,” she swore. “I...I met him when I was bringing flowers to the tomb. He was wearing heavy robes, and he wore a gold mask under his cowl, and he told me that I was a Hildegard, so I had to help. I had to get the Transymil moving on the streets to make money, and I had to start showing up for the ceremonies, because Sebastian was waiting. And there was something about him.... It was as if I had no choice but to do what he said.”

“So you were there when the other girls were killed,” Rhiannon said harshly.

Tears suddenly welled up in Brigitte’s eyes. “I was, but I didn’t kill them!”

“Where were they killed?”

Brigitte hesitated, looking from each of them to the next. She was clearly about to deny that she knew, but then her brother lashed out at her.

“Where were they killed?” he demanded.

She exhaled and whispered. “At the church.”

“At what church?” Alessande asked, her voice thick.

“The church by the house—St. Ann’s.”

There was silence in the room.

“I don’t believe that!” Charlaine exploded. “I know Father Lars. He would never allow such a thing. He’s a good man. And the church...the church has been consecrated!”