Brother Remembered - Black Dagger Brotherhood FanFic - Sumter Colony 2

Chapter 15

"This is where you live?" Ace asked Phury as the Escalade pulled up to the mansion.

"Yep. All the Brothers, except Hatrhed, do. She has a room, though."

"Wow," he said under his breath. Like all first-time visitors to the home of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Ace craned his neck as he scrambled out of the SUV. It was a lot to take in.

Hatrhed bumped shoulders with him. "Come on. I'll give y'all the tour. It's pretty damned impressive."

A cold wind reminded them that winter was still threatening and sent them toward the front vestibule. There, V leaned in and eyeballed the scanner to unlock the door. Fritz beamed as they entered, taking coats from those that had them until he was nearly covered in a great pile of thick leather and soft wool.

Hatrhed gave Ace and Night the time they needed to take it all in, from the inlaid apple tree tile mosaic on the floor to the Michael Angelo-style painting of great warriors on the ceiling, held up by the enormous columns of green stone. She smiled and looked around herself. It was surprising how quickly she had become accustomed to it.

"Tarra!" Cormia, Phury's shellan, called from the second floor. "We didn't know you were coming!" She hurried down the stairs, trailed by several other females Tarra recognized as Chosen, to greet their sister.

"Yes, I came with Night and Mehnace... Ace."

"Oh? Who are they?"

Tarra hesitated but smiled when she realized there was no need to hide anymore. "The Scribe Virgin tasked me, centuries ago, to watch the Forgotten Brother Night in secret. So, today, as he returned to memory, I was with him as a witness at Lassiter's request."

Hatrhed's heart skipped a beat. "Does that mean you recorded my mahmen, too?"

Tarra's soft smile made Hatrhed's eyes water. "Yes, I did. Perhaps we could spend an afternoon or two speaking of her."

"I'd like that," Hatrhed managed to croak.

"She was beautiful and kind all the days of her life," Night shared in a low voice.

Hatrhed could only nod and blink, attempting to control the emotion that flooded her.

"You loved her," Tarra stated, catching Night's eye. "She was good for you."

"I did, and she was," he agreed.

She stepped closer. "I cried when you attempted to meet the sun after her death."

"Attempted?" Hatrhed squinted at him. "How does one 'attempt' to do that and live?"

Night rubbed his chest. "I took my shellan's body into the dawn, intended to die with her." He glanced at Ace. "I was not in my right mind."

Hatrhed stated the obvious. "But, you are still here."

He nodded. "I discovered I am a daywalker."

Her eyes widened. "Really? Wow. I... can't imagine that."

"Dad and I watch the dawn every morning," Ace shared with a proud smile before deflating. "Well, at least we do now. I guess that won't last much longer. Not after I transition."

Night cleared his throat and changed the subject. He looked pointedly at Hatrhed. "You were going to show us around?"

A smile lit her face. "Yes! What do you want to see first, the house or the training center?"

Night looked around. "The house. Who had it built?"

"Darius."

He sighed. "Darius. He's gone, too, isn't he? You, me, Tohrment, and Wrath are the only ones left from that time."