Light of Dawn

Chapter 41 - It Begins

Rex and the others were hiding in the cover of the brushes, looking at the looming manor before them. They'd all rushed here the moment Rex had heard that woman tell the Empress about Issac being captured here. He wasn't quiet sure what they should expect here but so far... this all seemed far too easy. They hadn't come across any guards, no vampires, nothing at all had harassed them or tried to halt their progress. There was no way Stark would leave this place so wide open... It had to be a trap.

Rex voiced his opinions to the others, all of whom didn't seem to disagree with his thoughts but when he suggested that they all wait here for him while he go and check it out is where they drew their lines. "Rex if its a trap then there's no way we can let you go in alone." Jake had said while Lance and Eve seemed to be in agreement.

"If all of us go in at once and get caught than who would that help?" Rex said looking back at the Japanese style mansion. "Just let me go in first, then you follow after a minute deal? That'll give me more time to look for traps. And if there's an ambush than you can all rush in to help me out."

Jake looked like he was about to protest but Rex was already running across the yard and scurrying up the wall as if there were a ladder for him to grab hold of. He was up and over the wall in a matter of seconds, landing soundlessly on his feet, dropping to a crouch as he looked around for signs of any guards. Nothing. Just like the perimeter, there were absolutely no signs or traces of anyone having been here at all. He furrowed his brows at that before he stood at half height and ran along the wall, his feet never once making even a squeak as he moved.

Like everything else, this place was completely deserted... Did they have the wrong place? No, he thought looking around. This is the only place that fit the description that Zhang had given to them, so where the hell was everyone. Making a thoughtful noise Rex dropped down on the other side of the wall and ran to the door keeping to the protection of the shadows the entire time as he did. When he reached the doorway he frowned at it, this was too easy he thought, there was no way that Stark would let him walk right up to his doorstep without some sort of trap. 

Opening the door with a loud echoing creaking sound that might as well had been a bomb going off Rex climbed the wall and clung to the ceiling of of the overhanging canopy. When nothing happened he dropped down, once again making absolutely no noise before he slipped through the doorway to find that the lights were still on, but- There wasn't anyone in here. No one to be heard from at least... But Rex narrowed his eyes at a door being held wide open on the far side of the room with an arrow painted on the door that was pointing at the open door.

Rex turned his head slightly at the sound of several feet scrambling up and over the wall on the outside before they ran across the black top making a lot of noise as they did. He turned his head a bit further as Jake and the others appeared behind him, but he held out his arm to prevent them from coming any further. "What's wrong?" Lance asked in a rather loud voice which earned him a shush from Jake.

"What's the problem Rex?" Jake asked in a much quieter tone and Rex nodded his head at the door on the far side of the house from them. All of them took notice of the door and the arrow that was pointing downwards but none of them made a move towards it. "Eve think you can use your magic to show us if there's any tripwires?"

Rex stepped aside and Eve came forth, she brought both of her hands together, rubbing them as if she were trying to warm them up. A moment later her hands began to give off a faint blue glow when she opened her hands there was a glowing blue powder in her palms. She brought it up to her face and blew, sending the powder flying forward and the instant it was a foot away did they all see the flicker like a channel that didn't work on tv. The very air before them began to waver like static before suddenly the shade that had been placed on this house was undone. The air became so heavy with the smell and odor of blood that every single one of them gagged on it. But that wasn't the worst of it.