Dark Shadow

by Danielle Rose

  “And why do you think he is in Darkhaven?” Malik asks.

  “Well, I don’t know for sure if he is here, but I think he is,” she says. “I used a locater spell to pinpoint magical surges, and Darkhaven lit up like fireworks, so much so the world map I used caught fire. I figured this place was my best chance of finding the vampire who murdered my family.”

  “Rogue vampire,” Hikari says, making her intentions painfully clear. “The rogue vampire who killed your family. You are hunting a rogue.”

  “When was this?” I ask, ignoring Hikari’s pointed remark.

  “A few weeks ago,” Sofía says.

  I blink away the memories that flash behind my eyes, hoping my face doesn’t betray my emotions. Because the magic her spell sensed wasn’t the rogue vampire. It was me. A few weeks ago, I hexed my coven, damning them to life on earth as creatures little more than human. But I can’t tell her this. As far as I know, Sofía is unaware of the existence of hybrids, and I intend to keep it that way.

  “I think your rogue is here,” Jasik says, changing the subject.

  Sitting beside me, he leans over, grabbing my hand. He threads his fingers between mine, squeezing just hard enough to calm my nerves. I look up at him, vision clearing, the kaleidoscope of memories fading away until all I see is him, my sire, my lover. He gives me a knowing smile, and silently, we agree not to tell Sofía about my magic. Not until we must.

  “Are you sure?” she asks, but Jasik is distracted, still looking at me.

  “Ava fought a few rogues, and one in particular stands out as being your man,” Malik says, answering for his brother. It appears we are all in on the silent conversation Jasik and I just had.

  “If that’s true, then you will need my help,” Sofía says.

  “We absolutely do not need your help,” Hikari argues. “We are five experienced vampire hunters and one pretty damn powerful solitary witch. We can handle one rogue vampire.”

  At Hikari’s outburst, Sofía glances at Holland, who stiffens. Jeremiah leans closer to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulders and pulling him close. Her gaze lingers too long, and Malik clears his throat, catching her attention again.

  “It’s been a long night, and I think we can all use some rest. For now, you can stay in a spare bedroom. Tomorrow—”

  “Tomorrow, you can be on your way,” Hikari says, interrupting her leader.

  Malik sighs loudly and glances back at her, shaking his head. She softens slightly, but every time she looks at Sofía, she has death-dagger vision. While Hikari might be a bit harsh in her treatment toward this stranger, I can’t say I’m upset. Truth is, I’m happy I have at least one hunter on my side.

  Because something is off about Sofía. Ever since she arrived, my amulet has sprung to life, reacting to her presence every time she is near. More than once, I have caught her staring at it like she is wondering how hard it would be to snatch it from my neck.

  Chapter Nine

  My nightmare pulsates through me, shaking me awake. I lie in bed, drenched in sweat. Somewhere in the depths of my mind, my vision looms, like dark clouds hovering closer, the promise of a strong storm lurking overhead.

  Images flash before me: the cry of my mother, the smell of smoke, fire, and blood. These pictures wrap around me, suffocating me, stealing every last bit of breath and sanity, until the lone rational part of my brain reminds me that I am safe now. I am here, beside Jasik, confined within the manor, among friends.

  Except for one.

  The cold splash of reality jolts me upright. Long strands of dark-brown hair stick to my forehead, and I swipe them away, running a hand through my tresses to clear my vision.

  Sofía slithered her way into my dreams last night too, like a snake prepared to lash out at prey, but she wasn’t alone. She brought a man—one who is certainly a stranger to me—and he clung to my shoulders, lowering his grip until he grasped my arms so viciously, he tore through my flesh. My screams were silenced, my mouth open but mute.

  He begged me to be rid of the amulet, implying it is dangerous and that I can’t handle what will come from keeping it so close to my heart. Even though the dream has passed, I still feel his desperation; it thickens the air, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

  In the dream, Sofía told me to give it to her, and when I refused, she said she can help me destroy it. Unconvinced I can truly consider her an ally, I backed away slowly, ripping the man’s fingers from my flesh and searching for my way out.

  Still unsettled by the nightmare, I dangle my legs over the side of the bed, my heart hammering in my chest as I gulp down breath after breath. I feel the birth of an anxiety attack, and I try my hardest to squash it down, to save it for another day. Because with Sofía in the house, I need to be prepared for anything, for all the tricks she has up her sleeve.

  Jasik is snoring softly beside me, covered by messy covers, arms outstretched above his head. He appears so peaceful, I don’t bother to wake him. As much as I would like to believe this dream was a vision—because this would prove Sofía is evil and give the others the proof they need to cast her out of Darkhaven—I honestly don’t think it was. I don’t trust her, and my imagination knows that.

  As much as I hate to admit this, it makes sense that she showed up in my dreams courtesy of my emotional duress. But not wanting to make the same mistakes, I jot down a mental note to mention the possible vision to Holland. His opinion will solidify what I do next—either I will ignore the nightmare, or I will bring it to Malik’s attention. Holland will have to decide. He’s supposed to be the expert here.

  Even though I am fairly certain I have nothing to worry about, I can’t deny the lingering doubt.

  What if I’m wrong? What if it wasn’t my imagination?

  Sofía might have entered my dreams, intending to wreak havoc, which raises the far more important question…

  How the hell did a fire witch worm her way into my dreams?

  I tiptoe through the manor, beelining for the kitchen. The room is dark, and I don’t bother turning on a light. At this point, I am used to my nightmares keeping me awake, forcing me up before anyone else. It’s almost as though they are deliberately trying to drive me insane, stealing my sleep and sanity in one fell swoop.

  While waiting for my breakfast to heat in the microwave, I replay my nightmare over and over again, deciphering the dream for any warning by spirit. But I find nothing peculiar, nothing except for the man, but the memory of him is getting fuzzy—like the longer I am awake, the harder it is to remember exactly what he looks like.

  I sigh and think that this dream very well could be the product of an overactive imagination. It has all the telltale signs of being just a dream—the appearance of a brand-new foe, a fuzzy memory, little detail from spirit. Nothing more was discussed except for the amulet, and I already know it is dangerous. Being the guardian of anything comes at a cost.

  The microwave dings, startling me. I grab my mug and exit the kitchen, making my way toward the solarium.

  Outside, the night air is warm. I welcome the emerging spring season because I appreciate the smell of rain and flowers, but with summer comes longer days and shorter nights. Patrolling becomes more difficult, making my sudden encounter with this super rogue that much worse. If he eludes us well into the summer months, hunting him will prove particularly tricky.

  Scanning my surroundings, I sip my drink as I walk into the yard. My gaze lands on the tree, the one that towers over the graveyard. The crow that was once perched on the tree’s long branches, stalking me in the shadows as I confessed my pain, is long gone now, and hopefully, it won’t be making another appearance anytime soon. As a bringer of death, it came for souls, leaving with many. Its work is done. I hope.

  When I reach Will’s grave, I plop onto the ground, tucking my legs under my butt and resting on my heels. I take another sip of the steaming blood, letting the thick liquid coat my mouth and throat. I lick my lips, moaning as I relish in the flavor. Blood smells nothi
ng like it tastes. It has a savory fragrance but is sweet to ingest. I remember being repulsed by feeding. Now I remind myself that it could be worse. It could be brains.

  “I bet you miss this,” I say mockingly, immediately regretting my words. Will’s death isn’t funny, and joking about everything he can no longer experience is just plain cruel.

  His headstone is covered in fallen twigs and leaves, debris having been blown here, settling after the last time I visited. I try to remember when that was, but I can’t recall the exact day. It has been a couple of nights at least, and again, I am overrun with guilt.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t been around much,” I whisper as I lean forward and brush his tombstone clean. I spill blood in the process, but the earth greedily soaks it up, as if it too enjoys relishing in life’s essence.

  I think about making a joke. Maybe I can make up for the last one that was said in bad taste. I could mention how spilling was intentional, a little treat for my fallen friend, but I don’t say this. Instead, I just take another sip, closing my eyes as I bring the mug to my nose. I inhale deeply, slowly.

  And then I hear it, the snap of something in the distance. A twig, a fallen branch, crunchy leaves left to decay, I’m not sure. But I know I heard it.

  I open my eyes, leaping to my feet and spinning so quickly I lose all contents of my mug. I hold it out before me, like a weapon that could actually inflict damage, but I am alone. No one is here to experience the wrath of one hungry hybrid and an empty cup.

  The woods blend together, trees morphing into a singular wall meant to trap me inside. I squint so I can focus better, hoping to peer farther into the distance.

  Staring past the trees that surround the manor, I see no one, but the sensation that I am not alone never wanes. Instead, it grows stronger with each second that ticks by.

  If I listen closely, I can hear the steady beat of a heart, but mine is pounding so loudly, I have to wonder if that is the heart I hear. Maybe it’s mocking my fear like my bad jokes.

  I take a step forward, intent on making a quick lap through the nearby woods, knowing that is the only way I will be sure that we are alone.

  But something stops me. Movement at my left catches my eye, and I turn to see it.

  Someone is watching me from an upstairs window. That window opens to the very bedroom that used to be Jasik’s, long before he started joining me in my bed at night.

  The curtain flutters again, falling back to its resting place as the shadow figure steps away from eyesight, and I slam down my mug so hard it shatters.

  In Jasik’s bedroom, I scour every shadow, every nook and cranny, every possible hiding spot she could have used, but I find nothing. I know what I saw, and I am positive the intruder was Sofía. Who else would be poking around Jasik’s bedroom? Who else would spy on me in the cemetery?

  Just as I’m riffling through Jasik’s desk, trying to see if something is missing or out of place, someone walks into the room behind me. I know it’s him without having to turn around, so I continue my search.

  “Ava, what are you doing?” Jasik asks.

  With a huff, I turn to find my sire watching me curiously, and the feeling of just being caught doing something really bad washes over me. I feel like a kid again, getting in trouble for sneaking downstairs on Yule or being caught with my hand in the cookie jar. While I know I have the best of intentions, I also know this doesn’t look good. I overstepped boundaries by searching his room, and I’m not sure how he’ll take that.

  “Someone was in your room,” I explain. “Do you notice anything weird?”

  “Well,” Jasik says, gaze scanning the room. He nods before returning his sights on me. “You.” He offers a coy smile. “That’s pretty weird.”

  His easy, carefree walk over to me calms my nerves a bit, and when he rests his hands at my hips, pulling me close, I know he isn’t upset with me.

  “I’m serious, Jasik,” I say. “I know Sofía was in here.”

  “Why would she be going through my stuff?” he asks, still amused, even though I’m trying to sound as somber as possible. I can’t be the only one who thinks something is strange about her.

  His tone agitates me. He seems far too happy and playful, completely unbothered by the fact that our new houseguest was caught in his room. He never even asked me if I confronted her or what she said. Granted, I didn’t catch her red-handed, and he probably assumes that since she’s not still in the room with me, but I know it was her.

  “There isn’t much in here she’d want to take,” he adds. “I have nothing but clothes and books. I doubt she’d want either.”

  “Maybe she was looking for something and checked your room first,” I argue. “She could be searching for something in the manor that doesn’t belong to you but belongs to someone. Maybe Holland’s magic books or artifacts Amicia gathered during her long life. If she doesn’t know where the thing is, she would have to check every room, including yours.”

  Jasik’s smile widens so much it appears almost painful. He keeps his gaze on me, eyes hooded like he’s still half asleep. He runs a hand through my hair, tucking strands behind my ears.

  “What I wouldn’t give to live in your mind for just a day,” he whispers.

  “I’m not making this up, Jasik,” I snap. “I saw her.”

  I convince myself that wasn’t a flat-out lie. While I didn’t see Sofía specifically, I did see someone in this room. And if it wasn’t Jasik, it had to be her. There is no other explanation that makes sense. The other hunters aren’t going to randomly visit Jasik’s room when he isn’t there.

  Jasik leans down, placing his lips against mine, and for a brief moment, my knees weaken. My legs turn to jelly, and my heart flutters in my chest. My stomach, growling from hunger, calms as butterflies swirl in my gut. The world slips away, and it’s just us. It’s just Jasik and me and the feeling of his body pressed against mine.

  But then I remember.

  I pull away, taking several paces back. We’re both out of breath, and I wipe the evidence of my weakened state from my lips.

  “We need to take this seriously, Jasik,” I warn.

  He raises his hands by way of surrendering, flashing his palms before me as he chuckles.

  “I know. I’m sorry,” he says, voice softening. “I’ll mention it to Malik, see what he wants to do.”

  I nod, accepting his offer. When I asked, Jasik didn’t mention anything was missing or out of place, so maybe Sofía was only here to spy on me, using this space as a window into my world. I might be overreacting, but even knowing she might have been just sitting there, watching me from the shadows, gives me the heebie-jeebies.

  I shiver at the thought, and Jasik takes this as his opportunity to close the space between us, once again grabbing me by the waist and pulling me toward him.

  “Now, where were we?” he asks, smiling deviously.

  By the time I am done showering and dressing, everyone in the manor is awake. I make my way downstairs, peering into the parlor, where I find Holland and Sofía. Both are sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by stacks of Holland’s books.

  Deep in conversation about magic and vampires and the history of the feud they both mention they don’t agree with, they glance up as I stagger into the room, not bothering to hide my shock.

  “What’s going on?” I ask, narrowing my gaze at the sight before me.

  Silently, I add, Am I the only one who remembers this chick is a stranger?

  “Morning, Ava,” Holland says, smiling.

  Ignoring his pleasantries, I glance at Sofía. She meets my gaze, smiling widely. I don’t know what it is about her, but we don’t mesh well, even if she appears to be winning over every one of my friends. I feel a deep sense of discomfort when she’s near, and I refuse to deny it. My gut is telling me something, and I will make the others listen.

  I lock eyes with Holland and say, “We need to talk.”

  He frowns but agrees, apologizing to Sofía as he stands. He
follows me into the foyer and out the front door. I close it behind me, spinning on my heels to speak face-to-face.

  “Has everyone in this house lost their minds?” I ask.

  “What?” he asks. “What are you going on about?”

  “Did you forget that she is a possible threat?” I ask.

  He rolls his eyes. “No, I haven’t forgotten, but I’m willing to give her a chance. Benefit of the doubt and all.”

  “Does Jeremiah know you’re cozying up with our new houseguest?” I ask.

  Last night, Jeremiah didn’t seem keen on the idea of Sofía sticking around, and just her presence seemed to make Holland uncomfortable. How did so much change overnight? It’s like Jasik and Holland went to sleep and woke up two completely different people.

  Holland scoffs. “I don’t need his permission, Ava. I do what I want, when I want.”

  “Holland, befriending her isn’t safe. Not yet. Not until we know more.”

  “Malik thought she was safe enough to sleep here, so I don’t see the harm in getting to know her more,” he says. “She could be a real asset.”

  “Malik stayed up the entire time to make sure we were safe,” I argue.

  The look on Holland’s face confirms I must be the only one who discovered this.

  After we’d all gone to bed, I waited an hour or so and tiptoed back into the hallway, ready to confront Sofía once and for all, but I only succeeded in stumbling upon a rather exhausted-looking Malik. He was seated on a chair directly beside the spare room door. He glanced up, frowning as I approached.

  “Go to bed, Ava,” Malik cautions. “You need to rest. We’ll need your strength for tomorrow.”

  “Do you plan to sit out here all night?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. Despite the burgeoning heat, there is a chill in the air, and it makes my skin prickle.