The Shadow Shifter

by Dahlia Leigh

  “Ashlynn, I know that wasn’t your original intention, but we could cover more ground as a team,” Edmund said in a practical tone.

  “I think we could handle working together a bit longer.” Taegen winked at her. Then more seriously, Taegen stood backed by each of the guys. Especially, she noticed, Darien. Taegen added, “Ashlynn we will do all in our power to stay with you, to fight with you, and to save your castle at your side as long as you would allow us to.”

  Ashlynn knew he meant what he said; she could feel the truth through his words. “Thank you. All of you.”

  She placed her hands flat on the table then looked out the window. “So, now we have a Griever problem. Best ideas on getting rid of them. How are they different than the shadows? Can we use similar tactics?”

  “I have more of the light exploding dust, should we need that. I thought since they were related to the Unbound the same concoction might work as well. I’ve been making and stock-piling the mixture after the initial experiment I gave Ash worked,” he looked to the guys, “and for you to use against the Unbound.”

  Ash shot a questioning glare his way. “You gave me something to use you weren’t sure would work yet?”

  Ed shrugged with a slightly cocky grin. “It did work though, so nothing to worry about, right?”

  Ashlynn laughed at the confidence she continued to see emerge more and more in himself and his own abilities. “True. And good call on prepping more of the mixture, Ed. We need to be ready the best we can.”

  “I have an idea…” Ashlynn paused and hesitated before she went on, knowing they may not like what she was about to share.

  “This isn’t going to be good is it? I can already tell,” Taegen said with mock warning. “Give it to us straight.”

  “I have an idea we can use against the Unbound or shadow shifters should they attack again. I can use Darien’s power to shift into the shadows and essentially tag along with him. I can hold on to him in that form and attack from within the shadows in a more direct way.”

  “No,” Darien refused. At Ashlynn’s scowl he elaborated, “It is dangerous for you to attempt such an act. You could get stuck in the shadows—as you have already partially experienced, by the way. It’s just too dangerous.”

  “Exactly. I’ve already experienced what being stuck starts to feel like. If I’m prepared for being there—as opposed to being mentally thrown in—I would be more aware of what’s happening. Plus, with my pendant’s magic, I have the ability to see through the glamours and shadows growing. I would be able to see my way out if that was at all a risk.” Ashlyn argued her point and gauged their reactions, not that she needed their approval; however, she found she was beginning to respect their opinions.

  Darien hesitated. His expression showed he weighed the risks. Taegen spoke up. “I vote yes. It’s a decent plan if needed.”

  “I vote no. Sorry, Ash, I agree with Darien. I think there are too many risks. I don’t want to lose you to the shadows,” Edmund said.

  “My vote stands. I still think it’s too risky,” Darien added.

  “Well, then I have the final say in a tie, but I wanted your thoughts either way. If necessary, we will use the plan.”

  “If it makes a difference, I have a way to pull her out of the shadows if absolutely necessary, but the way would require a small price,” Taegen said with hesitation.

  “What is it?” Darien skeptically asked, his eyes narrowed on Taegen.

  “You are right to be skeptical. Only a demon can perform it, as far as I’m aware.”

  “What is it?” Ashlynn reiterated, however, her eyes were filled more with interest than concern.

  “If I had even a drop of your blood in my system, I could track you. If you were ever to get separated from Darien or lost in the shadows, I could find you.” Taegen explained.

  Ashlynn quickly pondered the risk of having someone able to track her in the shadows and out. Taegen could have hurt her at many points in the past but didn’t. She’d grown to trust him, even had some feelings for him.

  “You’re not considering this are you?” Edmund asked on the edge of his seat.

  “I’ll do it. It’s for the best.” At Darien’s and Edmund’s expressions she added, “And it is not up for negotiations. This is my home. This is my destiny and I will be who I am meant to be. I am the Sentinel. Sometimes, there are risks that come with that position.” She stared each of them in the eyes. “You can support me or leave.”

  She realized this would be their first real test at being her team. Would they follow orders and allow her to be who she was called to be.

  The guys all looked at each other, resignation in their eyes. “We will support you. Always.” Darien spoke for all of them, seeing their nods of agreement.

  “Ok, let’s do it, Taegen.”

  Taegen’s smile grew into a sultry grin. “Well, I didn’t expect you to be so forward in front of everyone.”

  “Taegen,” Ashlynn said with part embarrassment and part exasperation. Both Darien and Edmund snickered under their breaths.

  “Let me see your hand, Ash,” Taegen said, holding out his hand. Ashlynn placed her hand in his, and he turned it palm up. “This is the simplest way to do this. Of course, there are other more… fun ways to complete the ritual.” Taegen eyed her with unveiled want in his gaze.

  Ashlynn gulped, trying to keep the blush out of her cheeks. “What now?”

  Taegen reached for her dagger at her waist and quickly pricked the end of her index finger. Ashlynn watched as he allowed a bead of blood to pool at the surface before he put her finger in his mouth, sucking and ingesting her life’s essence. When finished, he slowly pulled her finger from his mouth then licked where he had pricked her. “That’s all there is to it.”

  Breathing hard, Ashlynn regained her composure. The room was silent. Darien and Edmund’s eyes were wide, looking between Taegen and herself. She cleared her throat and wiped her hand on her leg.

  Taegen laughed.

  “Ok, so, now that everything’s awkward… We have a plan and weapons and new tricks. Let’s get those filthy Grievers away from the castle!”

  Ashlynn and the guys filtered outside with vials of light magic and bags of the dust. Their weapons were coated with it as well. They were ready for whatever they were about to encounter. Hijinx jumped on Ashlynn’s back before she walked outside.

  “Wish us luck, Hijinx,” Ashlynn said. He then skittered up the outside wall of the castle. Ashlynn warned him as an after thought, “Stay out of trouble and don’t do anything stupid. Just stay safe.”

  The team went to work throwing light blasts at the Grievers. They seemed to stay in groups, making it easy to dispatch several at a time. The creatures were more annoying than anything else. There were just so many of them, but intellect was not one of their strong suits. Minions on a mission was more their style, grabbing chunks of the castle then throwing them to the ground.

  “Hey! Stop that,” Ashlynn yelled right before she threw a handful of dust on them. “Let’s circle the castle and keep blasting them, but get them off the castle!” Ashlynn shouted directions to the guys as they all continued to slash at the little beasts and send them to ash.

  “There’s just so many of them, it’s like they’re reproducing while they work,” Edmund observed, causing Taegen and Darien both to laugh.

  “If only that were possible,” Taegen said, continuing to laugh.

  “Back to work!” Ashlynn shouted, shaking her head.

  When they got around to the other side of the castle they realized a contingent of the pests had been breaking through into an already worn down part of the castle wall.

  “Well that’s not good,” Taegen said.

  “Thanks for that Mr. Obvious.” Darien told Taegen.

  “Oh, no.” The color drained from Ashlynn’s face. “I have a bad feeling.”

  They could see straight through the hole into the castle.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Ashly
nn

  The number of Grievers were finally manageable just in time to welcome an ominous, low, dark, trumpet-like blast.

  “The alpha is coming.” Darien angrily informed Ashlynn. “That sound is a declaration of war.”

  “Of course it is,” Ashlynn mumbled. “Why not, we’ve got nothing else going on right now.”

  Shadow Shifters and Unbound creatures arrived en masse. From what Ashlynn could see, the entire pack had come. A group, possibly one thousand thick, marched over the hill with Alpha Berone in the lead. Various ones drifted off to the sides, most likely those who had no intention of fighting.

  Ashlynn and the guys she had already begun thinking of as her team, stopped what they were doing and banded together. She took a moment and thought how well they had been working together as a team. With the potential battle they faced, having a team would benefit her and the castle—a greater show of power for the Sentinel. If she was honest with herself, however, she didn’t want any of the men to leave, she had grown to love them each uniquely. She didn’t need until the anniversary of the massacre; she had made her decision.

  The large pack settled at the base of the castle grounds outside where the boundary had been. Spreading out, they seemed to be waiting instruction. She wasn’t sure what the alpha was waiting for, but she took her own opportunity.

  She raised her voice, putting her magic behind it, and made her declaration. “In this place, in this hour with witnesses on hand, I publically declare I have chosen my team of warriors who will fight by my side. Anyone who dares come against any one of them will contend with the entire team. These men standing beside me make up the Sentinel of Asteroth Castle’s team.” She held her arms out, indicating Darien, Edmund, and Taegen beside her.

  She was proud of her choice when she saw them push back their shoulders, inflate their chests, and hold their weapons securely at their sides, ready to fight. Each looked to her and nodded their acceptance.

  Another large quake shook the castle, and a high-pitched wailing sound echoed around the chambers. Unbound shadow creatures emerged in all directions in a chaotic convergence while, at the same time, pack members in human form shifted into their shadow forms and spread out around them.

  Ashlynn and the men she began to think of as hers, drew their swords and weapons coated with light spells along with their vials of light dust. The whirrel chatted away from the top of a statue in the garden with attentive eyes as he tracked shadows yet unseen. She glanced in Hijinx’ direction and used her new and continually growing power to sense what lay beyond her initial senses to see through magical glamours and shadows.

  Because the shadows worked almost like a glamour, she could see more of what they looked like, even though still in shadow, and locate them. When obscured into the shadow realm, they appeared as grotesque, humanoid beings of darkness, and seeing them only served to ignite her passion to be rid of them from her property.

  The alpha stayed at a distance while his troops of Unbound moved in first, followed by the shifters. Ash briefly noted there were even more onlookers perched on the hillside; humans and others from nearby areas came to watch the show. Well, she wouldn’t let them down.

  Ashlynn was the first to throw the light dust at a shadow and watched it regain some solidity before she jabbed the creature with her sword. The light burst forth, then the shadow burst into a show of ash falling to the ground.

  The others saw her spark of light and followed suit whenever they saw the Unbound getting close enough. Bursts of light and falling ash happened all over the grounds.

  Edmund’s alchemy skills held strong as the illusions he had set up as guards also served to occupy some of the Unbound, as well as keeping the small, remaining group of Grievers busy.

  Ashlynn noted the team worked together sometimes back to back, and others times shouting encouragements and techniques against the shifters. While they needed polishing as a team, they had natural abilities that complimented each other. She was grateful and excited she had chosen them all for her team.

  As they appeared to gain the upper hand with their Unbound and shifters, Ashlynn nodded at Darien. The time had come for their part of the plan. He hesitated, but relented, moving closer to where she was. A group of Unbound darted around a corner, luring her, baiting her to follow them. A trap. But she knew it, even expected it. Ashlynn craved the opportunity to end this.

  Darien shifted into his shadow beast and Ashlynn reached into the shadows, gripping his hand when he held it out to her. She felt herself fuse into the shadows in a partial form. Oddly, she could still see Taegen within the shadows just as he was in the “real world,” and wondered if it was part of his demon side. He flashed his eyes, now glowing red, at her with a feral, toothy grin. He was ready to take out some shadows. Ash nodded and then she and Darien slipped into the natural shadows, heading toward the mass of creatures heading toward the main castle entrance.

  They took out many of the shadow beasts they encountered. Darien slashed at them with claws while Ash used her sword and light dust. Taegen used his own brand of magic that seemed to function a little more malevolent within the shadows than she had seen him use so far. They stopped them from doing the most damage to the castle.

  “So much is at stake and so many were losing their lives just because of my father’s stubbornness,” Darien said, looking around at the carnage in the shadows. These had been brethren at one point, friends, and people he knew and cared about. He was finished with it. Darien pulled him and Ash out of the shadows.

  Darien roared into din of the chaos. “ENOUGH!”

  Not too surprisingly everyone stopped. Darien’s voice was strong, authoritative, and powerful. He carried the mantle and weight of the future alpha whether he would be given it or not. And the shadows listened.

  “I call out Alpha Berone and challenge him publicly as per our pack traditions for the right to the pack.” Darien waited for his father to make his way in front of Darien.

  “Why are you doing this now, Darien?” the alpha asked, coming to stand in front of Darien.

  “There is no need to cut down the shadow forces. This isn’t what this is supposed to be about. Let this stop now.”

  “I accept,” Alpha Berone said. “Let the rules of the challenge stand. Which form do you choose to start?”

  “Human.” Darien turned and walked to the edge of their makeshift fighting area on the front lawn.

  Ashlynn ran up to him. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I see it as the only solution.” Darien sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Then I support your decision.” She looked in straight in the eyes. “You win against him, then we’ll figure the rest out together.”

  Darien gave her a sharp nod then threaded his fingers behind her neck through her hair and pulled her close. Ashlynn responded and reached up, kissing his mouth before he even had the chance. Gasps of shock and outrage from shifters rang out from those near them. She stepped back from where they would fight and kept Taegen and Edmund close to her. Each watching each others’ backs.

  The shadows, both shifter and Unbound alike, gathered in a circle surrounding the two fighters in the center. The shadows stood arm to arm, closing the circle to not allow any interference or the escape of a challenger.

  The alpha and Darien fought one-on-one for several minutes. Ashlynn could tell, just by looking, Darien was stronger and faster than he had been the first time they fought. She wondered if their bonding had anything to do with it. Ashlynn even went so far as to see if she could funnel some of her strength towards Darien through their bond. Darien’s eyes widened and quickly glanced at her with a devilish smile she wanted to see more of. He felt her, sharing her power worked. In one smooth and powerful blow, Darien knocked his father to the ground, pinning him without mercy. He cocked his arm back and allowed his shifter to bring out his claws then pointed them at his father’s neck. Defeat flashed in the alpha’s eyes. He knew Darien had bested him.<
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  “Do it, you have earned the right,” his father said, accepting the inevitable.

  “No. Instead of killing you, I have an offer of servitude for you.”

  His father looked at him confused with a hint of regret. “While allowable with the traditions, I do not want to be your servant, Darien. End me now.”

  “I do not wish to come back and lead the pack. I am offering you the position of acting alpha in my stead while I remain at the castle. You would have to lead at my request, but I trust no one else to lead the pack with such intensity and care as you have. Will you accept this offer?”

  Alpha Berone bared his neck to the new alpha. According to pack traditions, he had no alternative. “I submit to your wishes.”

  Darien extended his hand and pulled his father to his feet.

  His father addressed the pack. “You all are witness today of my defeat and Darien’s success to rule the pack. Accept your new alpha of the shadow shifter pack… Alpha Darien.”

  The shadows all tilted their own necks in a show of deference and submission to Darien’s new authority.

  “As my first act as alpha, I place my father, Senior Alpha Berone as acting alpha in my stead. He will report to me and I will make the ultimate calls, but he will carry them out for me. I trust him with you, the pack, and I ask you to continue to respect him as you now respect me.”

  Again, the pack inclined their heads showing their acceptance and approval of his decision.

  Ashlynn caught his eyes and gave her own nod and smile of approval for his actions. She couldn’t have been prouder of him.

  “For my second act as reigning alpha, I declare Sentinel Ashlynn publicly as my mate. No one is to go against the Sentinel or the castle unless you challenge me directly. Understood?” Darien stood tall and strong in the center, circled by his pack.

  They responded in unison. “Yes, alpha.”