Raven’s Sight
Willow Harbor - Book Eight
Jennifer Snyder
RAVEN’S SIGHT
Willow Harbor - Book Eight
Copyright © 2018 by Jennifer Snyder
Editing by Running Ink Edits
© 2018 Cover Art by Najla Qamber Designs
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Contents
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Welcome To Willow Harbor
1. Lena
2. Lena
3. Thane
4. Lena
5. Thane
6. Lena
7. Thane
8. Lena
9. Thane
10. Lena
11. Thane
12. Lena
13. Thane
14. Lena
15. Thane
16. Lena
17. Thane
18. Lena
19. Thane
20. Lena
Extend Your Stay In Willow Harbor…
Thank You
About the Author
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Welcome To Willow Harbor
Strange Neighbors. Hidden Desires. Small Town Charm.
Come stay awhile…
One
Lena
Run, Lena!
The familiar voice pleaded even as my eyes fluttered open. A heavy sense of disorientation spread through me while I took in my surroundings. I smoothed my hands over my face and forced myself to sit up in bed, fighting against the sheets that clung to me. My breath came in fast bursts and sweat beaded across my skin.
Run, Lena! Get out of here!
My heart hammered against my ribs as his voice rippled through my mind again, causing my stomach to knot. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing it were that easy to block him and the memories that came with the sound of his voice out.
It wasn’t.
Vivid clips from that day burst to life behind my eyelids. They wove among the twisted scenes lingering from my nightmare. A shaky breath pushed past my parted lips. I ran my fingers through my damp hair and struggled to gather myself.
“It was just a dream,” I whispered but knew the words were only partly true.
It was also a memory. One I battled daily.
I untangled myself from my sheets and slipped out of bed. I needed water. My mouth was like a desert. The floor was cold against my bare feet as I made my way to my tiny kitchen. My legs felt like wet noodles beneath me, almost too weak to hold up my own weight. I released another slow breath.
That freaking nightmare got me every time.
I grabbed a glass and filled it with tap water. As I drank more clips surfaced to take up space in my mind. An iciness spread through my core, constricting my lungs. It was a familiar sensation. One I felt each time I thought of that day—each time I thought of him.
Panic. It was setting in.
I glanced around my apartment, checking all the dark corners. Even though I could see I was alone, fear still gripped hold of me tightly. I smoothed a hand over my face. My fingertips came to rest at the base of my throat where I could feel my rapid heartbeat pulsing beneath the skin there.
God, why was I still so afraid of them?
It had been six years. Six long years without a sighting. Yet I still wasted time and energy being scared to death they would find me. Why? I was older now. Wiser. And I’d learned how to shift at will long ago. If they ever did find me, I could fly away this time instead of run.
My raven fluttered inside my chest in agreement. I closed my eyes and felt her presence. She’d always been stronger than me, but I was gaining a backbone. Slowly.
Time, fear, and being on your own forced a person to do so. Even someone like me.
I sipped my water. Another memory pushed its way to the surface, and the fear I’d been struggling not to succumb to shifted to anger. Heat spread through my body. I hated how much my memories from that night still controlled me.
Why couldn’t I move on? The world around me clearly had.
You can’t because of him, a tiny voice in the back of my mind whispered, and because of the guilt you feel.
My body trembled as brown eyes with vibrant yellow flecks consumed my thoughts. I placed my glass in the sink and gripped the edge of the counter before my legs gave out. Smooth, masculine lips curving into a boyish grin filled my mind, and I could barely breathe. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying in vain to block out any more memories of him. I couldn’t afford the torment they would create. Not today. Not ever.
When would my head and heart let me forget?
Never, the tiny voice said, you will never forget him.
My knees nearly gave out. I pulled in a shaky breath and pushed thoughts of him away as best I could. I thought of the ocean—the salty air, the churning waters, the sandy shore. Sometimes thinking of the ocean and its breezy shoreline was the only way to steady myself.
I glanced at the clock on the stove. It read 4:43 am. I wasn’t supposed to be at work until nine. A huff expelled from me. I knew there was no way I’d be able to fall asleep again though. I never could after thinking of him.
There was only one thing that would occupy my mind enough, making it harder for thoughts and memories of him to surface, and that was shifting.
My raven perked up at the thought. She agreed that spreading our wings and taking to the sky was the best way to put our past behind us.
Without hesitating, I peeled myself away from my kitchen counter and grabbed a pair of workout pants and a sweater from my closet. Once I’d dressed, I twisted my hair into a bun while making my way to the front door. After slipping on my sneakers, I let myself out of my apartment. The sound of my lock securing in place echoed through the silent hall when I turned my key. I cringed and then stepped away from the door as quietly as I could, worrying my footsteps might disturb my neighbors. Their hearing was impeccable. One of the bad things about living next to supernaturals—everyone always knew when you were coming and going.
I didn’t like having anyone know so much about me.
I jogged down the steps of the building, making my way to the ground level. The heaviness I’d felt in my apartment dissipated the instant I gripped the cool metal knob at the bottom of the stairway that led outside. The door opened without my help though, startling me. I flinched and took a step back when I spotted a dark figure standing in front of me. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as every muscle in my body tensed. My raven thought only of shifting while my brain wanted me to fight.
“Hey, sorry,” a familiar voice said. Hands lifted between us in the form of surrender. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
The dizzying sensation of my adrenaline rush fading fast spiraled through me. It was only my neighbor, Mason. He lived in apartment number one with his fiancee, Claire.
“It’s okay.” My words were just a
s much for me as they were him. Still, they didn’t slow my racing heartbeat fast enough. I forced a fake smile on my face, hoping he’d think I was more at ease than I was.
It was doubtful though. Mason was a vampire. He could most likely sense how freaked out I was. Hell, he was probably listening to my heart thunder in my chest right now. I hoped he wasn’t too focused on it though. Being his snack wasn’t something I was interested in right now. Or ever.
Anyway, it was against the rules for him to snack on anyone in Willow Harbor against their will. What little I’d gathered about him over the years didn’t point to him being a rule breaker. He was a decent guy and vampire.
“Heading out for a run? It’s a nice night for it.” Mason stepped to the side, allowing me room to slip past him.
“Uh, yeah.” Could he tell I was lying? It wasn’t something I’d ever been good at.
The corners of his lips twisted into a nervous smile. I was making him uneasy. Not something you wanted to do when conversing with a vampire, I was sure. This was my usual, though. I tended to make people uneasy around me often.
I had paranoia to thank for that.
It was the reason I refused to allow anyone to get close. I didn’t need anyone learning who I was running from or what I had done.
It was best for everyone that way.
Mason maneuvered around me when it was clear I wasn’t going anywhere and slipped inside the building. My cheeks flamed as I stepped out of his way. How was I twenty-one and still so damn socially awkward?
“Well, enjoy,” Mason said. “I should get back upstairs. There’s a good chance Claire has realized I’m not home. She’ll be wondering where I’m at.”
Where had he been? And, what had he been doing? Walking the beach?
“I’m sure I’ll see you around.” Mason waved.
“Yeah.”
I continued to scold myself for my inability to act normal as I slipped out the door. It was cooler out than I thought it would be but not cool enough to send me back to my apartment. I didn’t think there was anything that had the power to get me back there right now. My memories were too aggressive there. I couldn’t hide from them when I was inside. Out here in the open though, it was as if they weren’t able to find me. Besides, my raven wouldn’t allow me to head back home. The anticipation of stretching her wings and soaring through the salty air was too strong.
I pulled the thin fabric of my sweater down over my hands to shield them from the cold as I made my way in the direction of the beach. If the rules set in place among the supernaturals of Willow Harbor to keep us all safe weren’t enough of a pull to live here...the beach definitely was.
At least for me.
Growing up I’d lived as far away from the ocean as possible tucked in thick forests and mountainous terrain. Never by choice, though. I’d always wanted to live by the ocean. I wanted to wake up in the morning and be able to stand before the endless sea, allowing her to make me feel small in comparison. I wanted to dig my toes in the sand and feel the warmth of sunlight on my face. I wanted to inhale the salty air daily.
The ocean was free. No one could control it.
It did what it wanted and didn’t listen to anyone.
Now I did the same.
Another chilly breeze, this one laced with the faint scent of briny salt water, caressed my skin as I continued walking. I passed the willow tree in the center of town and the library before making it to the wooden walkway that wound its way to the sandy beach. The wind picked up with each step I took. If I listened hard enough, I could hear the waves crashing against the shore already. I licked my lips, tasting the salt water in the air. The tension in my muscles dissolved as I soaked in my surroundings. Even though I knew the likelihood of being alone out here was slim to none due to the number of paranormal sea creatures and others who enjoyed these waters as much as I did, I still felt a sense of peace slip through me.
This place, Willow Harbor, it was home.
I kicked off my sneakers and peeled out of my socks. A smirk twisted my lips. Out of all the years I’d lived here, I had yet to run on this beach. If you asked my neighbors or the few townspeople who witnessed me come here often they would say I was an avid runner. I wasn’t though. The truth was, I only wore running gear so people would think that about me. To deprive them of yet another truth to who I was. All I came here for was to either sit on my rock and soak in the freedom this place stood for to me, or to shift.
The sand swallowed my footsteps as I headed further down the beach. I inhaled another deep breath, filling my lungs with as much air as I could. My gaze drifted to the dark water of the ocean. The reflection of the moon on its rippling surface caught my eye. Nature was beautiful. My raven begged to be released. I ignored her, allowing myself a few moments to decompress before I gave into what she wanted.
I made my way to my favorite rock. It jetted out of the ocean waters in a way that made it the perfect place to sit and think. My gaze drifted back to the moon. It wasn’t full tonight, but it would be soon. The stars caught my eye next. They were more visible than they had been last night. I admired the sky for a while before another gust of chilly wind pushed against me. I drew my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. My gaze continued to drift around me. The beacon on the lighthouse flickered dimly in the distance, reminding me of a dull flashlight.
Time seemed to hold no meaning as I sat. Once I was completely relaxed, I agreed to let my raven take over.
First, I made sure no one was watching. While I saw someone in the distance, their back was to me as they headed in the opposite direction. I was as alone as I would ever be here.
I stood up and quickly peeled off my clothes. I sat them in the center of my rock and placed my sneakers on top so nothing would blow away in the wind. My arms lifted high above my head as I closed my eyes, giving into the beautiful sensation of connecting with my raven.
It was time to let go; it was time to fly.
Two
Lena
By the time I made it home the sun was shining. I’d been out too long. This was what generally happened when I let my raven free. We both lost track of time, and before we knew it hours had passed.
I let myself into my apartment and headed straight for the shower, peeling off my clothes as I walked to the bathroom and tossing them on the floor. I’d pick them up later. Right now time was of the essence. I was due at work in minutes. Thank goodness the walk from here to The Dragon’s Hoard Antique Shop was a short one.
While Violet and Hubs most likely wouldn’t care if I was late here and there, I didn’t want to chance pissing them off. They were the only people in town I’d allowed myself to get somewhat close to. It wasn’t by my choice, though. They’d sort of taken me under their wings when I first came to Willow Harbor.
Thinking of how we first met still sent goose bumps prickling across my skin.
Violet lost her best friend a few weeks before I arrived in town in a car accident. During her grief, she managed to lose a beloved locket with a picture of her and her friend inside. It was that recently deceased friend of hers who latched on to me the instant I entered town and refused to let go until I talked with Violet. She wanted me to tell her the locket she was so upset about losing had fallen behind her nightstand. Even though I knew how strange I’d sound in doing so, I told Violet anyway. That conversation captured Violet’s attention. She’d asked me minimal questions about how I knew where the locket was, and in return I gave her simple answers. She didn’t pry to know more details. Instead, she gave me a job at her antique shop without consulting her husband. She wanted me to feel out the objects that came to her shop and see if their destined owner happened to be in town already. I didn’t understand what she’d meant until she explained the way things in this town worked. Violet had said things, even people sometimes, came to Willow Harbor for a reason and it was nice to see them fulfill whatever purpose that was.
Basically, she was where I learned the town, and the wil
low tree, were magic.
I agreed to her job offer and spent my days with the new items that came in the shop—some of them ordered online and others appeared on their own overnight—placing them into categories or figuring out whom they belonged to in town. It was a good way to tap into my raven’s sight, which I’d always been hopeful I’d be able to grow one day.
Drops of water trickled down my back from my wet hair, soaking into the sweater I’d pulled on. I towel-dried it better before rushing out of my bathroom to pull on a pair of knee-high boots near my front door. The clock on the wall said I had ten minutes before I was supposed to be at work. I frowned. This meant I wouldn’t have time to swing by Urban Grind for a cup of coffee.
Great.
I grabbed my keys and purse. My movements were jerky as I locked my door behind me and hurried to the stairs. Forgoing breakfast was one thing; forgoing coffee was another. Today was going to be crap.
The heels of my boots clicked against the wooden steps loudly as I rushed down them. It was morning. My neighbors would be moving about as well so there was no point in treading quietly. I glanced at my watch after I pushed my way through the door leading to the sidewalk. Four minutes left. Did I have time to swing by Urban Grind? Loran was usually quick to prepare my caramel macchiato. In fact, it was almost as though he knew what I desired as soon as I stepped through his door. Sometimes it was freaky, almost as though he could read my mind, but today it would be a welcomed insight.
[Willow Harbor 08.0] Raven's Sight Page 1
