Ethan explains that when he left that day with me, he had only left his father a note saying he was going to look for Evan. Evan was one of the lucky shifters who made it out alive. He had flown home with me to Virginia, and all the way back he kept apologizing to me for all the torment he put me through when we were kids. He was very grateful to me and kept telling me that he was in my debt for life. I almost waived his debt in exchange for him shutting up on the plane, he apologized so much.
“I heard from some of the others that there are many who want revenge. They’re talking about a rebellion against the Council if the proper action isn’t taken,” Ethan tells the other two.
“That could cause a riot throughout the Shadow World,” Danika says with concern in her voice.
“I know. I’m hoping everything will cool off now that so many have returned home,” Addie replies.
Neither one of them says anything for the longest time. I’m about to pull back my hearing, when Danika says, “Well I hate to leave in such a hurry, but I have a long trip ahead of me.”
“I understand. Thank you for stopping by and checking on us,” Addie says.
“I’ll walk you out,” Ethan says, and I hear his chair scrape against the floor.
I hear Danika and Ethan walk out the door, but they stop on the porch. “Thank you for everything you did for me while we were away,” Danika says in a shaky voice.
“It’s you I should be thanking. I would have died in London, but you didn’t give up on me.” I can hear Ethan’s feet shuffle. “You saved me, Danika.”
“Don’t.” The pain in Danika’s voice is strong.
“Don’t what?” Ethan tries masking the hurt but I can still hear it.
“We can’t do this anymore. You saw what happened. You know what Racquel has been through. She shouldn’t even exist. How can we put ourselves through that, let alone a child?” Her voice cracks.
“There has to be a way. I care too much for you to just let you go.”
I lay my hand over my heart at Ethan’s declaration to Danika. This conversation shouldn’t even be happening. They should be able to love one another. If the stupid shame hadn’t been set in centuries ago I wouldn’t be an anomaly. Ethan and Danika could openly be together, just like it shouldn’t matter that Coy’s human. I had let the fear of him being human stop me the last time we kissed. We had been emotionally wrapped up with one another, and then I pulled away.
I shouldn’t be afraid. If I can accept Ethan and Danika, why can’t I find peace with my own relationship?
Can I even call it a relationship? My emotions toward Coy have been all over the place. When we were alone and talking I felt happy, but not elated. Then when I bit him I became super aware of him. There was nothing I wanted more in the world than Coy. Yet when we were around the others I felt nonchalant. I didn’t watch him, or get lost in his brown eyes. I’m not an expert on love but I’m pretty sure I’m always supposed to feel elated at the sight of him. Right?
Then I remember Micah. My stomach instantly tightens at the thought of him. Ignoring my butterflies, I focus back in on Danika and Ethan.
“You have to let me go. I’m so sorry Ethan, but this will never work.” I can hear Danika’s footsteps as she runs off. I look out my window and watch her peel out of the driveway, wiping tears from her face.
Ethan screams her name over and over as the car disappears around the block. He stands in the street for minutes after I can no longer hear the sound of Danika’s car engine. Then he begins to walk away, hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets, head hanging.
I think about Danika’s words. I should have never happened. I shouldn’t even exist. But I do. My unique existence has brought mayhem to the world because of a madman and madwoman who want to rein in my power. I think about all they have done, all the lives they’ve taken. But just because the Wicked Witch of the World created me, it doesn’t mean she can use me as she pleases. I will show her and Edwin what their creation can truly do.
Micah comes to mind again. This time instead of thinking about his green eyes or the smile he gave me in Brazil, I think about his expression in Greenland. Micah was in pain. The experiments that Cerelia performed on him were forced on him. When our eyes met for the briefest of moments in that dirt-packed laboratory, he was screaming for me to help him.
I shake that horrifying memory from my head. Before heading downstairs, I peek out the window again. Ethan is nowhere in sight. I wonder where he decided to go. I hope he doesn’t do something that will lead Danika to hate him. It would be just like him to do something crazy—like break through the wards to proclaim his love in front of the Covenant.
I walk across the hall to check on Coy but stop before I tap on the door. I really don’t want to go into his room. I would rather wait until he surfaced on his own. But I feel obligated. With a heavy sigh, I place my hand on the door and send a silent comfort to him before walking away.
I walk downstairs and make a beeline for the kitchen. Addie’s at the counter, making sandwiches.
“Is that for me?” I ask.
She turns around smiling. “One of them, yes. The other one is for Coy.” She looks up at the ceiling, as if she can see him. “Poor guy. I hope we can help him.”
“He just needs some time,” I answer. “He’ll come around, and then we can plan on what we’re doing next.”
Addie whips around giving me a hard stare. “We aren’t doing anything. The Council can take care of this now. They know who it is, let them deal with it.”
I sit down at the table with a flop, letting out a sigh. “I can’t.”
“And why not?” Addie crosses her arms over her chest, leaning against the fridge.
“Addie, this is all happening because of me.”
Addie tries to protest, but I stop her.
“Don’t say I’m being foolish like Coy. You know good and well if I didn’t exist, this wouldn’t be happening.” I pause, gathering my thoughts, keeping my emotions in check. “I still can’t get over the fact that our grandfather is behind all this. How could he?”
“I don’t know. When I saw him in New York, I was so relieved. We hadn’t seen him for so long. I was so worried about you, and it was comforting to see his face.” Addie glances down at the floor. “That’s when he turned on me. When I went to give him a hug, he turned all cryptic. Then Cerelia showed up and it was lights out. I woke up in my cell confused and alone.”
“I’m sorry for what he put you through. He will pay for what he did.” I look out the window, the fall leaves all but gone. The yard is filled with color from the leaves on the ground. The world looks so peaceful from here, like nothing is wrong, like everyone’s happy and enjoying their lives.
If only that was the case. If only we lived in a world where everyone got along. No human wars, no Shadow world power struggles, no kidnapping, no starving children, just a world that spun happily in the sunshine.
Of course that will never happen. Too many people in the human world and shadow world want power and control. But I will bring an end to the terror going on around me. I will find my grandfather, bring Micah home, and destroy Cerelia once and for all. Even if I have to do it all alone, it will happen.
I sit at the table with that set determination for what seems like hours. I keep trying to devise a plan, wanting the answers to unravel in seconds. Instead, I come up empty just like before.
When I come out of my reverie, Addie’s gone. A note lies on the table that says she’s gone to the store. She didn’t spare herself any time to recover from being kidnapped. She’s spent the time since then taking care of us, like a mother bear.
I stretch out my stiff muscles and spare a glance at the clock to see it’s almost seven. I decide to turn in early. Sleep hasn’t been my best friend lately. I’m still afraid of the dreams that might come. I don’t know what’s worse, having nightmares, or having nightmares about nightmares.
I fall back on my bed with a blissful sigh. My body already feels
relieved just from stretching out on the bed. After all that’s happened, I have a lot of sleep to catch up on. It doesn’t take long before I’m consumed by the numbing sensation of sleep. But something’s wrong. I know I’m asleep but I’m aware of that fact. Instantly my body tenses. Each time Cerelia attacked me in my dreams, I became more aware of it. Is the same thing happening now?
But this seems different. There is no fake scenery, no replayed memories, nothing. Just total and complete darkness. I don’t know what to do. Should I say something? Maybe move around? How can I move around though? I can’t see anything.
Suddenly a man’s ear-splitting scream fills the dark space. Then a face appears, for just a moment, a face full of fear. “Help me,” he begs.
I jerk upright in bed, gasping.
“Micah.”
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my friends and family who helped and encouraged me, even on the days when I was being a pain. My editor, J. Cameron McClain, for his awesome insights and all that he has taught me. I owe you a few my man!
And thanks to all of you who took the time to read Uniquely Unwelcome!
About the Author
Brandy Nacole resides in Arkansas where her imagination runs wild. Her obsession is reading but her passion is writing. She put her dream of becoming a writer on the back burner and went to college to become a psychologist. Three years after endless classes in a field she only felt half satisfied with, Brandy picked up her pen once again and wrote the outline to Uniquely Unwelcome. She finished out her degree in psychology, but traded her dream of writing for the degree.
Whenever she’s not reading or writing, Brandy is spending time with her family and friends, throwing around crazy ideas, teaching, and singing like a rock star at a concert for no one else but herself. She loves plants, but unfortunately is a killer of anything that requires water but can’t voice (scream) their needs.
She is the author of The Shadow World Series and The Spiritual Discord Series.
Connect with Brandy Online:
Website: http://www.brandynacolesbooks.com
Blog: http://brandynacole.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorbrandynacole
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorbnacole
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/brandynacole
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bnacolebooks
Now Available:
Blood Burdens (The Shadow World, #2)
Sacrifice: A New Dawn (The Shadow World, #3)
Other Book by Brandy:
Broken Faith (Spiritual Discord, #1)
Coming Soon:
Faithfully Hunted (Spiritual Discord, #2)
Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World, #1) Page 33
