Shadows of the Past

by Brandy L Rivers

  “What?” Hayden’s head started to spin through the possibilities.

  “Oh, and who ever caused this mess is, or was Zack. Except he basically faded out and shriveled up after the accident.”

  Hayden’s heart stopped. “What?”

  “It’s fucking weird. I don’t know what to tell you. The whole thing is a mess. We haven’t told Tomahawk yet. Simons hasn’t been in yet because he had to see his youngest off to school. Stacey’s coma started last night some time.”

  “Is Clint awake?”

  “On and off. He isn’t showing the signs Stacey has.

  Hayden had a sinking feeling as he stepped into Clint’s room, and found the enforcer’s chest bandaged. “Shit, what happened to you?”

  “Was shot,” he groaned. “Fucking hurts.”

  “Who did this?” Hayden pulled a pen and paper out.

  “Zack. He attacked a woman. I didn’t see much of her, just her white hair. Then he did something to Darla.”

  Hayden gritted his teeth. “What do you mean, he did something to Darla?”

  Clint shook his head. “He was shot, I clawed the shit out of him, but he still managed to walk into the road. Darla stopped.” He panted and shook his head. “She slammed on the brakes and got out of the car. He crawled to her and I screamed at her not to help.” Clint squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t fucking know what happened. He grabbed her ankle, and then all the color seemed to drain from him as it poured into her. Her hair changed, her eyes, even her skin tone. She doesn’t look the same.”

  “Told you, it sounds bat shit crazy,” Slater said from the door.

  “Unfortunately, it’s not. That’s the Shadow Fae. The woman, she had white hair?”

  Clint nodded. “Yeah. Long, silky. Sort of reminds me of Amethyst. Her hair had that same sheen and it wasn’t like gray white, but like shimmery.”

  That sounded like what he knew of Opal Lakes. “I need to see her.”

  “Sure, but why?” Slater asked cautiously.

  Hayden turned back with a shake of his head. “I hope I’m wrong, but it sounds like Amethyst’s mother.”

  “What was she doing here?”

  “Izackarus is the Shadow Fae. It has something to do with the Lakes family, but I don’t know the whole story. I’m going to want to see Zack’s body, too.”

  “Sure. Of course,” Slater answered.

  “Clint, we’ll get him. Just heal.”

  “He’s after Amethyst?” Clint asked.

  “Yeah, I think so.” Hayden turned and walked out the door.

  Clint called after him, “As soon as I’m solid, I’m coming on this hunt.”

  “I know.” Hayden answered. It didn’t surprise him. Nymphs could strum loyalty up faster than just about any creature out there.

  Slater led him to the next room. Stacey was in the bed and strapped down like in a mental hospital. Her hands were clawing at the sheets.

  Yeah, that was typical of someone carrying part of a Shadow’s essence.

  In the other bed lay a woman who looked a lot like Amethyst, but her hair was white, almost iridescent like opals. That was indeed her mother.

  “Shit,” he turned and stepped into the hall. A sinking feeling in his gut had him hurrying for the morgue. Brody and Slater followed on his heels. He was just about running when he slid into the doorway and found Preston pacing just beyond the slab.

  “Fuck. I should have known the bastard would have followed her,” Preston snarled.

  “That’s Carl, right?” Hayden asked.

  “Was. He was before that Shadow freak got a hold of him. Do you know where he is?”

  “No, but I think he’s taken Darla’s body.”

  “Darla?” Preston asked with a frown.

  “Tomahawk’s woman. He touched her just before Carl’s body died.”

  “Fuck. We need to find her.”

  “She’s as good as dead. As his host, she dies when he leaves.”

  “Shit. I’ll see if Archives has any good news.”

  “Don’t bother. They won’t have any. We need to find Darla, and I need to tell Amethyst about her mother and about her piece of shit ex.”

  Preston’s head snapped up. “What about Opal?”

  “She’s in a coma, but she’s quiet.”

  “We better start working together if we’re going to figure this out.”

  Hayden agreed.

  Chapter 14

  Amethyst wandered into A Few Good Books to browse. She needed something, anything to get her mind off of Hayden. The more she thought, the more she drowned in fear, and that was only freaking her out.

  Her sense of dread grew bigger as the day went on. She hoped a good book and a smoothie would ease some of the worry.

  Liz was at the counter and smiled as Amethyst walked up. “Hey Ame, I hear you beat some sense into Dacia last night.” Liz was always at the bookstore, but she shared the shop with a really delicious man named Tremaine.

  She climbed onto a seat and nodded. “I guess. She says she wasn’t herself though.”

  “Lot of people acting crazy lately.” Liz tucked her multi-hued hair behind her ear as she tossed fresh berries into the blender. Amethyst loved Liz’s hair with its chunky waves of red, blonde and brown. Her hazel eyes were a warm color that mesmerized with their golden flecks.

  “Yeah. I don’t want to worry about that, though.”

  Liz smirked. “How about the rumor that you were having sex with Hayden when she called to apologize.”

  She shook her head, blushing furiously. How did anyone else know about that? Probably Jess and Jamie, they were the flipping Gossip Twins. “Look, I’m not ready to discuss anything to do with Dacia, or Hayden. I came in here for a distraction. Any distraction.”

  “I know how that goes. In fact, this is on me today. You look stressed, and you never look stressed. You’re always smiling. What’s up?”

  Amethyst shrugged. “I guess the direction of my thoughts has freaked me out. So what’s new?”

  “Same old, same old.” Liz sighed and looked out the window. “Shit, why does he keep coming around?”

  Startled, Amethyst turned to watch Preston stroll by the windows, and when he spotted her he smiled sadly as he started for the door.

  “Right, well, I’ll be in the back. Don’t tell him I’m here.” Liz hurried down the hall.

  Okay, that was weird. Maybe he did her wrong, like he did Fallon wrong so many years ago. She chuckled and nodded to Preston as he took a seat beside her.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  Preston looked at her for a long moment before he closed his eyes and shook his head. Guilt crept in as she remembered the look in his eyes just the night before, and the emotion that had rolled off him in waves. Today it was muted, still there, but there was an overall sadness that settled heavily on her.

  He took a deep breath and opened his pale blue eyes. There was a serious look on his handsome face. “Did I just see Elizandra Delacroix?”

  “Who?” Amethyst had no clue who Preston was talking about… unless Liz was short for Elizandra, which sort of made sense.

  “You don’t know Elizandra? Maybe a Liz?” Preston narrowed his eyes.

  Well shoot. That answered that question. “Sorry, I don’t.” Liz told her not to say a word, and no matter how much she trusted Preston, she just couldn’t tell him. She liked Liz too much to betray her.

  They had become fast friends Amethyst’s first day at the shop. Liz was easy to get along with. She didn’t ask a lot of questions, and she didn’t spill a lot of details. There had to be a reason she didn’t want Preston, or the council to know about her. Amethyst understood that on a whole new level after being held by the Council. She just hoped that keeping that secret didn’t ruin her already compromised friendship with Preston.

  “I swear I saw her. Hazel eyes, a mane of a hundred colors, stunning, and she practically hums with power.” Preston watched her closely. The intensity in his gaze sent a
shiver down her spine.

  She didn’t flinch, just shrugged. “Sorry Preston. You sure you aren’t seeing things? Tremaine is here, he’s the only one I’ve seen.” Oops. Is that safe territory? Is he even here?

  The man in question strolled out with a cocky grin that rivaled Preston’s. Preston had short dark hair that was always styled and big icy blue eyes. Tremaine’s dark hair seemed to be styled by running his fingers through it, and his eyes were a warm brown color.

  “Hey, Preston. How’s your smoothie, Amethyst?”

  “Delicious, as always.” She smiled back.

  Preston rolled his eyes, obviously not buying the act. “Have you seen Liz?”

  “Nope, not in years. She’s dead, or don’t you remember her funeral a couple of decades ago?” Tremaine shrugged as if it were no skin off his nose.

  Dead?

  “Ame, if she’s around, please talk to me. You know I wouldn’t take her to the Silver Council. You know I’m not that asshole.”

  “Yeah, Preston, I know that,” but she still wouldn’t betray Liz like that. “I still don’t know a Liz. I’m sorry I can’t help.” She shrugged.

  “Fine. Just know that if she were here, I would just make sure she was all right. She was a good friend, and I miss her.” Preston sighed, but his phone rang and he frowned. “I need to get going. You stay safe, Ame. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” He walked out the doors and she watched him go as he answered his phone.

  “You did good, kid. Liz doesn’t want anyone from the Silver Council to know where she’s at. It’s why she faked her death.”

  “Now that I know, I won’t mention her to anyone. But for the record, I’m not a kid.”

  Tremaine laughed. “I consider Preston a kid and he’s a hell of a lot older than you.”

  “Fine,” she grumbled as Liz stepped back out. “Preston’s a good guy, but I know he’ll blab to Robert, who would probably show up and try to apologize for everything I did wrong. I just can’t face him, not after what I did.”

  “Liz,” Tremaine said so very gently. “He misses you, always will. He doesn’t blame you, doll. He still loves you. You are good enough for him. I just wish you saw that. You were so happy when you were with him.”

  Shaking her head, Liz backed into the hall. “I need to go. I can’t talk about this. Amethyst, enjoy your smoothie, and maybe I’ll be down later for that ring we discussed.” She turned and walked back down the hall.

  Amethyst was left wondering what the hell was going on. She had been under the impression that Tremaine and Liz were in love but hiding their true feelings, and she still thought so. Tremaine obviously thought Liz was in love with Robert.

  “Maybe I should head back to work,” Amethyst said and slipped off the stool and through the door.

  “See you later,” Tremaine called.

  * * * *

  Preston hurried to his car and answered Robert’s call. “Hey, man. Did Archives have anything?”

  “Nothing. I’m coming to you.”

  “Great,” Preston sighed. “Look, shit is going down here. I’m going to need your help.”

  “I’ll be there in just a bit.”

  “By the way, I saw Liz,” Preston blurted out. “I saw her, Robert.”

  “Don’t. Just don’t, Preston,” Robert warned.

  “She’s alive, man. I thought you should know.”

  “I know. Just leave her be.” There was real pain in his voice.

  “Shit, Robert, why aren’t you with her?”

  “She wanted out. She said she needed me to let her go. I did. End of story, now drop it. She doesn’t want to see me.”

  That almost made sense. Liz had been through hell and didn’t want to drag Robert with her. He could just see it play out. She would come up with some asinine reason to shut Robert out. Robert would do as she asked because he always did as Liz wanted, which was funny because she was one of the most selfless people he knew. In some misguided attempt to protect Robert and his connection to a fucked up family, she would tell him not to follow. That’s why Tremaine was there. The man always looked out for her and there was no changing his mind once he was set on a course.

  Shit, what the hell had he missed in Edenton?

  He took a breath before asking. “Are you going to be okay to head out this way?”

  Robert sighed. “Yeah. She’s been there for a couple of years now. I just avoid any place I expect her to be. Trem keeps me posted. It’s fine. It has to be.”

  “I’m not so sure about that, but I’ll leave it alone,” Preston started his car and headed back to where Hayden was still searching for Darla.

  It hurt to know that Amethyst had lied to him. After her stay with the Council, he didn’t blame her for not telling him, but it fucking hurt. Not to mention she had been on edge the second he came in. He knew she knew what he felt, and still, she didn’t trust him.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have been such an ass but he had to shut out those feelings. What she told him the night before was right, he was too late. He’d had his chance and threw it away. It was obvious Hayden was ready to make a stand for her.

  Oh fuck, I didn’t tell her about Opal. Hayden had insisted they wait until they had a better idea of what was going on. He didn’t want to worry her. They still didn’t have all the answers, but he knew Amethyst would blame herself because of that fuckup Carl.

  Besides, he didn’t think it would be right for him to comfort her. He’d be too tempted to push lines he really couldn’t cross now. He prayed things could go back to the way they were, but he wasn’t sure they could.

  * * * *

  “Are you sure you should be getting up?” Brody asked with concern.

  Clint gave him an icy look as he yanked his shirt over his head. “The bullet was iron, it’s already healed. Whatever Zack is… was… fuck, that thing took over Darla. It was the freakiest shit I’ve ever seen.”

  “Yeah, but you need to chill out until Jolene can at least release you.” Brody sighed and leaned back against the wall next to the door. “I don’t know what’s going on, but that woman you found at the hotel is Amethyst’s mom.”

  Clint’s head snapped up. “Is she okay?”

  “She wasn’t hurt, but she’s in a coma. It makes no sense. It doesn’t look like she hit her head or anything. Hayden thinks it might be magical, some kind of protection”

  “From what?”

  “I don’t know. I just know that Fallon and I are going to Hayden’s house later to figure out what the hell is going on. It’s something to do with Ame’s family, some centuries old vendetta, only worse.”

  Clint frowned as he pulled his boots on. “Centuries? Amethyst is what? Like twenty-one?”

  “Twenty-five, but it didn’t start with her.” Brody shoved his hands in his pockets. “You sure you’re up for this? Not twelve hours after being shot.”

  “Wouldn’t you?” One corner of his mouth tipped up in a grin. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t.”

  “Fine, you’re right. I just have a bad feeling about all of this.”

  The door burst open and a shadowy figure stepped inside. It pointed a gun at Clint the same time Clint and Brody dove for it. They collided as the shadow tendrils wrapped around each of them.

  The creature screamed as it pulled away, evaporating into thin air.

  Clint wiped his hands down his arms and legs. Brody did much the same as they looked at each other.

  “That what you saw?” Brody asked.

  “Yeah, something like that. Why did it seep into Darla though? Why not us?”

  “Fuck if I know, but we need to talk to Hayden.”

  * * * *

  It felt like acid had been poured into his very essence. Izackrus flowed through the walls and down to where Darla lay slumped in the bushes.

  As he took her body back he sat up slowly with a whimper. It still hurt. Just like that morning when he wasn’t able to penetrate Clint’s shields. He couldn’t get into the other werewo
lves’ body either.

  Werewolves couldn’t shield themselves like that bitch nymph, so what in the Abyss was going on? How were they warded? He needed to find someone stronger than a human woman if he was going to be able to get close enough to Amethyst.

  She was constantly surrounded by people more powerful than her. Fae, mages, a druid, werewolves. He couldn’t get past the Earth Fae’s wards, could hardly touch the wolves. That human redhead with the pissy attitude was even immune.

  Until he could figure out what was blocking his normal abilities, he needed to find the darker emotions to fuel his quest.

  He wandered into the hospital to look for easy prey. He needed a boost of strength from someone, anyone, or he feared he may just slip away.

  Chapter 15

  There was a really bad feeling in her gut. Something was wrong, really wrong. Amethyst just didn’t know what. Maybe something had happened to Hayden? He’d mentioned he was working on a really tough case.

  She should have better explained where she stood in their… relationship, for lack of a better word. What if he thought she was done with him? That wasn’t it. Yeah, she was scared, but she knew he wasn’t like Carl.

  Amethyst had tried to call her mom earlier, but she didn’t answer. That worried her. Mom had been mad when she left even after Carl was gone, but Opal didn’t understand how everything in San Francisco reminded her of Carl. The good, the bad, the horrible.

  Maybe a swim would do her good. She could probably convince Hayden to come with her. That would put a smile on her face. That was a much better direction for her thoughts.

  Grinning she started for the lobby, and Fallon immediately pulled her into a tight hug.

  “What is it?” Amethyst whispered, her alarm bells going off.

  “Your Mom. Carl attacked her. Something was riding him, a sort of possession. She won’t wake up. Gabriel is with her at the hospital.”

  “What?” She pushed Fallon back to look up at her. “He’s already dead. How?”

  “Hayden or your brother can explain that. I don’t understand.”