Shadows of Our Sins: (Shadow Purgers Series, Book 1)

by N. Phillips

  “Thank you.”

  I got out the car and walked to the front of the house, frowning after seeing my sister turn away from me. The friction between us had escalated too high for my comfort.

  “Mya, before we go inside and talk to Mom and Dad, I want to apologize. Mom was right, and you’re right. I haven’t been making the best decisions, and I never think about how my actions influence you or affect the people around me. When I do something out of the ordinary, Mom and Dad always fight over it and that disrupts the peace in the house and takes their attention away from you.”

  She turned back to look at me. “And how do I know you’re not just saying this so I don’t rat you out?”

  “Because I’ll still be looked at as the bad daughter whether you do or don’t. Mom already thinks I’m a troublemaker with no plans for the future. Dad tries to hide it by smiling, but I can tell he’s disappointed in me, too. There’s no agenda behind admitting that I’ve been a terrible daughter and a bad sister. Are you happy, Mya? Is this what you want to hear?”

  Our quarrel ended when the front door opened and our parents stared at us in disappointment.

  “Get in the house. Now.”

  My mother’s angry tone made me nervous, and my fear only heightened when I stepped into the house and saw Sophia the doll sitting on the living room couch.

  “I don’t know who you two think you are, but if you want to continue living under this roof, you will respect the demands your father and I give to you. Mya, I told you to be home by nine. It’s past midnight. And Aliyah...”

  Her words trailed off, but her frustration couldn’t have been more present. She looked at me with scolding eyes that told the tale of a parent who’d had enough of her child’s disobedience.

  “I can’t believe you’d have the audacity to not only sneak out the house, but to think that you could fool me with a damn doll. Do you take me for an idiot?”

  I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to provoke her further with the wrong words. I should’ve known the doll trick wasn’t going to work.

  Dammit, Lucas.

  “Aliyah, no phone, TV, or laptop for two weeks. And you’re grounded,” my father declared with his hand out. “Give me your cell phone. You’ll get it back when you learn to obey the simple rules we ask of you.”

  I handed him my phone just as Mya began making her way up the stairs. She stopped at the sound of my mother clearing her throat.

  “Where do you think you’re going, missy? You’re not getting off free. Your punishment will be...”

  “Be what?” Mya asked in a harsh tone. No demands were given, however, as both my parents remained tight-lipped with a stern posture. The sudden smiles they gave to Mya was unnerving, as if they were happy robots waiting for their master’s orders.

  “What the… Mom? Dad?”

  An eerie, icy breeze had gusted into the home. My parents didn’t react to my calling. They simply gave a thumbs up to Mya with disturbingly jolly expressions on their faces.

  “Mya, you may go to your room or wherever you like. No punishment is necessary.”

  What my mother said sent chills through my body. She’d never let us off the hook like that, and I couldn’t comprehend what was happening to my parents.

  “Aliyah,” my father yelled out. “You’re a rotten, ungrateful daughter. Go to your room and remain there until I tell you to come out.”

  My dad’s powerful shout caused me to flinch. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at me.

  Heading up the stairs, I saw the cause of my parents’ strange behavior. It was tall, ominous, and standing behind Mya at the top of the staircase. The Shadow’s presence even alerted Cinnamon, who had bolted out the kitchen to bark her displeasure at the creature.

  I was in a tight spot. Purging the damn thing and freeing Maya from its manipulation wouldn’t be a problem, but I wasn’t sure how much they were affected by her desire, whatever it may have been. If they weren’t completely brainwashed, there was a chance they’d remember if I use my light against the Shadow, and that would be bad. Really bad. If they ever found out about my power, my days of demon slaying would be over, and there would be no one to protect the city.

  With that in mind, I decided against destroying the Shadow. It seemed like Mya’s desire was strictly to get whatever she wanted from them, so keeping the demon around until I found the perfect opportunity to purge it tomorrow shouldn’t have been a problem.

  At least, I had hoped so.

  The ringing of the home phone downstairs had woke me up the next morning. Cinnamon leaped off the bed just as I sat up and realized my room door was cracked. My parents must’ve opened it to keep an eye on me.

  The silence as I walked downstairs into the living room led me to believe no one else was home. Peering down at the caller ID, I saw Lucas’s number and quickly picking up the phone.

  “Hello? Lucas, are you there?”

  The other end of the line had been mute until I heard a soft, feminine moan. The person who spoke made my heart collapse in my chest.

  “Hello, darling.”

  Hearing Cassandra’s voice made me gulp, and I couldn’t put together a coherent reply because of how stunned I was.

  “Are you tongue-tied? You know, I tried calling your cell phone number, but a woman answered the phone. Was that your mommy? Aw, did someone get in trouble for being somewhere she shouldn’t have been?”

  “Where is he?” I snapped, gripping the phone tightly. “What are you doing to him?”

  “Oh, nothing yet. I was hoping we’d play a game since our fun last night was so rudely interrupted. How about I give you three hours to find Lucas? With each passing hour, I’ll touch him in a different spot. If you fail to find our location before the time’s up, my fingers will rub across a certain area that I’m sure will make him forget you even exist. Sound fun?”

  My lips slid into a smirk. “Fine, I’ll play your game. But your popularity is gonna backfire on you, because all I have to do is go online and—“

  “Oh, did you think I’d make it that easy for you? I’ve taken time out of my busy schedule to remove any trace of my location on the Internet. You’re going to have to be smarter than that, love.”

  Foaming at the mouth, I questioned how in the hell would I ever find her. Lucas’s life was in danger, and my confidence was fading.

  “Since I’m such a good sport,” she started, “I’ll give you a hint. We’re at my favorite place in New York City. The clock’s ticking. I hope to see you soon, Ali.”

  The beeping sound of the disconnected call left me in turmoil. Pacing back and forth, my hands gripped the sides of my head, hoping to squeeze out a plan. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that I decided to dial Maylene’s number.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “Maylene, it’s Aliyah. Thank God I remembered your number off the top of my head. Um, this is going to sound really, really crazy, but a woman kidnapped my boyfriend and I need your help finding him.”

  There was a pause on the other line until she spoke. “Alright, that does sound crazy. Before I agree to help, because I am intrigued, believe me; I have to ask why didn’t you just call the police.”

  “Because the woman holding him hostage has abilities just like us. Not to mention I’m already in enough trouble as is, so I don’t want to involve the police.”

  “Understandable. Alright, I’ll be there soon. Right after I finish making my grandpa’s breakfast.”

  “Okay. Please hurry.”

  Thirty minutes had passed before there was a knock on the door. I sprang off the couch and rushed to open it.

  “You ready to get down to business?” Maylene asked with her laptop in hand.

  “Yeah, but we need to hurry,” I said, pulling her inside. “I got in big trouble last night and I don’t think I’m supposed to have anyone over. No one’s home right now, but they might come back any minute.”

  We walked upstairs into my room. Maylene locked the d
oor before sitting on the bed next to me and opening her laptop.

  “Okay, can you start from the beginning? Who is this woman exactly and why would she kidnap your boyfriend?”

  “Because she’s a promiscuous whore, that’s why. Lucas and I met her at a club last night, and while he was performing, I stopped her from killing another woman. Her name’s Cassandra Blackwood.”

  Her brows shot up in surprise. “Wait, you’re talking about that producer and social media slut? No offense, but why on earth would she want Lucas other than for his musical talents?”

  “To get to me. She got all psycho after I stopped her and now she’s trying to destroy my life. To be honest, I think she’s already possessed by a demon. There weren’t any of them lurking around the club last night, but she had this ability that allows her to control someone if she stares at them or touches a part of their body. She can even make you have sexual desires for her.”

  She chortled. For what, I had no idea. “Did you experience this first-hand?”

  Ugh. Of course that was why. To tease me. “Maybe,” I answered.

  “Hilarious. Perhaps she was able to get you that way because you’re sexually attracted to her.”

  I gave her a confused look. “No. Not at all. I don’t think that was it.”

  She shrugged. “If I can do this,” a ball of fire manifested at the tip of her index finger, “it doesn’t surprise me that someone out there has the ability to peak a person’s libido, so I believe you.”

  I exhaled in an attempt to blow out the fire, but my breath only made the flame grow larger. Jumping back in response, I exclaimed, “Put it out.”

  “Well, that wasn’t smart to begin with,” she said, extinguishing the fire at will. “Anyway, I have Cassandra Blackwood’s recent updates on my screen, but nothing showing me where she would be today. I even checked her other social media accounts and found nothing. Do you have any information or clues that could help us find her?”

  “She told me she’d be at her favorite place in New York. I wouldn’t know where the hell that is because I’m not a fan of hers, but if anyone would know where she likes to stay and seduce people, it’s a girl named Robyn who goes to our school. Cassandra mentioned that she was a fan of hers.”

  “Then that’s who we need to see.”

  I objected with a wiggle of my finger. No way was I ever asking her for help.

  “Maylene, I want to find Lucas, but I’m not bringing Robyn into this. I wouldn’t even know how to contact her or where to find her in the first place.”

  “Uh, the Internet?” she questioned in a sarcastic tone. “You know, the thing I’m on right now? Despite popular belief, it can be used for other things besides trolling, catfishing, being a simp, and making yourself feel important. Besides, she’s our only hope at this point. We need her.”

  “Fine, whatever. Do what you gotta do.”

  She began scanning multiple search engines online, her fingers pressing down on the keyboard with haste.

  “I think I found her. What’s her last name?”

  “Foster.”

  “There,” she pointed to a mapped location on the screen. “The site says Robyn Foster lives at this address. It’s only a ten-minute drive from here.”

  “Alright, just give me twenty seconds,” I said while rummaging through my clothes inside the closet.

  “Cool. I’ll be in the car,” she replied, walking out the room.

  With my gray leather jacket in hand, I decided to peek in Mya’s room before leaving in hopes of finding any signs of her true desire. The light of the sun beaming through the tangerine curtains shined on a particular drawing that was displayed on the white wall of the room. Feeling entranced by it, I tiptoed inside and gazed at the picture.

  “This is amazing,” I mumbled in fascination. The drawing was of two figures who shared a striking resemblance to Mya and Connor. Both were surrounded by other figures that appeared to be dancing and conversing with smiles on their faces. The background matched the inside of the club we had been to last night, with even the smallest detail of the place coming alive. It all made me recall the moment when Mya told the family she needed to be inspired before she could draw.

  “I have to make things right,” I mumbled to myself. “I have to be a better sister.”

  The sudden beep of a car horn took me out of the moment. I left the room and walked downstairs to see Cinnamon sitting near the front door.

  “You’re in charge, girl,” I told her while rubbing her head. Her tail wagged rapidly in response.

  With less than two hours remaining, the pursuit of Cassandra Blackwood was on. Before confronting Lucas’s kidnapper, however, I was forced to negotiate with the person I hated the most.

  Robyn.

  CHAPTER 17

  The ground outside of Robyn’s apartment building was layered with several beer bottles and patches of feces that attracted a swarm of flies.

  Maylene parked by the curb as I inspected the grimy environment through her car window. Nothing was worse than the trash can on the sidewalk that was overflowed with garbage. The stench of it entered the vehicle and caused my nose to wrinkle in disgust as the bitter taste of bile threatened to come up my throat.

  I turned to Maylene in hopes that she would be the first to brave the disaster zone. She, however, turned to me and snorted.

  “Don’t look at me. This is your mission, soldier.”

  “How can she live like this?” I questioned while looking back at the rats scampering around the grungy and broken-down building.

  Maylene replied with a quick hunch of her shoulders. “Not everyone is privileged enough to live in a nice neighborhood. Some have to do what they gotta do in order to survive.”

  “I know that, but this is…” I sighed, my words becoming whispers in the air. “Fine, you’re right. Let’s just get this over with.”

  I wasn’t the type to judge someone because of where they lived, but this was Robyn we were talking about. I couldn’t help but talk shit about her for everything she’s put Lucas and me through.

  We got out the car and walked inside the building, scrunching our faces at whatever mucky rubbish we came across. When we reached the front of Robyn’s apartment door, I knocked due to the absence of a doorbell.

  “Do you smell that?” Maylene whispered. “Why does it stink like sulfur? Oh God, is she Lilith the demon?”

  Before I could answer that question, the door swung open and Robyn stepped out wearing a black, stretched out T-shirt with an imprint of Cassandra Blackwood on it. I stared in shock at the size of her belly that certainly grew since our last encounter.

  “Y-your stomach. It’s—”

  “Huge,” Maylene yelled, finishing my sentence. “Lilith is pregnant with triplets. Lord save us.”

  Robyn’s brow twitched. “Who is this? And why are you here? You’ve been the bane of my existence since forever.”

  “Excuse me? You’re the one stalking my boyfriend and claiming he’s the father of your kid when it’s clear that he’s not. I mean, look at your stomach. You’re about to give birth any minute now.”

  “Wait a minute. Your boyfriend? As in Lucas?” Maylene asked me. “Okay, I’m officially in a TV drama series.”

  “I think you both should leave before I call the police,” Robyn suggested before a vindictive smile shaped her face. “On second thought, we can finish what we started yesterday and I can kill you. Then, Lucas and I can be together in peace like it’s supposed to be.”

  “Forget it. I knew coming here would be a mistake. Maylene and I will find Lucas on our own.”

  “Hold on. Lucas is missing?” Her tone shifted at the reveal.

  “What’s going on? What happened?”

  “It doesn’t concern you. I’ll be back to purge your demon spawns after you force them out and probably die in the process. When that happens, I hope the mortician makes you frown for eternity. It would suit you, you twisted bitch.”

  I walked out the
building and headed toward Maylene’s car when she stepped in front of me with her arms crossed.

  “Girl, come on. I get that you don’t like her, but she’s our only hope of finding Lucas. We need her help.”

  “No, we’ll find him without her. She’s a lunatic and a psychopath. She’s—”

  “Let me come with you.”

  Robyn approached us with a worrisome expression on her face. “Please, tell me what’s wrong with Lucas. I need to know.”

  “Cassandra Blackwood kidnapped him,” Maylene told her. “She’s holding him hostage in her favorite place in New York. The two of us have no clue where that could be, so we came here to ask you.”

  Robyn looked to the ground with wide eyes, taking in the information before giving us a response. “I know where they are. Is this your car?” She pointed to Maylene’s red Toyota Camry. “I’ll direct you to the hotel.”

  “Yeah, alright. Get in the back.”

  My eyes rolled watching Robyn get into the backseat. I sat on the passenger side and remained silent as the car pulled off, my mind drifting to a possible past that Lucas and Robyn may have had.

  Why did she care about him so much? The thought made me question his loyalty yet again, and the never-ending battle of trust continued.

  Robyn directed Maylene through the busy streets of New York by shouting and pointing in different directions. Looking to the side of me, I could see the irritated expression on Maylene’s face grow with every corner she turned.

  “Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Maylene asked, her pupils beginning to flare. I prayed she wouldn’t reach a boiling point. “We’re on a time limit here.”

  Not hearing a response, I looked through the passenger mirror and saw Robyn gripping her stomach in agony. Her jaw hung low as she dug her fingers into her torso and shrieked.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. And I know where we’re going, Blondie. How about you just concentrate on driving?”

  Maylene gripped the wheel of the car, melting the leather fabric. A few minutes passed until Robyn jutted her arm and pointed out the window.