Shadow Seeker (A Crow Haven Series Book 1) Read online

That was why when my mom said the town was magical, I sort of freaked out a little...

  Well, maybe a lot.

  For my mom, magical had a completely different meaning than it did for most people. Magical in Salem was literally, magic.

  “Lizzie, are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to find your new room?” dad asked, bumping into me as he walked past me.

  Spinning around, I went to protest, but just shook my head instead.

  Dad was already making his way to the kitchen and he was chuckling to himself. He was always so goofy.

  “Where is my room, again?” I called out, hoping someone would answer me.

  I was still frozen in place where my mom had left me.

  “Upstairs, second door on the right,” mom yelled, from somewhere down the hall. I assumed it was her new office. I would have to explore later.

  Turning on my heel, I made my way to the large, grand staircase by the front door. Taking the steps two at a time, I walk upstairs.

  A sense of familiarity strikes me as I journey upstairs. It’s been years since I have been here and so much has changed, yet so much has stayed the same.

  I spot the bathroom and as I turn the corner, I see a bedroom that is partially open. Slowly opening the door, I allow a stream of sunlight to filter out into the hall. The room is large and spacious and has two windows that face the back of the property. Rolling green hills greet me as I step into the room.

  My bedroom furniture is already inside. I instantly spot my white, four poster bed, plum colored comforter and sheets, and gray dresser.

  Leaving Salem was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It had been the place where my mom had uncovered her powers, my first home and where all of my family belonged. But now that my mom inherited her aunt’s farm in the small, sleepy Town of Nicholasville, Kentucky, I am finding myself moving my life.

  Now, I was just a few days away from starting over at a new high school. Apparently in this town, there were only two choices: East and West Jessamine High Schools. From what my parents had told me, the two schools were rivals but came together as well. I wasn’t sure what it would be like when I made my way into East Jessamine, but I was certain it would be vastly different from the world I had left behind.

  Spending the better part of my week decorating my bedroom and helping my parents unpack our kitchen items, I hadn’t really explored much of the town. The last of our belongings, including my small, Toyota Scion, had arrived late last night. With only a week before school would start, I knew I needed to get myself together.

  Later that afternoon, I had decided to take a walk to clear my head. I was filled with animosity from the move and the fact that I hadn’t been given a voice in the decision. As I walked along the narrow road, I felt a crisp wisp of air curl around my shoulder-length hair. Summer heat and humidity was no joke here in Kentucky, and I was regretting allowing my hair to lay down. Using my hair tie, I quickly threw my hair up in a ponytail and sighed as the air began to cool my scorching neck. Sweat beaded on my brow as I kicked a pebble out of my way. Trees hoovered on the side of the road, their tall limbs blocking out the hazy sun. Shadows of leaves and the forest around me danced along the pavement, mesmerizing me as I walked.

  This was exactly what I needed, to break free and just be alone. Just as the thought entered my head, a voice caused me to almost jump out of my skin.

  “Hey,” a girl waved just up ahead.

  I had been so lost in following the lines of the shadows, I hadn’t seen her approach. But now that I had a good sight of her, I noticed that she had a unique beauty about her. Her emerald green eyes seemed to sparkle against the afternoon sunlight and her pale, milky white skin seemed to have a silky appearance and was a perfect contrast against her midnight hair. She was beautiful in a timeless sort of way.

  “Hi,” I replied, startled by her company.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I saw you walking and wanted to come meet our new neighbors,” she smiled. “My name is Maylee and I live just around the bend,” she said, her southern drawl strong.

  “Yeah, we just moved here. I’m Elizabeth. But, everyone calls me Lizzy,” I added.

  “The whole town's talking about the new family. Everyone loved your Great Aunt Morgan. Maybe tomorrow I can stop by and show you around,” she offered. Her kindness was overwhelming. I wasn’t used to such generosity, or the idea that a whole town was talking about my family. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that last part.

  “That sounds great,” I stated. “I really don’t know anyone here.”

  “Well, now you do,” she smiled again.

  She had a calmness about her that gave me a sense of peace I had been longing for. We stood for a moment in the roadway, neither of us talking. Suddenly, a loud engine roared and I flinched as I heard it screeching down the road.

  Sighing, Maylee threw her hands up in the air. “Don’t be afraid, that is just my brother, Ace. He drives like he’s in the Indy 500 or something. I swear, he’s going to get someone killed one of these days,” she said, shaking her full head of curly, dark hair.

  As she talked, I couldn't help but notice a red glow in her eyes. Squinting, I had to look twice to make sure I was seeing clearly. It was strange, but I didn’t have time to question her. A loud, black Chevy Camaro came barreling around the corner. Both Maylee and I jumped back, almost tripping over fallen branches along the roadway. Slamming on the breaks, the car skidded to a stop, tires burning and filling the air with the heavy stench of burning rubber.

  Slowly, the driver's side window rolled down and as I leaned over to get a look at the driver, I felt my breath falter. Staring back at me was a boy-- no, a Greek God in the form of a teenager. His black hair lay perfectly on his head and his steady blue eyes sparkled against the setting sun. In this light, his eyes almost appeared golden. A silver ring pierced his eyebrow and caught my attention. A small smirk curved his lips and a pair of pearly white teeth greeted us.

  “Maylee, get in,” he demanded, not even looking my way.

  Rude.

  “Give me a minute,” Maylee hissed back, defiantly ignoring his command.

  I liked her.

  “Maylee, you need to get home. There are others watching now,” he said, his eyes briefly glancing my way, before returning back to his angry looking sister.

  I watched their tension filled exchange with a horrified fascination. It was awkward, to say the least.

  Rolling her eyes, Maylee offered me a small smile, before moving to the passenger side of the car. “Sorry, Lizzy. I have to go, but I will see you tomorrow,” she said, waving as she sat down.

  She barely had time to close the door before Ace pushed his foot on the gas and sped away, leaving me in a thick, cloud of smoke.

  That had been all too weird. Ace didn’t seem to like Maylee standing there with me, but I was new. He had no idea who or what I was. He might be strange, but I guess I couldn’t be picky on who decided to befriend me.

  Chapter Three

  Sweet Dreams

  T

  hat night, I found myself unable to fall asleep. Growing restless, I tossed and turned, sighing and grunting as I struggled to find a comfortable position. Maybe it was the new house or the strange meeting with Maylee and her brother. Regardless, I was still laying with my eyes glued to my bedroom ceiling at three in the morning.

  The witching hour had always fascinated me. It seemed that everything paranormal occurred at night, when people were the most unsuspecting.

  Thinking these thoughts were probably also what kept me awake, but who knew.

  The silver moonlight filtered in through my bedroom window and with it came shadows snaking out across the ceiling, like black tentacles.

  I watched in a morbid fascination as the figures slithered above me. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes away from them, like they were calling out to me like a siren in the night.

  They seemed to grow larger and for a moment, I almost felt l
ike they were real-- living Demons hovering just out of my reach.

  Lifting my hand, I slowly extended my arm in an attempt to touch them. Just as I felt as though I could grasp one of them, a loud sound banged up against my window.

  Gasping, I shot up in bed, looking for the source of the noise.

  As I sat up, the shadows I had been so engrossed in, disappeared, leaving me only with the twinkling light from the stars outside.

  Catching my breath, I glanced around my room, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Packing boxes were still stacked high in the corners and clothes lay scattered on my bedroom floor. My eyes traveled to the window where a ping smacked up against the glass. A figure darkened my window, causing me to stifle a scream.

  Another sound echoed from my window and this time, I leapt from my bed to check it out.

  Call me crazy, but in my family, when you heard a sound, you investigated. As I padded to the window, I spotted a tree branch scraping against my window. That would have made a noise, but not the bang I had heard.

  Not sure what to do, I leaned into the window, placing my hands on the window panes. My breaths fogged up the window. I used my hand to clear away the smudges, and was greeted by murky clouds of darkness that seemed to be attempting to cover up the silver light of the moon. As I stared at the strange night sky, a movement on the ground caught my attention.

  Someone was walking past my driveway.

  Opening the window, I felt the heavy heat on my face. It almost sucked the air right out of my lungs. Peering into the night, I watched as the hooded figure sauntered away, but as I strained for a closer look, I almost screamed when I realized it wasn’t just anyone.

  That was Ace.

  The next morning, I was groggy as I slipped into the kitchen. The smell of hazelnut coffee filled my nose and I smiled to myself. Thankfully, my mom and I shared a love for coffee and it was always brewing around our house.

  Grabbing a coffee mug out of one of the boxes, I poured myself a cup. We may not have unpacked dishes or clothes yet, but we had our coffee bar set up.

  “Didn’t sleep well?” my mom asked, as she sat down at the kitchen table. She had her laptop set up and was well underway on her third cup of coffee. “Any more sightings?” she asked, alluding to the shadows.

  As a freelance writer, she could write from anywhere, but her job never seemed to end.

  I poured some creamer into my cup as I gave her a glare. “Nope, just couldn't seem to rest,” I said, sighing. “What are you working on now?” I asked, sitting down next to her.

  Her fingers were flying across the keys and I giggled watching her work.

  “My editor thought it would be neat for me to do a story on Jessamine County. Since we have moved here and I have ties here, it would make a good showcase for a series we are starting on small towns across America,” she said, her eyes never leaving the small screen.

  When my mom applied for the job working at the Jessamine Journal, we all knew it was a long shot for her to get the job. The Jessamine Journal was a small newspaper and magazine company and there wasn’t a huge demand for more employees. However, my mom was given a position working on articles that would be featured in their monthly magazine.

  Sipping the golden liquid, I savored the taste and hoped the caffeine would kick in fast.

  “So, I met someone yesterday,” I stated. I had decided to bring up Maylee to my mom. Like her, we both had not been the most social girls in school. Sure, I had a couple of friends back in Salem, but for the most part, I had kept to myself. I always feared what people would think if they came to my house and my mom was working with one of the Ghosts.

  Suddenly, my mom stopped typing and she looked up at me in bewilderment. “That’s great, Lizzie,” she gushed. “Where did you meet this person?”

  “Her name is Maylee and we met while I went for a walk yesterday evening. Her brother drove by, too. He seems like a jerk, but she’s really nice,” I remarked.

  Smiling, my mom took my hand in hers and squeezed. “That is really great to hear. I think once you make some friends and get to know this town, you will enjoy being here. Look, Lizzie, I know how difficult it can be to move across the country. Your grandparents did the same to me, and it was the best decision they ever made.”

  Her words struck me as I sat there. I knew why my grandparents had moved-- my grandfather had been relocated for a new job. But my parents could work from anywhere in the world they wanted. So why move?

  “Mom, when are you going to tell me the truth about why we moved here?” I asked.

  “I already told you. Your great Aunt Morgan left us this farm. It was a great gift,” mom began.

  Waving my hands in the air, I cut her off mid-sentence. “No, mom. I want the truth. You could have kept this farm for us to visit. We had a home in Salem. Why here? Why Jessamine County?” I asked.

  I could hear the pleading in my voice and I hated that I was begging for information. My mom was the queen of secrets and only relaying bits and pieces of information. I couldn’t blame her-- having to hide your true identity to the outside world would cause you to be blind to honesty and details.

  Sighing, my mom frowned and I could see how difficult this was for her. “Lizzie, you are so much like me, at times it is like looking into a mirror. In time, you will understand why we are here. For now, just try and make the best out of the situation,” she said, before turning back to her work.

  Taking her bait, I asked, “Mom, why are we really here?”

  Smiling, mom never looked my way, but I could tell there was so much hidden behind the curve of her lips. My mom had secrets, and right now, she was hiding something from me. Clearing her throat, her fingers typed heavily on her laptop.

  That was her signal that the conversation was over. Huffing, I made my way back to the coffee maker and refilled my mug. If I was going to make it through today without losing my mind, I would need caffeine.

  By lunch, I hadn’t seen or heard from Maylee. Why we hadn’t thought to exchange phone numbers, I had no clue. I was sitting on the large, wrap-around porch watching the wind blow through the trees, as my dad left to go to Wal-Mart.

  I was bored out of my mind. I had checked on my social media pages and discovered that the world back in Salem was still going without me.

  I was about to head back inside to take a much needed afternoon nap, when I heard the familiar sound of a car engine speeding down the road.

  Perking up, I sat up on the porch and watched and waited until dust filled the air and the car stopped just beyond my driveway.

  With the windows rolled down, Maylee waved at me from the passenger seat. “Hey, want to go for a ride?” she called out to me.

  “Sure!” I yelled, jumping up. Opening the front door, I called to my mom to let her know I was going out and that I had my phone on me. I ran to the car as Maylee got out and folded the seat down so I could slide into the back seat. The car was just as I had expected. Tan leather interior filled the inside as a heavy musk scent filled my nose.

  Ace looked over his shoulder at me and I felt the air around me freeze. His ice-blue eyes froze me and as we locked gazes, I was reminded of seeing him outside my house. I couldn’t be sure, but I was almost certain it was him.

  “Buckle up,” Ace said, a scowl crossing his lips.

  He floored the gas and I flew back in my seat, barely able to catch my breath. Maylee giggled from the front as we drove down the small roads.

  My heart pounded with the anticipation of excitement as I allowed the breeze to flow through my hair. The smell of summer was exhilarating and I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt so free. Back in Salem, our summers were spent boating or walking around the historical parts of town. It was in the summer that most of the tourists would stay home or go to the southern states beaches. People flocked from all over the country to visit the historical town of Salem-- hoping to get a glimpse of even the tiniest feeling of what life was like when witches weren’t just cre
atures from fairy tales. Here in Kentucky, I discovered that quiet and low key was the way of life. I sort of liked it.

  “I thought we could go get lunch at this cute diner on Main Street,” Maylee said, turning in her seat and looking at me over her bare shoulder. She was dressed to kill in a cute halter top and short jean shorts, the ends ragged and ripped.

  “That sounds good,” I almost yelled, as the sounds of the engine and wind almost drowned out my voice.

  “We totally need to go shopping, too. I am sure you want to decorate your new room and get clothes for school,” Maylee continued, a wide smile over her face.

  “Sure,” I replied. I hadn’t ever had someone to be so kind to me so fast, it was almost surreal.

  “Chill out, Maylee,” Ace said, his hands tightening around the steering wheel.

  Playfully slapping Ace on the arm, Maylee glared at him. “You are no fun, Ace,” Maylee argued. I loved how she never let her get him down. Even though it was clear that he tried to boss her around, Maylee obviously had her own personality.

  We drove a little further until we were out of the country and back in town. The large courthouse came into view, looming over the smaller buildings around it.

  Ace turned onto the main drive and then parked in a small parking space along the sidewalk. This was very different from the main roads in Salem. Traffic was light here and everyone seemed to be just enjoying their afternoon.

  We all got out of the car and the humidity instantly struck me. Fanning myself, I followed the siblings into a small diner called J’s Place.

  Opening the glass door, Ace held it open as the cool, air-conditioned diner greeted us. Looking around, I admired the exposed red brick walls and small, wooden chairs and tables scattered around the room. At the back, a counter held a display case with delicious sandwiches and desserts.

  I followed Ace and Maylee up to the counter, and we all placed an order of turkey sandwiches, sweet tea, and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Taking a seat by one of the large, glass windows overlooking the street, we all began to eat.