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

  Maybe I should listen to his warning, but I felt compelled to push the topic. I deserved-- no I desired to know what else lurked in this world of mine. If I were going to be thrown into some supernatural war, I, at least, needed to know what was in store for me.

  Sighing, Ace took a moment before he spoke again. “Well, as you know Ghosts and spirits walk this earth along with others who can communicate with the dead like your mother and aunt. However, it goes much deeper than that.” He stopped talking as he ran a hand through his hair. I could tell he was nervous as he said the next part. “There are witches, Vampires, Shifters, and others that walk freely among humans. They look just like you and me, only they have dangerous and sometimes evil powers and abilities that make them far different from humans. Many reside right here in Nicholasville because long ago, the founders who established this town brought with them their spirit chasers who kept many of the evil spirits and Demons away, allowing those supernatural’s with good intentions to remain in this area. Now, they all have a school, set deep into the forests of the county, where they train and practice their magical and supernatural skills. Their safety and residency here is important.”

  I gulped. Listening to this felt like I was inside of a dark fairy tale or horror movie... Ghosts, Mediators, and powers. It was almost too much to handle. As she began to continue, I glanced back at Ace, who seemed mesmerized by her story. “Fate brings people to where they belong, helps them find their purpose. It was fate that brought me to Salem years ago and I believe it was also fate that brought us here to Nicholasville. You see, your great Aunt Morgan once told me about Shadow Seekers-- Powerful Mediators who can stop dark forces from controlling the human world.”

  “You must be riddled with questions. What do you want to know?” Ace asked me.

  All eyes were focused on me. I hated being the center of attention, but now was the time to speak up.

  “I want to see Crow Haven.”

  Chapter Nine

  Summer Nights

  I

  stood on the back porch as fireflies danced all around me. My heart beat frantically as I did my best to comprehend everything I had heard this evening. When I asked Ace to show me Crow Haven, his original reaction was a big, fat no.

  Storming out of the kitchen, I had sought the calmness of the night in an effort to cool the raging fire that was growing deep inside of me.

  I felt his presence before he ever stepped foot outside.

  “Did you calm down?” Ace asked, his deep voice causing shivers to race down my spine.

  Turning, I was rendered breathless as the silver glow of the moonlight cast an illuminating light over Ace’s face. His features glowed with a heavenly essence that had me both intrigued and confused by the emotions growing inside of me.

  “I’m trying,” I admitted, sighing as my shoulders slumped down.

  Through the window, I spotted my mom and dad huddled by the kitchen sink. They were deep in conversation, surely about me, and I saw how pained they both looked.

  “Look, I never thought I would have to speak of anything such as this with a human. But now that you are here, it is part of my duty as a shielder and a member of Crow Haven, to give you this information,” Ace spoke, anger lacing his words. “I don’t like to hang out with very many people outside of my inner circle. Don’t take it personally, I don’t like many people or things.”

  I walked over to the bench connected to the porch and sat down, my hands trembling on top of my shaking knees. His words should have offended me, but they didn’t. I guess I had too many issues swirling in my head right now to care that Ace hated most people.

  Ace stood in place, his expression stoic as he watched me.

  “Why me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

  “I don’t know,” Ace replied. “It’s just who you are.”

  “What about Maylee?” I asked, glancing up at him.

  Our eyes locked for an instant and a spark of electricity hummed between us. I knew he felt the energy as his eyes grew wide for a moment, before he tore his gaze away from mine.

  “She is a shielder, too. We have been since we were born. It was part of our destiny, both of our parents were Shifters and members of Crow Haven,” he began. I saw a sadness form over his face and my heart broke for him.

  “I have so many more questions,” I said through a yawn.

  Suddenly, I was beyond exhausted. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and pretend this day never happened. Something, however, told me that this was a reality I would never be able to escape.

  Ace took a step toward me, then paused. Like he was unsure of whether he should get close to me or not.

  “I think you have asked enough questions for today,” Ace stated, moving as though he were going to leave.

  Quickly, I jumped up from the bench to stop him. “Wait,” I yelled, running after him. Grabbing his arm, I felt another wave of electricity as my fingers touched the warm flesh of his arm.

  Shocked, I released my hold as though I had just been burned.

  With eyes wide in bewilderment, I stumbled back as Ace stared down at his arm where my fingers had just been holding onto him.

  “Why does that keep happening?” I asked.

  Running a hand through his dark hair, Ace moved swiftly past me. “Enough questions for tonight. I will figure this out later,” Ace said, before he disappeared altogether.

  I searched the blackness of the night for his form, but he was gone.

  The next morning, I woke feeling even more confused than I had when I had gone to bed. After Ace had left, I refused to talk to my parents. Storming up to my bedroom, I cried myself to sleep as I realized my life just kept getting more complicated. I would never be normal or have the kind of life I always dreamed of.

  Instead, I was a freak.

  Showering, dressing, and silently eating my breakfast, I gathered my bookbag and prepared to either start my own car or walk to school.

  I had no idea what to expect anymore. After what Ace had told me last night, I doubted he and Maylee would be here to pick me up.

  “Lizzie, you can’t ignore us forever,” my mom said, as she followed me out of the kitchen.

  My dad stood nearby, unsure of what to do. Conflicts always bothered him and he hated to get involved when me and my mom argued. I was beyond hurt and angry that she had kept such a monumental secret from me. Being a Shadow Seeker was a big deal. Somehow, my life was in jeopardy and the paranormal world was after me. But, yeah, my mom never thought to enlighten me on any of this. Instead, I had to learn the truth of who I really am from an angry, brooding teenager who I was pretty sure hated me.

  Stopping, I shifted my bookbag on my shoulder. “Mom, I honestly don’t know what to say to you. I just learned a huge secret about myself and you knew about it. I need time,” I finished, before rushing out the front door.

  Once outside, I felt like I could finally breathe again. The sun was sitting bright in the morning sky and only a few white, puffy clouds polka dotted the blue sky.

  A few birds sang from the trees above me, and it felt odd how such a peaceful place could hold such dangerous and supernatural beings.

  I looked over at my small Honda Civic, that truthfully had only been driven a handful of time, and sighed.

  Suddenly, a loud roar caught my attention.

  My heart began to beat erratically as the thought of Ace and Maylee raced through my mind.

  It couldn’t be.

  Just as quickly as I dismissed the idea of the siblings, I spotted a familiar Camaro roaring my way.

  I tried to hide the growing smile that was appearing on my face. While I was still frustrated and had more questions than answers, knowing that I had Maylee and possibly Ace still in my corner, made me feel better.

  As the dust cleared, Ace parked in my driveway. Keeping his eyes glued to his steering wheel, Ace refused to look my way. He could play coy now, but I would find a way to get more answers from him soon enough.
>
  “Hey, get in,” Maylee yelled to me from the passenger side of the car.

  Without thinking twice, I jumped in and found my seat in the back.

  Ace never did look at me the entire drive to school. I kept stealing glances his way, but his eyes never veered from the road.

  I somehow managed to make it halfway through the school day, without seeing Ace or having to talk about him.

  During lunch, I found a seat at an empty table facing the football field. Sawyer and Kade spotted me and invited themselves over to my table.

  Unsure where Maylee was, I decided to try and enjoy lunch. I still had my mind locked on everything supernatural and desperately wanted to talk to someone about it. But, I couldn’t. At least, not right now.

  “So, have you thought about joining any clubs or sports?” Sawyer asked me, as she took a huge bite of her school pizza. It still looked half-frozen and I saw her wince as she chewed.

  Her question took me by surprise since I had barely had time to register the insane news that I was gifted last night. And, to be honest, I never really had many friends before, so no one ever cared whether I was on a team or not.

  Kade was watching me carefully and suddenly, I felt like I was on display.

  “I really hadn’t thought about it. What do you all suggest?” I asked, biting into my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I enjoyed the same lunch as I did when I was in elementary school.

  “Cross Country team,” Kade practically shouted at me.

  Sawyer broke out into a fit of laughter as I sat in shock.

  “Um, sorry. The Cross Country team is cool,” he added, trying to recover from his own embarrassment.

  “What do I do? I mean, isn’t it just a team for running?” I asked.

  I loved running and always found it an outlet for when I was angry or frustrated. But, I had never thought about doing it as a real sport.

  “What Kade was trying to say is, the Cross Country team takes anyone interested in joining. We compete with other schools by running various courses. It’s not bad and everyone on the team is really nice,” Sawyer stated, smiling between me and Kade.

  I thought about it for a moment. It didn’t sound that bad and it was sort of nice being asked to join something.

  “I’ll think about it. When do I sign up?” I asked.

  “The first practice and tryout is next Monday. You should come and check it out,” Kade said.

  His warm smile was so endearing and I felt my heart flutter as I looked over at him. He was adorable and cute and… what was I saying?

  “Great,” Sawyer said, clapping her hands together. “Now that is settled, what about this Friday night?” she asked.

  Was I supposed to know what she was talking about? I threw a chip into my mouth and sat there with a dumbfounded expression.

  “Maybe we should explain it to her, she looks a little lost,” Kade said, offering a sly smile.

  Ugh, there goes my heart again melting with just one look.

  “Yes, clarification would be great,” I say, igniting a chuckle from them both.

  “Friday is the first big East football game. Everyone in town goes to it,” Sawyer says.

  School spirit had never really been my thing and I could count on one hand how many sporting events I had ever been to. However, they were inviting me and maybe it would be fun. I mean, if I were going to have a fresh start, might as well as add attending sporting events to that, too.

  “Sure, sounds like fun. I could use a night out,” I said.

  And, I could. It would be nice to have one night where I didn’t think about secrets or paranormal beings.

  “I can come pick you up, if you want?” Kade asked me.

  “That would be great,” I stated. “What about Sawyer?” I quickly threw out.

  “Of course, he will pick me up, too. We are neighbors. Practically siblings,” she laughed, punching Kade playfully in the shoulder.

  For some reason, hearing they were only friends settled my nerves a bit. As I looked over at Kade, I caught him looking at me with a silly smile across his face. I felt heat spread through my face as I smiled back.

  Maybe things here were finally starting to look up.

  After school, I met up with Maylee as we gathered our things from our lockers.

  “Hey, so I was invited to attend a football game Friday,” I blurted out, as I shoved my books in my locker. “I think you should go with me.”

  She paused next to me and, at first, I was worried I may have upset her. “Who invited you?” she asked, slowly closing her locker door.

  “Sawyer and Kade. I met them in class,” I stated, unsure of what to say next.

  Shaking her head, Maylee forced a smile. “I think that’s great. It’s just… remember I told you most kids around here don’t necessarily like me.”

  For the first time since meeting Maylee, I saw an uneasiness grow in her. She almost seemed sad and I hated that I had created that in her. Maylee was always so bubbly and upbeat, I needed to see that from her again.

  “You are my friend and they are really nice. I promise, if you don’t have fun, I will leave with you,” I say, hoping I don’t have to beg her.

  Thankfully, Maylee agrees with a simple nod of her head.

  With that taken care of, we rushed out to the parking lot before Ace could leave us behind.

  Chapter Ten

  Friends in Low Places

  T

  hat evening, after I finished my homework, I decided to text Maylee.

  Me: Hey, can you and Ace meet me by the pond behind my house?

  Maylee: Sure, what’s up?

  I rolled my eyes as I read her response. She knew what was up, but I played along anyway.

  Me: I just want to talk.

  Maylee: Ok meet you there in five minutes.

  I quickly changed into a pair of black Nike shorts and a gray East Jessamine t-shirt my mom had gotten me. When I arrived at the pond, Maylee and Ace were already there.

  Maylee looked fashionable as always in a cute yellow sundress, while Ace stood angrily in dark jeans and a black t-shirt. He kept his back to me as I approached.

  “Ok, so who wants to talk first?” I asked, as I stopped in front of them.

  “You invited us here,” Maylee reminded me.

  “Last night, Ace told me that I was a Shadow Seeker. Something that apparently everyone in my life already knew-- except for me. Now, I am here to get more answers,” I stated firmly.

  Maylee gave Ace a glare which told me he hadn’t given her the full story of what had gone down.

  “She wants to see Crow Haven,” Ace said, his back still to me.

  I hated that he wouldn’t even turn around and look me in the eye.

  Maylee gasped as a breeze drifted around us. “Lizzie, we can give you information, but it’s not allowed for humans to be in Crow Haven,” she said nervously.

  “Why not?” I asked, throwing my hands to my hips. I was growing agitated by the runaround.

  “Because that’s the rule. Next question,” Ace spat out.

  Fed up, I stomped over to him and grabbed hold of his strong bicep. Forcing him to turn around, Ace’s eyes grew wide as that familiar spark blazed through us.

  Refusing to allow that to stop me, I lashed out. “Ace, stop being such a jerk. You are the one who stopped me from going into the woods. You are the one who told me that I am a Shadow Seeker. And, you are the one who turned my entire world upside down. Now, you will give me answers--real answers, or I will just march right into Crow Haven myself,” I yelled out.

  Maylee covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with freight.

  Ace stared down at me with murder glowing in his eyes.

  Taking a step closer to me, Ace removed the space between us. My breath faltered and I swear my heart forgot how to beat. All I could do was stare back at his intense eyes.

  “You are very demanding for someone who has no idea what they are about to get themselves into,” Ac
e began, his words seething.

  He was trying to scare me. To intimidate me to back off. Well, Ace sure had no clue who he was messing with. I had learned from the best on how to be stubborn and strong-willed. I was Sadie Sanders-Bufford’s daughter, and I never backed down from a challenge.

  “Well then enlighten me,” I said through clenched teeth.

  I swear I saw a smirk trying to appear over his angry face. “Saturday. I will show you Crow Haven then. But for now, all you need to know is that since you arrived in Nicholasville, things have changed. The Crows have had to face more spirits than ever,” he paused, looking away briefly before rubbing his jaw and continuing. “You will need to learn how to fight. Not just physically, but mentally, too. Your mom holds the answers on how to talk with the ghosts. It is the Crows who will teach you how to handle the evil spirits. The restless souls that we need to extinguish from our home. If you are up for that, then we will teach you. Otherwise, you might as well go ahead and tell your family to move back to where you came from.”

  I stood there for a moment, horrified by his words. It was like I had fallen asleep and woken up in the middle of a nightmare. Only, this wasn’t a dream and I was very much awake.

  I had spent my entire life watching my mom work with the afterlife. She spent her life saving the lost souls and, now, it was my turn to have a true purpose.

  “Meet me here Saturday morning. I will be ready,” I said, never losing eye contact with Ace.

  From behind me, I could hear Maylee’s rapid breathing as she watched us. I knew this was a lot for her to handle, too. Ever since I had arrived in town, I had changed their lives as well. I guess we were about to see just how different everything was going to be.

  The rest of the week flew by like a blur. After Ace had promised to take me to Crow Haven this upcoming weekend, he had been MIA all week. I didn’t really expect anything different from him; however, it wasn’t lost on me that I continued to see the large Crow outside my house most nights. I couldn’t be certain, but I was sure it was Ace. Why he cared enough to watch me, I had no idea. Knowing him, he was probably making sure I wasn’t inviting a bunch of Demons over for a party.