Hunting Shadows (Shadows 3)

Chapter One

My body ached. That was the first thought that formed as I felt myself struggle to surface into consciousness. A sense of urgency was pushing me, trying to jolt me awake, but I wanted to resist. It felt so calm and peaceful in the darkness, except for the twinges of pain that were trying to break through my oblivion.

Suddenly, a rush of images slammed through my mind and my eyes flew open as I bolted awake. I sat up abruptly as the memories of what had happened flooded through me, the sensory overload almost as painful as my battered body. I was instantly ready to defend myself, but as I frantically looked around me, confusion replaced the panic.

I had expected to find myself either in a burning coffin of a mangled car or held prisoner by my father and shackled for his torture.

Instead, I was on a narrow bed in a cramped room lit by a single naked bulb. My arms and legs were free of restraints, so I clumsily tried to stand, groaning at the dull throbbing of my head that loudly protested my movements. I pushed through the pain, my fear blotting out any discomfort as one thought reverberated in my head.

Where was Simon?

I stumbled to the door, relieved to find it unlocked. I squinted in confusion at the shabby living room, frustrated that it felt like my mind was working through mud as I tried to get my bearings. It was dark, with the only illumination coming from what I assumed was the kitchen. My heart dropped when I was able to make out a shape on the couch, and I rushed forward, dropping to my knees.

“Simon!” I ran my hands over his beautiful face, terror filling me at his stillness. A large gash slashed across his forehead but he was warm, his body still pumping his lifeblood. I laid two fingers on his wrist, relieved to find a strong pulse thrumming beneath them.

I shook him gently, trying to wake him. The urge to flee was overwhelming, and I just wanted to grab him and run.

“Careful. He hit his head pretty badly.”

I jumped at the voice, adrenaline rushing through my veins as I rose, prepared to fight. Marie was standing at the kitchen doorway, her face hidden in shadow.

“What are we doing here? Where’s my father?” My voice trembled as my eyes darted around the room, expecting my father and his minions to jump out and attack at any second.

Marie walked towards me, a hand held out in supplication as if she were approaching a wounded animal.

“Your father’s not here. We split up to look for you after we realized what happened. I was with Lenore, and it was like she was able to sense your energy. She knew which direction you had gone, and when we finally caught sight of you, she started to call your father to tell him where you were.”

Marie was coming closer as she spoke, causing my hackles to rise. I glanced around for anything that could be used as a weapon, but the apartment was bare except for a few pieces of furniture.

“So my father is on his way? Where’s Lenore?”

Marie halted a few feet away from me. “No, your father’s not on his way. And Lenore is dead.”

I stared at her in shock. Her words were spoken matter-of-factly, but her face was another story. Anguish was etched into every plane of her face. I was silent as she continued to talk.

“I tried to convince her to not call your father. That we were making a mistake. You were right when you said we were all dead if we cooperated. There’s no way the vardogers will keep us around. We’re just a means to an end. But Lenore said I was wrong. She said I was stupid and weak. When I told her I didn’t want to be a part of this anymore, that I just wanted my sister released and I promised we would disappear and not interfere with her plans, she laughed at me.”

Her face became a mask of anger, her eyes burning with hatred as she stared through me as if she didn’t really see me, instead reliving the conversation.

“She actually laughed and told me I was a fool. She told me my sister had already been killed. My sister was a seer, but a weak one. I used to think it was a blessing because maybe she’d be able to lead a normal life. But they used her like she was a guinea pig. A vardoger who had already overtaken a human body tried to jump into hers, to see if they could overtake weaker seers wearing palladium. They’re obsessed with the idea of being immortal, of overtaking another body after their current one expires. My sister was too frail. She didn’t survive it.”

Marie’s glazed eyes refocused on me, her lips pressed together. “So I slammed Lenore’s head against the window. Unfortunately, that caused her to crash our car into yours. But that didn’t stop me. I kept slamming her head against the window until I knew she was dead. It was surprisingly easy since she wasn’t expecting it. She’s always thought of me as the weaker one. She was wrong.”

I stared at Marie’s face, which was now impassive. A shiver went through me as I watched her. It wasn’t that I regretted her killing Lenore, because it had saved our lives. But her calm retelling told me that Marie wasn’t in the right frame of mind. As much as she had helped us, I wanted to get away from her as quickly as possible. But an unconscious Simon made that impossible.

I glanced down at him. His chest was rising and falling softly, as if he were just sleeping peacefully. I looked back up at Marie.

“Where are we?” I asked cautiously. “How did we get here? How long has it been?”

“After the crash, your car was engulfed in flames. If it wasn’t for the rain, you probably would have burned to death. I was able to pry open the car doors and drag you both out. I dumped Lenore’s body, put you two in the car, and drove here. That was a few hours ago. My friend owns this apartment, and I knew it was vacant. No one knows we’re here.”

I thought about my dreams and the message that had confused me. A bond unbroken can be a curse. A watery grave can be a blessing. The bond unbroken being a curse had to reference my refusal to leave Simon behind, to force me to meet the same fate as him instead of saving myself. I had thought a watery grave being a blessing was in reference to my mother’s supposed death, but now I realized the rain had saved us from burning to death. It was a small comfort that my dreams had actually been significant, because I hadn’t been able to figure out their meaning until after the fact.

Marie rubbed her face tiredly as I just stood there. I wondered if she were on the edge of sanity. She looked at me with a measured expression on her face, as if she knew what I was thinking.