Pursued: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Beasts of Edgewood, Book 3)

by Danica Rayne

  Pursued

  By

  Danica Rayne

  Copyright © 2019 Danica Rayne.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form without written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to real life, movies, television, games, or books is entirely coincidental and was not intended by the author.

  Cover Design by Melody Simmons

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Excerpt from Exceptional

  Chapter One

  I had done a lot of weird things since I became a demon slayer two months ago, but breaking into a museum?

  I tossed and turned in bed for what felt like hours, trying to rationalize what Liam, Ryker, Kayden, Finn, and I planned to do tomorrow night. Break into the Edgewood Museum of History to steal a book that would tell us how to stop a demon from opening a portal and unleashing hell upon Earth. When it sounded like that, of course we had to do it. It wasn’t even a question. As the demon slayer of Edgewood, it was my job—no, my duty—to keep every single person who lived in this city safe. Then why did it feel worse than hunting down a lamia that could turn me into a statue just by looking into my eyes?

  I dragged myself out of bed and sauntered to my desk, where I plopped down on the chair with a huff. My eyes immediately caught sight of my mom’s journal lying there. Reaching for it, I flicked it open and flipped through the pages. They were mostly filled with Mom’s “adventures” as a demon slayer, stories of the kinds of supernaturals she had encountered and how she killed them. Maybe reading her words would calm me down a bit and help me fall asleep. After all, she sometimes did what she had to do to keep Edgewood safe.

  Like using dark magic, for example.

  I sighed as I turned to the entry where she had written about the Dark Eye. I didn’t know what it was exactly, just that it was dark magic and that my mom used it to find someone important to her. I had originally thought she was referring to Aunt Bea’s boyfriend, who had been taken and killed by supernaturals in order to get to my mom. But I didn’t think that was the case anymore because she didn’t mention anything about him. Which meant she had been searching for someone else. Or something else? Maybe a way to shut down the spawn point? Then why did she write she was looking for someone important to her?

  My thoughts were interrupted by a loud curse from downstairs. Aunt Bea. She was probably up late playing a video game, most likely still trying to figure out how to play decently with only one hand. I had been reluctant to discuss anything slayer-related to her ever since she was abducted by a vampire because I didn’t want her involved in this anymore. I wouldn’t be able to bear something happening to her. But she had a wealth of knowledge and maybe she could help shed light on this big mystery about my mom and find the answer to my burning question—why had Mom used dark magic?

  Taking the journal with me, I made my way downstairs and into the living room, where Aunt Bea was still cursing at the TV screen.

  “Maybe you should try some virtual reality,” I suggested as I sat down near her on the couch.

  With another curse, she chucked her Xbox controller on the couch. Then her eyes swept over my pajamas and her eyebrows shot up. “What time is it?”

  “Two AM.”

  “You’re telling me I’ve been wrestling with my Xbox controller for four hours?”

  I shrugged. “Seems so.”

  She stretched her good arm over her head and yawned. “Now I’m feeling the exhaustion.” She looked at the journal in my hands. “Up studying?”

  I fingered the cover of the notebook, my gaze sliding to the TV screen. “Aunt Bea, do you know anything about my mom using dark magic?”

  I didn’t have to look at my aunt to know she had gone completely still and had taken in a startled breath. “What?” she managed to ask.

  I slowly moved my eyes to her, seeing the shocked, appalled, and confused expression on her face. But because I was a slayer, I could see something else in her eyes. A truth she was desperate to hide.

  “She did use dark magic, didn’t she?” I said. “To deactivate the spawn point?”

  She shook her head quickly, as though knocking sense into herself. “Where did you hear anything about dark magic?” she demanded, her tone carrying a hint of panic.

  I opened the journal to the correct page and showed it to her.

  Aunt Bea snatched it out of my hand like it would contaminate me. Her eyes quickly skimmed over Mom’s nearly illegible handwriting, though it didn’t seem like Aunt Bea had any problems reading the words. Unlike me. Maybe that was because Mom’s handwriting had changed since she hung up her daggers and embraced a slayer-free life. She had become a totally different person.

  Aunt Bea’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I’m reading about your mom taking down a group of harpies.”

  “Harpies?”

  “You know, those ugly half women half bird creatures who shrill like maniacs and have been wreaking havoc on humans since the beginning of time?”

  “I know what harpies are.” I grabbed the book from her and peered at the page. I had to blink a few times because I couldn’t believe the words on the page. “I don’t get it.” I turned a few pages, then returned to the page. “Where is the part about the Dark Eye?”

  Instead of the entry where Mom had written how she had used the Dark Eye to find someone important to her, I was reading how Mom had nearly lost her eyeball when one of the harpies slashed her cheek with her claw.

  I flipped a few pages again, my hand so frantic I almost sliced a page in half. “What the heck?”

  “Alivia, what’s going on?”

  Was I losing my mind? The words “Dark Eye” had stared up at me less than five minutes ago. How could they just be replaced like that?

  I snapped the book shut, then opened it again, finding the correct page. The Dark Eye had returned. I handed the journal to my aunt. “What do you see now?”

  Aunt Bea craned her neck to read the page. “Your mom cursing a harpy for almost costing her an eye.”

  I stared at her. “You don’t see…?”

  She watched me closely. “I don’t see what?”

  When I glanced back at the page, the words were replaced again. I rubbed my eyes, but the right words didn’t reappear. Either I was seriously losing my mind, or there was something else going on here.

  Aunt Bea still studied me with confused and wary eyes. Whatever was going on, it was obvious she didn�
��t see what I saw. Could it be only I could see it? As far as I remembered, the Magnetic Four hadn’t actually seen the words on the page, either. I had told them about the Dark Eye and they had found more information about it in Dr. Caldwell’s books. I wondered if they could see it, too.

  Before Aunt Bea could question me further, I snapped the notebook shut again. “Sorry, nothing. I’m just really tired. I’m going to bed.” I stood up. “Good night.” I made my way toward the stairs.

  “Alivia?” she called.

  I turned around.

  “Why did you ask me about dark magic?”

  My heart started to pound. I trusted my aunt, but I couldn’t help feeling that there was something weird going on here. Until I knew exactly what it was, I didn’t want her involved in this. I wanted to keep her as far away from danger as possible.

  Her eyes narrowed. “What are you up to?”

  I shrugged. “A demon I slayed said something about dark magic. But he was probably just talking about a necromancer or something, right?” My voice was a bit pitchy—I hoped she didn’t see right through my lie. She was a cop, after all.

  She tore her eyes away from me and stared at the screen. “Yeah, he was probably just talking nonsense.” She picked up her Xbox controller and once again tried playing with one hand. I was surprised to see she was actually getting the hang of it.

  I stood there for a moment, watching her defeat hard bosses with only one hand. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I couldn’t help feeling that Aunt Bea was lying to me just as I was lying to her. She did know about the dark magic Mom used. But why did she hide it from me?

  ***

  After gulping down some orange juice, I wished Aunt Bea a good day and got in my car. My eyes moved in every direction as I drove to school, always on the lookout for supernaturals. True they usually showed themselves at night, but a slayer could never be too careful.

  Just as I was about to turn into the school parking lot, I caught sight of something. Squinting my eyes, I tried to make out what it was, but it was too far and even my slayer eyesight wasn’t enough. I didn’t sense anything supernatural, but some of them knew how to keep themselves from being detected.

  The thing was headed toward me at a very fast pace, making me reach into my belt for my daggers. I was just about to push my door open and lunge at it, when I finally realized what it was. I burst out laughing and tucked my daggers back in my belt. It was just stray cat.

  Someone honked from behind me, nearly sending me to the roof of the car. Scanning my surroundings, I realized I was holding up traffic at the entrance to the school parking lot. And the one who honked me? None other than the jerk Lawrence. When I parked and got out of my car, he got out of his and marched over.

  “What the hell’s wrong with you?” he shouted. “Don’t you know how to work a damn car?”

  I was about to retort, but a strange feeling passed through me. It was the same sensation I had felt the other day when I touched him during PE. Except, this time I didn’t touch him—he just exuded the sensation.

  “Why are you staring at me like that?” he nearly spat. “You stupid or something?”

  I adjusted my backpack over my shoulder and headed toward the school doors. I didn’t know what the sensation was—I had never encountered it before, other than the time by PE—but there was something really menacing about it. I didn’t feel like I usually did when monsters were around. Lawrence wasn’t a supernatural, of that I was certain. Then what the hell was going on?

  “Livia!” a familiar voice called.

  When I raised my head, I spotted Liam, Finn, Ryker, and Kayden gathered by my locker. A huge smile spread across my face, and I hurried toward them. “Hi, guys,” I greeted, signing to Finn.

  “What took you so long?” Liam complained. “Thought I would die without you.”

  Ryker rolled his eyes. “Quit being so dramatic, Liam.”

  “What? I miss riding to school with you, Livia. Sucks your aunt’s schedule is all screwed up because of her injury.”

  I laughed. “You guys pumped for the Great Heist?”

  “Great Heist?” Kayden crossed his arms over his chest with a hint of a smile. “Is that what we’re calling breaking into the museum?”

  “Shh,” I hissed as I looked right and left. “Someone will hear you.”

  “They don’t pay attention to us,” Liam said. “Too busy living their ignorant, blissful lives.”

  I sighed as I opened my locker. “Lucky them.”

  Finn started to sign. I caught bits and pieces, but most of the conversation was lost on me. I wished I had more time to study ASL.

  “Finn’s asking if you’re okay,” Ryker said. “You seem a little shaken.”

  A warm feeling nestled in my heart. Finn always knew when something was bothering me. Leaning against my locker, I said, “Well, other than the fact that we’re going to commit a felony, something weird happened last night.”

  All of them grew serious. “Weird how?” Kayden asked.

  I reached into my bag for Mom’s journal and sifted through the pages until I found the entry about the Dark Eye. “What do you guys see?” I handed it to Kayden.

  His eyebrows creased as he looked over the words. “Your mom took down a group of harpies?”

  My heart sank. “Pass it to the others. Do all of you see the same thing?”

  Liam, Finn, and Ryker each studied the words, and they all agreed with Kayden.

  “What do you see?” Ryker passed the book to me.

  I scanned the entry again, not sure which words I was hoping to see. “The Dark Eye,” I told them. “My mom wrote how she used it to find someone important to her.”

  Kayden took the notebook from me and studied the entry again.

  “My aunt saw what you see,” I said. Then I laughed lightly. “Maybe I’m losing my mind.”

  “You’re not,” Kayden insisted. “If not for this, you would never have heard of the Dark Eye, right?”

  “Right…”

  “And Ryker and I found information about it in Levi’s books. You couldn’t have just made that up.”

  “Which means the words are there,” Ryker said. “It means the Dark Eye exists.”

  “And for some reason only you can read the words in the notebook.” Liam rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

  My eyes trekked from one to the other. “How can I see something no one else can?”

  Because you’re a slayer, Finn said in my mind as he signed to the others.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  He started signing frantically now, and Kayden interpreted. “What if slayers can see things no one else can?”

  “You mean…like a secret code?” My eyes widened. “My mom must have hidden it in the notebook so no one would find it. Not my aunt, not a supernatural, not a human, not anyone.”

  The guys were quiet for a few seconds, each absorbing this information.

  “It makes sense,” Liam said. “Your mom must have learned lots of information she didn’t want anyone to find. I guess she discovered a way to conceal them behind other words.”

  “In case the notebook fell into the wrong hands,” Kayden said.

  “Or maybe just to keep for herself,” Ryker added.

  “Or maybe for another slayer?” I said.

  They nodded.

  I flipped through the pages. I wondered what else was hidden in here.

  “Does that mean your aunt doesn’t know what the Dark Eye is?” Liam asked.

  “I don’t think so. But I’m pretty sure she knows my mom used dark magic. She was hiding it from me, though. I don’t know why.”

  The bell rang. We all groaned.

  “I can’t believe we have to deal with school right now,” Liam grumbled as he zipped up his backpack.

  “Before you guys go,” I said. “I bumped into Lawrence in the parking lot. He was…I don’t know. I felt that weird sensation again.”

  A look of concern passed over Kayden’s f
ace. “Is it stronger?”

  “I think so.”

  “And it’s not a supernatural feeling?”

  I shook my head.

  He puffed out his cheeks in frustration.

  “I think we need to tackle one thing at a time,” Ryker said, just as the second bell rang. “Or we’ll definitely lose our minds.”

  “Yeah, I doubt whatever’s going on with him is related to the demon trying to open a portal,” I said. “We need to prioritize. So, we’ll meet at your house after school to finish planning the Great Heist?”

  Ryker winked. “We’ll be there.”

  Chapter Two

  Luckily, Aunt Bea was still at work when I got home from school and I was able to raid her closet. The Great Heist mandated we dress into dark clothes so we could blend into the night. I owned a pair of black jeans, but I didn’t have a suitable shirt or hat. Aunt Bea and I were roughly the same size.

  I pushed aside shirt after shirt. She didn’t seem to be a fan of black, either, and I was about to shut the closet door. But then I saw something squished in the back, so far from the light that it blended into the dark. I pulled it out.

  It was a plain black shirt, made of a tight-fitting material. It was also very wrinkly. A chill ran down my spine as I swept my fingers over it. All of a sudden, I felt someone watching me. I spun around, my hand instinctively going to one of the daggers in my belt, but there was no one in the room. No one at the door or at the window.

  Glancing back at the shirt, I realized what had caused the chill. I didn’t know how I could possibly know this, but I knew deep in my heart that this shirt belonged to my mom. It didn’t smell like her, though, just like a shirt that had been stuffed in a closet for twenty years. Aunt Bea must have forgotten it was there.

  With the shirt in my hands, I felt a connection to her. Maybe she was here in the room with me. The truth was, I wasn’t sure if I believed the dead looked down at their loved ones and were always there with them. But at this moment, I felt her. A sense of calm took over me, eradicating the nerves that had taken over me ever since the guys and I decided to break into the museum. My mom was killed by a supernatural, and if I didn’t find a way to keep the portal closed, more of them would invade my world and take more lives. I owed it to my mom to keep the demon away. I owed it to my dad. To my grandmother. To all the slayers who had died keeping Edgewood—and the whole world—safe. To all the humans who had lost their lives or were currently being possessed by monsters.