"Hey, Jayd. I must have grabbed this when I came in with my other stuff. Sorry. I started taking a night class and brought my books with me. Here.” Aubrey held out a large black envelope.
Jayd took it from the massage therapist. When she touched it, a cold chill came over her. She shook it off and focused on the envelope. It was rather strange. The paper felt satiny it was so smooth. There was no return address and no postage. Someone must have come in and dropped it off while she was in the back, and she hadn't heard the bells. The only handwriting was her name. The script was done carefully in a silver marker. This is very strange. I wonder who left it.
Aubrey rested her elbows on the counter and then her chin on her hands. The intensity of her stare reminded Jayd of a kid anticipating a surprise. Jayd gave her a fake smile and was about to slide her letter opener under the flap but the bells on the door sounded. Jayd jumped a little. Aubrey looked over. Following her gaze, Jayd saw it was the massage therapist's first client of the day. Aubrey was booked solid. The client walked in, gave them each a grin, and headed to the massage room. After he was gone, Jayd put down the envelope. Her hands were trembling. A cold sweat had broken out on her brow when she flashed back to the night three months ago when the strange teenager had come into the shop and kissed her.
After that night, Jayd had thought her imagination was playing tricks on her. When she'd left the store, there had been the largest crow she had ever seen sitting on top of the street lamp. Since then, she'd seen that bird on more than one occasion. It was following her. It had been outside her house, hovering around the shop, even on her route home in some of the trees and on the side of the road. Either the crow was obsessed with her and planning its next move, or she was losing her mind. Then, things had gotten stranger. Jayd had written them off, but after a while, there was no way she could. It started with little things in the beginning. At first, the shadows seemed denser and that someone lingered inside of them, even though that was impossible. Fearing the darkness was something only a child would do. But when the weeks progressed, she heard voices in the shop and in her house coming from obscured corners where no light penetrated. They were whispers. Each voice said unintelligible things. When Jayd put the light on, the voices stopped immediately. She thought someone was playing with her.
Then she started getting little gifts. A single white Easter lily. She found it on the counter, next to her toaster. Someone had been inside her house! Jayd hadn't gone to the cops or told anyone about it because she thought she was losing her mind. One of her patrons had brought in a bouquet of lilies, and by the time she'd gotten home that night, she was exhausted. Maybe she had brought one home with her, or someone had slipped it into her bag. Jayd hadn't remembered.
The next odd thing that happened to her was the back door of the store had been left open. It was right after Seth had worked, and she wondered if he had forgotten to lock it. Nothing was stolen, but she did come into the shop to find all of her books on Ancient Egypt stacked on the round table nestled in the corner. Again, it was odd. Seth had always looked at her books on Ancient Egypt. Jayd connected none of it to the Goth boy. Until, one morning, she woke and found the twin of her own gargoyle staring at her from her bedside table. At first, Jayd assumed it was hers. Maybe she had moved it from the small table in her office. When she picked it up, she saw a white sticker on it with a stamp of an Easter lily that read, “For you."
All the strange occurrences, whispers, and events fell into place in her mind. Someone was playing tricks on her. Jayd got up at that point, checking all the locks in her house and all the windows. Nothing had been breached. There was still an inch of dust on all the windowsills. No prowler could have entered in through the windows unless they were magical. Jayd knew there was no such thing unless she had suddenly turned into a fairy princess.
After searching the house, she had finally decided to call the police. When she picked up the phone, what was she going to tell them? Someone is moving objects in my house, leaving me flowers, and I'm hearing whispers in the shadows? Yeah, that would go over really well. So she hung up, sat on her bed, and stared at the gargoyle. There was nothing she could do. People would think she was mad. She was thinking she was insane. After the gargoyle, Jayd started getting notes left in the mail slot of her front door or stuck in the glass at her shop. All in either black or red envelopes. All saying the same thing.
You'll be mine, Jayd. Soon.
She had gone to the police with the notes, but they told her they couldn't do anything since she didn't have any hard proof, save the notes, that anyone was stalking her. They dusted them for prints, but no fingerprints showed up. Since no one had broken into her house or her shop again, the cops couldn't issue a restraining order to a ghost.
Around the time Seth came in again, he asked her if everything was going okay. She smiled and told him everything was fine. Seth didn't pry, but it seemed he knew something was not right with her. However, he didn't dig any deeper into the issue and let her alone, even though, by the look in his eye, he appeared to want to help her. Jayd wished now that she'd told Seth about what was going on. Even though she'd only known him for two years, Jayd sensed he'd believe her if she told him what was going on.
Jayd shook her head coming back to the present. Seth'll be in tomorrow. Maybe then I can talk to him about it. Maybe he'll know what to do. Yeah, and maybe he'll think I'm crazy when I start telling him about hearing voices in my house coming from the shadows. She stared at the script on the envelope again. It matched all the letters she'd gotten so far. Was the message the same? Her fingers shook when she picked up her letter opener again and went to open the letter. She sliced through the fine satinlike black envelope, dreading the tearing sound, like the scratching of nails on a chalkboard. Jayd took a deep breath and pulled out the matching black stationary inside. The same silver marker had been used to write another message. This time there was only one word on the paper.
Tonight.
Fear turned in Jayd's heart. She thought she heard the shadows calling her name again. She shook her head. It was impossible. She searched the obscure corners of the shop. Today, they were darker than normal. The day had started out semisunny, but now, the clouds were spitting rain and foretold a boom of a thunderstorm. The atmosphere made her shiver. Her instincts told her something was going to happen, but she wasn't going to let it. Whatever her invisible stalker wanted with her, she was not going to give them the satisfaction. She stared at the silver marker reflecting in the light and crushed the paper in her fist. Her will turned to iron. Jayd was tired of the messages and the little gifts. Tonight, she would wait for her mysterious stalker and end it.
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Chapter Two
Seth settled on the rim of the clock on top of the bank. He pierced the veil of the Grey, the astral plane, searching for anything unusual hovering around the shop he worked at on the days he assumed human form. He was a massage therapist for now. In past incarnations, he'd been a librarian, a bartender, and a waiter. Anything that had a flexible schedule so he could interact with people. Being around humans made him remember his days when he was a mortal man. He'd been cursed for so long that he didn't want to forget how to act around them. Seth's curse dictated that he could not make love to a human woman. One thought or arousal and his skin began to tighten. His backbone bowed and shrank until he took himself away from the situation. He was transfixed in Raven form for twenty-eight days of the month. The only freedom Seth had was the three days and nights of the full moon and the eight Sacred Holidays celebrated by pagans in this day and age like Halloween.
The Raven Warrior shivered. It wasn't from the chill on the back of the wind but from the memories of the hardships he endured in his childhood. He had been sold into slavery for a couple of pounds of wheat that his mother needed for survival, and she had valued food over his life. His masters were the Priests of Ra, who beat him if he performed his duties incorrectly. When he grew, one priest took a
liking to Seth and saw he was smart, and that through his own accord he had begun to learn to read some of the scrolls he was carrying to the other priests in the temple.
Seth shook his head from the painful memories. He had reconciled the past. Nothing he could do would change his actions or the consequences of his actions. Right now, he had to focus on the present, and that also meant tomorrow. Seth loved to be around mortals. Even in bird form, he would watch them, transfixed at the things they did or took for granted even when they didn't realize it. He'd alight in a busy park, pretending to only be a regular raven, hopping about once and a while. Many people never realized he was there when they talked on their cell phones planning their next business meeting or dinner plans. Some stopped and stared at him. He loved to mess with them when he was in the mood. He'd cock his head to the side, snap his beak together, and gaze intently at the person. Other times, he'd open his wings and race at the mortals, making them think he was going to attack them. It always made him laugh when men clutched their briefcases to their chests and ran away all scared. He'd chuckle, which came out in a loud cackle. Seth didn't know what it was about people. He'd always had a fascination for observing them. Even when he was human. In the marketplace, he'd sit outside shops while one of the priests was blessing the owner or haggling for goods. Peasants, slaves, nobles, or other merchants traveling the road enraptured Seth. How they looked and how they sounded enthralled him. Many different languages surrounded him in the market, building together like a prayer to the gods.
Today, his Raven brothers teased him about his fascination. Normally, it was Arik or Julius who joked that he was in love with mortals, and they were surprised he even turned into a man on his days off because just being around humans could give him a hard-on. He always laughed at their jabs. They and Seneca were his closest friends among the Raven Warriors.
Their leader, Caleb, was the first Raven among them. None knew how he'd been cursed or why, except that his father was the one to breathe life into the curse they were all ensnared in. Whatever the reason for Caleb's own father to condemn his son, it must have been horrific. Caleb's father was on the Raven Council that governed the Warriors. On it were four others. Those four had once been cursed Raven Warriors, but they had found their heartmates and were now free to be men all the time and still had their wings. It was said, they could never be truly human once they were cursed. Seth had known two when they were Raven Warriors. Now, they had sway over his fate if he messed something up. Under them was Betha, the Banshee Queen, who gave them their assignments. She chose the charges they were assigned to. The one who governed them all was the goddess Morrigain. She was a death goddess who went by many names, and in his belief system, she was Nephthys, the Egyptian goddess of death.
He hadn't had a charge in a few years. Unlike the other Warriors who always had humans to protect, Seth had some on and off. His last charge had died of natural causes five years ago. Being embraced by Azrael, the Angel of Death, was a blessing, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The one time Seth had intervened with the natural order of things, he had wasted the one precious gift he had which came with his curse. The Raven Warrior saw it was his only choice. After it had happened, he realized the mistake he had made. Seth had damned a soul who didn't desire the life he offered, but had wanted Azrael to take her. In a sense, he'd been no better than the priests who had sacrificed him to an eternity of wings.
Seth sighed and stretched his wings when he thought about his past actions. It was the one event in his history that left a black spot on his soul. Over the past twenty-five hundred years, the Raven Warrior had lost a few of his charges because he couldn't get to them fast enough or he couldn't summon the Queen's Shadow guards. It had been over a hundred years since he'd lost a charge. Now he waited for Betha to assign him to a mortal who needed protecting. While Seth was free of orders, he did odd jobs for Betha, checking on stray werewolves, making sure her banshees stayed in line and didn't try to entice humans into the astral realm where they'd lose their souls. His oddest and most recent assignment was to keep an eye on his two freed brothers, Tremain and Darius, and their heartmates. He spied on his own kind and reported their actions. Betha was interested in Linnea, the witch Tremain had fallen in love with.
Betha was fascinated with Linnea and Tremain's infant twins, Whitney and Nicholas. However, it was the girl the Banshee Queen desired information on. Months ago, the council had debated if the children should inherit any of the Raven Warrior powers. In the end, Caleb and Jet, their second-in-command, had won over the council. The infants were allowed to inherit the powers of both bloodlines. Caleb had argued that the babies were innocent in the universal scheme of things, and the council had no right to influence the outcome of their destinies. Seth agreed with Caleb.
Ever since the birth, Betha had wanted to know every step of Whitney's development, and popped in on Linnea and Tremain whenever she desired. Since Maili, Betha's daughter, had died, the Queen hadn't been herself. Seth knew the Banshee Queen had never been completely sane to begin with, but something broke when the princess had died. Betha flew into fits of rage, cried, or cackled for hours. The only one who could calm her was Caleb. There were times that her appearance was mortal. She had to drink human blood to regain her human composure. It was then that she'd summoned Seth or visited the infant. Seth had shadowed the queen a couple of times, observing her with Whitney. Betha would stare and coo at the baby, rocking her slowly, for hours. Whitney was transfixed with the Banshee Queen. Poor Linnea was beside herself, but the witch hid her emotions well. Seth had warned Caleb that Betha might want to replace her dead daughter with Whitney. His leader had brushed off the comment and grew upset at the notion Seth would even suggest such a thing.
"And why do you think Caleb would ever think our beloved queen would hurt the child?"
Seth blinked. The Raven Warrior realized he was not alone. He peered across the street. An identical raven was perched atop the New Age shop Seth worked at. The other bird was another Warrior. The only difference in outward appearance between him and his brother was that the other bird was a tad smaller than he was. Seth let out a loud caw that echoed off the brick buildings and the cars beneath him. A human coming out of the bank glanced up at the noise. Seth returned the look with a hard stare of his own and a little mental push so the mortal man would be on his way.
"Arik, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be watching your charge?"
"Naw. I had to stretch my wings. He was getting busy with his new girlfriend and I didn't need to see that. Besides, I didn't sense anything in the area."
"That still doesn't mean you shouldn't be there," Seth replied. He flexed his wings and cawed. He watched his fellow Raven hop into the air. For second, Arik hung suspended in the air like a frozen tableau. The other Raven Warrior's blue-black wings glinted in the sunlight. Flight was the only gift granted to them that took their mind off their drawn-out existence. Sometimes Seth would fly for hours without even realizing it or getting tired. Arik opened his wings at the last possible minute and caught the breeze, sailing on the current. He rode the wind in a high arc and barrel rolled, twisting and curling around until he pulled out and landed gracefully next to Seth.
"Show-off."
"I wouldn't talk, brother. I've seen you do some magnificent stunts. I don't know anyone else better at it than you besides our distinguished leader. Lately, our leader has been so wrapped up in our beautiful queen that he no longer seems to care about the rest of us. Would you not agree?" Arik asked Seth.
Seth had his suspicions about what was going on between the Banshee Queen and Caleb, but it wasn't Seth's place to say anything. If he did, he feared there would be consequences. The Raven Warrior did not wish to go before the council or have Betha fly off the handle. She had cursed Tremain to an eternity in Raven form, stripping him of his ability to transform into a human. Seth was surprised the others in the flock were having the same feelings of dissention. If Arik was notici
ng Caleb's behavior, he wondered if his freed brothers were feeling the same way. "I have my qualms, but Caleb has always been the one to handle Betha. She only responds to him lately. I think there's more between them than we know. But, Arik, did you really come here to talk about Caleb and what's going on between him and the illustrious Banshee Queen?"
Arik cocked his head as if he heard or sensed something in the distance. Seth noticed when the other's dark gaze settled on the New Age store. Jayd, the owner, was coming out. Seth watched when she walked into the back parking lot toward her car. He checked the sun, more out of habit than anything else. Instinctively, he knew what time it was. He knew that in fourteen hours, a new day would dawn and he'd be a man again. It was the makeup of his curse. He'd learned to read the tides of the moon and sun until they were second nature to him. It was that way with all Raven Warriors. The anticipation to be mortal bunched their bodies until muscles twisted and ached. Soon, they could stand erect on their own two feet again instead of the spindly, taloned ones they balanced on for twenty-eight days. Seth wondered what Jayd was doing going to her car this early. The shop didn't close until nine. Nonetheless, her car pulled out of the parking lot, and she sped off. The instinct to fly after her almost made him spread his wings and take to the air, but he held off. He didn't want to be rude to Arik.
Whispers in the Dark [A Raven Saga Book 3] Page 2