Shadowed (The Shadow and Moon Series)

by Michelle Areaux

-Evernight

  -Everlight

  Awakening Academy Series:

  Ignited

  Extras

  Prologue

  Death never terrified me before.

  I'd never given much thought to my ultimate demise. Never had I considered death would eventually catch up to me; it just wasn't ever on my teenage mind. However, all of that changed the moment he walked into my life. Now, as the black cloak of darkness surrounds me, my only fear isn't my last breath-it's theirs.

  My family.

  My friends.

  Asher.

  Maddox, who I'd have given my last dying breath to save.

  Everything I've been through and overcome all seems so little and insignificant compared to what they've all risked to save me.

  Chapter 1

  In the small Kentucky town that I called home, Shady Oaks existed under the shadows of the bright lights of the big city Lexington nearby. Everything about the place was the same, and at the same time, it was completely different.

  With its country charm and backwoods scenery, it was the perfect place to get lost or remain unseen. For my parents, it was the town where they'd both escaped to after they were married. Nothing exciting ever happened there; it was the charm that lured people to the quiet, country town.

  All of my life I'd dreamed of escaping the dullness that was Shady Oaks. At sixteen-years-old, I aspired to travel the world, meet strangers, and seek out the glorious adventures depicted on postcards and in the movies. Instead, my parents had exiled me to my great aunt's house to spend my long and hot summer vacation. There had been no warning or explanation as to why I'd been forced to spend my summer hanging out with a seventy-year-old widow instead of going to pool parties and getting into trouble with my friends.

  Don't get me wrong: I love my nana, the name I'd called her since my natural grandparents had died, but to spend the entire summer alone with her? Not what I'd call an ideal situation.

  My dad's car rolled to an abrupt stop in front of our home, and I took a long, deep breath before I allowed myself to look up. I glanced at my dad, and it reminded me of how much I looked like him. With the same light brown hair and the same green eyes, we were very much alike in both looks and personality. He loved to be outdoors, and so did I.

  "Looks the same, right?" my dad asked. He turned in his seat to look at me as I looked up at our home for the first time in the last four months.

  I glanced out the passenger's window at our large, two-story brick home, the same one I'd lived in my whole life. The same massive oak trees I'd climbed as a kid still towered over the stone walkway leading to the red front door. The black shutters still had green vines creeping their way up them and the wooden planks and onto the rich red brick. I couldn't explain why I thought it had looked so different, at least, not using words that wouldn't make me sound like a complete lunatic.

  "Sure," I said. I rolled my eyes and opened the car door.

  My dad opened his door, too, and followed silently behind me as I made my way up the path, through the door, and into our large foyer.

  My mom, who had stayed behind while my dad had come to get me at the airport, had spent her time making several pies and cakes. I was sure of it, because as soon as I walked into the house, my senses picked up the sweet smells of apple, cinnamon, and vanilla; I wanted to puke.

  "Elle, everything will go back to normal soon, I promise," my dad whispered. He patted my back before walking around me and into the kitchen.

  Sure. Normal. Whatever that was.

  Nothing about my life or my family was normal. Was it normal to send your sixteen-year-old daughter away to stay with her seventy-year-old great aunt during her summer vacation? Was it normal to keep her away from most of her family? Was it normal for parents to leave in the dead of night only to return out of breath and tired?

  No, nothing about anything was normal, yet it was the only life I knew.

  "Elle, is that you?" my mom rang out from the kitchen as she made her way toward me.

  I prepared myself for her hug, which at times felt as if she were trying to squeeze me to death. Her long, lean legs reached me in record time, and before I knew it, my mom had enveloped me in her arms.

  "Hi, Mom," I managed to say though I struggled to breathe.

  "Oh, sorry, sweetie," my mom said. She let me go and stood back to admire me. "It's so good to have you home," she finished with a big smile.

  I looked a lot like my mom, too. We both had lean figures and a passion for running and speed.

  "Yeah, great to be back," I grumbled.

  “Elle, please don’t be like that. I know you hated to leave this summer, but promise, one day, you’ll understand,” my mom argued.

  She was wrong. How could I ever understand why my parents, without warning, had sent me away? I was a good kid. I never got into trouble and spent most of my time with my best friend, Maddox.

  Maddox. I hadn't seen or spoken to him since the day my parents had forced me to get on a plane to stay with my aunt in West Virginia. All I'd thought about while I was gone was Maddox. I prayed each and every night that he wasn't mad at me, that he'd understand why I'd left even if I hadn't. My only hope was that since our families were so close, my parents would have at least explained it to him for me.

  "Sure," I said, forcing a fake smile.

  My mom leaned in and tucked a long strand of my brown hair behind my ear. "Your eyes are even more hazel than before you left," she said. She gave my dad a quick glance.

  "I hadn't noticed,” I sighed. Since I'd turned sixteen, my mom seemed to be extra observant of my ever-changing appearance. I usually just laughed it off, but now it had gotten just a little weird.

  "Can I go to my room, now?" I asked as I stepped away from her touch. "I need to get my cell phone and call Maddox." I rushed toward the stairs leading to our second story and my bedroom before they could answer.

  "He's really missed you," my dad called to me from the bottom of the staircase.

  I fought back the urge to cry. I wouldn't let my parents see me get emotional. "I've missed him too," I called back.

  "Elle, is that really you?" Maddox's voice rang through my phone, and I almost couldn't contain my excitement.

  "Yes. I'm back," I said quickly, the words rushing out. I'd missed Maddox so much. We'd spent every day together since we were babies. He'd become a part of me over the years. Being away from him felt as if I'd lost a part of myself

  "Where were you?" Maddox asked. "My parents and your parents talked every day, but no one would tell me where you were. Did you get into trouble or something?"

  "No. The day after I turned sixteen, my parents told me I was going to stay with my Great Aunt, Ida. I thought they were going to take me on some exciting trip, but instead, they made me stay there until the end of the summer. I don't know what I did, but my parents have been acting really weird lately," I sighed.

  A long silence filled the air, and I'd begun to worry Maddox might’ve hung up on me. Finally, he spoke again. "Elle, I'm so glad you're home. Maybe we should all get together and talk soon."

  The way he'd spoken as his words shook from nervousness, didn't sit well with me. Maddox and I had never hidden anything from each other. We'd always shared everything. Now, I felt like he was hiding something from me and I didn't like it at all.

  "Do you know something?" I asked.

  "No," Maddox said, way too quickly. "Look: school starts tomorrow, we'll talk then." He said goodbye and hung up the phone.

  That night, after I'd eaten dinner with my parents, I went to bed early. I didn't want to watch television or listen to music or talk, all I wanted was to go to sleep and wake up in the morning and hope Maddox would at least act normal around me.

  Chapter 2

  The next morning, I woke early and left for school before anyone in my house was up. I didn't want to have any more awkward conversations or feel any more lost or left out of a secret
any more than I already did. My mind was already set on being in a bad mood. After having spent my summer hidden away from the rest of the world, I finally had to go back to school. Without getting to relax or have a moment to catch up with friends or breathe, I had to get back into the routine of school and being busy in my own chaotic world.

  I grabbed a blueberry muffin and the keys to the old Ford Explorer my parents had given me when I'd first learned to drive. I hadn’t driven since I'd left, and I was feeling pretty excited about getting behind the wheel again.

  As I made my way to school, I passed by all of the familiar places in town. A lump began to form in my stomach as I dreaded having to go back to school to listen to everyone's summer stories when I had nothing similar to share.

  I parked my car in the students' parking lot and grabbed my backpack out of the backseat. I was halfway across the lot when I felt two hands grab me around my waist, lift me, and spin me in the air. All it took was the feel of his hands on my hips and the scent of his minty aftershave to know it was Maddox.

  I flung my arms around his shoulders, clinging to him as if he were my lifeline. "I've missed you so much," he said. I giggled as he placed me back on my feet.

  "I'm so glad to see you. It's been lonely around here without you," Maddox said, his hands still on my hips.

  To anyone else, our affection might seem like that of a romantic couple rather than that of two best friends, but I didn't care-Maddox, and I were best friends; soulmates.

  'I’m sure you found things to do without me,” I joked, playfully hitting his arm.

  "Sure, I hung out with the guys from the team a little, but I missed my best friend," he said, his eyes looking deep into mine. There was something different about him I couldn't seem to place. I'd started to think maybe I really was going crazy.

  "So, how's baseball?" I asked.

  Maddox had been playing baseball since he'd been able to pick up a bat. He'd taken our school to three state championships, and college recruiters were already looking at him for scholarships.

  "Baseball's great. I spent a lot of time training while you were gone," he said, lifting his shirt to reveal a nice set of abs. Man, he'd changed.

  "Nice," I giggled and tickled him.

  Maddox picked me up again and twirled me around. "Back only five minutes and you're already messing with me," he said. He slung me over his shoulder and ran toward the parking lot.

  "Put me down," I said, laughing as he ran around like a wild man. I was growing dizzy, given the speed he traveled, gaining more with each long stride. When he finally gave in, Maddox set me down by my car. I reached down, grabbed my backpack, and used it as a shield. "No more spinning," I said, laughing.

  "You two need to just hook up and get it over with,” Melissa announced as she walked by us. With her arm firmly locked around Scott Scottsdale's arm, she glared at Maddox and me.

  "Shut up," I growled as she sped by us. Melissa had been the school witch ever since kindergarten. She hated everyone, and we all hated her… well, everyone except for the guys.

  The first bell rang, warning us to get to class.

  I began walking toward the school and Maddox ran to catch up with me. "Ignore Melissa," he said. "Hey," he said after a pause, "I really need to talk to you after school today." Maddox grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him.

  "Okay, I don't have any plans," I said.

  "Good. Meet me at your car after seventh-hour,” he said before jogging away.

  The determined look he gave me told me he had something important to share. I knew he had practice as well, so his information must have been really serious to run the risk of being late to practice.

  "What was that about?" Melanie asked, walking up behind me. Her red hair looked like wild flames coming from a fire. The image was made more vibrant by the sun reflecting off each long strand. Her blue eyes shone brightly against her pale, porcelain skin. Melanie was radiant. She could easily have passed as a supermodel, and if she had her way, she'd one day walk the runways in Milan instead of the streets of Shady Oaks.

  "Not sure," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Maddox probably has some new cool car part to show me or tell me about some hot date he had this summer," I said.

  "I don't think so," Melanie said. "That boy's been so lonely without you. Other than baseball, he didn't go to many parties. I don't think he really dated much, either," she said, her voice fading.

  That was odd. Maddox had a reputation around school and town for being the life of the party-or the life of anywhere he went, for that matter. He was always in a good mood and loved to be out and be seen. To think of him shying away from those things hurt my heart.

  I walked into homeroom, trying to ignore the pain I felt in my heart for Maddox. He always had a smile plastered on his face-I couldn't fathom the idea of him being sad or not having enjoyed his summer just because I was away. I spotted a few friends I'd known since kindergarten. Growing up in a small town, you seemed to know everyone, and everyone knew you. I waved and joined them at a table at the back of the room. We talked with Melanie and Laura and were instantly caught up on what everyone had done that summer-or hadn't done, in my case.

  "I can't believe your parents just sent you away like that," Laura teased as she pulled her unruly, curly blonde hair back into a bun. The yellow tint of the fluorescent lights hanging above us made her green eyes much richer.

  I smiled, trying to hide my irritation with the topic. "Yeah, I know," I said. "It definitely wasn't my idea, but it wasn't so bad," I finished with a shrug.

  Seeing my frustration, my friends dropped the topic and turned back to their own stories.

  Class was just about to start when he walked into the room. Suddenly, the world around me shifted, and I felt my balance begin to waver. I was captivated by Asher, the quiet, new kid and all oxygen seemed to leave the room. I gasped, startled by my reaction to his presence. The immense power he held over every person in that room both intrigued me and piqued my curiosity. Sure, we lived in a small town, and any newcomers raised an enormous flag with us locals, but there was something different about Asher. The impressive way he seemed to glide through the aisles with ease wasn't ordinary. In fact, watching him closely, it was as though he'd calculated his movements. He was also terribly cool, like he didn't even try to be suave. He was downright mesmerizing. I’d fallen for his spell with the rest of the world, and I wasn't the least bit embarrassed about it.

  Asher had arrived in town the year before, right at the end of the school year. He'd kept to himself and didn't go to any parties or school games with the rest of us. All I knew was that he was the most beautiful guy I'd ever seen, and he was totally and completely out of my league.

  Every head turned as he walked into the room. His striking features commanded attention. All voices hushed as though forced into silence. He wasn't just good-looking; he was picturesque. His hair was black…no, it was darker than night. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle against the yellow-tinted overhead lighting. He sat down at a table in the far corner of the room, and as he took out his notebooks and pens, a wonderful feeling came over me. My heart began to race, and I couldn’t help but smile.

  "Wow, he's hot," Laura said, watching me eye Asher.

  "Of course, he is," I whispered back, "but he’d never so much as look at someone like me."

  "You're crazy," Melanie chimed in. "You're best friends with Maddox-hot, baseball-playing Maddox. You don't need the new hottie over there," she said, pointing in Asher's direction.

  Asher suddenly looked our way, and the three of us snapped our heads back to the front of the room. Thankfully, Mr. Morris walked into the room then and began to pass out the World Civics Syllabus.

  I couldn't help but catch Asher out of the corner of my eye. Something had changed when he walked into the classroom. I couldn't explain it, but the magnitude of the situation wasn't lost on me, either. I spent the rest of the day going through my classes like alway
s. I hated the first day of school. It was the same every year. I could practically do it in my sleep.

  The rest of the school day went as smoothly as could be expected, without interruption.

  I waited for Maddox after seventh-hour, just like he asked, only he was almost thirty-minutes late to meet me.

  "Seriously?" I asked, throwing my hands up in the air. "You're really late," I added.

  "I know. I'm sorry," Maddox said, jogging up to me. His wavy, sandy blonde hair bounced on the top of his head as he moved.

  I stood next to his truck. Maddox was still wearing his practice uniform. He was already sweaty, as if he'd already been to practice.

  "What news do you have to tell me?" I asked, raising my eyes at him. I shifted my weight, placing my hand on my hip.

  Maddox smirked, having noticed my frustration. "You're so cute when you're mad at me," he teased. He pinched my nose. I hated when he did that-it made me feel like I was some little puppy.

  "Stop," I yelled, smacking his hand away. "Come on, Maddox. I have homework, and I want to call Melanie, too," I said, urging him to hurry up with his news.

  Maddox ran his hands through his messy hair and seemed to grow nervous. "I was going to just... um...well..." He fumbled over his words, almost tormented by the amount of time it was taking for him to gather his thoughts.

  I rolled my eyes, turned on my heels, and began to walk away, but Maddox grabbed my arm and spun me around so I would face him again.

  "Sorry," he began, "I just wanted to tell you that after practice, I have to do extra weight-lifting sessions with Coach. I'll be late getting home, and it might be even later until we can hang out or work on my truck," he said, finally spitting it out.

  "That’s your big news?" I asked. I was just plain annoyed.

  "Yeah...what else were you expecting?" he asked with a half-hearted laugh.

  I wasn't sure I believed him, but I didn't feel like playing any more games with him, so I left him standing in the parking lot, alone, feeling him watch me as I left, his gaze burning a hole in my back.