The Shadow Chaser (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 1)

by Dylan Birtolo

  “Richard left to get some food. He told me who he was, and what he was. He also told me that you’re like him, and like those people who attacked us in my apartment. Is it true? Are you one of them?”

  Darien didn’t pause long. He couldn’t not tell her, not after what they’d been through. “Yes, I am. That’s why I was having the blackouts.”

  “What do they want?”

  “They want to make me one of them. If I don’t go with them, they think they can force me to join them. They have a ritual of some sort that binds me to them, or it kills me.”

  “Is that what the marking on your chest is?”

  Darien nodded and let out a heavy sigh. He wasn’t surprised that she was sitting as far away as she could. She probably thought he was a freak.

  “I don’t think I should tell you anymore than you already know. It’s too dangerous. You saw what they did to you. What they did to Erik…”

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  “What?”

  “That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it? That it would be better off for me if I left so that I wasn’t in danger? While you go running around getting shot at and attacked and who knows what else?”

  “That’s only half of it.”

  “Then what’s the other half?” She stood up and was shouting at him now. He stood up across the bed from her.

  “The other half is I can’t stand you thinking I’m a freak, or crazy. Or maybe a bit of both.”

  The tension left her and her face softened as she looked at Darien. It made him feel like squirming, but also helped to diffuse his frustration. She walked around the bed to rest her hand on his shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was gentle and he found no reason to doubt the sincerity of her words.

  “We’ve been friends for years, and we’ve never kept secrets from each other. I know you, and I know what I’ve seen. I don’t think you’re crazy. If you are, then I am too, and I’d rather have you by my side when the crazy hits.”

  He collapsed on Richard’s bed, sitting on the edge as relief flooded through him. He was stunned by Susan’s frank acceptance of what was going on in his life. Yes, it helped that she had seen people shift right in front of her, but the fact that she believed him and still wanted to be part of his life stunned him. She sat down across from him and picked up his hands in hers.

  “Tell me everything that you can.”

  Darien obliged her. He told her every detail that he could remember and the pieces of the story that he was able to slot into place. It felt good to let it all out and not try to keep pieces from her. She listened, and he drew comfort from her quiet presence.

  “So, now that you know it all, you don’t want to run away screaming? I wouldn’t blame you.”

  “No, I don’t. Not unless you’re coming with me.”

  “Thanks. I can’t say that enough.” He smiled, a genuine gesture that reached up to his eyes. “Thanks for the bath too. I know how filthy I was when I crashed.”

  “I didn’t do that. Richard did. He’s got a bit of a soft side, though you couldn’t tell it by looking at him.”

  They both jumped as the door creaked open and Richard walked in carrying a large bag that filled the room with the scent of fried chicken. Richard locked the door behind him and put the food on the bed next to Darien.

  “How you two doing?”

  “Better,” Darien replied.

  “Getting there,” Susan added.

  “I brought some KFC. Hope you like fried chicken.”

  “I’m not really hungry.”

  “Me neither. Thanks though.”

  Richard shrugged and sat down, devouring a piece of chicken. Darien got up and crossed over to the other bed. Susan draped her arm across Darien’s shoulders and he grunted in pain. Richard raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s just the cuts on my back.”

  “Let me look.”

  Richard wiped his hands on his jeans as Darien took off his shirt. Most of the cuts on his back were covered in small bandages and looked healthy. One wound was bleeding, leaving a small trail down his back. Richard reached forward and spread the wound apart with his thick fingers. Darien clenched his jaw and his hands tightened into fists, but he didn’t step away.

  “You’ve got a shard of glass stuck under the skin. We need to get it out.”

  Richard let go of the wound and grabbed a backpack from the bathroom. He tossed it onto the bed, and pulled a small medical kit out of the top pouch. He opened it up and removed a set of tweezers, handing them to Susan.

  “Use the tweezers to get the glass out while I open the wound. Darien, this is going to hurt.”

  “Just get it over with.”

  Richard parted the wound open again, and Susan reached in with the tweezers. Darien whimpered and stumbled forward with one foot. Susan reached in further and gripped the shard between the pincers of the tweezers. She began to slide it out.

  “Just rip it out!”

  Susan tightened her grip and yanked. A sliver of glass about half an inch long tore out of his wound with a sucking sound. Darien let out a gasp and dropped down to one knee. The glass was covered in blood and dripping on the comforter. Richard pressed a napkin against Darien’s back.

  He reached over to the medical bag and pulled out a small suture kit. Putting one end in his teeth, he ripped it open. His hands moved with surprising speed as he stitched the wound closed. Darien curled his hands tight in the comforter and buried his face as he was sewn up. Richard tied off the knot and put a small bandage over the wound.

  “Thanks,” Darien mumbled from where he was, half on the bed. Richard grunted and went back to his dinner.

  Darien pulled himself back up to the bed. Looking at the shirt, he wasn’t in a rush to put it back on. Richard gestured with his chin to the backpack.

  “Got a spare shirt in there. It’ll be loose on you, but it’s better than what you’ve got.”

  Darien pulled out the shirt and shrugged it on. It was baggy on him, but he was thankful for that as it slid across his back.

  Susan sat down next to him and rested a hand on his leg. “What do we do now?”

  Darien’s eyes flashed with anger. “Kill the bastard who murdered Erik.”

  Richard held up a hand in protest. “What about the marking on your chest, kid? You need to take care of that soon. Two more and you’re done. If you get rid of the one who cast it, you’ll be free for the rest of your life. At least, from that ritual.”

  “You had it done to you, didn’t you? You killed the person responsible, and that’s why the Shadows aren’t hunting you like they hunt me.”

  “You’re half right. They can’t use their magic, but they still try to kill me whenever they can. I have a habit of getting in their way. Plus, you’re more valuable than I ever would be. Remember what I said about you being special even for a shifter?”

  Darien nodded. “What did you mean by that?”

  “Well, you have the ability to shift into any animal. You aren’t bound to a single form like the rest of us.”

  Darien’s mouth hung open and his eyes went wide. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  Richard shook his head. “Remember the first time we met? After you woke up in the park? How’d you get there from the rooftop in the city if you’re a bear shifter? You were a falcon. Trust me, I saw it.”

  Richard took another piece of chicken out of the bag and continued eating while Darien and Susan digested the news. He was halfway through the meat when Susan spoke up.

  “We still need to figure out what we’re going to do.”

  “We?” Richard asked. He looked at Darien.

  “Yes, we,” Susan cut off the implication. “I’m not letting Darien get himself killed while I just wait to hear the news.”

  “Do you have any idea how dangerous it will be around us?”

  Her eyes were daggers as she dared Richard to challenge her. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I know how to use this,” she said as she patte
d the gun beside her.

  Richard looked back at Darien. “It’s your call. As long as she doesn’t get in the way, it doesn’t matter to me.” With those words, he got up and left the room to use the bathroom. Darien recognized the gesture for what it was and appreciated it.

  “Susan, because of what I am, everyone I know will be in danger. People trying to get to me will use it to their advantage. Richard’s parents were killed by the Shadows when they tried to control him. It’s gonna be even worse for me. I can’t be everywhere at once. I’ve been thinking about this, and cutting ties might be the best thing for me. Look at what happened to Erik.”

  “Darien, you’re more important to me than the rest of my friends put together. You’ve been the closest thing to family I’ve had since my parents died. I couldn’t stand losing you and not knowing what happened. Thinking that you might be alive, or dead, or controlled, or something. Please don’t do that to me. I’ve lost my family, I’ve lost Oscar, and I’ve lost Erik. I don’t want to lose you, too. Not for anything.”

  Darien paused, looking deep into Susan’s eyes. He knew that if he asked her to go, she would, but it would be devastating. And if he was being honest with himself, he wanted her to stay for selfish reasons. He reached out and pulled her into an embrace that she returned.

  “Alright. We’ll figure it out together.”

  The toilet flushed and Richard walked out of the bathroom. “You two worked it out?”

  “She’s coming with us. So what’s the plan?”

  “Do you know who’s responsible for the ritual marking?”

  “Yes. That shadowy woman who wouldn’t give me her name. I’ve been calling her Inky. It pisses her off.”

  “We need to find her and break the spell. Until we do that, you’re not safe.”

  “And we need to strike back at Lieutenant Olson,” Susan added.

  Darien smiled. “What if we could get both at the same time?”

  Chapter 18

  “No. That’s crazy. It’s completely nuts. Richard, tell me you agree with me.”

  “It’s crazy, and that’s why it might work. I just don’t like asking Alyssa and the Arm for help. They can’t be trusted.”

  “But you said it yourself. She has the contacts and clout to make it work. They’ve done it before. And if we don’t use her, then we’ll need to find another way to disappear.”

  Richard growled. “That might be preferable to owing her a favor. But, I agreed to let you call the shots on this. I just don’t have to like it.”

  Susan took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s assume that you can get a warehouse and the explosives you’d need. And let’s assume that you can set it all up without anyone finding out. It’s obvious you can lure them there, but how can you make sure they both arrive at the same time?”

  Darien shrugged. “I can’t. It’s part of the gamble. Hell, I’m not sure I’ll be able to change shape at the right time and I might get blown up. The plan isn’t without risks, but the payoff is huge. If it does work, we’d get rid of Inky, Lieutenant Olson, and stage our deaths. That’s three birds with one stone, not just two.”

  “If it works.”

  Darien stood up and laid a hand on Susan’s shoulder. He attempted to make the gesture compassionate, but she shrugged it off.

  “You don’t have to be part of this.”

  “And leave you by yourself? I don’t think so. I’m just saying we’d better iron it all out and work out every detail.”

  Richard narrowed his eyes and flexed his shoulders, producing an audible crack. “It’ll take perfect timing and perfect planning. But it’ll work. We need to start preparing now.”

  “What did you have in mind?” Darien asked.

  “The biggest hurdle is getting you in tune with your abilities. Otherwise, you’re dead. And we need to move. It won’t be long before we’re tracked down. I know a place where we can hide for a couple of days. Hopefully, that’ll give us enough time. If we take too long, people will get suspicious. The sooner we move the better. Our main advantage is they don’t know how far along you already are.”

  Susan and Darien nodded in agreement. The three of them finished the food, and then Richard put away the gun. Darien kept watch out the window but only saw the motel lights illuminating an empty parking lot. The occasional car flashed by with its headlights cutting through the darkness. Once they were ready, Richard dropped the key off at the front desk while Darien warmed up the truck. They drove off, heading east toward the pass. Before they reached it, Richard took an exit and drove down roads that got smaller and bumpier the further they went. They climbed up a dirt road to a cave big enough for Richard to drive the truck into. He parked the vehicle in front of a large pile of rubble.

  “We’re here.”

  “What is this place?” Susan asked as they got out of the truck.

  “Abandoned coal mine. It stopped being profitable, so the company that owns it moved out and caved in the passage for safety. It used to be boarded up, but I took that down. Thought the place might be useful.”

  The air in the cave was cold enough that they could see their breath. Richard left to get some wood for a fire while Susan and Darien dug a fire pit. When he returned, they were huddled together next to the rock-lined cavity. He dropped the wood he was carrying and started a fire. In a few minutes, the fire was blazing and providing a comforting heat. This far away from civilization, the only sounds they heard were the crickets chirping outside of the cave. Susan curled up in front of Darien and the three of them fell asleep stretched out near the flames.

  When they woke up, the sun had risen and was trying to warm the land through a thick cloud cover. Darien got up and stretched with a groan. Susan rolled over and combed through her hair with her fingers. Richard continued to sleep. Darien walked to the entrance of the mine and looked outside. The clouds were still thick and looked like a storm could start any minute.

  He reached down to the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his cell phone. The battery had long since died, which was not a surprise. He couldn’t remember the last time he charged it. Susan’s feet crunched on the small rocks as she walked up next to Darien and leaned against him. They stood there, watching the natural world wake up.

  “I don’t want to lose you.”

  “You won’t, I promise.” It was a promise he hoped he could keep.

  They heard a rustle behind them as Richard rolled over and grunted. He looked like a bear, even in his human shape as he rolled to a sitting position and pawed at his face. Darien smirked. Richard got up and dragged the gun case out of the back of the truck. He carried it over to Susan and handed it to her.

  “Get used to carrying it and get used to the weight. There are some good places around here to climb up and practice targeting. I’ll teach you how to put it together and use it when I get back.”

  Susan’s eyebrow raised. She put the case down on the ground, snapped it open and quickly assembled the rifle. She locked the magazine into place and chambered a round. She pulled the safety latch and pulled out the live ammunition. She took the gun and rested the stock on the ground while holding on to the barrel. She tossed the bullet to Richard.

  “Back?” she asked.

  Richard stood still for a moment and then snorted half a chuckle as the corner of his mouth went up in a smile. “Food. I’m going to get some food, and possibly some new clothes for you two.”

  Susan nodded and put the gun over her shoulder. The corner of her mouth curled up. “I’ll keep an eye on things.”

  “What about me?” Darien asked stepping forward, eager to start doing his part.

  “Sit by the fire, and stare into it until you see it with your eyes closed. When you get to that point, close your eyes and think of the fire. Let all your other thoughts get burned by that flame and disappear. You want yourself completely empty.”

  “That sounds easy enough.”

  Richard snorted as he walked back into the cave. “Wait until you try it.” />
  Richard drove down the dirt road leaving Susan and Darien behind. They watched until all they could see was a dust cloud dwindling in the distance. Susan hiked up the mountains with the rifle while Darien went to the fire and sat cross-legged in front of it. He added a few more logs and watched the fire dance.

  The day felt like an eternity as Darien tried to meditate. Every once in a while, Susan walked by the mine entrance or peeked inside to check on him. Each time he saw or heard her, it shattered his attempt to clear his mind. It wasn’t always her that disrupted his meditation. He was jerked back to his current surroundings whenever a bird screeched or a small animal scurried through the trees. Life had never seemed so disruptive before.

  By the time Richard returned several hours later, Darien couldn’t even pretend to have serenity. He stood up and kicked at the fire.

  “I can’t do it!”

  Richard handed some bags to Susan and then sat down on the other side of the flames, across from Darien. “Yes, you can. But you need to focus.”

  “I’ve tried. Or haven’t you been paying attention?” He paced back and forth, kicking up the dirt as he walked.

  “Darien, you aren’t clearing your mind. You have to clear out everything before you imagine the creature you want to be. Otherwise, all you’ll do is use your imagination, not shape shift. Try again.”

  Darien stopped pacing and stood in front of the flames, staring at them. His hands clenched until his knuckles turned white. He would do this. He had to do this. He had done this before, hadn’t he? He tried to think back to the time at the cabin and the shift into the bear. He had been so angry, so frustrated. His mind wandered to the Shadows and Erik’s death. His body shimmered in the dancing flames. He grit his teeth and snarled out his anger and frustration.

  As his anger flared, he felt warm. The fire in front of him grew until it felt like it was as tall as he was. His body felt like it was overheating, and he could feel sweat coming out through the palms of his hands and the flat of his feet. The flames seemed to shift in color, becoming more vibrant and yellow, but he was still himself. He growled.