A Crown of Blood and Bone: Paranormal Romance (The Shadow Walkers Saga Book 1)

by Sloane Murphy

  My heart hurts a little for him, and how lonely that must have been. Though, I have no idea if there are other Hunters around here, people his own age for him to train with, to talk about stuff with. I can't imagine having found all this out and not having everyone I love around me to help me deal with it, even if I didn't want their help to start with.

  "There she is, bad ass extraordinaire. Bauer beat you bloody yet?" Colts voice rings out across the room, laughing as he descends the stairs into the basement.

  "Not quite," I call out, not moving. I hear as his steps move closer, and then his face is looking down at me, and he has a wicked glint in his eye.

  "Maybe you should train with me instead. I learnt a whole host of new tricks traveling to the other side of the world you know." He holds out a hand to pull me up, which I take and stand on my aching legs.

  "Don't be ridiculous," Bauer’s voice joins us. "You know as well as I do, that when she has her memories back, she'll kick both our asses all over the place, at the same god damn time. She's trained with the best of the best in every god damn life. Always learning something new to put us in our place. Don't give her reason to break you when she's back to her old self," Colt laughs at his words and shrugs.

  "You're not wrong. I swear my arm still aches from," "Colt, shut up!" Bauer rolls his eyes, and Colt looks at me guiltily.

  "Sorry, I just got caught up. Don't want to break you." "Don't sweat it, Bauer’s been breaking me all damn day."

  I laugh. "So, what secrets did you spill to make our biggest brother look like someone pissed in his cornflakes this morning?"

  Colt starts laughing as Bauer just stares at me like I've got two heads. "Holy shit, she really is starting to come back."

  Bauer shakes his head and laughs under his breath. "That she is."

  "Anyway, I didn't tell him anything, I asked him if I could come over, since you’re training now, I thought you might want your old friend," Colt tells me with a secretive smile.

  "I have no idea what you're going on about." I roll my eyes at him as he backs up and heads back to the stairs up to Bauer’s kitchen.

  "Come on, you'll see," he says and I look to Bauer who shrugs his shoulders, but shakes his head at the same time.

  "You don't think I should see whatever it is yet?" I ask softly.

  "I think he's pushing too much too quickly because he misses hunting with you. He means well, but he seems to keep forgetting you're still vulnerable. That said, maybe what he has will help your training." He shrugs again and heads up the stairs, leaving me to decide whether or not this is a step I want to take.

  I know this is all going to take time, but I'm also the nosiest person you'll ever meet. I just like to know. But could that impulsivity be my downfall right now?

  Bauer didn't seem to think it would be too dangerous, and since he's the most experienced of us all right now, I decide to just go and see whatever it is that Colt has for me.

  What’s the worst that could happen right?

  I push the door from the basement to the kitchen open and find the two of them lounging in the room, Bauer sat on the counter by the window, and Colt sprawled in a chair at the small table in here. The light from the windows floods the room, and as much as I love the light the summer sun brings, I'll be happy to see the fall descend fully and have the beauty of colors that it brings.

  "Okay, so what is it that you brought for me?" I ask. "First, do you forgive me yet? For disappearing on you, I mean. It sucked, and then I stole Creek away, for the good of you both, but I know how much that would have hurt you. That was the last thing I wanted to do, but I didn't see any other way to keep you safe," Colt looks me dead in the eye, pleading with me.

  "Honestly, not yet, but I'm working on it. It’s all, well it’s a lot. I'm just trying to push through it all, and push down anything that distracts me from what I'm trying to do. The pain, the heartache, it all sucks, but that's what I've got right now. What you did hurt me, and while it might have been for my own good, it stings," I tell him as honestly as I can. This isn't what I had in mind when I climbed the stairs up here, I've tried to focus as little as possible on all the hurt and bitterness inside of me. The pain would drown me if I let it out, and so I stuff it down every single morning when I wake up so that I can breathe. The pain of Jack, of him leaving a box of my stuff outside my door, not even bothering to knock when he left it. The pain of him and Creek disappearing. Yes, I'm dealing with it badly, but it’s better than I thought I would.

  I'm getting there, and somehow with Creek, it’s easier because Colt left already. I'm trying to let go of my anger, my mom always said holding onto it is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Useless and disappointing. So, I'm trying, but I'm only human after all. Or well, not.

  "I can understand that," he says, some of the pep gone from his voice. "Okay, anyway, the reason I'm here. I'm way too excited for this, and you won't even have a real clue yet, but there is no way I'll last until the ritual, and you'd probably kick my ass if I did."

  He rambles as he moves into the other room before reappearing with a case.

  He places it on the table before me, and it’s like all the air is sucked from the room and I can barely breathe as I reach forward and undo the locks on it. I lift the top and sat in the old and worn violet velvet, the same color as my eyes, sits a sword. I reach forward to touch it when a pain unlike anything I've ever known stabs through my head. I grab my head and try not to scream at the pain as I feel myself fall from the chair. I barely hear as Bauer wraps himself around me, lifting me and walking me back down to the basement, where he places me on the floor, I think.

  I can't see, my eyes clenched closed as I struggle against the pain in my head, so overwhelming I want to throw up. I curl up into a ball, trying to fight the pain back, but it’s useless. I feel Bauer back at my side, and then something cold against my lips. I open my mouth and he pours the foulest tasting liquid I've ever known into my mouth. His urges to swallow it only just breaking through the pain. I swallow, trying not to gag.

  I feel the cold liquid hit my stomach, and it rolls, I curl back up into the ball, praying to whichever gods exist to save me from this pain.

  After what feels like forever, the pain starts to ebb. I feel my mind start to drift and I give in to the wave of darkness and emptiness that washes over me.

  I open my eyes, but darkness still surrounds me. I lift my head slowly, realizing I'm on Bauer’s couch in the basement, from the dim light filtering in from the top of the stairs. I lower my head and take in the aches and pains I know should be there, but other than the throb in my head, the rest of me feels fine, albeit tired and nauseous. I sit up slowly, the world tilts a little, and I realize the pounding in my head might just be a little worse than I first thought.

  "Bauer? Colt?" I call out, my voice hoarse. I guess I screamed out more earlier than I realized. Footsteps move across the room above me, before coming quickly down the stairs.

  "Oh, thank god, you're awake," Bauer says softly, and then hands me a bottle of water. "Sip it, slowly Remy, I mean it. You scared the absolute shit out of me."

  "Sorry," I rasp before taking a sip of water from the bottle. The icy cold feels so good that I want to chug the whole bottle, but knowing Bauer, he'd rip the thing away from me before I got the chance. "What happened?"

  "Too much, too soon is what happened. The exact reason we don't tell Hunters about their lineage until they're of age, even then, while you're stronger, until you've completed the ritual, you're still at risk. Seeing that sword before your birthday would have killed you. I was scared it still might."

  "How long was I out?" I ask, trying not to focus on the fact that I could have died. Because holy fuck. And that pain... if this is why everyone lied to me for so long, I forgive them. Fuck feeling that ever again.

  "A few hours. I called Dad, he contacted the elders, and brought the ritual forward, they're all on their way here now. We'll do it this weekend. It’s no
t worth the risk of waiting any longer." His eyes wrinkle with concern as he looks over me again, making sure that I'm really okay.

  "Okay," I tell him, I'm not going to fight him. That sucked ass.

  "Good. Now, you're staying here tonight, I've made up the spare room. I need to call Colt, so let’s get you upstairs so I can update everyone that you're awake."

  "Oh god, Colt. Can I call him? Or at least will you tell him, I don't blame him." I look up at him and he shakes his head.

  "You're not calling him, you need to rest, but I'll tell him. It won't make much difference, but I'll tell him." He picks me up off of the couch, so much bigger than me that I feel about ten again, but I feel so woozy that I don't fight him on it.

  "Thank you for looking after me," I sigh, and close my eyes.

  "That’s what family does, Remy. I might not have been around that much the last few years, but now that you're back, that's going to change. I'm always here, no matter what okay?"

  "Thanks Bauer," I sigh, as I feel sleep take me away again.

  Ten

  Today is the day.

  Today is the day of the ritual, which is why I’m lying in my bed, under my covers, pretending that the sun isn’t rising, and that today isn’t the last day of the life I’ve led until this moment. After today, everything changes, and there’s absolutely no going back.

  My phone rings on my side table and I groan. Last night, Jack drunk dialed me like a dozen of times, leaving me a rainbow of messages, with everything from “I love you”, to, “you ruthless bitch you ruined my life”. So, yeah, that was fun and exactly what I needed before today.

  My phone stops ringing before starting again, so I give in and throw the covers off. I pick it up and see Creek’s face looking back at me as I answer the video call.

  "Morning sleeping beauty," he laughs and I give him the bird.

  "Screw you, this is not a time for humans to be awake at." I stick out my tongue at him and laugh at the ridiculousness of it.

  “It’s a good thing you’re not human then, isn’t it?” he laughs back at me as I roll my eyes.

  “Still weird, super weird. Like I might have made this decision, but the fact that monsters actually exist? that I’m not human? Yeah not exactly got my mind around that yet. Probably won’t for a while.” He pulls a face at me and I laugh at him, I missed this. I missed him.

  “Yeah, it took me a while too. I’m so glad we can talk about this now, and that we can talk more freely after today. It felt like half of me was missing these last few months without you Remy. I can’t… I don’t want us to ever have to be like that again. Not in this life.”

  “Well, I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, so hopefully we won’t have to.” I smile at him. “Now, I need to get my shit together before I head to Dad’s, I should probably get going, but thank you for being my alarm clock.”

  “Well, that’s why I was calling. There’s been a slight change in plans. I’m going to swing by and grab you, and then we’ll head to the chambers. Your dad and my mom were summoned there early, your brothers are heading there together in a bit, and so, that leaves me to come get you.” He looks almost awkward, and it hits me how much he’s changed, how much we’ve both changed since he left. Nothing used to be awkward between us. But then, before he left, I didn’t have to fan myself after seeing him. How he turned from my cutesy best friend to this beautiful hulking man, I don’t care, but sweet Jesus, even when he’s awkward he’s ridiculously hot.

  “That’s fine. Do I need to wear anything in particular? I probably should have asked this already.”

  “No, but I’d wear something, erm,” he blushes, “You’ll be stripped down to your underwear during the ritual, so something suitable for that I guess.”

  I can’t help but laugh at him.

  “Something that won’t scandalize the elders, or my dad or brothers. Got it.”

  “I missed this,” he says quietly. “I missed you, us. I just wanted you to know that,” he says softly and I can’t help but smile at him even though he can’t see it.

  “I might not have completely forgiven you yet for ditching me without a word, but I missed you too. And I’m glad you’re back, that you’ll be with me today.”

  “Me too, Remy. I better go, but I’ll be over soon. I’ll text before I leave.”

  “Okay, see you soon.” The screen goes black and I sigh. I can only hope that things go back to the way they were with us. God knows with all this crazy I’m going to need my friend.

  I climb out of bed and put the coffee pot on before jumping in the shower, keeping it cold enough to shock me into alertness, because alert is something I am not right now. I pull out my least scandalous underwear and dress. Putting my long hair into a high ponytail so it’s out of the way, I drift back to the coffee machine that is practically calling my name. My phone buzzes on the counter and a quick glance lets me know that Creek is on his way. The anxiety hits me sideways and I sink to the floor, cradling my coffee.

  I made the right decision. I know I did.

  Right?

  Fuck my life. I made the right decision. I tell myself this over and over until a knock at the door breaks the train of thought. It opens seconds later and Creek finds me sat on the floor in my kitchen, hugging my coffee cup. He doesn’t say a word, just comes and sits next to me and puts one arm around my shoulders, hugging me tight. We sit there for a few minutes until I can breathe properly again, and I lean my head on his chest.

  “Thank you.”

  “Any time. I didn’t realize it still got you like this,” he said, concern covering his words.

  “It hasn’t not for ages, but I guess with everything that’s been going on, it just crept up on me. I’ve not been running like I usually do, which probably isn’t helping.” I shrug and he squeezes me again before jumping to his feet and then helping me up.

  “I guess we better get this show on the road,” I say with a sigh.

  “I’ll be there every step of the way. And if you need a minute, just signal, like we used to. I got you.”

  “Thanks Creek,” I say and hug him again. “Always,” he says into my hair before I pull back.

  I slip on my chucks and grab my leather jacket and keys. “Let the madness begin.”

  We pull up in front of the ominous looking building and I look to Creek, because, surely this isn’t the place.

  “Ermmm…”

  “I know, it’s weird and its creepy, but that’s kinda the whole point. It keeps people away. Prying eyes aren’t exactly what we want around here. Though, if anyone did try, they’d have a hell of a time trying to get through the security.”

  “There’s security here?” I ask, shocked, because this place looks like a rickety falling down hellhole.

  Creek laughs at me and shakes his head. “You should have learned by now that when it comes to this new world, nothing is what it seems.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  “I guess I am, and I guess we should stop procrastinating and head in before your dad or one of your brothers comes out here to drag us inside.” He smiles at me, and the rising storm inside of me settles. It’s always been that way, and I’m glad it still is. He’s my anchor, keeping me rooted when my world gets too much.

  “Yeah, wouldn’t want to start today off in an embarrassing way. Not like these guys aren’t going to see a whole lot of me soon anyway.” I roll my eyes. “Is there a reason for the nakedness?”

  “I am sworn to secrecy, you shouldn’t even really know that bit, so keep quiet. The walls around here literally have ears.”

  I laugh and unbuckle myself, but take his words on board. He joins me in front of the truck before leading the way to the building. He looks up to the top right, and lifts his arm to a small box to the right of the door which scans his wrist.

  So freaking bizarre.

  “Told you security was tight,” he laughs, seeing my face.

  I shake my head as a buzzer sounds and the door ope
ns. “Into madness we descend,” I say, to myself more than anything, but I hear his chuckle as he enters through the door, and starts going down the stairs we’re greeted with. The stairs are lined with lamps holding lit candles to light the way.

  When we reach the bottom, we’re faced with a long corridor, lined with doors, but at the end of the hall, huge double doors loom down upon us, and I just know that is where we’re headed. I follow Creek down the dusty hall, the ground no more than packed dirt, dusty from the insane heat down here.

  “Ready or not,” Creek says as we reach the doors and he pushes them open. I stop in the doorway and take in the sight before me. A domed room, with no windows, lit by dozens of candles around the room, and symbols etched into the stone walls. Directly opposite me is a raised platform, with seats spaced equally across, I guess, they are the seats of the elders. What gets me though, is the alter in the middle of the room. It looks so out of place here, its sleek black shininess stands out amongst the dirt and stone of the room. Similar symbols that are etched into the alter are on the walls.

  A shudder runs down my spine and I clam my lips shut to stop from uttering a word.

  “Where is everyone?” I ask Creek, quietly.

  “Probably in the antechamber at the back. Let’s go to the preparation room, you can change in there,” he says and spins on his heel back down the hall. I follow him to the third door down and into the room beyond it.

  “You can get changed in here. There’s warm water in the taps, so you can clean up if you need to, and you’ll find a robe on the back of the door. Strip down to your underwear, and pop on the robe. You’ll be collected when they’re ready.”

  “You can’t stay?” I ask, taking in the foreboding little room.