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

by Sloane Murphy

"Sounds good, and thank you for today. I needed this. Just something normal." I hug him tightly.

  "Anytime, Remy. If you ever need to escape just say the word, and we'll run away, however far and for however long you need."

  Thirteen

  I strap the swords across my back and fasten the gun holsters to my thighs. I take a look at myself in the mirror and laugh. I knew my love of leather would have its time. My black crop top, and leather under bra waist coat show my midriff, the tattoo on my hip peeks up over the top of my ripped black skinny jeans, the fishnets under them peeking through.

  I pull on my chunky heeled boots that I found in a sale years ago to complete the look. My mark has started to creep round my shoulder and down my arm, and having looked at the pictures Colt sent me, I have no idea what its building to, but I can't help but love it. The Hunter’s mark is topped with the mark of Leviathan, a crown, with one single drop of blood hanging from it, but the unknown part, is the vines that seem to grow from the base of my Hunter’s mark. The thorned vines that grow over my shoulder and down my arm, interceded with symbols, some from the alter that I recognize, others that no-one seems to know what they are.

  I'd be worried, but it’s not caused me any harm up to this point, so I have no reason to fear it. Especially with the Leviathan mark, I know it’s a protection of some sort, I just wish I remembered how I got it and why.

  "Are you about ready?" Creek calls out from the main room of my apartment.

  "Nearly!" I shout as I grab the cloak Dad gave me this morning. Apparently, it’s been mine since my first life. Made of a material discovered by the Hunters, almost impenetrable, yet supple and soft.

  It's black matte to help me hide in the shadows, and honestly, it kind of makes me feel like a badass. I slip it on and lift the hood, which paints my face in shadow without restricting my vision in the slightest. This might be my new favorite thing other than my swords. Well, not new, but yeah. I drop the hood back and take one last look at my badass self in my mirror. Walking back out to the main room of my apartment I find Creek and Colt sitting on my sofa, football on, eating my pretzels.

  "Just make yourself at home why don't you," I laugh, shaking my head. "And here was me thinking you guys wanted me to rush."

  They both turn to look at me, Colt with a stupid grin on his face, mouth full of pretzels, looking like a dork, but Creek. His eyes darken and heat as he takes me in, inch by inch. Goosebumps cover my arms as his look basically undresses me, but I shake it off. Creek is my best friend. That isn't a line to cross. If we haven't before now, it’s definitely not a line I'm going to take a run at. Maybe when we were younger, but now, with all things considered, it just doesn't seem like a good idea.

  Right?

  I bite my lip as Colt turns back around and elbows Creek.

  "You ready?" he asks and Creek grunts at him. "Let’s head out then."

  "Where are we going?" I ask, because my swords aren't exactly inconspicuous, and while maybe a hundred years ago no one would think twice about the sight of them, in this world, people are definitely going to look at us sideways.

  "We're just doing a patrol of the abandoned warehouse blocks a few towns over, tonight. Nothing too extreme for your first hunt," Creek tells me and I roll my eyes.

  "So much for the fun of the hunt."

  "There's plenty of time for that, and this still needs to be done. We've found more than a few rouges in similar places since we've been back. It’s as if the Lycans and Dracul have been drawn to this place in the last few months, and no one seems to know why, but activity is definitely up."

  "Oh, okay then. Well, after you guys I guess." I grab my phone and keys from the counter and slip them in my back pocket, not like I can carry a bag with all of this gear on.

  I follow them out of the apartment and down to the waiting truck. Colt climbs in the driver’s seat, so I assume it’s his truck, and Creek climbs in the back with me. We drive in silence, the anticipation in the air building and I can feel the adrenaline flooding me. We leave the city lights behind us as we head down the dark quiet roads to wherever it is we're going.

  Not much later Colt pulls off of the road and I see lights, dim, not too far off. We pull up to the gates of the complex and stop.

  "Ready or not," Colt says softly, and I climb from the truck and come round to the gates where they're both waiting for me.

  "Okay, so we're going to stick together tonight, and if anything happens, please don't jump in the deep end, Remy. It’s your first night back, and you are not back to your old self yet." Colt pleads with me and I sigh.

  "Sure thing, Dad." Creek shakes his head at me, but stays quiet. He signals to be quiet, then to his ears. I focus on my hearing, pushing the Hunter gifts to reach out around me. I don't hear much, other than the scurrying of animals in the fields behind us.

  Colt scales the gate first, heaving himself over the top and dropping down almost silently on the other side. He waits a second, checking to make sure it’s clear before motioning for me to climb over. I step up to the gate and Creek's hands find my waist, helping to hoist me over the gate. I swing my leg over the top, and then hang down the other side, landing as quietly as I can manage. Creek follows quickly and silently, how two guys as big as they are can move that quietly baffles me, but I guess it’s all part of the Hunter toolkit.

  A woman's laugh twinkles out in the distance, as a breeze tears past us before a man appears before us.

  Dracul.

  "Oh yay, dinner is here. It's been so long since I tasted Hunter," he says, his head tilted, his eyes manic.

  "You guys talk too much," Colt says and pulls his gun, aiming straight for the Dracul’s heart.

  "Maybe that's because I'm just the distraction," the man cackles and I duck on instinct, as a blade flies over my head and lands in the heart of the Dracul before us. I spin, Creek and Colt along with me, to find another three Dracul.

  "Oh goodie," Colt says. "And I thought tonight would be quiet."

  He steps forward at the same time as Creek, so they both cover me slightly. I turn my back to them and focus on the Dracul that appeared first. The blade in his chest removed, and his grin gleeful.

  "Pretty little Hunter, I think you'll taste good. Maybe I'll hurt you just enough that I get to keep you for a while," he says and Creek growls from behind me.

  "Oh aren't you just a big ball of crazy," I smile at the Dracul. "We'll see which one of us is bleeding at the end of this, shall we?"

  A calm sweeps over me, it feels familiar and comfortable. A killing calm. Instinct rides me as I pull my sword, shutting out the other two and focusing on the creature before me. I smile at him and lunge forward at the same time he does.

  The motherfucker is fast!

  I swing the sword and glance a blow on his arm, and I laugh as I hear him hiss.

  "Not so pretty anymore am I? And you thought this would be easy," I taunt, the sound of the fight behind me threatens to distract me, but I focus, knowing that Creek and Colt will look after themselves and each other.

  "You little bitch. You'll pay for that," he says and throws the blade he took earlier at me. I dodge it, but not quickly enough and it embeds itself in my shoulder, rather than my throat where it was headed.

  Holy crap that hurts.

  I put my sword back on my back, knowing I'll be useless with it now that my shoulder is fucked up and grab my gun. In a blink, the Dracul become frenzied. I dare a glance at Creek and Colt, and their Dracul are distracted by the scent of my blood.

  "I was right, such a tasty little Hunter. So sweet. You don't smell like the rest. What a treat, what a treat indeed!"

  He rushes at me, and I lift my gun to shoot him, but he crashes into me before I can get the shot off. Fuck I am rusty. His claws tear into my arms where he holds me against the ground, and I feel the blood spill.

  His saliva drops down onto my chest as he stares down at the blood. I wrestle to get him off of me, but even with my Hunter strength, this Dracul is b
eyond strong. He releases one arm and licks the blood from his claw.

  "Such a tasty little Hunter," he sighs his teeth elongated and making him lisp his words.

  I try to reach for my other gun, but I am pinned. That’s when I notice the silence, before wetness rains down on my face.

  I blink and find the Dracul above me headless, and a very pissed of Creek looks down at me.

  "Shit, Remy. Colt, she's bleeding badly."

  "Fuck!" Colt shouts and runs over to me. "All three are down. Grab her, I'll get the gate open and we'll get her to Fallon. She can help heal her."

  "Can't I just heal?" I sigh as Creek pushes the Dracul off of me and scoops me up into his arms.

  "Not this time, Rem. The Dracul around here have started coating their claws in a poison that seems to slow our healing. The knife wound, you could heal from easily, but the rest, we need a witch."

  "Fuck."

  "Yeah, fuck." He jogs and I try to stay as still as I can, but the blood loss makes me feel dizzy, so I close my eyes.

  "Hurry, Colt," I hear, the sounds muffled, as if far away, and drift into a calm as the doors slam shut and we move.

  I try to breathe in, but I cough, blood sputtering from my lips.

  "Fuck, no, Remy, you don't get to leave me like this. Not now." Creeks face appears in front of mine, and I feel his arms wrap around me. He scoops me up from the ground, the warehouse where we just emptied a Dracul nest, now silent as the cold seeps in.

  "It was a lucky shot," I say, coughing.

  "We're going to get you healed. You just need to hang on.

  The Witches’ shop isn't far from here."

  "Creek. It's too late," I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder as he runs with me, not listening to my words.

  "Just hang on, Remy. We're so close." "Creek," I say, my breath rattling. "Stop."

  He halts, the night closing around us, the only light for miles from the moon above us. "It's too far," I say with a smile. He looks down at me, and I see the tears on his face.

  "I can't do this without you, Remy. It’s too soon. This is so fucked up. I'm not giving up," he starts to run again, as fast as his Hunter speed can carry us across the terrain back to the city where the Witches reside. I close my eyes, accepting my fate. This is not my first life, and it will not be my last, though I wish it hadn't been ripped from me so soon.

  Not when we barely had chance to explore what we finally discovered.

  "Just a little longer, hold on, Remy," Creeks voice filters through my ears, bringing me peace, and I smile. I have known love in many forms, but the love Creek gifted me with is possibly the purest I've ever felt. Unweilding, unfaltering, and all encompassing.

  "I love you, Creek," I sigh, as I feel my heart beat slow, the blade that sits in my heart destroys me with every beat that passes.

  "I love you too, Rem. In this life and all others that come. Please don't leave me," he pants, and I feel his tears splash down onto my face. "It's not fair, I only just got you."

  "I'm sorry. Tell my family I love them, and that I'll see them soon."

  "No Remy, you'll see them soon enough. We're almost there. Just another minute." His movements grow faster and then we stop, a smash of glass filters through the air before Creeks voice yells out.

  "What on earth!" a woman's voice reaches my ears as the darkness starts to close in around me. "Quickly, bring her over here. There's not much time."

  We move again, and I hear the sound of crashing around me before Creek's warmth leaves my back and I'm laid down. "We may be too late," the woman's hushed voice sounds

  afraid.

  "Heal her," Creek growls, and takes my hand. "I love you," I whisper. "It's okay."

  "Shut the fuck up, Remy."

  I scream as the blade is pulled from me, and pressure applied. The darkness starts to close in further, when a warmth floods me. Witch Light. The heat grows to the point of making me want to scream out at the burning, but I have no voice as the magic holds me in place.

  As quickly as it started, the heat recedes and I take a deep breath.

  "Thank you, thank you!" Creek utters above me, but I can't speak, I can't move.

  I feel warmth and pressure against my lips as Creek kisses me.

  "Don't you ever do that to me again, Remington Bennett. I will always catch you, I will always be by your side, through anything but fuck you for cutting it that close."

  Fourteen

  “I think she's coming around." Voices filter in through the darkness, and my head throbs as I open my eyes to what is, thankfully, a dimly lit room.

  "Girl, you need to up your game, because dying on me is not an option," Fallon huffs as I sit up. I look around the room and realize I'm in Fallon's kitchen. On her dining table.

  "I'll keep that in mind," I tell her with a painful grin. "She'll be fine," Fallon says over me to where Creek and Colt are hovering. "The poison is out of her system, it’s just the blood loss making her groggy, but that will pass quickly. She's already healing faster than usual."

  I look around the room, Creek’s eyes meet mine, the worry and the pain in them flood me. The memory, or dream, or whatever the hell it was, hits me again and I look quickly from Creek. Holy shitballs. Maybe it wasn't real, right? It could just be a hallucination, I was dying. This happens.

  But I look to him again, and I feel it, I know that it’s true. My heart falls as quickly as it soars, because it's still broken. I might have immersed myself in this new reality to try and forget, but my heart still misses Jack. It hasn't been very long, and despite everything, I did love him.

  I shake it off, if Creek remembers, he hasn't said anything, so I'm sure as hell not going to. Not yet anyway. It's too soon. I have other things I need to focus on.

  "Thank you, Fal," I croak, swinging my legs off the table, still feeling a little lightheaded, but stronger than when I first opened my eyes.

  "Anytime sugar. I was going to swing by and find you guys tomorrow anyway, so honestly, this saves me a journey." She winks at me and I bark out a laugh.

  "What’s up?" Colt says as he and Creek follow us into the sitting room.

  "I need you guys to retrieve something that was stolen.

  I'd do it myself, but it was stolen by a Dracul."

  "How the... nope, never mind. What did they take?" Colt asks, shaking his head.

  "My Witches’ talisman. It was my great, great, great, few more great grandmothers. Passed down through our line. It's been in my family since the beginning, Simone created it, and she was one of the most powerful Witches of all time. It holds great power, and god only knows what those beasts want with it, but it can't be anything good." She wrings her hands in her lap as she tells us how it was stolen from her mother’s store. She had taken it off to clean up after a spell had messed up, and when she came back, it was gone. She traced it with a spell to a Dracul nest, but with her power limited without the talisman, there was no way she was going to try and get it back alone.

  "We can get it," I tell her. "It's the least we can do after tonight."

  "We are not your errand boys, though Fallon. You'd be wise to remember that," Colt says and I whip my gaze to him. What on earth is that?

  "Oh, I know, Hunters rarely deem themselves low enough to help mere Witches, despite our allegiance, and expected obedience when required." She rolls her eyes, and I know that I've missed something between the two of them while I've been wrapped up in myself. I look back to Fallon who shakes her head subtly, so I don't say anything, but I give her a look to tell her we'll be talking about whatever the hell this is.

  "We should be going, I'm so tired." I say and stand, Creek following suit while Colt and Fallon seem to have a silent battle going on. "Colt."

  He looks to me, the fire in his eyes dims and he shakes it off. "Sure, let’s get you home."

  He stands and marches out of the room. "I'll see you soon, Fallon," Creek says with a small smile and leaves the room.

  "Thank you again, Fallon."
>
  "Oh girl, shut up. There isn't much I wouldn't do for you. That brother of yours though," she almost growls the words.

  "We are going to talk about whatever the hell that is, and soon, but if I don't get sleep, I'm going to sleep where I stand," I say and she laughs at me, some of the tension leaving her.

  "Go, rest. Be careful. Maybe have one of them stay with you tonight just in case. Blood loss is no joke, even for a Hunter." I roll my eyes at her mothering, but she smiles at me.

  "Love you, girl."

  "Love you too. Text me that address, and I'll drag that pair out tomorrow. We'll get your talisman back."

  "Thank you. Really."

  "Anytime," I say as I hug her and then head to the truck outside where I'm met with two surly Hunters sat in silence.

  "I don't want to hear anything about nearly getting myself killed. Can you please save your lectures for tomorrow? I really do just want to sleep."

  "I'm staying at your apartment tonight, to keep an eye on you. Blood loss..." Creek starts.

  "Is no joke, yeah Fallon gave me the speech already. It’s fine by me, you can take the spare room. It's not like you haven't before. But no lectures," I cut him off and he nods, while Colt sits, stewing in whatever is up with him.

  We drive in silence until Colt pulls up at my apartment. "See you tomorrow, Colt."

  "I'm not around tomorrow, little bit. But I'll see you in a few days. Try and stay out of trouble?"

  I roll my eyes and hug him around the chair. "I'll try."

  I smile at him and climb out of the truck as they fist bump and Creek joins me on the pavement before we head into my building.

  I try to shove away the awkward feeling that envelopes me of being alone with Creek in my apartment. Stupid fucking memories. What use are they when they just make my life harder?

  "Are you okay?" he asks me softly, as he shrugs out of his jacket and kicks off his boots. I perch on the edge of the sofa and undo my boots, my cloak already in the washing pile after the whole using it to try and staunch the blood from my arms thing. That’s what I get for not wearing it because I was too warm. In future I'll suffer the heat it gives and protect myself.