Shadows Fall

by Rivers, Brandy L

  Shadows Fall

  Others of Edenton 1.5

  By Brandy L Rivers

  Copyright 2013 Brandy L Rivers

  Smashwords Edition

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Also by Brandy L Rivers

  New Beginnings

  Prequel to Others of Edenton

  In Too Deep

  Book 1: Others of Edenton

  Shadows of the Past

  Book 2: Others of Edenton

  Coming Soon

  Falling Into Place

  Book 3: Others of Edenton

  I hope to have this out early next year.

  Nights Embrace

  Book 1: Others in Seattle

  I hope to have this one out early next year.

  Storms Collide

  Book 2: Others in Seattle

  To keep up with upcoming releases and news visit me at

  www.brandylrivers.com

  http://www.facebook.com/brandylrivers

  www.twitter.com/brandylrivers

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  About the Author

  Reference Guide

  Dedication

  To my mother who is amazingly supportive and a wonderful mom.

  I’m lucky to have you in my life, and to have your help with my books

  Love you, always and forever.

  I hope my kids look up to me half as much as I look up to you

  You’re the best.

  Acknowledgments and Thank Yous

  Let me start by thanking my family. My kids are the best cheerleaders ever. It’s pretty awesome when they tell me, “Mommy, you’re the best writer ever.” Granted, they aren’t old enough to read my books, but it’s still pretty sweet.

  Magen McMinimy, you are a dear. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have written this Novelette. Thank you for cheering me on, and helping me in the early stages. You’re a rockstar.

  LJ Baker, you never cease to make me smile. I love all your feedback on the early version. Now finish up working on your books so I can read the rest.

  Amanda Keeney, you are a sweetheart, and amazing. Keep up the awesome work with your stories, and you’re are a great beta-reader. I really do appreciate it.

  Kristin Mayer, my Slater stalker, I love you, hon. You always make me laugh.

  Claire C. Riley, I may have ignored one suggestion, but the next book, and In Too Deep should make that decision make sense. Your feedback was awesome. Thank you again.

  All the ladies in Rivers Others, I love you, you really do build me up. I appreciate all of your posts in the group and all the support you all give me. Every one of you is amazing.

  Chapter 1

  Amethyst turned her key, but she didn’t hear the click. The door was already unlocked. A shiver traveled down her spine as she stepped inside. She quietly set her purse on the table and closed her eyes.

  He’s here again. Her stomach plummeted and her heart thumped in her chest. What will it take to make him stay away?

  She could feel Carl’s presence, but she didn’t know where he was lurking.

  Her skin crawled as she made her way through her apartment. Turning around and leaving would be wiser, but she hoped she could grab a couple things and sneak out before he realized she was there.

  A feeling of unease settled over her as she cautiously walked into her too dark bedroom. Her curtains were shut, but she had left them open that morning. Before she could turn around to leave, he was there, blocking her path.

  Carl leaned forward, his pale hair falling into his deep blue eyes. “What’s wrong, Amethyst? Aren’t you happy to see me?” A wicked sneer twisted his lips.

  Slowly, she backed away, wanting to put a little distance between them. It didn’t work. He followed, backing her against the bed.

  A startled gasp escaped her lips as she fell, and then quickly scrambled away, until her back hit the headboard. Carl crawled after her, and she flipped on the lights.

  He wasn’t very tall, but he had a good six inches on her and 60 pounds. His dark eyes drilled into hers. “Well, Amethyst. Don’t you miss me, yet?”

  “No.” She was beyond sick of him, and all of his crappy power games. Pushing off the headboard, she shoved him hard.

  With a surprised grunt, he landed on the floor.

  A surge of adrenaline raced through her as she shot to her feet. Her hands landed on her hips as she glared down at him. “I told you we’re through, Carl. How many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone? I’m done. That’s not going to change.”

  The ugly smirk on his face faded into a mask of pain. She almost felt bad, but she knew he would smother her if she let him stay. He wanted to control her, to dictate every detail of her life. The only way to stop that from happening was to get rid of him.

  There was a surefire way to make Carl stay away, but just thinking about it made her stomach sour. As a nymph, she could control people through sex. She could hold that part of her magic back now, but that wasn’t always the case.

  She still remembered Johnny, and her first orgasm from another person after her awakening. She thought she was in love with him at sixteen. They were in high school, and she hadn’t even realized she made him need to spend every minute of the day with her.

  It had been such a mess. First he wouldn’t leave when it was time to go home, then his parents dragged him home. Less than an hour later, he had snuck out and climbed through her window. His parents dragged him away again, and he did it again. She finally had to ask her Mom for help, which was embarrassing in its own right.

  Using Carl’s body to do what she wanted him to do just seemed wrong to her. It was an argument her mom had with her over and over again.

  Mom would say, “Ame, hon, you’ve fucked him so many times, there’s no difference. Just get it over with and he will be out of your life for good.”

  “That’s just it, I don’t want him anymore. I don’t want to be with him just to make him go away.”

  “But he isn’t going to leave you alone until you do. So suck it up, and at least give him a blow job.”

  She just needed to be more like Fallon and assert herself.

  Carl climbed to his feet, peering deep into her eyes. She could feel his pain and almost broke down, telling him what he wanted to hear. Almost, but she reminded herself, I’m stronger than that. I can do this.

  “Precious,” he whispered. “I love you. Please don’t send me away. I need you, always just you.”

  He didn’t. What he felt was warped and twisted, but it wasn’t love. She shook her head and pushed him toward the door. “No. You need to get a grip on reality, and leave. We’re done. I can’t do it anymore. You said you would give me whatever I wanted. Well, what I want is for you to leave.”

  “No.” Desperation filled his eyes as he stepped closer. This time she didn’t move. “Please, Ame, please.”

  �
��Go. Just please go before I yell for Mike.” Thankfully, her neighbor was a werewolf. He would have no problem making a warlock leave. He was just next door and would come running in a heartbeat.

  His chest heaved and his face turned red. “One day you’ll realize you’re mine,” he promised vehemently, before storming out of her apartment.

  Amethyst slumped on her bed as tears filled her eyes. She’d thought she loved him once, but somewhere along the way he started to go a little nuts. He seemed to be getting crazier by the day. She didn’t know what to do about it either.

  * * * *

  Carl’s heart ached as his rage built back up. Amethyst was his and would be until her dying breath. If she couldn’t see reason, he would send her to the Silver Council. He knew she feared them, but maybe by the time they were through with her, she would trust him to take care of her.

  Desperate without her, he forced tears to his eyes as he walked into the Silver Council headquarters in San Francisco. A young woman sat behind the front desk. Her golden eyes sparked as she glanced up at him. Her boredom dissolved into irritation.

  She swept her onyx hair behind her ear, and sighed. “Do you realize where you are, warlock?” The last was said with distaste.

  Doing his best to look pathetic, he sniffled and wiped the back of his hand across his tear streaked face. “Yes, but you’re the only ones who can help me.” A sob racked through him. “I’ve been fairy struck by a nymph.

  The mage’s brow wrinkled as she glared back. “A nymph you say? And why would she do this?”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense. I can’t go a moment without thinking about her, without wanting her. Now that she’s through with me…,” his voice broke, because his heart really was breaking. “Now that she’s done with me, she wants me to suffer.”

  Her tone grew cold, and he felt the chill in the air. “You do realize that this accusation could mean her death, don’t you? Are you sure you’re fairy struck?”

  He nodded gravely, praying that he wasn’t sending Amethyst to her death. Still, it would be better to have her gone for good rather than see her in the arms of another man.

  “We’ll see about that. I’ll bring you back to our lead investigator. Jarvis should be able to get to the bottom of this.”

  His blood ran cold at that name. There were some terrible rumors about what he liked to do to any nymph or siren in custody. Jarvis was rarely in San Francisco, and Carl never imagined he would be there for her captivity.

  There was no going back though. He nodded slowly.

  Her eyes narrowed as she stood up, towering over him. She walked him to the elevators, and motioned to another woman who hurried to the desk while she pressed the button.

  “For the record, I hope you know what you’re doing. If we find that you’ve lied about this, you’ll be the one we punish,” she warned.

  “I know that.” Carl did, but he also knew that if this didn’t work, he would simply disappear.

  The ride seemed to take forever, and he loathed small enclosed spaces. If this hadn’t been an urgent matter, he would have insisted on using the stairs. Before long, the little box opened and he stumbled into the hall with a shuddering breath.

  The mage gave him a cold look before nodding to her right. She led him down the corridor to a metal door with a glass window. “Go on. Don’t keep Jarvis waiting.”

  Carl stepped inside and took a seat in front of the stainless steel desk. The room was cold and uninviting with its bright white walls, and uncomfortable seating. There was no computer, no phone, nothing but the sturdy empty metal desk and two cold steel chairs.

  He played the part of victim. With a whimper, he wrapped his arms around himself and began to rock back and forth, staring at the ground.

  “Carl Umbra? I assume you have a reason to be here?” The mage sneered. Like most mages, they looked down on any other caster. Warlocks should never be dismissed, but mages were too self-absorbed to fear anyone.

  “Amethyst Lakes knowingly seduced me, addicting me to her charms.” He met the mage’s dull black eyes as tears ran down his face. “I can’t live without her.” That part was true, but Amethyst did nothing to bind him to her. She was always so careful to avoid anything that would tie him to her.

  Jarvis studied him like he was a specimen under a microscope, but Carl stared right back.

  “Stupid warlock.” Jarvis muttered before smirking. “We’ll have to find her and see if what you say is true. I’ll set something up to help you with your… addiction.” He pushed himself back in his seat with a look of disgust. “I would think any caster would know better than to play with a fae slut without some form of protection.”

  * * * *

  Finally, Amethyst had a solution that didn’t involve naked play time to send Carl away. She took a deep breath and called Fallon. While the phone rang, she walked to the window to stare out.

  Man, she hoped her closest friend, and practically sister was okay after the hell Brody had only hinted at.

  Doubt started to creep in. Maybe she shouldn’t be calling. Perhaps it was too soon. She almost hung up.

  “Hi Amethyst.” Fallon sounded so happy and it gave her a hope she hadn’t felt in weeks.

  “Fallon, are you okay?” She leaned against the wall and twisted the ends of her purple hair around her fingers.

  “I’m fine. What about you? What’s wrong?”

  She smiled a little. Fallon really was like a big sister. Amethyst knew the timing was all wrong but she needed to set this in motion. She swallowed hard and blushed. “I hear you found yourself a good man.” A sigh escaped her lips. “He sounds like a total sweetie.” Just one brief call and she knew Brody truly loved Fallon. She could feel it over the phone, which was rare.

  “Yeah. He is, and I’ll tell you all about him later.” Fallon was almost bubbly, which never happened. At least until her tone hardened. “But first, you’re going to tell me what’s wrong. I know that tone, sweetheart. What is it?”

  The words rushed out of her in a stream. “Well, Carl won’t leave me alone. He’s stalking me. He shows up everywhere, begging me to come back. He hasn’t done anything but say some really stupid stuff. I just… I don’t know what to do.”

  Fallon cleared her throat. “So don’t take this the wrong way. You have an option, and I know you know what I’m referring to. Just keep the option open and use it before you can’t stand to be near him.”

  “I really don’t want to go there.” Her voice broke.

  “I know, but you can make him want to avoid you without hurting him.”

  She pulled at her hair and looked blindly at the clouds. “Mom’s been trying to get me to do that for months,” she groaned. “The idea of using him like that just makes me sick.”

  “Sorry. If I knew Opal was on you about it, I wouldn’t have gone there.” She knew Fallon meant it.

  “That’s okay. I had another idea anyway,” she said hopefully.

  “Shoot.”

  “I was wondering if your new shop has an opening for a piercer. Between my mother and my ex, I think a move might be a good thing.”

  “We do. We don’t have a piercer at all. Adam and Tomahawk turn green anytime someone walks in and asks for a piercing. The big babies.” Fallon laughed. “So, just let me know when you think you’re ready, and I’ll set it up.”

  “Just like that?” She asked suspiciously

  “Remember,” Fallon told her. “Jess is up here, which means she probably already lined the job up for you. And if not, I’m in tight with the owner’s brother, so don’t worry about that.”

  Amethyst slid down the wall. She couldn’t help wondering what Jess saw in her visions, and what she had already planned out.

  Fallon broke the silence. “Are you doing okay? Really?”

  “Yeah. Thanks for talking. I should let you go. Brody says you need your rest, though you sound good.”

  “I am good. But if you need to talk, you have my number.”

&nb
sp; “I do. Talk to you soon, Fallon.”

  “Bye Ame.” Fallon hung up, and Amethyst tossed her phone on the bed, just in time for the pounding on her door to begin.

  Before she could get to her feet, the door burst open, and three men stormed into her room with ugly sneers. She could feel their magic wash over her, so she sat there watching them.

  “Amethyst Lakes?” One of them snarled.

  At a loss for words, she nodded slowly.

  “We’re taking you in for questioning.”

  “For what?” She whispered.

  “Jarvis plans to ask all of the questions. I’m sure he’ll fill you in.”

  Terror froze her to her spot. Council mages always made her blood run cold, but that name was all her fears rolled into one. There was only one council mage she trusted, but she doubted bringing his name up would be any help.

  * * * *

  Carl watched from the dark alley across from Amethyst’s building. Everything went as he expected. Three mages dragged a terrified Amethyst through the front doors and toward the dark van.

  Her sparkling violet eyes went wide as she caught sight of him in the shadows. Her lip trembled as a tear slid down her face.

  A pang of guilt twisted through his heart, but this was the only way to make her run back to him. If only she would realize she needed him every bit as much as he needed her. They shoved her into the back, and one of the mages climbed in with her before the other two hurried to the front and took off.