Magic and Shadows: A Collection of YA Fantasy and Paranormal Romances

by T. M. Franklin

  “I think so, talking to this woman. But then they were gone.”

  Lucy joined her at the window, her gaze steady, encouraging. “Then what?”

  “I . . . I . . . someone was following me.” Her hand flew to her neck. “I think he grabbed me. And I fell?” Ava tried to concentrate, willing the blurry images to focus, but nothing happened. “I don’t know,” Ava admitted. “I guess I passed out and . . . I’m not sure what happened.” She struggled to remember, but the thoughts floated out of her grasp, like a word on the tip of the tongue. “Someone . . . brought me here, I think.”

  “You think?”

  “I don’t remember. I blacked out, and I woke up here.” She reached up absently to touch the back of her head, wincing at the new scar.

  Lucy already had her phone out. “You need to tell the police what happened,” she said, dialing 911.

  “No, wait.” Ava grabbed the phone and hung up. Suddenly, she was exhausted.

  “Ava, you need to file a report.”

  “I can’t, Luce. I’m not even sure what happened. I’m not even sure anything happened,” she replied. “I’m just . . . I’m really wiped out. I have a test in less than eight hours, and I really need to get some sleep.”

  “Ava . . .”

  She held up a hand. “I swear, if I remember anything more, I’ll go down and file a report with campus police. I really . . . I can’t deal with it right now, okay?” She wiped her eyes as they filled with tears once again. “I need some time to think about it when I’m not so freaked out.”

  Lucy bit her lip, unconvinced. “I still think you should tell them.”

  “Maybe it will come back after I get some rest,” she said. “You know, like temporary amnesia or something. Or maybe I’m just getting weirded out by all these nightmares. Who knows? Maybe I dreamed the whole thing.”

  Lucy rolled her eyes and got up to lock the deadbolt. “Okay. I don’t like it, but okay. Gotta say, you’ve got me more than a little worried, Ava. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  Later, as Ava lay awake staring at the ceiling, she found herself hoping the same thing.

  The next morning, Ava left early for class, retracing her steps from the night before in an attempt to spark her missing memories. She walked quickly to the diner, darting across the street to the open doorway where she’d seen the mysterious man, but found nothing out of the ordinary. She followed her path from the night before, eyes trailing over the ground and the surrounding area as she slowed her steps, trying to stay calm and let the memories flow. By the time she got back on campus, she felt increasingly frustrated, not to mention a little bit crazy.

  As she approached the bridge, a tingle of awareness raced up her spine. Running her fingers along the concrete railing, she peered over the edge and let her gaze trail over the path in front of her, unsure of what she was looking for. She stepped off the bridge and back onto the pathway, taking a few tentative steps before turning in a slow circle, ignoring the curious looks of the students passing by. She tilted her head back, gazing at the tree branches overhead—the sky beyond—then let her focus drop to the gravel underfoot.

  She spotted a glint of metal under a shrub at the edge of the walkway, and her heart began to thud heavily in her chest. Ava glanced around before stepping over to the shrub, and she dropped to her knees, reaching for the object. She pulled it out, staring in shock at the metal cylinder lying across her palm.

  A can of pepper spray. Her pepper spray.

  Ava fell back in shock, sitting down heavily on the gravel path as the memories came flooding back in full color, layering one over another in a dizzying series of flashes. She touched her scar, remembering how she had fallen and hit her head, and her fingers swept to her throat as she recalled the way the monstrous man had gripped her neck. It had all happened—the frightening attack, just as in her dreams, the only difference the appearance of the mysterious rescuer when she feared all was lost.

  “Miss? Are you all right?” An older man, a professor most likely, looked down at her in concern.

  Ava nodded, forcing back tears as she got to her feet. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

  “Do you need help?” He reached out, but she stepped back abruptly, overwhelmed and unsure if she could handle it if someone actually touched her at that moment.

  “No . . . thank you. I’m fine. I . . . uh . . . I have to get to class.” She turned and began to walk away, her steps speeding up as she went. She would go to the police as she promised Lucy. They might think she was crazy. But she knew it had happened, and she had to report it. But right now, she had a test to take—one she couldn’t afford to miss.

  Ava took a deep breath and forced the fear and anxiety back, stifling the memories of the night before. She rushed to class, and as she neared the science building, she spotted Caleb sitting on the steps of the library, his eyes focused intently on a textbook in his lap. He didn’t look up, but Ava couldn’t quell the eerie feeling that he’d been watching her.

  She debated with herself for a moment, the events of the night before prodding her relentlessly. She was missing something. She was almost certain of it.

  Someone had stopped her attacker. Someone had saved her.

  Ava stepped behind the corner of the building, pressing her back against the bricks as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, once again running through her memories of the night before, but this time trying to focus on the dark figure who had rescued her.

  Tall . . . strong . . .

  “I’ve got you.”

  A face cast in shadow, yet somehow familiar.

  Her eyes flew open, and she groaned in frustration. The rest of her memories were crystal clear, but she just couldn’t bring him into focus. In addition to the question of who, there was a great, big, glaring why. Why would someone intercede and then leave her with no explanation? On top of that lingered the even bigger how. How had he stopped the attack? How had he gotten her back into her room? How had her injuries all but disappeared?

  How was she supposed to focus on a physics test in the middle of all of this?

  With a defeated sigh, Ava peeked around the corner of the building, only to find Caleb on his feet, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked around the crowded courtyard. He held his textbook on one hand, fingers tapping erratically on the cover as he casually scanned the area.

  What was he doing?

  Ava watched him as she came out from behind the building and started toward him. She didn’t know what she expected to happen when he spotted her—perhaps a smile or a wave—but instead, his eyes passed over her as if he didn’t even notice her. He took a breath, stretching his arms overhead before he sat back down and opened his textbook to read.

  Weird. She could have sworn he was looking for her.

  Or maybe he was looking for her, but pretending he wasn’t?

  But why?

  Why?

  Ava’s eyes narrowed on Caleb as she walked across the courtyard, and slowly, methodically, the pieces began to click into place.

  She didn’t know who saved her the night before, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was someone familiar—someone she knew. And Caleb . . . well, it seemed as if Caleb was everywhere lately. Maybe she wasn’t imagining seeing him around every corner. Maybe Lucy was right and he was interested in her, even following her. Maybe he was there when she was attacked and stepped in to help.

  Could it have been Caleb? And if so, why had he disappeared without a word?

  Even more confusing—how did she end up back in her room, believing it was all just another nightmare?

  The questions whirled around in Ava’s mind, one atop the other . . . piling higher and higher until she felt almost weighed down by confusion and curiosity. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at Caleb, studiously focused on his textbook, turning a page, jotting a few words on his pad, and she took a deep breath.

  “Only one way to find out,” she muttered, stalking the rest of the way across th
e courtyard.

  She came to a stop in front of him, arms crossed as she waited for him to notice her. Caleb continued to read, oblivious to her presence. Or at least giving the appearance of obliviousness. Ava was beginning to wonder if anything about Caleb was what it appeared to be.

  “Hi,” she said finally, the word laced with nerves and irritation.

  Caleb looked up, blue eyes wide. “Ava,” he said, surprised. “Hi. What’s up?”

  What’s up? Really?

  Her eyes narrowed as Caleb continued to gaze up at her innocently. It was like some bizarre game of chicken, each daring the other to give—one challenging the other for the truth, the other claiming the suspicions as boundless, or perhaps daring the first to let it drop. It left Ava swinging wildly from being certain Caleb was her rescuer to feeling like an idiot for ever thinking it in the first place.

  “Ava? Is something wrong?”

  Ava opted for bluntness, in the hope that Caleb might give something away.

  “I was attacked last night,” she said, watching him closely. His eyes flickered to the left briefly before returning to her face. Was that a sign?

  “Attacked?” Caleb repeated, his mouth dropping open in shock as he stood up, towering over her on the steps. He jumped down to her, reaching out to touch her shoulder, then pulling back abruptly. “Are you all right? Were you hurt?”

  “I’m fine,” Ava said stiffly, eyes intent on his. “Someone came along and scared the guy off.”

  Caleb ran a hand through his mop of hair, looking into the distance. “Well, that’s good. That’s . . . good.”

  Ava said nothing, the silence looming between them. He swallowed deeply. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. “You went to the police, right?”

  She ignored his question. “Was it you?”

  Caleb blinked. “What?”

  “Was it you?” she repeated, emphasizing each word carefully.

  “Was what me?”

  “Caleb,” she said firmly. “Last night. Was it you? I’m not going to freak out about you following me, you know. I just want to know what happened.”

  “Following you? Ava, what are you talking about?” he asked, rubbing his eye underneath his glasses. “I was home studying all night last night.”

  “Studying.”

  “Yes. I do that occasionally,” he said with a grin. Was it Ava’s imagination, or did it seem a little forced?

  At that moment, a crowd piled out of the library, and Caleb climbed the steps to gather his books, only to drop them again when someone bumped him from behind. He shoved his glasses up on his nose and picked up his scattered papers, losing his balance and falling to a knee. He winced, cursing slightly and rubbing his knee awkwardly. With a sigh, Ava bent down to grab a few pages before the wind blew them away. She handed them to Caleb, who smiled his thanks before tucking them into his backpack.

  Suddenly, her suspicions seemed ridiculous. Caleb was a nice guy, but he was hardly the hero type. Caleb was . . . well, Caleb. She shook her head, flushing in embarrassment as she held out a hand to help him up. He stumbled slightly on the steps and gripped her hand to keep from falling again, almost taking her down with him.

  “Sorry,” he muttered, stuffing the rest of his books in his pack with an embarrassed shrug.

  “No. I’m sorry,” she said with a sigh. “I didn’t mean to come after you like that. I guess I was a little more shaken up than I thought.”

  “It’s okay,” he said, his brow still creased with concern. “I’m just glad you’re all right. I would have helped, you know, if I’d been there.” He swung his backpack onto his shoulder.

  “I know. Thanks.”

  “Come on,” he said, waving toward the science building. “You’re late for class, and I need to get some paperwork done for Professor Andrews.”

  Ava nodded, falling into step beside Caleb. She felt stupid, to be honest. Caleb was obviously a lot smaller than the guy who’d helped her the night before. The poor guy was so skinny she doubted he’d be able to carry her for a few seconds, let alone all the way back to her dorm.

  “So, have you talked to the police?” he asked, holding the door open for her.

  “Not yet,” she replied. “I’m going to head over to the station after class.”

  “If you need someone to go with you,” he offered.

  “No, no it’s fine,” she said, shaking her head.

  “I really don’t mind.”

  “It’s okay,” Ava said, embarrassed about involving Caleb in all of this as much as she had. “I’m just going to go give a statement. It’s no big deal.”

  Caleb stopped in front of Professor Andrews’ office. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me,” he said with a smile, tilting his head toward the door.

  “Thanks, Caleb. Really,” Ava said, heading toward the stairs. “I appreciate it. I’ll see you tonight at the library, okay?”

  “Seven o’clock?”

  “I’ll be there.” Ava ran up the stairs and slipped quietly into a seat in the back of the full lecture hall, avoiding the professor’s gaze. As she turned over the stapled pages lying facedown on her desk, all thoughts of her mysterious rescuer faded to the background, and she focused on her physics quiz, knowing she’d have to answer Caleb’s own questions later that evening.

  After class, Ava made her way to the campus security office, swallowing nervously before walking through the swinging glass door. She scanned the large, empty room, from the cracked linoleum to the dropped ceiling, stained in the center from an obvious leak at some point in the past. Ava wasn’t sure if she should be reassured that there was apparently not enough crime on campus to require a more impressive police force, or worried that perhaps her situation might be better dealt with by the city police. She’d called them, though, and had been told the campus police had jurisdiction.

  Ava approached the front desk, pressing the button on a small bell, the sharp ding echoing off the walls. After a moment, a uniformed officer appeared in the doorway at the rear of the room, wiping his hands on a napkin as he approached the desk.

  “Sorry about that,” he said. “Lunch break. What can I do for you?”

  Ava licked her lips. “I . . . uh . . . need to report something.”

  The officer eyed her carefully, noticing her wringing hands, her shifting eyes. “Are you all right?” he asked kindly.

  Ava nodded. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I’m just a little nervous, to be honest.”

  The officer gestured toward the back of the room. “Why don’t you come back here and have a seat,” he said. “Then we can talk about what happened.” Ava smiled weakly, following him to a small desk in a corner. He fired up a laptop computer, inviting her to sit on a chair next to the desk. “Let’s start with your name,” he said quietly, tapping on the keyboard.

  “Ava,” she said. “Ava Michaels.”

  The officer smiled. “I’m Nick Simmons,” he said, holding out a hand. Ava shook it lightly. “Now, Ava, why don’t you tell me what happened?”

  Ava took a deep breath. “I was attacked last night when I was walking home from work.”

  Officer Simmons’ face grew hard, businesslike. “Let’s start at the beginning,” he said. “What time was this?”

  Ava told her story, answering the officer’s questions and doing her best to remember any details. He tapped away on his computer, compassionate but grim, only interrupting occasionally to clarify facts or try to glean more information from Ava’s scattered memories. When she finished, telling him she woke up in her own room with no memory of how she got there, he frowned.

  “You have no idea who it was?” he asked. “Who saved you?”

  Ava’s thoughts flew to Caleb for a split-second, but she shook her head. “No. I didn’t get a good look at him. Somehow, whoever it was got me home safely, but I have no idea who it was or how.”

  Officer Simmons sat back in his chair, scratching his chin lightly. “I have to be honest, Ava. This is a l
ittle bit out of our jurisdiction. I’ll need to call in the city police on this. They have more resources at their disposal.”

  “But I called the city police,” she protested. “They sent me to you.”

  “Did you tell them what happened?”

  Ava’s face fell. “Not specifically, no.” She felt the inexplicable prick of tears behind her eyes. Officer Simmons patted her hand sympathetically.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll catch this guy.” He picked up the phone, dialing the local police department and quickly explaining who he was and what he needed. “Did you recognize him? Have you seen him before?” He asked Ava while he waited on hold.

  Ava hesitated. “I think I might have seen him once outside the restaurant where I work,” she said. She didn’t think it would be helpful to mention that he’d starred in her nightmares for the past few months. The last thing she needed was for him to dismiss her as a crazy person.

  “That escalates things,” he said gruffly, tucking the phone into the crook of his neck and typing on his computer. “If he’s been watching you, it lessens the likelihood that this was a random attack.”

  Ava’s skin chilled. “You don’t think it was random. You think he specifically targeted me?”

  “It’s too soon to know for sure,” he said. “But don’t worry. We’ll make sure you’re safe.” His attention turned to the phone. “Jerry. It’s Nick. We’ve got a situation on campus.”

  Ava’s stomach churned as she listened to the one-sided conversation. Because no matter how much she tried to convince herself of the contrary, she knew that Nick was wrong. It wasn’t too soon to know for sure.

  The attack was not random. The huge man had come after her, specifically.

  And she knew he would be back.

  Caleb stood in the shelter of a tree behind the campus police station, under a window cracked just enough for him to hear the conversation inside. He could have heard it even if the window was closed, of course, but this made things a little easier.

  Ava relayed the events of the night before, voice firm and strong, even though he knew she had to have been scared out of her mind.