Shadows at Sunset: Sunset Trilogy ~ Book 1

by Tonya Royston

  “You might not want to leave the box on top of those brochures. They could get ruined from the heat,” he said as he broke off the cheese from the sides of his pizza.

  “Good. I really just want to throw them in the trash. But, unfortunately, everything you see here can also be found online. So I’m sure whatever does get ruined will only be reprinted by my parents.” I frowned as I always did when the thought of college crossed my mind before taking another bite.

  Noah recognized my frustration as I had explained to him a few nights ago that I was having trouble picking a college. “Oh yes, the dreaded subject of college.”

  I swallowed as my eyes met his. “That’s right. So let’s not ruin tonight by talking about it, okay? Tell me about your week. Anything exciting? Did you pull any more bodies out of the woods?” I really didn’t mean to make light of the body that had been found before school started, but it just slipped out.

  He smiled faintly. “No, thank goodness. If we had, you’d already know about it.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “But I did rescue a cat.”

  “A cat? Wow, that’s definitely newsworthy,” I teased.

  “Yeah. We got a call from a little old lady on Evergreen Road. She was frantic because her cat was up in a tree.”

  “Oh, that must be Mrs. Parks.”

  I pictured her old colonial house that I had passed by often. It had once been painted bright white, but now had patches of gray aging planks where the paint flaked off like pieces of paper. Cobwebs stretched across the corners under the eaves and could be seen in the windows, and tall weeds had taken over the lawn. Mrs. Parks hadn’t been able to properly care for the home since her husband had died. But even as it fell apart around her, she had continued to live there alone for years.

  “You know her?”

  “I know of her,” I corrected. “What was she like when you went over there?”

  “A little odd, but nice enough.”

  “Did she invite you in for tea and cookies after you rescued her cat?”

  Noah chuckled. “Hardly. She thanked me and then carried her cat back into the house.” He wrinkled his nose at the thought of the dilapidated house. “I’m actually glad. I don’t think I’d want to go into that house if it looks as bad on the inside as it does on the outside.”

  “I would,” I said quickly, grinning at his astonishment.

  “What? Are you nuts?”

  “No. It’s rumored that her house was part of the Underground Railroad. Supposedly, it has secret compartments and passageways where they hid escaped slaves who were trying to make it up to Canada.”

  “Really? That’s pretty cool. Now if I had known that, I might have tried a little harder to get an invitation from her to come in.”

  “Rumor also has it that she rarely lets anyone in. It’s really a shame because the house is pretty much a historical landmark.” Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. “That’s it,” I mused, thinking out loud.

  Noah gazed at me, confused. “What?” he asked, tilting his head as he took another bite of pizza.

  “Sorry. I was thinking about a History assignment from yesterday. We have to do a research project on a topic of our choice as long as it has something to do with New England. The Underground Railroad is perfect. Our topic is due next week, so you just helped me. As long as my partner agrees to it, that is. But I don’t know how he could turn it down.”

  “Partner?”

  I took a deep breath. “Yes. It’s a group project. Actually, we were paired off in teams of two. I hate group projects, even if it’s only with one other person.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Maybe you can convince Mrs. Parks to give you a tour of her house for your project.”

  “I doubt it, especially if she knows we’re doing a project that has to be presented to the whole class. But it’s a great topic. Maybe I’ll find some other houses around here or in neighboring towns that were part of it.”

  “Or your partner could do that.”

  Why did he have to mention my partner? I bit into my half-eaten piece of pizza, delaying my answer for a few moments while I chewed and swallowed my food. “No. That will probably be all me. He’s not from the area,” I replied hesitantly, avoiding Noah’s gaze as I mentioned that last part. When I finally looked back at him, I noticed the curiosity in his eyes. “I ended up stuck with Xander Payne. I’m not too happy about it.”

  “Well, maybe now you can ask him if he really did steal a car.”

  I glanced away from Noah, staring across the kitchen with my eyebrows wrinkled. “I don’t need to. I already did. He told me he returned it without a scratch and the owner didn’t press charges.” I shifted my gaze back to Noah, hoping he wouldn’t ask me how I knew this.

  “Well, there you go. He didn’t lie after all. And maybe he learned his lesson.”

  “I hope so. I don’t want my History partner getting in trouble with the law since the law around here is my father and my--um, my friend.” I started to say boyfriend, but I stopped, afraid that he might get spooked if he knew I wanted to call him that.

  Disappointment registered on Noah’s face. “That’s all I am to you? A friend?”

  “No--I mean yes--I don’t know,” I said nervously, grasping for the right answer. I just didn’t know what that was. “What am I to you?” I asked, turning his question back on him.

  “If I didn’t think it would scare you off, I’d say maybe my girlfriend.” His eyes studied me for my reaction.

  I smiled, trying not to beam too brightly as my heart fluttered. I had been out on dates with boys before, but I’d never been called someone’s girlfriend. And truthfully, until now, there had never been anyone I wanted calling me their girlfriend. “Really?” I almost didn’t believe him. Gathering my courage, I took a deep, hopeful breath. “If that’s what I am to you, is it too soon to ask you to be my date for the Homecoming dance?”

  “No, absolutely not. I would love to take you to Homecoming.” He took another bite of his pizza, a big grin on his face as he chewed.

  “Wow, really? I honestly hadn’t planned to mention it tonight. Now I have a couple weeks to find a dress,” I rambled on, wondering why he kept staring at me.

  “And I get to know that you’ll still want to see me in a few weeks.”

  “Of course I will. Why would you even doubt that?”

  He looked away for a moment, a dark shadow racing across his face. “You never know. Things have a way of changing sometimes. Besides, I haven’t had the best luck in the girlfriend department lately.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Let’s just say my luck seems to have changed since I got here.”

  His eyes met mine, and I smiled. From that point, Noah asked me more about my assignment and what else I knew about the town’s history. We talked as we finished eating a few more slices of pizza. Once we’d had our fill, Noah helped me clear away the dishes. Then I packed up the leftover pizza and placed it in the refrigerator. As I shut the door and leaned against it, he wiped his hands on the kitchen towel and set it on the counter. “What should we do now?” I asked.

  “You tell me.”

  I thought for a moment, but nothing too exciting came to mind. “There aren’t a whole lot of options. We could see what’s on TV or go outside and enjoy the stars. It’s a pretty clear night.” I hoped he didn’t find my suggestions too dull or too high-school.

  “Sounds good. Either one works for me. What would you prefer?”

  “To sit outside. I’m also hoping that Dakota will come home before I go to bed. I always sleep better when he’s here. Besides, there isn’t much I really like on TV these days. I’ve never enjoyed all those reality shows.” I led the way across the kitchen to the back door and stepped out into the cool night air. Noah flipped the outside light on, and I turned. “No, leave it off. It’s easier to see the stars when it’s completely dark.”

  He switched the light off before
following me out onto the patio as the back door fell shut with a bang. I rubbed my arms in the cold air, hugging my sweater around my chest. My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as I walked to the edge of the patio and sat down. Noah sat so close to me that I could feel the heat from his body.

  We gazed out across the yard in silence. The trees loomed, their tall crooked shadows stretching up to the dark sky. A crescent moon peeked out over the branches, and stars speckled like diamonds high above us. I sighed as I admired the night, not even noticing the goose bumps that covered my arms.

  “Isn’t it beautiful here?” I asked without taking my eyes away from the sky.

  “Um-hm,” he murmured.

  I glanced at him to see him watching me, not the sky, and I laughed. “You’re not even looking at the stars.”

  “I know. I’m looking at something more beautiful--you.”

  I swallowed nervously, feeling a hot blush race across my cheeks. At least he wouldn’t see it in the dark. “Stop. You’re embarrassing--”

  Before I could finish, Noah leaned over to kiss me. Despite the darkness, my eyelids fell shut as my sense of touch took over.

  His lips had barely touched mine when a low, rumbling growl made us both jump. “Damn!” Noah swore, catching his breath. He whipped away from me as he stared across the yard. Dakota’s amber eyes and white fangs glowed in the faint moonlight, his head hung low as if stalking his prey. His smoky black fur blended into the shadows behind him.

  “Dakota!” I scolded gently. Why was he growling? He had to know that Noah wasn’t hurting me. “Be nice,” I told him before my thoughts took over. ‘What’s up with you? You know how important Noah is to me. Please don’t ruin this.’

  Dakota sucked in a deep breath, his upper lip lowering over his fangs as he exhaled. He raised his head and approached me, nuzzling my hand with his big wet nose for forgiveness. I ruffled my fingers through his thick fur. “That’s better. You’re not bleeding anywhere or hurt, are you?” Even though nearly two weeks had passed since he’d come home injured, I still worried when he ventured out into the woods, even if it was only for a day.

  As Dakota sat down next to me, I turned my attention back to Noah. “Now I’m the one who’s sorry. I hope he didn’t scare you.”

  “I just wasn’t expecting him. I didn’t even hear him approach. Is he always that quiet?”

  “Not always, but he can be. Trust me, he can run through the woods without making a sound. I’ve seen him do it. I think it’s one of those wolf traits he has so that he can sneak up on a deer or rabbit.”

  Noah shook his head. “He is a wolf. I guess I’ll get used to him sooner or later. I’m going to have to if I’m going to date you.”

  “I hope that’s okay.”

  “It is. After all, you’re worth it,” Noah assured me with a smile.

  As my heart glowed, the wind blew, rustling the tree leaves overhead. I shivered, suddenly missing Noah’s strong arms and warm kiss to ward off the chill in the air.

  Noah lifted his hand to rub my shoulders. “You’re cold. I’ll run inside and get our jackets.”

  I smiled graciously at him. “That would be great. Could you grab my gray fleece from the hallway closet? It’s right around the corner from the kitchen.”

  “Got it.” He dropped his hand away from my shoulder and stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

  I heard him walk across the patio and open the back door, gently easing it shut behind him. As I waited for him to return, I stroked Dakota who responded by nuzzling my neck with his wet nose. “Dakota,” I said, laughing as I pushed him away. “That’s enough. Your nose is cold.”

  Suddenly, he whipped his head away to stare at the trees as a twig snapped in the distance like someone or something heavy had stepped on it. I pictured the golden-eyed wolf as I stared into the woods. Dakota jumped up to his feet and stood tall. He growled loudly, the fur on his back standing up as he studied the surrounding forest.

  My heart pounded with fear as I wondered what was out there. I watched Dakota, wondering what he would do next. ‘Whatever you do, please stay here, Dakota. Don’t go back out there and get hurt again,’ I thought.

  I soon learned that my efforts to get him to stay by my side were wasted. Beyond the yard deep within the woods, footsteps shuffled through the leaves in a two-beat rhythm. They were quickly overtaken by another breeze that whispered through the leafy branches. Breathing slowly as my heart continued to race, I stared straight ahead into the blackness. A sudden movement caught my eye as the shape of a person darted between two trees. It reflected the dim moonlight for a second before disappearing. Dakota saw it too, and he launched into a run from his standstill. With long fast strides, he charged across the yard and into the trees.

  “Dakota!” I called as I scrambled to my feet. I stood right where I was, watching and listening, but only silence and darkness loomed.

  The back door opened, and I spun around as Noah appeared with my gray fleece in his hands, his denim jacket already covering his maroon shirt. “Sorry that took so long. I made a quick visit to your bathroom.” He abruptly stopped half-way across the patio when he noticed the fear on my face. Concern swept across his eyes. “Where’s Dakota? What happened? I was only gone for a minute.”

  “There.” I turned around and raised my arm to point at the woods. “I saw something, no, I mean someone. Someone was out there.”

  I didn’t hear Noah’s footsteps, but I felt him behind me when he stopped. “What are you talking about?”

  “I saw a shadow, and it wasn’t a moose or a deer or a bear. It was human,” I told him, my eyes glued to the dark, sinister woods.

  A loud snarl pierced the silence. Another one ripped at it, and the image of the golden-eyed wolf sinking its teeth into Dakota flashed through my mind. The snarls and growls of what could only be two wolves out for each other’s blood grew louder in the distance. They continued for a minute, and then a sharp, pain-filled yelp cut through the air like a knife, followed by an eerie silence.

  “Dakota!” I screamed, my heart racing with panic. I took off, running for the woods. I had to find him, no matter how far I had to go.

  But I didn’t make it out of the yard. As I approached the trees, Noah caught up behind me. He wrapped his arms around my chest, trapping me against him as he held me in place.

  “No! Let me go!” I cried as I struggled to break free. But I was no match for his strength.

  “Laken,” he said above my cries. “Stop! I can’t let you go out there. It isn’t safe.”

  A lump formed in my throat. I knew it wasn’t safe, but it wasn’t me I was worried about, it was Dakota. “I don’t care! I have to find Dakota. He might need me. He could be hurt!” I squirmed against Noah’s vicelike grip, but it was no use. I slowly stopped, realizing he wouldn’t let go of me no matter how hard I tried. Trembling, I held back the tears I felt forming in my eyes. “I can’t leave him out there,” I whispered, lifting my hands to grasp Noah’s strong arms that still held me tight.

  “Laken, Dakota is strong and he’s a fighter. He’s going to be okay.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. “You don’t know that.” I sniffed, trying to control the urge to cry. Keep it together. As scared as you are, you don’t want Noah to see you come unglued. He just agreed to go to Homecoming with you, but he could easily change his mind if you start acting like a child. Taking a deep breath, I contained my emotions and spoke in a steady voice. “He’s alone out there. You heard them. It was the other wolf. It had to be.”

  “I know, and that’s exactly why you can’t go running out there and risk yourself. If it can hurt Dakota, there’s no way you, or even I, can defend ourselves against it. Dakota wouldn’t want you to put yourself in danger.”

  I nodded in acknowledgement as I felt his hold loosen around me. Turning in his arms, I leaned my cheek against his denim jacket as I stared across the yard. My jacket lay in a crumpled heap on the patio where he had dropped it before running aft
er me. “What’s going on around here?” I asked against his shoulder, feeling safe in his arms, but still terrified of what or who lurked out in the woods.

  “I don’t know,” he whispered. “I don’t know.”

  He rubbed my back, and slowly, I started to relax.

  After a few quiet moments, he said, “I think we should go back inside.” He stepped back and looked down at me. “Okay?”

  I nodded subtly. “Okay.”

  He released me, extending one arm around my shoulder. We walked side by side to the back door, stopping briefly for him to pick up my jacket. While he did, I turned to look at the woods, but all I saw were the trees and all I heard were the leaves brushing against each other in the cool breeze.

  Once inside, Noah dropped his arm away from my shoulder and locked the back door. I stood in the kitchen, not sure what to do next. The lights seemed extremely bright for a few seconds as my eyes adjusted to them. The events from just moments ago resurfaced in my mind. I couldn’t forget the human shadow I had seen. But the wolf’s yelp was what bothered me the most. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep until Dakota returned home.

  “Hey,” Noah said, his voice breaking me out of my thoughts. He sighed as his eyes met mine. “I’m sure Dakota will be okay.”

  “I hope so,” I replied as I wandered over to the table and sank onto a chair. Shaking my head, I stared at the college brochures. The words across the covers blurred as I heard the pain-filled yelp over and over again in my mind.

  Noah approached the table and sat down next to me. “Laken, tell me exactly what you saw before Dakota took off.”

  I shifted my gaze from the brochures to look at Noah. “I don’t know. It was really dark. I must have imagined it.”

  “But you said you saw a person.”

  “I thought I did, but I must have been mistaken.” I looked away from him as I spoke. I knew perfectly well that I hadn’t been mistaken. A person had walked right through the woods behind the house. That much I was sure of. But I had no proof. How could I convince Noah of this when it had been almost pitch black? Nothing would make me happier than to truly believe I had imagined it. At least I could try to make Noah believe that. If only I knew the truth, then maybe it would eventually become a distant memory.