The Shadow: The Original's Trilogy

by Cara Crescent

  Chapter 2

  Carnation, Washington

  Everything was going to be fine.

  Trina Lopez stared into her mirror. She’d been doing so more often in recent years. She wasn’t looking for signs of aging, nor admiring herself. She was checking to make sure she was still there.

  When people had first started ignoring her, she’d thought everyone had discovered the crime she’d committed and were avoiding her. Eventually, she’d realized the truth: People no longer saw her unless she drew attention to herself. She could stand naked in the middle of a crowded stadium, and unless she shouted, “Hey, look at me!” no one would notice.

  That wasn’t a feeling. Nor a psychosis. It was a fact.

  She’d learned to deal with it. Would make some smart-assed comment every time she walked into a room to gain people’s notice. She’d say “Hi” as she passed friends in the halls. She went out of her way to be seen when it behooved her to be seen. The rest of the time . . . well, the rest of the time she disappeared altogether from their consciousness—out of sight, out of mind.

  But now that she was home . . . Trina grinned. She wasn’t invisible anymore. Why? She had no idea. As a child she’d hated Haven House. After Rowena had consigned her to the Navy at the age of seventeen, she’d vowed never to return.

  She’d lived here with Lilith’s grandmother, Nan, and the orphaned girls of the Grigori coven after her mother had died. Back then, her telepathy had been wide-open because she hadn’t learned to control it yet. She’d also been a precocious child and always in trouble. Which meant those around her were usually mad at her, and she got the full brunt of their unfiltered thoughts.

  Trina always ruins everything. Does she have to live here?

  She knew exactly what everyone thought of her. And she’d spent her life trying to overcome those thoughts.

  Her military record had been spotless . . . up until her invisibility problem. Her social life stellar . . . again, until people stopped seeing her. She’d even summoned her soul mate, Trevor—wealthy with All-American-boy good looks and charm—the kind of guy every girl wants to bring home to Mom and Dad . . . well, he’d looked good on the surface, anyway. Okay, so overcoming the coven’s expectations hadn’t gone well, but she’d get there.

  At least she had Lilith.

  When she’d driven home to Haven House from her apartment just outside the Bremerton Naval Yard, she’d been nervous as hell. She hadn’t seen her BFF in two years, but there hadn’t been cause for worry. Lilith had seen her as soon as she’d come up the drive, had bounded out of the house to greet her, and they’d clicked as if no time had passed.

  They were together again and everything had been normal—she’d been normal. They’d sat down and had a few drinks. Laughed. Teased. They’d chatted out loud and then in their minds. Lilith had told her about her mate James, a vampire Guardian, and though she’d avoided telling Lilith about her life, she had told her she’d come back because she’d had a vision. She’d come back because Lilith would need her. She hadn’t gotten into specifics—how in her vision a Darkness surrounded and killed her—she hadn’t wanted to worry her.

  “Come on, Trina. The pizza will be here soon.”

  She left her room and bounded down the stairs.

  Turned out Lilith had been having problems—Julius Crowley, a vampire with a mesmerist talent had been stalking her. He’d even sent other daemons to try to kidnap her—though she’d fought them off with James’ help. She was certain the darkness from her vision symbolized Crowley and his thugs.

  Trina stumbled to a halt at the curved entrance to the kitchen; Lilith wasn’t alone. Her mate, James, stood with her, his thick arms folded over his chest. At first glance, there wasn’t any softness to him—his shaved scalp gleamed, his eyes held the glow of all nocturnal predators, and his chiseled features framed a scowl. He always scowled when he looked at her.

  Not that she blamed him. He had every right to. Yesterday afternoon, she’d walked in to find Lilith unconscious on the floor and James standing over her covered in blood. She’d damned near lost her mind. She did lose control of her Magic. If Lilith hadn’t woken when she had, she’d no longer have a mate. So, James could scowl all he wanted—she was just happy he could see her. She winked at him.

  One dark brow lifted.

  At least Lilith was smiling. Tall and thin, she’d always towered over Trina, but standing next to James, she looked petite. Willowy. She brushed her dark hair over her shoulder with a natural grace few possessed. The thing was, they weren’t sure what Lilith was. When James had bitten her, Lilith hadn’t transformed into a vampire, not all the way. She didn’t have a shadow, her eyes glowed in the dark, and she was immortal. But she still had a heartbeat and a reflection, so she wasn’t really a vampire. They had no idea what she was, nor why she and Lilith hadn’t been able to communicate telepathically since then.

  “Are you okay? You took off last night and I haven’t seen you since.”

  “Yeah.” Trina waved away Lilith’s concern. “Just tired.”

  Where Lilith was tall, sweet, and small-breasted, with a creamy complexion, Trina was short, loud, on the clumsy side, and had the dark complexion of her Mayan ancestors. They were opposites, and yet they’d always meshed as friends in a perfect sort of way.

  “Glad to hear it.” James’ chin notched up. “What in the hell happened?”

  That was James. Always to the point. Direct. Honest to his own detriment. And she so was not taking the blame for last night. “You mean the part where your friend tried to mesmerize my friend so he could kill us all?”

  Crowley had come to Haven House right after the botched transformation. He was young. Handsome. Creepy as fuck. He hadn’t even noticed her when he’d stood on their doorstep, trying to mesmerize Lilith into inviting him into their home.

  James scowl darkened. “He’s not my goddamn friend. If he was, I wouldn’t have showed her how to banish him from the property. I want to know what happened after that.”

  She shrugged. “I thought Lilith had a good plan.”

  Lilith bumped James’ shoulder. “It was a good plan. We had no way of knowing Crowley had gotten to the coven.”

  The plan was simple: She’d go to her induction ceremony and once she was an official member of the coven, Trina would bop in and together with the coven, they’d overthrow their high-priestess, Rowena.

  Except the coven had summoned James with the intent of destroying him.

  “Ah.” Trina nodded. “You mean the part where I saved your ass.”

  When she’d arrived at the ritual circle in Rowena’s back yard, she’d found the entire coven had been mesmerized, Lilith had been bound, James trapped in a summoning circle, and Rowena and Crowley were arguing about what would happen next.

  Trina had gotten to play the hero. She’d freed Lilith and James and woken the coven from Crowley’s hypnosis. She’d been a bad-ass and it had felt so damn good. Everything had gone right . . . until it went wrong.

  Lilith shrugged. “She saved both our asses.”

  “Jesus, Lil. Don’t encourage her.”

  Trina grinned. She’d been a pain in his ass since she’d arrived. Mostly because she wanted his measure, but partly because it was so much fun. They needed a little fun after last night.

  In the end, Rowena had died and Crowley escaped with the humans.

  It wasn’t ideal. They would have all preferred it if he were dead but Lilith, James, and the coven had all survived. That’s what mattered most.

  “Why don’t you let me and Trina visit?” Lilith put her hand on James’ arm. That’s all it took. The grouchy male from seconds before turned into a big ol’ teddy bear right before her eyes. When he gazed at Lilith, his features softened and his lips curved up at one corner.

  Love. It was nauseating.

  He leaned down and kissed Lilith. A quick melding of lips. Possessive. Demanding. So fucking sweet it hurt to watch. “Ugh. Standing right here, guys.” Not that she
wanted James or begrudged Lil. She just wanted someone . . . and at the same time, knew she’d lost that opportunity.

  As James strode past, he smacked Trina’s ass. “Behave yourself, Sunshine.”

  Her hands fisted and she turned toward his retreating back before she even realized what she was about to do.

  “Satrina Lopez!”

  She started. Shook out hands, releasing the build-up of Magic. When she turned back to Lilith, she plastered a smile on her face. “Just kidding.”

  Lilith’s eyes narrowed.

  “We’re trying to get along.” She did like James. He treated Lilith well—she’d never seen her friend so happy. “I just like to mess with him.”

  “I hope so.” Lilith waved her closer. “I have news.” Lilith winked.

  “Which is?”

  She shook her head. “I have to wait. The pizza will be here soon and we’re expecting company, and—”

  “Company?” She couldn’t handle the coven right now. Lilith knew they didn’t like her. “I wondered why you went to the trouble of ordering pizza when you and James can’t eat it. Maybe I’ll just head out—”

  “No!” Lilith covered her mouth, trying to hide a smile. “Oh, gods, Trina. You’re going to kill me.” Her eyes crinkled and a laugh escaped. “I’m going to be dead by morning, I just know it.”

  Dear goddess, not another of Lilith’s plans. “If you keep this up you will be. What’s going on? Who’s coming?”

  “I don’t know exactly.” Lilith shrugged. “We’ll find out soon enough. As for what’s going on, I need to explain some things about what we found out about the Original.”

  “Crowley called you that. When he came here, he asked you if you were the Original.” James had taken Lilith to see the Historian to find out what he meant, but they hadn’t had time to tell her what they’d discovered. “What is it?”

  “I’d rather wait until our guest arrives so I don’t have to repeat myself—it’s too risky.”

  She glanced around. They were alone. “It’s not someone from the coven, is it?”

  “No.” Lilith sighed. “Look, I know they weren’t very nice to us when we were all little, but they have changed. They were just scared kids back then.”

  Trina folded her arms over her chest. “So were we.” That didn’t excuse the thoughts they’d had. “So what, we’re just waiting here?”

  Lilith nodded. She seemed way too proud of herself. Scary, that. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “What did happen last night . . . with the wave?”

  Where to start.

  Rowena had started several fires with her Magic during the fight. While James and Crowley fought, the flames had started to surround them. “James almost went head first into a burning bush.” Her lips twitched—kind of apropos considering he’d been a priest when human. “He told me to put out the fire.” Except her Magic went wonky and instead of conjuring a little water—she’d conjured a tidal wave which had sent everyone ass over teakettle. Crowley had gotten away in the deluge.

  Lilith pressed her lips together—twenty bucks said she had the same thought about the burning bush. “Well, you did accomplish that.”

  Yes. Yes, she had. “Look, I’m sorry. I just wanted to help.”

  “You did.” Lilith wrapped her in a hug. “I am so happy you’re here.”

  “Me, too.” She’d stayed away too long. Everything would be fine now that she was home. Her Magic was still acting up, but it would get better soon.

  Lilith jerked away with a gasp. Her face twisted into a grimace as she stared down at her right arm. Her hand was blackened. Charred.

  The Darkness she’d seen in her vision. Trina shook her head. She’d thought it was symbolic. She’d thought it represented Crowley. . . not that the blackness would literally creep over Lilith’s skin.

  “Trina?” Lilith staggered back, leaning against the old harvest-gold refrigerator. She looked down. Touched the blackness creeping up the pale skin of her right arm with her shaking left hand. That hand came away blackened, too. “Shit. What is it?”

  Trina’s heart beat so fast in her chest she couldn’t catch her breath. “Come sit down.” She put her hands on Lilith’s shoulders, to guide her toward a chair and the blackness streaked up from around the collar of her shirt. She let go of Lilith and backed away.

  It was her. Every time she touched Lilith . . .

  In her vision, when the Darkness closed in around Lilith, she’d saved her. That’s why she’d come home, to save Lilith.

  Except maybe she wasn’t meant to save her . . . What if she was the Darkness?

  The Darkness inched up Lilith’s arm and spread over her shoulders and neck, leaving the muscles sunken, the skin hard and brittle.

  She reached out to help her friend, but snatched her hand back at the last second. She didn’t dare touch her again. Instead, she backed away, bumped into one of the kitchen chairs, and jumped as it scraped across the hardwoods. “I don’t know what’s wrong.” I don’t know how to fix this.

  This wasn’t like what happened to Trevor. She hadn’t even been angry. She hadn’t had any violent thoughts. Tears pricked her eyes. Her mouth wobbled. “I don’t know what to do, Lil. What do I do?” With each question her voice edged up in volume.

  Lilith dropped down to one knee. She held her whole body stiff, rigid, as if she feared moving. “This isn’t you. Can’t be.”

  Bullshit. “What if it is?”

  “Kat.” Lilith grimaced, gasped. “Kat can help.”

  Of course. Kat was the coven’s healer. She could fix any ailment.

  “James!” Trina shouted for Lilith’s mate as she ran out of the kitchen and through the foyer. She took the stairs two at a time. “James!” She shoved open the door to the guestroom, snatching her purse and keys off the still-packed suitcase sitting by the door. She paused long enough to push open the door to the room Lilith shared with James. He wasn’t there. Damn. She started back down the stairs. “Where’s James?”

  “Here.” He walked into the foyer from the living room, his gaze tracking her progress down the stairs. “What’s with all the yelling?”

  “Lil’s sick.”

  His brows drew together as he ran his hand over his head. “Where is she?”

  “The kitchen. She needs Kat. I’m gonna take—”

  “I’ll take her.” He headed into the kitchen but stopped cold. “What the hell?” He glanced back at Trina, then at Lilith. “Were you overreaching, Lil?”

  Witches who tried to perform spells beyond their skill could burn themselves in the process, but this, the Darkness creeping over Lilith’s skin, wasn’t that.

  “We weren’t using Magic,” Trina said. At least, she didn’t think she had, but her Magic had been so weird lately she really wasn’t sure.

  James scooped Lilith off the floor and started for the door. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

  “I gave her a hug.” Lilith curled into her mate, tucking her head under his chin which muffled the rest of her words as he carried her through the foyer.

  Trina started to follow, but James stopped at the door, blocking her exit. “You’d better stay here, Sunshine.”

  She wanted to argue. She should be there for Lilith, that’s what friends did, right? They were there for each other. But this was her fault. It must be. Lilith had been fine until she’d touched her. “Okay.”

  Unable to help, she stood on the porch, chest tight and gut roiling, while he got Lilith settled in the passenger seat of her blue Camry. Within minutes, they were gone.

  The sound of the car faded, leaving behind the skittering of fall leaves and the wind through the trees. For a long while, she stared out at the night-shrouded lawn. She went back into the house, not bothering to close the front door. Should she grab her things and head out herself? She’d been sure that coming here had been what she was meant to do. So sure that she could save Lilith. For once, she thought she’d be the hero and earn the coven’s respect.

  Ins
tead, she’d hurt her best friend. Just like she’d hurt her mom. And Trevor.

  She stood in the foyer, staring at the closed door of the ritual room. The secret room sat directly under the split staircase that was the heart of Haven House—the rest of the house had been built around that room. It’s where they’d all practiced Magic as coven kids. It’s where she’d first realized she wasn’t like the other witches. She had more power. Had to be more careful.

  For a moment she could see them—the rest of the coven as little girls—all lined up like eleven perfectly aligned pegs, their faces contorted with disapproval. Worse, she could hear their thoughts, like when she was young. You always mess everything up. Why can’t you just keep your mouth shut? You shouldn’t use Magic if you can’t use it well. You always ruin everything.

  The coven had never liked her or Lilith very much when they were kids. They had accepted Lilith now that they were adults—made her their high-priestess—though she didn’t expect the same treatment.

  She’d spent her whole life trying to prove them wrong and for a long time, she had. She’d had a good life. She’d been successful.

  They wouldn’t see that, though. They’d see that she made it possible for Crowley to get away. They’d see Lilith and the Darkness creeping over her skin.

  Goddess, please, fix whatever it is I did to her. Keep her safe.

  A car pulled up outside, the headlights flashing through the open door, making her shadow stretch up the wall. The headlights flicked off.

  Trina turned to stand in the doorway.

  A delivery kid hopped out of the car with a steaming pizza box in hand. The teen ran up the porch steps, coming to a halt before the open door. He leaned in, looking both directions. “Hello?”

  Goddess, no.

  Shaking, she stood right in front of him. Far too close to tears. If she didn’t speak, he’d never see her. Never even know she was there.