Copyright
Everpure is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
EVERPURE: A NOVEL
Copyright © 2018 by Michelle Areaux
All rights reserved.
Editing by KP Editing
Cover design by KP Designs
Published by Kingston Publishing Company
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Acknowledgements
I would never be able to fulfill this wild dream of mine if it weren’t for my family. My mother, Jill Edrington, has pushed me to take leaps of faith during my publishing journey and to believe in myself as a writer. Whenever I call, she is ready with bags packed to head to another book signing and adventure. Hitting the road with my mom has been fun, interesting, and a whirlwind adventure.
To my patient husband who tolerates my late-night writing and in-depth conversations about fictional characters and fantasy worlds, I thank you for always being by my side and ready to listen to my stories. You are forever my favorite journey and my best friend.
For my two sons, Connor and Cooper, your compassion, love, and wild souls inspire me daily to make me proud. Achieving my dreams means that I am teaching you to strive for yours. Always remember that you can do whatever you desire in this world, because you have your family cheering you on.
Finally, to my readers who take the time to read the words I write and meet me at signings, none of this would be possible without you. Thank you for taking a risk on an unknown author and hopefully, you too, will follow your dreams and have someone by your side, ready with bags packed to cheer you on as you find your own adventures.
Prologue
There comes a time when death presents itself. It’s inevitable. We can’t escape it, no matter how hard we try.
The beauty of its grace can be mesmerizing and paralyzing all at once.
For me, I held onto this notion like a lifeline. When once I had feared death and all that it might take away from me, I now find its power to be a useful tool in my mission to save the ones I love.
Learning how to use all elements presented in nature, I was evolving into something I didn’t even recognize anymore. Shifting into one life and another, I allowed death and its army to come for me. Only, this time, I would be prepared to fight the battle with a power that was stronger than any force I had ever conceived before.
I was no longer just a mere mortal. No, I was a Shifter with a gift so great-- even death couldn’t stop me now. But, as we all know, it would surely try.
Chapter 1
I sniffed the air, sensing him near me. I allowed my paw to scratch the surface of the earth below me, searching for any sign that he might be near. I was tracking a predator, using my newfound senses to guide me to his hiding place. A smile crept along my lips as I noticed a slight movement in the trees just a few yards away. It was clear; Maddox was hiding there.
As I took in my surroundings, that same small smile was still on my face. Living in Shady Oaks, Kentucky, I’d discovered that it was unlike any other place in the world. With its southern charm and vast hillsides and forests, it was the perfect place to live when you desperately desired to live amongst the shadows. As a shifter, my world was split into two separate entities. To most, I was your average teenage girl with brown hair who ran on the high school cross-country team. But, when others weren’t looking, I could change into a wild beast and run among other animals as we hide inside the wooded forests that surround Shady Oaks. It is in those very forests that I can be free and myself. And, right now, I was doing something that made me unequivocally animal-like.
Hunting. It has become our new favorite game to play. Well, Maddox calls it training. As he says often, I am in need of practice on how to locate and hunt down anyone or anything that might be after me. Especially since we had been hunted down last year by a group of ruthless shifter Hunters led by two evil men; Macon and Sutton. These men had captured Maddox and myself after I went looking for my best friend. Now, it was a weekly game as I liked to call it, because Maddox refused to let us forget the Hunters or the constant danger we were under.
As I pounced forward, I made it to Maddox in record speed. Watching me approach, his eyes grew wide and a smile crept over his face. His fur was the same color of his natural hair, a wavy sandy blonde that bounced along as he ran.
“Nice timing, but you weren’t very smart about hiding. You were out in the open the entire time. Anyone looking for you would have no problem finding you,” he retorted, with a slight huff.
Rolling my eyes, I merely brushed off his comment. We had been training so much, and I knew how to remain unseen if I wanted. I mean, let’s be honest, that is how we all live our lives now as Shifters. Living among the humans without being detected was not anything different. This concept was one I was destined to live forever, and not by choice.
“Maybe I wasn’t really hiding,” I teased, as I nudged my paw against his side. Even as a wolf, I could still smell the scent of his minty aftershave he wore. Of course, he swore it was to impress the ladies, but I also sometimes believed it was to mask the scent of fur he feared others might detect on him.
Sometimes, you wish you could go back in time, if only for a moment. For me, I had wished more than anything to travel back to a time when I wasn’t a shifter. When my world didn’t consist of Hunters out to kill me and lies that extended to generations. Knowing terms like VASH-- Vampire and Shifter Hunters, still haunted my dreams as did knowing I was now part of the Evershade- an elite group of Shifters who live secured within the shade and shadows of the forests around them. We had a pack; a sort of code that secured our secrets from the outside world. Only, I had just recently learned of this life when I became a shifter at sixteen-years-old.
But, it’s not for the reasons you might be thinking. No, I have learned to love and appreciate my new life as someone not human-- yet, not completely beast either. While I wished for the gift of time travel, it was for the purpose of discovering when everything in my life had changed.
In my hometown of Shady Oaks, Kentucky, I had learned to love the simple life that surrounded me. With the wild and expansive forests that had protected and secluded my family for generations, I had felt lucky to be from such a place. But that wasn’t always the case. As a child, I had planned to run off to a big city once I was old enough to drive, taking my best friend, Maddox, with me. However, all of that changed the day I learned I wasn’t quite human, but something otherworldly, too. Now, as I look around the lush green forest that shields me from outside eyes, I can’t imagine ever living anywhere else.
“I think I can handle myself,” I replied with a sneer.
Even though my tone may be sharp, Maddox knows better than anyone else that I can never stay mad at him for long. Realizing we are out in the open field now, I take off in a fast sprint back toward the comfort and protection of the forest.
“Elle, what are you doing?” Maddox asked, as he panted next to me.
With his uneven breaths, he still managed a cocky grin as he looked over at me. Maddox, my lifelong best friend and…shifter. Maddox had been by my side throughout my entire transformation from teenage girl to wolf. Sure, I had been angry with him for keeping such a monumental secret from me
; but when it came to Maddox, I guess you could say I had a soft spot for him.
“Nothing,” I said, as I tried to force myself to smile. Turning to face him, I tried to offer the same smile. But, Maddox could see right through my lies.
“You know, you are a terrible liar,” Maddox laughed, as he nudged my arm with his paw.
We had decided to shift and run together always, something we both found equally calming. It was our time together and I cherished the moments with him.
Shaking my head, I tried to focus myself. “I know, but I don’t know what to say,” I admitted. “My mind is not focused today. It is lost somewhere with…” I couldn’t finish my sentence because I knew what I was about to say would upset Maddox.
Letting a slight growl escape, Maddox’s eyes turned black. “I don’t know why you even bother with him. If you are this upset, just dump him,” Maddox snarled. It was like he could read my mind sometimes. I didn’t have to speak at all, yet he knew exactly who and what I was talking about.
The him, Maddox was referring to, was my boyfriend, Asher. The new boy at school who had captured my heart and attention of everyone in town and my heart. With his black as night hair, piercing blue eyes, and chiseled jaw, he had my heart melting each time I looked at him.
After Asher had arrived in town and I had learned that Maddox and I came from a long line of Shifters, everything blew up like a raging volcano. Hunters came searching for our pack: their mission to destroy Shifters forever. With the help of other Shifters and Asher, we had managed to destroy them and protect our identify in Shady Oaks. Everything seemed perfect except for one small detail.
After we had destroyed the Hunters, I was feeling stronger and more powerful than I ever had in my entire life. It was like fire and ice were mixing through my veins and I was a force that couldn’t be stopped. Well, that was until Asher had pulled me aside from the glory of our defeat over the Hunters and had spoken to me, his words like an icepick to my heart.
“When we get you back home, there’s something I want to talk to you about,” he said, his voice rising a little.
I couldn’t seem to escape those words. Just as I felt him about to speak, we were interrupted and brought back to my pack. Since then, there has never been a clear time for Asher to tell me whatever it is or was that burdened his heart. Even though Asher hadn’t said anything else about what he wanted to tell me, something in my heart knew it wasn’t going to be something I would like. His face had grown too pale. His voice shaking. Nothing about his demeanor spoke to me that he had good news to share.
“I can’t just dump him because I don’t like the way he said something,” I spoke, as I tried to rationalize the words myself. “Besides, not all of us like to be permanently single so we can mingle with every girl that walks and breathes in this town,” I added, with a smirk.
“Not every girl in town,” Maddox argued back. Even though he kept a scowl on his face, I could see that he was fighting to grin.
“Oh, sorry, almost every girl,” I teased.
“Whatever,” Maddox said, as he rolled his eyes. “Elle, you are smart and brave, but when it comes to Asher, it’s like you become someone else.”
Standing taller, he began to move his paws in the lose earth beneath him.
“Come on, let’s run,” I stated, as I took off racing toward the wide-open fields just beyond the lake where we had stopped to drink and talk after our training session.
Chasing behind me, I could hear Maddox quickly approaching. Even though I ran track, he could outrun me with very little effort. As we continued to run, I enjoyed the feel of the cold air rushing through my fur. There wasn’t anything in this world like shifting and going for a wild sprint.
We raced past the forest behind our high school and toward the one lane country road that would take us to our secluded homes in Shady Oaks, Kentucky. While we shifted often, Maddox and I had been warned more times than I could count to never be seen by humans. Our pact had managed to hide in plain sight from everyone in town, and they didn’t want us ruining their disguises.
As we approached our houses, a sudden feeling of dread came over me. Slowing, I spotted Asher sitting on my front stoop, his head down. As he heard me coming toward him, he slowly lifted his face and made eye contact with me.
“What is he doing here?” Maddox asked, as he caught up to me.
“I don’t know,” I whispered, as I came to a stop.
Standing, Asher nodded to Maddox before he began walking to me. Ever since Asher had risked his life to save both Maddox and me, they had set aside their hatred for one another and come to a truce, a sort of silent understanding. While I was sure they still didn’t like one another, they at least didn’t argue in front of me anymore.
“Hey, I thought I would wait for you to get back,” Asher said, realizing he was interrupting my time with Maddox.
Again, my time with Maddox was a sensitive subject with Asher. While he didn’t want’ to tell me to stop hanging out with my best friend, I knew deep down that it bothered him that Maddox and I continued to spend so much time together. But hey, I wasn’t about to give up my best friend. Not after everything we had been through.
“That’s great,” I said, as I walked over to him. “Let me go shift back and then I will come out and talk.”
I made my way into the house as I left Maddox and Asher behind. Before opening my front door, I mouthed a, be nice, to Maddox before walking through the threshold.
Rolling his eyes, Maddox turned away and raced toward the forest behind our houses. I knew he was going to shift back too.
After racing upstairs and returning to my human form, I made my way back down to talk to Asher. Still waiting for me on the front porch, his hands were deep into his pockets and his eyes were focused on the fading sunlight above.
My heart began to race as I felt the same unease that came over me each time I remembered his words the night of our attack. As my nerves got the best of me, I tucked a lose strand of my brown hair behind my ear as I forced a smile on my lips.
“Hey,” I said, as I hugged Asher.
“Hi,” he said, as he hugged me back.
We stood there awkwardly for a moment, neither of us daring to speak first. Finally, Asher took the plunge. Inhaling a deep breath, he made eye contact with me.
“Elle, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” Asher began.
My head began to swim, and my pulse quickened as I braced myself for yet another secret that could ultimately change my life forever.
“Yes, I think there is,” I agreed, as I stood there watching him. “But, it can wait,” I spoke, almost shocking myself.
“Why?” Asher argued as he took a step onto the porch.
“Because, whatever it is, I feel like it is going to change everything. I am tired from running with Maddox. We will talk tomorrow,” I urged.
My instincts were screaming at me on the inside. What was I thinking. I had waited weeks for Asher to finally confide in me what he had been wanting to tell me since the attack. And now, that he was so close to divulging a secret, I told him to wait.
“If that is what you want,” Asher agreed, as he hung his head low. Disappointment radiated off him as he slowly turned and left me behind.
I could see Maddox watching us with a smug grin. Rolling my eyes at him, I waved him away, too. Right now, I needed to just spend one last night thinking that the dangers and evils of the world were gone. I needed one last moment to feel safe before everything came crashing down on me again.
Chapter 2
My body shook as I ran through the darkened alley. The only sounds evident in the night were the beating of my own heart and the sounds of someone else chasing me.
Who, I didn’t know.
I begged my body to lurch forward, for my legs to swiftly carry me away from the dangers lurking behind me, but it was as though my legs refused to listen to me.
“Please,” I cried out. “Keep moving.”
I could feel him closing in on me, every part of my body began to freeze as I felt myself shutting down.
Without warning, cold arms wrapped around me, and together, me and my captor crashed onto the rough concrete below.
I let out a loud scream as pain coursed through my aching limbs. His icy breath sent tingles down my spine. As I closed my eyes, I silently prayed for someone to come and find me. To save me.
Only, no one came.
“I know what you are,” a familiar voice whispered into my ear.
Without warning, my eyes flashed open and what I saw next frightened me to my very core.
A familiar set of eyes were peering down at me and it was then that I realized I had been among a deadly monster all along.
***
My eyes shot open as I tried to catch my breath. Sweat surrounded me in my bed as I realized it had all been just a dream.
No, a nightmare. My body still shook from the fear that had been coursing through me as I tried to fight against the monster chasing me. Why had he wanted me? Why did I feel like I knew the person or thing after me?
As I forced myself to look around my room, I spotted glimpses of the early morning sunlight filtering in through my bedroom window. Sighing, I fell back onto my pillow as I groaned from the thought of having to get up and start my day.
“Elle are you up?” my mom’s voice called to me from downstairs.
Glancing at my alarm clock on my bedside table, I saw that it was already past seven in the morning. As much as I detested the thought, I needed to get out of bed and get ready for school. Throwing my sweat-soaked sheets off my body, I rolled out of bed in zombie form, took a shower and dressed. As I descended the stairs, I could hear both my parents in the kitchen as they chatted over their morning coffee.
“You look tired. Rough night?” my dad asked, as he raised his brows at me.
Taking in my exhausted appearance, my mom rushed to me. “Elle, are you alright? Did you go for a late run?” she asked, as she began inspecting me.
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