Shadow Seeker (A Crow Haven Series Book 1)

by Michelle Areaux

  “We are going to train in the basement. We have an entire workout facility. It’s just going to be the two of us, but Nora and Thomas are home, too,” Ace said, moving toward the front door.

  The thought of being alone with Ace sent a shiver down my spine. It shouldn’t and I knew how insane of an idea it was since Ace had never really shown any true interest in me. But still, I was happy to hear we would have others in the house.

  “Alright, let’s get started,” I said nervously.

  Clapping his hands together, Ace turned as he opened the front door. “Let’s just hope you survive this,” he said, before walking inside and leaving me standing outside alone.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Training Day

  D

  arkness struck me as though a blindfold had been placed over my eyes. The inside of Crow Haven was dark and only the blinking lights from the wall sconces gave me any guidance. I could hear Ace’s footsteps just in front of me, so stalking the sound I made my way down the long corridor that led to where. I had no idea.

  “Um, Ace. Where are you?” I finally asked, my voice echoing.

  “Just follow the sound of my voice. The basement door is at the end of the hall,” he announced, his words were like my lifeline right now.

  I continued walking until my feet stumbled into Ace’s. A door opened and a bright light entered our darkened space. Ace began walking down a long, steep staircase and I was hot on his heels. When we finally reached the bottom, I couldn’t believe what I saw.

  A state-of-the-art gym was hidden in the basement. Treadmills lined a mirrored wall while black and red pads sat on the floor in what I assumed would be where Ace and I sparred. Weight benches sat on the wall to my left and to my right was a wall with more weapons than I had ever seen in my life. Knives, swords, and things that I had no clue as to what they were hung shining like tempting treats.

  “I can’t believe this.” I was in awe of how nice their facility was.

  “It helps us stay trained,” Ace noted, walking further into the space.

  “So, what now?” I asked, standing in the center of the mats.

  “First, we need to talk about your clothes. Typically, people who work out or train wear athletic clothes,” Ace stated, a glint of humor lacing his voice. He was making fun of me, but I decided to let that one slide. He did have a point.

  “Noted. Next time, I’ll be prepared.” I offered a smile to let him know I wasn’t joking around this time.

  “Good. Now today, we are going to talk about how to throw a punch,” Ace glanced down at my tiny fists as he spoke.

  “Seriously? What am I going to be boxing, a Demon?” I laughed.

  Ace didn’t break a smile this time. He clearly wasn’t amused.

  “You think it’s all fun and games now, but you have no idea what sort of situation you will find yourself in when you come face-to-face with a Demon. You will have to fight, kick, and claw your way out of danger. And you can’t use your own fear to guide you. Smart moves you learn in training will be your only way to ensure you don’t die,” Ace finished, a grave undertone mixed with his words.

  I allowed that to sink in. As grave and terrifying as the thought was, it was my reality now. I needed to take this seriously…. More serious than I was now.

  “I’m here. I’m ready to learn,” I said, wanting him to believe me.

  Nodding, Ace seemed satisfied by my response. “Great, let’s see what you’ve got,” he added.

  “What?” I was clearly confused.

  “Hit me. Throw a punch so I can see what we are working with,” Ace instructed.

  As many times as I had imagined punching Ace in his smart mouth, thinking it and doing it were completely different ideas. Could I really hit Ace?

  “Like, just hit you?” I asked, my voice shaking a bit.

  “Yes, just throw a punch,” Ace said, pretending to punch the air.

  I looked down at my feet and spread them apart a little. Like I had seen in the movies when people go to fight. I clenched my fists and struck out at the air.

  Ace let out a loud belly laugh that had my own body shaking. He was laughing at me.

  “That’s not fair. I did what you said and now you laugh at me?” I cried out.

  Ace stepped back, bending over and holding his hands to his sides. I watched this unfold as heat seeped into my face. I hated that he was making fun of me. I was trying to be serious. Trying to do as he told me, but this would never work if he made me feel like a fool.

  Wiping the tears from his eyes, Ace calmed himself down. “You are right. I’m sorry. I just thought you would know how to fight.”

  “Well, I don’t,” I said, looking down.

  Placing his hand under my chin, Ace forced me to look up at him. “Lizzie, you have more fire in your soul then anyone I’ve ever met. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I truly thought someone with your stubborn streak would have been in at least one fight in their life. But, I was wrong.”

  Our eyes met and the connection locked us into one.

  “Thanks,” I said, my lips trembling from the overwhelming sensations flooding me.

  My breathing hitched and I could feel Ace’s pulse racing through his touch. He quickly stepped back and dropped his hand from my chin. “Here let me show you.”

  I watched as Ace set himself up and then threw his arm out in a precise hit that caused the air to ripple around me. He quickly lifted his leg and kicked, bending at the knee as he kept his balance with the other leg.

  The action and movement was swift and clean, but I could tell it was lethal, too.

  “I don’t know if I can do that,” I admitted.

  “Yes you can. Just try. I won’t laugh this time, I swear,” he lifted his arms up in defense, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  Ace was trying and that was saying a lot.

  I steadied myself and then threw out my arm, punching at the air like Ace had done. Then, I lifted my leg to kick, but I lost my balance and stumbled back.

  Moving at lightning speed, Ace was there to wrap his arms around my waist and catch me before I could fall onto the mats covering the basement floor.

  Gasping, this time I couldn’t help the way I responded to Ace’s touch or being in his arms.

  The air around us grew thick and heavy and it was difficult to breathe.

  “Better,” Ace muttered, his hands still firmly placed on my hips.

  My hands held his muscles and I could feel them vibrating under my fingertips.

  “Thanks,” I stated, my eyes wavering from his. In that moment, I wanted to look anywhere but at Ace.

  Ace regained his composure like nothing had happened. To him, nothing probably did happen, but for me, something shifted in the atmosphere and all sense of strength that I thought I had seemed to disappear. My head was filled with thoughts of Ace and I knew it was beyond ludicrous to ever think about him in any way other than Maylee’s brother and my trainer. But still, that slight possibility of something more stirred deep inside of me.

  “You need to work on your form and, more importantly, you need to get out of your own head,” Ace said, his eyes refusing to look at mine directly.

  Nodding, I accepted his insight like I knew what he was talking about, even though I didn’t.

  “Are we interrupting something?” a voice asked, drawing my attention away from Ace.

  Turning, I saw two people standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching me and Ace with amusement twinkling in their eyes.

  “I told you I was training with Lizzie today,” Ace mumbled, running a hand through his raven colored hair.

  “Yes, we know. However, we had to meet the ever elusive Lizzie,” the guy said, sauntering into the room. His steps were deliberate, but graceful all the same. He had the same dark hair as Ace, but his features were softer and fuller than Ace’s.

  “Thomas, this isn’t the time...” Ace began, but was quickly cut off.

  “Ace, just calm down. We won’t scar
e her away. We just wanted to meet her,” the female said, approaching me.

  I noticed Ace tense up and that caused an alarm of panic to go off inside of me.

  Sighing, Ace stared between the pair before introducing them to me. “Lizzie, this is Thomas and Nora. They are my cousins and members of Crow Haven.”

  His tone was sharp and full of disdain. I couldn’t help but think how strange that was for him to feel some type of way about people who were his family and just like him.

  “Hi,” I waved, unsure of how I should respond now.

  “Maylee has told me so much about you,” Nora offered, her voice high-pitched. She had long, blonde hair that curled at the ends. She looked more like a supermodel than a supernatural creature.

  Funny, Maylee hadn’t spoken a word about either Thomas or Nora, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

  Thomas walked up to me and smiled, his pearly white teeth flashing before me. His closeness caused my heart to race and my breath to falter for a moment. I noticed Ace drew near us, too.

  Thomas took a string of my hair and wrapped it around his finger.

  “Hey,” Ace shouted, smacking Thomas’s hand away from me.

  I flinched and jumped back, fearful of what was about to happen next.

  “We are just playing around, calm down, Ace,” Thomas laughed, but there was no humor in his tone.

  “Why don’t you just leave us alone. We aren’t done training,” Ace stated, getting in Thomas’s face.

  They were chest-to-chest now and they appeared more like MMA fighters about to square off, rather than family.

  “I think Lizzie needs to understand more of the history of Crow Haven and her aunt. Maybe that will light a spark inside of her so her training will be more intense,” Thomas sneered.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked, cutting into their headed discussion.

  “See, Ace. She wants to know,” Nora said, a wide smile growing over her face. She took my hand and led me over to the far corner of the basement. We sat down on the mats and I felt like a child being led to story time.

  Ace remained in the middle of the mats, watching us with careful eyes. He clearly wasn’t enjoying this interruption.

  “Seems like Ace hasn’t given you the full story,” Thomas said, tisking as he glanced back at a scowling Ace.

  “He’s told me enough so far. I understand the danger I’m in,” I replied, coming to Ace’s defense.

  I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to come to Ace’s aid, but I couldn’t stand seeing Thomas and Nora make a mockery of him.

  “Has Ace explained to you the connection between Mediators and Crow Haven?” Thomas asked, turning his attention back to me. He was now sitting in front of me like we were all having some strange pow-wow.

  I just shook my head no, as my eyes remained locked on Ace. His jaw was tight and his hands were clenched at his side.

  “Mediators, as you know, have helped the deceased find their way to the afterlife. The spirits they aid are peaceful and just need help in their journey. But for Shadow Seekers, they have worked with the Crows for centuries. Providing protection to those around them. They protect the city from evil, but there is something far different with you. Lizzie, you seem to be a magnet for the spirits. Like your arrival sent an alert that you were here and didn’t have the necklace.”

  “So, they are looking for me?” I asked.

  “Yes and no. They are searching for the necklace. That necklace prohibits the spirits from returning to their home. They don’t want to journey to the afterlife; instead, they want to wreak havoc to avenge their untimely deaths,” Thomas said, his eyes drawing me in.

  “All we have to do is get the necklace. After that, we can just get rid of all the Ghosts?” I asked. It seemed so simple, yet so unattainable.

  “Why not get rid of all Ghosts?” I asked.

  “It’s not that simple. The world of the afterlife is very complex. Most Ghosts simply exist because they have unfinished business or wish to remain in this realm. But for those touched by evil, they offer sinister plans. Those wreak havoc on our town and cause unexplainable damage that hurts or kills our residents. We have to stop them before they take over,” Ace added, his voice causing all of us to turn as he made his way over to us.

  A smile crept over my face and I bit my lip, preventing my smile to grow any wider. Ace was taking back his claim over our session and it was brilliant.

  “Lizzie, we need you to find that necklace,” Thomas stated firmly.

  I was uncomfortable with the intense gaze he had locked on me. Something about Thomas didn’t feel right. I couldn’t explain it, but there was something about him that caused dread to course through my veins. I wondered if Ace felt it, too?

  “We are searching for it,” Ace cut in, reaching down and offering me his hand.

  Gladly accepting it, Ace helped me off the ground and led me to the basement stairs. His hand guided me as he placed it on the small of my back. It was a simple gesture, but it made me feel protected and safe-- something I never imagined I’d feel with Ace.

  “Lizzie has to be home soon. We will continue our training and education session soon,” Ace yelled, as we raced up the stairs.

  To my dismay, Ace drove me home instead of flying us. He was silent on the short drive, and I didn’t bother with making small talk. He seemed uneasy, and I didn’t want to bother him after he had been helpful and kind to me.

  Pulling into my driveway, Ace finally broke the silence. “You did good today,” he offered.

  Opening the car door, I stepped out. “Thanks,” I replied, closing the door behind me.

  “Look, I know Thomas and Nora want to help, but let’s keep what we find between us. Ok?” Ace requested.

  His stormy eyes were clouded with worry and that told me everything I needed to know about his relationship with his cousins. He obviously didn’t trust them, which made me not trust them.

  “Ok,” I said, waving as I made my way into my house.

  There was something odd about Crow Haven and the way everyone interacted. I didn’t understand any of it, but I did know one thing for sure. Ace was starting to grow on me.

  Chapter Fifteen

  A Revelation is Coming

  A

  fter dinner, I helped my mom clear the table and clean the kitchen. We sat around and talked about school and the town. It was nice.

  When they settled themselves on the front porch with steaming cups of tea, I made my way up to my bedroom.

  I had a few homework assignments I had put off and that needed to get completed before school tomorrow. As I sat on my bed, my Pandora App playing in the background, I lost myself in Geometry. My body was sore and aching from the training earlier.

  The sun was just starting to set in the fading, evening sky and oranges and reds bounced across my bedroom wall. Rubbing my head, I needed a break from studying. Math was not my subject and I could feel a migraine coming on as the numbers bounced around my textbook. Needing a distraction, I decided to power on my laptop and do some research like my mom and Ace had suggested. Loading Google, I quickly typed in myths of Nicholasville and waited for the results to appear. To my surprise, ages of stories, articles, and social media posts appeared. Clicking on the first link, I began to scan over the information.

  Local High School on Haunted Ground

  West Jessamine High School isn’t just known for their athletics and test scores. No, after decades of stories about Ghost sightings in the school, local reporters decided to dig deeper into the hysteria of the small, Kentucky town.

  According to county records, the school was built on a mass grave site where three witches are reported to be buried. Teachers, former students, and other staff have reported feeling cold chills or seen Ghosts walking through the halls.

  Think that’s scary? Wait until you hear this. In 1849, the old football field behind the school was a mass grave site when Cholera swept through the county. The souls of those buried there
are supposed to be seen at night searching for their families. The tales don’t end there. During the Civil War, Camp Nelson served as a recruiting, training, and supply depot. It provided over 10,000 African-American soldiers for the Union Army. The location even became a refugee camp for the soldiers' families. Today, spirits are said to haunt the fields, cemetery, prison and forts of Camp Nelson. Established around 1863, Camp Nelson was used as a supply depot for the Union Army. Anyone who wanted to fight in the war–escaped slaves included–went to Camp Nelson. Those people in paranormal occurrences, believe the beloved Town of Nicholasville was once filled with the mischievous and, at times, evil spirits of those wronged in death. Sometime in the early 1900’s, the spiritual encounters became just that-- encounters. No more deadly attacks by those unseen. What caused this change, we may never know.

  At the end of the article, I spotted several pictures. Some of the high school and another of Camp Nelson. The photo depicted a large, two-story, white home, sitting on top of a hill, overlooking the countryside and busy roadway. Beautiful white pillars stood on the front porch, supporting an exquisite second-floor balcony. Black shutters framed the windows, adding contrast to the all-white exterior. Two red and orange brick chimneys peeked over the rooftop on both sides of the house, giving it a more comforting, family-friendly feel. The house looked nothing like somewhere you’d find officers during a war. Another image showed High Bridge, an old railroad track that hoovered high over the Kentucky River. Many people have noted seeing Ghosts walking along the old road. The landmark saw more deaths than the town cared to admit and spirits seemed to flock there.

  Leaving that site, I clicked on another one that held myths and legends of the town. I read through the old newspaper articles and the speculations about how arson had been to blame for at least three business fires in what is now downtown Nicholasville around 1865. One building that had burned was the old jailhouse, the place where soldiers who had gone against the Union were detained. I remember seeing the old jail while out driving with Maylee. The building had also been occupied by troops after the war. Rows of well maintained graves lined the manicured lawn, and I could just close my eyes and imagine lost souls wandering through the rolling hills of the site.