Ace narrowed his dark eyes at me like he was in deep thought. “You can’t let what people in this town say about you, get inside of your head. They are all intrigued by us. I know they have their own theories about what makes us different, but I’ve never allowed it to bother me. And, you shouldn’t either. As for your mom, you need to tell her. She’s a Mediator, Lizzie. I’m sure she already knows,” he finished.
He was right--about everything. Especially, about my mom. As much as I wanted to have my own secrets, I was sure she already knew. I would tell her, eventually, I conceded.
“I will talk to my mom tomorrow,” I agreed.
“Good, now let’s start training,” Ace ordered, jumping up and starting to bounce from one foot to another, like he was an MMA fighter in the cage.
I stood up, giggling at his antics. I placed my feet apart like he had shown me and readed myself for whatever he threw at me.
“What now?” I asked.
“We need to practice having you strike. You won’t really hurt or destroy a Demon, but you can injure and throw them off long enough to get away,” he added.
My stomach dropped as he spoke. It never occured to me that I couldn’t destroy the Demons. They could easily kill me. End my life forever.
That was terrifying.
I froze and dropped my hands to my sides.
“What?” Ace asked, stopping his movements.
“I could die.” It came out sounding unlike me.
“Well, yeah. That’s why we train. That’s why we need to find the necklace.”
When he said it like that, so straight forward, it made perfect sense. But, that didn’t make it any less terrifying. Any less real.
Grabbing my hand, Ace squeezed. “We will figure all of this out. I promise,” he said, staring deep into my eyes.
I felt my body falling into him as our stare and connection deepened.
“Looks like we are interrupting a moment,” Nora’s voice broke through my Ace-filled haze.
My heart fluttered before dropping down to the pits of my stomach. It felt like every time Ace and I made a connection, when our souls seemed to intertwine as one, someone always found a way to break the spell that bound us together. Maybe it was fate telling me I was dreaming if I thought I had a chance with Ace.
“Great,” I heard Ace mutter under his breath.
We both turned to face Nora who was dolled up in all black leather clothes and knee-high red boots. Thomas was trailing behind her in a dapper navy blue suit.
“We have news,” Thomas said, placing his hands together in front of him, as though he were about to pray. Something, though, told me that he hadn’t ever stepped foot in a church before.
“Can it wait? We are training,” Ace scolded.
Nora, ignoring Ace, sauntered over to the weight benches and sat down. Straddling the seat, she had a grave look on her face. “No, Ace. I’m afraid this news can’t wait. There has been a murder in town,” she informed.
My head began to spin at her words and I felt myself growing dizzy. My legs became weak and just as I felt myself giving in to the darkness, Ace cradled me in his arms, helping me carefully to the mats below me.
Ace held me closely as his head shot up toward Thomas. “What happened?”
Thomas walked closer to us, his presence causing a chill to race down my spine. “The Crow Haven Council believes it was a Demon, but in animal form. The body was mutilated. Torn to shreds and had bite marks.”
He spoke as though he were sharing the daily weather. It was eerie how someone could speak so easily and casually about death.
“Where was the body found?” Ace asked.
His voice sounded so distant to me. I was in a fog, my mind barely registering what was happening to me.
“The courthouse lawn. It’s definitely a message. We have to find that necklace,” Thomas stated, his gaze laser focused on me.
Gulping down the bile that threatened to spew, I struggled to remain composed. This was all getting way too real for me.
The sound of my phone ringing had us all jumping out of our skin.
“Lizzie, that’s your phone,” Ace said, nodding toward my purse in the corner.
I was still unable to move, so Ace ran over and retrieved it for me. Handing me the device, I saw it was my mom calling.
“Hello,” I answered, my voice shaking.
“Lizzie, I need for you to get home. Now,” she said urgently.
“Ok,” I said, before dropping the phone in my lap.
She knows. My mom must know what happened and, now, she is going to want answers from me.
Looking to Ace, he simply nodded. We both knew that there was no more hiding what was going on. I had to face the reality and wrath of my mom.
Chapter Seventeen
Safety in Numbers
W
e pulled up to my house under the frosted moon. It was a strange mix of feelings as I was both feared and awaited what was to come once I entered my house. Ace barely had time to turn off the ignition before my mom rushed out of the house and bound down the porch stairs.
“Lizzie,” she cried out, racing straight to me.
I jumped out of the car and ran to her. All of my fear and worry disappeared as I saw the fear in my mom’s eyes. I had wanted to hide so much from her, and had been angry with her for keeping secrets from me, but in this moment, all I wanted was to be wrapped in the safety of her embrace.
“Mom,” my voice pierced through the night, as I fell into her arms.
As she held me tightly, I heard Ace’s footsteps approaching us.
“Lizzie, we need to talk,” she said, as she let me cry against her shoulder.
“Should I leave?” Ace asked, his hoarse voice sounding so far away.
Both me and my mom turned to look at Ace.
Shaking my head, I reached out for him. I needed him right now, too.
Together, we all three walked into my house where my dad was sitting in the kitchen, nervously awaiting our arrival.
Sitting around the kitchen table, we allowed the silence to soothe our beating hearts as the night’s events washed over us.
“Lizzie,” my mom began, turning in her chair to face me as she placed her hand on mine, “tonight there was a murder.”
“We know,” I said, sneaking a glance to Ace. “We heard it was from the hands of a Demon.”
Nodding her head, my mom closed her dark eyes briefly before looking at me with tears brimming the lids. “Lizzie, how long have the Demons been after you?” she asked.
I had known all along that my mom knew about my secrets. She was my mother-- a Mediator, and it had been in my soul that she knew. I just never wanted to admit it to myself.
“Mrs. Bufford, Lizzie has only had one Demon attack. We are training at Crow Haven,” Ace cut in.
“I am aware,” my mom said, squeezing my hand. “I just wish you all would have told me. I’ve been contacted by spirits who have informed me of the Demon's arrival. I knew of the death, because I had to help the man who was killed tonight journey to the afterlife,” she added.
It broke my heart to hear the pain in her voice. My mom’s job as a messenger to the dead had never bled into my life before-- but now, my magnetism with the Demons were affecting her, too.
“Mom, I was going to tell you, I just…” I stopped, unsure of how to say what I was truly feeling. Taking a deep breath, I braced myself for the truth I was about to expel. “All of my life I have been different. I spent my life in Salem being made fun of because I was so afraid to get close to people. Mom, you have always been so interesting. Your life has been filled with helping lost souls and all I could do was see dark shadows that haunted my dreams…”
This time, I stopped, not because I was unsure of what to say, but because I had a revelation.
Since training with Ace, I hadn’t had a nightmare filled with shadows.
When I looked at Ace, he had a knowing smile on his face like he already knew what I was abou
t to ask.
Clearing his throat, Ace took all of our attention. “Lizzie, the reason you don’t have nightmares anymore is because you are being protected by the Crows. The spark you feel when we touch-- hold hands and train, ignites our connection and allows the protection from my Crow to protect you, even in sleep,” he clarified.
It was all so strange, but at the same time, it made sense.
“Sorry for being so quiet, but I've always been just a spectator to the supernatural. Having my daughter being chased by Demons is starting to really hit me,” my dad noted, his pale face showing how nervous he was.
I hated that my issues were plaguing him.
“Ace and I are training. And…” I took another deep breath before saying the next part. “I found a note from Aunt Morgan. Her necklace, the one that has the spell to protect me from the Demons, is hidden somewhere on this property. We also read about supernatural sightings around town. We are going to those places to see if we can find anything that will alert us to where the necklace is. Maybe someone moved it from our property.” There were so many factors and possibilities to consider. We needed to check everything.
“You found her note?” my mom asked, her voice rising.
“Yes. It was in the attic. We just need to find the necklace,” I clarified.
“I will search every inch of the property until I find it,” Ace bravely noted. “However,” he continued, his tone taking a grave turn, “our biggest problem is going to be the fact that the Demons have taken the shape of animals. My family at Crow Haven have been texting me information as they get it.”
I watched as Ace slumped in his chair, like he was already defeated.
“Animal form?” I asked.
“This is bad,” my mom exclaimed. My dad placed his arm around her for support. “If the Demons are taking shape in animals, they will be much harder to track and identify,” she finished.
My heart dropped down to the pits of my stomach as I considered all the ways this information was going to destroy my life.
“We have to find that necklace,” I shouted, knocking over my chair as I jumped up.
Ace stood, too, like a soldier preparing for war.
With nothing left to discuss, Ace and I ventured out into the night again. My mom and dad remained at the house, waiting and hoping for a spirit to come to her again with more information.
We made our way through the front yard, searching the driveway and around the front porch. After scouring through the trees lining the drive, we decided the back yard and rolling pastures would be a most likely place to hide something like an ancient necklace, so we ran around the back.
I couldn't help but keep looking back to my house where my parents were glued to the living room window, watching our every move.
“You know, you should have told your mom about the Demons after it happened,” Ace said, as we walked along the old barn. The weathered red paint looked more like a deep crimson blood under the moonlight and seemed to fit the ominous mood of the night.
Turning, I was in awe of how ethereal Ace appeared as the moonlight glowed like a spotlight on his face. My breath hitched as I couldn’t help but stare at him.
“I know, but I just wanted to do this on my own,” I admitted, my voice light and airy as I pretended to not be enamored by his beauty.
“Lizzie, you are very stubborn,” he chuckled, his eyes searching along the barn entrance.
“Yeah, I’ve been told that before,” I said, smiling.
“Do you think your great aunt would have hidden the necklace in the barn?” he asked, sliding the heavy, wooden barn doors open.
“Maybe,” I replied, walking into the musty barn. The smell of hay and dust filled my nose and I began sneezing.
“Looks like allergies are also attacking you,” Ace joked, nudging my arm.
“Not funny,” I pouted, hitting his arm as I faked being offended.
I loved when we bantered back and forth like this. When Ace laughed, it was as though we were just two teenagers having fun and not Demon hunting Shifters and Shadow Seekers.
As we moved further into the barn, an odd sensation began to overcome me, like my body was burning.
“Ace, something is wrong,” I cried, stumbling back toward the barn entrance.
Following me out, Ace stayed close by my side. “What’s the problem?” he asked, his hands moving to my sides.
“I don’t know. I just feel like my body is filled with lava,” I said, rubbing my arms as I fell to the damp grass below.
A wave of darkness began to cloud my vision as light quickly faded away. I felt as though I were trapped inside a bubble, unable to escape or to be heard.
A heavy mist covered the ground, rising up toward the sky where the silver glow of the moonlight was the only light to be found. I knew I was dreaming-- that this was another way my mind was playing games with me.
I glanced around, unsure of where I was or what exactly was happening. No longer was I standing with Ace or on my property. I was alone. Trapped. My hands clutched the grass, the slick strands sliding right through my fingers.
Black tentacles of darkness began to crawl up the sides of the glass bubble that was holding me prisoner. As they slithered around me, I saw golden eyes looking back at me from outside of my confined space.
The dark form shifted into the shape of a coyote, a large beast with evil radiating from it’s beady eyes.
“What are you?” I asked, not even sure if who or what was outside could hear me.
“I am evil incarnated. Your worst fear imagined,” the voice hissed, like a thousand snakes. He stalked closer to me, making me his prey.
Fear engulfed me as I stood frozen in fear.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked, my own voice trembling.
“You are not meant to be here. Your presence only complicates things for us. Leave this town,” the creature demanded, its voice now booming and shaking the inside of my space.
“What am I complicating?” I cried out.
Moving closer to the barrier that separated me from the evil being, its golden eyes stared at me as large, white fangs with blood dripping from them, glared at me. He growled, the sound reminding me that I wasn’t just in the presence of a wild animal, but a Demon, as well.
Just as the thing began to speak, a harsh roar lifted the darkness and suddenly, I was back in front of the barn and now laying on the ground.
“Lizzie, are you ok?” he asked, kneeling down at my side.
The beast howled from the distance and Ace shot up, crouching and ready for a fight.
“He’s gone,” I said, stopping him from searching for the Demon.
“I saw a coyote and then you were on the ground. It all happened so fast, I could barely register what was happening,” Ace shrieked.
Sitting up, I shook my head, trying to decipher if what just happened was a dream or a terrifying reality.
“I have no idea what happened. One minute I was standing here with you and then the next, I was inside this bubble. This ugly, Demon like creature was warning me to leave,” I said, my lips quivering just imaging the thing looking at me.
“It’s happening,” he said, sitting down and running a hand through his thick, dark waves.
“What’s happening?” I asked, almost afraid to uncover the truth.
Something deep in my soul told me that I didn’t really want to know the truth.
“The war has begun. We have to find that necklace soon before another innocent soul is killed or worse-- something happens to you. We need to go tell your mom,” Ace ordered, and I didn’t have any more fight left in me to counter his suggestion.
After telling my mom about what happened, we took off for Camp Nelson. Who knew what Demons would await me there.
Ace drove like he was in the Indy 500.
We made it to Camp Nelson in record time. The infamous house looked different in the dead of night. The large, iron gates were closed, but I knew that wouldn’t stop us fr
om checking out the property.
“Maybe we should come back in the morning,” I suggested.
“No way. We would risk people seeing us,” Ace countered, already climbing the gate.
Shaking my head, I followed suit and began to climb the cold gates. Once we reached the other side, Ace took off toward the rows of graves. I kept close to his side, feeling unsure as I walked along the dead.
“What should I be looking for?” I asked, keeping my voice low like a whisper. It felt disrespectful to the resting souls to talk loudly.
“Shadows, Demons, a necklace…” Ace trailed off, listing everything he could think of.
I kept my eyes focused on everything around me, but it was hard to see through the darkness. The wind began to howl as a low rumble of thunder erupted in the sky. Glancing up I felt a drop of rain touch my kiss. Great, now we had to worry about rain.
Ace didn’t let the shift in weather deter him from stalking through the graveyard. As I struggled to see through the now downpour, something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. Stopping, I focused on the figure approaching.
The shadow loomed over a grave, watching me with the same curiosity as I watched it.
“Lizzie, what are you doing?” Ace asked, turning to see where I was.
“I see a shadow,” I whispered.
Ace stopped dead in his tracks and just watched me.
The figure looked more like a heavy billow of gray smoke as it swayed against the howling wind. It wasn’t a Demon, I was sure of that. I didn’t feel the same sense of evil radiating through me.
“You need to find the necklace,” the voice stated loud and powerful.
“Where is it?” I cried out.
“Only a Shadow Seeker can find the necklace. It isn’t here, this is a resting ground for lost souls,” the shadow said, before disappearing into the night.
Tears sprang from my eyes as I realized we had hit another dead end.
“He’s gone. The necklace isn’t here,” I shouted, angry at the turn of events.
Ace ran to me, pulling me into his arms. “Lizzie, it’s ok. We will find it, you will find it,” he said, leading us back toward the entrance.
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