Shadows in Blood (The Immortal Trials Book 3) Read online

  Shadows in Blood

  The Immortal Trials Book 3

  Ainsley Shay

  Shadows in Blood Copyright © 2018 by Ainsley Shay

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Shadows in Blood is a work of fiction. The names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Edited by: Cynthia Shepp

  Cover by: Covers by Christian

  Shadows in Blood / Ainsley Shay.—1st Edition

  Also by Ainsley Shay

  THE IMMORTAL TRIALS

  Echoes to Ashes

  Ashes and Shadows

  Shadows in Blood

  Blood and Curse

  THE STATUES TRILOGY

  Prison of Statues

  Adelina’s Curse

  The Carving Witch

  ECHO RITUALS

  Iridescent Moon

  Moon Gift

  THE FORBIDDEN

  Delicate Thorns

  Jagged Feather

  Iron Petals

  UNDERWATER ISLAND

  Shore of Graves

  Nether Tears

  After the Curtain Falls

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Also by Ainsley Shay

  About the Author

  This series is dedicated to all the lovers of paranormal beings and worlds beyond our own.

  1

  Mermaids…

  I lazed in bed while trying to piece together the details of my trip to Veil Rock. What I saw in the water was not some figment of my overactive imagination. Hell, if artisans of the elements, vampires, and shape-shifters were real—why not mermaids? She had even spoken to me—warned me, really. It had only made me want to return more, and I soon would. I had no choice.

  I draped my arm over my face. Watching Dragan walk away was harder than I ever would have thought. It was also the last thing I had expected. His last words stung as I played them over and over again in my head…

  There’s only thirty-seven days until the Hunter’s Moon. You better figure it out before then.

  The Hunter’s Moon was the date set for the ritual to renew his immortality—as well as the immortality of others like him. It was also the day I was scheduled to be their sacrifice. I was down to thirty-five days, and I hadn’t figured out squat. Where I fit into it all was still a giant pain-in-the-butt mystery. The White Ones had the answers, but Elyza hadn’t been very forthcoming with information. According to her, I was to stay as far away from the immortals as possible. She also recommended I not use any of my powers, so I wouldn’t draw attention. I’ve managed to do the complete opposite.

  Shadow purred beside me. His small form was curled into a tiny black ball. I dreaded getting out of bed, but it was a school day. The kitten didn’t stir when I got up. Traipsing to the bathroom, I wiped the sleep from my eyes. In the last couple of weeks, I was able to catch up on homework and prepare for today’s test in physics. Around the other madness in my life, I was proud of that small accomplishment.

  “You up?” my aunt called from the kitchen.

  “Yeah.”

  “Want some eggs and toast?” she asked.

  My stomach grumbled in acknowledgment. I wanted blood more than eggs, but I fought back the craving. “Sure, eggs would be great. Thanks,” I called back.

  In the mirror, I groaned as I studied the mark on my cheek. It was an elegant mass of changing swirls and symbols. The few who could see it—immortals and protectors like Preacher Macias—found it to be more than fascinating. I found it to be a beacon of how different I was from the others. Each time I saw it, it reminded me I wasn’t completely human. Shivering at the thought, I turned away from the mirror.

  Aunt Juju was at the stove when I entered the kitchen. “Good morning,” she said.

  “Morning.” I wasn’t so sure about the “good” part yet.

  High-pitched squealing from down the hall had me running back to my room. Shadow was awake. Climbing up my bed was a piece a cake with his razor-like claws. Getting down from the bed by himself was a couple of weeks away. Picking him up, I cradled him to my chest. He stopped crying, and I took him with me to the kitchen.

  “How’s the little guy doing?” my aunt asked.

  “Good. I think he’s getting bigger by the day.” I opened the fridge, then pulled out the milk. Setting Shadow down, I retrieved a dish, poured milk into it, and warmed it. Shadow rushed to the sweet smell, sliding into the side of the saucer and splashing some of the milk out.

  “Slow down there, little one. It’s not going anywhere.”

  White coated his chin as he lapped it up.

  “I think he’s as hungry as I am,” Juju said.

  I rubbed my belly. “You and me both. Anything I can do to help?”

  “Press down the toast,” she said as she mixed the eggs in the pan.

  I pushed down the lever of the toaster. “So, why are you up so early?”

  “Yep. Got to be at the store to make sure everything is in line. Harold, the district manager, is scheduled to visit today.”

  “Oh, joy.”

  She scooped eggs onto the plates. “My thoughts exactly.”

  “Well, he can’t be too hard on you. You were just in a car accident and in a coma.”

  She patted my arm. “It’s retail, baby. The customer and sales are all that matters. It’s my job to make sure they both keep growing.”

  I took out the pieces of toast, then set them on our dishes. We sat at the table. The window overlooking the porch revealed nothing but darkness.

  “I’d much rather work nights,” she said. “At least then, it’s supposed to be dark.”

  We ate in silence for the next few minutes.

  “How are your powers doing?”

  I almost choked, having to gulp my orange juice to clear my throat.

  She slapped me on the back. “You okay?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, but that just sounds weird.”

  “I’m sorry. I guess it did, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  We laughed.

  After breakfast, we went our separate ways to get ready. I placed Shadow in his box in my room. He meowed piteously before giving up and falling asleep.

  The sun was coming up as I closed the front door behind me. The skull flowerpots hung as still as the dead flowers potted in them. I slid my bag over my shoulder, then straddled my scooter. After revving it to life, I pulled out of the drive and onto the road.

  Veil Rock’s only school was home to the aye-ayes, which was an ugly creature that apparently warmed the heart of whoever chose it to be the mascot. I pulled into the parking lot. A group of people hovered around Hartley King. The school’s bully and I hadn’t gotten off on the right foot. I didn’t have any hope we’d eve
r find a way to get along. She had issues with me because of Cameron. Even though there was nothing going on between us. Her initial sliver of jealously had grown into a massive ball of hatred she loved to aim at me.

  I parked my scooter near the bike rack, away from the crowd.

  “Look, it’s here,” a drawling voice said.

  Slowly, I turned to see Hartley and her two sidekicks.

  She placed her hand on her cocked hip. “Thought you dropped out,” Hartley called over the chatter of students walking by.

  Most of my classes were done online with my other high school. With my class here, I was committed to come in two days a week. In the last couple of weeks, those had been interrupted with recent events like my aunt’s accident and being kidnapped. Both of which the immortals and witches had been responsible for. Of course, I couldn’t tell Hartley any of that—not that it was any of her business.

  I beamed a smile as bright as the morning sun coming up. “Now why would I go and do that? That would be a waste of at least two days a week I wouldn’t get the chance to get under your skin.”

  “Bitch,” she growled.

  The thoughts of setting her new red sports car on fire flashed through my mind, causing me to smile even wider. Giving them my back, I headed for class.

  Only Mr. Greer was in the classroom when I arrived.

  “Good morning, Ms. Shade.”

  “Morning.”

  I set my bag on the desk. Taking out my notebook, I glanced up when he spoke again.

  “Mr. Hunt.”

  “Hey.” It was Cameron.

  Turning, I watched him drop his backpack next to his desk.

  “Hi,” I said.

  Without answering, he never took his eyes off me as he crowded right into my personal space. He leaned toward me. Our faces were only inches part. I held my breath, waiting to see where he was taking this intimate moment.

  “Do you have something you want to tell me?” His voice was low and pressing.

  There were a million things I couldn’t tell him. I hoped he wasn’t pushing to know any more of my secrets than he already did. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Where were you the other night after you left the shop? Your aunt was losing her mind when you didn’t come home. She called Isla, who then didn’t sleep until she got the call from your aunt that you were home safe—the next day.” He emphasized the last three words.

  I balled my fists. Energy began to swirl inside me. I pushed it down before I started a cyclone or worse. Telling him a crazed fire creator, a vampire, and a shifter had kidnapped me was out of the question. “I was with—”

  “Hi, Cameron.”

  Glancing over his shoulder, I saw Hartley come into the class. Cameron didn’t acknowledge her. He kept his cold stare on me.

  “With who?”

  “Dragan,” I spat out. It wasn’t a total lie.

  Slowly, Cameron shook his head and rose to his full height. His light blue eyes held mine, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he was going to say next. “Dragan found a way to get my number. He called me to ask if I knew where you were.”

  Shit!

  “I know there are things you can’t tell me, but just say as much. Lying doesn’t suit you.” He turned, then practically stomped back to his desk.

  I was left feeling like a complete ass.

  Hartley was all over him in less than two seconds. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Not now, Hartley,” he grumbled.

  Her face fell into a heap of hurt. She rubbed his arm. “Let me know if you want to talk about it. I’m here if you need me.” On the way back to her desk, she narrowed her eyes at me. “Bitch,” she mouthed.

  The bell rang. I tried to concentrate on Mr. Greer, but my mind was a thousand miles away. Cameron had every right to be mad at me. His protectiveness had grown over the last week. It was appreciated, but he had no idea what he was protecting. Hell, I had even managed to get my true protector cursed by the White Ones. Now, he was gradually rotting away.

  When the bell finally rang, I had my backpack in hand and was headed to the door in seconds. I didn’t say a word to anyone or look back.

  A note was taped to the glass of The Warlock’s Workshop.

  Be back in 10 minutes.

  I used my key to unlock the door. Pulling off the sign, I went inside.

  “Hey, Boone,” I said.

  The owl cocked open one eye, apparently deciding I wasn’t worth the effort of opening the other.

  Soft, mystical music played in the background. That was new. A book, more mysterious than anything I had ever seen, lay on the counter. I was dying to open it, but a metal band with a lock was wrapped around its center. The fire emblem on the worn leather cover was pure magic. I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but I had no doubt I was right. I wanted—no, needed—to touch its dark surface. Gingerly, I reached out, gliding my fingers over the archaic lock and its intricate patterns.

  The bell on the door jingled, and I jumped.

  Isla’s entrance into the store was as whimsical as it was elegant. One of her arms were outstretched in a possible dance move, while the other held the hem of her midnight-blue flowing skirt. Just as she approached, she took my hands in hers and twirled me around. The patchouli oil she wore wafted around us.

  “Oh, Everly dear, you are quite the special one, aren’t you?”

  We stopped spinning, but my heart was racing as if I had been caught doing something I shouldn’t have.

  “I’m not so sure about that,” I commented as I tried to slow the rapid beating in my chest.

  She swiped her finger under my chin. “Celeste couldn’t stop talking about you.”

  “Who’s Celeste?”

  Her mass of bangle bracelets clinked together as she waved her hand in the air. “She’s a wonderful lady. I think we’re going to be very excellent friends.”

  I didn’t interrupt her, but she would have been a little easier to follow if I had any idea who this Celeste was.

  “I brought her sweet cinnamon muffin loaves to welcome her to Carousel. She’s going to be quite the popular one in our little circle of shops—you know?”

  Ahh…the psychic. Once I figured out that small bit of information, I didn’t like the fact the woman was discussing me with anyone, even Isla. “Why was she talking about me?”

  Isla melted onto the stool behind the counter, then crossed her legs. After adjusting her skirt, she continued, “Celeste said—and I may need to improvise with my own words, so please forgive me… The girl you adore has beautiful gifts. She is by far one of the most magical creatures I have ever encountered.”

  I wasn’t sure I liked where this was going. That the lady next door knew I possessed “gifts” could pose to be a problem.

  Isla huffed. “Although, I didn’t like her last piece of chatter. In her kindest and most concerned tone, she told me to be careful of you.” Isla waved her hand haphazardly in the air. “I told her there’s nothing to be careful about, and that you are the most wonderful treasure I’ve found since I bought this shop.”

  Even though I loved Isla’s trust in me, I wanted to tell my boss that maybe she should take the psychic’s advice since I wasn’t sure what I was capable of.

  2

  Isla had taken the book into the back room, then closed the door. Curiosity was eating away at me. I wanted to know what was so important on those pages that someone felt the need to lock them up.

  About an hour later, the door jingled. I raised my head from the crystals and stones I sorted. Cameron was the prize that came into the shop. Internally groaning, I focused on the colorful stones.

  Boone hooted and flapped his wings.

  I ignored it all.

  “So, that’s it—you just fall back into your own little world?” Cameron dropped his backpack at my feet.

  I set down the stone I was holding. “Cam, don’t go there. You know my life is a little… effed up, so that’s not fair.”

  “Ef
fed up? Is that your excuse?”

  Excuse? I seriously wanted to kick him in the—

  “So, what is it?” he asked, interrupting my building rant. Like a tween-aged girl, he placed his hands on his hips. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” he argued.

  I lowered my hand from my mouth. “Are you serious? If you could see what I do, then I guarantee you’d be laughing too.”

  “What is so damn funny?”

  My laugh was at the point of hysteria. “Just look down,” I managed to say.

  He did. Immediately, he dropped his hands from his hips. It only made my laughter increase.

  “Relax there—mage. I’m trying to grasp this. Since I don’t have any abilities, I may look a little inept.”

  I picked up the stone again. “I’m thinking a lot inept,” I said, then tried to stifle a giggle.

  “Listen, I didn’t mean to come on so strong at school.” He raked his fingers through his sandy-brown hair. “It’s just—I would…”

  “You would what?” I insisted.

  He huffed out a hard breath. “I would hate if anything happened to you, okay? There I said it. Can we move on now?”

  Did Cameron have feelings for me? Like the kind I had for Dragan?

  “Thanks,” was all I could say.

  He rubbed his hands together. “Good. Moving on to something else. I get you’re not going to tell me where you were. It’s fine—your business. Will you at least tell me one thing, though?”