Page 9 of Shadowed Fate

Blood drips from Sean's face, splattering onto the forest floor.

As it hits the ground, it feels like time itself slows down and something inside me shifts.

I feel the beginnings of one of my headaches. My ‘spells’, as my Aunt Janice called them. I don’t black out but I do lose time during them.No, no, no—please not now.

But something else unexpected happens.

A surge courses through my veins, unlike anything I've ever felt before. It's cold and dark, yet oddly consolatory. I gasp, my vision blurring for a moment.

"What the hell?" Mike's voice sounds shaky.

I blink, refocusing on the scene before me. Darkness swirls around my body like living smoke, licks of shadow dancing across my skin. The knife falls from my hand, but I no longer feel defenseless.

Sean stumbles backward, his eyes wide.

I look down at my hands, watching the darkness curl around my fingers.

Mike turns to run but trips over a root, falling face-first into the dirt. The shadows leave my hands, clawing at him, ripping through his shirt, and tearing into his skin. He screams, scrambling away on all fours to get away.

Sean’s earlier swagger evaporates instantly. He continues backing away, his hands up in front of himself protectively. "You freak," he whispers.

There’s that word again.So fucking boring.

For the first time in my entire life, I feel like I’m in control. Like I am powerful. Part of me wants to hurt them, to make them feel as scared and helpless as they've made me feel. The shadows respond to that feeling. The fear emanating from Sean and Mike makes me feel stronger, like I am the thing in the woodstheyneed to fear.

Sean grabs Mike by the arm, hauling him to his feet, and they both sprint away, crashing through the underbrush, getting as far away from me as they can.

As their footsteps fade, I lean against the tree, sliding down to sit on the forest floor. The shadows retreat, then disappear, leaving me feeling drained.

The air around me thickens, growing heavy and oppressive. The shadows I controlled moments ago are gone, but a new darkness forms in front of me.

Shapes form, coalescing into a dark, amorphous mass that looms over me.

My heart feels like it’s going to rupture; it’s beating so fast. "What’s happening?" I whisper, but there’s no one there to respond.

The mass pulses, reaching out towards me. I scramble backwards, leaves crunching beneath my palms. The shapes follow. I feel one slide up my neck and around my throat.

I try willing whatever power I felt earlier to return, but it's as if the entity is siphoning it from me, growing stronger as I grow weaker.

Something brushes my ankle, ice-cold and treacly. I kick out, but my foot passes through it uselessly. Panic claws at my throat as I feel pressure and I realize I'm suffocating. The thing, whatever it is, is choking me. The edges of my vision grow dark, and I know I’m about to lose consciousness.

Chapter 6

Brigid

Just before everything goes black, a blinding light cuts through the night. Two figures materialize near the stand of birch trees, their outlines blurry. I can’t see who or what they are, and I fold into myself protectively.

"Well, well," a smooth, silky voice says. "What do we have here, Loch?"

"Trouble," comes the curt reply.

I see the two figures are men, tall and broad-shouldered. They move with confident strides, their posture imposing. Their features are sharp and striking, even in the dim light, and their dark clothing blends in with the shadows. With silent intentions, they draw near, each step deliberate.

The mass recoils from the newcomers, its attention divided. I feel some of the pressure on my throat ease, and I suck in a breath. “Who are you?” I rasp.

The man on the left, dark-haired and stern-faced, doesn't spare me a glance. His eyes are fixed on the writhing blob; his stance is taut. His muscles move under his clothing, and his sheer presence emanates strength and power.

His companion, however, flashes me a smile that’s far too dazzling for the situation. “Explanations later, darling. First, let's deal with our uninvited guest, shall we?”

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