The Soul of Shadows

Chapter 1

Maeve's POV

I awoke panting, my boyshorts drenched, my heartbeat erratic. I could feel the flush bursting through my chest. I had another dream about him. Every time I almost see his face and then my dream ends abruptly. I've spent years upon years dreaming of him. 

He had defined muscles with black tattoos that covered almost every inch of him. Many of them are symbols I've never seen, intertwined with a tree. I knew he had dark, soft hair because my hands would wring through it when his mouth sucked and licked me. 

He would tease me for hours on end, at least from what it felt like. Tonight, he flipped me over, palmed my ass, slapping harshly to have me orgasm against his fingers. I was screaming in ecstasy. He always knew exactly how to make me cum. He was about to enter me before I woke up. 

I was again, left aching and desiring for it to be real. 

My room was covered in darkness, signaling it was still too early for me to wake up. I glanced across the room to a corner my eyes always seemed to gravitate towards. I swore I would see shadows of shapes moving and feel eyes on me. 

I stumble to find my lamp and turn it on. A purple hue encased the room to show nothing in the corner I was suspicious of, as usual. 

I turned to my bedside table to get my phone. I saw several missed calls from my best friend, Leila. It was 12 AM. I knew she still had to be the party she wanted me so badly to go to. 

I clicked her contact and pressed the call button.

She answered right away, "Maeevvee!!! We miss you so much. Please come to this party. You know it will be going at least until 4 AM. Xavier is here too! C'mon girl!" 

The music was lightly pumping in the background. I could hear laughter and people talking. I knew from her loudness, that she was either high or about to get drunk as hell.

"Leila, you know I can't. I have a class at 8 tomorrow. I can't chance failing it" I explained.

"You need to live. All you do is read or study. You are 24! I get the whole wanting to get your Doctorate but you have yet to actually go to a party and PARTY!" She argued. 

"That's not true! I went to Drew's with you Freshman year and had a whole beer!" I vindicated.

"Wow Maeve, a WHOLE beer?! That's so crazy. You really have lived on the edge," Her tone lacing with sarcasm.

"Would Luke want this for you?" She added, a knife stabbing directly into my heart. 

"Don't bring him into this. That is beyond unfair and you know it." I sharply responded.

I heard a sigh before movement on the phone and the sound of a closed door, "Look Maeve, I'm not trying to be a bitch. Luke asked me to make sure that you were taken care of. That means getting you out of your comfort zone. He was all about that."

"I know," I said softly, tears began welling up in my eyes. "I miss him so much. He was the best brother."

My brother, Luke, passed away last year. He was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was the fun, goofy, teasing brother who wanted the best for me. He had my back. And he was the only family I had left. My parents died when I was 18 in a car crash. As you can see any type of vehicle or transportation ends badly for my family. Now I live with constant panic attacks going in any of them. 

"He was and will always be your big brother. What was that overly cheesy saying he preached especially when you wouldn't leave that room?" She spoke softly. 

"Live every day like it's your last," I whispered into the phone. I could feel a surge of energy through me. The sound of something thumping at the corner of my room roped me out of my depressing reverie. 

"Maeve, is everything okay?" Leila asked, concerned.

"Yeah, yeah," I spoke getting off my bed, and creeping toward the corner where my well-used chair and desk were. Something catches my eye on the floor. It's my purple journal engraved with the Tree of Life from last year. 

"My journal fell, I don't really know how. Must be how I had it stored," I laughed off. It's what I wrote when Luke passed. It had fallen face-down and open. 

"Well, can you come? I want you here." She pleaded. 

I picked up the journal off the floor. It was on the exact page of the night my brother died. I had a normal day that I was recounting and was going into lengthy detail of. I had paused in the middle of the page, at one word. It was when I received the call about Luke. 

The word was "live". My heartbeat began to speed. This couldn't be a coincidence. Maybe it was a sign? From him? Telling me to go out and live. 

"Yes, I will come." I rushed out, pushing my hands through my hair. 

"YAS!!!!! Good thing you said that because I already texted Xavier to pick you up. Don't worry, he did not drink or smoke anything. He actually had just got here when you called so it works out," I could hear her smile through the phone. 

"Great, can't wait," I said mockingly. "I don't even know what to wear." I groaned. 

"Ms. Maeve, you could put on a trash bag and still look beautiful. Every man and woman will be lining at the door, drooling for you, no matter what. You just got it like no one else does." She complimented. I could hear the opening of a door and music coming back into the phone. 

"Yeah, yeah. I guess I'll see you soon, love you" I begrudgingly ended. 

"Love you!" I heard before I tossed my phone back into the bed. 

The night was just about to get started and I don't think I'd ever be ready for it. 

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Hello readers! I am so excited about starting this. This actually all started with a dream I had. It will delve into a different world than maybe you are used to. I plan on this being a short story but if I really latch onto this story and the characters, I may write more. 

There is going to be explicit content. This specific story deals with the Shadow realm which I delve into. 

Let me know your thoughts! Please follow, vote, or comment. It really helps to feel less alone writing this and knowing people enjoy it. Thank you!!!