Secrets In The Shadows

Chapter 21:Shadow Tracking Test #1

This time on the news, there's a report of two victims being found this time. Tyra Dawson was found in a graveyard and Paul Harrison was found on the side of the road electrocuted to death. They both attended school with me.

I go up to Hunter's room and knock. A second later the door opens and there stands Hunter in PJs. Before he can utter a word I tell him, " Call Maddox, there were two this time. We're doing this right this second".

A second later, a fully dressed Hunter, Maddox and I are alone in the house due to my Dad being at work and Uncle Aiden along with Detective Winters have already ridden along to the crime scenes.

We decide to let this take place in my room. Once inside, Tress immediately appears. Waves of uneasiness and worry coming off of her. I turn towards her and give the hand sign of ok. She shakes her head but leaves us be for the time being.

Hunter and Maddox stand behind me patiently. Allowing me to focus in peace. I turn to Tress. Although I could probably enter the shadow realm without her help I can't take that risk right now.

I walk towards her. "Please, Tress I need to do this. I have to at least try ok? Please". I can feel her starting to give until finally she places her shadow palm on the wall.

I place my hand on hers, our fingers entwining. I feel her love and protectiveness for me before I close my eyes as she pulls me into her. A second later I open my eyes to see the shadow realm in all it's dark glory.

I feel the familiar wispiness of the shadow strand against my cheek. I look from one strand to another, not knowing how to start.

I let out a sigh and begin dragging my hand through the strands, again feeling emotions once they meet my fingertips. The emotions come at me fast and hard.

Anger and sadness at loosing a child to the killer. Terror of being the next victim. Shame of not solving the case quickly enough. Intense rage of seeing him twice with her that quickly morphs into a sense of calm that I restored the order of things.

That one. I open my eyes at the last strand and spot it immediately. It's almost pulsing with different emotions and feelings. Carefully I reach out my hand and before I chicken out, I grab it.

An electric shock fills my body from head to toe but it strangely it doesn't hurt just...tingles. The realm spins around me faster and faster until I close my eyes to stop myself from becoming dizzy.

Once I right myself again I open my eyes to see I'm in a room. A bedroom to be exact. The blue  walls are bare and the room seems to only hold the bare necessities: Bed, tv, bookshelf, computer, dresser and closet.

There's nothing of personal value anywhere in the room that I can see. I feel around for the killer, I don't sense that the UnSub is here.

I decide to head into the closet. I shadow travel into the closet. I use my ability to form a shadow tendril and yank on the light string, illuminating the closet.

Once I see what's inside though, I almost  wish I let it remained shrouded in complete darkness. The closet is bare, no clothes, shoes, not even hangers discarded on the floor.

One of the objects in the closet is a shrine. A shrine of me. My blown up smiling face stares back at me. There are locks of my hair taped onto the board. Looking neat and shiney as if someone took the time to brush and groom it. To make sure it wouldn't wither away.

A photoshopped picture of me in a wedding gown. Me at school. Me at Tuley, at the funerals, at the police station. There doesn't seem to be an end to the Huntress memorabilia.

Suddenly I hear footsteps treading up to the room. Shock fills my body as I realize this could be it. This could be where I see whose behind all of this. I hear the creak of the bedroom door being turned and footsteps retreating into the room.

Just as I'm about to shadow travel out of the closet and into the room. A tug forcefully pulls me back in the shadow realm. Tress.

No! I scream in my head and I try with all my might to fight her will but the shadow realm is just as much as her realm as it is mine. She lives in it. She knows it better. She's better at it than me.

Shadow tendril wrap around my body and lift me up into the air and into the shadow realm. I'm pulled, pulled pulled all the way back to my room. I practically come falling out of the wall.

Hunter and Maddox catch me before I hit my floor. In a rage, I turn to Tress. She's on the wall with her arms crossed and I feel that she has no regret for what she just did.

I fling the boy's arms off of me, ignoring my dizziness. I shout at Tress, " Why did you that? I was this close to seeing the face and you ruined that! You ruined the chance of all of this being over". My voice breaks.

Tress tries to send comfortable feelings through the bond but I block them. Vaguely I feel her hurt. In the eight years she's been with me, I've never blocked her from my bond, our bond.

" Leave. Just leave Tress. I don't want to see you right now" I tell her softly, anger still in my voice. She shimmers for a little bit before my shadow goes still. I move left, then right. My shadow following my exact movements, not a hint of Tress.

I turn towards the guys, about to tell them what I saw when there's a knock on my door. I go to open it and Dad's standing there. His face pale and his hands fidgeting.

His eyes rake over to Maddox before locking on me. " Detectives Winter and Gray are here to see you" he he tells me before heading down the stairs.

I follow him with Maddox and Hunter following me. In the living room stands my Uncle and Detective Winters who raises an eyebrow at the sight of her son.

She slides a plastic baggie with a letter in it towards me once I reach the table. " We found this of Tyra Dawson's body" she tells me in a soft voice.

I pick up the bag and read the note. As my eyes scan it, I feel my arms begin to tremble. Vaguely I hear Detective Winters tells me this note means nothing, I hear my Uncle and Dad talk in hush angry tones; I feel my brother's hand on my upper arm gently saying my name along with Maddox telling me it's going to be ok.

All that slowly fades away as I read the note again.

My little Huntress,

I thought it was time I wrote to you directly. I hope you understand why I killed two this time. You were with him, twice so...I had to restore balance. Don't worry, I'm almost done and soon everything will be alright. We'll be together on the great mountain just you and me. Only a couple more sacrifices to go my love. I'm doing this for you. For US. You're cute when you sleep you know that? Anyway my love, I must leave before the rise of the sun. I love you and I promise nothing will get in the way of our fated togetherness. I also thought it was time to reveal my name.

                     Sincerely with all  my heart and soul(belonging to you of course my sweet)-ORION