Sacrifice (Absent Shadows Trilogy Book 2)

Copyright © 2014 S M Spencer

All rights are reserved. The material contained within this book is protected by copyright law, no part may be copied, reproduced, presented, stored, communicated or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission.

This publication is a work of fiction. All characters and places, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cover design by BookPOD

Cover image woman in red © Eleaner | Dreamstime.com

Civer image of man © Angelo Cordeschi | Dreamstime.com

Cover images young girl © Aleshyn_Andrei | Shutterstock

eISBN:- 978-0-9942108-2-1

ABSENT SHADOWS TRILOGY:

Destiny – Book One

Sacrifice – Book Two

Deception – Book Three

Sacrifice:
‘A surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil.’

~ Chapter One ~

No matter how fast I ran I couldn’t get ahead of them. They were keeping pace with me, staying close, but not too close—it felt like they were toying with me. Was this the way my life would end?

A flash of light made its way through the dense branches, and in that moment I could see them clearly. Glowing red eyes met mine—eyes surrounded by grey, nearly translucent skin. As I stared at one, he threw his head back in a fit of wild laughter, then flicked his tongue wickedly along his lips. I looked away and as I did I met the gaze of another. I drew in my breath, and could feel my eyes widen with fear. He flashed me a smile, pulling his lips back to reveal teeth that looked like they’d been filed to points. When he moved away, I felt momentary hope. Was there a chance he would lead the others away? But then he ran up ahead, stopped in the middle of the track and turned to face me with his arms spread wide.

I had no option but to stop. As I did, they completely surrounded me. One wrapped its terrible fingers around my wrist as another grabbed my ankle. Then one put its hand on my shoulder and shook me. I turned to look at it, and recognised the face. ‘Tom?’ I mouthed, but no sound came out. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he leaned in closer and closer; his eyes were as red as molten lava; his skin translucent. A thought flashed through my mind; he’s dropped his illusion. But the thought disappeared as he shook me harder. I was certain he was going to kill me. I closed my eyes and cringed as I tried to pull away, but it was no use.

‘Miss, are you awake?’ The voice in my ear sounded feminine, not deep and masculine as I’d expected. It didn’t make sense. ‘Miss?’ he said again.

I opened my eyes to find a woman leaning over me; her hand on my shoulder as she gently shook me.

‘I’m sorry to wake you but we’re getting ready to land. You need to put your seatback up, and stow your tray table for landing.’

I stared blankly at the woman for a few seconds. Then I blinked, and shook my head. She was wearing a flight attendants’ uniform. I sighed with relief as I realised I must have dropped off to sleep. The vampires chasing me had just been a dream. I mumbled an apology as I sat forward and pulled the seatback up behind me.

‘Are you together?’ the flight attendant asked, indicating toward Claire who was sound asleep in the seat on my left.

‘Yes, yes we are. I’ll wake her,’ I answered, before turning to Claire.

As the flight attendant walked away I shook the back of Claire’s seat. When that didn’t work I grabbed her arm and gave her a mighty shake.

‘What?’ she said, opening her eyes and squinting.

‘We’re about to land—seatbacks up, tray tables away,’ I said, repeating the flight attendant’s words.

‘Oh. Bugger … I was having such a nice dream. Tom and I were walking along this path, like the one in Sydney that time. You remember, right? You were in my dream too, with Sam. Tom had just dropped down on one knee and was about to ask me something,’ she laughed.

I laughed back, but I didn’t dare mention that Tom had been in my dreams too.

A few minutes later, the captain announced that he’d begun his decent into San Francisco International Airport. As I finished filling in the arrival card I could hear the change in the engine sounds. We’d be landing just after eleven, on the same day, and at pretty much the same time, that we’d left Australia. Go figure.

My eyes burned, possibly from staring at the tiny movie screen all night—I’d watched at least five or six movies throughout the flight. But then again it may have had something to do with all the tears I’d shed the night before we left—after I’d said goodbye to Sam for what might be several weeks, or even longer. I still couldn’t believe I’d actually left. Everything seemed so dreamlike, I wasn’t entirely sure I was awake even now.

I looked out the window. The sky was silvery blue and cloudless; the hills to our left were golden brown—burnt by the August sun. It seemed odd, after the green landscape we’d left behind in Melbourne. I fought back tears as I suddenly felt very homesick for Melbourne—and for Sam.

When the wheels touched down the plane rocked back and forth a few times before slowing to taxi to the gate.

‘Welcome to San Francisco International Airport. The local time is ten fifty-eight and the top temperature is expected to be seventy-five later today. For those of you returning welcome home, and for that are visiting, we hope you have a very pleasant stay,’ said the voice over the loudspeaker.

We’d arrived. Technically, I was home. But it didn’t feel like that. This was where I was born; where I grew up. But I knew it could never really be home again.

~ Chapter Two
~

Mr Davis looked like Claire. He was good looking, and had her same platinum hair and blue eyes. But that’s where his resemblance to Claire stopped. He had none of her exuberance.

He hugged his daughter briefly then shook my hand politely while she introduced us. Then he took control of our luggage cart and walked us out toward the parking garage. When the doors opened, the heat nearly floored me—even inside the undercover garage it was hot. I’d grown used to Melbourne’s winter temperatures.

Less than half an hour later we pulled up in front of my house. Mom was already standing in the driveway with her arms wrapped around her—waiting. As soon as I got out of the car, she ran over and hugged me, then shook her head telling me I looked pale, and that I’d lost weight. But then she invited Mr Davis and Claire in for a coffee. They accepted graciously, and I could see another similarity—manners.

After they left, Mom chastised me again about looking thin before sending me upstairs to shower and unpack. She’d get lunch ready, and we’d eat when Raye got home.

As I headed to my room, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being in a dream. Every movement seemed mechanical. I unpacked, got undressed and threw my clothes into the hamper in the bathroom. Then I stepped under the shower and stood there letting the hot water run down my back. It felt good, and the steam helped to clear my head.

After I dressed, I stood looking into the mirror to dry my hair. My face did look quite pale, especially in contrast to my wet hair. This time of year my hair would normally get a bit sun-bleached, but I’d had two extra months of winter so there were no golden streaks. And maybe Mom was right; maybe I had lost a bit of weight. When one dates a vampire one doesn’t exactly get taken out for big dinners. Indeed, one often forgets all about food. But I couldn’t exactly tell Mom that, now could I?

Back in the kitchen I found Mom sitting at the table reading the paper. She looked up as I walked in, and said that Raye hadn’t come in yet but if I was hungry we didn’t have to wait for her. When I nodded in agreement, she pulled a salad out of the fridge and served it along with some fresh sourdough bread. The smell made my mouth water.

As we ate lunch Mom bombarded me with questions. She wanted to hear all about Aunt Debs. And she asked about Uncle Ian, who she’d never met. Was he nice? And as good looking in person as he was in the photo she’d seen? And what things had I found different from home? The food; the way people talked; the clothes they wore? And what places had I visited? Had I enjoyed Sydney and Queensland?

Finally she asked about Sam—the
boy
I’d met. Luckily she seemed satisfied with my cryptic answers, probably viewing him as simply a summer romance. That was fine for now. I wasn’t ready to discuss this yet.

But then she asked about college, and didn’t even try to hide her displeasure when I said I wasn’t sure I’d go back for the next semester.

‘Lili, you know how important it is for you to get a degree. You don’t want to end up like me do you?’ She’d dropped out of college to get married, then later did a part-time associates degree in accounting.

‘You haven’t turned out all that bad. Raye and I have no complaints.’

‘That’s not the point. These days, if you don’t have a degree you won’t even get an interview,’ she said, her tone firm and just a smidge away from being an order.

‘Yeah, I know. But really … I think I need a break from it. I tried to tell you before I left, but it never seemed like the right time.’

‘I hope this isn’t to do with David. I know he wasn’t supportive of you going to college.’

‘Trust me, Mom. This has nothing to do with David. I just don’t think that I’m cut out for business. I’m thinking more along the lines of … helping people.’

‘Helping people? What, like nursing? Is that what you’re thinking? Of course, if that’s what you want to do, I’d support that decision.’

‘No, not nursing exactly … maybe more like psychology?’ I was glad that word came to mind. I hadn’t actually thought about going back to college, but if I were to go, wouldn’t psychology help me with what I wanted to do?

Mom folded her hands in front of her, and took a deep breath. ‘Psychology? Well, that’s a thought. But a business degree will give you a strong foundation for whatever you decide to do. Especially if you think you might want to start your own business.’

‘Yeah, I know, I know … but a business degree isn’t going to be the first thing I need.’

She just shook her head, and although I knew I hadn’t heard the end of it, I got the impression that she wasn’t going to push it any further today.

‘Okay,’ she finally said, getting up to clear the plates from the table, ‘let’s talk about it tomorrow, after you’ve had a chance to get over the flight. You look like you need some sleep. I’m sure you must be exhausted. Did you sleep on the plane at all?’

‘Not really. I mostly watched movies,’ I sighed, putting my elbows on the table and resting my chin in my hands.

As I sat there I looked around the kitchen; at the fridge, and the stove, and the little window over the sink. Then I spotted the photo on the wall over the microwave. There we stood, the happy family: me, Mom, Dad and little baby, Raye.

I looked at Mom, thinking about how pretty she was when she was younger and happier. She must have really been pretty when she’d first met Dad. Was it the same for her, then, as it was for me now?

‘Mom, tell me again … the story of when you first met Dad.’

She looked surprised by my question and studied my face for a moment. Could she guess why I’d asked? She sighed, and then came back over and sat down at the table. When she began talking it was her story-telling voice I heard.

‘Well, as you know, I was working my way through college—waitressing at the local diner. Then one day, your father walked in with a group of friends. They were all so good looking and tall,’ she smiled as she seemed to remember the moment she first laid eyes on him.

‘They were all laughing and carrying on about something. Then, when I went to their table to take their order, your father looked up at me with his gorgeous chestnut brown eyes, your eyes,’ she said, winking at me, ‘and he smiled and said hello with his smooth Australian accent. I asked him where he came from, and he introduced himself and said “Melbourne, Australia, Miss. Oh, I hope it is Miss … and not Mrs?” and when I said “yes, it is Miss” he smiled so brightly his eyes glistened.

‘The whole time they were there I kept stealing glances at him, and each time I noticed him looking at me too. When I finished work, he was waiting outside. He asked if he could buy me a coffee, so we went back in and talked for hours. After that, we started seeing each other a couple times a week. Then it became most days of the week, until finally neither of us could stand to go a day without seeing the other. Three months later we were married. And not long after that, you came along.’

‘So … you knew? I mean, the first time you saw him, you knew he was the one?’

She didn’t answer at first, and I wondered if she would deny it. But then her eyes sparkled, and the corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly. ‘Of course I did. Your father was the love of my life, and if I had it all to do again, I’d do everything exactly the same way. You don’t know how much I miss him … even after all these years,’ she said, her voice breaking up a little. Then, reaching across the table she grabbed my hand and gave it a big squeeze. ‘But he gave me you girls. And when I look at you, I see him.’

Raye chose that exact moment to come barrelling in through the door. Mom pulled her hand away from mine and stood up as Raye plunked herself down at the table, saying, ‘What’s for lunch? Welcome home. Did you miss me? Did you bring me anything? I hope you remembered my birthday.’

She hadn’t changed at all—not that I’d expected her to.

We spent the next hour or so catching up, and I showed her the few pictures I’d taken, although I had to apologise that it hadn’t been something I’d remembered to do very often.

As she flipped through the photos she stopped suddenly, and looked up at me, grinning, ‘So, who’s this, eh?’

She turned the photo to show me one that Claire had taken of Sam and me, when we were in Manly—taken just as we’d gotten off the ferry. Sam looked fabulous—tall, dark and handsome. But I looked a mess. My hair was wild and wind-blown from standing at the front of the ferry with Claire, doing our Titanic impressions. But I liked the photo even so, and I grabbed it from her.

‘That’s Sam. Claire took it when we were in Manly,’ I explained about the ferry so she’d know why I looked like such a wild woman.

Just then a message arrived on my phone, and Raye’s eyes widened with excitement. ‘A text message … from this Sam, you think?’ she teased.

‘No,’ I lied; knowing it probably would be him wanting to make sure I’d arrived safely. But I couldn’t check because Raye yanked the phone out of my hand.

‘Can I have a look? This is a cool phone. I’ll need a new one soon.’

I didn’t even try to get the phone back—it was locked so she wouldn’t see the message anyway. Instead, I went over to the couch and proceeded to fall asleep in front of the television.

Sometime later, Mom woke me for dinner. Afterward, we all sat and watched a movie, although for the life of me I couldn’t say what it was. Before it even finished I made my excuses and called it a night.

I went to my room and checked the text message.

Are you home? I miss you already. Sam

I sent a reply back.

Yes, home safely. I miss you too. Please txt often - 5 times a day would be good. Love you, Lili xoxox

I could barely keep my eyes open by now, so I slipped into bed, but just before I fell asleep I replayed the conversation I’d had with Mom over again in my head. So, she knew Dad was the one, the moment she met him. And she’d only known Dad for three months when they got married. Perhaps telling her why I wanted to go back to Australia wasn’t going to be so hard after all.