Seeing Shadows (53 page)

My aunt paused, taking in a deep breath and then continued. "The other vardoger had short brown hair and you called it Sarah. You called the fourth vardoger Simon. It looked like your friend in the car when you visited me."

My heart stopped as I heard a rushing in my ears. My best friend and the boy I loved were trying to kill me. More accurately, their vardogers were trying to kill me. I then thought of Claudia's attack.

"Claudia just attacked me. She tried to choke me, but I was able to stop her with the iridium coin you gave me. But I tested her with her name. Her pupils didn't dilate. They looked totally normal!" I shrieked the last part, as if I was accusing my aunt of giving me misinformation. I realized I was on the edge of hysteria but I was too scared to pull myself back.

"I don't know, Caitlin," my aunt said, her voice anguished. "I'm so sorry, but I don't know why she didn't have the tell. Thank God you were able to get away. But you have to get out of there. She's going to come after you again. And the other vardogers. Sarah's and Simon's. They've detached themselves from their persons, but somehow they have enough strength to come after you. To try and enter your body. I don't know how, since they should have no connection to you. I know you've had visions of Simon, but that shouldn't give his vardoger the ability to enter you. But I saw it happen when I was under. They're going to come after you, but I believe that you can destroy them."

My heart thundered as I frantically thought of what to do next. "But I've never even had a vision of Sarah. And Simon...."

"It doesn't matter," Aunt Brenda explained urgently. "Sarah's vardoger has already marked you. And Simon's vardoger...when you had that second vision. With the shower curtain. It was on purpose. It created that vision on purpose. It was somehow able to control what you saw. And it was mocking you."

I didn't think I could take anymore. The thought of anything happening to Sarah and Simon...I couldn't bear the thought. Sarah had been my rock, the person who I could confide in, who believed in me when no one else had.

And Simon. The thought of Simon being hurt was unbearable. And it was my fault. If the vardogers hadn't sensed something in me, weren't after me, there was probably a good chance that Simon would never be in danger. My aunt was right. I had to run. I had to leave Sarah and Simon behind, to battle their vardogers without putting them in danger. Their vardogers would follow me and they would be safe.

"You're right," I said in a low voice. "I need to leave."

"Caitlin," my aunt said. "Come here. We'll do this together. I care-"

Aunt Brenda suddenly stopped speaking, drawing in a sharp breath. "How can you be here," she whispered, but I knew she wasn't talking to me.

"Aunt Brenda!" I yelled into the phone. "What's happening!?"

But she didn't answer and when she spoke again, her voice sounded far away, as if the phone had been pulled away from her. "Oh my God!" she yelled. And then she screamed. The scream was blood curdling, chilling me to my bones. It was a scream that no human should ever have to hear.

"Aunt Brenda!" I screamed as I started to cry, not understanding what was happening. "Aunt Brenda! What's happening!?"

Her scream stopped abruptly. The sudden silence was deafening and I held my breath, straining to hear anything.

"Hello? Aunt Brenda?" My voice quivered, barely a whisper. But no one answered.

That's when I heard it. The breathing. Someone or something was breathing into the phone. And I knew it wasn't my aunt.

I clenched my teeth tightly together as shivers wracked my body. I didn't dare speak, scared that whatever was on the other end would be able to track me by my voice. But I couldn't hang up the phone either. I had to keep the connection to my aunt open.

Then the phone clicked dead. Whoever...whatever was on the other end had disconnected the call.

The phone dropped from my numb hand as I sat there, horrified. Was my aunt okay? What had happened? I felt immobilized as I thought about everything she had told me. It was only seconds but it felt like hours while I contemplated what to do.

And then I sprang into action.

I picked up my phone from the floor and quickly dialed 9-1-1.

"9-1-1. What's your emergency?"

"I think something's happened to Brenda Kile. She lives on 526 Guardian Way in Norwalk, Connecticut. I was on the phone with her and it sounded like she was attacked."

"Can I get your name? And what exactly transpired on the call?"

I hung up the phone, having nothing else to say. It wouldn't matter what I said. I just needed them to check her house, to see if there was a way to save her from whatever had attacked her. And something had attacked her. I was sure of it.

I turned off my phone, not wanting to hear the call back from 9-1-1 which I was sure was inevitable. I then threw it on the couch. I wouldn't be taking it with me. I had an irrational fear that I would be able to be tracked by my phone. Although nothing seemed irrational now.

I needed to leave. I first had to get to Connecticut, to try and find out what happened to my aunt. But more importantly, I needed to draw the vardogers away from Sarah and Simon. If I couldn't save myself, I would save them.

I went on autopilot, grabbing a bag in my bedroom and stuffing clothes, my wallet and anything else I thought I would need. I wasn't sure what I would find in Connecticut, and I wasn't sure where I would be going afterwards, but I needed to pack light. Unfortunately the banks were closed but I would have the cab stop at an ATM before the train station so I could take out as much money as possible.

With that thought, I grabbed the yellow pages and dialed the number of a local cab company, ordering a car to pick me up as soon as possible. Fortunately the dispatcher said a cab would be over in ten minutes. I had a fleeting thought of taking Sarah's car and leaving a note, but I didn't want Sarah and Simon to be able to track me. Even though eventually they would figure out that I took a train out of Rochester, I wanted to get as far away as possible before they realized it.

Because I knew they would try and find me. Sarah wouldn't understand why I left, especially since I had never told her what was really happening. And Simon. Simon loved me. I knew deep in my heart that he would never stop trying to find me.

Because of those reasons, I grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen, not realizing tears were streaming down my face as I wrote. The note went beyond wanting to prevent them from looking for me. I wrote what was in my heart because I realized that this was probably my farewell.

By the time I was done, I heard a horn honk outside, letting me know the cab was outside.

I placed the note on the couch where it wouldn't be missed. I took one last look around the apartment that I had felt so safe in. Now I knew that the familiar held danger. I switched off the light and closed the door behind me.

Dear Simon and Sarah,

I know this note is going to come as a shock to you. I first want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm leaving. But please know it's for the best. I can't explain everything that's happening. I don't really even understand it myself. But you're both in danger. And I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe. Please trust that I know what I'm doing.

Sarah - You've meant so much to me these past few years. You're the first person to ever love me. You accepted me for who I am. I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend to you. I kept secrets from you, even when I knew you would accept me no matter what. It wasn't that I didn't believe in you. I didn't believe in myself. Please know that you've made my college years mean more than classes and studying. You made me enjoy life. I'll be forever grateful to you. I love you.

Simon - I can't believe we only met a few weeks ago. You know me so well, yet I've kept a part of myself hidden from you. You told me you loved me and I didn't answer you back. It's because I wasn't brave enough to tell you my true feelings. I've spent so much of my life hiding a part of myself that it's become second nature. You deserve more than that. I want to tell you that I love you, but it seems selfish now. As if I'm trying to bind you to me. So instead of telling you I love you, let me tell you that I set you free. Please be happy. Then all of this will have been worth it.

Sarah and Simon - Please let me go. I'm begging you to not try and find me. It will just cause everyone pain. If you care about me, please grant me this one request. I'm okay. I just need to be far away. Distance is the only thing I can do for you now. Please respect that.

Love,

Caitlin

Seeing Shadows
is the first installment of the
Shadow Series.

Chasing Shadows
, the second installment of the
Shadow Series,
is scheduled to release November 2012.

To get news and updates (plus random ramblings), please visit my website at
http://www.shkolee.com
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@shkolee
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Turn the page for the first three chapters of my adult contemporary romance book,
Love Left Behind
.

Emma Mills is restarting her life in New York City, determined to shed her boring persona and leave the scandal of a jilted groom behind. Little does she know that her life is about to be turned upside down by Jackson Reynard.

Chapter One

How far can obligation take you? It almost took me to the altar. Marrying the boy you started dating at fifteen is either a fairy tale or insanity. Sean Somers and I started dating our freshman year of high school. We grew up together through a parent's death, a divorce, proms and pregnancy scares. I loved Sean, although a part of me realized there was no passion in our relationship. He was like a trusted confidante, a best friend. But the love of my life? I wasn't so sure.

I assumed that college would be the wedge that would make us drift apart. I had accepted a partial scholarship to the University of Chicago and Sean was staying behind in Maryland to attend the local university. It wasn't for lack of trying that Sean didn't attend the same college as me. However, the University of Chicago had rejected him, and a small secret part of me had been happy. I could start over in Chicago and become a new person. I was tired of being boring Emma Mills; dependable daughter, straight-A student, church volunteer.

However, I had underestimated Sean's persistence and determination. Although we had promised each other that we would call and visit faithfully, Chicago was an expensive plane ride away. I didn't think it would actually happen. I hadn't realized that Sean had been squirreling away his paychecks from his summer jobs, saving enough money to be able to visit me every month.

And college hadn't been what I had expected it to be. I thought I would become a fascinating new person, with exciting friends and adventures around every corner. Instead, I realized I was still the same Emma Mills. I was still dependable. I was still earning straight-A's. I was still volunteering at church.

It became easier to go with what was comfortable. Sean was comfortable. He was dependable, just like me. So when he suggested that I move back to Maryland after graduation and take a job in D.C. so that we could start a life together, I agreed.

For three years, I was tolerably happy. Everyone envied our relationship. We both liked our jobs and enjoyed living right outside of D.C. in an up-and-coming neighborhood in Maryland. We rarely fought and I believed that I would spend the rest of my life with Sean. Therefore, when he proposed to me on my twenty-fourth birthday by stuffing a ring inside my birthday cake, I accepted with glee. My life was proceeding right on track.

But as the wedding day came closer and closer, I started to feel as if I was suffocating. We had our life totally mapped out before us. Sean was an analyst at a prestigious financial firm and was on track for a promotion to manager. I was a marketing executive at an ad agency, and we figured I would work there a few more years until we started having children. Then I would be a stay-at-home mom.