Shadow Demons (7 page)

Finally, it was our turn to perform. For my team, I tried to clear my mind of worries and concentrate on the five minute routine we’d been working on for the past couple of weeks. The magic in the sneakers was awesome and gave us a huge advantage, but when it came to all of the throws and acrobatics in this routine, there was still a chance one of us could mess up big time.

My heart was beating like crazy when we finally took our places on the gym floor. The bleachers were completely packed with people. The judges sat right up front at a long table, their pencils ready. One younger judge on the end caught my eye and gave me a big, encouraging smile. I smiled back, my hands trembling at my sides.

The music started and my body took over. We’d practiced this so many times in the past week alone, I knew the moves backward and forward. Before I started cheering, I never realized just how athletic you had to be. There was so much more to it than cheering on the field on Friday nights. Our newest routine was extremely difficult. For us, timing was everything.

We had a few individual tumbling passes, and if one person started even a second or two behind, it could cause a serious crash. When my tumbling part came, I kept my mind on the music and trusted my feet to know when to start moving. After that terrible practice when I fell and my shoes were tampered with, I’d had a hard time being super confident in my shoes. That was probably exactly what Brooke wanted me to feel. I tried to ignore the rush of fear that nagged at my brain. What if Brooke somehow tampered with my routine again? What if I started tumbling and crash into someone in front of all these people?

I kept a count of the beats in my head and started out. Two round-offs, a back hand spring, and a back tuck. I flew across the floor, feeling the pounding of the bass vibrate against my hands when I touched the ground. When I made it to the other side safely, a huge smile broke out across my face.

Confident, I ran to my next spot. Our final difficult element was a three tiered pyramid with me at the very top. When I dismounted, I was supposed to fly into the air and do a twist down into the arms of three of the girls at the bottom. This was the same spot where I’d fallen and gotten hurt in practice. My eyes flicked toward Brooke. She was smiling and getting into place, and I somehow felt relieved that she wasn’t watching me.

In front of me, Allison laced her fingers together. I stepped into her hand and she lifted me up high into the air. For a second, I fought for my balance, then confidently climbed higher, up to the very top of the pyramid. I kept waiting for my mind to go fuzzy. For the routine to disappear or glitch in some way. But it didn’t. The last seconds of the routine stretched out in my mind, and I had to trust that everything was right. I had to trust the spell on my shoes and believe that the girls on the squad were going to catch me.

My stomach tightened, but I didn’t let my smile fade. As the final seconds of the music sounded, I felt Allison and the other girls below me sink down, then push me high into the air. I flew up high, my body twisting and soaring. The music thumped and my heart pounded in my ears. Fear rushed through my veins. As I spun, flashes of the floor and the girls waiting below twisted in and out of my vision. Finally, after what felt like an eternity in the air, I landed safely in the arms of my fellow cheerleaders.

Relief flooded through me. I smiled as they pushed me back into the air for our final formation. I raised my hands in the air, my chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath. The music ended and the crowd roared. We’d done it. And I hadn’t died. Win-win.

Who knew being a cheerleader could be so stressful?

Waiting on the scores that afternoon felt like an eternity. Each cheerleading team sat together on the gym floor as the head judge – the cheerleading coach at the University of Georgia – read the names of the winners.

The glossy wooden floor was cold against my legs. Lark sat to one side of me. Allison on the other. We held hands and huddled together. The Peachville High cheerleading squad had never won first place at a regional competition. Usually, Meredith and Caroline’s school in Cypress won first, but they weren’t competing this year. After Caroline’s disappearance and illness, their coach decided it would be best for them to sit out for a year instead of pushing the girls to practice during the crisis. So here we were, hoping to win for the very first time.

“Come on,” Lark whispered. She squeezed my hand tight and bit her lip.

Personally, I had a lot more important things to worry about than whether or not we were going to the state cheerleading competition this year. On the other hand, state competition was in Atlanta every year, and it would be fun to get out of this small town and back into the city for a weekend.

“Thank you so much to all the teams who participated this year,” the lady from UGA said. “All of the judges had a very tough decision today. We saw a lot of talent and some unique routines out there today. Every one of you should be proud of yourselves. Go on. Let’s give all of our participants a hand for coming out today.”

The gym erupted in applause, but Lark and Allison didn’t let go of my hands. I looked up to where Jackson was sitting at the top of the bleachers. Our eyes met and he smiled. I rolled my eyes and he laughed, leaning back against the wall with one foot up on the seat in front of him.

“Like I said, this really was a close competition today, but we do have a winner,” the UGA coach said. Her voice was high and perky and excited, as if she herself had just won the big prize. “Coming in third place is the team from Cochran.”

Squeals echoed throughout the gym as the girls from Cochran, with their purple and gold uniforms, jumped up and accepted their trophy. Most of them were smiling, but a few of the girls were obviously disappointed. Probably seniors. Their last chance to go to state denied. I swallowed nervously. This was my first chance. I’d never been part of a team like this. I’d never known what it was like to work together the way we’d all been working for the past few months. Suddenly, I realized how much I wanted us to win.

“Second place this year goes to,” the woman paused. The gym fell completely silent. Lark squeezed my hand harder. “Hawkinsville High School.”

More shouts of excitement. The red and white team from Hawkinsville jumped up, hands waving high in the air as their team captain ran up to get the trophy.

My heart thudded against my ribs. Why did I even care about some stupid cheerleading trophy? I had never in my life even known these competitions existed before I got to Peachville. I certainly never dreamed I would give a second’s thought to winning one of them. I looked into Lark’s eyes and she hugged her body close to mine. We all sat up on our knees, waiting.

It was moments like these that messed with my mind. Every time I was so sure that I didn’t want to be a part of the Order, something like this would happen to lure me right back in. I liked being part of something. I liked knowing I wasn’t alone.

“And our first place winner today,” she said. “The team that will be representing our region at the state cheerleading competition in Atlanta in a couple of weeks is…”

Anticipation hung in the room like a tightly held breath. I wanted to win this. I couldn’t explain it. I wanted to be a normal girl who worried about normal things.

“Peachville High School!”

The team stood up and cheered. Lark and Allison pulled me into a hug, jumping up and down. Brooke sauntered to the front of the gym and took the trophy into her hand. She held it up toward the crowd, waving it around like a flag. There were so many high-pitched screams going off in my ears, I wondered if I’d ever get my hearing back to normal. Then, I realized I was screaming too.

I looked up toward Jackson and smiled. He leaned forward, resting his elbows against his knees, his boots propped up on the seat in front of him. In the midst of this celebration, I looked from him to the girls around me. My heart went from light and happy to suddenly heavy and thick with sadness. I was caught between them.

The realization hit me like a razor blade to the heart. I could never truly have them both. Either I joined the Order and lost Jackson forever, or I found a way to free myself from being Prima and lost my friends.

If it wasn’t for Jackson, I might never have truly understood the horror of what the Order of Shadows was doing to the demons. I might have come into this town as a super star. I might have belonged to the Order and been happy being a part of that.

On the other hand, without him, I would never have known what it was like to care about someone so deeply. After almost losing him last night, I realized just how much I’d grown to care for him. Love him, even. How could I ever be happy in the Order if it meant hurting him?

Everyone in this town wanted something from me. They wanted me to mold me into their little puppet Prima. But I could never be that person. I wasn’t a natural kind of leader. I was more of a rebel. Sure, being a part of the cheerleading team could be fun at times like this, but always in the back of my mind, I knew that my life could never be normal. I would never be carefree. I looked from Jackson to Lark. Two people I cared about most in this town.

I swallowed. Someday, I would have to choose between them.

Someday, one of them was going to hate me. There were going to be some difficult decisions ahead.

“You coming with us to Brooke’s?” Lark asked.

We were in the locker room changing. Most of the other teams were already on their way home, but the Peachville squad had to stay and help clean up. Lark and I were the last two girls left in the locker room. Every muscle in my body ached in unison. I scrunched up my nose.

“I don’t think so. I’m exhausted.” I said. I lowered my voice down to a whisper. “Besides, Brooke is the last person I want to be hanging out with tonight.”

Lark sighed and sat down on the hard wooden bench beside her locker. “This sucks,” she said. “I want us to all go back to being friends. Can’t you just let it go for this one night? We just won regionals! We need to celebrate. It won’t be the same without you there.”

I shook my head. “I can’t. You have no idea what I’ve been through this weekend.”

Lark narrowed her eyes at me. “I thought you had a nice date with Jackson last night. Did something happen?”

Crap. I needed to learn to keep my big mouth shut.

“No, I just meant that I’m exhausted,” I said, turning away.

“What is it?” she asked, touching my shoulder. “Something’s obviously bothering you.”

“I’m fine,” I said. My voice came out a lot harsher than I meant for it to. I looked around to make sure no one was watching us. “I mean, it’s just that things have been really stressful since I moved here, you know? I feel like it’s been one tragedy after another.”

Lark frowned and put her arm around me. “You sure you don’t want to just come out with us and try to have some fun? It might help.”

I shook my head. “I’ll be fine,” I said. I forced a smile. “I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“Okay, but you’re definitely coming to the Ball next weekend, right? Did you talk to Mrs. King about it yet?”

“Yes,” I said. “I had a chance to talk to her earlier this morning before everyone else got here.”

“And?”

“And she said exactly what you told me she would say.” I sighed. “I don’t really have a choice when it comes to this particular event.”

Lark smiled and gave me a big hug. “I know you totally don’t want to go, but it’s going to be great,” she said. “We need to come up with some kind of theme for our costumes.”

While Lark rambled on about different ideas for what we could all wear for Halloween, my mind wandered back to the attack in the woods the night before. Who was that witch?

And if Jackson hadn’t killed her, how long before she came back for revenge?

Then there was the mysterious guy with the braids. Who was he?

A shiver ran down my spine. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Would I ever get used to living this kind of life? One where every time I turned around, someone new was trying to kill me?

“Harper?”

I snapped my head toward Lark. “Yes?”

“Have you even been listening to a word I’ve said?”

I bit my lower lip and stared up at her. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I wasn’t ignoring you or anything. I’m just-“

“Tired.” She slammed her locker door shut and picked up her duffel bag. “I know.”

I slumped back against the metal door of my own locker and groaned. “Shit,” I said. “Lark, I-“

“It’s fine,” she said. “We’ll talk costumes tomorrow okay? I’ll give you a call or something?”

I nodded, then realized tomorrow was Sunday. Zara was coming back to Peachville to start work as my trainer. I probably wouldn’t have a spare second to talk on the phone. “Wait,” I said. “I can’t tomorrow. Zara will be here, and I’ll have a million things to do in training. She said she wanted to get me started on a training program right away, and I can only imagine how rough that’s going to be. Why don’t we just talk about it Monday at lunch?”

“Okay,” Lark said. She looked toward the door and waved.

I peered around the corner to see Lark’s mother standing in the doorway. “Oh, hi Mayor Chen.”

“Hi Harper,” she said, a sweet smile on her face. “You did a great job today at the competition. You all did.”

“Thanks,” Lark and I said in unison.

“I have to run,” Lark said. She turned and gave me a soft smile. “Get some rest. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“I will,” I said, glad she wasn’t mad at me.

“You don’t need a ride home or anything right?”

“No,” I said. “I’ve got a ride.”

“See you Monday then?”

I smiled and nodded. “See you then.”

Lark and her mother left the locker room. I looked around and realized I was completely alone. My gaze wandered up to the window where I first saw the crow watching me.

Mary Anne.

I sighed. In this town, even my friends were my enemies. Jackson was the only person I felt I could completely trust, and even he had his secrets. Secrets he held so tight, not even a crowbar could have pried them from him.

“Knock, knock.” A tall man with a bushy mustache peered around the corner. When he saw me, he sighed and leaned against his mop. “It’s getting late. You got a ride home?”

I stuffed my shoes into my duffel bag and zipped it up. “Yeah.”

“Well, I gotta lock up, so you’ll have to wait outside.”

I looked toward the demon painted on the wall. Mrs. King was downstairs in the training room, but I couldn’t very well go down there with this guy watching my every move. Still, I didn’t really want to go outside alone. Jackson was picking me up at the side entrance near the parking lot at ten, but it was still about ten minutes till.

“I just need a few more minutes,” I said.

“Nope, sorry,” the man said, looking at his watch. “I’ve already stayed way later than I wanted to tonight. Let’s go. You can wait out front.”

I tied the drawstring on my comfy sweat pants, slipped into my old sneakers and walked out of the locker room. The lights in the gymnasium were dim. Only one set was still on, but the rest had been turned off hours ago. My shoes squeaked against the shiny floor, the sound echoing off the high ceilings.

“Good night,” the custodian said.

“Night,” I called back. I pushed open the side door and felt a blast of cold hit my face as I stepped into the evening air. It felt great after being cooped up in the gym with hundreds of people all day.

I took a few steps toward the parking lot, then frowned. I was hoping Jackson would be waiting for me. It had to be close to ten now.

I sat down on the curb and rifled through my clothes, looking for my cell phone. I pulled my makeup bag, hairbrush and chap-stick out and set them on the asphalt. Where was it?

I searched the bag again, carefully feeling around for the hard surface of the phone, but I couldn’t find it anywhere.

Crap. Did I leave it in the gym?

I glanced back toward the entrance. The custodian had locked all the doors already.

I looked around. No sign of Jackson anywhere.

Something didn’t feel right. I swallowed nervously.

Without my phone, I couldn’t call Jackson and tell him to come early. Maybe Mrs. King was still inside. I stuffed everything back into my bag and left it there on the curb. I crossed the damp grass between me and the gym and yanked on the handle.

Definitely locked.

I took a deep breath. No reason to panic.

I cupped my hands against the glass window and peered inside. I couldn’t see anyone. I knocked on the door a few times and waited. Still no one. If Mrs. King was in there, she was definitely down in the basement. She’d never hear me up here banging on the door.

Behind me, wings fluttered. I twisted around, pressing my back hard against the brick wall of the building. I searched the area for a bird, but there was nothing there.

I raised my hand to my beating heart and shook my head. I was acting completely paranoid. The crows were far away from here. Mary Anne would have sensed them if they had dared to come back to this area. She said she’d let me know the second she felt one of her family members come close to Peachville again.

A shadow fluttered across the ground to my left. I jumped.

Cursing, I pulled harder on the gym doors, hoping against logic that I could somehow get inside. I tried using magic, but the lock wouldn’t budge.

I pounded hard again on the metal door and then the glass window. There was no sign of Mrs. King anywhere. Behind me, something swooped across the darkness. It sounded like the flapping of wings. I was sure of it.

I flipped around, my breath pushing out from my body in a tense escape. I struggled to pull air into my lungs. My heart thrummed in my chest. Why had I let myself be left alone like this? I should have just stayed inside until Jackson came for me.

I pressed myself into a corner between the brick wall and the door to the gym. I didn’t want anyone to be able to sneak up on me. I wanted to see everything.

I tried to swallow my panic and connect to the core of my power, but it was hard when my heart was beating so fast. I forced myself to calm down. If only Zara were already here. She was supposed to be teaching me the kind of magic a Prima needed to know in order to protect herself. I opened my mouth and sucked in a long steadying breath. I could do this. Zara had taught me how to connect to my power. I let the breath out, feeling the power inside begin to flow through me.

My mind went black. All of the day’s worries about Jackson and Brooke and the competition fell away. I kept my eyes open, but inside my mind, I could see a single blue butterfly flapping its strong wings in the darkness. My power spilled out of my core, trickling its cold heat through my veins.

Now what? I had my power, but unless I was planning on glamouring it to death, I didn’t really know any great spells that could protect me in a situation against the crow witch or a group of the Others.

A screeching sound rang out above my head. I froze, every muscle in my body tensing.

Should I make a run for it? Or should I call for help?

I lifted my hand to my neck. Shit. My necklace was in my bag.

I’d had to take it off for the competition. It wasn’t part of the official uniform, so Mrs. King had asked us to take off all our jewelry. I should have put it on right after we performed, but it had been such a busy day, I just forgot.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

The bag was all the way over by the curb. If I tried to get to it and someone attacked, I wouldn’t have Aerden’s protection. Hell, I wasn’t even sure Aerden would come if I was attacked. He wasn’t there last night, and I still hadn’t been able to make sense of it.

I concentrated on lifting the bag into the air. I may not have been good at other things, but moving objects with my mind was definitely one of my strongest abilities. The blue bag soared easily into the air a few feet, then began floating toward me.

Above me somewhere on the roof, the bird crowed again. The bag dropped to the ground with a thud halfway between me and the curb. My hands were shaking. I’d completely lost my concentration.

If it was the crow witch up there, I wasn’t equipped to handle her right now. I was too tired after a day of cheerleading competitions. I didn’t know enough magic to protect myself against such a powerful witch.

I needed that necklace. It was my only chance to survive this.

In my panic, I decided to make a run for it. I shoved off from the brick wall and threw myself on the ground next to the duffel bag. With shaking hands, I unzipped the bag and dumped the entire contents onto the grass. I reached out to search through the clothing when a black crow swooped down. A loud shriek sounded in my ear and a long, poisoned claw reached for my hand. I fell back and screamed.

The crow’s talons looked long and pointy, and in that moment, I knew the crow witch had come back for her revenge. If she scratched me, I was dead.

I was too exposed out here in the open. I had to find a place to hide. I stood and ran toward the gym. With all the power I could summon, I pulled the heavy door toward me. The metal groaned as it bent outward. I ripped it from its hinges and hurled it over my head at the crow.

The door slammed into the bird, and I stared on in amazement as they both tumbled to the ground. I looked down at my trembling hands. What had I done?