Read Within The Shadows Online
Authors: Julieanne Lynch
Tags: #urban dark fantasy, #prophecies, #gothic fantasy, #new adult, #blood and shadows, #vampires and undead, #betrayal and revenge
Within The Shadows
Within the
Shadows
The Shadow
World
Book One
By
Julieanne
Lynch
Within the Shadows
The Shadow
World
Book
One
Copyright 2014 Julieanne Lynch
Published by Julieanne Lynch at Smashwords
Smashwords Edition License Notes
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respecting the hard work of this author.
For my nephew,
Liam, the brightest star in the sky
“
Part of every misery is, so to speak, the
misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely
suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer.
I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day
thinking about living each day in grief.”
C.
S.
Lewis
Table of
contents
Prologue
WAKING UP
IS
considered a simple daily task to
most, but for me, lying so still and lifeless scares me. The
haunting echo of confusion filled my head with pain, and a hunger
for something I do not know. The burning that spreads throughout my
body is something I cannot describe without wanting to wail and
escape the anguish that keeps building up.
Here I am,
in a situation that can only be described as a nightmare. For me,
this is no dream. Today, I was reborn into a world full of darkness
and horror. My place is unknown to me, but the desire to feed is my
basic instinct.
My name is
Giselle Bergman. I’m eighteen-years-old, and from what I can
remember, I have lived a good, yet short life.
Chapter
One
I FELT
HIS
eyes on me before I returned the
look. He knew what I was thinking, and, like always, he knew the
right way to cheer me up. Best friends were like that, and Alex
was, without a doubt, my knight-in-shining armour. He was like my
shadow, and the last six years proved to me just how dependable he
had become.
“
We need sugar, and lots of it!” he practically shouted,
pulling into the lot.
“
But we’ll be late for school! I can
not
have another
detention, Alex, and besides, I need to see Marc before class.” I
sighed.
“
Well, Marc can wait. Strawberry glaze or chocolate
sprinkles?” he asked as he got out of the car.
Alex winked
at me, and I giggled like a little girl as I followed
him.
“
One of each,” I said. “It’s a Monday. I need me some
sugar.”
Grabbing
hold of his arm, I held onto him, and ignored the sneering looks
from a group of girls leaving the cafe.
“
Still slumming it, I see, Alex. Call me when you man up,”
the local slut hollered as she walked across the lot with her
minions in tow.
I ignored
them and their taunts, and walked inside, escaping to our favourite
table. “Bitches.” I scowled, looking out the window. “Who does she
think she is?” My face reddened with anger.
“
Ignore her, G. She’s harmless.”
“
Why are you always defending her?” My voice was now an
octave above a whisper.
Grabbing the
menu from me, he threw it onto the table. “Look at me! They can say
whatever they want. They can make as many comments, and it won’t
change a thing. You’re my friend, Giselle. Besides, you look
way
better
than them.”
Laughing, I
looked back outside, and watched Evie with her perfect body driving
off in her perfect car as I felt sick inside.
“
Marc seems to think she’s great.” My voice cracked as I
watched her drive off.
“
Marc’s an ass,” Alex said as he looked over the menu,
pouting his lips at whatever he fancied. He did that when something
appealed to him.
“
Alex!”
“
Well, think about it. He’s dating you, and yet he has time
for said ‘bitches.’ Give me a break! If you were my girlfriend, and
this is just hypothetical, I wouldn’t let you out of sight, or give
those asses reason to pick on you, but that’s just from my
viewpoint. Now, let’s order. I’m starving.”
The small
bistro was buzzing with customers. The delicious scent of freshly
made coffee filled the air. It woke up my taste buds. Its bright
and bold colours hurt my eyes. Shades of orange, lime green, and
sunbeam yellow had been painted abstractly on the walls, reminding
me of summer. Even the ceiling reminded me of the ocean with its
cool shades of baby blue. Somehow, it had become a place of comfort
to me. The people reminded me that I belonged here, and, like
always, Marion was the first to come welcome us and take our
order.
“
Morning, you two. The usual?” she asked. Turning to face
me, she smiled, and her voice softened. “How is your mother,
Giselle?”
“
Hi, Marion, um, yeah, the usual, but can I have a side
order of arsenic to go?” I laughed. “Um, Mom is good,
thanks.”
“
That’s great, sweetheart. Give her my love.” Laughing, she
walked back towards the counter, shaking her head.
Alex sat
forward, his brilliant green eyes staring hard into mine.
“Arsenic?”
“
Well, it was
either that or crushed glass.”
We burst out
laughing, grabbing the attention of the people at the table next to
us. We were like two naughty school children. Giggling as we ate,
we didn’t care who scowled at us. It was just Alex and I, in our
own world, and nothing was going to break that bond . . .
ever!
T
he ride to school was becoming
increasingly uncomfortable. My pain increased with each kilometre
the closer we got to school. I knew I had to face Marc at some
point in the day, but to be honest, I was too pissed off with him
to really care about why he’d dropped me for some lame party in
town.
My stomach
spun, and I was nervous as I got out of the car. Marc was standing
by his truck on the far side of the lot. There was no avoiding him.
He stood with Aaron and Doug, his best friends, and watched me as I
tried my best not to look at him, but it was so hard. He and his
beautiful puppy dog eyes always got to me, and I knew I would be
putty in his hands.
Yet
I wanted him to squirm just a little while
longer, for my own benefit. Alex swung his arm over my shoulder,
and pulled me in close to him, reassuring me that my impending
confrontation would be fine. I wished I had his confidence in
me.
“
Relax. Just keep eye contact and scowl. Scowl like a mad
woman,” he whispered as we parted company. “Laters, Bergman.” With
that, he was gone.
I was on my
own.
Marc
eyeballed me as I slowly made my way over to him. The bell rang,
and people bumped past me as they rushed off to homeroom. I, on the
other hand, had to lay a few things to rest before I could face my
day of boredom, and its side helping of bitchiness.
“
Hi!” I
greeted all three of them.
“
Um, morning,
G,” Aaron said as he nudged Doug in the arm.
Guys must have some sort of
secret code, because without Aaron saying anything, they both
looked at each other, then at Marc, and left.
“
You took
your time coming in today,” Marc said as he slung his bag over his
shoulder.
“
Yeah, but
that’s my business,” I bitterly retorted.
“
G, you’re meant to be my girlfriend. Maybe you should start
acting like it.”
“
What? Are you for real? You’re such an ass, Marc.” Anger
began to boil inside me, and I walked on ahead of him.
“
Giselle, wait!” he called after me. “I’m sorry.”
“
Sorry doesn’t even cut it, Marc,” I replied. “You blew me
off for what? Drinks with the ‘guys.’ I went to so much trouble.
Can you imagine how dumb I felt waiting for you to turn
up?”
“
I really am sorry. I didn’t know Andy was going to some
frat house. If I had known, I wouldn’t have gotten into the car. I
swear, G, I would have shown up. Only, things got out of hand.” His
eyes shot to the ground, as he avoided having to look at
me.
It was so
hard staying mad at him. I really wanted him to grovel more, and
feel like total shit, but I couldn’t do it to him. I adored him,
and wanted to make up so badly.
“
It was our anniversary, Marc. Four years is a pretty big
deal, but you can make it up to me,” I said coyly.
Looking up
into his delicious blue eyes, I felt my anger melt. I was more than
ready for our make-up kiss. Pulling me in close to him, he cupped
my face in his hands, and gently pulled my mouth to his. I could
smell his cologne, and as it danced in circles around my nostrils,
I kissed him back, our tongues lightly brushing together. The kiss
drew a few whistles of approval, and a stern mouthful from Mr.
Green.
“
What is the meaning of this public display of . . . of . .
. ?” he stuttered.
“
Affection,” Marc said, trying to finish the line for
him.
I held in my
laughter as he led us into the school, and straight to Principal
Brooks’ office. Standing outside of Brooks’ office, neither Marc,
nor I, said anything, but his smile said it all. We were back on
track.
“
Bergman, Clark, g . . . g . . . get in here now!” Green
bellowed from the doorway.
Marc entered
the office first, and I hastily stopped at the door, avoiding eye
contact with Brooks.
“
Bergman,
close the door when you’ve decided to join us,” Green said
sarcastically as he folded his arms.