Echos in the Shadows (Mystifying Music Book 2) Read online

  COPYRIGHT 2019

  PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH ST.JOHN

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved in all media. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This eBook may not be re-sold.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  ELECTRONIC EDITION 2019

  Title: Echo’s In The Shadows: Mystifying Music

  Author: Elizabeth St.John

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 1

  Mornings like these are the worst.

  While rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Ally made her way upstairs from her basement bedroom to the bathroom. Her feet landed in something wet when she stepped into the small dark room. A deep guttural groan escaped from between her lips. Fluid began to quickly soak into her socks. “Oh my God!” she hissed, feeling instantly annoyed. Ally flipped up the light switch and discovered the floor was slowly being flooded. The toilet was making an annoying pitch of a sound, which indicated it was continuously running. It sounded as if it were in extreme pain. Water was trickling out of the bowl and onto the tile floor. When she peeked inside, there was a huge wad of toilet paper slowly swirling in the water. “Seriously?” Exasperated, she turned off the water supply to the toilet to stop the flow. “Damnit! You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  Furiously, she marched up to the second floor of her home to where her cousins were sleeping. There was a third room but Ally enjoyed the seclusion of the basement. With a tight fist, she pounded on Theron’s bedroom door. “Go away!” he grumbled from the other side in a sleepy tone.

  Ally turned five shades of red before calming her nerves with a deep breath. “Wake up! The toilet downstairs is clogged and I gotta pee.” When Ally turned eighteen, she moved in with her lazy, extremely protective, and sometimes, overbearing cousins. Theron and Mike had good intentions but it got on Ally’s nerves. It wouldn’t be so bad if she were of the male persuasion. The fact she had breasts made having a life, even a romantic one, impossible.

  “Go through Mike’s room,” he replied.

  Ally’s cousins shared a joining bathroom. Her aunt gave Mike her old home on his eighteenth birthday. Naturally, the guys moved in with one another. They did everything together. Including trying to run their young cousin’s life. It wasn’t always so bad for Ally. The trio used to have a blast running their parents ragged. Raising teenagers was not something she would wish on her worst enemy. Especially, the supernatural type. Being hellhounds made the job twice, and maybe even three times as hard.

  Ally’s tight bladder screamed for release. “Damnit, T. Please open up!”

  The sound of Mike’s door opening captured her attention. Quickly, she turned around and he was poking his head out. “What the hell, Ally?” he whispered, glaring with tired eyes. He had partied hard the night before and was feeing the pounding headache of his hangover.

  His cousin rushed over and pushed her way through him, forcing him to step back. Ally ignored the company in her cousin’s bed and bolted into the bathroom. The toilet was filthy and made her cringe. After doing a quick wipe down of the seat, she was finally able to find the liberation her body. The average size bathroom was a disgusting mess. Shaved beard hairs and globs of toothpaste littered the white sink. Cologne, deodorant, and razors sat on the counter in an unorganized way. There were dirty clothes on the floor and the shower curtain was wide open. Damp towels, which had once been clean and neatly hung by Ally the day before, were hung on the shower curtain rod instead of the towel rack. Living with bachelors was exhausting. Over time, she had sadly become their live-in maid. They took her for granted.

  Frustrated, she stripped her wet socks off and the remainder of the dirty clothes and tossed them into the empty hamper. Ally made her exit with a hamper full of clothes so she could wash them later in the evening.

  “Better?” Mike asked, nearly annoyed while relieving an itch at the back of his head and yawning. He was sitting on the side of his bed in only his boxers. A woman was sleeping behind him but her naked back was facing Ally. The hickey on his neck told her he had a good time the night before. His hair was a mess and his brown eyes were heavy with sleep.

  “That bathroom is disgusting,” she complained in almost a whisper as she approached his door to leave. “But thanks.”

  “Yeah, well, you do have your own, you know?”

  Ally stopped in her tracks and glared at him, “About that. Someone clogged her toilet. I know it wasn’t me, so it had to be one of you or one of your many guests.” she gestured with a glance behind him.

  His eyes widened in shock over the accusation. “It wasn’t me. Talk to T.”

  “I don’t care who it was. I expect it to be fixed and the water to be mopped up before I get back from work. Thanks,” she snidely replied with a sharp nod.

  Taking orders from her wasn’t something Mike was used to. It bothered him slightly. Especially, when he had a pounding head ache. “How do you expect me to do that?”

  Ally’s entire body grew tight at his protest. “Mike, you’re not a moron.” A snide grin pulled across her adorable face. “Plunge the toilet and mop the damn floor.” she stepped out into the hall and closed his door.

  Almost getting sucked into cleaning, she resisted in order for her to get ready for work. After dropping off the dirty clothes in the laundry room, Ally made her way to the basement bedroom. Aside from the bathroom situation, she felt as if she had her own apartment. Ally hurried to get dressed for the work day.

  After dressing, she smoothed the sheet and blanket on her bed and tossed her night clothes on top of it. She rushed up the stairs the best she could in the heavy mandatory steel-toe boots. They already felt heavy to her. There weren’t many jobs in Devils Bend, causing people to venture out of town to larger companies. Ally worked in Kansas, which was only a thirty-minute drive from her home. As long as she took her shortcut. Her job was simple. Ally shoveled old discarded bones into large tubs so they could be processed into dog treats. There was nothing worse to her than returning home smelling of disgusting bone marrow, dried chicken, beef, and pork blood. The smell turned her stomach, especially since she was a vegetarian. The only perks were the positive income and she didn’t have to rely on anyone but herself.

  The engine to her little car growled to life as she turned the key. Not because it had a souped-up engine. Far from it. Ally couldn’t get so lucky. Her poor car was near death and blew white smoke from the tailpipe. Theron was a diesel mechanic for an oilfield company. Being his vehicle once upon a time, he had insisted he could fix the issues under the hood but never could seem to find a moment with his busy schedule.

  The sky was a lovely shade of royal purple with a kiss of yellow as the sun began to rise. A beautiful sunrise used to be one of Ally’s favorite things to do in the past. Sitting around a bonfire, listening to music and relaxing after a long night of running in the woods with her family. Th
ose were the days before the boys decided her life was there’s to command.

  Living in the country provided plenty of long desolate roads to travel but Ally had to stop for her morning coffee. Iced caramel macchiato with a triple espresso shot. Devils Bend didn’t have much, but in Ally’s opinion, the coffee shop was a fantastic addition. The first sip was always the best. Her body tingled as the massive amounts of sugar and caffeine shocked her sleepy system. She turned up the radio and jammed to pop music as she drove toward the plant. As her car climbed a steep hill, it began to sputter. She stopped singing, put her coffee in the cupholder, and turned down the music. The car was struggling.

  “No, no, no! Don’t die.” She pled while pressing on the gas pedal. The car thrust forward, sounding as if it were going to explode. “Come on,” she pled like a child. At the top of the hill and the engine leveled out before she slowly coasted down the other side of the hill. Finally, on even road, her drive was smooth the rest of the way. She turned the music back up and settled back into her seat. There weren’t many people who traveled on that particular road. Her shortcut took ten minutes off the normal commute.

  The parking lot of Fox Processing was busy with people pulling in and out for shift change. Why people scurried to and from their vehicles, Ally found a parking spot and finished her coffee. In the rearview mirror, she pulled her black hair back and tucked it into a hair net. With olive skin and dark locks, she resembled her mother Marie. But she inherited her blue eyes from her father Jay. She grabbed the hard hat and gloves from the back seat and trudged toward the entrance, already anticipating the end of her shift.

  Ally’s back ached by the time the lunch whistle blew loudly overhead. Nearly robotic, the staff dropped everything they were doing and made their way toward the lockers and lunch room. She followed suit. Some of the staff members brought their lunches and were already eating, but some chose to feast from the vending machines. Mostly, the younger crowd. Ally only wanted to sit down to give her back and feet a break. She removed her earplugs and retrieved her phone from her locker before finding a seat in the crowded room. She noticed a text from her aunt Jessica had come through.

  -Family dinner at my place tonight. 7pm.

  Ally sighed deeply as exhaustion flooded her body. She thought about having to complete her shift and then return home to clean up the mess in her bathroom. Family or not, she had no desire to be around a lot of people. Sadly, there was no denying her aunt. She typed her reply.

  -Need me to bring anything?

  -Only yourself…and her wayward child…if you can.

  -See you at 7.

  The rest of her day went by at a snail’s pace. It was beyond repetitive. Shovel, shovel, shovel. Ally thought she would make a great gravedigger after her current job. Her shoulders and back ached. At the end of her shift, she removed her hard hat and quickly made way toward her car. Rain pelted against her as she unlocked her door and finally got inside. People were everywhere. Once securely inside the vehicle, Ally noticed how hungry she actually was. She hadn’t eaten anything during lunch so, the thought of dinner weighed heavily on her mind. She removed the hair net and attempted to eliminate the knots from her damp twisted hair.

  As vehicles cleared out, she started the old beater car, but nothing happened when she turned the key. “Damnit! Come on,” she whined and tried again while pressing on the gas pedal several times. The engine turned over and screamed violently before backfiring, startling her and everyone in the employee parking lot. A group of good-looking men watched her accusingly from under an awning. A few even pointing in her direction, smirking. One guy stood out from the rest. He was watching Ally intently. No smile like the others. He seemed more focused and serious. Ally was completely mortified. She put the car into gear and sped away as quickly as she could without killing anyone.

  Chapter 2

  The first time he saw her working at Fox, his breath caught in his lungs. It was her. The woman from the vision he experienced so long ago. Bowen wanted to make contact many times but they worked different shifts. When he was presented with the opportunity to work her hours, he jumped on the opportunity it without question. The past ten years of his life had been filled with nightly dreams of Ally. His night in the sweat lodge was supposed to be a right of spiritual passage. He could have never imagined his life changing the instant he saw her.

  Though his people didn’t practice every tradition, the sweat lodge was one Bowen’s grandfather wouldn’t let go. Achak insisted on it for all young men. Bowen was supposed to find his spirit animal, his totem, his protector. But instead, he found her.

  When she sped away, Bowen’s co-workers were forgotten and he sprinted toward his truck. The thought of her traveling in the rain with her car acting up, made him nervous. He had a compelling need to follow her and make sure she was safe. He was sure to stay far enough behind for her not to notice. His silent drive gave him time to reflect back on the past.

  The lodge had been in the tribe for generations. Achak, one of the tribe elders decided it was time for his grandson Bowen to become a man. The summer heat already had the boy sweating through his clothes. Inside the dark cave, Achak had the tent already set in the middle of the large space. Memories of Bowen and his friends playing inside the same caves came to his mind as he followed his grandfather inside the tent. The instant he entered, he thought he might die of heat stroke. His grandfather had a large fire roaring in the center of the round space. Being a young man of modern times, Bowen naturally complained the entire time. His grandfather had him strip down to nothing but his briefs and sit beside the fire. The heat was sweltering. Achak removed his clothing as well before passing his grandson a cup. The teen boy looked down at the brown liquid.

  “Clear your mind and drink, boy,” Achak demanded deeply and thrust the cup in front of Bowen again.

  He smirked and took the cup from his grandfather’s hand. The disgusting tea was laced with peyote. A small cactus native to parts of Mexico and Texas. The dried tops or buttons are harvested and after processing, are edible for humans. Bowen knew too well what this tiny plant would do to him, but being young, he thought it would be a fun experience. He tipped the small cup back and emptied it in one gulp. It barely touched his tongue. “Nothing like getting drugged by your elders,” he teased and handed his grandfather the cup.

  “Ah, it will give you great visions.”

  Bowen laughed at his grandfather’s attempt to replicate the tone of an ancient Native America wise man. “Or get me really high,” he chuckled.

  Achak slapped Bowen’s bare shoulder, causing a sting. “You will see.” He poured some water on the fire. The flames died down a little and stones beneath them blazed white with heat. As the flames dwindled, an even harsher heat began to fill the small space. Sweat was already dripping from both of their bodies. Achek sat down across the fire in front of his grandson. They both crossed their legs and the elder closed his eyes. “Now, relax your mind and allow yourself to be immersed in the vision quest.”

  Bowen took a deep breath and did as instructed. After a few minutes of nothing happening, he cracked one eye open. His grandfather was murmuring a chant in their tribe’s native tongue. “I don’t think your laced tea is working.”

  Achak’s eyes shot open and his brow furrowed, “Close your eyes, boy!” Bowen snickered but followed direction. “Relax and let yourself float away.”

  Bowen’s body began to feel as if he were being lifted off the ground. His eyes opened quickly. His heart hammered as a shiver a fear struck him. He saw himself sitting in front of his grandfather. But he was standing away from them. “Woah. Yup. I’m stoned.”

  “Come.” Achak stated from Bowen’s left. Startled, he turned to face him. “You will now begin your vision quest. Exit the cave and go in the direction of the setting sun. You will find what you seek.”

  “This is fuckin’ weird,” Bowen expressed and his voice echoed around him.

  “Go now and discover your protector.” />
  Anxiety crept inside him. “Aren’t you coming with me?”

  “This is your quest, grandson. You must follow the path on your own.”

  “That’s encouraging.”

  “Go.”

  After descending the mountain, Bowen walked for what seemed like hours toward the setting sun. As it disappeared beyond the horizon, he was covered by night. While he traveled in the dream state, he was quickly surrounded with thick woods. A young woman was standing nearby with her backside facing him. Everything around her was distorted but she was completely nude. Her raven hair shimmered nearly blue in the bright moonlight as it trailed down the length of her back. It barely brushed the top of her rear. “Excuse me?”

  When Bowen took a step toward her, she peeked over her shoulder and smiled. It was brilliant and the blue of her eyes shimmered. “You’re finally here.” She spun around and approached him. His entire body froze as her arms wrapped around his neck. Having a naked woman pressed against him caused his desire to awake. “My heart,” she smiled brightly.

  Without hesitation he wrapped his arms around her waist. It all seemed natural to him. “Who are you?”

  “I am yours forever.” She lifted her chin so her lips could meet his. Bowen’s desire began to swell even more from the intimate contact. Kissing her was like magic and caused every nerve in his body to fire.

  “What’s your name?” he asked when their lips parted. All she did was smile and step out of his embrace. He instinctually reached for her but she remained out of his grasp.

  She lifted her finger and steered him toward her. “Come with me, Bowen.” Her voice held a sweet chime which echoed off the world around them. When he reached for her again, she stepped away.

  He chuckled while trying to catch her, but every time he tried, she would spin out of the way and giggle slightly at their game. “Where are we going?”

  “Come with me, Bowen,” she called in almost a playful tone. “Catch me if you can.” The light from the moon faded and they were covered in an even deeper blanket of blackness. The world had disappeared completely and the girl vanished.