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

  “Where did you go?” he called. His voice echoing around him.

  “Fate has sealed our souls together, her heart. We belong to each other,” she whispered into his ear softly. Her breath tickled the hairs on his neck. When he turned around, she wasn’t there. “Bowen.” Her voice whispered.

  As he spun around toward her voice, he only saw a pair of glowing blue eyes. “Come closer,” he requested.

  A large animal stepped out of the dark. It had menacing cat-like features, long legs, and talons for claws. The fur on its body was snow-white and seemed to move on its own accord. Bowen’s chest tightened with fear. He couldn’t breathe. The world was closing in on him as it stalked closer.

  “Hold on to the vision, Bowen,” Achak demanded from the darkness. “Breathe, Grandson. Breathe!”

  Bowen gasped deeply, “I…can’t…no…air.” His tongue was swelling and every muscle in her body grew tight. His lungs screamed for oxygen.

  “Bowen! Breath!” his grandfather instructed.

  “I’m yours, and you are mine.” The beast brushed its gorgeous yet terrifying body against Bowen’s. She spun around to face him. “I’m waiting for you, Bowen,” she whispered and backed away into the darkness. “Come find me.”

  His eyes flew open and he choked from the lack of air. Achak was pounding against his back. “Just breathe,” he coached. Bowen choked again. “What did you see?” The young man’s stomach flipped when he thought back on the girl and the beast she had become. He lifted himself off the ground quickly. As he charged outside the tent and toward the entrance of the cave, his stomach churned. He barely made it outside before barf nearly splattered against his bare feet. “Bowen, what did you see?”

  Bowen told him everything about the vision. “What are you smiling about, old man?”

  “Your totem is a peculiar one. I never have heard of it happening before, but it is clear she is your protector. Our ancestors saw to that.”

  “You’re mad. You and our ancestors have had too much fun with that freaky tea.”

  Achak chuckled, “Its powerful medicine.”

  “What the hell was it? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  “A shadow slider.”

  “A what?”

  “A yellow eye hunter.”

  “Yellow Eyes? Now, I know you’re high, old man.”

  Bowen spent the remainder of the evening listening to ancient stories about the creatures. He was completely engrossed and absorbed every ounce of information he could get. Achak told his grandson what they truly were and their sole purpose in this world. To anyone else, the thought of a creature originating from hell would be terrifying, but it only made him more curious. Achak explained how shadow sliders were antient creatures that possessed mystical powers. They could shift into the beasts at will, travel the shadows of the world, and they had even been known to blow fire, like dragons. Bowen couldn’t imagine his dream girl doing those things, let alone, dragging souls to hell or even killing yellow eyes. He should have been terrified, but a shadow slider wasn’t near as scary as what his own ancestors. He lived with things nightmares were made of.

  Chapter 3

  As she approached the hill, the memory of her morning commute came to mind. Ally hit the gas in order to get a head start on the incline. When she did, there was a loud pop under the hood and the acceleration of her car dropped. “NO!” She pushed on the gas but the car wouldn’t work. The engine was dead and her battery light came on as her power steering went out. With a firm grip, she steered toward the side of the road and came to a slow stop. She attempted to start it again but nothing. “Shit!” She slammed her hand against the wheel. “Old ass piece of shit!”

  The rain was bombarding the windshield, making it nearly impossible to see. Ally knew she had no other option but to shift into her hellhound form and run home. There were those who could shift without having to undress, but she had yet to master that particular skill. She always ended up shredding her clothes.

  Just as she reached to remove her shirt, a vehicle horn beeped twice from behind her. She spun around in her seat and saw the headlights of a truck pulling up behind her car. Through the sheet of rain, Ally noticed the figure of a man get out of the driver’s side and sprint toward her window. She couldn’t make out his features as he tapped on the glass. She rolled down her window a little. From what He had a strong nose, full lips, and his cheekbones were defined.

  “You alright?” Bowen nearly screamed over the sound of pounding rain. Even in the forced tone, his voice was a deep alluring baritone. He was getting pounded by the rainstorm.

  “Car died,” she confessed, feeling embarrassed and privately cursing her cousin in her mind for not taking the time to repair her car.

  There was no denying she was the one. Even her voice held the same allure form his vision. Bowen licked his lips and wiped the rain from his dark eyes. “Nothing we can do about it in this rain. Come on, I’ll give you a lift.”

  Taking rides from strange men was not on her bucket list. “No thanks,” She stammered. “I’m alright. I’ll just call…” She paused as she realized her error. In the hurry to leave work, she had forgotten her phone in her locker. “my boyfriend,” she lied.

  Bowen’s heart skipped for a second as the word boyfriend registered. “You sure? I wouldn’t feel right leaving a fellow co-worker stranded on the side of the road.”

  Curious, Ally lowered her window a little more. Rain slapped against her skin. He was the one who was watching her keenly when her car nearly exploded back at work. The color of his eyes was nearly black but strikingly lovely. “I’m not a psycho or anything,” he insisted, pulling her out of the trance of his gaze. “We can deal with the car tomorrow. Come on.”

  Before she could protest, Bowen ran back to his truck. She chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment, contemplating. “What’s the worst that can happen, Ally?” she asked her reflection in the rearview mirror while watching him enter his automobile. “It wouldn’t take much for me to put him on his handsome ass if he chose to attack.”

  Bowen began tossing random crap from his front seat to the back. He gripped the steering wheel and watched her back windshield. Ally finally turned on the hazard lights, making him smile, and sprinted toward the passenger side of his truck. She quickly opened the door and climbed into the tall cab. “You’re soaked to the bone.” Bowen expressed.

  “Yeah. Sorry about your seat.” She took a chance to finally examine his features clearly. They were even better than in the rain. Her body grew hot at the sight of him being all wet. His straight black hair was caked to his head.

  “I’m not worried about it,” he replied with a kind smile. Water trickled down Ally’s features, pulling his attention to how the beads rolled against her skin. The spark of attraction teased his body.

  “That damn car,” She groaned, still embarrassed. “I really appreciate this.”

  “My pleasure.” he smiled and admired her for another moment before her eyes shifted away from his gaze. “oh, shit. Here.” He quickly reached in the back seat, causing ally to flinch away from him slightly. “Jumpy?”

  “Sorry. I don’t normally take rides from strangers.”

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” he chortled. Then he pulled a piece of cloth into the front seat. “I don’t have a towel but this shirt is clean,” he stated and handed it to her.

  “Umm. Thanks.” She brought it up to her face to dry off. The scent which clung to it was as alluring as his voice. It was a sweet musk and a little wild. She wasn’t sure she had smelled anything like it before. She didn’t want to seem like a freak for sniffing his scent so, she moved it to her neck in an attempt to soak some of the water from her hair.

  Bowen had to peel his eyes away from her. He backed away from her dead vehicle and drove toward the hill. The power of his truck took the incline and didn’t falter. It was different for Ally to be riding in a newer vehicle. The engine had a smooth but powerful groan. Bowen drove
quietly down the road, wondering what she was thinking. He was having a hard time keeping focused on the road.

  Ally also took the opportunity to scan him again. His arms were long and defined with muscle. The way the short sleeve of his white t-shirt pulled against his muscle made him even sexier. His lips pursed out naturally and when he licked them, she imagined her tongue doing the work for him. She decided to break the silence and get her mind out of the gutter. “Have you worked at Fox Processing long?”

  He shrugged his shoulders, “I’ve been there a year or so.”

  “Really? I don’t think I have ever seen you there.”

  “I normally work the night shift, but I was covering for someone today.”

  “Oh.”

  “Good thing too. You could have been stranded.”

  “Not exactly stranded, but inconvenienced for sure.”

  “So, where are we going?”

  “Do you know where Devils Bend is?”

  He nodded, “Sure.”

  Absentmindedly, Ally began to fold the damp t-shirt in her lap. It had a single word on the front. It was styled in a heavy font. “What’s, Modification?”

  He glanced at the t-shirt, “My band.”

  Ally couldn’t fight the smile pulling at her lips. She loved music. It was something which always settled her. “That’s pretty awesome.”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  “What sort of music do you play?”

  He shrugged his shoulders and smirked a little, “Country mostly.”

  “Impressive.”

  “I guess so.” Bowen had never been enthused by the music choice of his bandmates.

  “Do you not like it?”

  “I do, but I would rather play what I like.”

  “Which is?” she probed.

  Having her take an interest in what he liked was a nice change, since the lead singer was usually the person who received most of the attention. “Rock.”

  “Nice,” she smiled and nodded. “Which instrument?”

  “Guitar.”

  “I always wanted to learn the guitar but it seemed too complicated,” She confessed. “One time, her mother did have me take violin, but I could never grasp how to coordinate both hands to make a unified sound. Well, maybe a sound, but not one anyone would call music. It leaned more toward the sound of a dying cat.” She released a laugh she intended to be only a giggle. Bowen found it adorable. But she felt like an idiot. Telling a stranger her life story was not something she planned. He made her a little nervous. Not in a bad-scary-dude sort of way, but in a giddy-love-struck-girl way. She had to get control over herself.

  He chuckled, “I could teach you if you like.” He grinned and winked. Causing her cheeks to flare with heat. “I’m sure with me as your teacher, you would get it in no time.”

  “Maybe.” She tried to keep her grin at bay by pressing her lips tightly together. The potential of having private guitar lessons with Bowen was a good fantasy but not possible. Not with T and Mike around. “It’s nothing against you. It’s just,” She paused and bit her bottom lip, contemplating what to say. She didn’t want to offend him.

  “It’s all good. Stranger danger and all,” he smiled and grew silent for a moment. The image of having her inside his house alone toyed with his control. Making him shift in his seat slightly. He had to think about something else before she noticed the semi growing in his pants. “I’m off work tomorrow. I would be happy to take a look at your car.”

  “Thanks, but I’m sure I can get my cousin to take a look.” She doubted her own words after they slipped between her lips. Pulling Theron away from his many girlfriends would be an act of Congress. She would have to bite it and pay someone.

  “Is your boyfriend not mechanically inclined?”

  Ally shook her head, “Oh, I don’t have a boyfri…” She stopped and bit her tongue as her cheeks grew extremely hot. She had been getting too comfortable with him and had forgotten her own lie. “I mean.”

  He chuckled, “It’s fine. If I were a defenseless woman riding in a vehicle with a strange man, I probably would too.”

  “I’m not defenseless,” she injected. A smile pulled at her lips while she thought about what she could become. It would scare the hell out of even him.

  He nodded, “I’m sure you can handle yourself if the moment called for it.”

  I scoffed and looked at the t-shirt. “You have no idea.”

  He took his right hand off the wheel and put it out for her to take. “I’m Bowen.”

  She reached over and placed her hand into his. His skin was warm. “Allyssa Johnston. Ally for short.”

  “Ally.” He nodded slightly, “I like it.”

  “I like your name too.” She cringed and shook her head. “What I mean is…it’s unique.”

  “Unique? What’s so unique about it?”

  “You don’t hear it often. I mean, you hear the name Beau all the time,” She tightened her lips together and smiled at him. “It’s very rockstar-ish.” She turned her head so he couldn’t witness her rolling her eyes at her rambling mouth.

  “Well, thanks,” he snickered again and didn’t say another word as he drove. She directed him to her home and he parked on the street. She was grateful her cousins weren’t home. They certainly would have had something to say about a man bringing her home. They had a bad habit of nosing into her social life, even though She completely ignored theirs. Bowen peered through the windshield at her home. The rain had slowed to a drizzle. It was a two-story Victorian with faded blue paint. “Nice place.”

  “Thanks. Look, I appreciate the ride, Bowen.”

  “Anytime, Ally.” When she hopped out, he stopped her. “Hey, give me your number. I’ll call you in the morning so I can work on your car.”

  “I forgot her phone at work,” She regrettably expressed.

  “Ghosting me already?” he teased with a sly grin.

  “No.” She couldn’t help but smile. “I really did forget her phone.”

  His lovely dark eyes pinched slightly as he processed her words. “Alright. Have a good night, Ally Cat.”

  “C-ya, Bowen.” Once inside her home, she leaned against the door and couldn’t help but smile. Her stomach fluttered as she thought about a potential friendship with Bowen. And those solo guitar lessons he offered.

  Chapter 4

  After dropping Ally off, Bowen reluctantly made his way back home for a shower. He dressed in a Modification band t-shirt, relaxed-fit jeans, and boots. The fans preferred he dressed as a tight-jean wearing cowboy, but he didn’t have it in him. Brent was the showboat of their little group. They chose the band name due to their lineage and the magic of it. They were all born into the world of the Skinwalker.

  His guitar case was already in his backseat. The weather had turned cool and was barreling toward winter. He grabbed his leather jacket before leaving through the garage. The rain began to fall heavier again while he drove in the direction of the club. Being in the band was eating at his happiness. His heart wasn’t in it anymore. He had been playing his own music and even singing on his own for a while. Of course, his bandmates had no idea. He didn’t want to be a part of Modification forever. He wanted more. Sailing on the coattails of their lead singer didn’t settle well with him.

  The Whiskey Room smelled of stale beer and cigarettes as he entered through the backstage door. The owner, Chuck allowed them to play anytime they wanted. The dressing room was small but fit the band’s needs enough. Brent, the lead singer, was seated at the lit vanity, basking in his own reflection. The ladies loved him for the looks he chose, awarding him with the stage name, Brent ‘Pretty Boy’ Loveless. His singing voice was mediocre and he certainly was his own biggest fan. The way he treated women turned Bowen’s stomach. It was unspeakable and went against everything he believed.

  Bowen rolled his eyes as he sat down on a stool and pulled his guitar out of its case. He tuned the strings into the sound required. They were scheduled to perform two separate sets.
He would eat and relax between them, while Brent would normally engross himself in random women. The others, Chris and Kyle played the drums and bass. They usually followed Brent’s lead. The four bandmates had grown up together on the same tribal reservation. Bowen had considered each of them his brothers at a time. Sadly, Brent had fallen from that station. The darkness had consumed him, causing his small-town fame to go to his head.

  There was a knock on the dressing room door. Chuck, the owner, poked his round head inside. “Your equipment’s all hooked up, guys.” His voice had a thick country twang. “We are filling up slowly, though I expect a full house tonight.” Chuck was a good guy. He was always willing to help the local talent with a place to perform. Bowen held out hope he would allow him to play on his own. His dream of being a solo act weighed heavily on his heart.

  “Isn’t it always,” Kyle teased with a smile. He was nowhere as conceded as Brent. Chris chuckled along with him.

  “Thanks, Chuck,” Bowen expressed.

  He nodded, “You’re on in twenty.”

  As Chuck attempted to leave, Brent spun around in his chair, “Hold on.” Chuck stopped and eyed at him curiously. “Is my name out there on the marque?”

  “No. The band name is,” he explained tightly. Brent rolled his eyes. If it wasn’t for the generosity of Chuck, the band wouldn’t be on a stage at all.

  “Brent, I’m sure Chuck has us covered. He always does,” Bowen stated curtly.

  “Then why isn’t the house full already?” Brent questioned, almost as a child would.

  “We only opened thirty minutes ago. Give it time,” Chuck expressed.

  Bowen gave Chuck an apologetic look before he closed the dressing room door. “Listen, dude. Chuck is doing us a huge solid. He doesn’t have to let us play here,” he expressed and walked toward the door. “On top of that, you need to remember that he also allows us to play for free, or have you forgotten?”