Shadow Seekers

Chapter 3

“I wonder where he could be.” Serena thought to herself. She was pacing back and forth in the living room, driving her companion crazy.

            Colin had told her several times that Daniel could take care of himself and she shouldn’t worry so much, but all it had done was stop her complaining to him and had her pacing up and down the room instead. She could see that Colin was worried too, so she wasn't sure who he really meant to calm down when he once again said, "I'm sure he is fine. He just needed to get away for a moment. God knows I don't blame him."

            Serena glared at him. She knew that was a remark to their fight earlier. If she wasn't so worried about Daniel, she would have let Colin know exactly what she thought about him at that moment. "He really should have been back by now."

            Just when Serena was pacing away from the front door it opened and Daniel walked in carrying several bags of luggage. Serena was so delighted she threw herself onto him not noticing that his arms were full.  

            “Oh, thank goodness.” She said, not loosening her arms around Daniel’s neck, “We were so worried.” She said almost in tears. “Don’t you ever do that again.” She scolded him. Finally releasing her arms from his neck but holding onto his shoulders. She smiled at him, looked down at the bags in his arms she had just noticed, then looked back up at him still with a smile, but with a quizzical look as well.

            Daniel smiled back at her while he pulled away from her and turned to the side revealing a woman behind him. Serena’s smile fell as Daniel introduced her, “Serena,” he said gently, “This is Liza.”

            Daniel watched Serena’s face fall as she stared at Liza. Daniel quickly moved between her and Liza, hoping Liza had not seen Serena’s reaction.

            “Liza is traveling through Paradisus, and I have invited her to stay with us until she leaves.” He said, trying his best smile when he knew what would happen next.

            “What! Why did you do that?” Serena screeched. "Why would you invite a complete stranger into our home?"

            Daniel dropped Liza's bags that he was holding, and grabbed Serena's shoulders. He started pushing her towards the parlor, the whole time she was trying to push him off. Once he got her into the room, he pushed her onto the couch by the door. Colin came in behind them and closed the door.

            Once Daniel sat down next to her she turned to him and asked, " What were you thinking Daniel?" At least it was in a calmer tone. She wasn't yelling at him. This was progress.

            "For once I have to agree with Serena," Colin chimed in, “I don't think it is appropriate for you to bring someone none of us know to stay with us."

            Daniel felt his hope fall, if either of them were to understand it would have been Colin, but he didn't seem to like the idea either.

            "Let me explain myself." Daniel said, "Please."

            Colin looked down at Serena, who still didn't look happy, but she shrugged her shoulders and looked at Daniel. Taking this as his cue to speak Daniel said, "I know that we don't know her that well..."

            "That well?" Serena's voice was back to a screeching pitch, but Colin gave her a look that shut her up, and she waved her hand as if to tell him to continue.

            "I know that we don't know her that well, but there was a time I didn't know either of you that well either. You both had just lost family, and didn't have anywhere to go, so I took you in." Daniel could see Colin starting to give in to the idea, but Serena was not giving him any indications she was. "Serena, I know you're worried about having her here, but she is in the same situation you were when I offered to let you stay." Daniel held up his hands to stop Serena's arguments, "Now I know that we knew of each other before, but we weren't really friends, and Colin was new to Paradisus when I invited him to stay."

            Daniel sighed before he finished with, "Now I want your permission before I let her stay here. This is your home too, but I want you to think about it. She is just going to be here temporarily. She has something she came here to do and will be leaving once she is finished. I just feel that if we can offer her a nice place to stay while she is in town, then we should."

            Colin nodded his head and replied, "You're right. I think she should stay." Then they both looked at Serena. She looked like she was thinking about it, which was a good sign to Daniel.

            "What about our work? Won't it bother her that we are up all night?" Serena asked.

            "No. She is a seeker like us. I'm not sure what she is planning on doing the whole time that she is here, but if she is interested she can hunt with us." Daniel replied.

            "But..." Serena started.

            "I promise this is just temporary. She has other things she needs to do. She just has somethings she needs to figure out here before she heads out. I also promise not to make a habit of bringing in strangers from the street into our home." Daniel smiled at Serena, who smiled back at him.

            Serena sat there for a moment longer before she said, "Which room is she going to be staying in?"

            At this Daniel felt a grin spread across his face and watched while Serena rolled her eyes at him. She started giggling when he leaned over and gave her a hug. "I knew you would understand." He said and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

            When they returned to the room, it was to find Liza's bags stacked nicely by the door, and the woman herself seated in the chair closest to said door. She looked stiff, and ready to jump up and leave at any moment. In fact, Daniel was slightly surprised she had stayed while he talked to Colin and Serena in the other room. "Liza," She finally looked at him, "this is Serena and Colin." He said, pointing to the other two that had followed him out of the parlor. "We talked, and they agreed that you should stay with us."

            He thought he would see her sigh in relief or show him something to let him know that she understood what he had just said, but instead she just sat there in the chair staring up at him. It was Colin that broke the quiet by walking over to Liza and grabbing her had to shake it. "It is very nice to meet you Liza." He smiled at her, "We apologize for earlier," he pointed at Serena with his head, "we were just surprised is all."

            Liza smiled back at him and replied, "Don't worry about it. I understand completely. It must have been quite startling."

            "A little." Colin said, then gave her a wink.

            Liza laughed, then she turned her attention towards Serena, who still stood slightly behind Daniel. Liza got up from her seat and walked towards the other girl. "I appreciate you allowing me to stay here. I don't plan on being here long, and will try to make things as normal as possible for you." Serena just continued to eye her. Daniel knew that it would take a little more time for Serena to warm up to Liza. He was just glad that she had agreed to let her stay. That was all that he could ask from her right now.

            Liza's smile dropped a little from getting no response from Serena, but all she said was, "I know I just got here, but I must admit that I am quite tired. Is it possible that I might turn in for the night?"

            "Of course." Daniel said, "I'll show you where your room will be.

            Liza sat up. She was slightly sweating and her breathing was heavy. She sat there for a couple of minutes waiting for her breathing to slow down and become more normal. She scrunched her face trying to concentrate on why she had woken up. The dream was still there at the back of her mind and it was taking a little bit for her to bring it back. When she did finally remember, she wish she had left it alone. For it was no dream, it was a nightmare. One that she had had countless of other times.

            And now it was all flashing back at her, there she was watching the house burn. She wanted to scream out to stop it, but she couldn’t speak. She started sweating again when she heard the anguished cry ring through her head. She remembered wanting to run to them, but her legs would not move. She started crying as the memories crashed onto her. Death scattered all around her as she was finally able to make herself run into the burning house. She wanted to turn back, to get away but she was stuck. She couldn’t get out of the house. She was frantically searching everywhere for an exit, for a way out, but she could find none. In her dream Liza could feel him as if her were actually there. She could feel the terror seizing her as she turned around in her dream and saw him.

            Then real pain, the same as that day, pierced through her. Her scream ran through the entire house. The pain, like fifty burning knifes being thrust through her, and she was screaming again. This time a plea, “Let it stop.” Came out as a whisper. She wanted to die. Couldn’t it just end now? She could feel her energy, her life, being sucked away as the pain grew more intense and her screams grew louder.

            When the pain finally subsided, her body fell limply forward. She couldn’t move and didn’t wish to. She knew she wasn't dead. It wasn't possible, as much as she wished it were so. When she took an intake of breath her lungs yelled out in pain at her, but this scream she was able to keep inside. She would have winced if she had any mobility of her body. She couldn’t be dead. How could she feel so much pain if she was?

            Then a voice spoke softly in her ear, sounding so sweet, and protecting. Gentle hands took hold of her body and lifted her up. Tears started to stream down her face again as she felt warmth flood through her body. He had come to help her. His friendly face showed his worry as he asked her again, “Are you alright?”

            She wanted to tell him yes but when she opened her mouth no words came out just a thankful sob. “I heard you screaming and was worried something happened to you.” Daniel’s face grew into a small smile as he looked at her. She wished she could let him know that she was alright.

            When the door slammed open Daniel suddenly released Liza making her fall back onto the bed. Her head hit the backboard of the bed, making her release a small cry of pain. Daniel quickly turned back towards her lifting her up again. “I’m so sorry” he said, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you alright?” He inquired again.

            She gave a slight nod this time to reassure him she was fine. Daniel, still holding on to Liza, turned his attention to their audience standing in the doorway. “She’s fine.” He said, “She just had a nightmare.”

            Colin shrugged his shoulders as if it hadn't really bothered him and left Daniel’s room. Serena stayed behind for a little bit staring at Liza and Daniel questioningly. Liza knew that Serena didn’t trust her, and was sure that this was not helping any. She warily turned away like she was waiting for Liza to jump out of bed and attack her. When she left the room she closed the door behind her leaving Daniel and Liza alone. 

             Only when the door closed did Daniel ask, “What happened?”

            Liza wasn’t sure if she could talk. She tried and her answer came out as a whisper, “It was just a nightmare.”

            Daniel looked at her waiting for her to continue. She sighed and reluctantly explained, “It felt...” she hesitated, “So real.” She finished.

            He smiled at her then softly laid her down onto the bed, resting her head on the pillow. “I’m glad you are feeling alright.” He told her.

            He then stood up from the bed and walked to the door. “Sleep well.” He said. She nodded her head and he left her alone.

            Darkness filled the room as her eye lids slid across her eyes and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

            When Liza woke up she was hungry. She scanned the room she had been sleeping in. She didn’t want to leave this small sanctuary and head down to the living room where everyone would circle her like hornets. She winced as she thought about all the looks she had received from everybody last night. She was a stranger to them and waking up everyone by screaming probably didn’t help anything. She would be lucky if they didn't call for a doctor and have her admitted, and she didn't have time for that.

            She sat there looking around the room memorizing where everything went. When she was pretty sure she had it all down she pushed herself out of the bed and went to change her clothes.

            When she was dressed, she headed towards the door. Grabbing the doorknob was hard but opening it was harder. It took forever for her to open the door and take that first step out into the hall. Her slow steps made no noise as she walked towards the stairs.

            Nervously she walked down them. When she reached the bottom of the stairs her heart started pounding. She had turned around to run back up the stairs when the door to the kitchen opened. Liza’s heart stopped. She slowly turned back around and almost sighed when she saw that it was just Daniel coming out of the kitchen. She finished her descent down the stairs, smiling at him.

            Liza answered, “Fine.” When Daniel asked, “How are you feeling?”

            Liza moved in front of Daniel and looked into the kitchen just to make sure no one else was in there. When she found no one else she was about to ask how he slept when someone’s voice came from behind her.

            “Really, I would have thought you slept horrible after all that screaming you did last night.” Serena said in a snide voice.

            Liza turned to face Serena who was standing on the stairs, arms crossed in front of her. Serena finished coming down the stairs, never unfolding her arms as she walked over to the kitchen chair, where she turned it around towards Liza and Daniel, and sat down in it. “You made such a raucous that I thought you wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep.” She continued.

            Liza could feel her anger rising in her chest. The last thing she needed was to lose her temper on the woman that Liza would gladly like to call a spoiled brat, or much worse. Instead Liza took a small breath and just said, "Actually, I slept just fine. Thank you for worrying." and then passed Daniel to walk into the kitchen.

            A wide grin spread across Daniel's face as his watched Liza walk into the kitchen. When he turned back around to say good morning to Serena, his smile fell as he saw Serena’s face. The fierce look she gave Liza would have made his blood run cold if she had been giving it to him.

            Serena then came up towards Daniel, making him back up into the kitchen door. “I don't know how you can put up with what happened last night” She almost yelled at him, “I don't think it's fair for all of us to have to put up with her yelling and waking the entire household.” She slowly backed away from him and turned to start heading back up the stairs. Half way up she threw over her shoulder, “I know what I would do to put a stop to it.”

            Daniel stayed where he was until he heard Serena’s bedroom door slam closed. Then he turned around and headed into the kitchen where Liza was sitting at the table with a grin spread across her friend. Daniel smiled as he thought, “How am I going to live through this?”