The Shadow Chaser (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  THE SHADOW CHASER

  Dylan Birtolo

  The Shadow Chaser

  Book One of

  The Sheynan Trilogy

  Dylan Birtolo

  Apocalypse Ink Productions

  Kenmore, Washington

  Credits

  Copyright ©2014 by Dylan Birtolo

  All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

  Edited by Jennifer Brozek

  Interior design by Jeff Brozek

  Cover art ©2014 by Larry Dixon

  PUBLISHED BY

  Apocalypse Ink Productions

  6830 NE Bothell Way, STE C #404

  Kenmore, WA 98028

  http://www.apocalypse-ink.com/

  First Edition Details:

  Copyright ©2004 by Dylan Birtolo

  First Edition ISBN: 1-59299-074-6

  Publisher: Inkwater Press

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  Revised Edition Published April 2014

  This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  ISBN: 978-1-940444-02-4

  This book is dedicated to my mother who taught me the joy of creating worlds with words.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  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 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  A huge thanks needs to go to my editor, Jennifer Brozek. She was instrumental in helping me to reshape this story into the version you are currently holding. It is a much better and stronger tale; something that would not have happened without her guidance and critical eye.

  I need to thank Kelly and Janina for being the best alpha readers that a writer could ever hope for. I wouldn’t be half the writer I am without your honesty and input.

  I want to thank Larry Dixon for creating amazing covers and inspiring me to make the stories even better—to live up to his artwork. Hooray for positive feedback loops!

  And a special thank you to all the supporters who believed in the Sheynan Trilogy enough to make it a reality: Alana Joli Abbott, Alexander 'Orion' Kiwerski, Amber Rose Roberts, Andrew Singleton, Anna Garza, Anne Bennett, Bill Hunsinger, Blair Burns, Carmie Burdi, Chenelle Bremont, Christina Mulligan, Christine Moeller, Colby "Cheese Boy" Williams, D. Moonfire, Danette, Dave Olsher, David Zych, Deirdre and David Nakushian, Derian Reuss, Dolores Fetters, Don, Beth, & Meghan Ferris, Donald J. Bingle, Douglas Lavan, Dylan "the cat lover", Emmilia, Flora Lee, Gary Kaleniecki, Gary Moore, Gozer Games, Gregory Gregoritch Coates, Heather Ziese, Holly and Adam, Iesha Dover, Indra Djedi, J.R. Riedel, Jackie Converse, Jamie O'Connor, Jean Rabe, Jennifer Berk, Jennifer Brozek, Jenny DeBonte, Jessica D McComas, John A., The Jozwowskis, Kayce, Kelly L. Hellmuth, Kerrie L Hughes, Kevin Joel Coughlin, Kyra Olds, Lani Bertino, Laura S., Lori Joyce Parker, The Malek Family, Marc Gunn, Maria Kolibri-Edwards, Marissa Santa Ana, Mary Egan, Michael Richards, Nicole Ferguson, Peter Adkison, PeterPam, Philda T., Pixel8ed, Quan To, Renée Nicholas and Casy Pearson, Rick Van Meter, Roxy, Rusty Brown, Scott Seiber, Shane Barrett, Sheena Nicholson, Sheryl R. Hayes, Silence in the Library Publishing, Stacy O., Suzette Vandivier, SwordFire, Tara & John Kowalski, Todd Moscinski and Kim Miller, Traci and Joe Charles, Tracy Chowdhury, Uncle Llew, Vance Agte, The Wards, and Zack Kline.

  Chapter 1

  Darien woke slowly, groaning as he eased himself off of his side and onto his back. The cold tiles of the floor drained the heat from his body and made him shiver as he approached wakefulness. His computer hummed in the corner and he was aware of the soft glare of the monitor as he opened his eyes. He put his hands against the floor, slid backwards until he felt his bed, and raised himself to a seated position. He spared a glance out the open window and instantly regretted it. The fading light stabbed through his skull right above each eye. He pulled up his knees and dropped his head between them, covering it with both arms.

  His mind was still having difficulty focusing when the door flew open. A woman stood in the doorway dressed in an elegant black gown. Her dark hair was layered and curled, the work of several hours of preparation. When she noticed Darien on the floor, her eyes hardened.

  “Darien!” She clenched her fists at her sides.

  The sound of her shout made Darien’s head pound with newfound intensity. He took a few deep breaths before responding.

  “Do you mind, El? I’ve got a migraine or something, and your screeching isn’t helping any.”

  Ellen left the room. Darien waited a few seconds before daring to risk removing his arms from his head. When he saw that he was alone, he crawled onto his twin bed and sat on the corner. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and letting his head hang. He heard the clack of Ellen’s high heeled shoes across the wooden floor as she made her way back to his room.

  She paused briefly at the door before coming in and sitting beside him. She waited until he looked at her, and then offered him the glass of water she carried. He grunted in response and sipped at the beverage. His throat felt raw, and the water helped.

  “You know what would be nice?” Ellen asked, the tone in her voice indicating that she was about to answer her own question. “It would be nice if you didn’t make yourself sick before going to our first corporate gala.”

  “You think I did this on purpose?”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Right—you didn’t do it on purpose. I suppose that’s true. You probably didn’t make yourself sick just to get out of going to a formal event.” She stood up and walked over to his computer desk. She picked up one of the empty energy drinks sitting next to the keyboard. “You just drank and stayed up all night until you passed out on the floor, probably well after sunrise. I bet you didn’t even think of calling into work sick. That about cover it?”

  As she finished her speech, she tossed the empty can at Darien. The aluminum canister bounced off the side of his head and made him wince.

  “Ellen, that’s not…”

  “Save it, Darien. Are you going to tell me you weren’t up all night? And that I didn’t find you passed out on the floor smelling like that sugary crap and sweat? It might’ve worked the first time. In fact, I think it worked the first six or seven times. But I’m not buying it anymore.”

  She stormed out of the room, making sure to slam the door on her way out. Darien had started to rise, but the sound drove him back to the bed as solidly as any blow. He dropped the glass on the floor and curled up on his side. Some part of his brain registered that the glass didn’t shatter and he was thankful for that.

  When the ringing inside his skull finally stopped, Darien eased himself back to a sitting position. He swung his feet over the edge and put them in the small puddle of water at the foot of his bed. Pushing off the mattress, he rose until he was bearing his full weight on his feet. The room spun for a few s
econds before it settled into view. Darien took a few tentative steps towards the door before he stumbled and caught himself on the far wall. He slid his hand along its surface as he made his way to the bathroom.

  Once he was inside, Darien closed his eyes and reached for the light switch. He cracked his eyes open and was surprised to find the light didn’t burn. Confident that his light sensitivity subsided, he opened his eyes. The view looking back at him made him wince. His brown hair was pointed in every direction as if he had just risen from a fitful sleep. His eyes were so bloodshot that the fluid in them looked like blood. He combed his fingers through his hair a couple of times in a vain attempt to get it under control. Eventually, he gave up.

  His phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and glanced at it. It was Jay, a mutual friend to Ellen and him.

  “Hey,” Darien offered as way of greeting.

  “Darien! Are you alright? Ellen just called and said something about you getting wasted and bailing on her. Asked me to fill in for you tonight.”

  “Whatever she told you, it’s not true. Give me some credit. You know me better than that.”

  “Yeah, I do. I also know you haven’t been sleeping lately. You alright, man?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Well, if you didn’t stay up all night and get wasted, what did happen?”

  Darien paused to look at himself in the mirror. Searching his own reflection didn’t get him any additional answers. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know? How can you not know?”

  Darien leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the counter. The muscles along his jaw tightened. “I was arguing with my dad again, and then slammed my door shut so Erik would leave me alone when he got home. The next thing I remember is waking up just before El started shouting at me.”

  Jay chuckled. “She doesn’t have an inside voice, does she?”

  “You’d better watch it. You’re her back up and you’re going to have to be with her all night.”

  “Yeah, I should probably start getting ready for that, shouldn’t I? Formal event and all.”

  “Thanks for covering for me.”

  “No sweat. What are friends for?”

  “Have fun.”

  “Seriously, D, take care of yourself. You really need to start sleeping like a normal person. If you wanna talk about it when I get back, give me a buzz.”

  “Thanks again. I’ll figure it out.”

  Darien hung up and tucked his phone back into his pocket. His strength momentarily spent, he gripped the counter again for support. He closed his eyes and let his head hang, taking several deep breaths. The pounding in his head subsided and he became more aware of his surroundings. He could feel his heart thudding inside his chest, slightly accelerated. He reached down and turned on the water, using his other hand to reach up and massage the back of his neck.

  “What happened to you last night?” he asked his mirror image.

  Darien reached down into the warm water and caught a handful, splashing it over his face. The sensation was warm and soothing. Grabbing more water, he scrubbed his face with both hands, feeling invigorated with the ritual. He leaned forward until his head was in the sink so that he could splash water into his hair. Once he finished grooming himself, he looked back into the mirror. His eyes were no longer bloodshot and he didn’t look like he was recovering from a wild night. He grabbed the towel off the edge of the sink and scrubbed his face dry as he walked to the living room. As he made his way down the hall, he could hear a news reporter recapping recent events.

  “…are not sure if the animal escaped from Woodland Park Zoo or is a wild bear come down from the mountains. The zoo curators could not be reached for comment.

  “In less grizzly news, the Washington State Department of Transportation is scheduled to meet this evening to discuss plans to revise mass transit schedules. This has become a hot issue and is one that’s expected to be put on the ballot in short order. Daniel Sampson is on site at city hall. Dan?”

  Darien walked into the living room and saw his roommate lounging on the couch, engrossed in the news. Lounging for Erik meant sitting back in the soft cushions with his suit jacket off and tie loosened. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and a non-descript black tie hung loosely around his neck. His feet were propped up on the coffee table, where a couple of video game controllers rested. Erik chewed on the pinky of his left hand, his gaze fixed on the big screen TV. He glanced up as Darien walked over.

  “Ellen seemed to be…” Erik paused as he searched for the appropriate word. “Disgruntled.”

  “Thanks for reminding me. I doubt I’m going to hear the end of this one any time soon.”

  “I assume that you’re not going to your corporate dinner party?”

  “Gee, you’re quick.” Darien turned and walked around the breakfast bar and into the kitchen. Erik stood up and faced him.

  “Why’d you change your mind?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, okay? Just let it drop. Let me eat in peace.” Darien opened the refrigerator door and stuck his head inside to hunt around for food. He picked up a chunk of cheese wrapped in plastic wrap. He opened a corner, sniffed, and put it back on the shelf.

  Erik shook his head and sighed. He turned off the television and walked to the rows of shoes next to the front door. He slipped his feet into a pair of polished black loafers and buttoned the top button on his shirt. His gaze lingered on Darien as he finished getting dressed. Darien kept his head in the refrigerator the entire time even though he could feel the weight of Erik’s gaze.

  “Well, I hope Ellen isn’t too mad at you,” Erik offered as he opened the door and stepped outside.

  Darien pulled out a bottle of flavored water and rested it on the counter. He kicked the door shut as he opened the bottle. It fizzed, and Darien took a long gulp before it settled. While it sated his thirst, it only made him more aware of his hunger as his stomach gurgled in response. He went back to the fridge and grabbed the first thing that he laid eyes on. He crunched into the apple, devouring a third of it in a single bite. Fruit juice dribbled down his chin as he finished up the snack and tossed the core in the trash. After taking another swig from the water bottle, Darien continued his scavenging. When he emerged from the refrigerator this time, he held a fried chicken leg in his left hand.

  He didn’t remember being this hungry before. It felt like it had been days since he had eaten anything. Forgoing any pretense at neatness, Darien ripped off whole chunks with his teeth and swallowed them, only chewing enough so he wouldn’t choke. In a matter of seconds, the bone was picked clean. He was about to continue hunting for food when his phone rang. He pulled it out and saw that the caller was a private number. Darien let it go to voicemail, waiting to see if his mystery caller would leave a message. When the blue light on the phone began to flash, he checked his voice mail.

  The caller’s voice was deep, resonant, and unfamiliar. His tone was authoritative, the kind where he only asks questions that he already knows the answers to. “Hello, Mister Darien Yost. My name is Lieutenant Olson, and I’m a member of the State Department working with the local police force. We need you to come down to the station on Evergreen Way as soon as you get this message. There’s no reason to be alarmed. We merely wish to ask you some questions.”

  Darien sat still as the words sunk in. He didn’t hear or respond to the automated prompts asking if he wanted to delete or save the message. Darien shook his head as if to clear it, and then hung up the phone and tucked it back into his pocket. He hurried towards the front door, pausing only long enough to grab a jacket from the closet and slip on his tennis shoes. He rushed out the door, locking the knob and then jogging to the nearby stairs. He jumped down entire flights, using the handrails for balance as he made his way to the ground floor.

  His car sat on the edge of the street about half a block away from the entrance to his apartment building. As he rushed towards it, his mind tumbled over his situation.
Why did the police need to talk to him? Sure he had a couple of speeding tickets, but only a couple and they were all paid up. Was one of his friends in trouble? He had no idea, and the only way he would get answers was by getting to the police station.

  As he pulled out, his tires squealed on the pavement. He forced himself to take several deep breaths as he drove down the road, willing his heart to stop thumping so hard he could feel it in his temples. He reached up and massaged them with one hand as he drove, but it did little to abate the sense of pressure. When he got to the police station, Darien took the steps three at a time as he ran up to the front door.

  A police officer at the front desk looked up as he barged in. Darien forced himself to appear calmer then he felt. “I’m here for Lieutenant Olson. He called,” Darien gasped out between breaths.

  “You must be that Yost fellow, huh? I’ll go get him for you.”

  The officer walked back toward the rear offices and turned a corner. Darien’s heart continued to race, surprised that the officer recognized his name so readily. Whatever was going on, it felt serious. He looked around, trying to find something to distract himself while he waited.

  The rest of the station looked as he’d expected: nondescript and mundane. All he could see from here was the entrance, the front desk, and more desks behind them. Offices lined up along the back wall, with more—presumably—around the corner. The place seemed busy with lots of people moving around and talking, but most seemed to be doing paperwork. Darien was contemplating taking a seat on one of the benches against the wall when the officer returned leading a man in a collared shirt, tie, and slacks.

  The man looked to be in his forties and carried a few extra pounds. His clothes looked tailored and his outfit was put together with the precision of a machine. Even with the personal fit, Olson’s shoulders pulled at the seams. He strutted up to the front counter and came to a sudden stop before putting out his hand. Every movement was deliberate and he radiated an aura of military discipline.