Read Online The Reverence of One: Book Three of the Shadow Series by J.M. Pierce - Free Book Online
Authors: J.M. Pierce
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separating the world of the living from that of the shadow world began to blend, becoming more of a brush stroke instead of penciled scratches. As he strained, he watched Thad lean his head back and close his eyes.
“No!” he shouted.
Thad’s head snapped up. His head jerked to the front door, thinking that possibly he’d heard shouting from the hallway. A sudden chill came over him and he folded his arms across his chest.
Knowing that he ’d got ten his grandson’s attention, he shouted once more.
“Thadeus!”
Thad jumped to his feet, eyes wide and heart thumping. He stepped sideways, away from the couch, and listened intently for the distant , disembodied voice.
Cliff stepped closer to him and reached out, touching Thad on the forearm.
“What the hell?” Thad screamed as he jumped backwards into the kitchen. He stared at the spot in front of the couch and, against the cream colored wall, could see a faint black shadow hovering beside the coffee table. He squinted and rubbed his eyes, not able to comprehend what it was that he was seeing.
Cliff desperately strained to become more solid, but there wasn’t enough energy to even sustain the shadowy state that he was currently in. He watched painfully as the brush strokes once again became pencil scratches, and the metaphoric wall separating the two worlds had returned.
Thad watched the shadow quickly fade from view. He wiped his brow, the fear of the moment causing sweat to trickle down into his eyes.
“Who’s there?” he asked, not sure if he wanted an actual reply.
Inaudibly, Cliff answered. “It’s me, son. Grandpa Cliff.”
Almost speaking over the old man’s words, Thad asked, “ Who are you and w hat do you want?”
Knowing immediately what he had to do, Cliff replied to himself. “I’ll be back, boy. We’re gonna need some help.”
Chapter 7
Lauren sat quietly at the vanity in her bedroom, brushing her long brown hair in even strokes. In the soft light of the room, the vicious look that her eyes typically gave others had disappeared and been replaced with those of a sad young woman.
She was angry with herself for her behavior a short time ago and didn’t like the fact that she could be so inconsiderate . The truth was that she couldn’t control it; it was something she’d struggled with since before she’d even become a Shadow. She’d always found it a cruel twist of fate that not only was she forced to live in a youthful body for what seemed like an eternity, a body that never seemed to lose the hormonal fluctuations of the age, but that she was also given the ‘gift’ of being a Shadow, a byproduct of which was even less stability. She knew that most humans would say that they would love to be in her shoes, to be young forever, but they could never know the price she’d had to pay in pain and loneliness.
Setting her brush down on the antique, cherry-wood vanity, she s louch ed in her chair and began lightly drumming her fingers on the deep red wood. As she stared at her reflection with a blank expression, she became aware of a presence behind her in a corner of the room.
“Would you like to have a seat?” she asked, her fingers continuing their rhythm.
She felt whoever it was walk closer and, breaking her own rule, summoned the energy from within her to begin pulsing. The back side of her hands began to emit a peaceful blue glow, and from under her drumming fingers came a faint red. She looked to her left and watched as Maggie materialized beside her.
With one step to the side , Maggie sat slowly on the bed behind Lauren.
“Thank you,” she said lovingly.
Lauren grinned, staring at the woman awkwardly. “You’re welcome,” she replied in a submissive tone.
“You don’t like us, do you?” asked Maggie.
Lauren cocked her head and stared blankly at the brush on the vanity . “No, I actually do like you; very much as a matter of fact.” She glanced briefly to Maggie ’s reflection in the mirror . “You
“No!” he shouted.
Thad’s head snapped up. His head jerked to the front door, thinking that possibly he’d heard shouting from the hallway. A sudden chill came over him and he folded his arms across his chest.
Knowing that he ’d got ten his grandson’s attention, he shouted once more.
“Thadeus!”
Thad jumped to his feet, eyes wide and heart thumping. He stepped sideways, away from the couch, and listened intently for the distant , disembodied voice.
Cliff stepped closer to him and reached out, touching Thad on the forearm.
“What the hell?” Thad screamed as he jumped backwards into the kitchen. He stared at the spot in front of the couch and, against the cream colored wall, could see a faint black shadow hovering beside the coffee table. He squinted and rubbed his eyes, not able to comprehend what it was that he was seeing.
Cliff desperately strained to become more solid, but there wasn’t enough energy to even sustain the shadowy state that he was currently in. He watched painfully as the brush strokes once again became pencil scratches, and the metaphoric wall separating the two worlds had returned.
Thad watched the shadow quickly fade from view. He wiped his brow, the fear of the moment causing sweat to trickle down into his eyes.
“Who’s there?” he asked, not sure if he wanted an actual reply.
Inaudibly, Cliff answered. “It’s me, son. Grandpa Cliff.”
Almost speaking over the old man’s words, Thad asked, “ Who are you and w hat do you want?”
Knowing immediately what he had to do, Cliff replied to himself. “I’ll be back, boy. We’re gonna need some help.”
Chapter 7
Lauren sat quietly at the vanity in her bedroom, brushing her long brown hair in even strokes. In the soft light of the room, the vicious look that her eyes typically gave others had disappeared and been replaced with those of a sad young woman.
She was angry with herself for her behavior a short time ago and didn’t like the fact that she could be so inconsiderate . The truth was that she couldn’t control it; it was something she’d struggled with since before she’d even become a Shadow. She’d always found it a cruel twist of fate that not only was she forced to live in a youthful body for what seemed like an eternity, a body that never seemed to lose the hormonal fluctuations of the age, but that she was also given the ‘gift’ of being a Shadow, a byproduct of which was even less stability. She knew that most humans would say that they would love to be in her shoes, to be young forever, but they could never know the price she’d had to pay in pain and loneliness.
Setting her brush down on the antique, cherry-wood vanity, she s louch ed in her chair and began lightly drumming her fingers on the deep red wood. As she stared at her reflection with a blank expression, she became aware of a presence behind her in a corner of the room.
“Would you like to have a seat?” she asked, her fingers continuing their rhythm.
She felt whoever it was walk closer and, breaking her own rule, summoned the energy from within her to begin pulsing. The back side of her hands began to emit a peaceful blue glow, and from under her drumming fingers came a faint red. She looked to her left and watched as Maggie materialized beside her.
With one step to the side , Maggie sat slowly on the bed behind Lauren.
“Thank you,” she said lovingly.
Lauren grinned, staring at the woman awkwardly. “You’re welcome,” she replied in a submissive tone.
“You don’t like us, do you?” asked Maggie.
Lauren cocked her head and stared blankly at the brush on the vanity . “No, I actually do like you; very much as a matter of fact.” She glanced briefly to Maggie ’s reflection in the mirror . “You
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