Shadow People: The Forbidden Darkness Chronicles, #2

By Alec John Belle

Heather Hawkins, a newly changed Monster Hunter, thought life couldn't get any more complicated after the incident at the tower one week ago. With Kadin gone, she thinks life will finally go back to the way it should be. Until The Council calls a meeting for her and Hayden to discuss the incident, and hopefully, not get charged in the process. Hayden Williams is released from the hospital and wants to put all of the things he saw that night to the back of his mind. When The Council decides to meet with him, his hope is that he can get it done and over with so he can finally move on with his life. That doesn't happen when he realizes his family has a big secret; one that he is very much a part of. Other forces against the Monster Hunters have different plans. Heather, Hayden, and their friends start unraveling the truth about the world they live in, and dangers are lurking in the shadows. A danger that could lead them all to their demise. In the second book in this paranormal young adult series, secrets will be revealed, enemies will join hands, and will leave you with an ending that no one could see coming.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alec John Belle
• Release date: May 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781386953432

Alec John Belle

Alec John Belle resides in Carson City, NV, where he is currently attending college to become a high school English teacher. At the age of 16 he wrote his first novel, Before I Break. His hobbies include reading, writing, and obsessing over Pretty Little Liars. He writes about tough topics that many are too afraid to talk about like suicide, homosexuality, self harm, bullying, mental illness, among other teenage issues, and he often blends these ideas with the paranormal. Despite writing such topics, he is a very cheerful person who enjoys looking for the best in life, while trying to help others do the same. His first novel, Before I Break, reached #10 on the LGBT Issues Bestseller List on Amazon. He has published two other books, both in his series The Forbidden Darkness Chronicles, with a third on the way. Alec's most recent book, The Long Road Home, was released in April 2016. When his publisher Booktrope closed, he decided to serialize the books and put them on Wattpad for people to read for free. He currently has two serials to read there: Fear Games and Spirit Walkers.

Book preview

DEDICATION

To all the fans who wanted more of Philip and Kadin.  Here's your wish.

And for the ones who said they wanted Frostbite in more than just the Prologue, this one is for you.

PART ONE:

THE SECRET

ONE

Heather Hawkins

He lunged at me faster than I could blink, and sure enough, I was knocked to the floor as he smashed my face in.  Yeah, that was going to hurt in the morning. Trying my best to regain my strength, I flipped my attacker over on his back and he smiled up at me.

You're getting better, Philip replied.

I smiled back.  I told you not to go easy on me.

And of course, he didn't.  Grabbing hold of my hair, he flipped me over him and managed to stand up.  Now I was the one on my back—again—and I was really beginning to feel useless.  Yes, he said I was getting better, but he could take me on and win every single time.  Getting better and winning were two completely different things.

I stood up and sighed, trying to fix my hair so it didn't look like the haystack it probably was.  Philip stood there, somehow managing to look absolutely gorgeous with his short black hair and piercing green eyes.  His smile widened when he saw me trying to compose myself.  I never said we were done, he said.

You don't need to, I shot back, feeling embarrassment sweep through me, but I kept the sarcastic grin on my face.  Because I'm saying we're done for the day because clearly I still can't take you on, so what's the point in trying?

His seductive smile fell flat as he spoke.  You won't get better if you just give up.

I don't get any better by trying, I said, and then added, but I will.  Just give me a little more time.

I left the training room of the Hideout, an underground hiding place for Kristen, who was my best friend, and her family and friends to train.  Kristen, Philip and I were Monster Hunters, and we didn't fight the type of Monsters you would expect.  Actually, I didn't fight any Monsters at all—yet—unless you counted Kadin.  Speaking of him...

Did you hear back from the Council yet? I asked.  I sat in a comfy chair in the room that sort of resembled a living room of an average house, with a couch, side table, two chairs, and a lamp.  Oh, and a looming bookshelf.

Philip came and sat on the couch, sighing just enough to get me concerned.  Oh no.  When he didn't respond I asked him again. Finally, he said, Lena did hear back from the Council.  They're coming to the Hideout tomorrow.

My jaw nearly hit the roof of hell and my heart stopped just a little.  I knew this was going to happen.  Damn it, why did I have to be so stupid and take on Kadin?  So, does this mean...I may go to...Monster Hunter jail?

To be honest, Philip replied, I haven't got a clue.  Anything is really possible at this point, but the one thing we don't need to worry about is not having a good case, which Lena will present to them.  The fact of the matter is that Kadin is not a Monster, and unless the Council decides to be assholes and consider him one when his species hasn't even been identified, it's entirely possible you could face imprisonment.

This was even worse than I thought.  The only good thing that could possibly come from this was that Kadin wasn't a Monster.  In fact, we had no freaking clue what he was and it was bothering me.  As if that wasn't enough, Kadin hadn't visited my dreams since the night I fought him on the tower.  To be perfectly clear, he was trying to kill one of my friends and I had to do whatever I could to make sure he didn't.  I knew the Council was going to keep and eye out on him, and once I fought him and somehow shot electricity out of my hands, I knew that they were going to try to charge me with something.  As a Monster Hunter, it's illegal for me to fight Monsters when I'm a Level 0 and Level 1.  I was finally a Level 1, but I wasn't when I fought that bastard, and now I was about to pay the price for it. 

The Levels are divided up into 4:  Level 0 is when you first became a Monster Hunter.  After the first week, you automatically advance to Level 1.  Then at Level 2, you are allowed to hunt the Monsters as long as you're with a Level 3, which is the most advanced Level.  Don't ask me why the Council wanted to make our lives more complicated than they already were. 

Have you heard from Kadin? Philip asked, interrupting my thoughts as if he could read my mind.  God, he was good.

Um, not since that night, I responded quietly.  I don't know why I sounded disappointed.  Maybe it was because Kadin had a lot of answers, and with him gone, all the answers went with him.  Kadin might have been a pain in the ass, but he offered a lot of pieces to the puzzle of what was now my life.

Lena's tried finding out what the Perfect World is, but whatever Kadin's talking about, it's not in any of the Monster Hunter books.  Philip pulled out his cell phone to check a text.  Kristen said she'll be down in a few minutes, by the way.

I only nodded.  Kristen and I, while we were best friends, had been having our problems.  The main problem revolved around Philip, whom she'd apparently dated in the past.  He cheated on her, driving her to a suicide attempt, which led Kadin to her.  Kadin controlled Darkness, a physical entity that apparently sucked negative energy out of people, and if strong enough, could physically harm people.  If that wasn't a problem enough, the problems from she and I stemmed from my growing feelings for Philip, even though I knew he was a cheater.  I was truly a terrible person.

The weird thing was, Kristen had told me just about a week ago that I should do what made me happy—but what did?  Would Philip really make me happy?

Heather, Philip interrupted again.  You're thinking about something.  What is it?

No way in hell was I really going to have this conversation.  Quickly making something up, I said, I was just thinking about Kadin and where he might be.  There's no way I managed to scare him off permanently and it's just odd that he hasn't even made an attempt to come back.

Philip chuckled.  You did kind of shoot lightning at him.

Yeah, don't remind me, I thought.  I couldn't even do it again if I wanted to.  It kind of just happened.  Is that even normal for Monster Hunters?  He didn't need to answer because I already knew what he was going to say.

No.

Go figure. 

There's also something I should mention, Philip said.  You may not like it.

My insides churned at the thought of whatever might come out of his mouth.  Oh Lord, should I be worried?

He shrugged. Um, most likely.  You see...the Council is coming tomorrow because Hayden is leaving the hospital tonight.

Uh oh.  I really didn't like where this was going.  What does Hayden have to do with any of this?  I mean, obviously he saw some stuff but—

Yes, but you, Kristen, and I know otherwise.  He was there but he also did something on the rooftop that make the Darkness disappear.  When the Darkness went to go get him, you told Kristen and me that it disintegrated.  The thing is, we haven't told the Council, but the Council is checking in on him to make sure he doesn't expose us.  He hasn't said anything at the hospital, but we don't know what he's feeling right now.  We have no idea if he's even really come to grips with what happened.

Yes, of course the Council was going to want to talk to Hayden.  I mean, why wouldn't they?  He was there that evening, but it didn't make things any better.  The Council, the ones who controlled everything in the Monster Hunter world, were coming to see Hayden.  Hell, I hadn't even met them, but from what I heard, I had a right to be afraid.

What will happen? I asked.  If they decide that Hayden is a threat or will tell someone or something?

Philip said nothing.

Philip, I said in a stern voice.  My heart was beating a thousand miles per minute and I couldn't control my anxiety.  What are they going to do to him if he won't keep quiet?

Finally he said, Well...let's just say they can make deaths look like an accident.

TWO

Hayden Williams

In no way was I perfect . During my seven days I spent in the hospital after my suicide attempt, I found coping skills to help myself feel better when I'm sad. After days of group therapy, private therapy, and a plethora of medication (okay, maybe just two), I was feeling better. After all this, I felt like a new person. There was one thing that I hadn't been able to explain, and to be honest, didn't even attempt to. The night at the tower.

There was a knock on my door and a nurse poked her head in. Hayden, your parents will be here in a little while. Do you have all your things packed yet?

I shook my head. No, but I'll get it done now. Thanks for letting me know.

As she left, I began pulling the clothes out of my drawer and put them in my bags. Light was bursting through the window, illuminating me in a way I didn't want to be. I just wanted to leave and go home and have everything be back to normal. Unfortunately, it was pretty obvious that once I got out things were only going to get weirder.   

That night on the tower, when Heather came up to face off with Kadin, I was sure I was going to die. The Darkness had made its way around me and was ready to suck the life out of me, and then it was gone. This angered Kadin, and he screamed that my blood was too pure. Whatever that meant, it had to have meant something good.

I knew the group—Heather, Philip, and Kristen—were going try and explain it to me, and while I was curious, just the fact that there was confirmation that there were other things out there frightened me. Darkness, Monsters, and mysterious floating men who tried to suck the life out of you to be exact. Oh, and I couldn't forget the Shadow that visited me on my first night here.

Just thinking about it was making me ill. Gathering my things, I headed out into the main room where I waited for my parents to come. I was trying my hardest to forget everything that happened that night, but I just couldn't.

After about forty-five minutes of waiting, my mother and father finally arrived. It was the first time I'd seen them since I got admitted into the hospital,  because they weren't able to come see me. As soon as mom's eyes fell on mine, the tears began. She ran over to me, pulling me tight, and whispering in my ear, I love you so much, Hayden.

Tears rimmed my eyes as I spoke. I love you, too. It's okay. I'm better now.

While my mother was showing emotion, my father stood back, not saying a word. Dad was always like that—emotionless to everything around him, even if someone he cared about was hurting. I knew deep down that my dad loved me, or at least I tried to convince myself that was the case. The last time my dad told me he loved me was when I was bout seven or eight, so it had been a while. I just had to hope that whenever I told them the truth about me, they'd be accepting of it. Mom would, but I wasn't so sure about dad.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams, please come with me, one of the nurses said. The doctor would like to speak with you two and your son before you leave. It's hospital policy.

Mom wiped the tears from her eyes and said, Alright, we can do that. Of course, Dad said nothing as the nurse led us out into a hall that resembled what you'd see in a school.  The manila walls had paintings lined up along it. They never let us come down these halls unless we were going to the Activity Room, which was in the opposite direction.

We walked into a small, cozy looking room that had a couch, two chairs, and more paintings on the wall. A woman, or to be more accurate, my doctor, sat at her desk. She smiled at us as we entered the room, and as Mom and I went to sit on the couch, Dad sat in the chair.

The room was dim, with only one lamp to provide light. Doctor Tanner was an older woman, in her fifties or sixties, but she had always been kind to me. Sitting in this room with my parents felt awkward. What if she told my parents about me? My heart skipped a few beats before she spoke.

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Williams. It's nice to have you two here. Doctor Tanner clicked a few keys on her keyboard and said, Just give me a moment to pull up his file.

His file, my dad muttered. My son has a file. It wasn't a question.

Not now Dad, I thought to myself. Please just be angry with me after we leave here.

Mrs. Williams, I have spoken to you a few times on the phone, and you said you were unaware that Hayden was having suicidal thoughts, didn't you?

Yes, my mother said. I had no idea. I wish he'd have said something.

I remained silent.

Mr. Williams, Doctor Tanner continued, I understand that you work a lot and that I was unable to speak with you while your son resided these last eight days. What are your thoughts on what happened?

Now Dad was the one who stayed silent.

Hayden didn't do anything major enough to cause himself harm. He arrived here with cuts on his arms and he had taken a few pills. If he took anymore, his organs most likely would have failed on him. That's why when he escaped from the hospital, he was able to survive long. The amount of pills he took didn't do any significant damage to his body, but it was enough to raise concern. Doctor Tanner looked at me and said, I do have to give you credit, though. You managed to escape from the hospital, not that it was a smart move. How did you do it?

Yeah, like I was ever going to explain that to them. Doctor Tanner only asked me that like a million times already. I told you I just got up and walked out. Your staff must not pay enough attention to their patients.

Well, they're not actually my staff. They work in the emergency room, but I do have to give them credit. Nothing like this has ever happened before. And what I want to know is how you managed to get all the way to Mount Pleasant. That's about a twenty minute drive from here, let alone on foot.

For the first time in my life, my father's callousness saved me. My son had cuts on his arms?

Doctor Tanner nodded. Yes. While he was here, we treated him for general depression. We aren't sure that it's clinical, so we think it might be environmental. 

My mother looked completely appalled. You mean our home?

No, no, no, you miss understand me, the doctor replied. Environmental can mean anything from family, friends, home, or school.

My mom looked sadder than ever, but my dad looked still. His expression was cold as stone when he asked, What would have made you want to do this, Hayden?

Doctor Tanner gave me a look, one suggesting that I tell my parents the truth. Even though I wanted to, I couldn't, at least not yet. There was too much at risk.

Just problems with a friend, I replied. My parents didn't know anything about Blayne, so I was sure they'd assume it was someone else. We weren't agreeing on something.

So you tried to kill yourself? Mom asked.

All I could do was shrug. They won't understand unless you tell them, my conscience told me. But telling them about Blayne would mean that I'd have to explain that I wasn't the straight little Christian boy they always wanted me to be.

We have a safety plan set up, Tanner said. She printed out a couple of sheets of paper, stapled them together, and handed them to me. Hayden, this is your safety plan we worked out. If you ever feel desperate enough to take your own life again, there are hotlines on there as well. Talk to a friend, read a book, or write in a journal if you need to. We are also going to set you up with a psychiatrist here at the—

Wait a second, my father interrupted, holding his hand out. "We never agreed to letting our son see a