Underneath The Shadows Novels & Stories

“Let them. We’re ending this tonight.” The old church loomed in the moonlight, its silhouette stark against the night sky. Sophie and Alex crept towards it, the weight of the journal heavy in Sophie’s bag. The air was thick with tension, every shadow seeming to hide a threat. They pushed open the creaking doors, the sound echoing in the empty space. The interior was dark, illuminated only by the faint moonlight streaming through the stained glass windows. Dust motes danced in the air, and the smell of damp wood filled Sophie’s nose.

But the threat loomed ever closer, and the shadows cast by Queen Seraphine's machinations threatened to engulf them all. --- The gathering storm The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the Blackmoor estate. Luna stood on the balcony of her chamber, the cool evening breeze tousling her hair. The tranquility of the moment was deceptive; beneath the surface, tensions simmered, and the weight of impending conflict pressed heavily upon her.

There's dust everywhere, and I fight the urge to sneeze. Paola is standing right next to me with the flashlight in her hand. She smiles. "Exciting, right?" I rub my wrist and nod. "It was something different. Where does this tunnel lead to?" "A place we call The Underworld," she replies in a sinister manner. "Don't worry. It's not as bad as it sounds. Let's get going." "What about your brother?" I ask, since he's not down here yet. "He'll come," she replies shortly. "Or not. I don't care right now." Our arms are locked once more, and we walk straight into the void.

Layna shifted uncomfortably, her unease palpable, as The Shadows closed in, their icy, unforgiving energy enveloping us like a shroud. The Shadows' presence was a balm to my fractured soul, a beacon of hope in the darkness. I knew they possessed the power to revive Roxy, to defy even death itself. The only unknown was the terrible price they would exact in return. I held out my sliced palm, offering them the payment they demanded.

"No more games. What are those things?" Corvin smiled, unaffected by the ruckus around them. "The Shadows of the Depths. They are attracted to hesitation. You give them your doubt, and they will eat you up alive." “Great,” Jax mumbled, sounding pretty bitter. “You couldn’t have said that before?” “I thought it was obvious,” Corvin said with a shrug. One of the shadowy forms lunged forward. Kade rounded on it, his weapon sweeping high and hard through the dark. The creature died, but another stepped in behind almost instantly.

It was quiet for a few minutes and he finally said, “Tilly and I have absolutely no secrets. People like you and me … we can’t be with just anyone. It’s either one night stands, fake short term relationships or nothing. You don’t just find a Tilly on every corner. A woman that will accept you, that if you are totally honest with her … won’t be afraid of you. I never had someone to … to help me. To direct me, and it damn near killed me. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I call it my dark shadow … it’s a part of me, but it’s a part of me I can mostly keep hidden, that I can control.

I thought his deeply protective, nurturing nature meant he was falling for me, too. Why on earth did you let your foolish assumptions get the best of you, Raegan? Why did you mistake basic human decency and care for romantic love? You are so incredibly stupid. I tilted my head back and stared up at the dark, heavy clouds. The deep, reddish tint of the atmosphere signaled that a torrential downpour was bound to unleash at any given second. There wasn't a single star in sight, the moon was completely hidden from view, and the only remaining presence was the shivering, howling wind. It felt like a sick, twisted joke that the desolate sky right now perfectly mirrored the chaotic storm brewing in

Brandon said in a low deep voice with his hands around Shadow's neck, choking him. Shadow let out a soft moan and then laughed at himself mockingly. “How stupid am I, to forget who this pretty face and nice body belongs to, an enemy. I forgot so soon that you had a recorder in you and was recording everything I said.” The lust cleared from his eyes that moment. “But you're also forgetting after seeing my aroused part that I am still a shadow, the ruler of the underworld.” I almost scoffed at what he said. Ruler? Color me surprised.

A cool wind ruffled the shadow’s mid length hair as he stared down at the soup of humanity. Four storeys below him the city of Bichester spread away in an urban sprawl. Perched above the lights that illuminated everything with a sickly, yellow hue, he was invisible to all, even if they happened to look up at the bank’s Victorian edifice.

Beyond the entrance, shadows pooled within the ruins, promising secrets long buried, mysteries untouched. And beyond the broken archway: shadow. Hungry. Watching. A place where the past wasn’t dead—only waiting.