The Maiden Medallions: Beastkeeper Read online

  The Maiden Medallions: Beastkeeper

  By Edward Shawn

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  © 2017 Edward Shawn. All rights reserved.

  Cover art by Scott Youdale

  In memory of Jeanne.

  For the love and inspiration you gave to us all.

  Table of Contents

  Ch.1

  Ch.2

  Ch.3

  Ch.4

  Ch.5

  Ch.6

  Ch.7

  Ch.8

  Ch.9

  Ch.10

  Ch.11

  Ch.12

  Ch.13

  Ch.14

  Ch.15

  Ch.16

  Ch.17

  Ch.18

  Ch.19

  Ch.20

  Ch.21

  Ch.22

  Ch.23

  Ch.24

  Ch.25

  Ch.26

  Ch.27

  Ch.28

  Ch.29

  Ch.30

  Ch.31

  Ch.32

  Ch.33

  Ch.34

  Ch.35

  Ch.36

  Ch.37

  Ch.38

  Ch.39

  Epilogue

  1

  The black and silver muscle car was trying to outrun the Devil. Sunlight reflecting off chrome exhaust pipes, shining mirrors and aluminum rims, the Mustang continued accelerating down the single lane highway.

  “C’mon, Danny! Slow down, will ya?”

  Danny’s left hand gripped the steering wheel. Adjusting his New York Yankees baseball cap, he slid his sunglasses into place, then grabbed the wheel with both hands.

  The passenger turned the music down. “If the cops show, they’re gonna tow your car! But hey, you’ll probably kill us both before that can happen!”

  “You nervous, James?” Danny asked, turning the volume back up.

  “Not if you slow down.”

  Laughing at his friend, Danny pressed down on the accelerator.

  Running his fingers through his thick brown hair, James turned and stared at the distant snow-capped mountains. Up ahead on the passenger side, a scarecrow stood in a field, its shoulders and head poking above the rows of dead crops. Dressed in red with a pointed straw hat over its long black wig, it guarded a field that had long since withered away.

  A crow landed on the scarecrow’s right shoulder. Grooming its feathers, it didn’t seem fearful of the man of straw. As the car raced by, the scarecrow turned and gazed at the bird beside its head.

  James blinked rapidly as if trying to clear his eyes of dust. It wasn’t a scarecrow he had glimpsed but an old man standing around in a field of dead corn. Glancing at Danny, he looked back quickly. The old man now stood by the roadside, watching them drive away.

  “Did you see that guy?” James asked.

  “What guy.”

  “The old man in the field!”

  “Are you talking about the scarecrow?”

  “It wasn’t a scarecrow. It was some old guy pretending to be one.”

  “Really,” Danny said. “You know I don’t care, right?” Slowing down, he looked into the rearview mirror. “What time are the others meeting us?”

  “We’ll get there before they will.”

  Realizing what he saw wasn’t all that significant, James pushed it from his thoughts. It was just some farmer standing around in a field, he told himself. But his mind wandered back to the crow. It was perched on the man’s shoulder; that didn’t feel right. It was off–abnormal–and a shiver passed through him.

  The Mustang pulled off the single-lane highway and into a parking lot paved over with white pebbles. Stones bouncing off the car, Danny revved the engine before skidding to a stop.

  Slamming the door closed, Danny pulled out his phone, leaned against the car and started pressing keys. “I’m texting Murph...see how long they’ll be,” he said, staring at the screen.

  “Good idea.” James breathed in the fresh air of the Pacific Northwest. He looked forward to his friend’s arrival. Besides Murph and his current girlfriend Sarah, another buddy named Kyle was also joining them.

  The guys were friends since their first year at Charmington High. Named after the town an hour outside Vancouver, British Columbia, it was a quiet community with friendly people where nothing much happened but life was good. Murph was the popular kid in town; his good looks and talent for football helped his standing in the community. Kyle, the reliable friend with access to a car, found himself the wheel man for many of Murph’s escapades.

  James scanned the parking lot. There were a handful of cars parked at the opposite end near an alternate entrance. Families were gathered around picnic tables, everyone eating and drinking while enjoying the glorious warmth of the summer day.

  The lot rested against a flat stretch of grassland ending at the base of some hills a short distance away. To James’s left, a narrow but sturdy wooden bridge crossed over a shallow stream. Beyond the bridge lay a crude path into a dense and shadowed forest. It was the only route he knew of to enter the large wooded expanse, so the hiking trip the friends had planned would have to begin there.

  “Hey, we got company,” Danny said.

  James followed his friend’s gaze to the far end of the parking lot. Driving past the picnickers, a black SUV was coming towards them. It didn’t belong to either Murph or Kyle, but James did recognize the vehicle.

  The friends exchanged a glance, then watched the approaching dark and tinted truck. Neither of them spoke as the Toyota Vensa slid to a halt on the rocky surface a few yards short of where they stood.

  The front doors popped open and out stepped a pair of grim young men. The driver smiled coldly while he straightened the collar of his black leather jacket as if trying to improve his appearance. “Well, well, if it isn’t Jimmy Mason and little Jackie Chan.” Meanness saturated the driver’s words, his derisive comment an attempt to poke fun at Danny’s heritage.

  James hated being called Jimmy; only his mother called him that when angry with him. Nevertheless, if someone wanted to get on his nerves, calling him Jimmy would work, and this guy wanted nothing more than to get under his skin.

  “His name’s Danny,” James said to the driver.

  “I know his name. Nice ride, Chan. It’s kinda big for you isn’t it, little man?”

  “Watch it, big man, or I’ll knock you out!” A scowl across his mouth, Danny stepped forward.

  But James cut in front and blocked his path. Placing a hand on Danny’s chest, he gazed at his friend and silently warned him to stop.

  The second man walked over and stood next to the troublemaker. Wearing a long rain coat the color of storm clouds and black sunglasses with opaque lenses, he greeted Danny with familiarity. “Tai,” he said, using his last name.

  Danny nodded back. “Colby.”

  Satisfied his friend had cooled off, James turned around. “What do you want, Cooper?”

  “What do I want?” Cooper scoffed with fake surprise. Walking towards James, he stopped directly in front of him. “I want my money,” he said. His eyes narrow and sharp, he stared at James in order to intimidate him.

  Cooper was much larger and a couple of years older. To look at him, no one would suspect he was still in high school. More than six feet tall, he stood over James and was heavier by forty pounds of solid muscle. There was a tattoo on his neck depicting some kind of native artwork and his haircut made him seem like a member of the military.

  James met hi
s glare. Cooper was so close, he could smell the stale cigarette on his breath. Stepping back, he put some room between them. “How’d you know where I was?” James asked, ignoring Cooper’s scare tactics. He knew him well enough to know he wasn’t nearly as dangerous as he liked to portray.

  “I got sources. Where’s my money?”

  “Don’t have it. I would’ve brought it if I knew you’d be here, but how was I to know that? So sorry you came all this way for nothing.” James looked at Danny, the friends working hard to suppress their smiles.

  “Don’t be funny–you ain’t funny!” Clenching his jaw, Cooper’s cheek began to twitch. He glanced at his partner, then back at James.

  James could almost see Cooper’s mind at work as his brow furrowed and his eyes darted from side to side.

  “Jimmy, how can I tell ya anything when I ain’t seen you around? You been hiding from me?” he asked, his tone much friendlier now.

  James had been avoiding Cooper for the last few days. Until he could come up with the money, or at least some of what he owed, he thought it best to stay out of his way. After a recent string of bad luck wagering on sports, he had run up a sizable debt, and now, Cooper was here to collect. James had to pay him off at some point; he just hoped to avoid doing so for a little while longer.

  “Look, I’m runnin’ a business here. Pay me some and we’ll deal with the rest later,” Cooper said in as sincere a voice he could muster.

  “I didn’t bring any money, I already told you that.” He motioned at Danny standing beside him. “We’re going hiking, and since there’s nothing to buy in the middle of nowhere, why bring any?” James had trouble keeping a smirk from sneaking onto his face.

  “Jimmy, you’re such a–” Cooper stopped in mid-sentence, his attention suddenly diverted.

  James turned and saw the dirt-covered, classic white Firebird drive onto the lot. Finally, he smiled knowingly, the cavalry has arrived.

  “I’ll see ya later. Better have some cash on ya next time,” warned Cooper as he and his partner returned to their vehicle.

  The Firebird came to a sliding halt beside the Mustang. The doors flew open and out jumped Murph and Kyle ready to help.

  “Keep walking, Cooper,” Murph called out after him.

  Cooper smiled and flashed him the common single digit salute. Climbing into his SUV, he started it up. “See ya at school, boys,” he shouted before driving away in a trail of dust and pebbles.

  “You guys okay? What’s going on?” Kyle asked in quick bursts.

  But James ignored his line of questioning. He didn’t need to know his business.

  Danny, on the other hand, didn’t have any qualms about revealing what he knew of the situation. “Cooper was here to collect money,” he said. “Our pal here owes him...again.” He looked at James with an amused glint in his eyes.

  Murph watched Cooper drive off. “What a jerk,” he said to James. “You guys alright? What did they want?” Apparently, Murph hadn’t heard what Danny just said.

  “Cooper came to collect his money,” Danny repeated.

  James glared at him. “We’re okay,” he answered, keeping his eyes trained on his big-mouthed, gossiping friend.

  But Danny didn’t seem ready to let the matter go. “Hey, don’t be mad at me, pal. I’m just telling it like it is. How much you owe this time? Three hundred? Four hundred?” Grinning from ear to ear, he clearly enjoyed riling up his friend.

  “Just drop it, will you? It’s my problem so I’ll deal with it,” James responded impatiently.

  “Alright. But pay him off and do it soon,” said Murph. “You don’t want to stay on Cooper’s bad side.” He noticed Sarah massaging her legs as she sat on the hood of the Firebird. “You ready to go or should I lend you a hand?” he asked playfully.

  Smiling, she hopped off the hood, then brushed the dirt off the back of her blue jeans. “I’m good–just a bit stiff from being squished into the backseat.”

  Murph took Sarah by the hand. They walked to the back of the Firebird where Kyle was busy unlocking the trunk. Reaching in, he pulled out a couple of backpacks, then handed them off to Murph and Sarah. Slipping on the packs, the three of them chatted while strolling over to the bridge.

  James and Danny grabbed their packs from the backseat of the Mustang. “You want some money to pay off Cooper?” Danny asked as he locked the car.

  “No. I’ll get the money somehow.” James had to refuse his friend. Coming from a wealthy family, Danny had helped him in the past, but that didn’t mean he should rely on his generosity every time he found himself in a jam. Danny was his best friend and it felt too much like using him in order to pay off Cooper. This time, James decided, he would have to find a way to take care of his problem on his own.

  Slinging his pack into place, James followed Danny to the others waiting by the narrow bridge. Crossing over in single file, they proceeded towards the entrance leading into the woods.

  2

  Sunlight poured through the treetops, forcing the shadows to retreat. The forest floor was slippery in spots, but the ground easy enough to traverse if one was careful of where they stepped.

  Talking freely and laughing, Murph and Sarah walked hand in hand. Kyle trailed a short distance behind, his hands deep in his jacket pockets, his headphones jammed into his ears. Danny, already into his backpack, stuffed his mouth with roasted almonds. Turning around, he offered some to James who gladly accepted a handful.

  Coming prepared for the hike, James wore a pair of old black hiking boots, green khaki pants and a gray, hooded sweatshirt. The hood hung loosely behind his neck. He wanted to see his surroundings or he could end up walking into a low hanging branch.

  The group had been plodding through the forest for close to twenty minutes with James last in line the entire time. As he lagged behind, he felt a sharp object in his right boot. Having little choice but to stop and attend to the discomfort, he spotted a fallen log. Sitting down, he untied his boot lace, removed his boot and turned it upside-down. A white pebble tumbled out. Putting the boot back on, James stood up and brushed the moist dirt off the back of his pants.

  Turning to rejoin his friends, a shadow passed overhead. James looked up at the empty sky and quiet treetops but failed to see anything that might have cast it.

  “Hey! Where you at?” Danny shouted from somewhere ahead. “Hurry it up!”

  Returning to the group waiting for him in a small clearing, Danny was sorting through his backpack in search of his next snack while Kyle sat on a log and played with his phone. Murph and Sarah were on the far side of a large tree.

  “What’s the delay, man?” Danny asked.

  “I stopped to remove a pebble from my boot. Let’s keep going.”

  Kyle rose up staring at his phone. Zipping his pack closed, Danny slipped it over his shoulders.

  As Murph and Sarah rejoined the group, a black shape fluttered past the edge of James’s vision. Looking up at the trees, he saw leaves rustling in the wind, but not much else.

  The friends gathered to restart the hike. Following them out of the clearing, James spotted the dark, winged shape once again. Only this time, he saw it clearly: a large crow with glistening black feathers descended onto a tree branch. Twisting its head to one side, it looked down from its perch, its stare never wavering from where James stood.

  Murph glanced at James, then looked up to see what had captured his friend’s attention. “Whoa! That bird is huge!”

  Everyone stopped and stared at the crow.

  “What’s it doing?” Sarah asked.

  Danny shrugged. “I don’t know. It sure is creepy, isn’t it?”

  “Let’s get moving,” Kyle said. “We’re wasting daylight.”

  Losing interest in the large black bird, his friends moved off through the trees. James, however, found himself rooted to the spot.

  “Hey! What are you doing over there?” Danny called out.

  “Nothing, nothing.” James met his friend’s stare.

>   “C’mon weirdo, let’s get going.” Danny looked at the crow, then back at James. “Ooooh–spooky. Don’t be scared now.” Laughing at his own humor, he went and joined the others waiting nearby.

  Disregarding his friend’s antics, James gazed up and found the bird still watching him.

  “What’s that?” asked Sarah. Her soft blue eyes stared fixedly at something off through the trees.

  Screeching loudly, the crow took to the air and vanished through the treetops as a disturbance crashed its way through the forest. The noise grew louder; it was coming their way.

  “Run.” Murph turned around, his eyes wide and soaked with fear. The others were slow to respond, not yet fully grasping the situation. “Run!” he repeated forcefully. Taking Sarah by the hand, he pulled her along in the direction they had come.

  Murph and Sarah sprinted through the trees, Kyle following quickly on their heels. Glancing at one another, James and Danny took off in pursuit of the others.

  The footfalls grew louder, their pursuer gaining ground. James heard the heavy steps quickening but didn’t dare turn around; he was afraid of staring death in the face.

  Danny, a couple of steps ahead, moved as fast as his short legs and adrenalin surge could carry him. But he made the mistake of trying to catch a glimpse of their pursuer. In that moment, down he went as he tripped over an exposed tree root, fell flat onto his stomach and slid straight into a puddle.

  James stopped running. He had no intention of leaving his friend behind.

  Emerging from the treetops, the large crow flew past James and his soaking wet friend. Positioning itself between the charging grizzly bear and its prey, the bear slowed and roared at the bird hovering in its path.

  “C’mon! Let’s move!” With James’s help, Danny staggered to his feet, his eyes bulging and mouth trembling. Grabbing hold of James’s arm, Danny started running once again.

  James peeked over his shoulder. The crow had disappeared.

  The bear renewed its pursuit of the boys. James heard the heavy panting, the snorts and grunts of the animal exerting itself as it closed the distance. He knew they only had seconds before it would be on them.