Page 44 of Ghostly Touches

“What are you all doing here? You need to cross over.”

The man in a polo and khakis shrugs. “If we could, we would. We don’t know how.”

Why is this happening? For a moment, I forget my predicament with the Ghosts while I assess this situation. I can’t just let these spirits linger. But if I use my powers now, will the Elders show up again? Just how far away are we from my house? Outside their range? Or are we close enough that they could show up any minute after I send these guys over? I shiver at the thought of trying to take a bunch of witches on, even as old as they are. Look what they did to me the last time.

“Fine, I’ll send you over, but let’s make this quick.”

My patience is at an all-time low. I kind of feel bad. They deserve someone nicer. They are lost spirits after all. But with the day I’m having, I can’t muster up an ounce of amiability. Maybe the next place I go, I’ll be extra nice to those spirits to make up for my sharp tone.

My power floods out of me quickly. Dark mist gathers in the front yard, growing darker and thicker until the Veil has been pushed aside for the spirits to cross over. There, just on the other side is my reaper. It stares straight at me. I don’t know how I know, but it’s upset. Maybe it’s the tense body language, or perhaps on some level we’re kindred spirits and can feel each other’s worry. Seeing a familiar face, well familiarfigure, is a comfort. One I didn’t know I needed until just now.

Tears blur my vision as we gaze upon each other. What I wouldn’t give to just be able totalkto him.

“Monsters! There are monsters in the woods!” a spirit screams.

Its terror causes chaos to break out. The spirits around me begin to stampede towards the Veil. My reaper grips his scythe tighter and seems to brace himself for a fight as the spirits rush past him. Turning around, I look for signs of incoming danger.

I find it immediately.

Creatures that look alarmingly like Jonah are crawling slowly out of the nearby trees and tall grass in the field just a few yards away. Shadebroodes. Real ones. My breath catches in my throat as I take a step back.

It’s the wrong move.

The moment I lift my leg, it triggers their attack. I choke back a scream as I brace myself for a fight. Ice cold terror sweeps through my veins as they approach. Letting the Veil shut, I focus my attention on the incoming threat.

I fling my arms out to my sides, and half of the monsters drop to the ground as their souls explode. Okay, so much for not using a ton of my power. If the Elders come knocking because ofthis,well, I’ll just make sure to send a few extra their way. I duck as a Shadebroode leaps for me. It flies overhead and lands somewhere behind me. Shifting my feet, I turn halfway around to make sure it doesn’t come up from behind me. Unfortunately, the move costs me. One of them slams into me, taking me to the ground hard. The impact drives the air from my lungs.

I throw my hands up to protect my face and kill it. It dies instantly as its soul explodes. I scramble to my feet, heading for the house when something catches me by the ankle. I scream in pain as teeth pierce my skin. I’m taken to the ground before it starts to drag me away from the house. I twist, trying to kick it off with my good foot. Something whistles through the air, and a dagger sinks into its face. The creature lets go of me to roar.

Hands hook under my shoulders, and a steady voice says, “I have you.”

A wave of relief rushes through me. I’m dragged back towards the house as Viktor and Kwil rush past me to attack the twenty plus creatures swarming the yard. Jonah, free from his binds, leaps clear over me and takes out two Shadebroode with a swipe of his claws.

Theodon helps me to my feet, but I hiss in pain when I put weight on the injured leg. He wraps an arm around my waist and takes most of my weight onto him as he begins to guide me towards the front door. We make it inside only to hear a crash of something large break somewhere inside.

“The book!” Theo hisses and takes off without another word, leaving me behind.

I push off the wall and hobble after him. There’s no way in hell I’m going to be left on my own while these things are around. Biting my bottom lip, I fight back a hiss of pain as I draw closer to the sound of a struggle. As I round the corner, a Shadebroode is thrown from a room in front of me. It curls in on itself and dies.

I peer into the room to see Theo fighting off three more in a small office. These three are larger than any of the others outside. A fourth one drops from the hole in the ceiling and creeps towards the book lying on the desk. It reaches up and to my surprise, tries to pick it up. I don’t wait to see what happens next. Whatever is in that book, it’s not for them to use. I grab its soul and destroy it. The body of the Shadebroode drops to the floor.

Theo kills another, but the biggest of the three takes him down. Without thinking, I move into the room and slam into the creature to knock it off of him. The initial impact does nothing, but with my power behind the hit, I body-slam the soul straight out of it. I tumble over the body but manage to catch myself before falling face first onto the floor. Twisting, I catch sight of one of the other Shadebroodes reaching for the book. My knee jerk reaction is to slap its hands away.

Why am I so stupid? Was I dropped on my head frequently as a child? Maybe one too many balls to the face during recess? I’ll have to ponder this question later since I immediately reap the consequences of my mistake.

The Shadebroode turns its attention away from the book and towards me. To my surprise, it grabs my wrists and slams my palms onto the open pages. Pages that are definitely not blank. A powerful force erupts from the book and pours out like a geyser. My scream of agony fills the small office space as my power is sucked from my body into the book.

Suddenly, the Shadebroode’s head slides off its shoulders, causing its grip on me to go slack. The second I can, I pull myself free of the book. The power pouring out of it comes to an abrupt halt. I stumble backwards gasping for air as Theo kicks the dead body of the Shadebroode to the ground. The room is silent except for our heavy breathing. When he catches his breath, Theo whips around to face me. There, in his unusual colored eyes, I can spot a deadly warrior staring back at me.

“What did you do?” His voice is frigid as he takes a menacing step towards me.

I open my mouth, but only a squeak comes out.

“Willow, what did youdo?” he shouts and crosses the room, stepping over dead Shadebroodes to stand in front of me.

“I didn’t do anything!” I manage after a moment.

“Something happened,” Theo snaps. “That Shadebroode knew to use you to do something to that book. How?”

---