I could smell the burning skin as I watched fear bleed into his eyes, finally realizing the danger he faced. Steven screamed at him, but the man only stared. I watched as his lips formed the word, Brujo. Steven nodded at him as his power filled him and the man’s skin began to sizzle and burn under his hands. He screamed wordlessly, clawing at Steven’s hand on his throat with his free hand, but in the next moment, Jodi was at his side, her hand on Steven’s shoulder, feeding his power with hers. The man was suddenly on fire. He dropped his knife when Steven shoved him away. He stumbled backwards, his hand scrabbling at his own face, trying to put out the flames. He dropped to the ground and rolled, but the flames ate away at his clothing, undeterred. I pulled my awareness back; he wouldn’t stand and watch me die, I wouldn’t watch him.
Another thread of the rope broke and I knew I was almost through and my hands would be free. The muscles of my shoulders burned with my efforts, but when I heard another crash just below me and the entire house shifted to the right, I knew my time was running out. I felt Jodi and Steven running around the house again, screaming my name, trying to find a safe way in, but I prayed they’d stay outside. I had to concentrate on getting out, not worrying about looking for them if I ever got free. I pushed back up to my knees, hoping the new position would alleviate some of the tension in my shoulders.
I felt the file catch on the rope and was pushing against it when Jodi’s sun bright thoughts burst into my mind, blinding me in her panic, and I saw what she did: the house beginning to collapse. The house had been shaking so constantly that I had put it out of my mind, thinking it was partly my own panic causing it, but then the floor under me became like water. It was moving and rolling under me. Something important broke with a gun-fire-like crack and suddenly I was falling.
I slammed onto broken beams and shattered furniture, my body one angry knot of pain. My left arm hung dead at my side and I knew it would need surgery if I ever wanted it to work right again. But my ties were broken. My hands were free! Frantically I clawed at the rope around my ankles, realizing my right leg was bleeding. I didn’t want to look, but I did and I saw a huge shard of wood jammed into my thigh muscle. Blood soaked my jeans and my leg felt numb. A flutter of panic went through me, but I focused on the rope around my ankles.
My nails were ragged by the time I worked the knot free, and the house was falling down around me, but eventually the ropes fell away from me and I was able to uncross my ankles. I tried to stand, but my right leg buckled and I fell, tumbling down the mountain of debris, landing on my back, knocking the wind out of me. I grabbed the edge of a lopsided couch and pulled myself to my knees. I closed my eyes and called my wings to life.
They ripped through my body, tearing my skin open in my rush. Blood ran down my back, soaking my tattered sweater, down into the waist of my jeans. I screamed in agony and fell forward, catching myself with my right hand. My body shook with pain and exhaustion. Any life left in the wood of the house was long dead as the flames and embers ate away at it, stealing any help it might’ve given me. I spread my wings and lifted myself off the floor with one powerful beat. It sounded as though I was trapped in a thunder storm, each piece of the house breaking away with a deafening crack.
I saw the beam coming for me through the two story hole above me. I darted to the side, but as the beam came crashing down, taking the rest of the second story floor with it, the house collapsed in on itself. There was nothing but blackness then.
Steven and Jodi were on their knees in the grass, holding onto each other as they cried and watched in horror as the house crumbled into nothing but a pile of ash and wood. Only two lonely chimneys stood, reaching desperately towards the sky. Anthony stood behind them, one hand on each of their backs, unable to think of what to say or do, utterly and totally helpless. The flames had died with the last of the fuel provided by the house.
I couldn’t breathe and my wings felt bent at an unnatural angle, but I pushed through the debris, my hand breaking the surface. I pulled myself out, lifted on a gust of wind my wings caught. The pain was gone now, the muscles and bones of my back reforming around the base of my wings naturally. Even my left arm felt normal again and the puncture in my right leg was gone. My clothes were singed and torn, but I was otherwise fine. A sob escaped me when I saw Jodi and Steven unharmed and I rushed to them, my wings beating frantically until I drifted down in front of them. I spread my arms and fell upon them, only to have my hands go straight through them.
“What?” I started, staring at my hands. Jodi and Steven looked right past me, crying uncontrollably, gripping each other.
“They can’t see you, love.” I turned at the familiar voice to see Liam standing there.
“Where did you come from?” I asked even though a thousand other questions swirled in my head right then.
“I was a bloody coward. I’m sorry, Shayna,” he said as he came closer. “I wanted to help, but apparently I got here too late.”
“It’s okay; we’re fine,” I said.
“No, Shay.” Liam shook his head, a sad look on his face. “They are fine,” he motioned towards the trio in front of me. “But you, I am afraid, are not.”
“I don’t understand.” I shook my head and reached out to try and touch Steven again, but again my hand went through him. “Drake?” My voice shook as I pleaded with him to hear me.
“Most living cannot see the dead,” Liam said. “You should come with me.” He held out his hand, waiting for me to take it.
“But they saw you before, why can’t they see you now?”
“Because I don’t want them to. But I am not dead, I am undead. Come with me, Shayna. It is unkind to haunt your loved ones.”
“What?” My head was spinning. I could hear the distant wails of sirens as the fire trucks raced up the mountain, chasing the fire that still raged in the woods. Liam came over to me and took my hands in his; I could feel them, warm and strong in mine. He pulled me to my feet and walked me away from Jodi and Steven as an ambulance and fire truck came down the long, winding driveway behind them. Paramedics and firefighters rushed out of their vehicles and fell upon them, stealing them from my sight.
“Come,” Liam urged. We turned as one, away from Steven and Jodi, away from my brother and sister, and my heart shattered as we walked into the dark.
To be continued…
Acknowledgements
They say it takes a village to raise a child, well these books are my children and these people are my village.
Thank you to my husband, John. You’re always there for me, whether it’s reminding me how far I’ve come or just doing dishes for me even if you’re busy too. I am so lucky to have my best friend at my side, helping me every step of the way.
As always, to my beta readers, Juanita De Luna and Dayle Burg, thank you so much for your insight and support. You both help me with every book and I know how invaluable your input is. I will be forever grateful to you both.
Thanks to my parents, who are always there for me, I appreciate your pride and support.
My dearest Cassie Robertson, my editor, who has traveled this road with me from book one. Cassie has truly helped me become a stronger writer, without her, I would have never felt brave enough, confident enough to ever publish.
To Julie at A Tale of Many Reviews, thank you so much for your help and support in getting the word out about my books. You’ve been instrumental in my success and I can never say thank you enough.
And to you, dear reader, thank you for reading. I hope you can forgive me and I promise, this is not the last book.
About the Author
Shauna Granger was born in Tennessee but raised in many different cities and states until her family finally came to settle, for the second time, in Southern California. Shauna now lives in Ventura, California with her husband, John and dogs, Brody and Merlin, the newest addition. Shauna is hard at work on the fifth and final installment of the Elemental Series: Spirit, due out April 2013.
You c
an find Shauna at shaunasspot.blogspot.com and at Twitter @dyingechoes.
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