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After that, two things happened simultaneously. Odd snapshots started floating though her mind, images of the Graveyard, the ditch, the dead girls and Vaughn. She knew she was looking at pieces of the immediate future. Because the pictures held a serious warning, they were an equal pull on her attention. But the girls needed her help desperately. If they were unable to leave their bodies, they could get stuck forever right here in the Graveyard.
She turned her attention to them and directed her whirling witch energy toward the triplets. Power flowed and swirled above the girls until she could feel each one, their fears and sadness, even their confusion. Mentally, she began to coax them to let go of their time on earth and to leave their bodies. It wasn’t long before the air in the ditch began to shimmer and shortly afterward the ghosts rose into the air.
They appeared dazed at first. They looked at one another then Emma and finally at Vaughn. Each tried to talk, but couldn’t.
Emma stood amazed by how they appeared. She’d seen ghosts before, but only as fleeting wisps of smoky air.
Not this time. Each was fully formed as though possessing a body, yet not quite a body. It almost seemed as though the girls were working on taking shape. She wondered if Vaughn could see them, but one glance told her he didn’t.
They seemed to be communicating with each other and a moment later bits of clothing appeared, though more like smoke than real fabric. Colors as well. The center girl, who had the strongest personality, now wore a red tank top, blue jeans and running shoes. The one to the right donned red shorts, a dark blue crop top and navy sandals with flowers at the top of the t-strap. While the third wore a red plaid short dress, dark stockings and black Mary-Jane shoes. The girls seemed to like red.
They were lovely, each with long, curly, light brown hair and large, blue eyes.
The blue-jeans ghost drew close to Emma, then addressed her telepathically. You saved us once. I remember now. You, and this man, took us home the night we were abducted the first time.
The ghostly voice in Emma’s head made her feel dizzy, but she responded immediately. We did. It was the finest night of my life since becoming an alter witch.
Oh, you’re a witch. She shifted to look at Vaughn. But this man can’t see me, can he?
I don’t think so. And in case you’re wondering, Officer Vaughn is a vampire.
The ghost swept backward, rejoining her sisters. But she continued to talk with Emma. There was a lot of pain from what that madman was doing to us and he ordered vampires to take our blood. I think maybe the vampires were the ones who killed us. I remember getting weaker and weaker. And now we’re here.
By the pallor of their skin, Emma knew she was right. Once more, a terrible grief assailed her that these young women had been robbed of their lives. Yet, it cemented her determination to do what she could to prevent Loghry from continuing his abduction of innocent teens.
The girls, almost as one, shifted their attention upward to the ditch ridge. Emma started to turn to see what they were looking at, but suddenly the three spirits flew around both her and Vaughn. They cried out in loud voices, almost wailing.
The one with the blue jeans got in front of Emma and tried to speak, but no words formed. She seemed really distressed.
Emma attempted to make telepathic contact with her, but only static returned.
The wailing grew louder until Emma finally had to cover her ears. She didn’t understand what was wrong.
~ ~ ~
Vaughn had never felt so much power emanate from Emma before as though she’d opened the floodgates. Maybe she had. He had an impression of the three ghosts but nothing more than that, though a bad feeling crawled through him like a snake. Something wasn’t right.
Emma was bent over as if in pain, her hands held to her ears.
He felt a strange sensation on his face, like soft fingers dragging over his skin. Had to be the ghosts attempting to communicate with him. The message felt like a warning.
He turned to glance back up at the top of the ditch, wondering if the Elegance officers intended to fire on them. “Shit.” There were no longer seven but at least twelve Elegance witches and warlocks staring down at him, all members of the territory’s Border Patrol.
The fingers on his face moved swiftly now and his instincts vibrated heavily, sending warning after warning through his mind.
A second passed.
Then another.
But the moment he watched all those Border Patrol hands move in the direction of their firearms, he reacted swiftly. He didn’t have time to warn Emma. Instead, he grabbed her around the waist and as fast as he could, he hauled her straight up into the night sky.
The firing began at almost the same time.
He whipped through the air and kept flying. He didn’t shift course either, just headed higher and higher out of the line of what became a barrage of pistol fire.
He only slowed down when he couldn’t hear a single distant pop.
Hovering in the air, he reached for Emma telepathically. Emma! Are you okay? Are you hit?
