Talia allowed the protection only because her attention was drawn to the right.
The SUV swallowed the street, doors already open, two shining young men standing on the running boards at the sides, as if on a joyride. Both bounded down to block the street.
“Adam said they wouldn’t risk public exposure,” Gillian said.
Talia blanched with realization. She should have known. For everyone else, they wouldn’t risk exposure. But if she were a real threat to them, as the images she’d found suggested, then they might risk anything. Too late now.
“Talia, go get help,” Patty said in a voice far too calm for the circumstances. “Middleton didn’t sign on for this. Someone needs to get help or the town will be torn apart, and the only person who can get through the wraiths is you.”
If Talia wanted a way to bolt out of this mess, this was it. A neat excuse prepackaged, well reasoned, and very tempting.
“I’ll drive,” Gillian said. She wanted to live, too. “I’ll get help. I can get through just as easily…”
“We can’t let them have you,” Patty answered, ignoring Gillian. “Think, Talia.”
Talia’s mind took one second to consider the option and had her decision: if she left Patty and Gillian to the soul-sucking attentions of the wraiths, she might as well cough up her own spirit, because it would be dead and useless thereafter.
Talia shook her head, no. She was going to stay. The choice went down her throat like a rough brick.
What she needed was something that approximated courage, a little bravado maybe. Then, when the opportunity to run had passed, an instinctive will to live would kick in, and she’d fight for real.
The gun pressed into her waist in cold comfort.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Talia managed to keep her voice respectably steady, considering acid burned up the back of her throat. She tensed her dread-weakened knees and slipped the backpack off her shoulders to drop with a soft smack on the street.
Talia’s fear intensified with her resolution, and the world shifted in front of her. Shadow. Where before the thick trees and old brick buildings were crisp and mundane, the reds and greens dusted with street dirt and time, now darkness cloaked them and softened their edges.
“What the hell…?” Gillian shrieked.
“Stop, Talia,” Patty said, edging her voice with authority. “We can’t risk you when a war is coming, and it’s going to take your whole bag of tricks to get out of here, regardless.”
“War’s here, Patty,” Talia said. “Just ask Adam.”
“Damn it, Talia, run,” Patty said, spinning slowly to position herself behind her.
They stood back-to-back in the middle of the street with no fewer than three…Talia glanced to her left…make that four wraiths bearing down on them.
“I can get us in the car. You just have to hold on to me.” Talia chewed her lip. “Then we’ll draw them after us to Segue, where there is more help.”
“How the hell do you think you can…?” Gillian said, voice wavering.
“Just hold on to me,” Talia said. “It’s about to get dark.”
Talia reached, gripped cold, ethereal silk, and brought down the shadows. Gillian’s hand floundered in the sudden absence of senses. Talia grabbed it, attached her to Patty, and clasped Patty’s hand.
The wraiths waded into her darkness, searching, racing for the car.
Talia drew the gun. The handle slipped in her slick palm. She let go of the women to clasp the weapon with both hands.
She raised the gun, hoping it was loaded, aimed at the wraith climbing over the vehicle, and fired.
The report thumped dully in her grasp. The gun expelled the bullet and the glittering missile traveled the darkness sluggishly, surreal trails warping the air in its wake.
Talia saw the miss in the bullet’s trajectory and—heart lodged in her throat—willed the silver projectile on a more accurate course.
The bullet obeyed.
Whoa… Talia swallowed her shock and drove the pellet between the wraith’s eyes with her mind. His screech cut short as his body fell dumbly to the pavement.
Gillian’s fluttering hands found the car. She opened the driver’s-side door and crawled across to the passenger side. Patty didn’t follow, but turned and looked blankly into the darkness.
“You first,” Patty called. Her voice bent and echoed, now distant, now near, across the shadows. She blindly grabbed hold of Talia’s shirt to forcibly push her into the car.
Not enough time. The three remaining wraiths descended. Lacking sight, they slinked up to the car with arms outstretched.
Talia raised the gun again and shot at close range. The wraith crumbled. Another crouched, hand braced on the concrete, preparing to strike.
She aimed again, but an arm banded around her waist. Patty, attempting to drag her into the car. Talia’s balance faltered.