Blue Violet - By Abigail Owen Page 0,42

amount concentration and control, as he had to split his shield into several areas without allowing the wolves in.

With the small amount of concentration he could afford to devote elsewhere, he mentally called for Charlotte. He knew she had heard him as soon as he saw a small figure appear beside his sister’s prone form.

*****

A deafening silence fell over everything. All Alex could hear was Ellie’s labored breathing—like she was inhaling liquid—and the thunder of his own heartbeat. Beside him, the sound of a pop announced Charlotte’s arrival.

“Can you get us back to the house?” he asked without looking up from Ellie.

“I don’t think I can,” Charlotte’s voice trembled.

Ellie fluttered her eyes open. “I can. Take my hand, both of you,” she instructed, so weak her voice was barely audible. “Griffin can’t hold this many shields for much longer.”

Sensing the urgency, Alex and Charlotte didn’t bother with questions and both took her hand. With a pop they were suddenly next to Dexter, Nate, and Ramsey. The three, who had been fighting off the wolves, were now standing and looking bewildered that the wolves didn’t seem to be able to touch them, even though nothing visible was preventing them from doing so.

“Tell them to grab hold,” Ellie’s voice sounded in Alex’s head.

Never taking his eyes from her face, although Alex could see she was getting noticeably more fragile every second, he shouted the instructions to the others. As soon as his brothers touched her, another pop sounded, and they were all inside the house with everyone else.

“Now, Griffin!” Ellie yelled, before slumping into Alex’s arms, slipping into unconsciousness.

A horrendous sound broke over the house, like a clap of thunder when lightning struck close.

And then silence.

Chapter 22

Griffin had held onto his shields with difficulty. By the time Charlotte had reached Ellie, he’d been physically shaking with the effort. As soon as he’d seen Ellie and the two people with her disappear, he had finally been able to drop the shield around them. He’d kept track of Ellie mentally as she’d appeared next to the group of three guys who’d been fighting the wolves. It had taken only a second for them to touch Ellie and then she’d disappeared again, allowing Griffin to drop the second shield. All of the remaining people in the field had been making their way quickly to the house where Griffin could feel Ellie had transported herself.

Griffin had backed up as he followed them. As he moved, Griffin had gradually manipulated his shield. While still keeping the wolves at bay, he had slid the shield, paper thin, under their unsuspecting paws, even slightly under the ground they were standing on just to avoid their suspecting his actions.

“Now, Griffin!” he’d heard Ellie scream from inside the house. She must be too weak to use her powers to tell me mentally, he’d realized.

With an incredible jerk, creating a sound like thunder, he’d slammed the shield up in the air like a giant catapult. The wolves had gone flying. Griffin, satisfied that the immediate threat was handled, had turned and ran into the house.

*****

“Give me some space to work,” Alex heard Hugh quietly tell the others. He still hadn’t lifted his eyes from Ellie’s face. As Hugh knelt beside her, Alex held her limp hand between his own.

Come on, baby. You’ve got to keep fighting, he thought, trying to will her some of his own strength. You’re safe now. Just keep fighting to stay alive.

He was vaguely aware of someone taking her other hand. Glancing up, he saw it was Griffin, who looked almost as pale as Ellie. A stab of confusion pulsed through Alex, but he pushed it aside. Instead, he turned his attention back to the girl who’d somehow come to mean more to him than he’d ever realized.

What a time to figure out that you’re in love with the girl, he thought with wry desperation.

Hugh continued to work beside him, his face set in determination. It usually only took a few minutes at most for Hugh to heal anything. That was his power…his gift. Ellie’s injuries were extensive, so naturally it would take more time. Alex let go of her hand for a moment to cover her with a blanket. Everyone watched in total silence as Hugh poured his healing energy into Ellie’s still form.

*****

Though no one else could see it, Hugh saw a golden glow coming from Ellie’s body. It shown brightest where she was the most injured. He moved his hands over that concentration of light