Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,41

one find Yuki. She tried to run, but it caught her in a moment, much faster than her vampiric speed. She was skewered, lifted, and closed her eyes.

Chief was driving and managed to pull off the road and slam it into park as he was dragged from the Jeep.

Jason sat at his desk and every light in the bookstore sizzled as the filaments snapped and the LEDs fried.

Jimmy was picking up his phone, smiling as he dialed my number.

Dennis was asleep in his bunk at the firehouse.

All of them shut down as they were hoisted into the air silently. I was flung back into myself and something snapped inside me, clicking into place. The smokey tendrils of shadows flared as the tattoos etched on Shea's flesh began to bleed blue and copy themselves in lines of text through the shadows.

Looking down at my wrists, I saw the tattoos encircle my pale white flesh. Fearing the same was happening to the others, I sent my consciousness back down the lines as the runes appeared on each of their wrists, matching mine in design and color. When the last one filled in, they flared to life and disappeared, fading under their skin.

There was an echo from the clap of thunder that exploded around us as the shadows melted and lowered us to the bed. Everyone passed out but me as I writhed in agony while my flesh knitted itself back to normal. After it finished, I joined them in oblivion.

Chapter 12

I didn't wake up until the next day, Shea lightly tapping my cheek with the tips of his fingers.

I winced as Yuki's Master echoed in my mind for the trillionth time. It felt like I had a hangover on steroids. What? I groaned and opened my eyes to see a very relieved looking shadow walker hovering over me.

What the fuck did you do? I could feel Yuki's pain through her voice.

Don't fucking ask me. Ask blue boy. Without looking, I pointed at the sleeping demon beneath me, even though she couldn't see him.

Don't ask me, either. I'm dead.

You're not dead, you're talking, you dumb fucking dog. Yuki was a little pissed.

If I'm not dead, would one of you be so kind as to kill me?

There were muffled other voices in our conversation, but I couldn't make out any of their words. Somebody turn off the voices.

You hear them, too? Yuki sounded spooked.

"We can hear you. All of you. That might be the others trying to respond." Dar groaned.

I lifted my head from Dar's chest and instantly regretted doing it. The light from the window was blinding. Waving my hand, the shadows created willowy drapes blocking most of it.

"How did you do that?" Shea asked in awe.

"Bright light." I covered my face in my hands and rolled over, burying my face in the pillow.

I am starting to feel better. Ellis' voice in mind-speech was unmistakable. Lifting my head again in surprise, I blinked at him.

You can hear me?

Yes.

We all can, came a cacophony of voices.

Hold up. Yuki?

Yes?

Dar?

Yes.

Ellis?

Aye.

Shea?

Lady?

Chief? Chief? Jimmy? Dennis? Jason?

Muffled rumblings, but no speech. They could hear me, just not respond. "Well, I guess that answers that. How come Shea and Ellis can answer me now?"

"Dark elves," Dar answered. "Spheres. Can we go back to dead now?" He groaned and rolled over, sobbing silently.

Shea appeared with a tray of glasses filled with water and a bottle of pills. He was also dressed.

"What's that?"

"Advil."

"You have Advil?" Witches didn't get headaches. I didn't have any at my house.

"No, but the drug store on the corner does."

Nodding, the scene played out in my head. As soon as he saw the state we were in, he shadow-walked to the pharmacy, stole the biggest bottle of pain reliever he could find, and came back. Greedily, I popped four of them in my mouth and washed it down with a bit of water. Being the considerate little assassin he was, he shadow walked all over town, dispensing medication to everybody who had been caught up in the metaphysical backlash. He knew where they were just by feeling around for them in his head. The same way I had seen what had transpired the night before.

"Does anybody need anything?" An annoyingly chipper sounding Ellis asked as he lifted himself from the bed, found his pants, and got into them.

"A shower." I was??ross.

Dar lifted his hand and pointed at the bathroom door beside the bed.

I shook my head. "I'm going home."

"Come, my lady. I will carry you," Ellis answered reverently.

That