Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

one and get some rest?”
    “I’m getting damned sick of this secrecy where Hannah’s concerned,” Jonas said, obviously trying to get his temper under control. He felt every bit as impotent against the entity as Matt did, and it was clearly wearing on him. “We may have a running battle going; but if she’s il , it matters to me, Kate.
    You’ve been my family for as long as I can remember.”
    Kate felt Matt stirring, a fine tremor of anger rippling through his body at the tone Jonas used with her. She rubbed her head against his chest. “I know that, Jonas. Hannah is aware you’re angry too. You know we al have a difficult time after we use our gifts. Hannah has to expend a tremendous amount of energy control ing something as capricious as the wind. Using our gifts is very draining. And whatever is in the fog has been growing in strength and resisting us, so we’re having to expend more effort to contain it.”
    “Can you get rid of it, Kate?” Inez asked.
    Everyone in the store seemed to hold their breath, waiting for her answer. Kate could feel the hope. The fear. Al eyes were on her. “I honestly don’t know.” But she had to try. She could already hear the feminine voices whispering in the soft breeze heading inland from the sea. She felt her sisters cal ing to her to join with them. Hannah was already on the battlement, drooping with weariness, but facing the fog, waiting for Kate. Sarah and Abbey stood with her, and Joley had arrived. She’d been traveling for two days, yet she stood shoulder to shoulder with her sisters, waiting for Kate.
    Kate closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath in an effort to summon her strength. Her courage. A paralyzing fear was beginning to grip her, one she recognized and was familiar with. Like Hannah, she suffered from severe panic attacks. Unlike Hannah, she was not a public figure. As a writer, her name might be known, but not her face. She could blend into the background easily, yet now everyone was watching. Waiting. Expecting Kate to work some kind of magic when she didn’t even know what she was dealing with.
    Matt felt the fine tremors that ran through Kate’s body and turned her away from everyone in the store, his larger body shielding her. “You don’t have to do this, Katie.” He whispered the words, his forehead pressed against hers.
    “Yes, I do,” she whispered back.
    Jonas instinctively stepped in front of her to protect her from prying eyes. Jackson spoke. His voice was utterly low, so soft one felt they had to strain to hear his words, yet his voice carried complete authority. “Inez, move everyone to the center of the store away from the windows, and let’s give Kate some room to work. We have no idea what’s going to happen, and we don’t want to take chances with injuries.”
    Kate was grateful to the three men. She took another breath and pul ed away from Matt, deliberately yanking open the door and slipping outside before her courage failed her. At once she felt the malevolence, a bitter, twisted emotion beating at her. The dark fog wrapped around her body, and twice she actual y felt the brush of something alive sliding over her skin. She pressed her teeth together to keep them from chattering. Strength was already flowing into her—her sisters, reaching out from a distance, cal ing to her with encouraging words.
    Matt joined her outside, slipping behind her, circling her waist with his arms, drawing her back against his hard, comforting body so that she had an anchor. Jonas took up a position on her right side, and Jackson was at her left. Three big men, al seasoned warriors, al ready to defend her with their lives. It was impossible not to find the courage and the strength she needed when it was pouring into her from every direction.
    Kate faced the dark, boiling fog, lifting her arms to signal to Hannah, to signal to bring in the wind. She began to speak softly, calmly, using the gift of her soothing voice in an attempt to bring peace to the swel ing malevolence in the fog. She spoke of peace, of love, of redemption and forgiveness.
    Gathering every vestige of courage she possessed, Kate made no attempt to drive it away. Rather she summoned it to her, trying to find a way to pierce the veil between reality and the shadow world where she could see into the soul of what was left behind and, hopeful y, find a way to heal the broken spirit.
    The fog spun and roiled in a terrible frenzy, a reaction to the sound of her voice. Her