Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

cliffs right now. Even if Hannah had the strength to bring in the wind, it’s too late. He’s warning us, tel ing us what he’s going to do.

    Why would he do that?”
    Kate reached for her youngest sister, mind to mind. She wasn’t the most telepathic of her siblings, but El e was a strong telepathic. Kate heard music, Joley’s voice fil ing the car with her rich, warm tones. El e’s voice joining in. El e drove slowly, crawling through the thick fog, knowing she was only a mile from her home. It was impossible to see in front of the car; she had no choice but to pul off the road and park until the fog lifted.
    El e peered at the side of the road, trying to see where the shoulder was wide enough to get her car off the highway in case another vehicle came along. She steered slowly over, aware the cliff was high above the pounding sea. Joley’s voice was comforting, a sultry heat that kept the chil ing cold from entering the car. El e turned off the engine and pushed open the door, needing to get her bearings. If she could see the lights from any direction, she would know where she was. She knew she had to be close to her home. The fog surrounded her, a thick, congealed mass that was utterly cold.
    Kate drew in her breath, tried to touch El e, tried to warn her of the impending danger. El e kept her hand on the car. What is it, Kate?
    Kate cursed the fact that she couldn’t form an answer and send it to her sister. She could only send the impression of danger very close. They al knew when their siblings were in danger, or tired or upset. But Kate didn’t have the ability to actual y tel El e something was in the fog, something that was taking enough of a form that it could cause bodily harm. She didn’t even know whether to tel her to stay in the car or to get away from it. She could only hope that El e was sufficiently tapped in to al of her sisters and would know what was transpiring. El e turned in the direction of their home and began to walk along the narrow path.
    Matt rushed past Kate, heading toward the highway. The fog swal owed him immediately. “Try to clear it out, Kate,” he cal ed back. His voice sounded muffled in the thick mist, even to his own ears. He knew the trail; he’d walked it enough times over the years and was certain El e would do the same.
    Jonas and Jackson were converging from their locations as wel , al of them running to El e’s aid from three different directions, but Matt had no idea if any of them would be in time. He only knew that his heart was in his throat, and he had such an overwhelming sense of imminent danger, he wanted to run flat out instead of careful y jogging his way along the steep, uneven path.

Chapter
10
    Beneath the star, that shines so b right,
    An act unfolds, to my delight.
    MATT HEARD VOICES, THE RISE AND FALL OF feminine voices. He knew Kate and her sisters were doing their best to fight against the wal of fog crouched so malevolently on the highway. He picked his way as fast and as careful y as he could. The ocean pounded and roared beneath him, waves slapping against the cliff and leaping high so that every now and then, as he jogged, he could feel the spray on his face. Rocks and the uneven ground impeded his progress. The wind picked up, blowing fiercely against the fog, taking chunks out over the roiling sea.
    “Matt!” Jackson’s disembodied voice cal ed to him from deep inside the fog, somewhere ahead of him. “She’s gone over the cliff. She’s not in the water, but she’s not going to be able to last much longer. Search along the edges.” The voice was muffled and distorted by the fog.
    “Watch yourself, Jackson, the cliff is crumbling in places,” Matt cautioned. He didn’t ask how Jackson knew El e had gone over. Hel , he was beginning to believe he was the only person in the world without some kind of psychic talent. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.” He couldn’t return to Kate and tel her El e was dead, that they’d been too late. He’d never be able to face her sorrow.
    Matt inched toward the cliff, testing the ground every step of the way, making certain it would hold his weight. “El e!” He shouted her name, heard Jackson, then Jonas echo his cal . The ocean answered with another greedy roar, lifting higher, seeking prey. “Dammit, El e, answer me.” He felt desperation. Rage. Fear for El e was beginning to swirl in the pit of his stomach. He detested inaction. He was a man who took charge, got the job done.
    He