Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

scruff so I can see your face again?â€
    He grinned at her and circled El e’s waist with his arms, drawing her back against him. “She won’t kiss me if I don’t have a beard.
    I’m not going without kisses.â€
    Inez frowned at El e. El e, under cover of the counter, kicked Jackson’s shin. “It’s my face,†she admitted. “I have very sensitive skin and his whiskers rub and I get burned.â€
    â€œOh, that’s not good,†Inez said. She sighed. “I guess you’l have to keep the beard then, Jackson, but keep it trimmed. You go through periods where you look positively awful, like those bikers who come through the vil age.â€
    He grinned at her. “How would that be, Inez?†Half the vil age wore long hair and beards.
    â€œDon’t give me sass,†she scolded, knowing ful wel he was teasing her. “ Mean is how they look. You don’t want to scare off El e before you marry her.â€
    A bel tinkled, signaling someone else had come or gone and El e angled herself better to keep an eye on everyone in the store. Irene and Drew had slipped in and were at the frozen food section. The Dardens were over by the bread rack talking to Jeff Dockins, another local. The store was fil ed with her neighbors and she let the talk flow around her, the familiar camaraderie soaking into her like nectar.
    She’d always loved Sea Haven and this store in particular where al the locals came and hung out visiting. Some cal ed it gossip, but she knew they were just exchanging news, al interested in each other’s lives. They helped one another out often and genuinely cared. She leaned her head back a little, relaxing into Jackson.
    Against her leg, Bomber pressed close, his body alert, quivering, fur and ears standing straight up. He was looking around the store, not at her. A chil went down her spine. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she felt goosebumps rise. Her breath caught in her throat and she shifted, letting her eyes slide around the store. The Reverend RJ was lurking at the meat counter and she knew Jackson had already spotted him, realizing how protective his body posture was.
    A young teenage girl stood at the Reverend’s side, her lip, nose and eyebrow pierced. She wore dark lipstick and darker eyeliner. Her long hair hung straight to her shoulders, a shiny raven’s wing of blue-black. She was very pretty, although she wore al black and there was no animation on her face at al . She didn’t look at anyone, but stared at the floor.
    Dropping one hand on Bomber’s head, El e let her gaze slide past them. The premonition of danger was strong. Urgent. Dark. Cold seeped into her body, first her skin, then her blood and bones. Jackson began to rub her arms as if to warm her. She let her gaze drift around the store. Several people were donning sweaters or rubbing their hands together as if cold.
    Jackson. She whispered his name and tried to shield his body with hers.
    â€œWhat is it, baby? I see RJ. I’m not going to let him get confrontational.†His mouth was close to her ear, his breath warm, his lips brushing her earlobe in a secret kiss.
    But it wasn’t RJ. The air left her lungs in a little rush as she spotted a dark shadow sliding through the store, crouching near first one person, and then another, sniffing, fingers extending, beckoning. Frank looked toward the shadow and then Mrs. Darden. El e pushed away from Jackson and inserted her body between Frank’s line of vision and the slowly creeping aberration.
    As she watched, the shadow crept around the store, lengthening along the wal until it formed a shape she was familiar with. Death. A faceless ghoul, long and thin with outstretched arms and a wide mouth gaping greedily, needing to feed the endless addiction.
    She sketched a quick sign in the air as it crouched over Mrs. Darden and the ghoul spun around, eyes glowing for a moment, recognizing the enemy.
    RJ, directly behind the shadow, must have thought El e was staring at him. His face hardened and he clamped his fingers around the young teenage girl’s wrist, yanking her forward toward the counter. Both RJ and the girl flowed right through the apparition as though Death was not there.
    RJ set the shopping basket on the counter. “We’re in a hurry.â€
    El e watched the shadow stiffen. His tongue slid out of his mouth as if