electrocuted. The snow around her went up in a fountain spray and the wolves charged out of the tree line. Colt had to make a split second decision.
He lunged, grabbed Angelica, pulling her toward and behind his back. She fell limp to the ground and then he turned and faced the pack of wolves.
There were six of them, haggard looking, wild, and underfed. He wondered about that as he let his bear surge forward, and explode a roar from his throat.
Colt’s claws burst from his fingertips and he felt his body enlarge, his shoulders bunching up and surging. He was tempted to complete the transformation, but if he did, he wouldn’t be able to protect Angelica from the other threat that presented itself.
Colt held the polar bear back, giving it enough room to make its presence known, but not letting it take over.
The wolves faltered and stopped, whining.
One wolf separated from the pack, stepping forward with his shoulders hunched and a feral growl, teeth exposed, challenging Colt.
Colt roared again and faked a lunge in the direction of the wolf. The creature yelped and turned running back toward, then past the others. They followed him and Colt sighed, one threat down, one more to go.
He turned and bent down and pulled Geli into his arms. Her exposed skin was colder than the surrounding snow.
He picked her up and straightened to his full height.
Something unseen had attacked her, sucking the heat out of her body.
Colt felt confused and scanned the area around him. His eyes locked on the bulge of the mine under the snow and his blood chilled.
It has to be the ghosts from the mine.
He spoke to the air around him, scanning for the telltale flicker of a presence. “You can’t have this one.”
The wind wailed in response.
“She is mine! You will let us pass!”
“Sssss-tay,” the wind answered in a whisper.
“No, Colt barked, pulling Angelica tighter into his chest. She was still unconscious, and he was worried. He needed to warm her up, but first, he needed to get her away from the mine and the spirit presence that had locked onto the phoenix.
“You know who I am. I have come here from childhood, and I have no fight with you, but if you push this issue, I will push back.”
The wind picked up, sounding like a whine.
“I’m going to walk away now, and you will let me.”
Colt turned and, still keeping Angelica close to his chest, started to trudge through the deep snow. He could feel the presence all around him, but it didn’t touch him or try to stop him even though the wind howled in a mournful sounding echo.
Colt wondered why the ghosts wanted the phoenix, and then realized it. Her power was heat. If you were an ice-cold ghost, you would want the energy she produced with her heat. That was why the ghosts had attacked her. They were trying to get warm. They were attracted to her life, and her power.
He needed to get her as far away from the mine as fast as possible. Colt picked up his pace, jogging through the deep snow. It was difficult, but the need to protect her motivated him. He didn’t examine the feeling too closely, since he had other problems right now. He could worry about wanting to protect the woman he’s sworn to kill at another time.
* * * *
Athera of the Phoenix sat on the stool in front of her vanity and brushed out her hip-length, mink-colored hair. She could hear Dub-step blaring down the hall, so she knew that Archer and Scarlet were up.
Kel would still be asleep. She could sleep through at least ten natural disasters before she became aware that something might not be right.
Danni was helping Dimi with some admin, and annoying the hell out of poor Zane.
Ath—the nickname her friends gave her—had made plans for a shopping trip with Trinity, the Outsider’s favorite witch, so she was getting ready.
The mirror that she was looking into started to mist over and her hand stopped mid stroke through her hair. Someone was trying to contact her from the phoenix
He lunged, grabbed Angelica, pulling her toward and behind his back. She fell limp to the ground and then he turned and faced the pack of wolves.
There were six of them, haggard looking, wild, and underfed. He wondered about that as he let his bear surge forward, and explode a roar from his throat.
Colt’s claws burst from his fingertips and he felt his body enlarge, his shoulders bunching up and surging. He was tempted to complete the transformation, but if he did, he wouldn’t be able to protect Angelica from the other threat that presented itself.
Colt held the polar bear back, giving it enough room to make its presence known, but not letting it take over.
The wolves faltered and stopped, whining.
One wolf separated from the pack, stepping forward with his shoulders hunched and a feral growl, teeth exposed, challenging Colt.
Colt roared again and faked a lunge in the direction of the wolf. The creature yelped and turned running back toward, then past the others. They followed him and Colt sighed, one threat down, one more to go.
He turned and bent down and pulled Geli into his arms. Her exposed skin was colder than the surrounding snow.
He picked her up and straightened to his full height.
Something unseen had attacked her, sucking the heat out of her body.
Colt felt confused and scanned the area around him. His eyes locked on the bulge of the mine under the snow and his blood chilled.
It has to be the ghosts from the mine.
He spoke to the air around him, scanning for the telltale flicker of a presence. “You can’t have this one.”
The wind wailed in response.
“She is mine! You will let us pass!”
“Sssss-tay,” the wind answered in a whisper.
“No, Colt barked, pulling Angelica tighter into his chest. She was still unconscious, and he was worried. He needed to warm her up, but first, he needed to get her away from the mine and the spirit presence that had locked onto the phoenix.
“You know who I am. I have come here from childhood, and I have no fight with you, but if you push this issue, I will push back.”
The wind picked up, sounding like a whine.
“I’m going to walk away now, and you will let me.”
Colt turned and, still keeping Angelica close to his chest, started to trudge through the deep snow. He could feel the presence all around him, but it didn’t touch him or try to stop him even though the wind howled in a mournful sounding echo.
Colt wondered why the ghosts wanted the phoenix, and then realized it. Her power was heat. If you were an ice-cold ghost, you would want the energy she produced with her heat. That was why the ghosts had attacked her. They were trying to get warm. They were attracted to her life, and her power.
He needed to get her as far away from the mine as fast as possible. Colt picked up his pace, jogging through the deep snow. It was difficult, but the need to protect her motivated him. He didn’t examine the feeling too closely, since he had other problems right now. He could worry about wanting to protect the woman he’s sworn to kill at another time.
* * * *
Athera of the Phoenix sat on the stool in front of her vanity and brushed out her hip-length, mink-colored hair. She could hear Dub-step blaring down the hall, so she knew that Archer and Scarlet were up.
Kel would still be asleep. She could sleep through at least ten natural disasters before she became aware that something might not be right.
Danni was helping Dimi with some admin, and annoying the hell out of poor Zane.
Ath—the nickname her friends gave her—had made plans for a shopping trip with Trinity, the Outsider’s favorite witch, so she was getting ready.
The mirror that she was looking into started to mist over and her hand stopped mid stroke through her hair. Someone was trying to contact her from the phoenix
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