Read Online More Than an Echo (Echo Branson Series) by Linda Kay Silva - Free Book Online Page A

about it. We would be poked and prodded like—”
    “An alien?”
    “Precisely. Our powers are as alien to the world as an extraterrestrial being, so, we must be careful in the real world. Of course, there are those of us who are flashy and out there, but that’s because they rely on the public not to actually believe that what they are seeing is actually happening.”
    “Oh wow. That’s scary.”
    “Indeed. There are those of us who use our powers for personal gain. Unethical use of any of our powers can result in a rather unpleasant visit from some in our community to whom  we must all heed.”
    My eyebrows rose. “We have people we are responsible to?”
    Melika cocked her head. “Why to all of us, my dear. Each of us is responsible to the other and to our community as a whole. The protection of our existence is a necessary component of our lives. Those who put others at risk are…dealt with.”
    “Dealt with? Sounds ominous.”
    “It can be. We must protect ourselves from society at large as well as from each other. I will show you how to do both.” Melika brought her hair forward and began working on a thick braid. “You, my dear, are an incredibly powerful empath, and when we are done with your lessons, it will be up to you to locate those who haven’t yet lost their battle with insanity. You will, like my son, become a spotter in order to save those who need help. When you do, you will bring them here, to me, for the same help and guidance you’re getting. That is the only deal on the table for you. In exchange for the semblance of a normal life, you must agree to help others like you.”
    “How will I find them?”
    “You’ll know. Some will be beyond help. Others won’t want it. But for those who do, you must reach out to them in the same way Big George did for you.”
    I nodded and said nothing.
    “You will, at times, see those who choose to make money from their gifts. Case in point are two of those men on television who speak to the dead.”
    “No way. You mean—”
    “What I mean, dear girl, is that we are everywhere. Some of us do manage to make a living using our gifts because what we do cannot be scientifically proven, such as speaking to the dead or reading the future. They are, in some ways, safe from the prying eyes of our government, so they are allowed to do what they do.”
    “Allowed by? You make it sound so mysterious.”
    “No mystery, Echo, just protectiveness. One day, when you need to know, you will.”
    Leaning back, I heaved a huge sigh. It was so much to take in.
    “Yes, it is, which is why we are just chatting. Before we can even start helping you understand and utilize your powers, you must first understand the nature of the supernatural community to which you now belong.”
    “Supernatural is such a...weird word.”
    “I prefer supernatural over paranormal. I try to excise the word normal out of my vocabulary. There is nothing normal about us. When we wake up every morning, we must create shields, deal with excessive energies, protect ourselves against psychic vampires, and try not to let our powers ruin our lives.”
    Psychic vampires? 
    “A crisis turned your powers on, so to speak. They were always there, laying dormant, waiting for the right chemicals to flip the switch. Your switch was flipped, my dear, and that’s why you felt what that boy wanted from you.”
    I thought about poor Todd’s head. “But I think I could have killed him.”
    “No, you wouldn’t have. You would have felt his life ebbing away and come to your senses. You’re no killer, Echo.”
    I bowed my head and tried to keep the tears from coming. Melika reached over and touched my knee. “You’re not alone and you’re no freak. You have a gift. I’m going to show you just how special that gift is.”
    “But how did I get it?”
    “Clairempaths, which is what you are, come by their powers genetically. Somewhere in your family history there are others with similar powers.”
    “I