Read Online The Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan - Free Book Online Page B

he snarled.
    Matt immediately stepped between Jonas and Kate. “I don’t think you need to talk to her like that, Jonas. Let her explain.”
    Kate’s fingers curled around Matt’s arm. “Jonas worries about us, Matthew. We probably should have called him.”
    Matt didn’t want her calling Jonas; he wanted her to call him when something was wrong. And something was obviously wrong. Before she could pull her hand away from his arm, he covered her fingers with his. “We’re already here, Kate. Tell us what you need to do.”
    Her sea-green eyes moved over his face. He had the feeling she could see more deeply into him than most people, but it was always like that with Kate. He tightened his hold on her hand. “Kate. You trust Jonas. He can vouch for me.”
    Kate closed her eyes briefly. Matthew Granite was her dream man, and after he witnessed what really went on around the Drake sisters she wouldn’t even be able to sustain the fantasy of a relationship with him. She sighed but she squared her shoulders. Some things were just more important than romantic dreams. She took a deep breath. “Something was unleashed today, something malevolent. We think.” She looked at her sisters for courage before continuing. “We think the earthquake may have awakened it or at least provided it with the opportunity to rise. It was the shadow you saw in the globe, Matt, and my sisters and I saw in the mosaic. It’s very real, and it feels dangerous to us.” She stared up at him, clearly expecting him to laugh.
    Matt kept his face completely expressionless. He knew the Drakes were different; some said they performed miracles, some said they were genuine witches. Sea Haven was a hotbed of gossip, and the Drake sisters were always at the forefront. But not Kate. Never Kate.
    “So it felt dangerous to you, and the first thing you do is rush out into the night in the middle of one of the worst fogs we’ve ever had,” Jonas snapped. “Dammit, Kate, Abbey and Hannah might rush headlong into danger, but you usually show some trace of sense.” He hauled Hannah back against him when she tried to squirm away. “I’m not playing around with you, Hannah. Keep it up, and I’ll lock you away for the night.”
    Hannah’s beautiful face radiated fury, but instead of taking Jonas to task as Matt expected, she was gasping for breath.
    Abbey leaped to her side. “Breathe, Hannah, very slow.”
    Hannah shook her head, fear filling her eyes. Abbey extracted a paper bag from her purse and handed it to her sister. “Breathe into this.”
    Looking alarmed, Jonas wrapped his arm around Hannah’s waist to support her as she doubled over, clearly unable to breathe adequately. “What the hell is wrong with her? Should we get an ambulance?”
    “Would you please stop swearing at her?” Abbey snapped. “Be very careful, Jonas, or I’ll ask you questions you don’t want to answer.”
    “Shut up, Abbey, don’t you dare threaten me,” Jonas growled back.
    “Stop it, all of you, stop it,” Kate pleaded.
    Seeing the anxiety on Kate’s face, Matt stepped closer to her and put his arm around her. Hannah breathed into the paper bag for a couple of minutes and lifted her head. She looked ready to cry. “Abbey, if you want to take Hannah back to the house, I’ll go with Kate to do whatever it is you all think is so important.” He made the offer before he could stop himself. Kate was shivering in the cold fog. She didn’t need to be out on such a night. He wanted just to pick her up and take her home and lie down with her by the fireplace.
    Jonas pushed back Hannah’s wealth of blond hair. “Are you all right, baby doll?” His choice of words should have been insulting, but the gentle concern in his voice made them an endearment.
    Hannah nodded but didn’t look at any of them, still clearly fighting for air.
    “Maybe that’s a good idea, Hannah. I’ll go with Matt and just look around a little, and you and Abbey pull out the diaries and