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Something caught True’s attention off to the right, and she glanced in Jennifer’s direction. Her heart hit her ribs, and panic flooded through her like a burst of hot air.
This ghost might have been a child, but there was no saying the child was good. “Jen, don’t get any closer,” she warned, bringing Faith’s attention to Jennifer.
“Should we stop?” Faith hissed the question at Nana.
“Too late; I almost have her,” Nana assured them.
“I see her,” Jennifer said. “She looks sad.”
Jennifer’s words made True turn to look at the figure in the shadows. How could Jennifer see the child when she was still caught inside the darkness of the veil?
“Stay where you are, Jen,” Faith warned her, but that didn’t halt Jennifer’s progress.
“Come on,” Jennifer said, holding her hand out towards the shadowed figure as she skirted the side of the ship. “Don’t be scared; I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Jennifer,” Faith snapped. “Come to us.”
Jennifer’s eyes never left the Verity. She offered a reassuring smile as she got closer and closer, offering her hand to the ghost. “I’ve got your back.”
The high tide pushed against the wreck, the weathered timber offered an ominous creak, and the old beams compensated for the movement. Then from the deck at the bar, the first ding of a handheld bell rang out across the beach.
~
The first ding of the bell reached Evie’s ears, and she snapped to attention in her seat. Parker knew something had changed; his mate had gone from smiling at one of his jokes to almost frantic in a heartbeat.
Evie pushed to her feet, her eyes searching the area for Jennifer. “Jennifer?!” she called over the excited chatter of the crowd.
“And there it goes!” someone yelled as the bell rang for the second time.
Evie felt a rush of pent-up frustration and energy within her. She wanted to run to be at Jennifer’s side but didn’t know where the child was. She wanted to use her magic to rip apart the crowd blocking her view but knew it was impossible.
At the sound of the third bell, Evie turned and eyed the bar. Dani was coming from the kitchen, Amy was heading her way, but Jennifer was nowhere to be seen. “Jennifer’s missing!” she called over her shoulder, turning to see Parker heading into the crowd.
Evie followed on fast feet, but her legs felt heavy like she was dragging the weight of fear. The fourth chime of the bell made Evie’s heart miss a beat as she pushed through the crowd, her gaze low, searching for the little person in the sea of grown-ups.
Evie felt the hard grip of Parker’s hand on her elbow and had no choice but to go where he led. “She’s on the beach,” he informed her. The tension in his tone did little to settle the panic ripping through Evie’s mind and body.
“Go – get her!” Evie demanded, cursing herself for letting Jennifer out of her sight and knowing that Parker was far faster than she could ever hope to be.
Parker jumped the railing and hit the beach running. Evie had no time to look at the crowd to see if anyone noticed the man running a little too fast for his own good. All she could think about was Jennifer, and as the fifth bell tolled, her heart refused another beat.
~
“Jennifer,move!” Faith barked the order, but the child didn’t move.
Jennifer could see Verity as clearly as on a normal day. She reached out her hand and felt the magic at her fingertips, touching the veil between her world and the next.
The chime of the bell rang across the beach, and the creak of old wood on the move filled the air. Faith knew she had no choice; she was pulling back her magic from the ghost child to hold up that damn ship. “Leave the ghost; save the ship from falling,” Faith demanded.
Nana moved to stand by her side, and she felt her sister’s presence as family magic merged into one; this time, they had a different goal. Faith just hoped it would be enough to save Jennifer from certain death should the boat topple.
~
Parker ran hell for leather across the beach and didn’t care who saw him. Jennifer was in danger; he could see, sense, and taste it, and if the damn tourists wanted to put him all over social media, so be it. His wolf growled and clawed to be set free, but the child didn’t need a wolf now; she needed the man.
Parker could hear everything with such clarity. The child was mumbling, the witches were chanting, and Evie was praying for a miracle behind him as they raced towards the ship.
Another creak pierced the air, the old wood warning of what was to come, and Parker knew he had seconds to get there. He couldn’t have run any faster, even if he’d shifted, but boy, did he try.
