Part 43 (2/2)

Claire winced. That's not good.

The thread was beginning to give.

Light could defeat it. Shadows disappeared in the light.

Unfortunately, the closest thing to a light source was in the refrigerator beside her and it went off when the door closed.

. . . door. . .

It could work. If she could get it to chase her. If the shelves hadn't been put into the refrigerator. If she hit the back of the fridge with time enough to set a second path.

An ice cream scoop flew through the center of the shadow, whistled past her arm close enough for her to feel the breeze, and clattered off white enamel. The good news; the cavalry had arrived. The bad news; it was half a dozen mall elves with slingshots and bats. They couldn't have brought flashlights?

”Careful!” Arthur's voice rising above the sudden babble.

And a voice out of the babble. ”f.u.c.k! What is this thing?”

”An a.s.sa.s.sin!” Claire snapped. ”It's here to kill Arthur, but it'll just as happily take any of you. Don't let it touch you; it'll suck your life out through any exposed skin!” If she'd thought, suspected even, that they'd be fighting shadow, she'd have brought along some lotion with an SPF of at least 30. Rummaging in the belt pouch, she pulled out her compact. ”Get back! All of you. You, too, Arthur. In fact, you especially.”

He shook blue-black hair off his face. ”Your spell will not hold it for much longer, wizard. I would rather be facing it and ready to fight when it breaks free than running away with my back exposed.”

”Fine.” He had a point. ”Then back away, but give me some room to work and try to remember that you must stay alive.”

”What are you planning, Keeper?”

Switching the compact from hand to hand, she wiped her palms against her skirt. ”I'm going to get it to chase me into this refrigerator.”

”Are you totally mental?”

A good question. Exactly what Diana would have asked were she around. Claire spent a moment believing her little sister was up to whatever she might have to face, then flashed the a.s.sembled mall elves a confident smile. Belief and confidence both for the benefit of the Otherside. ”Trust me. Just don't close the door until I find my way out.”

”Of the refrigerator?”

”Yes.”

The shadow swayed left, the elves s.h.i.+fted right, and Claire felt a cold wet nose b.u.mp up against her s.h.i.+ns. ”I'm going with you.”

”No, Sam, you have to watch out for Arthur and the elves while I'm gone.”

Amber eyes narrowed. ”You can't tell me what to do!”

The shadow rose up, then snapped flat. Arthur swung his sword like a nine iron and sliced a piece off as it tried for his ankles.

”I'm not.” Too many years with Austin for her to even attempt it. ”I'm just telling you what the right thing is and hoping that you'll do it.”

”But what . . .”

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