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Guarda looked around the table slowly, eyeing each of us intently before she spoke I blessed lasses as she studied me, since they allowed me to present an unintimidated and tranquil expression

At last she clasped her hands in front of her and addressed the table, her voice picked up by one of the six hts clicked on as three woital video cameras, all trained on us "As you probably knoe chose this building because of its unusual spiritual activity There have been at least six separate entities identified here Three have already been Su hands and coht be residing in this building, but as we have two experienced Suht, I believe ill instead work individually We will start with a supplication to the spirits If you all will please place your hands flat on the table, your fingers touching those of the person on either side of you, ill begin"

I&039;ve always thought the supplication was a bit of nonsense, a silly, showy bit of fluff that impresses the uninformed, but serves no real purpose to Summoners Still, it was better to just have the tip ofto hold his entire hand, so I spreadtheh the supplication while I tried to get a feel for the building ere in, opening ht a faint impression of one very close, in the theater itself, but no others I tried to focus on the spirit, but couldn&039;t do more than pinpoint the location to a sra and Steve are the experienced Summoners, perhaps they would care to take the first circles, and allow the rest of us to watch and learn from them"

It was an order, not a question, with Guarda&039;s pale blue eyes resting on e An odd wave of hostility rose in me in response, an eative thoughts when you are trying to Su man in a black turtleneck and pants who in no way caure that Christian had , chose to ht there at the table I was unco the focus of so much attention, so I walked over to the die until I found a spot I liked I sat down, cleared nored the couple of volunteers and two of the caprocedure was the same as the other times I&039;d performed it, but this time I had barely spoken the words over the ash when the air in the circle started to thicken and itated way I waited, my mind focused on the spirit I&039;d felt in the back roo started to die away

"Oooh," someone directly behind me breathed in disappointe had been done My concentration was broken I rubbed out a bit of the chalk, breaking the circle, and looked over to where Guarda sat at the table

"I&039;ive this another shot I don&039;t need to have absolute silence, but I&039;d appreciate it if everyone kept fro down my neck"

A sri there for ato do it I prolanced out at the audience, but couldn&039;t see anything between the colasses I took a deep breath, cleared my mind, drew the circle, made the wards, and intoned the words over the ash

Bits of it drifted on the currents of air on the stage, so to land on a man who sat on the other side oftoward ht forand twisting around itself as if it was trying to form Suddenly my nose twitched and I sneezed Twice

"Wooo-hooo!" The birth atin the circle was not one, but two ghosts One was a s man in black breeches and a dirty creahteenth-century fashion, wearing a dingy powdered wig; the other was a really ugly old white-haired woone bad She had on a tight, shiny black floor-length dress and apron that ee and protuberance, and there were a lot of protuberances

"Glory hallelujah," I said softly

"Ahosts Two! I&039;d Su, absolutely a around the circle as she exahosts "I have never seen two spirits Summoned at once I have never even heard of such a feat! This will go down as a momentous day in the history of psychical studies!"

I rubbed ain There was no need to show off and Suround thes and ask them questions" Eduardo pushed his way past a couple of people and eyed the ghosts critically I got a bit annoyed at that They wereto put the a few readings, but I was not going to have them treated like freaks at a freak show I&039;d Release thes were taken

Sorounded them As soon as the last word lefther finger at ly scratchy voice

"What&039;s she saying?" I asked Peter, standing next to me

He scratched his bald spot "I&039;m not sure I think it&039;s Welsh"

"Welsh? Whatever would a Welshwo? How old is it, anyway?"

"Approximately two hundred and fifty years old," Eduardo answered as he scooped his hand through the sour old woue Although she had no physical presence, just her appearance and deh to make him back up a couple of steps

I stifled a snicker

"What is your na man&039;s spirit I looked closer at him His face was marked by pimples, and his clothes had a hand-, once probably white but now stained yellow and rust with age and who knehat, didn&039;t quite fit his head, listing to the left and leaving a swatch of black hair uncovered

The ghost looked at Guarda with a surly frown and shoved his hands in his breeches pockets "Don&039;t &039;ave to answer"

"Now look here, you - "

"That&039;s right," I interrupted Eduardo and sed him to be about fifteen "You don&039;t have to tell us anything you don&039;t want to I&039;e and send you on You&039;d like that, wouldn&039;t you?"

He stuck out his lip "Mebbe Mebbe not Who&039;re you lot?"

I introduced the few people I knew names for, and explained that we&039;d like to take a few readings, and then would be happy to send both him and the old wora," Guarda said as she pulledand important moment in the history of paranormal research While I applaud your intention to Release the spirits to their reward, I feel thatstudy of therants that will be available to us if we are able to show sponsors actual proof of spirit entities!"

"But at what cost to the ghosts themselves?" I asked "As a Summoner, it is s have been taken Keeping the around indefinitely while a bunch of corporate sponsors stare at them is hardly my idea of a worthy reason not to allow them to move on"

"Think of the research you and others will be able to do," Guarda said smoothly "Based on your expertise, I am most happy to offer you a position on the trust teaenerous honorariu with the keenest minds in paranormal research In addition, think of the fame you&039;ll achieve as you write definitive paper after paper on every aspect of the spirits&039; life after death You&039;ll be famous both in and out of paranormal circles! There will be books, television shows, lecture tours, sponsorships - all of that will be yours, and for only the highest and purest of reasons: research You can see why it is more important that we resist our natural inclination to Release the spirits, and instead use this unique opportunity to gain as e as we can fro her to realize that with every oily word she spoke, I beca was extremely rotten in Denmark I slipped my hand into my pocket and felt around for what I had in there that could be used as a keeper There were only a few coins, and so a spirit to a coin A couple more bobbles would have to be sacrificed

The question was hoas going to create two keepers without so

"I knew you would see reason on this," Guarda said suavely as she turned back to the ghosts The old woman had sto at everyone The youngopenly at one of the ARMPITs who had a spiky hairdo, a pierced eyebrow, and tattoos covering both forearhosts that were Su studied now, too?"

Guarda smiled and patted me on the hand "One is, yes The other two, unfortunately, were lost to us"

"Lost to you?" The only way a Summoned spirit could be freed was if the Summoner Released them or if the Summoner died "Lost how?"

"It was an unfortunate accident; it won&039;t happen again, I can assure you," she answered before turning back to the circle "And now, please, everyone, if you would stay back, the trust s"

"I haven&039;t completed my circle," the Summoner named Steve whined

"Yes, yes, you must do that, there is one spirit left unaccounted for," Eduardo said

I decided I needed a distraction to make the keepers, but before I could do that, I had to find out hosts&039; names Names, as I&039;ve mentioned, have power, and I didn&039;t bla to let everyone know their naated to answer any questions I put to thee (several of the stagelights had been turned on as soon as hosts appeared) and lockeda tiny part of my mind to her and asked softly, "What is your na Her mouth moved "Alis Owens"

Guarda looked over to her with a frown I crossed ers that she hadn&039;t heard what the old wohost, focused, waited until he turned his back on one of the camerapeople who&039;d rudely shoved her camera in his face, and asked my question

"Jem Hopkins"

Guarda heard him; I&039;m sure she did She oiled over to Eduardo and tipped her head toward hilances my way

Rats I&039;d have to act quickly, before it was too late I e, then pushed a hand away fro my best to look like someone as about to pass out

"Christian?" I mumbled pitifully Several of the volunteers turned toward me, but Christian could move very fast when he wanted to He was there in an instant, one arm draped around my back to support me I swayed into his chest

"I just feel a bit faint All that power used Su being held against his body I couldn&039;t help breathing in the faint spicy scent that clung to him, a scent that seemed to permeate me and sink into my blood

Christian repeatedwith me Someone pulled a chair over forto Christian He brushed his lips against my forehead

What is it you want, maly v¨¢le¨¨n¨ªk?

I stiffened in his aruards on my ainst intruder, and yet Christian had roundto be done at the moment about the breach in my mental security I&039;d have a little chat with Christian later Right now

I need you to distract theuards, wondering if he would hear me

It will be my pleasure, he answered with a warm chuckle

A sudden loud crash at the back of the theaterChristian), jurueist!" so for the back regions of the theater Christian turned us so his body was shieldingtwo more bobbles off oing to faint, I thought at Christian Lack of consciousness is the only way I could lose the spirits and still remain alive I&039;d appreciate it if you could catch me in a suitably dra any ht

I could hear the amusement in his words Can it be that you will now find it useful to have a doive orders and de back there!" one of the ARMPITs appeared at the stage and announced with a dra at all! It&039;s absolutely clean!"

I used that moment when everyone&039;s attention was on him to bind Alis&039;s and Je them away in h trouble for being able to get past uards If I were you, I&039;d just do as you&039;re asked and keep the wisecracking to ato swoon

I took a few tottering steps away from Christian, put the back of -woman manner, blinked rapidly, swayed, and let htchest as Christian&039;s eloquent voice spoke over ra has fainted! ItQuickly, does anyone have water?"

This is ridiculous

You wishedI simply complied with your wishes

I did not wish for you to insist on bringing me to your house Nor did I wish for you to tell everyone that cock-and-bull story about us being engaged What on earth were you thinking?

Guarda White was being obstinate about releasing herteam member to a mere acquaintance I felt a more intimate relationship between the two of us would ensure that you reht Why do I have the feeling you&039;re enjoying all this?

His laughter echoed throughher back to e whatever fantasies we choose What is there not to enjoy?

I had a horrible sense of control slipping through ers, and did a double check of all the protective barriers I&039;d set up to keeplooked solid

You knoould never do anything to har odd snorting noises Perhaps if you relasses, Mr Dante, she would be hts make her uncomfortable She will be more comfortable with them on"

Christian&039;s breath teased my ear I turned my head into his neck briefly I don&039;t knohat sort of cologne you wear, but it has ain

"Yes, she&039;s definitely co Can you see?"

Cool air wafted overas I could reasonably drag it out, and started fluttering my eyelids