Protecting His Windflower (A Spirit Hunters Series Novel Book 1) by Temperance Dawn (best black authors .txt) 📕

the tips of his fingers. He looked to his friends in the doorway, who he gave a nod to. Both Luke and Trey nodded back in a silent exchange of his confirmation that Emily was alive.

“Banks, please. Let her go. Go with Phil to the light. He’s here to help you. He’s your kin, your family. He’ll take care of you. You have to let Emily go. Please.” Liam hoped to all that was holy that his plea to Banks would work.

“It’s working,” Dave shouted. “He’s backing away.”

Liam looked at Emily as she took a deep breath. Her eyes were still closed, but she was alive and breathing.

“Come, cousin. It’s time to come with me,” Liam heard Phil’s voice through the spirit box.

“What will happen to me?” A gruff voice, different from Phil’s, came through, and Liam knew it was Banks.

“I don’t know. But you can’t stay here. This isn’t the answer,” Phil replied. “Now. Come with me. Let them be.”

“He’s moving on. He’s going toward the light.” Dave looked up and gave a small smile to Liam.

“Phil,” Liam shouted with desperation.

“Yes, Liam?”

Liam wasn’t sure he would be able to speak. He was being flooded with so many emotions he wasn’t sure he could find the words. He breathed deeply, swallowing past the lump in his throat, and said, “Thank you. For everything.”

“Take care, Liam. All of you,” Phil’s voice came through again but was faint and had carried more static. But the team had used the spirit box enough over the years that they could decipher the voice’s message.

“Thanks, Phil.”

Luke and Trey stated in unison. The air around the team settled. At last, they could hear each other. The room had gone quiet.

“Is everyone okay?” Liam asked.

He received a nod from Dave.

Luke and Trey rushed to their feet and ran to him. “How’s Emily?” Trey asked.

Liam stared down at her and stroked her face. Her red-rimmed lids fluttered open. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she croaked, then cleared her throat.

“Tell me the truth. Are you okay? Does anything hurt?” Liam asked her, firmly.

“I think I’m okay. I’m sore, but nothing feels broken. But my head is pounding.”

“I saw you hit your head when you were thrown back to the wall,” Luke stated.

“Alright. Let’s go.” Liam stood up, scooping Emily into his arms, and walked out of the small room.

“Liam, I can walk.”

“Nope.” He could tell that his short answer irritated her. In the back of his mind, he kicked himself for acting like a caveman, but he couldn’t help it. He’d lost the love of his life once. He wasn’t about to lose her again. He was taking Emily to the hospital to be checked out whether she liked it or not. And he was prepared to fight her on the matter if it came down to it.

At the top of the stairs, in the hallway on the main level, Liam sat on one of the steps leading up to his apartment. “Look at me, babe.”

Emily turned her gaze to him.

“I want to get you checked out at the hospital. Luke said you hit your head, and you told me you have a bad headache. I want to make sure you don’t have a concussion. So, we will go get you checked out, just to make sure. Okay?”

“I’m really okay,” she argued.

“Baby, listen. I’m not losing you again. Will you do me a favor? Humor me, yeah? Go to the hospital. Let me hear the doctor say you’re okay, and I’ll bring you back here. Please.”

Dave brought up the rear of the group, and when he passed by Liam, he stopped to check on Emily.

“She says she’s okay, but we’re going to the hospital to get her checked out. Her head is still hurting, and I want to make sure she doesn’t have a concussion.”

“Smart,” Dave told Liam as he knelt down, putting himself at eye level with both Liam and Emily. He stared intensely at them. “He’s gone. I felt him cross over. And your friend, Phil, he went with him. You’re free now. Both of you.”

“He went to the light?” Emily asked.

“Yes, he’ll face his judgment. I’m a true believer in that.”

Emily threw her arms around Dave and hugged him. Liam threw his free arm around Dave as well and whispered, “Thank you.”

Dave nodded. “If you two ever need anything, you call me. No matter what the time.”

“We will,” both Liam and Emily stated, and Dave stood to head toward the front door. Liam watched as Lexi bolted between Trey and Luke and beelined for her best friend.

“Em! Are you okay? The cameras went out after that burst of light. What was that? Why are you sitting down? What’s wrong?”

“Easy, Lex,” Liam soothed. “She hit her head when she was thrown to the back wall. We were all thrown across the room when you saw that flash of light. I’m taking her to the hospital to get checked out. I’m sure she’s fine, but I want to make sure.”

“I’m going with you.”

“No,” Emily interrupted. “You’ve had a long day. I want you to get settled. You can stay in my flat because I’ll be staying upstairs with Liam. Stay here, get settled, and rest, so we can hang out and talk tomorrow. Liam is with me, and he’ll keep you updated.” Emily looked at Liam for confirmation that he would update Lexi. He gave both women a smile and a nod.

“Okay. But if anything happens, you call me!” Lexi held out her hand and pointed at him.

“I will, Lex. I’ll take good care of her.” Liam stood, still holding Emily in his arms. He proceeded to walk to the front door.

Thirty-One

Amonth had passed since the night of the investigation. And since that night, there had been no sign of Banks. Emily no longer felt the ominous presence that she had grown accustomed to her entire life. She hadn’t even known what it felt like to truly be relaxed. She no longer had the