Witching Hour Read Online Free PDF Page B

her skin, sending a roll of nausea through her stomach. She levered onto her knees, dodging another whirl of the mist as she readied the bottle, managing to flick some of the holy water at the ghost. The spirit howled, curling in on itself before vanishing into the shadows.
    Jordan stumbled to her feet, staggering toward the door. She hit the wall again, using it to brace herself as she crossed through the doorway, somehow making her way down the stairs without falling. Shrieks and noises sounded behind her, but she didn’t stop to check as she ran along the hallway, taking the next set of stairs when they appeared off to her left. Her footsteps echoed through the house, the frantic sound mimicking the erratic thrash of her heart as she made for the door, skidding to a halt when the apparition sprang up in front of her, its face twisted with rage.
    She grabbed another bottle, this time drawing a ring of salt around her. The ghost surged forward only to bounce back as it hit the thin line. It snarled, trying again, screaming at the ceiling when it was repelled a second time. A low growl lit the air a moment before it winked out of sight.
    Jordan stood her ground, waiting until she thought the thing had left for good before darting out the door. Invisible hands grabbed at her sweater, trying to hold her prisoner on the porch when a beam of light hit her face. She screamed and leaned forward, falling down the few short steps when the force holding her released its grip. Another round of dots danced behind her closed eyes, and she didn’t fight the numbing haze that pulled at her. The leather book bounced out of her hands as her knuckles impacted the gravel, scraping rocks across her skin.
    Voices sounded in the background before a set of hands gave her a shake. She groaned, her mind fuzzy as she pried her eyelids open, squinting against the harsh light. A man’s face wavered in front of her, his expression speaking volumes.
    “Miss. Are you okay?”
    She nodded, regretting the motion as soon as she moved her head. Pain flared through her temples as murmuring voices echoed in her ears.
    The man shook his head. “You do realize you’re trespassing, right?”
    She groaned again, trying to find the right words. “Permit.” It was the best she could do as she tapped the left front pocket of her jeans.
    The man simply scowled. “Any permit you might have had expired at midnight. There’s a standing order on that.” He offered her his hand. “Come on. We’ll have to take you back to the station until we can talk to the management company…see what they want to do.”
    She pulled against his hold, finally gaining the strength to look around. Hadn’t he seen the ghost grab her arm, tumbling her down the stairs? “I can’t leave. The ghost…”
    Her words slurred into a jumble of sounds as he lifted her up, catching her when she swayed against him. He cursed under his breath, muttering something about her being high as he walked them toward his car, the rotating lights making her stomach heave. She tried one last time to free herself, only to end up falling against the hood. Another voice sounded close by as the landscape blurred into gray. She glanced over at the house, focusing just enough to see a figure cross the upper windows before more hands grabbed her shoulders and shoved her in the back of the car. The vehicle jerked forward, the crunch of gravel beneath the tires finally pulling her under as the house disappeared behind her, the lone silhouette vanishing into the night.

 
    Chapter Three
     
     
     
    “Well I’ll be damned. Dylan Smith!”
    Cal froze, his gaze falling to the man striding toward him, hand outstretched, mouth lifted into a wide grin. Cal couldn’t remember the last time someone had gotten him and Dylan mixed up and had a feeling the guy must have been from Dylan’s old unit. Cal shook the guy’s hand, noting the firm grip and the telltale chain peeking out from the guy’s collar.
    The man