Amethyst Flame (The Flame Series Book 2) by Caris Roane Page B

everything they held or wore into their wolfness.
    Within a matter of seconds, they’d disappeared.
    He was about to hold out his arm to Emma, when he realized she was levitating. Stunned, he gripped her arm, fearing she’d fall.
    But she smiled at him. “I’m okay. I’ve picked this up from you, Vaughn. I don’t know what’s going on between us, but right now I can levitate as though I’ve been doing it my entire life. I must have gained the skill from you, and it rocks.”
    She didn’t wait for him, either, but rose in the air and sped in the direction of the alley. He caught up with her, stunned.
    Brannick flew on the opposite side of her. He caught Vaughn’s gaze. What the hell? Did you know she could fly?
    He shook his head. Had no idea.
    Something strange is going on between the pair of you.
    I know.
    The ghosts appeared and flew near Emma. He felt it as well, just as Emma had said. They were a team.
    Her voice entered his mind. Let’s save us some girls.
    ~ ~ ~
    Emma couldn’t believe she was five feet off the ground, tracking toward the alley. She knew some of the most powerful spellcasters could levitate, but she’d never been able to. When Vaughn had moved her off his boot, however, for a few seconds she’d found herself suspended in the air if only an inch above the ground.
    After she’d met Officer Fergus and received his warm, respectful greeting, she’d done some surreptitious practicing. Stranger still was the sure knowledge the new ability came fully formed.
    She knew she’d be able to fly with Vaughn’s skill, so she did.
    Of course the real question surfaced almost immediately as in why she could suddenly do this remarkable thing. But she had no answer. Her instincts, however, leaned toward her growing relationship with Vaughn.
    They’d crossed a critical threshold in the past few hours and their new-found intimacy seemed to be having an effect on them both. Vaughn could see the ghosts and he’d played a role in her spellroom that allowed Emma to find the future.
    As she, Vaughn and Brannick turned into the alley, the Willow Creek truck was already backing into the storage facility. The obese shifter was waving his arms in a loose manner. “Keep going.”
    Vaughn shot forward, rifle in hand, and called out, “I’ve got a better idea. Shut it down. Now.”
    The slovenly shifter reached behind his back and drew his pistol. Vaughn whipped in his direction and fired once. The shifter fell, shot through the chest.
    Vaughn levitated toward the truck. By then, the two warlocks had their hands in the air, the engine off.
    Emma flew with Brannick above the wall separating the alley from the storage facility, weapons aimed at the two security guards she’d seen in the stream of images. They’d started moving in the direction of the truck, AR-15s at hip level.
    Brannick’s deep voice hit the air. “Drop your weapons. Now.”
    The two guards glanced, up then immediately set their rifles on the asphalt.
    Emma called out. “On the ground. Face down. Both of you.”
    Brannick turned to her. “Keep your weapons on these two. I’ll open the truck.”
    “I’ve got a better idea.”
    A smile spread over his face, and he nodded. “You gonna kill em?”
    “Not quite, but I’m tempted. What I want to do, once we’re finished here, is haul them to the Trib jail.”
    Brannick looked skeptical, but she wasn’t about to start explaining her position. She knew that even if she booked them at the Tribunal, their bosses would get them released in a short period of time. But building a decent society in Five Bridges had to start somewhere.
    Emma levitated down to the asphalt. She touched the first guard on the back of the skull. He started to move, but Emma released a small portion of her energy, knocking the warlock out. She moved to the other guard.
    “Don’t kill me.” He laced his hands at the base of his neck.
    But Emma didn’t need to reach the more vulnerable location to render him