Free The Spirit Seducer (The Echo Series Book 1) by Alexa Padgett Page B

in this inhospitable land. I inched closer to Zeke, needing the comfort of his body if nothing else.
    I stared up at him, trying to make out his expression in the dimness. The moon, a thin sliver, didn’t offer much light and the stars seemed fainter here than at home. That didn’t make any sense, just as it made no sense that I didn’t know how to talk to Zeke. To any man, really.
    He looked at me. Really looked. Not darting glances when he thought my attention was elsewhere. He seemed to like my copper-colored eyes, a first for me.
    “Let me get my knife. Then we should go inside.”
    “Can I do that water thing again?” I asked.
    “Hopefully. I’m glad you did. I didn’t have time to turn.”
    My spirits slithered back toward my necklace. The water and suspended dog fell to the ground. Zeke shoved his spear into the beast’s chest, and I swallowed the sour taste in my mouth. Removing it from the dog, he shoved the spear tip into the ground.
    Zeke knelt next to the last carcass and pulled out his knife. He rubbed his blade on the dog’s muzzle, ensuring all the blood was off. Then he drove the blade into the ground four times and repeated the same prayer.
    “Why are you back?” I blurted. “Like, in person.”
    He jerked his head back, his lips compressing as he considered me. “I told you. You called me.”
    “So you said. But I don’t have your number. I don’t see how that’s possible.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Ha. Like a phone would work. You called me back with your mind. But it’d be best if you don’t. Call me, I mean.”

Chapter 6
    H e turned , glancing around the yard again. From the tenseness of his shoulders, I could tell he expected more of those things—or even scarier ones—to show up soon.
    No, thank you. Those suckers had lots of teeth that they were more than willing to use.
    “You should be safe for a bit, but, still, head inside. And stay there this time.”
    My face flamed, and I forgot he made me nervous.
    “So very sorry,” I said, my voice edged with the sarcasm and some of the hurt that was ripping through my chest. “I didn’t know I could, or did, contact you. Thanks for the in-person visit to tell me you don’t care.”
    I spun toward the door, planning to slam his door shut in his face. He stepped in the house before I had a chance to complete my epic door slam, which irritated me even more. One, because he was fast. Two, because that would’ve been an amazing exit worthy of just about any reality TV show.
    I loved The Voice and Survivor, though Layla said way worse shows were out there. I’d planned to watch some of them on her iPad because my mom would never approve.
    Yeah, really rebellious of me. What can I say—I respected my mom. Loved her. When she asked me not to do something, for the most part I tried to adhere to her wishes.
    Now I wished I’d pushed harder for what I wanted—like true martial arts and more details about my father. If I had, maybe my mom would still be here. And I would’ve been more capable when she’d needed me.
    “Echo, you need to pull it together so you don’t make the situation worse.”
    “How am I making the situation worse?” I asked. Layla had said the same thing earlier.
    “You don’t have any control over your magic. That makes you unpredictable. It also makes you an easy mark. Not just for Coyote.”
    “I’ve heard that an awful lot today, and the whole ‘you don’t get it’ thing is getting really old. Especially because no one’s bothered to tell me what’s going on. I’m just supposed to be cool with the fact my mom’s missing and there are real gods who want to hurt me. Well, I’m not fine with this situation. I’m not.”
    I was close to yelling. I stepped back and forced my fists to unclench. I blinked up at Zeke, shocked by my vehemence.
    I was unsettled and scared and . . . lots of other things. It didn’t help that his frustration was creeping over my skin like millions of angry fire