Mason expected him to do some kind of ceremonial thing where he cut his palm. Instead, Aidan jabbed his fingertip with the point of the blade, then squeezed until two drops of blood dropped onto the symbol.
Mason absently pressed his thumb and forefinger together to stop the bleeding. “Now what happens?”
“I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never done this particular spell before.”
Mason pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you saying this is the first time you’ve performed this kind of magic?”
“What?” Aidan shrugged. “It’s not like people come up to me on the street and ask me to bind them.”
“Aidan, I swear…” Most people might consider the man’s ability to find humor in the most stressful of situations a gift. Mason wasn’t one of them. He found it extremely annoying and was ready throttle Aidan.
“Relax, I’ve done a lot of research, so in theory, it should work.”
“In theory.” Before Mason could grab Aidan’s shirt, his body jerked, every muscle sizzling as if an electrical current had surged through his system.
Aidan jumped to his feet and took a few steps back. “I suppose I also should have mentioned that it was going to hurt like hell.”
Mason dropped to his hands and knees, any other movement too painful. Luckily, whatever the spell was doing to him didn’t last long or leave any painful side effects. When he could finally move again, he slowly pushed himself off the ground.
“You okay?” Aidan asked, making sure to keep his distance.
“I’ll live.” He scowled at Aidan, mentally telling himself that when this was all over, he was going to have an in-depth discussion with the man about his poor communication skills.
“Son of a…” Aidan pointed at a thin iridescent green line trailing off toward the center of the campus. “I can’t believe it really worked.”
“Neither can I.” Mason stared at the line. He didn’t need a trail to find Alex. Somehow, they’d linked, and her essence seared through him, calling to his wolf. A connection so strong, it had his animal howling and clawing, insisting he be released so he could go after his mate.
“You look a little pale. Are you sure you’re all right?” Aidan clamped a hand on his shoulder.
He took several deep breaths, then nodded. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Knowing they were close to finding her didn’t ease the tension gnawing at him from the inside out. Like a video on a continuous loop, his mind kept replaying the night he’d failed to save Danny. He might have come to terms with his former partner’s death, but that constant fear of arriving too late, that Alex would suffer a similar fate, pounded in his chest with every footstep he took.
Her scent and the blazing trail of green ended near the coven museum. She was still alive and somewhere close. He smelled her, felt her, wanted to howl because he sensed her pain.
“Why would Trevor bring her here?” Aidan, who’d been quietly pacing by his side, stopped and frowned at the building. “I’ve been inside plenty of times. I used to bring Alex when we were younger to see all the displays.”
“I don’t think they’re in the main part of the museum.” Mason closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m sensing somewhere secluded, maybe even hidden. I think it’s this way.” He let his link with Alex guide him and headed for the rear of the building.
As soon as he rounded the corner, he smelled the familiar sulfur stench he associated with the creatures. He slowed his pace, then held up his hand, motioning Aidan to stay behind him.
Rather than ease his way along the edge of the building and risk being seen, he decided to use some nearby trees and the thick hedges surrounding them to conceal their movements.
Mason spotted two of the hairy, wolflike beasts hovering like sentinels, guarding a door. A door that blended with the rest of the building, and was barely noticeable. He tapped Aidan’s shoulder, urging him to retrace their steps until they were out of the creatures’ line of sight and, hopefully, hearing distance.
“Damn, you weren’t exaggerating when you said they were huge.” Aidan leaned against the building, his eyes wide with shock. “Tell me you have a plan.”
Whatever they decided had to be done quickly, because they were running out of time. Through their connection, he could feel Alex’s pain increasing, but at the same time, it seemed as if her life force was slowly slipping away. “I do.” Mason tugged off his jacket and started unbuttoning his shirt.
“Getting naked helps up how?” Aidan asked.
“I can’t fight them in human form.”
“And you think your wolf can?” Aidan eyed him skeptically. “In case you haven’t noticed, those things look like shifters on steroids.”
“Don’t worry about me. Once I lead them away, you get inside and help your sister.” Mason finished unbuttoning his shirt. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“I sure hope you know what you’re doing.” Aidan leaned forward and pulled a dagger similar to Alex’s out of his boot.
“Me too.” He tossed his shirt aside, then shed the rest of his clothes. After giving Aidan an affirmative nod, which he hoped wouldn’t be his last, he rushed toward the rear of the building.
He waited until he’d reached the corner before leaping into the air and letting his animal take over the shift. By the time he’d hit the ground and skidded to a stop in front of the creatures, he’d transformed into a massive sable-brown wolf. A feral wolf willing to do whatever was necessary to protect his mate.
Chapter Fourteen
Alex’s struggle to keep her magic from seeping out of her body was like being in a tug-of-war against a team of quarterbacks. The demon fire’s deadly force rewarded each of her efforts with a sharp burst of pain. It ripped through her, refusing to relinquish its hold as it siphoned her powers.
A luminous red aura surrounded Trevor. The more power he stole, the stronger it grew, the brighter it glowed. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before she and the others were completely drained.
Megan and Francesca had already dropped to their knees. Their bodies slumped, their heads lolled forward. Alex didn’t know how much more she could take. Her knees weakened, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she landed on the ground next to them.
Her thoughts drifted to Paige and what Trevor would do to her once the spell was completed. She glanced across the room, offering her a weak smile. Tears streamed down her friend’s anguish-stricken face, and though it was futile, she continued to yank against the clawed hand clamped around her arm.
A high-pitched buzz rang inside Alex’s ears, and at first she thought the noise was another side effect from losing her powers.
She realized the noise was something else when it grew louder and the door leading outside vibrated, causing the handle to rattle. An orange mist seeped through the cracks along the door’s frame. The metal panel warped into wrinkled and twisted lines.
A deafening blast burst through the room. The hinges popped, soared upward like tiny missiles, then embedded themselves in the ceiling. The entire door ripped from the frame, flying forward and crashing on the floor with a loud thud.
“Alex!” Aidan yelled as he stepped through the wall of orange smoke filling the open doorway.
With glistening eyes, she gaped at her brother. She’d never been so happy to see him in her life. Alex glanced at Trevor, expecting him to retaliate for the interference. His eyes remained closed, his body enthralled by the demon fire’s magic. It seemed that once the transference of power started, none of the participants, willing or otherwise, were allowed to stop the spell.
Aidan started across the room, so intent on reaching her that he didn’t see the Nate creature shove Paige aside, then stalk toward him.
“Aidan, look out!” Paige screamed as the massive beast dove at him
Alex watched the animal attack her brother, helplessness, fear, and frustration rippling through her. The creature’s claws ripped through Aidan’s jacket and tore into his flesh.
His face contorted with pain, and a muffled cry escaped his lips. He grabbed his arm and turned to avoid another swipe from the beast. His boot heel caught on the edge of the fallen door, and he fell backward.
Before the creature had a chance to pounce and finish what he’d started, a sable-brown wolf nearly the size of a full-grown bear with blood-streaked fur burst into the room. Teeth bared and snarling, he took a protective stance between her brother and the creature.
Mason.
The wolf took several predatory steps to the right, drawing the creature’s attention away from Aidan. The Nate creature tipped back his head and roared, then lunged at the wolf.
Though Mason’s animal was twice the size of a normal wolf, he was quicker and more agile, able to dodge the creature. A move that ended with the beast landing on his hands and knees.
In a flurry of fur, the wolf jumped onto the creature’s back and slammed its chest to the ground. Without hesitation, the wolf clamped his jaw on the back of the creature’s neck, twisting until Alex heard bones snapping.
With the beast beneath him dead, Mason’s wolf raised his head, fury flickering in his dark cinnamon eyes. He turned his attention on Trevor and growled low and guttural. He took several steps and launched himself through the air. He collided with Trevor, the force hard enough to knock him out of the circle and sever the spell.
Her body reacted immediately. It was as if something had been switched off at her core, and the painful draw on her powers receded. The heat searing her palm disappeared, allowing her to straighten her fingers and release the cylinder, the metal clanking against concrete.
Knees still weak, she stumbled forward several steps before her legs gave out, and she fell forward. She landed on her hands and knees, but not before she slammed into the table, knocking her dagger and backpack to the floor.
With all his newly gained energy, Trevor recovered quickly. He rolled to his feet, and glared at Mason’s wolf with a maniacal sneer. “You’re too late. Whatever life force Alex has left won’t last long.” He lifted his hand, a flaming red-orange ball forming in his palm. “You will watch her die. And when I’m through with her, I will enjoy flaying the fur from your flesh.”
The wolf howled, the low, anguished cry of an animal about to lose his mate. Mason was her mate. The knowledge should have surprised her, but it didn’t. Somehow, she’d already known.
The depth of his caring caressed her, touching the deepest part of her being. In that moment, she would do anything to protect the man who had stolen her heart, even if it meant sacrificing her own life to save his.
Using the last of her strength, she grabbed the dagger from the floor and raised it over her head. Mustering what little magic she had left, she pushed it into the blade, then hurled it at Trevor.
The dagger flew straight. No aerial display. No circles. No zigzags. Straight into Trevor’s chest, straight through his evil heart.
His blood curdling scream resonated through the room. He clutched at the dagger, tried to remove the blade. Flames burst from the handle and spread like a brushfire across his body, enveloping his clothes and flesh in a brilliant ball of fire. Within minutes, the flames consuming him had evaporated, leaving behind nothing more than a pile of charred bones and ash.
She gave Mason’s wolf one last caring and satisfied glance before she dropped face-first to the floor, darkness trailing and replacing the last of her magic.
#
After what remained of the warlock’s body hit the floor, Mason watched through his wolf’s eyes as Alex collapsed in a heap. She’d expelled the last of her magical energy to save him, and that knowledge made the pain constricting his chest unbearable.
No, no, no. Please don’t let her be dead.
He refused to lose her, not like this. If he could only touch her, hold her, feel her, he knew everything would be all right. Drawing on his power, he shifted back into his human form and raced across the room.
No sooner had he reached her side than the air around him crackled and the overhead lights flickered. Raw energy, an invisible wall of magic, burst through the room with enough force to knock him backward. Stunned, he shook his head and got back on his feet.
A red cloud settled over Alex and the other two women, encasing them in a shimmering haze. Now that he was closer, he could hear her heartbeat, faint and sporadic. Elation filled him, knowing she was still alive.
His hand was inches from her when he heard Drake shout, “Mason, don’t touch her.”
He’d been so intent on getting to her, he hadn’t even notice his friend’s arrival. Drake walked across the room, carrying the clothes he’d discarded earlier. The fact that his friend wasn’t rushing to help Alex, to make sure she wasn’t dying, meant something else was going on. Something that most likely had to do with magic.
“Are you all right?” Drake glanced at the already healing cuts covering Mason’s chests from the battle he’d had with the creatures. He handed him the bundle, a hint of concern on his reserved demeanor.
“Fine,” Mason said, setting the clothes on the floor in front of him, then pulled on his pants. “How did you find us?”
Drake quirked a brow, his gaze jumping to his nephew and the pretty blonde helping him off the floor, then back to Mason. “You and Aidan left quite a trail.”
Drake had to be one of the most intelligent and powerful witches he knew. If he found the iridescent trail leading to the museum, then Aidan must have performed a spell binding Mason to his niece. “I contacted the coven, and they’ll take care of removing what’s left of those two creatures before any students see them.”
“What’s happening to her?” Mason could still sense Alex through his link. It was the only thing keeping him and his wolf calm.
“Since the spell was interrupted and the recipient host no longer exists”—Drake gave Trevor’s pile of bones a disgusted glance—“their powers are being returned to them.”
“What do we do now?”
“We wait.” Drake walked around the women, keeping a distance between himself and the haze, then picked up one of the rods and studied the symbols.
Mason hoped his friend was right. A witch losing all her powers meant death, but being partially stripped of her magic would be the equivalent of him losing his wolf. A half being never feeling whole—a person haunted by insanity and eventually driven to death. The thought of that happening to Alex, losing her in such a horrific manner, wrenched at his gut.
He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced over his shoulder. Aidan was up and walking toward him, the tall, slender blonde fussing over his bloodied arm.
“Paige, I’m fine.” Aidan’s words contradicted his actions. He seemed to be enjoying her attention quite a bit.
“You’re not fine. Now let me see it.” She reached for his arm again.
Aidan flashed an amused grin. “Later. I need to check on my sister.” He took the woman’s hand and led her to a spot opposite Mason. “Paige, this is Mason.”
She turned and said, “Thank you for…” Her blue eyes rolled over his partially naked body with an “oh my” expression, forcing a flush of red to her cheeks.
Aidan caught the focus of her gaze, frowned, and stepped between them to grab his shirt off the floor and toss it at him. Mason suspected there was more to the other man’s overprotective attitude than being a friend’s caring older brother. “Nice to meet you.” His slipped on his shirt, then returned his attention to Alex still enveloped in a veil of red on the floor.
When Drake returned to the group, Paige asked, “Is she going to be all right?”
The older man wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder. “She’s strong, stubborn, and…”
“We’re about to find out.” Aidan tipped his head toward the fading haze. After several moans, all three women slowly opened their eyes. Mason didn’t wait for anyone’s approval before rushing to Alex’s side. While he scooped her into his lap, Drake and Aidan checked on the other two women.
<
br /> He cradled her body against his chest and pushed her hair behind her ear. “How are you doing?”
She forced a weak smile and squeaked, “I’ve been better.”
Paige knelt next to them and squeezed Alex’s hand. “Hey, sweetie. You scared the crap out of me. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Alex nodded, then tried to see over Mason’s shoulder. “What happened to Trevor?”
“He’s dead,” Mason said.
Paige grinned. “Yeah, you totally fried him.” She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t you remember?”
“Brain’s a little foggy.”
“After what you’ve been through, I’m not surprised.” Mason caressed her jaw with his thumb. Paige smiled at the intimate gesture and got to her feet. “I’ll go see if the guys need any help with Francesca and Megan.
Alex couldn’t see the rest of group without shifting in his arms and craning her neck. “Please tell me they’re okay?”
Mason glanced to his left. The women had been helped to their feet. The taller one with dark hair appeared to be doing fine. The other woman he wasn’t so sure about. Her blank stare and zombie-like movements were troubling and not something Alex needed to know about right now. “We’re all alive… Thanks to you.”
He wiped away the single tear slipping down her cheek, then held her a little tighter and whispered into her ear, “You’re throw wasn’t half bad either.”
“Mason, you…” she groaned.
He chuckled when she found the strength to punch him in the shoulder.
Chapter Fifteen
One Week Later
Alex sat behind her desk in the St. Claire’s office and stared out the window at the dead leaves skipping in the wind across the parking lot. She snapped her fingers, and a flame appeared in her hand. When Trevor died, her magic had been restored, and she could actually control her powers—most of the time.
Hexed by Fire Page 12
