Chapter 10
“Daddy, do something.” Avery held Darrell’s head in her lap. His breaths were still shallow, and his heart rate reached a dangerous pace.
“I need to unlock the book first,” he said from across the room.
Merlin and his two men lay on the floor, near death, not far from where she cradled her soulmate in her arms.
“He’s fading fast,” she whispered, pressing her lips on his cold, clammy forehead. “What went wrong?”
“Nothing,” her father said as he poured some liquid into a beaker.
“He didn’t break our bond?”
“No, but his resolve to protect what is his is so strong that he was able to let you have all but the thinnest layer of your life aura.”
“How could he do that without being a witch?” She glanced in her father’s direction, who looked up from his potion for only a brief second. “You didn’t?”
“I did what I thought was best for everyone,” her father said with a dark tone. “And he begged me to make sure you had what was needed to complete the task.”
“I could have done it without you casting a—”
“He was starting to tap into your inner aura, and it ended up taking you twelve minutes,” her father said as he poured some liquid into a tiny cup. “If I hadn’t made it so he could let go of some, you’d both be dead.”
“But now he’s dying in my arms,” she said, holding back the tears. Darrell didn’t need her crying. He needed her to be strong.
Her father handed her the cup. “Give this to him. It will help while I unlock the book, which will take a little while.”
“He doesn’t have much time.” She parted Darrell’s lips, letting the potion trickle into his mouth and down his throat. He didn’t move. Didn’t cough.
Nothing.
“They are dying too,” she said, pointing to Merlin and his fellow warlocks.
“I gave them the same potion before you snapped back. Now hush, child, and let me work.”
She ran her fingers through Darrell’s thick, dark hair, feeling every strand glide across her skin. She’d never been in love and in less than three days, she’d fallen head over heels.
Soulmates.
Deep down she knew Darrell would be the only man she’d ever love, but now she might not get the chance to really give him everything he deserved.
And she’d never get the chance to dance with him, much less choreograph a piece only their love could conjure.
“Stay with me,” she whispered.
Nothing.
The sound of lightening crackled as her father poured a potion over the book. “Out of the caldron I unlock the black magic by the Witches of the Willows protected in this book. Take the spells and let them look. The pages filling left and right, open this case and find the spite. Out of the caldron and into light, guide this warlock to the sight.”
The room filled with a dark-black smoke, making it impossible to see.
“I’m in,” her father said. “And there is a reversing spell.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks as a guttural sob escaped the pit of her stomach. “Please, Daddy, hurry.”
In seconds, her father was at her side. “Out of the caldron and into the hallows of a cave, take this death spell, cast it out to sea and heal the brave. Heal the soul that burned with black, taking the spell back. Put out the fire and fill with ice, giving this wolf, his kind, his mate, and all the other tormented by hell, might.” Her father splashed something over Darrell, and his body shook and his skin turned white.
“I don’t think it’s working,” she whispered as Darrell’s body temperature dropped drastically. She could see his breath like he was out in the freezing elements of the Great North.
“It’s working.” Her father sat down beside her, putting a tender hand over her shoulder. “He’s pushing out the spell with every exhale.”
“He’s so cold. Werewolves aren’t supposed to be cold.”
“I’ll get him a blanket, but trust me my little precious one, your soulmate is going to be fine.”
She held him tight, kissing his cold skin. “I love you,” she whispered.
***
Darrell gritted his teeth, doing all he could to hang on to the tiny piece of Avery that the spell cast by her father allowed. He should sacrifice himself to protect her. His pack would have another leader and if she was successful, then she’d be able to save both the Witches of the Willows and his pack.
But he promised her father, he’d fight for their union and that was the only way Albert would agree to cast the spell.
His vision blurred, and the room faded to black.
His body dropped to the floor, even though he tried to keep himself upright.
Scorching pain ripped through his veins. He could only hope that he was helping Avery.
Not hurting her.
He shivered as a cold wave flowed through his bloodstream. His heart slowed, and he could no longer hear anything. He tried opening his mouth, but he couldn’t move.
Panic gripped his heart.
Then the world went dark.
Damp.
Nothing.
***
“Darrell?” Avery’s voice echoed in his mind. It sounded like the purest music he’d ever heard. “Can you hear me?”
He blinked his eyes, but nothing snapped into focus. Everything around him was one big, gray blur.
“He needs more rest,” a man’s voice boomed. “Let him sleep.”
“It’s been two days,” Avery said.
Darrell cleared his throat, licking his dry, cracked lips. “Two days?” he asked in the faintest of whispers.
“You’ve been out for that long.” Warm lips touched his cheek and he let out a moan, enjoying the tender touch of his mate.
“What happened?” He tried to focus on the body he knew lay next to him on the… a soft bed? Sofa? Where the hell was he? He blinked a few times, squeezing his eyes tight, but still, he couldn’t make anything out. “Was the spell reversed?”
“Yes,” the male voice said.
Darrell knew that had to be Albert, which meant, he wasn’t dead.
That was good news.
“Avery?”
“I’m right here,” she said, her hand rubbing up and down his bare chest.
Bed.
With Avery.
Half-naked? With her father in the room.
That’s embarrassing.
He rubbed his eyes before trying to shift to a sitting position.
“You shouldn’t be moving,” Albert said.
Darrell didn’t listen as he pushed a pillow behind his head, pulling the covers halfway up his stomach. A wave of nausea hit his stomach. He swallowed as his colors and shapes formed.
Albert sat on the foot of the bed and Avery next to him.
“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” Darrell managed, taking the glass of water Avery offered. “I take it Avery succeeded?”
“I did,” she said, smiling. “No one in your pack has any more symptoms. Merlin is doing well, and his coven is slowly returning to normal.”
“And what about Regan and her family?” Darrell asked. He didn’t wish the worst for them, but he certainly wanted justice.
“The family was able to keep Regan alive until a few weeks before your father died, which sent the spell into action. My father said right before Regan passed, they harvested parts of the spell and cast them into her sister.”
“That’s fucked up. What kind of parent would do that to their kid?” Darrell asked.
“They thought if they could keep their family from dying from the adverse effects of using blocked black magic, it would give them time to find an antidote without coming to me,” Albert said.
“The rest of the family has been taken into custody,” Avery said.
“I need to call my mom.”
“She’s down with mine—”
“My mother is here?” he asked, trying to hide his mortification. God only knows what his mother might have told Avery.
Or her family.
“We had to call her, son.” Alfred stood. I’ll go let her know you’re awake.”
“Sir?”
“Yes,” Alfred said.
“Can you take your time telling my mom I’ve woken from the dead. I’d like a few—”
Alfred held up his hand. “Say no more. But I won’t be able to keep her at bay too long, and I feel I should warn you, you mom and my wife have already planned out the wedding.”
“Dad,” Avery said, but with a smile.
If a heart could grin, then Darrell’s filled his chest.
“I’ll be back, and I’m bringing the doctor, just to be safe.” Albert slipped from the room.
Darrell let his eyes adjust a bit more as he soaked in Avery’s beauty. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Saving my sorry ass.”
“You’re welcome.” She rested her head on his chest.
Even though it strained his muscles, he wrapped his arms around her body. “I think we should go away for a week, by ourselves.”
“I like the sound of that, and since they postponed the show for two months, we can do that.”
He kissed her temple. “I will enjoy telling you what to do while you’re on stage.”
“Don’t get used to it,” she said, glancing up at him with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.
“Why not?”
“Because it will be my last performance before becoming a choreographer and teaming up with my soulmate.”