She opened for me and accepted my kiss. Her fingers combed through my hair. She tugged slightly, and I nibbled on her bottom lip.
“I need—”
My feather light kissed down her neck cut off her plea. My need to claim her was the only thing keeping me from falling into a haze. I licked the sensitive skin before sinking my teeth into her flesh.
She muffled a scream and pulled my head closer as my incisors cut her flesh. My mark would keep her safe from other men. I needed her to be protected until we figured out what was happening with her. With me.
My head spun. Dizzy from the poison that swam through me, I fought the darkness and licked the wound.
“Mine,” I mumbled before the darkness overtook me.
***
Aylin
“What the flying fuck?” I jumped from Connor's lap, pissed at his macho show of marking me without my permission. The idiot had no clue what he had just done. I examined his supine state. If he wasn't already unconscious, I would smack his sorry ass.
I touched the two tiny bumps on my neck. Truth be told, that was one hell of a kiss. So, why had he passed out on me?
Beads of sweat dampened his hair. Concerned, I ran my hand over his forehead. Feverish.
I went into a hallway closet and pulled out a blanket to cover him. I couldn't ignore the real threat that menaced him.
His pulse was strong, but the black webbing advanced closer to his heart. The flesh along its path was turning grey.
I paced the living room. Only one person had experience dealing with Gabriel's evil antics. And she just happened to be the only healer I knew besides Bryn.
I couldn't call Bryn. If she absorbed any of the poison, she could put her unborn child at risk.
I wouldn't risk a child. Not even for Connor.
He moaned, and I rushed to kneel beside him. I ran a hand through his hair. He turned into my touch, accepting what little comfort I could provide him.
I grabbed my purse and pulled out three white candles and chalk. After pushing the coffee table to a corner, I drew a triangle with an eye in the middle of the sparsely furnished room. At each of the triangle’s points, I placed a white candle and lit it. The scent of rosemary filling the room soothed my soul.
I sat on the inside edge of my diagram. With feet crossed and arms held forward, I summoned the newest member of the Table of Seven.
“Ante veni, malum latet error hic.” Come forward, evil lurks here.
Three times I repeated the phrase, imagining each triangle point merging with the flame, creating a barrier, and I called upon the healer. Only the ultimate white witch could save Connor.
“A gratiamnatus.” A favor is born, I vowed. “Cassiel, come forward and help me. So mote it be. A gratiamnatus.”
The candles' flames danced higher and higher until the room was illuminated in light and void of shadows. With a whoosh of air, they blew out, leaving me in darkness.
“Oh, for heaven's sake. Let there be light.” Clap. Clap. The candles sparked back to life. In the center of the room stood a short woman in a flowing, white gown. A golden hue encompassed her as she sauntered forward.
“Cassiel. You look great.” I eyed her slight frame.
Months ago, she had been debilitated, bleeding, and on the verge of death. Now, she moved with grace, arms outstretched in a welcoming gesture. Her porcelain skin was a beautiful contrast to her dark flowing hair.
“Child, you've called me forward. A favor is born. Suscipiam.” I accept.
“Thank you.” I shook her hand, sealing my promise.
“Now, why did you summon me here?” She looked around the candle-lit room, but her gaze stopped when she spotted Connor's still frame. “Oh, it's true.”
“Connor had an altercation with Gabriel a few hours ago. He pierced Connor with a tainted sword.” I removed the blanket, revealing the welts across his abdomen and chest. “I don't know how to heal him.”
“Oh, my.”
I bit my lip. Her response didn't sound promising. “Can you help?”
“Honey, I can heal anything, but it's not me who can save him.”
“I don't understand.”
Connor's body shivered from the loss of heat. I replaced the blanket and knelt beside him, praying that Cassiel and I could figure out a way to extract the poison from his body.
“Gabriel's a tricky bastard.”
The curt use of bastard sounded wrong coming from Cassiel with her heavenly aura.
“The black tendrils moving throughout your man's body are a form of Sanguinem Magicae, better known as 'blood magic.’ It has been banned for centuries. Gone wrong, it can cause an epidemic of sorts. But Gabriel never does anything halfway.”
“So how do we fix it?”
“Blood magic can only be healed by blood magic.”
“Okay, so let's do blood magic and heal him!” My voice rose. I didn't like the finality of Cassiel's statement.
“I'm a white witch bound by the rules of the Table. Committing such a dark act would ban me from my position.”
“You're going to let Connor die? I can't believe—”
“You, however, are not bound by the same rules as I am. With the right guidance, you can probably complete a simple blood bond.”
“Just tell me what to do.”
Cassiel pulled a small vial from the inside of her robe. “Add three drops of yours and Connor's blood in this and shake. Once the contents inside the glass turns a deep purple, you each must take a sip. Once you share a blood bond, you can heal him like you did before.”
“That's it?” I grabbed the vial, anxious to get this over with. “Okay, I can do that.”
“I must warn you. The poison from Connor will travel the bond that binds. You will extract his toxins and absorb them into your body. It will be as painful as hell.”
“But it'll work?” I asked.
“If you survive, yes.”
I swallowed the gasp that wanted to escape. I could die? But what was
