Breaking the Play boy′s Curse(25)

Pointing a finger, Eliza snapped off another spell. This time, a ball of fire appeared in front of her and flew through the air toward Kontra. Kontra roared defiantly, not stopping his charge, even in the face of the oncoming, inevitable pain.

Once more, the spell crackled around an invisible field, then reversed course and hit Eliza. The witch didn’t get her own shield up quickly enough, but she did roll sideways and was only hit by sparks when it scorched the ground where she had been.

Eliza looked toward Draven and Tim. Still limping toward her, Vail followed her gaze and spotted the pair sitting cross-legged inside a circle of gray powder, facing each other, hands clasped between them, chanting steadily. Tim had closed his eyes, while Draven followed the action.

Screeching, Eliza cast another spell, this time at the seated pair of men. Vail leaped, praying his injured leg would hold, and managed to intercept the spell. Pain flared through him, fire singeing his fur as he fell to the ground.

Roars, howls, and growls reached him mutedly, drowning out his whimpers. Suddenly, something was thrown over him and he felt like someone was attempting to suffocate him. Vail thrashed, trying to get away.

“Vail, stop. Settle down,” Draven ordered.

His mate’s voice calmed him and he did as he was told, knowing his mate wouldn’t steer him wrong. The burning sensation eased to a dull ache. He let out a long breath, and then he could see again. He realized his mate had used a blanket to smother the flames of Eliza’s last spell.

Eliza!

Vail turned his head, trying to see where she could be. Draven must have realized his intent, for he rested a hand on his head and scratched behind one ear while saying, “Relax. Eliza is dead. There’s no more threat.”

He nuzzled into Draven’s affection and relaxed. Summoning the last of his energy, he shifted. Once he could open his mouth, Vail moaned, shivering as pain ripped through his system. “Damn, that hurts,” he finally managed. “How?” he asked, glancing toward the bloody corpse. He could just see the sightless eyes of the witch, and relief flooded him that it was finally over.

“Once she no longer had her magic to defend her, who’s to say which of Kontra or Abbott’s blows finished her off,” Draven replied. He ran a finger down Vail’s cheek and gently admonished, “My foolish, beloved. Why would you get in the way of her spell like that? Did you think I wouldn’t know to protect us? The circle would have kept us safe.”

Vail rolled his eyes and grimaced. “How the hell was I supposed to know that?” he grumbled. “It’s not like I know anything about magick.”

Draven nodded and leaned down to kiss him. “I know, love. I know. I will teach you, so we will never be in this situation again. You won’t be able to cast anything, but at least you’ll know what to watch for.”

He shivered. The fact that magick had cursed his family for so long made the idea of learning more about magick concerning, but he trusted his mate. After one more glance at the dead witch, he again focused on Draven’s face. “Okay. I trust you.”

Draven nodded. “I’m honored.” He frowned. “Might I ask why?”

“I love you,” Vail revealed calmly, liking that he could finally express that to a lover, and not just any lover, his mate. “You deserve no less.”

Grinning smugly, Draven leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Vail’s lips. “As I love you.”

As soon as the more slender man leaned down to kiss him, it pressed part of Draven’s weight on him. Vail shuddered, and not in a good way. Pain roared through his system. Draven immediately straightened. “Shit, shit, shit! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Vail managed to chuckle through clenched teeth. “You were thinking, just not with the right head.” He glanced around and spotted Eli, their pack doctor, checking Adam, who was still in tiger form and appeared to be out cold. At least he spotted Tim helping a dazed Luc to his feet. Beside Payson, who was looking around with a groggy expression on his hyena face, crouched Land, and Eli’s wolf shifter mate Sam, who was a registered nurse.

“I think I’m going to have one of the guys take a look at these burns,” he said.

“Let me help you up,” Draven said.

Remembering his lover’s injury, Vail asked, “How’s your side?”

Draven shook his head. “Just a flesh wound. It’s already healing. Don’t worry about it.”

He nodded, and once he was on his feet, Vail again looked around the clearing that made up his father’s front yard. “Uh, maybe you should talk to your ex-partner,” he said, nodding toward a cowering, pale-as-a-sheet figure hiding behind Kontra’s massive Harley and staring around the group in wide-eyed terror.