"Here." Annabelle handed it over.
Zach examined it and made an impatient noise. He pulled out his pen knife and carved something into the white surface.
"What are you doing?"
Annabelle's confusion now matched Christopher's own. What was Zach doing?
Zach finished carving the candle. Christopher got a good look at the symbol and nearly swallowed his tongue.
Zach had carved a symbol that had Christopher's heart jumping. Three hammer-like arms were drawn equidistant from one another in a triskelion-like design without lifting the knife from the wax. In the center of the symbol was a wheeling sun, the six rays bent back as if in a wind. The maze-like drawing was then surrounded by a perfect circle. It was a symbol rarely seen, since there were those who considered that particular goddess to be on the dark side. "Hecate's wheel? Zach, what the fuck?"
"Trust me." Zach picked up yet another oil and rubbed it on the candle. The room smelled woodsy, each of the oils complementary in their scents. Christopher could detect juniper, rosemary and the bitter scent of rue.
Rue? Where did he get rue oil? Chris didn't think he had any rue oil in his den. He certainly didn't have it in his bathroom, considering its best use was for removing curses.
Chris looked at Annabelle, who shrugged. "Trust him."
She looked as baffled as he felt. "Fine. Let's get her in the bath." Zach lit the candle and held it while Christopher lowered Lana into the tub, still wearing her nightgown. He'd take it off of her once his brothers were out of the room.
Once he could reassure himself that she'd be safe.
He held her head above the water, debating whether or not to send Gareth to his workroom. One or two other things there might be useful in breaking a hex.
"Chris?"
He closed his eyes, going through his inventory. Now that the bath water was warming her up he could have Zach hold her steady while he checked his cabinets.
"Chris? She's not blue anymore."
He opened his eyes. Lana was stirring, frowning, and her lips were pink once more. Her arm splashed, her wet hand pushing her hair away from her forehead. "What the hell?" Her teeth were clacking together so hard he was afraid she'd chip a tooth or bite her tongue.
Chris nearly passed out from the relief. "Goddess, Lana, you scared me." He pulled her too him, reveling in the feel of her warming skin.
"Um, okay? What did I do?" The chattering of her teeth was slowing down, the chill in her skin almost completely gone.
He pulled back and kissed her, keeping it light and quick. "You were hexed."
She sat up, looking startled. "Hexed?"
"Yes."
She scowled. "Let me up." When he tried to protest, because really, he thought he could still detect a hint of coolness to her skin, she barked, "Now."
Zach put the candle down and grabbed a towel. "Yes, ma'am."
She stepped, dripping, from the tub. "How could Cole hex me? He's a wizard."
"He has to have a warlock helping him. It's the only logical explanation." Christopher wrapped her in the towel, picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom.
Annabelle followed, her gaze glued to Lana's face. "How are you feeling, dear?" She glanced back at the bathroom and looked startled, but turned back to Lana with a strained smile.
Gareth was walking around the room, incense burning in a censer he carried. He was muttering a simple but powerful charm. "Lord and Lady, hear my plea. Protect us from adversity."
"Fine, Grammy." Lana settled back on the pillows, taking Christopher's hand and recapturing his attention. Her own hand was shaking. "What happened?"
Christopher shuddered. "I came into the room, and you were ice cold and barely breathing."
"Yeah, that sounds like a hex all right." She wriggled under the comforter, finally throwing the soaking wet nightgown onto the floor with a sigh. "What is the man thinking?"
"That his tame warlock will get the entire karmic backlash, I would think." Zach entered the room and settled onto the bed next to Christopher. He looked weary. Darks circles had appeared under his eyes and the corners of his mouth were pinched and drawn. "Otherwise I don't think even he would be willing to go to these extremes."
"Room's protected." Gareth put the censer down on Christopher's bureau. "Anything else we can do to help?"
Christopher eyed the wet nightgown on the floor. He had a powerful urge to see how naked Lana was under the covers. "Yup. Out. Thanks."
Zach chuckled. "Sure thing, bro." He stood and clapped Christopher on the shoulder. "See you in the morning."
Christopher watched his baby brother leave the room with a thoughtful frown. Zach had done something in the bath that he hadn't expected from such a weak wizard. He'd broken a hex powerful enough to kill. And from the look on Annabelle's face, she'd have some words of her own for him.
What the hell was going on?
"You sure you feel okay?" Gareth stood over Lana and touched her arm. Chris had to fight the urge to rip Gareth's hand off. The knowledge that his mate had nearly died and was now naked under those covers was making his wolf very territorial. If it had been anyone but one of his brothers, he might not have even thought about stopping. He'd be holding a bloody body part.
"I'm fine, Papa Bear. I'll have Chris bring me a glass of water and everything."
Gareth shook his head. "Then I'll leave the two of you alone. Get some sleep." He poked Chris on the shoulder. "I mean that. She's still tired from the spellcasting, plus the effects of the hex. Sleep now, sex later."
Chris growled, but secretly he had to admit his brother was right. Dark circles ringed Lana's eyes even more darkly than they'd ringed Zach's. "Good night, Gareth."
Annabelle was the last to leave. She'd already picked up the wet nightgown and placed it in the hamper. "Well, I'll let you two get some rest. If you need me again just holler." She paused at the doorway, staring thoughtfully down the hallway. "I wonder if … ?"
"What, Grammy?" Lana yawned.
Annabelle smiled back at Lana. "Never mind. We'll discuss it later." She left the room, the remnants of that smile fading. She closed the door behind her, finally leaving them alone.
"I'm all right, Chris. Really." Lana yawned again, wide enough that he could practically see her feet. "Just tired."
"Get some sleep, little witch. I'm going to get undressed, then I'll join you." And really, he too was exhausted.
"M'kay." She curled up on her side. "G'night."
"Good night." He wasn't even certain she heard him. She was almost asleep already. He took off all his clothes and tossed them in the hamper on top of the wet nightgown. He headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
Zach's white candle was sitting on the countertop, the smell of rue oil still bitter in his nostrils. The Wheel of Hecate was now outlined in sickly green, the remnants of the hex curling around the never-ending maze, bleeding off before his eyes.
He picked the candle up, startled at the strength of Zach's lingering magic. Annabelle's curious words came back to him. I wonder?
* * * *
Lana woke up the next morning feeling completely refreshed. The sun streaked in through the windows, warming her. Her bedroom window faced away from the rising sun so she just knew she'd overslept. She stretched, thinking about the day ahead. Thank the Lord and Lady her job allowed her to telecommute; otherwise she'd be in deep shit for sleeping so late. She opened her eyes, smiling at the start of a new day.
A pair of golden brown eyes smiled back.
Lana shrieked and almost fell out of the bed, but the man attached to the pretty eyes caught her.
"Good morning to you, too." The man jiggled his finger in his ear with a grimace.
Chris. Right. She put her hand on her chest. Her breathing still wasn't back to normal. "Crap." Why hadn't she remembered Chris? She hadn't been that out of it, had she? "What time is it?"
"About nine o'clock." He stretched lazily, displaying an amazing amount of bronzed skin. The sheet dipped enticingly low. She had to resist the urge to help it along, the memory of the gorgeous body underneath taunting her. He rolled towards her and shrugged, the sheet dropping enough that she could see his hip bones. "You were so tired I decided to let you sleep. If you want to be pissed about it, go ahead, but I did what I felt was right."