Heard about your problem. I’ve got the counter spell. Willing to trade or sell. There was a phone number listed. Not local.
“I can’t believe it!” Darcy whispered. Heard about her problem? She had a feeling Annie was behind this. The old woman had come through for her after all.
“Believe what?” Jay growled.
She jolted out of her thoughts and glanced over her shoulder. “I need to make a phone call.”
“Like hell—”
“No, seriously.” She glanced back at the screen and pointed to the message. “Here, read it for yourself.”
Jay leaned forward and read the message. “You’re not going to call some random person.” He stood.
“A witch. It’s a witch who has the counter spell.”
“For all I know, you’re going to call someone to come and help you.”
“Of course that’s exactly what I’m going to do, you doofus!” Darcy stood, her hands on her hips. “That’s what you wolves want me to do, isn’t it? You want me to reverse the curse, don’t you?” Her tone was clipped. She was suddenly so fed up with the situation. She was willing to help, wanting to correct the mistake she’d made and yet this dumbass was going to prevent her from doing so at the cost of her life. “Give me a damned phone and let me make this call!”
Jay took a threatening step toward her, fists clenched at his sides. “I don’t trust you, witch, and I don’t like you either. You might have tricked Raven into falling for you but it won’t work on me. For all I know, you planted that message.”
“Planted it? Are you fucking kidding me? You saw me open it just now! How could I send myself an email without you noticing?”
“You’re a fucking witch! You can—”
Raven came barreling into the room, and Darcy’s heart ramped up even more at the sight of him. “What’s going on? I heard shouting.” Raven voice was edged with panic.
Jay moved to shove Raven back but he clearly wouldn’t have it, instead ducking to the side so he could touch her. His hands on her face, turning her head from side to side as if he needed to make sure she was okay. And she didn’t stop him. His hands, although callused and rough, were a soothing balm to her. She didn’t want to think about why. Didn’t want to even ponder how her heart fluttered uncontrollably at the thought of him coming to her rescue, wrapping her in his arms, protecting her. Nope, not even going to consider it.
“Are you okay, sweets?”
She nodded and licked her lips, suddenly wanting so badly for him to kiss her again.
He stared at her and she could tell he was battling with himself, and mourned the loss of his touch when he gave his head a shake and moved back, releasing her.
“I think I have a solution. I need to make a call.” She nodded toward the computer.
Raven glanced over, quickly read the message then pulled a cell phone from his back pocket. “Make the call.”
“Who are you calling?” Mayhem asked as he walked into the room.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Jay’s voice was practically a gruff bark.
“She thinks she’s found someone who might be able to help.” Raven put the phone into her hand. “Just make the call.”
Mayhem motioned for Jay to calm down. “You can make the call but we’re going to be here while you do.”
Darcy nodded. “Of course.” She quickly typed in the number and put the phone to her ear.
“So you used a lust curse, huh?” A raspy voice, barely distinguishable as a woman, came onto the line.
“How did you know—?”
“Never mind that. Name’s Kat and I’ve got the counter spell. What are you willing to trade? I need a healer. You wouldn’t happen to be one, would you?”
Darcy gulped and shook her head. “No, not one of those.”
“Damn. A spell weaver? Tracker?”
“No.” Fuck, this witch was after the talented ones. Spell weaver? Witches who could weave a spell into any material or object for later use—even by someone who was not a witch. Rare talent. And tracker? A witch who could track down other witches by trailing their magic signatures. She had no special talent.
“What can you offer me, girl?”
“I don’t know…”
The woman snorted. “Twenty-thousand.”
“Twenty-thousand dollars?” Darcy nearly choked on the words. Where the fuck was she going to get twenty-thousand dollars?
“It’s a doozy of a curse to counter. There’s a reason why you can’t find a way to do it yourself. Curses are usually irreversible.”
“I don’t have twenty-thousand dollars.”
“You’ve cursed a wolf.”
“How did you—?”
“Hush now. That’s what’s happened right? Tell me true, it’s a wolf you’ve cursed, right?”
Darcy glanced warily at the hulking men towering over her. Annie had to be behind this call. There was no other way this witch would know. “Yes, I did.”
“He can’t take his eyes off you? Doesn’t want to leave your side? Seems protective?”
“Y-y-yes.” Darcy nodded. “Effects of the curse.”
“You want the reversal, you come to me and you tell the pack to stay home. I’m only going to deal with you and the wolf you cursed. No one else is welcome.”
Darcy cringed as her stomach plummeted. This was getting better and better.
Mayhem snatched the phone and hit speaker.
“Agree to that or the deal is off. Just you and the wolf.”
Mayhem looked at her with murder in his eyes.
Chapter Nine
“You fucking broadcasted Raven’s wolf status?” Mayhem hissed.
“I-I-I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t know it was a secret.” Darcy voice was little more than a croak.
Mayhem cut her down with a scathing look.
“She’s going to find another way or we’re going to do things my way,” Mayhem barked.
“There is no other way.” The disembodied voice cackled over the line. “The spell she cast, wolf or not, it’ll eventually kill your pack-mate.”
“What?” Mayhem roared.
Darcy scrambled to the other side of the bed, her back pressed against the wall and damn if Raven didn’t want to go to her and offer his protection. He held his place, knowing Mayhem would belt him across the head if he so much as twitched in her direction.
“No, it’s a lust curse. It can’t kill him. It’s just a lust curse.” Darcy whispered the last few words as she raised her hand to her mouth, her body shaking, eyes brimming with tears. “That can’t be right. It’s just supposed to make him want me.”
“Yes, want you to the point of madness,” the woman on speakerphone said, matter-of-factly.
“No!” Darcy slumped against the wall as another tremor shook her entire body, tears flowing freely now.
“I’m fine, really. Feel great.” Raven knew he didn’t sound convincing. “I feel better than I did.”
The woman laughed again. “You feel better because she’s there with you. I bet you’re doing everything in your power to keep yourself from touching her right now though, aren’t you?” She didn’t wait for Raven to answer. “That curse you’ve been wielding, girl, it’s very dangerous. If the subject is away from you for too long, he’ll die. He’ll stop eating, stop sleeping, stop drinking…eventually his heart will just stop period.”
“That can’t be true.” Darcy shook her head as she angrily wiped the tears off her cheeks, defiance shining from her eyes. “I don’t believe that.”
“It is true and I’m guessing you haven’t had much formal training, or you wouldn’t be using such a curse so damn flippantly.”
“So if they’re apart for an extended amount of time then Raven will die?” Mayhem’s anger was palpable. Raven knew it wouldn’t take much to force his hand against Darcy.