Free Forever Changed (The Mystic Wolves) by Belinda Boring Page B

shelves.
    All the while we watched her, waiting. Devlin and I had been here countless times , which was evident by the fact we weren’t fazed by the overwhelming amount of magic paraphernalia that made up the basement. Mason and Daniel were relatively new to all this and, even though they’d visited Vivien before, something told me they had never been invited here. I could sense Mason wanted to walk around and check everything out, curious as to what secrets he could uncover. He was just like me—inquisitive—and I could sense his need to be learning about his surroundings through our mental link.
    Devlin rested against the desk, garnering a swat from Vivien because he was in her way. It was difficult to imagine they’d been like this for centuries, their friendship first beginning before he’d become a vampire. She’d known him as a human, when his strength came solely from the measure of his heart and character. They’d supported each other all this time, watching and waiting, constantly vigilant through the years. It explained the easiness I always witnessed when they were together, that comfortable air about them.
    “Are you ready?” he asked his trusted friend, moving so she could reach for a small bowl contain ing crushed leaves. “Are we trying the original spell?”
    I wandered closer, my interest piqued.
    “Yes, it seems a safe assumption to try it first. Why perform other riskier spells, if this one will work? We know it’s effective, it’s simply a matter of reenacting it.”
    Devlin nodded and began unbuttoning the cuffs of his crisp black shirt , rolling them up to his elbows. He reached for the athame Vivien had beside her Book of Shadows and I gasped in surprise when he placed it at his wrist.
    “Wait!” I shouted, my mouth suddenly dry. Licking my lips, all I could do was shake my head.
    “It’s okay, Darcy. It’s part of the ritual. The spell requires the blood of a relative and one who has taken an oath to protect you.” He sliced across his skin, a thick line of red breaking the surface, and held it over to drip into the prepared bowl. The sight made me nauseous—not because of what it was, but because it was needed.
    “Do you require mine?” Mason asked, already moving so he could take the knife from Devlin. My eyes widened at how nonchalant he appeared, like this was something he did every day. “I may not be a blooded-relative, but she’s my mate and with that comes the promise I provide whatever keeps her safe. I will freely and willingly provide it.”
    “I accept your offer, Mason, but it’s not necessary. The conditions of this particular spell are very specific. In order to restore the binding, we need to perform the ritual in exactly the same way we did centuries ago. Altering it, even by adding potent blood like yours, won’t raise the chances for success.” Vivien added a few drops of oil from a green vial to the mixture. Devlin stepped aside, his wound healing as he looked on.
    I could tell Mason didn’t like the answer, but respected it and knew he was way out of his area of expertise. It wasn’t something he was used to, being an Alpha and leader among the supernatural community, but that confidence didn’t come with arrogance. He simply conceded to those with the knowledge and, instead, encircled his arms around me. In his mind, if he couldn’t personally fix what was wrong, he would at least contribute his strength.
    Personally, that meant more than anything. It meant that I could always rely on him to be there—to be my rock when I wasn’t certain myself.
    “Is that all that’s needed? Blood, herbs, and oil?” I peered a little closer at the bowl, surprised that I wasn’t crinkling my nose in disgust. It didn’t smell bad and the mixture didn’t have the telltale blood red coloring.
    “I just need to add a little blessed wine and we’ll be read y to start.” Walking over to a different shelf, Vivien carried back a crystal decanter filled with dark