Free Wolfsbane: Aspect of the Wolf by Jennifer Colgan Page B

chains for him as well.
    Despite the tension, Daniel grinned at his brother. “Now that he's chained up, I can tell you about the time when he was seven and he tried on Mom's—"
    "That's enough!” Vance paled. “I won't be chained up forever, and when I get loose, I will hurt you."
    Charlotte checked her watch. “All right, we've got seven minutes until moonrise.” She backed away from Vance and handed small silver mirrors to Daniel and Emilie.
    "Keep these facing Vance, and stand back,” Emilie said, adjusting Daniel's mirror.
    Charlotte picked up a third mirror and a smoldering sage bundle from a shell bowl on the basement floor. Even though they were one night short of the full moon, she'd decided they'd be better off underground where there would be no chance of moonlight touching Vance during the spell. If he transformed again tonight, he wouldn't remain in wolf form for long, and hopefully he wouldn't be able to break through the chains that bound him.
    With the circle of protection complete, Charlotte took up a spot between Emilie and Daniel. They all faced Vance, and she and Emilie began the incantation that would, if all went as planned, separate him completely from the beast. The mirrors would reflect the wolf aspect of his soul back to him and contain his transformation while the beast lost its anchor within him.
    As they walked the circle of protection widdershins around Vance, they spoke the incantation Charlotte had prepared...
    Joined together, blood and bone.
    An ancient curse made one alone.
    Defy the evil curse within,
    What now is one, make two again!
    Everyone held his or her breath, staring at Vance, during the ten-second lull that followed. Emilie started to declare the spell a failure when a rush of sparkling air surged around the room like a miniature whirlwind and drove itself into Vance's chest.
    A howl escaped his lips. Within seconds, his face began to transform. Eyes gleaming yellow, fangs protruding from his suddenly elongated face, Vance screamed at his captors. He growled and slavered as the transformation contorted his body.
    Daniel took a step toward his brother.
    Emilie grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Keep the mirror aimed at him—make him look at himself."
    Vance's hands curled into claws. His long black nails scraped at the chair's wooden arms. He bucked against the chains and snarled each time he caught a glimpse of his grotesque visage in the silver mirrors.
    Undaunted, Charlotte began reciting the incantation again. As Emilie joined in and their voices merged, the beast rose from the chair, unencumbered by the chains—a shadow, incorporeal—leaving Vance's body behind.
    The ghost werewolf circled Vance, whose head slumped forward. His body went limp against the chains. Clearly the creature wanted to get back inside its host. It clawed at Vance, but couldn't touch him. Its snarls of rage and frustration seemed to echo from a great distance.
    "It's working,” Daniel whispered.
    "Don't count your chickens,” Charlotte replied. “Point the mirrors at its face. Keep it distracted."
    Following Charlotte's lead, they moved toward the specter as it hovered next to Vance's unconscious form. Fear curdled the beast's gaze. It crouched and began to whimper.
    "Good. Good boy...” Charlotte said.
    "When it fades completely, we break the mirrors,” Emilie instructed.
    "Isn't that bad luck?” Daniel asked, stepping closer to the shrinking apparition.
    "No worse than being a werewolf forever,” Charlotte retorted.
    The beast howled again. It tried to menace them with a tortured snarl as they closed in on it.
    "What the heck is going on here?” a feminine voice intruded, startling them all. Even the beast jumped as the cellar room door burst open and a petite blonde rushed inside.
    "Bethany, no!” Daniel warned.
    When the woman broke the magick circle, it sounded like breaking glass. She flung herself at Vance. “Oh, God! What are you doing to my fiancé? Vance—baby? He's