Page 64 of Cocktails & Cauldrons

“She’s become territorial of you, Brenna.” His voice was modulated and calm, and his expression neutral, but she could see the flare of concern in his dark eyes. “Tell her you’re okay and that I need that blood.”

Brenna turned back to her aunt in time to see Narissa had grown two feet in size and her wings were unfolded and positioned to protect them both. After a shaky inhale, she steadied her nerves. “Aunt Narissa. Please don’t hurt him. I need him to help Eoin and me reverse Odessa’s spell.”

Narissa opened her mouth as if to trill, but the sound was garbled, causing her to scowl and arch her neck back as if in great pain.

“Talk through me,” Brenna said softly, reaching up to touch Narissa’s throat.

“Takers! Men are takers, and you must be careful. Steal from them first.”

“No. Not all men. The ones in this room are kind and trying to help us. You know that.”

“They want your blood to enslave you!”

“No. They want it for the amulet Gran helped design. I’ll be safe.”Although Brennadidhave her misgivings.

“She’s letting the Siren take over, Brenna. Continue to talk her down. I can’t reach her with my words now,” Damian said as he eased closer.

Brenna put her hand flat behind her to put the brakes on him joining them. She used her own soothing gift to address her aunt’s creature. “Aunt Narissa, my wound has healed, and I need you to finish what we started. Can you help me?Please?” In her mind, she added,“I love Eoin so much.”

The wild, panicked light left Narissa, and she shrunk back to her initial form, pulling her wings tight to her body to cover hernow-threadbare clothing. With a hard look at the Aether, she lifted her claw and scored Brenna’s palm a second time.

Hissing out a breath, Brenna held the wound open and rushed to Damian’s side. “Hurry. Where’s the amulet?”

He lifted his arm, and the necklace launched itself from the floor, where it had fallen, and rose straight up. Damian caught it with blinding speed, fisted her hand within his, and squeezed a drop of her precious, rapidly disappearing blood onto the glass. The lid slammed shut with a snap and a flash, sounding like nothing more than an exploding lightbulb. Then she got her first real glimpse of the color of the liquid running through her veins. She hadn’t really registered the fact it wasn’t mulberry colored like a normal person’s, but a vivid indigo purple that hardened to an amethyst gemstone within the confines of the glass dome.

“Wow!”

The Aether’s mouth kicked up in a half smile as he ran a finger around the metal’s edge containing the runes.“Aufer maledictionem et custodiat delectati. Prohibeo.”

“What does that mean?”

“Remove the curse and keep them happy. Protect.”

Brenna’s shoulders sagged under her profound relief. “Thank you, Damian.”

Once again, he gripped her hand, but this time, it was to place the amulet within her grasp and close her fingers over it. “You’ll need to create an enchantment that secures this around your young man’s neck and cloaks it for all time. It’s more than simply neutralizing Odessa’s spell. It’s meant to protect him from you, too, should the need arise. We’ll work on his longevity later.”

Unable to express her gratitude to the degree needed, she flung herself at him and hugged him for all she was worth. Really, she was shocked he didn’t shove her from him, butinstead, he embraced her back just as tightly. “It’s going to be all right, Brenna,” he said in a low voice. “Have faith, okay?”

She nodded, face firmly buried against his chest. “Thank you for caring enough to help us, Damian,” she managed past the lump in her throat. “I owe you everything.”

He drew back but kept his hands on her shoulders. “You owe it to yourself and to Eoin to be happy. But you and me, we have a clean slate.”

Brushing away her tears, he drew a symbol on the skin of her forehead, following it with a light kiss. His lips moved, but she had no way of knowing what he said.

“What was that?” she asked him.

“Further protection.” With his head, he gestured toward the far corner of the room. “You should try your amulet out.”

An instant later, she was running for Eoin and he for her. The second she slipped the chain over his neck, he swept her up and spun her around, laughing and gazing up at her with all the stars from the heavens in his eyes.

“I love you, Brenna Sullivan, and I don’t care who knows.”

She giggled and touched her forehead to his. “And I love you, Eoin O’Malley,” she said right before she kissed him with all the pent-up frustration of the last day. She didn’t know how long they stayed locked together, celebrating their love with passion, tenderness, and a few love nips, until a few throats were cleared and snickers released.

“Well, honey, I can see my work here is done.”

Face on fire—but not from the curse—Brenna released Eoin with a happy sigh and almost dove back in for another round when Narissa’s words registered.

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