Page 76 of Midnight Enchantment

That’s what it says. Do you know any?

Lily grimaced at the faint note of laughter in his voice, amazed that he could find humor when the demon was tormenting him.He meant her and they both knew it.I might know one.

You opened the book, did you not?

Yes. How did you know?

Only a virgin with a pure heart could do it.Another groan was ripped from his throatandhe fell silent.

Ava tugged on Lily’s arm. “Well?”

“I contacted Raedan. He said we need to sprinkle the blood of a virgin on the pages in order to decipher the writing.”

Ava cleared her throat. “I hesitate to ask, but are you still … ?”

Lily felt a blush rise in her cheeks. “Yes, Granny. I am.”

“That explains why neither Mason nor I could open it,” Ava murmured. “Well, shall we give it a try?”

“Let’s get it over with.”

Ava picked up her athame and made a small cut in Lily’s palm, then, holding Lily’s hand over the red book, she slowly turned the pages, letting Lily’s blood fall on each one in turn. The drops hissed and smoked as they dripped onto the pages. As the blood sizzled and disappeared, the words were revealed one by one.

“It worked!” Ava exclaimed. She leaned forward, and then frowned. “I can’t read it, Lily. Can you?”

“Yes. It says there is but one way to destroy a blood-demon. The one infected must fill a silver chalice with the blood of a black dragon, add seven drops of a virgin’s blood, and a dash of nightshade, which the infected one must consume at the witching hour under a full moon.”

“Is that all it says?”

Lily turned the page. “No. It says thewords needed to unleash the spell are contained in the black book and will only be revealed when the necessary ingredients have been assembled and three drops of the virgin’s blood have been sprinkled on the cover and three on the page.”

“Is there more?”

Fingers shaking, Lily turned to the last page. All the color drained from her face as she read the next few words.

“What does it say?” Ava asked.

“If the virgin’s blood is not pure, or if the one who drinks the potion is unworthy, death follows.” Lily looked up at Ava. “There’s a chance Raedan could die if he drinks it.”

I’m willing to take that chance to be free of the demon.

But I’m not.

It ismydecision, Liliana. I have carried the demon for centuries.

Lily gasped as she felt Raedan’s agony engulf her. How did he endure it?

A harsh cry of pain escaped his throat. I cannot bear it any longer.

Knowing there was no point in arguing, Lily grasped at the only straw left. “Where are we going to find a dragon?” All she knew about dragons was what she had seen in movies likeThe HobbitandHarry Potterand her favorite,Dragonheart,starring Sean Connery as the dragon. “Even if such creatures really exist, where on earth would we find one?”

“I have no idea,” Ava said. “The only dragons I’ve ever heard about are in fairytales.”

“Many fairytales are based on truth,” Mason remarked.

I may know where to find one.

Lily’s heart sank when she heard Raedan’s voice in her mind. How could he be so eager to risk his life?

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