Page 61 of Night Wedding
I exhaled. She didn’t have complete control of him at least. He still kept a shred of decency and didn’t react to her pull like a puppet on a string.
“Leave now,” Diana demanded, staring at me with crimson eyes and a feral expression.
“I’m not going anywhere. You’ve tainted his mind with dark magic.” My hands trembled as I pulled out an ID card noting my credentials at the Salem Supernatural Network. “You’re coming with me for questioning.”
“Like hell I will. I’ll kill you first,” Diana hissed and lunged for me.
Her movements were vampire quick, but I expected this reaction and was prepared for it. I blasted her back with a bolt of energy that shot out from my palm and knocked her on her ass, sliding back across the parquet floor.
Vampires and humans who’d been canoodling in pockets around the room stopped chatting and turned to us.
Diego stared at me with pure hatred that torched my soul. “What did you do to her?” He ran over and asked if she was okay, helping her stand.
I gulped, attempting to dislodge the lump in my throat, and stared at the floor. The ID card I’d been holding was destroyed in the process, blackened and burned as smoke wafted from it on the floor. Oh well, I didn’t like that picture, anyway.
Near the door, a sound of the scuffle and loud voices called my attention. Zoe, Pandora, and Cassandra pushed their way in. A vampire followed them protesting it was a private party, but they continued on. Gianna, Sebastian, and Lucas followed.
“You can mention it during the inquiry.” Pandora waved her badge. “This party is shut down. Everyone out.”
“Over here!” I waved them over.
The sound of breaking glass from the opposite side of the room then snapped my attention that way. I barely caught a flash of a woman jumping out of it.
“Diana!” Diego rushed over to the window.
His concern for her gutted me, but I couldn’t let it destroy my focus.
He’s under her control, I reminded myself.Whatever he’s doing is because he’s not himself.
Sebastian and Lucas reached him as Diego climbed out of the window, and they pulled him back into the room.
He turned to them with reddened eyes. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Saving you,” Sebastian said.
“I’ll go after her.” Lucas leapt out through the broken glass, and I gasped.
By the time I reached the window, he was flying in dragon form away from us.
Diego struggled against Sebastian. Gianna and Zoe helped hold him back.
“Do it now,” Cassandra directed.
I bent down and faced him, my beloved vampire who no longer recognized me. He gnashed like a wild animal with a feral howl. Seeing him like that almost broke me, but I had to go on.
I centered myself, tapping into a place of calm deep within. The many months practicing spell work at the Network helped me find my focus with inner strength.
I held the vial of potion before me and chanted:
Restore his mind
Back to clarity
Allow his heart
To go where it wants to be
His heart is pure
