Kiss Of The Alpha : A YA Paranormal Romance

Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Heather

I wasn’t anything hard or complicated. The book said I had to light the candles in a specific order and say some words. I’d written them down on a piece of scratch paper, but I didn’t think I’d need it. Rosa said that it wasn’t the specific words that mattered, but the intent. That was something that was ingrained in my soul.

After I lit the candles, all I had to do was combine the three ingredients together in a pot, in a specific order, then light the mixture on fire. When it burned out, I had to blow the ashes over Serena. If all went well, my spell would settle over the top of Luciana’s spell and quiet the wolf again. I wasn’t sure what kind of sign we’d get if it worked, but I figured at the very least her color would improve.

Adrian stepped over to the table where he’d placed the components of the potion. "We’ve got everything here. It should work." His gaze met mine. "This really should work."

I didn’t know if he was trying to convince me or himself. The problem was that it didn’t seem that hard. Lighting a few candles and dumping some stuff in a pot, and that was it? It had to be harder than this. Were we missing something?

What did I know? This wasn’t exactly my area of expertise. I had no other choice but to trust the guys, the book, and myself.

If it didn’t work, we’d try something else. I had no idea what, but I’d figure something out. "What time is it?"

"Two minutes to midnight."

All right. Game time. "I start with north, right?" I asked to buy myself a moment.

"Yep," Brent said.

I let out a breath. This was going to work. "Who’s got the lighter?"

"Oh, right." Adrian searched the ground and then rushed to the side of nearest AC unit. He brought back a box of long stick matches. "Here you go."

I took a match from the box, and ran it along the rough side. The match flared to life, and I could tell from the sudden stillness around me that I wasn’t the only one holding my breath.

"Hold this." I handed the box to Xander as I knelt.

"Holy Archangel Michael, defend us in battle," I started saying the prayer as I pressed the match to the wick. It didn’t light right away. Instead, it was as if the candle waited for me to finish saying the words before bursting into a foot tall flame.

I nearly fell back, but caught myself and moved to the next candle. With each part of the prayer said, the candles burned higher than natural. When I got to the East candle, the flames changed color, from yellow to orange, growing another foot in height. When I got to the South candle, they turned red and grew taller still.

It was getting hotter on the roof. I kept a strong grip on the match. It should’ve started to burn down, but the flame hadn’t moved past the match head. I tried not to be freaked out.

Instead, I focused on putting good energy into what I was doing. Thinking of light. Putting my love for Serena into what I said. Following the spell instructions step-by-step, just like the book instructed. Finishing one candle, and then moving on to the next.

By the time I got to the West, sweat was rolling down my face. My hands were shaking. I pressed the match to the wick, and the flames changed to blue.

Serena writhed and moaned on the floor. I froze. Had I done something wrong?

"Keep going," Adrian said.

Xander muttered something, but I couldn’t make out the words.

I blew out a shaky breath. The need to finish the circle filled my mind. It had to be done. I moved faster than I had before. When I said the words for the last time and brought the match to the candle, the flames merged, forming a wall of flames that burned in a beautiful white light.

Pure. I could barely see Serena inside the ring of fire, but I knew in my soul that she was safe. I cupped my hand along the back of the match, and gently blew it out.

"Heather. You need to move through this part faster," Adrian

"You’re running out of time with the spell’s potency."

Shit. Xander pulled me to my feet.

I stepped over to the table, and wiped my hands on my jeans. I didn’t want to accidentally drop any of the potions. Serena might not make it until tomorrow, even if we could redo all of this.

I peeked at the spell book.

The nasty blood sludge was the first to go into the pot. Just a half a teaspoon. Then one tablespoon of the ash mixture and two drops of the blue liquid. I had to repeat each step three times.

"Why didn’t we do this all before?" I asked.

"Because it has to be fresh. The potion doesn’t last long once it’s mixed."

"Right." I started the process, trying to hurry but at the same time, be meticulous about it. My hands shook as I worked.

A feeling of unease moved through me, but I shoved it down. There wasn’t time to question things. I double checked the book, and added the second round of ingredients.

I thought of good. I was going to help Serena. I pictured her happy and healthy in my mind.

When I was done, I stepped back from the table and waited.

I’d been hoping something would happen as I added everything together, like how the candles changed, but nothing did. Something was wrong. "Are you sure this spell is right?"

"Yes. Be confident. It won’t work if you aren’t," Adrian said, and I wanted to punch him. Without meaning to, he was undermining every bit of confidence I had.

A headache started brewing, making me feel woozy.

God. I hoped I was bringing the light or whatever the hell I was supposed to be doing.

I felt Brent behind me before he put his hands on my shoulders. "Calm, cherie. You can do this."

I let out a shaky breath. "Okay. But I’m starting to think this isn’t such a good idea. What if there’s something wrong with the spell? Or with the ingredients? Or something."

Xander and Adrian started arguing quietly, but my ears were ringing—making it hard to hear them.

"No. It’s right. We triple checked it. I promise. This is going to work. Believe in it," Adrian said.

"Okay." But I wasn’t sure I meant it.

Maybe I was being crazy. Nerves were getting to me, but I was almost done. I shoved the doubts away.

This was my plan. We were adding to the curse, but it was to help Serena. Once the wolf was quiet, she’d be fine again.

Xander handed me a match and held out the box. I ran the tip against the side, and it flared to light. I mustered all the will I could, believing my will was stronger than Luciana’s, and said the words.

"May God rebuke this demon, we humbly pray." I lowered the flaming match to the top of the pot. "Our Lord and Savior, please cast out the demon that holds this child. Bind her soul to you, and let her be free of all impurities. Amen." As soon as the fire touched the mixture it ignited with an explosion that knocked me on my back.

"Holy shit. It worked," Adrian said.

I scrambled up and looked into the pot. Barely a teaspoon of fine white powder lay in the bottom. I scooped up the powder into my left hand, trying to make sure I got every last little bit. Then I turned to the circle of flames and blew the ash toward Serena.

Instead of flying out of my hands, it was as if the little white grains had minds of their own. The powder glided through the air, roiling on nonexistent winds. As it hit the circle of candles, the flames lowered. The grains settled over Serena, and she moaned.

The candles grew taller and so bright that I had to block the heat from my face as I fell back a step.

And then, as suddenly as they’d flared to life, the candles went out. All was still. Only little, barely-there circles of wax on the roof showed they’d ever existed.

Serena moaned loader.

"Serena?" Adrian asked as he knelt beside her.

"You feeling anything?"

She slowly sat up. "Yeah. I think I feel better."

Thank God.

Max knelt beside her. "Hey, cutie pie."

"Max?"

"Yeah. How’s your wolf? How are you doing?"

"I’m okay. Actually..." She sat up, and my heart started racing. "I don’t know..." She gasped. "I...I—" She rolled over onto her hands and knees and threw up.

My limbs felt numb as a trail of blood hit the roof. "Oh fuck." I stumbled back a few steps. This couldn’t be happening.

It hadn’t worked. I’d failed.

I had a second to be upset before Serena fell on her side, convulsing.

Xander and Adrian were kneeling beside her. Max reached out to restrain her. "No," Dr. Gonzales said as she searched for something in her bag. "Don’t! You could hurt her."

It felt like an eternity passed as she shook.