Page 68 of Whiskey & Witches

“I’ll bet you say that to every woman who gapes at you. For sure, you must have them lining up. Tell your wife that I said she could make money off the deal.” She sipped her wine to calm her nerves for what was coming. “I suppose we should get on with this.”

“There’s a gift I’d like to give you along with the total restoration of your magic and the healing of your body. From one parent to another.” He removed the glass from her trembling fingers and took her hand to lead her to a nearby chair.

“What gift?”

“The gift of premonition, for you to be prepared against any future attacks.”

“How does it work?”

“When I knit your neurotransmitters, I’ll wake up a new section of your brain.” He squatted in front of her, tilted her chin to expose her marred cheek to the light, and began studying the ruined side of her face. “It will be like an early warning system if there is intent to harm you.”

“That’s useful. And would there be any side effects?”

“Not a one.”

“Then I’d be grateful.”

He gave her a half-smile as he met her eyes. “I thought you might. Ready?”

Swallowing hard, she nodded.

“Try not to cry out or your husband will murder me,” he joked.

“I’ll be as quiet as a lamb.”

Closing his eyes, he held his hands in front of him, palms exposed to her. A purple mist developed in the air surrounding them, becoming thicker by the second.

Was this part of the plan?

“Yes,” he murmured. “Breathe it in, Roisin.” His voice had turned seductive, and an appreciative shiver raced along her spine even as the hair on the back of her neck lifted. “Breathe in the mist and suck it deep into your lungs. As you inhale, imagine it coursing through your body and spreading outward to the tip of every finger and toe.”

His hypnotic instruction was impossible to ignore, and Roisin became lost in his bewitching spell. Whatever he requested she do, she did, from inhaling the mist to visualizing her skin as smooth as it once was. Her muscles loosened, and each disc in her spine plumped back to a healthy, non-ruptured state. In the locations of all her scars, a fierce burning started, and she bit her lip to keep her scream at bay.

“Not much longer, dear girl,” he said, and the compelling tone of his voice put her back into a mesmeric state.

She could feel the pounding of her pulse as blood rushed to the right side of her face. An instant later, her skin cooled and her heart rate returned to normal. When he wove his fingers into her hair, she wanted to purr in pleasure. That lasted only a moment until his thumbs settled on her temples and he started reworking the wiring of her brain.

The pain started behind her eyes, like a tension headache, growing in epic proportion until she was sure her head would explode.

“Almost done, my dear,” Damian said. And again, her fear receded.

Within two minutes, he was done, and all she wanted to do was curl up to sleep for a week or more. “Why am I so knackered?” she asked on a yawn.

“Your body did in ten minutes what some might take years to do.” He smiled warmly as he helped her to her feet. “I’ll take you to the guest suite and have your husband join you shortly.”

Tentatively, she touched her smooth cheek and gasped when she realized she was seeing him with both eyes.

“Oh, Damian!” The overwhelming relief and joy came in a tidal wave of tears. She was barely aware of his arms gathering her close or of him holding her in his lap as she cried for all she’d lost, then regained. He rubbed her back and murmured sweet little nothings that her mind could scarce comprehend as the sobs wracked her body.

When she wound down, he dabbed her wet face with a handkerchief as he looked over his handiwork. “Most people simply thank me and go on with their day,” he said dryly.

She gave a watery laugh as she accepted the damp hanky to blow her nose.

“Sure, and I suppose you’re ready to hand me off to Carrick as fast as you can to be rid of me.”

“The thought did occur to me, but then he’d want to know why I made you cry.” He helped her to stand and gave her a quick hug. “You may want to glamour away the evidence and avoid telling him about this, or I’m going to have an irate husband on my hands.”

“Not Carrick. He owes you as much as I do.”

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