Page 37 of The Wolf and his Witch

“Annabelle’s your mate? That helps. A lot. Have you claimed her yet?”

“No.”L’enfer,he wished he had. He wished he’d claimed her Christmas 2020, back in Paris. They wouldn’t be where they were now if he had.

“Right. We can still make it work, but it could be a little showy, and it may hurt a bit.”

Pain he could live with. For Annabelle. Showy… He glanced over his shoulder. Brian was leading Mr. Dior into one of the aisles.

“We have to be quick. I’m in a bookstore. I may only have a few minutes.”

“Putain,Gabriel! Breaking wards takes time, sometimes days. I’m a witch, not a miracle worker.”

“Maybe, but you’re all I’ve got, Alain. I need to break the ward now. Itisa matter of life and death. Annabelle’s.”

“Merde.Right.” The thump of boots pacing back and forth echoed down the phone line. “Right. I may have something that will work. I can’t guarantee it, but it’s worth a try. Do you have something of Annabelle’s?”

Merde.Something of… Wait.

He shoved his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out the little wooden reindeer. “I have a Christmas ornament I bought for her.”

“You gave it to her? Even better. Now, you’ll need your blood.”

Gabriel grunted. He set the little reindeer down next to the Christmas tree, checked Brian and his customer were otherwise occupied, then brought his wolf to the surface. His canines punched through his gums. He didn’t know how much blood he’d need, but he’d bleed himself dry if it helped him save Annabelle. He punched his canines through his wrist and blood flowed from the wound, trickling down his hand and spattering on the timber floor.

“Now what?”

“Smear the blood all over the ornament.”

Gabriel did as he was told. “Oui.”

“Touch the ornament to the object that’s warded.”

“That’s it?”

“No. Of course that’s not it.Merde, Gabriel. Magic, real magic, is never simple.” Alain sighed. More pacing. “L’enfer, I don’t even know if this is going to work,” he muttered.

“It’s all I’ve got, Alain. It has to work.”

“Right. Let’s do this. Do you love Annabelle?”

Gabriel growled, and both Brian and Mr. Dior looked his way.

He turned his back to them. “Of course I do. She’s my mate. What sort of question is that?”

“And you want to save Annabelle?”

“Oui.Ofcourse.” What the hell was up with all the stupid questions?Merde,he didn’t havetimefor this. “Yes. I want to save Annabelle. Get to the point, Alain.”

“Magic is all about intent, Gabriel. Good, bad or indifferent, your intent is important. It’s what I’m counting on to make this work.”

“Fine. I love Annabelle. I want to save her. Now tell me what the hell I have to do.”

He checked on Brian and the customer again. They were talking animatedly about a book.

“You have to touch the ornament to the ward, but—and this isreallyimportant, Gabriel—when you touch the ornament to the ward, you need to keep those things, those feelings firmly in your heart and mind. It’s all about the intent. The ward is designed to protect the grimoire, to keep it from falling into the hands of someone who wishes to take it from her. Someone with ill intent in their hearts. Ill intent towardher.Keep your thoughts focused on saving her, on your love for her.”

Gabriel glanced at the bloodstained ornament in his hand, then at the Christmas-wrapped grimoire. “And that will work? Will it break the ward?”

Alain was silent for a long moment. Finally he said, “I hope so. Given the time frame. It’s all you’ve got.”

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