Page 46 of The Wolf's Appetite
Aisling whimpered, the sound sharp enough to cut me in two, and pulled me back from my thoughts.
Nothing mattered but her.
Magdalena’s eyes softened. “The Leandrean didn’t come here for the women. They came to get a foothold in this world. This one builtjumpmagic from stolen dark rituals. It had had centuries to perfect the art. And when a rip happened, it allowed them a space to slither out. They want retribution for their millennia-long imprisonment.”
And then it happened when Sebastian was pulled through.
“That venom in her—it’s a toxin that drains its victim and allows the Leandrean to suck their life force and take theirOtherworldmagic into themselves.”
My stomach turned to ice.
“Can we stop it?” I asked, my voice breaking. “We killed the fooker, so his darkmagic should be done, no?”
Her gaze dipped to Aisling. “It can be neutralized, but there is no magic we have to fully stop it.”
My heart seized, and I stumbled, bracing a hand on the bed to steady myself. “No. No, there has tae be a way. I canna lose her.”
“Our paths were one, wolf warrior.”
I didn’t know what she meant, but I’d give anything to make sure Aisling was okay.
“It comes with a cost,” she whispered.
I didn’t care. “Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”
“I know you would, Lennox. But this is mine to give. A sacrifice I was born to make.”
“I donna understand.” I didn’t realize my chest was heaving. I was crying and could taste the saltiness of my tears on my tongue.
“All you need to understand, wolf warrior, is that all will be well.” She gave me a small smile, her wrinkles stretching over her facial bones. She laid her palm over the wound on Aisling’s side, and right away, white light surrounded her whole body. It flooded the room with light so bright I had to turn my head and lift my hand to shield my eyes.
I couldfeelit—the rush of power pouring from Magdalena into Aisling. It wasn’t the gentle healing magic I’d seen and felt. No, this was hard and raw and stung the skin. It penetrated deep into the soul.
I focused on the deep gouge marks on Aisling’s side,the black tendrils of poison that had been crawling deeper into her veins being pulled out as if a powerful magnet held the force. The sound of it hissing out of my mate’s body was almost as loud as the sound of Aisling’s gasps and moans of pain.
Magdalena’s hands shook, her breathing became ragged, and her already pale skin became more translucent, the blue veins becoming visible to the naked eye.
The surrounding light grew so bright, I had to close my eyes as pain exploded in my temples. And then a deafening roar filled the room. I forced my eyes open to see the little elderly witch totally consumed by the light so bright her form was barely visible.
“Wait,” I said. Something was off. This was too much magic. Aisling’s body shook before it levitated slightly off the bed. “This is tae much,” I roared, but I was frozen in place, some unseen force keeping me rooted.
“This is what was written in the books for us,” Magdalena’s voice resonated through the entire room, sounding stronger than it ever had before. “And now I give you what you need to be whole.” There was a pop of light, and my ears rang hard enough I had to cover them and ground my molars in discomfort.
Then the light flared one last time before everything went pitch-dark. For long seconds, I just stood breathing in and out rapidly. Thelights flickered back on, but the witch was gone. The only thing left in her place were the robes she’d been wearing.
My focus was on Aisling, but I still could not move. This pressure surrounded me. I tried to get to her, used all my strength, and when I was seconds away from shifting, my mate breathed in deep, gasping, and then her eyes fluttered open.
And I swore, the world started again.
The pressure holding me prisoner was released, and I sucked in a breath. I was at my mate’s side seconds later. “Aisling,” I whispered and cupped either side of her face, staring into her blue eyes. “Gods, are ye okay?”
For a second, she stayed silent, looking into my eyes before she nodded and glanced down at her side. The gouges were completely healed with not even redness left in their wake. “I–I think I am.” She looked up at me, but I was already pulling her into my arms and holding her like the lifeline she was.
My wolf had never felt such relief and contentment before.
“What happened?” she whispered against my chest, and I closed my eyes, my body shuddering.
“So much, sweetheart,” was all I could say as I held her even tighter. “I’ll explain everything, baby.”
