Page 17 of The Mating Magic
She began to understand. “The half that makes him or her human, and vulnerable, as the wizards arenot.”
“Yep. Amplifying emotions like fear. Fear is the greatest emotion, and those alligators certainly do the job in terrifying you. I thought I was going to have a heart attack when you nearly fell into the swamp,Evie.”
Lacey buried her head in her hands. “Now tell me how we’re going to get a thousand pound dragon who thinks he’s nearly a god into a swamp filled with algae and nasty gators? Tell him, oh, this is going to make you feelbetter?”
I know how. If Chase harbors any smidgen of love for me, I know how. But do I have the courage?Evie straightened up to her full height. “Leave it to me. Let’s find him,first.”
“I’m sorry, Evie. I only wanted to helpyou.”
She sighed. “I know, Lace. Forget about me. We need to focus on Chase. I have an idea of where he went.” Though the idea of setting foot inside his parents’ mansion once more filled her with dread, Evie would doit.
To save Chase, she would muster all hercourage.
Lacey yanked open cabinet doors and pawed through an assortment of bottles and containers. They spilled onto the counter, cracking, but she didn’t seem tocare.
“There has to be a way to counter the potion without the swamp water. Something to reduce the effects, slow down the progress before it’s toolate.”
Evie had a bad feeling about this. “What’s toolate?”
Lacey glanced at her. “One reason I needed those extra lilies was to dilute the potion to minimize the rapid progression entering a dragon’s bloodstream. It’s too potent. Think about it, Evie. The wizards are immortal. But according to the history books, before they became immortal, they died to their mortallife.”
Panic squeezed her tight. Evie fisted her hands. “You mean Chase is going todie?”
Resuming her frantic search, Lacey nodded. “Eventually, the potion will take full effect and make his heart, his mortal heart, go into overdrive. It’s the same way a Skin drug like heroin can kill with an overdose. The body simply can’t handle therush.”
“And you were going to give this tome?”
“Not until it was diluted with the water lilies. They keep you mortal, make you cry and bring out all your emotions, you know, the stuff that makes our human half human. The same ones grow in the swamp, which is why Chase needs to immerse himself into it. It’s a delicate balance. I had added only a few lilies to the potion, but needed ten more. Damnit, if only Chase hadn’t foundit!”
Evie thought rapidly. “Is there any way of slowing this down withoutdrugs?”
Lacey left the counter and thumbed through the book. “Yeah, I saw a notation here about how the Other taking the potion needs to rest and not perform any powerful magick while the effects are rippling through his body. The more magick you use, the faster the potion progresses through your system. Shifting into his dragon form will ground him, but anything stronger is notadvisable.”
Getting Chase to sleep or even relax was nearly impossible. Getting him not to perform magick? Evie groaned. “He mentioned talking with his cousins and reprimanding them about their bullying me on social media. He’s going to use magick, Lace. A lot of it because he probably feels nothing can stophim.”
“Well, something better.” Her sister slammed the book shut. “I’m headed to my store to see if I can find dried water lilies. I think I have a supply in the back. That might diffuse some of the effects. Find Chase and meet me at the shop in one hour.Hurry.”
Chapter 8
Such power.Freedom.
Chase laughed in delight as he soared high above the clouds, dipping a wing now and then. All his life as dragon he’d never experienced this rush of pure magick, a feeling he could do anything and no one would stophim.
Duty. Responsibility. Honor.Loyalty.
The words had been hammered into him from the time he was old enough to babble his first syllables. He’d always strived to walk a straight path and honor his family and their proud lineage, even though it meant setting aside his personal dreams forthem.
Now?
He didn’t give adamn.
It’s all about me. What I want and what my needs are, not the needs of my damnfamily.
Never had he felt so invincible, his magick strong enough to melt mountaintops, his will powerful enough to bendsteel.
Now I can avenge you, Evie. I’ll show my cousins they cannot bully the woman Ilove.
For too long they had kept their love secret, not because he felt ashamed of Evie, but he didn’t want her overwhelmed with his family’s expectations. The ball had been a good start to introduce her to his parents, except the twins ruinedthat.
