Earth, Air, Water, and Fire,
I call upon thee to help quench an evil witch's desire.
The misery she has created is now returned,
Her days of spreading evil are no longer our concern.
Claire was amazed how everyone worked in sync. Zeva was currently maintaining the force field that was protecting Roger, Armand, Iggy and Lola while Stefano and Nicolai protected her. She knew the men were hybrids, but when they began wielding magenta fire balls at Serena it was pretty freaking amazing, even though they only mildly slowed her down. Claire quickly turned to her right and watched Zara bellow in anger as Stefano was hit with a bolt of Dark Magic. The witch was pissed, but somehow she continued the chant while stopping the rod of lightning that was aimed directly at her mate’s heart.
When Zara stated the obvious and instructed everyone to focus more of their power into the spell, Claire closed her eyes, concentrated, and with renewed determination continued chanting.
Since she has brought unfairness to thee,
I summon the elements to invoke justice for me.
Blinded by power, blinded by hate,
Revoke her Dark Magic and seal her fate.
Sensing she was in danger, Claire quickly opened her eyes only to see that a bolt of Dark Magic was aimed directly at her heart. It was as if everything was happening in slow motion and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do. It seemed as though Jasper had sensed she was in danger as well and was on a collision course with Serena’s lightning rod. She barely heard herself screaming the words, “Jasper. No.”
She watched in horror as the lightning rod of Dark Magic hit Jasper in the side. Claire’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach as his silver, grayish coat turned crimson red. When he landed on the floor beside her, she desperately wanted to pull him closer not only to make sure he was okay, but also to provide him with some comfort, but she couldn’t break the damn circle or that evil witch would kill them all.
Quickly clearing her mind, Claire centered herself and with renewed vigor continued the chant.
Three times three, I command you to reverse the hex on thee,
And return it to its rightful owner, three-fold just for me.
So mote it be!
They had only made it through the chant once. Claire knew it would take a lot more to banish the evil, who had beckoned their doorstep, so she immediately started again. The last thing she remembered was hearing Sophie instruct everyone to focus because it was their last chance. The Dark Magic was at its most vulnerable point, so they needed to fight—and fight she did. She fought for Jasper, who had been put in harms-way. She fought to put down the evil witch who had dared to hurt her mate. She fought for everything in the world that was good and right. She needed to exact justice on Jasper’s behalf, the way he was so willing to do for others. They needed to defeat Serena and get Jasper some help. She was done playing around. It was time to kick ass and take names.
Earth, Air, Water, and Fire,
I call upon thee to help quench an evil witch's desire.
The misery she has created is now returned,
Her days of spreading evil are no longer our concern.
Since she has brought unfairness to thee,
I summon the elements to invoke justice for me.
Blinded by power, blinded by hate,
Revoke her Dark Magic and seal her fate.
Three times three, I command you to reverse the hex on thee,
And return it to its rightful owner, three-fold just for me.
So mote it be!
When Sophie’s scream shattered the remaining windows in the farmhouse, it was like a balm to Claire’s soul. She knew it was only a matter of time before the battle would be over. Claire watched with glee as the rainbow cloud of power collided with Serena’s Dark Magic. It was like a sonic boom, which was her cue to finish chanting the last three lines of the spell.
Three times three, I command you to reverse the hex on thee,
And return it to its rightful owner, three-fold just for me.
So mote it be!
The minute Sophie inherited her true powers, Claire pulled Jasper’s head in her lap and started whispering in his ear. “I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I need you to come back to me. You can’t die, do you understand. There’s still too much to do and I’m going to need your help—your protection. She’s coming for us, and soon. Please, don’t leave me.”
“We need a Healer and now,” Alec yelled, panic and fear evident in his voice.
Zara and Zoe quickly appeared by his side and began assessing the situation. Zoe was the first to speak. “It looks bad, but let me see what I can do. Everyone, please clear the room. Your emotions are a drain on my powers.”
Although everyone else left, Alec, Claire and Sophie flat out refused. Claire continued trying to soothe him by scanning his body with lavender magic, while Alec and Sophie sent positive vibes of energy his way.
Zoe took in several deep breaths to center herself and then emitted a bright purple light from her hands over Jasper’s wound. Sophie could tell from the beading sweat on her temples that healing Jasper was slowly but surely draining her powers. Unfortunately, the big wolf was still as quiet as a mouse.
Realizing the problem, she gently placed her hand on Zoe’s shoulder and said, “Let’s do it together. He was attacked by Dark Magic, so you’re going to need a little help from someone who also possesses Dark Magic. Zoe simply nodded in agreement and clasped hands with Sophie. Together, the two witches pooled their powers and eventually sealed Jasper’s wound, but the Beta hadn’t moved.
“What’s wrong? Why isn’t he waking up?” Alec demanded.
“I don’t know,” Zoe replied in a calm voice, hoping that it would help calm the Alpha down.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Alec yelled.
“Babe. Calm down. We’ve done everything we can for Jasper. The only thing left to do is to make him as comfortable as possible until his body completely heels and he decides to wake up, Sophie said in a soothing voice.
Lips formed in a tight line, Alec looked into her eyes and finally nodded in agreement. He wasn’t sure what had happened to his best friend and Beta, but he sure as hell was going to find out. His instincts told him something wasn’t quite right.
* * *
Brittney watched from the bushes with a mixture of fear and anger as Jasper remained unconscious on the floor. When he jumped in front of Serena’s fireball of Dark Magic to save the auburn-haired gypsy, she wanted to strangle him. How could he have so carelessly risked his life over a woman he barely knew? What in the Hades was he thinking? Laughing, she knew what he was thinking with and it wasn’t his big head. So, she’d said a little spell of her own during all of the commotion. It served him right for so easily betraying her and everything they had once meant to one another.
Revenge is a dish best served cold,
Your betrayal of me will haunt you three-fold.
Loss of memory is my first wish,
It's a punishment I intend to serve in this red dish.
To choose another is truly unkind,
So I bind you to your wolf form until I change my mind.
Three times three, I invoke this hex on thee,
Oh Goddess on high, hear my plea.
So mote it be!
She had to admit that it wasn’t one of her best spells, but she was running short on time and lacked the necessary supplies. However, it would do the trick until she decided how to deal with the betrayal of her ex-lover.
Chapter 5
The moment the lightning bolt of Dark Magic struck Jasper in the side, he knew it was only a matter of time, but he had to protect Claire even if it meant they would never be together. The last thing he heard was her scream, which would haunt him for the rest of his life. How could the Fates have been so cruel? He had waited his entire life to find his mate, only to lose her in an instant because of a crazy witch set on revenge.
> He’d never know what the mating bond felt like, but if it was anything like what he had felt the minute Claire stumbled into his line of sight at the farmhouse, then he knew it would have been glorious. Although the woman drove him crazy and left him tongue tied on more than one occasion, he knew eventually they would have worked out their differences. He had faith she would have quickly discovered that his womanizing, player façade was just that… a façade. He respected women and would have cherished and loved her until his dying day. Unfortunately, now, he would never get the chance.
Sighing in frustration, his wolf whimpered from the pain of the Dark Magic. When Claire lifted his head onto her lap and begged him not to die, his wolf whimpered even more. There were so many things he wanted to say, but couldn’t because the words would form in his mouth. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and would always protect her even though they barely knew one another. He wanted her to know that he had waited a lifetime just for her, but once again, the words seemed to escape him.
Claire’s soothing voice in his ear was like a balm to his soul. When the pain began to subside from the purple glow surrounding his body, he finally managed to relax as the fog clogging his brain began to clear. The first thing he heard was Alec yelling. The next was Claire’s sniffles, which broke his heart. He wanted to tell her not to cry… that everything would be alright. Zoe and Sophie were healing him and they would get their chance. Then, her words sent a cold chill through him.
“There’s still too much to do and I’m going to need your help—your protection. She’s coming for us, and soon. Please, don’t leave me.”
Who was coming? Had they not just defeated Serena and her maniacal plan to destroy them all? How many more threats would he need to eliminate before they could be together? There were so many questions swirling around in his brain that he didn’t know which question to ask first. Unfortunately, he never got the chance. The soothing purple glow was suddenly replaced with Dark Magic that made his wolf howl in agony. His senses immediately went on full alert, as he opened his eyes and searched for the imminent threat. Unfortunately, everyone in the room except the beautiful auburn-haired woman caressing him appeared to be a threat, which made him growl even more.
“Who in the Hades are all these people?” he asked, only no words came out of his mouth.
“They’re your friends, Jasper. Please let them help you,” a beautiful, yet concerned voice said in his mind.
“Who said that and how did you know what I was thinking?” Jasper asked through their connection.
“Jasper. It’s me. Claire. Don’t you remember what happened?” the soothing voice said again.
“Um… No. Why is everyone hovering around me?” he asked, still curious about all of the people and why they looked at him with pity and sorrow.
Claire took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. How could he not remember what happened? If they were going to survive Brittney, she needed his help. The insanity of it all frustrated her to no end. It seemed for every step they took forward, the Fates pushed them two steps backwards. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but knew it would only make the situation worse. No, she needed to figure out what in the hell was going on. So, in as calm a voice as possible, she said, “They’re your friends and they’re just trying to help. You were badly hurt in the battle with Serena and almost died. Don’t you remember?”
“I don’t understand. I’m not hurt. Who’s Serena?” he asked, confusion evident in his voice.
“You’re not hurt anymore because Zoe and Sophie healed you. Why don’t you shift, so we can all sit down and discuss the situation? I promise to explain everything,” Claire murmured.
“What do you mean shift? I’m a Siberian husky for Goddess’s sake. What would I shift into?” Jasper asked, even more confused than before.
Shocked by Jasper’s comment, Claire quickly looked at everyone in the room and blurted out, “He can’t shift.”
“What do you mean he can’t shift?” Alec exclaimed.
“I. I’m not sure what has happened, but it seems as though Jasper has lost his memory. For some reason, he insists that he’s a dog… a Siberian husky to be exact,” Claire replied, as she watched everyone come running back into the farmhouse.
“What in the hell is going on?” Alec hissed, as he turned his question to Zoe and his mate, Sophie.
Claire didn’t wait for the witches’ answer. She closed her eyes, took in several deep breaths, and let her mind search for the truth. Her instincts were telling her that this had nothing to do with Zoe and Sophie, but more to do with Brittney. Somehow, in all the commotion, the witch had managed to cast a spell on Jasper. She was sure of it.
Although her suspicions were soon confirmed, she had no clue of how to counteract the spell. Claire had never felt so helpless in her entire life. Jasper’s memory had been wiped and he couldn’t shift. Although Serena was in custody and no longer a threat because she had been stripped of what little powers she had left, Brittney was still out there causing havoc. If Jasper didn’t know who she was, how could he protect himself from her? She couldn’t let him face the danger coming his way alone. No, she’d have to stay with him. Protect him.
“How in the hell can she meditate at a time like this?” Alec asked through gritted teeth.
“She’s not meditating. She’s having a vision,” Sophie replied in a calm voice, hoping some of it would rub off on her mate. He was pissed and wanted answers. There was only one problem, no one had any for him. She hoped and prayed to the Goddess that Claire’s vision would produce something and soon, or Alec was going to go postal on someone. Most likely, Serena since her bolt of Dark Magic is what injured Jasper in the first place.
Jasper watched as the auburn-haired beauty, named Claire, closed her eyes, took in several deep breaths and began meditating. He loved the way she kept him close and continued to caress his fur. For some reason, she was the only one in the room, he was drawn to. Maybe, it was because she was his owner, which suited him just fine.
He wasn’t sure why the room had erupted into chaos, but enjoyed the fact that Claire wasn’t fazed in the least by it. Maybe she could teach him how to center himself in the chaos of the storm. Hmm. Maybe if he was lucky, she would take him to a goat farm and they could try goat yoga together. That would be totally awesome in his book. She could practice her breathing and stretching techniques while trying to get limber as the goats climbed on her back, or sniffed her hair. He could chase them around like a good guard dog. It would be an awesome experience for both of them, as long as there wasn’t goat poop everywhere and hippies meditating out in the forest. He’d have to ask her once she finished meditating.
Claire opened her eyes and immediately released a loud whistle to gain everyone’s attention. When Jasper whimpered, she continued stroking his head until he calmed down. She knew everyone wanted answers and they would get them, but first everyone needed to calm down. Once she had gained everyone’s attention, she stood, walked toward the love seat, and sat down. Jasper crawled up next to her and she continued caressing his fur. She was grateful that the action seemed to calm the both down. When everyone followed suit and took a seat, she told them about her vision.
“Somehow during the battle with Serena, Brittney snuck in under the radar and was able to cast a spell on Jasper, which is the reason he’s lost his memory, can’t shift, and thinks he’s a dog. I’m not sure what her plan entails, but she’s feeling betrayed and out for revenge.”
“What does that mean?” Alec asked, as he stood and began pacing the room.
“It means that we need to protect Jasper at all costs until we figure out a way to break the spell. He won’t know Brittney if she walks up to him, which makes her even more dangerous,” Claire replied.
“Okay. What’s the plan?” Sophie asked.
“To be honest, I don’t know. I guess we wait and see what she does next,” Claire said.
“Have you lost your mind? My Beta will no
t be a sitting duck waiting for some crazy ass witch to make her next move and potentially put him in harm’s way. We need to figure out how to break the spell and deal with Brittney once and for all,” Alec insisted.
“Alec, we understand that you’re upset,” Zeva said in a pacifying voice because it was obvious the Alpha was about to blow a gasket. The stress of the last couple of days had left him on edge and not thinking clearly. “But, Jasper’s situation is different from yours. The only thing we know about the spell Brittney cast on him is that it caused him to lose his memory and is preventing him from being able to shift. To attempt coming up with a spell to counteract it with so little information is dangerous and could do more harm than good, especially when it contains Dark Magic.”
“She’s right, Alec,” Phoebe said. “The best thing we can do for Jasper right now is to wait it out. Brittney will make her intentions known soon enough and we will all be waiting. Until then, we need to help your Beta adjust to his new surroundings.”
“Fine. But for the record, I don’t like it one damn bit. I’m done with these women meddling in our lives. We dealt with Serena and we’ll deal with her bat-shit crazy cousin,” Alec countered, unhappy and frustrated by the turn of events. He wanted to throttle Brittney for pulling this bullshit on Jasper. She was the one who had cheated. Why couldn’t she have stayed away for good? Jasper didn’t need this shit. None of them did. Hadn’t her psychotic cousin already done enough damage? Why did she have to jump on the bandwagon now?
Claire watched as every emotion she was feeling mirrored the anger and frustration rolling off of Alec. She wasn’t sure when it all happened, but the people in this room had become her friends, her family. She knew without a doubt, she could lean on them and that they would be there for her and Jasper when the time came. She just needed to remain calm and focus on the mission.
Magic and Mayhem: Witchin' Up A Spell (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Magick & Chaos Book 5) Page 5