Wild and Free (The Three #3)(154)

He wandered away, head bent to his phone, muttering, “Let me see what I can do with this.”

“Use Abel.”

Abel’s head jerked back to look at Yuri, who said these words.

“I’m sorry?” Jian-Li asked.

Yuri looked to her. “Aurora said if she touched Abel, she could find his brother.” He cast his eyes down to Aurora. “Use Abel, my sweet.”

“He’s so digging on her,” Delilah whispered to no one, her lips tipped up, her gaze on Yuri.

“Use me,” Abel said, and Delilah turned her attention to him.

“I…well, I already did. I used your blood,” she told him.

“Try again,” he replied.

“Um…are you sure?” Aurora asked.

“Would it harm him?” Jian-Li asked.

“No, but it could take even more time,” Aurora answered. “I only didn’t suggest it before because the potion had been marinating and, as you know, should have produced results a while ago.”

Abel stood. “Use me.”

Aurora pressed her lips together, straightened from the couch, and moved to him.

“If we’re lucky, this will go fast. But if he’s blocked us, it may take a while,” she shared.

“Whatever,” he muttered. “Just do it.”

“Ladies, let’s help her out,” Barb called, moving from the couch to come close to where Aurora joined Abel.

Delilah stood and backed away to give them room as Aurora took his hand and led him to an open area. The other witches circled them.

“Ready?” Aurora asked.

“Yep,” he answered.

She nodded.

Then they started. Lifting their hands, all of them, they began chanting. It was disjointed at first, then they got it together and chanted as one.

It turned out Aurora was right.

It did not go fast. Green and red sparkling motes drifted up from their hands and floated all around Abel, but nothing happened.

They kept chanting and the motes kept coming, floating, blinking out, and disappearing.

More chanting. More motes. More nothing.

This went on for what felt like f*cking ever and Abel trained his eyes on Delilah.

“Keep with it, baby,” she called her encouragement.

He stood, crossed his arms on his chest, and kept with it.

Barb’s voice started rising and the rest of the witches’ voices rose with hers. They weren’t shouting, but they were loud and more motes formed. Tons of them. They lit the space to the point Abel could see nothing but them.

More chanting (a lot more) and they stopped floating and started swirling.

“What the f*ck?” he heard Hook ask.

But he couldn’t see him. He was enveloped in red and green sparks that were spinning around him, now so fast, they were streaks.

“Shh, Hook,” Jian-Li shushed him.

More chanting. More motes. And now the things were blowing like a breeze in his hair and against his clothes and skin.

The witches got louder.

“I am not liking this,” Delilah said.

Then Abel growled and crouched as if to turn to wolf, his fangs descending when he felt it, the threat, right before the swirls exploded in a firework of white sparks and all five of the witches flew back, right to their asses, Aurora doing it and landing on the edge of the table.

Yuri was at her side in a flash, down on a knee, bending over her.

But the threat was gone.

Abel retracted his fangs.

The motes were also gone. The sparks were gone. The room was clear.

“She good?” Abel asked.

Not taking his attention from Aurora, Yuri answered, “Banged up but okay.”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Aurora said, pulling her hair out of her face.

“He’s blocked,” Ruby decreed.

“Crazy, stupid blocked,” Jezza added.

“Abel, he’s with a witch,” Barb announced, and Abel looked to her. “A powerful one.”

“Come again?” he asked.

“There’s no way to block a witch finding you,” Barb explained, “except by using a witch.”

“We got some mojo,” Ruby declared. “The five of us against one cloaking spell?” She shook her head. “He didn’t find some random witch to give him a bit of invisibility that’d see him through. He’s got an active witch with him who’s keeping him hidden. And whoever she is, she’s got more mojo than us. By a lot.”

“I’m sorry, Abel,” Aurora said softly, and his gaze turned to her to see her on her feet.

“Not a problem. You tried.” He grinned at her. “Even wounded in the battle. I appreciate it.”

She grinned back.

Yuri put an arm around her and tucked her close.

Abel grinned at him, but it was different this time, seeing as the guy was seriously digging his little witch.

He felt Delilah take his hand and he looked down at her.

“Bummer,” she whispered.

He wasn’t sure he agreed, but he could see she felt that word intensely, so he lifted his hand to cup her jaw, running his thumb along her cheek.

She pressed into his hand and he slid it back into her hair and tugged her face into his chest.

She wound her arms around his waist.