Hot Vampire Touch (Vampire Wardens 3)

Troy was dumbfounded. Magic was the one thing he’d never considered. “What spell and by who?”

“And how do we undo the magic?” Cassie asked.

Chapter Ten

Aylia and Marcus shared a look that twisted him in knots before Aylia said softly, “There is no way to undo the magic.”

Chapter Ten

“Who do I owe a thank you for this ‘gift’ of magic that I can’t undo?” Troy asked quietly from beside Cassie, and she hated the question. She hated it because it sounded liked he’d accepted that there was no way to save him, that he was destined to become a Red wolf, a killer.

“I need to start with some history to explain how this happened,” Aylia said, and Cassie could see from the expression on her face, whatever was to come from this explanation wasn’t good.

“Go on,” Troy said, urging her onward in the same calm voice that only made Cassie want to scream for a new spell, a solution, a way to make this magic go away.

“One of our Coven members was killed by a Red,” Aylia began. “Afterwards we went to The Society and proposed a plan to rid us all of the danger of these Red Wolves.”

“A spell,” Cassie said.

Aylia nodded. “Yes. We created a spell to bind the virus in the Reds, which seemed to be what made them vicious, mindless killers. The idea was to remove the monster from the wolf, so to speak.”

“The bottom line here,” Marcus said, “is that they used grey magic that bordered on black. The spell involved the use of blood from a natural born wolf and the Red being spellcast.”

“Blood magic is never good magic,” Cassie said, feeling anger grind inside her at such irresponsibility. “I know little of magic and even I know that.”

“And this spell proved no different,” Marcus agreed. “The Red Virus remained the dominant trait. The result was a wolf that was smarter, faster, and more vicious.” His gaze settled on Troy. “Andres was the result.”

“Andres,” Troy ground out, and any panic Cassie felt over that name faded into a completely different fear. Her nostrils flared with the scent of his anger, with the now familiar scent of his wolf clawing to life.

“Troy,” Cassie murmured softly, twining her fingers with his, and trying to get him to look at her, but he stayed focused on his Warden-in-Charge.

“How could you have known this and not tell me?” Troy demanded. “How long have you watched me hunt him without saying a damn word?”

“Don’t even think about going wolf on me, vampire,” Marcus warned, power waving off of him with such force that Cassie lost her breath for a moment. “You are, and always will be, part vampire and I am still your maker, and I promise you that you’re no match for me, be it as a wolf or vampire, or any combination thereof. I knew none of what I now know about Andres until a few months ago, after your ass went MIA, despite a promise to stay in touch.”

Troy inhaled, and dropped his head forward, his long blond hair covering his face. Cassie could smell the changes happening to him, and she had no doubt Marcus could sense them. “Troy,” she whispered, leaning in close, pressing her hand to his face, her mouth to his ear. “Take my arm if you need it. I’m here.”

He reached up and covered her hand with his, lifting his gaze to hers, letting her see that his eyes were still blue, that he was nowhere near as gone as he had been earlier. “And I’m better now because you are

.” The words, the trust behind them, were as unexpected as the kiss he placed on her wrist before shifting his attention to Marcus. “Marcus I-”

“We’re good, man,” Marcus said, cutting him off, the two men holding a long stare, and Cassie felt the friendship between them, felt Marcus’s true concern for Troy in his words as he added, “But we’ll both be better when Andres is dead, especially after you hear what I have to say. Not long after you went incognito, the ousted leader of the Rebels came to me seeking protection within Vampire Nation in exchange for information.” He glanced at Cassie. “He knew The Society would kill him for killing so many of theirs.”

“He was right,” she said, not mincing words. ”And we wouldn’t expect you to take him in either.”

“He’s dead,” Marcus said flatly, “but not before he told me that Andres used magic in an attempt to turn himself into something half vampire, half werewolf, that would be capable of ruling both races. Sound familiar?”

“They turned me and Andres.”

“No,” Marcus said. “Andres was unchanged. Because you lived, you absorbed the magic, not Andres.”

“They didn’t know what they were doing in the first place,” Aylia added. “They used a stolen, powerful source of magic from our coven that was well beyond their ability to control.”

She glanced at Marcus. “I’d like to explain.”

He gave a quick nod. “Of course.”

“Each of the members of my coven wears a necklace etched with an ancient magical triangle that is bound with the blood of seven of our members. When we cast a spell it’s locked inside the necklace of whichever one of us was the creator of the magic, bound for use at another time. That spell must only be spoken to evoke the power of the Coven but only the true holder of the necklace can control the true power of the magic. So you see, the spell that created Andres was in a necklace that was stolen right before the Reno incident. And the magic in your blood is that spell.”