Chanku Dawn by Kate Douglas

Author:Kate Douglas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2012-12-24T05:00:00+00:00

6

A bright light flashed, flowing upward from the pentagram carved in the earth. Tia covered her eyes, and Luc dragged her body against his chest to protect her. There was no heat, just blinding brilliance. Luc shaded his face with his free hand and opened his eyes in time to see Anton slowly fall forward to the ground.

Keisha screamed. Luc steadied Tia in her chair and then reached for Anton. He lifted the wizard’s surprisingly light frame and placed him back in his chair. Keisha hovered beside him, holding him steady. Luc checked to see that he was breathing, but when he placed his hand over Anton’s chest, Luc felt the man’s heart racing unsteadily.

“His color doesn’t look good.” Stefan brushed Anton’s hair from his eyes. “Should we call for help?”

“We can’t break the circle.” Xandi’s voice quavered. “No matter what.”

Keisha held Anton against her shoulder, quietly sobbing. Stefan knelt beside the two of them. Luc turned to check on Tia. She knelt on the ground beside her father’s body. Ulrich lay where he’d fallen, his eyes open and staring, his chest barely moving. Tia carefully closed his eyes with shaking hands.

Xandi watched the circle.

“Whatever you do,” she cautioned again, “don’t step outside the circle. Anton’s orders. How is he?”

Stefan nodded. “I think he’ll be okay. Whatever spell he just performed took everything out of him. Once he rests . . .” Stefan pulled Tia’s chair closer to Anton. He could help support his packmate’s limp body and comfort Keisha at the same time.

Her crying eased. Luc heard her sniff loudly. She reached for Stefan’s hand, grasping his fingers with hers over Anton’s chest, protecting her mate between the two of them.

Luc turned to help Tia. She held her father’s body. Ulrich’s head rested in her lap, and she sobbed uncontrollably, as though the emotions of the evening had been too much.

“Is he still breathing?” When Tia nodded, Luc knelt beside her and lifted one of Ulrich’s eyelids. Only white stared back at him. He felt the soft rise and fall of the man’s chest, but there was no rousing him.

“His body is here. His spirit has gone with Camille. We need to hold within the circle until he returns at dawn. We are the life force that will call Ulrich back. Do not leave the circle.” Anton’s voice sounded weak, but the command was still evident in every word.

The air within the circle remained surprisingly warm and comfortable. It carried the faint scent of the herbs, of rosemary, sage, and mint from Anton’s incense. The small candle on the altar continued to burn steadily without flickering.

Tia stayed on the ground with her father. Luc sat in his chair, and she braced her back against his legs with Ulrich’s head resting in her lap. Keisha stayed close to Anton, stroking his arm while his normal color slowly returned. Stefan moved back to his own chair beside Xandi. They huddled together on the opposite side of the circle, hugging one another, watching Ulrich.

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