the sword and that was why he was the mentor. Had the real influence been brought about by a spell?
Dean seemed to consider the situation. “In a stasis chamber, you’re not really aware of reality. Like I said, the laws of physics are different. It’s entirely possible.”
“He could have gotten all three of them,” I mused. It made sense. So much more sense than my husbands hero-worshipping someone they barely knew. “Can you take it out?”
The door came open and Erna stood there. “Why didn’t someone tell me the human is in thrall? He’s going to die if I don’t take it out. Are you the one who put it there? I understand that men are sometimes difficult to manage, but you should have either found another way or let him go. It’s reckless of you to do.”
“She didn’t do it,” Dean said, getting to his feet. “It’s someone who wanted to influence him.”
“Well, that’s not a spell you use on humans unless you want to kill them.” Erna frowned down at me. “You have some enemies, young lady.”
I didn’t point out that I wasn’t all that young. Nor did I point out that Danny hadn’t been human when he’d gotten that stone shoved in his head. “Yes, I do. How do we get that thing out of my husband’s head? I think you’ll find Devinshea has one, too.”
“It won’t kill the Green Man.” Erna crossed her arms over her chest and seemed thoughtful for a moment. “Depending on how the spell was created, you wouldn’t notice a difference except around the spellcaster.”
That made sense.
“If we could get the spell removed, you realize we might actually be able to talk to them about our problems,” Kelsey said.
We might be able to convince my husbands that Myrddin was a real threat.
If we could get the spell off him and get home.
A keening wail split the air and I realized our night was far from over.
Chapter Twenty
Kelsey
I put my hands to my ears. “What is that?”
Dean was on his feet in a heartbeat. “It’s a warning. Something’s close. It didn’t go off before because Erna knew I was coming. She set the alarm for the night after we came in.”
Erna waved a hand and the alarm went silent. I still picked up the sword I’d laid on the table.
I wished I hadn’t left Gladys behind. Fuck the TSA. I was taking my sword everywhere from now on.
“What’s happening?” Daniel walked through the doorway, Quinn hard on his heels.
“We’ve got an intruder,” Dean explained. “And it’s not a bunny. It’s something dangerous. The protection spell we cast doesn’t worry about happy shiny things. Don’t worry. Whatever it is, it can’t see us.”
“We’ve got wards that should keep the intruder from coming too close.” Erna stepped out into the yard, proving she wasn’t too worried. “Are you feeling any better, human?”
“I’m not human,” Daniel insisted. “But yes, my head is far clearer than it was. The tonic you gave me was disgusting and very helpful. My stomach is better too.”
“See, talking about your stomach feeling better is something I’ve never heard a vampire say.” Erna stared out into the dark yard, looking for whatever had tripped the alarm.
“Yeah, well, those vampires never had a connection to a pregnant companion,” Daniel muttered under his breath. “I don’t see anything.”
“That’s good.” Zoey had taken a place beside her husband, Dev on the other side. They were surrounding Daniel as if he was vulnerable. Which he was. And that was going to kill him. “Maybe it went away.”
She looked back at me and I got what she was asking for. I closed my eyes and opened my every sense like Trent had taught me. Sure enough, it was like Dean had said. My senses could easily go past the barrier from this direction. Scent is my strongest sense when I let my wolf hold sway. I could smell bread baking and whatever nasty thing Daniel had been forced to drink. Medicine never tastes or smells good. I catalogued the people around me. Erna had recently bathed and used a soap with a rosy smell to it. Someone had hung laundry up to dry, and it had the same scent combined with the sunshine that seems to cling to line-dried clothes. Beyond that I smelled the clean scent of pine and…
“Shit, it’s a demon.” I moved in front of the royals.
“A demon?” Dean moved next to me, and I would give the kid props for not running the