pain she suffered. If she wanted to die, she wasn’t going to get her wish this night.
“Enough,” he bellowed, releasing the full throttle of his magical might. The Ross Amulet magnified his already awesome power. Blinding light engulfed the room and he heard her faint sigh of relief as she was freed from her agonizing position. Before she could hit the floor with a painful thud, he gently caught her in his magical grip and slowly lowered her to the ground.
As for the warlock who had been gleefully torturing her, Oliver had him wrapped up like a mummy on the floor, unable to move, unable to speak, and hopefully only able to feel the agony of the torturous hex Oliver had placed on him.
The bastard needed to feel a fraction of the pain he’d delivered to Dallas. He knew the man, which twisted his insides even more. How could he have once called that piece of shit a friend?
“I don’t know what I should do with you from here on in, Rex,” he said, bending down to whisper the words. “I was going to kill you, but after I saw Dallas I decided that death was too good for the likes of you. Instead, I think I’ll release you into the custody of a few of your former victims. I’m sure they will know exactly what to do with you.”
Dreadful recognition flared in Rex’s eyes. He blinked madly at him, obviously trying to communicate through the blinks.
“I’m sorry, Rex. I’m afraid I’m not fluent in that kind of language. I realize it’s a dialect of asshole. Alas, it’s lost on me.” He’d bound Rex’s powers. Rex would remain powerless until Oliver decided to retract the spell, and the way Oliver was feeling now, he was pretty certain he’d never do that.
Now what the hell was he going to do with the damn bunnies hopping all over the room? He’d have to either make their transformations permanent or release them back to their native forms and wrap them up the same way he’d bandaged Rex.
He didn’t have time to mull it over any longer. Dallas was on the ground, shaking uncontrollably. He looked over at the fireplace and pointed his index finger. Within a second, a fire burned in the hearth. Walking gradually toward her, he put his hands up so she could see he meant her no harm.
“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” he said soothingly.
“Who are you?” she finally managed to rattle out in a shaky voice.
“Anya sent me,” he said softly, hoping she wouldn’t grow suspicious of him the way Finley had.
Strong emotions filled her eyes, and by the looks of it, she was on the precipice of crying. He hoped she’d restrain herself. He never knew how to deal with a crying female, especially one as pretty as Dallas. Dallas was as fair as Anya was dark, and though he knew they were cousins, they didn’t really resemble each other.
With shudders still racking her body, she attempted to stand, and her legs wobbled precariously beneath her. He got a good look at her entire body as he reached forward and gripped her around the waist. She was so tiny, much smaller than Anya, and she reminded him of an ethereal creature like an elf or a fairy.
Sirens wailed in the distance. Finally, the Magical Authority had arrived and they would have been too late if he hadn’t come when he had. He feared that Dallas would have succumbed to the torture.
“Thank you for saving my life, Master…”
“Oliver. My name is Oliver White.”
“I have a feeling you already know who I am if Anya sent you here.”
“I do. I’m sorry she didn’t tell you that I was coming.”
“Oh, but she did,” Dallas said weakly. He could tell she was going to pass out soon.
“Stay with me for a little longer, Dallas. The Magical Authority is almost here and they’ll have specialized healers ready and waiting to heal you. I don’t want to prod you, but if Anya told you I was coming, why didn’t you know my name?”
“She never gave me a name. She only said she was sending me a birthday gift, and I have to say, you are the best birthday gift ever.” She reached up to press the palm of her hand against his face, and with that one slight gesture his world was turned upside down and inside out.
Protective, possessive and passionate emotions rolled through him.
Dallas shuddered as