Wolf Tracks - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,68
she struggled to stay stable on all fours.
There was a moment when she looked up at Helen, her hair draping around a face that was almost unrecognizable from what it had been only moments before. She had…aged. There was no other way to describe it. She’d gone from temptress to crone in almost the blink of an eye. Helen had never seen anything like it.
Jim stood between the evil woman and Helen, just a little off to her right, watching. Ready. He would act if the woman tried anything. Meanwhile, Helen said the final words and watched the remaining energy of the evil sorceress fade into the earth, grounded and banished from her for all eternity. Any power that remained to the woman had to come from some new source. As it was, the woman began to fade, and Helen felt the moment she ceased to exist on this plane.
Helen had killed her? She hadn’t meant to. It went against her healer’s sensibilities to end another life. She stood there, shocked, as the woman faded away.
“What happened?” Helen breathed. “I only meant to drain her magic, not her life force. She should still be alive.”
“She isn’t,” Jim confirmed, going over to examine the woman. “Her name was Otalla, and she was Buford’s wife. I suspect she died because all her energy came from others. Energy she stole from other living beings to support her own life. Look how she’s aged.”
“I’ve heard of this,” Helen breathed. “Mages who extend their own lives with the life force of other people. Blood path…” Helen gasped, appalled. “Sweet Mother of All.” She turned to Jim. “She bit you! Quick, bend down here and let me get a look. She probably infected you with something.”
Helen still held the lavender in one hand as she examined the twin half-circles of the bite mark on Jim’s back, up high, just below his neck. The lavender reacted, meaning Helen was right to worry about contagion.
“Hold still. This might be a bit uncomfortable, but it’s necessary,” she told him. Using her power to cleanse his system, she sent the Lady’s Light through his bloodstream, burning out the evil the woman had planted.
“Feels warm,” Jim commented as she finished the treatment. “Was it bad?”
“Not as bad as it could have gotten. She poisoned you with her evil.” Helen zapped the bite marks with her power, healing them. “It’s gone now. You’ll be okay.”
“Thanks, love,” he told her, tugging her into his arms for a quick squeeze. “Now, did you call for help before storming in to the rescue?”
“I did,” she admitted, giving in for just a moment, to the need to be close to him. “Joe said ten minutes, but I didn’t want to wait once I sensed Calum inside this building. I knew you were probably walking into a trap.”
“You broke the ward, didn’t you?” Jim asked as they walked, arm in arm, over to the crate where Calum lay, watching all.
“I did. The lavender from the B&B’s garden is particularly potent.” She smiled at the young wolf as she crouched down in front of the open door of the crate. “Hi, I’m Helen, and this is Jim. You’re Calum, aren’t you? Your Alpha is on the way, and he’s bringing help, but maybe I can give you a little help before they get here, huh? This way, you can stand on your own feet when they show up. I’m a healer. What do you think?”
The wolf submitted, reaching out of the open crate with his nose and licking her hand. Helen took that as permission and sent a tendril of healing power into the teen. Almost instantly, his eyes looked more alert.
“That felt okay?” she asked, waiting for a little nod from the wolf’s head. She let her power diagnose what might be wrong with the youngster and was relieved to find it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. “I think mostly you’re just underpowered right now. They were draining your magical power and your life force, weren’t they?” she asked. “Well, I can give you enough of a boost to let you walk out of here with your dignity, at least, but time will repair the rest. Time, food, and rest, and you’ll be good as new in a few days.”
“Thanks be to the Mother of All,” Joe said, entering the room on that last declaration. He went immediately to the open crate and reached in to touch Calum, offering the comfort of the Alpha