Part 27 (1/2)
But something wasn't right. Damian stared at Jamie. Blotches of color returned to her body. An effect of death? A tear rolled down his cheek, splashed onto hers.
Leaving on Jamie's cheek a bright spot of fleshy pink. Erasing the stone.
Understanding flashed through him. Damian looked wildly at his brothers. ”The spell, mon Dieu. Tears. Salt water wears away rock. All those times she cried, I thought it was my magick beating back the spell, but it was tears. d.a.m.n it, get buckets of water, salt! Hurry!”
Minutes later, a large container of salt was dumped into buckets of water. They began splas.h.i.+ng them over Jamie. Damian's heart beat double time as he gauged her body, the stone melting away from her flesh like layers of watercolor paint erased by rain.
It had to work. It had to restore her, bring her back.
When the last bucket had been poured over her body, Jamie lay on the ground, her body as rosy and seemingly alive as she had been when he'd first met her. First caught her gaze across the crowded bar, and the contact between them sizzled.
He leaned closer, pressed his mouth to hers. And met ice-cold flesh.
No longer stone, but dead. Gone, forever.
Raphael opened her blouse, cut a small pattern over her heart. He slashed his wrist, dripped four drops of his blood into the wound. He licked his wrist, leaned forward. His brother heaved a giant breath and then fused his mouth to Jamie's as if giving her CPR.
”Holy...Look, Damian.” Gabriel pointed. ”Just look. My G.o.d.”
Jamie's chest rose half an inch. Fell. The wound in her chest healed as her chest rose again. Raphael tore away from her body. He looked gray, spent. Drained.
Shock slammed into Damian as if someone had bagged him with a pillowcase of bricks. His gaze whipped to Jamie. Her chest rose and fell in a regular rhythm. He didn't dare hope, couldn't think...
A loud gasp filled the air as she opened her mouth and took a breath.
Her eyes, her beautiful ice-gray eyes, flew open. They looked unfocused. Then they blinked and softened as her gaze landed on him. ”Damian. Oh, Damian, you're here.”
Hoa.r.s.e and raspy, her voice was sweeter than the purest angel's. Damian took her hand, his heart pounding so hard it felt as if it would leave his chest.
”Please, tell me this isn't a dream,” he said thickly.
”Don't push her. Give her a minute,” Rafe rasped. ”She needs it.”
Damian gathered Jamie into his arms, cradling her against him, feeling the solid, steady beat of her heart against his. He buried his face in her hair, rubbed the silky strands against his wet cheeks. He stared at Rafe.
”You gave her your blood. Your magick.”
Gabriel's jaw unhinged. ”You can't, Rafe. It's forbidden unless it's for your mate. It goes against...”
”Our laws. Yeah, well, I guess my a.s.s is in trouble.” Raphael gave a grim smile.
No words would suffice. Damian looked at him steadily, knowing his feelings sang out on his face. Knowing his brother didn't need words.
The silent thank-you hovered in the air.
Gabriel went to the Book of Magick, thumbed through the pages and squinted. ”It's hard to read, but it says the spell can be broken only in the beginning stages and life restored to fullness with salt water. Tears shed too late, the body returns to flesh, but the spirit is lost forever unless the ritual of departing is granted by a loved one, releasing the spirit to the Other Realm.”
”Tears melt the heart of stone. And love restores a spirit lost,” Rafe said quietly.
”The parting ritual...I had to release her and prove my love for her,” Damian realized.
”Just as Jamie proved her love by not wanting to see you suffer. That kiss I gave Jamie before, it forged a connection. And just now, before she went, I took her spirit into me.” Rafe dragged in another deep breath. ”I kept her safe for you. Until the last of the dark Morph magick fled her body.”
”You're immortal. You could harbor another spirit inside you.”
”Not without consequence.” Rafe finally straightened, his color a little better. ”And I hate to see what h.e.l.l there is to pay. Worth it. I couldn't see you going through what Alex did. It just wasn't in your destiny. She's supposed to be with you.”
Damian couldn't fathom the sacrifice his brother had made for him.
”As Kallan, I'm permitted it just once, only to save my draicara. But you had to love her enough to let her go. The greatest love of all.” Raphael's gaze landed on Alex, who hovered nearby with a look of anguish. ”She came back to you because she's yours. I was just the conduit.”
Damian kissed Jamie. Her lips were soft, warm. He poured his heart and soul, his life, into the kiss.
When he raised his head, his wondering gaze landed on Alex. His older brother fisted his hands. Something s.h.i.+mmered in his blue eyes.
”Cherish her, t'frere. Never let go. Ever.” Alex's voice was rough and low, his smile forced.
Pivoting on his heels, he jammed his hands into his pockets and walked away. Raphael's expression sobered as he trailed him. Damian cuddled Jamie close, relis.h.i.+ng the sound of her breathing as she reached up to touch his face.
A sickening dread speared him as he glanced at Rafe. ”Rafe, your draicara, your one chance to save her...what if...”
The Draicon sighed. ”I doubt I'll ever find my mate. It's cool. I couldn't let you suffer while I search for the one meant for me.”
But his gaze whipped over to Alex, who hung back, looking anguished.
”Then why me? Why not Alex?” Damian asked quietly.
His brother closed his eyes, flesh tightening over his taut jaw. ”I offered. But like I said, it's a one-shot deal. He had to choose between Simone and Amelia. Save the mother, or the child. He couldn't. So he let them both go.”
Opening her eyes to life and seeing Damian had been a miracle to Jamie. He'd sacrificed so much for her, but most of all, he'd sacrificed his heart. In doing so, he saved more than her life. He'd restored her spirit and her hope. Never before had anyone risked so much for her, and loved her for who she was.
But it was Raphael who had given back her life, and she'd learned the price he'd paid. Damian's brother, his family. Where her family had only taken away, Damian's family had given. Raphael had accepted her thanks with a very French shrug, hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets. The warmth in his eyes as he regarded them said more than words.
Now, resting in bed, she drowsed in Damian's arms. Alexandre came inside and greeted them.
His smile seemed a little sad. ”Seeing Damian lose you felt like losing my beloved all over. I'm glad you were spared.”
Though sorrow still s.h.i.+mmered in his eyes, there was also peace. Alexandre was slowly healing.
Alex told them Raphael had already made changes. He'd handed over leaders.h.i.+p to Etienne and had given Jordan a new position in his pack. With Jordan's ability to scent Morphs, the blind Draicon would act as a screening device. The hunt for Morphs in the city just became easier.
After Alex left, Damian asked her if there was anything she needed. She whispered her request into his ear.
They waited two days for her to rest and regain full strength. Now they were all waiting downstairs for her. Heart thrumming with nervous excitement, Jamie entered the courtyard, wearing a peac.o.c.k-green dress and clutching the violets Celine had hand-picked from her greenhouse. An emerald-green ribbon swept her black hair from her face.
His family crowded the courtyard. His brothers, including Etienne, Cindy and the children, his adopted parentsthey'd even brought Paw Paw, who'd insisted on making the arduous trip. Joy filled her heart. Her family now. But her gaze riveted to Damian. Breath fled her in an awed gasp. The dark Armani suit, white s.h.i.+rt with French cuffs, heavy gold links and polished shoes reflected the urbane and sophisticated male, but nothing outshone the love for her reflected in his jade-green eyes.
Damian spread out his hands, smiling at her. ”Your wish is my command. You wanted to mate me, I am yours.”
It was a simple, poignant ceremony. Damian couldn't stop touching her, marveling at Jamie and the rare gift he'd been granted. He could stare at her for eternity and never grow tired of seeing Jamie happy.