Anna shook her head. “Nope, uh-uh, not that smile. If whatever you’ve cooked up is causing that smile, then you might as well go back to square one. That is a wickedsmile,Peri.
“It really is,” Jewelagreed.
“I have to say I’m with the Wheelers on this one. That’s diabolical,”saidSly.
The smile dropped as Peri frowned at looked at the two warlocks. “Wheelers?”
Sly nodded. “You know, witchhealers.”
And the smile was back. “Love it. What would a witch-werewolf be called? Wolfwitch? Witchwolf? I like that better. Doesn’t matter. Back to why you must keep your canines in youmuzzles.”
“No muzzles right here,” Anna said dryly as she pointed atherself.
Peri continued as if Anna hadn’t spoken at all. “And why your paws should probably be kept toyourselves.”
“No paws either,” Jewel added. Anna gave her athumbs-up.
“We need women who are pure of heart. That, in and of itself, seems impossible because hello, we’re women. More often than not we want to smack each other for looking better than us or gouge each other’s eyes out for looking at our man. Then add to the equation that she has to be family to one of you. Jewel, you got any cousins out there with a disposition just as sweet as yours? Anna…” She paused and then waved her off. “We’ll get to your family in a minute. Assume we find our pure-of-heart women, now we need each of them to have someone who is a willing sacrifice for them. I don’t know many people who would jump up and volunteer to die for a person. And somewhere in that whole mess we have to explain to them why the hell we want to turn those pure of heart family members into witches and then expect someone to die on their behalf immediatelyafterward.”
“Forgive me for being a little skeptical,” Z said, rollinghiseyes.
Peri’s face lit up at she held a finger in the air. “Ahh, but my little trouble-causing warlock, you don’t know me. If you did, then you wouldn’t be skeptical at all because you would know that I am completely capable of taking the impossible and making it … well … maybe, more than likely, possible. I just hope there’s not too much bloodshed before we ever get to the actualsacrificepart.”
“Peri, quit teasing them,” Jezebelchided.
“Why doesn’t anyone ever let me bask in the glory of my genius?” Peri sighed as she threw her head back and herarmsout.
“Did you take some fairy drugs when you flashed earlier?” Annaasked.
Peri’s head snapped up. “Absolutely not. Can you imagine me on drugs? We’re getting off topic. We already have our pure hearts. We have three more healers that we can turn into Wheelers.” She winked at the warlocks, whose faces mirrored the shock of the others. “And each of our healers has a mate. Boom, willing sacrifice. See, totally possible. Simple,really.”
Anna stood slowly, and she saw that Jewel was doing the same thing. “You expect us to put Volcan’s vile blood into our friend’s bodies so they have to experience the darkness we’ve beendealingwith?”
“I believe that’s what I said, though not quite asgraphically.”
“And assuming we do that, you expect us to be okay with our mates sacrificing themselves for us?” Jewelasked.
“I feel like we’ve gone over this,”Perisaid.
Anna felt Gustavo’s arm come around her waist. She hadn’t even realized he’d stood up with her. She couldn’t look at him because her fate was already sealed. But Heather, Stella, and Kara still had achoice.
“Wait, won’t we die if our mates die?” Annaasked.
“Not if we haven’t performed the Blood Rites,” replied Jewel. “That’s why she wants us not to bite ourmates.”
“This can’t be the only way,” Anna said as she folded her arms in front of herchest.
Peri knewwhat she was asking of them. If anyone understood sacrifice,shedid.
“I didn’t say it was the perfect solution,” she pointed out. “But it may be the best solution, the only solution. And no one said anything about your mates dying. I only said sacrifice. The mate bond performed at the right moment could be the key to the whole thing. Of course, we might need to have you all practice synchronized biting. Wouldn’t thaaaat getawkwardfast.”
“The mate bond?” Jewel practically whispered as all the air rushed outofher.
Dalton, who had stood up with Jewel, leaned down and spoke softly in her ear, though Peri could still hear him. “I go where you go.” His deep voicerumbled.
Jewel was shaking her head. “Notlikethis.”
Peri narrowed her eyes on the couple. “I have a solution for you two. Do you honestly think I wouldn’t consider how your bond is different? And yes, you still have a bond, Jewel, it’s called love. You choose to love each other. And because I can see how much that mountain loves you, I will not ask him to stand as your sacrifice, not when I know he would most certainly die. The others have a real chance of living because of their combined magic. But Dalton would not.” Peri walked over to the brave healer who had already suffered so much. She took her face in her hands and wiped her tears away with her thumbs. Her hands began to glow a soft white as she used her magic to calm Jewel. “I told you healers when I took you in that I take care of those who are mine. That hasn’t changed.Iwill stand as your willing sacrifice, Jewel Stone, Gypsy healer, mate to Dalton Black and brave young woman with a heart of gold. And it will be an honor todoso.”
