“No, but it could take even more time,” Aurora answered. “I only didn’t suggest it before because the potion had been marinating and, as you know, should have produced results a while ago.”

Abel stood. “Use me.”

Aurora pressed her lips together, straightened from the couch, and moved to him.

“If we’re lucky, this will go fast. But if he’s blocked us, it may take a while,” she shared.

“Whatever,” he muttered. “Just do it.”

“Ladies, let’s help her out,” Barb called, moving from the couch to come close to where Aurora joined Abel.

Delilah stood and backed away to give them room as Aurora took his hand and led him to an open area. The other witches circled them.

“Ready?” Aurora asked.

“Yep,” he answered.

She nodded.

Then they started. Lifting their hands, all of them, they began chanting. It was disjointed at first, then they got it together and chanted as one.

It turned out Aurora was right.

It did not go fast. Green and red sparkling motes drifted up from their hands and floated all around Abel, but nothing happened.

They kept chanting and the motes kept coming, floating, blinking out, and disappearing.

More chanting. More motes. More nothing.

This went on for what felt like fucking ever and Abel trained his eyes on Delilah.

“Keep with it, baby,” she called her encouragement.

He stood, crossed his arms on his chest, and kept with it.

Barb’s voice started rising and the rest of the witches’ voices rose with hers. They weren’t shouting, but they were loud and more motes formed. Tons of them. They lit the space to the point Abel could see nothing but them.

More chanting (a lot more) and they stopped floating and started swirling.

“What the fuck?” he heard Hook ask.

But he couldn’t see him. He was enveloped in red and green sparks that were spinning around him, now so fast, they were streaks.

“Shh, Hook,” Jian-Li shushed him.

More chanting. More motes. And now the things were blowing like a breeze in his hair and against his clothes and skin.

The witches got louder.

“I am not liking this,” Delilah said.

Then Abel growled and crouched as if to turn to wolf, his fangs descending when he felt it, the threat, right before the swirls exploded in a firework of white sparks and all five of the witches flew back, right to their asses, Aurora doing it and landing on the edge of the table.

Yuri was at her side in a flash, down on a knee, bending over her.

But the threat was gone.

Abel retracted his fangs.

The motes were also gone. The sparks were gone. The room was clear.

“She good?” Abel asked.

Not taking his attention from Aurora, Yuri answered, “Banged up but okay.”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Aurora said, pulling her hair out of her face.

“He’s blocked,” Ruby decreed.

“Crazy, stupid blocked,” Jezza added.