I squeezed her leg and gave her a wink.
My anger slipped away, watching my mate put on a brave face and speak with Tajah. She explained how she could wake from the nightmare now and how she hadn’t done that before. Tajah attributed it to being bonded to me, that it gave her the strength to break away from the dream.
This nightmare entity was angry that it did not have a hold on my mate like it used to. Nadia was able to wake herself as she grew stronger with her animal growing inside her. Tajah explained it manifested itself in front of her to try and scare her in her awakened state, to make her faint so she could not wait up so easily.
As my mate carried on describing the beast, my claws lengthened, and I put my hand on the nearby desk to hold me upright. My anger was growing by the minute. I had been careless when she was first brought here, too stubborn to see that I would have never been able to help her.
Tajah sighed and patted my mate’s hand. “I have an idea, and it is what Bram believes it to be as well.” Tajah rounded the table and went to a large cabinet holding various elixirs and bottles. Parchments of papers were neatly stacked on one side and a tray containing several bottles, candles, and a black folded tablecloth.
Everyone was silent as we watched Tajah set the tray on the table where I had my hand. She eyed me, seeing the grooves of claw marks I accidentally pushed through the wood. “Bear, it was wise of you to have bonded with her.” She took the bottles off the tray. “All in all, I believe the bonding has strengthened her body to reject this entity, and with the fae blood running through her, the Goddess was truly on her side.”
Nadia’s warmth of encouragement came to me in waves. She never blamed me for taking her, but I knew Bones still did.
Some doctor mentality shit.
Tajah meticulously arranged more flickering candles on the cool, polished floor, encircling the cushioned table where my mate peacefully rested. By her side, I remained, intertwining our fingers, tenderly pressing my lips against her delicate wrist. The soft glow of the candles danced in the air, casting a warm glow around the room.
I didn’t know what this witch was going to do, but I prayed that it wouldn’t be painful.
Tajah dusted off her hands. The candles lit in a perfect circle around my mate. “Next, I’m going to have you lie down on the table, darling. I’m going to explain everything in just a moment.”
“Are we going to know what this is before you rip out whatever is in her head? Do we need to get our females out of the room?” Hawke spoke up.
Tajah scoffed. “It’s perfectly safe, and I bet yourfemalestake offense at that. They are as strong as any of youmales.”
Nadia giggled when she saw Journey and Delilah sticking their tongues out at their mates. “Lay back, little bee.” I put my hand between her chest and cradled her head until she lay down completely.
My mate trusted me completely. She succumbed to my voice, and her hand rose to hold my wrist to keep me there. I knew she was leery of Tajah and most of the people in this room through our bond, but I would trust these souls with my life.
“Duke Idris has cursed her with a sleeping demon, or a nightmare demon, if you want to call it. It’s a simple name but can cause a punch to the mentality. If Nadia was fully human, she wouldn’t have survived it. It can make a human go crazy in a matter of weeks, maybe months. Replaying memories or creating new ones. They are graphic and violent, you feel like you are there. You can feel emotional and physical pain, and when you wake, you can still feel the remnants of what you have just seen.”
Delilah sobbed in the corner of the room.
I held my mate’s hand tighter and brought it to my lips.
“Nadia, you are so strong,” Tajah said. “I know you feel you are weak, but what you have been through, I can never imagine.”
My mate swallowed. “I’m better now, though. If Bear is with me, I don’t feel the pain. It doesn’t hurt as much.”
“Because of the bond.” Tajah petted her hair. “And now that you are bonded, your mind is stronger. And we are going to rid that demon once and for all, alright?”
Beretta came to Tajah’s side, grabbing the black tablecloth. I was instructed to release my mate’s hand, and I watched as they laid the cloth over my mate’s body. A pentagram lay in the middle with various symbols at each point.
Bram entered from the back of the room. His gait was slow, his hood drawn as he entered. He stood on the other side of the table, reached over my mate’s chest for a blue elixir bottle from Tajah, and downed it in one go. He smacked his lips and gazed down at my mate, who looked up at him with much uncertainty.
“I’m Bram. Former high warlock of the Elysian realm. I’m here to assist with your nightmare.”
Nadia’s eyes moved to me, and I nodded. “He’s okay, baby. Right, Bram?” I raised an eyebrow.
He knew what I was referring to. His mess up with Delilah. He proved himself useful in protecting Hawke and Deilah, sheltering them when Hawke went into his rut to keep them safe and away from Shane. But he failed to give them the proper birth control, resulting in Delilah’s pregnancy. He mixed up the wrong shit.
All in all, the pregnancy was a blessing. The club was excited to see a pup running around, but now we were dealing with my mate’s mind.
“Of course. I’ve proved myself wrestling with a damn half-rabid wolf all morning. It put some hair on my chest, that’s for sure.” He threw the hood off his head.
I growled lowly, my hand wrapping around my mate’s leg. I wasn’t in the joking mood anymore. There was too much magic, too much at stake right now. Like my damn mate laying on the fucking table.
“Bram, demon extraction, focus. Bear isn’t the joking type, especially freshly mated,” Tajah clipped.