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It did help. The physical distance allowed Winter to concentrate on the tangled web they were in rather than wondering when he could get Fox up to his bedroom.
“You always knew Fox would block out the ghosts for me,” Winter murmured.
“I knew there had to be a way of doing it. At the time of the prophecy, I didn’t know it was going to be Fox, because he wasn’t born yet. But I will say that the ghost issue wasn’t my main reason in pulling Fox into your orbit.” Zelda narrowed her eyes on Fox and then Winter as if she could see all the worries, doubts, fear, but also joy swirling in their brains. “Is that what you’re worried about? That the only reason you’re together is because of what he can accidentally do? Of all the ridiculous nonsense.” Zelda continued to mutter under her breath as she turned and dug into the bag that was now at her hip on the sofa.
Wait! Winter twisted back around to check that it still wasn’t on the counter. He never saw her carry it from the kitchen when she brought her tea in with her. Was the bag following her around?
Rubbing his eyes, he forced his brain to just ignore it.
“Hold out your hand, Fox, dear,” Zelda instructed while she placed an old tin that rattled on the coffee table.
Fox turned his left hand over, palm up, and he held it out to the witch. With a long hatpin in her left hand, she grabbed Fox’s with her right and briskly stuck one of Fox’s fingers.
“Ouch!”
“Sorry, sweetheart. Just need a drop or two. Don’t move for a second.” Putting the pin back into her bag, she turned her attention to the tin, opening it. Inside were easily two dozen different rings and pendants made of silver or gold. Gems sparkled in the light, and Winter leaned a little closer to look inside. “We need a ring,” Zelda muttered. She picked up one, held it up to Winter for a second, and then tossed it inside to dig for another. She repeated this process several times. “What do you think? A ruby for a vampire?”
“A sapphire. It matches his eyes.”
Zelda smiled at Fox for a heartbeat, then dug out a gold ring with a square-cut sapphire in the center. With the ring in her left hand, she took Fox’s again and carefully placed the sapphire to the bead of blood. Instead of it smearing or running down the side of Fox’s finger, it looked as if the blood were being sucked into the stone.
She held the ring up to the light and wiped the excess off the gem before tossing the ring over to Winter. He fumbled it, mind boggled by the entire process.
“There,” she said as she closed up the tin and placed it in her bag. “You don’t need Fox anymore. Wear the ring, and it will block the ghosts from your sight and hearing in this world. No more guilt or doubts about asking him to stay. No more guilt and doubts about him deciding to stay.”
Fox stuffed the injured finger into his mouth, licking off the smear of blood from his skin. When he removed it, he looked at Zelda in wonder. “That’s all it takes. Winter is free now. Protected.”
“Well, there was quite a bit of magic in that ring,” Zelda admitted and leaned close to continue in a conspiratorial whisper, “But between you and me, I like to make magic look easy. Flusters the other witches.”
“Fox,” Winter croaked out as he slid the amazing gift onto his ring finger. “Stay with me?”
“Fuck yes,” Fox said as he launched himself at Winter. He straddled Winter in the chair and kissed him over and over again. Happiness soared through Winter’s chest, and he held his man tight. The last of the weight on his chest was finally gone. Fox wanted him and just him. And Fox could be sure Winter was only interested in him.
“Okay, boys. We need to get back to business,” Zelda said.
Winter stared up at Fox who snickered softly, “Later, Big Sexy.”
Yes, there would definitely be a later.
Fox climbed out of his lap again and returned to his seat beside Zelda. They really did need to focus on the current problem with the vampires.
“I’m assuming Damon doesn’t realize the prophecy was an elaborate matchmaking scheme,” Winter said, rubbing his temples with both hands.
“Trust me, honey, that wasn’t elaborate. But yes, Damon doesn’t know it was a fake.”
“Which means Damon and his minions are still a danger to Fox.”
“Even without the prophecy, Damon is a danger to Fox because he’s now linked to the Variks,” Zelda said.
“Hell yeah, I’m linked. You’re not getting fucking rid of me. I’m there with you, and I’m fighting,” Fox argued. His face was flushed, and he seemed to puff up his chest a little, as if he were expecting Winter to fight him over that statement.
