Callie’s brow furrowed as she looked at Darius. When her gaze switched to me, it was assessing. “That is why this sword is still in our possession,” she said. “A local hack who stares into crystal balls for tourists visited me one afternoon. She insisted on tea, and when I told her I didn’t have time—she’s a serious whack-job, this lady—she forced her way in and started making tea herself.
“After she made a nuisance of herself, I finally agreed to sit down for a cup with her. A moment later, she went into a trance and laid out the type of sword I had to make. Make, keep, and store. She described the sword itself in detail, as well as the properties I should put into it. I knew for a fact that no one would be able to use a sword that hungry. It would bleed the holder dry and keep looking for more. I didn’t voice my refusal, of course. You shouldn’t argue with crazy; it can get dangerous.
“Anyway, she finished her spiel, rose, and knocked her cup onto the floor like the low-class hack she is. She was pretending to be in her trance still, but I didn’t get this house by being an idiot. Without another word, she left. I hate that woman. I really do. I haven’t talked to her since, even when she’s been in the same room at the magical women’s rum mixer.”
She gestured toward the sword. “This was delivered later that same day. It matched her description perfectly, down to the last detail.”
“I’d actually ordered a different one,” Dizzy said, looking down at it. “This was a mistake. I asked Callie to help me send it back—”
“He still doesn’t know how to process a return. How, I don’t know, because we’ve done it a million times—”
“—but she insisted we keep it. After I heard the story, it was hard not to agree. And here you are.”
“You’ve just said that it siphons too much power.” Darius touched the small of my back, still leaning in too closely. “It is too dangerous, and you are wasting my time.”
“This is why I leave vampire clients to Dizzy,” Callie muttered to me. She patted my arm. “You had to push power into the other sword you used, right?”
“Yes. That’s how my power works.”
“No. That is how your power works with the wrong instrument. What about portable magic storage?”
“The casings don’t work for me. My magic eats them away.”
“Typically, yes, that’s what I would expect. I have one that might hold up, though. I can make more as well. He can afford it.” Callie hooked a thumb toward Darius. “Eventually you’ll meet someone who has more power than you.” She gave a pregnant pause, and shivers coated my body. For the second time, I wondered if she knew the truth about my father. And if so, how soon before she’d try to sell me out and I’d have to kill her.
“You’ll need the extra boost,” she finished. “Try the sword.”
“Be cautious here,” Darius said, still acting like an umbrella. Perhaps this was the real reason why he didn’t want a bond-mate—his level of protection was stifling.
“How do you not have more problems with your children rebelling? This is ridiculous.” I elbowed him again.
He pushed my elbow away. “My children have some sense.”
“They became vampires, and you think they have sense?” I muttered, my hand near the hilt. A feeling of friendship stole over me, almost like the sword welcomed my touch and was inviting me closer. Taking a deep breath, I complied.
The second my fingers wrapped around the leather, I felt the minimal suction. My arm acted like a straw, drawing forth the magic from the rest of my body. With very little effort, I stopped the flow. It required no fight—less effort than pushing magic into my other sword.
I put it into my scabbard, a little loose-fitting, then drew it out again. Light and agile, it was an improvement over the last one. The magic was still stored inside, not that it should’ve gone anywhere in that small span of time.
“Seems to work.” I shrugged. “It’s light and pretty, too. So that’s nice.”
“Voila.” Callie patted my arm. “Let Reagan test it, Dizzy. I’ll go get the little brooch. It’s ugly as sin, but it’s great for heavy magic users, trust me.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Darius asked as Dizzy headed into his shed.
A cooling sensation spread through me as I let the sword take more magic. When the magic depleted from my body and the sword began to draw on my life force, the cold turned into frost, highly unpleasant. I cut off the draw, and the feeling subsided.
“Seems like there is a built-in warning.” I made a duckbill with my lips and waved the sword, nearly nicking Darius with the tip. Finally, he stepped back. “It’s really nice. Like the Cadillac of blades.”
“Cadillacs break down,” Darius said.
“Helpful.”
“I love mine,” Dizzy said, holding a small sphere between his thumb and forefinger. “My Cadillac, I mean. I don’t have a sword. That I use. Anyway, the car has lasted a long time. Callie insists I get a new one, but mine works just fine. Ready, Reagan?”
“For what?”
“To test it out, naturally.” He threw the casing at the ground and hastened backward. It cracked like an egg. In a few seconds, a twenty-foot-high, ferocious green dragon grew from a puff of smoke. It roared, a sound that shook the ground.
“Oops. Shoot. That’s going to wake the neighbors.” Dizzy rushed into his shed.
Darius ripped a spell out of his satchel, pinched it, and spoke it alive. A red blob flew up and fluttered open, unfurling into a large, flat surface that hung over half the backyard, dragon spell and all, before draping down. He was trying to diminish the sound for the neighbors. It did nothing to block out the sight, I didn’t think. Hopefully no one would peek out their windows and catch sight of the giant mythical beast in their midst.
The creature stomped at me. I dodged easily but didn’t stab. I was feeling out the vibrations from the spell, learning how it was constructed. It had a hefty amount of power and incredible finesse, clearly created by two masters. What I wouldn’t give to afford their designs on a regular basis. It would make my life so much easier.