Born in Fire (Fire and Ice Trilogy Book 1)

by K. F. Breene

  “I wouldn’t know,” I said calmly, despite my frantically beating heart. “I never knew him.”

  “Of course not.” She looked like she was about to go on, but her eyes flicked to Darius again, and her mouth shut with the click of teeth.

  Fear such as I’d never known washed over me. I glanced at the hilt of the sword she was holding, ready to take it up should she move to capture me, because I was almost positive this woman knew who my father was. Not the story my mom told strangers, but the real man. He’d been the love of her life until she realized that love wasn’t real. That it was mostly magic. Magic, a handsome face, a delicious body, charm, and great sex. But as soon as my mother learned there was life in her, my father’s draw on her dried up. The love of her child took over, and she kicked his ass to the curb.

  She’d admitted all this to me on her deathbed, sexual ability and all. I’d had no idea how to take the news. Talk about awkward farewell speeches.

  I’d vowed to achieve what my mother had died for—a long life of freedom. And it had been going fine, until these danged vampires had gotten involved.

  “No wonder she was hiding you,” Callie said, her eyes shining despite her bulldog expression. “Didn’t want the Mages’ Guild to get a hold of you.”

  I scoffed, watching her body language, and monitoring Dizzy to make sure he wasn’t working on a spell. “Right. Like they have a pot to piss in.”

  She barked out a laugh. “They create more bad mages than good, I’ll give you that. They can push their weight around when they see trainable talent, though.”

  “I’m not trainable.”

  “Of course you are.” She scowled at me. “Curse breakers are headstrong, but they can still be taught.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The tension that had surrounded me like a bubble deflated. I relaxed. “I’m not a curse breaker. I don’t even know what a curse breaker is. I think you’re remembering the wrong person.”

  She made a sound like “pouf” and waved me away. “Dizzy, less magic. Almost none. Get the old sword.”

  “Which old sword?” He accepted the reject sword she handed back to him and then paused in the entryway of his shed.

  “The old sword. The black one.”

  “Which black one?” he yelled.

  “The one with silver in the hilt. The red hilt, with silver—”

  “That’s the red one!” He grunted and stalked into his shed.

  “The man needs a better system. Trying to talk to him is a nightmare.” Callie wiped a hand across her face. “I swear, I want to wring his neck. He gets me so worked up.”

  My grin was probably rude, but I couldn’t get rid of it. “Are you both mages, then?”

  “You know we are. You can feel our magic, can’t you?”

  “It’s polite to ask.”

  She waved me away again as a sound like a metal avalanche filled the shed. Swear words rode the breeze, but finally Dizzy emerged. His shirt had three new rips, his arm had a line of red an inch long, and his leg was bleeding.

  “He doesn’t have a ladder in there,” Callie said, crossing her arms over her chest. “He piles the swords on a shelf, so when he tries to get one down, he drops them all on his head. Men. They never learn.”

  “How often do I get these down?” Dizzy demanded, a sword in hand. It sounded aggressively rhetorical. He stopped in front of me with a sheen of sweat on his forehead, breathing heavily. “This is the one. I can feel it.” He held it out.

  The sword was absolutely gorgeous. A delicate line of silver shot through the red leather hilt, curled around onto the black blade, and then straightened into a line toward the point.

  “He got that one from a garage sale,” Callie said, standing beside me and staring at the blade. “Or was it a swap meet?”

  “EBay.” Dizzy wiped his palm on his shirt. “Great stuff on eBay.”

  “Yes. He prepares them with the fundamentals of magic, and I weave in the spells.” Callie motioned me toward the blade. “See if it will work. No one else can even touch it. Except us, of course, because we made it magical.”

  “Why can’t anyone else touch it?” I asked, holding my palm over the blade.

  “Too hungry. In the field, we call these types of swords magic conductors, but they aren’t. They feed off your magic, then store it for your future use. They’re magical lockers for certain types of magic. Storage. Did the person who made your last sword take your magical measure before making it?”

  “Yes,” I said. “He is one of the best.”

  She huffed. “Maybe for your paycheck. That instrument, which we have, of course, only accurately gauges certain types of magic. Witches and mages would mostly get accurate readings. But even though you’re similar to a very powerful mage, your power is fundamentally different. You would simply register as high power. You probably had to push your magic into the sword he made you because it wasn’t hungry enough to siphon it out of you.”

  “I have heard of instruments that siphon power.” Darius stepped closer and leaned into my space protectively. I tried to push him back with an elbow. He nudged my elbow out of the way. “They are dangerous. That is not why we are here.”

  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.

  The tail swung around, long and thick, with three-foot-long spikes on the end. I jumped over it, rolled to the side, and ducked under the return swing. The thing didn’t have a pooper, but otherwise the dragon looked remarkably real. Solid, with colors that stayed in the right areas.

  “Reagan, we are short on time.” Darius lazily avoided a stomping foot.

  “It’s a bit slow, this dragon, isn’t it?” I touched the leg and felt a painful zing through my arm.

  “It’s made to distract,” Dizzy yelled as he came out of his shed. He noticed the spell Darius had thrown. “Oh.” He ducked back in, yelling, “If an opponent thinks the creature can be beaten, he will engage because of the size. If he thinks it cannot be beaten, he will resort to extreme measures to find a way around it. Or run. So you see, a large beast, that looks real, is a better—”

  “We understand,” Darius interrupted. “Reagan.”

  “Yup.” I let the tail smash into me, and was rewarded with a very solid hit that hurt like the bejeebus. I rolled backward onto my head, sword still in hand, before hopping to my feet. “I thought it might pass through me.”

  “We do not create weak spells, young lady,” Dizzy said disapprovingly, outside his shed again.

  “Now I know.” I ducked under a smashing foot and hacked into the leg, not even thinking about enacting the magic within my sword. Much to my delight, it still worked. The sword sliced through the spell, tearing it open and burning the edges. The blade glowed a soft blue.

  “The sword is designed to sense any extreme temperatures and show a color connected to the opposite spectrum. That crazy crystal ball reader said we should incorporate that,” Dizzy said. “Clearly your magic is made up of extreme fire and heat.”

  Yes, it was, and now everyone knew. Darius had gained another piece of the riddle. Thanks, Dizzy.

  “Of course…” Dizzy’s eyes crinkled. “I don’t think you’ll fight the same person often enough for them to catch on. Or you wouldn’t be your mother’s daughter.”

  The dragon unraveled like a sweater before finally puffing out, leaving a big pile of residual magic that wafted sulfur.

  “The smell is intended to be a further distraction once the dragon has been taken down,” Dizzy said, reading my mind. Or maybe my scrunched-up face.

  Darius held up his used casing and spoke what sounded like Latin. The red spell shimmering above us sparkled before folding back into the casing.

  “Oh, that’s handy,” I said. “And a money saver. Do you have to speak Latin to use it?”

  “This one, yes. Which is why very few people steal my best spells.” He tucked it into his satchel. “It’s doubtful those who do will be able to use them. I will not be angry if they are returned.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. I doubted he knew that I had pocketed the spell he’d given me in the unicorn paddock, but he’d clearly noticed the ones I’d used my five-finger discount on in his chamber. I mean, they were just sitting there, staring at me as I made my out. “That was a dig at me, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “I got a call about the noise,” Callie said to Dizzy as she made her way out of the house.

  “Sorry! I’d forgotten about the sound.” Dizzy shrank a little and glanced at me. “I didn’t used to put sound in them.”

  “You should put fire in it, too,” I said, touching the blade with my finger. It was way too nice for the likes of me.

  It’s all about who you know.

  “Here, honey. You’ll have to push magic into this, but it should hold it for you.” Callie handed me a strange-looking brooch fashioned to look like a big beetle with a lion’s head.

  “Never wear that in my presence,” Darius said. “Keep it out of sight.”

  He’d get it pinned to his back when he wasn’t looking so everyone would laugh at him, that was what he’d get.

  “Will you be needing any more spells?” Dizzy asked Darius.

  “How many of those swords do you possess?” Darius pointed at my blade, which I hadn’t put away yet. It was too new and shiny to hide.

  “None like that, but we could make some.” Dizzy glanced at Callie.

  She shrugged and nodded. “Full payment up front.” At Darius’s shrewd look, she crossed her arms over her chest. “She is the only one I know who can use a blade like that. I would be making it specifically for her. I don’t plan to waste my time simply because vampires can’t be trusted. Money up front.”

  “And a brooch that isn’t so hideous?” Darius hadn’t reached for his wallet. Assuming he had one.

  “How many?” she replied.

  “As many as would be necessary in the event that she encounters a spell much stronger than sh
e can comfortably handle.”

  “Since when are vampires worried about the wellbeing of humans?” She turned on me quickly. “Tell me you didn’t bond the shrewdest vampire in existence!”

  “I’m not an idiot.” I shrank away from her scowl. Thunder clouds rolled across Darius’s face.

  “A sword can create a bond with the handler,” she said, relaxed now. “But a brooch is too small. Anyone who got their hands on it could use it. For some people, that isn’t a big deal. But for Reagan, that could have extremely damaging consequences.”

  Those threads of fear resurfaced. She was right about my power, but was she guessing, or did she know?

  “For that reason,” she went on, speaking to me, “You need to take care of them, or your power can be used against you. Not to mention analyzed. So two small magical containers would be all I’d advise.”

  “Fine,” Darius barked. He checked his watch. “Get two more in motion. Charge the card on file. I will have my assistant review the charge. I expect a discount for the bulk order.”

  “You’ll get no discount, or you’ll get no supplies.” Callie gave Darius her bulldog expression.

  “That’s what you get for not using please,” I murmured.

  Darius threw his hard gaze at Dizzy. “I would like a handful of distraction spells, delivered to Reagan now. Then a dozen more, styled to look like various creatures, color coded. My people will supply you with the colors, as usual. Make the dragon breathe fire.”

  “I’m…not sure I can do that.” Dizzy scratched his head.

  “C’mon, honey, let’s heal your face.” Callie tugged me along behind her.

  “Oh. Do we have time?” I glanced at Darius. He gave me a nod before following Dizzy into his shed. That wasn’t the answer I’d hoped for. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with this woman.

  “I hate dealing with that vampire,” Callie said as she pulled me toward the house. “Which is why I usually don’t. He makes me want to kick him.” She huffed as we entered through the door. “Right, honey, down to the brass tacks.” She still hadn’t released my wrist, and was now yanking me toward the stairs. “Do you know about your father?”