“You really do think dragons are stupid, don’t you?”
She blinked, as if caught off guard by his burst of annoyance. “I mean I don’t have magic in my blood. Not like other mages.”
Azh forced himself to take a calming breath. He was more on edge than he realized. “A witch?” he guessed.
“That’s what I hoped. I even sought out a local coven in London.”
He didn’t miss her shudder at the mention of the coven. As if the memory still caused her pain.
“That didn’t go well?”
“They tied rocks around me and tossed me into the river. They wanted to drown me before I could attract attention that might get them burned at the stake.”
Azh wasn’t surprised. Witches had blamed mages for causing them to be hunted by both humans and demons from the beginning of time. Personally, he thought they were jealous of the rare members of their covens who were blessed with the ability to tap directly into their primal magic.
Still, if she wasn’t a witch or a mage or a vampire or a demon or a dragon...then what the hell was she?
“How do you create spells?” he asked.
“From objects that hold magic. Amulets, crystals, charms, relics.”
“But you need magic to tap into the spell or power.”
“I don’t tap into it. I absorb it.”
Azh swept his gaze over her face, which had thankfully lost its pallor. This cramped room that reeked of mildew and echoed with the sounds of voices from next door appeared to give her some sense of safety.
Or maybe it’s my presence that eased her fears, a hopeful voice whispered in the back of his mind.
His heat flared as a razor-edged excitement sliced through the layers of indifference that had wrapped around him since the dragons had gone into hibernation.
This woman. She fascinated him in a way he couldn’t explain. Maybe because she remained such a mystery. He’d never encountered anyone like her. Of course, he’d spent the past centuries locked in his lair, he reminded himself. He could glimpse the world and keep track of the changes in society and technology, but they’d had no effect on him or his people.
Not until the dragon magic had stirred him fully awake.
The thought was an abrupt reminder that now wasn’t the time or place to become lost in his obsession with this woman.
Later, however, he intended to indulge his desires. Vociferously and with exquisite attention to detail.
He smoothed his expression as he realized she was staring at him with a hint of suspicion. No doubt she’d sensed his dangerous distraction.
“You said you absorb the magic.” He forced out the words. “There’s a difference from what mages do?”
She slowly nodded. “I’ve never created a spell like a regular mage, but I know they use their magic to release the power stored in the object. When I am near one, the power simply seeps into me.”
“And then you can use the magic?”
“Yes.”
“How long does it stay?”
“It depends on the object. The more powerful the magic, the longer it stays. There are some spells that have been with me from my earliest days in London and other magic that disappears as soon as I use it.”
“I knew you were unique, but this...” Azh was young in dragon years, but he’d been alive a very, very long time. Wynn continued to surprise him. “I’ve never heard of anyone who could store magic from another creature. Is it different if the object was created by a demon or a human?”
She considered the question, as if trying to recall if there’d been a notable variance in the powers she absorbed.
“Not that I can tell,” she at last decided. “Witch magic isn’t as strong and usually fades the fastest, but otherwise there’s nothing to reveal who placed the spell in the artifact.”
