Zav laid the bandage back in place and returned to contemplating the sword. “I believe I could remove all of the magic. I am uncertain if I can remove only the fae magic. I assume you wish the original enchantments that enhance the blade to remain.”
“Damn straight I do. I can’t be an assassin of magical bad guys if I don’t have a weapon that can hurt them.” Granted, Fezzik hurt most magical beings, and I’d done this job before acquiring Chopper, but it was much easier with the sword. I had some abilities that typical humans didn’t have, but as full-blooded magical beings were fond of telling me, I was a mongrel and not as inherently powerful as they were. I needed every advantage I could get.
“Fae hide from dragons, so it may be difficult for me to find one to fix this. A dwarven master enchanter could perhaps put a protection spell on the native magic while removing the foreign magic.”
“I don’t think there are any dwarves left on Earth. I have Dimitri. He’s a quarter dwarven, and he enchants yard art.”
“That will not be sufficient.”
“Well, he’s my best bet, unless you want to take me to the dwarven home world, so I can hire a dwarven enchanter to look at it.”
“That would be ideal, but I have recently learned from my cousin who rules over the dwarven home world that they have disappeared into their underground homes and closed up the entrances, enchanting them so well that even dragons have difficulty finding them.”
“That’s crappy timing. Why did they disappear?”
“We believe they worried there would be fallout from the confrontation between my clan and the Silverclaw Clan. It is possible that because they are hidden away, they do not yet know that my clan was victorious in that skirmish.” He lifted his chin, his violet eyes blazing with pride. “As you know, since you were there and went into battle at my side.” His gaze turned back to me, the blaze growing softer in a way that put bedroom thoughts in my mind. Too bad we were still many miles from my bedroom. “You vexed my enemies and then slew the treacherous Shaygorthian.”
“Yes, I did.” I smiled, always pleased when he thought highly of me, especially since we’d started our relationship with him calling me a mongrel and throwing my Jeep—my previous Jeep—into a tree. “With the help of my sword. If dwarven enchanters aren’t available right now, I’m going to have to hope that Dimitri, or maybe the half-troll enchanter who’s mentoring him, has a clue.”
I did worry that if unentangling the magic was beyond Zav it would also be beyond those two. Or anyone else in the city.
“A powerful fae enchanter would also be able to remove the magic,” he said, “but their people are also reclusive and shroud their realm in magic that makes it difficult to portal to. If someone I was familiar with were inside their realm, I could find entrance by using them as a beacon, but without that…”
I thought about mentioning my earlier feeling of being watched—if it had been the fae who planted the artifact, wouldn’t he or she know how to remove its taint?—but that had been little more than a hunch. Even if someone had been there watching me, they would be gone by now.
“I could return to my world and consult with a powerful dragon enchanter,” Zav said, his gaze still locked on mine, “but I am concerned about leaving you without protection. You are a capable warrior, but it is possible that too many enemies will come at you at once for you to fend off.”
“I’m concerned about that too.”
“I will stay here and protect you.” His eyes remained intense, his tone almost fierce.
Usually, I liked handling my own problems, but as he’d said, I might be in over my head with this. Besides, it warmed my heart that he cared and wanted to protect me. And maybe it turned me on a bit too.
“I appreciate that,” I whispered, transfixed by his aura, his gaze, and him.
We leaned together, our mouths meeting, and I decided it was good that Sindari had left. We weren’t driving now, and even though having sex in the Jeep wasn’t the most comfortable thing, as his aura crackled over me, every nerve in my body tingling with his power, I decided I didn’t care.
Zav never cared. Neither witnesses, rain, nor inconveniently placed gear shifts could deter him from sex.
He caressed my cheek, then shifted his hand to the back of my head, fingers kneading my scalp through my hair. If he noticed a car whizzing past to get on the highway, he didn’t show it.
Tingles of pleasure raced through my nerves, and I was on the verge of unbuckling my seatbelt, tossing the sword in the back, and climbing into his lap when I sensed more magical beings coming close. As with the rocs, they were heading straight toward me. No, toward my pulsing beacon of a sword.
Someone’s coming, I thought telepathically, my lips too busy for talking.
Since his senses were far greater than mine, he had to already know, but maybe he had some notion of having sex before they got here. Or commanding them to wait until we were done—dragons thought nothing of commanding lesser species, as they called everyone who wasn’t a dragon, and I could easily envision him doing that.
Eight werewolves, yes. Come to me, my mate.
My seatbelt unbuckled without being touched, and he slid his hand down to my back, apparently also wanting me in his lap.
I gripped his wrist. We should deal with them first, my horny dragon.
Damn, there were eight, and they were less than a quarter mile away now, running fast through the woods.
I will deal with them.
While we’re kissing?
While we are mating. I have missed you. My world is my home and calls to me at times, but dealing with my kin and the enemies of my kin is stressful. Taking this form and mating with you is pleasing. Magic flowed from his fingers and into my body, lighting up my nerves even more.
Zav. I opened my eyes in time to see huge gray wolves lope out of the trees. This needs to wait.
The wolves stopped at the edge of the road, yellow eyes staring into the Jeep. The sword might be calling to them, but they also had to sense Zav. In his human form, his aura wasn’t as noticeable as when he was in his native form, but it was still impossible for those with magical senses to miss.
He didn’t release me, but he turned his head to glare out at the wolves, his violet eyes flaring with his inner power. You dare approach a dragon when he is with his mate, he boomed telepathically. You think to take the sword of a dragon’s mate? Leave now, or I will incinerate you.
A cedar snag near the wolves burst into flames, and they sprang back into the shadows of the forest.
Usually, I would berate Zav for bullying people, but I had little doubt they’d come to steal my sword, so they didn’t have my sympathy.
The big wolves’ hackles were up, and they bared their fangs, but they also shared uneasy glances with each other. After contemplating us for a few more seconds, they backed slowly away. Too slowly.
Leave! Zav boomed again.
A magical compulsion accompanied the word, and they whirled and sped into the trees, sprinting back the way they had come.
We will continue. Zav looked at me again, not concerned that the dead tree was still burning. Someone would report that, and a fire engine would arrive soon. As much as I enjoyed having sex with Zav, I didn’t want a firefighter to peer into the window and see my naked butt in the air.