Sinister Magic: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series (Death Before Dragons #1) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,61

to be hoping to find fresh blood dripping from a wound. That was just as bad.

“No, and don’t sound so hopeful. I’m fine.” I tried to will away the tightness and breathe more quietly.

Vampires were probably among the magical with excellent hearing.

“An aerosol made from venom from the spiked tail of a manticore and mixed with liquid magnesium sulfate will clear the lungs right up. Perhaps you’d like to trade a small taste of your blood for such a concoction.” He licked his lips. The only thing worse than a vampire was a hungry vampire. “I have the ingredients here.”

“No, thanks. Listen, Zoltan.” I stepped back into his lab and lowered the gun but didn’t put it away. “I need a few minutes of your time, and I’ll be happy to pay your hourly rate. Then you can go buy someone else’s blood.”

“Hourly rate? Madam, do I look like a prostitute?”

“Lawyers, plumbers, and consultants all have hourly rates.”

“Do they? I must get out more in the world. What can I do for you? If I’m able to assist you, perhaps you can owe me a favor, eh?”

“No favors.” I pulled out a wad of cash and smacked it down on the nearest counter. To think Sudo wondered why I needed my combat bonuses delivered in hard currency. Was I supposed to PayPal a vampire? “Two hundred dollars for your time. Do you agree?”

“Is that what plumbers charge?”

“Yes.” As if I knew. I had a landlord that called the plumbers.

“Very well. I will assume this is reasonable. What is your question?”

“First off, do you know who made this?” I carefully withdrew and unwrapped the vial. “And is there any way you can tell what potion it was holding? If so, and if you can give me an antidote that will magically heal the friend of mine that was made sick by it, I’ll pay more.”

“All this money you’re throwing around, as if I’m going to take off on a holiday to Hawaii with it.”

“Maybe you need another computer monitor.”

“Hm, yes. My equipment is expensive.” Zoltan took the vial from me, his hand cold when it brushed mine.

He went to a Bunsen burner and heated the bottom. I leaned forward, encouraged that he’d known about the heat-activation without me saying anything. I wished I’d thought to ask Nin for alchemist recommendations in the first place. Then I could have avoided that trip to Bend and the run-in with the government agents—and the dragon.

“Mm hmm,” he murmured, and walked to a bookcase full of thick tomes with yellowed pages. Few had titles printed in English. He pulled out one so old that the binding creaked. “Mmm.”

Val? came Sindari’s voice through our link. I cannot find you.

I’m under the carriage house in the vampire’s laboratory. I don’t think the door I used is the best one. Look around back for something.

Are you in danger?

Not at the moment. Will you check on Dimitri? We got separated, and I don’t know his phone number. Nor did I know if I had reception down here. Was Zoltan’s computer setup using a cell signal for internet access? Or had he somehow gotten cables run underground out here? Obviously, he had electricity.

I’ll check on him. I think those people I led around are elves—or dark elves—and I think they realized I was deliberately leading them away from their prey. I expect them to return to this property.

Am I their prey?

Probably. I think you were the target at your colonel’s apartment.

Then I’m glad their aim has been lousy.

Has it? That room you were in burned down, with the roof collapsing on it. If you’d been a little slower to get out…

I take your point. Keep me updated, please.

“Here, you can see this sigil.” Zoltan laid the book on the counter, open to a back page.

Though my instincts warned me about getting too close, I came over, keeping Fezzik between him and me. Zoltan beamed an admiring smile at my neck. I must have caught him on a hungry night.

The familiar symbol was one of four drawn on the page in faded brown ink—or was that blood? The smaller text written around each symbol was in black ink.

“What’s it say about it?” I couldn’t read anything, but the flowing script was in the same stylistic vein as the symbol. “And what language is this book in?”

“The particular alchemical language of the dark elves. They have four different tongues, one for alchemy, one for religious purposes, one for teaching, and one for