Page 6 of Kiss of Light

“No need, shaitun. What I want is right here.”

Quick as a snake, the wiccan grabbed Tala’s hand. She inspected it thoroughly. Tala tried to snatch it back but the old woman’s grip was like iron.

“What are you doing?”

“The little finger, I think. No need for more. Mustn’t be greedy.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind? I’m not giving you my finger. The only finger you’re getting is the middle one.”

“But it will grow back, will it not? And demon bones are highly prized among wiccan. With the right spell, it can be used to create invisibility. I can charge a lot of money for that.”

“Growing bones is painful.” Tala managed to wrench her hand free. “It doesn’t just pop back straightaway, you know.”

“But it won’t take long. And in return, you will have my ammunition spell. I promise you, it will be highly effective against even a roomful of vampires.”

“A roomful?” Tala narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “You have a spell that will take out several vamps at once?”

“Any Vetali within a ten meter radius. In every direction. I guarantee they will be neutralised in a blink of an eye.”

“What about the vamp I need to protect? Fat lot of good ifhegets neutralised too.”

“As long as he is touching you, he will be protected. Now, do we have a deal?”

Like I have a choice.She nodded reluctantly.

“Make it fast.”

She laid her left hand on the counter and handed the old woman one of her own blades. They were crafted from the strongest and purest elven silver mined in Nush’aldaam. She honed them everyday and she knew their edges were the sharpest they could be. They would cut through almost anything. Even shaitun bone.

The wiccan didn’t tarry. She put the blade against the finger and severed it in a single slice. Tala sucked in a sharp breath as she felt the pain of bone and tendon parting. Her blood spurted onto the counter, the rich, dark, ruby red of a healthy demon. The wound started to clot immediately, her supernatural healing kicking in.

“Here.” Mana Xiaoping handed her a tissue and Tala wrapped it round the stump, grimacing. The wiccan held up the amputated finger and examined it critically. Satisfied, she folded a cloth around it and tucked it into her pocket.

“What about the blood?” Tala eyed the counter. It looked like someone had spilled a glass of merlot all over it.

“Leave it. I can find a use for demon blood.”

“I’ll bet you can. Now, the spell. Is it something I have to memorise?”

The wiccan cackled.

“Nothing so straightforward, shaitun. In any case, reciting a spell is difficult when you have a dozen vampires going for your jugular.”

“What then?”

Mama Xiaoling went to the shelf and pulled down a small jar. Something clinked inside it. She twisted the top off and shook it into her hand.

It looked like a coin. Small, circular, about the size of a button. It was a faint greenish colour, like old bronze, but stained with something that looked like rust. At least, Tala hoped it was rust. A single character was inscribed on it. A rune from a long-forgotten language.

“What is it?” she asked.

“A light-bringer. It will emit ultraviolet rays anywhere, even in the blackest hole, strong enough to kill any Vetali within range.”

Tala was impressed.

“That’s bloody amazing. How do I work it?”

“It will respond to your command.”

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