by J. A. Saare
It had been too long since we’d been together, well over a week, but I remembered how wonderful he felt. His weight pressing into me was as erotic as it had always been, centering me, reminding me that we were made for each other. We couldn’t have been closer as we moved together, our bodies in perfect harmony.
“Caleb.” I exhaled his name, a breathy promise.
That pinnacle came without warning, blocking out everything, including the new part of me under the surface. My soft cries of release were muffled by Caleb’s mouth as he kissed me, his hands moving along my face and jaw, caressing and retreating. When he moved away, I lifted my eyes. The pools of blue that shifted and swirled in a multitude of color were focused on my face.
He buried his chin into my neck as he pressed against my body, moving quickly. He slid in and out, forcing me to take him, to surrender completely.
“You feel so good,” he groaned, pumping his hips and rolling them in a sensuous circle, reaching the apex himself.
When he came, his shoulders shuddered under my fingers, his body shaking. He collapsed on top of me, breathing hard against my throat.
“I love you.” I placed my lips against his neck and tasted his salty skin. “You are everything to me.”
He lifted away, balancing himself on his elbows. I smiled at the necklace dangling between us, my mother’s ring hanging from the chain around his neck just as I’d left it.
“I love you.” He dipped his head to press a kiss to my nose.
Wrapping my arms around his waist and sighing contentedly, I burrowed my face into his chest and remained as close to him as possible, unwilling to ever let him go.
Chapter 24—Quinn
I pulled a sweatshirt over my head, listening as Caleb chuckled softly at my futile struggles from the bed. A surge of energy trickled over my skin, so slight I barely noticed it. I pushed my face through the hole in the shirt and turned, wavy hair flying wildly across my shoulders.
I walked to the window and stared outside, my vision searching as far as my eyes would allow, looking for something although I was unsure of what it was. The strange sensation rolled through me again, and I pushed aside the curtain.
“What’s wrong?” Caleb rose to his feet and walked to me.
“I’m not sure.” Frowning, I strode to the door and pulled it open. The noises from downstairs had stopped. Chris and Aidan were whispering in hushed tones.
I shuffled down the hallway with Caleb close behind and went downstairs. Chris was standing next to the newly created doorframe. The glass had been removed and temporarily replaced with two-by-fours, the brown wood stark against the bone colored walls. Aidan was next to him, clutching a hammer inside one of his enormous hands.
As we neared, Aidan turned his buzzed head, his light blue eyes focusing on me as his gargantuan body followed suit. His nose flared and his brows came together before he smiled, hiked his chin at me, and returned his attention to the yard.
Caleb stepped past them and through the door, stopping in the center of the porch. I took my time, walking behind him, and tentatively stopped by his side.
“I feel it, but I can’t smell it,” Caleb growled.
I looked up at him before I folded my arms and peered into the distance. I could see as far as the gate, and that was at least a half a mile away. I used my sight to skim over the cows in the distance, finding nothing.
“It’s not like the fucker who showed up here before,” Aidan snarled, striding to Caleb’s free side, and lifted his head, scenting the air. “He smelled sweet, like sugary cotton candy.”
“No.” Caleb mirrored Aidan’s actions, breathing in deeply. “I don’t smell anything but myself.”
“Maybe you should take a shower,” I joked, flaring my own nose and getting more than I bargained for. Multiple smells assailed me and I tried to sort through the various scents of trees, ice, water, gravel, rubber, sawdust, and metal. I rubbed my nose with the back of my hand, blowing air out of the nostrils to clear the passages.
Aidan snorted sarcastically. “That’s real cute. You should consider a career as a comedian.”
I didn’t respond to his jibe, choosing to ignore him instead. I kept my eyes on the horizon, trying to see as far as my newfound vision would allow.
“What’s going on?” Sammie asked from the house, her footsteps coming down the hall and out the door.
I turned my head slightly to talk but kept my eyes ahead, focusing on something in the distance I couldn’t see.
“I don’t know.”
Mom, Dad, and Trent came around the side of the house, and I broke my focus, watching as they stepped onto the porch. Trent didn’t look in my direction, so I couldn’t see his face. His clothes were clean, free of tears, holes, or blood.
“He has come,” Dad spoke excitedly, rushing over and standing at the stairs in front of us.
“Who?” Caleb demanded, shifting closer to me.
Dad kept his gaze straight ahead. “Quinn.”
We all stood waiting, Beverly joining us seconds later, wrapping an arm around Sammie. A flash of movement caught our attention, a speck on the otherwise cow-filled horizon. As the speck became a blur, I made out two people.
“Hasn’t he heard of something called an automobile?” I asked.
“Quinn has never cared for modern technology. He only flies on rare and necessary occasions.” Dad didn’t offer anything else, his Scottish brogue heavy with anticipation.
The two men didn’t hurry, taking their time. Their white shirts were neatly buttoned and open at the collar, ebony slacks pressed. Dark jackets covered their torsos, reminding me of Trent’s favorite article of clothing.
The taller one’s light brown hair fell in straight strands to his shoulders. His face matched his body, the features both long and lean. The man beside him was almost as tall but his body was stocky instead of thin. Dark brown hair was cut short, the strands an absolute disarray along the top. His chin and jaw were covered in a thin slathering of matching brown hair, neatly trimmed and shaped.
Both of them were obviously vampire. They moved with an obvious grace, legs moving in gliding steps. Their skin was pale and luminous, especially when viewed with my new vision.
“This shit is like a fucked up version of The Lord of the Rings,” Aidan muttered. “If Gandalf comes over that hill on a white horse, I’m outta here.”
Caleb shot Aidan a warning look and he shut up.
The visitors walked up the drive, and I moved closer to Caleb, bumping against his side. His hand came around, circled my waist, and he gave me a comforting hug. I tried to disguise my anxiousness, keeping my arms crossed and watching them warily. From the distance, they didn’t look so sizable, but up close the tallest one was every bit as large as Billy. The shorter of the two was Aidan’s size.
“Quinn,” Dad said, stepping down and approaching the men with Trent at his side. My mother stayed back, standing next to one of the white pillars in the corner.
“Luca.” The shorter one stepped forward, extending his hand. His voice was accented with a dialect I couldn’t place. “I do not regret the time that has lapsed since our last audience, and I’m sure you can say the same.”
“Thank you for coming.”
“And where is the exceptional child of yours that has caused so much fervor?” Quinn released Dad’s hand and stepped around him. His gaze swept along the porch and stopped when he looked at me.
I stood transfixed. His eyes were purple, a glorious shade of sparkling amethyst. He strode past my father and Trent, walked up the stairs.
“Elle qui ne serait pas en cage,” he whispered, extending his hand.
“What does that mean?” I uncrossed my arms and placed my hand in his, intending to shake it, but he flipped it over and touched the skin at my wrist.
“She who would not be caged. That is what the royalty have taken to calling you,” he answered, tracing the unmarked skin where I had been bitten during the ascension.
“They
know?” I asked in shock.
“The quandary in which we find ourselves has caused many among the court to whisper.” He returned his focus to my face. His gaze held the same kind of power that Decimus’s did. “Walk with me. Let us speak privately.”
Caleb grasped my arm, keeping me close. “She doesn’t leave my sight.”
Quinn turned his head, attention traveling to Caleb as he asked loudly, “Le gendre, je présume?”
“Yes,” Dad replied, narrowing his eyes at Caleb.
“That’s some rude shit my man.” Aidan growled angrily, shifting his deep voice and responding in the same fluent language. “Ne soyez pas un imbecile. Parlez s'il vous plaît l'anglais.”
“Can all of you please speak English?” I snapped.
“That’s what I just asked homeboy to do,” Aidan said flatly, his ice blue eyes changing colors. “Our man here fancies himself a Creole.”
“Interesting companions you choose to keep.” Quinn smiled wryly, looking away from Caleb, and staring at me. He released my wrist, placed his hand over his chest, and bent at the waist. “I so avow you shall come to no harm in my presence.”
He righted himself and smiled. “Please. Walk with me so that we may speak.”
He extended his arm at the elbow, and I glanced at Caleb. His grip didn’t lessen, fingers buried painfully in my arm.
“If you love her, you will relinquish your hold and allow her to speak with me.” Quinn’s voice dipped dangerously low as he glared at Caleb in agitation. “Now is not the time for pettiness, loup-garou.”
“Emma?” Caleb asked, waiting.
I studied Quinn. This was the enforcer. The one man who had the power to stop Decimus and the only known vampire who was immune to the prince’s necromancy. My father had always spoken highly of Quinn and trusted him after years spent working together under harsh circumstances. If he had faith in him, then so would I.
“We won’t go far,” I said quietly, and Caleb let me go. Stepping forward, I slid my hand into Quinn’s outstretched arm.
He led us off the porch and away from the house. The gravel pinched my socked feet, but I barely noticed. I was too unnerved by the powerful person standing beside me who was a legend among his kind—both revered and feared.
“Jonathan tells me le prince has already thrown the gauntlet.” Quinn kept his face forward, stepping smoothly along the tiny stones.
“Who?” I questioned, turning to look at him.
“My acolyte.” He paused as my frown deepened, choosing different words to clarify. “My traveling companion.”
“If you’re referring to Decimus’s recent visit here, then yes,” I answered, staring at the ground, “I would consider that a gauntlet.”
“Le prince is insensate and temerarious, but in all the centuries he has ruled our people, he has never been denied, subdued, or chastened. He has discovered he does not enjoy being on the receiving end of what he so easily dictates for many.”
“I just wanted to be with Caleb.” I forced myself to keep my temper in check. “I didn’t want any of this to happen. I thought we could leave, come back here, and it would all be over.”
“This is no longer a matter of discretion. By coming here, he has openly defied our decree of Absolutum Dominium, thereby breaking our laws. The same laws he helped create. He would have war to prove his power, not only to you, but to all of those who would dare oppose him in the future. There is nothing you can do to stop the die that has been cast.” He turned to me and smiled. “However, there is something you can do to determine the outcome.”
“I don’t know what I can do.”
“Then let us see.”
He walked away from the gravel road, toward the pasture. He walked to the trees at the edge of the mountain, stepped under the gnarled, barren branches, and stopped. He lowered his arm, pulled away and took a step back, and placed distance between us.
“First we must see if le prince was erroneous in his assumptions. Command me to stop and step forward.”
“Excuse me?” I laughed nervously, thinking perhaps I had misheard him.
“We are already losing the battle if you cannot follow simple instructions.” His disapproval at my reaction was obvious. “Command me to stop and step forward.”
I wasn’t sure what he hoped to accomplish, but decided it was best to do as he instructed. “Stop,” I said and took a step in his direction.
“Mean it when you say it,” he growled and flashed his fangs, approaching me as he continued baring his teeth.
“Stop!” I yelled in panic, stepping back instead of forward.
“Good, your ability is of a different sort.” He seemed pleased. “Send some of your power in my direction, but please use caution.” He relaxed, lifting his hands palm up, studying me.
“I don’t have any power.” I cleared my throat and wrapped my arms around myself. “I have to borrow it.”
“Don’t be daft, girl.” His lips thinned, frown lines forming around his eyes. “It is there, I can sense it. Send a portion of your energy in my direction, but use precaution. We need to know what ability you have obtained.”
I sighed, keeping one arm around my stomach and lifted my hand. I pictured energy traveling in his direction, manipulated the air around him, and sent it outward. An explosion of heat blasted into my body, forcing me through the air and onto the ground. I rolled as I hit the dirt, stopping when my body lodged against a tree.
“What the hell was that?” I yelled, slightly panicked. I tottered unsteadily to my feet and brushed my jeans free of the dirt from my tumble. I looked down at my hands, trying to feel the hum of energy within me, and realized it was combined and disguised by the feeling of the wolf beneath my skin.
“I warned you to use as little as possible.” He let out a disconcerted breath, closing his eyes, and stood utterly still.
I looked around, peering through the trees, and returned my attention to him. He didn’t break his concentration, eyes and body still as stone, completely engrossed in whatever it was he was doing.
“What are you doing?” I asked after several long and tense minutes had passed.
“Assimilating.” He opened his eyes. “Of course,” he murmured, with what appeared to be understanding crossing his face. “You are mated to a living creature of the earth. It is only natural that you would gravitate to that.”
“Feel free to let me know what you’re talking about at any time,” I said and lifted my hand, giving him a pathetic wave.
“Look behind you,” he instructed, lifting his chin to indicate the direction.
I turned on my heel and glanced at the trees. “What am I looking for?”
“The squirrel. Do you see it?”
I lifted my head, my gaze darting around, and found the furry critter perched on a thick branch overhead. It was standing still as its tiny feet clenched the wood underneath its hind legs.
“Do you notice anything particularly strange?” he asked.
I crinkled my mouth and frowned, glancing up. It looked normal. Four legs, a bushy tail, two black beady eyeballs, brown fur...
“I can see through it.” I gasped and spun around to face him.
He nodded. “You perceive things quickly. Good.”
“What does it mean?” I asked, returning my gaze to the airy looking animal that, for all intents and purposes, was right in front of me.
“You are un des esprits clairvoyants—a clairvoyant of spirits. Your gift isn’t to control my kind. It is to communicate with those who have crossed the threshold into the next realm.”
“How could you possibly know that?” I asked curiously, facing him once again.
“My ability allows me to see what talent you possess if I wish it.”
“I thought your ability made you impervious to the prince.”
“I am one of the rare few of our kind who possess more than one talent. The first is the one shared when working alongside your father. The second is far more beneficial, and it is tha
t power which shields me from le prince.”
“And what would that be?”
“I am a réflecteur.”
I frowned as I tried to repeat his pronunciation. “A reflector?”
“Abilities focused on me will redirect themselves onto those who attempt to use them. Or perhaps you would like to try using a bit of your own power again, so that I might demonstrate?”
“So you reflect things?”
“In a manner of speaking. I can absorb things if I wish, as I just did to unveil your ability.”
“I don’t think my ability is going to go far in the fight against Decimus.”
“I will not deny it was my desire that you possess his talent. It would make what looms ahead easier to confront. However, your part in this is only one piece of an otherwise intricate game of chess.”
He walked gracefully across the distance that separated us, lifted his arms, and placed his hands on my shoulders. His violet eyes met mine.
“You must ask yourself something. Are you prepared to go as far as him? You are already at a disadvantage, for you will fight alongside those you would gladly die for. Le prince would sacrifice all of his people for the sake of glory. Now, since the threat is no longer your own, it endangers those you love the most.”
“What do you mean?”
He lowered his gaze. “He wishes to enslave those who shamed him. That was his goal all along.” He looked into my face, molten purple irises shining. “He would come for your loup-garou and have him broken at his feet. He would see all of those you love—your family, your lover, and the people you cherish most—suffer miserably.”
Fear surfaced, followed by disbelief and outrage. A red film covered my vision, changing his purple eyes into orbs of burgundy.
“Now you understand the gravity of the situation.” He released my shoulders and stepped back.
“Caleb has chosen to ascend to alpha. He wants to bring the packs together to go to war. Is that even possible?”
“Come with me.” He lifted his elbow to me, waited until I slid my hand inside, and started walking through the trees.
