by Kym Grosso
“No. This…this is really dark shit. Demons were summoned. Maybe Lucifer himself,” Quintus guessed.
“I can feel her bones. She’s here.” Gabriella scanned the room.
“Looks empty to me but ya know witches can hide their shit like nobody’s biz.” Hunter’s boots crunched over the graveled floor as he inspected the area.
“It’s in the message. Your blood,” Quintus said.
“I should have known the bitch would want my blood, but still, why me?” Gabriella pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, attempting to figure out what kind of spell they’d need to find the bones.
“Very good question. If it were so easy to take down the high priestess, I’d assume others would have tried,” Quintus said, continuing to finger the words. “But this isn’t just blood. No, this says rudhirapāyin.”
“I’m not going to even ask how you know Sanskrit. But from the way you just said that, it doesn’t sound good,” Hunter said.
“Rudhirapāyin. That word…I don’t know. It sounds familiar. Like maybe…” Gabriella’s words trailed off as she closed her eyes, hearing the words of her mother play in her mind. “Rudhirapāyin. Blood drinking.”
“Or demon,” Quintus said, exhaling loudly. “This isn’t good.”
“So, let me get this straight,” Hunter began. “I’m just going to ballpark a guess at what’s going to happen. You need someone’s blood to find this thing.”
“Mine,” Gabriella said, placing her fingers onto the triangle.
“Yours?” Hunter asked.
“Rudhirasāra. Roughly translated means a person with blood. That’s Gabby,” Quintus said.
“I’m assuming the other word…what was it?” Hunter paced as he spoke.
“Rudhirapāyin.” Quintus repeated.
“You’re the blood drinker. But who’s the demon? The only demon we met recently was that dude back at the party. Thorn. And he strikes me as being on the fence. No, this is badass straight from hell shit. And we’re about to open a portal to get to the bones. Tell me we aren’t summoning a demon to get it,” Hunter said, his voice tense.
“No…I don’t think…” Gabriella stuttered, unsure of what they needed to do.
“I’m going to draw your blood,” Quintus stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Okay… you’re not part demon or, hell, whole demon, are you?”
“Jesus, Hunter. Of course, he’s not a demon. How could you say that?” Gabriella defended her vampire.
“Just sayin’.”
“Ignore him.” Quintus rolled his eyes.
“She can’t ignore me. I’m an Alpha. Remember? Big bad wolf.” A broad smile broke across his face.
“Not her Alpha,” Quintus corrected.
“Yeah well, y’all need to get your shit straight, because unlike you, I’m not lovin’ our current accommodations. I know you vampires are all about a good dirt nap but I’m a wolf. This air isn’t good for my fur.”
“As if I like it?” Gabriella asked. “I’m a witch.”
“You’re hybrid,” Quintus told Gabriella and then focused on Hunter. “We don’t sleep in the dirt.”
“Sure thing, fang boy. Oh that’s right. Where’d y’all meet? Yeah, pretty sure it was an underground club. A crypt or some shit.” Hunter tilted his head, raising his eyebrows. “I’m seeing a pattern.”
“It wasn’t under the ground,” Gabriella replied.
“Stop fucking around. We’ve got to get this bone or bones or whatever the hell we are looking for and get the hell back to the jet.”
“I’m not going with you.” Gabriella shoved up her sleeve, exposing her wrist. “This is my problem, not yours.”
“Goddammit if your ass isn’t going to be bright red by the time I’m done with you. You’re not going anywhere.” Quintus’ eyes lit with intensity.
“You’re not spanking me. I don’t belong to you.”
“Look, I said I’m not up for crypts, graves…pretty much anything underground…but that ass? Well, that’s another topic. I’m all for a spankin’.”
“I’m not…you’re not…” Gabriella lost her words at the thought. A quick flash in her mind’s eye of his palm on her bottom caused heat between her legs. She shoved away the sensation, aware they’d both read her emotions. “No.”
“I think my little wolf might enjoy this.” Quintus gave a small smile. “Ah, but this is a punishment, my sweet bella. Not a pleasure. And the way you sass the Alpha, I’m leaning toward letting him help.”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Hunter gave a small laugh. “You’ve pushed all kinds of boundaries tonight, Gabby. Sorry, girl.”
“Fuck you…both of you.” She gave a side eye to Quintus and continued. “Can we please stop with this talk and get out of here?”
“I’m in agreement with that. What’s up on the menu? Spooky spell? Maybe start seeing if there’s a loose rock? If the girl says it’s here, then let’s find this shit and go home.”
“We’re going to New Orleans,” Quintus replied, dropping his fangs.
“I’m down. NOLA was my first home.” Hunter stared at the vampire’s fangs. “I thought I was going to at least get a croissant out of this Paris trip but from the looks of those teeth of yours I’m guessing that’s not happenin’.”
“I’m going to have to bite you,” Quintus warned.
“Just do it,” she snipped, extending her arm. As he stepped closer, she pulled it back to her chest. “Wait. I don’t want it to hurt.”
“Gabriella. I will repeat it a million times. I’d never hurt you.” He reached for her hand, and brought her palm to his lips.
Her body sizzled in awareness, his warm breath on her skin. Mine, her beast whispered. She closed her eyes briefly, letting his energy flow through her. My vampire. Even three stories underground, in the midst of death, she craved him.
“Do it,” she said, her voice soft.
His fangs sent a rush of desire through her the second he pierced her wrist, but it was gone as fast as it came. She released an audible sigh, her body flushed with arousal.
“You okay?” he asked, still holding her arm.
“Yes.” Gabriella forced herself to concentrate on her surroundings, expelling desire and replacing it with a sense of purpose. The first witch.
“I’m not sure what to do, but I’m thinking your blood is the key.” Quintus released her.
“I am the Rudhirasāra. I am the witch. The legacy.” Gabriella pressed her fingers to her wound, and then swiped the blood across the markings. She closed her eyes, repeating a simple protection spell. Goddess and angels, keep me safe from all evil. Bring to us what we seek. Despite her effort, the hum beneath her fingertips never altered. While certain the bones were near, her words did nothing to conjure their location.
Gabriella blew out a breath and blinked open her eyes. Her lips tightened in frustration. “It’s not working. Something’s wrong.”
“It needs something else. I am the Rudhirapāyin. The blood drinker.” Quintus swiped a finger over his bloodied fang and pierced his own flesh. “This.”
As he smeared their mixed blood on the wall, Gabriella’s eyes flew open, a lightning bolt of supernatural light spearing from the fissure in the wall into her chest. The power of the first witch channeled through her, the high priestess’ soul reaching to her psyche. Unable to control her own movements, her mouth opened, light beaming from her lips.
Her body frozen, her focus went to Quintus and Hunter who attempted to reach her. Blinded by the field of bright white light surrounding her body, they also became immobilized. Oddly, she remained calm as the stream poured through her lips, its light searing the stone across the wall. Rumbling sounded throughout the small chamber, rocks and dust raining upon them.
Goddess no, she prayed as her body drained of its energy. The light extinguished in an instant, and she collapsed to the ground.
“Gabriella.” Quintus’ smooth voice wrapped around her as she roused. Exha
usted, she rolled onto her side, embracing his touch.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Hmm…yeah. I’m just a little tired.”
“Can you sit up?” He knelt, taking her into his arms.
“I…I still feel…ah.” As she glanced up to Quintus, she blinked. A rainbow-colored aura surrounded him, and she struggled to regain clarity.
“Hey boys and girls,” Hunter called. “Lookie, lookie.”
“The first witch.” Gabriella’s eyes widened in excitement. She attempted to push up onto her feet, relying on Quintus to guide her upward.
“What is it?” Quintus asked, not leaving his mate.
“It looks like…I don’t know. It fuck…I can’t believe that of all the bones in a body, this is what we got.”
Gabriella glanced at Hunter who held up a knife-like object. “Is that it?”
She reached out to finger the cold rough item. Smooth on one side and rough on the other, the thin flat bone was nearly six inches long. Dark vibrations bristled on its surface, and she jerked her hand away. “This thing…this bone…it’s evil.”
“Gabriella, look at me,” Quintus told her, cupping her cheeks in his hands.
“But that bone…” Gabriella lost her words as her gaze caught Quintus’. Are you all right? she heard him ask, aware his lips hadn’t moved. Her body tingled from the light of her ancestors, but his energy began to overshadow the other. “I…yes. I’m okay.”
“Hunter,” Quintus said, all the while keeping his focus on Gabriella. “Can you wrap that in something and put it away?”
“You bet. This is some creepy ass bone.”
Gabriella startled as a quickening flipped her stomach. “They’re here.”
“Who’s here?” Hunter asked, stuffing the artifact in his coat pocket. He pushed to his feet and stilled as a flash of light swirled in the chamber. “What the fuck?”
“They’re here.” Quintus scooped Gabriella in his arms.
“Again, people. Who the fuck is here?”
“Lilitu. The witches,” she responded.
Gabriella screamed as the high priestess appeared before her. The witch’s neon orange hair trailed over her shoulders in two thick braids. Her white pupils burned through the darkness.
“Little Gabriella. We’ve been waiting for years and here you finally are.” With fire in her eyes, the witch sneered.
“No, no, no,” Gabriella repeated, panic twisting through her. She froze, her hands clutched to Quintus’ shirt as the distinctive odor of her mother’s burning flesh registered in her mind.
“I’m going to give you this one warning. Stay the hell away from Gabriella or you’ll die, witch,” Quintus growled.
“Wrong, vampire. You have something that belongs to me. Gabriella. She’s one of us.”
“Lilitu.” Horrifying memories of her mother’s murder flashed through Gabriella’s mind.
“Stupid half-breed. Did you really think you were avoiding us?” The high priestess cackled, and licked her lips. “But before we take you back, give me the bone.”
“Orange hair, huh? Doesn’t seem to really work for you.” The Alpha gave a sharp laugh. “Don’t get me wrong. I like a girl who stands out in a crowd.”
“You know what I like to do to wolves?” she asked.
“Is this a proposition? Because I’m sort of on the fence with this one. You’re kind of hot in a psycho killer sort of way.”
“I’ll chain you in silver and skin your fur from your body while you beg for mercy. I could use a pair of wolf testicles in my next spell.” She gave Hunter an icy smile.
“Okay, maybe once. If you’re really into me, I could take one for the team. Those braids are a turn on. I could wrap my hands around them. This is a tough decision.” Hunter shrugged, and put his hand on Quintus’ shoulder.
“Give me the bone,” she demanded, her voice screeching. “I’ll spare you, wolf. Give it to me now.”
Gabriella’s heart pounded in her chest as Lilitu drew closer. Quintus, get us out of here.
“Ya see now, that’s a turn off. Hey, Quint…how about you do your thing?”
“You can run, but you’ll never get away!” Lilitu screamed, her arms outstretched.
Gabriella’s head spun as she dissolved, dematerializing out of the catacombs. The last thing she saw was the high priestess, her cold eyes burning a hole through the darkness.
She rolled onto the bed, coughing back her nausea. Sweat beaded on her forehead and she clutched her stomach. She reached for her wolf, but the mighty beast hid in the dark recesses of her psyche, afraid of what she’d seen.
“Are you okay?” A comforting hand swept over her hair. “Gabriella.”
“I’m sick. I…I can’t do that.”
“I’m sorry, bella. The effects on wolves…it’s something you’ll have to get used to.”
“I can’t do any of this.” Anger boiled inside her, frustrated. She wasn’t a vampire. She’d never be one. He had a mate, one who was alive and well. “I’ve got to get up.”
Gabriella attempted to shove off the bed, but her head spun and she flopped back onto the mattress.
“You need to take a few minutes to recover,” he told her.
As Quintus’ palm touched her back, she went still. She reluctantly accepted the calming energy he sent through her body. Her heartbeat slowed, and she exhaled a breath.
Gabriella had been on the run for years, but never in eighteen years had she come as close to being killed as she had tonight. The high priestess had waited, claimed she’d known where Gabriella was all along.
Ramiel had threatened to expose her on more than one occasion. He often would tell her something that only a Circe coven witch would know about Lilitu. She often wondered how he’d become privy to such exclusive information. Had she known where I was the entire time? Why didn’t she kill me? A flash of the high priestess twisted through her head and a fresh rush of nausea rolled through her again.
“I’ve got to go to the bathroom.” She pushed onto her elbows, and scanned the room, noting the red lacquered wood walls. Blue water twinkled in the distance and her face crinkled in confusion. “Is that a pool?”
“Si, let me help you.”
“Why is there a pool?” Gabriella gave a moan as she sat upward, a dull pain shooting through her spine. The force of the energy from the relic had left her muscles aching. “What is this place?”
“It belongs to Viktor. He’s got a condo in a protected building. We’re safe here until the both of you are ready to travel. I’m thinking you both should rest up before I flash us over to the jet. We can leave in the morning.” Quintus put his arm around Gabriella’s waist. “Let me help you up. Please.”
She gingerly touched her feet to the floor. “I’ve got this.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.” Gabriella teetered as she stood, the scent of her vampire all around her. She struggled to balance on her feet. As she finally found her footing, she glanced up to Quintus, her heart squeezing in her chest. She didn’t want him to stop touching her but she had to learn to go on without him.
“The bathroom is there, over in the hallway. I can help you,” he offered, releasing his hands from her arms.
“No.” Gabriella carefully began to make her way across the room. She stilled as she heard the Alpha rouse. She glanced to the floor where he lay on his back.
“Holy fuck,” he groaned. “This flashing shit is getting old.”
“Wolves…” Quintus stayed within arm’s reach of Gabriella.
“Gabby. You okay?” Hunter asked.
“Yeah,” she lied. Another wave of nausea slammed into her. Vomit rose in the back of her throat, and she willed it to stop. “I’ve gotta go. I’ll be fine.”
Gabriella released a breath as her hand reached the doorknob and turned it. She quickly went inside and locked it behind her. Tears sprang from her eyes, a cacophony of emotions pouring through her. Quintus had said all the right things, but it couldn
’t erase the memory of seeing him touch Mao.
It shouldn’t matter, she told herself. She’d only known him for days. The attraction they’d felt had been but a primal instinct, driven by her beast. Any sane person wouldn’t fall for someone as dangerous or ancient as Quintus. She blamed her infatuation on her loneliness. It had been so long since she’d been with a man and in truth, she’d never been in love.
Easy come, easy go had been her motto up until a week ago. On the run, she couldn’t afford to get attached to anything that didn’t fit in a backpack. Whatever feelings she’d caught for the captivating vampire would go away over time, she told herself.
She flipped on the light and gripped the sink counter, staring in the mirror. You will be okay, she repeated and brushed away her tears.
Her stomach calmed, but her temples throbbed with stress as she considered her next steps. How am I going to get the bone from Hunter? How can I escape Quintus? There was no way she could stay and watch him with Mao. She reasoned she could catch a flight to New Orleans and go see Samantha herself. The thought of running caused her chest to tighten, but she couldn’t keep relying on Quintus to help her when he had a mate waiting for him at home.
The heated floor warmed the pads of her feet as she crossed the room. She opened the glass shower door and turned on the spigot. Making quick work of removing her jacket, she peeled off her clothes. As she turned to look at her gaunt face in the mirror, she sighed. Her white bra and panties nearly blended with her pale skin.
“When I’m safe, I’m going somewhere sunny,” she mumbled. Gabriella pictured her wolf relaxed, lying in an open field, warmth radiating onto her fur. Someday she’d be free. Happy.
Gabriella removed her underwear and unsnapped her bra, letting it fall to the floor. Steam wafted into the air, and she stepped into the hot spray. The tension in her shoulders released but her mind raced. If she was to walk away from Quintus, she’d have to get the first witch’s bone away from Hunter. They’d watch her like hawks, aware of her desire to leave. If she could somehow get her hands on the object, she might be able to conjure a confusion spell.
She leaned back into the water attempting not to let her thoughts drift to Mao. The devastating loss was simply too much emotion for her to bear. No matter how much she wanted Quintus, she had to let him go. Her heart crushed, coming to terms with the fact that she’d have to live without him. She’d pray to the Goddess for another mate. It was the only way. I’m leaving forever.
