Roger looked down at Abram with disdain. “You’re alive because I need you. Before you get your head filled with ideas of revenge, keep in mind that your mother and sister are also alive because I need you.”
Abram cradled his father’s body without looking up.
“Do you understand me?” Roger asked.
Abram simply nodded.
“Take care of your father’s body and then get back to work,” Roger said before stalking out of the room.
Chapter Fifty-Three
In the two weeks since her arrival at the vampire settlement, Quinn had fallen into a routine of sorts. She hadn’t decided on any type of work until she’d met Shelby, one of the toughest vampires at the settlement. After seeing Quinn spar with Raven, Shelby had asked Quinn to help train the younger vampires, and since Quinn’s shifter side loved a good fight, it was working out well.
That morning’s training session was over, and Quinn had decided to use the showers at the training center since Danny was still sparring in another room with Ian.
“I don’t know how you put up with Danny,” Shelby said as they both exited the changing area, freshly showered and wearing clean clothing.
Shelby had to know Danny was close enough to hear her.
“He’s not that bad,” Quinn said seriously. “In fact, he’s definitely entertaining most days.”
“Entertaining?” Danny asked from right behind her.
Danny was dressed in workout pants and nothing else—a sight that made her want to lean forward and lick the sweat from his body.
Working hard to get her lust under control, Quinn tried for a bored tone. “Mostly entertaining,” she said with a shrug and walked toward the exit.
Shelby laughed. “On that note, I’m going to leave you two to play.”
“See you tomorrow,” Quinn called out as Shelby walked in the direction of her own home.
Danny wrapped his arms around Quinn from behind and rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. “It seems I need to do more to entertain you.”
“You certainly do,” she said, turning in his arms.
Danny’s response was a kiss that made it nearly impossible to stand. Quinn’s insides were aching with lust when he pulled back. She struggled to get her breathing under control as Danny stared at her like he was planning to devour her.
“I need to get you naked now,” he rasped out.
“Then I guess you’d better catch me,” Quinn said before shoving him and taking off running.
Quinn knew she couldn’t outrun Danny, but she didn’t really want to. She was, however, hoping to make it back to his house before he caught her. What she lacked in speed, she made up for in experience. She was used to running through the woods and finding her way back home using different routes when necessary. Leaping over a fence, she cut through a backyard and managed to make it over the second fence just as Danny scaled the first.
She laughed as she jumped to the ground and took off running again. That bought her a few extra minutes, and she was almost at Danny’s front door when she heard him coming up behind her. They both ignored the curious onlookers who were surely wondering about their sanity, and Quinn managed to get into the house ahead of Danny. She’d left the key in the lock, almost turning to retrieve it, and her hesitation is what allowed Danny to catch her just inside the doorway.
Danny slammed the door open, yanked the key out of the lock, and tossed it across the room before shutting the front door. “Impatient little thing, aren’t you?” he murmured as he stalked toward her.
Quinn gave him a slow seductive smile because he was right. She couldn’t wait to see what he was going to do to her. Anticipation thrummed through her veins. “Why would I want to wait? Besides, aren’t you supposed to be showing me all the reasons I should accept you as my mate?”
Danny chuckled and continued to move toward her slowly while she backed away from him. “I guess I’ll have to work extra hard to prove I’m good mate material.”
“I like the sound of you working hard,” Quinn purred.
Danny’s leisurely pace had been deceptive. He moved so quickly, Quinn didn’t have time to react. Before she knew what was happening, she was flat on her back on the floor in the front room of Danny’s house.
Her little squeak of surprise turned to a moan when his weight settled on top of her and his erection pressed between her legs.
“I need blood,” Danny admitted somewhat regretfully. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt you if I don’t have a bag before we play more.”
Quinn angled her head so her throat was exposed. “Take mine,” she said.
Danny hesitated. “Are you sure it’s not too soon? I took blood last night.”
“My uncle seems to think I can feed you twice a day with no problem, so once a day should be fine.” That was something she’d discussed with Max before leaving her clan, and while he hadn’t been completely sure, he’d told her she’d know if it was a problem.
Danny hesitated for a moment, so she stroked his cheek and then placed one hand on the back of his head to coax him toward her throat. Rather than biting her, he nuzzled her throat and inhaled deeply. His tongue swirled around her racing pulse, making her so wet she was sure he could feel it through their clothing. Finally, his fangs entered her, and she let out a moan of pleasure as the slight pain increased her arousal.
Her eyes drifted shut. “I love feeding you,” she murmured. “I love having every part of you inside of me.”
Danny growled low in his throat, and it sounded much like a lynx. When Danny’s fangs slipped out of her throat, he moved down to lick her collar bone, and then he rubbed his cheek against hers, much like a cat. It was strange how many of his instincts matched her own. He was her perfect mate.
No!
Quinn hated the voice in the back of her mind that couldn’t accept Danny as her mate. “I need you in me,” she said urgently, hoping to distract both of them from the idea of Danny marking her. Maybe they could each pretend that hadn’t been on their minds.
Standing, Danny quickly stripped out of his pants while she lay there, mesmerized by the hard planes of his body. He had much more bulk than the lynx males, and she loved that. Until Danny, she hadn’t realized she had a build preference.
One side of his mouth curled up in a lopsided grin. “You gonna get undressed too, or just watch me?”
Quinn blinked twice. “Sorry, I tend to get a little distracted with that much manly perfection in front of me.”
Danny chuckled and reached out a hand to help her to her feet. “You have ten seconds to get out of those clothes, or I’ll rip them off.”
Just the idea of that made her shudder. The lynx side of her liked it a lot. Rather than undressing, she gave him a sweet smile, and said, “Should I count?”
“Sassy little thing,” Danny said with a grin. Before she could form a reply, he reached out and tore open the front of her shirt. At the sound of the fabric tearing, she felt drenched with her arousal. Danny’s green eyes darkened, and his lips parted. Danny slipped a hand into the front of her pants and tugged her forward before undoing them. “I’m worried I’ll hurt you trying to rip these off,” he explained.
“I’m not sure I care if you hurt me,” she said in a breathy voice.
Pushing her pants down to her ankles, Danny spun her around, pressed her forward, and bent her over the arm of the sofa. Quinn placed her hands on the seat cushion for balance, and then she felt the head of his penis teasing her entrance with slow circles. He would just barely enter her before withdrawing, denying her the pleasure she craved.
“I need you to fuck me hard,” she said, thrusting her hips back toward his.
“I need that too, but I’m afraid my self-control is lacking at the moment,” Danny admitted. “Chasing you and ripping your clothes off pushed me to my limit.”
“I don’t want your self-control,” she gritted out. “I want your cock.”
Those words seemed to shred Danny’s last bit o
f restraint, and he slammed into her body so hard, her feet nearly lifted off the floor. “You drive me crazy,” he gritted out as he pulled out slowly and then slid back in.
“Not crazy enough,” she taunted. “Harder,” she demanded, reaching back to claw at whatever body part she could get to.
The low rumbling from the back of Danny’s throat increased, as did his pace. Quinn had been so close to coming undone already that she was screaming his name as she climaxed around him within a few thrusts. As her orgasm settled down, she realized Danny had stopped moving.
“Fuck, Quinn!” he hissed. “You nearly made me lose it.”
“Please,” she begged. “Please fuck me more.”
And he did. Danny’s body moved against hers in long, powerful thrusts. One hand reached forward to grip her hair tightly as he fucked her with an animalistic fierceness. When she reached back to claw at him, he caught her wrist and held it at her back. Her second orgasm was even stronger than the first, and she barely heard him call out her name as he came.
Reality came crashing back when Quinn felt Danny’s teeth on the back of her neck.
“No!” she yelled, and he stopped.
Panting hard, Danny’s teeth remained on her neck. Finally, he spoke, his voice strained. “I need you to be mine,” he said, sounding desperate and nearly crazed.
“I am yours, but I’m not ready for this,” she said, trying to remain calm. It was never good to show fear with a predator. “You said you’d wait until I’m ready.”
Danny cursed and stood.
Quinn slowly stood up and saw Danny tugging at his hair, cursing softly. Her mouth opened to speak, but Danny’s glare stopped her. “Don’t say you’re sorry,” he warned. “I can’t handle hearing the pity in your voice right now.”
“It’s not pity,” she said, annoyed that he was getting so angry over this.
“Then what is it?” he asked. “You drive me to the edge and make me think you’re as into this as I am, and then you push me away.”
Quinn let out a shaky breath. There was this part of her that knew she was being ridiculous. She knew Danny was fighting his instincts. He was actually doing a better job than most shifters would have, but the shifter blood still made him desperate to mark her, and she’d pushed him away over and over.
“I’m not trying to hurt you,” she said in a sad voice.
“Hurt?” Danny asked, looking confused. “I’m not hurt. This is not me being hurt. This is me tired of the game.”
Quinn flinched. “You’re right,” she said as she pulled up her pants. “I need to figure this out.”
“Quinn. . .” Danny’s voice trailed off, and she was glad. She didn’t want him to apologize again because he had a right to be angry. If she couldn’t give herself to him completely, then it wasn’t fair to keep stringing him along.
“I need some time in the woods,” she said without looking at him. “I need to go for a walk.”
“Fine, I’ll take you,” Danny offered, sounding almost sad.
She shook her head. “It would probably be better if I just go on my own.”
Danny cupped her chin and lifted her head until she was looking at him. “It’s too dangerous right now. Even if we’re fighting, I’m not going to let you go out on your own. I’ll see who can go out with us before I take a shower and get ready. Before you argue, I promise to give you some time alone, as long as you stay close enough to call for help.”
Quinn nodded, not sure she’d remember her promise, but she’d try.
Chapter Fifty-Four
“Hey, sweetheart.” Cam’s sexy voice wrapped around Claire, causing heat to spread through her entire body. His face was more relaxed than she’d seen it in months, and his smile was contagious.
“Hey yourself,” she said as she approached him. It was peaceful. Wildflowers covered the entire hill beside them, and a butterfly flew right past her face. There was no one trying to kill them, and no one was guarding her. It was just her and Cam.
“I can’t believe you’re finally here,” he said softly, reaching out but not quite touching her. “I’ve waited so long for you to come to me.”
“It’s all over now,” she said. “No more fighting. I can finally focus on us.”
Cam gave a sad shake of his head. “You need to wake up, Claire.”
His voice sounded strange, almost angry.
“Wake the fuck up, Claire!”
Claire’s eyes shot open and struggled to focus in the dimly lit room. The voice was familiar, but her mind was having trouble shifting back into consciousness. It wasn’t until the man leaned forward that she recognized him.
“Abram?” she asked in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing in my room?”
He didn’t respond. Instead, Abram sat on the edge of her bed and put his head in his hands. “The bastard killed my father,” he said in a tortured voice.
“Who?” Claire asked.
“Roger,” Abram said. “He said he wanted to teach me a fucking lesson.”
Having Abram sitting on her bed talking to her about this was unsettling. They weren’t friends, and even though he was grieving, Claire got the impression Abram wasn’t about to break down into tears.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, wondering why he’d come to her.
“Me too,” he said before raising the tranquilizer gun he’d been concealing from her. “Get the fuck out of bed and put your clothes on,” he ordered in a dead voice.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Killing both of my enemies at one time,” Abram said.
“I’m not your enemy,” she argued.
“That’s why I’m sorry I have to use you to accomplish my goal,” he said, and there was a hint of regret in his voice. “One thing I learned from Roger is that you can’t allow emotion to get in the way of what you want. I kind of like you, and I’ve always wanted to fuck you, but I need Roger and those blood whores dead.”
“Why would I go with you?” she asked, watching as his lips curled into an evil grin.
“Because if you don’t come willingly, I’ll shoot you with this, carry you out of here, and find a place to spend several hours enjoying your death. I can make it quick and painless, or long and agonizing. Which is it going to be, sweetheart?”
“It looks like I don’t have much choice,” she said, swallowing her own fear.
“Good girl,” Abram said with a condescending sneer.
That sneer disappeared when Claire’s fist connected with his jaw, snapping his head back. She followed that up with a right cross, but he caught her arm and fired the dart gun at her chest.
“Stupid bitch!” he snarled.
Claire tried to fight the effects of the tranquilizer, but soon, she felt the world shift around her, and then it all faded to black.
Chapter Fifty-Five
It didn’t take Quinn long to realize she’d broken her promise to Danny. Of course, she hadn’t meant to break her promise. She’d had every intention of staying close to him, but when she’d started running among the trees, she’d allowed herself to follow where the woods led her. Out here, she could almost forget her problems with Danny. In the woods, both sides of her were in perfect harmony.
The rustling of the bushes should have put Quinn on edge, but she felt a sense of connection to whoever was approaching her. The female who emerged from the woods was dressed in nothing more than shorts and a loose-fitting sleeveless top. Her feet were bare, and her long blonde hair was windblown. With an unlined face and large blue eyes, she looked about Quinn’s age, but there was something about her that told Quinn she was much older.
“Your parents are foolish for allowing you out alone, young one,” the older woman said with a disapproving frown. “Unless I miss my guess, you’ve only just recently discovered one element, and you’ve no control over it at all.”
Trying hard to hide her excitement, Quinn nearly gasped at the realization that she was facing an actual mage.
“That’s true,” Quinn admitted. “I didn’t even know I was a mage until recently.”
The mage frowned, looking almost sympathetic. Quinn got the impression she didn’t spend much time interacting with others and didn’t really feel comfortable socializing.
“I suppose that explains a lot,” the mage said with a nod. “My name is Winter.”
“Quinn,” she said with a smile that Winter didn’t return.
“Tell me, Quinn, who are your parents?” she asked. “How is it you didn’t know you are a mage?”
“My mother was a lynx shifter,” Quinn began.
“An interesting choice, but complimentary,” Winter said, as if giving her approval. “Who is your father? I haven’t heard of one of our kind taking a lynx shifter as a mate. While we are more solitary than most, this is the sort of thing that would get around.”
“Why would it get around?” Quinn asked.
“While the lynx is a good choice for a mate in theory, there are some possible disadvantages,” Winter explained. “We travel with our mates, if we decide to take one. Should we have children, we only stay with them until they are trained. Shapeshifters of all kinds are social creatures. I’m sure you can see how that could create problems. You still haven’t told me your father’s name. Surely your mother revealed his name to you.”
Quinn shrugged. “I don’t know his name. My mother died when I was very young, and my uncle told me my father was long gone before he even knew my mother was pregnant.”
“Would you like to find him?” Winter asked. “I’m certain I could help you if you would like your father to train you.”
“No,” Quinn said without hesitation. “I don’t think I’d like living the life of a mage.”
“I think that is a wise choice,” Winter said. “Sadly, it leaves you with no one to help you as your abilities emerge.”
“Will I need training?” Quinn asked, wondering if she was making a huge mistake by refusing to find her father.
Winter laughed, and it was a strange sound. “Using the word training was a mistake. Your abilities are not a learned talent. They are a part of who you are. Instinct will guide you. The only thing another mage could offer is support and answers to questions. While it would be easier with a mentor, you can certainly learn on your own, and I’m sure you will run into others of our kind should you have questions.”
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