Quinn's Quest l(-4

by N. J. Walters

  Craig swiveled around in his chair and Quinn’s memory slid away. His brother scowled at him, annoyance evident in every line of his body. “It’s not your fault. None of us expected anything like this to happen. We all took precautions, but sometimes shit happens.”

  That said it all, didn’t it? Shit happened.

  Craig sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been hard on all of us.” Guilt pierced Quinn. It was quickly followed by shame. He wasn’t the only one dealing with Chrissten’s kidnapping. Craig was too. And while he’d been able to go out and search for her, Craig had been left to deal with things alone. His younger brother had barely been legal when Quinn had been forced to leave him on his own while he searched for their sister.

  Quinn reached out and clapped his brother on the shoulder. “I wish none of this had happened.”

  “Me too.” Craig took off his glasses and used the tail of his T-shirt to polish them. “Well, not all of it. Only Chrissten’s kidnapping. I kinda like the fact you found your father and met more people like you.”

  Like him. It was a reminder that Craig was human. If genetics held true then his brother would die hundreds of years before him. His guts knotted. He hated the thought of losing him.

  As for his birth father, well that was another problem he’d deal with some day. He’d met Donovan Brody, spent some time with him. But he felt no real connection to the male. They looked eerily alike except for their hair color, but other than that they were strangers.

  His father had tried. He’d give him that. But Quinn wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, not until he’d found Chris. Maybe when his family was reunited, Quinn might feel more like going down that road.

  He knew Chrissten would want to meet Donovan Brody. She’d talked a lot about finding their father while they were growing up. It was him who’d always held back, arguing the man had left their mother, that he didn’t care if he met him or not. The old debate seemed silly now. He wished Chris were here to argue with him.

  “How’s Bethany doing?” Craig’s question brought him back to the here and now.

  “Good. Why?”

  Craig shrugged, but there was no mistaking his discomfort. He picked up an open bottle of Coke and took a swallow. His foot tapped a quick rhythm on the floor. Behind him machinery hummed. “This has to be hard for her, you know. The kidnapping. Finding out what she is and what’s happening to her.”

  “Yeah.” Now that was an understatement.

  “I like her,” Craig blurted out. “And I think you do too.”

  Quinn leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees and placed his face in his hands. He took a deep, calming breath before raising his head again. He’d missed this. Having contact with his brother, simply being able to sit across from one another and talk. His time with the bounty hunters had robbed him of so much.

  “Well,” Craig continued. “I think you should go for it. With Bethany, I mean.”

  It occurred to him that his brother was matchmaking. He grinned in spite of himself. “You think?”

  Craig nodded emphatically. “Absolutely. Female werewolves are rare and she seems to like you. And I know you like her.” He glanced fleetingly at the front of Quinn’s jeans, but long enough to make his point. It was hard to miss the bulge in the front of his jeans. Just talking about Bethany got him hot.

  “It’s not fair to her,” he reminded Craig. Bethany was vulnerable now. To mate with her would tie them together for the rest of their lives. The thought was appealing to him on a primitive level, but it also scared the crap out of him. He’d never even thought about mating with a female. Not until he’d met Bethany.

  “Maybe. But what are you going to do if one of the other guys offers to help her with her problem?” Only Craig would refer to a female going into heat as a problem.

  A low growl broke from Quinn and Craig nodded. “Exactly. You can’t stand the thought of any guy touching her, let alone mating with her.”

  “It’s her choice,” Quinn reminded him.

  “Then let her make it.” Such a simple statement, but a minefield of trouble. His younger brother was a man now, and quite an astute one.

  The computer made a noise and Craig wheeled back around and started typing.

  Quinn stood and watched his brother work for a few more minutes. “Let me know if you find anything or if you need anything.” He left his brother to his work and headed toward the kitchen. On his way, he took a quick peek into the bar. His gaze landed on Bethany and everything inside him settled.

  He watched her move, graceful even with a heavily loaded tray. Her hair was pulled away from her face, emphasizing her hazel eyes and her full lips. He ached to hold her.

  Quinn abruptly turned away and stalked toward the kitchen. He needed to come up with a plan and he needed to do it quick. Time was running out. For all of them.

  Bethany plunked down on a stool at the bar and sighed. Her shoulders ached and her feet hurt, but it felt good to be working again, earning her keep. “Busy night.”

  Michael finished wiping a glass with his clean white towel and placed it on the shelf. “Regular night,” he corrected. He grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler, opened it and placed it in front of her. Bethany grabbed it eagerly, smiling her thanks at him. Michael nodded and continued working.

  Benjamin was clearing the other end of the bar. The last of the regular employees had just left and only the pack remained. Not that she considered herself part of the pack. She, Quinn and his brother were obviously outsiders, but everyone made them feel welcome and that helped a lot.

  Meredith slid onto the stool beside her. “How are you enjoying working at Haven?”

  “It’s great,” she answered honestly. “I enjoy the atmosphere. You get a good group of people coming here.” It was a cross-section of tourists and neighborhood folks, along with some people who’d heard about the club and had come from other parts of the city to hear the music and check out the ambiance. The patrons were a friendly bunch and the large males working here kept things from getting out of control.

  “You’ve got a fulltime job here if you want it.” Meredith’s generosity stunned her. And the other woman wasn’t done yet. “I know it’s crowded in the apartments, but there are a few rentals on the street if you decide down the road you’re staying and want your own space. You’re welcome to live here as long as you like.”

  “Thank you.” Taken aback by Meredith’s job offer, Bethany didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t ready to commit to anything, not yet. She had no idea what was going to happen between her and Quinn or how long it would take them to find Chrissten. There were so many variables to consider.

  Her gaze automatically sought Quinn and she relaxed slightly when she found him stacking chairs at the far end of the bar. He’d disappeared for most of the night, but she knew he was in the kitchen helping Teague, having caught glimpses of him whenever she’d picked up a food order. She’d missed his steady presence.

  He was watching her now, his expression intent. His stare made her cheeks heat and set a flock of butterflies lose in her stomach. She glanced away, unable to match his intent gaze for long. It was too much like the way he’d looked at her when they were in bed, and it made her skin and other interesting parts of her anatomy tingle.

  Meredith patted her arm. “Take a few days and think about it. In the meantime, you can work day to day whenever you’re able. I had a lot of regulars comment on how good you were.”

  Pleasure suffused Bethany. She’d been alone for so long it felt strange to be a part of this group of special people. And she’d just been offered a permanent spot. The pay was good and the tips were better. She could make a life for herself here if she wanted a fresh start.

  She glanced at Michael and nibbled on her bottom lip. He could be a problem. She knew he was attracted to her. Benjamin was, too, but he wasn’t quite as obvious about it as his brother. She didn’t want to do anything that might lead either of them on. As
much as she liked them, she wasn’t attracted to them, not in that way. Not the way she was drawn to Quinn.

  “Thank you so much, Meredith. I’ll think about it.”

  Benjamin sauntered down to join them. Bethany shook her head. All the males were incredibly good looking and virile. They’d attract any woman’s attention. Bethany didn’t think the high percentage of females visiting the bar was a coincidence. Plenty of male eye candy here.

  Heat flooded through her, making her uncomfortable. Her panties were damp, her breasts ached and she wanted to rub herself against a hard, male body. And although the brothers were both prime specimens, she wanted only Quinn.

  As if he felt her discomfort, Quinn came over to stand behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and she couldn’t resist rubbing the side of her cheek against his hand.

  Isaiah came toward them, followed by the rest of the pack. “Damek should be here any minute.”

  Just like that, all the butterflies in her stomach were back with a vengeance. She was about to meet a real-life vampire. It sounded impossible. Then again, a few weeks ago she would have laughed if someone had told her werewolves were real.

  Her life had taken a strange turn and there was no going back to normal, whatever that was.

  A flash of heat took her unaware. This one was strong, almost overpowering. She bit her lip to keep from moaning aloud.

  Behind her, Quinn stiffened. Benjamin inhaled deeply and Michael let out a low growl. Even quiet Kevin shifted closer to her. Only the mated males, as well as Craig and, strangely enough, Hank, seemed unaffected.

  Isaiah swore. “Let’s hope Damek gets here soon.”

  Bethany wrapped her arms around her body while waves of desire swamped her. She didn’t know if she should leave. As much as she wanted to help Chrissten, Bethany knew she wasn’t helping anybody by distracting the single males.

  She’d be glad when this biological phase had passed. That’s what she’d decided to call it. Saying she was in heat was simply too primal, too animalistic.

  “You okay?” Quinn’s voice was barely a whisper in her ear. His hot breath caressed the sensitive nerve endings in her ear. Her body tingled. Her skin felt alive.

  “Do you want to go upstairs and rest?”

  Bethany turned her head to answer him, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was glaring at the other males who were watching her. She wanted to crawl under the floorboards and hide. This was so embarrassing. They all knew she was aroused. It might be a natural thing for their species, but it was embarrassing as hell. She’d been totally human only weeks ago. At least that’s what she’d thought. Just because she knew differently now didn’t make it any easier to deal with.

  “I think I—” She was cut off as the door flew open. She knew it had been locked. She’d watched Hank turn the deadbolt.

  A dark presence seemed to fill the room. Then a man stepped through the doorway. No, not a man. There was something about him that wasn’t quite human, a dark, almost sinister energy that seemed to sweep before him to announce his presence. This was the vampire. The mysterious Damek had arrived.

  Chapter Eight

  Bethany couldn’t drag her eyes away from the vampire. He was tall and his skin was pale. His lithe body was covered with a designer suit, but he wasn’t wearing a satin-lined cloak like in the old movies. She was almost disappointed. She could tell by the way it fit him his suit hadn’t come off any rack, but had been tailored to his exact measurements. His hair was black as night and flowed to his shoulders. His eyes were just as dark. They seemed to absorb the light around him.

  He was extremely handsome. He was also scary as hell. This was a man with many secrets. A dangerous man who had watched time pass him by. She had no idea how old Damek was, but he appeared ageless, like an old soul in a young man’s body. There was just something about him that told her to beware. She had enough animal instinct to know this was a man she didn’t want to make an enemy of, a man who should be approached with great caution.

  Quinn wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she slid off the barstool. She was grateful for the support.

  Damek’s gaze passed over the group, pausing to study her and Quinn. One corner of his mouth twisted upward into a brief smile as if he were amused by something before he continued his perusal of the others in the room.

  The door closed behind him with a thump. Bethany jumped. She was extremely nervous. What did one say to a vampire? Better for her to blend with the background and let the others do the talking.

  Isaiah stepped forward. “You ever think about knocking?”

  Damek inclined his head. “I think about it, but then ask myself why would I bother?” Beside her, Bethany heard Craig give a snort of laughter at Damek’s reply

  Meredith laughed and welcomed their guest while Isaiah simply scowled at him. “Good evening, Damek.”

  Damek inclined his head. “Gracious as always.” His gaze cut sideways toward Isaiah. “How do you Strikers find such exquisite females?”

  Isaiah dragged his mate closer, his arm wrapping possessively around her. Meredith patted Isaiah’s arm while she continued to speak to Damek. “Have you discovered anything new?”

  The vampire shook his head and Bethany felt the muscles in Quinn’s arm tighten around her. “I have heard nothing yet, but I have feelers out everywhere.” He seemed to flow across the floor, his movements smooth and graceful, like a dancer. One moment he was near the door, the next he was in front of her and Quinn.

  “It is an abomination what is being done to your sister. I am sorry for that.”

  Bethany felt some of the tension leech slowly out of Quinn. “Thanks. I appreciate anything you can do.”

  The vampire lifted his hand toward Bethany. She shrank back, unable to stop herself. The dark energy coming off Damek frightened the crap out of her. Quinn growled. The other males in the room shifted restlessly. The moment was fraught with danger.

  “I mean you no harm, little one,” Damek promised. He lowered his hand, but she still felt a light brush against her skin as though he’d touched her.

  The vampire shook his head. “Yet another beautiful woman to add to your pack.” He shook his head and sighed. “You Strikers are lucky bastards.”

  Heat climbed up Bethany’s cheeks. She fought the urge to turn her face into Quinn’s chest and hide. She hated feeling like she was on display in front of everyone.

  Damek snapped his gaze from her and turned his attention to Quinn. “Do you have a list of properties that you haven’t checked yet?” Damek’s eyes seemed to be lit by an inner fire, one that burned hot and dark. Bethany found his eyes mesmerizing and scary at the same time. She wanted to look away but couldn’t pull her gaze from him.

  Craig stepped forward. “I’ve got an expanded list. I’ve marked off the ones we’ve already checked out. I came up with a couple new places. I thought we might have a look at them tonight.”

  Damek smiled and she caught a flash of sharp white teeth. “Ah, the human.” He snatched the list from Craig’s hand and perused it. “You have done well.”

  Quinn growled low. Threatening.

  Damek waved his hand. “I mean your brother no harm, wolf. He’s interesting for a human. And unlike many of your kind, I like humans.”

  Bethany didn’t want to think about the reason Damek liked humans. Vampires needed blood to survive. Or at least that’s what all the legends said. She was quickly learning there was some truth to folklore when it came to werewolves, so why not vampires?

  The thought of having to take blood to survive made Bethany’s stomach roil. She swallowed hard, afraid to look away from the powerful creature in front of them.

  “If you ever get tired of working for wolves I could use someone like you,” Damek said to Craig, ignoring the way Quinn and the rest of the males in the room bristled.

  “Leave my pack alone, Damek.” Isaiah strolled over to stand next to Craig. He looked huge next to the younger man. He also looked prepared to fight, w
hich surprised Bethany.

  “Ah, you werewolves are so territorial.”

  Isaiah snorted. “And you’re not?”

  Damek chuckled. “I won’t deny it.” He shrugged. “I was here long before this place was anything more than a smudge on a map and I’ll probably be here long after all of you are gone.”

  There was a deep, compelling sadness in his voice that made Bethany frown. He sounded…lonely. She couldn’t begin to imagine how old Damek was.

  He settled his dark gaze on Isaiah. “I wouldn’t hurt your human. I was offering him a job. His computer skills are impressive.”

  Craig gave a rueful smile. “Thanks, but I’m happy here. With my family.” His gaze slid to Quinn, but he quickly returned it to the vampire.

  “Still.” A heavy vellum card seemed to appear in Damek’s hand as if by magic. He handed it to Craig. “If you change your mind.”

  To Bethany’s surprise, Craig took the card and shoved in the back pocket of his jeans. “Thanks.”

  Damek studied the list before handing it back to Craig. “I will check the new addresses tonight. I can do it more quickly than you can. Plus, I will attract no attention. I will call you if I come across a likely location.”

  Isaiah started to protest, but Damek held up his hand. Isaiah stopped, but appeared ready to throttle the vampire. Bethany held her breath, not wanting to see any kind of battle between the incredibly strong alpha male and the powerful vampire.

  “I don’t doubt your skills, my friend,” Damek began. “But this will also allow me to search the minds of those who wander the dark corners of the city, especially the South Side, which seems to be the most likely place for this doctor to try to hide.”