After five years spent trying to bring back the girl he had known, Drake had conceded defeat. His penance would never truly be paid, but he stopped trying to rekindle their love and hardened his heart, until one day he was no longer the same person who had loved Charlotte. He was the hard, cruel, soulless creature he had been before they had ever met. And so he had remained. He had met Genevieve a few years after leaving Charlotte and he had committed himself to her - out of respect for her position and her adoration - but he would never love again.
Entering the house Drake’s thoughts strayed to the woman he had walked home. Something about her irked him, like a pebble in his shoe. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Resolving to keep a closer eye on her, he took a seat near the fire and watched the dancing flames, wondering when Genevieve would return. His fangs ached in his jaws but he would not feed tonight. He didn’t need to – the older he got, the longer he could go without blood. He didn’t deny himself for any noble purpose, or to self-persecute, he simply couldn’t be bothered.
Chapter 9
“Hello again,” Drake murmured in Quinn’s ear. She started intentionally, not wanting to let him in on the fact that she had sensed him already.
“Hi,” she smiled, raising her beer at him.
“Just so you know, I’m unavailable,” he quipped, taking a seat.
“The usual?” Phil asked, appearing before them. Drake nodded.
“And another beer for my friend here,” he added and Quinn raised her eyebrows teasingly.
“Just so you know, I’m not available either.”
“Well, now that we’ve got that out of the way,” he raised his glass and she clinked her bottle against it.
And so it went for another week. Quinn was fairly sure that Drake was one of the neutrals – a group of unconnected vampires with a common aim – to live amongst humans and avoid detection. The neutrals had no interest in the vampires’ quest to destroy Summerfeld and its inhabitants. They couldn’t be trusted but they were not a threat to the Guardian’s charges. The fifth time he walked her home, Quinn decided to take the bull by the horns. Once more, he walked her to the door, and again, she did not ask him in. She could not continue for much longer without raising his suspicions and she watched closely as his eyes moved over the doorframe. He would discover that she knew eventually, and she would rather it was on her own terms, before he began to suspect what she really was.
“I’m not going to invite you in,” she murmured meaningfully. Drake seemed to freeze, his eyes on her face, as though trying to figure out what she had just said. “I know what you are...” she managed, before his pale white fingers darted forward and seized her by the throat, pulling her out of the doorway and onto the porch. Quinn forced herself to remain calm and not to struggle; she could not retaliate and risk Drake discovering who she really was. So she stood still, even though her throat was closing and she could not breathe. Drake’s fingernails pressed into her soft flesh so hard that they drew blood and his pupils dilated.
“You don’t need to do this,” she gasped, “I’m not going to expose you.” His fingers eased slightly, but his green eyes were still as cold as ice.
“Who are you?” he hissed.
“Nobody.”
“How do you know what I am?”
“I figured it out... I...” she could not say anymore, the lack of oxygen was making her head spin. Drake eased up again, slowly unfurling his fingers from her windpipe and allowing her to draw breath. Sucking in a huge lungful of air, Quinn coughed before continuing, “You’re never around during the day.”
“So what – you just logically jumped to vampire?” He didn’t believe her. Of course he didn’t – nobody in their right mind would believe that vampires exist.
“I met someone like you once,” Quinn bluffed, praying that he would accept her words as true. Vampires can sense when people are lying but Guardians are impervious to this ability. “He told me about your kind. He was my friend.”
“What was his name?”
“Jude,” she gasped, knowing it wouldn’t matter what name she gave. There were far too many vampires to keep track of everyone. Drake would not know if Jude existed or not, but he would take her word for it as he could not detect any untruth in her words.
He released her suddenly and unexpectedly and she reeled sideways, slamming into the doorframe.
“What do you know?”
“That sunlight will kill you. And that you’re stronger than humans.”
“What else?”
“You drink blood.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?” Again the disbelief in his voice.
“Of course it bothers me.”
“So why have you been talking to me – spending time with me?”
“My friend was a good person. He couldn’t help what he was. I figure it’s the same with you.” Quinn hoped against hope that Drake had been turned against his will, and wasn’t one of those vampires who had chosen this path. The fact that he lived out here, in the middle of nowhere, led her to believe he wasn’t party to the Quest. Many new vampires did not follow that path, they simply existed as they had centuries ago, harbouring no hatred for the Fae or their allies.
Drake looked long and at hard at her, his face a mask, not revealing anything.
“Stay away from me,” he muttered finally, before turning on his heel and leaving her. He didn’t go home. Instead, he made his way back to Phil’s, needing another drink. He would have to hunt soon. He and Genevieve never hunted in town – they didn’t want to draw any attention to themselves. If Genevieve was not back by tomorrow he would head for Colton – a larger town a few hundred miles away.
Genevieve had not said when she would return and Drake had not questioned her – neither about where she was going nor when she would be back. They had been together for almost half a century and often parted ways for extended periods of time. It was perfectly normal - when you lived forever, days didn’t matter. Genevieve, like her brother Sebastian, had fought alongside Aleksei in the Blood War – the siblings were over a thousand years old – but even they did not know Aleksei’s whereabouts. When Eldon had stopped fighting and created Summerfeld, Aleksei had simply disappeared and no-one had seen the Vampire King since. Drake was fond of Genevieve and had worked with her brother for a century, seeking the City of Summerfeld, before he had met Charlotte.
Drake had not been a part of the Blood War, and he did not carry the hatred in his heart as so many of his kind did. He had spent most of his vampiric life under the tutelage of a vampire named Lucian, a peaceful man, who had not condoned the war that was raging. Lucian had made Drake question King Aleksei’s motives, pointing out that one man’s personal vendetta had spiralled out of control. Lucian did not blame Aleskei for hating Eldon, who had murdered his son, but he did not believe that war was the answer. Lucian was refined and honourable, especially for a vampire, and Drake had followed his example, never realising how rare Lucian’s perspective was until the vampire died. When Lucian was discovered by the Hunters and murdered by them everything he had taught Drake had been eradicated, replaced by hatred and the all-encompassing need for revenge. For the first time, Drake sympathised with Aleksei. Lucian had preached a peaceful solution, but the Hunters had not shown him the same compassion. Drake had needed an outlet for his rage and Sebastian Russo had provided one – the Quest. Sebastian had given Drake a home and a family and he had fought bravely for the council.
Strangely, despite all the time he spent with her brother, Drake had never met Genevieve, who had been out of the country, working with another council member and investigating potential Guardian families. The day that Drake met Charlotte, everything changed for him. Charlotte reminded him of Lucian – her kindness and compassion brought him back from the dark depths of his misery, restoring him to his former self.
It was only after he had left Charlotte that he had paid Sebastian a visit and Genevieve had been there. She was the opposite of Char
lotte in every way imaginable – confident, powerful, and not too shy about making her feelings known. She had targeted Drake that very first night and he had accepted her attention, a welcome distraction from the pain of leaving Charlotte behind. They had been together on and off ever since, but Drake had refused to rejoin the Quest and, over time, Genevieve had accepted this.
To his surprise, when he re-entered the tavern, Genevieve was there, and she was not alone.
“Drake!” Sebastian boomed across the small space, getting to his feet and coming forward to embrace Drake. Genevieve smiled smugly behind him and Drake narrowed his eyes at her, his mouth set in an angry line.
“Sebastian, it has been too long,” Drake clapped the shorter man on the back and stepped back to admire him. Sebastian was the same height as Genevieve, about a foot shorter than Drake, with the same white-blond hair and pale silver eyes as his sister. As with all vampires he was alluringly attractive, and even more so to humans.
“I have come to try and persuade you to rejoin us now that Summerfeld is vulnerable,” Sebastian murmured as they headed back to the table. “A drink for my friend, here,” he waved at Janet, one of Phil’s seasoned waitresses. She fetched a Bourbon for Drake and set it in front of him before scurrying away. Drake frowned – he had always gotten along fine with all of Phil’s girls. Sebastian had been in town five minutes and already he had made Janet uncomfortable, undoing all of Drake’s hard work.
“As I am sure Genevieve has told you,” Drake replied, refusing to meet Genevieve’s eyes, “I am not interested.” It was nothing short of rude and Drake heard Genevieve’s astonished intake of breath. Sebastian’s eyes hardened, but he grinned complacently.
“I understand, of course. The choice is yours, after all – you don’t owe me anything,” his tone made it clear that he thought that Drake owed him a great deal. “Let’s not talk of it any further.” Drake relaxed slightly, wondering if that was really the end of it. “You don’t mind if I stay? Just a few weeks – I find your little town... intriguing,” Sebastian continued cheerily, and now Drake realised that it was far from over. Brookfield was about as intriguing as an empty room to a vampire. Being nocturnal, they preferred the lure of the larger cities where they could be entertained by the nightlife and feed without being discovered.
“Of course,” Drake replied, determined to remain as calm as Sebastian, although the effort was taking its toll.
They continued to drink in silence, Drake still punishing Genevieve by refusing to meet her curious gaze. She was becoming increasingly desperate, practically draping herself across the table, but he would not acknowledge her. Male vampires are Alphas and the females thrive on their appreciation and approval. Genevieve had earned herself favour from Sebastian by bringing him to Brookfield which had temporarily sated her desire for attention, but now Drake’s icy indifference was crucifying her. Inwardly, Drake revelled in her suffering.
“Well, well, well. I might have more reason to stay than I initially thought,” Sebastian’s voice roused Drake from his musing and he followed the older vampire’s gaze to the door. Quinn had just re-entered the bar. Drake felt a flash of irrational anger as Sebastian drank in the sight of her. She was extraordinarily beautiful, even Drake could not deny it.
“I must ask that you leave the members of the community alone, Sebastian.” Sebastian raised his brows at the implied instruction. “This is my home,” Drake continued calmly, deliberately excluding Genevieve, “I have lived here for six years without drawing attention to myself and it would do me no good if you start stirring up trouble.”
“Of course. I understand,” Sebastian smiled, “I will not harm any members of your... community, as you call it. However, as I will be staying a while, it is only courteous that I extend the hand of friendship to the locals.” He picked up his drink and got to his feet.
“Why are you ignoring me?” Genevieve hissed, her fangs protruding slightly, as Sebastian made his way to Quinn’s side.
“I told you, Genevieve, I want no part in it!” Drake’s gaze slid finally to meet hers and she recoiled at the venom in his arctic green eyes.
“Sebastian is my brother – he is welcome in my home,” she replied haughtily. “This has got nothing to do with you or the Quest.”
“We shall see,” Drake replied grimly.
Quinn had needed another drink after her close encounter with the vampire. Never in a million years would she have expected that he would be back here tonight, along with Genevieve and another vampire, who had just made his way across the tavern to sit beside her.
“Another brandy, please,” he waved his glass at Phil, “and whatever the pretty lady here would like.” He smiled charmingly at Quinn and again, she experienced the queasiness in her stomach, forcing a polite smile in return. “I am Sebastian,” he continued arrogantly.
“Quinn,” she extended her hand, but instead of shaking it, he turned it over and kissed her palm. It was a repulsively intimate gesture, but Quinn kept her composure. “Nice to meet you.” She drank deeply from the bottle that Phil set down in front of her.
“You okay?” the bartender asked, casting a wary eye over Sebastian.
“Fine,” Quinn smiled.
Mercifully there was not much time for conversation. Drake appeared at Sebastian’s side unexpectedly a few minutes later.
“We must go,” he addressed the vampire directly, not looking at Quinn. “We have things to discuss.”
Not about to let the opportunity pass her by, Quinn interrupted.
“Sebastian says he is a friend of yours?”
“Yes,” Drake confirmed, the undertone of a warning in his voice.
“How do you two know each other?” she persisted. He turned to glare at her, but Sebastian answered smoothly.
“Genevieve is my sister.” Quinn glanced over to the table, where Genevieve was watching them intently, a hateful scowl on her beautiful face.
“Well, it was good to meet you, Sebastian. I’m sure I’ll see you around town.”
“I have no doubt you will, beautiful.” He lifted her hand again, his lips lingering on her smooth skin. Quinn held Drake’s gaze over Sebastian’s white-blond head and then watched as they walked out together, Genevieve following in their wake.
Chapter 10
Three evenings later Quinn went for a walk to clear her head. She would make the journey to Cliffdale soon - she could not put it off any longer. She was becoming desperate – her concern for Jack and Ava growing stronger by the day. Sarah had invited her over for movie night this evening, but Quinn had declined. She was already spending far too much time with the couple and thought that Todd might like to have some alone time with his girlfriend. As she returned home she saw a familiar figure standing on her porch.
“Sebastian!” she greeted him warmly, even as her mind raced. She had a stake in her anorak pocket, but using it would expose her.
“Good evening, Quinn,” his voice was mesmerising.
“What are you doing here?”
“I fear that Drake and Genevieve would rather be alone this evening, and, in the absence of any other familiar faces, I thought I would pay you a visit,” he smiled charmingly.
“How nice of you,” she played for time, “I was just thinking of heading over to Phil’s for a drink. Would you like to join me?” Quinn had taken two steps off the porch when she realised he had not moved.
“Are you going like that?” he indicated the sweat-pants she was wearing.
“Oh,” she laughed, “well, honestly, Phil doesn’t mind.”
“Perhaps you should change,” his eyes pierced hers and her stomach sank. Sebastian was using a small amount of his hypnotic persuasion, and to deny him would be tantamount to admitting that his vampire powers didn’t work on her. She might as well remove her wristwatch and shove her Guardian tattoo under his nose.
“Just give me a minute,” she rushed through the front door and raced up the stairs to her room, not looking back. She quickly dress
ed in a pair of jeans and a white tank top, covered it with a black leather jacket, and pulled on her boots, transferring the stake into the right one. Fetching a small vial of Cliffdale water from the duffel bag in her closet, she shoved it into her jacket pocket. Grabbing her purse, she made her way back downstairs.
Sebastian was still standing on the porch exactly where she had left him.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked innocently, choosing her words carefully. She could not invite him in. He said nothing, but a small frown creased his forehead. “Shall we go?” Quinn held up her arm and, after a moment's hesitation, he linked his own through hers.
The evening was a strained event, for Quinn at least. She had a lingering suspicion that Sebastian might suspect something, given that she had not asked him to wait inside her house. He was certainly charming, regaling her with stories and touching her arm frequently to emphasise some or other point he made. Although Quinn laughed at his jokes and asked the right questions, she dreaded the end of the evening, knowing that he would offer to walk her home.
They climbed the steps to the porch and Quinn turned to face him.
“Thank you,” she gushed, “for a wonderful evening.”
Sebastian tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled. Alarmed, Quinn noticed his fangs were ever so slightly extended and she lowered her eyes to the floor, which is why she didn’t see it coming. Sebastian dipped his blond head, and, at the same moment, he lifted her chin with a long, pale finger, his lips meeting hers. Quinn froze, every fibre of her being screaming for her to stop him, to pull her stake from her boot and end this madness. A vampire kissing a Guardian was sacrilege – a hideous violation.
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