QUINTUS

by Kym Grosso

  “Oh God…please Quintus…just…move…please.” Gabriella forced her body to relax as a twinge of pain passed through her and he settled inside her bottom. Hunter stroked her hair as she breathed into the sensation.

  “That’s a girl,” he praised.

  “I…oh Goddess…” With her body on fire, she ached for release. She relaxed into the dark intrusion, accepting him inside of her.

  “Almost there…ah fuck. You’re so…” Quintus lost his words.

  “Please…” So full, she needed more, her pussy throbbed and she sought relief, wiggling her bottom toward him. “Fuck me.”

  As he slowly thrust in and out of Gabriella, she submitted, her body on fire with arousal. Quintus wrapped a firm hand around her waist and flicked fingers over her clitoris, applying more pressure.

  “I’m…I can’t…this feels so…” Gabriella failed to articulate the incredible pleasure weaving through her body.

  Quintus gently rocked in and out of his mate. Gabriella’s head rested on Hunter’s thigh, his cock sliding into her mouth. Surrendering to her mate and the Alpha all at once, Gabriella reveled in an erotic experience she’d never thought possible. As Quintus applied pressure to her clit, circling it with his thumb, she splintered apart, her explosive release flinging her over the edge.

  As her climax seized her, Gabriella screamed, writhing as the orgasm spiraled through every inch of her body. She stroked Hunter’s cock with her hand, his seed spilling as he grunted loudly. Quintus gave a final deep thrust, coming hard inside her.

  Gabriella panted for breath, her entire body tingling with pleasure. As Quintus gently removed himself, she trembled, the final erotic waves of her orgasm rolling over her.

  Within seconds, Quintus had taken her safely into his embrace. She curled into his arms, her lips pressed to his chest. Goddess, she loved this man with every cell of her being. She knew right then she’d sacrifice her own life for him, and happily die knowing she loved and was loved.

  Gabriella cuddled into her vampire, her heart crushing as she contemplated her next move. Wherever Gabriella had traveled, death and danger followed. She’d asked for Quintus’ help after healing him, and he’d done as she asked, helping her find a way to kill the witch. But Lilitu was her responsibility.

  Gabriella had never paid attention to potions, but she knew her mother often used them to help others. This one, though, would bring destruction. Merely touching the bone, she’d sensed its malevolent power. She imagined that nothing would be the same again after she ingested it, but if it was the only way to kill Lilitu, she was prepared to use it.

  Quintus had warned her more than once not to go alone, but she couldn’t put him at risk. Gabriella hadn’t loved anyone since her mother died, and Quintus was the only light in her life. Hunter Livingston had guided her, become her Alpha. The two people she cared about the most would give their lives for her, and she couldn’t let that happen.

  Gabriella sealed off her thoughts and tightened her embrace around Quintus. Tears welled in her eyes as emotion consumed her. She shifted onto her forearm and gazed up at Quintus. Although his eyes were closed, she could tell from his heartbeat he wasn’t fully asleep. She leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss to his lips.

  “Hmm…” Quintus gave a sleepy smile.

  “I’ll be back, baby,” she told him, and kissed him once more. Gabriella waited mere seconds before he drifted into a slumber. I love you, she whispered in her mind, trying not to wake him. More than you’ll ever know.

  She pushed out of bed and shoved onto her feet, glancing to the bed. Her vampire lay sleeping on his back, and the Alpha curled onto his side, facing away. She smiled, thinking of how lucky she was to have them in her life. Caring. Loving. Protecting. It was everything she could ever want or need in a mate and a friend. And this time it was her turn to do the protecting.

  Gabriella pulled her dried t-shirt over her head, dressing. She’d finger-combed her wild mane into a braid and now stared into the mirror. She blinked, her eyes changing from blue to yellow, the wolf burning to escape. This, however, was a job for her magick.

  She looked to the vial she’d set on the counter next to the sink. In the melee of leaving the fae’s realm, she swore she heard him whisper something to Quintus about a warning. Instinctively she knew, after touching the bone with her own fingers, that the potion could harm her. But the power she’d gain would outweigh the risks. Kill or be killed. She had no choice but to fight, because Lilitu would pursue her forever.

  No more than a spoonful, the elixir looked innocuous enough; however, given the ingredients and fae magick, Gabriella knew otherwise. She tugged at the small cork, easily removing the stopper. Within seconds, the room sparkled in black magick, the scent of sulfur filtering into the air. Hellfire.

  Although they hadn’t discussed it, Gabriella had overheard Kellan telling Quintus that it must be taken in Lilitu’s presence. She recorked the vial and exhaled loudly. Lilitu would come for her no matter where she went. But this time, she’d trap her into her own death.

  When Gabriella had retrieved her clothing from the dryer, she’d investigated her surroundings. After taking one look at the remote location of Hunter’s cabin in the bayou and the rickety fishing boat tied to the dock, she determined she needed another means of travel. With very little knowledge of the swamps, navigating the murky alligator-infested waters would take her forever to get back to New Orleans.

  Her only feasible option to escape would be to leave the same way they’d arrived. Very few vampires could flash from location to location. Although she was aware the skill was utilized by only the most advanced witches, Gabriella suspected she could materialize to a location. Ever since she’d mated, Quintus’ magick had begun to merge with hers, and she noted that she was less and less sick each time they’d traveled.

  Gabriella stuffed the vial into her front jeans pocket, and wrapped her fingers around the brass door knob, slowly turning it until it opened. She listened for movement and heard only the soft snoring coming from the bedroom. Quietly she padded through the hallway and into the kitchen, praying he didn’t hear her. As long as she was on the property, with her emotions sealed off tight, Quintus would have no need for concern.

  She glanced outside, noting the light of the waning moon glistening on the water. Without her phone, she’d lost track of time and suspected dawn would arrive within hours. She glanced over her shoulder before she reached for the lock and clicked open the deadbolt. As she put her hand on the knob, she heard his voice in her mind. Come back to bed, bella. Rest. We’ll go soon. Her lips drew into a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She had to keep him safe. There was no other way, she told herself.

  “Sleep, my vampire,” she whispered, sending her magick to him, invoking a spell. “Somnium, sopor, nox. Blessed be.” It was one of the early spells she’d learned from her mother. She’d used it several times on the coven children who’d had trouble sleeping at night. But for Quintus, she suspected the spell would only last minutes, then he’d chase her.

  As she opened the door and closed it behind her, she breathed in the swamp air. Crickets and frogs sang into the night. Spanish moss swayed gently in the cypress trees, a warm breeze blowing over the water. As she took a step onto the dock, a creak released from its wooden planks.

  “I love you, Quintus,” Gabriella whispered, firing up the energy within her soul. She closed her eyes, her palms upward to the sky, calling on the magick of the earth and moon. Imagining Lilitu, she focused on what she’d brought to the world. Death. A place where the veil between the living and the dead stretched thin, where grief and loss tore at its fragile fibers.

  She called on her wolf, pleading for the powers of her mate, Quintus. Imagining her body dissipating into a thousand molecules, she siphoned his magick. Her pulse raced as the transfer began and she prayed she’d make it alive.

  Within seconds, breath rushed into her lungs and she tumbled onto the gravel. She glanced up to the familiar
pyramid-shaped tomb, its chalky white walls reflecting the street lights. A marble angel sat atop its peak, beckoning visitors who couldn’t see over the brick walls.

  Gabriella shoved up onto her hands and knees, listening for others. Although the cemetery’s locked gates kept humans at bay at night, supernaturals found their way into the cities of the dead. She recalled her first meeting with Ramiel, standing on the corner off of Basin Street. She’d given him a sample of her blood, seeking to sell it.

  Gabriella shrugged off the bad memory and pressed to her feet. She slid her fingers into her pocket and retrieved the potion. With dark energy sizzling around her, Lilitu would find her within minutes.

  “Where are you, bitch?” Gabriella sniffed, cringing as she smelled the scent of urine in the air. “Is that you? Come find me. I’m here now.”

  Her boots crunched the stones beneath her feet as she proceeded with caution down a dimly lit path. Although she’d been in the same cemetery many times, she never shook the feeling she was a breath away from death.

  Gabriella inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm her thoughts but they continued to race. Kellan had warned Quintus. The potion in her hand didn’t exactly come stamped with FDA approval. Not only was she going to drink her own blood, she’d ingest the ancient bones of a witch and the earth of the devil. Fae magick was notoriously dangerous, its victims often dying a slow and miserable death. But it was too late to turn back and even if she could, she’d stay and face it. No more running; she was determined to protect others from the witch.

  “Goddammit. Where the fuck are you?” Gabriella mumbled under her breath. She expected Quintus would wake up any second and come look for her. Although she’d kept her thoughts closed off, he’d break through her barrier within minutes.

  “I know you can hear me, you shitty excuse of a witch. You’ve been following me my entire life. Get your fucking ass here now.” With each step, the cemetery grew more silent. Crickets ceased to chirp, and no cars traveled the usually busy street. She opened her mind, allowing her wolf to filter the intermittent dark magick that morphed into a static current.

  Gabriella ran her fingers over the cool stone of a crypt in an attempt to reach the dead. But even the spirits remained quiet in their sleep. A crackle of lightning struck a nearby mausoleum, and she ducked as rock blasted into the air. A jagged piece smashed into her back, forcing her to the ground. Her wrist snapped as she fell onto a pile of bricks. The vial slipped from her fingers and rolled onto gravel, disappearing underneath a crypt.

  Stunned, Gabriella struggled to breathe and shifted onto her back. The chalky particles coated her tongue as she coughed, a cloud spinning like a dust devil through the cemetery. Panic superseded the pain as she realized she’d lost the potion.

  “Where is the bone, wolf? I can feel it’s here. If you give it to me now, I’ll give you a quick death,” Lilitu’s voice cackled.

  Gabriella shoved to sit up against a tomb. Cradling her injured arm against her chest, she reached with her other hand, fumbling blindly for the vial.

  “Where’s your vampire? The wolf? Are they off chasing his Jiangshi?” Maniacal laughter followed.

  Gabriella’s stomach rolled at Lilitu’s words. Mao. Was she responsible for creating the hideous atrocity and bringing it into their lives?

  “Maybe I’ll just burn you like your mother. Your pathetic mate and Alpha will come running. Don’t make me kill them too,” she threatened.

  Gabriella’s fingertips caught the rim of the vial, but it rolled further into the crevasse between the bricks and the crypt. She turned her head and caught sight of Lilitu floating through the haze as if she were a ghost. The high priestess’ dark magick grew stronger, and she sensed other witches in the distance. The coven.

  Desperate, Gabriella rolled onto her knees, and with only one hand she felt for the potion. Despite the threats, she doubted Lilitu would kill her, not without her prize.

  “What are you looking for over there, girl? A protection spell? An amulet? Whatever it is, it won’t help you.”

  Gabriella swiveled her head, catching sight of the priestess. Dressed in black leather, she deliberately and slowly stalked toward her. Focus, Gabby, she told herself. Her fingers probed left then to the right, deep into the cracks in the earth. A scream tore from her lungs as a cockroach scampered up her arm and into her hair. She furiously shook her head, until the insect flew onto the ground. She loathed insects but couldn’t stop searching until she found the potion.

  “I always told your mother you’d be a disgrace to the coven. What kind of a witch is afraid of a little bug? You’re pathetic.” Lilitu stopped within ten feet of Gabriella, her eyes red with fury. She held up her palms, a cruel smirk crossing her face. “I want the bone. Maybe you need an incentive.”

  Gabriella shifted to her far right, tears welling in her eyes as her fingertips slid over the glass. As she gripped it and withdrew her hand from the fissure, hundreds of cockroaches swarmed over her arm. Determined, she jerked her hand away, holding tight to the vial. The insects scampered out of the ground, covering her body. Gabriella struggled to stand but stumbled.

  Lilitu laughed uncontrollably then without warning ceased, pausing as she honed in on Gabriella. “I want the bone. I know it’s here. I feel it.”

  “It’s here all right,” she confirmed, itching to kill the bitch.

  “No one’s going to stop me, not with the demon magick I have. You’re all so pathetically weak. You’re going to die tonight, so you make the decision. Give it to me now, and die swiftly. Or I’ll pry it from your dead hands. And then I kill the vampire and the wolf. What’s it going to be? Pick your poison, girl.”

  “I’m going to pick my poison, drink it and then use it to destroy you.” Gabriella kicked off the roaches, and glared at the priestess. She lifted the vial and tossed the cork onto the ground. The putrid scent of the hellfire wafted into the air and she coughed back the vomit that rose in her throat. As she brought the rim to her lip, she caught sight of Quintus flashing next to a tomb nearly twenty feet away. The Alpha rolled onto the gravel, sick from materializing.

  “Gabby, wait!” Quintus yelled.

  “I love you,” she whispered, her eyes locked on his. She didn’t give him a chance to stop her as she tilted back the vial and opened her throat. Like acid, the caustic poison burned her mouth but she didn’t stop until the tube had been emptied. She tossed it aside as the last drop hit her tongue.

  Gabriella lost control, her body possessed with the spirit of the first witch. Demonic fae energy twisted the spirit through her body. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Radiant light speared from every pore of her body.

  “Potions won’t hurt me…” Concern flashed across Lilitu’s face at the realization that the first bone was no longer present. She wore a shocked expression on her face. “What did you do?”

  Gabriella seized, her body flattened against a mausoleum. Quintus flashed to her side, but as he went to touch her, he was blown back several steps. Hunter ran to him, restraining Quintus by his arm.

  “Give her a minute,” Hunter told him.

  “What! Did! You! Do?” Lilitu screamed.

  “I don’t give a fuck. I’m getting her out of here,” Quintus insisted, ignoring the Alpha.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” an eerie familiar voice echoed, stopping him cold.

  Quintus whipped his head around and caught a glimpse of Mao gliding toward him. Her skin had begun to disintegrate. The stench of rotting flesh hung heavy in the air, flies buzzing around her torso.

  “Quintus, darling. You cannot escape me.”

  “What the actual fuck is that?” Hunter coughed and looked to Quintus. “Sorry bro, but that bitch is next. I know you loved Mao, but that isn’t her. That…I don’t know what that is but it’s going back to Hell.”

  “You stay with Gabriella, I’ll go after Lilitu,” Quintus told him.

  “No, I’ll go,” Hunter yelled to him. “Gabby needs you.”
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  “You’re not strong enough. There’s no way in hell you’re going to beat demon magick.”

  Through a hazy tunnel, Gabriella watched them argue. Her mind spun with random words, but she couldn’t understand what they were saying. Helpless to stop him, Gabriella watched as Hunter tore off his shirt and began to shift. His mighty gray wolf growled and leapt onto Mao. Paralyzed, Gabriella surrendered to the tremendous power of the first witch and focused on Lilitu.

  “I don’t know what you did, you little bitch, but I’m going to kill you,” Lilitu screamed.

  As the high priestess ran toward Gabriella, Quintus rushed to block her. He seized her by the shoulders and sank his fangs into her neck, tearing at her flesh. Lilitu conjured the athame that had nearly killed Hunter and stabbed it into his side. Quintus fell backwards onto the ground, the knife firmly rooted in his flank. He spat her demonic blood out, careful not to swallow it.

  At the sight of her mate, Gabriella released a guttural howl that shook the ground. Light emanated from her eyes, the spirit of the first witch streaming through her body. Although conscious of Quintus, her attention focused on Lilitu, who began chanting a spell, her hands upward to the sky.

  Hunter rolled on the ground, screeching as Mao sunk her rotted teeth into the wolf, ripping his fur from his body. Blood sprayed into the night, splattering onto a tomb.

  “Help the Alpha,” Gabriella told Quintus as light streamed from her eyes. “Lilitu is mine.”

  With the Alpha compromised, Quintus nodded, and ran to Hunter’s aid. The Alpha snarled, snapping his teeth into her arm. Thrashing his head, he tore at her decaying flesh until her wrist partially detached. The severed hand dangled by its ligaments, dripping green-tinged pus and blood onto the gravel. A fetid stench infiltrated the air.

  “Get the fuck off of him.” Quintus wrapped his hand around Mao’s neck. He slid his fingers into her mouth, cringing as her forked tongue lapped over his palm. He grunted, prying open her jaw.