by Dianna Love
It sent a blast of power at Quinn, slapping his head to the side.
Quinn sidestepped, caught his balance, and turned to the pair. He hated to enter the mind of a demon, but if he used kinetics, the demon might kill Reese before Quinn could stop it. Using mind lock was the quickest way to free Reese, who was fighting for all she was worth but turning blue.
He powered up and shoved inside the demon’s head. The screeching noise that hit him sounded like bad feedback at a rock concert turned up a hundred decibels.
Walking forward at a steady pace, Quinn held onto the nasty mind. Swimming in a sewer would be more pleasant. He pushed harder into the frenetic noise and found a place to latch onto its mind. He sent a burst of power through the connection that rocked the demon back.
Reese now hung limp in the creature’s arms.
Finally it lost its grip, snarling at the pain Quinn was causing.
That’s when Reese came alive.
She shot upright and shoved her booted foot back to slam the demon’s knee. It was enough to knock the demon off his feet and for her to break loose. She turned to fight him.
Quinn wanted to strangle her himself.
Didn’t she realize that now was the time to run away from that thing? If she’d back off, Quinn could use his kinetics and get out of its head. Quinn hit the demon with a solid mental punch that buckled its knees.
Taking advantage of the demon’s weakened state, Reese showed off some serious kickboxing skills with her next hits.
Quinn released the demon that had now turned into a quivering mass on the ground. That creature could regenerate, though, so Quinn smashed a double-fisted kinetic hit down on its head. The body stopped jerking. In the next minute, it became gray dust that swirled into a miniature tornado and vanished into the air.
Reese turned to Quinn with a smile that showed the woman she kept hidden. An attractive one, when you got past the angry glare and churlish attitude. But Quinn recognized an adrenaline high when he saw one.
How many times had she fought demons?
Reese rubbed her neck where she had red welts appearing on her skin. “I wasn’t sure you’d turn around in time.”
She stopped, frowning as she glanced around her with a question in her gaze, then shook it off and started toward him again.
Another demonic being, dressed as a human, but with the same black eyes, dove out from behind a headstone taller than Quinn.
Reese spun, but too late, and got hit broadside, the impact knocking her to the ground.
She and the demon rolled away in a flurry of punches and kicks.
Quinn hit the demon with a kinetic blast, but the thing dragged Reese along when it slid thirty feet away. She never stopped punching the demon and slamming its head backwards, but the demon slashed at her with sickle-shaped claws as long as Quinn’s fingers.
Quinn yanked out two triquetras, specialized, razor-sharp throwing stars formed into the shape of the triangular Belador symbol.
The demon’s jaws opened to rip flesh from Reese’s neck.
Quinn sent the blades flying for the demon’s throat. They bit flesh and cut straight across. The demon froze. His head fell to the side, barely attached, and his body flopped down.
Just like the first demon, the body immediately turned into a gray dust and spiraled away.
Quinn got to Reese and dropped to his knees. He slid his arm behind her and lifted her into a sitting position. “Reese, are you okay?”
She had two gashes across her neck. She tried to speak. The only word that came out was, “Medallion.”
He fished out the medallion and she gripped it like a lifeline. Slowly the bleeding stopped and the skin closed up, healing over, but leaving puffy red marks.
She lowered her hand. The rain washed red streaks of blood down her fingers. She caught her breath. “That’s better.”
“Why did it heal you to a point and stop? You still have two wounds on your neck that are barely closed.”
Her gaze dropped down and away. “Majikal healing is not exactly a perfect science.”
He agreed, but she was not telling him the whole truth. When he pulled the medallion away, she snarled, “That’s mine, dammit.”
“Why do you need the medallion to activate your powers?”
She stonewalled with a flat expression.
He suggested, “You could help yourself by telling the truth on occasion.”
“You could help yourself by pulling your head out of your ass and knocking off the power Gestapo act,” she grumbled. Running her hands through her golden-brown hair, she tossed curls everywhere and huffed out a breath. “Listen, this hasn’t been the best of days for me. I’m trying to work with you, but you’re screwing up my schedule.”
“I only want to understand why you don’t have your powers.”
“Someone turned them dormant. Before you ask, no, I’m not telling you who. That’s my business.”
He couldn’t argue with that and in spite of a constant swirl of suspicion around this woman, he sympathized with the crazy way their world functioned. Someone more powerful than she was clearly held something over her head.
Quinn said, “I have an unusual ability called mind lock. Our powers are controlled by the mind. Would you like me to slip inside and see if I can figure out how to unbind your powers?”
“Oh, hell no!”
Why hadn’t she healed from the demon attack that happened before they’d met her in Midtown? Why did her healing powers only work to a point now?
He couldn’t help her and watch for demons, which he now realized were a significant threat, even here. Spying a mausoleum fifteen by twenty feet that he could stand up in, he said, “We need to move.”
“Where?” She leaned forward, making the move to stand up, but Quinn hooked his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet with ease. She wasn’t tiny, but she was shorter than Quinn, and she didn’t weigh a lot. She could stand to put on a few pounds, in his opinion.
Jumping away as if his touch had burned her, she turned a scowl on him that deterred the giving of any such opinion.
Using his kinetics, he opened the mausoleum. “Over there. I’ll give you the medallion then you can heal yourself before the demon poison harms you.”
While dusting her pants, she eyed him with a look that questioned why he would help her. The effort to tidy up was wasted since the poncho had been shredded, and she now had blood splatter on her sweatshirt.
Talking to herself as she followed him into the mausoleum, she complained, “I wanted to never see this city again. If I ever get out of here, I plan to stay gone for more than ten years next time.” She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “This day just gets better and better.”
The interior did smell of mildew and death. But at least they were out of the rain.
He pushed the door almost shut, close enough to slam it if need be, but leaving a slit of ambient light filtering in. He asked, “Why are you—”
Reese arched her back and stretched up onto her toes, head thrown back and a guttural sound coming out of her.
Quinn cursed and yanked the medallion out of his pocket, shoving it into her hand. “You’ve got your powers. Fix yourself.”
For the second time in as many minutes, he’d witnessed crippling attacks on her body. How did she survive this constant battle with demons? Who had put her powers out of reach, dependent on a piece of jewelry that could be so easily taken?
She had a white-knuckled grip on the medallion.
Her bowed body trembled, straining as the majik tried to work.
She lifted the fist that gripped the medallion, mumbling, “Damn ... you ... all.”
Her powers clearly weren’t working.
Quinn hesitated to put his hands on her, unsure if he’d do more damage than good. “You have to let me help you, Reese.”
“No. You’re a ... head doctor. My head’s ... fine.”
“That’s debatable if you’re turning down help. And I’m not a b
loody doctor.”
“Then you can’t—”
He put his hands on her head.
Reese gritted out, “Don’t!”
Quinn kept his hands there. He could feel the power rushing inside her. “Why don’t you want my help?”
“My energy ... might attack you.”
“If that’s the only reason, I’ll take my chances.” He firmed his grip and drew energy through his arms to his fingers. “I’m going into the pain and healing center of your brain only. I’m not invading your personal ... ”
Her body was stretched so tightly, he expected muscles to start snapping. She screamed, “Then do it!”
Chapter 20
Reese’s body lifted four feet off the ground, turning horizontal until her stomach faced the cobwebs inside the mausoleum.
Why wouldn’t the medallion let her tap her powers?
What the hell, Yáahl?
She felt the minute Quinn pushed inside her mind and panicked at the intrusion.
Then the poison twisted her spine.
His energy moved to the center of healing in her mind. She could feel the spot, but not tap it. Pain shot in every direction.
Quinn was talking to her. “Stay with me. The poison should be localized, but it seems to be spreading through your system.”
She couldn’t even complain about getting crappy updates.
His energy rushed from path to path, pausing at one moment, then moving on.
What had he seen?
He’d given his word that he wouldn’t snoop, but he was a man. What man had ever made good on his word to her?
None.
But as his energy moved around searching for the poison, she realized he wasn’t being invasive.
A healer would do this differently, but he’d told her he wasn’t a doctor ... apparently he wasn’t a healer either.
He muttered, “Have to get the poison in one spot then I can ... ”
“Wh ... what?”
“I told you I’m not a healer. I can’t stop the poison from doing damage.”
She was screwed.
“But I can pull it into me and kill it in my system.”
“Are you ... ” She groaned. “Crazy? No!”
“Too late.”
She felt the change. She could actually feel the poison moving through her to her chest where he placed his hand over her heart.
What if it killed him?
Quinn grunted and cursed, then his hold relaxed. “How are you?”
She’d been so worried about him, she hadn’t realized the poison was no longer trying to kill her.
Her body sagged.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
She looked up at him. The grimace said he was uncomfortable. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, it’s like bad heartburn, but that will go away.”
“Where did you learn to do that?”
He finally lowered his gaze to her. “Draw demon poison out of a body?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t. That was an experiment.”
“You idiot!” she yelled at him. “You could have died from that.”
“I didn’t.”
Holding her against him, he turned around, looking. When he found what he wanted, he stepped over to sit on a narrow ledge with her still in his arms.
She should push him away. Get out of his lap. Definitely. She’d do that in just a minute.
But it felt so good to be held. It felt even better being held by a man with such a nicely built body. Powerful, yes, but Quinn had a certain refined air about him. Might be the British accent, but she didn’t think so.
His face was calm. That was the other reason she couldn’t move yet. He’d seemed angry and tense since she met him, but right this minute his face held a peaceful expression.
What was going on in that powerful mind of his?
She tried to hold her eyes open, but they closed, and for the first time in a long time she slept.
~*~*~
Quinn couldn’t look down at the woman cradled in his arms.
What’s wrong with me?
Reese was just a woman who had been injured. But the last woman he’d held had died in his arms.
He waited for the pain to swamp him.
It didn’t. There was only a dull ache at the reminder.
Odd.
Always, the pain hung like a thick fog around him, threatening to sweep in and choke him at any opportunity. It sucked for that to have become his normal.
He’d had to fight constantly to stay in the present, to keep from giving in to the devastated war zone his soul had become.
As always, the pain was there, but ...
Something felt different.
For this moment, he experienced a peacefulness he hadn’t felt in so long. Why? Had the demon poison he’d taken from Reese dulled his senses?
Doubtful. It had taken far more than demon poison to affect his mind and emotions in the past.
He fingered his power at the door and it opened another inch, offering a breath of air and a clear view of anyone coming.
He stared out at the downpour and the soggy cemetery, fully alert and present in this moment. Rain tapped on the mausoleum and the headstones surrounding it. No demons or wars existed in this moment, only him and ... the warm woman cradled against him.
What had happened to Reese? He’d glimpsed damage in her mind that had been there for many years. Long enough that she should have healed emotionally. Why hadn’t she?
Who am I to wonder?
He’d been to powerful monks who had helped him repair his mind more than once. They’d tried to help him after Kizira died, but they’d told him it was not his mind that needed healing, but his heart.
They might be right in theory, but why should his heart heal when Kizira’s never would?
He’d stuffed his emotions into a deep hole so he could function when Tzader and his tribe needed him.
Why did having Reese in his arms stir up all those emotions he’d shoved out of the way?
I’m a Maistir. I can handle holding a woman in a professional context.
He was doing just fine with that until Reese curled toward him, clutching his body and murmuring, “Missed this.”
Those words struck a tender note. Finally looking down at the contentment in a face that had, up until now, worn a scowl as default, he knew without any question that she had not been held this way in a long time.
When was the last time he’d had a chance to hold someone in a quiet moment?
If holding Reese brought her peace even for this short time, he could do it and ignore the dark gremlins climbing around in his head.
This strange woman had exploded into his world and stirred things inside him. Forced him to question things.
One minute he was angry over Kizira’s lack of trust and the next he cursed himself for not deserving that trust.
His mind had been a wasteland since losing Kizira. He should have protected her and he’d spent hours asking himself why he hadn’t. What man deserved a woman if he couldn’t keep her safe?
The truth was that he’d never deserved her love.
He didn’t deserve anyone’s love, and dreaded the moment he had to face his daughter and explain why she’d never see her mother again. But even that fear would not stop him from finding her and keeping her safe.
Reese mumbled again and snuggled even closer.
When she opened her eyes and smiled up at him, it was like looking into sunshine.
That lasted two seconds.
She realized where she was and shoved off his lap.
He grunted when an elbow almost unmanned him. “Good goddess! Careful!”
“What the hell?” She backed up a step.
“Not the appreciation I was expecting,” he groused, getting to his feet. Her look of repulsion took care of his momentary insanity.
For a moment, Reese seemed at a loss, then literally shook her head, muttering, “Can’t go
there.” Her gaze jumped all over the place. “What are we doing in here? Where are the demons?”
“They turned into ash after I killed them. I brought you in here so you could heal where I could better protect you from an attack.”
She cast a wary glance around, like a cornered animal. She ran her fingers through her wild hair and asked, “Did you do something to, uh, heal me?”
“Yes, but before you go ballistic on me, I did not touch anything in your mind except the area that called up your healing. I pulled the poison out, so you shouldn’t have any residual problems.”
“That’s right. I remember.”
She’d lost her ball cap in the attack, and now kept moving her hands over her face and hair, flustered. Then she finally, grudgingly, said, “Thank you.”
Quinn caught himself before laughing at her. She was an odd mix. “You’re welcome. Why are demons hunting you if you’re a demon?”
“I never said I was a demon. In fact, I’ve said several times now that I’m not one.”
“I stand corrected, but what about—”
She held up her hand. “You writing a book on me? If so, leave out that chapter and call it a mystery.”
“You’re a regular comedienne.”
“I don’t find any of this funny, starting with you holding my medallion hostage when I did nothing to harm any of your people. You suspect me of being involved with those men and that demon. I am not and therefore I shouldn’t be treated like a criminal.”
He hated that she had a point, but every instinct he had warned him to trust his suspicions, and not her.
She crossed her arms. “Do you want me to look for the missing tomb or not? If you do, I need my medallion back.”
Give up the only hold he had over her? Not a chance.
If she wanted to be all business, that worked for Quinn. It helped tamp down his ridiculous and unprofessional need to protect her. She’d offered to help him locate the tomb in exchange for the medallion. If, after giving him information, he decided she’d done her part and proven no threat to anyone, then he’d hand it over.
Quinn lifted the leather thong with the medallion from his pocket.
