Of Blood and Passion

by Pamela Palmer

  “I spent a few months in the real world last year to keep from turning immortal. William and Max are stuck here, but one of William’s friends isn’t. Micah helps me come and go.”

  “William and Micah are friends?” Maybe he wasn’t in as much danger as he’d feared.

  “Yes. You know Micah?”

  “Yeah. He’s…” Zack clamped his mouth shut, realizing that admitting that Micah was in league with Quinn, the sorceress, could compromise everything if these vamps weren’t really who they said they were. “I’ve heard of him,” he said lamely.

  Ana Lucia nodded and led him through the front door of the house. There were people everywhere, at least a dozen of them. A couple were Slavas, but the rest looked like mortal humans, freshies, though there may have been a vampire or two scattered among them, including the bearded male, Max.

  On a blood-soaked blanket in the middle of the floor, lay Jason, a woman kneeling on either side of him.

  The curly-haired blonde in jeans had her back to Zack and appeared to be holding Jason’s hand. The other looked like she’d just walked in off the nearest wagon train, her colorless dress long and old fashioned, her hair pulled back tight. When she glanced up at him, he saw that the pupils of her eyes were a stark white, her fangs elongating even as he watched.

  “She’s a vampire,” Zack growled, starting forward.

  Ana Lucia stopped him with a hand to the arm. “She’s also a talented healer. If anyone can save him, Octavia can.”

  Zack heard the unspoken stress on the word ‘if’. He wanted to hit something, preferably one of the vampires. But this one was on him. Jason’s chances were bad and it was all his fault.

  As Zack watched, the lady vamp dipped her head to the site of Jason’s terrible wound. Zack tensed because how could taking more blood possibly be good for him? Unless she was trying to turn him? Oh, fuck, no.

  He started forward again, but William grabbed his shoulder. “Let her work,” he said quietly.

  “Is she trying to turn him?” Zack demanded.

  “No.”

  That was apparently all the answer he was going to get. But even as Zack watched, the lady vamp straightened, replacing her mouth with her hand, pressing her palm to Jason’s wound as she closed her eyes. Zack wasn’t sure, but he thought he could see light beneath her hand. No, he was sure. It was light, like her palm had suddenly lit up. What the hell?

  None of the people in the room moved. All watched, half of the women with their hands pressed against their mouths or hearts as if they gave a shit whether Jason lived or died. And maybe they did. Jason had lived in enough places in Vamp City over the past year and a half that he probably did know people wherever he went.

  The minutes ticked by, but nothing happened. Zack felt sick to his stomach. The back of his head was beginning to pound.

  Suddenly, Jason’s arm spasmed. All the women and half the men in the room gasped. And then Jason did the impossible…he opened his eyes. Chills skated over Zack’s skin and it was all he could do not to let loose a crow of relief.

  Jason turned to the blonde kneeling beside him, the one with her back to Zack. His eyes widened, a look of disbelief, of…wonder…transforming his usually stoic face. And then the Marine’s eyes filled with tears.

  “Heather?” he croaked.

  Zack stared. Fuck. Oh, fuck, she was his wife! He felt his own eyes burn all of a sudden and had to look down until he got it under control.

  “Am I dead or dreaming?” Jason asked, his voice raw.

  “Neither.” Heather’s voice was thick with tears. “You’re safe. We both are.”

  Zack looked up again just in time to see Jason reach up and pull her down on top of him, tears running down the side of his face into his ears. Zack had to wipe another damn tear from his own eye, but no longer felt like such a wuss for doing so.

  As Jason squeezed the bejeezus out of his wife, most of the women laughed, teary-eyed. Half of the males in the room coughed, the other half turning away to wipe something out of their eyes or off their cheeks.

  Finally, Jason let Heather go. “Help me up.”

  Heather looked to Octavia, whose eyes were as damp as every human’s in the room.

  The lady vamp nodded. “He will be tired for a day or two, but he is healed.” And damn if she wasn’t right. Zack got a glimpse of Jason’s neck and the wound wasn’t even visible anymore beneath all the blood.

  Heather rose, gripped Jason’s hand, and helped him sit up.

  Jason looked at her. “What happened?” he demanded, sounding like a Marine again. “Where’s Zack?”

  “I’m here.”

  All eyes turned his way. Jason’s expression went from hard demand to raw relief when he saw him. But Zack noticed that Octavia was looking at him with surprise and Heather was staring at him with her mouth open.

  A chill traveled down his spine. Then again, hadn’t William just said that everyone in Vamp City was now looking for him? Hell.

  Admiration filled Jason’s eyes. “You took down six Rippers?”

  Zack snorted. “Four. We’d both be dead if not for William and…” He looked at the bearded male. “Max.”

  Both males dipped their heads in acknowledgement.

  Zack stepped forward, then squatted beside Jason and his wife. Heather moved back, making room for him. He liked the look on her face, one part joy, one part welcome, and ten parts fierce protectiveness.

  “You’re Heather,” Zack said. “Jason’s been going crazy trying to find you.”

  She smiled, swiping the last of the tears off her cheeks. “I’ve been going just as crazy trying to find him.” She slugged Jason’s shoulder lightly. “How many kovenas did you escape from? Three? Four? Every time Octavia and I got a bead on you, you’d left.”

  Jason gazed at his wife with incredulity, his face breaking into a wide grin. “God, I love you.” Right in front of the entire room, he pulled Heather into his arms and gave her a way-too-passionate kiss. Zack shot to his feet, not needing a front row seat for that, and found himself facing the lady vamp, who had also risen.

  She was watching him with an odd look on her face. “You are one of mine, Zack.”

  Oh, fuck, no. His brows drew down. She was claiming him as her slave now?

  As if reading his mind, her expression softened. “Not my slave. You have power buried deep within you.”

  He looked at her curiously. “Levenach.”

  She smiled with delight. “Yes! Yes, indeed. Before I was a vampire, I was a powerful sorceress. Now I’m a very weak one, but for my healing skills.”

  “He can’t stay here, Octavia,” William said, coming to stand beside him. “Cristoff’s looking for him.”

  Zack met William’s gaze. “I’m not going anywhere without Jason.”

  “Jason will be safe here.” William paused, his voice lowering. “I would take you to—”

  “No!” Octavia cried out suddenly, doubling over as if in pain, as if someone had just stabbed her in the stomach.

  Jason and Heather pulled apart and Heather shot to her feet to grab hold of Octavia.

  Jason tried rising, too, and began to sway. Zack grabbed him, steadying his friend.

  “Octavia?” Heather asked.

  “Escalla has just ordained a new king,” the lady vamp gasped.

  Both William and Max swore. Everyone else appeared as confused as Zack by that comment. A new king?

  “Cristoff?” William asked, his voice as brittle as glass.

  “Yes.” Octavia’s sorrowful gaze swung to Zack, sucker punching him. “Cristoff caught the sorceress. The sword has feasted on her blood.”

  Zack stared at her, not understanding. What sword? Damn Quinn for telling him nothing. But the lady vamp’s words finally penetrated his skull. The sword has feasted on her blood.

  “She’s not dead.” The words shot from his mouth. But the look on the woman’s face had his heart suddenly pounding in his chest.

  “She dies.” Octavia’s e
xpression hardened suddenly as she turned to William. “The war begins. To arms!”

  William’s hand landed on Zack’s shoulder. “You’ll be safe enough here. Cristoff has what he wants.”

  Zack barely heard him. His mind had gone blank, like a white board freshly cleaned. “Quinn,” he whispered.

  Vaguely, he was aware that it was Jason who was holding him up now.

  Chapter 35

  Arturo raced across Vamp City on horseback, Micah at his side. His vampire heartbeats, slow as they were, thudded in his chest as his mind roared. Deep inside his head, he followed the magical tracer he’d put on Quinn back when he’d first released her and Zack to the real world, knowing he’d someday come to retrieve her. Back when he’d still thought he might hand her over to Cristoff. Before he’d reclaimed his soul. Before he’d lost his heart.

  A lifetime ago. His only need since had been to protect her.

  And now he was too late.

  If only they hadn’t run headlong into Rippers as they’d tried to return to her. The battle had been fierce and he and Micah had come close to losing, but ultimately they’d prevailed, thanks to the timely arrival of Sakamoto’s troops.

  It was during those last minutes of the battle that he’d felt Quinn’s anguish. Then nothing. His own heart had nearly ceased beating altogether in that moment, and might have, if not for the tracer that told her she was still alive.

  He’d wondered if she’d been attacked by Rippers, or rogue wolves. But the tracer was leading them straight for Gonzaga Castle and he could no longer deny the increasingly obvious.

  Cristoff had her.

  Beneath him, the ground began to rumble, the land shaking violently. Even the sky began to vibrate, the tiny cracks of blue shattering the slate gray sky widening.

  Dio. The magic was failing fast.

  Sunbeams broke through, suddenly, all around them, one not ten feet directly in front. Arturo leaped from his mount, knowing there was no way to stop the horse’s stride before it carried Arturo to his death. Even now, pain exploded on every inch of his skin as his flesh began to smoke. He raced back out of the way, but he was unable to go far. The sunbeams bore down like trees in a forest, dozens of them, as far as the eye could see.

  “Micah!”

  “Here.” His friend had escaped as he had. Barely. “I’m smoking.”

  “As am I.” But Arturo could see no path through. There was nothing for it but to wait until the sunbeams winked out, and pray he didn’t catch fire in the meantime. Minutes passed, the agony from the searing heat of the light miniscule compared to the pain in his heart. Finally, the light doused and he ran for his mount, standing a few yards away. While he could run faster than a horse, no vampire could maintain that speed for any distance. And he had to get to Quinn.

  “Another one like that and it might all crumble,” Micah said as they took off again.

  Arturo nodded. The two of them might not be stuck in Vamp City, but if the magic failed during daylight, they might well find themselves standing in sunlight. And dead a moment later.

  As they reached the edges of Gonzaga territory, Arturo felt Quinn’s emotions suddenly, a blast of pain followed by a scream of the soul that was almost more than he could bear. And he knew.

  “He’s stabbed her with Escalla.”

  The look Micah turned on him was one of grim horror. But when Arturo would have raced straight to the castle, Micah stopped him.

  “The tunnels,” Micah said.

  “There’s no time!”

  “Ax! You have no idea what you’ll run into. Let’s go through the tunnels first. We can assess the situation, then do what we need to in order to maximize our chances of getting her out of there alive.”

  Everything inside Arturo demanded he go to her without delay, but Micah was right. Arturo changed directions, kicked his mount forward, and raced for the stables. If they drew attention to themselves with such breakneck speed, so be it. He would not compromise speed for anything, not now.

  Within seconds of reaching the stables, he was leaping down into the tunnel, hoping to hell Grant had disabled his booby trap. He was dying inside. Never had he felt this kind of pain before. Quinn was his sunshine, his heart, his life. And the knowledge that he was losing her felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest with red-hot pliers.

  “Ax.” Kassius appeared suddenly in the tunnel ahead. “We have her. Bram’s trying to save her, but…”

  Arturo’s mind seized. “Where?”

  Kassius led him to the cave where they’d had their private discussion with Grant…was it just yesterday? Lukas was there, standing to one side, his expression grave. But it was the woman on the pallet on the ground that drew all of his attention.

  Quinn.

  Arturo flew to her side, watching as Bram worked frantically within her abdomen. Mio Dio. He’d stripped her down and opened her up. Arturo could see her internal organs. His friend was performing surgery, having somehow managed to smuggle in what appeared to be a hospital’s worth of surgical supplies.

  Arturo knelt beside her and took her hand in his, her flesh paler than any vampire’s. Her skin felt cool to his touch.

  “Bram?” The question caught in his throat.

  “I’m doing the best I can, Ax.” But when Bram glanced up, his eyes were bleak. “I’m losing her.”

  Lily woke to the soft sound of crying.

  She opened her eyes only a slit, careful not to move, hoping for some advanced warning of where she was and what was going on before she made it known she was awake.

  From what she could see, she was in a tiny bedroom. On a stool at the foot of the bed sat a Trader, a woman, by the looks of her. And a heartbroken one, by the sound. Standing behind her, arms wrapped around the Trader’s shoulders, was another woman, a petite woman with long, dark, wavy Slava hair.

  Lily sat up slowly, aching at the mournful sound of the woman’s crying.

  Both women looked up, the Trader catching her breath on a sob, then brushing away her tears to find a watery smile.

  “Hello, Lily. You’re safe here.”

  Lily watched her a moment, feeling for the truth, and sensing she’d just heard it. “Where am I?”

  “Neo’s. Neo and I run a safe house for escaped slaves. I’m Mukdalla.”

  “And I’m Amanda,” the Slava said. “Dr. Amanda Morris. I’ve been treating a friend of yours, I believe. Zack Lennox.”

  Lily blinked, then gaped at her. “He’s not dead?”

  Both women looked away, but Dr. Morris’s gaze returned to hers quickly, an unhappy expression in her eyes. “He was here just hours ago. Quinn went to find him, but…” She swallowed. “None of them have returned.”

  Mukdalla’s tears once more began to roll. “Forgive me,” she said with a wave of her hand. “My husband was with Quinn.” She couldn’t continue and once more dissolved into sobbing.

  Dr. Morris held the other woman tight. “She felt him die,” she told Lily.

  “Oh, no.” Lily’s heart began to pound. “The others?”

  “We have no way of knowing,” Amanda said. “All I can tell you is that you are safe, Lily.”

  “Are Zack and Quinn…were they okay? The last time you saw them?”

  Dr. Morris’s expression turned professional as she launched into a description of magic sickness and high fevers and Zack’s unaccountable muscle gain. “You’ll barely recognize him when…when you see him again.”

  “If I see him again.”

  Dr. Morris nodded. “Yes.”

  How was it possible he’d survived? It wasn’t fair. For the past weeks, she’d been mourning his death. But he’d been alive all this time, only to go missing hours before she arrived. Hours!

  “Why did he leave?” she asked. Had he hated it here?

  “Word came about you,” Dr. Morris said gently. “He went to find you, Lily. From the day he arrived here, he’s been frantic to find you.”

  Oh, Zack.

  “Amanda!” A ma
n’s deep voice echoed from somewhere in the building.

  “Back here, Sam,” Dr. Morris called.

  A moment later, a man appeared in the doorway, a nice-looking Slava. “It’s happened. Word just came. Cristoff Gonzaga has killed the sorceress.”

  Lily gaped at him. “Quinn? He killed Quinn?”

  Sam looked at her with apology. “I shouldn’t have blurted that out.”

  Amanda turned into his arms and buried her face against his shoulder. “No, you shouldn’t have.”

  Mukdalla’s hand rose to cover her mouth. “This is a terrible, terrible day.”

  Sam let out a sorrowful sigh. “I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse. There had to have been a hundred sunbeams with the last breakthrough. Blue cracks are erupting all over the sky. It’s not going to last much longer.”

  “Do you think Cristoff will save Vamp City?” Amanda asked. “Do you think he can?”

  Sam frowned. “That’s the question, isn’t it?”

  Mukdalla rose suddenly and held out her hand to Lily. “Well, I’m not going to sit around and watch this world and everyone I love die. I can’t do anything to stop any of this, but I can take this young woman home.” Mukdalla met Lily’s gaze. “I can take you back to the real world. Zack will be able to find you there, yes?”

  Lily’s hands remained in her lap. “I’m not leaving. Not until I know what’s happened to Zack.” She looked at the three of them. “And even if he’s…” She couldn’t finish that particular sentence. Her breath caught in her throat, her heart all but shattering at the thought that she’d almost found him only to lose him again, for good this time. “I’ve heard there’s a war coming. A war against Cristoff Gonzaga. I was told that I might be needed to help fight it.” The words sounded ridiculous coming out of her mouth, given her petite size and complete lack of fighting skills. But she was only repeating what Octavia had told her. “I’m staying.”

  Sam and Amanda looked at one another, then turned to her with admiration in their eyes.

  Mukdalla’s smile bloomed wide, despite the depth of sadness in her eyes. “I like you, Lily Wang. But given how much Quinn and Zack think of you, I knew I would. You’re right. There is undeniably a war coming. And if I can’t take you home, then I’ll be fighting at your side.”