Of Blood and Passion

by Pamela Palmer

  Chapter 36

  “Have you bitten her?” Arturo demanded. His heart was breaking, his hand stroking Quinn’s lovely face, as still and pale as death.

  “Twice. Both Kassius and I tried to initiate healing through our bites,” Bram said. “Both times her body went into cardiac arrest. I’ve tried everything, Ax. I think the shock of what was done to her—not just the stabbing, but the ripping away of her magic—was too much. Decide now if you want to try to turn her. She doesn’t have much time.”

  “No. She wouldn’t want that.” Not if it meant risking her humanity.

  Arturo turned to Kassius. “Did you find Zack?”

  “No. There was sign of a struggle. A pool of Jason’s blood. Too much for him to have lived.” Kassius’s usually stoic demeanor shattered. “We were ambushed by Gonzaga mercenaries. More than two dozen of them. By the time I could fight my way through, Rinaldo and Quinn were gone.”

  “Rinaldo, too.” Arturo bent his head, his heart shattering for Mukdalla.

  “We knew they’d bring Quinn here, but Cristoff wasted no time. By the time we arrived, it was too late.”

  “Talk to her, Ax,” Bram said. “She’s a fighter—I can feel her trying to hang on—but she’s losing the battle. Help her.”

  Arturo met his friend’s gaze, then turned to cradle Quinn’s cold hand between his. That her hand felt cold to his touch was a very bad sign. “Fight, amore. Zack is missing. We must find him. He needs you, cara mia.” His voice broke. “I need you.”

  He switched to telepathic communication. You are everything to me, Quinn Lennox. You’ve given me back my soul, my heart, my purpose. You’ve given me back the sunshine. Do not leave me, amore mio. I beg of you. Do not leave Zack. He needs you. We all do.

  Bram cursed under his breath. “The bastard did everything but twist the knife inside of her.”

  “Ax, I think you need to bite her,” Micah urged. “Or kiss her. Something.”

  “Not bite,” Bram said quickly. “She won’t survive it.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. They’re connected, Bram, in ways I can’t even begin to understand.”

  “They’re connected…” Lukas stepped forward suddenly, turning to Kassius. “What was it Sakamoto’s werecat told Quinn? Something about a soul cord.”

  Kassius nodded, his expression growing suddenly intent. “Do you remember when you threw the wizard, Ax, then again when you touched Tassard and he fell? The werecats believe Quinn did both of those through you. They believe you’ve become so connected that she can actually work through you.”

  Arturo’s eyes narrowed. “Tassard? All I did was touch him.”

  “He said you stole his strength.”

  His strength. His life? Had Quinn somehow used her death touch through him, enough to weaken Tassard?

  His mind leaped. If she could use it through him to attack, maybe he could help her use it to save her own life.

  Turning to her, he gripped her hand tightly. “I’m going to try something,” he told his friends.

  “You can’t do any worse than I’m doing,” Bram said unhappily.

  Arturo stared at her fragile hand in his, wondering how to proceed, where to start. He had no idea what he was doing, all he knew was he had little time.

  Releasing Quinn’s hand, he proceeded to grip her cold cheeks between his palms. She’d pushed her power through him. Now he needed to coax her power to him. Specifically, her death touch. He needed to share with her his own life force if she was going to continue to live.

  The question was how?

  Closing his eyes, he found her in his mind, her quiet presence, her silent emotions. A soul cord, his friends had called it. A soul cord. But how to coax her to use her power on him?

  He thought of his own gift of persuasion, his ability to use low-level mind control on others. He was certain it wouldn’t work on Quinn. Not with her sorcerer’s gifts. But, then again, it was possible that her magic was gone. Perhaps, if he tried, he could reach her and gain her cooperation even in her unconscious state.

  I share my strength with you, amore mio, but you must take it. You will take it now, Quinn. Feel it flowing into you, strengthening you. Feel the life I would share with you seeping into your body, into your blood and your bones. You will pull that force to you, Quinn. You wish to, for you are hungry for sustenance and it will feed you well.

  He felt nothing. No change, no pull on his energy.

  Opening his eyes, he peered at her, desperate for some sign that she was hearing him, that his words were beginning to reach her. But she remained as still as ever. And a quick glance at Bram’s closed face confirmed he was making no progress.

  Draw, Quinn. Draw on me! You must take what I have to offer. I beg of you, tesoro. I plead with you to do so.

  But still nothing happened. Crushing despair swept through him, the desolation of certainty that he had no way to save her. His sunshine. For centuries he’d lived without her, believing himself alive, but without being able to see that his existence was cold, bleak. Now that he’d experienced the unbridled joy of love, how was he ever to return to that bleakness? How was he to live without her?

  He leaned forward, pressing his mouth to her cool lips, his forehead to her still flesh.

  Live for me, Quinn. Take what I offer. Let me share my life with you. My life force.

  But still nothing happened. Devastated, he released her precious face and sat back on his heels, taking hold of her hand once more. He looked at his friends and shook his head.

  “I don’t know how to save her,” he said brokenly. But even as he said the words, a strange sensation traveled across his chest. An odd sensation of weakening.

  His pulse lifted with hope. A wave of exhaustion swept through him. She was doing it!

  “Bella! That’s is, amore. Drink from me.” Swiftly, fill your depleted body with the sustenance I freely share.

  “Something’s happening, Ax,” Bram said excitedly. “Her color’s coming back. Whatever you’re doing, don’t stop.”

  He wouldn’t dream of it. That’s it, bella, that’s it. Drink from me.

  A tingling sensation swept down his torso and limbs. A wave of dizziness washed through his head.

  “Ax?”

  Drink, tesoro. That’s it, cara. That’s it, Quinn. Drink from me.

  It was becoming a struggle to hold his head up. Vaguely, he was aware that he was beginning to shake.

  “Ax, that’s enough.” He felt hands on his shoulders. Micah’s voice in his ear. “She’s looking better by the moment. You’re looking worse.”

  But when those same hands tried to pull him away, he fought like a madman.

  Suddenly, his head began to float free of his body. His thoughts disconnected. And black rushed in.

  For the second time in one day, Quinn awakened screaming, voices darting all around her.

  “She’s coming to without anesthesia. Enthrall her!”

  “She can’t be enthralled.”

  Still she screamed, the fire in her belly ungodly.

  “Kass,” Bram said. “Quiet her before she has the whole castle down here. Micah, bite her!”

  A belt was gently shoved into her mouth. “Bite down, sorceress.” Kassius’s face swam in front of hers, indistinct through the raw, slashing pain.

  Micah briefly entered her field of vision.

  “Dammit, Ax, what did you do?” Bram’s voice. “That’s it, Micah. She’s starting to heal on her own. Shit, I’ve got to get my clamps out of there before she heals around them.”

  “Lukas?”

  “Arturo’s still alive. But barely.”

  Quinn bit down on the leather until she thought her teeth would crack, the scream strangled, but still pouring up out of her throat.

  Slowly, the terrible pain began to drop to a level she could almost survive.

  “Uro.” The T got trapped by the belt. “Uro!”

  Micah reappeared in her field of vision, his countenance clear this time, his eyes terr
ified as he removed the belt from her mouth. “He’s passed out. Quinn, what happened? Something happened. He held your hand and told you to drink from him. Then he collapsed.”

  The fire in her gut continued to recede, little by little. Her mind was still spinning in a blaze of pain. But she searched for the answer, and a memory whispered.

  “My death touch. He called it.”

  “He gave you his own life force,” Micah breathed.

  “And I can’t give it back! Dammit, Turo.” She tried to roll over, to reach him, and screamed.

  Micah pressed her back. “You’ve been badly injured Quinn. You’re healing, but it’s going to take a little while. Tell us what to do to help him.”

  “I don’t know.” Oh my God, he’d given her his life force, his life. Oh, Turo. Forgive me for ever doubting you.

  “Quinn.” Micah stared at her, his brows hard together. “At Sakamoto’s, when Tassard collapsed, you stole his strength through Ax, but not Ax’s. Could you do that again, but give it to Ax, instead?”

  She frowned at him. “I don’t understand.”

  “I want you to steal my strength and give it to Ax. Could you do that?”

  Kassius moved into her line of vision beside Micah. “Just a little from him, a little from me.”

  “And me,” someone else said. Lukas.

  She stared up at Micah through eyes blurred with pain. “I could kill you all.”

  “No. We won’t let you do that. Will you try?”

  If it might save Turo? “Yes, of course.”

  Micah nodded. “Take all you need. Just tell me what to do.”

  She had no idea. “Give me his hand, then take his other.”

  Micah looked away, reached for something, and a moment later, Arturo’s cold hand pressed against hers. Quinn grabbed hold of his lifeless fingers, her heart squeezing.

  Turo, what were you thinking?

  Fear swept through her. “I don’t know what to do, Micah. I don’t know how to save him!”

  “Shh, sweetheart. Let’s think about this, shall we? Think back to Sakamoto’s. Tassard was hurting you. Do you remember that?”

  “Yes.” She’d wanted that asshole on his knees, and badly.

  The trouble was, she didn’t want Micah on his. Maybe if she concentrated on what she did want…Arturo saved…

  Closing her eyes, she did just that, willing Micah’s life force into Arturo. “Let go of his hand the moment you start feeling anything, Micah. I can’t be certain how fast it will come.”

  Seconds later, she heard Micah’s, “Whoa.”

  “My turn,” Kassius said.

  Quinn struggled to shut out the pain, concentrating only on saving Turo. She continued to pull. “Micah?”

  “I’m okay, just…hungry.”

  “I’m ready, sorceress,” Kassius said.

  As before, she willed life force to fill Arturo. The hand Quinn held twitched and she gasped. “I think it’s working.”

  “Not enough,” Bram replied. “My turn.”

  “No.” Lukas’s voice. “You’re still wielding scalpels. Let me go first.”

  Suddenly, Arturo’s hand gripped hers in return.

  Quinn gasped. “It’s working!”

  “Ax? Dammit, man,” Bram exclaimed. “You scared the shit out of us.”

  Quinn released Arturo’s hand and turned her head to watch as Arturo slowly sat up. His gaze swiveled to her, his dazed eyes clearing as he stared at her, filling with joy.

  “Tesoro.” He lifted his hand slowly. Cool fingers stroked her cheek. “You live.”

  “So do you.” Tears filled her own eyes. “What did you think you were doing, giving your life for mine?”

  He bent over her, covering her lips in the most tender of kisses. “Loving you,” he said quietly. “Just that.”

  Lifting her arms, she curled them around his neck and held him close, deepening the kiss. As his hands stroked her hair, his tongue sweeping against her own, the last of her pain washed away, strength sweeping through her in its place.

  “I would say both procedures were a success,” Kassius said dryly.

  Micah began to laugh. “Hell, yeah.”

  Arturo pulled away, smiling down at her with such tenderness, sparking such a rush of tenderness in return, that she feared her chest couldn’t contain it all. He held out his hand to her and slowly helped her sit up. Belatedly, she realized she was stark naked but for the blood coating her abdomen.

  “Any pain, Quinn?” Bram asked, all brisk doctor.

  “No. I feel good.” She grimaced. “Though clearly I could use a wash cloth and some clothes.”

  Bram smiled. “That’s what post op is for. Even I can’t perform surgery through clothing. Lay back down, Quinn, and I’ll clean you up, then we can get you out of here.”

  Bram’s words had her noting, for the first time, where she was. The cave beneath Gonzaga. Memory slammed into her with blunt force, making her gasp. Cristoff had stabbed her with Escalla, stealing her power, Zack and Jason were missing, possibly both dead. And Rinaldo.

  “Quinn?” Bram asked worriedly.

  “Amore?”

  “Rinaldo.” Tears stung her eyes as she met Arturo’s gaze. “They beheaded him.”

  Arturo pulled her against him and held her tight, stroking her hair. “We knew he’d not survived.” Kissing her temple he pulled away.

  Quinn met her friends’ gazes, saw the grief in their eyes. And the hunger.

  “He died a warrior’s death,” Kassius said. The pupils in his eyes had gone white. “It was what he’d always wanted.”

  “Poor Mukdalla.” She ached at the pain her friend would suffer.

  Micah’s eyes were white-centered with hunger as well, and suddenly she understood. In saving Arturo, they’d depleted themselves. “You need to feed. All of you.”

  “Not from you,” Arturo growled.

  “No, not from me. Go. I’m okay.”

  “Ask any of the Slavas in the tunnels,” Bram said. “Lukas, have Deb bring clean clothes and food for Quinn.”

  Without argument, Kassius, Micah, and Lukas filed out. But she knew Arturo must need blood, too.

  “Go,” she told him. “Eat. I’m fine.”

  He hesitated only a moment, then squeezed her hand. “I will not be far.”

  “Go.”

  He did.

  “Lie down, Quinn,” Bram said with cool professionalism once Arturo had ducked out. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  She did as directed and he pulled a damp towelette from a plastic package and began wiping the blood off her abdomen. It always twisted her mind to see modern convenience items in this place. Then again, she’d heard him talk of clamps and scalpels, so he’d clearly had surgical supplies brought in at some point.

  She tried to keep her mind on innocuous things, but quickly failed, and the thoughts and memories that threatened to cripple her rushed back in. Rinaldo. Zack.

  “Are you okay?” Bram asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said honestly, tears filling her eyes. “I feel like my emotions are going to crush me.”

  “You’re worried about your brother.”

  “Yes. And Jason. And Mukdalla.” Her chest felt as if it would cave in beneath the weight. How did people live like this?

  “Try to think of something else. If you’re interested, I have some excellent whiskey upstairs. Alcohol isn’t the best answer to most problems, but it’s an excellent one in a case like this.”

  He was right. She had to find a way to put her worry and grief behind a strong wall of denial and leave it there or she wouldn’t be able to function.

  “Were you the one who stole me out of Cristoff’s throne room?” she asked Bram as he continued to clean her up.

  “Yes. Once he’d stabbed you, Cristoff left, along with his entire contingent of guards. Those of us whose loyalty has faded slipped away. I grabbed you, brought you down here, and began sewing you up.”

  “Where did Cristoff go?”
>
  Bram tossed the wipe aside and grabbed another. “I have no idea.”

  Deb came in carrying clean clothes in one hand and a bag in the other. “I made you a sandwich, sorceress. I hope that’s okay.”

  Quinn looked to Bram. “Doc?”

  “As far as I can tell, you’ve healed, Quinn. Between the magic, the bites Kassius and I gave you, and your own sorcerer’s strength…” He shrugged. “If you’re hungry, eat.”

  She turned to the Slava woman. “Thanks, Deb.”

  The woman smiled warmly, then turned and left.

  When Bram was finished, Quinn rose and dressed, then dug into the food. As she ate, she lifted her hand and tried to call one of the discarded towelettes to her, but it wouldn’t come. Cold dread trickled through her veins. She closed her eyes and tried to form a bubble around herself, and failed that, too. Had he taken it all? No, not all. She still had her death touch.

  If only she’d renewed the magic when she had the chance, during that short time she’d had her full Blackstone power. Maybe she still could.

  She forced herself to finish the sandwich even though she could barely taste it. When she was almost done, Arturo returned, looking his dashing self once more. He sat beside her, pulling her against him, as his friends returned, one after the other.

  When they were all back, Quinn rose to her feet. “I’m riding for the Focus.”

  “Now?” Micah asked.

  Kassius frowned.

  Arturo shook his head in quick denial. “No, tesoro.”

  But she wouldn’t be swayed. “I need to renew the magic.”

  “You don’t know if you can, cara.”

  “Cristoff has probably already headed there to do just that,” Bram added.

  “We don’t know,” she told them, her gaze moving from one vampire to the next. “I had a chance to renew the magic earlier and chose to go after Zack instead. Rinaldo is dead as a result. I owe this to him, if nothing else. If Cristoff has already renewed the magic, then I won’t be needed. But if he hasn’t…or he can’t…then I intend to try.”

  “Quinn…”