A Blood Seduction (Vamp City #1)(75)

She turned to Marcus as she started walking in that direction. "How am I going to free my brother from the camp?"

He gave her a small grimace. "I've been thinking about that. A lot. I know I said I'd help you . . ."

"But you can't be captured, or you'll be enthralled and enslaved again. If I'm captured and can make them think I'm enthralled . . ."

"You might be able to surprise them as you did the vampire in the stables. That's the only chance I see." He gripped her arm. "I know you don't want to hear this, but it's not much of a chance, Quinn. Maybe no chance at all."

"I know. But it doesn't matter. Do you have any siblings?"

"Two sisters."

"If it were one of them in there?"

He smiled grimly. "No one and nothing would stop me from trying to reach her."

Quinn nodded. But she knew he spoke the truth. Mission impossible, Vamp City style. She was going to need a miracle.

As they reached the corner of the next block, the earth began to shake.

As one, they froze, turning, waiting for the sunbeam. Marcus gripped her shoulder, and she could feel the tense excitement in his touch. This was it.

But when the sun broke through, the closest beam appeared to be at least a block or two away. There was a long line of buildings separating them from it. If it closed quickly, they'd be too late.

"That way!" Quinn said.

Jeff and Marcus both leaped forward. As one, the group took off running to the end of the block, made a quick right turn, and ran down the next block. Quinn had always been a runner, and though she was a little out of shape, she kept up with Marcus and one of the other guys, the others following close behind. She saw no need to wait for anyone. She probably couldn't get them all through at once anyway. And there was no telling how long the light would last. Even if she only got Marcus through, she'd call it a victory.

Quinn rounded the block and finally got a good look at the sunbeam. She groaned. This one didn't conveniently illuminate a spot on the street as the other two had, but spilled its light directly on top of a pile of rubble from a building that had finally lost its fight with time, weather, and gravity. Nothing was ever easy. She darted across the street and onto the dirt, then began picking her way over broken timbers, Marcus at her side.

"This whole pile could collapse, Quinn," Marcus warned. But he wasn't slowing down, not at all, not when his wife and baby lay on the other side of the climb.

Taking her eyes off the timbers for just a moment, she looked into the sunbeam to see what lay on the other side. It appeared to be an office space with cubicles. Huh. Even though it wasn't technically in the sun, it was the part of the real world that occupied this particular space. The office appeared to be empty. If there was anyone there, she couldn't see them, which was a good thing. People dropping in from thin air might raise a few eyebrows.

The boards beneath her feet tilted, nearly dumping her, but she managed to keep her balance and continue climbing. The closer she got, the more the energy crawled along her skin. Finally, balancing upon a mountain of rubble, she was close enough to touch the light. With Zack, the magic had pulled her through, and she couldn't afford for that to happen again, not unless she had time to leap back out again. But perhaps the pull wasn't the same on this side as it had been on the other. She could hope.

She grabbed Marcus's hand. "Give that baby a kiss for me."

The big man pulled her hand to his lips, tears gleaming in his eyes, then swung the pack off his shoulder and onto hers before grabbing her hand again. "Look me up. I want to know that you got out okay."

"I will." When the time was right. When this was over. She grabbed the hand of the man on her other side and told them both, "Walk into the sunbeam."

Carefully, they picked their way forward and stepped directly into the light, gripping Quinn's hands. For a brief moment, she felt the cool rush of air-conditioned air as the two men stumbled into that office, but no pull of magic. The expressions on the men's faces brought tears to her eyes. Euphoria. Boundless joy. Marcus turned in her general direction, unable to see her, and called, "I owe you," before backing away for the next pair to come through.

A moment later, Jeff was at her side, one of the women at her other, and she pushed the two of them through as she had the first pair, smiling as they jumped together in a triumphant hug.

Quinn turned to watch the plump girl and Celeste making their way up the pile of rubble. From this height, she had a good view of the ruined landscape of Vamp City.

Her pulse started to race, her stomach twisting with the knowledge that escape was within her grasp. And she wanted that - to leave this place and never return - with a desperation that nearly made her ill.

She turned back to the sunbeam, staring at the world she belonged in, a world with fluorescent lights and office furniture and air-conditioning. It would be so easy to step through with the others and leave all this behind. God knew, her chances of saving Zack were about as good as winning the lottery. And it wasn't like she hadn't tried. She'd come back for him, hadn't she? And then gotten herself captured again.

Maybe it was time to save herself. She began to shake with the need to do just that. To escape while escape was at hand.

The two women, helping one another, reached her at the same time. Celeste grabbed for Quinn, then lost her balance, nearly tumbling them all. But Quinn righted her, and, a moment later, the pair were close enough to reach the sunbeam.