A Kiss of Blood (Vamp City #2)(26)

She found a smile for him. “I was worried about him. I still am, but far less now that he’s threatening to eat Neo out of house and home.”

Micah grinned, then gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze and turned to walk away.

Quinn glanced at Arturo as she picked up one of the finger sandwiches. “I need a word with you.” She took a bite, the sandwich melting in her mouth.

A gleam entered his eyes. “You can have whatever you want of me, cara, you know that.”

She snorted. “You say that so glibly.”

His mouth quirked up. “It was, perhaps, meant to be suggestive rather than glib.”

She chose to ignore that. “I want to take Zack with us to see the fae tomorrow.”

“It is too dangerous.”

Her spine stiffened. “Your only interest might be in my magic, but my primary concern is his health. I need to know why my magic’s hurting him and if there’s some other way to help him.”

He reached for her, lifting a lock of her hair, studying it as if the glamoured color fascinated him. His gaze slowly lifted to hers. “We will put the question to Tarellia. Perhaps she will sense the connection as Kassius did. If we are fortunate, she’ll understand what she senses as Kassius did not. If she wants to see Zack, then we will take him to her. But it will be far safer for both of you if we don’t have to do that. Your brother will be fine here.”

She didn’t like the idea of leaving Zack behind. But the last thing she wanted was for Cristoff to figure out he was her brother. Cristoff already knew she had one and had threatened to hurt Zack in order to force her hand.

Quinn set down her plate on a nearby table. “All right. He’ll stay here.” She turned to him. “What about Lily?”

He frowned. “Freeing her will not be easy, cara.”

“Vampire . . .”

“I did not say I cannot free her, cara. I simply said it will not be easy. The master of Castle Smithson, Lazzarus Nica, is no friend of Cristoff’s. We have no diplomatic ties with that kovena whatsoever. I cannot step foot on his land. Nor can any member of Cristoff’s kovena or those in alliance with him, which eliminates Neo, before you ask. I have already sent word to Kassius. He will enlist the aid of an ally in another kovena.”

“He won’t know what she looks like.”

“Her name is Lily. She is young. She will know of you and Zack. If she is there, and he can get in, he will find her.”

“How long will it take?” She’d come to realize things took time in this place without cell phones or public transportation, where most travel of any kind was fraught with danger.

“I hope no more than a few days.” His gaze deepened. “I will find her, cara. I promise you.” He lifted his hand, stroking her cheek briefly with his knuckles. “And then, perhaps, you will begin to trust me.”





Chapter Eight

The sound of fighting and a chorus of cheers carried from deeper in the basement of Neo’s safe house. Quinn glanced at Arturo warily, but he seemed unconcerned as he motioned her to follow.

“What’s going on?” he asked, as they approached the table where Mukdalla and Amanda sat sipping coffee and chatting. Across from them, Zack continued to eat though more slowly than before.

To Quinn’s surprise, Amanda smiled. “Training. Mukdalla’s husband and a few of the others are working with the escapees, teaching them to defend themselves in case we can’t get them out cleanly. There’s little they can do against vampires, but with proper training, they can learn to fend off Traders.”

Quinn glanced at her brother. “Zack, why don’t you go have a look?”

He gave her a baleful look. “I’m tired.”

“Zack . . .”

“I said I’m tired,” her brother snapped, then pushed himself to his feet, shoved his hands in his pockets, and turned away.

Quinn stared at him in hurt surprise. Her once easygoing brother had changed during his captivity in Vamp City. And while she understood, his occasional harsh words toward her—so alien—still took her aback.

Amanda gave Quinn a sympathetic look as she rose. “I’ll show you to your rooms.” She walked toward one of half a dozen hallways that led off of the main room like spokes of a wheel.

Quinn waited for Zack, then followed as Arturo brought up the rear.

“Either the house is bigger than it looks, Dr. Morris, or you’ve built tunnels down here,” Quinn commented.

“Amanda, please. And yes, there are tunnels. An entire barracks, for that matter, with kitchens and living quarters. Most of the house is hidden underground.”

“This is where the escapees hide?”

“Yes. We accept only the freshly caught. Those who’ve turned Slava can never return to the real world and are therefore turned away.”

“Except you.”

She glanced back with a soft smile. “I’d not yet turned Slava when I arrived here.”

“So you could have escaped. Neo would have helped you.”

“He tried to, yes.” Her expression turned inward. “I decided I was needed here more than I was at home. Not everything can be cured with a vampire bite.”

“You fail to mention the main reason you stayed,” Arturo said, his voice almost teasing.