A Kiss of Blood (Vamp City #2)(50)

Quinn strode forward, pushing the werewolf male away, taking Arturo’s ice-cold arm. “You need to feed. Drink from me.”

Arturo shook his head, his eyes glassy, but focused on her. “No. Not you. You are unharmed?” His voice was hoarse from screaming. Lines of strain bracketed his mouth.

“I’m fine. You need to feed.”

“No, tesoro mio. Your blood is too sweet.” He sounded exhausted. “I will not be able to stop.”

How many hours had he suffered? She went light-headed at the thought of the pain he must have endured.

The alpha stepped forward. “The sorceress has negotiated your release, vampire. Both of yours. I hope you will honor the terms of that release.”

Quinn eyed him with a question. “What terms? The food shipment?”

“That, and the vampire shall never attempt retribution for what was done to him here.”

Those terms. “The second is up to him, though I suspect that allowing him to feed on one of you might alleviate his need for retribution.”

Arturo nodded slowly. “It might.” He turned to her, his eyes going hard even as they flickered with pain. “I felt your terror soon after you awoke. Were you harmed?”

“No. One of the wolves tried to reach me, but the alpha here stopped him.”

“Let me seek vengeance on the wolf who tried to hurt her,” Arturo said to the alpha. “Then I will give my word to this treaty.”

“You cannot kill him.”

“Agreed.”

Savin yelled, “Gunroth!”

A moment later, a large gray wolf slunk slowly toward them.

“Shed your fur.”

The wolf’s eyes gleamed, hard and belligerent. But a deep growl from the human throat of his alpha had the wolf hanging his head in submission. And a moment later, Gunroth the man was standing before them, his mouth hard, his eyes shining with fear.

“This is the wolf who tried to reach your sorceress. He disobeyed my direct order and picked the lock of her cage intending to eat her, Vampire. You will not kill him or the treaty is forfeit. Short of that, you may feed from him thoroughly and with my blessing. Seek your vengeance on him for what was done to you and for what he intended to do to your companion.” Savin’s gaze turned to the wolf. “And he will submit, fully, or be banished from this pack.”

The bearded werewolf began to visibly shake, the whites of his eyes gleaming with light from the dying fire, but he nodded.

Savin stepped forward and removed the silver chain from around Arturo’s neck. Arturo turned to Quinn. “I do not wish for you to see this, cara. Turn away. Please.”

With a deep sigh, she did as he asked, not only turning away, but walking away.

She heard the snarl, the rip of flesh, the scream of pain, and felt no pity. Gunroth would have torn into her with the same level of viciousness, knowing she’d never heal, knowing he was killing her. And while it might not have been personal, she’d have been dead all the same.

The female friend of Savin’s stepped beside her. “I’ll fetch your clothes and the vampire’s.”

Quinn looked at her. “And my weapons.”

The woman glanced at Savin, who nodded. By the time the woman returned, the noise had died down to mere groans. Then, finally, to nothing.

Quinn quickly dressed and armed herself. Arturo joined her, looking almost normal again if still a bit pale. As he dressed, she watched him. “Feel better?”

He gave her a brusque nod. If he had more to say, he wasn’t saying it within wolf hearing.

To her surprise, another of the werewolves led their horses to them. “I figured they’d eaten them,” she muttered to Arturo.

“No one kills a horse,” he said. “They are far too valuable.”

“Unlike humans,” she added darkly.

Savin joined them, and Arturo met the alpha’s gaze, a powerful vampire once more. “I will abide by the terms of the sorceress’s treaty; however, I would add one more condition.”

Savin lifted a brow.

“Cristoff searches for her. He would hurt her, and I would not have it.”

“I have no use for Cristoff. No one will know you were here.”

Arturo gave a nod, then turned to Quinn. But before he could usher her to the horses, she turned to the wolf. “Good-bye, Savin.”

“I look forward to the shipment, sorceress. And to your return. In the meantime, I will provide you a wolf escort—” The alpha jerked back, staring at her. Gasps peppered the air around them.

Quinn cocked her head warily, but Arturo cleared up the mystery. “Your glamour has worn off.”

Quinn glanced at her hand, now gleaming pale in the firelight. She met Savin’s shocked gaze with a rueful shrug. “Now you know what I really look like.”

The alpha stared at her a moment more, then began to laugh. “Working with a sorceress will take some getting used to.” To her surprise, he took her hand in a move that was distinctly friendly. “Anytime you are in the Crux, shout my name, and if my wolves are within hearing distance, they will provide you safe escort.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Arturo helped her onto her horse, then mounted his own. As promised, several wolves escorted them for quite a way before falling back. Arturo lifted a hand in thanks as the two of them continued on, alone.