A Kiss of Blood (Vamp City #2)(77)

Her beauty had moved him from the moment he first saw her, and that feeling, that odd pressure in his chest had grown steadily since. As had the aching need to touch her, to kiss her, to feel her sunshine and taste her sweetness. And there was sweetness there, though she held it close, sharing it only sparingly. With her brother, always. Perhaps with her brother’s girl, though he’d yet to see her with Lily.

She was, he thought, an island, passing others by, rarely letting any of them get too close. In some ways, in the ways that counted most, he sensed that she was painfully alone. And he ached for her.

Micah had spoken to him in depth of the conversations they’d shared in the evenings when she’d thought him human, a writer. He’d made his friend repeat every word she’d spoken. And in almost two weeks, she’d told Micah little. She’d shared almost nothing of herself. Of course, she wasn’t likely to confide that she’d recently escaped a vampire otherworld. But she’d been unwilling to share all but the most superficial information about her life and work. Micah had been forced to do most of the talking, creating an elaborate fiction about his own life.

More than once, Micah had returned to his apartment, shaking his head over something he’d slipped up over, yet she hadn’t noticed the contradiction. She never did. She’d never seemed to be paying that much attention, as if she’d been present in body but not in thought. Holding herself apart.

Every now and then, when Arturo had her alone, she lowered her shields with him, just a little. She’d done so more freely before he set her and Zack free. She’d trusted him more then, before she realized her freedom was all a lie. He wanted . . . needed . . . her to trust him now.

So many things could go wrong tomorrow, but somehow he would find a way to keep her safe. And once the magic was renewed, he would set her free, in truth this time. Part of him wanted to go with her, to turn his back on his friends and his kovena, on his world, and spend the rest of Quinn’s life with her.

But he’d do her no service that way. Outside of Vamp City, he was trapped in darkness and the shadows, unable to move freely until night blanketed the land. Still, he’d find a way to watch over her. Perhaps to visit her from time to time. She’d be safer far from his world. And he had too many ties here to leave it.

But as he watched Quinn arch her back, her hands on her hips, an ache moved through his chest, and he wondered if, when the time came, he’d actually be able to let her go.

Taking a sip of his whiskey, he rubbed his chest with his free hand. She’d awakened more than his conscience. She’d awakened within him feelings that had long lain dormant, feelings that were unlikely ever to sleep again. Because she’d stolen a part of him. And, in return, she’d given him a piece of the sun and lit a small, warm fire in his heart. There she would live for the rest of his long—and he feared, lonely—life.

Quinn was setting up the mangled remains of the chairs one more time when a rap sounded at the door. She threw a questioning look at Arturo, but he rose without concern, whiskey glass still in hand, and strode to open it.

Mukdalla handed Arturo a good-sized picnic basket. “Quinn needs to eat.” She glanced Quinn’s way, gave a small wave, then turned and left.

“I smell roast chicken and fresh rolls,” Arturo murmured, just as the scents wafted her way.

“I smell Heaven. And I’m famished.”

Arturo led her into the dining room, where a card table had been set up, flanked by two more metal chairs. Whole ones. He set the basket on the table, then pulled out a tablecloth, several covered dishes, two plates, napkins, utensils, and a couple of cans of cold Coke.

But when Quinn sat down and began serving up the food—two chicken thighs, potato salad, coleslaw—Arturo merely watched her, still sipping his whiskey.

“You’re not going to join me?”

“Eat your fill, piccola. I have no need for the food, and you do.”

“Trust me, Vampire, there’s far more here than I could eat in three days. And we won’t be here three days.”

“No, we won’t.”

But still he made no move to serve himself, so she dug in. The chicken was delicious.

“Where will you go, once this is over?” he asked, taking the seat across from her.

She scooped up a forkful of potato salad and just stared at it. “I don’t know,” she replied honestly. And she didn’t. For so long, she’d thought of nothing but getting Zack out of here and fleeing. But there were so many things wrong with this world, things that might or might not change when she renewed the magic. Whether or not she could make a difference, she didn’t know. But part of her didn’t like the idea of leaving, of running, when she might have the power to save the lives of innocent people.

And then there was Arturo. She met his gaze, her chest tight with unhappiness at the thought of never seeing him again. Their relationship—if she could call it that—was nothing if not complicated. He was a vampire, for heaven’s sake. And she was an honest-to-goodness sorceress. What kind of future could they possibly have?

But there was no denying she would miss him.

He reached across the table to clasp her forearm lightly. “I want you to take my cell number. Or perhaps Micah’s since I don’t spend a lot of time in the real world. If you ever need anything, all you need do is call. I will help. Even if it’s only to send money.”