Page 73 of Quintus

“Yes, it could be used in a spell. But sometimes the artifact is simply a weapon infused with magick. That sternum? My guess is that it could be used to slit a throat. Possibly deliver a fatal stabbing.” Quintus stroked the inside of her palm with his thumb.

“When I touched it…” Gabriella recalled the dark magick that stung through her body. “Its energy is strong.”

“I’ve got it in my coat pocket, but I think we should keep it under wraps until we get it to Samantha,” Hunter suggested.

“I agree. That thing is carrying some heavy vibes. Thirty thousand feet over the Atlantic isn’t the best place to fuck around with magick,” Quintus said.

“The energy. It was familiar but toxic. It’s really dangerous.” Gabriella leaned back onto her vampire, resting her head on his chest.

“Absinthe says it’ll kill Lilitu. Let’s hope there’s not a catch,” Quintus said.

“There’ll be a catch,” Gabriella stated, her voice almost hypnotic in its soft and even tone. “There’s always a catch. I know I’m supposed to embrace what I am. Practice the craft. But for me there is no sisterhood. Even if they weren’t trying to kill me, I wouldn’t be in the coven.”

“You’re probably right, but we’ll deal with it,” Quintus agreed, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “If I could change what happened to you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But you’re never going to be alone again.” Emotion coiled in his chest, and it took him by surprise. Quintus had almost forgotten what it had felt like to care for someone so much. The bond had been inevitable, a force far greater than his own. But opening his heart to Gabriella was unexpected. “I’ll protect you.”

“You’re not alone anymore. You’ll always have a place with my pack,” the Alpha told her.

“I’m not sure if I can go with a pack.” Her fingers slipped underneath Quintus’ shirt.

“No one’s pressuring you, but I want you to know you’ll have the support of a pack if you want it,” Hunter assured her.

“If you want to run with the wolves again, you will. As far as the witches, let’s talk to Samantha. You’ve had a lifetime of Lilitu. I want you to meet a different kind of witch. She’s the polar opposite of the likes of Lilitu or Absinthe. Or Ilsbeth for that matter.”

Her silence told Quintus she didn’t believe him, and he considered after everything that had happened to her, she deserved to be skeptical. He’d underestimated the extent of the trauma she’d experienced. Torn from her parents, living on the edge of death day after day, fight or flight was her only way of surviving. Anger boiled inside his gut, but he cloaked his emotions from her.

He grew determined to give her a better life, filled with light and love. It would be Gabriella’s choice if she chose a pack, but living in fear, selling her blood to strangers was a thing of the past.

Quintus had always understood the technical aspects of bonding, yet he’d underestimated the amplified level of connection between two beings. As he wrapped his arm around Gabriella, her nervous energy sizzled through his body as if it was his own. Contrary to the sexual tension on the plane, Gabriella’s mood in the limo had turned to anxiety.

The car rolled to a stop as they pulled up to a set of old pillars. The driver punched a code into a metal keypad, and the intricate metal gate slid open. He’d originally planned to meet Samantha at the coven’s mansion in the Garden District, but Quintus suspected there’d be far too many witches living there, overwhelming Gabriella.

It had been over fifty years since Quintus had been to Kade Issacson’s estate. Sired by his child Léopold, the leader of New Orleans had never quite taken to Quintus. He supposed it had rubbed Kade the wrong way that he’d come and go in New Orleans as he pleased, never informing him of his agenda. Every now and then, Quintus exacted his own justice, and he didn’t have time for long discussions or explanations. Far older than the others, he’d grown to do what he pleased.

Tonight, however, he’d contacted Kade directly, ensuring Luca’s compliance. Although Kade led the vampires in New Orleans, it was well known that his trusty acquaintance was far more cantankerous. They needed the help of his fiancée, Samantha. The witch was known for being powerful yet benevolent. Luca, on the contrary, was known for killing first, asking questions later.

As they pulled into the grand Garden District property, Quintus took note of the enormous mansion; a guest home stood majestic in its shadow. He glanced to the sidewalk, which was covered in brightly colored chalk drawings and smiled, recalling that a child lived in the residence.

The limo rolled to a stop, and Quintus issued a warning. “Luca Macquarie doesn’t care much for others who aren’t vampire.”

“Excuse me…what?” Gabriella nervously pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

“It’s just Luca’s more of a purist, so to speak. It’s not like he’s my direct child. If it weren’t for Viktor…let’s just say I don’t think he’d still be alive.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“There is this thing.” He hesitated. “It’s very easy to become lost. To forget who you were. The humans who walk among us are fragile. They’re living day to day…knowing all the while their time is limited. But if they do it right, they love, live, experiencing all that is offered on the earth. But immortals? We live year after year, often taking for granted all that the Goddess offers us. We become cold, indifferent to the plight of others.”

“But you aren’t like that.” Gabriella reached for his hand, her attention briefly drawn out the window as the car stopped.

“I was human once, but the reality is thousands of years as an immortal can change you. You reach a point where you no longer value humans. You see them as nothing more than food. They’re weak, a liability.” Quintus brushed a kiss to the back of her hand.

“And Luca?” Gabriella held tight to Quintus, watching as the driver got out of the car and circled toward the back.

“He’s distant. He sees humans as weak. It’s his way of adapting. He’s not especially fond of wolves either, for the record.” Quintus’ gaze went to Hunter, a corner of his lips upturned.

“Yeah well. He can take a number. I knew Luca way back when he was just a little baby vamp. Before I went to Wyoming to make my way. It didn’t take him long to ditch the human routine and go full on dick. No offense but if I had a nickel for every vampire who had a beef with wolves,” he laughed, “I’d be a rich man. Oh yeah, I am anyway. Look, life is hard. But you just have to accept things. Human today. Vamp tomorrow. Live and let live.”

“True. But you were born as beast. We weren’t. We were human once. When we transition, our loved ones and friends still live on. We watch them die. While we’re both immortal beings, we take far different paths.”