Page 96 of Quintus

“You’ll always be witch and wolf,” he replied, stroking her hair.

“I’m just saying…Samantha…”

Quintus’ chest momentarily stopped rising as his breath caught in his throat. Not one woman in his entire lifetime had broached the subject of having children. As vampire, Mao had been the only person he’d ever cared about and not once had they ever discussed having a family.

“Quintus.” She tapped lightly on his chest with her palm. “It’s just that if…I…I never thought of having kids. You know seeing the baby…I just thought…”

“No, it…it can’t happen for me. I’m a vampire. This is something we must accept when we are turned. It’s rare to…” Quintus fell silent. Did Gabriella want children? Jesus. He’d never thought that she’d want to have kids, that by completing the bond, he’d rob her of the chance to have a family.

“If you don’t want a family,” she paused, lifting her head off his chest, her eyes meeting his, “I understand. I wouldn’t want kids with someone like me either. I’ve been nothing but damaged goods.”

“Hey, no.” Quintus’ heart squeezed at her statement. “Look at me.” He brushed a finger underneath her chin, until her gaze met his. “I want you to know something right now. You’re not damaged goods. None of this is your fault. None of it, do you hear me? You were just a child. No, what’s happening, this is all Lilitu.”

“But it is my fault. I involved you in this mess.”

“I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. Gabby, I’m sorry for my reaction about children. It’s just that, well, first of all, it’s never been a possibility. What’s happened with Luca and Samantha is unusual. I don’t know of many witches or wolves or even hybrids bonded to vampires, but it’s rare for one to get pregnant. Our magick keeps us alive, but we generally don’t have the capability to create life. And second, it’s not that I don’t want kids. It’s just that I can’t let myself go there. It’s just too…if it’s not possible, it’s not possible. But with you?” A sad smile formed on his face, his chest tight with emotion. “I’d give anything to be able to give you a child.”

“Quintus,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. “I’d like that someday. If it’s fate, it will happen. You’re my family.”

“And the Alpha.” He glanced to Hunter who remained unconscious.

They needed to do more to help him, but Quintus had been reluctant to suggest his idea. Gabriella’s blood teemed with magick, and he suspected her capable of healing many different creatures. He too needed to feed, but the nature of the bite stirred sexual desires. Although he’d shared women many times with Viktor, Gabriella was his. He considered her response to her spanking, aware she’d been aroused by the Alpha’s touch. As he recalled the interaction, his cock stirred. Her gentle voice broke his contemplation.

“Yes. He’s our family too.” Gabriella pressed her lips to his chest, and reached for Hunter, placing her palm on his abdomen. “His wolf. I can feel him but I can’t talk to him. I can’t sense him…not the way I usually do. The poison did something really bad to him. If we had done something before we left to see the fae, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

“He’s a man. No, what he is is an Alpha. He takes care of all others first. Including his pack. And you, Gabby, you’re pack.”

“We’ve got to do something,” she sighed.

“There may be a way, but I’m not sure it’s going to work. And if we do it, you need to be aware of the possible consequences.”

“What can we do? I don’t want to leave here yet. Lilitu seems to be able to find me everywhere I go. Everyone says they’re protected by wards. But they aren’t working. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a wolf or what but here, in this bayou, in the middle of nowhere I feel the safest I’ve felt in years. Something about it.” She closed her eyes and breathed. “It’s like home. I can’t explain it. My wolf is finally calm.”

“Soon this is all going to be over. But the next time we go out, it’s to kill Lilitu. And we’ll do it in New Orleans. Together. Do you hear me, Gabby? For whatever reason, you and I were brought together to defeat her. Neither of us could have retrieved the bone alone. And we couldn’t have done any of this without Hunter, which brings us back to how to heal him.”

“I wish I knew a spell, but antidotes to poison are not something I know about,” she told him, frustration in her voice.

“I’m thinking your blood might be the answer. Usually I can heal wolves but the demonic magick she’s used is too powerful. I’m sure Hunter thought he could handle the pain, because he’s an Alpha. But whatever spread throughout his body, it brought on the necrosis. My guess is that I was able to heal you because of our bond.”

“I’ve never given my blood to anyone besides a vampire. I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“We’ve got to try it. I can risk moving him but I don’t think it’s a good idea. We’d have to go to Samantha or take him to another healer, and wherever we go Lilitu finds you. We don’t have time. I also don’t want to leave you here. No matter how safe this place seems, I’m not leaving you alone.”

“I’ll do it, but Quintus,” She raised her head to face him. “When you’ve fed from me, it’s…well you know.”

“The bite, the feeding, it must be pleasurable. There is no other way except when done in anger and that, well, that is something you will never experience. Hunter already is connected to us. We don’t have to go any further than the feeding but if that’s something you want to explore…” Quintus waited on Gabriella to connect the dots. If she fed Hunter, it would not be without her total agreement. He believed it would heal the wolf but it had to be her choice.

“Let’s do it.” She nodded.

“This will be intimate. As intimate as it gets.” A knowing smile crossed his face as he trailed his fingers over the back of her neck. “Do you remember the spanking?”

“Um what?”

“Your spanking. Do you remember, little wolf?”

Gabriella’s cheeks heated against his skin and she averted her gaze. “It’s kind of hard to forget.”

“You liked it. Not just the pain but being watched, the Alpha’s hands on your skin.”