"It's the middle of the night. He's probably in bed."
"Right." It was so hard to remember night and day in a land without a rising and setting sun.
But when she checked his bedroom, she found it empty. As she headed back into the main room, she caught sight of Mukdalla's vampire husband.
"Rinaldo."
He turned to her with a smile. "Sorceress."
"Do you know where my brother is?"
"With Jason, I believe. Last I saw them, they were in the study." He pointed down yet another hallway. "Third doorway on your left."
Quinn thanked him, the muscles of her neck and shoulders easing as the screaming finally quieted. She found Zack sitting at a long table in a room lined with bookshelves. He was shoulder to shoulder with Jason as they peered at something in Zack's hand. A Gameboy.
"Damn, you're good," Jason muttered. "It's my turn."
Zack grinned. "Give me a computer or game player, and I can kick anyone's ass."
Jason grunted, accepting the Gameboy. "You'll be kicking vampire ass by the time I'm through with you. One more game, then we get some sleep."
"I'm not tired."
"I am."
Quinn watched them, glad that Zack and Jason seemed to be getting along. Happier still that Jason had, wisely and amazingly, found a way to remind Zack of the things he was good at.
She walked fully into the room, joining them at the table. "Hey."
Zack looked up, relief in his eyes. "You were gone a long time. Everything go okay?"
"Yes and no. We found the fae, but she can't help me. There's someone else we have to find. We may be gone a couple of days."
"Days?"
"It's hard to tell. Nothing happens quickly in this place."
"And you're still not going to let me go?"
She shook her head apologetically. "We'll be going in undercover." At his frown, she added, "I'll be fine, Zack. Arturo and Micah are going with me."
"Any word on Lily?"
Quinn shook her head, hating the disappointment that tightened her brother's jaw. "Arturo's sent someone to find her. As soon as Arturo hears anything, I'm certain he'll let you know."
She slid her hand against the side of Zack's neck and grimaced. He was hotter than before.
"If Arturo's not going after her, I am."
Jason set the Gameboy down, meeting Zack's gaze calmly. "Then come morning, let's get back to work. If you attempt a rescue untrained, you could hurt her more than you help her. Training is key."
Zack stared at him morosely, then released a hard huff. "I know."
The thought of Zack's attempting a rescue attempt on his own terrified her. But Jason was a good, calm influence. And Zack did need to learn how to fight, if only to protect himself.
Zack glanced at her again. "How soon are you leaving?"
"I'm not sure. Arturo's getting a bite to eat . . ."
Jason snorted.
Zack eyed her with concern. "Be careful, sis."
She gave into the urge and kissed him on the cheek. "I will. You, too." Then she headed back to the room where Arturo fed, needing to know the vampire was going to be okay.
She only had to cool her heels in the hallway for a few minutes before the door opened, and Micah stepped out, the girl at his side, smiling, the two fang wounds on her neck barely visible and already healing.
"What kind of dance?" Micah asked kindly, meeting Quinn's gaze with a knowing look before turning back to the girl.
"Jazz mostly, but I take one ballet class a week, and I've been thinking about trying hip-hop."
As the two disappeared down the hall, Quinn stepped into the doorway. Arturo sat on the bed, his head in his hands.
"Better?" she asked quietly.
"Come in, cara mia." He lowered his hands and looked up at her wearily. His eyes were back to normal, but he still looked tired and beaten. Maybe it would just take time for him to recover.
She sat beside him and took his cold hand in hers, then gave in to the urge and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
She felt his mouth buss her hair.
"That feeding didn't help you, either, did it? You're so cold. I've never felt you so cold."
"It is not blood that I still require. Nor fear."
Her brows drawing together, she straightened and looked at him. His eyes were normal, his fangs not elongated. "What do you need?"
He stared at her, his own brows lowered as he reached up to caress her cheek. "It makes no sense, bella, but there is one thing and one thing alone that I crave. That I must have."
"What?"
"You. Your sunshine. Your warmth." The thumb that slid softly across her bottom lip trembled subtly. "Your kiss." The depth of need in his voice, in his eyes, caught at something deep inside of her.
With shaking hands, he framed her face, his need not quite hunger. Nor quite passion. But there was no denying it existed. Her breath turned shallow as he stared at her, as he stroked that unsteady thumb across her lips.
"I must kiss you, cara. Do not deny me this."
"I won't." She reached for him.
He dipped his head, slowly this time, his mouth covering hers, his cold, closed lips pressing against hers, just that. But with that simple touch, she felt the tension go out of him as if his body sighed. His hands on her face gentled even more, a featherlight caress. And she shuddered, a longing deep inside her stirring, making her eyes sting. She'd been so worried the wolves would kill him.
Lifting her arms, she slid her hands to the back of his neck, then he was pulling her tight against him, one hand in her hair, the other around her waist as he swept his tongue into her mouth, claiming her, drinking of her as if she were the only thing he needed to survive. Her body softened, heating, as affection for this difficult, dangerous male surged within her.
And still he drank of her kiss. His lips began to warm. Beneath her hands, his flesh warmed, too. And still he kissed her, making no move to do more. The door was still open, but somehow she doubted that would stop him if he wanted to coax her beneath him.
Instead, he pulled away, his lips pressing a kiss to her cheekbone, her eyebrow, her temple. Breathing hard, he pulled her against him, pressing her head to his shoulder as he held her close. Just that.
"I failed you," he said softly, his tone devastated. "Again."
"No."
"I did not protect you."
Quinn pulled back, lifting her hand to his face, to his warm flesh. "You were battling a pack of wolves and a sorceress's magic at the same time. You may be fast, and strong, but you're not Superman." She stroked his cheek. "The only way you've ever failed me was in betraying my trust and handing me over to Cristoff. You didn't betray me this time, Arturo. I know you tried to reach me." Stroking his cheek again, she smiled. "You're warm. And you look better."
He didn't return her smile. Instead, as his hands caressed her hips, he watched her with a bemused expression. "I needed your sunshine."
She frowned. "You really did, didn't you? How can that be?"
"I do not know. You feed me in a way I do not understand. The girl's fear left me cold."
"Literally."
"Yes." He stroked her cheek. "You are becoming important to me in ways I would not have thought possible. I do not want to take you with me, tesoro."
I do not want to. Not I won't. They were making progress. "We're out of time, you know that."
"It is a terrible risk, cara."
"Isn't everything in this world? Vintry can't die before he helps me, you know that. We can't let that happen."
"Because of Zack."
"Yes. Of course."
He watched her for several thick moments. "If Zack were not tied to the magic . . . would you renew it?"
Would she? She looked away, uncertain what to tell him. There were good people here, she was convinced of that, now. But there was so much evil, too. Arturo believed the evil would lessen once the magic was renewed, but what if he was wrong?
"I don't know," she said honestly, meeting his gaze.
He looked at her in disappointment, then released her and rose. "Come, then. Micah will renew your glamour. And we shall go."
Chapter Fifteen
Quinn found herself drifting off to the rhythmic movement of her horse a short while later. Arturo and Micah accompanied her as they rode toward Fabian's stronghold, and Vintry. Before they'd left, Micah had renewed her glamour. She once more looked like Neo's sister, though this time with a Slava's opalescent glow in her black hair. The vampires agreed that it might help protect her since, apparently, freshies-mortal humans-were the coin of the realm at the moment. The best an enterprising Trader could do with a captured Slava was hope for a reward. But freshies were fair game and could be bought and sold at will.
Of course, by pretending to be a Slava, she ran a greater risk of being injured. The immortal Slavas were sometimes treated far more roughly-in Cristoff's house, brutally. Hopefully, since she supposedly belonged to Arturo, they'd leave her alone.
Micah had warned her that her glamour wouldn't last as long this time. Creating the glamour took a lot of energy, energy he needed time to renew. And before they reached the stronghold, he was going to have to glamour himself since the plan was for him to enter in the guise of one of Fabian's guards. Any way they looked at it, they wouldn't have much time.