Of Blood and Passion (3 page)

“I might not have magic, Quinn, but I’ve gained almost fifty pounds of pure muscle in less than a week. That’s not humanly possible.”

“No. But I don’t think it would have happened without the magic sickness. You’ve been a Levenach heir all your life, Zack. You didn’t start to change until you got sick.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why did Arturo wait until yesterday to tell you I was a Levenach heir?” His mouth twisted in disgust. “He’s
still
lying to you.”

“He didn’t lie,” she said, unaccountably annoyed at her brother’s accusation even if she’d accused Arturo of the same thing. “He withheld his suspicions from me.” Which…all right…was lying by omission. And it still made her mad. “I already knew your magic sickness was tied to the magic of Vamp City in some way. If I could have renewed V.C.’s magic, you’d be fine.” But she’d tried to do that once and failed. And when she’d tried again, yesterday, she’d been determined to succeed even if it killed her. And it nearly had. The only way Arturo had convinced her to give up was by revealing his belief that saving the city wasn’t the only way to save Zack. “When I failed to renew the magic, yesterday, Arturo admitted to me that there was another way to save you—by breaking the curse.”

Zack scowled. “Why didn’t he tell you that before?”

Her mouth compressed and twisted. “Because I wasn’t always convinced that Vamp City needed to be saved.” When she’d first arrived, she’d encountered virtually nothing but cruelty and evil in this place.

Understanding lit Zack’s eyes. “He was afraid that if he told you that you could save me without saving Vamp City, you might do it.”

“Yes.”

“And you might have tried.”

“At first…yes. Probably. But not now.”

Zack studied her as if considering that, as if not sure he agreed. “How do you break the curse?”

Quinn hesitated. No one could know where they were going or for what reason. If word somehow leaked to Cristoff ahead of time…

“I can’t tell you.”

He scowled at her. “I’m sick of you treating me like I’m still a kid.”

“I’m not.” But, yes, she probably was, because barely a month ago, he’d still been one—a twenty-two year old college student who’d lived with her and spent all of his time in front of a computer screen with his best friend, Lily Wang. Not until Lily went missing, and Quinn and Zack accidentally stumbled into Vamp City while searching for her, had he been forced to grow up.

“It’s too dangerous for anyone to know the details,” she continued.

Zack just stared at her in disgust. “You know, forget it.” He turned toward the door. “You do what you have to do and I’ll do what I have to.”

Quinn’s heart lurched and she started forward. “Zack, don’t even
think
about going after Lily.”

“Why not?” he said, not slowing down.

This couldn’t be happening. “You may be as strong as Superman, but you’re still no match for vampires!”

He whirled on her. “How do you know? Did you
see
me catch that barbell?”

“Yes! I saw you. You’re amazing and you scare the crap out of me because if you go after her—” Her breath tangled in her lungs, her voice dropping. “I’m terrified you won’t come back.”

“Quinn…” Zack tossed his head back as if she required more patience than he possessed. “I’m not stupid. I won’t do anything reckless.”

She snorted. “No? Then maybe you’re not related to me after all.”

“Says the queen of reckless,” he muttered, but his expression softened and he pulled her against his nearly scalding hot body. “I won’t go after her until the time is right, and I won’t go alone. I promise.”

It wasn’t enough. His endangering himself was never going to be okay with her. But this was the best she was going to get and she knew it.

“Okay.”

Zack pulled back and peered at her. “Where do you have to go to break the curse, Queen Reckless? I can tell you’re getting ready to leave again.”

“Don’t ask, please?”

His frustration visibly returned making him look far older than his twenty-two years. In his eyes she saw dawning understanding…and disbelief. “You’re
not
going back to Cristoff’s.” But she was and clearly he could see the truth in her eyes because he whirled away from her, digging a hand into his mop of red hair. “Dammit, Quinn. Why would you ever go back
there
?” But as he turned to face her, his features twisted into a mask of disgust. “To save me. You’re always trying to save
me
.”

“Not just you. It’s the only chance we have of saving the city.”

But his disgust didn’t lessen one bit. “And I suppose
Arturo’s
going with you?” She nodded, earning herself a look of raw disbelief.

“How many times are you going to let him turn you over to Cristoff?”

“He won’t. He’s not going to betray me, Zack. He’s changed, you know that.”

“
Do I?
My god, Quinn, all I know is he’s the fucking vampire that almost got my sister killed. Twice.”

He wasn’t wrong about that. “He’s also saved my life. Both of our lives. Besides, I don’t have a choice. We have to break the curse and this is the only way to do it.”

“Fuck the curse.” Zack grabbed her shoulders with fiery hands. “You can leave this place, Quinn. Almost none of the rest of us can.” In his eyes she saw the same fear for her safety that she’d always felt for his and it eased something deep inside her, this certainty that he loved her as much as she loved him. “Leave. Go somewhere far away and live your life. You don’t need to save me. You don’t need to save any of us. It’s not your job.”

As she stared into those green eyes so much like her own, she felt his love for her wrap around her heart and squeeze painfully. “I can’t abandon you,” she said quietly. “You know that. And as unlikely as it sounds, I can’t abandon the others, either. I’m the last sorceress, their last hope. Hundreds will die if I don’t save this world.”

Zack released her with a grunt of disgust. “Most of them deserve to die.”

“Kassius doesn’t. Neither do Neo or Amanda or Sam or Rinaldo. There are good people here in addition to the monsters, Zack. Though I might be a little single-minded when it comes to you, this isn’t only about you any longer.”

His mouth compressed and he looked away, then turned back to her fully. “Then let me help you. I’m no longer a ninety-pound weakling, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“You’re also not a vampire.” The moment the words came out of her mouth, she regretted them. The anger, the betrayal that leaped into his eyes, physically hurt her. While her words might have been true, her quick delivery had been a slap in the face to his pride. But there was no way in hell she was allowing him anywhere near Gonzaga Castle.

Zack scowled at her. “If you could, you’d wrap me in bubble wrap and pack me away someplace safe where nothing could ever hurt me.”

She didn’t answer because it was true. It was absolutely true.

“You risk your life over and over to protect mine. It’s not fair, Quinn. It’s not
right
. You’re more important than I’ll ever be and everyone knows it. You’re the fucking savior of the world. This world, at least. I’m through being coddled, Quinn. Do what you have to do because I sure as hell can’t stop you. But you’re not stopping me from what I have to do, either. You need to know that.”

Her gut clenched. “Zack, promise me…”

He waved a hand, cutting her off. “I’ve already made you all the promises I can. And I don’t even know why I bothered. I’m dying. What fucking difference does any of it make?”

Quinn sucked in a breath at the harsh truth of his words.

Regret flashed in his eyes. “Look, Sis, like I said, I won’t go after Lily until the time is right. But that decision is mine, Quinn. Mine.” Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Chapter 3

W
ith Zack’s dismaying promise still ringing in her head, Quinn headed down the hallway deep beneath Neo’s house in search of Arturo and the others. The hall was narrow, lit by lanterns attached to the walls at wide intervals, for there was no electricity down here. Life in Vamp City was one of darkness and shadows and she felt that keenly, now. She was terrified that she’d return from this mission to find Zack gone.

While it pleased her that her little brother was becoming so strong, she feared his growing confidence was quickly outpacing his abilities.

Jason stepped into the hallway from the main room a short distance ahead and stopped when he saw her, a large, unopened Gatorade bottle in each hand.

“Are you through with your discussion?” he asked carefully, his eyes friendly.

“Yes. He worries me,” she admitted, stopping just in front of him.

“The fever or Lily?” the ex-Marine asked quietly.

“Both. Lily. See what you can do, please?”

“I can’t talk him out of going after her,” Jason said. “When he’s ready, he’ll go.”

Her muscles tightened. “You have to stop him.”

“No.”

She gaped at him. “Jason…”

The look he gave her chastised. “I’ve been searching for my wife for over a year and a half, Quinn. I’ve let myself be captured by one vamp master after another in order to search their castles for any sign or memory of her. So far to no avail, but sooner or later I’ll find her, or learn what happened to her. Or I’ll die trying.”

He looked away, peering into a distance she couldn’t see. “I never meant to stay here after my latest injuries healed. The only reason I’m still here is that Zack’s become a good friend, the best I’ve had since I arrived in this world.”

He turned back and met her gaze. “I can’t leave him like this, on the verge of…” His eyes flinched and she knew he’d stopped himself from saying the word
death.

“I appreciate your loyalty to him, Jason. But Zack…”

“Zack is a man, Quinn, and a powerful one, as you saw today. Sometimes we have to risk all for the people we love. You know that better than most.”

She stared at him, wanting to argue, wanting to rail at him. But the truth was, she did understand, all too well. There was nothing she wouldn’t do, virtually nothing she hadn’t already done, for her brother. And she knew Jason felt the same about his wife. Neo would have helped him get home, but Jason refused to leave without her even knowing she was probably already dead. Humans didn’t live long in this place.

If he stayed here too long—more than two years—he’d turn Slava, essentially immortal, and never be able to leave. Still, he stayed and searched for the woman who meant everything to him.

Quinn had always known Lily was in love with Zack. She’d suspected Zack would eventually realize Lily was the love of his life in return. Finally, he had. Once he’d lost her.

“Don’t let him do anything foolish, Jason. Please?”

Jason’s eyes turned solemn. “If Zack goes after Lily, I’ll go with him. That’s all I can promise you.” He started past her. “Worry about yourself, Quinn. That’s the best gift you can give him.” He met her gaze. “He loves you as much as you love him.”

Quinn watched Jason’s retreating back knowing she’d gotten all the reassurance she was going to get. Dammit.

She continued down the hall and into a spacious community room dotted with leather sofas and chairs and dominated by a huge oval conference table. But she saw no sign of Arturo, she was about to head for the stairs when she heard the sound of low voices down another of the hallways and turned that way instead.

As she neared a living area where the Slavas often read by the light of oil lamps, or played chess or checkers, she heard Micah distinctly. And he sounded frustrated.

“Ax…” Micah chided, using the nickname only he, Kassius, and one other used for Arturo.

“You needn’t worry,” Arturo replied in a tone that held an uncharacteristic terseness toward one of his closest friends.

“I’m not sure you’ll be able to do it, Ax.”

“I shall do what I must.”

“If you can’t…”

“I said I will do what I must!” Arturo snapped. “I know better than you the price of Cristoff’s fury these days,” he added in a calmer voice.

Quinn slowed, blinking, because if she didn’t know better she might think they were discussing precisely what Zack had warned her about—Arturo’s betraying her to Cristoff…yet again. He wouldn’t, of course. She really did believe that. But damn if that wasn’t exactly what it sounded like.

She was frowning as she rounded the corner to find the pair standing together, in deep discussion. They saw her at the same time, both jerking guiltily.

Cool disbelief slid down her spine and she chided herself for letting Zack’s words affect her.

“What are we discussing?” she asked, telling herself they’d come up with a perfectly logical explanation, and quickly.

But as Arturo’s dark gaze slid away from her, and Micah looked down at his feet, her breath caught. Trust had come slowly, but it
had
come.
She’d trusted them.

As she watched their gazes slide away, the traitorous doubt that lived within the memories of Arturo’s betrayals roared fully back to life.

He won’t betray me again
, her heart argued. He’d changed, reclaimed his soul.