Quin: A Shadow, Inc. Novella

by Cass Alexander

  He hadn’t missed a day in years, but he disdained the idea of missing out on even a minute of their brief time together.

  Wanting Vanessa to experience more than his suite, he took her sight-seeing. They ate at his favorite restaurants. They swam in the ocean.

  He took her out on his boat and made love to her under the stars. Every time was better than the last.

  Beyond the physical gratification, was his growing attachment to who Vanessa was as a person. She made him laugh, made him feel more alive than he’d ever felt.

  She was easy to talk to. She didn’t act coy or play games. He felt comfortable with her in a way he hadn’t, not even with Josette when he’d thought he was in love.

  They shared their histories. He’d told Vanessa all about Josette, hoping she wouldn’t pity him. She didn’t. His little firecracker was pissed on his behalf.

  She reluctantly told him how terribly her family treated her, how unkind they had been. When he offered to hunt them down one by one, she’d snorted. Snorted! He hadn’t been joking.

  Piece by piece, she was taking over his heart. Tomorrow she was supposed to get on a plane and go back to Miami, to her home. He was going to ask her to stay in Charleston, to consider moving here.

  He had a special brunch planned on the terrace of his personal residence, a place he never allowed anyone but his family to visit. He would test the waters, to first see how she reacted to moving here.

  If she seemed agreeable, he would suggest she move in with him. His instinct was to bark it as an order, but Vanessa wasn’t one of his dalliances to be ordered about.

  “Quin?” her husky voice jolted him from his thoughts.

  Quin looked down, tracing her spine with his fingertips. They were back in his bed at the club, spending one last night together in the suite.

  He was straddling the backs of her thighs, having wandered off in thought while he massaged her back and glute muscles. He’d been rough on her, finally giving her the spankings she’d deserved.

  She’d loved every minute of it. She not only handled everything he did, she celebrated it, telling him how good it was, how impressed she was by his sexual prowess. Vanessa continued to surprise him with her openness.

  “Yes?” he answered.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Of course. Why do you ask?”

  “You stopped and didn’t answer when I first said your name. I just … I was worried.”

  Vanessa tiptoed around what she really wanted to say. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she was a coward.

  There was no way this could go beyond tonight. She was a succubus. He’d confessed why he hadn’t been with one in a hundred years, why he always had a male present. Quin had a hang-up because of the redheaded female who betrayed him.

  Vanessa was lucky he’d bothered to bid on her. Lucky he’d shown an ounce of kindness. She knew he’d been wounded deeply. She didn’t want to be a reminder of his past. She’d never hurt him like that.

  Besides, males don’t bid at virginity auctions because they’re looking for a relationship—or for love. A vice clamped around her heart.

  “I’m okay. Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “Are you sleepy?”

  “Yes,” she lied.

  She wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight, knowing it would be the last time he’d unconsciously reach for her in the hours before dawn. He’d done it every night.

  She didn’t think she could handle waking in his arms, pretending she could stay. Pretending she was okay.

  Quin shifted and rolled Vanessa over to her back. He pressed his mouth to hers. She opened easily, willingly.

  “Once more, then I’ll let you rest.”

  “Once more,” she agreed, fighting back tears. She could pretend a little longer.

  For the next hour, Quin worshipped her. He kissed and touched every inch of Vanessa’s body. He made love to her as a male who wanted more than a one-night stand.

  Instead of racing towards completion, he tried to make it last. He no longer felt the same urgency that had recently taken over his life, where he was constantly fucking whomever was available just to pacify the beast for a few hours.

  He was obsessed with her, and he wasn’t growing bored. The more he was with her, the more he wanted her in every way he could have her.

  In the morning, he would tell her.

  That night, Quin fell asleep wrapped around a female he adored, feeling more content than ever.

  Long after Quin had drifted off, Vanessa was still wide awake, stroking the head of hair snuggled up to the side of her breast. He seemed to be fond of using her tits as a pillow.

  She reflected on their time together, knowing she owed Quin a debt she could never repay. He’d more than lived up to his end of the deal. She hoped she’d given him half the pleasure he’d given to her.

  It was almost 4 a.m. when Vanessa decided she could no longer delay her departure. Waking with him, being forced to say goodbye, wasn’t something she could do. She loved him. She knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

  She loved him enough to walk away so he wouldn’t have to deal with her possible emotional freak-out in the morning.

  Vanessa took the coward’s way out, slipped out of bed, and disappeared into the night.

  12

  Quin awoke to his arms searching the bed beside him. His hand hit cool sheets. Vanessa was gone—had been gone for a while, apparently.

  Maybe she got up early to shower? He sat up, listening with his supernatural skills. No, she wasn’t in the suite.

  Dread sat heavy in his gut.

  Then he noticed a piece of paper on her pillow. A note. She’d left him a godsdamned Dear John note.

  He snatched it, crumbled it without reading it, acting out in his anger and disappointment.

  Shit. His thick fingers carefully opened it, curiosity getting the best of him.

  Q,

  Thank you for the past four days. I am forever grateful to you. I’ll never forget it.

  Vanessa

  That’s it? Thanks for the fucking? She didn’t even have the decency to say it to his face?

  His jaw clenched with fury over her skulking out while he was asleep. Like he was just some random lay. Had it meant nothing to her?

  Quin told himself, if Vanessa felt anything for him, she wouldn’t have left in this way. His heart, already damaged, tore wide open.

  This time, it was worse.

  He threw the note against the wall and jumped out of bed. The beast was uncaged, becoming unglued, and it wanted to act out.

  He couldn’t stomach sticking his dick in anyone right now, so he looked around for something to destroy. He grabbed her pillow, her sweet vanilla scent clinging to it, and ripped it apart.

  Feathers flew into the air. He glared at the bed, where he’d loved her with everything he had, and began tearing at the blankets and sheets.

  He would destroy the memories. Bury them beside Josette’s.

  He grunted as he angrily slashed and scratched the materials covered in vanilla. Quin was too out of control to hear Eriq enter the suite.

  Eriq felt for his brother, knowing why he was so upset. He’d been notified by security when Vanessa left, as he’d commanded them to do.

  Amelia had been in the control room at the time, and asked Eriq to come in. She’d said he needed to see part of the footage.

  Eriq, who was with a female he didn’t want to leave, put it off. As long as Quin was safe, Eriq would deal with it later.

  The head of security called Eriq again when he noticed Quin acting so out of character. He hadn’t turned off the feed to the suite. Thank gods, or else Eriq wouldn’t have known Quin’s reaction to waking up alone.

  He put his hand on Quin’s shoulder when he didn’t respond to his voice.

  Quin whirled around, almost attacked whomever had disturbed him. Eriq. It was Eriq.

  Quin was out of breath, breathing like a bull gone mad. He l
ooked around at the mess he’d made, embarrassed Eriq was witness to his meltdown.

  “Fuck!” Quin yelled.

  “I won’t ask if you’re okay, seeing as you’re obviously not.”

  “I’m good now.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  Quin rolled his eyes.

  “I said I’m good, E.”

  Eriq let his eyes roam around the room, which was covered in feathers and scraps of material. At least he hadn’t resorted to breaking the furniture.

  “Wanna talk about it?”

  “Nope,” Quin clipped, going into the closet to get some sweatpants and a t-shirt.

  “You sure?” Eriq inquired, following his brother.

  “Why are you here?” Quin asked, evading the question.

  “Security called. The feed was still live, and they were concerned.”

  Damn. Quin forgot about telling Eriq to watch the cameras.

  “Tell them to turn them off. It’s fine now.”

  Eriq crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway of the walk-in closet. Thankfully, Quin was now covered.

  “Put on some shoes,” he told Q. “I want to show you something.”

  “I’m going home.”

  Quin needed to be alone. He was going home to down a fifth of whiskey and sleep for days. Maybe it would dull the pain.

  “Nope. I need you to come with me first, Q. I promise this is important.”

  Eriq wasn’t one to bullshit his siblings. What he said, he meant. Quin really wasn’t interested, but if Eriq needed him, he would go.

  “Five minutes,” he reluctantly agreed.

  “Follow me, my man. I promise it will be worth it.”

  Quin followed Eriq down the hall. He scowled once they got to the control room.

  “Eriq—”

  “Nope. You will give this five minutes of your time. Understood? I swear I’ll call Mom if you don’t.”

  Nope, no way in hell was Quin willing to deal with his mother. Eriq knew it, too.

  “Fine,” he grumbled.

  Eriq went to one of the monitors and typed on the keyboard below it. Quin stood behind him, worried something bad had happened in the club while he was occupied with … her.

  “Amelia called me around 4 a.m. and asked for me to come in. I was busy, so I politely declined once she assured me you were safe.”

  Eriq pointed to the monitor, which was paused on an image of Quin’s suite.

  “This is why she called.”

  Quin’s form was passed out on the bed. Vanessa was standing over him, her arm in the air as if reaching for him.

  Quin didn’t know if he could deal with seeing the evidence of her walking out.

  Seeing Q’s distress, Eriq said, “Just watch. Please.”

  He hit play.

  Quin watched Vanessa run the back of her hand along his cheek lovingly. She wiped at her eyes and nose with the other.

  Crying. She was crying.

  “Goodbye, Quin. I—I love you,” she sobbed quietly. If he hadn’t been an immortal, he wouldn’t have picked it up.

  He sank down into the roller chair. I love you. His Little Fawn loved him.

  “Then why in the hell did she leave?”

  A tickling under his eye had him reaching up to rub it away. It was wet.

  Eriq watched Quin’s eyes glass over with emotion. He didn’t know why Vanessa bolted, but he had a good idea.

  “Q, did you tell her about Josette?”

  “Yes.”

  Eriq grinned. His brother was in love. He never spoke about his past. Ever. Nothing else could have gotten him to open up to Vanessa.

  “Then I think you have your answer.”

  Quin shook his head.

  “Think about it. You told her about the redheaded succubus you despise, who altered the way you live your life, the reason you refuse to screw redheads. Or succubi. Vanessa is a redheaded succubus. One who is in love with you. Connect the dots, Q.”

  Quin closed his eyes.

  “Shit,” he mumbled.

  “Yeah. Now get off your ass and go get her.”

  Quin’s eyes opened. Eriq was holding out a piece of paper.

  “What’s that?”

  “Her home address. You want it or not?”

  13

  Vanessa pulled her suitcase behind her as she entered the elevator that would take her up to her condo.

  She’d been gone for two weeks. The first four days were the best of her life. The rest were filled with misery and heartbreak.

  It had been ten days since she’d left Club Shadow. Since she’d walked away from Quin. Since she’d last fed.

  Her stomach was empty. She was weak, a result of her inability to secure a man from whom she could feed. She couldn’t do it. There was only one she wanted.

  Her mother was right. She was defective.

  Vanessa didn’t know what she was going to do. There was another Club Shadow on the Gulf Coast. Maybe she would try there, could get a siren to use her power and force Vanessa to feed.

  Her stomach rolled, but what choice did she have?

  The elevator chimed, and the doors opened right into her living room. Normally, she looked forward to coming home into her space. Today, it was a reminder of how very alone she was.

  She slipped out of her flip flops and set her suitcase aside. She’d unpack later.

  Like a zombie, she lumbered over to the sliding doors, wanting to look out at the scenery. It didn’t help.

  “It’s about fucking time.”

  Vanessa screamed at the deep voice coming from behind her, twirled around, and came face to face with a male she never thought she’d see again.

  A very angry male.

  Quin, who’d been ready to interrogate Vanessa over her whereabouts, scowled at her appearance. She was thinner. She had dark circles under her eyes.

  Damn it all to hell. She was starving. While a tiny part of him was thrilled she hadn’t been touched by another, the rest of him was appalled she’d put her health in such jeopardy.

  “What are you doing here, Quin?” she asked, longing to jump into his arms.

  “You’re hungry. Again,” he spat.

  Vanessa bristled at his accusatory tone. It wasn’t like she wanted to be hungry.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  He stepped closer, toe-to-toe, and she had to crane her neck to look at him.

  “Everything about you is my fucking business.”

  Her heart thumped, feeling like it was beating for the first time in ten days.

  “What do you mean?”

  Ignoring her question, he picked her up.

  Unable to stop herself, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, shaking with emotion.

  “Feeding first, talking later,” he growled.

  His lips crashed into hers, lacking his usual finesse. It was all teeth and tongue. He plundered and pillaged her mouth while his hands slipped around her bottom to the seam of her yoga pants.

  “For the record,” he said into her mouth, “I love these pants. I’ll buy you more.”

  He gripped the thin material and ripped them in half, along with her underwear. He walked them to the side of the glass doors, until her back was against the wall.

  Her hands were already on his pants, undoing them quickly. His shaft fell into her hand and she clumsily shifted to get it where she needed it.

  Quin pulled her arms back around his neck before taking over. His steady hand guided his cock into her boiling hot pussy. The extra heat was painful, but it was a result of her hunger.

  Quin would tolerate it. He would not fail her.

  Using the wall as leverage, he rammed all the way in and she screamed. Quin buried his face in her neck as he fucked her barbarically. Pictures were falling and shattering. Dents were forming in the drywall.

  He’d bring her to climax later. Right now, she needed him to come, to absorb his semen along with his vitality.

  “Vanessa!” he roared, coming so
hard against her womb he lost his vision for a moment.

  Vanessa dug her nails into his back, trying to hold on. Pulse after pulse of thick hot come flooded her channel. She soaked it up, ingested it with her succubus magic. Her starvation had her pulling harder than normal.

  Quin grimaced but held still so Vanessa could get as much as she needed. He watched her face. Her eyes were closed tight, her mouth hung open. Her pallor complexion altered quickly, and she started to look like herself again.

  When she no longer felt cramps from her hunger, she stopped. Vanessa opened her eyes and they looked upon one another.

  She gasped at the look on Quin’s face and the tears, which were always just below the surface, fell down her face.

  “Oh, gods. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have taken so much. Put me down, Quin. Put me down and go. You don’t deserve this,” she cried, closing her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see her shame reflected back at her.

  She couldn’t do this to him. Not after what he’d been through.

  “No,” he told her, holding her closer to him. “I’ll never you let go, Vanessa. Not ever.”

  “I—I don’t understand,” she sniveled.

  “Look at me,” he said, using his persuasion.

  Her body came alive, softened, readying to be fucked again. She moaned, slowly opening her eyes.

  “You’re mine, Little Fawn. I’m keeping you.”

  The vice suffocating her heart loosened and the tears stopped. He was serious. But why?

  “Don’t look at me like that, Vanessa.”

  “Like what?” She wasn’t sure what her face was telling him.

  “Like you doubt me.”

  She gulped.

  Quin’s eyes narrowed.

  “I’ve been waiting for you in this condo for ten fucking days, not knowing where you were or if you were taking care of yourself—which you weren’t.”

  “I—”

  “No. I’m not finished.”

  Her mouth snapped shut.

  “The morning you left, I went crazy. I’d planned to take you to my home and ask you to stay, but you ran from our bed, Vanessa. I didn’t like it.”

  She knew it was rude, but she didn’t have the strength to say the word ‘goodbye’ to him.