Thorne stayed in place, his body taut, muscles rippling beneath his hand-made suit, and for a split-second Quinn thought he wasn’t going to step away . . . then he did. Thank fuck. Because if he hadn’t he would’ve had to step in and haul his ass out of that situation, and quickly. Jana wasn’t playing around and Quinn could feel her power filling the room, cloying the back of his throat it was so dang thick, shit, Thorne would be in deep shit if she’d taken this further, even with him being a powerful day-walker now. Quinn was certain she would’ve taken him down, and damn fast too.
Today was not the day he was going to lose the one man he trusted on this godforsaken earth. No. Not happening, not here, not in this shithole of a place and certainly not by The Directive.
“I think we should sit down and resume our discussion,” Quinn cut in, hoping to speed things along before another bout of whatever ailed him struck.
That last episode had been the worst yet and it had scared him more than he was prepared to admit. Even to himself. If he’d lost control here, in a club full of weak and vulnerable humans then the only outcome would’ve been total and complete carnage and after that? His demise at the hands of The Directive. Neither prospect appealed to him. The thought of killing and draining so many innocents caused his stomach to clench painfully but he covered it well, his face a mask of indifference as Thorne strode to the corner of the room, crossed his arms and glared at Jana.
Good. At least there was space between them now.
Jana came over and sat at the opposite end of the sofa, apparently completely non-plussed. “I’ve come here to join a new top-secret team that’s on a mission to find someone, Quinn, and I’m betting that person is going to be very important to you. In fact, you are the reason that I’m here.”
“What?” Quinn couldn’t understand what she was talking about. A secret team? A mission to find someone? It all sounded far-fetched to him, even for The Directive. “Forgive me, Jana, but you’re not making sense and I’ve got to get back home. I’m afraid I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
He was about to leave when she scooted closer, her hand clamping on his knee like a vise to hold him in place. “Hear me out, Quinn. I know you’re aware of the influx of Bloodmates that have been found over the last couple of years. You’re friends with Victor Strong and we fought together to protect Flint’s own Bloodmate, Kenzie, but there have been others, and I’m certain you’re aware of those too. Am I right?”
He thought back to the battle on his land and how the blood ran over the lush green grass. It had been a ferocious fight that they’d won and one that had taken out a bevy of evil that had been a scourge in his homeland. He’d been happy to help Flint and heard recently that he was going to become a father. That had been a bittersweet moment. He’d obviously been pleased for them but it had also brought a sweeping sadness through him at the thought of his own life of being alone. When he’d heard of others finding their Bloodmates too, from all over the globe . . . America, Italy, hell, even London, it had been like a punch in the gut each and every time.
“Of course, I’m aware. I’ve heard of several, even one in London.”
“Yes, indeed.” Jana nodded. “But what you might not be aware of is that there’s a danger to these Bloodmates.”
“What?” Quinn’s brow furrowed, not quite following.
“The Directive is aware of how important Bloodmates are to a Vampire. For starters, when the Thirst strikes, a Vampire loses all sense of control and can go into a frenzy and that’s a very dangerous condition to be in. Not just for the Vampire but for anyone around them. We’re not unsympathetic to the condition, of course we’re not, but we obviously cannot have a powerful Vampire let loose on a rampage because they cannot be united with their Bloodmate.
“Now, this is where things get tricky, because, others have realized this too and are using this trend to suit their own ends. Some are attempting to intercept Bloodmates and kidnap them, we’re not entirely sure as to why. It could be for many reasons, but our best guess is it’s for money, or they could simply wish to have the Vampire concerned go insane with the Thirst and be taken out by us and then take over their businesses. To be honest, the list is endless as to their reasons, but the fact is that this is happening, so Magno has a team in place trying to locate them before this happens. He’s trying to find them and keep them safe.”
Thorne had slowly made his way over, his face a mask of concern . . . and dawning realization. “Fuck. You think?”
“I do.” Jana nodded up at him.
“You think what?” Quinn looked at her then Thorne. “What?”
Thorne shook his head at him. His friend’s eyes wide as he stepped back. “Uh uh, I’m saying nothing. Over to you, Jana.”
“So, the team is here because the Witch, Henry, has tracked a Bloodmate to this location. He’s certain there’s one in the area, so they’ve been here for two days and they’re close and then I got news of this big shindig and that you were going to be here . . . and bam! I just knew I had to fly in and see you. See you with my own two eyes and gauge how you were and, shit, Quinn, come on, you’re not that dumb. Are you? Put two and two together for me here.”
Quinn’s heart thundered in his chest. His head pounded. His skin felt as if it were on fire. No! Yes! No! Yes!
The damn Thirst! He’d been experiencing the fucking Thirst. How stupid was he? The answer had been right under his damn nose and he didn’t see it. No. He couldn’t dare believe it. He couldn’t possibly believe it. Because if he did and it wasn’t true . . . it would crush his very soul.
“What if it’s not true?” he gasped. The words torn from him, his heart beating wildly as he waited on her answer.
Jana leaned in toward him, her dark blue eyes locking with his. “You’ve got all the signs, Quinn, and there’s only one way to find out for certain . . . come with me now. Come to where the team is and if she’s near then you’ll know it for damn sure! Take my hand . . . take the chance, Quinn Alexander, don’t get on that plane and fly away, don’t do it. Come with me and we’ll go do our damnedest to find your Bloodmate.”
Chapter 5
Thorne whistled through his teeth, slapped his thigh then punched in the air, shouting. “Hell, let’s do this, Q! Come on, what’ve you got to lose?”
He turned to look at his friend who seemed high as a damn kite. His face lit up like a firecracker. “My sanity for one? And what if I lose it again while we’re out there? The streets are packed with humans, Thorne, packed! Who the hell is going to stop me if that happens? I almost lost my shit earlier . . . I was so close it scared the hell out of me. I’ve never felt like that before. Ever. I . . .”
“Exactly.” Jana broke in. “It’s the Thirst, Quinn. You need to come with me. Now. Before it’s too late and you go down the rabbit hole into insanity where nobody can bring you back. The only chance you have is to be united with your Bloodmate and our team is your best chance at that. Trust me, Quinn. Trust me.”
Trust her? Did she know what she was asking of him? Trust her to walk out of here into the unknown while he wasn’t completely in control of himself? She was the damn Directive. He didn’t trust anyone completely, apart from Thorne and possibly Ace, but The Directive? No. He’d never trust them . . . could he? But Flint trusted her. She’d dropped everything that time in Scotland to come to his aid. Off the books. She’d fought for him, tooth and claw, down and dirty and then calmly went back to her job without telling a soul what she’d done.
Maybe he could trust her . . . just this once.
“Fine.” Quinn sighed, canting his head and staring hard at Jana. “I don’t trust easily, but you came through for Flint so I’ll trust you here and now, Jana . . . don’t make me regret my decision.”
Her lip tugged up on the left, just one side, and her eyes twinkled mischievously, her hand reaching to grab a firm hold of his and pulling him up. “Good choice. Let’s go.”
“Now?”
“Yes. Now.” She r
ushed to the door, almost tearing it from the hinges as she flung it open and hurrying out. Ace waited in the corridor, his men further spread out along the hallway. “Keep up or get left behind. Where are your vehicles?” she asked him as she made her way past.
“Out back now.” Ace spat out. “Street out front was too packed.”
“Good, let’s go and hurry,” she ordered, checking her cell again she held it up to Ace. “That’s where we’re heading, if the team we’re going to meet changes location then I’ll let you know.”
Ace looked to Quinn who nodded his assent and he took off, barking orders as he went.
Thorne moved up to cover his back, whispering, “Can you believe this shit?”
“No,” was all he managed because he simply couldn’t dare to. Not until it was proved positive to him. He couldn’t dare to dream. Not now. Not until . . . not until . . . no. He wouldn’t even think about it. Not yet.
Instead he focused on the task at hand as they arrived at the dark alley running behind the club. After getting into the SUV’s, Jana gave Ace directions again to ensure he was certain where they were going, then settling back beside him he started asking questions. “Who’s in this team, apart from the Witch, Henry?”
“It’s led by Delia Constanzo, she’s a Vampire, a day-walker in case you’re wondering, so she’s strong and a capable leader. She’s been part of our organization for a very long time, in various divisions, and Magno hand-picked her for this as he did the other two. The other member is one of your countrymen, Mac Ferguson, and he’s a Wolf. He’s a great tracker, obviously, but he and Delia have worked together for years so they work extremely well as a team. Henry Grimes is the Witch who tries to pinpoint the Bloodmates and he’s had some success, and he’s good at his job, he’s pretty powerful and put them all together and we’ve got a damn good team. I’ve got to ask that you don’t go around blabbing about them though. We’re trying to keep this under wraps as much as possible, but word does get out, I know that, but I’d appreciate your discretion.”
“I’ve no intention of talking about this, Jana,” Quinn replied, quirking a brow. “Dealing with The Directive isn’t exactly good for business.”
Thorne chuckled while Jana scowled at him. “I’m not sure how to take that.”
“It’s the plain truth.” Quinn shrugged. “I’m not trying to offend you.”
“Hmmf.” She continued to scowl. “I’ll try and not be offended.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Quinn tipped his head.
She tapped the screen on her cell, bringing it to her ear as the call connected. “We’ll be there shortly. How’s things going?”
Although his good manners dictated he didn’t listen in, Quinn couldn’t help himself. He avidly waited on the response. An Italian accented female’s voice replied immediately. One that held an air of authority and one that was succinct and straight to the point.
“Henry is convinced that she is close but he is also worried that there is danger nearby. He says he can sense something malevolent that is shadowing her. We are closing in but I fear we may not have enough power to help her, Jana. He says he can feel a circle of evil around her. That sounds like it might be more than Mac and I alone can handle . . . how far away are you? I might need your help on this one. I don’t like asking for your assistance but it seems I could be at a disadvantage this time and these asses might have more than I can take on and also get her to safety at the same time. Merda!”
Fury built inside Quinn so fast he wasn’t aware of it until it spilled from him in a torrent, his head spinning to Ace. “Move it! Get us there now . . . any means necessary!”
Jana glanced over at him, pursing her lips before she nodded. “We’ll be there soon and I’m bringing reinforcements. Just keep tracking her, watch your back and keep Henry safe, he’s our ace in the hole, Delia.”
“Favoloso, we need more men on this, and don’t worry about Henry, Mac will ensure he’s looked after. See you soon. Ciao.”
“Why does the Witch need looking after?” Quinn asked as soon as Jana ended the call. “Surely he’s powerful enough to take care of himself?”
As soon as Jana had made the comment to Delia he’d immediately wondered why. This Henry guy was supposed to be a powerful Witch so why would he need looking after by the rest of his team? It didn’t make sense to him.
Jana gave him a sour look, one that told him she didn’t like being questioned, but he didn’t care. If this were real. If he did have the Thirst and his Bloodmate was out there and in danger then he had a right to know everything. Every damn thing!
“Well?” he prodded when she didn’t reply immediately.
“Henry is unique with his abilities but he can get so engrossed at times he can be oblivious to everything else around him,” Jana admitted. “That means he can sometimes be unaware of his own danger when he is too busy looking out for others.”
“I see.” Quinn tapped his chin, thinking for a moment before spearing Thorne with a determined stare. “Make sure he’s safe. When we arrive, get Ace to assign men to this Henry guy and have them know that if one hair on his head is harmed that I’ll kill them myself.”
“Sure.” Thorne tipped his head.
Jana looked between them and back at him, her lips pursed in a tight line before she broke the silence. “That’s not necessary . . . the killing, I mean. Protecting Henry is appreciated but you don’t have to be quite so dramatic, Quinn.”
He gave her a cold, hard glare. “If he’s as important as you say then they need to know that and the higher the stakes the better. They’re my men, Jana, I’ll deal with them how I see fit.”
“I think the Thirst is affecting your judgement,” she shot right back. “Maybe you should feed some more before we arrive.”
“I’m fine,” he snarled, although the truth was his stomach was already beginning to clench painfully again. However, he wasn’t about to admit that to her.
“Sorry, Quinn, I should have omitted the word ‘maybe’. That wasn’t a request. Feed. Now. Or I’ll handcuff your ass and leave you tied up like a damn hog in this vehicle.”
Thorne slipped off the seat, dropping to his knees to the small fridge concealed in the corner and retrieved several bags. He handed them over without a word then sat back down. The tension in the cab suddenly thick and cloying as Jana turned her head to look out the window. She was obviously giving him some privacy to feed but Quinn still felt embarrassed as he looked at the blood on his lap. It wasn’t something he did in front of anyone and certainly not with a member of The Directive sitting next to him.
He was about to throw the damn bags on the floor when his gut clenched painfully, his gums aching as his fangs pressed painfully against them, and his skin felt as if it were about to burst into flames. Hunger overtook him once more and although he fought with all his might he couldn’t press the damn Thirst back. His throat felt as if it were full of sand, dry and thick with need for blood and his hands reached for the pile and turned away from Jana, releasing his fangs and started to feed.
In no time at all he’d devoured everything Thorne had given him and he felt somewhat in control of the beast that was riding him hard. His friend removed the empty packets, placing them back in the fridge and sat back beside him, Jana sighing and turning back around.
“We’re almost there,” she stated as she checked her cell.
“Good,” he ground out, determined to find out if his Bloodmate was indeed here . . . or if this was a wild goose chase and he was afflicted with something else entirely.
Moments later they were at a standstill, Ace cursing and finally giving up. “We can’t get any further, there are too many people and hundreds of stalls. We’ll need to go the rest of the way on foot.”
“That’s fine,” Jana said and opened the door. “They’re just up ahead, follow me.”
As soon as they left the confines of the vehicle the noise and scents assaulted him. Quinn looked around at the abundance of people, so m
any people that he couldn’t even begin to count. Stalls were everywhere, selling everything from hot food to trinkets, live animals . . . including squawking chickens in wicker baskets and others that he had no damn name for, rolls of silk, and even an ancient man who appeared to be making whole suits right there on the sidewalk. The area was packed and they had to weave in and out, pushing passed people to make any headway whatsoever. Some got out of their way when they saw them coming, others did not, and when they didn’t, Ace and his men cleared a path for them.
It was the scents that Quinn was having trouble with, so many that he almost gagged several times and he wasn’t the only one having issues. Jana’s hand rose to her face on several occasions, her nose wrinkling and her head shaking as if to rid herself of the rank smells as she cursed, but she didn’t waver. Her long legs striding on purposefully until she shouted to Ace to take a right turn down a dark, dank alley.
“Fuck, this is gross,” Thorne spat out as Ace left a few men to guard the entrance.
“Delia!” Jana shouted as they went in, her eyes scanning ahead.
“Sì,” a sophisticated Italian accented voice returned and they headed toward it.
As they walked down the cramped, dirty lane his eyes saw a small group ahead, a massive hulk of a man stood guard over a smaller man who was walking around in a circle, one hand running through his hair repeatedly as he mumbled to himself. A woman off to the side, with short dark brown hair, and dressed casually but she still looked as if she’d walked right out of Vogue . . . typically Italian.
She turned toward them, striding quickly and stopping in front of Jana. “I’m glad you’ve arrived, Henry is growing agitated and he’s worried about this Bloodmate.”
As soon as the words left her mouth his skin tingled, his heart sped up, and pain lanced through his head. He stepped forward, his voice gruff and short. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
A Vampire’s Thirst_Quinn Page 3