Most people would tell me to walk away. Abusive partners were never tolerated and before all this, I’d wholeheartedly agree. There was never an excuse for cruelty—no reason for someone to strike out at another.
But.
The word haunted me. But Quinn wasn’t violent by nature. But he was under the influence of something supernatural. But I knew I could find a way to bring him back. But . . . but . . . but. It was the buts that finally helped me make my decision.
Chapter Twenty Three
“You up for an excursion?” I looked up from my bed to see Lacey grinning at the door. “We’re heading over to the library for something so I told Liam I’d come by and get you.”
Sitting up, I quickly slipped my feet into my shoes. “Sounds good to me. I can’t relax so I’m just staring at the ceiling anyway.” I grabbed my jacket.
“Yeah, me too. It’s hard to sleep when you know what’s going on outside.” Waiting for me, Lacey shoved her hands in her pockets. “Maybe the walk will wear you out enough.”
I shrugged in response, following her down the stairs to the outside alleyway. Seeing Liam and Marshall waiting for us on the street, I waved hello and smiled in return.
“Lacey says we’re going to the city library? How come?” I fell in beside Liam and we began travelling in the direction.
“Noah wants us to gather a few books he stashed there a while ago. We have a pretty good one at our old headquarters but couldn’t bring them with us. Something’s better than nothing.”
“Makes sense.” I nodded before we fell into silence. It had become our pattern whenever we patrolled together to do it quietly—the last thing we wanted was to draw attention to ourselves.
It was thirty minutes before we arrived. Fighting had become more and more visible and it’d taken some initiative on our part to get around altercations. There were some close calls and I sighed with relief when the large city building came into sight.
“Okay, here’s what we’ll do. Lacey and I will gather the titles Noah mentioned, while Marshall, you keep watch outside.” Liam said when we stopped.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked, unsure of how I could help.
“Stay by the librarian’s desk and watch. If you see anything, let me or Marshall know. I don’t know what’s happening in there, but it shouldn’t take too long . . . in and out.”
With everyone receiving their assignments, we split up, and I followed behind Liam and Lacey into the library. It was like a ghost town—empty tables and chairs, discarded books and bags. The only sound I could hear was the humming of computers and the overhead fluorescent lights. Squeezing her hand briefly, Lacey mouthed to be careful and I nodded. From what I could see we were alone, but I knew how quickly things could change.
I stood to the right of the circulation desk, my back to the wall. One of the things Penshurst prided itself on was its state of the art library and as I looked about, it felt like I was coming home. The smell of thousands of books hit me all at once. I took in a deep breath, reveling a little in the memories that eagerly followed. One in particular . . .
It was after much discussion, Quinn had decided to enroll in the local university and earn his Bachelors in English Literature. One of the many things we had in common was our deep love for the written word, even though our tastes in genres differed.
We were big believers in exploring our passions, and his goal was eventually being able to teach, maybe one day even write his own novel. He was gifted, so to me, it was a no brainer. I loved the look in his eyes and the excitement that bubbled out of him whenever he got onto one of his tangents—debating the classics as well as the newest releases.
We spent many nights here, him pouring over his textbooks while I devoured my latest romance. Whenever we were feeling somewhat scandalous, we’d hide in the deepest parts of the library, amongst the rarely visited shelves and make out. So far we hadn’t been caught which made it all the more arousing—making this one of our favorite places to spend time in.
A pulse of hot desire shot through me as I remembered the last steamy moment Quinn and I had shared only a few days ago. We’d come for one of his late night study sessions, finals were approaching and he’d wanted to prepare.
It had been an exceptionally long night and I’d struggled with how easily distracted I was. Looking over at Quinn once and a while and seeing him deep in thought, or furiously taking notes, I’d tried refocusing on the book I was reading. For some reason I was having a hard time connecting with the characters and I let out the occasional deep sigh of boredom.
When it became obvious my attempts were proving futile, I tried entertaining myself with people observing. It never ceased to amaze me the things other patrons would do when they thought no one was watching.
That night there were a group of teenage girls who kept staring in a certain direction before breaking out in a mass of giggles, earning a stern look from the librarian. It was fun watching them as they flounced their hair around, and after discovering the object of their flirtatious behavior—I agreed the guy was pretty cute.
It took some time and careful studying before I realized he was completely oblivious to it all. I pointed it out to Quinn, asking him whether he’d been that clueless and he grinned, whispering he probably had been. Turning back to the desks, I continued observing patrons, but I gradually grew tired of that as well, focusing my attention on my favorite subject—Quinn.
I couldn’t help but smile whenever I looked at him. My stomach would dip knowing he was mine and that in a city of millions, we’d found each other. I sincerely, deeply, loved him. I couldn’t get enough of him and it humbled me that he felt the same.
He sat at the small desk, surrounded by his course textbooks with pages of notes scattered around. Depending on what he was working on, he’d either tap his pencil to some random beat, or his brows tensed while he studied a particularly difficult prose. My favorite was how he bit on his bottom lip, using his tongue to quickly moisten it before nipping his lip again with his teeth.
After telling him how amazing I thought his shaggy styled hair looked, Quinn had chosen not to cut it. His almost black hair fell lightly across his eyes, causing him to frequently toss his head to the side so he could see. Every now and then it would become stubborn and he would lean back, stretching out his muscles before trying to tame it with his fingers.
He made my heart melt—the unassuming way he held himself that screamed sex appeal. Gazing at him that night, it wasn’t long before I needed to touch him. I wanted my hands exploring every inch of his chest because I knew the kind of body hiding underneath his clothes. More importantly I knew the way his muscles flexed and tensed as he moved—the image stoking my already building desire.
Sensing a change in the mood, he looked up and stared at me questioningly. I squirmed in my seat, showing him how restless I was. A smile spread across his face and he tapped his pencil on his work, mouthing that I needed to stop because he was working. Not giving up so easily, I began twisting my hair, wrapping it around my finger before releasing it. I watched Quinn stiffen in his chair as he caught the scent of my shampoo. I knew I was fighting dirty because if there was one thing that drove him crazy, it was my hair. I just didn’t care.
I tilted my head back and ran my fingers slowly through the mass, teasing the strands so it gave a hint of wildness. I heard him groan softly as he struggled to keep focused on his schoolwork, but I could see him watching me from the corner of his eyes.
My lips curled into my own smile as I lazily got up, making sure I stretched—languidly moving my body in a way that showed off my curves before walking in the direction of our favorite stacks. I let my fingertips trace their way across his desk before stopping right beside him. Leaning in close, I whispered softly that I was much more interesting than his stuffy texts.
Biting gently on his earlobe, I told him not to keep me waiting and continued on my journey. I’d almost made it as far as the third stack before I heard him
slam his studies closed and his chair slide back. He’d taken the bait.
It wouldn’t be long before he caught up, and I didn’t want him having the advantage of making the first move. I picked up my pace as I wound my way through the different shelves until I finally reached the place I intended to seduce him. My heart raced—my mouth watering as it anticipated the taste that was uniquely Quinn. The mere thought of him set my temperature rising, my need building as I waited for him to arrive.
Listening closely to my surroundings, I couldn’t hear any approaching footsteps or the sound of anyone breathing. I stifled a giggle, completely delighted that he’d turned the tables on me, making this into a game of hide and seek. I fully intended on being the one who found him first, so I carefully stalked through each aisle, making as little noise as possible.
I ended my search bewildered because somehow he’d eluded me. I’d gone to some of our favorite hideaways and he was still nowhere to be found. I began retracing my steps.
Disappointed, I hoped he was ready to leave soon because if he wasn’t, I was going to drag him out myself. I wouldn’t stop until we reached my apartment where I’d have my way with him.
I never heard him coming. Abruptly I was pulled back into a hard chest and carried backward. To stop me from squealing in surprise, Quinn placed his hand over my mouth, keeping it there as a safeguard.
Unable to control myself, I squirmed against him and tried to connect my body with his as many times as I could. My tongue flicked over his palm and I moaned at the salty taste of his skin.
Quinn suddenly cursed, tightening his grip before twirling me around and crushing his mouth onto mine. The force of his kiss bruised my lips, but it released the fire burning inside me. With equal intensity, I pushed him backward, slamming him into the shelf.
It was my turn to attack and I relished the sensation of dipping into his mouth, devouring his taste as his own tongue tangled with mine. Not willing to waste another second, I grabbed the bottom of his shirt and roughly pulled it away from his jeans—the need to touch him all consuming. My hands slid underneath the material and my fingers tingled from the energy the contact created. I let my hands roam across his chest, pausing only when I felt his nipples harden.
I tugged on them, unable to resist. Quinn growled low in his throat as he reached for my face, wanting to pull me closer. I melted against him, letting him take over as he deepened our kiss and plunged his hands deep into my hair.
His fingers clenched as he grabbed handfuls and rhythmically began tugging on it as his own desire grew. I lowered my hands to his jeans, toying with the button. Lifting me off the floor, he wrapped my legs around his waist and with a few short steps, pressed me up against the wall.
Grinding his hips into me, Quinn continued his assault on my mouth. I felt like I was drowning in him, and when he sucked on my lower lip, grazing his teeth before nipping, I knew we needed to stop. I wanted more, my body ready to explode, and he must’ve sensed it as well because we reluctantly broke away, resting our foreheads together. Slowly we made our way back to his desk and grabbed his belongings. We held each other’s hands, laughing softly as we headed home to finish what we’d started.
The intensity of that night left me panting a little, remembering the passion that followed afterward. I was grateful no one was around to see my blush, and once I was under control again, I noticed the pushcart filled with books needing to be returned to their shelves.
Browsing through them, a few stood out. Someone else had been researching supernatural creatures and I removed the titles referring to the Fae. My education was sorely lacking—my knowledge coming from the romance novels I read. There was no sign of Liam and Lacey, so placing them on a nearby counter, I began flicking through them. Information was a weapon and it was time I was armed.
Making sure I could still see my surroundings, I started reading.
Chapter Twenty Four
I picked up the volume at the top of the pile and began reading. Judging from the title, The Fae Among Us, the author believed they had comprehensive knowledge about these “otherworldly visitors” so I crossed my fingers and began flicking through the pages. My hope was something would jump out with a huge arrow that said, “Here I am. I’m the answer.”
Halfway through, I came across a chapter that talked about what the creatures looked like. I’d only ever seen the two and assumed that they were a good representation of all their species.
I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the pictures. One believed the mysterious Fae were little bitty flying creatures that left a stream of glitter as they flew through the air. Other pictures were pretty, and I could almost see the appeal in wanting these beings to exist. They seemed so graceful and elegant, with flowing sheer clothing in different shades of color. I let out a wistful sigh. My problems wouldn’t be so difficult if this was the problem we all faced.
My skin prickled with revulsion at the next drawings—going from the cute to the incredibly hideous. These depictions were the things found in nightmares as picture after picture showed vicious, deformed monsters full of sharp teeth and gnarled claws.
Their flesh varied in mottled hues and the author had been thorough in describing every kind of skin affliction. One creature had large, angry looking boils that oozed with a thick sludge like pus, while another appeared so scaly—resembling mini crevices.
I turned to the next page to see what else the author included and found more repulsive pictures. Pausing from my study, I stared at the last drawings I’d looked at. These weren’t even close to being accurate, making me question the rest of the information. I’d seen the General—he was nothing like this and I closed the book, discarding the author’s imagination.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as I reached for the next volume. Caving to temptation, I looked at the caller ID and my heart raced at the sight of Quinn’s name. My thumb moved to answer the call, but I paused at the last minute and ended the call instead. There’d be plenty of time for that later.
Opening Myths and Legends from the Otherworld, I smiled at the cover of a devilishly handsome male presenting an ethereal air of sophistication. I looked for the first picture and was rewarded with an image that closely resembled the two Fae I had seen more.
It was easy to see how my mother could have fallen for my father. The etchings showed beings that looked incredibly elegant, but had a soft kind of masculinity that just oozed seduction. Everything about them was beautiful, their skin flawless and features refined. Their bodies seemed designed to hold power, standing with a surety that reflected their sense of superiority. Long legs and arms were defined with lean cords of muscles—everything about them signified strength.
If I thought the men were appealing, the Fae women were beyond exquisite. Much like the men with their flawless skin and features, the women had such a graceful appearance it wouldn’t have surprised me to learn they floated when they walked. There was a fascinating allure about them, convincing me humans wouldn’t stand a chance if they ever gained the attention of these creatures. Fae were everything seductive and enticing. Even through the book pages, their appeal beckoned me.
My phone vibrated again, interrupting my reading. I didn’t need to see who it was, my heart already knew, and I ignored it.
Recognizing this was closer to the description I was familiar with, I returned to the table of contents and looked through the chapter headings. A quick glance around showed everything was still quiet and no sign of the others. I opened it to the history section.
According to the author, the Fae were a supernatural race that dated back centuries before man. They weren’t too clear on where they came from or where they were now, giving various possibilities like fairy mounds and something called a rath. I skimmed through the rest of the chapter because my grandmother mentioned to me they lived in another world that was separated from ours by a veil.
After reading through a series of quotes by earlier scholars, I closed the volume with a sigh. So
far I’d already known most of what I’d read. I glanced at the computers and wished there was time to surf the Internet.
My phone buzzed against my leg again, making me jump. Annoyed, I pulled it out—there were two text messages from Quinn.
Found a good hiding spot yet, Bri? I don’t know why you’re putting off the inevitable. I’ll find you. I always do. And, still ignoring me babe? That’s ok, it’ll just make our reunion all the more better.
Deleting the messages, I placed my phone onto the counter and picked up the next book. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of the title—The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Mythical Creatures. Flipping straight to the back, I scanned the index for Fae references and my heart began racing. Turning to page 169, I found what I was looking for—Fae: Their Strengths and Weaknesses.
Just one look told me not to jump the gun and get my hopes up too much. It seemed the Fae had quite a lot of strengths and only a few weaknesses and it didn’t go into depth about what they were either. It started by sharing the way they used their strengths was directly influenced by how they chose to spend their existence. There was a reference for an earlier chapter and I did the one thing I vowed I never would—I dog eared the page so I could turn back.
Described as having an angelic appearance, it was believed in some scholarly circles the Fae possessed demonic-like natures because of the malice they were renowned for displaying. The General’s words bounced around in my head, how he considered humans as vermin, and I shivered thinking about the cruel sneer on his face as he looked over the violence in the street. Based on him alone, demonic wasn’t too much of a stretch to believe.
Doubt niggled at my insides though as I thought about my father. He’d shown kindness and a deep love toward my mother. Even my grandmother had mentioned that not all Fae were evil characters, and that it was those who sought power that were the most dangerous.
Broken Promises (The Brianna Lane Series) Page 18