Reckoning

by J. C. Wilder

  When her hand touched one of his nipples, awareness slammed into his body. He groaned, and his hips thrust against her pussy. Taking her thigh, he pulled it higher until the head of his cock pressed against her damp lips.

  “I’m not going to last very long,” he groaned.

  “Me either.” Her breath was hot against his mouth and when her tongue snaked out to taste him, it was all he could do to hold it together.

  Quinn slipped his hand down to the silky triangle of curls. Slipping inside, he found she was slick, ready to take him inside. The need to drive his cock into her was overwhelming and all conscious thought fled. He rolled, tucking her body beneath his. Her hands touched his cock, gently guiding him home.

  He gritted his teeth trying to stave off the need to thrust, but she would have none of it. Her nails dug into his hips pulling him forward. He gave into her silent command and thrust forward. Her body arched upward. His name hissed through her teeth.

  “Quinn.” Her legs wrapped around his hips forcing him in to the hilt.

  More than he needed to breathe, he had to move. Her hips rose to meet him, and the need for release stole his breath. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and he felt the first ripple of release move through her. Losing himself in her climax, his body took control racing to completion.

  “Maaaaaaaaeve.”

  Boneless, he collapsed atop her. Even knowing he was too heavy for her, the ability to move wasn’t in his immediate future. Buried deep inside her, flesh against flesh, seemed like the perfect way to spend eternity.

  A loud crash in the hallway jolted Maeve into consciousness. Before she was even fully awake she was across the room brandishing the fireplace poker like it was a sword. Quinn stood at the foot the bed with the short sword at the ready.

  The door burst open, and Sunni came flying in. She stumbled over her long colorful skirt and almost landed in a heap on the floor. She clung to the doorknob to regain her balance.

  “Oops, the door wasn’t shut properly.” She grinned, and her smile vanished as she caught sight of Quinn, naked. “Oh my.”

  Irritation flashed hot across Maeve’s skin. She laid the poker on the hearth then moved between her lover and the vampire. She knew what an awe-inspiring sight her lover was, and she didn’t feel like sharing him.

  “Did you need something, Sunni?”

  “Val sent me upstairs to get—” Leaning to the side, she nodded at Quinn.

  “His name would be Quinn,” Maeve said through gritted teeth.

  “That would be him.” The vampire nodded. “Oh yes, that’s, yeah.”

  Maeve noticed a faint blush on Sunni’s cheeks. Who knew vampires could do such a thing?

  “We’ll be down shortly, Sunni.”

  “Umm, okay.” Lacking her usual grace, Sunni lurched from the room, shutting the door behind her.

  Maeve shook her head. If the sight of Quinn naked had that much of an effect on Sunni, she was glad the vampire hadn’t come in a few hours earlier. The poor thing would be mute for the rest of her life, however long that was.

  Quinn’s laughter caused her to turn and scowl at her naked lover. “What’s so funny?”

  “I’ve never rendered a woman speechless before.” He reached for his jeans. “I could get used to this.”

  Maeve rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, Sunni’s been sheltered all of her life. Don’t get your hopes up.” Her glance grazed the front of his unbuttoned jeans. “Or anything else.”

  She turned on her heel and marched from the room, leaving Quinn in stitches. Stifling a grin, she headed for her closet and her heart was lighter than it had been in years.

  Sinjin’s chamber was oddly bright when Maeve and Quinn entered hand in hand. Everything was as they’d left it, Sinjin remained undisturbed and the candles still burned, but the light was coming in from the outside.

  Her pulse jumped when she noticed the line of Mortianna’s mini-demons in a ring outside the salt circle. Every other one held a large torch. The flames danced in the faint breeze. Behind them, the witch herself stood with a serene smile. Maeve’s gaze met the witch’s, and a knot formed in her stomach.

  “Why is she here?” Suddenly chilled, she pulled her hand from her lover’s.

  “We were hoping Quinn could answer that.” Val stood near the center window with his arms crossed over his chest.

  No, it couldn’t be. Not this… Anyone but her.

  No matter how hard she tried to deny it, Maeve knew why the witch had come to the Highlands. She’d cast a spell asking for a witch to teach her what she needed to kill Mikhail, and it was Mortianna who’d answered the call.

  Agony lanced her chest and she closed her eyes. What had she done?

  “I don’t know.” Quinn was speaking. “But I’m going to find out.”

  “I know why she’s here.” Maeve forced her eyes open and she moved away from everyone. Turning her back to the windows, she faced her friends, the same people she was about to betray. “I called for her.”

  “Oh my god, Maeve,” Shai spoke. “Why would you do such a thing?”

  “I need her help.” Knotting her hands together, she fought the urge to squirm.

  “What kind of help could Mortianna afford you?” Val asked.

  “I need a spell, one that only she can give me.” Her gaze clashed with Quinn’s, and she sucked in a noisy breath. His pale blue eyes were cold, hard and they pierced her like knives. She’d betrayed him and this, this was something that could never be forgiven.

  “You’d risk the life of your friends for this spell?” His tone was flat, emotionless.

  She shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

  Drawing himself up, he stood firm, every inch of his body tense and ready to spring. “Then explain it to me.”

  He’d already condemned her. Images of her parents throwing accusations at her flashed in her mind. Panicky, she glanced at each of her friends, but they offered no assistance. Ice invaded her body, slowly freezing her from the inside out, and she welcomed the numbness.

  “On the drive here you told me a revenant turned by a vampire was an abomination. That’s exactly what I am, Quinn.” Her voice was firm, strong. “Eleven years ago, a vampire killed my sister, and I watched her die. He was going to kill me as well, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish he’d succeeded. Instead, Val showed up and prevented him from finishing what he started.”

  “Maeve.” Sunni stood by herself, tears in her eyes and her hands fisted over her mouth. “Please.”

  “Please what, Sunni? Lie and tell you everything is grand in my world?” Maeve looked away, feeling nothing in the face of Sunni’s pain. “Do you know what it’s like to hear someone you love die screaming your name over and over again, and there’s nothing you can do?” Tears burned the backs of her eyes, but she’d cut out her tongue before she’d let one fall. “My twin, my other half, died and I couldn’t save her. That bastard took everything of value to me that night and for that, he must die.”

  “You’re a fool.” Quinn’s tone was sharp. “You can’t engineer redemption through revenge and it will change nothing. It will destroy who you are and what you’ve become.”

  “Won’t be much of a loss now will it, Quinn?” Maeve laughed, and it was a bitter ugly sound. “It will rid the world of something that never should’ve been created to begin with.”

  His lips firmed, and the anger on his face might’ve broken her heart if it wasn’t already frozen. “Revenge is meaningless,” he ground out. “You learn from your mistakes, and you move on in the hopes that you will not repeat them.

  “I know what it is to lose a loved one,” he continued. “Years ago a good friend died because I lost my temper and sought revenge on someone I believed wronged me. My friend trusted me to do the right thing, and I failed him. Trust me when I say the price of revenge is too steep, Maeve. If you go through with this, you’ll lose everything you hold dear, including your integrity and honor.”

  His wo
rds cut her to the quick, and she resisted the urge to look and see if they’d left marks on her skin.

  “What good are integrity and honor when my sister lies in her grave?” she shouted. “What good were integrity and honor when my family turned their backs on me? They’ve been cold comfort these past few years.”

  “What would your sister want you to do?” Shai asked.

  Live life and be joyful…

  “Avenge her death,” Maeve whispered.

  “Then your sister was also a fool,” Quinn growled.

  Whatever warmth remained in her body leaked away when he spoke. He couldn’t understand her plight and even worse, he was making no attempt to do so. Talk about déjà vu. Her parents had done the same thing. It was a good thing she couldn’t feel anything, or she might’ve ended up sobbing on the floor. The only thing that could stop her now was if Quinn gave her the spell, but she wouldn’t beg him for it.

  “Last chance, Quinn. I’m asking you to please give me the A’ bhais Cadail spell.” Her voice was flat, dead.

  A muscle flexed in his jaw, and he turned away from her.

  So be it.

  Forcing herself to not react, she walked toward the door.

  “Where are you going?” Sunni followed.

  Maeve didn’t answer her friend. If she tried to speak she feared her rigid control would break, and she’d lose her grip. Unlike Humpty Dumpty, there wouldn’t be enough pieces to glue back together.

  As she neared the front door, she half expected, wanted, Quinn to interfere, but he didn’t. Opening the door, the cool autumn air whipped into the house.

  “Don’t do this.” Sunni’s words ended in a sob.

  The darkness surrounded her when she left the house. Mortianna stood on the walkway at the other side of the sword. A sweet, serene smile graced her face and she nodded approvingly when Maeve stopped on the other side of the sword.

  “Maeve—”

  She ignored Val’s voice. “Mortianna, will you give me the binding spell?”

  The witch’s smile grew. “Of course, my child. That’s why I’m here tonight. Knowledge is strength, and we must help our sisters follow their destinies.”

  “Good enough.”

  Maeve turned to look at her friends one more time. Val stood on the bottom step with his arm around a crying Shai. In his dark gaze she saw concern and acceptance. Sunni stood on the walkway with her hands fisted at her sides and her cheeks damp with tears.

  Quinn stood alone on the top step, framed in the doorway. Only a few hours ago she’d lain in his arms and made love with him. Now he was lost to her, and she’d never felt more alone. Maeve never believed she’d fall in love and now it was too late.

  Turning, she stepped over the sword, and an icy darkness surrounded her. From far away she heard the witch’s voice, “Welcome home, my daughter.”

  Chapter Ten

  Maeve was gone.

  One minute she’d been in his arms, her body warm and rosy from their lovemaking, and in the next she’d been swept into Mortianna’s cape and they’d vanished. Never had Quinn felt so helpless and so totally deceived by a woman, not even his mother.

  Dropping into a chair, Quinn laid his head back and closed his eyes. He couldn’t rid himself of the images of those final seconds. When she’d looked back at him, the raw pain in her face had almost driven him to his knees. Even now, hours later, he still felt the echoes of her betrayal.

  Why? Why had this happened?

  The questions churned in his mind. Had he handled the situation right? From the time he learned of his abilities, he was obligated to protect the knowledge that was his birthright, and it wasn’t a task to be taken lightly. If the mortal world were to discover his kind, hell, any of the Shadow Dwellers, it would be catastrophic. There was no telling what the greed of man would bring upon them if they realized what walked among them.

  Look what it had brought upon Maeve.

  Her thirst for revenge would ultimately destroy her. Knowing that, what should he do? She was a grown woman and capable of making her own decisions. Did she have an inkling of what she was in for by aligning herself with Mortianna? The witch would probably teach Maeve the spell, but that wouldn’t be the end of it. Mortianna didn’t do anything without gaining something in return, and Quinn feared the cost would be Maeve’s life.

  Weary, he rubbed a hand over his eyes.

  “Quinn.”

  He raised his head. Shai stood in the doorway of the library. Her usually animated face betrayed her unease, and her eyes were filled with sorrow. She took a tentative step forward. The last thing he wanted right now was to have a conversation. He looked away.

  “Shouldn’t you be heading to bed? Morning is almost upon us.”

  “Soon.”

  The vampire sat in the chair opposite him, moving with an unearthly grace that never failed to capture his attention. How could something dead be so…alive?

  “What can I do for you, Shai?”

  “Nothing for me. Though I must warn you, that’s a dangerous thing to say to a vampire.”

  His smile was fleeting.

  “Actually, I came to see if there is anything I can do for you.” She leaned forward and braced her elbows on her knees.

  “Not unless you can give me answers to this mess.”

  “Well, it just so happens that I can fill in a few blanks for you.”

  Their gazes met and in her eyes he saw the hurt and along with it, compassion. Some believed the undead had no souls and until now he’d agreed with that theory. Looking at her now, he saw how wrong he’d been. While he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear what she had to say, he couldn’t turn away either.

  “Go on.”

  “Have you ever heard of the vampire, Mikhail?”

  Now he knew he didn’t want to hear the whole story. Mikhail was known for being one of the most brutal vampires who’d ever walked the earth. Luckily for them, the bloodsuckers usually avoided the witches because they were immune to the power of the undead.

  “Mikhail is the one who killed Rebecca, Maeve’s sister.”

  Alarm shot down his spine, and he straightened. One of the reasons the vampire was still alive was due to his tendency to kill first and ask questions later. Other vampires had died facing him, and he feared he already knew the outcome of Maeve attempting the same feat.

  “She’s going after Mikhail?” His mouth was dry, and his words were little more than a whisper.

  “Yes.” Shai looked away. “When I was a child, Mikhail killed my mother. I didn’t know it then, but he waited for me to reach my thirtieth birthday before he came after me.” She looked at him, and his breath caught when he saw the absolute pain on her face.

  “Eleven years ago, I was working as a reporter when he found me. He caught my attention by killing women who resembled me. Maeve and her sister were in college at SUNY when he marked them to die. The bastard kidnapped them both then tortured and killed Rebecca while Maeve watched.” She shook her head. “She never recovered from the loss of her sister.

  “Afterwards, Maeve’s parents sensed something had changed in their daughter, but they couldn’t pinpoint what. After a few months, a year maybe, she made the decision to remove herself from their lives. Maeve felt she caused them more pain and that she was a constant reminder of what they’d lost. The truth was they’d let her down. There was no way she could tell them the truth, and I think they believed she had more to do with Rebecca’s death than she did.”

  Quinn’s stomach churned. His family was inseparable, and he couldn’t imagine ever losing their undying love and support.

  “It was Maeve who’d met Mikhail and introduced him to her sister.” Shai rose from the chair and began to pace. “She feels responsible for what happened.”

  “But that’s insane.”

  “She was utterly and completely devastated though she won’t admit it. In a relatively short period of time she’d lost her sister and her family.” She braced her arms against the back
of the chair she’d just vacated. “I can only assume she believes that in killing Mikhail, her sister’s soul will find peace and maybe she can atone for what happened.

  “Ever since she left her family she’s been in training to become as physically and mentally strong as she can before taking on Mikhail. My guess is that she thinks the binding spell is the key to success.”

  Quinn felt numb. How could he have missed this? She’d spoken of the binding spell on several occasions and he’d thought her interest was unusual, but not unheard of. But this was unimaginable. Not even the most creative mind in the world would’ve come up with this scenario.

  “The spell will get her killed,” he said.

  Shai’s eyes widened. “How so?”

  Unable to sit any longer, he stood and walked toward the fireplace. “It takes an experienced witch to wield it effectively. It requires a great deal of power to cast and unlike many spells, this one has to be maintained by a constant stream of energy.” He braced his hand on the mantel. “Most spells only require a burst of energy while this one commands prolonged exertion. It takes years to perfect that ability.”

  He looked down at his hands, hands that had cast many spells including the A’ bhais Cadail. But could he do it again? There were very few witches who could complete the spell with any measure of success.

  “Will you look at that?”

  The wonder in Shai’s voice caught his attention. She was staring at something on the terrace, and he moved closer to get a better look. A massive raven stood in the murky, predawn light, and its attention was locked on Quinn. Staring into the eyes of those intelligent black eyes, he knew this was no ordinary bird.

  “Shai, can you give me a few minutes?”

  “Uh, yeah. Sure thing, Quinn. I’ll close the door.”

  After she left, the terrace door swung open and the raven marched into the room as if he belonged here. Quinn glanced at Shai and judging from her expression he knew he’d be answering questions later. She left without a word, carefully closing the door behind her. Quinn dropped into the chair he’d vacated earlier.

  “Hello, Father.”