Chapter 25
With Cade satiated and Quinn still in a state of shock at both the aggression and possessiveness of his new man, they lay together, Cade spooning into his back with his hands draped across his stomach. Quinn’s arse hurt, his cock was sore with the amount of manhandling it had been subject to, and from the look on his face, Cade was also feeling the after effects of their violent and passionate coming together.
“That was intense,” he whispered hoarsely, his throat still sore from all the shouting and gasping he’d done. “Christ, we’re going to die if that’s how it going to be from now on. Not that I’m complaining, it’s a great way to go, but fuck, Cade. That was just—” Words failed him and Cade laughed as his fingers caressed Quinn’s sticky belly.
“I agree. I think we just made the bloody earth move.”
They lay quietly together, comfortable in each other’s arms.
“Are you going to tell me more about your experiences now seeing as how you’ve had your fill of me?” Quinn chuckled softly in the dark. His sense of well-being at having Cade lying beside him still hadn’t disappeared.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve had my fill of you. I’ve got some weeks of lust to catch up on. But for now I’m okay.” Cade laughed softly as his tongue trailed its way across Quinn’s shoulder. “I like getting my Fey on. My instincts to ravage you seem to have gotten more intense since being gone.”
Quinn chuckled. “I can’t say I’m not liking it—even though it’s going to kill me.”
Cade shifted next to him. “I don’t remember where I stopped my story, though, so you’ll have to remind me.”
“You dumped a load of water on some of your fellow Sprites.” Quinn’s voice was wry.
“Oh yes. That. Nydra taught me how to breathe in water.” Cade’s voice was awed. “It was quite the most incredible experience I’ve ever had. Nydra told me what those words meant that I said in the water when that Sprite tried to pull me down. It was ‘áse me na fýgo’ which is Greek for ‘let me go.’ She said I dredged it up from my subconscious. So you’re not the only one now who can speak another language.”
Quinn chuckled at his lover’s smug tone even as his insides churned with fear.
Cade is different now. I will have to tell him everything I know now about being Fey to keep him safe. He may be in danger with healing powers like his, being descended from someone like Hester Vickers. Not to mention the fact any Fey is fair game for a Collector to steal their powers away. But that can come later. Now I just want to be with him. This homecoming is all that counts right here and now.
Cade crept closer to him, his hands gently stroking Quinn’s hip and his stomach down by his groin, arousing him again. “It was a truly unbelievable experience being shown all these things and having Nydra tell me about my past and who I was.” He laid warm lips against Quinn’s shoulder. “Yet every minute I was there, I was waiting to get back to you. I would have given it all up just to see you again. Who I was just didn’t seem to be as important as who I wanted to be with. Nydra said I could use more time with them, but I made such a fuss about coming back to you, finally she relented and got me back.”
“You’re home now.” Quinn looked at Cade fiercely. “You are home for good though, aren’t you? They don’t want you back? Because I can damn well tell you I won’t let you go—”
Cade’s mouth found his and smothered his words. “No, I’m back with you,” he whispered into his mouth. “No one’s taking me away again from you again. I promise.”
Quinn groaned as Cade’s hands found him again and he caressed him softly, sliding his fingers up the length of him. “You’re pretty perky again. I think I can put that to good use. But this time you can ride me, cowboy. I’m all dun tuckered out from last time.”
Cade’s terrible attempt at a Western accent made Quinn chuckle softly even as he got back in the saddle.
Chapter 26
Quinn took a deep breath and straightened his tie in the bathroom mirror. He’d needed a few minutes on his own before going into the conference room next door and facing what he knew was going to be a tough audience. He took a long, critical look at himself. His beard was gone and he was back to just his normal faint gold stubble on his chin. Cade had been fattening him up over the past four days, making sure he ate three times a day and snacking in between to get him back to what his bossy fiancé called his usual “brawny” self. Quinn wasn’t sure he’d been brawny to start with, but Cade had insisted and Quinn had decided not to argue. Besides with all the sexual activity Cade was subjecting him to, he’d needed to replenish his energy levels constantly.
Quinn had spent the last few days with Cade as he showed him what Nydra had taught him. The Warlock was impressed with the extent of the Sprite woman’s teachings. She’d certainly shown Cade a lot of his past and how to manage his powers.
Percy had convened a meeting for today, the eighteenth of July, and Quinn had a lot of ground to cover and claim back. His absence over the last four weeks had cost him dearly. Whilst his council had understood his so-called “compassionate” leave, Barton Sinclair had been busy doing everything in his power to undermine him.
Now Quinn had to go in and face the people he knew he’d let down due to his personal circumstances and try and get them to have confidence in him once again.
Percy walked in to the bathroom, going over to the urinal. Quinn turned away and once again regarded himself in the mirror, looking deeply into his own eyes as if searching for something. Percy finished his pee and zipped himself up to come over and wash his hands, standing beside Quinn.
“I’m glad Cade’s back. It’s good to see you getting back to your old self.” Percy looked at Quinn in the mirror. “I know it’s going to be tough for you in there, but remember, you have more friends than enemies. Justin’s in the room too, and you know he’ll support you. Just stay focused. Be your usual charming and autocratic self and the meeting will go just fine.” He grinned.
Quinn smiled slightly. “Thanks, I know I’ve got my work cut out for me in there and I wouldn’t expect anything else after neglecting them all for nearly four weeks.”
“They knew about Cade. They understood you were taking some personal time. So people would have expected a little less face time from you anyway.”
Quinn turned away from the mirror and took another deep breath. “Right, let’s do this.”
You will be successful. I can feel it.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Taliesin.” Quinn murmured softly. “At least one of us feels sure about the bloody thing.”
He walked out of the bathroom and into the corridor, Percy following behind him. Quinn reached the boardroom door and opened it with a show of confidence he didn’t feel. The room was noisy with chatter and as he stepped inside, it quietened and people looked around expectantly. Quinn took his place at the head of the table and remained standing up, waiting for the room to settle down.
“Gentlemen, please, sit down.” Quinn motioned with his hands to everyone to seat themselves. “Once you’re all comfortable, I have something I need to say to you.”
Justin Leichner was seated, watching the room. His friend’s narrowed eyes slowly assessed the people around the table. Then Justin smiled and nodded at him. Quinn nodded back. Finally everyone was quiet, watching Quinn carefully.
James Barton Sinclair and his partner in crime, Troy, sat at the far end of the boardroom table. James had a sneer on his face.
Quinn took a deep breath. “Gentlemen, thank you for attending this extraordinary Council meeting today. I appreciate the time you’ve all given up to be here.” He sat down and leaned forward. “As most of you know, I had a family bereavement some weeks ago and I decided to take some personal time off. Unfortunately it turned out to be longer than I expected and I apologise for that.”
He looked around the table at the faces staring back at him.
Here goes. They say honesty is the best policy.
“I need to be t
ruthful with you all. My intention was never to stay away so long but events took me over. I ended up feeling far sorrier for myself than I should have been.”
Percy glanced sideways at him, a faint smile on his face.
“Of course, by now you all know that my fiancé, Cade, has returned and things are slowly getting back to normal.” He smiled slightly. “As normal as they can be having gone through what we’ve been through.”
“I sympathise with your situation and I’m very glad your fiancé made it back.” Barton Sinclair’s words sounded sincere but the underlying tone was definitely one of challenge. “However, this Consortium needs people who can rise above such personal tragedies and continue to lead. I think there are some of us around this table who believe that perhaps your behaviour of the past few weeks has shown this not to be the case. I feel it would be remiss of me if I didn’t point this out.”
Good Lord, Quinn, this man is a moron. My offer of gutting him and throwing in the river still stands.
Quinn suppressed a smile at Taliesin’s angry words as he regarded James quietly. “James, for once in my life I cannot refute what you say. If the tables had been turned I might have been saying the same thing about whoever sat in this chair.”
“No, actually, you wouldn’t have. You’re far more compassionate than that.” Justin Leichner remarked laconically, his fingers slowly tapping on the table. Quinn looked at him in surprise as Justin turned his head and looked around the sea of faces that turned to him, waiting to see what he said next.
“Quinn here saw the man he loved stabbed to the core and found out he couldn’t heal him. He then had to put him in some bloody pond and wait to see if anything would happen. Then he disappeared under the water and Quinn didn’t see him for over three weeks. He didn’t know whether he was dead, rotting at the bottom of the water or alive and in the hands of some Fey race that no one’s seen for tens of years.”
Justin’s words were curt and he tapped louder on the table. The people around the table were quiet, Quinn included. “That scenario is bad enough for a Warlock, even a Grand Master. I’d hazard a guess nothing like that has ever happened to anyone else around this table?”
Justin’s tone was challenging as he looked around, inviting comment.
“No takers?” he murmured softly. “Then imagine what that must have felt like as a man. A normal human being with emotions. Because, gentleman, that’s what everyone around this table is as well as being a Warlock. We’re men. We feel, we grieve and we rejoice when good things happen. Sure, Quinn went off the rails a little.” He grinned at Quinn who grinned back, breathing a little easier now.
“But I think any one of us would have done the same. And what Quinn did or did not do in the last few weeks in no way mitigates what he’s done since he was twenty-one and took on the mantle his father had before him. I’m not going into detail on this because you all know how much he’s achieved. Not the least, recently destroying the Witchfinder General and putting in place an alliance with the Praetorium for the first time in centuries. So I think this man should be remembered for what he’s achieved. Not for what he didn’t do during one of the darkest periods of his life.”
Justin stopped tapping and sat back in his chair. Quinn felt a tremendous lump in his throat at his friend’s words and all he could do was nod wordlessly at him across the table. Justin winked.
This man is a true friend. He is honourable and sincere, two qualities hard to find in anyone nowadays. Taliesin sounded almost choked up himself.
“What a lovely speech, Justin.” Barton Sinclair was sarcastic. “Eloquent and touching. You should be a poet. Notwithstanding, of course, the fact that the two of you are friends. The fact remains—”
“Bite me, B.S.,” Justin said curtly. “Is that eloquent enough for you?”
James glared at the younger man who met his gaze flatly. Quinn thought he’d better step in quickly before the two men came to blows. “Justin. Thanks for those—”
He was stopped from saying anything further by a loud clap from somewhere around the table. Then another. Before long, men were standing up and clapping loudly, drowning out anything Barton Sinclair was trying to say.
Quinn stood speechless as Percy grinned widely beside him and Justin smiled down at the table even as he clapped too. Some men remained seated, scowling fiercely, and Quinn guessed they were the Barton Sinclair supporters. Finally the clapping abated.
“Quinn, most of us around this table did not doubt you.” A large, stocky man smiled warmly at Quinn. Frederick Mulbarton was a well-respected Warlock from the North. “We knew you had a personal tragedy. We also knew that when you were ready, you’d return. We counted on Percy to keep us to date, which he did admirably. I for one am glad your tragedy had a happier ending and I look forward to your continued presence as Grand Master around this table.”
“I concur.” Avery Smith-Barker smiled at Quinn. “Thank you for your honesty with us, Quinn. It makes a change from the usual bluster we hear spoken around this table.”
Quinn suppressed a grin knowing Avery was referring to Barton Sinclair. There was no love lost between the two men.
“Gentlemen, thank you for your continued confidence in me. I promise you I will do everything possible to keep this Consortium on track. I do however owe a debt of thanks to Percy Ballantyne, my Marshall, for his support, his unswerving confidence in me and his friendship. Percy, my friend, I owe you one.”
Percy inclined his head, graciously accepting Quinn’s praise and his IOU. “And I’ll collect, Quinn,” he murmured. “Have no fear of that.”
Quinn chuckled at the words as he moved over to Justin Leichner who was standing quietly in the corner of the room. “I can’t thank you enough for what you said,” Quinn said softly. “You saved my bacon today and I don’t know how I can ever repay that.”
Justin shook his head. “I meant every word. We all know you’re the best person for this job. You’ve been proving it since we were at school together. No one is ever going to take that away from you whilst I’m around, least of all that bloody idiot.”
He cast a scathing glance at James Barton Sinclair who was huddled deep in conversation at the boardroom table with Troy and two other men.
“Watch him, Quinn.” Justin said quietly. “I’ve heard rumours about him planning on taking your seat and he’s like a spider. He’ll bide his time until he thinks he can eat you alive. Don’t turn your back on him or his bloody sycophant Troy. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they were more than just friends—more like butt buddies. Troy’s so far up his arse.”
Quinn shook his head in amusement, remembering he’d said almost the same thing to Troy. “Stop rumour mongering. That’ll be all I need, accusations of sodomy in the ranks.” He grew serious again. “If you ever need anything, you know where to find me. Anything, anytime. You know that.”
Justin reached out and softly touched Quinn on the arm. “I know, Quinnster. And if I need you, I’ll call.”
Quinn chuckled. “I haven’t been called that since I was at school with you. That brings back memories. Like the night we broke into the school kitchen and stole all the picnic baskets that had just been filled. We took them to the local girl’s dorm, remember?”
Justin grinned. “I remember. I also remember taking the booze from the Headmaster’s cabinet with us as well. I think that might have been my first hangover.”
The two men smiled at each other in shared camaraderie.
Justin sighed. “I’d better be getting off. I need to be in Moscow as soon as possible. Some more pipelines to double check and my company have a bit of a rebel problem at the moment that I need to sort out. It’s not an easy business, this oil game.”
“Sounds just up your alley. Look after yourself and stay in touch.”
Quinn watched as the other man disappeared. He stretched tiredly and looked around the room. Everyone had gone, including Percy. It was time to get home to Cade. The last few days had been euphoric, cat
ching up together, and he’d had more sex than he knew what to do with. Cade was certainly making up for the weeks of abstinence. Quinn was aware he’d changed subtly, become more empowered and certainly more in touch with his Fey side, and despite the misgivings he still had about that, he certainly wasn’t complaining.
Cade had also taken great pleasure in being able to drench Quinn with large waves from the pond just by focusing on the water, and was intent on creating water whirlpools, although that was taking some practice. He hadn’t yet had the opportunity to try out his own healing power despite Quinn offering himself up as subject, exhorting Cade to cut him so he could try fixing him. Cade had scowled and told him in no uncertain terms that wasn’t happening.
Quinn grinned. “I imagine you’ve been having a whale of a time too, Taliesin.” he murmured. “It’s been pretty intense, hasn’t it?”
His Withinner’s voice sounded slightly aggrieved when he replied.
I have not been present at all your lovemaking sessions. I have attempted to withdraw myself from the proceedings to give you and Cade privacy. After what you both went through, it was only fair.
“Thank you, old friend, I appreciate the sentiment.” He frowned. “But now begins the difficult part. He needs to know about the dangers he faces now that he’s more in tune with his powers. That’s not going to go down well with him. I may need your help.”
He is indeed going to attract many unsavoury characters who wish to use his healing powers for themselves. Cade will need to be very careful. If I can help in any way, you have only to ask.
“Thanks.” Quinn picked up his scarf and wound it around his neck.
“Best get on home and have that conversation, then,” he said gloomily. “He’ll freak out and say he can look after himself and I’m going to have the devil of a job convincing him he can’t.”
It never fails to astound me how you can face down a whole Council of Warlocks and various nefarious characters who mean you harm but still quiver in your boots when you have to tell your man something he does not want to hear. It amuses me greatly.
Double Alchemy: Climax Page 21