Griffin’s wide eyes jerk up to mine, his mouth hung open like it’s the first time he’s realizing I’m there. “She’s hurt,” he rasps, and I don’t even recognize his voice.
“Is she breathing?” Panic wells up as it dawns on me this is really happening. I lower my head to her chest. Even with my heightened senses, it takes a moment for me to hear the rattle of her lungs drawing in a shallow breath.
Blood starts to drip in twin rivulets down the sides of Quinn’s mouth, so I tilt her chin up a bit. Griffin brings his free hand up and slowly starts massaging the column of her throat. “Swallow, sweetheart,” he coos softly. Quinn doesn’t make any indication she heard him, but he keeps rubbing gently.
After only a handful of seconds, which feel like an eternity, Quinn’s eyelids flutter as if she’s trying to open them. Her right arm lifts an inch or two off her lap, but falls back like it’s just too much. The beat of her heart quickens, but it’s still too sluggish for my liking.
Griffin stops stroking, but he doesn’t remove his hand from her neck. “A little more.” His words are slow and measured.
I look around, but all I see is her blood. How did this happen? A few feet away, I see her lost shoe with a single drop of blood right over the toe, marring the white sneaker.
Movement draws my gaze back to Quinn as her chin juts up as she takes her first real swallow, but she chokes, sending Griffin’s blood spewing forward like a small fountain from her mouth. Her eyes tighten as she squints. I pull Griffin’s arm away from her mouth as she gasps for a breath. Quinn’s shoulders start to shake again, this time as she’s racked with a cough.
Griffin and I both move to tighten our hold on her in case she might be having another seizure. Thank fuck she just coughs a few more times and falls still. Eventually, her eyes fan open, slowly at first until she starts blinking rapidly. I can see the confusion in her gaze. She makes a move like she might sit up, but winces and reaches for the side of her head.
I spin around in a half crouch, a snarl already on my lips when I hear the sound of feet rushing in our direction.
I tilt my head to the side, recognizing the face before me, but not caring. Paul skids to a stop, his arm outstretched behind him to stop whoever else is with him. “What happened?” He tries to peer around me.
My hands are again tipped with claws, coarse white fur covering my fingers and knuckles, and running up over my forearms. I feel Griffin’s presence behind me, but I don’t dare look away from the threat before me. I trust him implicitly to take care of Quinn—hell, his blood probably just saved her life.
“What the fuck happened?” Griffin moves to my side with Quinn draped across his arms. She has blood smeared all over her face as if she’s a deranged vampire. “Why the fuck am I paying you?” He leans forward and roars.
Quinn shrinks into his body, drawing his attention away from the small group of security officers that has formed.
As head of security, it’s my job to keep everyone safe, but I failed Quinn. I should be giving instructions to the team, finding out how she was injured, but I can’t. Not when I don’t know if one of them had something to do with this.
Griffin
I’m dangerously close to spilling blood, lots of blood. If I didn’t have Quinn in my arms, I probably would have already bled a few of these people in an effort to get answers they might not even have.
Evan shakes out his hands, the beast receding. “Quinn Shaw was injured.” He pauses, his head tilting to the side. I can see him grinding his teeth and the tic of his jaw. “I want to know when and how the fuck this happened.” Evan takes a menacing step forward. “If I find out someone did this to her…there will be no mercy.” Evan darts his eyes to Quinn, his lips pinched as if he wants to say so much more. I completely fucking agree. If I find out someone I let into my home did this to her…I can’t let the full thought form, the things racing through my head right now are borderline barbaric.
Because I don’t trust myself to walk past the group, I turn on my heel and head in the opposite direction. I don’t want to take her through the school, so I march to the stairs that lead down to the grounds. My steps are swift, but I take care not to jostle her too much. Her heart is beating slowly but steadily. I know my blood is working its way through her system, repairing and restoring.
The tiny bit of her blood I took to make sure the exchange was even lingers in my mouth, coating my very soul with her taste. The moment my teeth sank into her flesh a bond was forged, one I was forced to form without her permission to save her life.
I look down at the woman cradled in my arms, hoping I haven’t done the very thing that will make her hate me. If I would have just given her my blood instead of taking some of hers in exchange, we could have risked her becoming a scion. The danger would have been rather low, considering she was injured and in desperate need of the blood, but it still wasn’t a gamble I was willing to take. I take a deep breath, knowing I would do it all over again even if it means she is upset with me.
Quinn Shaw was mine from the moment she walked into Havenfall. If she knew the lengths I’m willing to go to in order to make sure that’s true, she would probably run far and fast. But now I can find her, no matter what. I just made sure of that.
Chapter 24
Quinn
“I don’t know!” I pinch the bridge of my nose. This is the fifth time I’ve said these exact same words. I woke cuddled up to Griffin’s chest about thirty minutes ago. As soon as he and Evan deemed me fit to function, I went straight to the shower.
The side of my head is still tender, but if the blood I washed out of my hair is any indication, it’s not nearly as sore as I would have expected. In fact, I feel pretty damn good for someone who was knocked upside the head.
Sans my own clothes, I’m rocking another of Griffin’s shirts. This one is a light gray. Sitting, it’s large enough to covers my knees, standing, it falls to mid-thigh. I’m currently sitting and should probably stay that way, considering I didn’t put my undies back on.
Griffin is perched in front of me, his ass on the coffee table, while Evan is next to me on the couch. They’ve both been asking me what I remember. Unfortunately, I haven’t been much help.
“Let’s start at the beginning again.” Evan’s voice is reassuring.
I sigh then start speaking again. “I left after waking up so I could take a shower.”
“Why didn’t you just shower here?” Griffin’s holding himself rigidly. He’s barely moved a muscle since I sat down, it’s a little eerie.
“I didn’t have any clean clothes, plus I had things I needed to do—laundry, get my door fixed,” I say with exasperation. Isn’t it obvious? I have to let him and Evan return to their lives, and I do too.
Evan rolls his hand, telling me to continue. “Anyway…” I swiftly cut my eyes to Griffin for interrupting me again. “I didn’t think about not having a key to the new lock, and I locked your door when I left. So, I was locked out.” I lift my hands in the air before letting them slap back down against my legs. “I decided to get something to eat.”
“Why didn’t you go to the dining hall?” Evan inquires, encouraging information out of me. Last time when he asked this, I avoided the question and told him I changed my mind. Now I’m a little more frustrated, so I hit him with the truth.
“I ran into Noah…”
“Noah?” Griffin unfurls a bit, as if he might stand up.
“Yes,” I grit out through my teeth, “but he was acting weird, keeping like six feet away from me, and I realized I really needed that shower. I was a sweaty mess when I woke up and I woefully underestimated the senses of supernaturals.” I tilt my head and give him an are you happy now look.
Griffin reaches up and runs his hand over his face, tugging on his chin. Evan clears his throat. “So what did you do then?”
“I decided to explore a little, but then I noticed the exit sign and decided to go outside.” My voice softens. “I had just realized I could go to
my office and hang out for a little while when I felt it.” I reach up to the side of my head at the remembered pain and shock.
“Felt what?” Evan prompts.
I pinch my lips in a wince. “I don’t know, I don’t even know what hit me. I fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.”
Evan’s hand lands on my thigh, just above my knee, and he rubs his warm palm up and down for a moment before just settling it there.
“Can you remember anything else?” I look up at Griffin when he questions me.
“I remember hearing someone’s feet, like they were running.” I close my eyes and the memory of lying on the hard ground is fresh. “A voice.” I shake my head slowly. It feels like there’s something on the fringes, but I can’t recall what.
“So, there was definitely someone there?” This comes from Griffin.
“I think so. But it’s a little fuzzy. I mean, there would have had to have been though, right? It’s not like I just fell over and hit my head. I would have remembered tripping or something,” I reason.
Griffin jerks upright and begins pacing the room like a caged animal. “How did you find me?” I look over at Evan.
“When we woke up and you were gone, we went to go get you.”
I let out a little snort. “Why?”
“You left without waking us.” Griffin comes to a halt, glaring at me.
“I thought we had plans today,” Evan adds. I shake my head, finding myself at a total loss for words. They were serious?
Griffin crosses his arms over his chest and leans back a little. “We need to have an important conversation,” he tells me, an edge in his tone.
I peer over at Evan. “I kind of thought we were.”
Griffin makes a deep sound—half growl, half scoff. I turn my gaze back to him. “It is, but there are other things we need to tell you.”
“Are you going to fire me?” I whisper. I’m not sure how I came to that conclusion, but now that the thought is there, I start to get mad. Knocking Evan’s hand off my leg, I stand up. Twisting my lips, I realize my attire doesn’t quite lend itself to a professional position, but I don’t try to cover up. I lift my hand in the air, my finger already pointing in Griffin’s direction.
As soon as I open my mouth to tell Griffin exactly how he isn’t going to fire me, he ends up standing right in front of me. His nostrils flared while his chest is rising and falling rapidly. I snap my mouth closed. Having never seen anyone move that fast before, I’m taken a little by surprise.
You’d think the move would remind me I’m out of my element, that staying at Havenfall might not be in my best interest, especially since the danger I’m in has significantly changed, but it doesn’t. I’m not letting anyone push me out.
Evan stands up next to me and leans into my side, and in the process, he gets a little between Griffin and me.
I ball my fists at my sides, there is something about that man that makes me lose reason. I rarely have the urge to quarrel with anyone as much as I do with him. You’d think sheer intimidation would overrule that impulse. But no, nothing with him is ever that simple.
Griffin takes one small step back, which prompts Evan to do the same. “I am not and will not fire you,” Griffin states, his eye lids lowered. I watch him in much the same way.
“Good!” I finally muster after I register what he said.
“Quinn, we really need to find out what happened to you, we can’t allow something like that to happen again.”
“Or to go unpunished,” Griffin interjects.
Evan turns his head and gives his friend a censuring look. Eventually, he looks back at me. “Why don’t we sit back down? There is more we need to talk about.”
Griffin jerks himself into action and moves over to the corner of the couch. Without trying to be obvious, I watch him as he lowers himself in a languid sprawl.
I take the opposite corner and Evan seats himself on the coffee table Griffin abandoned. We end up making a rough triangle again, only this time there is more space between us.
I arrange my shirt back over my thighs, spending more time than needed examining the hem.
“You’re staying here, with us,” Griffin announces after a few seconds.
Evan hangs his head low between his shoulders. When he looks up, it’s at Griffin with a glower. “Fuck, man, can you quit being so helpful?”
Griffin lifts his arms and lays them casually on the back of the sofa, not bothered by Evan’s words at all.
“What else did you want to say?” I ignore Griffin and focus on Evan.
Evan scratches at the beard that’s filling in on his jaw. The color is a few shades darker than his light hair. It makes him even more attractive. “Well, it’s obvious the threat is escalating, and we need to do something about that.” I nod my head slowly, agreeing that what happened this morning went much further than something that could be considered a prank.
“Though Griff didn’t have much tact, I think he’s right. You should stay with us.” The way he ends the sentence makes me think there’s a but coming. I wait for the proverbial other shoe to drop.
“That’s not the only reason we want you here. We want you.” Griffin waggles his finger a bit, motioning between himself and Evan.
I snort, and glance between the two of them. “You want me to what?”
“No, we just want you. You are—”
“Fun, and we like spending time with you, and we think you like spending time with us too,” Evan interrupts, but I swear he was going to say something else. Especially with the way Griffin cocks his eyebrow at Evan.
“I don’t think I’m understanding this,” I tell them, because they can’t mean what I think they mean, could they? I mean, I know having more than one lover isn’t all that unusual anymore. Hell, I had a few friends who considered themselves throuples or in open relationships. Sexuality is as fluid as it used to be rigid. But could I be involved in something like that?
Before either of them say anything else, I ask, “Are you guys together?” I’ve never picked up on any attraction between the two of them, but what the hell do I know?
“You understand perfectly what we mean. To answer your question, no.” Griffin tips his chin down and watches me with critical eyes.
I want to deny his claim that I know what he means, but I can’t. I do understand what he’s saying, but I don’t know the specifics. Heat rises over my chest and brings a flush to my cheeks as the thought of a threesome between us unfurls in my mind.
“Exactly,” Griffin confirms, as if he knows my every thought. I narrow my eyes, but I can’t maintain eye contact with him.
“I’m not dumb, I know what you mean, but I would need to know more. Are you just talking about sex with each of you? Separately or together?” I shrug, finding a spot on the carpet very interesting.
I lift my arms as if to wave off the fact that I just asked those questions. “We have other things to deal with, more important things.”
“Whoever hurt you will be dealt with,” Griffin promises darkly.
“Why was there so much blood? Why do I feel fine now?” I’ve let them distract me too much. I’m missing something about what happened to me, and they still haven’t told me how they found me. Not to mention I’m not certain I’m in the right mind to even discuss this stuff, it all sounds a little too appealing to me right now.
Evan
Quinn’s cheeks are still tinged pink. I want to punch Griff for spilling it so bluntly. I did manage to stop him from telling her just how fucking important she is to us though. Quinn might be open to joking about fooling around with us, but I’m not convinced she’s serious. I think it’s a little early to assume she would be ready to be a mate to me and sung to Griffin.
I fold my arms over my chest and leave Griff to answer how Quinn seems perfectly fine now when she must know she was much more seriously injured than the evidence seems to suggest. Probably not very nice of me, especially considering he probably saved her life, or at least s
aved her from the pain and suffering, but he can explain this one.
Griffin blinks several times, he actually looks a little nervous to answer.
“Well, what happened? How did you find me?” Quinn insists again.
“Evan tracked your scent.” The fucker tries to use me as a distraction instead of answering the question.
Quinn’s face screws up, wrinkling her nose. I can just imagine what she’s thinking, especially after the comment she made about running into Noah. She has no idea that the reason Noah kept his distance was because she smelled like us, not because she was sweaty. Humans.
“Good night, seriously?” She cast a glance between the two of us.
“I followed your unique scent, not stench, Quinn,” I tell her, interpreting her thoughts. She turns her head and rubs her chin against her shoulder.
Her nose wrinkles up again. “Uh, so weird, but I’m pretty curious…what do I smell like?” She asks the question as if she’s half afraid to hear the answer.
“Fucking good,” Griffin pipes up. Quinn lowers her chin a bit and shakes her head while widening her eyes.
I try to clarify Griffin’s blunt response. “Everyone has a unique scent, and you might get a different answer from anyone you’d ask. To me, you smell sweet, like night blooming jasmine and smoky sandalwood.” I stop there, I don’t want to tell her how deep I can delve into her scent, how much her pheromones and how she’s feeling play into her natural aroma.
Quinn’s mouth parts a little and I get hit with a wave of that woodsy smell that is uniquely hers.
“His answer could be completely different. He’s a vampire, so his receptors are geared differently.” I bring the topic back to Griff and the fact that he needs to tell her he gave her his blood and took some of hers.
By the glower he sends my way, he knows exactly what I did. Dropping his arms from the back of the couch, Griffin scoots forward a few inches on the seat and turns so he’s facing Quinn. “When we found you, you were unconscious and bleeding.”
Havenfall Harbor: Book One Page 26