“Just so.” Quinn nodded as he cupped her face in his hands, gazing into her eyes. “But you will not be able to hide your powers of either Light or Night, Ariana. You will not be able to masquerade in either Vampire society or Fae, without them knowing to their bones exactly what you are. But I believe that as your power matures, you will be able to achieve a balance between the opposing forces of Light and Night. From your calm temperament and what I have seen so far of your magics, I wonder if you will become the very strongest kind of Dark Fae, with perfect balance between Fae and Vampire powers. If we can help you live long enough.”
Gazing into her eyes one last time, Quinn impressed his point. And then kissed her softly upon the lips and turned, extending his arm to escort her.
Setting her hand to Quinn’s arm, Ariana felt steadiness flow through her via their new bond. Whatever happened next, Quinn was ready for this fight and it bolstered Ariana. But even as he escorted them both naked towards a blue-gold back passage of the Hotel, Ariana glanced up at the night sky through the oculus. She wondered suddenly about Lucca, hoping he was alright despite being captured by his father and the Darkwatch.
As if Quinn read her thoughts now through their new connection, he smoothed his hand over hers, sending a bolstering wave of warmth through her. “Come, Ariana. Lucca is a survivor. Nothing his father might do will break him, short of death. But despite King Bellari’s wrath, I do not believe Lucca will die tonight, though he may spend a decent amount of his upcoming days in prison as a warning to other Fae who might seek to interact with you. Let us rest. And we will make it a priority to inquire about Lucca’s health in the morning.”
As Quinn’s power eased through her again, Ariana felt him soothe her distress. But though she accompanied him out of the catacomb, she still churned inside for Lucca. Glancing over, Quinn gave her a thoughtful look, as Ariana felt a subtle wave of concern pour through him also. And though he tried to hide it from her, Ariana could feel his emotions now through their new bond. Quinn’s concern was for Ariana as she worried about the Summer Fae Prince and the punishment he would be receiving right now from his odious father the King.
But it was also for Lucca – as Quinn burned with a quiet fury in the depths of the night.
CHAPTER 27 – LIFE
As Quinn and Ariana passed through the blue-gold back halls of the Red Letter Hotel Florence, Ariana felt a comfortable silence envelop them. As if they had come to an understanding at last, it was the first time she had felt a true equality with Quinn as they maneuvered through hall after winding hall. As they wandered, encountering not a soul as if Quinn were keeping everyone away with his power, Ariana felt a deep quietude in him, also.
Creating a gentle sensation between them in the night.
“Here we are.” Quinn spoke at last as they came to a beautifully-carved niche of Italian arabesque. As his dark nimbus swirled, Ariana actually felt it enter the stone now – changing the properties of the wall so it moved within. As the vault before them disappeared in a shimmer of dark magic, a portrait swung open. And as they stepped across the threshold into the room beyond, Ariana caught her breath.
Knowing they were in Quinn’s personal boudoir.
Decadent yet tastefully elegant, Quinn’s rooms were a hodgepodge of different centuries, containing items from every era of his life. If his library had been a collector’s dream, his personal rooms were more so: glancing around at the massive open space with enormous vaults far above like a cathedral, Ariana saw suits of armor from 1400’s Italy, stone statues of Roman goddesses, and a beautiful blue velvet stand of 1900’s Victrola record players with a tremendous collection of records. Gazing up, she saw onyx and diamond chandeliers casting a beautiful dark-light down upon the space as royal blue silk curtains softened the room’s stone and scroll-worked 1800’s furniture.
The suite had no fewer than three enormous fireplaces carved with gargoyles, Fae, and Vampires, all burning low in the midnight hour. An ornate wrought-iron staircase ascended to a balcony second level, and before her, the loft ended in a gorgeous wrought-iron rail overlooking the living space, though Ariana couldn’t see the bedroom above. The walls rose up into towering windows, flanked by blue silk drapes and looking out upon a view of the night. Though the moon was setting now, Ariana could still see it through the leftmost gables. Far above where the chandeliers met the ceiling, the vaults were a beautiful glass atrium. All around, the starry night shone down with the glow of the chandeliers and the comfort of the fireplaces snapping quietly below.
As Ariana understood this was Quinn’s private sanctuary.
“Would you like to… stay with me tonight?” Quinn spoke hesitantly as he watched her now, as if he’d presumed too much. Turning, he reached out and closed the painting behind them, a calming pastoral scene. Glancing around, Ariana saw more of the same around the walls. “If you’d like me to take you back to your rooms, I—”
“No.” Ariana stopped him with her fingers at his lips. “I like it here. Do you have a guest bed?”
“I—” His full lips dropping open, Quinn looked at her in befuddled astonishment before Ariana laughed.
“I’m kidding! I’m kidding.” She chuckled, cupping his cheek and loving it that she had gotten him. “I know the deal if I’m invited back to a guy’s place to spend the night.”
To her surprise, Quinn suddenly flushed all across his high cheekbones, making his gorgeously pale skin and haughty features utterly entrancing. “I am a Master Vampire, Ariana. I don’tinvite a girl over. Sleeping beside someone for a Vampire is the height of trust.”
“Because I could stake you in the middle of the night. I know.” Ariana grinned at him now, loving this new energy between them.
“You are by far the cheekiest person I think I’ve ever brought into the Dark Haven of Florence.” He chuckled suddenly as his eyes lit with a dark fire. “Besides Curio, of course. But you are right. If you were to stake me in the middle of the night, it would be… unfortunate.”
“So staking a Vampire is actually a thing?” Ariana asked, suddenly wondering how much Vampire lore she’d heard in her early life was real.
Shaking his head, Quinn escorted her into his beautiful space as he gave a rare grin. “Yes, staking a Vampire is a thing. But the stake has to be Devilswood, which is rare, or pure silver etched with very specific Faeanic runes. Even then, it is very tricky to surprise a Vampire while we sleep, as our senses are quite heightened even while we rest. Not to mention that you have to get the stake into our heart just right – or we rise up faster than you can blink, and tear your throat out.”
“Jesus.” Ariana blinked, shocked but also impressed, suddenly wanting to know all the details about Vampires and Fae that she had never heard. But Quinn seemed to sense it, reaching out and stroking her cheek with a chuckle.
“Patience, Dark Fae.” He spoke kindly. “Now that you are an official part of the Dark Haven of Florence, I will make sure both Devi and Curio take time out of their busy schedules to tutor you in all things Fae, Vampire, and Dark Fae. For you are no longer under the jurisdiction of your Summer Fae King, Ariana – though as a Dark Fae, it could be argued you never were. You have been accepted as awardin my Dark Haven. You now answer to me as your Master and to the Vampire Council of Rome as our superior ruling entity. But you and I… will perhaps be a more negotiable engagement than we had previously thought.”
“With benefits?” Ariana lifted an eyebrow at him, but even though it was cheeky, she was truly curious now about where she and Quinn stood.
But Quinn sobered as he turned to her, intense. “Do not mistake me, Ariana. I will insist upon certain rules for you in our Dark Haven, as I do for everyone here. But as far as becoming involved in my broader…agenda… that is something I would like to discuss. Because you and I are already deeply involved with each other, perhaps even strung together by fate with this intense connection we share. And we need to digest that as we move forward. Carefully.”
“You feel protective around me.” Ariana could feel it in his energy, joined to hers as it swirled suddenly inside her. “But… Lucca feels that way for you, also. And you feel that way about him.”
“Lucca was my Darkwatch protector once, back when I was the Summer Fae Prince.” Quinn spoke quietly as he held Ariana’s gaze. “Just as Alleno is for Lucca now, and Lucca’s father was for my father. Royal House Bellari has been the center of the Darkwatch for eons, and is one of the thirteen Royal Houses of the Summer Fae, pledging sons and daughters who show promise with Darkwatch magics into their ranks every generation. Lucca and I went everywhere together; we fought together, ate together, lived together… and a deep bond develops between a shadow and his Royal charge.”
“He still feels he has to protect you, doesn’t he?” Ariana knew as she gazed up into Quinn’s dark eyes. “He’s still trying to save you and bring you back to the Light somehow, isn’t he?”
