Page 103 of Quintus

The sacrifice had been swift, her own magick disappearing in an instant. No longer would she be able to have a child. Her wolf howled for her mate, yearning to be in his arms. Her eyes fluttered closed, praying he’d understand.

Chapter Fifteen

Quintus held tight to the ailing Alpha, as the blinding light tore through Gabriella. Although she looked to be demon, he was certain it was the fae magick playing tricks. As the light ripped the witch into thousands of pieces, Gabriella flashed back to herself. She crumpled onto the charred ground, and the entire cemetery went silent.

“Gabby!” Quintus released Hunter and rushed to her side, scooping her up into his arms. He lifted her off the ground and pressed his lips to her forehead. “You’re going to be okay, bella.”

“Quintus.” Gabriella licked her lips, tears streaming down her face.

“You did it. She’s dead. They’re all dead,” he told her, his voice calm.

“Tell me again,” Gabriella whispered.

“She’s gone. Mao’s gone. The coven is destroyed.” Quintus suspected his brother was dead too but aside from stepping into Hell to look for him, there was little he could do. He didn’t dare mention it in front of Gabriella. Between the fae magick and first witch, she’d gone limp in exhaustion, her grief palpable.

“Something’s wrong…” She swallowed and licked her cracked lips.

“Shh…it’s okay.” Quintus closed his eyes, tightening his embrace. He swore he’d never let her go. He reached for her mind, and her strong wolf greeted him. But something was off…her magick…it was gone. “I’m going to take you home now.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, burrowing her face into his chest.

“It’s okay, Gabby. We’ll find a way to get it back. I promise you,” he assured her. He’d never met a witch who’d lost their magick. “Your wolf. She’s there. It’s going to be all right.”

Quintus’ gaze flashed to Hunter who shook his head no, his lips drawn tight in concern.

“You comin’ with us?” he asked the Alpha.

“I’ll stay here and clean up after this mess. With all the energy that just fired off, y’all know Logan’s going to be fixin’ to kick someone’s ass. Kade will be showin’ up here soon. And fuck if the humans aren’t going to get riled up. Your girl there took out the whole damn coven but this is a cemetery for humans.” He sighed. “Go on now. We’ll meet up later at your place.”

Quintus didn’t argue and swiftly dematerialized. As they flashed into his bedroom and fell upon his bed, her sadness overwhelmed him. He could tell that with the little energy she had left, even in a state of sleep she’d shielded her thoughts.

“Whatever it is, it’s going to be all right, Gabby.” His heart constricted, her utter sadness threading through him. The fae had warned him something bad could happen, and this was far greater than the illusions he’d seen. Gabriella had given up her magick in order to destroy Lilitu; everything she’d been her whole life had been torn away. “I’m sorry about your magick, but I swear to you, you’re never going to be alone again. I’ll be with you. I’ll take care of you as long as I walk this earth and beyond. I…”

Quintus closed his eyes, his lips grazed her ear as he whispered to her. “I love that you’re brave. Not that you aren’t scared but you’ll do anything to make things right. To protect others. I might spank your ass for leaving like you did, but I know why you did it. I know how you think. But you don’t need to walk alone anymore. I’m here. Hunter’s here. We’re your family. Gabby…I love you.”

Quintus pressed his lips to her forehead and gently removed his arm from underneath her body. Gabriella needed rest. He slipped out of bed and stood, then removed her boots. Although her clothes were covered in dust, he didn’t want to disturb her. He reached for a throw at the bottom of the bed and spread it over her, a long sigh releasing from his lips.

A voice called from downstairs, and he smiled. Damn wolf knows how to get in my house. He’d deliberately adjusted the wards so that Hunter could enter but he gave a small laugh at the irony of the situation. After a lifetime of keeping others at a distance, he’d fallen in love with an incredible woman and bonded in friendship with an Alpha within days. Quintus gave Gabriella one last glance, turned off the light and flashed to the kitchen.

He found the Alpha, fully clothed, sitting at his kitchen table and shoving food into his mouth. Quintus smiled, pulled out a chair and sat, his hands folded on the table.

“Where’d you get the threads so quickly? Not that I’m complaining. I’ve seen enough of your bare ass lately.”

“I’ve got a hottie down on Chartres Street. It’s a quick run. She, uh, dresses me every now and then,” he laughed.

“I’m sure you’ve got a wolf in every town.”

“It’s in my nature. And I’m good with it, if you know what I mean. Don’t get me wrong, you and Gabby are great together but that mating bullshit isn’t for me. Why do you think I love Wyoming? It’s remote. None of the females in the pack are my mates. They’re more like playmates, if you know what I mean. Got my own place. Make my own rules.”

“You’re the Alpha. That’s kind of how it works.” Quintus raised his eyebrows, his gaze falling to the bag on the table. The delicious scent of baked goods wafted into his nose.

“Beignet?” Hunter held up the powdery treat and took a bite.

“I’ll never be able to live on just blood.” Quintus retrieved a pastry from the bag and sniffed before sinking his teeth into it.

“You can live on blood. You’re a vampire. It’s kind of how it works.” Hunter laughed.

“Goddess, these are delicious.”