Page 6 of Quintus

“How long have you been here, because before you answer, you should know that I…there was this girl.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.” Quintus grinned. “Many times actually.”

“Be fucking serious for a minute. How long have you been here?” he pressed.

“I’ve been back here…I don’t know…a couple of weeks maybe,” Quintus guessed, unsure of how long he’d been missing.

“I tracked down a human a week ago. She had your scent…”

“Cassandra?” Quintus spun to face him, his face flared in anger. He’d saved Jake’s friend who’d graciously fed him in San Francisco. He’d been her first vampire, and after the attack, he’d saved her life and rushed her to the hospital.

“Are you going soft?” Viktor rolled his eyes and glanced again to the stove, the butter browned in the skillet, releasing a burnt odor into the air. “You gonna get that?”

“You’d better not have fucking touched her.” Quintus shot him a glare and began to crack the eggs into the pan.

“So what if I talked to her? You staked no claim on her.”

“I’m serious. This is no matter to quibble over. She’s a friend of the Alpha’s. She was nice. And no offense asshole, but you don’t do nice.”

“Jesus, you have gone soft.” Viktor slid over a chair and sat down, his elbow resting on the kitchen table.

“Did you touch her?” Quintus asked.

“No, okay? Calm down. You’re burning the eggs.” Viktor rolled his eyes and then looked to the stove. “What ya makin’ anyway?”

“What’s it look like? Eggs. Nothing fancy. I forgot to call my butler.”

“I can’t believe you’re still cooking human food after all these years. You know it doesn’t do anything for you.”

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t need it.”

“I enjoy it. That’s all that matters. Seriously, are we having this argument again?”

“Who’s the chick upstairs?” Viktor gave a sly smile.

Quintus turned off the gas and flattened his palm onto the cool granite. He had known Viktor would sense Gabriella but didn’t want him to know anything about her until he had more information.

“None of your business. And before you get ready to do something extraordinarily stupid, you’re not to speak to her.”

“Ah…she’s special. Okay, I’ll bite. What is she? Hmm…she’s a virgin? No, no, wait. She’s a warrior of some sort. A challenge. Wild in bed, I bet.” Viktor laughed, his eyes drifting up toward the ceiling. “She must be something if you brought her here.”

“She’s special, that much is true. It’s all business I’m afraid. A witch.”

“A witch? That’s unusual. Didn’t you have some sort of rule…?”

“I’m not fucking her. I’m feeding her.”

“Yeah okay.” He laughed.

“Her blood.” Quintus paused, reminding himself that he could trust Viktor. “All I can say is that it’s special. I don’t want you touching her. Not even thinking of touching her.”

Viktor laughed in response, a broad smile on his face.

“No joke. You’re in for a world of hurt if you touch her.”

“I thought you just said you aren’t fucking her. What is this possessiveness? We share everything.”