Page 70 of Quintus

“I like my blood fresh. I’m more of a farm to table sort of vampire. I’m minimalistic like that.”

“Get your ass to New Orleans. Make the call and get out, you hear me? I don’t want anything happening to you.”

“You almost sound like you care. I’m feeling like I need a hug right now, but I’ll get it when I see you.”

“I’m gonna smack you in your fat head if you don’t listen to me.”

“Hug time. I’ve got something to look forward to.”

“Fuck off with your damn hugs.”

“It’s going to be a moment. I can feel it now. I’ll pick a song before I get there.” Viktor laughed.

“I’m going now. Call Thorn.”

“I hear you,” he assured Quintus.

“Oh and Vik?”

“Yeah.”

“Be careful. I’m not fucking around. Keep your eyes open and get to my place as soon as possible.”

“Got it. See ya.”

Quintus clicked off the call and turned to see both Hunter and Gabriella staring at him.

“He lost her?” the Alpha asked.

“She gave him the slip. If she’s a demon…you know it’s hard to control them.” Quintus crossed to sit in front of Gabriella and fell back into his tan crushed leather seat.

“She just left then? Just like that?” Gabriella asked.

“Yep. She’d said she wasn’t staying in New York. So who knows?” Quintus shook his head and shrugged. “There’re a lot of kinds of demons and creatures out there. My concern is that if she’s demon, she’s up to something else. I don’t want Viktor going after her.”

“My bet is on demon,” Hunter said.

“What else could she be?” she asked.

“You’ve got your basics. Vamps. Witches. Wolves. There’re an infinite number of possibilities for the hybrids. You’ve got the outliers like the naiads and pixiu. Although technically they’re shifters. Mao was pixiu but I’m with Hunter, she’s probably a demon mix.”

“So you’re saying Mao’s…she’s not really, um…” Gabriella hesitated to finish her sentence.

“It’s okay, Gabby.” Quintus’ eyes softened, aware she didn’t want to hurt him. “Mao died a long time ago. That woman…no, that thing we brought home, it isn’t Mao.”

“I don’t understand how none of us knew. I mean, she’s outsmarted a high priestess. A demon. You. An Alpha.” Gabriella’s focus drifted to Hunter.

Quintus gave her a knowing smile as her sexy thoughts spun through his mind. “There’ll be time later to explore that.”

“I’m just saying.” She coughed, her cheeks heated in embarrassment. “Something like that has to be special. Powerful.”

“Maybe yes. Maybe no,” Quintus said.

“You’ve got your hands full with that one,” Hunter commented, the corner of his mouth tugging upward. “I’m happy to oblige.”

“Focus, people.” Quintus steepled his fingers in thought. “I think Gabriella’s point is well taken. The question is, ‘What is Mao?’ Why didn’t any of us notice she wasn’t Mao at first? She looked like her. Talked like her. Holds her memories. Witches, demons…both can wield glamouring spells.”

“True. Even I can do that, but you saw right through it,” Gabriella said.