Page 93 of Quintus

“Well, well, you are clever, I’ll give you both that,” Kellan said, his eyes lit with excitement. “So. Do you want to know?” He clapped his hands together, humming.

“Are you fucking kidding?” Hunter uttered, wearing an expression of annoyance.

“Yes, Kellan. I paid you, now out with it.” Quintus blew out a breath. They were running out of time. Although the fae bar was cloaked, any of the patrons could have reported back to Lilitu if they were in need of favors.

“Blood! Blood is the answer. And a spell. Which I can give you for another fifty grand. And before you go getting rough on me, you know it’ll work. We don’t do business often, but I do not fail.”

Quintus tapped at his phone. Money wasn’t an issue, time was. “What else do you need?”

“Your blood is the answer. A potion. From the first witch to the blood of a hybrid, the witch must die through a sister of the coven. Your hybrid must be the one to destroy her. But she will never have the power without the bone inside her, the strength of the one who created the coven. This witch. Lilitu. It sounds as though she’s taken on demonic powers.” Kellan turned to Gabriella. “She’s waited for years for you. Years for you to be born. Years for you to find your mate so that you could find the first bone.” He smiled and set his focus on Quintus. “I am afraid I do not have answers to your Jiangshi, however. I, too, suspect they are related. But the Jiangshi are rare. This thing may have been set off by your mating.”

“Or the demon who made her could have a tie to Lilitu,” Quintus suggested.

“Possibly, but you need to kill Lilitu to find out. If they’re connected, perhaps it will weaken the Jiangshi. Demonic magick is very hard to defeat. While there is something special about Gabriella’s blood, that in itself isn’t enough.” Kellan reached into the fire pit, lifting one of the logs. A red-hot handle protruded from the earth and he wrapped his hand around it and lifted it upward, revealing a small chest. He set it on a large boulder to his left and opened the metal box, retrieving a brass chalice and athame.

“What do you need?” Gabriella asked.

“Your blood.” Kellan held up the knife. “There’s always a sacrifice to be made and this time, it ain’t money. You go first.”

Gabriella stood from her chair and walked over to Kellan. She extended her hand and startled as he snatched it. “Come. This will only sting a bit, my lovely.”

“Careful with her or I’ll be using that knife on you, fae.” Quintus hovered over them as the athame sliced into her palm. His brave mate bit her lip in silence as her blood dripped into the vessel. After several seconds, she yanked back her hand.

Quintus extended his wrist, glaring at the fae as he sliced him open, his sanguine essence mixing into Gabriella’s. He glanced to Hunter whose eyes fluttered shut. Fuck. “We need to hurry.”

“This will only take a minute.” Kellan shoved away Quintus’ arm and rolled up his sleeve. As his fingers stretched into the light, claws protruded from the tips.

“What are you doing?” Quintus reached for Gabriella’s arm and gently sealed her wound with his tongue before healing his own.

“Demonic magick must be fought with the hell from whence it came. You and I both know the fae walk the earth, choosing Heaven or Hell. Yet the elements from our dark past are never too far. Fire is life.”

Gabriella released an audible gasp as Kellan reached his hand into the fire pit, shoving the coals aside. His clawed fist buried into the earth while he hummed. Quintus caught her gaze and shook his head no, concerned as her fear escalated. Don’t move. It’s okay, he told her, knowing she’d hear his thoughts.

She looked to the Alpha, the light reflecting off the sheen that coated his face. Hunter. We’ve got to get him out. Please.

Soon. Quintus set his focus back onto Kellan who yanked his arm back out of the dirt, bright red flecks of the ash spewing from his fist. The fae laughed wildly as he sprinkled the mixture into the bowl.

“Ah yeah, baby! Hellfire and brimstone. Nothing like it to get you revved up. Fuck yeah.” He stabbed the athame back into the vessel, furiously mixing it. “Where is the bone? It is time.”

Hunter grunted, uttering unintelligible words. Quintus leaned over him, setting a comforting hand onto his shoulder. “Hang in there, brother. We’re out of here in a minute.” He reached inside his front pocket and retrieved the small fragment. Offering it to the fae, his face grew stern. “Don’t fuck this up. If you don’t get this right, you’re a dead man, understand?”

“I never make mistakes,” Kellan insisted. “Give it to me now.”

Quintus took solace in knowing that Samantha had the other half. He didn’t trust the fae but he was a last resort.

Kellan turned to a mortar and pestle, dropped the bone inside, and set to pulverizing it. Within seconds, all that remained was a fine powdery substance.

“This.” He held the crushed bone into the air in reverence. “It’s very, very rare for someone to collect the first bones. They’re usually destroyed. Make no mistake, your coupling is fate. Destiny drove the discovery. Perhaps it was foretold somewhere or by an oracle, but I believe the high priestess knew your mating would ultimately result in the discovery of the bone and possibly her demise. She attempts to control fate. She let you live all these years because she wanted you to find them. She knew you needed Quintus. Now…if the bone is in her hands, she’ll be more powerful than any witches on the face of the earth. It’s very dangerous for all who cross her. All the other covens will be at her mercy.”

Kellan held the mortar over the bowl and began to chant. Quintus spoke over twenty languages fluently and recognized it as a blend of Old Norse and Fae. “Megin, megin, megin,” Kellan repeated, his voice growing louder and louder.

Quintus tilted his head toward the sky as thunder rumbled overhead. Within the fae realm, they should be protected by the elements, but as lightning flashed in a red hue, Quintus questioned its source. Lilitu.

“Hurry,” Gabriella cried. “She’s here.”

“I see you’ve brought the trouble to my home. This will be extra,” Kellan growled.

“Whatever it is, I’ll pay. Now finish the spell and tell us what to do,” Quintus ordered.