3. Claim

3

CLAIM

A s a whispering silence pervades the atrium after Master Vasily Ilyov’s departure, I note quite a few Masters now gazing intently at me and Quinn. A dark thoughtfulness swirls in the night, as countless tendrils of energy caress me now, trying to understand my Dark Fae power and how I just won Master Ilyov’s approval with it.

Inhaling a swift breath, Quinn pushes their subtle and not-so-subtle drives back, though he has to raise his dark aura hard around himself and me in order to do so. His power flashes with red-gold fire as his eyes blaze like a dark sun’s corona. Quinn’s warning gaze sweeps the garden; at last, Masters all around lift their eyebrows or nod to him, leaving off their searches.

As if he just did battle, Quinn finally releases a long breath.

Though relaxation is still far from both of us tonight.

“Well done,” Lady Eiseth says, as her gaze catches me and Quinn. “The both of you have just charmed the most powerful Master in Eurasia. The question is… can you hold his favor long enough to not have him dismember you?”

“Better to have no notice from Master Ilyov than to catch his eye. He is utterly insane,” Eduardo Romero comments darkly now as he sips his champagne. His hand trembles, as if the ex-Winter Fae’s presence unsettled him deeply.

As I note it, I realize I’m not the only person Master Ilyov’s massive truth-reading power invaded just then, though I’m the only one he talked to. As I wonder what information he gleaned from the others, I see Calla Romero put a steadying hand to her brother’s arm, pouring a hot, fortifying power into him.

It’s the first weakness I’ve noted in the Romeros; as if their old Tempest magic plus their Vampire power is no match for the Siberian Master’s missile-like truth-seeking ability.

A power, I also note, that I’m gaining from my opening magic.

Some quality of the Night that I share with Vampires, being Dark Fae as I am.

“Master Ilyov is dangerous, yes, but insane? No. An ancient understanding of things can look insane sometimes, but is merely a perspective of countless eons.” Gunter Spielmann is thoughtful now as he drains his beer.

“A good perspective to have on one’s side, though, if you can secure him,” Lady Eiseth says with finality as she turns back to Quinn. “Do you have imminent aims against the Council, Quinn? Did Master Ilyov read you rightly?”

“Not if the Council gives me the seat I should already have among them.” Quinn is quiet as he watches where the Master of Siberia went. Turning back to the group, Quinn’s dark aura boils. I can feel his emotions warring deep within, as he feels enraged that the powerful Master of Siberia outed even part of his plans by reading his mind just now.

But Quinn is equally intrigued by this strange turn of fortune, however. As he glances at me with a perplexed frown, his regard is thoughtful. We have no more time to digest it, though, as someone else with tremendous power comes gliding down the stairs into the atrium .

The perfectly handsome Arturos Morregain moves to our group with a regal darkwater glow swirling all around him in the bright summer moonlight. Intention is in his deep blue gaze now as it pins mine, and he comes towards us as if pulled straight to me.

My breath catches as his tides surge all around me for the second time tonight, his deep blue eyes flashing with power as he meets my gaze, then Quinn’s. As Quinn welcomes Arturos into our circle of his strongest allies, Arturos lifts a level dark eyebrow at everyone.

“I just passed Master Ilyov in the halls,” Arturos says in his sonorous baritone, like ancient creatures singing in the deeps. “He had a sharp interest in him as he thrust his magics through my mind just now, searching for information on you, Quinn, and Ariana. What happened?”

“I think we might have just won his favor. For a short while at least.” Quinn gives a wry chuckle as he receives a red wine for Arturos from a server.

“Careful, old friend.” Warning is in Arturos’ blue eyes as he lifts an eyebrow and sips his wine. “That ancient bastard is not to be trusted. Ever.”

“Don’t I know it.” Quinn is thoughtful now as he glances at me.

“What makes Master Ilyov so powerful and feared?” I ask, having heard little about the ex-Winter Fae yet. “Is it because of his truth-reading magic?”

“That’s a good deal of it,” Lady Eiseth answers me as she gazes to where Ilyov went. “No Vampire or Fae can stand up to his mind-reading abilities, not for thousands of years now. He’s ancient, maybe even upwards of twenty thousand years, though even he doesn’t recall his exact age. Winter Fae have impeccable minds and their mind-magics are fierce. When he became a Vampire long ago, Master Ilyov’s mind-powers were strengthened tremendously. All of us know to not resist his thrusts when he seeks information. For he can make a Vampire or a Fae impressively mad… in an impressively short amount of time.”

“Seconds.” Eduardo Romero glances back up the stairs now as if the devil himself might come back down them. “He used that power on my great-uncle several centuries ago for trying to hide the truth from him. Calla and I were very young, but we saw the damage it did. Our great-uncle became a raving thing and had to be heavily warded at once. He went Revenant less than three weeks later… and we lost him.”

“What do you mean, went Revenant ?” I lift an eyebrow at Eduardo.

“A Master Vampire of vastly advanced age who loses touch with their mortal emotions can revert to a bestial state, as you already know,” Quinn answers levelly now, though something dark burns in his onyx eyes. “They lose their control and forget their physical form until there is nothing but power and devouring—the black smoke of a Revenant. There have been some Masters over the eons who can provoke the changeover to the insane Revenant state. Master Ilyov is one of those.”

“Which is why he’s so feared by the Vampire community.” I blink in astonishment that one Vampire could turn another into a Revenant.

“That, and his horde of Winter Wights, that he can sic on anyone who challenges him,” Gunter says, and chuckles now with a dark look. “He can not only turn magical Lineages into immensely powerful Vampires to stand at his side, and curse his enemies into Revenants, but he can raise the undead from their frozen graves in the tundra-ice. His fortress at Novakitsk is therefore impenetrable.”

“You’re able to return Revenants to themselves, Quinn, you and your Dark Fae.” Calla Romero has a gleam in her eyes now as she gives a crafty smile. “Master Ilyov may not be as feared as he once was, if you can undo his terrible works. When are you ever going to tell us how that was done, by the way?”

“As soon as time allows,” Quinn says. He’s genial now, though I know he’s not yet figured out how our trio did what we did with the Music of the Spheres a week ago, when we stopped a Revenant horde from attacking the Hotel at the opening gala for the Meeting.

All eyes are on us now, however, even Eiseth and Arturos, who haven’t gotten answers out of Quinn either on just how that was done .

Answers Quinn is still seeking himself.

“Thankfully, Master Ilyov cares little for politics of any kind these days, and tends to remain up in his frozen wastelands,” Gunter says. Like the others, he is focused on Quinn and me as he continues the conversation. “Although… you seem to have aroused Ilyov’s interest, Quinn, with your ideals of Vampire progress and whatever opinions you and Ariana seem to share about the Summer Fae King.”

It’s yet another subtle reminder that far more came out about Quinn’s plans tonight than he has even admitted to his closest allies, as Quinn goes still as stone beside me. “I hope I do not have to encourage you to keep such information to a limited circle, Gunter.”

“And yet, you just did.” Gunter gives the smallest smile now—showing his cunning and displaying why the seemingly calm, innocuous Master of Bavaria is part of Quinn’s inner circle. As I glance around, I realize everyone standing here with Quinn is like him; they like to play games of power and are good at it, but are doing so for non-classical Vampire reasons. Each of them believes in Vampire progress and modernity.

Just like Quinn himself.

“How is it going with the returned Revenants, by the way? Have any of them Kissed to your Dark Haven yet? Those who have not already returned to other Dark Havens they once belonged to?” Eduardo Romero asks now, as he pins Quinn with a shrewd gaze.

“We are letting them rest, Eduardo,” Quinn says, with a dire look at his ally. “They have been through much, and one does not simply return from being a mad creature for countless eons and step right back into one’s saner mind. Certain things… linger. We are doing all we can to help them before I approach them with taking my Master’s Kiss and becoming permanently bound to the Dark Haven of Florence.”

“Do it sooner rather than later, Quinn,” Gunter says, giving a pragmatic snort. “Someone on the Council is bound to step in and do it for you, if they hear of what you have begun but not finished.”

“I will take that under advisement.” Quinn nods at the Master of Bavaria.

He’s not shaken by Gunter’s statement, however; I know Quinn has pondered what to do with the returned Revenants for long hours this past week, in addition to why and how our trio’s bound power could return them to their saner selves. Even as I’m about to ask why some Vampires go Revenant, while others become ancient, like Master Ilyov, Quinn gives a deep nod to our present company.

“Friends. Ariana and I are heading out for the night. I do hope you will enjoy the last of this party, and thank you again for attending the Meeting this year. You are all instrumental to Vampire progress, and I deeply cherish it.”

No one seems surprised that Quinn is taking his leave after such an insane opening to the week, followed by a busy time planning everything and orchestrating the entire Meeting. Only I’m left astonished as he moves forward to give embraces and exchange cheek kisses with his closest allies, then takes me on his arm and departs. I had been enjoying myself at the relatively relaxing midnight soirée—though I’m curious now about where Quinn and I are going and what he has planned next.

Only Arturos catches my gaze as I’m escorted out.

A deep frown upon his features, as if the Master Ilyov situation still troubles him.

Quinn puts aside concerns with Master Ilyov, however, until we can digest them more fully later. Pure relief flows through him now that the weeklong Meeting is over. As a tremendous sigh pours through his aura, echoed by an actual sigh that heaves from his lips, I cuddle close on his arm, enjoying walking with him in the Hotel’s midnight Gothic-Baroque halls.

“Tired?” I ask as we walk, enjoying finally being alone with him, as we’ve not had much time together this week with all the crazy events Quinn has had to orchestrate and attend .

“Not even remotely,” Quinn says. He smiles at me sidelong as we take a corkscrewing staircase down, back to the underground of the Hotel.

“Then why did we leave the party? It was just getting good,” I am teasing as we move on, lit by the sorcerous blue-gold torches of the Hotel’s underground.

“I have a different party in mind for the end of our night. If you’re interested,” Quinn says. He lifts an eyebrow at me, simmering with dark passion as we turn another corner. I realize we are heading back to his cathedral-like suite of rooms in a far wing of the Hotel’s underground.

“Quinn. Are you absconding with me to go have sex ?” I feign affront, setting a hand to the pearls on my gown.

“Sex is the least of what we’ll do tonight, I think,” Quinn says with dark heat now as we arrive at the tall obsidian doors of his suite. As he pushes them open, admitting us to the enormous cathedral space with its towering glass ceiling and crystal-onyx chandeliers, I smile to see the moon still full high above.

Laid out on his massive ebony dining table, a sumptuous meal is waiting for us; but Quinn eschews it as he takes me by the hand, leading me up the tight corkscrewing wrought-iron staircase to the balcony second level.

Stars devour the night sky, seeming so close now that we’re in his lofted bedroom up above the main floor. Nothing but glass vaults and chandeliers are above us now, and Quinn’s dark eyes shine with their light, along with his own blistering fire as he leads me to his massive ebony four-post bed.

And then lays me down upon it.

“I want you tonight.” He crawls over me, making my pulse spike at the hot look in his eyes. His tux jacket is already gone somehow, along with his bowtie, and he’s halfway through unbuttoning his shirt already, hauling it from his pants as he holds me with his dark gaze.

“Then take me,” I say back, my breath high in my throat, my heart beating so fast now it’s like a bird’s heart fluttering at a bright snake in the grass.

Quinn’s slow smile is diabolical as he strips his shirt away, laying his long, lean-muscled body out atop me. I’m pinned beneath him now, his hips pressing me down to the bed with subtle force as I feel him, so hot and hard through my thin silk. Even though I writhe to have him pressed against me, between my thighs, I can’t get away. Quinn’s strength is impossible to escape, even for me.

And he knows it, as something deliciously wicked takes his eyes.

“Tell me what you want, Ariana,” Quinn says, as he eases his lips over mine. He teases me as he thrusts slowly against me, digging in though I’m soaking wet now, needing so much more.

“Fuck me.” I strain up and try to kiss him, though Quinn knows this game and presses me firmly down with his body, keeping me away.

“Say it again.” His lips whisper over mine, decadent and slow, maddening.

“Fuck me, Quinn. I want you. Take me tonight.” I’m heating so hard now a roll of my Dark Fae power blossoms out from me, flowing in wings from my spine and surging through the bedroom balcony in dark rainbows that flicker with silver and gold light.

“Ask me properly.” A wicked grin spreads across his face. He pushes a thought into my mind now of what he wants. It’s dominance, I know, as that thought finds me; Quinn wants to dominate me tonight to complete the success of his week, and have me give in to him. The thought of succumbing to his every pleasure fills me, and I want it too, as I writhe beneath him.

Scalding now—aching for it.

“Take me, Master,” I say, as my lips move over his. “Take me, and fuck me, and pleasure me, all night long. Or for as long as you wish, until dawn hits the sky. Before we do it all over again.”

“As my Dark Fae wishes, so shall it be done. ”

And then he rips his tux pants away—nothing on beneath as he hauls my thin gown up.

Surprise takes his face to find I’ve got nothing on underneath either; but the moment is gone as he thrusts two fingers inside me, making sure I’m wet enough for this. Without any foreplay, he hauls my leg up around his lean hip, thrusting into me so fast and sudden it shocks me. I cry out as he fills me, so hot, hard, and thick—but it’s a good cry. Quinn’s length and girth are amazing; I writhe upon him as I keen now with pleasure, skewered and filled by him.

As he begins a slow, hard, deep dance inside me, I know I’ll have to endure it.

All night long.

It’s animal, and it’s grace, and it’s carnal as Quinn fucks me. He does it slow to start, holding me with his impeccable patience as he fills me, over and over. He strokes me deep inside, pinning me with his fire-bright gaze, dominating me and making me enjoy it on every level.

Because his aura is fucking me, too, every tendril of his smoke-dark power thrusting into me as it roils, filling my body and my need as his dark eyes fill my mind and his cock fills me up between my thighs. I’m undone. It’s only been a few minutes, but it feels like hours as his slow dominance goes on and on and on. Quinn is the master, and I’m his willing servant as he takes me.

Making me enjoy every bit of it as I absorb his power.

He strokes my neck with one hand now, as if he can’t help but think about drinking from me as he takes me. But tonight is about enjoyment and pleasure, not pain, as we move in a hard, deep rhythm together. Quinn’s body is the conductor, and I’m the orchestra as he thrusts into me, again and again with those deep, full strokes. He moves in a wave now and I move with him, clinging to him with arms and legs as he rolls me with his mind, his power, and his body.

I’m a ship on his burning ocean, as his fire-dark aura heaves all around us now in the open loft, spilling over the bed and balcony like living flame. My black rainbows twine through his, surging through his power as he fucks me, and lighting up the night with flashes of silver and gold.

I’m close now, so close. Quinn’s smile is beautiful and diabolical and awed as he takes me. I’m so close to my climax now that I’m shuddering from head to heels with heavenly disaster. Pleasure thrusts through my veins; fire burns deep inside me. As I finally come, crying out Quinn’s name as I grip and shake all around him, he swells inside me, stretching me deep as I clench and grip him.

He fucks me more—deeper, harder, slower.

I come for him, again, and again, so many times I’ve lost count now.

I’m a ship on his burning ocean as I drift away, far out into the night. Stars surround me as he smiles with living fire in his dark onyx eyes, kissing my lips and bidding me to sleep. I do, curled around his decadently naked body in a blissful exhaustion. Somehow, Quinn is warm like a bonfire as I lay beside him.

Keeping me safe from anything else that might claim me, all night long.