Chapter Ten

Las Vegas, Paris Hotel

Sunday, 10:45 PM

Quinn winked at Maddie one second before pulling her into his arms and using his powers to follow Bella's magical signature. They emerged from his fluttery shadows maybe thirty feet away from their prey. Close enough that Bella would be sure to notice.

Tightening his grip once more, he put more distance between them and used a battered motorhome to offer them some cover. Only then did he relax his much-enjoyed hold on his companion.

She crouched down beside him. "I can't believe you." Her voice was a low hiss. Oh yeah, she was clearly pissed.

He forced his face to remain emotionless. "Sorry. Did you have a better option?"

"No, I didn't."

"Was it a problem that I put my hands on you?" He wasn't the type to be offensive with unwanted advances. But it seemed more like she was embarrassed rather than bothered by his touch. Which made him wonder just what he'd have to do to make her blush through her darker skin tone.

"I was just surprised." She was almost close enough to be right back in his arms again. Only a breath of air between them. And that air was heated by her high body temperature. "Pay attention."

"Yes, ma'am."

She gave him an eye roll before peeking around the corner to search in the direction Bella should have been. "Do you know where we are?"

He studied the surrounding landscape and expanded his senses to get his bearings before answering. "South of the city. About ten or twelve miles, maybe. Not more than that."

"Not bad."

"My eyes might be a little better than yours. She entered that motorhome over there. Georgie is definitely inside that vehicle with her."

"You can sense him from that distance?"

"His power is pulsing throughout the area and that vehicle is the epicenter." Considering the way Georgie's power was running wild he was kind of surprised he hadn't been able to sense it from the hotel. Maybe he really was slipping.

"That isn't normal for him, is it?"

"I'm surprised a vampire hunter like you can stay alive if you can't feel his magic. It's so thick I can taste it."

"Of course I can sense that. It's strong and overwhelming. There is no way for me to trace where it's coming from."

And it most certainly wasn't normal. The magic was tangled with despair and madness. Just what the hell had his best friend been going through to be this… broken?

Her fingers closed over his clenched fist as Maddie ducked down until her face was in front of his. "Are you okay?"

Feeling Georgie's pain had turned his body to stone. His muscles had locked down. He'd stopped breathing. And his eyes… trailed blood tears one after another sliding down his cheeks unheeded.

"Quinn, look at me." She pulled her black sleeve over one hand and wiped the tears from his face. "I can't tell what you're sensing exactly, but it if is what I think, you need to pull back from your connection with him. All that angst filling the air, isn't yours." She wiped again, this time brushing her thumb over his lips. "You can't help him in this condition."

He pinched his eyes closed and focused only on where she touched him. Pressing his cheek into her palm accepting her strength. He dragged in one slow breath and then another. By tuning all his senses to Maddie, he was able to create a tiny little pocket that pushed back all the interference. Here beside her, he could remember what was his and what was not. It took several minutes but eventually he had his own balance back.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"I'm beginning to think you're not as powerful as I expected considering your age."

He smiled a little at that. He did seem to be showing her all his weaknesses. Maybe at some point he'd have to flex a little in order to regain some of his dignity.

"What exactly is your plan? Because I'm thinking we should get closer and try to gage just how dangerous your boy is to the locals."

"If we get too close, Bella and Georgie will notice our presence."

"What other options do we have? There might not be any humans hanging out in this particular home but there are people on the other side of this RV park. Any idea how badly they will be affected by what your crazy friend is radiating?"

She was right. People within his area of influence would likely experience side effects from exposure that could result in dangerous consequences even if Georgie never struck out at them. He was about to say as much when the door to Georgie's home crashed open.

Bella was knocked violently outside. She tripped and landed on her ass on the dusty ground.

"Please, Georgie, let me help you!"

The power flooding outward thickened to almost choking as if Georgie was ramping up for an attack. But surely, he'd never strike out at his own sister.

Maddie in wolf form leapt from his side and dashed at lightning speed toward Bella.

Georgie might not strike Bella, but he didn't know Maddie and wouldn't hesitate, especially if he thought the wolf was attacking Bella.

It was one of those now or never kind of moments. His own body moved before he had time to form a plan.

Maddie couldn't watch her friend being struck down. She bolted toward Bella and only then realized her folly. When she crashed into Bella, using her body to protect her, Georgie let loose his magic. A wave of black butterflies filled the air. Each one with red glowing eyes and pools of angry emotion driving them forward.

And then Quinn was blocking out her view. His suit jacket billowed outward letting the power flow over and around them. His own magic fluttering like huge pale wings, surrounding them in perfect protection. Then his arm folded around her neck and his other hand grabbed Bella over her shoulder.

With another burst of magic, he dragged them away from the danger. However, it wasn't like the last teleport, this time clearly was not the same effortless movement as he'd done only a few minutes ago.

The three of them popped out onto the sandy edge of the roadside. In the distance she could see the lights from the RV park. And just as clearly feel the menacing power pouring outward.

Bella didn't say a single word, just yanked free of Quinn's slack grip and disappeared once more into the darkness. Knowing her friend, she'd almost certainly returned to her brother.

And that left her on the side of the road with Quinn.

"Sorry." He mumbled as he tripped and dropped to one knee.

She grabbed his shoulder to keep him upright. Her hand slipped once before catching him. The scent was unmistakable. Vampire blood and a lot of it. Even in the dim moonlight she could clearly make out that his back which he'd used to shield them was nothing more than ribbons of fabric and flesh.

"Can't take us further."

"Shit." She bit back any more complaints. He'd saved her life at the risk of his own. She couldn't bitch about him not taking her all the way back to the hotel and tucking her into bed too. "Okay, okay. Let me figure out where we are and…" She glanced back toward the dim light from the RV park. Should she sneak back there to steal a car?

She wasn't spooked too easily, but Georgie's irrational attack had left her and her wolf more than a little nervous. She looked around for other options.

"And?"

"Umm… I recognize this road. We're pretty close to one of my bunkers." She shoved herself under one of his arms and dragged him back to his feet. "Come on. It's not too far from here." Further than she wanted to think about, probably about two miles. "Just stay on your feet. We'll be there in no time."

"I'm… gonna be out soon."

"Hang on as long as you can." She pulled him along and he managed to move his feet and bear a little of his own weight. A couple times he sagged, and she could tell he was fighting to stay conscious. She'd seen enough injured vamps in her day to know that he was already summoning miracles just by holding onto his control. Most would have pounced on her by now in their desperate need for blood.

All he did was grind his teeth and stagger along.

Maybe talking to him would help some. "I figure if I chatter in your ear some it might help distract you. I'm not much good at stand-up comedy so if it gets too bad, feel free to tell me to stop."

"Mmm…"

"I'll take that as encouragement." But what the hell should she talk about? He wasn't going to hold up his end so she would basically just be talking to herself. "You know, I've been listening to stories about you for years. Bella loves you which you probably already know." Something in her throat tightened. Bella had indeed sounded like she loved him in the hundreds of stories she'd recounted. And yet, she hadn't cared about him being hurt at all. She'd ditched them both in the blink of an eye. "She always claimed you were like a brother to her, and you certainly do treat her that way. Somehow it always seemed like she was hoping for more. Anyways, all those stories made me wonder. They really made me question the path I'd taken in my long life."

His hand tightened briefly on her shoulder.

"No, it's okay. I'm sure you know how it is to look back over a long life and consider if this choice or that one was the right one to make or if there had been a better option. Well, after my family was killed by vampires, I thought it made sense for me to throw my everything into hunting them down. Not just for vengeance but also to keep it from happening again."

A car came up behind them. The lights were visible from a long way back.

"Maybe I can flag them down."

He dragged her to a stop. His muscles trembling for a moment, before whispering, "Don't."

She wasn't sure why he objected but she had to figure he had a good reason. "Okay. Move this way. Be careful." She helped him a few steps off to the side of the road. After the car passed by them, she started to help him back onto the flat of the road.

He tripped on the rough edge of the pavement and the two of them slowly crumpled down to the cool concrete. His head hung and he made no effort to get back to his feet. A quick examination of his back showed that his wounds were healing but not very quickly. What was keeping the wounds from closing? Was there something extra dangerous about the magic he'd blocked or was he that much weaker than she'd thought?

It didn't matter. What mattered was getting him somewhere safe from the sun so he could take the time to heal. "I got you. Go ahead and rest."

She shifted forms and shoved her wolf body beneath him. Pushing a little more of her power into use, she increased her size until his weight laying across her back was easy to carry.

His body moved in an awkward lurch, and he was riding her like a horse. Except that his body lay over her limply and only the slightest of tugs on her fur showed he was holding on.

She started at a trot, but then moved to a fast lope once she was sure he'd stay aboard. The ground flew beneath her feet and in almost no time she reached the small group of adobe rental cabins.