The twin suns were warm on her face and Seleena closed her eyes, felt herself slipping into sleep’s abyss…
And Quinn was there, lying beside her on a patch of white sand. Overhead, the light of the twin moons turned the night to day. He rose over her, his eyes blazing with desire.
She stared up at him, her heart pounding with trepidation as she traced the dragon on his shoulder. Her eyes narrowed as she felt a rush of power beneath her fingertips. Had she imagined it? It felt much like her own magical power. The same, yet different.
Quinn’s brows drew together. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?”
It took her a moment to realize she was no longer dreaming. Opening her eyes, she saw Quinn standing beside her, frowning. “Nothing. Why?”
He shrugged. “You were thrashing around.”
“It was just a dream.”
He sat on the bench across from her chair. “Must not have been a good one.”
Her gaze swept across his shoulder. “How long have you had that tattoo?”
“I’m not sure. Why?”
“May I see it?”
He lifted one brow, then shrugged out of his shirt.
“It looks so life-like.” She could almost feel the heat from the flame erupting from the creature’s mouth. She wouldn’t have been surprised to see the dragon leap off his arm and run across the floor. And then she frowned. Hadn’t the head been facing the other way the first time she had seen it? She reached out to touch it, then hesitated. “May I?”
Quinn shrugged. “Sure.”
She ran her finger over the dragon’s scales, jerked her hand back in surprise. She could feel each individual scale. Sense the same magic she had felt in her dream. “Where did you get it?”
“Your daughter gave it to me.”
Seleena stared at him. So, she hadn’t imagined that sense of power. Nor was it any wonder she had recognized it. It carried her signature.
“You’ve got that look again,” Quinn remarked. “Want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Did Serepta say why she gave you that tattoo?”
“No. All she said was that she liked dragons.”
“She didn’t say anything else about it?”
Quinn leaned forward, hands braced on his knees. “What are you getting at?”
“I’m not sure, exactly. But that’s more than just a tattoo. How did you get it?”
“I told you, from Serepta.”
“No. I mean, did she apply it in the usual way, or did she use her magic to put it there?”
“I don’t know. I went to sleep one night and when I woke in the morning, it was there. Why?”
“Because it isn’t a normal tattoo.”
Quinn glanced at the dragon as if he’d never seen if before. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “I sort of figured that out the first time it moved.”
“You’ve seen it move?”
“No.” He rubbed his hand over the dragon. “But it changes position from time to time. What do you think it means?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never seen -- or felt -- anything like it.”
“What do you mean, felt?”
“It contains latent magical powers of some kind.”
“Magic!”
Seleena nodded. “Serepta’s magic. And mine. And Nardik’s.”
It was, Quinn mused, a Hel of a combo.
#
Towards dusk, Seleena went to look in on a sick child. In her absence, Quinn wandered through the house. Pausing in front of a mirror, he peeled off his shirt and stared at the dragon. He had never given the thing much thought, or spent much time looking at it. Tattoos weren’t uncommon, but there was nothing ordinary about this one. He had known the thing changed position from time to time, but he’d figured it was just some trick of the light. There had been times, when he had been half-asleep, when he would have sworn he could feel the thing moving. He knew now that he hadn’t imagined it at all.
Did the tattoo really hold some kind of mysterious magic? Or was it merely a clever bit of body art?
Shrugging into his shirt, he left the house. When he reached the edge of the village, he continued south, following the road for a mile or so, until it gradually disappeared. As the trees grew farther apart, patches of green gave way to miles and miles of sand and cactus.
Turning back, he wondered again how Seleena had ever landed in a village with no name, and why she stayed. Sure, she’d said the people needed her. But it didn’t seem like much of a life for a beautiful, vibrant woman.
Lost in thought, he was on his way back to the village when the hunger rose up within him, sharp and demanding, triggered by the scent of fresh blood coming from behind a small house at the edge of the town.
The scent led him into the backyard, where it was overwhelming. And no wonder.
A middle-aged man lay sprawled on his back on the grass in a pool of blood, his arms flung out to the side. Blood leaked from two tiny puncture wounds in his neck. A faint, but familiar scent hung in the air, but he dismissed it out of hand. Seleena had assured him Serepta was dead.
He cursed under his breath as he stared at the twin marks on the man’s neck. He knew all too well what they meant.
Vampire.
Chapter 6
“A vampire?” Seleena stared at him, her eyes wide. “Are you sure?”
“Takes one to know one.”
Pressing a hand to her heart, Seleena lowered herself onto her rocking chair. Vampire. Serepta had been one of the undead. Was it possible? No! She refused to consider it. For a moment, she stared, unseeing, into the distance. “I need to see the body.”
“Why?”
She stood abruptly. “Just take me to it.”
Quinn frowned, confused by her reaction, and then he left the house. She trailed behind him.
“Tinnly’s place,” she murmured as she followed him down the path to the back of the house. “He lived alone.”
Quinn opened the rusty gate.
Seleena hesitated a moment before following him into the yard. Then, as if going to her doom, she walked slowly toward the corpse. For a moment, she stood there in silence. Closing her eyes, she lifted her arms skyward, chanting softly in a language he didn’t understand.
It went on for several minutes. When she finished, her face was fish-belly white.
“What is it?”
She stared up at him through haunted eyes. “If I didn’t know it was impossible, I would swear Serepta had been here. But I saw her die. Her throat was ripped out…”
“That wouldn’t kill her.”
“She was dead. It was a killing wound,” Seleena insisted. “There was blood everywhere.”
“Vampires can recover from almost anything. If you want to make sure they stay dead, you have to drive a stake through their heart, cut off the head, or burn the body. Otherwise, they’ll rise again.”
At his words, her face paled even more, if that was possible. “I know all that, but I couldn’t stay and watch. I just couldn’t. Nardik gave instructions to one of the servants and paid him to dispose of the remains for us and then we went to Brynn Castle with Marri and Gryff. I stopped at Serepta’s grave on my way back home. Sennix was working on a headstone.”
“Did you look inside the coffin?”
Seleena stared at him in horror. “Of course not!”
“So, for all you know, it could have been empty.”
“No!” Seleena shook her head vigorously. “I refuse to believe that.”
Quinn blew out a sigh “You need to at least consider the possibility,” he said quietly. “Because if I’m right, then Serepta is still a threat. Odds are that the man who was supposed to dispose of her remains is buried in that grave.”
Seleena’s gaze moved to his shoulder. The dragon’s tail was visible beneath his rolled-up shirt sleeve. “Serepta imbued you with a part of her magic,” she mused, her expression pensive. “She was always a clever girl. Always thinking ahead, planning for every
eventuality.”
“Why would she come here?”
“Revenge.”
Quinn glanced at the corpse. “Against him?”
“No. I think she just wanted us to know she’s still here. Let’s go. I need to find Waggner and ask him to collect Mr. Tinnly’s remains.”
Quinn followed her out of the yard, his brow furrowed, one hand rubbing the tattoo. What the Hel did it all mean?
#
That was the question he put to Seleena when they returned home.
“I don’t know what it means.” She sat in the rocker, the cat cradled in her arms. “I hadn’t seen my daughter for years before she died. She could have shared her magic with dozens of fledgling witches.”
“So, can anybody be a witch?”
“Most are born. A few are blessed with the ability to learn the art, although that is extremely rare.” She closed her eyes a moment, her expression thoughtful. “Serepta was born a witch. Her magic was inherited, a part of her. Nardik didn’t actually take her magic away from her, so much as neutralize it.”
Quinn scrubbed a hand across his jaw. He had a bad feeling about what she was trying to say.
“The thing is, another wizard could restore it, although he would not only have to be ancient, but also possess the power to restore magic. Not every wizard has that talent.”
“Does such a man exist?”
“To my knowledge, Nardik is the oldest wizard on Brynn Tor. But there are other galaxies. Other covens.”
Quinn dragged a hand over his jaw. One more thing to worry about. “The dragon on my shoulder. It feels like it bites me every time you mention Serepta’s name. How do you explain that?”
“Like I told you before, it’s imbued with a form of magic, some of it dark.”
“Yeah, you said yours and hers and Nardik’s. How can it be all three?”
“I learned some of my magic from Nardik. Serepta learned some of hers from both of us. It’s all entwined, light and dark, good and bad.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, couldn’t figure out why Serepta had branded him with ink in the first place. “The tattoo, can you remove it?”
“I don’t know. Take off your shirt and come here.”
Ears laid back, the cat hissed at his approach.
“Freyja, quiet.” Taking hold of Quinn’s arm, she chanted softly as she ran her fingertips over the tattoo. Power coalesced around them, vibrant, palpable.
Seleena gasped as pain shot from the dragon’s mouth to her fingers and skittered up her forearm, leaving her hand and arm feeling numb.
The cat howled and bolted out of the room.
Quinn dropped to the floor, his body shaking uncontrollably, curling in on itself as agony splintered through him. Sweat dripped from his brow.
Seleena knelt beside him. “Quinn? Quinn!” She reached toward him, then drew back when the dragon hissed at her.
A minute passed. Two.
Gradually, his body relaxed. The tremors stopped. Struggling to sit up, he grabbed his shirt from the floor and wiped the sweat from his face and chest.
“Are you all right?” Seleena asked, still wary of touching him.
“I’m guessing what just happened means you can’t remove the damn thing.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, it’s good to know, one way or the other. Are you all right?”
She shook her hand, which still felt a little numb. “I don’t think we should try that again.”
“Yeah, probably not a good idea.” Gaining his feet, he offered her his hand.
She hesitated a moment before taking it.
Not that he could blame her after what had just happened. He pulled her gently to her feet.
For a moment, his gaze searched hers.
And then he drew her into his embrace.
And kissed her.
She tasted as sweet as he remembered. She fit into his arms as if she had been made for him and no one else. Her scent -- tinged with magic and a hint of lavender -- enveloped him.
Seleena pressed her fingertips to her lips, her gaze searching his. Why did he have this power over her? One kiss and she wanted to take him to her bed, to run her hands over his shoulders, explore the corded muscle in his arms, run her fingertips over his ridged belly. No other man had ever affected her so strongly, aroused her so quickly, intrigued her on so many levels.
He cocked his head to the side, a silent question lurking in his dark eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she eased out of his embrace. And immediately felt the loss of his warmth, his strength. His tattoo possessed a small portion of her own magic. Was that what made him so irresistible? But he also possessed a bit of Nardik’s power. And Serepta’s, as well. It was a potent combination.
He had been her daughter’s lover. She had to remember that. Wanting to take him to her bed seemed like…like incest, somehow, even though the two of them weren’t related.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead, grabbed his shirt, and left the house.
Seleena stared after him. And then she sank down in front of the fireplace and wept for all she had lost.
And for all she wanted that she could never have.
Chapter 7
With no particular destination in mind, Quinn strolled through the village. Passing Tinnly’s house, he noted signs had been posted warning neighbors and other curious folk to keep out.
The faint scent of blood still lingered at the scene, arousing his hunger, but there were few people on the roads to choose from, mostly old men that he didn’t find appealing. But he needed to feed, and it didn’t seem like a good idea to keep hunting for prey where he lived. Better to hunt elsewhere. The next village, perhaps…
Vampire, he thought. Maybe it was time to try out some of his own preternatural powers. Like Seleena, Serepta had been able to rapidly transport herself from one place to another. Could he do the same?
He had no idea how vampires managed it, only knew it was possible. Griggstown was the next village. He pictured the place in his mind, pictured himself there. Power surged within him. The next thing he knew, he was on the outskirts of the city.
He had been in Griggstown once before, searching for one of Jagg’s runaways. He was suddenly inundated with sensory overload as what seemed like a thousand different scents assailed his nostrils, while a cacophony of sound pummeled his ears. What the Hel! He looked at the world around him as if seeing it for the first time. Colors were brighter, sharper. He noticed details before unseen. And blood…the scent of it tantalized him. The sound of a hundred beating hearts thundered in his ears.
This was what it was like to be a vampire. Power hummed through him. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep from attacking a middle-aged woman hurried by.
Hands shoved deep into his pockets, he ambled down the street. Several blocks later he found himself in a less upscale part of the city. The houses were ill-kept - fences sagging, windows broken, paint peeling. The air smelled of drugs and alcohol.
He was about to turn back when a woman staggered toward him. She was young, no more than twenty. But her skin was dry and wrinkled, her eyes older than her years.
“Hey, mister, I’ve got what you want if you’ve got the credits.”
Quinn smiled faintly. Ordinarily, he would have been offended by the stink of her unwashed body, but the lure of her blood was stronger. Folding his hands over her shoulders, he pulled her body against his. “You’ve got exactly what I want,” he growled.
And buried his fangs in her throat.
#
When Quinn returned to the house, he found Seleena sitting in her rocking chair, the cat on her lap. Freyja hissed at him but didn’t leave the room. He took that to mean the furry beast was finally getting used to him.
Refusing to meet Seleena’s eyes, Quinn dropped down on the sofa.
“Where have you been?” she asked.
He lifted one shoulder and let it fall. “Jus
t out.”
“You went hunting, didn’t you?”
He nodded, suddenly ashamed. And how stupid was that? He hadn’t wanted to be a vampire, but the deed was done and he had to endure the consequences of Serepta’s treachery as best he could. “I didn’t hurt anybody.”
“I know.”
Quinn frowned. “How could you know what I was doing?”
“Maybe it’s because you carry a little of my magic in that dragon.”
“Swell.” That was all he needed, someone able to monitor his every move 24/7. Could she read his thoughts, too? Probably not. Because if she had been able to read his thoughts when he was kissing her, she would have thrown him out on his ear. And bolted the door behind him.
He risked a glance in her direction.
She was watching him, one hand idly stroking Freyja’s head. The cat was watching him, too.
“At Tinnly’s, you said you thought Serepta wanted you to know she’s here,” he remarked, deciding to change the subject of where he’d been and what he’d been doing. “Why warn you?”
“I think she always planned to destroy her father and me, eventually. But we took her magic from her before Gryff….before Gryff did what he did. Like I said, she always planned ahead. I’m sure that’s why she imbued you with a part of her magic. And now she wants it back.”
“You don’t seem very worried about her coming after you.”
“I’ve been around a long time. Not much scares me anymore.” Except my feelings for you.
“Just how long have you been around?”
“A gentleman never asks a lady her age.”
“I’m a bounty hunter, remember? Not a gentleman.”
“Can’t you be both?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Pity.”
He grinned at her, his dark eyes filled with amusement. “Yeah? Why’s that?”
“I prefer gentlemen.”
“Really?” Rising, he crossed the distance between them and pulled her gently to her feet.
Freyja hissed irritably as she tumbled to the floor.
Muttering, “Damn cat,” he pulled Seleena into his arms. There was nothing gentle about his kiss. His mouth covered hers, his tongue demanding entrance.