Page 68 of Reclaiming Quinn

Chapter Eighteen

QUINN JOLTEDout of bed and screamed as pain ripped through him. As much as he’d been hurt by Ryker, this was infinitely worse. It was as though his soul was being shredded. He couldn’t stop crying out as wave after wave of agony washed over him.

The door burst open and Gareth rushed in, his gaze fixed on Quinn. He was followed by Sean, Lyram, and Rupert.

“Quinn, what’s wrong?” Gareth asked, crowding Sean back.

“It’s Deke.” Quinn wasn’t sure how he knew, but he did. “Someone is hurting him.”

Deke? Deke! Please, oh Goddess, please.

Quinn?The voice was weak, almost nonexistent.I love you. He said it would hurt, but I never expected that.

Someone had hurt Deke. Again.

What happened?

Zach. He’s…. He’s not human. Not his fault, I told him he had to. Ask Sean what he knows about the Vampyri.

Quinn sought Sean out and found him near the door, twisting his hands together as he stared at Gareth.

“Sean, what do you know about the Vampyri?”

Sean cocked his head. “The what? I’ve never heard of them.”

Sean has no idea what that means. Let me see.

Warmth filled Quinn as the images flowed into him. He saw and heard the conversation between Deke and Zach. Learned of what happened.

“They were the guardians of the Omegas,” Quinn finally said. “They were almost all killed when the Omegas were.”

Sean gasped. “Mother never mentioned them to me.”

The history of the Vampyri that Deke was told played through Quinn’s mind, and he put it to words so everyone in the room with him could hear. At the end, he saw the moment when Deke felt the intense pain. “He bit Deke!”

You let him bite you? How could you do something so foolish?

Because it’s going to help me get home to you. None of you can find us, and Zach swears he’s only a shell of what he used to be. And yeah, it hurt like a motherfucker, but I’d do it a thousand times if it meant I could look into your eyes again.

Quinn understood, because he felt the same.

Did it help?

I’m not sure. Zach’s gone a long time without feeding, and he’s weak. I might have to let him feed again.

No! Absolutely not. I felt that pain, and if it was even a small part of what you felt, the next time it could kill you.

There was silence for several long minutes. Sean kept talking, but Quinn ignored him.

Don’t hate me, Quinn. They’re going to sell these people into slavery—or worse—and that includes the little girl. I can’t let that happen.

So you’d die to protect someone you don’t even know?

Would you do any less? Would Sean? Would anyone you know not give everything to save someone in trouble?

But I just figured out you’re my mate.Quinn peered up at Sean and felt the trickle of the tears as they streamed down his cheeks. “Sean? He could die if he gets bit again.”

Sean shook his head. “I can’t help you on this one. All I can tell you is that Gareth could die at any moment when he’s dealing with rogue Alphas. It would tear my heart out, but at the end of the day, I would be proud of what he’s done to save our people.”