“There’s a vampire. His name is Keegan. He’s powerful, and wherever he is, his henchmen aren’t far behind. He wants Blake harmed.”
Quinn narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
She pulled in a breath. “Because he wants to hurt me.”
“What did you do to him?”
“Nothing!”
He crossed the distance that separated them with two steps, bringing him flush to her. The heat from her body was pure torture as was the intensifying scent.
“Bullshit! He must have a reason, so spit it out, Rose. What did you do?” And he wouldn’t take any crap for an answer.
Her eyes shifted to the side. “I left him.”
Her answer came as a surprise. It instantly sent bolts of rage through him. How many men had there been? How many men had touched her after him? Had run their dirty hands over her perfect body? Had been inside her?
Disgust spread in his gut, mingled with the rage that boiled there, and mixed with the hatred that had started building. For seconds he couldn’t speak, his fangs itching so badly, he couldn’t prevent them from descending. He saw the red flicker of his eyes reflect in hers, and realized that he was quickly losing control.
“He’s evil. I didn’t see it at first,” she continued quickly as if wanting to drown out the unbearable silence. “He didn’t want me to leave him. Nobody leaves Keegan. His ego is hurt. He wants to take it out on me by hurting Blake.”
But the more she explained, the clearer one thing became.
He could see it now: the way her eyes drifted away, how her voice trembled almost unnoticeably, how the vein at her neck twitched. Even her scent changed, her glands emitting more of her clean sweat. She was nervous. Not because of Keegan, but because she was dishing him up a lie and was hoping not to be caught in it.
“You’re lying to me.”
“No!” she protested. “I left Keegan.”
“So you did. But that’s not why he wants to hurt Blake.” Quinn paused briefly, pinning her with his eyes. “Not even you are that good in bed.”
The barb hurt him more than it seemed to hurt her.
“Think what you want. The fact is that Keegan is bent on revenge. I need you to help me protect Blake.”
He would get the truth out of her, one way or another. Maybe not tonight, but if anything, he was patient.
“Fine. Stick to your lie. What does he want to do to Blake? Kill him?”
Rose shook her locks, squeezing her eyes shut. “He wants to turn him.” When she opened her eyes again, anguish had settled there. “I can’t allow that.”
Realization spread quickly, making him take a step back.
“You hate being a vampire.”
She glared at him, not masking her feelings. “What’s there not to hate?”
In disbelief, he shook his head. How could she have lived as one of their kind for such a long time and not seen the advantages, the benefits of such a life? How could she still hate it?
“It wasn’t your choice, was it?” She’d been forced into this life.
“It doesn’t matter now. What matters is Blake. Are you going to help me or not?”
The wounded look she tossed him was enough to slice his heart in half. Without thinking he nodded.
“Under one condition: you tell me how you got turned.”
He could see the wheels spin in her head. Was she trying to construct another lie she could serve him up?
“Once Blake is out of danger.”
“Why not now?” Quinn pressed. Why could she not tell him what had happened?
“Because you’re not ready to hear it.”
“Try me.”
She shook her head, her lips turning into a hard line. “When Blake is safe, I’ll tell you what happened.”
He observed how her chest heaved with each breath she took. The knowledge that she was hiding something, something he felt instinctively, concerned him, gnawed at him. But he also knew that she wouldn’t cave. Not yet anyway.
“Fine. Have it your way. But the moment he’s safe, I’ll demand to know.”
She acknowledged his statement with a nod. “Good. Now let’s talk about how we can protect him.”
Quinn raised his hand. “Hold it. We’re not done negotiating.”
Her surprised look could have been droll, had he had any sense of humor. As it was, he was all out of humor, and no supply truck was on its way to deliver more. But what he had in abundance was anger. And he would unleash it on her.
If she thought she could just waltz back into his life without any explanation, without any remorse for the pain she’d caused him, he’d make her pay in his own way.