Quinn's Quest: Legacy, Book 4 (22 page)

In the close confines of the van it was impossible not to smell her musky, seductive scent. Where she’d only had time for a quick wash she stilled smelled like sex, like him.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. “Everything is okay.” The words were meaningless but he had to say something.

She shook her head and didn’t speak. None of them did. A deep sense of failure settled over the group. When they finally parked in the alley behind Haven, Quinn was more than ready for some time alone. But it wasn’t to be. Not yet.

They trooped into the large kitchen. Teague went straight to work putting on a pot of coffee while Neema pulled out several large skillets. The last thing Quinn wanted was breakfast, but maybe Bethany was hungry. He worried about her. She was still too thin from her ordeal.

He swallowed hard as thoughts of his sister threatened to choke him. What about Chrissten? Was she hungry? Scared? Had she given up hope? So many questions without answers.

Isaiah and Meredith faced the group. Anger radiated from the alpha male. Was he angry about Quinn shifting in public? Too bad if he was. If they wanted him to leave, he would. And he’d take Craig and Bethany with him.

That is if she’d even go with him. So far, she hadn’t so much as looked at him. But why would she? He’d failed his sister again and put Bethany in danger. Some mate he was.

Frustration ate at him as fury fueled him.

“We obviously missed them by minutes. Did you recognize either wolf?” The question was fired at Bethany. Quinn bristled at Isaiah’s tone and moved to stand behind his mate, resting his hands on her shoulders for support.

He was surprised when she nodded. “Yes. The larger one. The one Quinn fought with. That’s Brian.”

His fingers tightened, digging into Bethany’s shoulders until he felt her flinch. He rubbed the abused skin in mute apology. Brian. He didn’t doubt the bastard has raped his sister. He knew Bethany thought so too even though Chrissten had never confirmed it to her. The fact that his sister could shift into her wolf was confirmation enough that some wolf had taken her. And since Brian was the doctor’s assistant it stood to reason he was the bastard who’d done it. He wished he’d been able to kill him when he’d had the chance.

“I don’t think the other male will make it.” Teague was busy breaking eggs into a large bowl. For a guy who looked more like a gang member, the half-breed was a whiz in the kitchen. Already he had several skillets filled with bacon and onions. “I shot him at least three times with those silver bullets. Once in the chest. And Quinn had already hit him.”

“Good.” Isaiah nodded. “Anyone else have anything helpful to add?”

“I do.” Quinn turned to his brother. “I got a partial plate on a white van that left the area in a hurry. Don’t know if it’s related to our search, but it couldn’t hurt to look.” He rattled off what he had and Craig nodded.

“If no one needs me, I’m off to run this.” When Isaiah inclined his head, Craig took off for the office.

“The rest of us need to shower and get some rest.” Meredith was in full mothering mode as she shooed them toward the door. “Come down and get something to eat before you settle down to sleep.

She paused beside Quinn. “Don’t worry. We’ll find her. Damek will be back on the hunt at nightfall.” Meredith patted his arm and then hugged Bethany. “If you need me I’ll be in my apartment,” she told the younger woman.

Bethany nodded her thanks, clinging to Meredith a few seconds longer before releasing her. “I’m going upstairs now.” Bethany made her announcement to the room at large. She glanced his way and he could see the indecision written on her face. She didn’t ask him to go with her when she left.

He watched her go, feeling the condemnation of all the other males in the room. Isaiah stood, arms crossed over his chest. “That’s a good female. A male would have to be crazy not to cherish her as she deserves.”

He bristled at the criticism even though he knew Isaiah was right. But he was trying to do what was right for her. Wasn’t he? But he was also being a jerk. They’d just mated and hadn’t even had time to talk about it before they’d run out of here to search for his sister. Bethany needed him, if only to talk. And God help him, he wanted to be there for her.

“There are other males who’d be more than happy to cherish her,” Michael added.

Quinn growled at the male. “Until she decides otherwise, Bethany is mine.” With that parting shot, he headed upstairs. He couldn’t stay away from her any longer. They had to talk.

Hot tears flowed down Chrissten’s cheeks. Normally she didn’t allow herself to cry. It was a weakness she couldn’t afford. If she gave in to despair she might never find her way out of it again.

Brian had come rushing into her cell, subduing and drugging her easily. They were feeding her less and less these days and the doctor seemed to be drawing more blood for his experiments. As a result, she was getting weaker and more lethargic.

There were other wolves coming their way. Hope had leapt wildly in her chest and she’d struggled in Brian’s arms, but with the drug already working in her veins she hadn’t been able to do much. Dr. Morton had ordered Brian to take her straight to the van. She had a vague memory of cool air brushing across her face like a lover’s caress and then darkness had closed in around her. She’d scented several wolves, including her beloved twin brother. Quinn had been so close.

He hadn’t found her in time.

Beyond her new prison she could hear Brian yelling at Dr. Morton, ordering him to save his friend, his pack mate. Chrissten had always been aware there was at least one other male wolf involved with the doctor, possibly more. This only confirmed it.

She strained to hear their conversation.

“I don’t think I can do anything. Those bullets are coated in silver. The poison is already going through his system. The one in his chest is the worst. The poison is too close to his heart. I’ll remove them but that’s all I can do.” She could hear metal against metal as the doctor set up his instruments.

“Just do it.” Something smashed against a wall and she knew Brian had thrown some object.

“It’s his own fault for attacking the other pack. You should have just left them.”

A tinkle of metal on metal and she knew one of the bullets had been removed.

“Bethany was there.”

“Ah, then I commend your forward thinking action. It would have been a coup to reacquire her.” Another clink. Another bullet. “We’ll have to stay in the city long enough to try again. Half-breed females aren’t exactly plentiful and she’s young and healthy.”

Chrissten huddled closer to the slit in the door and peeked out. She couldn’t see anything but a thin line of light. But it made hearing them easier.

“Fucking bastard attacked me. I got a swipe in but we had to make a break for it before I had the chance to kill him.”

Relief flooded Chrissten. Quinn was all right. The rest of her family was safe. That was the best she could hope for.

She was so cold. She moved away from the door, careful not to make any noise to draw attention her way. She curled up in a ball on the floor with her back to the wall. She inhaled, trying to remember her brother’s scent. It was so long since she’d seen him, hugged him. They’d always been close. The best of friends.

Another scent kept intruding. This one was darker somehow. Chrissten licked her lips, wondering who it belonged to. It made her stomach flutter and her heart ache.

She closed her eyes and tried to remember it exactly as she’d smelled it. Maybe it was something she’d dreamed. She couldn’t have scented anyone other than the doctor and Brian. There was no one else here.

Footsteps hard against the concrete floor interrupted her. Before she could sit up, the door was flung open and Brian stood there, fury in every line of his body.

“Time for you to make yourself useful, mate.”

Chrissten gathered her meager strength to fight. One more time.

Hank paced the floor of his room. It was impossible for him to relax. They’d been so close. He glanced at the two blankets folded at the bottom of his bed. A slightly dirty pillow sat next to it.

Unable to stop himself, he went to them. He picked up one of the blankets first and inhaled deeply. Her scent was fresh and he could almost feel her warmth.

Chrissten. She smelled like a fresh summer day. Like promises in the dark of the night. It was overlaid with a much deeper, musky scent. Male.

Hank growled and dropped the blanket, picking up the pillow instead. Her scent was fainter here but it wasn’t tainted by the male’s smell.

He knew she’d been a captive for more than a year. Knew she’d been taken against her will, mated to a male not of her choosing.

That didn’t set well with him. Especially since he wanted her for himself.

He breathed in her lovely scent once more and then carefully placed the pillow back in its place.

He’d find her if it was the last thing he ever did. And then he’d kill the bastard that had taken her.

Chapter Twelve

Bethany stood in the shower, letting the hot water flow over her. Her skin was still sensitive and each droplet felt like a hot stroke, making her nerve endings tingle. The water also hid the tears that rolled down her cheeks. They hadn’t found Chrissten and the attempt had almost cost Quinn his life. If the other werewolf hadn’t backed off Quinn could have been seriously hurt or killed. They were half-breeds, not purebloods.

The violence of the fight between the two wolves had shaken her to her core. It had been brutal and efficient, each trying to kill the other. This was no game, but a deadly battle where both strived to be the only one standing at the end, the undisputed victor. She shivered and rubbed her hands over her arms.

Was this what she had to look forward to for the rest of her life? Would she always be looking over her shoulder to see if some creature or mad scientist or bounty hunter was after her?

She raised her face to the spray and let it wash away her tears. At least she was safe and alive. That was more than Chrissten had.

A draft wafted over her skin and she felt someone step into the shower behind her.
Quinn
. She knew he’d seek her out, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him yet.

It was hard to act nonchalant and adult about their relationship. When he’d been attacked she’d realized just how much she loved him. She could handle the less than pleasant aspects of her new life if she had Quinn beside her.

But he was apparently only temporary. Once this was over they’d probably both go their opposite ways. After all, he’d mated her to help her and because he wanted her, not because he loved her.

Large hands rested on her shoulders. “How are you doing?”

That should be her line. “I’m fine. You?”

“Yeah.”

How stilted the conversation was between them. She didn’t like it but didn’t know how to change it. She turned to face him and her attention immediately went to his arm. She knew he’d been hurt, but she hadn’t seen how badly since he’d wrapped his shirt around the wound on the ride home.

But he was naked now and it was easy to see the six-inch gash on his upper arm. The ends had already begun to knit together thanks to the fast-healing genes of his werewolf heritage, but it still looked red and inflamed.

“Oh, Quinn.” She reached for his arm and maneuvered it so the hot spray hit it, cleansing away the dried blood.

“It’s really okay, Bethany. Just a scratch.”

“This time,” she countered.

He sighed and grabbed the cake of soap out of the dish and began to wash. “What would you have me do? Give up the search for my sister? Run instead of fight?”

She shook her head. “No.” Running away wasn’t in his nature. He’d keep searching for Chrissten no matter how long it took to find her. That was one of the things she loved about him. To those he loved, Quinn was loyal to the bone.

He soaped his chest and under his arms. Bubbles combined with water and the mixture ran down his abs, groin and legs.

Heat rushed through Bethany with the speed of an avalanche. The feeling was sudden and all consuming. She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning.

Quinn jerked his head toward her and his shaft stirred. He slowly rubbed the soap between his hands, getting them nice and lathered before he dumped the wet bar back into the dish. He moved closer to her, his cock brushed against her belly.

They really needed to talk. Now wasn’t the time for this, but she didn’t care. They’d been interrupted before and there’d been no time for tenderness after their mating. She wanted that now. Craved it with every fiber of her being.

Quinn didn’t disappoint.

He started at her neck and rubbed his soapy hands over her skin. His touch was so gentle and light. Barely there. But she felt it throughout her entire body.

He traced her collarbone and then went lower. Her breasts ached for his touch, nipples puckering. He cupped the mounds in his hands, rubbing his slick thumbs over the hard nubs.

Her breathing increased in speed with each passing second. The scent of lavender from the soap permeated the air and combined with the water vapor surrounding them to create a steamy paradise. Bethany inhaled deeply, drinking in the intoxicating scent of flower and male combined.

His hands slid down her torso and she groaned when his fingers grazed her hips and his hands palmed her ass, squeezing the firm globes.

“You are so damn sweet,” he muttered. He went down on his knees in front of her and Bethany forgot to breathe when Quinn parted her slick folds with his fingers and stared at her pussy. “So sweet.”

He leaned inward and lapped at the swollen lips. She slapped her hands against the cool, damp tiles, needing the extra support as her knees went weak. Quinn continued his languid exploration, seemingly in no hurry at all.

His tongue glided over and around her, tracing every crevice, every cranny. But he avoided the spot where she wanted his touch the most. “Quinn.” She could hear the need in her voice, the demand.

He nuzzled her pubic hair and breathed deep. “I want this to last.”