Page 75 of The Enemy to the Living
I can’t explain what I feel, mostly because I don’t understand it myself. Quinn has wormed his way under my skin and right here, right now, I don’t ever want to let him go.
“I serve the Hunt,” I say, an agreement, “but I won’t abandon you, Quinn. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I just did.”
“Asher—”
“Quinn.” I shuffle down the bed until our faces are level. He looks so serious, and I know that’s usually how I am, but I mean every word I’ve said to him—every word I’ve ever said to him, come to think of it. “Can you trust me? I’ll never abandon you. No matter what.”
He bites his lower lip, then shakes his head. “What if not abandoning me meant you’d get hurt?”
“Then I’ll be hurt.”
“Asher,” he says, still with that same hint of disbelief from before, but I care little for that when he presses a trembling hand to my cheek and kisses me. I fight the eagerness that makes my heart want to leap out of my chest, instead keeping things slow and gentle. Quinn groans into my mouth when I splay one hand over his back and my entire body shakes in response.
“Quinn,” I breathe when we part. The taste of him lingers on my tongue. “We should rest some more.”
It’s a weak out, but I don’t think taking things any further right now would be a good idea. Quinn’s lips twitch. He kisses me again, more of a brush of his lips against mine than anything else, and then settles in my arms.
“Like this?” he asks.
I wrap my arms around him and fight the urge to throw a leg over him too, see if I can keep him safe and whole next to me by tangling him up in my limbs. “Perfect, darling.”
He flushes like he did before and makes a pleased little sound. I close my eyes and breathe in the scent of him. For a second, it’s as though I’m entirely in sync with myself—like my wolf is merely out of sight, instead of well and truly gone.
I don’t say anything about it. The feeling swells and settles, and by the time Quinn’s breathing has evened out, I’m back to myself again.
I try to fall asleep again, but it’s difficult. My mind spins out a million different scenarios—I want to keep Quinn here, keep him with me, but I know the Huntsman will have his own opinions, and I need to be careful not to anger him because without his blessing, I’ll be gone.
At some point, I must drift off because I wake to the sound of my phone buzzing on the bedside table. Quinn is still in my arms, face pressed against my chest, and I smile and kiss the top of his head before I reach back and snatch up my phone.
Vlad. Of course. There’s a chance I could not answer and face no consequence, but perhaps not today.
“Vlad,” I murmur when I answer the call. Quinn sleeps on, but I don’t want to risk disturbing him, and I think climbing out of bed, letting him go, will do that.
“Asher,” Vlad replies. “The wolf is dead.”
I don’t flinch. Only just. Vlad is blunt as ever. “I know.”
“Very well. We will make moves to capture the twins tomorrow. Maurice identified some vampires last night who he would like to question before we take them.”
“Sounds good. Do you need anything from me before then?”
Vlad is silent for a moment. “Are you with the wolf, Asher?” He doesn’t sound all that surprised when he speaks, but I can hear the undertone in his voice.
My hackles rise. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”
“Quinn. Are you with Quinn?”
He’s worked out then that Quinn means something to me. Of course he saw him the first night we went in, same as I did. I can’t even be certain that Vlad didn’t notice him last night. There’s a good chance he’s far better with his blessing than I know.
“What if I am?”
“Just…” Vlad sighs heavily. Wherever he is, I doubt Grant is too close. I’d be able to hear him right now. I’m sure he has opinions about all this. “Be careful. Please. He is far too entangled in all this.”
I’m going to get him out of it, I don’t say. Mostly because it’s not true. Quinn’s going to get himself out of this, and I’ll be there for him through it.
