Authors: Linda Lamberson
“‘Death Dealers?’” I didn’t like the sound of them.
“Lowly scavenger demons that specialize strictly in contract kills of both mortals and immortals. Do not ever cross them. Death Dealers may not be a powerful clan of demons politically, but they are notorious for their ruthless efficacy. And they are relentless—they will search to the ends of the world and beyond to find their target. I warned Tartuf not to deal with them, but did he listen? No. He was so engrossed with learning their ways he threw caution and logic into the wind.” She sighed. “And look where he is now—a Shepherd forced into hiding.”
“Why does he have to hide? Isn’t the Archives the perfect safe haven?”
“Our home is not impenetrable. Look at Quinn—he was able to come here on your coattails, even if it was by mistake,” Tara replied. “Tartuf wants to make sure we all stay safe by not bringing his troubles to our back door.”
“Oh. So how long does he plan on staying away?” I asked.
“For as long as it takes to figure out how to make these demons forget about him.”
“But I thought you just said they never give up.”
“Exactly.” She shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid our colleague has quite a long, lonely road ahead of him. Nevertheless, his fascination with demon conversion, of the Servant variety in particular, should make it all too tempting to deny himself the opportunity to meet with you.
“In the meantime,” she added, “I would try to find the Augur you seem to have befriended. He may have some more information for you.”
“What if I can’t find Ronald?”
“Something tells me he is just as interested in finding you as you are him.”
“Even if that were the case, he’s not exactly what I’d call forthcoming about things.”
“Perhaps this time your efforts will be rewarded.” Tara sounded optimistic, but her frown gave away her concern.
“Eve, I urge you to be extremely careful. Do not let your guard down for any reason while on Earth. And please feel free to reach out to me. Due to the grave nature of this assignment, I’m making myself personally available to you. You may consult with me whenever you wish.”
“Oh, thanks,” I replied, pleasantly surprised. I hadn’t exactly been a model Shepherd, and Tara had never shied away from lecturing me on my shortcomings. That said, she’d also shown me glimpses of compassion, although nowhere near the level of compassion she was showing me now. And seeing that Peter was no longer someone I could count on, it was comforting to think she might actually be in my corner. It made me feel like I wasn’t totally alone in all of this.
“Well, you’d best go and find Quinn,” Tara suggested.
I nodded, and butterflies immediately began to stir in my stomach.
“Don’t worry, my dear. I have a feeling he will be very glad to see you.” She smiled as she took my left hand in hers, stroking my ring finger and flashing me a knowing look.
Crap, so she’d known all along
. I turned away, feeling the heat race up my neck and into my cheeks as her words echoed in my mind.
“Wait,” I looked back at her. “He’ll be glad to
see
me? So you’re saying Quinn can know I’ve returned? We can talk? We can … be together?”
“Based on the gravity of recent events and those to come, the Augur recommended it would be most prudent for Quinn and you to work side by side. It’s the quickest way for your souls to bond completely and for you two to realize your greatest potential. Hopefully, you can use any newfound strength and abilities you develop to find a way to stop the Servants before they find a way to get to either of you.
“Besides,” Tara added with a smirk, “it seems quite apparent to me Quinn would discover your return sooner rather than later anyway.”
A smile escaped my lips. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear Quinn and I can work together because I’m seriously going to need him on this one.” Quinn and I were going to have to be on the same page of the game plan—for both our sakes.
“One warning,” Tara began, “there are those among us who neither understand nor agree with my decision to let you pursue your relationship with Quinn, but I have to believe their lack of enthusiasm is due only to their ignorance of what is at stake. Nevertheless, you will still be held to the highest standards in terms of obeying all other Rules within the confines of this ‘relationship’ caveat, so I recommend you use the utmost discretion when it comes to some of the more
friendly
aspects of your involvement.” Tara winked, and I immediately felt my cheeks flush.
“And you will be expected to protect our anonymity from the rest of the mortal world as well. That also means you must refrain from allowing people you once knew, even casually, to see you.”
“I understand,” I said with a nod. Before I could say anything else, she took me by the hand and teleported us back to the Archives.
I turned towards Tara. “Thank you—for everything.”
“Good luck, Eve.” She nodded her head and then disappeared.
“Interesting conversation?” Peter asked, examining my flushed cheeks.
“You could say that,” I replied vaguely.
“Yes, well.” Peter cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you how you are feeling—in terms of your healing, that is.”
“My back feels great—one hundred percent. But the scars are still there, and they haven’t changed in appearance since the salve was applied … Thank you by the way,” I added awkwardly, “for going out and finding the ingredients needed to heal me.”
“It was the least I could do. I’m just sorry you had to experience that torment at all.” I saw a pained expression flash across Peter’s face before the well-practiced mask of composure reappeared.
“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s not like what happened to me was your fault,” I replied, doing my best to hide any signs of suspicion.
“Yes, well,” he said, clearing his throat again. “As your mentor and
friend
, it’s my job to worry about you—to protect you. And I cannot help but feel as though I failed you on both fronts the day of the attack.”
“At the end of the day, what matters is that Dylan and you stopped the Third Incident and saved Quinn and me from the Servants.”
Peter nodded, casting his glance to the side, which I took to be a sign that he was hiding something from me.
“Speaking of which, do you know what they plan to do to Quinn?”
Peter nodded.
“Do you think they have a chance of succeeding?”
“I suppose that all depends on how determined they are to convert him.”
“Just how determined are they?”
“Some would say very.”
“And what do you say?”
“It’s difficult to ignore the mounting evidence gathered by our sources.” His calm voice and demeanor gave nothing away.
“Did you also hear the rumor that the Order plans to take matters into their own hands if I can’t stop the Servants from converting Quinn?”
“Yes, I have heard something along those lines.” Peter’s unwaveringly calm disposition led me to throw out another question, one that hit a little closer to home, and gauge his reaction.
“What do you think that means? Do you think the Order intends to intervene at the last minute? You know, maybe end Quinn’s life and make him one of us rather than risk him being converted into a Servant?”
“No.” Peter’s eyes flickered momentarily, but his expression was otherwise unruffled. “I’m afraid it’s not possible for Mr. Harrison to become one of us under the scenario you just described.”
“And why is that?” I demanded.
“Do you remember the eligibility requirements for becoming a Shepherd?”
“Yes, you mentioned them during my transition to immortality.”
“Under the circumstances you just described, Mr. Harrison misses one of them.”
“Which one?”
“Being targeted by the Servants—”
“Which he is,” I interrupted.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Peter admonished. “Being targeted by the Servants
is not enough—
a human must be killed by one.”
How many times could I feel like the breath had been knocked from my body today?
“So if Quinn is killed by the Order, then that particular requirement isn’t met.” I heard the words leave my mouth, but I still couldn’t believe I was saying them.
“Correct,” Peter said dispassionately, revealing he’d never want Quinn to become one of us.
“Well, the clock is ticking,” I noted, trying my best not to sound affected by his callous attitude towards Quinn. “I’d better go.”
“You may have trouble finding him. Mr. Harrison has had a habit of falling off the grid lately.”
Concerned, I turned to give Peter my full attention. “What do you mean?”
“There are times when he simply vanishes and falls off our radar. One minute, he is there, and the next, gone. He can disappear for days at a time, only to mysteriously reappear out of the blue. His Watcher has had quite an ordeal trying to keep track of him.” Peter paused and looked at me intently with one raised brow. “You wouldn’t happen to have any idea as to why or how this was happening, would you?” His tone sounded more accusatory than inquisitive.
“How would I?” I replied defensively. “Up until a few minutes ago I was grounded, remember? No contact with anyone on Earth. I haven’t seen or heard from him for two
Mora
months.” My mind raced to come up with some explanation of Quinn’s strange disappearances. “Maybe it’s the Servants. If they took Quinn down into their realm, then we wouldn’t be able to track him, right?”
“True.” Peter considered my response for a moment. “But it’s highly unlikely they’re involved. Why would Servants kidnap Mr. Harrison and return him days later, only to repeat the process all over again? Besides, his Watcher would have detected the presence of any Servants in his vicinity, and she has yet to report any demon activity.”
She?
A pang of jealously streaked through me as I began imagining what Quinn’s Watcher might look like. With my luck, she’d be the female equivalent of Dylan.
“
Jealousy does not become you, Eve,”
Peter noted telepathically.
“She may be beautiful, but I promise she does not hold a candle to you.”
Crap.
I cringed, realizing Peter, along with everyone else up here, had probably been able to hear my every passing thought for the last few minutes. I refocused and blocked out any further unwelcome eavesdropping.
“Then,” I began, “I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe the Servants found a way to mess with how we track him.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, an annoying little itch began to scratch at the back of my mind.
Or maybe Dylan was taking Quinn to portals
, I thought to myself.
Maybe that’s why Quinn kept disappearing.
I pushed the notion to the back of my mind. There was no way Dylan would be so stupid as to risk blowing the existence of portals wide open just to take Quinn on a few joyrides. Then again, this was the dynamic duo—the same pair that jumped at the chance to teleport to a crowded Manhattan nightclub and then to a penthouse in the sky without thinking twice about the potential repercussions. It’d be just like them to throw all caution to the wind to have a little fun.
Boys!
I huffed in annoyance in my head as I frantically reinforced the mental blockade around my mind. Peter was eyeing me too suspiciously to have figured out my secret—but he was trying to, no doubt about it.
“Well,” I said, trying to hide my frustration. “I should go find Quinn.”
“Maybe I should go with you,” Peter quickly offered. “I could help you locate him.”
“Thanks for the offer,” I replied calmly, forcing a smile. “But I’m sure his heartbeat will lead me right to him.”
“Yes, I’m sure it will.” Peter looked at the painted ceiling and began to say something, but then he stopped. He sighed and looked at me with deep concern in his eyes. “Eve, please be careful down there. Which, for you, means try to keep out of trouble for at least a few days, all right?” He flashed me a crooked grin. “I’ll be here if you need me, watching and waiting for you to see your assignment through safely once and for all.”
I nodded as he phased out of view.
Unsure if anyone, or
anything,
was following me, I strategically planned my search route, beginning in the town where I last saw Quinn—Bloomington, Indiana. I stopped at his apartment, but I didn’t recognize the posters now tacked to Quinn’s bedroom walls or any of the clothes hanging in his closet. It appeared Adam had a new roommate.
Most likely, Quinn had been accepted into the overseas program next fall and moved back to his parents’ house for the summer. I listened for his pulse and tried to feel it beating away in my chest, but there was only emptiness. I looked at my watch. Nothing was registering on the Incident Timer. I sighed heavily. It was eleven forty-two on the morning of June sixteenth. I’d been gone for sixty-three days on Earth.
His parents’ house in the suburbs of Chicago was next on my go-to list. I saw half-unpacked boxes in Quinn’s bedroom, but there were no other signs of him recently having been there either. His truck wasn’t in the driveway. Nor was the duffel bag he always took with him when he traveled. His laptop was missing too. And I still couldn’t feel his heartbeat.
Assuming my theory about Dylan was correct, my next stop would be to the one place I knew would erase all trace of Quinn. The Falls.
Dylan, what kind of trouble have you and Quinn been causing lately?
Still worried about being trailed, I bounced around several different locations on Earth before teleporting myself to “our” portal. Sure enough, Quinn was there, sitting with his back towards me at the water’s edge, gazing at the cascading waterfall. He was only wearing board shorts, and his sun-kissed skin looked so tempting that I wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him.
I quickly scanned the portal and smiled to myself as my mind flooded with memories. Without ever realizing it, I’d mentally catalogued each and every moment Quinn and I had been here together. We’d made love here. We’d fought here. We’d pledged our souls to each other here. And it was here that we’d prepared to battle the Servants and save Quinn’s life—those were the last moments Quinn and I had shared in the Falls together, and it was the last time I’d set foot in this portal. Clearly, the same could not be said of Quinn.
I phased into view several yards behind him, and my soul practically leapt out of my body the instant I felt his heart beating in my chest. It was like finally coming home after being gone for far too long. And if I felt this way after being away from Quinn for only a couple of days in my realm, I couldn’t even imagine how my absence had made Quinn feel. For him, it’d been two months since we’d last seen each other. Guilt surged through me even though we both knew I had no choice in leaving him. But I was here now. Against all odds, we’d found our way back to each other—just like Quinn had said we would. He’d been right all along. Then again, he was the one who always had more faith in our future together.
I stood there and took Quinn in, feeling completely captivated by him—but it wasn’t enough. I needed to be closer to him. He sat as still as a statue, making me wonder if my mind was playing tricks on me. I took a step forward but suddenly stopped myself out of some irrational fear he might not actually be here with me. What if this was all just a fantasy—a beautiful mirage that was really nothing more than desert sand? I inhaled and held my breath as I studied him for a moment longer, waiting for him to move, for any sign of life to prove he was real.
As if on cue, Quinn turned around and grinned at me. The look in his eyes said it all—he’d been expecting me. He looked different, older somehow. Maybe it was because he hadn’t shaved for days. Or maybe he’d suffered his own war wounds, wounds that cut deeper than the ones that now would forever mar my skin, that somehow made him seem more mature.
“Hey, stranger.” His calm, deep voice was like music to my ears. His sapphire blue eyes bore into mine with such intensity that a restless, exhilarating feeling washed over me, leaving goose bumps on my skin.
I exhaled slowly. “Hey there,” I said with a quick little smile.
Quinn flashed his radiant smile, the one that always took my breath away. He was the picture of tranquility, and I—well, let’s just say that I wasn’t.
Get a grip, Evie.
I took another deep breath and tried to relax.
“So I’m gone for a couple of months and you decide to let yourself go,” I teased, trying to mask my nerves.
Quinn chuckled and stroked his stubble. “Yeah, well, there hasn’t been any reason to look my best lately.” He stood up and slowly walked towards me, closing the distance between us.
“So, no one worth impressing, huh?” I heard my voice catch as I felt his heart pound louder in my chest.
“Not until now.” I could feel him undressing me with his eyes.
“So,” I swallowed hard. “Dylan’s been bringing you up here,” I half-asked, half-stated.
Quinn just smiled again, never breaking his stride.
“I should’ve known he’d do something like this without telling me.”
Quinn shrugged. “I wanted to come,” he offered nonchalantly, as if traveling to a time portal was the most natural, normal thing to do.
“Where is he now?” I asked, not seeing Dylan anywhere.
“Looking for you. Word is that you got a new assignment—some jackass that managed to piss off a few demons.” Quinn winked.
I grinned, feeling more relaxed with each passing second. “Yeah, well, according to his file, he can be a real pain in the ass too.”
“Oh, really. So what else does his file say?” His eyes were twinkling mischievously.
“That he’s stubborn as all hell and takes
way
too many unnecessary risks.” Wanting to be closer to Quinn, I made my way towards him. “And what’s worse, rumor has it that he got involved with his last Shepherd.” Fighting the urge to smile, I forced myself to frown and slowly shook my head to mimic disapproval, never once taking my eyes off his. “Not good.”
“No, not good at all,” he replied playfully. Now inches from his body, I could feel the energy vibrating uncontrollably between us. His familiar scent, a mix of citrus and mint, wrapped itself around me like a blanket, making my fingers and toes feel warm and tingly.
“So, when is Dylan supposed to come back?” I asked, unaware that I was licking my lips until he was staring hungrily at my mouth, copying me.
“Not for a while if he knows what’s good for him.” Quinn reached out and slowly pulled me into him. I could feel his warm breath on my face, making my skin feel like it was on fire. My entire body began to stir. I couldn’t remember ever feeling more alive. I’d never felt this way with anyone before, and I knew I’d never feel this way with anyone else. His eyes were as dark as night, and if the desire in my light green eyes didn’t rival his own, then my reaction to his touch let him know how much I wanted him.
His eyes seemed to tell me something else, too, more than the desire he felt for me. I saw within them just how much he loved me and how much he’d missed me.
“Something amusing you?” he asked, flashing me a curious look as I bit my bottom lip, trying not to grin.
“It’s just—” I began. “It’s nothing.”
“Evie,” he sighed, his eyes still focused on mine. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being with you it’s that every time you say ‘It’s nothing,’ it’s time for me to start worrying.”
I chuckled. “Well, you don’t have to worry about this ‘It’s nothing.’”
Quinn looked unconvinced.
“Fine,” I huffed. “It’s just—I don’t know. It seems like there’s something a little different
about you.”
“‘Different’?”
“Yeah.” I grinned. “Not
bad
different, just …
different
.” With our eyes still locked, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him softly, allowing my lips to linger lightly on his for a moment before pulling back, but Quinn wasn’t about to let me go.
“Hopefully, not
that
different.” He drew me back into him and kissed me passionately. My lips blazed as they made contact with his, and I threw my arms around his neck and returned his kiss with equal intensity.
“Not really that different at all,” I whispered against his lips. My hands ran down the length of his back to his waist, and as I pulled his hips into me, I kissed him again. His muscles reacted to my every caress, my every move, and I couldn’t help but groan softly as I remembered all the times I’d evoked this reaction from his body. I was driving myself insane with need, and I knew I was going to lose control soon.
“Quinn,” I begged in between kisses as I ran my fingers across the small of his back and slipped them beneath the waistband of his shorts. Knowing what I wanted, what he wanted, he kissed me more urgently and ran his hands down my sides to the waistband of my jeans.
“Hold up,” he murmured, pulling away from my kiss. He gently grabbed my hands and took a step back from me. My body automatically leaned towards his, protesting the distance he put between us. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Now?” I whined.
“Yes, now,” he replied, smiling. He was enjoying teasing me. “In fact, there couldn’t be a more perfect time.”
“Oh really?” Frustrated, I cocked an eyebrow, wondering what he had planned.
Quinn nodded and began walking backwards, tugging me along with him, stopping to the right of the waterfall behind a tall, thick hedge to the opening of a cave I’d never noticed before.
“When did you find this?” I asked in surprise.
“Actually, Dylan found it. Can you believe it? All the time we spent up here, and we never knew this existed.”
“Well, exploring this portal was never exactly a big priority for us.” I winked as I caressed his bare chest with my fingers, moving down to his stomach.
“Yeah, we were too busy exploring each other.” He grinned wickedly.
“That was pretty cheesy—even for you.” I chuckled and shook my head.
Quinn just laughed, but he caught me off guard by grabbing my hands before they wandered any farther south.
I shot him a look that said: “Really? You actually want to wait?”
“Wait until you see it from the inside,” he noted enthusiastically.
“Can’t we explore it
later
?”
He shook his head.
I guess you do want to wait.
I frowned. “I hate delayed gratification,” I harrumphed under my breath, but still loud enough for Quinn to hear me, making him chuckle again.
“C’mon, this place is pretty cool. It’s big—and
very
private.” He winked and led me deeper inside the cavern. With each step, the daylight grew dimmer, and I noticed flickering lights casting shadows against the back of the cave. When we rounded the corner, I discovered lit candles of all shapes and sizes everywhere, illuminating the mineral-rich walls and making the air warm and balmy.
“When? … How?” My words came stumbling out of my mouth.
Quinn smiled. “I guess you could say I’ve had some time on my hands to prepare for your arrival.”
“It’s amazing,” I said in awe. In the center of the large, cavernous room was Quinn’s bed from his apartment in Bloomington. “How did you get that up here?”
“Dylan. He suggested I bring it up here … for when you came back.” Quinn smirked.
“That was rather optimistic of him.”
“He didn’t seem to think so.” Quinn shrugged. “Dylan told me things were happening pretty quickly up there.”
“He did, huh? And just how did he know that?” If Dylan had some inside information, he never told me.
“He didn’t say, and I knew better than to ask.”
I nodded once to let him know I understood and then explored the rock-enclosed haven, running my fingers along the traces of quartz and other minerals embedded in the cavern walls, which sparkled in the candlelight. There were a few well-read paperbacks, some magazines, and a couple of folded-up maps stacked next to the bed along with a spelunking headlamp. Quinn’s trusty old duffel bag, which was crammed with balled-up clothes, was on the ground nearby.
“So, this is where you’ve been coming while I’ve been away?”
“Sometimes.” He shrugged again. “I like to come up here whenever I want to get away for a couple of days. Dylan’s taken me to a few other places, too.”
“Yeah, I bet.” My mind instantly pictured the Manhattan penthouse.
Ugh.
“Some
new
places,” Quinn quickly added, realizing where my thoughts had wandered, “which I will tell you all about
later
.” He led me to the side of the bed and then cupped my face with both of his hands and stared into my eyes. Even though I’d kissed him a thousand times before, even though I’d just kissed him moments ago, the nervous, exhilarating anticipation of a first kiss welled up inside me.
“I missed you,” Quinn said softly.
“I missed you, too.” I wanted to tell him that his eyes were unwittingly revealing the depth of his feelings for me, but I wanted him so badly I couldn’t find the words.
“I never doubted you would come back to me,” he whispered, caressing my hair. “Not for a second.”
“All I wanted was to be with you.” Before I could utter another word, he kissed me. I closed my eyes and reveled in the tingling sensation that swept through me, drinking in every moment. I opened my eyes and looked back into his. “I love you.”
“And I love you.” Quinn kissed my cheek, my jaw, making his way down to the nape of my neck.
My soul radiated with joy and pleasure just being in his arms. My mind buzzed happily, knowing he never gave up on us. And my body was being consumed by my need for him as his lips grazed my skin. I could no longer contain what I was feeling—of what I so desperately wanted
to feel. I wanted to feel his skin against mine, his hands on my body, his mouth on mine. I couldn’t deny myself for another second. I pulled my t-shirt up over my head and dropped it, knowing it would disappear before ever reaching the ground. I pressed my bare chest up against his and kissed him even more urgently. I could feel his heart beating through his chest, I could feel its rhythm inside my own, but we still weren’t close enough. It was like my body yearned for his touch, craved it. I needed more of him—
all
of him.
I worked feverishly to remove Quinn’s shorts while his fingers raced to remove my jeans. As soon as I felt his entire body against mine, I wanted to surrender to him right then and there. I showered him with all of the kisses I’d wanted to give him while we were separated. I kissed his lips, his neck, his ears, and his chest as I reacquainted my hands with every inch of his body. He lifted me effortlessly off the ground, and as I wrapped my legs around his waist, I couldn’t help but smile.
“What?” he asked hoarsely, matching my smile.
“I’ve never wanted to be anywhere as much as I want to be here with you right now.”
“Trust me, I know the feeling. It’s been too damn long since I’ve held you in my arms.” Quinn carried me over to the bed. I could feel his right hand slide up my back to support me as he lay me down, but when he reached my shoulder blade, his entire body froze.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered, kissing his neck.
Quinn stood back up and slowly set me down on my feet. I could see the overwhelming concern pour into his eyes as he traced my shoulder blade with his fingers.
Crap!
I tensed up immediately. I’d been so wrapped up in being with Quinn I’d forgotten all about the nasty scars scattered across the upper half of my back.
“Work hazard,” I offered lightheartedly despite my growing insecurity from his reaction.