then I need to do this. Please understand.”
“This isn’t a good idea.” Jax’s focus went to the vampire as he considered her argument.
“I want to be free,” she maintained.
“Jesus, this isn’t right. But if we do this, I’m going to be right here with you.”
Katrina gave Jax a small smile as he reluctantly granted his permission.
“Quintus, I give you my blood only. Nothing else, do you understand? Don’t force me to shift,” Katrina warned, unsure what would happen if she panicked. The demons had changed her, and the incident in the woods with Jax served to remind her that they’d infused her with whatever evil they held.
“Jax, you can’t let her do this,” Jake called, hearing every word of their conversation. Finn held him back, and while she understood his concern, there was no turning back.
“Jake, stop.” Katrina held her hand up to him, and focused on Jax. “Stay with me. Don’t leave my side. Quintus won’t hurt me.” Katrina paused, catching the delight in the vampire’s dark smile. “Will you?”
“As a man of honor, I swear it. There’s one thing you should know about me, and I’d think my friend Jax would know this by now; no action is without reason. And your blood,” Quintus reached for her wrist and brought it to his nose, “it’s no different. You saved me once and I save you in return, bella.”
“Tell me now. How do we kill these things?” she asked.
“We’re agreed, Alpha? Knowledge for blood?” Quintus asked, continuing to press his nose to Katrina’s skin.
“Katrina…” Jax began.
Katrina sensed his hesitation. As her eyes locked on his, she attempted to push her magick back at him. Hoping he could feel her strength, she prayed he’d trust her. Although not marked nor bonded as mates, she knew his wolf would likely go feral having any man touch her. But with little choice, desperation sliced through her chest.
“It’s just blood,” she said, her tone confident. No matter how shaken she was inside, she’d never show fear.
“Just blood,” Jax confirmed. “Do not touch her, Quint. It will be the last thing you feel before you die.”
“Agreed?” the vampire asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Jax bit out. “Go. What do you know?”
“Circe,” Quintus stated.
“What?” Katrina asked, confused.
“It’s a who. Greek mythology,” Jax responded, his focus trained on the vampire.
Quintus laughed. “Ah, I always knew you were a smart one.”
“A goddess,” Jax continued.
“Of magick. It was said she turned men into animals. Which is interesting, as you shifters are animals.” Quintus smiled up at Katrina and licked his lips.
“Would you stop with the cryptic answers,” Jax demanded.
“Circe worshippers. They harbor magick, stealing it.”
“But why would anyone do that? Why not just go to witches? They conjure it naturally, both good and bad.”
“Who’s to say they aren’t witches? Some say witches. Some say demons. Not much is known. What you see is an illusion. They shift, indulging in the deception. The torture they practice, the pain and fear, the energy it elicits. They use it.”
“What in the hell for?” Jax asked, scrubbing his chin.
“They have a dark master, one who hasn’t been able to break free of the underworld.”
“Circe? But she can’t be real,” Katrina countered.
“I cannot say one way or another.” Quintus’ tone resounded low and rough. “Whispers. Rumors. Blah. In the end, all the three of us know to be true is what we saw in there. And even then, the illusions…they’re so very real.”
Katrina’s arm broke out in gooseflesh as the chilling tone of Quintus’ voice rolled over her. “Why take me? I’m just a wolf.”
“An Alpha’s daughter,” Quintus told them, his words slow and deliberate. “An Alpha’s sister.”
“An Alpha’s mate,” Jax finished his sentence.
“But that happens sometimes. It’s not unusual to be all three,” Katrina stated.
“An
“This isn’t a good idea.” Jax’s focus went to the vampire as he considered her argument.
“I want to be free,” she maintained.
“Jesus, this isn’t right. But if we do this, I’m going to be right here with you.”
Katrina gave Jax a small smile as he reluctantly granted his permission.
“Quintus, I give you my blood only. Nothing else, do you understand? Don’t force me to shift,” Katrina warned, unsure what would happen if she panicked. The demons had changed her, and the incident in the woods with Jax served to remind her that they’d infused her with whatever evil they held.
“Jax, you can’t let her do this,” Jake called, hearing every word of their conversation. Finn held him back, and while she understood his concern, there was no turning back.
“Jake, stop.” Katrina held her hand up to him, and focused on Jax. “Stay with me. Don’t leave my side. Quintus won’t hurt me.” Katrina paused, catching the delight in the vampire’s dark smile. “Will you?”
“As a man of honor, I swear it. There’s one thing you should know about me, and I’d think my friend Jax would know this by now; no action is without reason. And your blood,” Quintus reached for her wrist and brought it to his nose, “it’s no different. You saved me once and I save you in return, bella.”
“Tell me now. How do we kill these things?” she asked.
“We’re agreed, Alpha? Knowledge for blood?” Quintus asked, continuing to press his nose to Katrina’s skin.
“Katrina…” Jax began.
Katrina sensed his hesitation. As her eyes locked on his, she attempted to push her magick back at him. Hoping he could feel her strength, she prayed he’d trust her. Although not marked nor bonded as mates, she knew his wolf would likely go feral having any man touch her. But with little choice, desperation sliced through her chest.
“It’s just blood,” she said, her tone confident. No matter how shaken she was inside, she’d never show fear.
“Just blood,” Jax confirmed. “Do not touch her, Quint. It will be the last thing you feel before you die.”
“Agreed?” the vampire asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Jax bit out. “Go. What do you know?”
“Circe,” Quintus stated.
“What?” Katrina asked, confused.
“It’s a who. Greek mythology,” Jax responded, his focus trained on the vampire.
Quintus laughed. “Ah, I always knew you were a smart one.”
“A goddess,” Jax continued.
“Of magick. It was said she turned men into animals. Which is interesting, as you shifters are animals.” Quintus smiled up at Katrina and licked his lips.
“Would you stop with the cryptic answers,” Jax demanded.
“Circe worshippers. They harbor magick, stealing it.”
“But why would anyone do that? Why not just go to witches? They conjure it naturally, both good and bad.”
“Who’s to say they aren’t witches? Some say witches. Some say demons. Not much is known. What you see is an illusion. They shift, indulging in the deception. The torture they practice, the pain and fear, the energy it elicits. They use it.”
“What in the hell for?” Jax asked, scrubbing his chin.
“They have a dark master, one who hasn’t been able to break free of the underworld.”
“Circe? But she can’t be real,” Katrina countered.
“I cannot say one way or another.” Quintus’ tone resounded low and rough. “Whispers. Rumors. Blah. In the end, all the three of us know to be true is what we saw in there. And even then, the illusions…they’re so very real.”
Katrina’s arm broke out in gooseflesh as the chilling tone of Quintus’ voice rolled over her. “Why take me? I’m just a wolf.”
“An Alpha’s daughter,” Quintus told them, his words slow and deliberate. “An Alpha’s sister.”
“An Alpha’s mate,” Jax finished his sentence.
“But that happens sometimes. It’s not unusual to be all three,” Katrina stated.
“An
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