chapter 15
Haven’s and Yvette’s house wasn’t huge. In fact, it was a rather cozy cottage on Telegraph Hill. Parking anywhere in the area was impossible. Quinn knew that much from his first and only prior visit to the house. He had therefore left the SUV for Oliver to drive back to the B&B and opted for a taxi.
On the ride, he remained quiet, still wondering what to do now that Thomas had rejected his request to check up on Rose. Sure, he could try and do some digging himself, but it wasn’t his expertise, and all he would do was waste precious time he didn’t have. There was only one other way to find out what was really going on inside of Rose: he had to seduce it out of her.
It was a proposition that both thrilled and frightened him. Because by seducing her, he was in danger of exposing his heart to her once more. Could he really afford that kind of casualty? Or would this finally mark his ultimate self-destruction?
When the taxi came to a halt, he paid the cabdriver and jumped out of it, automatically holding his hand out to her as he’d done so many times to help her out of a carriage. When her dainty hand slipped into his palm, he closed his fingers around it and pulled gently. She emerged from the taxi. Her heel caught at the uneven pavement, and she hurtled into his arms. He caught her with ease, slinging his other arm around her waist instinctively. Then a memory came back, hitting him broadside.
She lifted her lids and their gazes collided.
“Do you remember our first kiss?” he murmured.
Rose didn’t answer, but her eyes confirmed that her memory was just as good as his.
“You tripped over your hem when you stepped from the carriage. I caught you. It was dark. Your chaperone had fallen asleep on the ride and there was nobody else around except the coachman. And he was purposefully looking the other way.”
“Because you bribed him,” she added, but there was no hint of reprimand in her voice.
“I’m glad I did. I still remember what your lips tasted like. How soft they were. How sweet.”
He leaned in. She didn’t back away.
“You smelled so manly, and your arms held me to tightly.” Her breath caught.
“You knew I would kiss you, and you allowed it to happen.” Could they repeat that moment in history? Replay it over and over again?
“Shut the door. I haven’t got all night!” the taxi driver’s voice came from within the cab, destroying the tender moment.
Immediately, Rose turned away from him, reached for the door and slammed it shut. The taxi’s tires screeched as it took off.
When she turned back to him, he noticed that she avoided looking at him. His heart clenched. Disappointed, he walked to the cottage, knowing she would follow.
The door was unlocked. Inside, the voices of his colleagues and friends mixed with dance music. Several dogs yapped and barked. He was prevented from entering farther than the small lobby when two Labrador puppies blocked his way, excitedly barking up at him, unsure whether to welcome him or defend their territory.
“You little idiots!” Haven appeared through the door to the living room and bent down to the two puppies, stroking them. The intruders instantly forgotten, the two rolled onto their backs, offering their bellies to their master’s hands. Laughing, Haven complied, then gently shoved the two toward the kitchen. “Go!”
As he got up from his crouching position he wiped his hands on his jeans, his broad form nearly filling the entire width of the narrow corridor. “Sorry, Quinn, they’re just not trained yet.”
Quinn grinned. “Haven’t found a home for those two monsters yet, have you?”
Haven extended his hand for a shake. “Want one?”
“Good God, no! Too much work!”
His host laughed. “Yeah, but imagine what kind of babe magnet those—”
“Happy birthday, Haven!” Quinn interrupted loudly, hoping to stop him from making any further references to his lifestyle.
When Haven furrowed his forehead, Quinn took a step to the side, making space for Rose to emerge from behind him.
“Oops.” Haven made an apologetic gesture, then pasted a broad grin on his face. “Why don’t you introduce me to your date?”
Before he could do so, Rose already stretched her hand toward Haven, who instantly shook it. “I’m Rose Haverford. A client.”
He hesitated, shooting Quinn a questioning look, before he responded to her introduction. “I’m Haven, Yvette’s mate. Come in.” He motioned toward the living room. “Yvette’s in there.” He popped his head through the door. “Baby! More guests. Why don’t you introduce Rose here to all our friends?”
And with those words he simply gave Rose a little nudge toward the living room.
“Haven, could I have a quick word?” Quinn asked.
His host motioned his head toward the kitchen.
The moment Haven closed the kitchen door behind them, he leaned against it and hooked his thumbs into his belt.
“Since you know better than to bring a client to my house, I’m assuming Rose is your wife that everybody is talking about.”
Quinn sighed. It appeared good news traveled fast. At least it would save him from having to explain to everybody and their dog what their common history was.
“It’s complicated. Anyway, she just hired us to protect her 4th grandson.”
Haven did a double take. “Grandson?” He blew out an appreciative breath. “That’s one hot grandma if I’ve ever seen one.”
Torn between outrage about Haven’s comment and pride that even a blood-bonded vampire would find his Rose beautiful, he opted for a lighthearted response.
“Don’t let Yvette hear that, or she’ll rip your head off.”
“No shit! She’d have my balls too. Tell you something: if you ever get blood-bonded, it had better be with a woman you can’t get enough of, or the whole love forever thing is going to get old pretty soon.” He chuckled.
Not wanting to talk about himself, Quinn deflected, “So you think you made the right choice?”
Haven shook his head. “I don’t think so. I know I made the right choice.”
Then his lips moved silently. Isn’t that right, baby? Quinn read.
“You know you don’t have to move your lips when you talk to Yvette telepathically,” Quinn said.
“Oh, was I doing it again? Darn, it’s still so new. Just like everything else about being a vampire.”
Quinn nodded. “You’ll get used to it. We all did. Do you regret it?”
A fierce shake of his head was the answer. “God, no! I don’t regret having lost my human life. Being with Yvette more than makes up for it.”
Haven pushed off the door. “So, you wanted to talk to me about something?”
“Yes. About Wesley.”
His friend’s face fell. “Oh, f*ck, what’s he done now?”
Quickly, Quinn raised his hands. “Nothing.”
“You sure? Because whenever somebody wants to talk to me about Wesley then it’s because he screwed up again.”
“Trust me, your brother is in the clear.”
For now. Of course, that could change quickly. The hotheaded human was as volatile as a powder keg sitting next to an open flame.
Haven’s shoulders relaxed visibly. “So what’s this about then?”
“I could do with his help.”
His friend looked surprised. “You’re kidding. Are we talking about the same person? My brother, the same guy who will get into trouble every chance he gets?”
Quinn nodded grimly. If he had a choice, he’d pick somebody else to do the job, but unfortunately, the number of humans within their inner core was dwindling fast, particularly with Oliver now being in the vampire camp. And for this job he needed a human. Besides, Wesley had additional skills.
“How is he doing with his attempts at gaining his witchcraft back?”
“Terribly. And just as well.” Haven paused and sighed. “Though he took all of Francine’s books and potions after her death, pretty much cleaned out her houseboat. He’s studying it. I think it really interests him. First time, I’ve seen him be serious about anything.”
“Maybe it’ll come in handy one day.”
Haven shrugged. “Who knows. Well, at least we can be sure that even if he gains some amount of his witchcraft back, he will never gain the Power of Three.”
Quinn nodded. “Thank heavens for that.”
Haven had destroyed the Power of Three only a few months earlier by sacrificing his human life. By doing so, he had robbed himself, Wesley, and their sister Kimberly of the most powerful magic in the world. Yet his brother and sister still remained witches—with no significant powers to speak of. And the powers they did possess, they had no idea of how to use. Hence Wesley’s quest to study the books of the witch who had once been their ally, then betrayed them in the end.
When Quinn looked back at Haven, he saw that the witch-turned-vampire was thinking back to the same event.
Haven blinked. “So, what do you need him for?”
“It’s a simple job really. He’ll need to move into the B&B with us, pretend to be another Scanguards trainee, which actually he is—”
Haven interrupted with a huff. “Yeah, he wiggled that concession out of Samson. Total opportunist, my brother.” Then he grinned. “The discipline will do him good.”
Laughing, Quinn shook his head. “Let’s see if he sticks with it. Anyway, I need him to keep an eye on Rose’s grandson, Blake.”
He still had a hard time calling him his grandson.
“We brought him in as a recruit to watch over him. He thinks he’s training to be some kind of special ops superhero. Oliver and Cain will be there too, but we need a couple of humans in case he goes walking about during the day.”
“You come up with the craziest shit,” Haven commented. “Who’s stupid enough to buy that setup anyway?”
“Trust me, Blake has already eaten it up, hook, line, and sinker. I’ve never seen a guy more eager to be taken for a ride.”
“Well, looks like he and Wesley will hit it off instantly. They seem to be cut of the same cloth.” Haven grinned mischievously.
Quinn frowned. “That’s what I’m afraid of. But I don’t really have a choice. I can’t take any of the human bodyguards working for Scanguards. This is too sensitive a case. It has to stay within the family.”
“Hmm. Guess that leaves only him. Let’s talk to him.”