Shattered Restraint Read online

  “Nice,” Simon replied with a shake of his head.

  “It’s the craziest thing,” Danny said. “She’s with Ian, who is the grumpiest vampire ever. Kyleigh is just really sweet and not at all like someone you’d expect to put up with Ian’s attitude.”

  “I hope I get to meet her,” Quinn said.

  “Since Ian is my friend, I’m sure you’ll get to meet them after we get settled in,” Danny assured her.

  “Where will I be staying?” she asked, looking as serious as she could manage.

  “With me,” Danny said gruffly.

  “Oh!” Quinn said. “I thought I’d have my own place.”

  Layla giggled from the front seat. “Stop messing with poor Danny. He looks like he actually believes you’d leave him.”

  Quinn smiled. “I was just teasing you.”

  Danny leaned in until his breath caressed her ear. “I’ll make sure to return the favor when we get to my house,” came his dark promise.

  “I certainly hope so,” Quinn said with a smile.

  They were approaching Danny’s settlement, and Quinn found it no less exciting than she had the first time she’d come here. From the outside, you couldn’t see much. Tall gates surrounded the settlement, and a formidable guard station stood at the entrance. Simon put his palm on the pad at the entrance, and the gate slid open. Quinn hadn’t used this larger gate when she’d come to the settlement the first time. She’d used the smaller gate to the side and followed a group in. The guards studied them curiously as the jeep passed. The roads in the settlement were all in good repair, and there were walkways along the side of the roads. Not much was near the front of the settlement other than the guard station and some large buildings which didn’t look like living quarters. At least, they didn’t look anything like the living quarters near Danny’s home.

  Quinn reached over to take Danny’s hand. He was tense, and she suspected it had everything to do with returning home.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Danny hadn’t felt this nervous since the first time he’d walked into the born vampire settlement nearly a year ago. Moving here had been a scary adjustment for him because he hadn’t completely trusted the vampires. Now, he was anxious for completely different reasons. He wasn’t afraid of the vampires anymore. No, now he was more afraid of what he’d become and how everyone would perceive him, which was stupid.

  Connor and Raven were the only ones waiting when they arrived at the settlement. Danny was thankful for that, but suspected that he’d be seeing his other friends soon enough.

  Raven rushed toward him as soon as he stepped out of the jeep, wrapping her arms around him and weeping. “I was so terrified when you were taken,” she sobbed.

  “I’m okay,” Danny soothed her, feeling like a complete bastard for making Raven cry. “And I’m sorry I didn’t come back sooner.”

  Raven pulled back and waved off his apology. “Cam told us where you were, so we knew you were safe. I told Layla not to go after you because you needed time to yourself.”

  “You did?” Danny asked in surprise.

  “Layla wasn’t the only one who wanted to bring you home earlier, but Raven figured you needed time to heal after what Roger had done to you,” Connor said from his side. “Not that we had any idea what that sick bastard had done to you. You can thank Raven for the fact that we didn’t drag you home right away. I was not at all convinced you were safe at the shifter settlement, but Raven said you’d be fine.”

  “My uncle’s lands are well-protected,” Quinn said softly.

  Raven frowned and studied Quinn in confusion. “Your uncle?” she asked, and then looked back at Danny. “I thought you were with the shifters.”

  “I was,” Danny explained. “Her uncle is the leader—Jase, Cam, and Zane’s father.”

  Raven moved away from Danny and put out a hand, which Quinn took without hesitation. The trees rustled slightly as Quinn’s power flowed through her. “You’re a forest mage,” she said in something akin to awe.

  Quinn shrugged. “Apparently, I am. This is all new to me.”

  “Sorry, I’m an ass for not introducing you. This is Quinn,” Danny said to everyone before focusing on Raven. “I was hoping you could help her understand what she is.”

  “My mother was a shifter, and I always assumed my father was human,” Quinn explained. “It seems my uncle knew what my father was but decided to keep it to himself.”

  Raven nodded, looking thoughtful. “While I disagree with keeping it from you, I can understand why he might think it was best to do so. There was virtually no chance of him finding a mage to help you. He may have also been afraid it would be dangerous to bring you to their attention.”

  “Why would it be dangerous?” Danny asked.

  Raven opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again.

  “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because he was worried the mage would have negative feelings about a half-breed,” Quinn said. “He might have feared they would destroy me.”

  “Unfortunately, it’s a possibility,” Raven admitted. “The Fae have been known to destroy half-breeds, and the mage are so secretive that other species know very little about their practices. Your uncle may not have been sure what kind of mage you are, or if the different varieties of mage disliked each other.”

  “He didn’t know,” Quinn said. “I didn’t know until you called me a forest mage.”

  “I think he was afraid they’d take you from him,” Danny said thoughtfully.

  Quinn looked like she was going to argue, but she closed her mouth and nodded. “You may be right,” she admitted. “Max has always been very protective of me. You know about the forest mage, right?” she asked Raven.

  Raven nodded. “While I may not know much about the other types of mage, forest mage are friends to the wood nymphs.” She paused to reconsider her words. “Friends might be too strong a word. We’re not enemies. I suppose that’s as close as one gets to being friends with the mage.”

  “My father’s people sound delightful,” Quinn muttered.

  “They really aren’t all that bad,” Raven assured her. “Perhaps it would help if you understood more about the mage.”

  Danny could tell Connor was impatient to get on with questioning him. It would be best to leave Quinn with Raven, but he was hesitant to leave his mate alone. Raven took the choice out of his hands.

  “I’ll help Quinn get settled into your home,” Raven said.

  “Why are you assuming she’s going to Danny’s home?” Connor asked, eying Quinn curiously.

  “It’s in the way her power wraps around Danny,” Raven said. “He’s her chosen mate.”

  Danny grinned at Quinn. “Told you so.”

  “Ass,” Quinn said, smacking him on the way by.

  Danny’s grin widened.

  “That one is going to give you a world of trouble,” Simon said quietly.

  “Good,” Layla said with a nod. “I think she’s perfect for Danny.”

  “So do I,” Danny said as he watched his mate walk away.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  “How did you meet Danny?” Raven asked on their way to Danny’s home.

  Even though they’d just met, Quinn felt completely at ease with Raven.

  “I ran into him when I came here to meet Layla,” Quinn explained. “He was having a rough time and needed someone to talk to.”

  Raven’s eyes widened. “I had no idea you’d been here before, or that you’d met Layla.”

  “Meeting Layla didn’t work out very well,” she said. “In my ignorance, I assumed it would be easy to find her. This settlement is much bigger than I’d imagined it would be.”

  “Why didn’t you just ask Zane to introduce you?”

  “I didn’t tell him I was coming here,” she admitted. “I kind of snuck in.”

  Raven’s brow furrowed. “We’ll have to talk about how you did that later. Security is very important here, and we can’t just have people sneaking past our
guard station.”

  Quinn nodded.

  “So, you met Danny here?” Raven asked.

  “Yes, but I never expected to see him again,” she said. “Then he saved me from being kidnapped after he became a vampire.”

  “This can’t be an easy transition for him,” Raven said. “That still doesn’t explain how he ended up living with the lynx. I’ve never met your uncle, but I’ve heard he’s not welcoming of outsiders.”

  “You heard correctly,” Quinn said as they passed row after row of boxy two story homes in drab shades of grey and brown. With the exception of the beautifully colored tiles on the roofs, the homes were completely unimpressive. “My uncle saw Danny save me, so he was inclined to let Danny stay. Since then, he’s been pushing Danny to become my mate so the cougar’s leader won’t try to claim me again. That’s who tried to kidnap me. He’d never admit to it, but I think my uncle really likes Danny.”

  “Danny’s always been a sweet boy,” Raven said with an affectionate smile. “I don’t know if Danny told you this, but he spent much of his childhood in my home.”

  “He did,” Quinn said.

  They walked up to Danny’s house, and Raven went through her keys until she found the one to Danny’s door. Once inside, Raven settled on the sofa and waited until Quinn was sitting in one of the chairs in the living room.

  “Now, let me tell you what I know about your kind,” Raven said. “Mind you, there is still plenty I don’t know, but this should at least help you gain some understanding of who you are.”

  Quinn nodded and licked her suddenly dry lips, unsure why she was so nervous hearing about her father’s people.

  “No one really knows the origin of the mage. Their appearances vary so greatly that it’s assumed they exist all over the world. They draw on the energy around them for their power, and the source of power for each type of mage differs. Some, like you, draw on the energy of nature. We call you a forest mage, but that doesn’t do your abilities justice. When you come into your powers, you will be able to control the elements and pull energy from all aspects of nature. Your kind of mage needs contact with nature to survive. If you stay here with Danny, you’ll need to make frequent trips out of the settlement to restore your power.”

  “That makes sense,” she said honestly. Everything Raven was telling her had a familiar ring to it, like she was triggering a vague memory of a dream.

  “Not all mage get their energy from nature. Some gain their strength from lust, while others feed on the negative energy around them. Those mage are usually found in war torn areas, and we’ve had our share of them in this territory. Best you avoid them because they will create negative energy if there’s none to be found.”

  “But what are the mage?” Quinn asked, because knowing what the mage did differed greatly from knowing what they were.

  “No one is really sure,” Raven said with a shrug. “That answer must be frustrating for you. They can live for hundreds of years, so I assume they aren’t human to begin with. There are rumors that they were once witches who found ways to increase their power, but in the end, all we have are rumors. The mage who know their origins don’t seem interested in sharing that knowledge, likely because they’re afraid it will give other species power over them.”

  “What can you tell me about the forest mage specifically?” Quinn asked.

  “They came here a few years before the Moon virus outbreak, during a great drought. This area had struggled with droughts on and off for a very long time. When the mage arrived, they restored balance to the ecosystem and brought the rain. The wood nymphs worked with them some. I was still pretty young, so my mother only let me watch. Even if I had been allowed to do more, I’m not sure the forest mage would have talked to me very much. They really do prefer to keep to themselves.”

  Quinn let out a frustrated breath. “It doesn’t seem like I’m going to get too many answers about my father’s people.”

  “Probably not,” Raven admitted. “After things settle down a little, we can go to the wood nymph community. Some of the older nymphs might be able to help you more than I can. Connor won’t let us go now because of the unrest, but we’re hoping things improve after the big meeting with the vampire council in Fangri La.”

  “Why did my power react to your proximity?” Quinn asked.

  “I suppose it’s because I’m a nymph and part of nature, so your power recognizes me,” Raven said hesitantly.

  “But you said my power feeds from nature. Does that mean I’m trying to drain you?”

  “It didn’t feel that way,” Raven said thoughtfully. “Try not to think of it as feeding in the sense that a vampire takes blood. While you might take energy from nature, you are feeding energy into it at the same time.”

  “This is all very confusing,” Quinn said. “I can’t believe I thought my life was complicated when I believed I was half human.”

  “You’ll figure all of this out,” Raven assured her.

  “How do you know that?” Quinn asked. “Both you and Danny have faith that I can handle this, but I have to be honest—I’m not completely sure I have faith in myself.”

  “Danny is the reason I have faith in you,” Raven said.

  “What do you mean?” Quinn asked.

  “Danny’s mother was a very fragile woman, mentally and physically,” Raven began. “I had Danny often when he was growing up because his mother couldn’t take care of herself, let alone a child. She was slightly better when Danny’s father was alive, but not the type of woman who could handle things on her own.”

  “He told me a little about her. I’m glad you were there to watch out for him,” Quinn said.

  “His experiences with his mother have caused him to shy away from weaker women,” Raven explained. “In fact, he’s only attracted to very strong women. I think it’s because he doesn’t want a woman who can’t survive without him. There are no guarantees in this world, and Danny knows he could be killed.”

  Quinn nodded, pondering the many recent changes in her life.

  “I’m sensing you want to be alone,” Raven said.

  “I just need some time to think,” Quinn said apologetically.

  “No need to explain yourself,” Raven assured her before standing. “I’ll go make sure Connor doesn’t keep Danny too long. I’ll also make sure we get some food in the house for you. How is Danny handling the fact that he can’t eat?”

  Quinn stood too, so she could see Raven out. “Fine. He told me he doesn’t really crave it. Sometimes, he smells something and considers trying it, but in the end, it doesn’t even look good.”

  “I suppose that’s good since turned vampires can’t have any solid food.” Raven hesitated at the door. “How is he really handling all of this?”

  “Better than I suspect most would,” Quinn answered honestly. “He’ll talk to you more when he’s ready, but you don’t need to worry about him. Danny’s a survivor.”

  “Yes, he is. He’s also got you to help him,” Raven said with a small smile before pulling Quinn in for a hug. “Thank you so much for taking care of him.”

  “Thank you for the information you gave me about the mage,” Quinn said because she felt ridiculous saying nothing.

  “Any time,” Raven assured her. “Let me know if you need anything at all.”

  When Raven left, Quinn looked around Danny’s house and had a moment of panic. This was a huge change in her life, and there was no going back. Then she took a second look around the room and smiled. On a happier note, there was quite a bit to keep her busy in Danny’s home. With any luck, he’d be back soon, so he could show her how to use everything.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Danny had hoped this meeting would just involve him, Connor, Simon, and Layla. No such luck. Ian was standing on Connor’s front porch when they arrived. To say Ian looked irritated would be an understatement. Ian looked seriously pissed, but his expression morphed to something much less readable as they got closer. His gaze fixed on Dan
ny’s mouth, and that’s when Danny realized he’d sucked his bottom lip in, making his fangs visible. Based on Ian’s expression, Danny knew Connor hadn’t told everyone what had happened yet. For just a moment, the attitude left Ian’s face, and he looked like he was going to say something nice. Then the moment was gone.

  “How long did you really need to man the fuck up and come home?” Ian snapped. “Oh, wait! You didn’t man up. Layla had to go out there and drag your whiny ass back here.”

  “Knock it off, Ian,” Connor snapped as he opened the door to let them in.

  “Missed you too,” Danny said and blew Ian a kiss. Zane must be rubbing off on him.

  “Fuck you,” Ian grumbled.

  “How’s Kyleigh doing?” Danny asked.

  “She’s not puking all day anymore,” Ian said with a smile. “That woman is glowing, and she’s starting to look pregnant.”

  Ian’s wife and daughter had been murdered two decades ago, and that experience had left Ian a cold bitter shell of a man. When Danny had met him, Ian had just been learning to put his hatred and anger behind him. They’d become friends, despite Ian’s efforts to avoid that outcome. In a bizarre turn of events, Ian had met Kyleigh when he was stuck between life and death. She’d saved him in more ways than one. Now, Ian had a new baby on the way, and Danny was happy for him.

  “I’m glad she’s doing better,” Danny said. “Make sure you give her a big kiss from me.”

  “Don’t be an ass,” Layla said. “Quinn would have your balls for even joking about that.”

  “Quinn?” Ian asked. “I thought you were only into women. Who’s Quinn?”

  “Quinn is a woman,” Danny said.

  “I never met a woman named Quinn before,” Ian said.

  “You will soon,” Danny said. “Quinn is my mate. She’s Zane’s cousin,” he added.