The Vampire's Surprise - Stormy Glenn Page 0,32

started walking. He headed down the hallway to the elevators which would take them down to Prince Nikolas's office. Once inside, he pushed the button to take them to the appropriate floor and then pulled Quinn into his arms.

He just wanted to hold his rajaaka for a few minutes, to feel the man pressed up against him and know he wasn't alone in the world anymore. He wanted Quinn to know that as well. They were mated in the ways of his people. Nothing could break that bond.

The doors to the elevator slid open all too quickly. Dmitri gave Quinn one last squeeze then grabbed his hand and led him off the elevators. Louis was waiting for them in the corridor.

"Everything okay?" the vampire asked.

"Yes, but we need to hurry this along. We need to get back to the kids as soon as possible. We don't want them waking up in a strange place with people they don't know."

Louis turned without a word and led them to Prince Nikolas's office. He knocked on the door then opened it and walked inside. Dmitri felt marginally better when he saw his own prince sitting there talking with Prince Nikolas, his consort at his side.

He walked over and stopped in front of the two men, giving them both a bow of his head. "Prince Marcus, Consort Charlie, I'd like to formally introduce you to my rajaaka, Quinn Anderson." Prouder words had never been spoken. "Quinn, this is my prince and his consort, Charlie."

"Hello," Quinn said.

Marcus stood then drew Charlie up beside him. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Quinn. Dmitri has looked for you for a very long time."

Quinn smiled. "I haven't been looking for him, but I'm glad I found him." He smirked as he glanced up at Dmitri. "He's kind of grown on me."

Marcus chuckled. "I'm happy for you, my friend." He patted Dmitri's shoulder before turning his attention back to Quinn. "I understand you have some information for us on the rogues?"

"I'll tell you what I know," Quinn replied, "but I'm not sure how it will help you."

Prince Nikolas waved his hand toward the empty chairs sitting across from him and his mate. "Please, sit down. Coffee?"

Quinn whimpered.

"Yes, please, Prince Nikolas," Dmitri told the prince.

"Just Nikolas."

Dmitri nodded his acceptance of the honor. He kept a hold of Quinn's hand even when they sat down. He knew he needed the connection to his rajaaka, and he was pretty sure Quinn did too if his tight grip was anything to go by.

Chapter Twelve

Quinn took a deep breath and began. "So, tonight—"

"No, start back at your mother," Dmitri said.

"Oh, okay, well, my mother is a vampire and my father was human. He raised me, not her. In fact, I hardly ever remember her being around. He passed away about two years before Robby was born."

"That must have been hard," Nikolas said.

Quinn shrugged. "I think, in the end, he was happy it was over. He never quite got over my mother leaving."

"Do you think he was her rajaaka?" Marcus asked. "That might explain why he died of a broken heart."

"I'm not sure if he was or not. He didn't talk about her much."

"What happened after your father died?" the prince asked.

"Nothing for a while," Quinn said, "then about two years after my father died, there was a knock on my door. It was my mother. She handed this newborn infant to me, told me he was my brother and that his father, who was human, had died. She told me he was my responsibility and then she left. I didn't hear from her again until she brought me Hannah five years later and then again Arthur six months ago."

"Bloody hell!" Anger deepened Nikolas's voice. "And you've been taking care of these kids all on your own?"

"They're my siblings," Quinn said. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"No, you made the right choice. I just don't understand why your mother didn't take care of you all herself. Vampire children are a gift that so few of us actually realize. To not care for those children is a betrayal of all we hold dear."

"Well, the kids are only half vampire, so maybe that's why she didn't want us."

"If she is your mother too, then you would be half vampire as well," Dmitri said. "Not just the kids."

"Technically, that's true," Quinn replied, "but I've never needed blood like they do."

Dmitri's eyebrows lifted. "You've never drunk blood?"

"Just yours." Quinn shrugged. "I always assumed the vampire gene skipped