The Vampire's Surprise - Stormy Glenn Page 0,46

the other side," Mara continued, "you'll be in the woods. Go straight west for another hundred yards and you'll find a road. There will be an SUV waiting for you. Get out of here and make sure you don't come back."

Quinn started to head toward the fence, only he realized his mother wasn't going with him. He stopped and turned to look at her. "Aren't you coming?"

Mara twisted her hands together as she glanced back toward the house. "I can't, son."

"Why not?" If this man was as bad as she said he was, why was she staying?

"He'll kill me, Quinn."

"Then you really need to come with me." Quinn started to reach for his mother, but she moved right up into his personal space and cupped his face between her hands.

"You need to go, Quinn, and I can't come with you. I've tried to escape before, and it's never ended well. He always finds me, and he kills whoever helps me escape. As long as I stay where he tells me to stay, he leaves you and your siblings alone."

Quinn's breathing hitched. "Except for this time."

His mother frowned.

"He sent men after me, Mom." He grabbed the hands cupping his cheeks and gave them a squeeze. "How do you think I ended up here? He kidnapped me and brought me here, so maybe he's decided to stop playing around." Quinn had no idea if he was telling the truth or not, but it sounded good in his head, and he really wanted his mother to come with him. "Please, come with me."

Mara glanced at the house again. When she looked back, she was biting her lip. "I don't know, Quinn."

That wasn't a no.

Quinn tugged on her hands. "Come on. We'll get out of here and you can see Robby, Hannah, and Arthur." He knew he had her when she sucked in a sharp breath. "They're safe, I promise you."

He hoped he wasn't lying.

"Are they okay?" Mara asked.

Quinn shot his mother a small smile. "They're fine."

"I worry about them so much. I worry about all of you."

Quinn stopped walking and turned to look at his mother. "If you're so worried about us, then why did you give us up?"

Mara glanced down to where their hands were still clasped together. "I didn't want to, but it was the only way I could save your lives."

Quinn frowned. "How were we in danger?"

"Quinn, talk later," Marcus called out. "Run now."

Right.

Quinn tightened his grip on his mother's hand and started running across the open ground. Mara resisted for half a second before she started running with him. They made it almost all the way across the yard before a loud roar echoed through the night sky.

Mara gasped as she tried to look behind her.

"Marcus!" Quinn hissed, trying not to give their position away, but needing help. The prince came back, grabbed Mara and tossed her over his shoulder, and then took off running again. Quinn raced after him.

When they reached the brick fence, Prince Nikolas was straddling the top. Quinn jumped up and grabbed the hand the prince held out to him. He was lifted up and over the fence and then lowered down to the other side. A moment later, his mother dropped down next to him, and then Marcus, Nikolas, and the other guys from the cells came down.

"Go, go," Marcus said as he gestured for them to start running.

Quinn grabbed his mother's hand and started running. Luckily, he could see two guys carrying Saul between them up ahead, so he ran in their direction. His heart climbed into his throat when he heard several loud shouts from behind them.

"Pick up the pace, Quinn," Marcus shouted. "They've figured out that we've escaped."

Quinn had kind of figured that out by the loud yell. He started running faster, but then immediately skidded to a stop when the shadows in front of him took form. His heart dropped as he watched them turn into large, menacing vampires. Fully armed vampires.

"We're going to die!"

Chapter Seventeen

"Quinn!" Dmitri shouted the second he spotted his rajaaka. There was a part of him that never believed he'd actually see Quinn again. Watching the man running toward him might have been one of his most joyous moments.

As soon as Quinn was within touching distance, Dmitri grabbed him and tucked him close. "I didn't think I'd see you again. I couldn't reach you, and I had no idea where you were."

Quinn hugged him back just as hard. His voice shook as he spoke, "They shot