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.Who would have thought that the mighty Quinn Fairmont might be down for a bit of slap and tickle? He’d have to see how that one went.Cade regarded him in mock anxiety.“I’ll slap your arse as long as you promise not to turn me into a frog or anything.”Quinn laughed as he took his hand and led him into the bedroom.“I’ve no use for you as a frog, Cade.I like you just as you are.Willing, sexy and human.”He swung the door shut behind them.***Andrew de Vere stood on his yacht contemplating the blinking lights of the harbour.By now, his tame witch would have done her job with the cadmium testing and Quinn Fairmont.She hadn’t been happy with the plan at first, but with the use of his riding crop, he’d managed to convince her it was his plan and not hers to question.Andrew sighed.Why was it that his minions never understood that it was the thrill of the hunt, of the chase, that made things so worthwhile?He might have been able to have his witch subdue the Warlock while he was weak, bring him out of his home where he was magyckally protected against the likes of de Vere, bring him here and let de Vere to do with him as he saw fit.But de Vere didn’t want it to be too easy anyway.He wanted to destroy Quinn Fairmont first, emotionally, as Quinn had done to him when Adam had died.And the way to do that was by attacking his friends and then his lover.De Vere had started the ball rolling with the Warlock attacks to weaken Quinn.Next was the business partner Quinn was so fond of, then that rather sexy and nubile man that spent so much time with him.Only then would de Vere be satisfied in taking Quinn’s Withinner and destroying the human that remained.It would take a huge amount of magyck and planning.Quinn’s Withinner would not allow his Warlock to be taken without a fight.He sipped his drink, relishing in the smoky taste of the expensive whisky.“It’s all part of the great plan, Fairmont,” he murmured as he stood against the deck rail, enjoying the breeze on the part of his face where he still had nerve endings.“I’ll make you suffer then bring you to me to finally destroy you.I want the classic movie showdown, you bastard.I deserve that.And as I’m having fun, why would I want it to be over too soon?”He wanted to find out who the mole is in that ridiculous Witchhunters Alliance and destroy him or her too.Using that awful little child of a Witchhunter to help him get inside the organisation was a stroke of fucking genius in his book.He snorted in amusement.“Little bastard has no idea he’s actually working for one of those he’s sworn to kill.”He took another sip of his drink.“And best of all, I have my secret weapon.” De Vere smiled in glee at the secret he harboured.“There’s no fucking way when it comes to the crunch that Quinn and that arrogant Withinner will be able to defeat me.And then my poor Adam will have his revenge.” His mood changed at the thought of his beautiful boy no longer being part of his life.I miss you so much, my pet.So damned much.“But I’ll make sure Quinn gets his punishment, sweet boy,” he whispered as he finished his whisky in one gulp.“Perhaps then you can rest.”A faint dark shadow swirled around his body, like mist rising off the sea.Andrew smiled.“I feel you, angel,” he murmured.“And it will be soon, I promise you.”Chapter 18Jomo Onyango sat alone in the office at Quinn’s house, his dark face frowning at something he was reading.His hand toyed absently with a letter opener, as he perused the contents of the document before him.The doorbell pealed and Jomo smiled.Good.He needed a distraction from looking at all these financials.A visitor would be very welcome indeed.He made his way down the spiralling staircase and opened the door.As he did so, a waft of smell assailed his nostrils, so fetid his eyes stung and watered.He had barely time to wonder what was happening when the blow struck him off his feet, hurling across the entrance hall to the other side.He hit his head as he landed and lay dazed and confused at the foot of the staircase.He dimly heard a slight chuckle as he lay there and heard the sound of footsteps coming toward him.Jomo tried to open his eyes but it was too painful.He retched at the smell still pervading the hallway.“Sorry about that,” a low voice said in amusement from far away.“I think I overdid the sulphur.” Jomo couldn’t quite make out whether it was a male or a female voice.It sounded distorted, as if he was hearing it through water.“I’m sorry you had to get in the middle of this but I need to send Mr.Fairmont a message and I’m afraid you’re it.Pull him closer to the door, you idiot.You know I can’t go in there.It’s protected.”The blurry figure moved toward the dazed Jomo, who was struggling to get up despite the voice’s threat.As he was pulled unceremoniously toward the front door step he managed to speak.“Who the hell are you?”The voice laughed.“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.It’s a little beyond your understanding, my friend.All you need to know is that you’re going to perform the ultimate sacrifice of being someone Quinn cares for and whom I’m going to take away from him.Permanently.Just lie back and relax.This won’t take long.Then you can put him back where you found him, my dear.”A vice gripped Jomo’s chest and he gasped, holding a hand to it as he struggled to breathe.The world grew darker and darker, the pain growing stronger, and then he remembered no more.***Quinn whistled softly as he approached the front door.He’d had a fairly good morning with the Consortium this morning, getting updates on the distribution of the pills Mary had made and the news had cheered him up.Finally something seemed to be going right.He looked up the garden path as he walked toward the front door.He was glad he’d managed to cancel the meeting he’d had.He was looking forward to perhaps getting Cade over for an early afternoon lovemaking session.He saw the figure of someone moving behind the frosted doors, someone that didn’t look like Jomo.Jomo tended to take up this whole view.This person was decidedly smaller.Quinn’s arm hairs stood up and he felt a distinct prickling on his skin.Something wasn’t right.His strides grew more urgent up the path until he was almost running and he opened the front door, grabbing at the handle and hurtling into the hallway.Jomo was huddled at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes closed, blood running from a deep wound on his head [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]