She didn't try to deny what he said, knowing it would be wasted breath. "But you have it now."
"Yes." He smiled, and then he laughed in a way that made Janie even more nervous than she already was. "All of these creatures in search of the Eye for all of these years, hoping to find it to use it for their own purposes.Any one wish was the rumor, yes?"
Quinn's grip tightened at her waist.
"That's what they say," Quinn said. "Make one wish and the Eye grants it."
"Amusing how information can be twisted over many years to become that of legend and myth. Yes,
there can be only one wish. However,I am the only one who can make that wish."
Janie was stunned at this news, and then she glanced at Quinn, whose face had whitened. "You'rethe only one?"
He smiled wistfully. "Wait until you see me in demon form. I am a thing of horrific beauty."
She was beginning to think that Malcolm's wish for omnipotence was almost cute compared to her Boss turning full demon.
But the Eye wasn't complete, was it? Not without the red stone that Quinn still had. Did the Boss even realize that?
She turned to look up into Quinn's dark blue eyes. His expression was tense, and he hadn't moved from her side since Malcolm had beenslayed .
Did he know what she was thinking?
Yes. She could see it in his eyes. He knew. She didn't have to tell him.
He had to go. He had to run and protect the stone. Take it somewhere that the Boss would never be able to find it. There was a chance that Quinn could escape before the Boss even knew what was going on and what he was missing. A slim chance, but they had to take it.
Quinn's throat worked as he swallowed. He shook his head almost imperceptibly.
She could almost read his mind.No, I'm not leaving you. Not like this .
But she didn't give him a chance. She pushed him, hard, away from her and moved toward her Boss and his helpers to distract them. She didn't look to see if Quinn had taken off. She knew he had.
"Parker, what are you doing?" the Boss said, frowning. "You're a bit of a freak, do you know that?"
"I suppose you want to kill me now," she said.
He raised an eyebrow. "It does sound tempting. But that can wait until after."
"After you've made your wish."
"Yes." He looked down at the Eye then, studying its beautiful etched details. If what he said was true, he hadn't seen it in person for ten centuries. His pale, watery eyes appraised its every surface. And then his brow slowly lowered, and he raised his gaze to Janie's.
He'd noticed the discrepancy.
"Where is your lover?"
"Gone."
"He would leave you to face my wrath alone?"
She said nothing.
Then his eyes did the oddest thing. Wherevampires's eyes turned black when they were very hungry, her
Boss's eyes filled with what appeared to be… fire? A red and orange gleam that froze her inside. She hadn't seen that before. Ever.
"Bring her," he said, and his helper drones grabbed her on either side, painfully, and dragged her through the deserted casino.
Quinn had escaped. He had the stone. He could run away and try to forget any of this had happened with his safety intact, knowing that the demon he just had the misfortune to meet wouldn't be able to make his wish.
He stood outside, next to the fountain of the Bellagio as it did its choreographed water dance to Celine
Dion singing about her heart going on.
And on.
Then he swore loudly. Loud enough that the gathered crowd turned to look at him as if he was something to be wary of. Something to fear.
He was.
He'd left her. Just like that. Without even arguing. Without coming up with a better solution.
And now she was going to pay the price. Her boss would kill her for her betrayal.
He never understood why she seemed so ready to follow his orders when she appeared so strong and self-sufficient.
It was because her Boss was a demon. Even in a weakened shell, Quinn could sense his power thrumming just beneath the surface. It had turned his blood cold just to be in his presence.
How had Janie started working for him? He was willing to bet that it wasn't of her own accord. She had been forced to sign that contract in blood. To do his bidding under great duress.
And now she was going to die because Quinn had been unable to protect her.
He let out a soft, humorless laugh at that. Janie would kick his ass if she knew he thought he could protect her. She didn't think she needed protection. But she did.
And he'd failed.
She could already be dead.
The thought tore at his insides.
He shoved his hand in his pocket and wrapped his fingers around the hard red stone. He had to save her. Whatever it took, he wouldn't stand by in the shadows while she was murdered.
I love her.
The thought wrapped around his heart and held on tight. She was everything he thought he didn't want.