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time?”
    Quinn’s mouth compressed. “I overheard him talking to Micah, assuring Micah that he would be able to do whatever he had to, something Micah had doubts about. When I confronted them, neither would meet my eye.”
    Amanda frowned. “You believe this is something significant?”
    Raking tense fingers through her hair, Quinn relayed the missing, damning piece. “We’re supposed to leave for Gonzaga Castle in an hour.”
    The doctor’s eyes widened, then melted with understanding and sympathy. “Oh, Quinn.”
    “Yeah. Do you have any idea what kind of trust it requires for me to go back there with him? I had that trust. Until I caught the two of them whispering, I had it.” Quinn stood and paced the room, wishing there was a window to look out. “I just keep wondering if I’m being a colossal fool. If he’s been playing me all along.”
    Amanda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I can’t give you a definitive answer, Quinn. He’s a vampire whose soul was compromised, though never completely. Even at his worst, he brought escaped slaves to us and helped Neo hide our operation. He never entirely lost himself. But there’s no denying that for a long time he couldn’t see what Cristoff had become. While he might not have lost his own soul, he couldn’t see how completely his master had lost his. He sees the truth, now, I think. Neo and Kassius were talking about this just last night, how different Arturo is. How much you’ve changed him.”
    Quinn watched her. “But what if it’s all a lie? What if I haven’t changed him enough? His loyalty to Cristoff was absolute.”
    “Was. It’s not anymore, Quinn, you know that. Arturo made his choice between you and his master the day he found you in Cristoff’s dungeon. He chose you. He risked everything to get you out of there.” Amanda shrugged. “I can’t promise you anything, of course. But I see a look in his eyes when he watches you, a look that tells me he’d sooner rip out his own heart than let Cristoff touch you again.”
    With a heavy sigh, Quinn nodded. “Somewhere inside, I believe that. But on some level, I’ve always believed that, even when it wasn’t justified. I can’t be that foolish again.” She shook her head. “I can’t.”
    “I know.” Amanda smiled, a quiet smile that almost reached her eyes. “Sometimes all we can do is go with our gut. In the meantime…”
    A fist pounded on the door, making both women jump.
    “Amanda!”
    Amanda jumped up and opened the door.
    Rinaldo stood in the doorway. “You’re needed upstairs. Quickly! It’s Zack.”

Chapter 6

    Z ack.
    As Quinn ran for the door of Amanda’s examining room, both Rinaldo and Amanda disappeared in a vampire flash. Since Amanda was no vampire, Rinaldo must have picked her up and carried her, which meant she was badly needed. For Zack.
    Quinn’s heart seized, her vision blurring with moisture, as she tore out of the room. She was halfway down the hall when Micah appeared suddenly, swept her into his arms, and then she, too, was flying up the stairs, vampire-fast.
    Moments later, Micah deposited her in the middle of the kitchen where she turned to find Arturo on his knees, leaning over Zack’s prone body, his fangs buried deep in her brother’s neck.
    “What happened?” Quinn and Amanda demanded simultaneously as the doctor knelt on Zack’s other side, Quinn at his feet.
    “We don’t know,” Mukdalla told them. “He was standing there asking if there was any leftover ham when his eyes suddenly rolled up in his head and he started to go down. Arturo caught him before he hit the floor and ordered us to fetch you two.”
    Arturo pulled back, his fangs retracting as he met her gaze with sorrowful eyes, then turned to Amanda. “I’ve initiated healing with my bite, but…” He shook his head.   Quinn’s heart began to race, fear a live wire in her chest. “What’s the matter?”
    “His blood tastes off, cara mia ,” he said, meeting her