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The Ruby Heart Ch. 01

By: Daniellekitten



The rain slashed furiously at the windshield of her car. If not for her almost panic to get away from the man her father had sent after her, she might have pulled over and waited it out. But that option was out for now. If he caught her, he would force her to go back to her father's villa and be under Sebastian's thumb once more.

Her wipers were on as fast as they would go and they still didn't cut through the rain enough for her to see. Elianna Antonelli felt another spurt of fear. She had to stay away from the man who'd been paid to find her, but the idea of an accident was only just a trifle less of a fear. She slowed just a bit more, cursing when an eighteen wheeler went flying by her, splashing her windshield with a wave of water.

She reached out, wiping at the inside of the windshield with a paper napkin she'd pulled from the glove box. It didn't help so she dropped it to the seat next to her. She felt her car thump over something and she jumped at the unexpected noise. Checking out her rear view mirror, she didn't see anything through the heavy down pour.

Tail lights began to flash ahead of her as cars slowed even more. Elianna tapped on her brakes, trying to slow down too, but the car was hydroplaning. She screamed as she saw the back end of a truck coming at her at a speed that was too fast to avoid. Instead, she spun the wheel, stepping down on her brakes with both feet. The car turned to the side, spinning once before heading toward the guard rail. It hit with a sickening crunch and then a shrill shriek, going airborne and flipping twice. She saw water coming at her and she tried to brace herself for the impact.

She hit nose first, a huge spray coming from the front of her car. She felt a savage burst of pain in her arm and then felt her head hit the windshield. Cold water began to pour into the car and she felt it began to sink.

Elianna reached up, touching her head where it hurt and drawing her hand away covered with blood. She winced even as she tried to make sense out of what was happening around her. Her car was sinking at an alarmingly fast rate. Even now she could see the underside of the water through her windshield and the starred break in the glass from her head. It was creaking alarmingly and Elianna pulled at her seat belt, desperately trying to unlatch the pieces of metal that still held her fast to the seat.

The cold water was rising, the feel of it on her thighs and hips was numbing. She knew she was in danger of hypothermia from the frigid water and she fought even harder against the seat belt that refused to let her go. She cried out, struggling with the belt and then trying to open the window so that she might escape. It was jammed and she beat on the glass ineffectively. Her hands weren't strong enough to break the glass and she pulled her keys out of the ignition, using them to strike at the glass.

But nothing worked and she felt the cold water waving against her ribs. A shudder of fear and helplessness shivered through her and she could feel the first stirrings of the hypothermia stealing her strength and her will. Her tears streamed down her face and she stared around the small interior of the car. She had to get out, somehow, someway, she had to get out.

The thump of a hard boot against the starred windshield had her yelping in surprise. She looked out, seeing the legs and feet of someone in the water, trying to get in to her. She yelped in surprise and then reached out with one hand, pushing at the almost ruined windshield.

Her rescuer looked in at her through the windshield and he made some hand movements that she had a problem with understanding. Then he hit the windshield again and again until it burst and the water flooded into the car, filling up almost immediately.

Elianna had enough forethought to grab a mouthful of air and hold it in even as the man reached through the hole he'd made and grabbed her shoulders. Tugging against her, he pulled her out and he reached back in to grab her purse. Then he was holding her above the water and towing her easily toward the edge of the water and to where his car was pulled.

Elianna clung to him, her hands like tethers as he pulled her out of the water and then swooped her up, carrying her toward his care. He sat her in the passenger seat and then handed her a folded up blanket he'd pulled from his trunk. "Wrap up in this," he said softly to her. "We'll get you somewhere warm soon."

Elianna sat back as she'd been offered and she touched the wound on her head, the one that didn't seem like it would ever stop bleeding. She pressed the side of the blanket again it and used all the pressure she could manage to make the wound clot.

He took her back on the expressway and continued on their way. She managed to see the size of the body of water that she'd been dumped in and even caught a glimpse of her cute little car under the water. "I would have died," she breathed, reaching out and grabbing his arm. "You saved my life."

"I was just doing what anyone would have done, sweetheart. It wasn't that big of a deal."

"So how many people tried to push you aside so that they could save me?"

She laughed at him as he couldn't answer her. "It's okay. I'm just glad you had the forethought to save me."

"You look like someone I know?' he muttered. "Do I know you?"

His brow furrowed and he kept glancing her way. "We've never met," she whispered. But I feel as if I know you." She paused for a moment before giving her real name. "My name is Elianna Antonelli."

"You're Antonelli's daughter and Angel's sister," he gaped. The surprise on his face was just a little amusing and she nodded her head. 

"How do you know Angel?"

"She married my cousin, Aaron." Her eyes never left his face even as she shivered in the cold. He could feel his hands touching on her arm and he gave her more of his attention.

"Which cousin are you?"

He sighed then reached up to cover her hand as it rested against his bicep. "I'm Quinn Hunter, oldest of my part of the Hunter family tree." He didn't mention the three boys and four girls that made up that rather large branch. Instead, he hit his turn signal and carefully pulled off the expressway, turning the wrong way that would get her someplace safe.

"I've heard of you."

"Of me? Who would want to talk about me?"

"Aaron and Angel kept telling me that if I was determined to get information on the ruby heart, you would be the man to talk to. I was heading out toward your house tonight..."

"And what makes any of them think that I do know anything about the Ruby heart? I've never even touched the gem much less studied it."

"Maybe it was the fact that your college career dealt more with finding the different treasures. Of figuring out clues and weeding though the miss mash that was out there. I've heard of you finding The Snake River Opal, and what everyone thinks is the fountain of Youth.

"I was lucky," Quinn said, fighting with the part of him that couldn't turn away from the mysteries of lost gold and jewels. The Ruby Heart was supposed to lead the owner to a place of immense wealth. He could feel that little part of him that always managed to get him into trouble wanting to perk its little head up and offer to help her.

"I can't believe that," Elianna said. "I have the Hunter diaries that show how they found the original spot that held the Ruby heart. I know from there, it would be almost a cake walk to find the gem. She lifted her purse that was large enough to be a suitcase. "I have all the information in here."

"What kind of information?" Quinn was compelled to ask.

Elianna pulled out the plastic wrapped books and letters, all things that she'd found on her own since she'd become transfixed by the ruby. She held up one of the Hunter diaries and showed it to Quinn. "This is your Uncle Donovan's diary. It tells of another opening to the mass of warrens and gullies that are down below us." She lifted up another diary, though this one didn't seem familiar to Quinn. "The young girl who was sacrificed so long ago, her diary has finally shown up. She speaks of a Hunter, no first name, but she does call him a savior. And there's even more information in the rest of these books."

"Do you know what searching for that treasure has done to my family? My cousin Rylie lost a baby. Dillon almost lost his mind. It's just too dangerous, Elianna. I could and probably would get us killed."

"But I would go by my own wishes, Quinn. The heart has been a mystery that I've wanted to solve since I first saw the gem over ten years ago. It's absolutely beautiful. It vibrates when you hold it in your hand."

"I believe someone was bitten by the shiny stone bug." Quinn reached out and flicked her on the nose. "You almost just drowned, Elianna. How about we get you some place safe and get you warm?"

"Then we'll discuss the gem? Can I at least show you what I've found?" Her eyes were on his face and she caught the huge sigh he gave. "Come on, tell me you aren't even the tiniest bit curious about what I've found?"

Quinn shook his head. "How about we get warm and dry and then we can discuss it?"

Elianna glanced around her at the traffic that was moving quicker now that the rain had slowed. She didn't see her father's man anywhere and he wouldn't know that she was in this car anyway. She nodded. "All right, but we will discuss this?"

"Yep, you've got the bug bad, don't you?" Quinn hit his turn signal and pulled off the exit on the expressway, turning left and speeding away from the interstate. He turned left on the first crossroad they'd came to and Quinn barely slowed when the crumbly concrete turned into dirt. The road narrowed but the houses grew nicer, fenced in and gated, most with pools or ponds.

Quinn pulled into a short driveway and then punched a number into a keypad. The gates opened slowly and he pulled through even slower. When he was through, the gates closed on their own, clanging as they locked.

The driveway was curved and long and Elianna could barely keep her eyes off the beautifully done landscaping. "This is yours?"

"Yeah." He didn't say anymore.

"It's beautiful," she added and then stared out the windshield as the house came into view. It was like looking at a mansion in the south before the civil war. Tall white pillars held up the roof that covered the wrap around veranda. Up in a small tower in the center of the building, an exquisite stained glass window seemed to sparkle as Quinn's car lights touched it. There were cupped hands embossed in gold, a bright red heart sitting in the midst of them.

"The Ruby heart?" she asked him, reaching out to touch his arm. "It is, isn't it?"

Quinn nodded. "Yes, it's been like the holy grail to me."

"And you doubt the information that I have on the heart? I have been diligent in my collecting, Quinn. I've searched three different countries looking for the next clue. I'm not making any of this up and I'll be happy to show you what I've brought with me." She could hear the exasperation in her voice but she couldn't hide it. This meant to much to her to worry about what other people thought of her. "Please Quinn. I wouldn't bother you with this if I wasn't so sure of what I've got."

Quinn nodded thoughtfully, pulling his car right up to the front door. He turned it off, getting out and hurrying to her side of the car.

Elianna put away everything she'd gotten out to show him, groaning a bit as she heard the sloshing sound coming from her purse. It was almost as bad as the squelching sound of her shoes as she walked toward the front door. She shook as the cold got to her, bundling under the blanket she still wore over her shoulders.

Quinn put his arm around her, easily unlocking the door and hurrying her inside. "Stay here," he said shortly, crossing the living room and going up the two steps that led to another door. He rushed inside and was back almost instantly, a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt in his hand.

"Here, these will be warmer than what you're wearing. If you bring out your clothes, I'll make sure they get washed and dried." Quinn handed her the sweats and then led her through another door. "Through there is the bathroom. Grab a quick shower if you'd like."

Elianna glanced up at him before going through the door and into a bedroom that was exquisite. She saw the bathroom on the other side and went in, dropping her purse on the floor before closing the door and turning on the shower. 

She peeled off her blouse, shivering as she tore off her wet bra and dropped it onto the small pile of clothing that was growing at her feet. Her slacks were next and she held onto the countertop as she peeled them off her legs. Her socks came off with her slacks and she shivered even more. Her red satin thong was the last to come off and she dropped it onto the pile, searching in the cupboards until she found a couple of towels.

She opened the glass door of the shower and stepped inside, sighing as the heat of the water soaked into her skin, driving the cold away. The smell of the water she'd been dunked in was even more noticeable now and she took up the bar of soap, lathering her hands and then her body. It was almost orgasmic, the sense of being clean, of smelling fresh and like soap instead of the wet, musty smell of the water. She leaned against the wall of the shower and closed her eyes, letting the stream of the water beat down on her.

How long she would have stayed there, she didn't know. But the sound of the bathroom door closing had her standing up straight and staring out into the bathroom through the glass. She noted one thing right away. Her pile of wet clothes was missing.

She reached out and turned off the water, grabbing one of the towels she'd found and wrapping it around her wet body. The other towel was wrapped around her hair and she stepped out onto the cold tile floor.

Elianna quickly dried off and pulled on the sweats, leaving her long reddish brown locks in the towel. She found a pair of thick socks that had been dropped on top of the sweats. She slid them onto her feet, pulling them up as far as they would go. She picked up her purse and took it with her out into the living room.

Quinn was no where to be seen so she sat on the couch, rolling up the legs on the sweats so that she wouldn't walk on them. She'd had to tie them tightly to keep them around her waist. Then she rolled up the sleeves and took the towel from her head, drying her hair as quickly as she could with the damp towel.

When Quinn came through the same door he'd gone into to get the sweats, she stopped messing with her hair. "Thank you, Quinn." Her eyes moved over his tall body, admiring the way he looked in tight jeans and a thick cable knit sweater.

"You're more than welcome, Elianna. I did come in and got your wet clothes. They're in the washer." He sank down next to her on the couch. "Now, since we're both warm, why don't we take a look at what you've found."

Elianna clapped her hands in excitement. "Really? You'll take a look at it?"

"Yeah, I'll take a look but I'm not promising anything."

She started to dig in her purse, pulling her wallet out and dropping it on the towel she wasn't using for her hair anymore. Then she pulled out the first of the four diaries she had. "This belonged to your Uncle Donovan." She pulled it out of the plastic, glad to see that the dunking hadn't hurt the fragile book in any way. Turning to a page that seemed more tattered than the rest, she held it out to Quinn. "This is the first time your Uncle wrote about the Heart. He speaks of how he and his wife had found the heart in a statue in a cavern."

"How did you get this?" he asked, his brow furrowed as he glanced at Elianna.

"Dillon and Rylie. I told them what I was going to do and they gave me this and the two maps they'd had when they chased down the gold into Mexico. There was no gold, but Rylie lost her footing and fell into an opening in the old town."

"Yes, I know that story well."

"Yeah, and now they have the twins."

"You got to see them? I can't believe that Dillon would all...," he stopped talking glancing over at her.

"You can't believe that Dillon would let me see his children?" Her voice was harsh and she stared down at her hands. "It's part of the wonderful legacy left by my father."

"I'm sorry, Elianna. It's just everything that your father has put my family through, it's a bit hard to forget about. He almost killed Aaron and would have if he hadn't kidnapped Angel as well. He kidnapped Shanna and was going to sell her in a white slavery ring."

"I know," she said softly. "But I hope you'll remember that he's held me hostage as well. I tried more than once to get away from him, but he almost always seemed one step ahead of me. I never had any luck at all until I finally just got up one night and walked out. I walked almost ten miles that night and had no money or credit cards that I could use."

Quinn stared down at her, seeing the truth in her pale green eyes. He also noted the unshed tears that she fought to keep hidden. "So daddy wasn't a very good daddy then?"

"After all he's done, do you have any doubts?" She sniffed and ran the back of her hand under her eyes. "I've always been way down on his list of priorities."

Quinn nodded and then bent his head, reading what his Uncle had written under his breath. "This is where Angel and Aaron found the gem, using these coordinates."

"Yes, in a cavern in New Mexico. There they found the statue and the cavern. As soon as they picked up the stone, it started a cave in that almost killed them."

"Yes, and when they came out of the cavern, he tried to kill Aaron and his friend Brandon. He kidnapped Angel and tried to use her as well." Quinn glanced over at her again. "So what else you got?"

She reached into her purse again and pulled out a plastic covered map. "This is the ancient map that showed the exact location of the old city. It was desecrated and robbed long before Dillon and Rylie got there."

"I've been there," Quinn said softly, smiling when he heard her gasp of surprise. "Come on, girl. I'm a treasure hunter. Do you think I wouldn't check it out?"

"I guess I'd never thought about it. I'd heard that it was pretty much nothing more than dust." Elianna reached into her purse again and pulled out the young girl's diary. "This one breaks my heart," she said softly.

He took the makeshift book from her hand, letting it fall open in his. He glanced over the page quickly, surprised to find it written in a bastardized form of English. "How old is this?"

"I had it authenticated." She didn't say anything else for a moment. "The paper and the ink came from that era but the man who authenticated it for me said he'd never read anything like this. He said it should have been in some kind of Incan or Aztec writing, not English. He did say that he'd never seen anything like this before."

Quinn scanned a page, intrigued by the young girl's interpretation of her life. She'd been chosen at birth to be a sacrifice, raised as if she were some kind of goddess herself. She'd never realized what her people meant to do to her until the day they came for her, dressing her in the finest apparel available. She'd been led out and into the village, the soft fur cloak blowing back from her naked thighs. The diary tells of how she'd begun to struggle when she saw the altar before her, the stains of other virgins' blood clouding the pureness of the stone.

She'd fought the men that held her, kicking and biting, using her nails to force them to let her go. But when one man let her go, two others stood strong, hanging onto her.

Quinn looked up from the rest of the diary. "I have a question," he said softly to Elianna.

She lifted her head and stared at him.

"How could she write all of this when she was being taken to her death?" 

The Ruby Heart Ch. 02



I'm on a roll today. It's too bad it's Sunday and I have to visit family otherwise I'd probably have the next chapter of Tabitha out as well. Oh well, maybe tonight. I hope you enjoy this Hunter tale. I just love those boys. Take care!

* * * *

Chapter Two

It was a question that had bothered Elianna as well until she reached the last page of the diary. She reached out, taking the diary from Quinn's hands and flipping the pages to the last one. "She'd had help."

Quinn glanced down at the strange writing, seeing the last stroke of the pen as the diary's owner had been dragged from her hiding spot and taken out and savagely sacrificed. He flinched, staring at that last pen stroke. "They didn't make it easy on her did they?"

"I wouldn't say so," Elianna sighed. "But they got their sacrifice. It was all they wanted."

"But this man," he ran his finger down the text on the page. "This Maricanchi, he saved her?"

"He saved her, hid her and fell in love with her, Quinn. She was waiting for him the day that she was recaptured. She was pregnant and wanted to tell him their joyous news. Instead, she was found as she wrote in her diary and taken to the men who called themselves chiefs of the village."

"Well, at least she didn't die a virgin. But what does any of this have to do with the Ruby Heart? I mean, yeah, it's a great story and all, but how does that get us any closer to where the Heart is?"

"Did you ever talk to your cousin, Dillon, about the Ruby and what it did to him?"

"What it did to him?" His eyes narrowed. "He never told any of the family that it did anything to him."

"Maybe not the rest of the family, but he told Angel. She had a similar experience when she and Aaron went down into the cavern to bring the Heart out."

"What kind of experience?" He sat forward even more, now more curious about the Heart than ever before.

"He touched it and it took him to the cave in Mexico. It showed him the high priestess, the only one who was supposed to touch the Heart. The high priestess tried to have sex with Dillon, she knew what the Heart could do and she wanted to force the Heart into letting Dillon stay with her. Lucky for him, he was already in love with Rylie. Her voice brought him back."

"My cousin Dillon admitted this to anyone?" Quinn scoffed. "Dillon doesn't believe any of that mumbo jumbo crap. I even tried to get him interested in finding the Heart once. I'd never heard him so adamant when he said no." Quinn sat back on the couch, reaching over to hand her the diary.

"So is this all you got?"

"No." Elianna glanced at Quinn and then down into her purse. She wasn't sure if she wanted to show this next bit of evidence to Quinn or not. If he decided to go without her, this little map she had would make her redundant.

"Well..."

"I'm thinking, Quinn. This page I'm not sure if I should show you or not, it tells you what to do with the Ruby Heart to have it show you the way to the treasure."

"You have a page that will do that?" Quinn sat forward again, eager to see this piece of evidence.

"Yeah, and if I show it to you, how do I know that you'll take me with you?"

"I never said I was going to go myself." He shook his head.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Lie to me some more. How can you resist? The Ruby Heart Treasure is unbelievably expansive, Quinn. Tell me how you could resist that?"

"I've never stolen any one's find before, Elianna. I don't have to. I'm not going to duck out on you in the middle of the night clutching a bunch of ancient papers that might mean nothing. Besides, no one knows where the Ruby Heart is now. Not since your father got hold of it again."

"I do," she said softly, before glancing up to see his face. "That might be the most dangerous part of this quest, Quinn. My father is not a man to come up against, especially when it has something to do with the Ruby Heart. He's been transfixed with the idea of owning it since the first time he read about it in any of the diaries and histories of the piece."

"You know where Antonelli is keeping the Heart?"

"Yes. My father wanted someone to crow to. He couldn't do it with either of his ladies, so I got to listen to him. I know exactly where the Heart is and how to get it."

"And you want my help," he added for her, sinking back against the couch again. "You want me to go up against your father, steal his prized possession and then find the Heart treasure all the while he's hunting me."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement of facts.

"And me, Quinn. Besides Angelina, I'm his only daughter. I'm the one that he plans on leaving all of this to when Beelzebub calls him home."

"So why not wait until that happens?" he asked, the corner's of his lips quirking as they heard her words.

"My father is in perfect shape. He works out every day to keep his heart healthy and strong. He's given up smoking and drinking on the advice of his doctor and the man says he'll live until he's a hundred if he doesn't get hit by a car. I'm not patient enough to wait that long. Besides, do you know what it's like being Sebastian Antonelli's daughter?"

Quinn shook his head.

"I'm surprised I managed to get away from him. I know he has men searching for me. He had a chip implanted in my thigh that would send out a homing signal if I were to ever leave his estate."

"Had a chip?"

"I dug it out," she said, rubbing her hand over the small scar it had left. "I'm cosseted and spoiled as long as I stay where Sebastian puts me. I'm his darling girl as long as I don't want a life of my own. I'm surprised he hasn't put me in a convent yet." She sighed and it seemed to exhaust her. "I've been on the run since I got the first warning that Sebastian knew I was in Texas. I can't stop running now or he'll find me and I'll never be free of him. Do you know what living a life like that can do to you?"

Quinn felt a spurt of sympathy. He'd grown up with overbearing Cousin Dillon keeping an eye on his every move until he found his first treasure. Now Dillon kept his mouth shut or Quinn ignored him. But being a woman and having that thrust down your throat with nothing to be done...he shook his head.

"So you want my help to find the treasure so you can...what? Give it to your father? Shove it in his face?"

"So I can be free from him. I spent my last thousand dollars on buying the car that ended up in the lake last night. I can't do this on my own anymore. I need help, your help. I will do whatever you want me to do, Quinn."

Quinn sighed, tapping his finger against his bottom lip as he thought. His eyes roamed over her, acknowledging her beauty, the soft green of her eyes, the brilliant fire of her hair, her piquant features. There was no doubting her relationship to Angel or to the surge of interest he was feeling toward her. He'd always wished he'd met Angel before Aaron had. He'd always found her absolutely perfect, even when she was nine months pregnant with his cousin's baby.

Now that he'd met Elianna, his interest was more than piqued.  It was like God was giving him his own copy of Angel, one with the same beauty and fire, the same strength of will that had always captivated him about Angel. He rose slowly, pacing the floor in front of her for a moment before he dropped to his knees at her feet.

"I have to do this," he whispered softly, reaching out and taking her arms in his gentle hands. He pulled her closer, hearing her gasp and then feeling the heat of her breath against his lips.

Heat hit him first, like someone thrusting a torch into his belly. Then he felt her lips move against his, opening under his and the tiniest of flicker of her tongue against his mouth. He pulled back, his amber eyes opening slowly to stare into the heat of hers. Her hands moved from his chest, rising slowly to touch the nape of his neck, her fingers combing through his too long hair.

"Again," she sighed, lifting her mouth in invitation to his.

"Yes," he moaned, pulling her even closer before rising to sit in her chair and pull her onto his lap. His mouth was relentless, rubbing and teasing hers until she dug her fingers in his hair and pulled him down closer. She arched against him, pushing her breasts, covered only by the softness of his sweatshirt into his chest. 

He buried his hand in her hair, holding her still for the possession of her mouth, the other hand pulling her closer, wanting to feel all of her against him.

He finally tore his mouth away from hers, dropping his head back against the cushions of the chair. "Damn," he panted.

Her hands touched his face, exploring his features as if she were blind. Her thumb brushed over the small beard he'd begun growing, then touched his ears, tugging on him to look down at her again.

"What...what was that?" she managed to stutter. Her insides were still on fire and she could feel her wetness against her thighs.

"A kiss," he said softly, gently stroking her hair away from her face. "I've been thinking about doing that since I first fished you out of that lake."

"And now that you have?" she panted.

"I want to do it again," he moaned, moving closer to her again. He gave her no other warning, just dropped his head far enough to cover her lips, his tongue slipping over the seam of her mouth, to tease it open.

Her hands were on his cheeks and then she wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mouth to his tongue. She felt him rise but ignored the feeling, too caught up in his taste and his heat. She didn't even glance up when she felt him heading up a flight of stairs and opening a door.

"I want you," he growled against her mouth, laying her gently against the thick coverlet of his bed. "I have to have you."

"Yes," she whimpered, her hands finding their way to the hem of his shirt, tugging it away from his body so that she might find his skin.

"God!" he growled, at the way her hands felt against him. He lifted up enough to pull off his shirt, then bent over her further, swooping down to take her lips once more. It was as if she were some kind of drug and he were addicted, unable to do with out the taste of her, the softness of her lips, the heat of her breath.

"Tell me no now, Elianna."

"Y...you want me to say no?" she asked, confusion warring with the passion in her eyes.

"No, God no! But if you're going to say no, do it now or else I can't promise I'll be able to stop." He took her mouth again, not giving her time to say anything, his lips frantic against the softness of hers. He pulled away, only long enough to pull his sweatshirt from off of her slender body. His eyes roamed over her bare flesh, amazed at her beauty and at the way she felt in his arms. "I can't stop," he moaned softly, pressing his bare chest against her breasts. "I don't ever want to stop."

"Never stop," she gasped, rubbing her nipples against the wealth of hair on his chest. The tickle of his chest hair was almost maddening and she arched her back further, tugging on his head to kiss her again. She gasped at the feel of his lips, the sharp nip of his teeth against her mouth. He suckled her lip in, tugging on it, his hands moving over her body.

Elianna pushed at his chest, forcing him to his back. She straddled his lean waist, kissing him over and over, her hair falling around them and making it seem even more intimate. She rubbed against him, her hands moving over the wide muscles of his chest, her nails flicking over the small tips of his nipples.

"You feel so good," she moaned, moving from his lips to his jaw, her teeth scrapping gently against his skin. "You taste...ahh," she cried, feeling his hands move to the ties on the sweats she was wearing. With one quick flick on his hand, he untied the bow that held them around her waist and then he was pushing his hands inside the waistband, pulling them down so that he could reach the rest of her.

Flipping her to her back, he pulled the sweats off of her body, baring her to his eyes except for the long socks she still wore on her feet. His mouth moved down her neck, moving across the small rise of her collarbone, nibbling on her skin. Her name was on his lips, his hands were gentle against her bared breasts and he tugged at her taut, pink nipples.

"Elianna..." he moaned again. "You are...so beautiful...so beautiful." His mouth closed over one hard nipple and he heard her gasp of pleasure. She moved under him, her thighs parting to clamp around his lean hips. She rubbed against the bulge in his pants, her fingers digging into his skin when she couldn't get as much of him as she wanted. 

"Please, Quinn," she begged softly. "Please."

He looked up at her and felt a spurt of need that was almost overwhelming. He pulled away from her, tugging off his pants and the briefs he wore under them, dropping them to the pile of clothing left on the floor. "You're sure?" he moaned, forcing himself to do nothing more but look at her writhing form. Her beauty made breathing difficult and his fingers clenched, waiting for her answer impatiently.

"Fuck me, Quinn," she growled, holding out her arms to him and parting her thighs for his invasion. "Please fuck me."

His eyes flared, more gold than amber and a flush rose to cover his cheekbones. His hands were almost shaking as he moved over her, finding that sweep space between her thighs that waited for him. She was fiery hot and so wet for him, he slipped right in, going half way with one quick thrust.

Elianna cried out, unable to stop herself. She'd never felt like this with any man, as if she were going up in flames and she needed him to help her survive. Her hands were on his back, her nails digging half moons into his shoulders. "More," she begged. "Please more."

His mouth moved across her chin, finding her lips and devouring them eagerly. He moved against her slowly, pulling out to the tip of his cock before thrusting in to her tightness again and again, each time a bit more, a bit deeper. Her moans were like aphrodisiacs and he couldn't get enough. He bent his head, finding one tight nipple and suckling it into his mouth, teasing the pink bud with his teeth before rolling it with his tongue.

He heard her cry out, felt the flutter of the muscles that were so tight around his cock. He could feel the pleasure she was giving him, it was unlike anything he'd known before and he had to slow his strokes, feeling the urge to come almost overwhelming him. He pressed the palm of his hand against the softness of her belly, sliding it downward until he could dip his fingers between her swollen lips. Finding the tiny bud of her clit, he played with it, hearing her every moan and groan spiral through him to add to the fire in his loins.

Her body arched and stayed frozen, her lips open on a silent scream of pleasure. He could feel the flutter of her cunt, the muscles pulling him deeper, holding him tighter. He slammed his body into hers, unable to be gentle or careful, wanting only to join her at that black abyss of pleasure.

"Elianna," he groaned as his cock seemed to grow then spurt his come into her. He almost felt as if he were being turned inside out, unable to stop moving against her. He held himself up on his elbows, his heart pounding in his chest. He found her lips once more, never wanting this moment to stop.

She cradled him against her, stroking her hands down his back and then up into his hair. His kisses did little to slow the heavy beating of her heart, but she didn't care. She was happy right now. It felt right to be in his bed, in his arms. It felt as if this were her place, a place she'd been searching for forever.

He stroked her hair out of her face, gently kissing her eyelids and then the tip of her nose. "Are you okay?" he murmured against her ear.

"Am I dead?" she asked, smiling as he laughed.

"If you are than I much be also." He lifted his head, watching as she opened heavy lidded eyes.

"You are amazing," she moaned, raising her head to kiss his lips. "Completely, stupefyingly amazing."

"Stupefyingly?" he asked, a small smirk on his lips. "Is that a word?"

"I don't know. It just seemed to fit." She let her feet slide down his calves, running her toes across the bottom of his foot.

He jerked and she moaned. "I think you could stay right there for the next millennia or so."

"We might get hungry," he said, pushing her hair out of her face.

"What, no room service?"

"You know, I always planned on getting room service here at the house but it just seemed a bit self gratifying for only me." He pulled from her body and then slid to her side, tugging her into his arms. "You don't have any plans to go running out and getting into trouble again tonight, do you?"

She yawned and stretched next to him. "I'll wake you if I feel the urge to get rescued."

He chuckled. "I appreciate that, a woman who knows how to give a man warning."

She opened her eyes again, narrowing them at Quinn. "Is that some kind of crack?"

"God no, never," he soothed

She almost seemed to purr as he stroked his hand down her back, following the sweet curve of her ass and then pulling her leg up to cover his thighs. "Comfortable?"

"Wake me in a few hours and ask me that then," she sighed, yawning hugely. "Getting rescued out of a freezing lake takes a lot out of a girl."

"Not to mention what just happened."

She cocked open one eye and looked at him. "What just happened?"

His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. "So much for you being good on my ego."

"Well, here I was hoping for round two, something to remind me of." She laughed as he growled at her. "All bark and no bite."

Quinn rolled her under him, coming to lie on top of her. Bending his head, he snapped at her neck. "Do you want to doubt my bite now?"

Elianna moved under him, making herself comfortable, her hands moving over her skin. "Oh, I'll never doubt your bite, Quinn." She arched against his chest, her fingers stroking down his back to cup his ass. She moaned when he moved, rubbing himself against her. He was growing harder against her again and she groaned her approval, a sigh leaving her as he began to push back inside of her. "I think I love your bite, Quinn."

"We aim to please," he moaned his lips moving over her skin. "You're better than one of those little blue pills," he teased.

Her hips moved against his finding his rhythm and adjusting to it. "Oh my, you need some of those little blue pills? I'd never have thought that of one of you Hunter men."

"Better watch it, honey. You're Antonelli side is showing."

She pushed at him and he rolled her across the bed, ending up with her under him again. "Nope, I kind of like it here on top."

"Quinn..." she growled and then moaned, his cock rubbing at her clit as he thrust inside of her. "I think I like you there too."

"You'll stay, won't you?" he asked hoarsely, his fingers moving over her skin.

"As long as you want," she agreed.

He felt the beginning of her pleasure and grinned. "How about forever?" he teased, moving quicker to force the orgasm upon her.

"God Yes!" she cried and he pummeled himself into her, taking her from one massive peak of bliss to the next with little rest between them. When he pulled himself from her, she moaned, knowing he wasn't finished yet.

He rolled her to her tummy, grabbing one of the thick pillows and pushing it under her. Then he slowly pushed back inside of her, groaning at the tightness of her pussy and the way it seemed to welcome him. Her hands were in fists, grasping the soft sheets. "More?"

Elianna heard his teasing voice and wanted to answer but her body felt as if it didn't belong to her anymore. She undulated against his thrusting cock, unable to stop the next wave of pleasure or the next after that. Her moans became keening cries and she looked up, seeing the look of male satisfaction on his face. Just before his body tightened, his orgasm but a stroke away, he leaned closer, whispering in her ear. "Are you going to need thirds to remember who I am?"




The Ruby Heart Ch. 02



"No," she moaned then felt the heat of him inside of her. She cried out with him, her legs moving against the bed. She felt as if she were dying and she reached for him with one hand, feeling his fingers twine around hers even as he collapsed against her. Kissing the soft spot just under her ear, he moved to the side, letting her curl up against him. 

"Sleep, Elianna."



The Ruby Heart Ch. 03



Morning seemed to come too fast. Elianna brushed at the ray of sunshine that was tickling her nose, moaning her displeasure when it didn't leave her to sleep. She stretched in the bed, feeling the warm body of the man next, her eyes blinking open as she remembered what had happened between them the night before. 

She moaned again when she felt his hands wrap around her slender waist, dragging her back against him. "Too early," he groaned, burying his face in her hair. "Way too fucking early."

"The early treasure hunter gets the treasure," she teased, wiggling her butt against the hardness of his cock.

His hands rose and covered her breasts, his fingers twisting on her nipples. "Keep that up and you'll get your thirds," he growled.

"Hmm, promises, promises," she teased, reaching behind her to run her nails up his thigh. She quit teasing, rolling to her back instead to stare up at him. "Have you decided?"

Quinn looked startled at the sudden question and then a look of stunned disbelief came over his face. "Is that what this was all about?" 

"What what was about?" she asked, confused.

"Falling into bed with me the way you did. Did you think that you could make me so besotted that I'd have to go with you on your treasure hunt? That by sleeping with me, I'd be willing to go up against your old man?" His hand took hold of her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "That's what this was all about, your willingness to fuck me. Small price for freedom, huh?"

Elianna jerked her head away from his hand. "I'm beginning to think I'd be better off going on my own. Who the hell do you think you are that I would throw myself at you, to make love with you just so that you'd go with me? What kind of whore do you take me for?" She pushed herself out of bed, grabbing his sweatshirt off the floor to cover her nakedness. "I don't use my body to get what I want."

"Well, you are an Antonelli," Quinn snarled. "And we definitely know how they get their way."

"Angel is as much Antonelli as I am. Do you think she'd crawl into your bed to get what she wanted?" Elianna could feel the tears of hurt clogging her throat and she swallowed hard, refusing to let the arrogant bastard see them.

"Angel was raised by her mother, not her father."

"You son of a bitch," she snarled, reaching behind her for something hard that she could throw. She picked up a bottle made from stone and hurled it at him, feeling a small triumph when it struck him in the chest. She picked up another but didn't have a chance to strike. 

Quinn had risen from the bed and grabbed her arm. "Those are tourmaline and worth probably five times as much as that piece of shit car you were driving last night. Now, quit throwing fits and tell me the truth. I respect the truth more than any kind of pretense you give me."

For a moment amber eyes met green and she growled, twisting her arm out of his grasp. "Do you want to know why I slept with you? Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

Taking a step toward him, she could feel the heat of his body against her chest though they weren't yet touching. "This is the reason I slept with you." She reached up and dragged his lips down, kissing him with every bit of desire she felt in her gut. She felt his arms come around her, dragging her even closer, one hand tugging at the sweatshirt to cup a naked butt cheek in his palm. Before he could take over the kiss, she stepped back, pulling out of his embrace. "That's the reason, right there.

"Anna," he breathed, reaching toward her, wanting her back in his arms.

"No, Quinn. No!" She moved further away, reaching down and picking up the sweatpants he'd taken off of her the night before. "I-I don't want you anymore." Before he could say another word, she pushed past him and down the stairs. Quickly picking up the papers she'd shown him last night, she carefully encased them in their plastic and pushed them into her purse. She was sitting on the couch, staring out the front window at the woods that surrounded his peaceful home when he came down the stairs. "I need my clothes."

"We need to talk, Anna."

"No, Quinn, we don't. If you'll get me my clothes, I'll be out of your hair."

"You're ten miles in the middle of nowhere. Where the hell do you think you're going to go?" He sank down on the chair, feeling almost helpless in the face of her rage and her unwillingness to talk to him.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've had to walk. I'll be just fine."

"What kind of man do you think I am, Anna? I can't just let you walk out of here. I won't."

"I think you're a smug, selfish bastard. I think you're arrogant and only care about yourself and what you want. And I think I don't want to be around you now. She stood, going to the door and where she'd taken off her shoes the night before. "Where are my shoes? You can keep the clothes. I'd walk naked out of here rather than have to deal with you."

"Anna?" His tone was disbelieving. He stared after her in amazement as she stalked back, grabbing her purse. 

"Keep them." She hiked up the too big sweatpants and then, without another word, headed out his front door. He rose, going to the door and watching out one of the small windows next to the door. She stomped through the mud and muck on the driveway, stumbling only once when she seemed to hurt her foot. 

"Dammit Anna," he growled. He quickly threw his shoes on, grabbing the keys to his four-wheel-drive. He ran out his back door, sliding to a stop next to his Jeep. He hit the button on the garage door, waiting for it to almost go all the way up before backing out. Then he was headed down the long driveway.

Elianna had made it almost to the first stop sign down the road, her shoulders stiff, refusing to look at him when he drove up next to her and rolled down the window. "Come on, Anna. You can't walk all the way to town without shoes. Come on, get in. We'll get your clothes dried and then, if you still want to go, we can talk about it."

She ignored him, her chin stubbornly tilted up.

Quinn closed his eyes for a second and breathed out a sigh of resignation. "Anna," he began, his tone very different than before. "I'm sorry."

She glanced his way before turning back to her walking.

"I was wrong, Anna. I was wrong and I'm an idiot. I should have known better than to accuse you with something like that. Please, forgive me." His face was full of contrition and he felt a small spurt of relief when she quit walking.

"You don't believe I would sleep with you to get you to do what I want?" she asked softly.

"No, Anna. I was a complete ass and I'm sorry." 

Her eyes scanned his face and something in his expression had her shoulders setting and then she started walking again. "Liar."

Quinn growled, throwing the Jeep into park and getting out of the car to swoop her into his arms. He put her in the passenger seat of the Jeep. "You stay there," he ordered, his voice brooking no thoughts of disobedience. Then he ran around and got back behind the wheel. "We're going to talk about this," he snarled before putting the Jeep back in gear and turning around on a small patch of grass.

"There's nothing to talk about. You think I'm a whore."

"Anna, you look at things from my perception and tell me what you'd think if you were in my shoes." The trip back to his house took no time at all and he pulled back into the garage, growling at her when she went to open her car door. "Stay there."

Her eyes grew wide when she saw him pull open her car door and then felt him reach in and pull her out, swinging her into his strong arms. "Your feet are a muddy mess," he said. "My housekeeper would have my head." He kicked his own shoes off on the mat by the back door before carrying her into the kitchen and setting her down on the edge of the sink. He turned on the water, directing the spray in the empty side of the sink and making sure the water wasn't too hot or too cold.

When it felt about right, he turned on the sprayer, pulling the hose out and spraying the mess off her feet before grabbing a handful of the soft soap that was in the dispenser on the sink. He soaped her feet, running his fingers between her little pink toes and over the high arches, washing every inch. Then he rinsed them again, glancing at her face when he was finished. "Sit there and I'll get a towel."

The words were an order and she would have loved to have told him to go to hell, but he wasn't giving her an option. He brought in a towel, picking up one of her feet and drying it before grabbing the other. When he was finished, he folded the towel and hung it over the cupboard to dry then gave her a hand in jumping down. "Now, we're going to talk about this."

"And if I don't want to?"

"Then you can sit and listen, but either way, I'm going to have my say."

"You already called me a whore, Quinn, what else is there to say?"

He sighed, his eyes rolling before he held out a hand to her. "Not here."

"Not here...what?"

"I don't want to talk about it in the kitchen. We can be comfortable while we talk." He led the way back into the living room.

"Fine," she snarled. "I'll sit and I'll listen but I don't think it will make any difference." She pulled her hand out of his and walked over to the chair she'd sat on the night before, dropping her still soggy purse at her feet. "What?"

"Can we try to keep this civil?" When she shrugged, he heaved a long sigh. "You know what your father has done to my family. Give me one reason to trust the woman he raised."

"Because I hate him almost as much as you do." She bit her lower lip, her eyes focusing upon his feet. "My father has kept me hidden from the world. I was kept cloistered, stuck in his beautiful houses, waited on by the servants that he paid for. I was spied on and reported on, never left alone. Can you even imagine living like that?"

"I have Dillon in my life," Quinn said softly, hearing her snort of laughter. 

"I've heard that he can be a little over bearing."

"Yeah, a little." He finally caught her gaze, hanging onto it. "I am really sorry, Anna."

"Then prove it to me. Help me with this. We can keep it strictly business and I will promise you a percentage of any treasure we find."

"And the heart," Quinn added. "I want the heart too."

"I thought you thought it was evil?"

He chuckled. "Anna, no matter what anyone says, I don't believe that an inanimate item can ever be considered evil. People are evil, not things." He nodded at two heavy oak cases that sat against one wall. "The map for the opal and the stone tablet that helped me pin point the fountain of youth. I have a third box being constructed now. The heart would be quite a coup."

"If that's what it will take, it's yours. I just want enough money to keep me out of Sebastian's hands."

"And where is the stone," Quinn asked, sitting forward on the couch.

"Chicago. My father returned it to the place he had stored it before. He's been talking about bringing it over seas but I think he's a bit afraid of it."

"It's in the mansion where he held Angel and Aaron?" Quinn chuckled. "That's definitely one place I'd never thought of looking again. Okay, we should get started today. We don't want to give your father any time to track you down here." He rubbed his hands together. "Do you have any other clothes besides those you were wearing?"

"They were in the car."

Quinn glanced up at her. "Then I guess we go shopping as well."

"And we're going to keep this strictly business, right?"

"If that's what you want..." It wasn't what he wanted. It had been almost impossible to forget what she'd felt like in his arms, in his bed. He wouldn't have minded sharing that again with her but he wasn't too keen on dealing with her temper again. He'd be patient. He could wear her down. "So, Chicago and then, where?"

"We won't know that until we have the ruby. It could be Mexico or anywhere else in the world." She jumped when he got up suddenly. 

"I'll put your clothes in the dryer and then go and pack. I should be ready to leave by then." He walked out of the room, feeling her eyes on his back. He could feel his excitement building. Nothing hyped him up more than treasure hunting, finding the clues, making sense of them and then the ultimate, finding the treasure. The treasure itself wasn't a draw. It was the hunt that caught his interest. Finding the treasure of the Ruby Heart would be quite a coup. Especially if he could rub Sebastian Antonelli's face in it.

He opened the washer, reaching in to grab Anna's clothes. Her jeans and tee shirt were thrown into the dryer and then he saw another scrap of material and reached in to pull it out. The red satin thong was scarcely big enough to use as an eye patch much less as underwear. For a moment, he held the tiny scrap of fabric and then he forced himself to toss it into the dryer and then close the door. 

"Damn," he hissed. "She's got me all skewed. Turning on the dryer, he reached into a closet in the laundry room and grabbed his duffle bag and his backpack. Then he carried them through the living room. "I'll be back down in a few, Anna." She barely glanced up at him.

Within an hour he was as ready to leave as he would ever be. He'd called his sister, Grace, letting her know that he'd be out of touch for a while. "Off on another trip?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, I just need someone to come over and pick up my mail today and keep an eye on the house until I get back."

"You know we will, big brother. You just be careful. I don't want to lose you."

He agreed and then hung up the phone, knowing Grace would let the rest of his siblings know he was out of town. Elianna came out of the bedroom, dressed in her own clothes, her lovely green eyes glinting with excitement.

"Ready?"

"Yes," she spoke up. "I've been ready for this for a long time."

She followed him out to his Jeep, sliding into the passenger side while he threw his bags into the back. Then he slid into the front seat, starting the Jeep and hitting the button for the garage door. "Okay, Chicago here we come. We'll stop on the way and get you clothes and whatever else you need, Anna."

"I'll repay you, Quinn."

"I know that. Truthfully, Anna, I'm not worried about the money. It will be money well spent when I can hold the Heart in my hand." He rubbed one hand on his jean clad leg, glancing over at her as he turned to glance over at her.

"How long will it take to get there?"

"About three hours. Less, depending on traffic." He glanced her way again, reaching out and taking her hand in his, twining his fingers around her slim ones.

Elianna jerked, surprised that he was touching her after everything they had gone through this morning already. "I thought we were keeping this as a business proposition?"

"I like touching you."

"But what if I don't want you to touch me?"

"Then I think we are going to have other problems, Anna. Relax, I won't do anything you don't want me to do." He refused to let her hand go, instead holding her hand in his against his thigh.

"You are really a hard man to figure out, Quinn Hunter."

Quinn chuckled. "Keeps you on your toes," he teased.

She sighed and sank back against the seat. It had been a long couple of days since she'd left Texas, managing to outsmart her father's men once more. Running into Quinn had been a stroke of luck in all the best ways, even though she'd been furious with him earlier. Now she was letting his quiet charm wash over her, her eyes blinking sleepily.

"Close your eyes, Anna. Rest. I'll wake you when we get close."

"B-but..."

He lifted her hand, kissing her fingers. "Sleep, Anna."

She sighed. "Okay. Scooting down a bit in the seat, she tried to get comfortable. When Quinn reached over and flipped a lever next to the seat, letting the back down, she smiled, her eyes still closed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He lifted her hand to his lips and then laid it on his thigh. Then he turned on the radio, selecting a soft rock station.

* * * *

Quinn glanced over at her again. He'd had a hard time paying attention to traffic and the road ahead of him with her sitting there. She was beautiful, her red hair loose around her shoulders, her face relaxed in sleep. She'd been sleeping for the last two and a half hours and he was amazed he hadn't run off the road, as much as he kept looking her way.

"Elianna," he said softly, not wanting to alarm her. "Elianna, we are all most to Chicago city limits. I'm not sure where your father's mansion is."

She stretched, her arms going above her head. "We're almost there?" She sat up, flipping the lever to have the seatback return to its place. "I didn't mean to sleep that long. I guess I was more tired than I thought."

"You haven't had a very good couple of days, Anna. It's understandable. You'll be more aware of dangers now."

"Yes, Rylie told me of what she and Dillon had to go through to get the heart. If my father left it in the same place, we had both better be on our toes." She shifted in her seat, turning to face him. "Rylie never said exactly what Sebastian put them through there, did he say anything to you?"

"No, Dillon doesn't like to talk about that time. He and Rylie lost their first child there. He told me once that he thought God gave them twins to make up for taking the other child from them."

"He really feels that way?"

"Think about it. They were trying to save Shanna and Brandon, searching for the treasure to give to Sebastian. It just kind of makes sense."

He stopped at a red light, turning his head to look at her. "Which way?"

She nodded to their right. From there, she gave him directions and before too long, they were outside Sebastian's mansion. It was dark, deserted, the windows looking like great big eyes staring down at them. "Ready for this?"

Elianna shivered. "Yeah. Let's get this over with." He started to walk in front of her toward the front porch, smiling when she jogged after him, grabbing hold of his hand.

"You're not scared to go into the big, empty mansion are you, Elianna?" He was teasing her and couldn't help but chuckle at her next words.

"You've been holding my hand all day and now you complain?"

Quinn's laughter was deep, husky, and he twined his fingers with hers. "No complaints, Anna. Just concerned." He tried the knob on the front door, pushing it open when it turned easily. Inside the great mansion, it was dark and cold. The front hall had once been extremely beautiful, a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, marble tiles covered the floor. The walls were painted and some walls were wallpapered. But that was torn and falling in long strips. "This place is huge. Any idea where we should start looking?"

"His office was on the second floor. I think we should start there."

Quinn nodded. Then he waved his hand at the stairway. "Ladies first."