Quinn's Undying Rose
Page 43
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“Yes. About Wesley.”
His friend’s face fell. “Oh, fuck, what’s he done now?”
Quickly, Quinn raised his hands. “Nothing.”
“You sure? Because whenever somebody wants to talk to me about Wesley then it’s because he screwed up again.”
“Trust me, your brother is in the clear.”
For now. Of course, that could change quickly. The hotheaded human was as volatile as a powder keg sitting next to an open flame.
Haven’s shoulders relaxed visibly. “So what’s this about then?”
“I could do with his help.”
His friend looked surprised. “You’re kidding. Are we talking about the same person? My brother, the same guy who will get into trouble every chance he gets?”
Quinn nodded grimly. If he had a choice, he’d pick somebody else to do the job, but unfortunately, the number of humans within their inner core was dwindling fast, particularly with Oliver now being in the vampire camp. And for this job he needed a human. Besides, Wesley had additional skills.
“How is he doing with his attempts at gaining his witchcraft back?”
“Terribly. And just as well.” Haven paused and sighed. “Though he took all of Francine’s books and potions after her death, pretty much cleaned out her houseboat. He’s studying it. I think it really interests him. First time, I’ve seen him be serious about anything.”
“Maybe it’ll come in handy one day.”
Haven shrugged. “Who knows. Well, at least we can be sure that even if he gains some amount of his witchcraft back, he will never gain the Power of Three.”
Quinn nodded. “Thank heavens for that.”
Haven had destroyed the Power of Three only a few months earlier by sacrificing his human life. By doing so, he had robbed himself, Wesley, and their sister Kimberly of the most powerful magic in the world. Yet his brother and sister still remained witches—with no significant powers to speak of. And the powers they did possess, they had no idea of how to use. Hence Wesley’s quest to study the books of the witch who had once been their ally, then betrayed them in the end.
When Quinn looked back at Haven, he saw that the witch-turned-vampire was thinking back to the same event.
Haven blinked. “So, what do you need him for?”
“It’s a simple job really. He’ll need to move into the B&B with us, pretend to be another Scanguards trainee, which actually he is—”
Haven interrupted with a huff. “Yeah, he wiggled that concession out of Samson. Total opportunist, my brother.” Then he grinned. “The discipline will do him good.”
Laughing, Quinn shook his head. “Let’s see if he sticks with it. Anyway, I need him to keep an eye on Rose’s grandson, Blake.”
He still had a hard time calling him his grandson.
“We brought him in as a recruit to watch over him. He thinks he’s training to be some kind of special ops superhero. Oliver and Cain will be there too, but we need a couple of humans in case he goes walking about during the day.”
“You come up with the craziest shit,” Haven commented. “Who’s stupid enough to buy that setup anyway?”
“Trust me, Blake has already eaten it up, hook, line, and sinker. I’ve never seen a guy more eager to be taken for a ride.”
“Well, looks like he and Wesley will hit it off instantly. They seem to be cut of the same cloth.” Haven grinned mischievously.
Quinn frowned. “That’s what I’m afraid of. But I don’t really have a choice. I can’t take any of the human bodyguards working for Scanguards. This is too sensitive a case. It has to stay within the family.”
“Hmm. Guess that leaves only him. Let’s talk to him.”
16
Rose followed Yvette almost in a trance as she dragged her from one person to the next, introducing her to the assembled guests. The music continued to play, and portions of conversations drifted to her. The looks she got were friendly and curious, not suspicious like she had expected. Whenever she met other vampires for the first time, they had always treated her with suspicion. She was used to it. And she had treated the clans she’d been part of for short periods of time with equal caution. She’d never stayed anywhere long enough for any kind of trust or attachment to develop.
That’s why what she faced now felt so utterly different. The way the individuals in this group treated each other was something she’d never seen before. There was an air of warmth and camaraderie between them that she was unaccustomed to when dealing with vampires. And not only that: they weren’t all vampires. Several humans moved among them freely. They exhibited no signs of distress either, indicating to her that they were here of their free will.
His friend’s face fell. “Oh, fuck, what’s he done now?”
Quickly, Quinn raised his hands. “Nothing.”
“You sure? Because whenever somebody wants to talk to me about Wesley then it’s because he screwed up again.”
“Trust me, your brother is in the clear.”
For now. Of course, that could change quickly. The hotheaded human was as volatile as a powder keg sitting next to an open flame.
Haven’s shoulders relaxed visibly. “So what’s this about then?”
“I could do with his help.”
His friend looked surprised. “You’re kidding. Are we talking about the same person? My brother, the same guy who will get into trouble every chance he gets?”
Quinn nodded grimly. If he had a choice, he’d pick somebody else to do the job, but unfortunately, the number of humans within their inner core was dwindling fast, particularly with Oliver now being in the vampire camp. And for this job he needed a human. Besides, Wesley had additional skills.
“How is he doing with his attempts at gaining his witchcraft back?”
“Terribly. And just as well.” Haven paused and sighed. “Though he took all of Francine’s books and potions after her death, pretty much cleaned out her houseboat. He’s studying it. I think it really interests him. First time, I’ve seen him be serious about anything.”
“Maybe it’ll come in handy one day.”
Haven shrugged. “Who knows. Well, at least we can be sure that even if he gains some amount of his witchcraft back, he will never gain the Power of Three.”
Quinn nodded. “Thank heavens for that.”
Haven had destroyed the Power of Three only a few months earlier by sacrificing his human life. By doing so, he had robbed himself, Wesley, and their sister Kimberly of the most powerful magic in the world. Yet his brother and sister still remained witches—with no significant powers to speak of. And the powers they did possess, they had no idea of how to use. Hence Wesley’s quest to study the books of the witch who had once been their ally, then betrayed them in the end.
When Quinn looked back at Haven, he saw that the witch-turned-vampire was thinking back to the same event.
Haven blinked. “So, what do you need him for?”
“It’s a simple job really. He’ll need to move into the B&B with us, pretend to be another Scanguards trainee, which actually he is—”
Haven interrupted with a huff. “Yeah, he wiggled that concession out of Samson. Total opportunist, my brother.” Then he grinned. “The discipline will do him good.”
Laughing, Quinn shook his head. “Let’s see if he sticks with it. Anyway, I need him to keep an eye on Rose’s grandson, Blake.”
He still had a hard time calling him his grandson.
“We brought him in as a recruit to watch over him. He thinks he’s training to be some kind of special ops superhero. Oliver and Cain will be there too, but we need a couple of humans in case he goes walking about during the day.”
“You come up with the craziest shit,” Haven commented. “Who’s stupid enough to buy that setup anyway?”
“Trust me, Blake has already eaten it up, hook, line, and sinker. I’ve never seen a guy more eager to be taken for a ride.”
“Well, looks like he and Wesley will hit it off instantly. They seem to be cut of the same cloth.” Haven grinned mischievously.
Quinn frowned. “That’s what I’m afraid of. But I don’t really have a choice. I can’t take any of the human bodyguards working for Scanguards. This is too sensitive a case. It has to stay within the family.”
“Hmm. Guess that leaves only him. Let’s talk to him.”
16
Rose followed Yvette almost in a trance as she dragged her from one person to the next, introducing her to the assembled guests. The music continued to play, and portions of conversations drifted to her. The looks she got were friendly and curious, not suspicious like she had expected. Whenever she met other vampires for the first time, they had always treated her with suspicion. She was used to it. And she had treated the clans she’d been part of for short periods of time with equal caution. She’d never stayed anywhere long enough for any kind of trust or attachment to develop.
That’s why what she faced now felt so utterly different. The way the individuals in this group treated each other was something she’d never seen before. There was an air of warmth and camaraderie between them that she was unaccustomed to when dealing with vampires. And not only that: they weren’t all vampires. Several humans moved among them freely. They exhibited no signs of distress either, indicating to her that they were here of their free will.
