So, this is basically a collection of drabbles that either aren't big enough for their own stories, or are outtakes (so to speak) from other stories. Each chapter will have a few different drabbles of varying lengths, updated whenever I've got a few completed ones together.

Spoilers for Strange Fate and Thicker Than Water from the outset!

Mini-summaries:

1: Rashel reflects on why being half-shifter shouldn't really have surprised her.

2: When Rashel and Quinn first arrive at Circle Daybreak, they run into its least likely member.

3: A cut from chapter two of These Cuts and Bruises. The chapter actually started as a drabble, then connected too well to that story to pass up.


It made sense, now that she knew who she was. What she was. Not just a twin, but half-shifter. A panther.

Keller was trying to teach her how to shift. They hadn't managed it yet, but she'd felt something the last time they'd tried. She saw it the same as her sword training: a skill that would take time and effort to master. It had taken her five years to become as good as she was, and she'd only had her sensei for three and a half of them. The rest she'd picked up as she went along, from others or her own trial and error. She was still learning now, in fact. If she could have the patience for that, then she could have the same patience for shifting.

All the little things she'd noticed growing up, even when her mother was alive and life was normal, made more sense. How she'd always known when Aunt Corinne had been visiting while she was at Timmy's or in kindergarten, because she could smell her when she came home. Not a perfume or deodorant either – something that was just her. It was the same for when Mom's friends and their children had been around. She always knew who had been in the house while she was out, even the children too young to even think of perfume or cologne. How she'd always heard every conversation in her various houses – never homes, houses – unless the television was on loud or she was in the shower.

As a child, she'd just thought everyone lived like that until she told her Mom how she always knew who'd been visiting, or asked about a conversation she'd had with Aunt Corinne in the evening when she was upstairs in bed. Then she'd learned that she had very good hearing, and sense of smell. She'd put her perfect vision down to good genes and luck.

Turned out she'd been half right, no luck required.

It had saved her a couple of times. She'd always thought of herself as a light sleeper – any stray noise that didn't fit would wake her up. It was the reason she had survived while her sensei was assassinated. It had been Keller who pointed out how cats slept. Even in a deep sleep, their ears twitch at every sound. There is always a part of them alert for danger.

As Daphne had said when she found out, it explained the way she walked too. Why she walked like 'one of them'. She'd always been able to sneak up on people as a child, for fun. It had been even more useful when she started to actively hunt vampires. She'd told herself her skill at blending into the shadows to avoid cars and pedestrians had been a practiced skill, but... had she ever had that many close calls, even when she was learning? Maybe she'd just learned how not to draw attention to herself, rather than altering the way she walked.

It also explained why she liked liver. That or she was just weird. Daphne thought the latter.


Ash was at Thierry's mansion when Quinn arrived. He didn't realise he had the human girl with him until the made vampire had left a meeting with Thierry, human in tow.

Quinn stopped dead when he spotted Ash lounging in the window seat, waiting for him. He wanted to find out what the Redfern heir could possibly want with an Elder and, unbeknownst to most, leader of Circle Daybreak. Then he spotted the girl behind him, and his ever-changing eyes dropped to their clasped hands.

Quinn looked tense, ready for a fight. His human's hand was resting on the hilt of a knife stuck through her waistband, her stance shifting subtly to something steadier. A fighter, then.

All Ash said when he looked back up with a sigh was, 'you too?'

It was worth it for the look on Quinn's face.

'That's why you're here?' He asked.

Ash nodded, settling himself more comfortably on the window seat. 'Remember when I went to find my sisters and I said I'd killed the old lady and the werewolf, and that no humans were involved? Yeah,' he said as Quinn stared in disbelief.

'So you didn't kill them?'

'Nope!' He said with fake cheer. 'Sorry for lying,' he added in a tone that said he was completely unrepentant. 'The crazy 'wolf killed my Aunt, and my very human, very much involved-in-the-whole-thing soulmate killed the werewolf. With some help from a silver knife and an exploding car.' The girl's eyebrows rose and for a moment he thought she looked impressed. He smiled and gestured around himself to the house in general. 'I'd introduce you to Mary-Lynette Carter, but she decided not to come along. I've some things to do first, it seems.' Instead he nodded at the human girl standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Quinn. He couldn't read her expression – or her mind, for that matter. Must be resistant – but she had to be confused. 'Your turn.'

That jolted Quinn out of his shock. He looked at the girl for a moment, as if checking it was alright. 'Rashel, this is Ash Redfern. One of Hunter's descendents. He grew up on an enclave. Ash, this is Rashel Jordan. She i- was a vampire hunter. The Cat, actually. We were trying to kill each other two days ago.'

Ash stared. Then stared some more. Finally he started laughing and couldn't quite stop. 'Oh, oh that's just perfect. You have my condolences,' he said when he managed to breathe. He wasn't quite sure which of them he was talking to.

Imagine. Quinn the dreadful, soulmates with the deadliest vampire hunter in history. He thought he'd had it bad with M'Lyn, when he was still trying to fight off the soulmate principle.

He expected Quinn to be mad. Instead he looked faintly resigned to it all. 'Glad you're enjoying yourself,' he said wearily. Now that Ash paid attention, they both looked exhausted, and Rashel was holding herself a little stiffly. Injured, maybe. What he could see of the ends of her hair looked crispy.

'So, what happened with you two?'

They glanced at each other again. Ash knew telepathy when he saw it, and pushed down a pang at the mental ban on contacting Mary-Lynette. Not that he could actually speak to her at such long range, but emotions could still carry.

'That's a long story. I'll fill you in later, but the short version is we ended up on an enclave and inside a burning house. We're going to the witches now. Some of Thierry's people patched us up on the way in, but Rashel was burned pretty badly.'

That explained the damaged hair and stiff posture. 'I'll see you later then. There's some others you should meet as well. I lied about James too.' He beamed when Quinn shot him a disgruntled look. 'Welcome to the soulmate support group!' He directed that more at Rashel, who fought a losing battle with a smile.

They turned and headed down the hall, Quinn's arm around her – not her shoulders, but low around her waist. Probably avoiding the burns.

Ash stood and stretched in one motion, then shook himself and headed for the games' room. James and Poppy had returned to Vegas after dropping Poppy's suicidally brave brother back home. With Harman help, they had quickly proven Poppy's status as a lost witch, thus establishing her as a legitimate member of the Night World. Apparently Circle Daybreak had approached them, offering a safe place to stay. Then Thea had turned up, looking for him, with a human boy called Eric about a month after Ash had decided to find the sources of these 'Circle Daybreak' rumours and see what the witches could do for him. Finding out it wasn't witches, but Thierry Descouedres of all people was running it had been a shock, but in hindsight it made sense. Perfect cover, really. And hey, he got to stay in Vegas whenever he wanted. It helped that he'd spent a lot of time here in the past, and there was a lot to make up for in this single city alone. He'd started with Poppy and James, though he was pretty sure Poppy hadn't forgiven him. Then Thea, for being an ass in general. He'd travelled around of course – even he couldn't stay in Vegas for too long without getting restless. Spent some time in Pennsylvania around Christmas. He'd only returned to Vegas a few weeks ago.

Now this. Quinn and The Cat. It was a bit of a relief that all he had to make up for with these two was a spot of lying, done to protect people in the first place.

Either way, he felt it was his solemn duty to inform the other assembled soulmates that they had new members. And if the news that it was Quinn would make James gawp like an idiot, well, he had to get his kicks somewhere. M'Lyn hadn't banned him from having fun, after all.


'If I had a dollar for the number of times I've skewered a vampire because they thought they'd influenced me and came close enough to try and bite me, I could commission another bokken.'

Quinn shook with silent laughter. 'I'm not surprised. Though that does remind me: how did you afford the first one? A blade like that had to be expensive.'

Rashel smiled. He could see the curve of her cheek lift in the dim light. 'I had day jobs as well you know. Each home I went to, first priority was finding a part time job. Did odd jobs for neighbours too. Saved up all the pocket, birthday and Christmas money I ever got. How else do you think I got a car?'

Quinn paused. 'Hotwired it?' He chuckled as she spluttered in indignation. She settled for smacking his hand – the easiest part of him to reach.

'I paid for my lessons and my car, thank you very much,' she groused, softening only when he kissed her shoulder in apology.

'I know. And I'm sure you're a good driver,' he said. He raised an eyebrow when she snorted.

'Sure I am. When I'm not using it to run over pissed off Night people and having to hose it down at two in the morning,' she said, patting his hand when his head nodded forward to bump the back of hers in mild exasperation.

'Again, why am I not surprised?' He muttered against the back of her neck. He shifted his hand slightly, sensing another wave of pain starting to build just off centre of her stomach and positioning his hand to make it more bearable.

Rashel barely tensed this time, breathing through the peak of it before the pain ebbed again. Then she gave a soft breath of laughter. 'And this is one benefit of a vampire soulmate I hadn't considered. My own personal heat pack. Much more effective than painkillers.'

'Glad I could be of service,' Quinn said wryly.