Quinn appeared in the doorway, solemn, careless, unfazed.
He said nothing, watching Ash with patience and knowing.
It was infuriating.
"She knows" Ash thundered, "She knows about Mary-Lynette, she knows about the principal… she's furious" He turned away, clutching the railing of the balcony and trying desperately to control his rage.
Behind him, Quinn laughs, "You think she's furious that you have a soulmate? Are you joking?" Ash narrowed his eyes, he shrugged and opened his mouth to speak again. Quinn cut him off. "She's furious because you ruined her life, because you took everything you possibly could away from her. She doesn't care about Mary-Lynette, Ash Redfern, she cares about the fact she's never going to see her family again, that she's never going to have another birthday, she's never going to go to college, she's-"
Ash didn't want to hear it. "I did her a favour!" He cried, "I made her better"
His delusion was layered thick and Quinn was having none of it. "You fool" Quinn seethed, "You think you're omniscient, that you know what is best for everyone. It's been hundreds of years, and I still think about my father, my mother, my sisters… I still curse the day YOUR uncle took my life. He didn't make me better, Ash, he murdered me. The same way you watched that girl take her last breath, and then had the nerve to call yourself a hero."
Ash spun around, he hesitated only a moment before lunging at Quinn. "You're a coward" He cried, crashing into the smaller boy. They flew back into the hall, Quinn taking the impact as they hit the far wall. Ash bared his fangs, a hand around Quinn's neck. "You're a made vampire, you don't know what it's like to Lamia, to have power"
Quinn shoved him off, growling. "You don't what it's like to have humanity!" He threw a punch, to which Ash failed to evade, stumbling to the side at impact. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, his fury rumbling inside his ribcage. Quinn was not scared, not even a little. Ash was a little boy to him, no matter his stature. "You are losing your mind, Ash" He spat, "You are going to be our downfall if you don't learn to control yourself!"
Ash lashed out again, he pulled Quinn onto the ground and started wailing away. Punch after punch, all of which found their mark. For a moment, it was as if Quinn wasn't going to fight back, and Ash didn't seem to mind this at all. He was blurred by his rage.
Suddenly, Quinn lurched upward with a strength Ash did not expect. He shoved Ash to the side and immediately bounced onto his toes. Before Ash could regain his own balance, Quinn grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air. He drew back with his other fist, "I will kill you before you bring us to our knees" He swung, hard, fast…. But this time, his fist did not make impact with it's target.
Thierry's eyes were red, angry, stern. He caught Quinn's fist, staring dead in his eyes. "Do not sink to his level" Thierry grumbled.
Quinn let Ash fall to the ground, where James grabbed him roughly by the shoulder before he could retaliate. Rashel came to stand in front of him, Ash glowered at her, but her expression was almost sad. "It's five am," she hissed, "We're all trying to get some sleep" Ash could hear the exhaustion in her voice, it was like she hadn't slept at all. Ash figured she hadn't, when there is disruption in the household it is just like Rashel to stress herself out about it.
No wonder she blamed Ash.
Quinn was frowning, "Rash-"
"Don't" Rashel snapped, refusing to look at him. She kept her gaze trained on Ash. Hannah appeared behind Thierry, she looked groggy and confused. Lupe sauntered up and touched James leg with her snout, she was in wolf form. Thea stood behind her, with Eric on her left.
"Look" Rashel said, "Ash, you fucked up. You really did it in this time. You know it, we know it. But this unrest is going to end, it's time to grow up. Scarlet is not your soulmate; she is not your property. We are essentially keeping her captive right now because it's too dangerous for us, her and the general public to let her out on her own. She needs time, a long time... and you need to stay away from her."
Thierry was nodding, Hannah frowning and Quinn's expression unreadable.
Ash said nothing, he looked at the ground.
Thierry took a breath, "You missed our last meeting" He said to Ash, "but if you had been there, you would know there are three new members flying in from Los Angeles tomorrow morning. One of them being a wild power…."
Ash looked up, eyes wide. "You found one?"
Thierry nodded.
"Who?"
Everyone exchanged a glance.
"We aren't sure…" James muttered. "Hugh, an old soul like Hannah, except awakened… called in. He said he knew of us, and he had something we'd be interested in. He's bringing her, along with another vampire"
"Her?" Ash said, in awe.
Rashel nodded, "We aren't sure which phrase of the prophecy she completes, but we'll find out in the morning"
Hannah cleared her throat, "We need to rest. Thierry, come back to bed…"
Thierry was still holding Quinn's fist, they exchanged a quick nod and separated. Quinn stepped back, and Thierry turned to join Hannah as they disappeared down the hall. Lupe turned and sauntered away, nearly herding Thea and Eric towards their own quarters. James let go of Ash, he remained completely quiet as he turned and followed Lupe.
Rashel watched him go, Quinn and Ash watched Rashel.
She sighed, "Goodnight Ash" she turned towards Quinn, who reached out for her. She evaded, walking past him and taking a sharp left into another corridor.
Quinn gave Ash another unreadable look, before going after her.
And then Ash was left alone, on his knees, on his last chance.
"Oh yes! The new wild power" Exclaimed Blaise, "Very interesting case"
Of course, Blaise knew everything. It was her specialty. The second Ash gathered himself, he'd went straight to find her to figure out the unknowns. Dawn had yet to break, and the wild power should be boarding her plane to Las Vegas at any moment.
"Her name is Jezebel Redfern, former member of-"
"Jez?!" Ash cries, "Are you serious? She's part of Daybreak"
Blaise shoots him a look, "Be quiet, I was getting to that. Before she joined your stupid little human loving crew, she was a member of a human hunting crew! She lives in San Francisco, soulmate of the infamous hunter Morgead Redfern. However, little Jez isn't all she cracked up to be and quickly left the city when she found out she was a-"
"Hybrid, yeah, we know" Ash interrupted again.
Blaise kicked him under the table, never once corrupting the flow as she stirred her tea into a whirlpool. "Anyway! When you guys sent her to investigate this wild power possibility, she claimed it was her human cousin… though she quickly realized it was herself after an encounter with Lily." Blaise smirked at him.
"Lily? Hunter's daughter? My-"
"Your great something-or-other" Blaise laughed, "Vampires and their family trees, ugh. Anyhow, she's dead. Jez killed her with blue fire which is how we know she's the wild power! Hunter will be FURIOUS. Oh, this is so exciting"
Ash glared at her, "Do my sisters know?"
Blaise shrugged, "Does it matter? Your sisters are as far away from this mess as they can be. They're the smartest of all of you." She took a sip of her tea, and then furrowed her brows. "Was that all you wanted to know? Who the wild power was? You couldn't even wait until morning? I was sleeping!"
Ash sighed.
"You look awful" Blaise added.
He shrugged, "I got in a fight with Quinn"
Blaise rolled her eyes, "Shocking, that NEVER happens" She laughed, "At least it wasn't James this time, you're on your last straw with him"
"Apparently I'm on my last straw with everybody. Rashel wants to kill me" He murmured.
Blaise roared, "Rashel wants to kill everybody, she's The Cat, that's her thing. Anyway, I'm sure it isn't completely unwarranted. Did you see Scarlet?"
Ash nodded.
"Oh, you poor boy. I take it she doesn't want anything to do with you" Blaise said, nonchalantly.
Ash narrowed his eyes, "Why would you think that?"
Blaise looked a bit surprised he wasn't caught up, she pushed her tea to the side and offered him a gentle shrug. "You ruined her life, Ash. You basically killed the girl."
And for some reason, hearing it from Blaise made it become a reality.