Chapter 10

"Get out of my way now!" Sue barked as she stormed through the offices towards her partners rooms, "Make sure his black out curtains are down, or they'll be more than one set of ashes in here" Sue managed to wait until her assistants gave her confirmation nods. The lid of the coffin cracked with the amount of force she flung it open. "Get up you poor excuse for a leech, the True Master's are coming early, we have to prepare."

William's eyes snapped open as he rose out of the coffin, "What are you talking about?"

"Honestly, it's like talking to a brick wall; the True masters are on their way. There's no time to burn, get your lackeys in shape William. We can't afford another screw up."

Will knew it would be futile to remind Sue that the mistake was technically on her watch but decided to continue to be undead would be better than the satisfaction that the technicality would bring.

Sam paced, Tina sat unmoving, Artie fiddled with his glasses. Shelby observed. None of the kids were happy with the plan, the harsh realities of living life at war with the establishment suddenly becoming obvious.

"Y-you're sure? It has to be this way?" Tina queried?

Shelby nodded, "Timing is paramount, we are sending a message which will hopefully ignite anyone who doesn't know about us but dreams things could be better. It will open doors, we won't hurt anyone but it isn't going to go down lightly, people may be hurt or die once we set this in motion. Those that are in power aren't going to go willingly. You are to go out, try to bring order to people when it begins, show them how we can band together, and show them how the world could be if we try."

The kids nodded at her. Shelby held her arms out and they piled in. Shelby hoped that she would hold them all like this again; she wouldn't waste these last few hours of relative peace for anyone. Most of all she hoped that she would be able to see the child that she hadn't been able to know.

The house was quiet, the pack had returned from the patrol and Rachel had sent them straight out, pain and fear radiating from her small form. But she stood her ground and sent her unwilling pack on their way. Brittany was the slowest to leave and only made her way out when she saw Quinn wrap an arm around Rachel's shoulders. No doubt they would hear from their leader what was going on later, for now they gave the two their space. They didn't go on a hunt though the moon was heavy on their backs even in the early moon; it was a full moon tonight. Any joy this would usually bring was slowly being leached away by the reality they now found themselves in.

Once the pack had reluctantly left at Rachel's order Quinn wrapped herself around the small girl. The power usually ever present in any form was quickly disappearing into itself and Rachel seemed smaller than she'd ever appeared before.

Quinn's voice whisper felt like a shout in the silence of the house, "I'm sorry."

It was a simple statement but to Quinn it felt like surrender. This being in front of her had turned her life around in a matter of days. Quinn had been feeling trapped, invisible even but now no one would forget her. She hadn't ended up where she thought she was going, life had dealt her a new hand. Quinn couldn't bring herself to regret her actions anymore. The girl in front of her now looked at her as if she'd hung the moon herself. Quinn would never be invisible again. Rachel Berry would always see her. Quinn knew in this moment, the words she'd spoken to Blaine were the truth, his influence made sure of that. Quinn would just have to help the most powerful person she'd ever met remember herself before their world came crashing down around them anymore.

"Rachel"

Brown eyes continued to stare dead ahead not a flicker at her name.

"Berry" Quinn's voice was her best ice queen tone; it had never failed to get a reaction out of Rachel before. Still no reaction. Air rushed through her lips in a sigh as Quinn got up and placed herself in front of Rachel, placing her palms flat on Rachel's thighs gently squeezing. Brown eyes snapped to hazel ones. Quinn gave her a small smile, "There you are. They were always going to come, this isn't your fault."

Rachel shook her head, "it is not just that the True Masters' are coming. It is what I almost did to their lackey that's the problem. Insubordination like that doesn't go down well in the Masters camp. I never intended to make this all worse Quinn, I apologise but he was in our home and" Rachel was cut off by a gentle kiss.

"I know. I can feel it too. I didn't want it but I can feel it Rachel. I'm sorry I put us into this mess" Quinn got back on the sofa beside Rachel and one hand ran through her hair in a gesture of exasperation. "It went wrong. Someone was meant to help me and I should have had Santana with me but I didn't and the person wasn't there when I got out. Then I heard the alarms start and I just ran. I couldn't face going back knowing I may have missed my only chance to leave. Whatever happens tomorrow night, it wasn't your fault it was mine. But as much I want to say this is all an act, I can't. I couldn't even when Blaine tried his voodoo on me only good things about you would pass my lips. As much as I'd love to hate you, I can't and I want"

This time Rachel interrupted Quinn's empowering speech with a kiss. A gentle bite causes Quinn to gasp and lets their open mouths crash into a more passionate kiss. Rachel's power is back, just under her skin. Molten fire running through her veins. The feel of it makes the hair on Quinn's arms raise and her hands to grasp at Rachel's hips as they slowly parted.

Rachel's hands cradled Quinn's faces, "The hows and whys don't matter to me now. We may only have until tomorrow. Now is not the time to waste with regret If my world is going to change tomorrow at least now I have known you."

The night soon passes the pack in back in the house but it is still quiet. The day outside is deceptively sunny, cheery looking. Kurt sighed. Even Brittany was sombre. Eventually Rachel appeared in the living room, a smile was gracing her features even in light of the situation. Kurt narrowed his eyes as she past him on her way to the kitchen. The subtle scent that followed her made his jaw drop; the rest of the pack hadn't quite cottoned on, distracting themselves with mundane tasks. Kurt stomped into the kitchen. The door shutting behind him caused Rachel to turn around from the sink.

"What is going on" Kurt hissed, "first you frog march us out even though something is clearly wrong then you eventually appear, you stink of her. Did you chase us out for a night with a human that has caused everything to go to absolute shit? Really Rachel I thought"

Rachel's voice could have cracked stone, "Stop." Kurt froze. "I asked you to leave because I couldn't let any of you see me like that. Quinn pulled me back before I lost myself to the fear of my memories. The True Masters are on their way Kurt. None of you are to blame. I know how they work, Kurt. You'll be fine. You all will. But I couldn't let today come without living for once in my life I let go. Quinn caught me. Kurt. I know it's ludicrous. I know it was fast but there may be no time left for us. I couldn't just let her go. I won't let anything happen to any of you but I needed to feel what my wolf has being howling about since I first truly saw her." Tears pricked at her eyes, "I'm sorry Kurt"

Rachel wrapped him in a hug and held on tight. The door to the kitchens slowly creaked open. Rachel smiled and summoned the rest of her pack revelling in the closeness of her kin as they wrapped themselves together. The world seemed far way to them all in those precious moments of peace. It had to break eventually; Puck took a deep breath and smirked,

"Rachel, you sly dog!

Quinn woke suddenly to the sound of a sharp slap and yelp. Suddenly footsteps thundered through the house. A deep rough laugh echoed as a door slammed and Rachel's voice called out, almost mad though it was laced with humour, "PUCK!"

Doors opened for them way ahead of time, their gait never slowed as they made their way through the building. Both of them were beautiful in an ethereal way, one pale redheaded woman with piercing blue eyes and sharp fangs the other a tall dark man whose power would be described as smouldering. Both looked a lot younger than their years. The advantages of being unquestionably powerful.

The shutters were firmly down enabling the night lurking brethren to be present. All of them looking incredibly uncomfortable though the suns light couldn't touch them. But the female true master looked like it was the middle of the night and she'd just freshly fed. The thought of that being the case made Sue almost shudder, vampires even now repulsed her. They were a necessary evil for power but it didn't mean she could easily stomach them.

"Masters, I apologise your quarters are not ready, you're a lot earlier than we were informed that you were going to be" Sues mouth slammed shut when the vampire leader lifted her hand and exerted a small touch of influence, flexing her power to all in the room.

"Of course we're early, we never arrived at stated times in restless compounds, you never know who may be listening, what could be planned. The stench of rebellion lingers in the corners of this place. Sue," the velvet voice paused, "William, you have grown complacent in your lengthy rule. We are here to help right the wrongs, and take those influencers out of the equation."

The wolf at her side stepped forward, "We know Rachel Berry, and we will bring her to heel one way or another. This Quinn is an unknown factor. Mr Anderson has reported an intriguing story about her. Either way both parties are now ours and as such we will need a temporary base of operations that aren't our usual quarters. We need a secured training space. No doubt others do want to take advantage of the situation. Our usual haunts are not acceptable"

"Appropriate arrangements will be made" Confirmed Will.

A beautiful smile graced both true masters faces, "Fantastic, now please show us to your private quarters, both of us require rest before we head out this afternoon." Sue nodded and both she and Will filed out of the room in silence, the True masters following behind. Lima was not going to come out of this event the same, all the parties were sure of this fact.

The house was spotless by mid-morning, nervous energy and five werewolves made for no one being still and lots of places that had never seen daylight being cleaned. Pillows were fluffed, pictures straightened. In this storm of energy Quinn sat on the sofa was the calm of the storm. Hazel eyes glittered with mirth at the antics of the warm people that she had never given the time of day before this week. People state that things happen for a reason, before all of this happened Quinn would have scoffed at the notion. But now watching a Rachel laughing at a joke from the clown named Puck, the soft highlights in her otherwise dark hair shining in the sun flooding in through the window. Quinn could almost believe the notion. Quinn could almost forget the weight of what was going to happen. For a fleeting second she did when Rachel Berry smiled at her. God, she was a romantic. But their time was short lived. Soon enough the doorstep was darkened by a group of figures and the knocks at the door thundered in their ears. It was time to face the music.