Right now she wished she was Rashel the cat again. Not for the sake of the old life, but for the confidence and strength her mind had once possessed. But meeting her soul mate changed that. That old part of her life was ripped away to expose a new and more delicate girl underneath.
Rashel and Quinn had become circle day breakers, getting rid of those who want to do harm for no reason and unnecessary killings. Meeting Quinn had changed her a lot, not only did she join an organization and work alongside people she use to kill, but met her brother who she thought she died all those years ago.
Her foot tapped impatiently at the door that kept her out of a room she was most anxious about. Out of all the reasons the most important was getting Timmy help. He still had the body and maturity of a bo, but somehow had the thinking of an adult. It was like child, adult, and animal all rolled up into one, It was a mind set she wasn't comfortable with.
"What's taking so long?" She mumbled.
When it came to the matter of Timmy, Rashel was impatient. IT felt like she had a lot of years to make up and she was way behind.
An older werewolf, Michael Gunderson, had taken an interest in Timmy when he first showed up, baring his fangs trying to bite Rashel's arm to pieces when she carried him over the threshold of Thierry's manor.
Both Thierry and Gunderson had promised to do all they could to ensure that Timmy could be helped from what he had been exposed to for eleven years. Gunderson claimed that he had been doing great with the sessions, but every time Rashel went near Timmy things went from bad to worse. It hurt, even though she'd never say it out loud, it hurt when her brother went that direction. Bringing up that day that still made Rashel have nightmares. Her brother, in his own words, thought that she was vermin. Her brother saw her as nothing else but that.
Maybe I should have waited for Quinn to come back.
Quinn had gone to the airport to pick up Ash Redfern. Maybe even brining up his soul mate, Mary-Lynnette with him.
But Rashel wanted to feel strong, even when she knew that Quinn wouldn't be there to support her back. Now, though, she was regretting it.
Too late now.
The door opened and a grizzly mass of hair stuck out form the door way. Gunderson smiled at her through his frizzy beard. Many of the household had a hard time remembering that this man could turn into a killer werewolf whenever needed. "Hey Rashel, you ready to come in?"
As if she was a little girl again she nodded quietly and padded in as the door opened wider for her.
Timmy sat there, eyeing her coolly with an expression unreadable. His sleek black hair hung loose and messy as if he just hopped out of bed. His body looked exactly like a five year old, but the clothing didn't seem to match him at all. It made him look completely out of place.
Neither said a word, just stared at each other. At least he's not screaming at me anymore. But Rashel didn't know whether that was a blessing or a curse. At least when eh was yelling she knew what he was thinking. But all this thoughts were kept inside him and she couldn't understand the look; was he apprehensive, angry, frustrated…..betrayed?
Gunderson must have felt the tension or at least wanted to save Rashel from this awkward situation. The burly man fell into his seat, slapping his knees with the palms of his hands. It was a sign to start the rest of the session.
"Well Timmy, now that Rashel's here we can fully being. Remember what I said though, certain questions are off topic."
The boy like creature nodded his head slowly and turned his eyes back onto the stiff sister across the room. His mind processed a question, making Rashel squirm in an unfamiliar way.
"How is it, that a human like you can fight?" It was all he asked and gazed at her like an adult waiting for the guilty child's answer.
But Rashel kept her voice steady and calm, with pride she said, "I had a sensei who taught me how to fight. I trained for a lot of years before I became strong enough to use what I have deep inside me."
"But now strong enough because your sensei was killed by superior beings."
"Timmy" Gunderson warned.
But the creature ignored the doctor and pressed on. "I'm really surprised that my human blood could survive this long when her won sensei couldn't'. A vampire killed him, right? Well that's what a vermin gets for trying to take on something superior to themselves."
Rashel pushed back pain that seemed to well up inside her. "My sensei was strong and important to me. Timmy he died because he had been protecting me for so long. We were five when we lost mom and grandma, when I wasn't with a foster family my sensei kept me from getting into trouble……He was like a father."
She hadn't meant to tell so much and realized she said too much. Because she brought up the past. Gunderson had warned Rashel to avoid that topic as much as possible because Timmy……
If he still had the choice and could turn back time he would have ran back inot the fire that night after Hunter Redfern. The man he saw as his father.
Timmy leaned forward and -smiled. "Pity. You should have died, at least then your precious sensei would still be alive. And it wouldn't have been your fault."
Rashel went rigid in the chair. How had he….? But then she remembered, vampires could see into people's mind whenever they wanted. She kept forgetting that Timmy wasn't that little boy who couldn't climb up the jungle gym. The creature had already admitted to killing his own share of people.
"Timmy, that's enough" Gunderson reprimanded.
Rashel didn't want the session to end yet. Maybe if she could explain things to him. "Timmy, please, if you could just give me a chance. I'm sorry-"
"Get out of my face before I rip your throat out."
Now Gunderson was out of his chair, his voice stern and fierce, "Timmy, enough. Your sister is trying only to start a relationship with you again. This is your sister."
She left though before she could hear anymore or have a fake apology from her brother. She just wanted Timmy to get better, for him to be the way she remembered him. At least the way he should have been. Not the way he is now.
Her ears heard the click of the door and heavy steps. "Rashel, I'm sorry about what happened. I was sure that he was ready. I should have waited longer before I had you two meet again."
She faced the doctor, before thinking that she would show the cold side of herself. But then she saw his face and she just deflated. "I don't care what happens to my feelings. I just want my brother to get better. Fix whatever was done to him by that monster. I won't ever get my old brother back, I know this. Just do what you can for him. Ok?" Rashel didn't wait for his answer, she walked out to the gardens in the back. Work on something, anything to keep her mind busy.
She passed by the other couples that lived in the mansion. When she first got here, it was pretty much empty but the longer she stayed the more it became less than empty. Almost every day new soul mates were showing up on the doorstep asking for help. Many of these couples were sent away to other safe houses, but those that were most useful stayed here, hoping to some help. Of course when many of the vampires found out she was the Rashel the cat there were many mixed emotions. But she hadn't cared, all she wanted was help for her brother. She was use to the hateful, scared looks from strangers, even her foster family. It came with the territory.
It was noisy inside that place, either a TV was blasting in a room, a bunch of people chatting animatedly, or even some people trying to start a game or something. Whatever the case, out here in the garden was the most peaceful and quiet place in Thierry's manor besides his study. Only Lady Hannah , his own soul mate was allowed to go there.
The garden was filled with exotic flowers from around the world. Some coming from places that made certain flowers extinct. It was quiet, tranquil, and a sense of delicacy to it. Quite the opposite from her mind, which was always running with problems trying to find solutions.
Right now she wished Quinn was here with her, only he could really make her midn calm down even for a short while.
Her thoughts now landed solely on Quinn. Where was he right at this moment? Where ever he was she'd wait for him right there in the garden, it was after all the quietest place.
Quinn had actually been relieved when he pulled into the driveway of the manor. Leaving Rashel alone wasn't something he particularly felt comfortable with, especially with her brother in the same house. When it came to her brother, Timmy, it surprised him how much Rashel was different. Almost like two different people. Only around that boy and himself did she show a small weakness.
But he was still so proud of her, still knowing that she was still the same girl she first met, a human who wasn't looking for her own destruction, strong, intelligent, and beautiful. Most would have sunk into a depression or been too weak to fight nearly as much as she had. In a way he felt honored to have a soul mate like her, lucky in fact.
"How has everything here been?" Ash Redfern asked breaking the long enduring silence.
"More and more of the night world and day people keep coming together, soul mate in hand."
"Is it just me or has this soul mate principal thing become almost like an epidemic? It seemed to start with James and spread to every Redfern, relative or not.
Quinn thought on that for a moment, over the century people have found their one true person or creature. There are few though. Either they would stay together or leave each other. But right now, almost everyday a new couple would show up seeking protection. In all the centuries that he'd been alive for, he had only seen a handful. At that time he had never even really believed in the whole principal until Rashel came into the picture.
"The witches that are still at the manor think it has something to do with the old powers."
Ash snorted almost with a carefree manner, "You really believe in that? Karma of the old power biting us in the ass?"
At a red light Quinn turned toward Ash, giving him a smile that made many scared and uncomfortable. Showing his predator smile, "Do you believe in vampires?"
Quinn pulled into the driveway fo the mansion, the rustic bricks creaking slightly under the wheels of the car.
Grumbling like a little kid Ash pulled himself from the passenger side with only the small sentence of "I'm going to bed."
He didn't acknowledge Ash though, just turned off the car and looked for a particular person and when his eyes spotted the gruffy figure Quinn made a bee line for him. Of course, though, when your waling toward a werewolf they usually know your coming before you can even think on your next move. Gunderson spun immediately on his hells and hastily paced toward Quinn.
"Is everything ok?"
The doctor sighed with a disappointment and shook his head. "The attempt didn't go nearly as well as I would have hoped. Or Rashel hoped for that matter." He sighed again, pushing back a mop of hair. "She said she was fine, but she was talking to a physiatrist after all."
Quinn grimaced with distain, "I'll go see how she is. I just wish that she had waited for me to come back. She's too brave for her own good"
Rashel hadn't even realized she had fallen asleep until a hand fell on her shoulder, shaking her gently. Her eyes found Quinn automatically and a feeling of ease and calm swam through her system. "How was the trip?"
She sat up from the bench to offer Quinn a seat.
"It was as fine as picking a person from the airport up."
"So the famous soul mate everyone has heard so much about hasn't come yet?"
Quinn settled back into the bench, "Guess not."
They sat in a silence, wrapped in the feeling of each other, Quinn giving her support and comfort she needed but would never admit to needing.
"You saw Timmy again." He stated.
Rashel heaved a heavy sigh and pulled forward slightly, "I thought that he had died along with my mom. Now almost a month ago I find that he has been alive all this, John that was 12 years ago. He had been with that man for so long, I have no idea what he went through. I should have paid more attention to what I was doing and thinking. I could have done more, paid attention to the nightwalkers, find out as much as I possibly could about Hunter Redfern. If I had done a good job then maybe my own brother wouldn't want me dead for so long and want to kill me."
Quinn sat there in complete silence, rubbing circles in her upper back as a sign of comfort. After a bit, though, he spoke, "it wasn't your fault. You were so young and so was Timmy. You couldn't know what was happening and never would have thought that at the time was right. Nothing else you could do. As for Timmy…"
Rashel pulled into him, feeling like she was falling in love with him all over again. "I just have to wait and keep on showing Timmy that I am here. I know that I can't have what I did at 5 years old, but I can at least show Timmy that he is my brother."
Proud of the strong women that she was, Quinn pulled Rashel closer than she already was. "You have me too. Don't forget that. I love you Rashel Jordan and I'll love you until the day die."
She chuckled, "That wouldn't happen until the end of eternity. You can't die."
Rashel felt her chin being gently pulled up and found John Quinn's eyes. The first time she saw those eyes they seemed to have a darkness that never ended and could never have a light shine in them. But now as she sat there, not far from his lips did she see a wondrous light and it seemed to almost burn. Quinn gave her a smile, only meant for her, showing a side that no one else got to see. "So when eternity ends, I'll stop loving you. Rashel, eternity never ends."
And he kissed her, soft and sweet.
Above them, Rashel didn't see the eyes that stared down at them in utter confusion. Not only in them but in the whole situation of people.