The Cathedral of Cliffdale (20 page)

Chapter 31

That night Quinn left the house on the pretext of visiting with Todd and Sarah. Mindful that Tristan was watching through the partial opening in the curtains in the hall, she knocked on Sarah’s door and stepped inside the minute it opened.

“We didn’t have plans for tonight, did we?” Sarah asked vaguely, her blonde hair piled on the very top of her head in a tangled mess.

“We didn’t,” Quinn apologised, grinning at her friend. “But I have some people staying over and I wanted an excuse to get out of the house.”

“I would be the excuse, then?” Sarah smiled back.

“You would indeed! Mind if I slip out the back door?”

“Not at all,” Sarah followed her through the house. As she passed through the kitchen, Quinn noticed the stack of papers on the table.

“Reports?” she asked sympathetically.

“Yeah,” Sarah groaned. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to put enough information into a few short lines to appease parents' desperate need for detail? What they really want is a play-by-play of every single day of their little darling’s semester.”  

“I can imagine,” Quinn agreed, thinking of Ava and Jack, and how she would be exactly the same when they went to kindergarten. “Well, good luck,” she added, as she reached for the back door handle.

“Hey, who’s staying with you?” Sarah asked, as an icy breeze blew through the kitchen, setting the papers fluttering. Sarah quickly slapped her palm down on top, holding them in place.

“Just an old friend and his associate,” Quinn replied lightly.

“How long are they staying?”

“I’m not sure. A few weeks maybe.”

“Well in that case invite them around for games night.” Quinn had almost forgotten that tomorrow night was their weekly game evening.

“I can’t make it this week, or next,” she apologised, wondering if this situation could get any more complicated than it already was. “But I promise we’ll definitely make it one evening before they leave. See you later,” she called softly as she pulled the door closed behind her.

Quinn couldn’t bring herself to approach Drake’s house, not while there was a very likely possibility that Genevieve was inside. She had no doubt that, despite what Drake might believe, Genevieve would kill her at the very first opportunity that presented itself. Quinn blew into her hands, trying to warm them. The night was colder than any she had experienced since arriving in Brookfield.

“What the hell am I doing?” she murmured, pondering the lunacy in standing across the street from a house inhabited by two vampires.

“I was just going to ask you that exact question,” a low voice murmured beside her and Quinn leapt away before she had fully registered Drake’s voice.

“How did you know...?”

“I followed you,” he replied swiftly, before she had even finished her question. Shaking his head disparagingly, he continued without compunction. “Apparently you were looking for me, so I hardly see the problem.” Again, Quinn felt the unease that he was so good at masking his true nature, that she had been unable to sense him tailing her, but it would do no good to bring it up, and she hardly expected Drake to apologise.

“We have a problem,” she began, but he was only half-paying attention. Cocking his head to the left, in the direction of the house, he suddenly held up a hand to halt her.

“Not here,” he cautioned, and, without warning, he bent at the knee, sweeping her up. Quinn didn’t have even a second to protest, when he moved, streaking away into the night, so fast that the wind whipped the half-spoken words from her mouth.

“Phil’s?” she asked, when he lowered her gently to her feet mere seconds later, surprised by his choice of venue.

“It’s rowdy,” he offered, by way of explanation. “We won’t be overheard.”

They made their way to one of the tables at the far end of the small pub, Drake waving over at Phil as they did, signalling his order. Phil gave him the thumbs-up, and almost immediately as they sat down, two drinks appeared on the table before them.

“Anything to eat?” the waitress asked, smiling politely. 

“No, thank you,” Drake replied, not bothering to ask Quinn if she wanted anything. Quinn didn’t mind – it wasn’t as if she and Drake were friends so the normal rules of etiquette didn’t apply, and besides, she wasn’t hungry. Her stomach was tied up in knots at the thought of exposing Rafe to a vampire, even if this particular vampire was quite unlike any other she had ever encountered. The fact remained that vampires were sworn enemies of the inhabitants of Summerfeld, and Rafe was one of those inhabitants.

“Well?” Drake opened his arms, feigning great expectation. Quinn steeled herself to tell him about Rafe, but first, there was another favour she needed to ask of him.

“You said that you would help me find my niece and nephew...” she began, and he nodded in agreement. “Before you do that, I want you to help me find the vampire who murdered their mother.”

“Your sister was killed by a vampire? How do you know?”

“I know,” Quinn stated bluntly. Avery’s body had been a ravaged, bloody mess. The thought alone made Quinn want to stake Drake right here in the dimly-lit tavern.

“Ah,” Drake leaned back, a knowing glint in his eye. “You seek revenge.” Lacing his long fingers together, a cold, hard look came over him. “You want me to turn over the name of one of my own people?” he sounded furious, and Quinn could hardly blame him.

“Yes.”

“And what makes you think I could track down a vampire who murdered some insignificant girl? It’s hardly as if we keep track.” Quinn flinched at the callous, unfeeling way he spoke of his victims.

“My sister wasn’t some insignificant girl,” she bit out through clenched teeth, her cheeks flushing with ill-concealed anger.

“Well, of course not - not to you. Forgive me, I did not mean to make light of your loss. I only mean that among the many faceless, nameless victims we prey upon, it is unlikely that your sister would be remembered.”

“She would be,” Quinn assured him, the anger settling to a dull fury in the pit of her stomach. Raising her head defiantly she spoke with ill-concealed pride, “My sister was a Guardian.”

At these words Drake sat back as though she had struck him and Quinn felt a sense of sadistic pleasure. She was not surprised by his reaction. The killing of a Guardian was the ultimate feat for a vampire and would be exploited voraciously. In one thousand years, only a handful of Guardians had been discovered and destroyed by the vampire community. It would not be difficult for Drake to discover the details of Avery’s murderer. Quinn filled the silence by ordering another round of drinks. Drake drained his in one slug and set the empty glass down on the table between them, his green eyes boring into her own. Quinn could feel the tension building between them, but she did not speak, waiting for him to reach his decision.

Drake had many thoughts running through his head as he stared at Quinn, but first and foremost was the fact that he had never heard of her sister’s death. This was inconceivable – the death of a Guardian would usually spread through the vampire community like wildfire. Unless, finally, the elders had learned from their mistakes and were keeping all information relating to the Quest under wraps. Drake had made it very clear that he was no longer interested in finding the City, but the fact that they had withheld information from him infuriated him. He was also well aware that Genevieve was fiercely loyal to the cause which meant that she would have been privy to this information. And she had kept it from him. Drake’s anger at her disobedience and her betrayal made his fangs extend slightly, and a low growl emanated from within his chest.

Quinn’s eyes were drawn to the sharp points of his fangs. His hand looked as though it had turned to stone around his glass. He was gripping it so tightly she was surprised it hadn’t shattered.

“Drake?” she prompted. He was staring right at her, but she doubted he could see her, or even hear her, which was why his next words surprised her.

“Fine. I will find out what I can.” 

“Thank you,” she sighed. She hadn’t realised she had been holding her breath. Quinn didn’t know why this had only occurred to her now, but meeting Drake and developing an ‘understanding’ with him had given her access to information that she had never imagined possible. For the first time there was the possibility that she would find Avery’s killer. And Drake was absolutely right about one thing, she did want revenge.

“Well, if that’s all?” Drake withdrew his wallet and pulled out a few notes, tossing them on the table.

“Actually...”

“Seriously?” he growled, his patience wearing thin. “There’s more?”

“I wanted to tell you that there is another Guardian in town,” Quinn announced.

“I thought you got rid of them,” he hissed.

“I did. This is a new Guardian. He is not here for you, or me for that matter, but he will be staying at my house for a few weeks. I thought I should warn you. You need to make sure that he doesn’t catch wind of you, or Genevieve,” Quinn added generously.

“Genevieve is out of town,” he replied automatically.

“There is something else,” Quinn persisted, refusing to be diverted. “But first I need to know that I can trust you.”

“You saved my life,” Drake reminded her begrudgingly. “You will come to no harm from me, I can promise you that. Although I owe your Guardian friend nothing. I think it would be best if you asked him to leave.”

“I can’t do that; believe me, if I could, I would.”

“I believe you,” he replied seriously, sensing the longing in her words.

“There is a ward of Summerfeld in Brookfield.”

Drake sucked in an astonished intake of breath.

“A wolf,” Quinn continued, the gleam in his eye terrifying her. “He has been shunned by the pack and he will die if he remains in the City.”

“He will die here,” Drake pointed out with an icy calm.

“No, he won’t. You owe me, Drake.”

“I didn’t say that
I
would kill this wolf,” he retorted dryly. “But you know as well as I that my people will find him... will destroy him, as they did all the others.”

“That is not going to happen.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you are the only vampire in the world who can get in,” Quinn explained. “And I need your word that you will not harm him.”

Drake considered this for a moment, his long fingers drumming the brandy snifter in his hand. His cold eyes bored into Quinn, his mouth curled in a disdainful line. Eventually, when she could no longer bear the silence, he nodded curtly.

“I will leave him alone,” he promised, “but I cannot speak for Genevieve or any others.”

“Genevieve owes me too; I let her live!” Quinn snapped, and a short, harsh bark of derisive laughter escaped him.

“I doubt that she will see it that way.”

“Well then, make her.”

“I am not Genevieve’s master!” he bit out cuttingly, “nor are you mine. You have asked me a favour, young Guardian, and I have agreed, despite my better judgement. Do not test me.”

Quinn had become so accustomed to Drake that she had lost sight of the fact that he was her enemy. Nodding, she lifted her beer, draining its contents and getting abruptly to her feet.

“Thank you. I understand.” Setting her bottle down on the table she turned on her heel, waving stiltedly at Phil as she passed the bar counter. She had done all that she could. She believed Drake – he would pose no threat to Rafe. Genevieve, on the other hand, was another matter altogether, but for now, Quinn was content.

After all, Genevieve hadn’t been invited in.

Chapter 32

“You’re not to leave the house,” Quinn instructed when she let herself back inside. Rafe was slouched on the sofa; his shoulders slumped as though he carried the weight of the world upon them.

“Where would I go?’ he asked hollowly, and Quinn noticed the black circles under his eyes and the fact that he still hadn’t shaved. He looked wild and desperate.

“Why don’t you get yourself cleaned up?” she asked gently.

“What for?”

“You look terrible, Rafe. Take a shower, have a shave and then go and get some sleep.”

“What are you, my mother?”

“No, actually... your mother is in Summerfeld, along with the rest of your people, as you well know.”

“They’re not my people, anymore,” he muttered desolately, heaving himself off the sofa just as Quinn noticed Tristan standing quietly at the foot of the stairs. Rafe barely seemed to notice him as he passed by on his way up.

“What was that about his mother?’ Tristan asked eventually, stepping into the room. Tristan had only been a Guardian for a few years - eight to be exact - and he didn’t know much about pack history. Quinn had spent hours with Isaiah learning the background of all the species that resided within the City. The wolves in particular, had always fascinated her, and she had learned as much as she possibly could about their pack behaviour.

“It all happened before I became a Guardian,” she explained, taking a seat on the sofa that Rafe had so recently vacated. Tristan sat down beside her, their knees practically touching and Quinn stared down at his leg, trying not to be affected by his sudden nearness.

“But you know her... Rafe’s mother?” Tristan prompted, as Quinn had fallen silent.

“Yes,” she nodded, snapping back to the moment. “And so do you. Vivienne is Rafe’s mother.” Tristan frowned as he tried to recall.

“The old Omega female?”

“That’s the one. Rafe’s father was her original Alpha.”

“Her original Alpha?”

“Are you going to repeat everything I say as a question?’ Quinn snapped, irritated, before the wounded look on his face registered. “I’m sorry,” she shook her head. “It’s just been a rough few days.” She proceeded to tell him the story.

Rafe’s father had been the pack Alpha until he had been ousted by an ambitious younger wolf named Grayson. Grayson selected Vivienne as his mate and Vivienne fulfilled her duty as dictated by pack law, shifting her allegiance to the new Alpha, although it was not without great personal sacrifice. Her son, Rafe, had grown up a strong man and an even stronger wolf, but he had never thought to challenge Grayson for the Alpha position until his closest childhood friend had come of age and caught Grayson’s eye. The werewolves were not permitted to drink from
the fountain of youth until they came of age. The fountain kept them young, slowing their aging remarkably, but Vivienne had lived a very long life and she was no longer the desirable wolf she once was. Grayson, having found a new, more attractive female, spurned Vivienne and insisted that, at the next full moon, the younger, beautiful raven-haired wolf become his mate. Faced with his mother’s humiliation and the thought of his friend being forced into a life of servitude, Rafe finally challenged Grayson and, under the light of a full moon, he had defeated him, becoming the new Alpha.

“And the young female?” Tristan asked when Quinn had finished.

“Channon,” Quinn confirmed quietly. It was only natural that Channon had become Rafe’s mate, their relationship borne not out of law, but out of love. Channon and Rafe had been together ever since... until now. Now she was once again facing the threat of a forced union - only this time, Rafe had failed to protect her.

“That’s why he’s taking it so badly,” Tristan murmured, a sense of true empathy radiating off him. “He really loves her.” His sky-blue eyes lingered on Quinn’s face as he said it, and a moment passed between them that made Quinn’s heart beat more quickly in her chest.

“You must understand that they are only wolves one night of the month. The rest of their time is spent as humans and they feel just as deeply as we do. Rafe and Channon are not just pack mates, they are husband and wife in the truest sense of the word. How would you like it if Avery had been forced to leave you because someone else was better at fighting?”

“She was,” Tristan whispered, his breath catching in his throat. Quinn immediately regretted her words. It was true, Avery had been taken from him because she had not been able to defeat the vampire that attacked her... and Tristan had not been there to save her. For the first time Quinn understood the guilt that must eat at him every day and she realised that she didn’t want him to live with that burden, crucifying him every time he thought of her.

“I’m sorry, Tristan; for taking my grief out on you. I know you loved her just as much as I did.” His tormented gaze fixed on her, but he seemed to grow in stature as if the burden had eased ever so slightly.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that.” He paused and then his eyes glazed over as if he was putting an invisible wall in place. “But it was my fault. I should have been there. She might still be alive today...”

“Or you might both be dead,” Quinn pointed out. “You have no idea how many vampires were in the house that night. You were a very new Guardian. If Avery fell to their assault you probably would have too.” Quinn was not trying to insult Tristan, but it was a fact. Avery had been a very skilled Guardian, her talents surpassed only by Isaiah, Daniel and Quinn herself.

Tristan nodded morosely, but Quinn caught a defiant look in his eye.

“Look, I have to go away for a few days. Do you think you can keep an eye on Rafe?” she changed the subject.

“Where are you ..?” Tristan began, but then he stopped abruptly, as if remembering he had no right to question her. “Of course, no problem.”

“You will make sure he doesn’t leave the house?”

“Sure,” he shrugged, “but I don’t think there is any threat of being discovered out here in the middle of nowhere.”

Quinn, unfortunately, knew just how wrong he was.

“You can’t be too careful,” she cautioned. “You haven’t lived in man’s realm since you became a Guardian.” Again, something flashed in his blue eyes, something she couldn’t put her finger on, but when he looked at her, he conceded.

“I’ll keep him inside,” Tristan promised. “But please, Quinn... be safe.”

It warmed her more than she cared to admit to have someone worrying about her. Someone who cared whether she lived or died, who would be waiting for her safe return. She had been alone for so long she had forgotten how it felt to be needed. It felt good.