-two- Newborn

Sunrise, 5:30 a.m. 

Quinn sunk into a deep slumber the moment the sun rose high above the sky. Or maybe it was because of her satisfactory made divan with its pillows as soft as feathers and bedding as hallow as marshmallows sinking with her body weight. 

She wasn't tired but all her thoughts were concealed as the sun shun up, it is as if her body was drawn by the gravitational force of the sun, engaging her in a deep restful slumber and a pool of darkness devoured her. 

Winter Leaves cackled under her bare feet, the snow like splinter only contributed to its growing numbness, her super human strength almost splitting the earth under her in half as she sped up, tracking down her prey. 
The sweet scent of her preys blood filled her nostrils, the uncontrollable beating of its heart only made her stomach ache even more. Her fangs descended aching to descend themselves into its perspired coated skin. It stopped in the middle of the woods, its long bleached curls dancing with the wind from side to side. It's eyes, glimmered azure sea blue under the moonlight. It extended its arms like a child yearning for its parents love. 


That evening, 6:49 p.m. 

Quinn jerked up, her suddenness contributing to her blooming body pain. Electric shock revived itself inside her but washes away within the next second that passed. 

At the edge of her bed sat the same statued figure his profile shinning through the rooms only glass window, drapes pulled back and dawns orange rays spilled like bright diamond encrusted disco lights on the floor. It seemed like he had been sitting there for hours, staring down at her as she slept.

She rubbed her eyes, swinging her feet to the side and sat on the edge of her bed. Her feet dangling and lightly touching the cold elegant tiled floors below her. If she had any body heat, they would have sent chills like shockwaves down her spine. 

Lucas who was now on his feet buried his hands in his silvery French suits pocket, his eyes distant as he stared out at the cloudy sky outside of her window. 

"Did you sleep well?"

"Should I respond honestly?"

"First nights aren't always that welcoming, its understandable." He said tossing a bathrobe at her, the silky material with its scent like freshly lit aromatic candles hanging loosely above her head. "Get dressed and I'll tour you around your new humble abode." 

With only that, he left, disappearing as he closed the door of her room behind him. 

Quinn blew the stray strands of her bangs off her forehead, shrugging the bathrobe off her head hastily. Unlike her former husband he was even more stubborn and did things without even consulting her for her opinion. If she was married to him, she thought, she'd divorce him the very next day. 

***
Lucas sat on the grand chair of his living room, his leg crossed over the other, a book lying open as it balanced on top of them. His fingers circled the mouth of his glass cup, scarlet liquid shining brightly under the chandelier light above him. 

Across him sat another man, younger than he was but a lot more serious giving out the throne of charming points towards the man opposite of him. He wore a plain white suit, and like Lucas, he had his leg crossed over the other. He had a tea cup on hand and took a sip.

"You musn't speak of this to anyone you hear me Gaius?" Lucas said, his tone of voice serious as he stared at the other man intently, his eyes expectant as he waited for his words, 
"Even to the Elders."

"You can't expect me to promise my compliance Lucas," Gaius replied brushing his silvery spiky threads back, its points shining like glitter as it made contact with the light above them, "I already did this much. Even if we are childhood friends, you should know I fear the elders most," he set his tea cup down now, jaws set as he picked for the right words to come next, his fingers pinching the depression between his nose and temples, "As much as I want to help you, and you know I would, the elders would bite me in the arse far more worst than you."

He was right, Lucas thought. Unlike him, the elders despite their strong disagreement towards most of his ridiculous ideas, as the second rank up the food chain, his manipulative skills and stubborn persona manages to get him away unharmed.

"Rest assured, they wouldn't even know you were involved in any of this." Lucas whispered, lowering his voice the moment he met Quinn's graze as she walked down the steps.
"Involved in what?" She said brushing her damp bleached hair aside.

"Nothing that should be of concern to the little ego of yours darling." Lucas said, his Italian accent stressing on the word 'darling'. 

She shot him a vicious glare and he winked, a teasing smirk playing on his lips.

Gaius got up extending a hand towards her, "You must be Mrs. Merryk."

Quinn took his hand, her expression flushed as he looked her up from top to bottom, regretting she had wore the century old low cut laced dress. "actually I prefer Quinn far more better."

Lucas stood up, tossing his novel aside and draping an arm over the shorter mans shoulder, "dear Quinn, this is my good friend Gaius. He is our valuable surgeon."

Gaius shoved Lucas, his expression as flushed as a teenage school girl's who had her first kiss with her crush.
"Physician actually," he corrected "I'm the all around doctor for this clan." He adjusted his neck tie as if trying to boost his boasting self esteem, "and of course I do accept appointment with other clans, with a higher price that is."

"He's the only vamp of the Garner clan who lives separately from this estate."
Quinn's eyes fluttered, "you mean there's more?"

"Of course silly," Gaius scoffed which seemed to Quinn to be quite insulting, "no more than fifty at least. Most, however barely stay here. As soon as they outgrown their ego and find a family of their own, they find a better home close to the estate. That way whenever a calamity occurs they are always welcome home, some even join other clans. Think of it as a refugee for loyal and fresh Newborns such as yourself."

Newborns, the name to her felt like a brand. One that levels lower than he or any of them than she was. She felt miserable hearing it. 

Seeing Quinn's down expression, Lucas squeezed her shoulders, his long fingers brushing the nape of her neck, 
"Currently it's just you, me, Dimitri, Silvia, and Eliot. You'll love them once you meet them."

Quinn nodded halfheartedly, his words seeming to reassure her.
Something soft and furry brushed between her legs, Quinn jumped back refraining herself from screaming, below them, the center of attention was a black Persian cat, pedigreed and a blue collar with a heart engraved bell hugged its neck. 

Lucas bent down to take it in his arms, scratching its ear enticing a satisfactory meow from it, "I almost forgot." He giggled, his expression although childish was cute in her eyes, "and this is General Meowth." 

The black Persian purred, its jade cat eyes slit as it stared deeply at hers. Quinn felt unusually intimidated, as if she could sense the cats total resentment towards her. 

Maybe, she thought, she didn't give much of a good impression at him, after all, she did thought of feasting on him the night before.

Lucas extended his arm, urging Quinn to take it. The moment she did, the cat hissed clawing her cheeks and rummaging her hair.

Instinctively, Quinn let out a snarl, engaging into a one and one combat with the Persian. It was silly for her to think that she was having a cat fight with a cat, instead of a jealous lover.
Lucas broke them off, the cat skimping away and left Quinn on a sitting position her cheeks streaking with her blood. 

Quinn peered beside her, Gaius was trying his best to refrain from laughing.

"Well I guess, I totally fit the category as a vamp who couldn't get along with cats." Quinn muttered wiping blood drenched cheek with her sleeves. 
Lucas held out a helping hand, tugging her up effortlessly on her feet. She thanked him brushing off the invisible speck of dust off her clothing, a bad habit she always did to dismiss embarrassment. 

"Usually he's not like this." Lucas apologized breaking into uncontrollable laughs. "Anyhow," he turned towards Gaius who gained his original serious composure. "While you're here, why don't you do a regular check up and tend to her wounds?"

Gaius nodded, placing a metal suitcase on top of the newly polished porcelain coffee table. With a click on lock the suitcase opened revealing a typical house doctors necessity kit: a stethoscope, sterilizer, bandaid, tweezers, needles, blood pressure, and a sterilized cloth.

Gaius held out the stethoscope over her chest, making a funny expression as he listened intently on her chest. There was no beat, she knew. Irony washed over her, not knowing whether to pity herself of the truth or pity Gaius for dumbly looking for a heart beat that both of them knew never came. Maybe he was just making sure she was dead, a healthy vamp who doesn't and shouldn't have a heart beat.

He tended her wounds, carelessly brushing the sterilized damp cotton on her cheeks, arms and legs. Then took her blood pressure and made sure she hadnt injured her head or internal organs. "Vampires," he said, stitching a kiddish beach designed bandaid over her left knee, "heal fast, but scars stay forever."

He got up on both feet, laying aside all his equipment in one bundle back into his suitcase. He turned to leave, suitcase on one hand and door handled on the other, he cast a quick glance over his left shoulder his graze meeting Quinn's. "Women," he said barely audible for Lucas to hear, his words intently dedicated for her alone to hear, "should take care of their beauty more. That's the only thing you could depend on and stick with for eternity." And with that he left, the large doors closing behind him.


Lucas turned to face Quinn, his left hand buried in his suit pocket, the other occupied by a glass cup filled halfway with dark scarlet liquid- blood. He offered her the cup, but she raised a hand refusing. 

"Ready for the tour?"
Quinn nodded, swallowing a sudden large lump in her throat. "I was born ready."