by Bree Wolf
Arnaud laughed. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said, taking her in his arms. For a long time, they just stood there, enjoying the moment. One of the good ones that had grown so few.
***
“Quinn,” a voice whispered, and then something brushed over her head and down her cheek.
Still feeling exhausted, Quinn held on to the shreds of her dream already drifting away. Determined, she kept her eyes closed, but to no avail. The dream was gone.
“Quinn, wake up,” came the voice again and this time she recognized it as Arnaud’s. A hand on her shoulder, he shook her lightly.
“What’d you want?” she mumbled, starting to feel annoyed with him again.
“You need to get up,” he said. She heard him pull back the curtains. “It’s past eight already. You need to get to school.”
Although her eyes were still closed, the sunlight streaming in stung. For a moment a piercing pain spread behind her forehead that made her bury her face in the pillows. “You sound like my mother,” she complained.
Arnaud laughed. “Well, I have new respect for her,” he said, pulling on her covers. “Does she have to deal with this childish behavior every morning?”
The flame of anger ignited and Quinn dug her hands into the covers, pulling them back. “Would you stop that? I’ve barely slept at all. I deserve a day off.”
“We gotta keep up pretenses,” Arnaud said, jerking at the sheet once. Quinn lost her hold on it immediately. To make her anger known, as tired as she still was, she threw a pillow at his head. He caught it swiftly though, upsetting her even more. He didn’t even have the decency to let it hit him.
“Ass-much.”
He just grinned. “You’re really not a morning person, are you?”
Glaring at him through narrowed eyes, she hissed, “Not without sleep.”
“You did sleep.”
“Not much,” she insisted, yawning. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”
“People will wonder and talk and start watching you, trying to find out what you’re up to,” Arnaud said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Not to mention your parents.”
Blinking, Quinn opened her eyes. “Is that what you meant by keeping up pretenses?”
Arnaud nodded. “People need to believe that you lead a normal, boring, uneventful life.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“It’s the boring part that bothers you, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “Kinda.”
Again he laughed. “You can be a little shallow sometimes.”
Instantly, Quinn lunged at him, finally wide awake, her flame of anger burning hot. Unfortunately, his reflexes were superior to hers. Before her fingers could claw at his face, he caught hold of her wrists and pushed her back down on the bed. “As amusing as this is,” he said, the tone of his voice concentrated fuel pouring into the flame burning within her. “We don’t have time for it though. Get dressed and I’ll drive you to school.” Suddenly there was a curl to his mouth. “And if you want, we can continue this tonight.”
After a bit more bitching on Quinn’s side and a bit more ducking objects flying at his head on Arnaud’s, they reached school grounds without inflicting major injuries on the other. Stifling yet another yawn, Quinn headed inside, completely oblivious to her surroundings. People actually had to jump out of her way to avoid a collision.
What the new geography teacher, substitute for Mr. Sanders, talked about was anyone’s guess. He mumbled horribly, and with Quinn’s current attention span, he could have spoken Chinese, she wouldn’t have noticed. The only thing her mind seemed to be able to concentrate on – whenever it wasn’t busy zoning out – was Martin and what had happened the night before.
Occasionally her mind conjured up images of Arnaud writhing in pain, which put a smile on her face. The flame inside her was still burning.
After they had returned from the cemetery, Quinn and Soo-Ji had gone to bed, giving Arnaud and Martin time to talk. But Quinn had been reluctant to leave, desperately wanting to know what was going on. She hated being kept out of the loop and only sheer exhaustion had prevented her from eavesdropping at the door.
At lunch time, Quinn sat sluggishly on her chair, picking at her food. After a while of feigning normal, the cheerful chit-chat of her cheerleading squat finally got on her nerves and she snapped at them to leave. Giving her a weird look, they obeyed, moving over to another table in a safer distance.
“You look awful,” suddenly came a well-known voice.
Raising her head in surprise, Quinn found Julia seating herself next to her, pushing a tray with food onto the table. “Here, have some sugar,” she said, shoving her bowl with chocolate pudding over to her friend.
“Thanks,” Quinn said, feeling her spirits lifted already, and she realized how much she had missed Julia.
“Long night?”
As though on cue, another dreadful yawn distorted Quinn’s face.
Glancing to the side, Julia said, “He doesn’t like it.”
A frown appeared on Quinn’s face. “Who doesn’t like what?”
Bits of salad on her fork, Julia’s head almost unnoticeably nodded to the side before she started eating.
Following her gaze, Quinn found Andrew looking at her, eyes narrowed and forehead creased with multiple frown lines. “Okay, and what is it that you think he doesn’t like?”
Julia’s eyebrows rose. “You really must be tired.” She leaned over conspiratorially. “That you spend so much time with Arnaud.”
Quinn’s eyes flew open. “He knows that?”
Julia chuckled. “He’s not blind. Everybody knows that. But he’s the only one who doesn’t like it.” A carrot disappeared in her mouth. “At the beginning of the school year it looked like you two were getting together. But now it doesn’t any more. And while you don’t seem to care, it upsets him.” Her eyes focused on Quinn. “You’re not interested any more, are you?”
Holding her friend’s gaze, she shook her head. “I’m not sure I ever was. I mean I liked him but … but not like …”
“… not like you like Arnaud,” Julia finished for her.
Feeling a little embarrassed about having a secret she hadn’t quite admitted to herself dragged out in the open, Quinn nodded. “I guess so, yes.” She shook her head laughing. “Although he drives me insane. Sometimes I really just want to …”
Julia laughed. “Maybe that’s why you like him.”
Shaking her head in disbelief, she said, “What are you two? On the same page? He said the same thing.”
Carefully inspecting Julia’s face, Quinn found that her friend looked like she hadn’t in a long time. There was color on her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. She smiled with ease and honesty, and the dark clouds that had recently settled over her head seemed to have disappeared. “You look good,” Quinn couldn’t help but say.
The smile on Julia’s face retreated a little but did not disappear altogether. “I feel better,” she said, nodding. “It took me a while.” Her voice dropped a little and she leaned forward. “Now that I’ve had time to … make sure, again and again, that Luke is fine, I was able to think about what happened that night and …I know that there is a lot I just don’t know and understand, but I’m starting to think that I might want to.”
“Really?” Quinn asked, her heart starting to feel lighter.
Julia grinned. “Maybe not right now. But soon. I just thought I should tell you. I’m not mad or anything. I’m grateful for what you did. You and Arnaud and …”
“Tate,” Quinn offered.
Nodding, she said, “Tate then.” For a second her eyes held Quinn’s. “The wolf?” she asked, grinning.
Quinn nodded. “Yes, the wolf.” It felt good to speak honestly, even if it was just step by step.
Suddenly Danielle came running up to their table, face flushed with excitement. “Have you heard?” And without waiting for an answer, she rushed on. “Mrs. Winters was found dead in her house this morning.”
The news that wasn’t new hit Quinn right between the eyes. With all that was going on she had completely forgotten about the old lady she had found dead on her kitchen floor.
Eyes on Danielle, Julia frowned. “You sound excited.” There was disapproval in her voice, which Danielle completely ignored or wasn’t even aware of. “I heard that she was killed. It’s really going around,” she chirped.
“Something is seriously wrong with you,” Julia said, turning her back on Danielle, who looked a little miffed but quickly hurried on to another table to spread the news and find a more receptive and appreciative audience.
Lost in thought it took Quinn a while to notice the wondering expression slowly spreading over Julia’s face. “You already knew, didn’t you?” her friend accused. “And not because someone told you.”
Inhaling deeply, Quinn nodded, hoping Julia wouldn’t flip out.
But she just nodded, her eyes thoughtful. “But you’re alright?”
“I am,” Quinn said, surprised at her reaction.
“Your life is suddenly different,” Julia said. “Is it because of Arnaud? Lately you seem to be wherever he is.”
Quinn shook her head. “It’s not him. It’s me,” she admitted, her shoulders slumped. “Without him, I’d have joined Mrs. Winters a while ago. He’s looking out for me.”
“I see,” Julia said, still completely calm. Her eyes were focused on Quinn, who knew that her friend was trying to figure out what questions to ask, and what answers to risk hearing. Once said they could not be taken back. “I’m glad he does.”
Quinn nodded. “I am too.”
For a short moment neither one of them said a word. Quinn felt it was Julia’s right to choose the direction of their conversation. She would let her set the pace.
“Will you come to the opening of the carnival tonight?” Julia asked, deciding to walk neutral territory.
“I’d love to but I honestly don’t think I’d make it,” Quinn said, yawning.
“How about tomorrow then?”
“Sounds great,” she said, a smile lighting her face.
“Do you mind if I bring Luke?” Julia asked. “I could stop by tomorrow afternoon, not too early, I promise, and pick you up. My mom said I could take the car … you know, because of the car seat for Luke.”
“Sounds perfect,” Quinn said and it did. A day away from the supernatural freaky was just what she needed.
Chapter 38 – Fallen
After school, Arnaud waited for her in the parking lot. As she climbed into his SUV, Quinn noticed Andrew looking at them. His face again held a tinge of anger.
Knowing that she should talk to him, Quinn made a mental note to do so at the next possible opportunity.
Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, she slumped down in the seat.
“Want me to drive you home?” Arnaud asked.
“What about my jeep?”
“We’ll go switch cars and I’ll drive you, alright?”
Already feeling herself drift off, Quinn asked, “Then how will you get home?”
“I’ll walk,” he said. “I’m quite fast.”
Eyes closed, a smile curled up the corners of her mouth. “What if someone sees?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take the long way around.”
Feeling the pull of oblivion, Quinn was mildly annoyed when her head sank down, bumping against the window. But the next moment everything went away and she was asleep.
The next time she woke, she found herself back in her room, with darkness spilling in through the windows. She didn’t remember how she’d gotten there. She didn’t even remember switching cars. Everything was a blur.
Only a moment later her eyes closed again and her dreams had her back.
***
Slumping downstairs the next day, her eyes still not quite open, Quinn bumped into her sister. “Watch it, will ya?” she snapped.
Eyebrows drawn down, Cora said, “Wow, you’re in a cheery mood.”
“You sure you don’t want to come?” her mother asked, grabbing her keys from the ceramic bowl on the sideboard. “It’ll be fun.”
“Julia and I will go later,” Quinn said, heading to the kitchen. “She’ll pick me up when the day has progressed further.”
“Alright then, see you at the carnival,” her mother almost sang while ushering Cora and her husband out the door.
As she heard the car start, Quinn heaved a sigh of relief. Loud and cheerful people were not quite to her taste at the moment. Only after drowning two bowls of cereal and taking a slightly cold but for it all the more refreshing shower, she started to feel like herself again.
Her phone rang and – no surprise – it was Arnaud, checking in on her. Sometimes his constant concern made her feel like a child needing a babysitter. This time however he had something interesting to say, besides his usual inquiry after her health, state of mind and the like.
Martin had asked to see her, apparently just as curious about her as she was about him. After all it wasn’t every day that you met your ancestor of two centuries ago. And since he had left Crescent Rock during the war, he had never known his family’s descendants. More than ever Quinn felt awed by the new turn her life had taken. A meeting between two worlds such as theirs was usually found high up on the list of things impossible.
At the end of their phone call it turned out that Arnaud wasn’t really asking her opinion but rather informing her. Martin was already on his way, wanting to see the house that was now his family’s home.
When he arrived, Quinn suddenly felt less confident and rather nervous. It was an unusual feeling for her. Admittedly, she had been nervous, scared, even terrified quite often in the recent past – too often for her taste, but all these situations had held a clear threat to her life. Now it was more the kind of nervousness about making a good impression and not saying anything stupid or something that would offend her guest. After all Martin was family and she wanted him to like her.
But as he crossed the threshold and walked into the living room, Quinn felt herself relax. She wouldn’t have called it nervous, but Martin’s face too held something that made her think he wasn’t feeling completely self-confident either. His eyes traveled around the room, never lingering long on hers. There was a somewhat strained smile on his face.
“I’m glad you know,” he suddenly said, taking a seat on the couch she indicated. “This way I can talk to you.”
Quinn nodded, not knowing what to say, but her eyes were unable to leave his face. There was something in it that almost screamed for her to notice.
“It was so unexpected to see Arnaud,” Martin said when she remained silent. “And you.”
“What made you come?” Quinn asked, remembering their conversation in the car on the way to the cemetery. “Have you ever come back since …?”
He shook his head. “I couldn’t. There was nothing left here for me.”
“What about your family?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t think I should tell them … about what had happened to me. So the only thing I could do was leave. I didn’t want to complicate their lives as well.” His eyes took on a hint of sadness. “Once she was gone, there was no point in fighting. It was easier to just …go and leave things behind.”
“She?” Quinn asked, afraid to open old wounds but unable to keep her curiosity in check.
Martin nodded. “Joséphine.” He said her name with a French accent. “She was Arnaud’s sister. Did he ever tell you about her?”
Quinn nodded. “He said that you two had been engaged before she ...”
“Yes, we wanted to get married before the war. However, shortly before we were called away, Arnaud fell sick and she refused to get married without him there.” A distant smile lit his face. “We were thick as thieves, the three of us. Did everything together. They were my family just as my own was. And without Arnaud there, it wasn’t even a question. So we postponed things. But then the war came and there was no time. Suddenly everyt
hing happened so fast. Before we knew it, Arnaud and I were in the middle of a battlefield with musket balls flying past us and terrible screams everywhere … everywhere. I have no idea how we made it out of there alive.”
Sitting there, Quinn couldn’t say anything, nor did she feel the need to.
“We were so happy,” he said, eyes still looking past her. “Everything was perfect. Before the war.” A smile came to his face. “When Joséphine and I got engaged, we joked about Arnaud and Eliza getting together as well.”
“Who’s Eliza?” Quinn asked, feeling a slight stab.
“Oh, I forgot,” Martin said. “Eliza is … was my sister.”
Remembering the tall woman with eyes that were like her own, Quinn said, “She was at the cemetery last night, wasn’t she?”
Martin nodded.
“That’s so strange.”
“What do you mean?”
Quinn waved her hand in dismissal. “Nothing. It’s just that my middle name is Eliza.”
A disarming smile came to Martin’s face. “Nothing is ever lost, is it?”
“Guess not,” Quinn replied, feeling more comfortable in his presence with each passing minute. “And did they ever … get together?”
Martin shook his head, laughing. “No, they weren’t a match. I don’t know why but … I mean they cared about each other but more like siblings, like I would care for my sister and Arnaud for his. I don’t know why Joséphine and I felt differently about one another. It just happened.”
Quinn smiled. “Maybe it’s not for people to know why they love, or not. Maybe some secrets need to remain just that. It’s what makes life exciting.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“And then what happened?” Quinn asked, trying not to sound too prodding.
“I don’t know,” Martin said, sadness again clear in his eyes. “We weren’t there when it happened. Their mother died when they were still young.” Quinn nodded, remembering the night Arnaud had revealed to her bits and pieces of his human life. “And in the first year of the war, their father died too. He’d always had a weak heart and when it happened, she asked us not to come. We wanted to, but of course, she was right. By the time, her letter reached us, he had already been buried and there would have been no point. So we stayed with our regiment.” He took a deep breath. “Only three months later I received a letter from my father, saying that Joséphine was dead.”