Seeking answers from the past

Quinn sealed the room and walked toward the containers in the corner. Opening the first, he lifted out a small box and moved it to the table in the center of the room. The scents from the contents filled his nose and stirred old memories. This is one project he had been putting off for quite some time but he needed answers before he could move on. Even now, the scent of her clung to the belonging in the box. He lifted the books and journals from the box, setting them aside for now. He lifted out the a framed photo he had removed from her wall, looking carefully at their picture and remembering the night it was taken.
He swore he could almost here her voice, then noticed a shadow in the reflection of the glass. Turning, he blinked, not believing what he was seeing.

"How can you be here. I saw the recording. You're gone. Compton killed you. You can't be real."

"How can you be here. I saw the recording. You're gone. Compton killed you. You can't be real."

Salome smirked.

"You of all people should know that 'real' is simply a fiction we cling to so we can face the day. Humans used to say Vampires were not real. They still say other creatures are not real, when we know they are. You are the one who called to me. You brought my things to this place...hoping to gain...what? closure? answers? some twisted absolution?"

Salome laughed as she looked to him, as if waiting for an answer...

"You of all people should know that 'real' is simply a fiction we cling to so we can face the day. Humans used to say Vampires were not real. They still say other creatures are not real, when we know they are. You are the one who called to me. You brought my things to this place...hoping to gain...what? closure? answers? some twisted absolution?"

Quinn could not believe his eyes, much less his ears...

"How did I call to you? Yes, I would love answers but doubt I will find any. What absolution would I need?"

"How did I call to you? Yes, I would love answers but doubt I will find any. What absolution would I need?"

She listened as he spoke then her smile faded as her eyes hardened.

"I do not know how you called me. Who would have thought a vampire still had a soul. As for your absolution, you knew that William was dangerous, you even told me you had your doubts as to his conversion, yet you did not protest when he joined the authority. You knew he was a threat, even before he was one. You turned your back on us! You knew he would be a danger! You are as guilty as he is for my demise."

Quinn watched as the smile faded from her face before she spoke, her eyes like flint.

"I do not know how you called me. Who would have thought a vampire still had a soul. As for your absolution, you knew that William was dangerous, you even told me you had your doubts as to his conversion, yet you did not protest when he joined the authority. You knew he was a threat, even before he was one. You turned your back on us! You knew he would be a danger! You are as guilty as he is for my demise."

Quinn shook his head at her accusations.

"Salome, save it. We both know you were simply using me, just like you used everyone else. We had our fun but that time had passed. Tell me truthfully...did you bed the viking and Compton the same night or did you pace yourself? How about your pet Chancellor? did you loan her to her brother as a plaything, or keep her to yourself? You didn't care about my warnings! You thought you could play everyone against each other and come out on top. When you had me track where they buried Russell so you could rescue him, you told me it was because burying him alive was too dangerous...that he had to be destroyed. Then you used him to kill your precious Guardian. Where were your high ideals then? Really....get off the cross honey...someone needs the wood."

He turned his back to the apparition, hoping it would fade like an old memory...

His words slapped her as if he had struck her, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing. Then she was stunned to see him turn his back on her. He had never done that before....something had changed, and she did not like this change. He was different....changed somehow...

"Know this, Jonathan Quinn. You will not be rid of me so easily. I am not some daydream you can splash away with a bit of cool water. You and I are connected in more ways than you know. I am going to be with you, at least in part, for a long time. You were my sword, my left hand, my assassin. I still hold you like a blade, poised to strike one more time when it is most beneficial to me. I will leave you to seek your answers from my old things. They will bring you little comfort. Remember this though...you will never truly be rid of me."

"Know this, Jonathan Quinn. You will not be rid of me so easily. I am not some daydream you can splash away with a bit of cool water. You and I are connected in more ways than you know. I am going to be with you, at least in part, for a long time. You were my sword, my left hand, my assassin. I still hold you like a blade, poised to strike one more time when it is most beneficial to me. I will leave you to seek your answers from my old things. They will bring you little comfort. Remember this though...you will never truly be rid of me."

Quinn tried to ignore her words, but knew she was right. She had been a very large part of his life for a long time. He turned to speak to her, only to find her gone....this did not seem like the end...he sighed and returned to examining the things he had brought from the Authority. He had to find some answers.