A time to heal

Her body felt slightly stiff and achy, causing her to finally wake up. She felt like she had been sleeping for days. She felt like she was jet lagged and getting over a hangover. She wasn't sure what had happened, only remembering the night she got bit by a vampire with strange veins. She groaned and sat up in bed, feeling the soft silk robe wrapped around her body. John laid next to her with his arm draped over her. She blinked heavily and shook her head. "Did we go out partying?" She coughed and her mouth felt super dry. Her body had obviously been through some kind of hell. Instinctively her hand went to her neck and felt smooth skin. She had healed. Looking over her shoulder, she called out again. "John...wake up."

Quinn propped himself up on one arm and smiled at her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Tij. You have been out for quite some time...almost 2 days. You must be starving. I'll call downstairs and have something sent up if you like."

She clutched her head and groaned. Two days...ugh.

"Where's our son...what the hell happened?" She grimaced and felt her neck again.

"That bastard bit me...what the hell happened John!" She turned to face him and her brows furrowed in frustration.

"Relax, Sevti. Rajat is with Tolvin and Rochelle. He is safe and secure. Right now we need to get you back in trim shape. Whatever those vamps had seemed to do quite a number on you. He took a chunk out of you and it took a lot longer to heal than I thought it would. I checked local channels. Those vamps were not from the local brood, and in fact any vampire seen with those black lines is a 'kill on site' from what I was told. Some sort of vampire only epidemic. Apparently only they are harmed by whatever it is, but it makes them feral before they die from it."

He stood from the bed and pulled on a robe, walking over to the table and picking up the phone. He spoke softly and smiled, then hung up and walked back over to her side.

"You might as well grab a shower. The food will be here in about twenty minutes and then we can talk more."

He seemed a little too 'happy' for her tastes and wondered what the hell was going on. She waited until after he placed the food order and shook her head. "A shower can wait. I want to know what happened in those two days...I can't remember any of it. Why? What happened, what did I do? What did I say?" She began to worry by the sick smile on his face and narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Have it your way. Have a seat...this is going to take a few."

He waited for her to sit back down on the bed and began explaining about her having hallucinations and being stuck in a nightmare. He explained as much as he understood about what she had been experiencing, but held back his suspicions for now. He glanced over to the file folder on the desk, wondering if she was really ready to see if his suspicions were accurate. He decided to hold off for now and focused on the things she had shouted and that she had told him about what happened in her village. He went on to explain that after he had broken through her hallucination, she kind of shut down and he had cleaned her up and let her rest.

"Bed rest and time to heal seemed the best choice at the time. From what I can tell the nightmares faded and you had a mostly dreamless sleep after that. I touched in with some contacts to learn more about what happened, and you know what I found out. I spoke with Tolvin and gave him some instructions concerning Rajat. Other than that, I have been at your side. Your fever finally broke last night. I am glad to see you are feeling better."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, stepping back and smiling.

Throughout his explaining, his smile never faded. She knew. She looked down and listened to what he said, feeling him kiss her forehead. "I...I said it, didn't I?" She looked up to meet his eyes. "I tried to fight through it, I tried to tell myself it was nonsense and it only made me weak. I tried to not love you, I tried so hard. But damn it John! Damn it...." She shook her head and looked away from him. "But I do..." She whispered.

He pulled her to her feel, holding her close and whispered in her ear.

"I know how hard that was for you to admit, Sevti, and I will not throw it in your face, but yes you did say it. I Was happy to hear you say it, but I will not make it an issue. Admitting it when you know the pain that can come from it is far braver and stronger than you realize."

He wrapped his arms around her as he looked in her eyes.

"There is more, but it can wait if you want."

She let out a breath and felt him wrap his arms around her. She did the same and buried her face in his neck, inhaling his scent. "Why hide what's true? I do, I just couldn't admit it before. I loved you since the moment I met you, knew you, since the moment you made love to me. I'm sorry I walked away from you John, I'm sorry I lied to you...to myself." She looked up at him and softly caressed his face, kissing him before he could speak.

As her lips lingered on his own. He knew this was not the time for the rest, so he let is pass from his mind. He simply enjoyed the moment with her. When the kiss finally ended, he smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. His hands slid down to her hips as they looked into each other's eyes. He was considering pulling off her robe when the door chimed. He chuckled and backed up.

"Food's here. I had them send a selection from the menu. I was not sure what would smell good to you tonight."

Her cradled her waist in one arm as he walked toward the door. He rested his hand on a small pistol hanging by the door and looked through the view-hole. He nodded and relaxed a little as he smiled at her. He nodded as he opened the door.

"I'm sure we will both feel better once you've eaten something. After all, you haven't eaten in two days."

She felt his eyes burn into her and grinned, feeling the different vibes he gave her and the scent change. The bell rang and she groaned but followed him to the door, his arm around her waist. The food smelled amazing and she felt her stomach growl. "Maybe a little..." She began picking at the food on the trays, loading her hands and mouth. She hadn't realized how hungry she had been. She chewed and nodded her head, moaning to show her pleasure. "This is really good." She said as she wiped her mouth and stuffed more of the finger foods into her mouth.

He smiled as she ate, snacking here and there as well, keeping his fingers clear of where she was grabbing from. He nodded as she commented on the food.

"In another day or two, once your strength returns, we should leave Brazil. If those infected vamps are prevalent enough to be on the radar, we don't need to be sticking around. We can meet up with Tolvin and Rochelle once things calm down."

He poured her a glass of red wine as he spoke, offering it to her smiling.

She took the wine and took a few sips to swallow her food, and groaned as she sat down. "I feel like I haven't eaten in a week." She continued to eat as he spoke, sucking her fingers dry of the food left on them. Finally, she felt satisfied and full. Taking another sip and swallowing, she looked over at him and nodded. "I agree. But before we leave I have to close on this deal. And I have to tell George to go fuck himself." She grinned. "Oh that's right...I quit. I'm starting my own business and I'd like you to be a partner...with the EeE. Sorry I'm throwing this at you, it just...well, no better time than now."

He smiled at the offer. He knew there were other things they would need to discuss in time, but this was her moment so he smiled and acted surprised at her news. He would have to wait to track down her former boss now, but he could be patient. He could always farm that little project out down the line. He smiled and nodded.

"Partners in all things, both business and personal then. Sounds like fun."

Oddly, she felt a sense of relief now that she said those three words that haunted her. A smile tugged at her lips and she didn't get angry by his assumptions. "John I won't sit here and pretend that I deserve you, that I deserve this life you imagine for us...but I want to try. I want to let myself be open to what can be...what might be...what could be..." She looked away from him for a moment.

"My fear got the better of me for so many years John. I had to protect our son and ensure that this vampire never found us. Your involvement with vampires angered me. After all I'd been through and I felt that you would only put us in danger. I see now, that I was wrong." She turned her head to look at him once more.

Quinn stood and walked across the room.

"My involvement with them was for a purpose, and might even have served more of one than I could have imagined. I am going to show you something, but I need you to brace yourself first."

He walked over and picked up the folder from the table, walking slowly back to where she was standing and spoke slowly.

"You know I worked for a group called the Authority that was kind of a vampire congress of sorts. This much I have told you. I also told you I worked privately for one of the members for quite some time."

He flipped open the folder and tossed a picture onto the bed of Salome Agrippa.

"She is the one I worked for. There is one task in point that she gave me that you might find pertinent. One of her associates believed himself untouchable. She wanted to show him that he was not so I was contracted to make her point. I only left him a small scar on his face, but did it with a knife dipped in a special mixture that can scar even vampires."

He took a step closer and looked in her eyes.

"The reason I am telling you this will be clear in a moment. I want you to brace yourself before I show you the picture of my target. I think you may suspect why."

She listened to what he said and already could feel her stomach flipping. Where was he going with this? His words were so cryptic and had her wondering. "Show me..." She was ready for whatever he had to say. What could be any worse than remembering her past and allowing him to know how weak she had once been.

He opened the folder and threw the picture down on the bed, stepping back and watching as she turned to face the image.



"I do not know if this man was your nightmare, but I can tell you that I know he is dead. I saw it with my own eyes. The scar you mentioned...I put it on him."

She slowly looked down at the file and her eyes met the cold, dark ones of the man who tormented her. A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it and she covered her mouth, staring down at the photo. Tears pricked her eyes and her blood felt like it had stopped moving, frozen in her veins. With a shaky hand, she slowly reached out and picked up the file, turning away from John as she started at the picture. Silence filled the room. She said nothing. She didn't even move.

Quinn walked to her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. He spoke softly.

"When you described him, I knew it could be the Chancellor. I had to know for sure, but I can promise you that this vampire died some time before your return to me. I saw it myself. He was killed by another vampire over a vial of dead blood. Some kind of holy vampire relic. He is gone and not even ashes remain. He popped off and then what was left was burned along with the remains of many other vampires. He cannot harm you any longer. You do not need to fear him any more."

He hold her while she absorbed what he was saying. He had no way of knowing how she would react.

"I had to bring this out, Sevti. I would not keep secrets from you. If this was the one who held you, he has paid with True Death and does not even get to be remembered."

"He's...really...gone...." She whispered softly, never moving even as his arms wrapped around her. She slowly lowered the file and looked into the space in front of her and spoke softly to herself. "It's finally over...." Her body seemed to relax, her blood felt like it flowed again and she knew her son would never have to endure the collectors wrath. The vampire named Kibwe, the one who stole more than her freedom for two years. She turned in John's arms and looked up to meet his eyes. "Thank you...for this....for this knowledge. Thank you." She still felt the shock of the news, but deep down she felt...happy? Relieved?

He held her close, giving her the time she needed to deal with the new information and then lifted her face, looking in her eyes.

"If it would help, one day we can go stand in the spot he died. I do not know if you will want to, but it is possible. Rajat is safe from that arrogant vampire forever. He can no longer threaten you from the shadows. You are free of him forever..."

He leaned in and kissed her gently, smiling as he looked in her eyes.

She shook her head no immediately after his suggestion. "No. Never. I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about me John." She placed her hand on his cheek and felt his lips brush hers softly before kissing her. She smiled too and slid her hand along the nape of his neck, looking up into his eyes. "I may be willing to be yours, but I hope you know I'll never submit to you John Quinn." She grinned.

He grinned at her warning and chuckled.

"...and I would not have it any other way, Sevti. Now...we should think on where we want to go when you are a bit stronger."

"John, I would travel the world with you...but tonight I really don't want to think about anything past or future...just the present. The now." She said before pressing against him and kissing his lips softly, feeling like the weight of the world was now off of her shoulders for good. She could finally put her past behind her and begin living her future, living her life and not having to worry about looking over her shoulders. She was here with him...she was where she belonged.