Bury the Past

Kiara groaned. She turned to her side, unwilling to wake. Something nagged in the back of her mind. Something.... she just couldn't put her finger on it.

She snuggled more to the covers, finding them soft, cool to the touch. Were they silk? they were really nice. she was hugging a pillow and it felt so nice. The silence, the darkness of the room, it soothed her. She felt sluggish though, her mind was slow and her body felt strangely sticky.

As she slowly began to wake she could smell nature on her; the smell of grass, of earth and the outdoors. It made her happy. Did she run last night? What happened last night? It was all a strange blur. She brought her hands to her face, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she yawned.

She gave her eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness of the room before she realized she didn't recognize this room. This wasn't her home, or Bill's mansion....

Bill...

She gasped and sat up. The events of the previous night hit her with force. Bill going crazy, attacking her. She had nearly died. Jessica! wait...Jessica had...

She took a sniff of the air and sighed. Yes.. she was at Quinn's place. It figures ofcourse. She fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. How strange. Usually one thought of her ex had her wound up like a dog with rabies but now... all she felt was a strange emptiness.

Thats right... after the attack, she had been in a strange, death like state. She'd realized she couldn't hold on to the past. It made her miserable and she couldn't change it. She closed her eyes, recalling that moment in time.

Yes... she'd said goodbye to her regrets, to her anger. She'd... she'd forgiven Quinn, forgiven Bill...

In that moment she smiled. She remembered that strange, but amazing feeling of release. Of letting go of everything. It brought a sense of peace, something that enveloped her and told her it was ok to let go. She chuckled and sat up again. As she looked around she spotted the tray of food.

"Oh Quinn..." she said, for once feeling no anger towards that name. She embraced her experiences. All the hardship, the horrors she'd live through made her the wolf she was today.

"Maybe I should thank him huh..." she told herself as she sat on the edge of the bed. She reached for a small pastry, one of her favorite treats and chuckled before eating it.

She couldn't hold on to her past any longer. In letting it go, she felt happier than she had in years. After snacking on a few more pastries she slowly got up, realizing her body felt sluggish. She figured she needed a shower, something to wake her fully as she slowly made her way to a door which she assumed, and hoped, lead to a bathroom which upon further inspection and opening, it did.

She calmly took off her clothes, well the tank top and shorts, not that she wore anything else and tossed them aside before stepping into the shower and closing the glass door. She turned on the water to a cool setting, letting the liquid wash over her, letting it wash away the remnants of her sleepiness, of her worries and her anger, refreshing her mind, body and her soul.

~The buzz of a motion sensor woke Quinn. He padded over the the console and looked at the logs. Movement in Kiara's room. Good. She woke up already. Shifting back to human form, he set about the automation for the house, and got everything moving. Glancing over to the side table, he saw that his package had been dropped off this morning. Opening the package, he smiled. Perfect timing. Quinn quietly slipped in and set the boots and clothing on the end of the bed, drawing a deep breath, enjoying her scent. Then he left the room, pulling the door closed but not latched and proceeded to the office area to begin his day~

Kiara took a long shower, which she needed. Afterwards, feeling much better she wrapped a towel around herself as she grabbed another towel to dry her hair.

She stepped out and paused. Quinn...he'd been in here and by the feel of his scent, not too long ago.

She looked at the bed and saw not only clothes but a pair of boots. And not just any boots, but boots that catered to her tastes, down to the leather, buckles and even the color of the buckles. She chuckled. She'd always been a sucker for boots, it was one of the things she wouldn't over look in any outfit. As she looked at the clothes she had to bite back a chuckle.

There was aside from a set of red lacy lingerie, a pleated black and red skirt with decorative chains, a button up black blouse and even a set of knee high socks. If she didn't know better she'd say Quinn was enjoying her dressing up. She shrugged and set the towel on her head down, shaking her messy damp auburn locks before letting the towel on her body loose so she could finish drying herself.

Part of her wondered if Quinn had this room under video surveillance. No...surely...
She shrugged. Not like he'd never seen her naked before so with that thought in mind she began to get dressed, glad for the clean clothes and even more glad for the boots since she now recalled her other boots had been soaked to the bone in human and were blood.

~Quinn made sure to engage solar locks on the room Jessica was sleeping in and the secure zones of the house, but unlocked all the others so Kiara could have free run of the place. He made a mental note that the vamp girl preferred live food so he would need to have someone available when she got up this evening. After checking emails and responding to clients, he activated his music and relaxed back in his chair~

Once dressed Kiara indulged in some of the food left on her tray, noting that she was hungry. She checked a small digital clock on a nightstand.

Damn it was 2pm? she'd slept well over 14 hours. She shrugged. After all that had happened she deserved some sleep after all. Once she was fed she ventured out of the room. Quinn had remodeled his home since the last time she'd step foot in here. Everything seemed so... techy and advanced.

She followed her nose, picking up his scent trail along the house, then up some steps to a second floor. Her boots made the only noise in the house as she explored, finding the place a lot bigger than she thought.

~Hearing the tapping echo of Kiara's boots on the tiles down the hall, Quinn sat up and smiled. She had not been here since the rework. probably lost. He hit a few switches and a lighted dot path activated in the room she was in, leading to the office. The motion sensors would keep track of her and shut it down as she went. Gods, technology can be fun.~

He smiled, waiting for her to enter, preparing for the worst..just in case.

She blinked, suddenly seeing lights in her path and oddly reminded of an airplane. She turned around and followed the lights, seeing that they lead her down a hallway and ended at a door.

She quirked a brow. This was Quinn, she was never one for knocking on his door so she merely opened it.

"Fancy house you got here Tiger" she said calmly.

~Quinn laughed, looking her over slowly~

"It keeps the rain off my head when I'm sleeping. I test a lot of the new tech toys I get for clubs here. It makes it easier to describe. I see you found the care package. Hope the colors were to your liking."

~leaning forward, I rest my arms on the desk. Seeing her here, under my roof again. It brings up a lot of memories.~"

"Now, would you like to be a bit more talkative, or will you be as close mouthed as your little vampire about how you ended up in my house?"

She shrugged.

"You may not like what you hear.. but I'll tell you" she said as she moved to sit on a chair across from his desk, crossing her legs.

"The short version is that the vampire who brought me here last night; her maker and my... well I suppose now former employer went religious crazy and decided to rip my throat out. You know how it is, anything with a pulse is food for a vampire after all" she said calmly.

"The longer story involves some hurt feelings and broken promises on his part and me promising the young lady currently asleep that I would try to save her maker"

~sighs, turning up the news so she can hear the reports about the TB factories~

"It is not only your "former".....whatever...a lot of them having gone into ecstasy. Your fangboy boss was only one among many. The doors already have your imprint. You have the room any time you want it. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you..."

~Quinn starts sorting files on his desk, trying not to look up at Kiara~

She nodded before she stood and sighed.

"Quinn...I just wanted to say...thanks... " she didn't know how to say it correctly and it sounded kinda stupid in her head. "....for everything, and that.. I'm over what happened between us. I now know it wasn't your fault what happened to me before.. and it was wrong of me to put the blame on you" she said before moving to leave, figuring he had business to do judging by the papers he was sorting.

"Kiara..."

~reaching in a drawer of the desk, he tosses six vials with vampire fangs in them onto the desktop.~

"The vampires that were responsible for your pack's.......issues..."

~sighs, but half smiles~

"...will never see another full moon."

~Quinn stands up and moved from behind the desk, the papers dropping to the floor. He move to Kiara and takes her hands in his~

"I wronged you, and I have to live with that, but my inaction caused you pain I did not know of at the time. I have since tried to restore the balance in my karma. Perhaps one day, I will tell you about everything. I am just glad you are strong. You always have been..."

She blinked, seeing the vials and the fangs "Quinn... you.. killed them?" she asked. Not that she hadn't known Quinn for being strong but she had no idea he'd gone after the vampires who had poisoned her childhood pack.

She looked at him and shook her head "We both did each other a lot of hurt Quinn" she smiled softly "I think it's long overdue time we bury the past and move on with our lives...don't you think?" she said softly, handing him back the vials.

"I won't ask why you sought to kill the vampires, the gods know I would have loved a piece of them, but their deaths doesn't change my past, it doesn't change yours" she held his hand in hers, noting just how much bigger his hands were in comparison.

"I hope these actions have brought you some sense of peace at least"

"Seeing you again has brought that peace to me, Kiara. In more ways than you can know. Though I wish our reunion had come on better terms...."

~Quinn smiles softly as he looks into her eyes. He lifts a gentle hand to brush a stray hair from her face~

"But enough of darkness and pasts. As you say, we should bury the past and look forward, not back."

~He takes the vials and throws them into the fireplace. He breathes deeply, drawing in her scent as if a memory.~

"Perhaps even a new beginning can be forged in the crucible of the present."

She smiled. It was strange how Quinn could make her feel comfortable even now. She even leaned into his touch when he brushed away a lock of her hair.

"Perhaps..." she said. A part of her was raising all the red flags. She couldn't just jump into Quinn's arms, not after what had happened. Her mind was still in shock and denial and she needed time. However Quinn knew her on a deep level. Knew how she was, how she acted, even smaller quirks that Bill had never known.

She chuckled a bit "Kinda strange... had someone told me I'd be in your office not growling at you 24 hours ago I would have laughed at them"

~smiling as she leaned closer, I wrap one arm around her, as if to protect her from the world.~

"I probably would have laughed as well. I knew in time we would meet again, but I think even the fates were shocked by how things have fallen in place. Now, here you are, in my home, in my arms, and we are actually getting along...."

~looking gently down to her, I decide to gamble, and place a soft kiss on her forehead. A sign of affection, but one that does not come without risk...~

She nodded and actually rested her head on his chest. "I'm even surprised you gave me new boots... I didn't think you'd actually give me a weapon" she teased.

She blinked, feeling him kiss her forehead. She found it strange, and a bit endearing. She couldn't even remember the last time he had ever done that. Maybe not even when they dated. She could picture herself actually kicking him in a sensitive place, but she didn't. She didn't want to go back to her angry jaded self, she didn't want to go down that dark path again. She instead just stood there in his arms, enjoying the heat that came from his body.

"Well I was not going to have you walking around barefoot. That just would not do, and I know how you love your boots."

~scooping Kiara up without warning, Quinn moves over the the pillows by the fire and slides into them, depositing her inside the curve of his own body.~

"You are healing fast, you did not stumble on your way here. I am glad that has not changed. Within a few days, you will be back to full strength."

~tapping on a pad by the fireplace, I call for food and drink to be brought in, then snuggle down, wrapping my arms around Kiara gently..making sure to mind her sore spots...~

She chuckled "True.. I do love boots" she said before she gasped, now in the air in his arms. She blinked, a bit confused before she was set by the fireplace. She found herself overshadowed by his size.

"Well, I can't be down too long...I do have a business to run" she said calmly. She casually leaned into his arms, finding that parts of her neck, her shoulders and her legs were sore.

"So.. aside from tricking out your house.. what else have you done with your life Quinn?"

~smirks and hits a few keys on the pad. A young boy runs in and sets a tablet in front of Kiara and runs out again.~

"There is a solid WIFI here so, as long as you can access your system remotely, you can work from here while you heal."

"Once you are feeling a bit stronger, we'll start running an IV drip while you sleep. It will help you heal faster. You were in pretty bad shape when you got here."

~As the food is brought in, Quinn snatches a piece of pastry off the tray and holds it out for Kiara, grinning impishly~

She chuckled "If I didn't know better Quinn, I'd say you don't want me to ever leave" she said as she looked at the tablet.

She typed in a few things and accessed her site, checking on a few orders before the smell of a delicious pastry distracted her.

She turned her head and without even thinking she snatched the pastry from his fingers with her mouth, licking her lips and letting out a moan of satisfaction.

"mmm....trying to fatten me up Quinn?" she asked with a smirk on her lips.

"Just trying to help you relax, cher. "
~laughing at the little moan of pleasure, I hold out another piece.~

"As for what I have been up to, I now run the EEE. I started out pit fighting for them years ago and when the CEO was found...undesirable...they decided to take things in a different direction and hired from the inside."

She chuckled as she casually leaned on him, taking another bite of the pastry he held up while she typed away on the tablet.

"Seems like we're both working for the supes... I've heard of EEE..the ceremonies they do.. they even work with packmaster rituals right?" she asked, licking her lips when she looked up at him, wanting to lick up the crumbs.

~leaning down, looking into Kiara's eyes, Quinn smiles softly~

"I could swim for days in those eyes..."

~shaking his head clear as he realizes that she asked him a question...~

"yes...packmaster rituals are among the many services that the EEE can provide for. We work with quite a range of Sups. And actually, the Sups work for me now, not the other way around. We just started working with a tech firm called NEXGEN a few months ago. We are expanding into the realm of virtual entertainment. You know what they say, when you can touch the clouds, aim for the stars..."

She blinked "Nexgen? I work with their technology" she said, recalling the man called Alastair who was tied to her past and the ancestry of her pack.

"I see... well I do use their virtual technology to make sun rooms for vampires. You know, they're all for doing the deed in the sun and what not" she said as she rubbed her neck. She reached for a bit more food, seeing that her business was running as usual and nothing out of the ordinary had happened.