DEVILS TEAPARTY: THE GIRL IN THE CELLER

DISCLAIMED

--------------------------QUINN POV-----------------------------------------------------------------

AFTER Dove died in his arms, he hadn't really cared about anything in a long time. His lip curled into a sneering snarl, only one good thing had come from her death, he had learned that humans were all vermin, but some of them were clever and cunning, and utterly ruthless. He found those ones sort of cut. They were so easily crushed.

The rest were mindless idiots. Their only purpose was to serve, they belonged in kennels, they were worse then animals.

Quinn wasn't the only one who thought that. The slave trade was being quietly revived. Speaking of human slaves, he would have to go back to the warehouses tonight. Those pathetic excuses of Vampire Hunters had barely noticed him.

The wind blew his black hair away from his face, he knew that he was beautiful, it helped him in his currant business, vermin females through themselves at him. It made capturing them too easy.

Quinn supposed the wind was cold, but he didn't feel it, he stood on top of a hill looking down on a glittering Boston.

He grinned a terrifying grin and began to run, he ran so fast the world blurred. Five minutes later, he was creeping behind the stupid Lancers.

They were laying in wait for him, unaware that he was behind them. They were the same ones from last time, this time he would kill them.

As he was about to pounce, the strangest scent wafted through the air, it smelled of frozen lavender, it was intoxicating.

He didn't want to think about it, instead he attacked the two dumbest vampire hunters in the history of the history of the world.

It was pathetically easy, Quinn hit the male and threw him as if he was a rag doll. The female looked around with her stupid mouth gaping like a stupid fish. Before she could do anything she flew after her friend.

They got up instantly, they were like flies, buzzing around him trying to hurt him, but failing miserably. He batted them away easily.

Quinn tensed, someone was behind him. He half turned and saw one more black shrouded female.

The smell intensified, but it wasn't coming from the any of the so-called 'vampire hunters'. These ones sucked.

A flash of oak caught his attention. There was one more female, and he hadn't even seen her, this one was good. She had green eyes and they were deadly, the scent came from her. She had a wickedly sharp sword, more of a blokken really.

A hard hit on his head knocked him out cold, he only muttered one pained cry as he went down.

When Quinn woke up, he couldn't move. His hands were held by wooden shackles, his legs bound by Bast cords. The green eyed girl stood over him, her blokken was out and pointed at his chest, her eyes were closed, she seemed to be arguing with herself about something, then her expression cleared and her eyes opened full of strength and honor, weird in vermin.

But they widened when they met his gaze. She froze, he silently sighed why hadn't she killed him yet? She was so stupid.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Quinn asked the idiot with green eyes.

She stepped back. "sorry, I don't take orders from parasites."

All Quinn did was move the metal joints on the shackles, the metal was going to break eventually.

"I see." Quinn said with a pained smile. He hoped she wasn't going to be the one to torture him. "So its torture this time, right? Well, that should be amusing for you."

She seemed to be honorable and torture was not honorable. But he could be wrong. She knelt and turned the flashlight in his eyes.

He blinked in the bright light, she could see him hut he couldn't see her.

"Why would you think we wanted to torture you?" she asked in her musical voice.

Quinn smiled. "Because I'm still alive," he raised the handcuffs, "and aren't these traditional? A few vampires from the south have turned up mutilated with stocks like these on; it seemed to have been done for fun." He kept the smile in place, it seemed to unnerve her.

"Unless," he continued "its information you want."

She snorted delicately. "would I be likely to get information from you if I did want it?"

Huh, it was fun to banter with her, but she was dangerous. "Well, not likely."

"I did not think so." She said and Quinn felt a thrill go through him, suddenly he cared if she thought he was strong.

He laughed at the thought. He didn't know what was going on with him, she was stupid, unintelligent, vermin. So why did he want to hear her laugh? To see her face? To hold her hand?

"Look, this isn't personal." She said, her voice was slightly shaky. "And you probably don't care, but I'm not the one who was going to torture you. This is business, and its what I have to do." Her hand reached toward her blokken.

Quinn felt relief when he heard that she wouldn't be the one to torture him. He had been right, this girl had honor. Then his smile faded, he was not looking forward to killing her. For the first time in many years he felt respect of a human.

"I understand. You've got…honor." He moved his eyes to the ceiling. "And you're right, this is the way it always has to end when our two races meet. Its kill or be killed. The law of nature."

The metal hinges began to get loose, just a little bit. When he got out he would have to kill her, if she hadn't already killed him. He wanted her to know that he respected her and wouldn't like killing her but like he had said, it was life.

She looked a bit awkward. "Is there anyone you want notified – afterward? I mean, do you have a family? I could make sure the news gets around, so they'd know what had happened to you."

Quinn wanted her to know his name, she would be dead soon anyways so he could tell her anything.

"well, you could tell my adopted father. He's Hunter Redfern. Sorry I can't give an address, but he should be somewhere down east." His smile came back, anticipating her reaction, would she be scared? "I forgot to tell you my name. Its Quinn."

Her eyes opened wide and her breath hissed from between her teeth. She knew who he was, good he thought, maybe she would run. Then he could pretend to lose her, and let her escape, so he wouldn't want to kill her.

He looked at her eyes again. They were wide with disgust and horror at the things he had done, and things people thought he did. She was going to torture him now. He hated that disgust, it made him ashamed.

Quinn looked at the flashlight. It hurt, but he deserved it. That hatred in her eyes was too much to face.

"So you see, you'd better kill me fast," he said in a soft voice, what do I have to lose? He thought desperately. "because that's certainty what I'm going to do to you if I get loose." He would, he would just dislike it.

She laughed. "Am I supposed to be scared?" she asked looking anything but.

Run you idiot. Quinn thought to the stupid girl. I don't want to kill you, so run. "Only if you have enough brains to know who I am."

Quinn almost laughed at himself. He was being soft. This….thing was vermin and had to be exterminated. He squished his feelings with savage glee and layered his heart with more ice.

"Which obviously you don't." He inserted cold scorn into his voice.

"Well," she sounded thoughtful and slightly bored. "Let me see. I seem to remember something about the Redferns… aren't they the family who controls the vampire part of the night world council? The most important family of all the Lamia, the born vampires. Descended from Maya, the legendary first vampire. And Hunter Redfern is their leader, the upholder of night world law and the one who colonized America with vampires back in the sixteen hundreds. Tell me if I'm getting any of this wrong."

Quinn glared at her. Damn her, she knew too much. As if he needed another reason to kill her.

She looked a bit triumphant. "You see, we have our sources. And I seem to remember them mentioning your name, too. You were a made vampire by Hunter… and sense his own children were all daughters, your also his heir."

Quinn laughed at the irony. She seemed to think that we were close. "Yes, well, that's an on-again off-again thing. You might say I have a love-hate relationship with the Redferns. We spend most of the time wishing each other at the bottom of the Atlantic." Why was she asking these questions? Why was he answering? Why wasn't she killing him?

"Tch. Vampire infighting." She said, her voice was light and musical, but her breathing was harsh and irregular. She wasn't scared, he could spot fear. She was more… giddy. "why is it so hard to get along with your folks?" she asked.

He wished she would kill him, he didn't like the warmth of his heart, it was pleasantly warm, he added more ice and ignored it. It was unfortunate he would have to kill her.

When the time came, he wasn't sure that he could kill her. She would have to kill him, or run. Then he gritted his teeth and told himself that he would kill her.

" I don't think you've heard enough about me." He bared his teeth , "I'm your worst nightmare human. I even shock other vampires. Like old Hunter… he has certain ideas of propriety. How you kill, and who. If he knew some of the things I do, he'd fall down dead." Like the slave trade.

"Maybe I should find a way to tell him." She said thoughtfully.

He stared at her, unable to conceal his respect. She was smart. His tone was as biting as ever. "if I thought you could find him I'd worry." Knowing her, she would find a way. No one else could, but Quinn had a feeling that no one was quite like this girl.

"You know, I don't think I've ever heard your first name. I mean, I presume you have one." She said shocking me.

Quinn blinked in shock. To his amazement his mouth said "John." He snapped his mouth closed. Shut up you idiot! She knows too much already.

"John Quinn. John." She said. He hated the way he reacted when she said his name.

He wanted it to stop, "I didn't invite you to call me me it." He pointed out sharply.

"All right, whatever." She said absently. Quinn wanted to talk to her.

"Look, did you want Hunter to change into a vampire?" the girl- no the vermin said.

Quinn froze his expression and tried to shut his mouth, but he was already talking. "As a matter of fact, I wanted to kill him for it." Shut up, shut up, shut up. He told himself fiercely.

"I see." The girl said and Quinn wondered what her name was. The respect in her eyes deepened. "Then why did he do it? I mean, why did he pick you?"

Don't answer. Don't answer. Don't answer. He told himself.

Quinn answered. "I was- I wanted to marry one of his daughters, her name was Dove." She knows too much you idiot. Why are you talking?

"You wanted to marry a vampire?" she asked sounding taken aback.

What an idiot this clever girl was. How was it possible to be both at once? "I didn't know she was a vampire." Quinn exploded impatiently. What was this, the Spanish Inquisition? "Hunter Redfern was accepted in Charlestown. Granted a few people thought his wife was a witch, but in those days people thought that if you smiled in church."

The girl looked fascinated. "So he just lived there and nobody knew." She said.

Quinn found himself spilling more secrets. He wished she would do something to him hate her, but all she did was intoxicating.

"Most people accepted him. My own father accepted him and he was the minister."

Her eyes glowed with interest. The scent of her skin was making Quinn tell everything he had. She said "And you had to be a vampire to marry her? Dove, I mean."

Now she was pushing it. He didn't want to talk about Dove any more. But the scent coaxed him to tell, and he did.

"I didn't get to marry her. Hunter wanted wanted me to marry one of his other daughters. I said I'd rather marry a pig. Garnet- that's the oldest- was about as interesting as a stick of wood. And Lily, the middle one, was evil. I could see that in her eyes. I only wanted Dove."

"And you told him that?" she probed. She was leaning forward as if this was the most gripping story she had ever heard.

"Of course. He agreed to it finally- and then he told me the family secret. Well, "Quinn laughed. As long as one of them was going to die, did it really matter if he told her. He needed to talk to someone and it might as well be this girl. "He didn't tell me, actually it was more of a demonstration. When I woke up I was dead and a vampire. It was quite an experience."

That was all he would tell her… it, he corrected himself. It was one of the that had killed his precious Dove. His heart hardened a bit more.

"But what happened to Dove?" the killer asked.

"She died." Quinn tensed as he spoke. How dare this killer talk about gentle Dove.

"How?" it asked, he flinched inwardly. Why was she bringing up pain? Was this some new kind of torture?

"None of your business." He snapped, his hands moving the stocks harder then before in his discomfort.

"How, John Quinn? You know, there are some things you really aught to tell other peoples. It might help." He cringed at the pity in her voice.

Her eyes were wide. He wanted her to run, how dare she talk to him fury at his never ending life filled him. "I don't need a psychoanalyst." He spat, kill me idiot or run away. Just leave me alone, I don't want your pity.

Quinn didn't care whom he hurt, just that she would kill him, or he would kill her, fast.

She took a deep breath. "Look Quinn-."

He didn't let her finish. "I really think you'd better kill me now." He interrupted, the handcuffs began to give. "Unless you're too stupid of too scared. This wood wont hold forever, you know. And when I get out, I'm going to use that sword on you."

Quinn was completely hardened now, this was a job. But then she shocked him yet again.

"Yes that's a good idea," she said. What? Quinn asked himself. "Keep bending them. I can say that's how you got out."

He was confused. " what are you talking about?"

"I'm letting you go, John Quinn." She said as she picked a steel knife off the floor.

"You are insane" he told her as she cut the bast cords.

"You may be right." She sighed.

Great, now he would have to kill her, she deserved it, she was an idiot. But still.

He spoke calmly as he worked on the handcuffs. "If you think that because I was human once, I have any pity on them, you are very, very wrong. I hate humans more then I hate the Redferns." That was all true.

"Why?" she asked.

He bared his teeth.

"No thank you. I don't have to explain anything to you. Just take take my word for it."

She stepped back. "All right take your best shot. But remember, I beat you once. I was the one who knocked you out." Her hands rested on her blokken, she was in perfect control of her body.

He pulled his hands out of the shackles. It was her turn to die. "You little idiot." He marveled at her stupidity. She thought a lucky shot was skill. "I wasn't paying attention. I thought that you were another one of those jerks falling over their own feet. And I wasn't even fighting them seriously."

He stood up. "You don't have a chance." This is a job. He told himself, he had to kill her, it was necessary. "You don't have a chance." He told her softly.

"I'm faster then any human. I'm stronger then any human, I can see better in the dark and I'm much, much nastier." She looked slightly, very slightly scared, but then her face closed and she squashed.

Quinn wasn't going to hurt her, he would kill her quickly. "What a shame to rip your throat out." He said softly, speaking only the truth.

She didn't move an inch.

"Well." He said quietly.

"Well." She replied, just as softly.

They stood facing each other.

She was watching for any movement form him, he was impressed, he was watching her as well.

"Your very good." She told him.

"Thanks, so are you." He would attack in 3…

"Thanks." 2…

"But its not going to help you in the end." 1…

"We'll see…" he pounced, she wouldn't have time to block him.

But she did, she was passed his attack, using her sword to numb his arms.

She wasn't cutting him, why wasn't she cutting him?

"You are going to die, idiot." Now cut me so I can hurt you.

She tried to push him away, she shoved at him-

And her bare hand brushed his, and something beyond his wildest imagination.