Part Thirteen:
 

Rating: PG-13
 

Arianna grew used to living with Quinn. He continued to train her and take care of her, but he was just so cold. He made it very easy for them to ignore each other most of the time, and that was how Arianna wanted it. He made her nervous, and she didn't trust herself around him. He was just so God damn good-looking!

Also, she didn't know him too well, and she was sure he could kill her at any time she became too much of a burden and think nothing of it. Needless to say, she was scared of him. Arianna began spending more and more time outside on the streets. She wouldn't return to the apartment until at least three in the morning, and half of the time Quinn wouldn't even be there either. She didn't mind.

Not that he was mean to her. He taught her lots of things about survival on the streets - how to drive, how to hotwire a car, how to pick locks and walk without making any noise - and she had everything she could need. The refrigerator and cabinets were always fully stocked, and Arianna knew he did this for her, seeing as he didn't have to eat.

But, he wasn't exactly nice, either. They never had much to say to one another, and unless he was teaching her something, he avoided her. Quinn was one of the strangest individuals she'd ever met.

Ash called her as often as he could. They always spoke for hours. Every so often she would get a phone call from Zaid. She could tell he wasn't happy about her staying with Quinn, but he wasn't going to interfere.

Quinn never questioned her when she walked in just before sunrise, and Arianna never inquired as to where he was going when he left close to midnight. They minded their own business and stayed out of each other's lives. Meanwhile, Arianna checked out some of the people on Ash's list. There was a witch in the next town over who was a friend of Ash's sisters. She seemed kind of confused as to why Arianna was having anything to do with Ash Redfern, but she didn't ask. Instead, she offered Arianna a place to stay in case she ever needed it.

As the days wore on, Arianna and Quinn had less and less to do with each other. Quinn had taught her almost everything he could, and she began staying away for sometimes up to four days.

On her journeys away from Quinn, Arianna traveled out of Boston. She visited with people who knew Ash, and made friends with them. She tested herself by walking through the warehouse district of Boston alone, unarmed except for a silver switchblade and a stake hidden in her sleeve. She got into and out of many fights. Quinn never paid much attention when she came in covered with blood - except to show her where the antiseptic was.

Arianna was fine living this way. She assumed Quinn was, too. Until they ended up at the Black Iris on the same night.

Arianna was ordering a Coke when Quinn came in. She actually didn't notice him, but the friend she was with did. She had met the girl one night by the water, on a pier. The girl was being attacked by a werewolf, and Arianna had come up behind him and thrown him into the water. The two girls had run to safety, and Arianna discovered that the
girl was also a witch. Her name was Cathanne Harman, she was fifteen years old, and the werewolf was an old boyfriend who didn't understand the concept of breaking up. Arianna had sympathized, and Cathanne invited her to her house to unwind. Cathanne had a nasty bruise on her cheek, and scratches on her arms, and Arianna helped her tend to the cuts. They sat up that night watching TV and talking, and Arianna found out that Cathanne was friends with Ash's sister, Kestrel. She knew Ash by reputation only, and what she'd heard from his sister, but she was
willing to help Arianna if she ever needed it. The two started hanging out, usually at the Black Dahlia nearest to Cathanne's house, and became fast friends.

Cathanne was watching the people as they entered the Black Iris. It had been her idea to go there. She said they needed a change of pace, and Arianna had agreed. They were tired of the same old crowd at the Black Dahlia. Also, Cathanne was on the rebound, having just broken up with the werewolf who'd attacked her, and she wanted to hook Arianna up with someone. Quinn caught her attention as soon as he walked in. She grinned and narrowed her violet eyes. This one was hers.

"Hey, Ana," she whispered. Arianna turned around. "Check out who's here. If I had known this was where he hung out I would've started coming here a long time ago. I'm going after him."

Arianna's eyes widened. "That's Quinn," she said. "For one thing, he's old. He's also a vampire. You can't-"

"Oh, come on," Cathanne interrupted, her deep voice silky, like it always got when she made a point she knew she was right about. "You of all people have no right to be talking about old vampires. I've seen you chilling with Dixon Crane. And how long has he been around? Four hundred years?"

Arianna sighed. Cathanne could be so exasperating when she wanted to be. And it was true; she had been hanging out with Dixon a lot lately. But the brown-haired vampire was just so cute! Could you really blame her?

"Oh, and is that Dixon I see with him?" Cathanne pointed out slyly.

Arianna, resisting the urge to spin her head around in a desperate search for Dixon Crane and his big green eyes, turned slowly. She was sure Cathanne was just messing with her, and she didn't want to look like a fool. But her eyes caught someone grinning in her direction and she couldn't help the huge smile that took over her features.

Dixon was standing next to Quinn at a table where three other vampires were seated. Dixon looked younger than those he was with did, but he was by far the oldest. He had been changed into a vampire just before he turned seventeen. He smiled at Arianna, his face lighting up.

Arianna waved, but didn't move towards him.

"Good girl," the shorter witch next to her said. "Let him come to you. And fling all that hair around. You're lucky to have it." Cathanne ran her fingers through her own short dark hair.

Arianna tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder and spoke out of the corner of her mouth. "I don't need instructions in flirting, thank you very much. I know what I'm doing."

"Then set me up with Quinn," Cathanne whispered. "Come on, Ri, you've got Dixon wrapped around your finger."

"Hardly."

"Oh, you know you do. He'd do anything you asked-"

"Shut up," Arianna hissed. Dixon was making his way towards her, pushing through the crowds of people in his way. Most moved, letting him through. Dixon was six foot two, and pretty intimidating. He stood in front of Arianna and smiled at her.

"Dance with me," he said, taking her hand. She looked up at him from under her long lashes and didn't move when he pulled her. She shook her head.

"You can't expect me to leave my friend here alone," she said, using her rich voice to its fullest potential. She knew he loved to hear her talk, so she always limited what she said. It made him listen all the more closely when she did speak.

Dixon glanced at Cathanne, his green eyes flickering over her. "I got some friends over there," he told her, jerking his head in the direction of the table Quinn was now seated at. "You want me to introduce you?"

Cathanne shrugged, trying not to look too interested, and succeeding. "If you really want to," she said, dropping a note of boredom into her low-pitched voice.

"Come on." Dixon wrapped an arm around Arianna's waist and headed toward his table. Cathanne followed.

As they approached Quinn, he looked towards them. Arianna caught a faint look of surprise on his face, but then it turned to amusement.

So this is where you spend your time. She heard his voice in her head. I'm shocked that I haven't seen you here before.

I'm usually at the Black Dahlia, she sent. And Dixon doesn't know I stay with you.

None of them do. His mental voice was sharp, and it hurt her head. Keep it that way.

"Quinn, this is Arianna." Dixon was doing the introductions. "And this is her friend-"

"Cathanne." She stuck her hand out. Quinn shook it. "I've heard about you. You're pretty famous around here, you know."

"So, they've told me." Quinn's dark eyes looked the young witch up and down.

"I can't see why," Cathanne continued. Arianna bit back laughter. One of the other guys snickered. "Unless it's your eyes. That might explain it. I can't imagine any girl forgetting eyes like those. They seem to devour you…"

Quinn gave her one of his smiles that made him look deranged and extremely handsome all at once. "You have no idea."

"I'd like to, though," Cathanne said seductively. She sat down in the empty chair next to him. "Do you object?"

Arianna didn't hear Quinn's response because Dixon was steering her over to where some people had started dancing. He leaned his head down so she could hear him above the noise.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight," he told her. "I'm glad you came."

Arianna smiled at him. "Me, too." Dixon was really sweet. She wondered why he hung out with Quinn.

They spent the night dancing, talking, and drinking. Dixon, having been alive for four hundred and twenty-three years, had a lot to talk about. He drank can after can of Budweiser, and as far as Arianna could see, there was no noticeable change in him.

"It takes quite a lot of alcohol for vampires to get drunk," he explained to her. "But when they do… Oh, don't worry, I know my limit." He offered her some of his drink, but Arianna declined, not because she was underage, but because she hated the taste of beer. She told him so.

"How can you drink that?" she asked. "It looks like piss, it smells funny, and it tastes disgusting." Dixon glanced into the can uneasily after her first description. Then he shrugged and took a long swallow.

By four o' clock in the morning the club had almost emptied out. Quinn and Cathanne had left around two, and hadn't returned. Dixon finally looked at his watch when the band started packing up their instruments.

"Whoa," he said. "It's late. Or should I say early? In any case, I'd better take you home."

"No, that's okay," Arianna said quickly. "My parents will have a fit if they see you taking me home. Besides, they think I'm at Cathanne's. I'm going to have to sneak into her house, as it is. I just hope she's already there."

"Then I'll walk you to her house." Dixon stood up. "It's late, and it can be dangerous out there. I'd be really upset if anything happened to you."

"Dixon." Arianna placed a hand on his arm. "I'll be fine. Really."

He didn't look convinced. "I'll walk you part of the way," he said. "And don't argue any more, or else I'm taking you up to your front door or however you're sneaking in. Just be happy I'm not doing that anyway."

"Dixon." Arianna grabbed his sleeve. "It's not like I don't know what's out there. Don't you think I realize the danger? Do you think I ever go outside without at least a knife hidden somewhere on me? Look, I want you to see something." She released him and lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing the bottom of her rib cage. "Do you see that?"

Dixon looked closer. On the side of her body, just below her ribs, was a scar in the process of healing. "What happened?" he asked. "Who did this to you?"

"Damned if I know," she answered, dropping the hem and covering the scar. "I was out walking one night and some guy jumped me. He took my knife. I got it back, but not until after he slashed me. I really let him have it."

"Did you kill him?"

"Almost."

"You should have. He knows what you look like. He could come after you again."

"No he can't."

"What makes you so sure?"

Arianna smirked. "He wouldn't recognize me if I bumped into him on the street in broad daylight."

"And why is that?"

Arianna's grin broadened. "'Cause he can't see. He doesn't have eyes anymore."

Dixon burst out laughing. "That's even better! Well, I guess I don't have to worry about you, but we're still walking together."

Arianna rolled her eyes. She didn't tell Dixon that she hadn't slashed her attacker's eyes on purpose. That she'd swung the knife, planning on cutting him wherever the metal connected, and it had just happened to encounter his eyes. If he wanted to believe that she was a ruthless Night Worlder, then let him.

They left the club and walked in silence, holding hands. Arianna thought about Dixon and how she felt about him. She didn't really like him. She thought he was incredibly cute, and a blast to hang out with, but that's as far as it went. She knew Dixon really liked her, but he barely knew her. He thought she was sixteen and from Cape Cod. As far as he knew, she had never been outside of Massachusetts and she had moved to Boston a year ago. He doesn't know me, she thought, so he can't truly like me. In any case, I can't let him get too close. I have to end this soon. She
stopped walking at the point where one direction would take her to Quinn's apartment, and the other would take her to Cathanne's house. She turned to face Dixon.

"This is halfway," she told him. "I'll be fine from here."

"Are you sure?"

Arianna sighed in exasperation. "Yes."

"You're armed?"

"Yes, Daddy." Arianna grinned, letting Dixon know how ridiculous he was being. "Now, go. I'll be even later than I already am."

"If you're already late, then what difference does it make?" he asked, emerald green eyes sparkling with their own inner light. Then his voice dropped, and he grew serious. "Come with me," he said.

"You know I can't," she whispered. She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye. Call me."

"I will."

Dixon gave her a small smile. Then he turned around and began walking. Arianna went down the block and turned at the corner. As soon as she was sure she was out of his sight, she picked up her pace. She had always walked fast, and Quinn had shown her how to do it silently. It came in handy. She was at his apartment in no time. She took the elevator to the thirtieth floor and unlocked the door. She crept inside and shut the door behind her.

"Hey."

Arianna's muscles tensed. She turned to see Quinn lounging on the sofa. She relaxed. "Hi."

"I didn't know you and Dixon were an item."

"We're not." She made her way across the room slowly, edging her way to her bedroom door. "We just hang out a lot at the Black Dahlia."

"Could've fooled me." Quinn's voice was slightly slurred. Arianna was suddenly and irrationally scared. She felt the urge to get away from him, even though he wasn't even moving. She reached her room and went inside, crossing over to her bedside clock radio. She was taking the cassette out of it - preparing to turn it to the other side - when she felt the change in air currents in the room. She knew he was behind her. She straightened and found herself standing directly in front of him. He was so close that her back touched his chest. Arianna fought to keep her breathing normal.

His hands toyed with the ends of her hair. "Your friend…what was her name? Catherine?"

Arianna stilled. "Cathanne," she said. "What about her?"

"She was very…delicious. Remind me to thank Dixon for introducing us."

"What do you mean?" Arianna demanded. She whirled around. Oh, God, he was too close. He had to get away. She was face to face with him. If he stayed this close for much longer Arianna would freak out and start screaming.

"Her blood, of course…" he answered. Arianna smelled alcohol on his breath. Oh, my God, he's drunk. Arianna started to panic, her blood like fire in her veins. But his next words made her go cold. "And her life…"

He had killed Cathanne. And here he was, drunk with witch's blood and alcohol, standing directly in front of her. Arianna fought to remain calm, all the while thinking, Cathanne is dead. He took her life. She will never live again.

And then he was leaning towards her, his soft lips touching hers. And suddenly Arianna's mind was clear. She knew exactly what to do. She kissed Quinn back, and tangled the fingers of one hand in his hair. His arms tightened around her waist and he lowered her to the bed.

Arianna's other hand groped the sheets under her pillow, searching for the wooden stake she kept there. Quinn had always told her never to be unarmed. Her fingers closed around the rough oak club. She pulled it from beneath the pillow and gently drew her arm around him. Then, before he had a chance to do anything, she threw him off of her and brought the club down on his head. Blood soaked the sheets. Arianna drew a shaky breath.

She guessed the alcohol had slowed his reflexes. She hoped it would also keep him unconscious long enough for her to get out. Carefully, she got out from under him and slid off the bed, trying to avoid causing the springs to creak. If he woke up she'd be in deep shit.

Six minutes later, Arianna and all of her belongings were gone.