NAKED [MORPHEUS-DREAM]

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE WAKING.

ONE MONTH LATER

Quinn sat at the large table in the dinning room of the apartment, her long black sleeve shirt covering both of her arms, including the marked one. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she had her glasses on as she looked at the spell book she was reading. The same page she had been studying for over a week, the title making her smirk; How to Trap a Draugr Demon.

It had been a month since she had last seen anyone from the Dreaming, after she left she made her way to the Waking world, hiding herself from everyone in it, including Morpheus. She stayed where he knew he would never think she'd be- if he even went looking for her, that is. She had seen her Father once since she left, but then he was dragged back to Hell. 

The sound of a baby crying caused Quinn to look at the door that started to open and there stood Lyta Hall holding her son. 

"Good morning, Quinn, say good morning Aunt Quinny." She said to her son and Quinn smiled looking up from the spell book and smiled.

"Good morning you too, I made pancakes earlier."She said and Lyta smiled and another door opened and Rose Walker stepped out of it with a yawn.

"Morning guys." She said and Quinn smiled at her and grabbed the book that had the ingredients on them and she stood.

"I have to go into town for something, tell Hal that the chocolate chip pancakes are in the microwave." She said and Lyta nodded and Rose looked at Quinn with furrowed eyebrows.

"Do you want me to go with you?" She asked and Quinn shook her head. "It's okay, eat breakfast." She said and Rose nodded and watched the girl walk out of the home, the brown leather bound book in her hands.

Quinn pushed the small cart around the local spirit store as she looked around for some candles that she would need for the ritual, since she would be doing it, tonight. The moon was going to be full, and she knew it would be a perfect time.

Quinn walked into the candle aisle and threw most of the off white ones into her cart. Ever since her departure from the Dreaming, she had to be very cautious about where she was and who was around her, including if certain Ravens were spying on her. She ended up putting a blocking spell on her mind, to help stop Morpheus from entering it while she was asleep and she was happy that she seemed powerful enough to do that.

The opening of a door to the store could be heard, which wasn't alarming at all until a loud thud could be heard and then a woman's scream. Quinn ran from her cart and to where she heard a woman call for someone named Jamie and Quinn saw the emo girl from the register on the floor. Quinn's eyes widened as she rushed to the woman and bent her head towards the woman's chest, to see if she was breathing. Once she saw nothing she began doing CPR.

"It's no use, Quinn." A voice said, and Quinn looked up, seeing Death standing before her.

"Shit." Quinn breathed out, not because the woman was dead, but because she feared Death would bring her back to the Dreaming. The lady who kept calling the cashiers name had wide eyes as she called 911, and walked out of the store to get a better connection.

"Why are you here?" Quinn asked and Death looked down at Jamie and spoke. "Just doing my job, Quinn. I will not give up your location to my brother if that's what you are worried about." She said and Quinn looked at her and gave her a small nod.

"I get it- you want to be alone, I understand. But just know, Morpheus was not trying to intentionally hurt you. The only time he ever spoke to Calliope after her return was to tell her that he went through with their un betrothal ceremony." She said and Quinn clenched her jaw, still not wanting to buy in to what she was saying.

"He cares for you, a lot. He knows of the spell you put to hide yourself from him and I just want to tell you that he is incredibly worried about you and your well-being." She said and then left, leaving Quinn standing there.

He should be worrying about her though, because what she was going to do tonight could finish her for good.

THE DREAMING.

Death stood next to Morpheus who was at the bottom of his throne stairs with an unreadable expression on his face. He looked at Death, wondering what she had to tell him that was so important and she crossed her hands over her face and spoke.

"I ran into Quinn today." She said, causing Dream to step towards Death with a worried expression. 

"Is she alright? Is she in danger?" He asked and Death grimaced and spoke.

"She was at some sort of store buying ingredients." She said and Morpheus shook his head.

"I am not understanding."

"She was buying ingredients to help capture a Draugr, my guess- the one who killed her mother." She said and Morpheus' eyes widened.