Essence of Quinn Parts 3 & 4: Papa IV Era & The Main Event - Fate Breaker (MxM)

Fond Memories

Secondo glared at Santos for a few heartbeats before taking a step towards him. Santos took one step back, never breaking eye contact.

“That is more than enough small talk. We shall get straight down to business. There are a few things that I need from you before we get to sentencing you for your crimes,” Secondo said reasonably. Santos scoffed at the word 'crimes' but Secondo continued. “You will be sentenced under Ghoulish law. Your primary misdemeanour is a crime against ghoulkind, namely, Buer of the Charon line, or Itzal as he is known on this side of the Divide. Therefore, the Ghoul Council will sentence you when we are done.”

Santos bared his teeth in a humourless smile, ignoring everything Secondo had just said, bar the part mentioning Itzal.

“Ah yes, my Itzal. He looked very well when I saw him earlier. Such a sweet and quiet soul. I trust that you are enjoying him? He is a very talented ghoul...” He turned his stare to Quinn and Earth. “I wonder if they are all like that?” Santos looked thoughtful, choosing his words carefully. Quinn had felt Secondo tensing up beside him at the first mention of the shadow ghoul and he sent him some subtle quintessence to help him keep his calm. “Of course, I’m sure that by now you will have realised how well we have schooled Itzal.” He closed his eyes and smiled. Quinn heard Earth growl low and Santos’ eyes snapped open, flicking to him for a moment before sliding back to Secondo, gleaming with calculation. He leaned towards him and spoke quietly, whispering conspiratorially. “I bet that tender little ghoul is the best piece of ass that old wop cock of yours has had in years, no? Tell me that I am wrong.”

It happened so quickly that Quinn’s response felt sluggish. It turned out that he’d sent his calming energy to the wrong one.

Earth launched himself at Santos, slamming his back against the stone wall and knocking the breath from his lungs. His forearm was pressed against the human’s throat and he delivered a brutal punch to his side.

Santos let out a pained grunt as Quinn heard bones cracking and Secondo cursed. Quinn dragged Earth away to the back of the cell and Santos fell to the floor, curling up into a foetal position, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as he gasped for air.

“Fuck!” Quinn growled, sending calm to Earth who was giving Santos a death glare. His eyes glowed green and he was absolutely furious. “Hey! Control yourself!” Quinn hissed into his ear in Ghoulish. “Don’t give him what he wants! He will say anything now to get a rise out of us. You need to calm yourself.”

“Satanas help me, I want to rip his throat out! How fucking dare he speak about them like that!” he snarled through gritted teeth.

“He’s a piece of shit but we can’t kill him. Not yet. It is not our death to give. It is Itzal’s.” Earth scowled and met Quinn’s eyes. “Do you need a minute?”

Earth shrugged.

“Quinn!” Secondo called to him. He was crouching down beside Santos who was coughing and wheezing still.

Quinn squeezed the nape of Earth’s neck and met his eyes.

“Focus!” Quinn said, punctuating the word with quintessential magic.

Earth took a calming breath and nodded sharply.

“Focus,” he repeated.

Quinn went to crouch down beside Secondo.

“Is he badly damaged? Or is he milking it?” Secondo asked.

Quinn huffed a laugh. There was no way Santos was milking it after that blow from the massive earth ghoul. He ran a hand along Santos’ side, using his quintessential self to check his injuries.