𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ~ 𝗞𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀

~ Chapter One Hundred Eleven ~

The cold afternoon's air blew past Klaus, echoing throughout the crevices of the abandoned alleyway behind him. To Klaus, it felt like he was on cloud 9. Well, he was as he sat crisscross, his hands resting on his kneecaps as he floated in the air. Through his closed eyes, he smiled at this brief moment of peace, something he thought he'd never have again. Not with his constant falling off the wagon, and the darkest moments of his marriage. But now, he never felt happier.

While the drugs had their side effects and made him do reckless things, the one benefit he enjoyed besides his mind going quiet was like he was drifting off into outer space or laying in the middle of the ocean, enjoying the crashing of the waves. But as a motorcycle pulled into the alleyway, stopping ten feet from where Klaus was hovering, his moment of peace came to an abrupt end. A man in his late 30s with slicked-back hair and dark sunglasses jumped off his bike, sliding them onto his head as he walked closer to the junkie, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Well, I'll be damned," He muttered under his breath before walking closer and snapping his fingers in Klaus's face. "Yo!" Klaus's eyes shot open as he quickly registered who was standing in front of him. "Klaus," he nodded curtly. "Quinn, what a delightful surprise!" Klaus smiled. "I thought you were dead, but it turns out you can float," Quinn looked him up and down. "Oh, you know. The whole death, rebirth, death, rebirth, death... It's a vicious cycle. You look well," Klaus complimented. "The beard, it's very robust,"

"Thank you. You look like the same degenerate smackhead piece of shit that owes me money," Quinn folded his arms across his chest. "Oh yeah? What was it? Like five grand?" Klaus reached into his coat pockets, patting them but was unable to feel for anything that could potentially pay off his debt. "I don't really... I don't really have that much cash on me," Klaus excused. Quinn chuckled, which made Klaus chuckle as well. But this wasn't a 'You're so funny' type of laugh, it was more along the lines of, 'I'm about to screw your life up' laugh.

"Try 40," Quinn's face fell, anger and frustration marking his face. "Forty? No, mon frere, you've got me confused with someone else," Klaus brushed it off. "The vig's been running five years, Klaus. And I know for a fact you have the money. At least that little wife of yours does," Quinn remarked. "Why don't you call and ask her to bring the money? Oh wait, I forgot. She thinks you've been sober for the past few years! It would be a real shame if she knew the truth,"

Klaus's feet touched the ground, and his blood boiled with anxiety. He could never let Dusk know about this, not when he was on his last strike, and certainly not with a child on the way. With his track record, she could have divorce papers drafted in a single day and snatch away full custody in a hot minute. "Please, man. You know she'll never let me hear the end of it if she finds out!" Klaus begged. Quinn grabbed him by his collar, pulling him closer until they were nose to nose. "That's your own fault, should've paid your debts sooner. The math is good," Quinn sneered.

"Look Quinn, you know, we can stand here and debate dollars and cents all day long, but I think you and I both know that I don't have your money," Klaus stated. "And even if you gave me the time, even if you let me talk things out with Dusky, I still wouldn't get it. So, if you could find it in that dark, black pagan heart of yours to forgive the debt..." Klaus's pleas for forgiveness fell deaf on Quinn's ears, as he started laughing at the absurdity, stopping the junkie mid-sentence. "How about I rip one of those pretty eyes out of that head of yours and wear it around my neck?" Quinn fakely grinned.

"You could do that, I suppose," Klaus nodded. "Or you could save us both the stress and the energy and the headache and the time, and kill me right now?" Klaus suggested. "Come on, where's that gun at? Where are you keeping it?" He questioned, as Quinn reached into his biker vest, his fingers found the handgun he always kept attached to his side. "Where is it?" Klaus's hands reached for Quinn's sides, but Quinn was quick enough to shove them away. "Keep your hands to yourself, weirdo!" He warned.