Maybe, probably.

Chapter 21: Quinn

"Mom?!"

She looked different than I had last saw her. Her usual shoulder length hair had been cut boy-short, but it suited her. It definitely highlighted her harsh and unyielding features. Natural black eyes and deep, dark brown hair, tanned skin and all.

I can't tell you how many times I've got to watch that face do damage. My mom glared furiously at that man before turning to me, stone faced and cold.

Here it comes.

She stormed towards me and grabbed my arm; despite the snarling group of people around us, furious at the hand touching me.

"We're leaving, Quinn. You'll never see these sick people again. Let's go." Her voice was short and icy and it froze me to the core, cracking all the confidence tried to possess.

My—father—hissed and stepped forward. "No."

Everyone tensed and I closed my eyes. No one tells my mother 'no'. I heard Gram sigh, no doubt bracing herself as well.

I opened my eyes again and my mother had gripped my father by the collar, baring her teeth in his face, then growling, "You don't get to have an opinion on this. My daughter has no father. She's mine. I've cared for her for 17 years. Helped rub and soothe her aching muscles and joints. Paid for everything she's ever wanted and it wasn't much. She's the most selfless person I know. So you don't get to tell me 'no', the only thing you get to do is get the heck out of our lives for good,"

She pushed him away, spinning around and grabbing my hand, pulling me away from them and into her arms.

"Mom—" I whisper, trying to stop her. I start to panic because all I could see and think about was Asher...and Xander and Vi and Andre...looking at me like they cared. Like they wanted me to stay.

I want to stay.

Asher...

His eyes widened. Shock was coursing through his veins, I could feel it.

Quinn?! Finally! Are you ok? Why did you shut me out? Please—

The world stopped moving for a while and I sighed with the relief that we could at least talk for a second without being interrupted.

I don't know what to do.

He tsked, Don't worry about it, Princess. The boss will take care of it. He won't let her take you away.

I bit my lip. I don't know If even he can stop my mother... I—I don't know Ash...

His breathe caught, although I couldn't tell if It was from me calling him Ash or the way my 'voice' in my head was sounding.

Hey—hey it's okay. You're gonna stay here with us and it's gonna be amazing for you. You'll see. You'll laugh and learn stealth tactics with Vi. You'll-you'll beat the crap out of Xander while he gives you not half bad advice. Andre will train with you too and he will push the limits and he'll flirt and I'll have to kill him—

He suddenly stopped talking. Yet I could still feel the heat rising in him.

The air in my lungs was sucked out as I processed his words. What do you mean—

The world resumed and our mental connection severed.

That's weird...I didn't cut it off...Did Ash?

I made eye contact with him and shook his head. Then what happened?

My mother must have caught us watching each other because she gasped aloud. "No..."

Everyone froze, scanning both Ash and I.

"Mom—" I began but she cut me off, gripping my shoulders so hard I could feel the bruise forming, and shook me around.

"What have you done you naive girl!? They only want one thing! I thought I've taught you better!" She was screaming in my face now and there was shouting and rustling around as the others fought to get me out.

But I didn't hear them. My eyes started to burn. I hiccuped, trying to push it down. My mother's rampage ended with a sudden and destructive stop as she watched tears spill down my tanned, pink cheek. "Quinn—I—I didn't—"

Gram stepped forward, her little footsteps the only sound as she shuffled over to where my mother gripped me. She laid her old and tired hands on my mom's strong and capable ones. She smiled gently, looking at my mother with patient eyes. "Easy, love. Let her go," my mom hissed out a breath while loosening her grip and gram nodded, "That's it. Good girl."

I stepped away from her as soon as she let go and Asher tried to step forward to grab me but my mom growled and said, "Try it. I. Dare. You."

Before Asher could but heads with my mother, Gram came to my side and brushed the already drying tears off my face. "It's alright darling. Take a deep breathe. How are you today?"

I sniffled and looked down at my ankles and knees. "No flare ups...now that I think of it, I haven't felt anything in...a while now..."

That's weird...why...?

But before I could do anything, a spear of darkness erupted from Gram's heart, ripping through her body and clothes leaving nothing but shredded flesh and bone in its wake. She gargled as blood trickled out of her mouth.

I let out a strangled scream as chaos erupted around me.

I could hear him snickering. Laughing. I had no words when Conan and his cronies emerged from the forest, smirking.

Asher snarled and his friends immediately got into their defensive positions.

I lowered Gram's limp and lifeless body onto the floor, my knees giving out as I sobbed and sobbed: "NO! NO, PLEASE NO!!!!!"

My mother rushed to my side, her face filled with dread and shock. She placed her pointer and middle finger on Gram's neck, looking for any hint of a pulse.

She fell onto the ground, starved of any words to say, which was a rare sight for me.

My father growled, "Conan."

I can't think. She's gone. Her usually warm eyes where drained of kindness and instead clouded with pain and death. They were staring up at me, sending chills down my spine and I felt something start to build up; just like at my house that night. I just sat there cradling her body in my arms, rocking back and forth and back and forth—

This isn't real. Not Gram. Not sweet, tender Gram—

No, no, no, no, no, no!

I screamed so loud the forest shook and the observing group cringed and covered their ears.

The scream sent shock waves directly into Conan, which was who I was aiming for. Conan and his men threw their hands in front of themselves, bracing and trying to deflect the sound waves.

It was too strong.

It knocked them way back, disarming them only for a few seconds.

I finished my scream and dropped my head into the crook of her neck and cried. Hard.

Asher, my friends and parents watched as the final piece of me still standing, still fighting, gave in completely.

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Thanks for reading you guys. :( Sad chapter, this was. —Yoda.

(Sorry I just had to lol)

XOXO

WriterGirl❤️