āI think youāre mistaking grace with skill,ā he remarked, trying to mask the tension roiling just beneath his skin. It seemed like itād be all too easy to reach out and remove Quincyās head from his shoulders, end the vermināsĀ life once and for all, but thatād be a nasty mistake to make in public. The humans in the area wouldnāt pay much attention to a small argument, but a murderĀ was sure to cause some unfortunate consequencesā¦ the most pressing of them being the end of his anonymity in Bright Haven. Humans were much more inclined to punish what theyād see as wrongful death, and that wasnāt accounting for the disaster revealing himselfĀ would cause. After all, with their pitiful strength, beheading their fellows was much more difficultā¦ and any witnesses would be sure to remember that heād done the impossible. So, instead of taking out his growing anger on the vampire, he clenched his jaw and gathered together as much self control as he could muster. Soon, he reassured himself. Soon.Ā āAnd underestimating just how much goes into creating an army. Itās more than just taking a few killers and throwing them into the war. Not that a Soulmerian would know that,ā he finished, scoffing.
Their disorganization would, once again, be their downfall.
Hatred burned in Jackās gaze, the feeling making it a point to remind him of how easyĀ it would be to start this fightā¦ and with the right circumstances, finish it. But even fights drew human attention and counted as enough of a crime in their culture that theyād likely try to detain himāthey might not be successful, but itād stir up more trouble than it was worthā¦ for now.Ā āI have every right!ā he snarled, baring his too dull-teeth.Ā āYou think I donāt know what itās like fear for my life? To feel pain and anger whenever youāre reminded of the people responsible for that? You think I donāt know what itās like to watch my friends die, to know that youāre going to be next? To watch them, in their final moments, turn on you?ā It was difficult to keep his voice low when anger felt like it was ripping him apart from the inside out, but somehow he managedāeven so, it didnāt stop the venom in his tone.Ā āYou Soulmerians are all the same. You think youāre the only ones who have ever suffered,ā he spat, curling his lip.Ā āOf course I know how much damage has been done. You think weāre a bunch of children that think weāre playing a game? We know what weāre doingāand we know why.ā Or at least, some of them did, for reasons that had differed from seeker to seeker. Even Jack had once been among them, though now the question had returned to haunt him; why wasĀ he invested in this war? Right now, it was people like Quincy.
But what happened after heād left? What happened once he was curled up in his home-away-from-home, sifting through his memories and desperately trying to ignore that same question? He could only overlook his continued ( if distant ) involvement for so long.Ā āOh, you could? Really? Thatās why you choose to waste your time sucking on cowās blood?ā he asked, his falsely innocent tone laced with hidden resentment.Ā āPretend itās self control all you want, Quincy. We both know thatās not true. Youāre just hiding from yourself.ā Part of him was jealousĀ that the vampire had the luxury to preach on his self-controlĀ and murder-lessĀ feeding habits; Jack couldnāt survive on anything less than human flesh. Not for long, anyway.Ā āIf you think I go running around looking like that, youāre a bigger idiot than I thought,ā he snapped, bristling. He knew that, compared to a vampire, he was a much more obvious sign of the supernatural, but he refused to let humans see him. Even if anyone didĀ see himā¦ his lightning speed and incredible senses made sure they wouldnāt live to tell the tale.Ā āYou thought wrong,ā he shot back, a bit annoyed that Quincy was so stuckĀ on the fact that he was a wendigo. Why did it matter? They were bothĀ built to be man-eaters, regardless of the vampireās personal morality.Ā āYou donāt know anything about being a wendigo,ā he growled, curling his hands into tight fists. Control? It had nothing to doĀ with control, and he wouldnāt stand being called weakĀ for refusing to sit back and let himself die.Ā āAnd you definitely donāt know anything about what happened to me.ā
Jack grated his teeth together, his patience beginning to wear thin. How could Quincy get under his skin so easily? How could he succeed in botheringĀ him where so many others had failed?Ā āIām not on a leash.ā He rolled his eyes.Ā āHas it ever crossed your mind that I donāt want to leave Bright Haven? Iām fine here. Just because you decided to leaveāand then come backādoesnāt mean that everyone will.ā It was ridiculous how annoying Quincy could be when it came to his unfortunate condition, and he was half tempted to lash out and punch him.Ā āWhat does it matter if Iām tired of it or not? Thatās life,ā he said, managing to sound less bothered by his comments than he actually was.Ā āHumans always stick their noses where they donāt belong. Another thing you picked up from them after you left town, Iām guessing.ā While heād done his best to dodge the question, it didnāt change the fact that he wasĀ tired of the constant concern he was shown. He wasnāt cursed with the worstĀ of sickly appearances, but just because he didnāt appear to be literally rotting away didnāt change the fact that he looked close to deathā¦ and humans, apparently, were much more concernedĀ about that than he was.
Again, he rolled his eyes.Ā āSo youāre a mind reader now? You can just tell Iām completely incapable of loving anyone?ā It was an absolutely ridiculous claim, and a falseĀ one at that, but he wasnāt about to work to prove Quincy wrong. That was too stupid of a move when relations could be used against himāhe wouldnāt put it past Soulmerians to lower themselves to that degree, and even if the vampire was against it, he wasnāt willing to take that risk.Ā āWhat, you think seekers are the only people who do those things? I know the king liked to send out as much propaganda as possible about how Soulmeria was a perfect little paradise, but you have to be naive to think that we all lived in perfect harmony. Just because you didnāt see the violence yourself doesnāt mean it wasnāt there.ā He shook his head, a sneer working its way back onto his face.Ā āEven if you were right, there isnāt a home to go back to. Soulmeria is gone, Quincy. Itās dead. Itās not coming back. The only place you have left is Earth.ā The sharp scent of blood only fueled the hatred within him, giving him a sick sense of satisfactionāclearly, he was bothering Quincy just as much as he was bothering him.Ā Good.Ā āGo ahead, show me.ā He goaded him on a bit tooĀ eagerly, but if he was going to offerā¦ well, he wouldnāt mind finishing the fight.
āDo you think werewolves are just as disgusting?ā he asked, grimacing.Ā āOr do you just have a problem with me, specifically?ā To him, blood alone was about as satisfying as just water. He could live off of it, for a little while, but if he didnāt consume flesh and bone, he wouldnāt last very long. Vampires had the luxury of being able to keep their victims aliveāwendigos, whether they liked it or not, had to kill them in order to feed.Ā āYouāre weak for denying what you actually are, not because youāre asking for help,ā he replied icily, clenching his jaw.Ā āAnd I know what a grocery store is. Iāve lived here long enough for that.ā
Quincy wanted to burst into tears, he wanted to wrap his hands around Jackās twig like neck and break it, he wanted to rip everything apart. He was annoyed, he felt used, and he was tired of all the arguing.Ā āFucking hell, thereās no skill in the way the Seekerās army hunts. Itās all disorder because even though you guys hunt in your supposedĀ āpacks,ā none of you can work together. Youāre all heartless and selfish bastards who couldnāt give a damn about anything you do.ā The vampire had seen just how disorderly the Seekers could be, and his standpoint would never change on the fact that Seekers were nothing but ruthless animals.Ā āYou disgusting animals,ā Quincy mutters, his eyes low and blood still leaking from his tightened grip.
āYou just said that Seekers found this whole mess to be a game. And now you tell me that Soulmerians should feel bad for you, that you felt pain too, and loss? I canāt believe that. I will never believe that Seekers can feel the same loss as Soulmerians. At least you have a home, even if itās with the Eye. You make me sick, you bastard,ā Quincy screams out the last part, which eliciting the eyes and the whispers of some passerbys. A vein pulses in his temple, tears threatening at the edge of his ducts. He wants to kill Jackson with his own hand, watch him suffer a fate worse than death even.Ā āThen whyĀ do you do it? To most Soulmerians it seems you had no purpose other than your own survival and gratification. Are you happy with all the destruction that has left behind?ā Quincyās eye twitches in anger, his breath heavy and quick,Ā āWhy the fuck do you feel the need to keep hunting Seekers? Whatās your reason, wendigo?ā Quincy releases his fist, his anger isn't in control as it was earlier.
āIām not a monster like you,ā Quincy is short now, hurrying along to get through the time spent with Jack. Each minute is agony.
āI have control, Iām not denying what I am because I know that I still have to drink blood in one form or another. Iām just refusing to become a monster, Iām refusing to allow the stereotypes of being a killer apply to me,ā Quincyās eyes roll. He knows that the words are lies. He is a monster, or at least he was at one point in time. Just like every Seeker and every Soulmerian. āYouāre just a dog on the leash of the Eye, waiting to be fed by your owner. Oh, I know wendigos, and I know just how self-serving each one of them is. Youāre no different, asshole.ā Quincy tightens his gaze on the wendigo, worried that anything might happen between them at this point,Ā āSo, what is your story? Why are you any different? Are you telling me you didnātĀ eat someone to become what you are? As I remember it, werenāt you just some wix at one point in time?ā
āI know that all Seekers are incapable of loving another because thatās what every single one Iāve met has showed me,ā Quincy hisses, his lips forming a dreary frown.Ā āFuck you, youāre not even worth the fight.ā
āOh, werewolves shed. I wouldnāt let one on the couch, thatās for sure. But a wendigo I could take anywhere,ā he smirks, some confidence left in his voice.Ā āI specifically do hate you, though... Youāre annoying.ā
