“Focus on your spell,” Mr. Quinn called over his shoulder without taking his eyes off his opponent. “We can talk after we deal with these terrorists.”
The word ‘terrorists’ took me by surprise. Not Purity Front members, not extremists. Terrorists. And the way he said it, with such venom and disgust, made it clear that whatever Mr. Quinn’s feelings about vampires might be, his hatred for the Purity Front ran much deeper.
The remaining attackers seemed to realize they were outnumbered and outmatched now, especially with Dean Thornfield still throwing spells left and right on the far sideof the room. Two more disappeared in flashes of teleportation magic, leaving only the tall one facing Mr. Quinn and one other who was still trying to dodge Archer’s increasingly aggressive fire elemental.
“This isn’t over,” the tall one snarled, even as Mr. Quinn’s blade found its mark, slicing across his sword arm. “The purification of magical society won’t be stopped by a few race traitors.”
“Try me,” Archer’s father replied coldly, and there was something absolutely terrifying in his voice. “Come after my children again and I’ll show you exactly what a Quinn can do when properly motivated.”
The attacker’s eyes widened, and then he too vanished in a burst of light, leaving behind only the smell of ozone and burned magic.
The last Purity Front member took one look at the fire elemental bearing down on him and apparently decided discretion was the better part of valor. He disappeared as well, leaving us standing in the ruins of the fencing salle.
Archer dismissed his elemental with a gesture, the massive creature dissolving back into harmless flames before winking out entirely. The sudden quiet felt deafening after the chaos of battle.
“Well,” Mr. Quinn said, lowering his sword and turning to face Archer. “Do you believe me now?”
Archer was speechless as I stared at his father, still trying to reconcile this protective father figure with the man who’d dragged his son away in magical chains just hours earlier. “I don’t understand,” I said finally. “Why did you?—”
“Save your life?” Mr. Quinn interrupted, raising an eyebrow. “Because despite my personal feelings about your relationship with my son, I’m not about to let Purity Front scum murder people. Especially not my son or someone he cares about.”
Archer stepped closer to me, his eyes never leaving his father’s face. “You knew,” he said slowly, realization dawning. “You knew they were going to attack.”
Mr. Quinn nodded grimly. “I’ve been tracking Purity Front activity for months during all those dinners we go to. I’ve ingratiated myself among their kind so I know what’s going to happen and how to avoid it. When the attack happened yesterday, I suspected they might try something bigger. I came back to make sure you and Amelia were safe.”
“But this morning you said—” I started.
“This morning I was angry. And I still am,” he barked, cutting me off. His gaze shifted between Archer and me, something like regret flickering across his features. “I may not understand your relationship, and I may not approve of it, but that doesn’t mean I want either of you dead.”
The admission hung in the air between us. This was the same man who’d called me a predator, who’d threatened to destroy my career. And yet he’d just risked his own life to save mine.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, because whatever else had happened between us, he’d just prevented me from being murdered. “I owe you a debt.”
Mr. Quinn studied my face for a long moment. “You don’t owe me anything, Professor Crowe. But perhaps...” He paused, seeming to weigh his words carefully. “Perhaps we could all benefit from a conversation. A real one, without accusations or threats.”
Archer moved closer to my side, and I felt the warmth of his presence like a balm against the chaos of the day. “Are you saying you might be willing to listen?” he asked his father, hope creeping into his voice despite everything.
“I’m saying,” he replied slowly, “that watching you two fight together just now... it was clear that whatever this is between you, it’s more than just manipulation or a feeding bond.” Heswallowed hard. “And I’m willing to…listen. However, I cannot speak for your mother. She is extremely disappointed.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Archer said. “We can have a conversation.”
“Good,” he nodded. “Now, I need to get back to the house and double the wards. The Purity Front knows where I stand now and if they’re reorganizing, the house needs to be protected.”
He didn’t smile or say goodbye. He just turned on his heel, marched across the fencing salle and disappeared through the double doors on the far end.
I stood there in the destroyed fencing salle, watching the doors swing shut behind him, and felt like my entire world had been turned upside down. Again. In the span of one day, I’d gone from waking up in Archer’s arms to facing career destruction to fighting for my life to... whatever new limbo this was.
“Did that really just happen?” Archer asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah. Your father just saved my life,” I said, still trying to process it myself. “The same man who called me a monster this morning.”
“The same man who threatened to have you arrested,” Archer added, running a shaky hand through his hair. “I don’t understand him at all.”
I looked around the ruined salle, taking in the shattered mirrors, the scorch marks on the walls, the equipment scattered everywhere. This place had been my sanctuary, the first place where Archer and I had really connected. Now it looked like a war zone.
“We should find the others,” I said finally. “Make sure everyone’s okay.”
Archer nodded, but he didn’t move. Instead, he stepped closer to me, his hand reaching up to touch the cut on my cheek that was already healing thanks to my vampiric nature.
