Blood Queen Reborn

Chapter 145: Erin Returns

Meeting back with Logan, he had told Quinn that Erin was released from the dungeon as he was able to detect her location now.

Then, quickly checking in on Erin with the system messages, Quinn left Logan alone to ponder today’s events.

"I wonder what she told them..." Logan whispered to himself as he typed at his computer.

Logan had sent a message to the military stating that his family was doing a "blind survey" specifically because he knew that Erin wouldn’t know what their plans were. However, he was smart enough to know that for Erin to be released, they were going to ask her questions about everything. The thing was, he wondered if she was able to answer the military’s questions well enough as to not cause suspicion.

’Or she had an undetectable contact from the outside,’ Logan thought, then glanced over his shoulder.

Although Quinn wasn’t there anymore, he still contemplated his presence, and the connection he saw when he first physically contacted Erin. He had a theory that it wasn’t just Erin who had a system, but Quinn as well.

’Hmm... Well, that isn’t my secret to spread, but if I had known sooner, I could’ve come up with a better lie.’

—

After a quick trip to the doctor, Quinn plopped onto his bed, already growing tired. He glanced down at his watch, expecting a message from Peter.

But strangely, there was nothing.

’Huh, I would’ve thought that Peter was going to ask me why I had to leave so suddenly.’

Not long after, Fex entered the dorm, leaning back on the desk chair.

"I can safely say that our lovely friend Layla has made it back to her dorm room without taking an unauthorized snack," he said, looking pleased with himself.

Quinn didn’t respond to Fex, still trying to figure out how to solve Erin’s problem.

’If we find someone with the ice ability at the school, Fex could influence them to hide in the shadows, and make ice around Erin,’ Quinn thought.

"As well thought out as that plan is, there is a limit to what the influence skill can do," The system advised.

Quinn blinked. He wasn’t fully used to the system speaking to him directly. Usually, the voice ’hung out’ in Erin’s perspective, so to be suddenly reminded that the system voice could visit him had mildly surprised him.

"When a vampire uses the influence skill, they are able to force someone to do whatever it is they desire, but this is a risky move, as the more complicated the command, the less likely it is to work. Not only that, but unless you tell them to forget, they will remember getting influenced."

It made sense, as even though both Erin and Fex tried using the influence skill on him, Quinn’s mental fortitude was able to get around it. For this plan to work, they would’ve needed to find an ice ability user who was weak mentally, and command them to control ice in accordance to Erin.

Then he turned towards Fex, recalling when he was in the fight against the dalki. Before he could even explain the idea, the young vampire immediately shook his head.

"I know what you’re thinking, but I can’t force someone to use their ability while controlling them. Remember? It’s why I told you to make a bunch of earth stuff."

With the suggestion shot down, Quinn sat back, mulling over what to do.

Eventually, Peter came back from his day with Cia, looking rather happy, only to find Fex and Quinn in not so great moods.

"What happened between you two?" he couldn’t help but pop the question.

Fex and Quinn glanced at each other. Fex didn’t want to explain it as he still wasn’t on fully good terms with Peter, leaving the job to Quinn.

"We needed to help Erin with something," Quinn said, "It’s a bit of a long story."

"Oh," Peter said.

In Quinn’s mind, he decided not to elaborate as he believed that Peter was better off without getting too involved with Erin. If Peter knew the full truth of the situation, then there was a chance that he too would get investigated, and get forced to reveal their involvement.

However, in Peter’s perspective, the lack of a full response made Peter wonder why Quinn didn’t ask him for help in the first place.

’Was Cia right?’ He couldn’t help but think, ’No, Quinn isn’t a bad person, he probably wanted to protect me.’

Even though those were the words he told himself, self doubt crept in his mind regardless.

—

Taking out a few slabs of raw animal meat, Layla began eating it, and felt her hunger slowly go away. Still, ever since she got her first taste of human meat, she was finding that she needed to eat more human meat to satiate her ghoulish appetite.

’I need to ask Fex to get me another hand,’ Layla thought casually, then cringed, ’Why am I thinking about eating human meat like that?!’

Suddenly, she felt the presence of her turner nearby, and twisted her head towards the direction of the door. Immediately, she got up and swung it open.

"Erin!" Layla chirped with a wide smile, happy to see her roommate back, "You’re okay!"

Erin, similarly, was just as happy as well. Although she didn’t smile, her eyes were relaxed, not as cold as they usually were.

"Were you fine without me?" Erin worried, "No one tried to hurt you or anything?"

Layla shook her head, "No— well, shortly after you left, Mono showed up and he tried to attack me—"

Immediately, Erin clenched her fists, eyebrows furrowing, "That damn self-absorbed bastard, when I get my hands on him, I’ll make him regret ever hurting you."

Layla took Erin’s hands in hers, getting her to relax them.

"Hey, I was able to hold him off long enough for Quinn to show up. I’m sure he gave him a piece of his mind," Layla chuckled, then added, "It was because of Quinn that you’re here now."

They stood there, their palms pressed together, enjoying the presence of the other’s company.

With a soft, quiet voice, Erin whispered, "I’m... It was good you were able to do that. It’s good you’re safe."

She thought about saying ’I’m glad you’re here.’ but for some reason, she found herself not being able to bring those words to fruition.

Layla smiled regardless.

It was then that Erin and Layla’s heads began to hurt, and they backed away instinctively, their arms letting go of one another.

"Ow, am I still hurt somehow?" Layla said, as she held her head, and looked down at her body. As far as she could tell, every visible wound had closed a while ago.

"Oh... this isn’t good," The system said.

’Should I be concerned?’ Erin angrily thought to the system.

"This is probably nothing. With all of the stress from everything happening this week, it would explain your headache," The system lied.

"What was that? You felt it too, right?" Layla asked, worried.

Erin stepped inside of the dorm, "I think it’s stress."

It was something that Erin didn’t fully believe, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t stressed after everything that had happened so far.

After Layla had her meal, and they went about their day monitoring her condition, things seemed fine without issue.

However, there was a small problem at hand, one that only the system knew.

"To think they would have that feeling so soon..."