My Vampire System (WN)

'D-did Layla just confess to me?' Was Quinn's first thought after hearing those words.

'Ah, to be young and innocent again. Quite the man you are, to force the girl to make the first step, then again, otherwise I bet you would have never realised that she liked you, even though it's been pretty obvious from the beginning if you asked me. Heck, I haven't even been with you the whole time, yet it was obvious.' Vincent teased Quinn.

Quinn still had trouble wrapping his head around it. Sure, there had been times some girls had shown interest in him in a certain manner, but those had been far more sexual than anything and could mostly be attributed to his Charm. As such, he had never regarded himself as the type to well… be popular with girls.

In his entire life he had only been confessed to by Helen before today, but even then, he was still unaware whether Helen genuinely liked him or was merely after the position he had ended up in.

"What do I think of you?" Quinn repeated her question as if to find some deeper meaning behind it. Unlike the others, it was far harder to answer the question, not just because the one in question was right before him, but more so because he himself was unsure what the answer to that was.

Thinking about it, Layla had helped him from the beginning, even long before she had been turned. She had always been there and was one of the few people that actually knew nearly everything about him, what he was going through and was of similar age.

When he thought up to this point, he wasn't exactly against the idea, but didn't the fact that he had to ponder over all these facts bear testimony that he himself wasn't entirely sure about it?

Alas, her intense gaze made it clear that she would like an answer now and not some other time, however there was one thing he felt he had to address first....

"Layla, a-are you sure you want to be with me? You know I'm the one responsible for your mother's death, right? Back then you used your ability to save her, but then she used her Qi to save your life. The thing is, my attack would have undoubtedly killed her… she would have died by my hands if she hadn't saved you. Do you really want to be with someone who is responsible for the death of someone so close to you?" Quinn asked.

He didn't choose to ask this question to suddenly change the topic, but he felt that such a thing wasn't exactly something they could both overlook. Perhaps part of him also wanted to show her that she deserved better, that there was someone better for her.

"I know you aren't like that, Quinn. You are one of the most righteous persons I know. I have grown up with my mother, so I know that she herself acted for what she perceived would be for the 'greater good'. She was a woman who cared more about her ideals than her own feelings, even if it was towards her own flesh and blood."

"I was raised by her, so for the longest time, I believed in those ideals. That my personal feelings would have to take a step back if it was for the sake of others… but I don't want to live like that any longer! I'm aware that you were partly responsible for her death, but in the end my mother chose to save my life and I decided that I wish to find happiness in it, for her sake as well as my own."

Suddenly Layla came closer and grabbed Quinn's hands.

"I just didn't want to hide my feelings for you anymore. I want to be with you and I don't just want to be by your side. I want to grow old together with you, and enjoy our lives once this whole thing is over." Layla declared confidently.

Looking into her eyes, Quinn's heart started to beat faster, and his hands started to heat up, but it was only for a few seconds, as a strange energy came over him, and by the looks of it, it came over her as well. The two of them almost pulled away as they both felt a pain in their heads.

'Vincent, what's going on, what's happening to us?' Quinn asked in a panic.

The headache went away as quickly as it had appeared, but the rosy feelings, and his heart beat had returned to normal, and he wasn't being swayed by his emotions as much as he had been before. Even Layla, when looking at Quinn, her feelings seemed a little dulled.

A big sigh could be heard from Vincent in his head.

'I'm sorry Quinn, I had hoped that since you used to be a normal human, it wouldn't affect you. This was actually one of the reasons why I had tried pushing you towards trying to find happiness with others so much. It's to do with the family bond.' Vincent explained. 'Part of your bloodline, the Cursed family bloodline, now runs inside her veins… which means it will be impossible for you two to truly be together."

"If it had been anyone else in the Cursed family it would have been a different story, but as for Layla… The one who turned Layla was none other than you after all. I'm afraid there is no solution, otherwise I would have told you as soon as I saw her feeling like that for you.

Quinn didn't know why, but he wasn't relieved, in fact he felt greatly saddened by it. It would have been one thing for him to reject her, but for a vampire thing being the cause for this… 'Did I actually have feelings for Layla as well then?' Quinn wondered. 'Are you sure, there is no way?!'

'... I mean, theoretically there is. Either you or her would have to return to being truly human. However, you better than anyone else should know what an extremely difficult thing that is to do. I do not know of another way.' Vincent answered, in a sombre tone feeling bad for the one having given him this news.

Layla, once she had cleared her mind in the few seconds he had conversed with Vincent, felt the same way about Quinn as she had always done. She let out a deep sigh, but when she looked up, she still had a smile on her face.

"I can see that this whole situation seems to be a bit much for you. You are taking a long time to think about this, but perhaps that is a good thing. At least you haven't instantly rejected me, unlike the others. I don't know who or what is in your mind Quinn, maybe you're just too busy at the moment, but I will fight against my rivals, just as you are fighting against the Dalki."

"This means war!" Layla said, pointing to Quinn and giggling a little at the end.

'She seems so happy.' Quinn thought as a warm feeling was felt all over his body, he too couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I guess I can be a real klutz in that field. I am truly happy that you confessed to me, it really is just that before today, I have never thought about that possibility. … So how about a date?" Quinn suggested with a shy smile. "Don't you think it would only be fair that the two of us get to know each other properly, outside of this vampire stuff, outside of all this school mess, before I decide whether we would make a good match for the rest of our life, especially given how long it could be?"

Layla put out her hand again, and raised her little pinky, Quinn understood she was going for a pinky promise. He didn't hesitate, yet as his pinky touched hers to confirm the promise, the headache the two of had suffered earlier returned, forcing them to let go.

"Quinn, what is that?" Layla asked, stupefied, as she held her head.

"Don't worry." Quinn replied, not wanting to break her heart. "It's vampire stuff. I'll sort it out. I've sorted everything else out so far haven't I?"

Walking back, Quinn was determined to get an answer more so now about turning vampires back to humans, and there was one person who knew the possible answer, even if he was the last person Quinn wished to talk to.

Richard Eno was the original who had turned Arthur into a vampire, so perhaps he also knew a way to be turned back. Still, based on Eno's personality it was clear he wouldn't just comply, especially for something that might drastically lower their fighting power.

After moving the Demon tier beast and bringing back Vorden and Raten, it might prove to be a better time to ask the old-timer.

Returning to the Shelter, all the faction members and the few Graylash members that had still been there seemed to be quite on high alert. Even the kitchen staff looked a little worried. Entering the faction base, Quinn was told that the Cursed and the others were currently in a meeting.

"Sir Quinn, if the two of you could head that way, I believe this matter is something of utmost importance." One of the Faction members in the base spoke and led them to the meeting room.

"Quinn, you're here just in time." The hologram figure of Sam greeted him, from the centre of the table. He was green in colour which looked quite menacing in it's own right, quite the contrast to Sam's own figure.

"Unfortunately, I do not bear great news, but it falls under my duty to inform you all of the current situation. As you know, the Dalki have been quite active in the area, and at the moment, Owen, along with the Graylash family, are engaged in combat against them."

"I'm calling you right now to tell you that Owen seems to be in trouble and I'm not sure how long they can hang in there!"

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