Chapter 18: A New Home
Quinn sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the ceiling in frustration.
"That bastard really got away…" he muttered, running a hand through his hair. The memory of Veyron vanishing into the ground like a dying insect refusing to accept its fate still irritated him.
He exhaled sharply and shook his head. No point dwelling on it. He had better things to focus on today.
A grin crept onto his face as he pulled out his phone and checked his bank balance.
$205,000.
All thanks to the two A-rank Hallows he had taken down. Their cores had fetched a decent price, and now, Quinn finally had enough money to make a move he'd been thinking about for a while—getting a new place.
He stretched his arms, cracking his knuckles. "Time to level up my living situation."
But there was one small problem…
Where the hell was he supposed to buy a house?
Quinn frowned, realizing he had no clue how to go about it. Then, an idea popped into his head. The only person he knew who had connections everywhere.
Cedric.
Without wasting any time, he dialed Cedric's number.
The phone rang twice before Cedric picked up.
"Morning, Quinn. You need something?"
"Yeah, I do, actually. I need a new house."
There was a pause on the other end.
"What?" Cedric's voice was filled with disbelief. "You also want a house from us after we're already sponsoring your guild?"
Quinn rolled his eyes. "No, old man, I wanna buy one. Link me up with someone who sells houses." His voice rose slightly in annoyance.
"Oh, I see…" Cedric muttered. "Well, I know an AGC member who specializes in real estate. He can get you an apartment or a house, whatever you're looking for."
"Perfect," Quinn said, smirking. "Tell one of your AGC guys to come pick me up and bring him along."
"You can't just boss people around, you know?" Cedric sighed.
"Come on, I don't have a car."
"Maybe you should plan on getting one."
Quinn clicked his tongue. "I don't even know how to drive."
Cedric chuckled. "Well, figure that out. They'll be there soon."
With that, Cedric hung up, leaving Quinn staring at his phone.
"I guess I should add 'learning to drive' to my list…" he muttered.
Quinn stepped out of his room and into the small dining area. His sister, Emily, had already prepared breakfast—simple toast, eggs, and coffee.
She looked up at him and smiled. "Morning."
"Morning," Quinn said, taking a seat. He grabbed a piece of toast and bit into it, savoring the warm crunch.
For a moment, they ate in silence. Then, Quinn spoke.
"One of my plans is to make sure you live a happy life."
Emily blinked, tilting her head. "Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
Quinn leaned back, crossing his arms with a small smirk. "That's why I'm upgrading our living situation—we're moving."
His sister froze mid-bite. "Moving? How?"
"We're getting a new house."
Emily stared at him, wide-eyed, her spoon clattered against her plate as she stared at Quinn like he'd just grown a second head. "What?!"
Emily sat frozen in place, still trying to process what Quinn had just said.
"We're getting a new house."
She blinked a few times, then leaned forward. "Wait… what?! Where did you suddenly get enough money for that?!"
Quinn grinned, sipping his coffee. "Took down a couple of A-rank Hallows, sold their cores. Got myself a little payday."
Emily's eyes narrowed. "Are you in some kind of trouble? Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Come on, Em. When have I ever done anything that wasn't a good idea?" Quinn smirked.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" she shot back, crossing her arms.
Before Quinn could respond, the sound of a car horn outside caught his attention. He glanced at his phone—right on time.
"That must be the guy. Let's go."
Emily hesitated. "Wait, I'm coming too."
Quinn raised an eyebrow. "You wanna come house shopping?"
"Obviously. Do you really think I'd let you pick some tiny hideout or a warehouse-looking place without my input?"
Quinn laughed. "Fine, fine. But don't slow me down."
They left the apartment and stepped outside, where a sleek black AGC car was waiting. A well-dressed man in his mid-30s with sharp features and an expensive-looking watch was leaning against the vehicle.
"You must be Quinn." The man extended a hand. "Name's Tobias. Cedric said you're looking for a house?"
Quinn shook his hand. "Yeah, something nice."
Tobias opened the car door for them. "Hop in. I've got some good options lined up."
Tobias drove them through the city, showing them different properties—some high-end apartments, some luxurious penthouses, and even a few private houses in safer districts.
As he explained the details, Quinn leaned back, uninterested in the numbers and logistics. He just wanted a place that looked good.
"So, what do you think, Em?" he asked.
Emily, however, was thinking practically. "These are nice, but how far is it from my workplace? I don't want to spend hours commuting."
Quinn scratched his chin. "Huh… maybe I should just get you a new job."
Emily gave him a skeptical look. "You can't just 'get' me a job."
Quinn smirked. "I'll ask Cedric. No worries, I can afford it."
Tobias chuckled. "Must be nice to have connections."
Eventually, Emily picked a beautiful modern apartment—spacious, with a great view and within a reasonable distance from her workplace.
Quinn pulled out his phone to make the transfer, but when he saw the price, he let out a whistle.
"Man… I never expected to buy a house for this much. $170,000… that's a lot."
He sighed dramatically before clicking the confirmation button. "There goes most of my money."
Tobias handed Quinn the keys. "It's officially yours."
Emily still looked a little overwhelmed, but Quinn just grinned. "Told you we were moving."
As the AGC car rolled back a through the familiar streets, Quinn leaned back with a satisfied smirk.
"Man, can't wait to sleep in a bed that doesn't creak like it's about to fall apart," he joked, stretching his arms.
Emily rolled her eyes. "You act like we've been living in a dump."
Quinn chuckled. "Compared to our new place? Yeah, we kinda have."
The car slowed as they turned the corner onto their street.
Quinn's smirk faded.
Smoke.
People running.
Screams.
The air felt heavy, thick with the smell of burnt wood and… blood.
Tobias hit the brakes. "What the hell—?"
Quinn barely heard him. His eyes were locked ahead, staring at what was once their apartment complex.
It was ruined. Walls collapsed, the entrance caved in, scorch marks covering the brick. A chunk of the second floor had crumbled into the street below, crushing a car beneath it.
And then—the bodies.
Three. Maybe more. Lifeless. Torn apart.
Blood pooled on the cracked pavement, the deep crimson soaking into the debris.
And in the middle of it all… something moved.
A twisted, blackened creature crouched over one of the corpses, its elongated fingers sinking into torn flesh. Its body pulsed, as if it were breathing through its skin, absorbing the life it had just taken.
Then, it turned.
Glowing white eyes locked onto the car. Onto them.
Emily let out a shaky breath. "Q-Quinn… our home—it's gone. And that thing… it's still here."
Quinn felt something cold settle in his chest. It wasn't fear. It wasn't shock.
It was rage.
His fingers curled into a fist as he pushed open the car door, stepping onto the pavement. His eyes never left the creature.
"I was in a good mood today," he muttered, rolling his shoulders.
The Hallow tilted its head, watching him with unnatural curiosity.
Quinn exhaled slowly. "And then you ruined it."
A faint hum filled the air as energy crackled around his body.