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Friends With Fangs	By : RogueFemme Category: Anita Blake > General Views: 1662 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Anita Blake series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Friends With Fangs
- 1
Chapter 1: "Friends with Fangs (And Without)"

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"Mara Blake, I summon you. Mara Blake, rise to my call!" a voice solemnly intoned. "Mara Blake, arise from your grave and answer my call!"
"Piss off," I groaned, pulling my pillow over my head.
My soon-to-be late best friend snickered. "Language! I'm gonna tell your dad on you. Time to get up, lazybutt."
"Vampires are nocturnal. Leave me alone," I growled, glaring at her from under the pillow.
"Vampires don't have to go to school. You do. So get up, or we'll be late for first period!" Cameron saw the glint of murder in my eyes, bounced off the bed and nipped lightly for the door, just ahead of my hurled pillow. Cameron has been my best friend for nearly a decade, and I can forgive her a lot of things, but being a morning person? Not so much. I sometimes suspected she played up her morning cheerfulness to get a rise out of me. Obnoxiousness, a best friend's prerogative.
I dragged myself out of bed, muttering dire imprecations. Fortunately as a habitual late sleeper I have prep time down to a minimum, and fifteen minutes later I walked into the kitchen, dressed and hair rebraided, ready to face the day. Well, as ready as I'd ever be before noon. I don't bother with makeup or jewelry.
"Morning, short stuff," amused blue eyes the color of a spring sky sparkled at me over the rim of a coffee cup.
Jason, a werewolf and consummate smartass, is my unofficial big brother and a lot of fun. He, like Cameron, takes full advantage of his privilege to yank my chain, hence the annoying nickname. He has been at the Circus since before I was born in his capacity as my father's pomme de sang. He's below-average height, lean but well-built, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and frequently wears a not-quite-convincing look of innocence, like he doesn't want you to know what mischief he's been up to. He prides himself on being a mildly bad influence on me and Cameron, and he was the one who could be counted on to let us eat too much junk food and stay up late watching horror movies. He is also a huge flirt with every grown-up female around, and some men too. I don't know how his wife puts up with it, but I find it endlessly amusing.
I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Mara Blake. Actually Mara isn't my official first name, but it's all anyone is allowed to call me. But that's another story. I am a hybrid- half human/half vampire, part of one of the fastest-growing minority groups of our time. My mother is Anita Blake, animator. Really she's a necromancer, but she doesn't put that on her business cards. The difference is, she does not just raise zombies like most animators; she can raise older zombies with smaller sacrifices, but the most impressive part is her control over other forms of the dead. Yeah, I mean vampires. Not the really powerful ones, but enough that we try to make sure the Vampire Council never finds out just how much power she really has. They used to kill necromancers on sight.
Then there is my father. Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City of St. Louis, le sourdre de sang, and vampire poster boy. He's very handsome, and it's not just filial bias on my part that makes me say that. He was always so, but he was made part of a vampire bloodline that specializes in gorgeous vampires, which only enhanced the effect. Over six centuries later, he's a master vampire, and even more powerful than most masters, including those older than him. He's the first vampire in nearly a millennium to become a sourdre de sang, the head of his bloodline. Even members of the Vampire Council, the ultimate authority over vampires, have to deal with him as an equal. Heh. Nobody messes with my Papa. Not for long, anyway.
Usually it's only male vampires who have been vampires for less than a century can get a human woman pregnant. All research says that my father, at six centuries and counting, should not have been able to sire a living child on a human woman. Other beings perhaps, magical beings, but not plain ol' humans. Especially not with a human woman on birth control.
I've just been breaking rules from the get-go.
Thanks to the ardeur, my mother had more than one lover when I was conceived. The ardeur is a side effect of my father's bloodline and her bond with him. Basically, it means that she has to have sex a lot, or she, my father, and everybody they're magically bonded with weaken and die. I try not to think too much about it. Who wants to think about their parents having sex? Ew.
So I'm told there was quite a crowd at the hospital when I was born, between the would-be dads and all the lycanthropes- wereanimals- my mother knew. They were all set to do a DNA test, but when I showed up, there wasn't much point. Aside from the black hair and the skin even paler than my mother's (which is saying something), my eyes were exactly the same blue of Jean-Claude's, somewhere between royal and navy. Best of all, I had tiny fangs. Yes, I was born with them. I must have been lots of fun when I was teething.
Richard, alpha werewolf and the third of my mother's and father's triumvirate, took one good look and walked right out of the hospital. If he was hoping for a baby that would bind my mother closer to him, then that particular werewolf was barking up the wrong tree. However, Damian and Asher were fairly old vampires and hadn't expected me to be theirs, and most of the weres didn't care too much so long as I came out healthy, so even without Richard, I had plenty of babysitters.
Father was utterly thrilled. He'd given up hope of ever having a child, so I guess I can't blame him for getting a little carried away in naming me. In principle it's very sweet- he gave me a French name meaning 'miracle'. The problem is that the French word for miracle is marvelle. So along with my middle name (my maternal grandmother's name), that's the name I'm stuck with now- Marvelle Consuela Blake. Cape not included. That's why everybody is forbidden to call me anything but Mara. Well, Papa doesn't always, but what can you do with your parents?
I'll give my mother credit- though she's not a maternal personality, she gave it a shot. But I was a handful even with her wereleopard pard to help, and the older I got, the more like my father I became. By the time I was five, it was decided by all concerned (including my own loudly yowled opinion) that I was better off living with my father in his headquarters at the Circus of the Damned. There was less gunfire there, anyway. I've never regretted it, though it pretty much clinched that I'd never have a normal human upbringing. (Assuming there is any such thing.)
So that's my life- born a hybrid, raised among vampires, werewolves, wereleopards, and oh yeah, the odd witch or animator. Normal? What's that?
I hate high school. Yeah, I know, all teenagers say that, or most anyway, but I really do. Just because hybrids are becoming more common doesn't mean we're accepted. Fangface, half-blood, demonspawn, I have heard them all. Fortunately my physical strength and self-defense skills ensure most of them never throw more than rude words in my direction, but it's still damned unpleasant. Cameron, bless her, has helped mitigate it by steadfastly sticking by me. We have been friends since we were five, and she and her mother have lived at the Circus with us since a tornado flattened her house when she was six. That was one of the worst nights of my life, waiting for news while my father's vampires helped the human rescuers dig through debris to find them. Let's hear it for sturdy basements.
I didn't set foot in school until I was twelve. My father hired tutors for me, claiming they gave me a better education anyway. I guess it's true- your average elementary school doesn't teach Latin- but I suspect it had more to with not wanting to let me out of his sight, especially without bodyguards. But my mother put her foot down, backed up by Cammie's mom, who thought it was healthier for me to spend more time with kids my own age. I try not to hold it against them. So off to school I went, and only the thrill of learning and the steadfast presence of my two best friends made it tolerable. I am just not one of those hybrids who integrates perfectly into human society.
I know one who does, though.

"Heya, Mara!"
I only had time to gasp as I was swept off my feet by an arm around my waist. Suppressing the urge to do serious damage, I struggled around to get a look at my captor- managing to see, extremely up close, the grinning face of my friend Bobby. I smacked him in the arm, hard.
"You idiot! I could have killed you, startling me like that! Do you have a death wish?" I sputtered.
"No, but I'd die happy," his amusement was undiminished.
I gave an exasperated tch. "Put me down, you jerk."
He obeyed, though he was still laughing, the wretch. A cheerleader type standing nearby glowered at me. Maybe Bobby thought he was helping me with his antics, making me seem more approachable, or at least giving me the benefit of his public show of affection to raise my stock with the popularity-minded. If so, it was seriously not working with many of the females in the school. Then again, maybe he just liked ruffling my dignity. Yeah, that's probably it.
Aside from the human and very blasé Cameron, Bobby is my other best friend. He is the son of one of my father's vampires. His dad, Robert, was killed before Bobby was born by a rival Master trying to take down my father, so Papa feels responsible for Bobby and his mother Monica. Bobby is handsome, good humoured, all-American, and as human in personality as I'm not. He's a jock, but with a good mind and a genuinely sweet nature. It's not just for his blonde, blue-eyed good looks that he's popular. Though he’s two years older than me, he has always been a good friend. I'm one of the rare hybrids who actually grew up knowing another hybrid close to my own age in person, and it helps a lot sometimes to have a friend with fangs.
He knelt and gathered up the books I'd dropped when he grabbed me, then stood and held them out to me like a peace offering, his grin softening to a smile. "Aw, you know ya love me."
I rolled my eyes, taking the books from his hands. "I must, I haven't killed you yet."
"See? Nobody can resist me." He gave me an exaggeratedly smug smirk.
I couldn't help laughing. "Yeah yeah, tell it to your fan club. I'm outta here." But I stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek before walking away. Maybe he's not the only hopeless one.

With such powerful parents, you would probably think I am powerful too. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. It's normal for hybrids not to inherit their vampire parents' powers, but with my mother being as magically potent as she is, I'm sure they expected me to inherit something of that. I am not entirely unacquainted with magic, but I don't have much of my own either. For a long time I didn't think I had any at all, until two things happened- my mother took me with her on a zombie raising, and I started getting headaches at school. I have no talent for animating, but I don't regret that- I don't want to spend the rest of my life having to raise the dead or risk the power bringing them up to follow me. Eek.
I could feel my mother's power like a cool breeze, sense it touch the dead ones and fill them with magic, but that was all. I could watch the show but I could not perform it.
Then there were the headaches, which developed every day I went to school and got bad enough that I finally yielded to Cameron's fussing and went to a doctor. That, of course, was pointless. Doctors know little about 'normal' hybrids, and even less about me.
"Headache again?" Cameron said sympathetically when I came into the cafeteria one day and slumped into a chair next to her, hiding my face in my hands. My first year in school, and I could barely concentrate for the daily headaches.
"Every bloody day I'm here," I mumbled. "Maybe that doctor was right. Maybe it is psychosomatic. It does seem to get a little better when you're around."
"'Psychosomatic' is what doctors say when they can't figure out what the problem is. Maybe if you went someplace quieter?" she suggested.
I shook my head. "That won't help. If anything, it makes it worse. At least the noise here distracts me from..."
"From what?" she asked, tilting her head at me.
"Never mind. I've already got a doctor thinking I'm nuts, I don't need you too."
"I already know you're nuts, hon, so just tell me," she quipped, and I gave her a wry look, then sighed.
"The silence. It's like an echoing silence in my mind that the noise can't drive away."
"Silence," she repeated, eyebrows lifted in disbelief. "In school?"
I shook my head. "I know, it makes no sense, but that's it. It's like a silence that noise can't drive away. A different kind of silence."
"You're right," she said with a serious look. "That's nuts."
I made a face at her, but was prevented from answering by someone's arms circling my shoulders and giving me a from-behind hug. "Hey kiddo," Bobby's voice filled my ear.
"Don't jostle her, dork. She's got a headache!" Cameron told him off.
"Oh, sorry, kid," he said, backing away, but I turned in my seat, frowning up at him.
I stood up. "Do that again."
"What?" he blinked.
"Hug me again."
He gave me a weirded-out look. "You really aren't feeling well."
"Just do it, please." I said impatiently.
He stepped closer and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms gently around my shoulders, and I hugged his waist, laying my head on his shoulder. "My headache is going away," I said, mystified. I pulled back and gazed up at his face, and he was blinking at me, looking a bit stunned.
"Magic," I started laughing, holding a hand up just in front of his chest, then moved it up near his face. "It's the magic!"
Cameron was looking at me very strangely. "Hon, you're starting to weird me out."
I could not stop laughing; I was so relieved that I finally understood. "It's the magic, Cammie. The Circus is full of vampires and lycanthropes, so I grew up surrounded by magic. Here there are tons of people, but they're not magic. That's the silence. No magic!"
"But you said Bobby and I make you feel better?" She was puzzled.
I knelt down next to her and held up a hand near her face, and then flashed her a smile. "You're both magic."
"I'm magic?!" they chorused.
"Of course. Bobby, all of us are magic, at least a little bit. All hybrids. And Cammie, you must have some magical talent. That's why I felt better when I was near you." Bobby and Cammie were both a bit shocked, but I was thrilled. What a relief!
It was a day for revelations, apparently. It took being removed from the Circus and the constant aura of magic there for me to realize that I could sense other people's magic, not just my mother's. It's not much, but hey, it's mine, my power. I'll take what I can get.

I do most of my socializing once I get home. Not just with the vampires and wereanimals, but on the Internet with other hybrids. Hey, when you're weird, you tend to seek out other people who are strange like you, and how better than the internet?
Lots of us are in the States, where vampirism was first legalized, but there is a sizable UK population too, and some in other parts of Europe, plus a few scattered in other places around the world. I have never met one from Africa- something to do with the genes being less prone to vampirism, I think.
We are a pretty close group, for many reasons. Plenty of minorities have been accused of being less than human, so we're not alone in that. We're certainly not less than human, but other than human is a bit harder to deny. A lot of people don't sweat it, but it only takes a few bigots to make life unpleasant, and there's more than a few out there who think we should all be burned at the stake along with our vampire parents. (Vampire dads, really- female vampires, sad to say, cannot have children. Scientifically it makes sense, but it is still one of life's unfairnesses.) So many of us find it a blessed relief to be able to socialize with our own kind, if only in cyberspace.
I'm fairly popular on the hybrid boards, and not just because of my sparkling personality. I was on the site for only a few months before being invited to moderate the 'Vampire Society' board. Mostly that entails answering a lot of questions about vampire culture and interaction amongst themselves. I knew I was unique in that I live in a Master's court, but it's amazing how little most hybrids know about that part of their vampire parents' lives. Although, having met some vampires from outside my father's kiss, I can kind of understand the vamp parents not being eager to take their kids with them to court. There is stuff I don't even tell them. Some things you're just happier not knowing.
I logged on and read my personal messages.
From BlueEyes:
Hey doll. Tell me again when your birthday party is? I want to clear my schedule. ;)
Bobby, that goof. He could have asked at school, but he likes nattering on the boards too. I rolled my eyes and clicked 'reply'.
From Technophile:
My birthday isn't for a month and a half. When the party is scheduled, I swear you and Cammie will be the first to know!
Next message:
From bloodcountess:
hey they told me you know stuff about vampires is it true there are vampires who rot when their not dead???
What an original question. Not. And what a wannabe username!
From Technophile:
Read the FAQ!
Next. Thankfully, this one was a friend.
From sciencegeek:
Hey Mar, it looks like it's down to Denver or Boston for the convention this year. You think you'll be able to go?
Oh yeah, did I mention we have a yearly convention for hybrids?
From Technophile:

If it's Boston, then probably yes. Denver, I don't think so. There's a new Master there, and I've heard she's still trying to get all the old
Master's vamps into line with the new regime. I doubt she'll be in a mood to grant any safe-conducts.
Next- another from sciencegeek?
From sciencegeek:
P.S. Are you bringing the cute werewolf this time? What about Bobby?
From Technophile:
Jason is married! :-P Bobby will probably go, he doesn't have to sweat the vampire formalities. Why don't you ask him yourself?
I shake my head and laugh. A group of scientists once did a study and discovered that nearly 70% of the hybrids out there are female. Vlad Syndrome strikes male fetii a lot more than the females, which accounts for the skewed population. Did I say Bobby was popular at school? At hybrid conventions, he was practically a rock star. It would be sickening if it were not so funny. Naturally I rag him on it at every opportunity. What are friends for?
"Ma fille, are you still on that wretched device?" my father asked impatiently. Papa isn't nearly as technophobic as many masters- he even carries a cell phone, though as a businessman that's kind of a necessity- but he doesn't understand the appeal of computers or the internet. He considers them a necessary evil. I have been helping him with the computer end of record-keeping for his businesses for years. I guess you cannot expect much computer-savvy from someone born centuries before their invention. It could be much worse- I've heard of Masters who don't even have electric lights. Yikes.
"I just got on, Papa!" I protested.
"Very well," he sighed. "But do not waste the entire night on it. You must practice your piano and your Latin."
"Oui, Papa," I said resignedly. It was no use telling him that Latin was mostly useless these days. He was born in an age when anyone who was educated spoke and wrote Latin, and he was determined that his daughter will get a "proper education", which includes Latin and music. So, whether I like it or not, that's what I'm going to get. What can you do with your parents?

Cameron looked up as I dashed into the room, breathless from the run. "Cammie... Papa got the tickets!" I waved the envelope triumphantly at her.
"He got them? Omigod he got them!" She grabbed them out of my hands and started dancing. "He got the tickets!"
"Prime balcony seating! There's a problem, though."
She made a face. "Oh man, don't say the P word when I'm this happy."
"We need two guards, and Richard's teed off at Papa again, so all the werewolves have been recalled. Nathaniel has agreed to go with us, but I can't find anybody else."
"What about Willie?"
"Working."
"Damian?"
"Ditto."
She plopped down on the bed. "Asher?"
I gave her a look. "You know how he is about being in public."
"Okay, okay. Zane?"
"He and Cherry have an anniversary date that night."
"Crap."
I sat on the bed next to her, in dejected silence. She shifted, accidentally bumping a new bruise on my hip, and I winced.
"What's wrong?"
"Self-defense lessons. I swear Caden has a sadistic streak. Every time I learn to counter one move, he uses three more." My eyes widened and I stared at Cameron. "I didn't even think of Caden!"
"Are you sure about him?" she asked dubiously.
"Papa trusts him. You want to go, don't you?"
"Of course I do! But Caden is kind of scary, don't you think?"
"It's his job to be scary. And who better than Papa's head of security to protect us at the concert?"
I barely beat her to the door.

We crept down the hall where Caden's room was located. "Are you sure about this?" Cameron asked for the umpteenth time.
"YES!"
"Fine, but you're asking him. He makes me nervous."
"Stop being a wuss." I gave her a scornful look over my shoulder and knocked on his door. The door opened and suddenly I thought Cammie was not such a wuss after all.
Caden does not have to try to look badass. He just is. No leather, no tattoos, no metal studs or piercings. He is just a tall, nicely built vampire with the unmistakable air of someone who has instantly sized you up as an adversary and is not impressed. Most of his wardrobe is monotone black, simple design, suitable for fighting. It all flatters his lean martial artist's body, but somehow you know that doesn't matter to him. His medium-length dark hair is always slicked back, making his angular face and high cheekbones look almost too severe. His eyes are his most arresting feature- a deep green, lovely and sparkling cold as the darkest emeralds. His nose is narrow and patrician, his mouth well-shaped but stern and unsmiling. Even standing still, his body suggests power and grace. I have seen him fight, and it's a terrible, graceful beauty that you never forget.
He came to us a little over two years ago. He had escaped from the Dragon, and no master of lesser power than a sourdre de sang, the head of a bloodline, could keep him from being taken back into her service- read, slavery. It is hard to believe anybody could enslave Caden, but the Dragon is just that freaking scary. The Dragon isn't literally a dragon, but she doesn't have to be; she's terrifying enough. He was her personal killer, the best warrior of her vampire "children", and hers is a bloodline of warriors. With his physical and mental prowess, the preternatural power he exudes seems almost redundant. Papa knew of him long ago- Caden was used as a threat against vampires who rebelled against their masters. Disobey, and when the torturers have had their fun with you, the Dragon sics Caden on you. Caden didn't torture- there were plenty of vamps who were happy to do that- but once Caden was sent against you, you were dead. Coldly, efficiently killed. Neither weapons nor powers could save you. The only question was how many seconds you could buy yourself before the end. (Although from what I've overheard about the Council, I wondered how many of their victims must have welcomed him as an end to their suffering.)
One night there had been an alarm- my father's vampires had sensed a strange master in the territory, and they started organizing a search. It was not necessary. Caden had walked into my father's sitting room with empty hands extended to show his peaceful intentions, and every vampire in the room had tensed. I had never felt such fear from them, and I could not understand it. Asher tried to hurry me out of the room, but I struggled long enough to see what happened. Caden stopped right in front of Papa, slowly unsheathed his sword, knelt at my father's feet, placed the sword in front of him, and said simply, "I am sick of being her killer. I am exhausted beyond endurance of always being a force of destruction. I want to keep what shreds of my soul are left, and use my abilities to protect something better. Give me sanctuary here and I will use all of my skill in defense of your kiss." He'd been as good as his word since.
Only the fact that he himself had been forced to do a lot of massively unpleasant things by his vampire mistress made Papa willing to believe Caden. Besides, he was just too powerful to turn away. My father's kiss needed warriors, and Caden is the best. Looking up at Caden now, I could fully believe that he had once been the face of death to other vampires.
"Yes?" He was gazing at me with a look of polite curiosity, and I realized I had been standing looking up at him mutely. "Is there something I can do for you?"
I glanced back at Cameron for courage, but she was lurking near the bend in the corridor, far up the hall. Some friend.
"Um, yes, actually, I wanted to ask a favor if that's okay..." I stammered.
"Please, come in." He moved away from the door and gestures me toward a high-backed wooden armchair that was so elegantly carved it looked like a throne. He seated himself on the neatly made bed. I looked around and noticed that the only other furniture was a bureau, a nightstand and a single bookcase. There was no decoration unless you count the swords on the wall.
I took a deep breath, folding my hands in my lap to keep them from shaking. Go for it, you coward. He is not going to kill you for asking a favor. "There's a concert next week that Cammie and I really want to go to. Papa got us tickets, but he says we have to take two people along to watch over us. Nathaniel already said yes, but Richard has taken the werewolves again and almost everybody else has to work, and we really really want to go, so I wonder, would you be willing to go with us? Please?" I finished lamely.
He blinked.
"Yes, please?" Cameron said from the doorway. Maybe I'll speak to her again, after all.
He glanced silently at her, then back to me. "What evening is it?"
"Thursday." I leaned forward. Was he actually considering it?
"I... Yes, I can spare that evening."
A stunned pause, and I leapt up from the chair. "Really? You don't mind? Oh thank you, thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to us!" I clasped my hands together hard, stifling the impulse to hug him. Somehow I doubted he'd appreciate the gesture. So I smiled up at him as he stood. "Really. Thank you."
Was it my imagination, or did his usually severe face seem a touch softer than normal? "I am pleased to help. Is there anything else?"
"Um, no, thank you. I... I should go tell Papa that everything's all set."
"Good evening, then."
I smiled, feeling a bit silly for having been so shy of him earlier. "Good evening." I paused in the doorway. "You're coming to my birthday party, aren't you?"
He looked up with a mildly surprised expression. "I had not realized I was invited. I understand it is only for family and friends."
Startled, I looked closely at him and the hint of conflict in his normally unemotional gaze surprised me. "Of course you are! Family and friends includes you. Casual dress, and don't worry about a present, your coming to the concert with us is more than enough."
Cameron peeked in the door again. "Thank you!" He nodded once and we left sedately, then dashed down the hall toward my father's sitting room. Absorbed in our excitement, neither of us noticed Caden watching us go.

Six weeks later...
"Damn, woman, you call that dressed down?" Cameron yelled in cheerful outrage as she came across the parking lot followed by a group of our schoolmates.
"Are you kidding?" I brushed an imaginary speck of dust from the pristinely black denim skirt and adjusted the open collar of my sapphire-blue satin blouse that matches the faux-sapphire stones in the silvery belt slung low over my hips. "You should have seen what my father wanted me to wear!"
She snickered. "Something eighteenth-century, with a neckline up to your chin? I can imagine." Cameron was comfortable as usual in jeans cut just below the waist and hot pink snug-fitted tee, the color suiting her where it would have made me look ridiculous. "Well, at least you've got your hair down for a change," -she tugged at one of my curls with a grin. "Sixteen. Just think, today you're as old as me!"
"I'll never be as old as you, love," I smile innocently.
She elbowed me. "We'll see who's laughing when I'm old enough to buy booze."
I snickered, but otherwise ignored the comment while greeting my other guests.
In the line my Papa comes from, Belle Morte's line, the future vamps are not only chosen for their good looks, but their vampire power also enhances their attractiveness and allure. Actually most of my father's kiss- that's the group name for vampires, poetic eh?- are from Belle Morte's line, which means they start out gorgeous and only get better. Growing up around some of the most gorgeous vampires in existence does wonders for one's humility. Therefore, I am pretty much indifferent to compliments on my looks, and I'm also difficult to impress by other people's looks. It makes me forget sometimes how many good-looking people I take for granted.
I was alerted to Nathaniel's presence by the sudden, stunned attention of several of the teens in Cameron's group. Though just past forty, Nathaniel looked easily ten years younger and very handsome in a black tee shirt and blue jeans faded nearly baby blue, with a lavender shirt that matched his eyes, his ankle-length hair in a heavy braid. He had gone from stripper to management years ago, but he still moves like a man who is sexy and knows it. I'm immune because I've known him since I was a kid, but it amuses me to see other people's reactions.
"You made it!" I ran forward to hug him.
"Of course I did." He smiled sweetly, returning the hug. "I said I would."
I slipped a hand under his arm and looked back at Cameron and her group. "Shall we? The party's in the ballroom."

"Whoa." I didn't know who had said it, but I agreed. The curtains, which usually closed in a small chamber from the rest of the cave, had been moved back to the walls, leaving half the huge cave open. Tables were set up nearest the door, and past them was a large dance floor lit by varicolored spotlights. Against the wall were tables being set with a buffet as we watched. The entire thing was surrounded by curtains in black and white and streamers of sapphire blue and deep garnet red, my favorite colors. The stray thought crossed my mind that there should be green too. I dismissed the thought.
My father strode from across the room to greet me and I got to enjoy more amusing reactions from the newcomers as he approached. "Ma cherie, are you pleased?"
"Yes, Papa, very much, merci beaucoup." I hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Have the others awakened?"
"Most of them. I am certain they will all be here very shortly." He handed me a large gift wrapped box. "Here, take your present to the table."
I had to laugh when I noticed several other boxes already on the table, contrary to my no-presents edict.
"Hey kiddo!" Jason swooped in next to me, offering a rather messily but brightly wrapped box. "You're getting oooold."
"If I'm old, what does that make you?" I laughed.
"Don't ask," he said with exaggerated annoyance and wanders back to his wife.
I turned back to my schoolmates and nearly bumped into Caden, who neatly caught me by the shoulders. He was dressed in black as usual, but I was a bit surprised to notice that his long-sleeved shirt was made of a soft, silky material, the top button open to reveal a glimpse of his vampire-pale skin. There was a delicate line of black-on-black embroidery down the front, and the loose shirt was tucked into nicely fitted black pants. He had completed the outfit with knee high leather boots of an elegant design, very different from the plain boots he generally favors. Caden had never gone for the elaborate, sensuous outfits favored by the vampires of Belle Morte's line, and this was the spiffiest outfit I have ever seen him wear. You mean the sexiest, I could almost hear Cameron's teasing voice in my mind. She's a bad influence.
"Hi," I smiled up at him, "I'm glad you could make it."
"As am I," he released me and proffered a neatly wrapped package.
I huffed in amused exasperation. "I told you that you didn't have to get me anything."
"I know, but it is something I wish for you to have."
I tried to smother a grin. "It's not some kind of weapon, is it?"
He smiled just slightly, but the effect on his face was startling. I had never noticed before that he's very handsome when he smiles. "No, it is not a weapon. Although..." with a stern glance, "you should carry more of them."
I laughed- it's an old and frequent 'discussion' between us- and on impulse, spurred perhaps by birthday goodwill and his unusual warmth, I stood up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."
Again that slight, warming smile. "You are welcome."

"Hey, gorgeous!" I was abruptly tugged backward by the waist of my skirt until I bumped into a male body. Annoyed, I jerked an elbow back and was rewarded with an "oof!'. "What'd you do that for?!"
I turned and glared at Bobby. "It serves you right. You're ruining my self-defense skills. I could be bouncing an adversary off the wall in the time it takes me to figure out whether it's real danger or just you screwing around."
"Okay, okay, I give!" He straightened up and gave me a narrow look. "You've been hanging around with that Caitlin guy too much. You're getting paranoid."
"It's Caden, and being paranoid doesn't mean nobody is out to get you." I surveyed him with some amusement. Bobby was one of those guys who always look most comfortable in a sports uniform, but today he's dressed up in a light blue button-down shirt and khaki pants with brown leather belt. Usually when Bobby wears something more formal than a tee shirt and jeans, it was because he's trying to impress someone. A female someone. I glanced down at his feet and smothered a smile- sneakers. That was so Bobby.
I looked around. "Where's the girlfriend of the week?"
"Fine opinion you have of me. I'll have you know I dated the last one for two months." He folded his arms defensively.
"And where is she?" I asked pointedly.
"We broke up," he mumbled.
"Ah." I did't bother hiding my amusement. His girlfriends never last long.
He looked annoyed. "She was complaining about my friendship with you!"
I smiled wryly. "Her and everybody else. If you let that stop you, you're gonna die celibate."
"Maybe, maybe not," he smiled oddly.
I studied him for a moment, then shook my head and walk off. I will never figure him out.

Jason set up the music- a CD changer with alternating modern and ballroom music, so everyone can have their turns on the dance floor. The first two were classic, and I danced first with my father and then Asher. Cameron pushed me onto the dance floor with one of her male hangers-on for the third dance ("Hang out with someone your own age for a change!"), and then Bobby caught me for the next dance tune.
"See? If I brought a girlfriend, how could I pay proper attention to the birthday girl?" he grinned at me, and I wondered who he'd been dating that wouldn't let him spare one dance for the hostess.
Cameron went over to the CD player, and I watched her suspiciously. She put in a homemade CD and then came back, smiling innocently. "My own mix."
"Hrm." I'm never more suspicious of her than when she acts innocent.
The next song began and the opening notes were very familiar. Cammie laughed and jumped out of her chair. "Ha! No way can you sit this one out!"
"Oh gods," I laughed and let her drag me out onto the dance floor. It's a song we both love, and we gleefully sang along while dancing.
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover,

I'm a child, I'm a mother,

I'm a sinner, I'm a saint,

I do not feel ashamed

I'm your hell, I'm your dreams. I'm nothing in between!

You know you wouldn't want it any other way...
Head back, laughing, I danced back-to-back with Cammie. With guys I don't get too wild lest they get ideas, but with Cammie I can safely... pardon the expression... vamp. We have been dancing to the radio in our rooms for years, so it was nothing new and we had a blast. The teenage guys across the room were practically gaping, but I didn't care. Cammie and I strutted and shimmied around each other and laughed at the guys' shock.
The song faded out and we supported each other off the dance floor, still laughing like mad. Our parents' expressions only added to our hilarity. I plopped down beside Cameron at the biggest table, across from my parents and surrounded by many of Papa's inner circle.
Asher blinked at me. "What a dreadful song!" Asher has been close to my parents since before I was born (exactly how close I prefer not to think about), and he has acted as another father to me all my life. So I have Papa and Papa Asher. Let's hear it for nontraditional families.
My mother swatted him on the arm. "I like that song!"
Papa Asher looked at her and then me with a frown. "But why would a lady want to call herself such things?"
I was not about to get into explaining reclamation and advanced feminist theory to a centuries old vampire at the moment, so I just laughed while my mother tried to explain to him.
Cameron, still grinning, leaned over and nudged me. She indicated the teenage males across the floor and murmured to me, "So, is it going to be Bobby? Which one? After that performance, you've probably got your pick now."
"What are you talking about?" I muttered back.
She rolled her eyes with feeling. "What am I talking about? Sweet sixteen and never been kissed? You know the tradition."
She was still murmuring, but my smile vanished and I wanted to sink into the floor because I knew what she had forgotten- preternatural hearing. Every vampire and were-anything near the table could hear everything she said.
"Cameron, I love you like a sister, but shut up!" I hissed.
"What?" She was startled by my vehemence.
"Tradition?" A voice asked from nearby, and my humiliation was complete. Cameron shot me a wide-eyed look, belatedly realizing her mistake, but the damage was done.
"It's... it's nothing. Just silliness," she ed.
"She's supposed to get kissed by the end of the party," Jason injected nonchalantly, and I began plotting his violent destruction.
"Indeed?" the voice from behind me commented. Oh, no, not...
I felt his hand on my shoulder. "Traditions should be honored, don't you agree?" Caden asked. I looked up, startled, and he was offering me his hand.
He couldn't mean...
He did.
My heart was pounding so hard I was sure he could hear it, but I placed my hand in his and stood up. It brought our bodies into close proximity, and though we had been closer in the course of fighting lessons, I had never felt so aware of his body before. His expression was calm and somewhat distant as always, but there was a new intensity in his deep green eyes. He released my hand and I felt the roughness of sword calluses brush lightly against my cheeks as he cupped my face, gently tilting my chin upward, my eyes drifted shut and...
...I had no idea it could feel like this, his lips are barely touching mine but I lean forward, wanting more...
...and he deepens the kiss and it's like a slow heat from my lips down my body and my hands move of their own accord to lay flat against his chest and I can feel the warmth of his skin through his satiny shirt and gods I want him to take me in his arms...
...his hand is in my hair now, and mine are sliding up onto his shoulders, and it's so good I never want to stop...
...then his hands are on my arms and he is setting me gently back. I stare at him, stricken and dejected, until I see the look in his eyes. I am shaking and though he has centuries more control than I, he lets me see that he too is moved by what we just shared. I had no idea Caden ever felt anything for me...
I did not even notice the splash and startled curse as Bobby's plastic glass shatters in his grip.
Caden bowed slightly to me and melted into the crowd. I numbly sat back down and picked up my drink, holding it in both hands lest my shaking spill it, and had the presence of mind to glare over at Cameron. "Happy now?"
She was staring at me openmouthed, and didn't even have the grace to look abashed.

The rest of the party passed in a blur. I waited for Caden to ask me for a dance, but he never did. Somebody, I think Cameron, said something about presents, and in a moment of clarity, I asked her to keep track of who gave me what.
I opened each gift, smiled and thanked the giver graciously, but my eyes kept straying to the flat, neatly wrapped package off to the side until it was put into my hands. I looked around, and Caden was far across the room, but I knew he was watching. I slowly loosened the paper, undid one end, and pulled out an illustrated history of Wales. I opened the book and paged through it. The photos were breathtaking. Wales... where Caden is from. Knowing my love of history, he was trying to share his heritage with me. In a way, he was sharing a part of himself. He was too far away to speak to, but I met his eyes, clasped the book close and mouth 'thank you'. He gave me that hint of a smile and bowed his head.

I wad modeling the opera-length velvet coat my father had given me when I felt hands on my shoulders. "One more present," a voice whispered in my ear, and I felt the delicate weight of a chain settling on my neck, hands sweeping my hair aside to clasp it behind my neck. I looked down and saw a lovely cat pendant. It looked like silver, but it couldn't be, because it was not burning my skin. Gods, how could Bobby afford to buy me platinum jewelry? More to the point, why would he?
He moved in front of me and rested his forehead on mine. "Nothing's too good for you, beautiful," he whispered. My lips formed his name, but I could not speak. He smiled, gazing into my eyes. "Didn't you know I've been waiting for you?"

The party finally ended and I was going into my room carrying a bag of presents in one hand and Caden's book in the other. I put down the bag and walk to the mirror, looking at my reflection. I looked pale and a little scared, Bobby's necklace resting against my skin and Caden's book clasped in my arms. When did life become so complicated? This morning I didn't think of either of them romantically, and now my mind was swirling with them and I didn't know what to do. Someone called my name from the corridor, and I walked to the door and looked around.
"Mara." It was Bobby, looking as serious as I have ever known him. "I know this is sudden and I don't want to push you, but I planned to do this anyway and I can't let him... I mean, I... oh, hell." He stepped forward, slid his hands into my hair, and kissed me. It was startling, and urgent, and I felt how hard he was trying to make it good for me. I didn't even have time to decide if I liked it because there was a noise and I jolted away and looked up, and there was my father carrying the forgotten opera coat, and just behind him...
...Caden, whose face was as cold and stark as I had ever seen it. My father was speaking but I couldn't hear him, I could only watch Caden turning and vanishing into the shadows. I shook my head and pulled away from Bobby to take the coat from Papa. Papa, seeing my face, hugged me and I huddled into his arms, burying my face in his lacy shirt. Suddenly he was the only male I felt safe with anymore.

"And you never suspected before today that either one of them felt anything for you?" Cameron was sitting on the bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, watching me pace. I'd been doing a lot of pacing since the party ended a few hours before.
"No! Did you?"
"Not Caden, but Bobby's had a thing for you for ages. What do you think kept getting him in trouble with his dates? Maybe you didn't know, but they sure did," she said matter-of-factly.
"And how was I supposed to know that when he was always with the blonde of the week? None of them even looked like me!" I protested.
She shrugged. "Maybe because they weren't supposed to be you. I don't know, and I'm not trying to defend him. I'm just telling you what I know."
"And what about Caden? What if I'm wrong about him? Oh man." I sat down hard in the room's only chair. "What if he only felt sorry for me because I was embarassed, and I'm working myself up over nothing?"
"Sweetie, I may not know anything about Caden, but I know kisses, and I had a damn fine view of this one. That was no pity kiss. That man wanted to kiss you, and he didn't want to stop." She looked up at me wisely. "And I don't think you wanted to stop, either."
I mumbled into my hands, "He's a five hundred year old master vampire. What would he want with a sixteen year old halfblood?"
"Don't use that word. Besides, aren't you the one who always says vampires are a product of the age they're born in? They can adapt to modern customs, but they're shaped by their upbringing. Right or wrong?"
"So?"
She folded her arms and gave me an eyebrows-up look that seemed to say, Do I really need to tell you the obvious? "So, how old were women usually married when he was mortal? I'm no history buff like you are, but I know if you'd lived back then, you'd have been a wife and maybe even a mother by this age."
I tried not gape at her. "When did you start paying attention to my history lectures?"
"Don't change the subject. And you know there's no one else in his life. Before this evening, I would have sworn he was as cold and stiff as one of his swords. Now I don't know."
I looked up at her. "So you think I'm better off with Caden?"
"Hon, I have no idea. I don't envy you. Caden I don't know anything about, and Bobby... well... how did you like it when he kissed you?"
I thought about that, then gave up. "I don't know, we got interrupted so fast."
"Well, maybe you should find out."
I gave her a look. "Good idea. ’Hey Bobby, I'm not promising anything, but give me another kiss so I can decide if it's as good as Caden's.'"
"Hey babe, you asked my opinion, you got it."
I sat down on the bed, shoulders slumped. "I know, I'm sorry. I guess I just need to think."
"No, you need to feel," she corrected. "You need to figure out which one you really want, if either."
"Yeah, but how do I do that?"
She sighed. "I wish I knew."

"And... defend. Back. Keep your balance. Watch for openings in my defense. Don't block, you don't have the strength to block me. Divert the blow."
I was not fast enough, and I was staggered backward from the impact of Caden's strike, falling to my knees. He was holding back as always, never letting me get injured, but he uses enough force to discourage me from messing up. Not that that stops me. I must be improving though, because he was getting tougher on me than he used to be.
"I told you not to try to block. I could have broken your arm," he said with some asperity, and I scowled at him.
"Most opponents I end up fighting are probably not going to be as strong as you, Caden." I stood up and brushed myself off. He knew better than to offer me a hand up.
"Have I not told you that you must adapt your technique to the strengths as well as the weaknesses of your opponents?"
"Give me a break, I'm still learning."
"An enemy will not 'give you a break'. Do not expect me to do so either."
I smiled a little. I knew better than that anyway. Did I expect him to ease up off me after the party? Fat chance. He had not mentioned the kiss or even hinted about it, so neither would I. And I was not about to tell him that what was distracting me was him. What does Cameron know anyway?
"Something amuses you?" he asked.
"Just that I feel sorry for anyone who picks a fight with me after a few more years' training with you."
He did not smile, but I saw a suspicious sparkle in his eyes. "That is the idea."
I moved back into a defensive position. "Okay, let's go again."

"Mara!" I turned, and Bobby stepped out from a crowd of students near the lockers. "How are you doing?"
It was three days after my party, and I was still just as confused. I hadn't seen Bobby since that abortive kiss, and I'd thought that seeing him again might help, but so far it wasn't. He came to a stop in front of me, keeping an artificial distance between us, and I realized how much he had always found excuses to touch me. I was so used to the touchy-feeliness of the various weres that I had not thought anything of it until I stood facing Bobby and felt the lack of his touch.
"I'm okay." I cleared my throat. "I didn't get to tell you, I'm glad you could make it to my party. And thank you for my gift." I reached up to touch the necklace.
He grinned, pleased. "You're wearing it."
"Of course I'm wearing it. It's beautiful."
"Is that the only reason?"
Oh man. "Bobby..." I was silenced by his two fingers over my lips, and then he stepped closer and replaced them with his lips, a playful kiss.
"Don't worry, gorgeous. I'm not asking you to run off and marry me." He grinned wickedly. "Though that might be fun for the reactions!" He traced one finger down my cheek. "Just give it a shot, doll. Go out with me. Do date kind of stuff. Give love a chance."
I gave him a sardonic look. "Isn't that supposed to be 'give peace a chance'?"
Again that impudent grin. "Not with us. So what do you say? Make your old friend a happy man."
I sighed. How can I argue? "Okay, fine."
He grabbed me around the waist and gave me an enthusiastic smack on the lips. "I knew you couldn't resist me."
I rolled my eyes. What was I getting myself into?

For the next few weeks, I acted and felt more like a "normal" teenager than I ever had before. Bobby and I went on double dates with Cammie and her boyfriend, who's on the soccer team with Bobby. We went to the movies; we joked over pizza and discussed school events. I didn't have much to add to the latter discussions, but hey, I didn't have to be the center of attention. It was fun and comfortable... except when I was alone with Bobby. Then his smiles faded and his kisses got serious and I didn't know what to do. I closed my eyes and put my arms around him and waited for a slow heat that was never quite there.
Cammie and I cheered for the boys at the soccer finals, and when they won she dashed onto the field to tackle her boyfriend in a hug. I followed at a more sedate pace and Bobby grabbed me around the waist and kissed me exultantly. I returned the kiss and smiled with everyone else, but I knew this wouldn't end well.

"Hey, beautiful. Howcome I haven't heard from you in days?" Bobby had shown up at the Circus after school one day, and was grinning at me like nothing's wrong. He's one of my best friends, but lately my heart sank when I see him, this time worst of all.
"You know my schedule, Bobby. I've been up late every night this week going to Papa's businesses with him. I have to sleep sometime."
He looked at me with a frown beginning to crease his forehead. "I haven't seen you at school either."
"Uh, yeah, that. I've switched to fastrack."
"Fastrack? Why? You've only got another year and a half."
"I know, but I think I can graduate by the end of this summer if I put my mind to it. It's really more sensible." He was frowning even harder. "Bobby, I've never liked school the way you do. There's really no point in my staying another year if I don't have to."
"Oh," he said, then brightened. "So you're going to college next year? Which one do you have in mind?"
"I haven't decided yet. Bobby, we really need to talk."
"That sounds bad. What did I do?" He smiled at me, clearly joshing.

I didn't return the smile. "Let's go sit down." I turn to walk away, but he caught my arm.
"Mara, you look way too serious. What's on your mind?" I know he's twigging on that something is wrong when he calls me by my name. Somehow, I don't think I'll be hearing the nicknames again anytime soon.
I sighed, not looking forward to this. "Bobby, you asked me to give it a chance and I have. But this... you and me... it's just not working."
"But I thought we were having fun!"
"I did have fun, sometimes. You are one of my best friends, and I've always enjoyed your company. And I've tried to think of you like a boyfriend, but I just can't."
He was looking pissed now. I supposed that's better than upset. Marginally. "It's only been two weeks. You haven't given me a chance."
"Yes, I have, and I don't see the point of dragging it out. You'd only be hurt more if I played girlfriend longer when I wasn't feeling it."
"I can't believe this. You're dumping me, what, for a vampire?" He drew himself up angrily, and I was suddenly uncomfortably aware that he was nearly half a foot taller than I am.
"This has nothing to do with anybody else, Bobby," I told him with forced patience. "It's about us. We just don't work. We have nothing in common."
"The hell we don't. We have plenty in common. You just never wanted it to work!" His voice was steadily rising, and I was sure half the Circus could hear him now.
"That's not fair, Bobby." I deliberately kept my voice low.
"No, what's not fair is you letting me think I ever had a chance. I should have known I'd never be good enough for the Master's Daughter."
I gasped in outrage. That comment hurt, which was my only excuse for what I said next. "Well, I'm sure you'll find some cute blonde cheerleader to console yourself with. You certainly never had a lack of them before you made a move on me. Why did you move on me, by the way? Is it maybe because I'm the Master's Daughter? Because I hate to break this to you, but sleeping your way to the top doesn’t work among vampires. I won't even inherit."
He recoiled, shock crossing his face. “You cold little bitch. You don't even know what love is," he snarled, and stalked up the steps and out the door.
I managed to hold the anger together until I got to my room and it was safe to burst into tears.

I was lying on my bed in a profound state of self-pity several hours later when trouble came back with a vengeance in the form of my other apparently-soon-to-be-ex best friend.
"Mara, what the hell is wrong with you?"
I sat up, startled by her vehemence. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Bobby, that's what! What the hell are you playing at?"
"I'm not playing at anything!"
She didn't even hear me. "Do you just have so many guys on your string that ditching one of your oldest friends is no big deal?"
My jaw dropped. That was so far from the truth that I was more shocked than angry. "Cameron MacNamera, what the hell have you been smoking? You of all people know damn well I'm not like that!"
"Sure, that's what you want people to think, with your braid and your high collars, but it doesn't matter, does it?" She stalks forward and pokes me in the chest. "Anything Rich Girl wants, she gets, including guys!"
"Cameron, where the hell is this coming from? I have never lorded my family's money over you, and if anybody around here has a string of guys, it's you! I'm not the one with dates every weekend, borrowing scarves to cover hickeys! I don't even try to get guys' attention!"
"Yeah, but you don't have to, do you? You never had to dress up or flirt like the rest of us! They all want you anyway, and the more you reject them the more they like you!"
"Okay, that is IT! I haven't done anything to deserve this, and if you're just going to hurl unfair accusations at me..."
My voice trailed off as she flung herself onto the bed and burst into tears. "I hate you. You get everything so easy. All these people love you, and you just feel sorry for yourself because you're not normal! I'd kill to be you! You're this beautiful, magical thing and I'm just this grubby little human following you around!"
Now I was truly gobsmacked. "What are you talking about, Cameron? You've always been more popular than I am! Half the people in school are your friends, and you'd probably have more if you didn't alienate the wingnuts by being friends with me!"
She lifted a tear-streaked face from the bedspread. "I'm not talking about at school! You have all these people here who love you, and my own father doesn't even want me!"
Suddenly it all made sense. All the anger melted out of me. "Is that what this is about? Why do you care what that wasted jackass thinks?"
"He's my father! He's supposed to love me! So why does Mom have to keep taking him to court just to get him to pay child support? I saw him in the courtroom and he wouldn't even look at me!"
I sat down on the bed next to her and started stroking her back. "Cammie, you can't judge yourself by that guy's opinion. He doesn't care about anything but where the next hit is coming from. The only worthwhile thing he ever did in his life was siring you!" I smiled in sad affection. "You daft wench, you think nobody loves you? How about your mother? How about me? How about everybody here? How many holidays have we spent together? You've lived at the Circus nearly as long as I have!"
She turned onto her side and curled up, sniffing. I got a tissue box from the nightstand and put it next to her and she grabbed some, burying her face in them.
"How many beautiful outfits do you have in your closet that Papa had made for you? Do you think he'd do that if he didn't care about you?"
"Your father buys clothes for everybody," she sniffled.
"Not everybody," I laughed. "But he did for you, because you're part of the family here. And remember Jason teaching us to drive? How Cherry used to have to patch us up after we rode our bikes off hills and into ditches? And you can probably kick the ass of almost anybody in school after all the self-defense lessons Caden gave you. Don't try to tell me that didn't come in handy."
She gave a watery chuckle, and I poked her with affectionate annoyance.
"You've got tons of people who love you. Don't worry about what the sperm donor thinks or doesn't think. You're a hell of a lot better than he'll ever be. And by the way, you want to talk about envy? I'm jealous as hell of how easily you make friends. How everybody likes you and listens to you. They just look at me like I'm a fanged weirdo. Guys may want to get into my pants, but they don't like me. And it's not just because I'm hybrid, because look at Bobby. I'm just not normal. Even the way I look sets me apart from the real humans."
"You're not that bad," she said in a voice only slightly sniffly.
"Yeah right I'm not. Now was this really only about the sperm donor?" I lifted a skeptical eyebrow at her.
She smiled wryly. "Mostly, I guess." I watched her steadily until she hesitated and cast her eyes downward. "Okay, not just that. It's Bobby. I've liked him for ages, but he was always stuck on you."
"Believe me, if I could give him to you, I would!" I said so emphatically that she laughed. "Besides, I thought you were happy with Aaron?"
"I am, I am. It's just that I didn't feel so bad about not getting Bobby when I thought he'd wind up with you. I don't mind so much giving up a guy for my best friend, but when you broke up with him so fast, I felt like I'd given up a guy I really liked just for you to throw him away. I got so mad."
I didn't bother pointing out he was never hers to give up. No point being nasty. "Cammie, I never wanted Bobby to like me that way."
"I know, I know."
"I'm serious. I thought he'd wind up with you! He's way better for you than he is for me."
She gave me a watery smile. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter now, does it? Aw, hon..." she leaned against my shoulder. "I'm sorry. I had no right to jump all over you like that."
I put my arm around her and hugged her shoulders. "You're my best friend. That gives you more leeway to be a pain in the ass from time to time. And you know what? You're right; I do feel sorry for myself too much. I should be glad for what I have. Like my cranky wench of a best friend."
She laughed. I stood up and pulled her up off the bed with me, and was slightly startled when she pulled me into a hug. "I love you too, you fanged weirdo."
I grinned at her, deliberately flashing fang, and grabbed her hand. "You betcha. Now come on, let's go raid the kitchen for snacks."
As we walked out of the room, I caught a glimpse of us in the mirror. Sun-streaked blonde hair and midnight-black. Tan and vampire-pale. Day and night. Best friends.

Cameron blinked at me lazily from across the table. In raiding for snacks, we'd found a forgotten bottle of rum and decided to have a little fun. Rum and Coke, the amateur bartender's choice. It was a miracle we hadn't been caught yet since we're still sitting in the kitchen, but I figured we're overdue for a break. Cammie, well into her second rum and (Diet) Coke, was already looking decidedly more relaxed, and I was feeling pretty mellow myself partway into my third. Okay, very mellow. I was generous with the rum.
"S'funny, isn't it?" she drawled.
"What?" I responded brilliantly.
"Bobby. I liked him, he liked you, and now he probably won't wind up with either of us."
"Not with me, that's for sure. I don't think he's ever gonna talk to me again, and I can't say I care. The creep." I stared musingly into my drink. "I never was into blonde guys, anyway. 'Specially jocks with tans. Fancy me dating some guy who looks like a surfer."
She snerked at that. "Guess you did make sort of an odd couple."
"No shit," I said dryly, and she giggled. "How the hell does a hybrid get a tan anyway? And people think I'm weird."
"I heard," she chortled, deeply amused, "that his mom has a tanning bed in the basement of their house."
I took another healthy swig of my drink and considered Monica's suspicious year-round tan. "I b'lieve that. Just imagine the two of them toasting themselves to a golden brown in the thing."
Cameron dissolved into giggles, and I had to laugh too. But at least I wasn't giggling. Really.
"I dunno what you like so much about guys. They're nothing but trouble," I commented.
She giggled again, the lush. "Guys can be lots of fun if you let 'em."
I smirked. "Bet you know all about that, don't you?"
She nearly sputtered with outrage. "I am not... I never did... you know that!"
"I know, I know, I'm just messing with you," I said, all conciliation."But you know I can't risk it."
"You don't gotta go all the way with 'em, you know. That would be stupid. Just quit freezing out every guy who looks at you twice. Have a little fun." She gave me a coy look. "Like you were having at the party with whatshisface."
"Oh gods, shut up about that." I buried my face in my hands.
"I won't. It was good to see," she said firmly. "My best bud's got hormones after all."
"I don't know why I put up with you," I sighed.
"'Coz you love me, that's why," she grinned. "And you know I'm right." Then she coughed a very fake cough. "And speaking of loverboy..." she mumbled into her hand. I followed her gaze to see Caden in the kitchen doorway.
"Shut up, stupid! He can hear you!" I hissed. "I'm sorry," I told Caden, "You'll have to excuse her, she's drunk." It took way more concentration than I would admit not to slur my words.
He regarded me steadily and I blinked innocently. He wasn't fooled. "So are you."
"Am not. I'm just relaxed." I pushed back my chair and stood up, and promptly wobbled on my feet. "Crap."
Caden was instantly at my elbow, steadying me. "Relaxed indeed." I looked up at him. His expression was mostly blank, but his mouth twitched up at the corner.
"We're just going to bed anyway." I announced airily. Cameron dissolved into giggles again and I gave her a disdainful look. "Your mind is in the gutter. Come on, you. No way you're going to make it back to your room like this."
"Uh, yeah. I mean no." She struggled out of her chair. "Um, can you walk? 'Cause I don't think I can."
I sighed in exasperation and walked toward her. That was the idea, anyway. In fact, I got all of three steps before having to catch myself on the table. I glared back at Caden, whose mouth was very definitely twitching now. "Quit laughing at us."
His face went blank, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I would not dream of it. Allow me to escort you." He gave us a slight, courtly bow.
I looked dubiously over at Cameron and held out my hand, the other still firmly on the table. She took it and threaded her way unsteadily around the table until she was close enough to take Caden's proffered arm. My turn. I push off the table and walk very, very carefully to his other side, managing to get there without incident. Cameron promptly ruined my dignity by giggling. "You're so lit."
I gave her an evil look. "Pot, meet kettle. I hope you never let your dates give you booze. Let's go."
We could not all three fit through the doorway, so I had to catch myself on the doorframe and go first. Once in the hall I managed to make it to the opposite wall. Caden came out next, Cameron firmly latched onto his arm.
"Damn, Cade," a voice drawled behind us. "I thought I was a bad influence, but even I never got them drunk."
"He didn't!" I burst out, at the same moment that Caden, who was highly unamused, turned to give Jason a cold stare.
"Do I have to wonder about your intentions?" Jason leaned against the wall, grinning, utterly unfazed by Caden's visible annoyance. Jason knew perfectly well what was and wasn't going on, but the opportunity to get a rise out of someone as cool-headed as Caden was too much for him to resist. Sometimes Jason just does not know when to keep his mouth shut.
"Jason, please shut up," I moaned. "Don't rag on Caden, just help us."
The blonde werewolf shook his head, laughing. "You are gonna be in it so deep, Mara." He threw an arm around my shoulders, and I briefly contemplated showing him one of Caden's niftier throws. Oh well, at least I had distracted him.
I settled for muttering, "Git," and our odd little procession headed for my room, disaster hopefully averted.
I should have known better. As Cameron and I made our unsteady way into my bedroom, I heard Jason quip, "I'll cover for you this time, man, but next time you're going to have to find your dates somewhere else. I bet you'd be popular at Danse Macabre."
I whirled, grabbing for the knives hidden in my boots. Caden moved too quickly for even my preternaturally enhanced eyes to follow. One second Jason was grinning at Caden, the next Caden had him slammed against the wall, arm bent behind his back, holding him there by the arm and the back of his collar. Caden's face was set in a look of cold anger.
"Caden, don't!" I tried to project authority in my voice, raising one of the knives to throw. "He's just yanking your chain. Don't hurt him."
Caden's face slowly turned toward me and he met my eyes with cool amusement, barely sparing a glance to the knives in my hands. I let out my held breath slowly. He had not lost his temper after all. Jason would be fine. "Let him go."
Caden leaned close and spoke into Jason's ear in a low, deadly tone. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear; I would never do such things and I do not appreciate your implications. You will keep them to yourself if you are wise. I do not want to have to chastise you again." He slowly eased off and let Jason regain his footing. Jason's eyes had bled to wolf, but Caden paid him no mind. His attention was now entirely on me.
"You would truly kill me to save him?"
"I very much doubt I could kill you, even if I wanted to. But distract, yes. He is one of my people, Caden. You know I have to."
His face was expressionless. "Am I not one of your people also?"
I sighed a bit, my pounding heart finally beginning to slow. "Of course you are, but you weren't in danger."
"Thanks a lot, squirt," Jason said sarcastically. We both ignored him.
"And if I were?" Caden asked softly.
"Gods help us if we came up against anything that could seriously threaten you," I said with a humorless laugh. "But I said you're one of our people. You have risked your life for the rest of us. How could I do anything less for you?"
He stared at me for a long moment, his face set and cold, expression unreadable. I met his eyes and as if a curtain had been opened, I saw the weight of centuries there; centuries spent serving masters who demanded and never gave. The weariness of knowing he meant nothing more to them than what diversion he could give them. Resignation to the fact that they never cared what their demands cost him.
"It's true, man," Jason said quietly from behind him, and Caden turned that weary gaze to him. "It was hard for me to believe it too. When I came to serve her father, it was to escape alphas who didn't give a damn whether I lived or died. But that's not what Jean-Claude is about, or Anita either. They take care of their people, and so does Mara. Don't let her age fool you; that responsibility is who is she is."
I blinked at Jason. I had never thought about it, but it was true. I just knew that was what command was about. Anything less was just being a user, no better than those who had mistreated so many people I cared for. My father's people, and my mother's people, served and helped me, and that meant they were my responsibility too. I'd fight for them, because anything else was unthinkable.
"We all do," I said. The adrenaline rush abating, I shivered and Caden turned to me with a searching look, his thoughts flying behind his eyes. "It's the way things are here. We're stronger because we all protect each other. You're a part of that, Caden, and you have been since you made that vow to protect us. You get our protection too. You're one of us."
A long pause. I had not even realized that he'd hunched his shoulders a little until he stood up straight, shoulders back, and that frightening weariness seemed to lighten. His face was still relaxed, impassive, but something seemed to crystallize in his eyes.
Slowly, gracefully, Caden bowed to me. When he straightened up, his face was impassive but lacking that coldness and I knew this moment had been important. He had given me an incredible honor. I smiled hesitantly and returned the bow.
As the two men walked away, Jason's arm slung companionably across Caden's shoulders, I looked into the bedroom. Cameron had passed out on the bed and missed the whole thing. I crawled into bed next to her, but I lay awake for a long time, thinking about responsibility and weary green eyes.

Chapter 2: "Taking a Stand"
_________________________________________________________________
I woke with a jolt the next afternoon. The shower was running, and I belatedly remembered the events of the night before. I groaned. What had possessed me to raid that rum? And of all people to find me that way...
Then I remembered what had happened after, that moment that had inexplicably felt like the cold shiver of destiny.
"About time you woke up, lazybutt." Cammie came out of the bathroom, rubbing her hair with a towel.
"Nice robe," I commented dryly.
"Thanks, it's my favorite of the five or six you have." Cameron stuck her tongue out at me. How mature. "And keep it down, I have a headache."
I smirked at her, but lowered my voice. "Oh, really? Can't imagine why."
"And I bet you don't have a trace of a hangover. You suck, you know that?" She scowled playfully.
"Hybrid vigor, babe. Guess I just hold my liquor better than you do," I said smugly.
She made another face at me.
"I had a little eye-opener after you passed out." I told her the story and she gave me wide eyes.
"And Jason wasn't mad?" she asked, mystified.
"Not for long, no. You know how lycanthropes are, I guess he viewed it as a dominance thing. He pushed it too far, and Caden laid down the law. End of argument."
"Weird."
I shrugged. "Welcome to the world of metaphysical etiquette."

That evening Asher came to find me. One look at his face and I knew something bad was going on. He let loose a stream of rapid-fire French, and though I've spoken French all my life, I can't keep up when Papa or Asher really get going.
"Slower, please!" I told him in French. "I can't understand you."
He collected himself and answers in English. "You must come with me now, cherie."
"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned. Asher had been another father to me all my life, and I had never seen him like this unless things were really dire.

He stepped out of the room, beckoning me urgently to follow. "I do not know all the details, but s'il te plaît, just come with me now. Ton père is very upset."
I went with him. Whatever upset Asher enough to make him forget his English, I wanted to know about it now.
He took me into my father's sitting room, where there was already a group gathered, including my mother and father and all my father's highest ranking vampires, plus many of the local head lycanthropes. At one end of the room sat Richard and Sylvie, leader and second-in-command of the local werewolf pack, with Micah the Nimir-Raj of the wereleopards, and Rafael the Rat King. What on earth could merit a gathering of this kind of metaphysical heavyweights?
The tension level, the rising power, was nearly choking. The worst of it, strangely, was coming from Caden, who sat on the floor against the opposite wall, completely unmoving in that inhuman way of the older vampires. He had his knees pulled up in front of him in an uncharacteristically defensive posture.
"Sit down, Marvelle." My father's face had the polite blankness he got when he was controlling hardest. There being no chairs left, I sat down on the floor against another wall.
"Caden, please tell everyone what you told me last night," Papa said.
Caden was still for another moment, and then looked around, his face still hard and cold. "I was sent here to betray Jean-Claude's kiss."
My heart plummeted into my stomach.
"The Dragon fears Jean-Claude's power and seeks to destroy him before he becomes powerful enough to rival the Council." He took a deep breath, looking away from our eyes. "She knew this could not be done unless there was someone inside who was in a position to gather information and to strike at your weak point. I was sent for this."
He closed his eyes as if he didn't want to look at anyone. "I did not want to do it, but... She offered me my freedom if I did this one thing for her. You do not know..." He glanced up, uncertain. I had never seen Caden uncertain before. "Believe that I wished no harm to you or your kiss, but for centuries my very soul has not been my own. I would have done anything to escape them."
"But why wait so long? Haven't you been here for years already?" Raphael asked.
"She wished to be sure I was trusted, put in a position of responsibility. She waits for a moment when Jean-Claude is at his weakest to strike." He was staring off into the distance.
I felt cold all over. All this time, Caden had known we might be destroyed. For years, he had been a part of a plan to do it. All the time I had trusted this man with my life, my safety... had almost trusted him with even more.
He continued on inexorably. "I have put her off for nearly a year, but recently she has become impatient. She waits for my signal."
"You must understand that I believed little of what I heard of this kiss. I assumed Jean-Claude was no different from any other Master. I did not credit the stories of the respect and dignity allowed even to lesser vampires here. In my heart I have known for some time that I could not destroy what you have created here, but only very recently have I come to realize where my duty lay. I only do now what I should have done long ago."
"There's more, isn't there," my voice surprised me as much as anyone else. "There's more that you haven't told us yet." It was not a question.
His gaze met mine, and held that same tired look he had had the first time I had ever seen him, and the last. And more- there was an echoing emptiness, the near-despair of someone who has lost almost everything he used to be and has found he has nothing to replace it. What had happened in the last five centuries to strip away so much from him? "Yes. The Dragon wished for me to ensure victory by striking Jean-Claude's weakest point. To destroy his will to fight just before the attack by killing the dearest symbol of his power." He looked away. "I have no excuse but that she told me it was the last murder I would ever have to commit for her. After that, I would have my freedom and Mastery of the City for as long as I could hold it. I would be no one's creature."
I was very glad I was sitting down, because I suddenly felt dizzy. I laughed, short and humorless. "Father's weakest point. You mean me. You were sent to kill me." He didn't answer, which only confirmed it. "So why not do it, if it would have bought you your freedom?"
He actually flinched. "The words I spoke the night I came here were true, more than even I knew. As I have been here, I have come to realize that if I do what the Dragon asks of me, I will have no soul left to save. I would become the conscienceless killer she has sought to make me."
"That I cannot do. No matter what." He bowed his head, looking as if there were a great weight on his shoulders. "But yet I still thought to survive. So I fed the Dragon false information, made Jean-Claude seem weaker than he is. I hoped she would cease to consider him a threat, abandon her plan."
"She did not. And now she comes. I cannot prevent it. I can only warn you." He focused on my father. "Do as you will with me. I will defend your kiss if you are willing to trust me, but if you feel the need to destroy me, I will not resist."
The room was absolutely silent. I had never felt such cold fear. Father's weakest point. That was how the Vampire Council saw me: the weak link that would break the chain. I thought of all the times I'd sloughed off practicing fighting or shooting and was suddenly disgusted with myself. I'd kept myself feeble in a world where the powerless fall prey to the powerful. I'd gotten soft among humans. And I wouldn't just go down alone. I could take all those who loved me down with me. I wasn't a leader. I was weak.
No more. I stood up and walked across the room, conscious of eyes following my every step. I knelt in front of Caden, who watched me with something like dread in his eyes. "You tried to teach me to fight, and I didn't listen, not like I should have. But now I will." I held out a hand to him. "Please teach me. So I won't be the weakest point when they come for us."
He stared at me, at the cold determination in my eyes, and I saw an answering determination form, displacing that bitter emptiness. He gripped my hand. "I will." And the pact was made between us.
"So be it," my father said behind me.
The others stirred, began to move, and Caden and I stood without letting go of each others' hands.
"I'll go get changed," I said. "When shall I meet you in the workout room?"
"I must discuss things with your father," he said. "I will come as soon as I can."
"I'll be practicing till then."

We both held to our words. In the following weeks, I drove myself harder and longer than I ever had and Caden never faltered. I retired to my room every morning tired and bruised. Guns, hand-to-hand, even swords, nothing was left out. Even when he was busy elsewhere with preparations for the battle, I went to the shooting range with my mother or Nathaniel, I sparred with the others, or I practiced alone. Now I chose my clothes by how well I could hide weapons in them. I grew used to the weight of knives on my arms and legs, of a gun at my waist. It was all worth it. If I could become strong enough to defend myself and my family- all my family, the vampires and the weres included- then it was worth every bruise and drop of sweat. That was being part of something bigger, the responsibility that had been mine all of my life, though I was only just beginning to live up to it.
I only hoped it would be enough.

"I'm sorry, Cammie, there's no choice. You can't be here when the attack comes."
She had come into the workout room to find me, and I supposed there would be no better time would come for this talk. I had told her what Caden told us, leaving out the part about his being part of the attack. We sat on the floor facing each other, me cross-legged and trying to seem relaxed, her hugging her knees.
"But why?" she asked, and I shook my head resignedly.
"Does it really matter why? It's going to happen, Cammie, and you and your mother have to get out of town and not come back until it's over."
"Can't you come with us?"
I sighed. "No, Cammie, I can't. I have to be here to help fight. I have to defend my home and the people I love."
"But you're only sixteen!"
"It's the principle, Cammie. This is what I was born into. It's what I am. I could not live with myself if I ran off and let others do the fighting for me. If they lost, what would I have?"
"But what if something happens to you?" There were tears in her eyes. "You could get killed!"
"So could Papa, and Mother, and Asher, and Nathaniel, and Damian, and Jason, and Caden, and all of Papa's vampires and wolves and Mother's wereleopards. We're all at risk. But you're not a part of this. You and your mother need to escape, and if we fail, you cannot come back. Not for anything."
"But..."
"No, Cammie. You must go, and I have to stay. There's no other option. Even if I were coward enough to flee, they'd find me. They'd hunt me down, and I'd die anyway. I'd just die slower. They couldn't let me live. If my father was killed and I escaped, I could be a rallying point for his surviving forces. I could not be Master, but I could help determine who his surviving people supported, who got put in his place if the invaders were overturned. As long as I lived, his power would not quite be dead. You've read history, too. It's just like the medieval kings. If there's a revolution, if the Master is overthrown, the first thing that happens is the heirs and loyalists to the old regime are neutralized. If we lose, Cammie, the best thing for me would be to die in the battle. Anything else would be much worse."
She rested her forehead on her knees, letting her hair fall across her face, and I leaned forward to put my hand on her shoulder. "But that's the worst-case scenario. We have a lot of advantages. They're expecting to catch us unaware, but we've been warned. We know they're coming and we're preparing for them. We'll make sure we're ready when the battle happens. We've got a lot of good soldiers on our side, and we're going to give them a hell of a fight. But you can't be here, hon. If you're here, and they figure out you're special to us, they'll use you against us. We're getting Bobby and his mom out of town too. Promise me, Cammie, that you'll go. For me. I don't want to risk having your death on my conscience. Promise me."
She was staring at the floor, the tears drying on her cheeks. "My mom's sister lives in Oregon. I think we can go there." She dragged her gaze up to my face. "I don't want you to die, Mara. You're my best friend. I love you."
She choked on a sob, and I got up on my knees and put my arms around her, kissing her cheek. "I love you, too, hon. You've been my very best friend and I can't tell you what that has meant to me all these years. And I promise you I'll do my damnedest not to die, Cammie. We all will. We're going to fight to win." I held her shoulders comfortingly. "Papa is already talking to your mom. We'll get you tickets wherever you need to go, okay? And if you want to, you can tell me where you're going, and when it's all over I'll call you. I'll let you know."
Sensing another presence, I look up and see Caden standing near the door. Our eyes meet, and I look away from the compassion in his.

The next day, we drove Cammie and her mother to the airport. Cammie sat in the back with me. Her face was dry and she said nothing, but she held tightly to my hand. We walked them as far as we could, and I hugged first Ms. MacNamera, then Cameron. Cameron's hand ended up right on the sheath of the knife down my back, and I knew she could feel the gun under my jacket. She pulled away with wide eyes, and I tried to reassure her silently. This is how it has to be. It's safer this way. She nodded as if in understanding and walked slowly away. On the other side of the metal detectors, she looked back, and I raised a hand in farewell. Then her mother pulled her along, and she was gone.
I stood silently for a moment. Claudia put a hand on my shoulder, and I smiled briefly at her.
"Mara!" I turned and saw Bobby. I'd forgotten he and his mother were leaving today. I was mildly surprised; he hadn't spoken to me since the day of the breakup. He stopped short of me, breathless. His face was very serious. "Come with us."
"I can't, Bobby. You know that."
"Then I want to stay, Mara. I want to stay and fight with you. It's what my father would have done." He gazed at me with those true blue eyes, and I suddenly felt very old and tired.
"Bobby, thank you for the thought, but you're not prepared. You'd only be a liability." I hated to be brutal, but this was no time for heroics.
He looked at me sadly. "I can't protect you from this, can I?"
I shook my head slowly. "I'm the Master's Daughter. Nothing will change that. I wouldn't drag you into my world even if I could. And I can't leave it."
His eyes darkened. "I'm sorry, Mara. I'm sorry I was such a bastard. You were right. I hate it, but you were right. But you were wrong, too, that last thing you said. I did care for you. I still do."
"I'm sorry for saying that. I know it wasn't true." I looked at him, and his eyes were so pained. So innocent. I raised a hand to his face. "You have to go, Bobby. Go, live, and be happy. We'll see each other again."
I stood on tiptoe, put my hands on his shoulders, and kissed his cheek. He hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. If he noticed the weapons, he didn't mention them.
"Take care of yourself, doll," he whispered, and my eyes stung. I felt him press something into my hand and looked down. It was the cat necklace, which I had mailed back to him the day after our last fight. I looked up at him and smiled as bravely as I can.
"You bet."
His mother tugged on his jacket, and he turned to go. He only looked back once before they vanished into the crowd.

In the car, I turned away from Claudia, staring out the window for the entire trip home, and she kindly pretended not to notice my tears.

After that, the clock starts ticking in earnest. Father would send away many of his lycanthropes that day on the pretext of patrolling his territory, and before sunset they would secretly return through the newly reopened tunnel under the Circus. Caden communicated with the Dragon, and he was ordered to kill me and send her a vision of doing it as the signal to begin the attack.
Four days later, just after sundown, I was laying on a couch in the library, paging through a history book as if nothing was unusual, though my heart was threatening to pound its way out of my chest. I looked up and saw Caden in the doorway. His face was cold and set.
I smiled at him. "Hi, Caden!"
He said nothing, just moved closer with that smooth predatory grace to his movements. I looked up him curiously. "Caden? Is something wrong?"
His eyes were like icy chips of emerald. I suddenly felt chilled.
He drew his sword, and my eyes followed the movement. I didn't have to fake the fear in my voice. "Caden, what are you doing?"
He raised the sword over me. I looked from his stony face to the sword, and back. "Caden, what are you doing, why are you..."
The sword came down, and I screamed.
"No!!!!"

My father's power rose, suppressed Caden's, and the sword stopped just short of my body, biting into the couch behind me. I went limp with relief.
"Dear gods, I didn't know you were going to be that convincing."
He offered me a hand up, and unusually, I took it. I couldn't figure out why I was so shaky.
"Forgive me, Mara. Your fear had to be real. I... enhanced it."
I gave him a surprised frown. "You can cast fear? I didn't know that."
"It is not an ability I am proud of." His face was pale, paler than usual, and I wondered if it was stress or...
"You haven't fed, have you?"
"No. The Dragon ordered me not to, and I had to appear to obey her." We both heard sounds of battle above, and looked up. "We must go."
My mind was racing. "Caden, you're the best hope we have, and you're weakened. You need to feed."
"There is no time, and the battle is already begun!" he snapped.
"Then we'll have to be quick." I stepped closer to him, and his eyes seem to flare with power.
"I cannot. If I take a full feeding, you will be too weakened to defend yourself."
"Then don't do a full feeding. Even some will help, right? And hybrid blood is more powerful than human. Please, Caden, do it. We need your skills too much now for you to be slowed down by hunger." I held out my wrist, and his eyes fixed on the vein there.
"No," he whispered. I began to protest, but his raised hand made me pause. "The neck will be faster. Look at me." I frowned at him. "I can make it more comfortable for you, if you do not resist."
Oh. I looked up at him, at his eyes, and let my shields melt away. He drew me close against his body, and I was fascinated by the way his eyes seem to reflect light back as if from facets inside. A sweet lethargy came over me, and I slipped my hand behind his neck to pull him closer. His teeth sank into my skin, and it was as if the blood he was taking was being replaced by light and warmth, filling me to my fingertips. I just wanted to sink down to the floor and savor the sensation...
Before long he stepped back, his eyes slightly unfocused, and I made a soft sound of protest. He looked at me, and a brief look of sadness crossed his face. "I must beg your pardon again, Mara, but there is no time." He extended a hand towards me, and suddenly the soft languor was driven away by cold, crawling fear. I drew in my breath in a gasp and slamed down my shields. The fear abated, then he dropped his hand and it was gone, leaving only the rush of adrenaline. I sat up, shaking my head to clear it.
"Stay here at least for a few minutes, until you recover," he said, and added quietly, "I wish I could have made your first experience better." Then he was gone, vanishing out the door with his sword in his hand.
I stood up and walked over to the couch, and I didn't like how much effort it took, though I was gaining strength again quickly. I dug in the cushions and pulled out the extra gun hidden there. I may not be able to arm-wrestle vampires, but a few bullets will stop one just fine. I held it in both hands and hazarded a quick peek outside the door. Clear. I stepped into the hallway and the sounds of fighting were audible above. I moved up the stairs, slowly but warily.
I was nearly to the top when I was hit by something that moved like lightning. A vampire's face snarled into mine and I struggled. Thanks to years of lessons, I'm pretty good at struggling. I managed to get the gun between us and shoot the strange vampire, but only hit his shoulder instead of his heart. He roared in pain and backhanded me, and I was thrown back against the stairs, the impact knocking the gun from my hand. That was going to leave some lovely marks. Instantly he was on top of me, and though I fought hard, he was too strong and had the advantage of both size and position.
He sneered down at me. "My my, look who I've caught. So Caden didn't kill you after all. Won't my mistress be pleased to drain you dry. But not until I've had a taste."
He stood and held me hard against him. I kicked and fought, but I was not up to standard. He dragged me up the stairs and into the parking lot and suddenly the battle was raging around us. I could just see Caden, fighting almost too fast to be seen, a sword in one hand and a gun in the other. My mother was standing off to the side, firing her Firestar into the enemy vampires. As I watched, my father stabbed his sword into the throat of an adversary, the blood founting and soaking his frilled shirt. All around us our people struggled with the invaders.
"Jean-Claude!" my captor roared. My father turned from the battle, and his dark blue eyes widened when he saw me. "I suggest you surrender unless you want your pretty little daughter to die right now!" I fought harder and landed a nasty kick against the vampire's knee, but it only made him snarl in my ear.
"You sonofabitch. You are not doing this," I said through gritted teeth.
"Are you going to stop me, little girl?" his breath tickled across my cheek. It smells like old blood.
"Papa, no! Keep fighting, he'll just kill me anyway!" I screamed, and he shook me hard. My vision swam, and suddenly I was feeling the blood loss a lot more.
"No? Very well!" He turned me in his arms and dragged me upward to look into his eyes. "Look at me, little girl. Surrender to me."
His power marches over my body, and I frowned. Was this guy kidding? He had a few centuries, but he was not even a master. Hybrids' minds don't get rolled as easily as humans do, and I'm even less vulnerable to it than most hybrids. Plus I know how to shield from a vampire's mind tricks. There was no way this yahoo had enough juice to do me. But he thought he did, and maybe his ego was my chance to escape. I stared into his eyes and remembered the feeling of Caden putting me under. My body went slowly limp, and I gazed up at him with half-lidded, languorous eyes.
He smirked and looked up at those still fighting. "Last chance to save her, Jean-Claude! Give yourself up and maybe we'll spare her!"
Hot damn, he bought it. I remained limp in his arms, waiting until he was properly distracted. He yanked me around in front of him and let go with one hand to push my head to the side. My hand snaked up to the front of my jeans and pulled out the second gun, and lightning-fast, I jerked back from him, pressed the gun under his chin, and fired.
We fell in a heap and I skittered back up my feet, taking aim at his chest. Destroy the head and the heart and they won't come back. I fired several rounds until his chest was a bloody gaping mess.
Hurriedly I backed up against the wall, aiming the gun in front of me, watching for any more surprise attacks. None was forthcoming, so I scanned the battle. I saw a vampire leaping at Richard's back, and took careful aim. My first shot deflected the vampire, the second blew the top of his head completely off. I fired again, but the chamber clicked empty. I fumbled for another clip and with shaking hands I changed the clip and brought the gun up again, but the battle was winding down. Had it really been that long?
Overconfident, they hadn't brought as many soldiers as we'd expected. They had been mostly better fighters than us, but we had them outnumbered and they hadn't expected their best warrior to change sides. The element of surprise had been ours.
A single remaining vampire rose into the air, staring down at us. "You have won this time, but do not think you are safe, Jean-Claude." He turned to Caden. "And you. The Dragon knows of your treachery, and you will beg for death before she is done with you."
Simultaneously my mother and I fired. The vampire was knocked out of the air and fell to the ground with a loud splat, his chest a ruined hole.
The sudden silence was deafening.
I replaced the gun in my inner-pants holster, and rubbed my face with one hand. The hand came away with blood and thicker things on it. Abruptly I felt hot and nauseous, and my vision swims. I fell to my knees on the pavement, remembering the vampire's head being blown apart inches from my face. I retched, but there was nothing in my stomach to lose. I stayed there on my hands and knees, panting for breath.
I don't know how long I stayed there until Anita, Mother, offered me a hand up. I actually have a few inches on her, but right then she seemed a tower of strength. "The next time will be easier," she said.
I stared at her. Next time... of course there would be a next time. And she was right. It would be easier.
We walked into the Circus.

I don't know what they did with the bodies of the enemy vampires, and I didn't ask, but I suspect the huge furnace in the Circus was involved in the cleanup. Cherry looked at the bite on my neck with wide frightened eyes, but said nothing as she bandaged it. Everyone assumes the enemy vampire bit me, and neither Caden nor I have felt the need to correct that impression. Our losses were relatively light, but every loss was felt.
The Dragon is still out there. Whether the last vampire spoke the truth we do not know, but she has to know that Caden double-crossed her. He says nothing of it, but the enmity of a Council member is a serious thing. Caden is incredibly powerful, but is he powerful enough to face the Dragon? I have a feeling we are going to find out someday. There are times when his eyes meet mine, and I know he knows too. When that knowledge passes between us, we never speak of it. We just practice harder.
"Hello?"
"May I speak to Cameron?"
"Yes, please. Tell her Mara called. We won."
"No, no more. Just that. She'll understand."

The End (for now)
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Scroll down for a preview of the next in the series, "Cutting Shards".

Chapter 3: "Cutting Shards"

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five months later...
I crawled unsteadily into my bed just after dawn. I badly needed a shower, but I just didn't have the strength. My mind was replaying the events of the last twelve hours over and over again. Twelve hours. One night. Just half a day in which everything good and decent in my world was shattered into razor-sharp, cutting shards. Half a day in which I learned that no one could truly protect me. Time in which I learned that for all I had preached about the ugliness of life, I hadn’t known shit about it. I shut my eyes, trying to banish the vision of Caden's last, pained look at me.
I got up and slowly walked to the bathroom, discarding my clothes as I went. I turned on the shower and stood in the spray, then sat down and just let the water run over me.
I did not think I would ever feel clean again. Can you ever clean contamination from your soul?
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