Chapter 3

Term

Getting a feel for things

I came tonight for several reasons. The first was that I was invited, aparently all the 3rd tiers were presentand. It also turns out that being the new guy had gained me popularity points. Everyone wanted to get to know me. The problem was that I didn't really want to know them, but I did like to hang out and toss a few back, so I wasn't going to object.

There was only one person I wanted to know more about. Rose. That was the second reason I was here. I knew she would be, Mira had told Jesse this afternoon when he had asked. There was something about Rose that wasn't quite normal, even for a vampire's pet. Something miscalculated. Strange.

I had watched her from a distance for months and she was even more beautiful up close, if anyone could believe that. The way her dark hair shone red in some lights was stunning. She had an almost iridescent, beautifully untouched skin, that extended over every thin curve of her miniature body. There was only one catch.

Those eyes. I had gotten lost in the grey seas of them several times this week. No woman should have eyes that beautiful. It's a danger on society. Especially when they become speckled with green. Which was the other reason I was here. I needed to find out exactly what I was dealing with.I needed to know why she seemed human in every way except for that one aspect. Maybe she had been drinking vampire blood for so long that she was taking on a little more than the strength and stealth? I wasn't sure. I had never heard of anything like her before.

As of this point I knew absolutely nothing. I tried to avoid face to face with her all week, it seemed as though she was doing the same. We would both get to class late and stumble around each other, until we had studio and were forced to interact with one another. It was hard when she was my dance partner and in most of my classes. I decidid that I did better watching her from a distance. There was just something about her, that when I got near, tried to pull me in.

As I wandered through the crowd I searched for her. All of the level 3's were in attendance tonight. They were all seated around a large booth in front of the dance floor. All except one. Where could she be?

I circled the dance floor a little, watching the dancers. A few guys had pulled in the crowd and were break dancing in the middle of the floor. Baggy jeans and heavy hip hop weren't my style. I was Rock 'n' Roll, but I could appreciate it. They were good.

Standing there on the fringe of the dance floor I spotted her. She was standing in the shadows arguing with someone. She looked amazing when she was angry. Like a tiger, ready to pounce and devour her prey.

Tonight she wore a tight leather halter top that tied in the back, showing her midriff. She had a tattoo of vined roses traveling from between her breasts, down her side to hug her hip and tuck into her low, hip riding leather pants. I had seen it in dance, but had no idea it was that long. I found myself imagining where it ended.

. I made my way over, shaking my head to get the thoughts of her tight little body out of it. I had more importaant ting to worry about, I had a job to do here. I had to find out who it was that she was arguing with and what was going on. I was being paid to assist her after all.

I let my senses expand and could feel waves of power as I moved to the shade that was blocking her from view of the dancers. I knew that she couldn't see me even though I could see her, but could she sense me there? Could her challenger? Reaching out I felt a familiar vibe. Bones. She was arguing with Bones.

"-My freedom! Mine! You gave me the options and I made my decisions based on what I could live with. Why can't you let me be?" She was livid.

"That doesn't mean your choices don't come with conditions. You need to realize the position I now have to take." His voice sounded threatening, but she didn't seem to be backing down.

"Bullshit! Get off whatever damn horse you rode in on! You have no position here, Bones. This is my life and your fucking with it."

"Rose you need to-"

"Why do you even care? Is this because now Cat knows? Huh? She know what your doing, doesn't she? What I do when you aren't around is none of your business. It hasn't been for years, so stop

sending people and pretending like you care!" She started to walk away as he grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Your barking mad if you think I'm going to let you beg off like this. It effects us all, Princess." If I could see better I knew that his eyes would be glowing green. He was pissed.

"NO! You think it does, but you weren't there! I was! I know what-"

"You know nothing!" Bones must have felt my energy, he paused before he continued. "We'll discuss this later tonight."

"I won't be there." She ground out.

"Bloody hell you won't. I need to say my peace too and you will listen."

"No I won't. And if you're at my house tonight I won't stop, I'll just keep going. I do have other places to go."

"I'll find you, Princess." He spat his final word.

"Then bloody try it!" She mocked him as she walked away.

Honestly, I was surprised that he just let it go. I always thought him to be a killer, a predator, but to have a woman degrade him? I knew he was angry from the look on his face, like he had a bitter tate in his mouth, but yet he did nothing. Something was going on here, between the two of them, and I didn't like it.

As she moved past, she glared at me and joined her classmates on the dance floor, automatically consuming the audience with her anger inspired movements, the three guys moved to the side. That was when Bones moved toward me.

I didn't bother to turn to him. I had several feelings toward him at the moment. None of them good.

"I know your hearing is just fine, Mate. Whatever you heard, it doesn't go any further then right here." He spoke low and to the point.

I nodded. Watching her move on the floor. She put so much force and anger behind her moves now. It was always incredible to see a dancer put their feelings into their moves. I could just feel her anger.

"By and by," He suddenly perked up, as he spoke matter of factly. "I'm glad you're here tonight. She exhausted my last three men within hours. Good thing I wasn't very close to any of them."

"Exhausted?" She was just a tiny thing after all and I imagined with the measures he remained to go through that they had to have been of the supernatural.

"Let's just say, if you were a Vampire she would have sent you back to me in a body bag by now, or at least with a couple peaces between your legs waiting to grow back. Since she can't figure out who, or what, you are she can't touch you. I'm glad it's working."

"I should consider myself lucky then." I replied sarcastically. I continued to ask myself what the hell was going on here. What the hell was she? Who was she and what was she to Bones?

"Very." His tone was clipped. "I have to get home. My Kitten's got her ball wound a little tight as of late and no one wants to catch her in the wrong spot. Watch Rose closely tonight. Make sure she gets home safe. With no complications."

I nodded again as I mentally griped. If I had said it once I had said it a thousand times, I hated the way her name spat out of his mouth and the way he called her Princess. She wasn't an object to be toyed with. I wasn't even sure what was going on and I did NOT like it. I knew nothing! I had never gne into anything blind before. I had always been calm and calculated and now... Now I didn't even know what, or who, I had to protect her from or even how I was going to do it. I was back up plan right? But against what?

He left then and I was standing there, watching her. She had a detestable smile on her face as she danced. Her hair swung over her shoulder to reveal her neckline. At that moment I pictured Bones drinking from her. Putting his fangs in that beautiful neck and blood dripping from her veins.

I scoffed.

Rose

After several drinks and a ton of dancing it was time to go. We all packed up and moved to the field. Bottles in hand, our whole group trudged across the field in the dim lights. There were fifteen of us in our group, we didn't all like each other, but we tolerated one another.

The football field, ofcourse, hadn't changed a bit. The bleachers were still on the oposite end of the field from the parking lot. A chain-link fence separated them from the field. This is where we had wound down for the past several years after our nights out. Sometimes we would even pass the dancing, just to come out here.

"Why is it always this far to get to benches?" Mira asked with a giggle.

"It's just a little stretch of the legs!" I felt liberated somehow, from my interaction with Bones. After the anger had subsided I felt very happy and somewhat carefree, so I hopped around her and skipped a little.

"You're not a pixie, you can walk normally." Jesse griped. Although he had been in the crowd all evening he had kept his distance. His girlfriend helped with that. She was actually very nice, she just didn't really blend into our group.

Jesse and I had shared only part of a dance at the club. We were trying to show that we could be civil. It went well until we started to argue about why I had left. That was when Term cut in to save the day, but refused to talk to me. Why? I may never know. I wondered how much he had heard of my conversation with Bones? Bones had hired him. How much did he actually know?

"She's happy, man. Let her have her fun." Term spoke out for the first real time all night. All week for that matter. Maybe he was drunk.

I giggled at the thought of him being drunk. Maybe I was a little drunk for that matter, I didn't normally giggle.

He did have a very calming voice. Very authorative. The type of voice that when he spoke everyone listened. I could see Jesse register that Term was not one to take lightly. Although he gave an unpleasant look, he didn't say another word.

When I turned to look at Term those deep brown eyes bore into mine as the corner of his mouth lifted in a snide smile.

"Isn't that what tonight's about?" He asked, "Having a good time? Putting everything else aside?"

"Are you drunk?" I blurted out.

"What?" His forehead creased, but the smile remained.

"Never mind." I was going to change the subject, but then I thought better of it. Since he was actually talking to me I should ask. "You're my partner and you haven't said more than three words at a time to me all week. Why is that?"

He shrugged, "I have other, important things to do."

My smile faded at that. His more important things were to watch and protect. Bones's orders. I lifted the bottle of rum to my lips and took a swig. I needed more!

When we had made it to the tables I sprawled out on one of the benches, my head in Mira's lap, as a couple of others formed around the table.

Some were playing drinking games, talking and dancing, while some were reminiscing.

"Do you remember how all this started?" Mira asked me, as she smoothed my hair. "I can't remember."

"Of course you can't, I'm surprised you know your name at this point." We both giggled.

"All what?" Jesse asked in all seriousness. "Us coming out here?"

"Yeah." She over at him.

"That's easy," Jesse, spoke up from the other table. "Jeremy got caught with that fake ID at the club, when we all got kicked out we came here!"

"And who sold me that ID, Man?" Jeremy spoke from our table.

I started to giggle again when the memory had hit me.

"Not my fault, Abden!" The name on the ID had been the funniest part. He had gotten in alright, it was just what had happened when he was in the club. "You just couldn't hold your liquor." Jesse laughed.

"He could hold it just fine, just couldn't swallow it without booting!" Someone piped in and everyone laughed as the picture of Jeremy puking on the bouncer came to mind.

"That poor bouncer!" Someone crooned.

"You puked on a bouncer?" Term leaned at the end of our table near my feet as he drank his beer. "Man, I've never seen anyone that bad before."

"It wasn't my highest moment." He shrugged. "We've all gotten caught with our fake IDs at one point or another and we always ended up back here."

"Mira and Rose have never gotten caught." Another person spoke up.

"Yeah, how did that happen?" Someone else asked.

"We're older, plus I have an uncle in the business of fake ID's. He's great with new identity." I smiled widely. Seeing 'Uncle' Tate in my head. If he only knew what we had really used them for...

"I was twenty-one five years before my 21st birthday!" Mira chimed.

"Six for me." I giggled.

Term glanced down at me in what had to have been admiration for my recklessness and smiled widely.

"Why didn't you help out everyone else?" Kim asked.

"It didn't matter, Babe." Jesse told her. "We had more fun here anyway."

"Some of us had more fun than others."

"Chris-"

"Just puttin' it out there like it is, man." I froze. I had a feeling I knew where this was going. "Wouldn't you say that you might have had the most fun here, Rose?"

"Shut up." I didn't need this. Not tonight. I looked to Mira for help.

"You really liked Jesse's convertable, huh?" He kept taunting. Pain and anger jerked through my body as I glared at Chris. He was Jesse's best friend. I should have known that Jesse had told him, but he had no right to bring it up now. It wasn't fair to me, Jesse or Kim.

"Shut up, Chris." Mira turned on him. "Don't you think that's enough?"

" I remember correctly she was particular to the back seat."" He moved over to our table, I guessed to view my expression, what he and I didn't expect was Term meeting him halfway. Like a tall statue, with his arms crossed, blocking Chris's path.

Looking between the two of them, I noticed Term's eyes turning that Amber color as the waves of magic rolled around us. He wasn't vampire. Not even close, but he was something that had mood flashes just as vampires did. Something ferral and strong.

"Okay, Chris. That's enough." Jesse sighed and spoke up before I could respond.

"Just sayin-" Chris shrugged as he glared up at Term.

"No one here wants to hear it." Term bit out. Then he turned and gave me a sympathetic glance. I couldn't say a word. I scanned the group, everyone was now looking at me.

"She knows that she's fully open to ridicule. She's the one that disappeared. She didn't even talk to you about leaving, Jesse. Now she's back, god knows how she keeps getting back into school, and we have to act like she's one of us again! Hell no!" He turned from Jesse sympathetically then rudely confronted me. "Just because the school let you back in it doesn't mean that we should."

"Let it be." Jesse spoke quietly, "She's always been one of us. She's part of the team. She's a great dancer and we need her."

"Bullshit! For some reason you love her and don't want to let her go. It's over, man." Chris started to stare down Term who stood like a brick wall, but apparently thought better of it and shyed away."Look! Doesn't anyone find him a little ironic? As soon as she returns he comes to the school too? He's her dance partner and he's willing to fight for her after only one week?" Chris looked around the group before glancing back at Term. He wouldn't meet his eyes.

Jesse's eyes widened at the assumption Chris had thrown out there. Term stood his ground, still unmoving. Anger flooding his eyes. To give him credit, he may have looked like he wanted to reach out and strangle Chris, but he didn't. He was just staring him down.

"I want to play some football. Did anyone bring a ball?" Mira tried to change the subject. With cheers some people ran to the field. A few people lingered before deciding to leave the fight. Term stood his ground until Chris sulked away. I stayed.

When Term finally turned, his eyes bore into mine. I sat there staring into those amber colored eyes. They were trying to tell me something. I just had no idea what.

"Are you coming?" Mira moved toward everyone else.

"Nope, I'm going for a walk." I glanced at the woods.

"I'll come with?" She glanced over my shoulder where Term still stood, watching me.

"We both know that I'll be perfectly fine. I need to be alone for a bit. We both know that I never get any freedom." I rolled my eyes at her concern and moved toward the woods. "I'll be back shortly."

"Okay." She agreed, but moved very slowly to get to the group.

Term then turned his back toward me. His body hadn't moved an inch since he had stationed himself in that spot. I could no longer see his eyes, but he had to have been trying to calm himself.

Fall was always my favorite season. The smell of the leaves, the sounds they made under my feet and the rich colors had always amazed me.

The open air was working it's way through my senses. I wanted to feel and see my favorite season fully and I was going to tonight. I had already decided.

I glanced around to make sure no one was there. The last thing I needed was someone coming to check on me. They wouldn't have been able to tell, but I would know and it felt dirty enough without having to be around other people.

When I finally allowed my natural instincts to take over. I could feel the ripples of power leading through my body to the core. Like millions of pins and needles poking me simotainiously.

I rarely allowed my body to go at full force, to open my mind and body was dangerous. I had always been told that it could be deadly if anyone found out what I could do. It had all been proven to me in the past 3 years. I had lost loved ones to protect my powers and the circumstance of my birth. I was done loosing.

The joy of it all was that I was able to hide everything when I wanted to. There was no way anyone would know the difference. The eyes, the tears and the power were always there, but rarely seen. Why not hide it? Most of the time I lived as a human. I was human. That is until my rage got the best of me and I slipped. I liked my humanity. I swore by it.

Now my body and mind were open to my other half though. Alone in the woods I could run miles in the matter of minutes, so I did. I could easily weave through the trees and brush. I loved how the wind felt in my hair, how the leave rapidly crunchd under my feet. How strong and powerful I felt. I needed this, it felt great. It was part of me. I needed the freedom, the peace, to feel the burn from running full force felt great..

'What the hell?' And there is the drawback. The lovely gift from my parents.

Term had fallowed me. How? How could he keep up with me? The fact that I could hear him told me a little something. He was supernatural. If he had been human I wouldn't have been able to hear him.

I slowed my pace to a humanly walk and closed down. I had only run about eight miles when I heard his thoughts from behind me. Damnit Term!

I stopped all movement and turned, trying to hear his footfalls. There would be no surprizes tonight. "What do you want? I

came out here to be alone and you being here defeats that purpose."

"You can't be alone out here, it's too dangerous." I couldn't see him, he was definately here though. His voice came from the woods to my right, but since I had shut my senses down I couldn't spot him. Was he hiding?

"How do you move so fast?" His voice sounded cut and short.

"Go back and tell Bones that he of all people can go to hell! He knows that I can take care of myself and I don't need you. I don't need anyone." I huffed, still breathing heavier from my run. Yelling into the dark night wasn't my favorite thing to do. I stationed my hands on my hips, "Can you get over here so I don't have to yell?"

Suddenly he moved out from behind the trees and brush. The look on his face was fully predatory as he moved in, only inches away from me. I stood my ground, he wasn't going to intimidate me.

"What is he hiding you from?" He was so quiet that his question was nearly inaudible.

"He knows me." I shrugged. "Plus he's trying to piss me off because I hate him."

Moving closer to me, he shook his head,watching me intently, removing a curl from my forehead. "You stand there, with no fear at all, like being confronted alone in the woods by my kind is normal. Like I'm normal."

"How did you reach me? What are you?" I whispered swallowing hard, not because I was scared. He was just really close, and moving closer. "I'm used to people showing off

and I'm not afraid of you. I grew up near an army base with a lot of vamps." Why was he so close?

"Are you his pet? His plaything?" His face grew sour as he looked me over from head to toe, "Or just his property?"

"I don't have any ties to any vampires, and that includes Bones." I was no one's property. I had been told the fundamentals of belonging to a vampire. That they had property in their humans that they fed from, sired or slept with. That they had ownership within their lines and anyone can join those lines. I was on my own. It kept me out of the politics of it all.

"Bones sent me…" He came closer, then paused momentarily to look down at my chest, as if he could see through my top. "To protect you and make sure that you didn't get hurt, or hurt yourself. Are you fucking him or just sharing blood?"

"What?" That caught me off guard. The idea that I would be involved with Bones appalled me. I truly hated that man. With a passion. "Go back and tell Bones I don't need you. I will pay for you to get home if I have to."

"You know what I mean." He scoffed, then leaned in near my ear and took a breath. He whispered so quietly that I wasn't sure I heard him correctly, "I smell it in your blood every time we dance together, I smell it on you now too and those eyes. I can't forget those eyes. The vampire scent is strong on your skin, and it's his mixed with something else I can't place. Answer the question honestly. Do you belong to Bones?"

"You don't answer my questions why should I answer yours in any way , shape or form?" I turned heal and started to walk away.

"I owe my services and gratitude to an old friend." He pulled my arm to stop me as his voice went soft again. "I owe it to my family." .

"You can't watch me 24-7, Term. No one can." I pulled my arm away from his grip. "I'm on my own. I have been since I was seven. I know how to take care of myself."

Just as I started to walk away again I felt a mild tug and found myself against a tree, Term leaning over me, arms on either side, blocking my exit. "Really? Because you let your guard down very easily, Rose. You may talk tough, but you need to work on your reflexes."

I crossed my arms and glanced up at him. If I had really wanted to, I could break him, but he was just so ruggedly handsome, I couldn't bring myself to do it. His hair had been ruffled by the wind causing some of the short strands to stand on end. His deep brown eyes bore into mine heavily as he held me there. I suddenly had a loss of words.

"On your own? No one's property?" He licked his lower lip as he leaned in and smiled, "So, you like me?"

"So, you're back in high school now, with that comment?" I rolled my eyes. The chuckle that emersed from him made butterflies run rampid on my skin. No one had ever had that effect on me before.

He leaned in then and our lips met. Slow at first, as if testing the waters, then he added more pressure, I parted my lips for him to slide between.

His firm mouth moved over mine passionately and effortlessly, as his hands went to my hips and up my back to pull me closer to him. I could feel the length of his body against mine, but he wasn't close enough. As if hearing my silent cry he pushed himself into me with force. The heat and power between us was amazing.

His lips left mine, moving to my neck. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me." He whispered kissing the spot right under my earlobe gently. That kicked me up a notch. A notch too high, I

wanted him. I wanted him now! I could feel the emerald coming to my eyes. I could see the faint glow in the dark. NO! I didn't have my contacts in!

"I have to go." I spoke the hated words as I closed my eyes, hoping that he hadn't noticed the glow.

He froze on spot for a moment before he looked at me. "Did I do something wrong?" He loosened his grip, "I hurt you." I mentally laughed at myself. He could never hurt me like that.

"No, I just have to go." I opened my eyes just enough to see where I was going and turned to walk away.

Apparently that was too much, his grip found my arm and tightened. Too tight. I let out a cry. Where had this strength come from? I hadn't felt it a moment ago. Maybe in a fight he could best me.

"Rose!" He snapped. His now amber eyes were wide, turning back to brown. As the confusion hit him he dropped my arm. "Full green... You can't be a-a-"

"I have to go!" I took my opportunity and broke free. "Now!"

I let my senses take over again and ran. I could hear his thoughts behind me. They were jumbled as he tried to piece together what was going on. 'How could she..?' 'I didn't feel it till...' 'She was…' 'No...'

I couldn't listen, anymore. I sped up.

When I made it back I could see the others still playing football out in the field. Too drunk to keep the ball in hand though. Actually too drunk to do anything.

I closed down immediately.

As I fully made it to the football crowd Term was behind me. Anger in his expression as he glared down at me from a few feet away. I didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking.

All eyes were suddenly on us. I knew what it looked like, we had disappeared for about thirty minutes. Only to reappear together.

I held my head high anyway. They could assume all they wanted. They obviously didn't know what had really happened.

Term moved away first. "I'm headed home." He scowled and stomped off toward the parking lot a little to quickly.

"Mira!" Two could play at that game. I was out. Mira fallowed me to my car.

"What happened?" She whispered as we got into my SUV.

"ME!" I watched through my windshield as he got on his motorcycle and sped off. He was on a mission. To piss me off...