Tada! Chapter ten, ready for you guys to indulge in reading her. Try it out, I think you'll like what you find.

Chapter ten

Felina looked across the street at the apartment and sighed. "Such formidable opponents and only two days of being hunted. That is a new record. I envy them, having to live life with actual danger and not just thinking about causing it."

The murderer turned away from the window and brewed some tea for herself, wondering how she was going to be able to kill the Uniter, keep her job and keep the protector alive. She didn't really want to kill her cousin, but a job's a job. She didn't really need the job, but it provided a nice place to sleep and three free meals. The protector however, would make a good friend, she was sure of it. And the girl seemed smitten with the Uniter, so Felina knew that if she were to kill the Uniter, the protector would go as well.

The hit woman growled through her fangs and sighed, wondering what had made Whitley so confident about firing her. Her sister was in Brazil, helping the amazons kill hunters, her brother was home in Spain helping father with the family fish-selling business and neither were Mai for some reason, so they couldn't possibly be assassins.

Perhaps he has hired a new assassin that he thought was worthy enough to beat me. Felina thought, looking around at all of her weapons hanging on the wall. I doubt there is a Mai out there that can beat me and Jackals are too unpredictable. If he hired a Giller then that was a waste of money because those fish-demigods never last long without water and the Slitherers can't be tamed because of their snake-like nature. If he hired a new assassin, it must have been some kind of cyborg type, but Felina knew she could take down one of those too.

Ok, new assassin has been wiped off the list completely. What else? Maybe he has found a poison that can actually kill Mai. Felina snorted at this. There hasn't been a poison to date that can kill a Mai, especially not one like her.

Crossing new poison off the list. Anything else? No, but then why was Whitley so confident? Then Felina's eyes widened.

"He knew I would kill them by the end of next week anyway!" she snarled.

The end of next week was Felina's killing time. It was the week before Halloween. Whitley and Simone always let her out the week before so that they could stir up some mystery for the local police about mysterious deaths. The SFPD were probably waiting for the first of the deaths anyway. Felina growled low in her throat at being tricked into taking an assassination gig just before her special week to do as she pleased. And with such interesting prey! The predator stood and slowly began pacing.

"How do I make it so that I get my special week and keep the Uniter and her Protector alive until the end of it?"

Felina knew it would be close to impossible. The weeks before, after and of Halloween she was at her most dangerous, her most predatory. It was like a werewolf and the full moon.

Actually, now that Felina realized it, why hadn't the Uniter been given a specific date? From the spying the Order has been doing on her and Whitley's son Brian, the Uniter didn't have a specific date in which she became so powerful and predatory she had to be kept inside. Or at least not yet. Felina thought for a moment and decided to see if the Uniter's predator week would come before hers, but she hadn't seen anything so far this week.

Perhaps it will be next week, like mine. We are basically exactly alike aside from a few differences, but I will have to wait and see. For now, I must get back to the matter on how to keep them both alive until the end of next week.

Felina paced some more and finally came up with a good idea. Smiling to herself, the assassin smiled to herself as she headed for her bedroom for some sleep. "Wonderful ideas always did come before I fell asleep." She murmured as she curled up on her bed for a nap.

Chloe giggled as she watched Jasmine try to put on make-up.

"Maybe I should help you before you disfigure your face." Chloe suggested, coming to stand behind the other girl.

Jasmine turned and instantly noticed her proximity to the blonde, wanting to move away, but being cornered against the counter. Chloe's hands slowly came up and began working at Jasmine's make-up.

Jasmine leaned slightly into her touch though she tried not to. As Chloe's hands continued moving on her face, Jasmine slowly leaned forward and kissed Chloe softly. Chloe pulled back after a few seconds and stared at Jasmine. Jasmine's eyes flew open as she gasped.

"Chloe, I… I…" Jasmine seemed unable to call the words she needed, watching fearfully for Chloe's reaction.

"Jasmine, I can't." Chloe said. "Not so soon after Alek died. I still love him. I'm sorry."

Jasmine nodded with tears stinging at her eyes. She was determined not to let them show, but she had to turn her head very quickly as they came cascading down her cheeks.

"I should probably go wash this off my face." Jasmine murmured, turning and walking to the bathroom.

Chloe watched her go sadly, wishing she could figure out something to say to the other girl that would make her feel better. But honestly, what could she say? She had loved Alek and she couldn't take another love so soon after both his and Brian's death.

And what would Valentina say to her daughter dating a girl rather than a respectable guy. She'd flip out on both of us! As Chloe thought about this, it came to her attention that Valentina still hadn't returned from getting the groceries.

Just as she thought this, Valentina opened the door and flung the groceries inside while battling someone on the other side of the door. Chloe stood as if to help, but there was no need. Valentina kicked the person away from the door and quickly shut it, locking the deadbolts in quick succession.

Turning to Chloe, the brunette woman asked, "Are you alright?" Chloe nodded.

"Did Felina attack again?" Valentina asked as she bent to put the food away. Chloe shook her head and walked over to help.

"Where's Jasmine?"

"Bathroom." Chloe replied, not wanting to mention what she was doing in there.

"You convinced her not to take you in there with her?" Valentina asked.

"Took awhile." Chloe shrugged, putting the eggs into the fridge. Valentina nodded as Jasmine appeared a moment later.

"Hey Mom," Jasmine said, stooping to held put everything away. "Get back ok? I heard the deadbolts locking."

"I was attacked while coming from the supermarket." Valentina replied.

"Another rookie?" Jasmine asked in a bored tone.

"Yes."

Chloe stared at them, wondering how they can talk so calmly about this. "You were attacked?" she asked.

Valentina shrugged. "Not anything new. Just another of the Order's rookie assassins trying to make a name for themselves."

Chloe cocked her head. "How can you be so calm about that?" she asked in confusion.

"It happens all the time." Valentina told her. "If I had a heart attack every time I was attacked, I would be dead by now."

Chloe nodded and glanced at Jasmine. The other girl carefully avoided looking at Chloe, keeping an eye on her without actually looking at her. Chloe felt a pang in her chest at knowing she had made Jasmine so sad.

Suddenly, a crash resounded through the room and all three turned to see five other Mai climbing through a broken window. Valentina and Jasmine jumped at them immediately, holding them away from Chloe.

But as Chloe ran to Jasmine's room, she gasped to see the cloaked figure standing behind the door waiting for her. "Well, it's nice to see you too."

With that the figure jumped forward and landed a hard blow on Chloe's cheek. The blonde stumbled and fought back. The two seemed evenly matched for awhile until the figure tripped Chloe and sent her crashing to the ground. Chloe was weak from all of the fighting and struggled to get to her feet as the figure walked over to her. With simple punch to the blonde's chest, the figure sent Chloe spiraling into darkness.

Duhduhduhhhhhh! Chloe has been beaten. Let us find out what happens to the poor Uniter. Reviews are always welcome flame criticism or otherwise.