A disclaimer: Kim Harrison owns the series the hollows and its characters. I'm just using some of them to tell my version of the story.
After finishing reading pale demon I got so pissed off that I decided that I wanted to make my own story.


NOTES: I'VE STARTED THIS STORY FROM SCRATCH SO I CAN'T PLACE IT BEFORE OR AFTER ANY OF THE BOOKS.
I SERIOUSLY HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. I KEPT SOME THINGS CHANGED ANOTHER LIKE: NO ROSEWOOD SYNDROME FOR RACHEL. SHE'S NOT WITH THE I.S AND OTHER STUFF.
I WOULD LIKE THO THANK AGMARTIN40, and MKThrall FOR THE HELP, GRAMMAR AND STUFF SO THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT!

ENJOY


"Are you feeling better?" I asked in a gentle murmur. Our bodies still pressed together.

"No running away, ok?" I asked gently. She nodded. I took a few steps back holding her hands caressing her knuckles with my thumbs soothingly. She seemed a little calmer than before. Her irises, however, were still pitch black, but her body was stiffer. Maybe some space will ease things a little.

"Panther, I'm sorry if I said or done something to upset you or…make you uncomfortable. I apologize for that. It was not my intention." I said quietly. She folded her arms across her chest and stood there looking everywhere but at me.

"I'll tell you what. Take a look around the house. If you're still interested in working with us you'll spend some of your time here so you might as well get acquainted with the place. I'm going to get dressed. If you need anything, just yell." I smiled trying to ease her tension. I went to my room and headed straight to the closet looking for my favorite pair of jeans, a polyester black top and my leather boots. After I was dressed, I went back to the living room. But before I could walk through, Jenks popped up.

"That was an interesting experiment…" Jenks stopped in midair with his arms folded across his chest, smirking.

"Now that you mention it….why didn't you or Bis do anything?" I crossed my arms across my chest waiting for an answer.

"Bis wanted to but I asked him not to. C'mon Rachel, I know you're capable of defending yourself, why didn't you?" He almost accused me with his smug, derisive characteristic smile.

"I….I'm asking the questions here….." He just chuckled and went out the door. Oh man, why didn't I? She could have ripped out my throat. But she didn't. She showed restraint. That's a good sign. I left my room and went looking for Ivy.

"Rachel where did you get that?" She was pointing at a painting I had on the living room wall.

"Oh that….er…it was a gift…" She looked at me like I'd just said something crazy.

"Rachel that's a Caravaggio…The adoration painting. It was reported lost…." She gasped almost breathless.

"Yeah…..so?"

"That's a 28 million dollar painting….."

"Yeah so?" She placed her hands on her hips and faced me expecting an explanation.

"WHAT? Ok! Fine! I won it in a bet." She gave me the eyebrow thing.

"A bet?" I did win that painting in a bet and it was easier than I thought.

"Yeah a bet…..It was no big deal…" She took another look back at the painting and then back to me. I chuckled.

"You are not the only one with nice things you know…I have them too." She smiled and I took a step closer to her. She extended her hand to me. I took it and kissed her knuckles.

"Are you ok? I'm sorry about bef—"She didn't let me finish my sentence because her index finger was on my lips.

"It's ok, dear heart, I'm ok. Being close to you is hard. I stopped practicing for three years and then you came along to test my control and…."I could sense pain in her words.

"You want me to leave?" I asked trying to back away from her, but she grabbed my waist and pulled me gently to her.

"No, dear heart, I don't, no running away remember? It goes both ways."

"Miss Tamwood, may I ask what are you doing?" I asked with a smirk. She was smiling mischievously.

"I'm taking advantage of the opportunity…" She said shortening the distance between us.

"My, my, I had no idea you were the opportunistic type, Miss Tamwood." Ivy chuckled in a self-assured way.

"Chances like these only present themselves to you once in a life time. You have to be prepared to take it." She squeezed me a little. We were only a breath away by now.

"Yeah well, what do we do now?" I asked her settling further into her and she answered with a smirk. She pulled me closer to her, placing both her hands on my back. I threw my arms around her neck eyeing her lips for a few seconds. I was breathing faster and faster and she was too. She glanced to my lips and her eyes are two black pools of lust and desire. I started smelling the pheromones she was pumping. My panther lean slowly towards me. She put her lips on mine and kissed me. I thought it would be just a small peck between friends , but I closed my eyes and I ended up getting a fiery, passionate , sensual , wet , delicious kiss like no other I have ever had. We both moaned into the kiss. I felt a chill running through my body from head to toe. For a split second she stopped breathing. We were both panting. I did not know what to say. Shit I can't feel my legs.

My hand caught the nap of her neck and pulled her closer. I felt the warmth of her breasts and her belly through her blouse and my top. When I let her go at last, Ivy smiled mischievously at me showing a hint of fang locking her eyes with mine. I chuckled. She buried her head in my hair and breathed my scent deeply. I sighed contentedly.

"Seriously, Rachel,you have to tell me where you got that painting."

"Sure, I'll tell you if you behave." I whispered against her cheek and she chuckled.

"I always do…" I looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she snorted. We've spend a few ours talking, cuddling, enjoying each others company

Ivy had to leave for a while, she said she had a few unfinished business to take care off.

"I'll be back before sunrise tomorrow." She promised before leaving, this gave me an opportunity to discuss things with Jenks about adding a new member to our team.

"So Jenks, what do you think about this?" I asked him we were both on the kitchen finishing the lovely dinner Ivy had brought us.

"I don't know Rachel I think it's a little suspicious."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Think with me Rachel, she's the I.S top agent and she chooses now of all time to quit? Don't you think it's a little …odd?" He asked in mid air

"She said she was waiting for the right opportunity to quit."

"Yeah that's exactly what I mean, the opportunity part. She could have quit before, hell, she even had the money to nullify her contract and she JUST quit now. I think she's a great agent the people in the I.S respect her."

"I think you are over reacting." I mutter chewing on a carrot.

"And I think you are not thinking at all." I growled at him still chewing.

"Fine you know what? I think she'd be a valuable addition to our team and maybe even get us more work but think about it." I didn't know what to think. Could he be right? What if this was nothing but a game to her? The seduction? Was that kiss even real? Or we were both playing a game of cat and mouse and me no longer being the cat? Rachel snap out of it stay focused on the job which is to gain Intel on Piscary through Ivy. The voice of reason threw its two cents into my brain. Man I feel such a hypocrite right now.

"Rachel, relax, just be careful she's a vampire and things are not what they seem with vamps." Jenks warned sternly and I sighed heavily. My phone ringing distracted me from our not so reassuring chat, it's Clarisse.

"Hello, oh hey, Clarisse what's up?"

"Rachel, I need to speak with you; are you available?"

"Yeah sure I'm on my way there."

"Ok see you soon."

"That was strange, she sounded serious. Wanna come along?" I asked my pixie partner putting away the phone and standing up from the table.

"Nah, you go I'm going to help Bis with his study's he is making progress and I'm very curious to know how far he can go."

"Don't push him too hard he is still young with a lot to learn." I reminded firmly, Jenks could be a complete jerk when encouraging someone to do something when he was in a hurry.

"Yes. mommy." He flew away leaving me alone in the kitchen. I picked up my jacket from the living room couch, my car keys and got on my way to the I.S.

Inside the I.S I got the weirdest feeling that people where following me with their eyes and I was right. When I turned they were gossiping about something, probably me, I did hear my name on their words.

"WHAT?" I yelled to a small group on my left.

"Is my fly open or something?" I gazed down unto my pants checking if I was right.

"Rachel…" a voice called me from behind, it was Margaret. She waved at me calling me to her.

"What? Something wrong?" I asked her and she smirked.

"You managed to piss off some people in here, Rachel." She let me know, still smirking.

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything…..yet." I smirked back and she chuckled.

"Is it true?" she was leaning in closer to me to make her question.

"Is what true?" I asked not knowing what she meant.

"Ivy…did she really quit to go work with you?" DUDE HOW TH-?

"WHAT? How do you know that?" I blurted on my surprise and she laughed at me.

"Everyone is talking about it, that you somehow turned her against the I.S….that you are leading her astray."

"Is that why Clarisse sounded upset over the phone?" I inquired to the secretary. She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, sitting down. Oh man she's gonna kill me….

"Hey is there a back door out of here?" I asked Margaret and she pointed to the left.

"RACHEL….." I heard from the top of the stairs, it sounded like Clarisse.

"Too late…" Margaret chuckled teasingly and I sighed in defeat.

"Coming…" I replied heading to Clarisse's office. Before entering I took a deep breath and counted to 5. Here we go. Clarisse was seated talking on the phone when she saw me, her long index pointed to the chair across from her desk. I closed the door behind me and sat down waiting for her to finish whatever she was doing. A few seconds later she hung up the phone and her piercing eyes studied me at least 30 seconds. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Rachel, did…"

"It wasn't my fault, it's her life and her decision to make..." I blurted out before she could finish her sentence. Her eyes regarded me curiously.

"What are you talking about?" She asked me leaning back down on her chair.

"What are you talking about?" I retorted feeling like an idiot for starting without the needed info. She knows right? Off course she knows….

"Ivy….she quitted 'cause she wanted to not because of me."

"Ohhh, that…" She glanced to the side and then formed a smug smile in the perfectly colored lips looking back at me.

"So it's true, that's….unexpected." she was being cautious on her attitude.

"Not my fault." I stated upset folding my arms together.

"I'm sure."

"So why am I here?" I went to the point, straitening my back a little trying to change the subject.

"Before we talk about that, I'd like to know how meeting Piscary for the first time was for you." Clarisse states leaning forward on the desk. She made a bridge with her hands and rested her chin on them, giving me a full toothy smirk. My heart skipped a beat and I knew she noticed 'cause she chuckled throatily.

"I don't like him…" I finally answered.

"Everything about him feels wrong…." I focused my eyes on a paper weight Clarisse had on the desk, remembering the way Ivy acted that night.

"So, finally, you got a reality check. What did you expect? He did not become master of this city by playing nice, he has a reputation for being cruel and abusive." She reminded me, unnecessarily.

"But there are rules, right? Just because he is the master that doesn't mean he can get away with whatever…right?" I asked looking for some reassurement. She sighted heavily shifting her weight on her chair. So no reassuringly.

"You need evidence to do something about…it. He is dangerous, resourceful and enjoys playing judge and jury." Her voice was low and confidential, but stern at the same time.

"So, an undead phsyco, sadistic bastard, huh?" She nodded. Fuck me.

"I've heard things I hope are nothing but speculation….vile experiments he authorized on his own bloodline." Bloodline? Does she mean Ivy's bloodline?

"You mean-"I couldn't finish the sentence thinking that my panther went through such experiments. Clarisse didn't answer she just looked away. I rubbed the back of my neck. A million things were going through my mind right now. Ivy was afraid of him I saw it. I clenched my teeth and rubbed my palms on my knees trying to calm down a little, I closed my eyes trying to muster my temper feeling my hands shaking a little. This conversation was making me really uncomfortable.

"Rachel,.." The mention of my name brought me back to Clarisse's office. She leaned forward on the table.

"Watch your back around him at all times…" She warned, my eyes were still close

"Got it…." I managed to answer a little breathless.

"So how did you manage to sway Ivy from the I.S?" My eyes snapped open and she chuckled.

"She quit on her own and I said it wasn't my fault…." I said a little annoyed.

"Not what I heard…" she laughed a little too amused with my reaction.

"The whole building is saying that you somehow put a spell on her….." What?

"Everyone's thoughts can kiss my ass…." She laughed, her laugh sounded more like an evil cackle than an expression of amusement. I flushed heavily and that made her laugh even more.

"Now that you mention it, now what? You know the mission?' I try changing the subject quickly. Why does everyone think that I'm corrupting Ivy?

"Everything remains the same, now she's closer to you nothing has changed. You keep you work and report to me has usual. You are still a cover contract." Her fit of laughter was over, the get back to business Clarisse look was back on.

"Oh, just checking…" I smirked and she did the same back at me.

"Why did you call me here?" I wanted to know, I still was on the chair across from her desk and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I may have created an opportunity for you to investigate the blood bank incident." She was talking missing blood loads from the blood bank. I raised my eyebrow at her.

"I know someone on the inside, I was supposed to tell you this tomorrow but something came up and if you want the opportunity you will have to do it tonight. I hope you aren't too busy." Her voice was a little smug, so I stuck my tongue out at her and she chuckled. Yep I'm mature like that.

"You need to be there before 3 am, someone will leave the backdoor open you and Ivy only have until 3.32 to look around, that's when the next shift begins so be quick about it." She informed me.

"Er …..Ivy is not going she said she's got stuff to do until sun raise tomorrow."

"Oh, I see…..going behind her back….again?" she said with a raised eyebrow

"What's a shadow? I don't know anything specific just a few things here and there." I asked her and her smile turned a bit evil in my eyes.

"It's a servant, a lackey created by a vampire to serve a vampire's needs, which are many, it can go from either blood or sex, both or just running errands." That's what that bastard has called me he thought I was ivy's…servant. I scoffed and Clarisse leans in once more.

"Have you read Rynn's book'?"

"Ivy gave me one, I've read a few pages, I already knew a thing or two, but nothing very specific." I answered looking to the side.

"What's wrong'" she surely was curious.

"Piscary thought I was Ivy's shadow, when were on the table waiting for dinner he mentioned that word. He even wanted to give his new pizza creation my name."

"Interesting…"

"Yeah….very" I muttered ironically.

"Read it, it's very…educational…" her tone was seductive and she was smirking when she leaned back on her chair.

"I'm sure you have plenty of work to do behind that desk and stuff so I'll go…" I stood up and pointed to the door.

"Don't get caught and remember….3.32 am…" she reminded me.

"Yeah yeah…" I left Clarisse's office and went down the stairs straight to the lobby but before I could reach the glass door's Margaret called me back.

"So you survived the big bad?" she asked very amused and I laughed

"She's not that bad…" I joked back.

"Rachel I must warn you…" But before she could finish I hear a voice from behind me.

"So it's true, the Tamwood bitch finally quit….I cant believe she deliberately left a company like the I.S and traded it for a low life like you…" I recognized that voice it was that creep Denon. Margaret threw a glance at me with a concerned look on her face. I closed my eyes and counted to four, took a deep breath and chuckled. Margaret raised an eyebrow at me.

"What are you laughing at. witch?" he asked annoyed, I turned and gave him a good look, then I laughed even harder.

"You're a bloodhound….you are not even a real vampire, you are a ghoul and it won't matter what position you are in THAT will never change." I smirked, I could almost see that vein popping on his neck.

"How dare you talk to me like that? You think she can protect you? Accidents happen you know, unfortunate accidents tend to happen to oblivious people…" he smirked stepping close to me.

"Are you threatening me?" I asked, I was starting to boil inside due to his insinuations. Denon was taller than me even taller than Ivy. Put simply, "the boss man" looked like a pro wrestler with a doctorate in suave: big man, hard muscles, and perfect mahogany skin. I think he was a body builder in a previous life. Unlike Ivy, he had been born human and turned. It made him low-blood, a distant second-class in the vamp world. In other words a ghoul. As I watched, he pushed the sleeves of his jacket back up to show his strong arms. His triangular face was framed by ear-length hair, which he was constantly flipping out of his eyes. He thought it made him look boyishly charming. I thought it made him look like he had just woken up. Though it was only three in the afternoon, a thick stubble shadowed his face. The collar of his Hawaiian shirt was intentionally flipped up around his neck. He was trying to overpower me with his size, he took another step closer my hands clutched into fists. Before I could do anything Margaret stepped out of her desk and stood between us placing a hand on my shoulder.

"This needs to stop now, seriously Denon don't you have things to do?" Margaret tried to ease the tension but my focus was on him we kept our gaze on each other unwilling to back down. His smug was pissing me off, I felt my body shook with anger and how I would love to punch the living hell out of him. I could feel my blood flow at rapid speed throughout my veins. My teeth clenched. My breath slipped out as he drew back. He broke eye contact, putting his gaze on my neck, where I knew my pulse hammered and he smiled like a lover to his one and only. He had only one scar on his neck. I wondered where the rest were.

"When you hit the street," he whispered, "you're fair game, a scar like that will get attention and you haven't been claimed yet….. I can tell." He eyed me up and down before licking his lips.

"I can't kill Tamwood. So you're going to be her whipping girl. Congratulations." He eyed me from under his brow. His affirmation almost magically made my anger vanish from my mind and I laughed out loud maybe too loud. Margaret looked at me like I was crazy and a few people that were circulating around stopped to look at us.

"You think you can take me on?" I asked very amused. "Let's go then, but I warn you, every one you send against me I will return it back to you in body bags…" I growled taking a step closer to him. My tattoo started to itch.

"You have no idea with who you are fucking with?" I took another step closer, Margaret looked shocked and Denon was smirking, we were a breath away.

"STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU" Margaret yelled but neither of us backed down so she separated us by force which was kind of a surprised because she wasn't very corpulent.

"Do I have to file a complaint for harassment Denon? Or are you gonna back off?" she threatened very upset.

"Rachel take five, the bathroom is down the corridor." She was telling me to calm down and go fresh in up. And so I did. I went to the bathroom and lucky me it was empty there was no one inside. I placed both my hands on the sink and look at the mirror in front of me, I was breathing heavily, my eyes kept changing from grey to red. I could see sweat streaming down my forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to control the animal inside, a wave of pain wracked my body and I shuddered.

"Son of a bitch….." I growled and before I could stop myself I punched the wall, leaving a hole in it. I stood there with my fist on the wall's hole for a few seconds remembering Denon's words. I could see the veins on the top of my fist thickening. My eyes were now glowing red and my tattoo was itching harder. I raised my left sleeve and notice my druid symbol was glowing and I scratched it drawing some blood.

"Ow…" I took a look at my hand and I noticed my nails were longer than usual. I looked back to the mirror and my eyes were still glowing red. I noticed my teeth were a little pointy as well. Maybe these are part of the changes David told me about, but it's still so long before the next full moon. I can't imagine how it will be as I get closer to it. I heard someone approaching and I quickly got inside the small stall.

"Rachel?" it was Margaret's voice calling me.

"Rachel, are you ok?" she asked concerned.

"I'm ok…." Wow, my voice sounded different, it sounded a little deeper and huskier.

"Wow, what happened to the wall?" she asked surprised.

"Er…it was already like that when I got here…." I tried not to sound guilty.

"Oh, I understand Rachel, Denon upsets every kind soul in here but I must say, you have tremendous self-control, any other would have punched him on the face" she chuckled, not me I just punch walls and leave holes in it.

"I'm ok, Margaret and thank you for stepping in. I just need a few minutes alone." I breathed in and out a few times.

"Ok and oh, Rachel…I'm glad Ivy quit and left to go work with you…she's way too good for this place." She left after those words and I smiled, yes she was. After a few minutes inside the cubicle I left not before washing my face with some cold water, my eyes were back to its normal color and so was my breathing. ´

I left the I.S building but not before whispering a thank you to Margaret at the reception. I got inside my car and left the area. All the previous excitement made me hungry I found a nice spot to park my sweet ride and went to hunt down some food. My sense of smell detected the sweet aroma of mustard and freshly cooked sausages. Mhmmmmm hotdogs. After wolfing down 6 hotdogs I took a walk down the street after consulting my wristwatch, it was still 4.30 pm and there was still some time before the secret mission at the blood bank. I made a turn and on a small corner of the building wall was a graffiti of a tomato, it was barely noticeable, it couldn't be bigger than my palm. I stared at it for a few seconds and remembered that I really liked ketchup and I missed it on my hotdogs. It had been almost forty years since a quarter of humanity died from a mutated virus, the T4 Angel. And despite the frequent TV evangelists' claim otherwise, it wasn't our fault. It started and ended with good old-fashioned human paranoia.

Humanity's first gut reaction to wipe us off the face of the earth petered out pretty fast when it was shoved under their noses that we had kept the structure of civilization up and running while the world fell apart. If not for us, the death rate would have been far higher. Even so, the first years after the Turn were a madhouse. Bloody humans. I walked for a few more minutes and went back home, it was still early.

Back at home I told Jenks about my little adventure with Denon and Jenks laughed, Bis grew upset and kept saying that Denon wouldn't have done that if he were there with me. I waved him off, he took his job as my protector very seriously and that made me smile a little.

"Seriously, Rachel I can't let you go anywhere alone without something happening…" he smirked hovering out of my reach and I growled.

"So, the blood bank huh?" he asked landing on the table

"Yep, we gotta be there before 3 am so we can get inside, poke around and find something." Jenks folded his arms across his chest.

"What are you expecting to find, Rache?"

"Security footage, some notes, maybe some type of record….I don't know… something." I opened my laptop and started researching the net for some of the symbols on the files Clarisse had given me about the bloodmage. I had to do something to keep busy until night time. Two hours later I had scanned all the information on the files Clarisse provided and also the notes I had about the symbols on the crypt I fell into before finding Bis. I found some interesting things about the symbols on the files about the blood mage though I needed better insights maybe I could take a look at my mother's books at her shop.

Waiting hours were over at last. Action was my thing and it was now 2.10 am. I zipped up my warm leather jacket, grabbed my daggers and went on my way to the blood bank. We had a plan, Bis would find a nice view point and stay on watch while me and Jenks would go inside and take a look. We stood in the shadows of a deserted street corner across from Blood bank, trying not to be obvious . The streets were quieter than usual this week and especially at this hour.

"Ok let's do this." Us three headed to the back alley of the building.


There are a few characters of the original hollows series that i will give some spot light time, some people asked me if i was going to use Trent in my story my answer is i have no idea. From the beginning i decided to use some of the original characters and the rest i would create myself...i'm not a trent fan so dont keep your hopes up.

To mstermgster: Have you read the disclaimer? i said i'd keep a few things and change others, also i said i couldnt place this story before, after or in between any of the books. There are changes yes. About straying from the story? Absolutely, if i wanted this fiction to be like the original series i wouldn't be writing a fiction about it. Change is gonna happen like it or not, i'm not making a stupid rachel that's for sure.

Soooooooooooo what you think? I hope you are still enjoying it. Peace.