I know I have been horrible with updating this story, I hope my dear followers can forgive me. I hope you like this chapter, it's getting to the plot a little bit more and I hope to have another chapter up soon. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW For a writer, they are gold. It is encouragement and inspiration all in one. Well with that being said I let the character take over, she's already mad I took up her space. Lol. :)

Disclaimer: Cover image for the story and all characters, powers, places, and overall setting of Anita Blake are the creation of Laurell Hamilton. Other characters and powers, such as Mizelle and elementals, are of my own creation. Please review, review, review. Reviews encourage me to keep writing, and gives inspiration for the story as well. Please forgive grammar errors, I have no beta.

Alexandra POV

"The tension only makes this meeting more difficult." I said to Claudia as we climbed into her car. It was a simple car, nothing flashy or exotic, only something to get you from point A to point B. I think it was a Nissan. I had wanted a car, but money was nonexistent before the club. Plus, I had been moving around a lot recently. I wasn't even in this city til Water sent me word of Dad's bad habits in this area. I had been in Venice hiding out. I loved Venice.

"Hopefully there will be answers given." Claudia said starting the car, the hum of the engine purring as if it was a cat stretching its legs. "Question: If those bloodlines mixed so long ago why is it a surprise for you to be a hybrid?" She asked pulling onto the paved road that led to my apartment.

"The other kingdoms thought it was an abomination to mix the kingdoms in such a way. At first they were fine with Xandra and Julius but their bloodline spread. About maybe 100 years after them, everyone changed their minds. They killed every child that had both powers, especially the males who genes would be stronger and able to pass the trait along." I had to take a deep breath, thinking about the stories from those times. "I'm the first to show both in almost 200 years at least. We didn't even know until I turned 12. My people didn't have a true King or Queen since the 'Purging', as we called it. My mom was from a distant cousin or something. We were no where near direct descendants."

"Puberty?" Claudia asked turning onto the street, I think she just took in the rest of the information. She seemed to be taking the back way to ensure that we weren't followed. She took her job very seriously.

"Yea, I got angry about something and my hands caught on fire. I screamed and hollered scared out of my mind until my mother found me. I don't think she ever told my dad though he suspected, because of my eyes." I explained. Mom had feared they would try to kill me and helped me until suppress it or throw my anger into the water instead of my fire. "I had forgotten about it for so long because I never used it."

"How'd you remember then? It sounds like you suppressed the ability and the memories." Claudia asked, I figured she was gathering intelligence. As my new friend and protector I was willing to answer, Jean-Claude would have been an entirely opposite story. Couldn't believe he was my mate, and then at the same time it strangely made sense. "I mean you were able to use it against Richard."

"It started to show a little after the bond with James was formed. Taras really made me remember. I think he could sense it because he, himself is a pyrokinetic. He offered to teach me but I really didn't want to know at all." I shook my head letting go of that train of though and continued to answer Claudia. "When I was protecting James, I thought I was calling on Water. I didn't realize I had called fire til after and I noticed how warm my hands were."

Claudia nodded in understanding as we pulled into the parking lot and removed ourselves from the car. It was a little chilly but nothing too bad. It was still dark out, the sun still a few hours off from rising. Jean-Claude would surely try to still listen in on this meeting. Arrogant prick, I thought, and then that made me think of something else.

"Claudia do you know another language?" I asked holding the front door for her as we walked into my apartment building. I could already feel James waking from feeling my presence. I had missed being connected to my best friend.

"Yea, I know a few. Why?" She asked motioning for me to go forward as she covered my back, probably double checking again that we were not followed.

"Do you know a language that the guys don't know?" I asked praying that she did, or maybe I could just have Ras put the language into her, I think he could compel her to know the language or something. He had a way with implanting knowledge.

She smiled catching on. "The guys mainly know languages of the Mediterranean, the romance languages. I don't think they know Russian or Portuguese but I only know a little of both."

I smiled as James opened the door to my apartment before I could even pull my key out. "Hey!" I said hugging him tight and then turning back to Claudia. "Would you mind letting Taras try to put Russian in your head so that we can talk without the guys catching on?"

Claudia moved into the apartment after me locking the door. "No, I don't mind. It'd be nice to watch them squirm trying to figure it out, plus we can talk security without them bickering over what you should do."

I smiled and nodded my head in agreement. "Definitely."

"Yes, another person added to the Siberian club." James picked that moment to cut in. He laughed at the name. It was something he came up with when Ras and I taught him the language. He sighed though, his mood turning. "So do you really think you have to be bonded to two different people?"

"I don't know James. Taras said he already saw the bond with Jean-Claude but if I was supposed to be bonded to two people, and the second was Asher, wouldn't he have seen the bond there too?"

"I don't know Alex. I don't know." He said sitting down in the chair where he had laid in my lap as a wolf. "Taras should be here soon and hopefully we will have answers."

"Is it good for you to be here? I don't want Jean-Claude to hurt you trying to get information." I said worried.

James actually laughed, like whole-heartedly laughed. "Alex, do you really think that vampire is going to harm a hair on my head after what you pulled?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

I laughed at the familiar face and shook my head as I sat on the couch. Claudia was standing in the corner clearly in bodyguard mode. "Yea, you are right." I heard a knock at my door and looked at my watch 4am on the dot, that vampire was nothing if not punctual. I didn't move knowing Claudia would want to answer the door. I just nodded at her to let him in.

"Good evening or is it good morning now Lexa?" Taras asked strolling into the room. The were-bear from the club was with him. I guessed he was his animal to call. I wonder what kind of bear he was.

"I believe it is still good evening considering I have yet to experience sleep." I said scooting over as James moved to sit next to me. Taras took the chair he had just left.

"James it is could to see you my annoying little brother. The only family I will claim." He said jokingly but even I understand that it was just him being cautious in case someone was listening. He had taken James under his wing a lot time ago, and actually got a cell phone just to stay in contact.

James smiled and just nodded his head and understanding. I was sure the reunited duo would be texting up a storm later but for now there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Ras, I need information. You can't really drop several bombs like that without further answers." I said sighing trying to get my words out.

"I know, Alexandra. I know. These are struggling time and the light elementals along with Fae seers summoned me to Fae to tell me of Kane's plans. The Mother of All Darkness is not a force to be messed with. Her true name isn't even spoken around the vampires anymore. Her guards have been asleep for centuries. That is not a force that Fae or Vampires want to see emerge again. Worse, is that Kane believes he can control her through his own power and then build an army through her."

I shook my head. "He's crazy. Vampires can only slightly be manipulated they cannot be controlled by elementals. Their magic is different than ours and the two do not merge."

"Unlike you, he has not studied the different species of the world and desires only to rule them all." Ras said in reply to me. "But you will be the one to save us all, a joining of bloodlines. You must master fire."

"If I fight him I'll have to take the throne." I said fighting back emotion. James growled next to me.

"Not in the way you think, if the throne must be taken there are ways around making you a slave to your land." He smiled at James. "And I fear a war between worlds if you are taken from this one."

"Why me Ras?" I asked. It was one of the things that I was most curious about.

"I can't say just yet." He replied plainly. I knew I wouldn't get a real answer to that question until he deemed it was time. Fae and Light seers clearly had warned him of what he could and could not share. Seers were very particular about that kind of thing.

"Explain the bond." I said plainly very agitated about that.

Taras rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath. "I realize this is the part that troubles you the most. I know there hasn't been a true bond in years, and you certainly haven't hoped for the bond since the passing of your mother. Yet, there is a bond there I can see it as clear as day. I don't even know how I can see it must be do to a mix of vampire and elemental abilities in terms of seeing auras and such."

"With a vampire?!"

"Bond knows not species." He replied cheekily.

"Ugh!" I yelled into my hands, falling back on the couch.

"Lexa, my dear, I know you will fight this until the bitter end but is it truly that bad. You could never be happy with someone who was raised in Rya. You hated the political structure, and the customs that would have made you subject to situations you would generally avoid." He said softly but with a stern tone.

"I understand Ras, but him? Why him?" I asked desperately.

"You know that even I don't know the answer with that."

"How am I supposed to learn fire, you know my mom and me suppressed the ability so much I don't even know how to call upon that power."

James looked at me shocked. "Didn't you do a fire thing with Richard." I just shook my head. Claudia answered him though. "She didn't know she had done it til after, there was no control over it." James nodded in understanding as Taras seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.

"Alexandra, close your eyes and think of the vampire controlling you." He said moving closer to her kneeling before her placing his hands around her own. "Think only of the raw anger, the passion."

I took a deep breath closing her eyes and brought up every encounter with Jean-Claude where my only thought had been punching him. I could see it plain in my mind. The arrogant prick simply commanding me, hurting James, and trying to override me own decisions; it was most likely the thought of him harming James that sent me over the edge.

Taras smiled. "Open your eyes."

I did as I was told and looked at my hands where a large flame was resting, perfectly in the center of her palm. It was warm and different from the flowing sense of life I felt when accessing water. "H-How?"

"Fire is raw emotion; it doesn't flow like water, it rages and roars on instinct whether by warming hearts and bodies or simply causing destruction turning enemies to ash. Like water, fire reacts to strong emotions, but at the same time differs."

"How can I handle two siren calls at once, we don't even know if fire would want me to wield it."

"You can do this Lexa, because if you can't James won't be the only person lost in this world."

I was shaking my head adamantly as I looked at James. "No!" James was flooding the bond with support and strength.

"Then you have to learn this, and I will help you. It would be better to do this at the Circus. The rats have a doctor that most of the supes in this community rely upon."

"Fine." I said giving in.

"One question you forgot Lexa, I'm not sure about the book's note on a soul that would hold two bonds. I do not think it refers to the same time of bond. There are bonds like James and yourself, and then bonds like your ancestors."

"Ras….will I be fighting for my life again?" I asked looking down.

"You will, but guards will come from the most unlikely of places. Accept them as you have accepted Claudia. Loyalty is not commanded but earned, and you will need loyalty rather than servants." He said looking at Claudia.

"He's going to succeeded in letting the Mother of All Darkness free isn't he?"

"Yes, he will and you will be the largest target she has."

With that Taras walked out followed by his werebear, whose name I once again forgot. However, who could blame me in that moment. I moved off the couch and sat in my room for a moment. Neither James nor Claudia moved towards me. I didn't how I was supposed to do this. Little old me, the abomination of Rya, the freak of the water kingdom, how was someone like that supposed to save us all. Well if the gossip still carried on back home then I was in for a load of visitors once they learned that the Princess was bonding to a vampire. A freaking vampire, one of the races that were always an ally for darkness and who killed a friend of mine, good ole Marcus, before Kane killed my mother. How was I supposed to survive the siren calls of two elements? I curled into my covers and moved until I was in the fetal position. I was close to crying but was trying my hardest to prevent it.