Jessa watched the apartment door slam behind her with satisfaction. Someone -- Cameron, to be more specific -- was not happy. She'd get over it. Eventually she might realize Jessa had her best interests at heart, even if she wanted to stake her in the meantime.

She was so stubborn. She'd been that way in every lifetime Jessa had known her. Every suggestion Jessa made was met with opposition and every warning smiled at, but ignored. Jessa had never seen someone run headlong for death as often as Cameron.

This time she refused to let her die.

Cameron had more lives than their cats -- all eight of them put together. But it didn't mean that something couldn't change. Jessa would not lose her charge this time, no matter what else happened. If she had to stake every damned vampire in the state of Massachusetts, the witch girl would stay alive.

Jessa didn't take her responsibilities lightly, and especially not ones that came in the form of one Cameron Aderyn. And the girl was not only her responsibility, but also her friend. Had been in every one of her lives, as far back as the one where Deven made Jessa a vampire.

Her name had been Aeliri then and she had been human, much like Jessa herself. There the similarities ended. Whereas Jessa was innovative, determined, and strong, Aeliri was confused, innocent, and helpless. Once Jessa had realized this, she'd taken Aeliri under her wing. And that was how it had started.

They had been inseparable, helping each other at inopportune moments, picking each other up when they fell. And the depths to which Jessa sank when Deven had died had been almost unreachable. Aeliri hadn't given up on her. Then she had found Aeliri not a month later, drained of all her blood.

Needless to say, Jessa had been devastated first at the loss of her soulmate, then the loss of her friend. When the old witch had approached her, asking her for more than a simple favor or an easy task, she hadn't even hesitated. The answer had never been a question. And so, with very little persuasion and minor responsibility shock, Jessa had become what she still was today. A Guardian.

After all, what else did she have to live for?

Certainly not her soulmate, who Kieran had killed. She knew Kian hadn't been the one to do it, although Cameron wasn't aware of it. The whole mission had been nothing but a ploy to reunite the two of them. Jessa had known what Cameron's excuse would be, but she'd had to come up with a damn good one for her own.

It really hadn't been that hard. She'd simply used one twin's name in the place of the other's, told Cameron her story, and then informed her that "Kian" had a penchant for pseudonyms. She hadn't told her any lies. Just altered the facts a little. And in reality, it was the only way Jessa could think of to counteract Cameron's untimely habit of dying. Always right after her soulmate found her.

Besides, Cameron unconsciously seemed to realize that she was tired of death. She might not remember her past lives, but they were certainly a part of her. Jessa, who had been there for all of them -- with a little help from Erin -- was especially aware of the similarities, as well as the things Cameron had grown out of.

Erin played a big part in Jessa's role as a Guardian. She was just full of spells that Jessa found endless use for. Erin, in fact, was the reason Cameron was still alive today. Jessa's face grew sad, remembering the first meeting with her charge in this era.

Sick, frail, weak... and lovely. That was how Jessa would always think of her. Big, blue eyes had dominated a thin and ravaged face and Jessa had been angry. Angry that her life was always like this, angry that she couldn't do anything about it. And angry that Kieran had let her suffer. She still wasn't sure why he hadn't killed her in this life, but she did know one thing. If he had, he would have been doing her a favor. No one deserved to suffer through that.

So she'd fixed it. She'd made a trip to Erin and come back with a heart. Not in her hands, of course, but she and Erin had rigged it so Cameron would get it. Her name was moved up a little on the waiting list, then there it was. A heart that was compatible with her blood type and everything else. One that her body wouldn't reject.

After that it had been easy to befriend her and eventually talk her into joining their mission. Damalis, Xanthe, and Remy were really just along for the ride. Everyone had been content. Remy was happy staking vampires for a living. Jessa and Cameron would help Xanthe fulfill her mission as a Guardian in exchange for her and her charge's help now. Cameron and Damalis were the only ones in the group who didn't know this, but that was part of the price the Guardians paid, one of the few rules they had.

In short, being a Guardian was simple. You only had to keep your charge alive. But... When you factored in the part about not being allowed to tell your charge who they were, why they were there, or let on that you knew anything about them, things got a little difficult. Remembering to draw the line between what you knew and what you were supposed to know sometimes got confusing.

Jessa hoped she had been careful enough this time. She didn't think Cameron had caught on. But, one never knew... And it could be that Cameron was fully aware of Jess' role in her life. As long as she kept the fact that she knew to herself, everything would be fine.

A door slammed somewhere in the apartment. She could hear Remy's light, padding footsteps -- always with that hint of stalking grace -- coming toward the kitchen.

"Jessa, darling, you should have seen the delicious specimens we found last night. Gorgeous bodies... And their necks were simply divine." Remy sighed, walking into the kitchen. He stretched like a lazy cat, his muscles rippling across his naked shoulders. "I would have brought one home for you, ma petite, but I took them out for dinner instead."

She raised an eyebrow. "Took them out for dinner?"

He grinned, glints of gold twinkling in his tawny eyes. "Took them to dinner, had them for dinner..." he shrugged. "It's all the same."

"Incorrigible," she muttered, shaking her head and leaning back in her seat. "Remy, one of these days you're going to meet someone who's got you eating out of his hand instead of what that hand is attached to."

"Found him," he responded cheerfully, unperturbed. "The silly man won't admit he wants me."

"I don't know why," she said blithely, shaking her head. "It couldn't have anything to do with that episode in New..."

"Not a thing," he interrupted, cutting her off and sending her a warning glance.

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Next time you see him, you might have to start by apologizing."

"I will do nothing of the sort," he replied. "It would take me years to atone for everything I've done."

She raised an eyebrow, but didn't question. She was probably better off not knowing. "Just remember that when you watch him walk away again," she warned.

"He'll give in eventually, " he grinned. "He couldn't possibly hold out much longer." Then, changing the subject, he asked, "What about you and your soulmate? Where might he be found?"

She was saved from answering by a knock on the door.

He groaned, walking towards the door. "It's probably more of those damned bill collectors looking for that sorry excuse of a--" he paused, throwing open the door. "Well, well... I stand corrected. What have we here?"

Kian stood framed in the doorway, the light streaming at his back and shadowing his chiseled features. Jessa didn't miss the uncertainty playing across his face. "Is Cameron here?" he asked quietly.

Remy shook his head. "Sorry, sweet cheeks," he answered. "No luck. But I would be more than happy to fill in for her if you're looking for some company."

Kian blinked. "That's okay," he responded. "I'll just come back later."

"Oh, there's no need to do that," Remy answered, opening the door wider. He stepped back to give Kian just enough room to get by. "Why don't you come in?"

Amusement blossomed in Kian's eyes. "I'm really not interested," he emphasized, much to Remy's dismay.

"Well, mon cher, if you ever get lonely, you know where to find me," he said, smiling suggestively and licking his lips.

"I'll keep that in mind," he muttered.

"Leave him alone, Remy. Kian is taken." Jessa had moved to the doorway to get a closer look at him and now stood at Remy's side.

Remy's face fell, his gaze sweeping over the vampire one last time. "Oh, you're the Kian Redfern." With a long suffering sigh, he took another step back to let Kian past. "Cameron always gets them first."

Kian stepped into the apartment, arching one slashing burgundy eyebrow. "Will Cameron be back soon?"

Remy shrugged.

"She's out looking for you." Jessa gestured vaguely at one of the chairs. "Why don't you have a seat? She should return shortly."

With one cautious glance at Remy, he uneasily complied. The chair he chose was large, but he somehow managed to dwarf it. He sat back, letting his hands slide down to rest on his knees, where his fingers drummed nervously or impatiently -- Jessa couldn't tell.

"We don't bite, you know," she said gently. "At least not those of our own kind."

An unholy light entered Remy's eyes, but he kept his mouth shut. Jessa knew he was dying to say something. From the look on Kian's face, he knew it, too.

Finally he admitted, "I'm not worried about you. I'm concerned what Cameron will do when she finds me here. Remember? Last time she threatened to stake me."

Remy sighed dramatically and clucked his tongue. "That's terrible. Someone needs to teach our little Cameron how to treat a man right." He sent a sly glance in Kian's direction, opening his mouth to continue.

"No, Remy," Jessa interrupted, cutting him off before he could say anything. "You've said enough."

He shook his head and walked out of the room.

Kian glanced at her then, amusement still shining in his eyes. "He's very obvious," he volunteered conversationally.

"'Obvious' is not the word," she responded. "Remy goes far beyond blatant." She hesitated a moment, then changed the subject. "She won't stake you, you know, but she's not going to be happy."

He only looked more determined. "Then that's something I'm going to have to deal with."

"You've got balls," Jessa admitted, impressed. "But I was referring to the fact that she's spent the entire morning in the cold trying to locate you, when you're right here. That's what she won't be happy about."

Comprehension dawned on Kian's face. "Boston's a big city. Maybe she'll just be glad she's not been searching for days."

Jessa grinned. "Let's hope so."