Part 12

Susanna froze. Kathryn knew? Kathryn knew who she was? Was it all over?

"Why should I remember you?" she whispered through the growing lump in her throat.

Kathryn chuckled. "I didn't think you would."

Susanna tore away from her, studying the girl. She tried to recall if she'd seen Kathryn before somewhere, but couldn't place her anywhere. Of course, Kathryn could have always used a glamour spell and changed her looks, changed her name...

But if she knew who Susanna really *was*...if the Night World found out...Oh God, if the hunters found out...if Tiegra and Ethan found out...

She began to shake. She stared at Kathryn in horror.

Kathryn just laughed, cold and cruel. "So the Ice Cold Huntress feels fear. Wow. Is this a call for a national holiday?"

Susanna wasn't in the mood for witty humour. "Who are you?" she whispered.

"You killed him." Kathryn's tone changed and became blunt and full of hatred.

Susanna was confused. Then it hit home. She had killed someone close to Kathryn, and Kathryn wanted revenge. "I'm sorry," she whispered, not sure what else to say.

Kathryn laughed again, slightly crazed and harsh. "Oh, she's *sorry*." Her tone rose. "Well *sorry* isn't good enough."

Susanna held her ground. "Drop it, Nancy, this scene is done." She drew several deep breaths.

Kathryn smiled. "You've been made a vampire." She smirked. "I can't imagine anything worse for a vampire hunter."

Susanna frowned, nodding. "It doesn't matter. I've only just got here. I really don't want to kill you, but if I have to, I will." She glared, trying to make her point clear.

"Ooh, I'm just, so scared," Kathryn snorted. "If you want to survive here, then you'll do no such thing, and you know it."

Susanna ignored her and left the room. She doubted Kathryn would keep her secret. It would only be a matter of time, now, before she was found, and killed.

* * *







Part 13

Obsidian paced up and down her room. Faith lay in the bed, along with Morticia. Obsidian had been bored. After two hours or more of fucking them, all she wanted was Susanna.

"Don't you think you're being rather pathetic, Obsie?" Morticia asked, lighting a cigarette,

Obsidian glared. "Call me *Obsie* again and I'll kill you," she snapped.

Faith laughed. "Like you've never said *that* before."

Obsidian ignored her. Her contact knew Susanna was in Greenville, would inform her to come and collect the bitch in a week or so. But Obsidian wasn't sure she would wait a whole week.

She knew Morticia was right. She was being as pathetic as she possibly could, but if Faith or Morticia had a soulmate, then they'd know what she was going through and understand.

But they didn't

She had wanted to do something to take her mind off Susanna. But Faith and Morticia were nothing compared to her.

Obsidian's eyes closed. She had always been the one who vowed something like this would never happen to her. Of course, every idiot who said that always had to pay for it.

She was sure Susanna had never expected it to happen either.

But it had.

And the whole thing was so irritatingly obsessive. And Obsidian was going to drive herself crazy thinking about it.

"Honey, you already *are* crazy," Faith was muttering under her breath.

Obsidian ignored the comment, letting it go. She dressed quickly. "I'm getting out of here. Don't follow me," she snapped, stalking off into the night. ~Damn you Susanna,~ she thought angrily. ~If I didn't love you so much I'd fucking kill you.~
* * *

Morticia's eyes rolled. "She's never going to get over this, is she?"

Faith's nose wrinkled in disgust as Morticia lit another cigarette and blew out a mouthful of the foul-smelling smoke. Morticia just looked at her. "What? It's not exactly going to kill you, is it?" She shook her head. "What are we going to do about Obsidian?"

The double doors to Obsidian's room burst open and Pierce and Sven walked in. Sven's eyes raised slightly at the sight of the two gorgeous naked girls in the same bed, barely covered by Obsidian's red bedspread.

Morticia glared at him. "Grow up, asshole. What do you two want?"

Sven smirked. "We're gonna get Susanna ourselves, a present for Obsidian."

"For some reason I prefer the cold hearted bitch to the obsessive freak she's become," Pierce said pleasantly.

Morticia sighed. That wasn't exactly what she had had in mind. Faith glanced over at her. ~You're planning something, aren't you~ Faith's mental voice said in her mind. ~What are you planning?~

Morticia looked blankly back. ~I'll tell you later,~ she answered.

"Okay, okay," she agreed. "We'll get the bitch ourselves."

Sven and Pierce didn't need to know of her own agenda.

* * *
Part 14

Susanna sat alone in the dark kitchen with a glass and a bottle of vodka she'd found in the cupboard. Getting nicely drunk probably wasn't such a good idea in the long run was probably, but Susanna wasn't in the mood for thinking. Kathryn knew who she was and hated her. Jack knew who she was. He was a bit weird, but she felt she could trust him, maybe even get to like him. Shanna seemed okay, if a little too perky. Bridget asked too many questions.

Would Kathryn keep her secret? Or would she go blab to the nearest Council representative? Would she tell the others and they would drive her out? Where would she go then? Just wonder round forever on the outside, looking in? Knowing no Night Worlder or human would ever except her? That she would spend eternity alone?

Susanna shuddered at the thought knocking back another drink. If that became the case she would rather be dead. When the light came on suddenly, she almost screamed. She didn't recognise the gorgeous guy who had just come into the kitchen. He wasn't that big, actually. He had a sort of similar dark and sexy look to Ethan. His eyes were a similar deep brown.

"You must be Carter." Who else could he be?

The guy turned, startled. He obviously hadn't seem her. "Yeah. And you're the new girl - Suzy?"

Susanna winced. "It's *Susanna*," she corrected, deciding since two people knew already, they might as well all know.

She saw his eyebrow raise at the bottle. "It's dangerous to drink alone, you know." His smile was inviting.

Susanna sighed. "I've had a really bad week," she said with a heavy sigh.

He took a glass from the cupboard and joined her. "When did you get here?"

"This afternoon," she answered, trying not to drool. She ran from one gorgeous guy into the ar...presence...of another. There were Obsidian and Tiegra to think about. Or rather Tiegra. She loved her favourite shapeshifter. Obsidian she wouldn't care if the bitch dropped off the face of the earth.

She realised Carter was studying her with a strange expression. She frowned. "What?"

"You just seem familiar is all."

Susanna sighed heavily. "So much for a new identity," she muttered. She sighed again. "You're wondering why I'm here. I was a vampire hunter. The Night World Council have a reward out for my capture. I was hunting a vampire one night. We discovered a soulmate connection. The vampire snatched me and changed me. Only when I woke up, I ran. And here I am."

"That sucks," Carter said sympathetically. It was the same thing Jack had said.

But what did she expect? There wasn't a whole lot else anyone could say. Besides, they were right. The whole thing did suck.

"Does anyone else know?"

Susanna shook her head. "Kathryn and Jack know. I don't know if they've told anyone else."

Carter smiled. "Jack's already staked his claim? There goes my shot."

Susanna smiled herself, feeling her head starting to buzz pleasantly. She was going to have one hell of a headache in the morning if she continued like this. She didn't want to find herself doing anything stupid...

Carter was looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a grin. "You're *really* going to have to learn how to shield your mind."

Susanna knew her cheeks must be flushing bright red. She buried her face in her hands. "Oh *God*."

Carter chuckled and took the bottle away from her and put it back on the cupboard. "That's probably enough for now."
"Yeah, I guess. Thanks." She dragged herself upstairs, changed into an oversize T-shirt and got into bed.

She noticed a lump in the other bed which meant that Kathryn was asleep. With any luck, she'd at least survive for one night.

* * *