Risika scowled. "What could an alliance with you possibly accomplish? I work on my own."

Jessica laughed. The sound was suprisingly bitter. "I know what you want, Risika, and I want it too. Do you think that just because I 've become a vampire my dreams have stopped? I know stuff about him that could make your hair curl. I also know that Jager didn't tell you the whole story."

Risika arched one eyebrow. "Oh? And what is the whole story, praytell?"

"You give me protection and I give you information. That's the deal. You can have all the info you need, and if it's known that I'm working with you, no one will bug me."

"And what's wrong with Aubrey's protection."

"What do you care? It doesn't matter anyway."

Risika had a feeling that it mattered a great deal, but she would find out in her own time. She held out her hand for Jessica to shake.

* * *

The entire room seemed to swirl, like she had just stood up too fast and gotten a head rush. The earth seemed to tilt. A hadsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes was dressing himself in an uncomfortable looking tunic and leggings so restricting that it was like he was wearing nylons. He looked no older than fifteen.

Without warning, a form appeared behind him. "Dark Prince," it greeted the boy. He turned around and scowled.

"Go away."

"You owe me, Dark Prince. We had a deal."

"We don't have one anymore. You didn't hold up your end of the bargain."

"Yes I did. The death of your sister was a mere triviality. I did as I said I would. She just got in the way. Pay me what is due."

"I'll give you what is due," the young man snarled and pulled a wooden stake from the bedside table. He lunged at the figure with an amazing amount of agility for a mortal. She wondered if he really was mortal. The dark figure came closer to the lamplight and she could now clearly make out the features. She recognized her as Ather, one of the oldest vampires. She grasped the young man's wrist and twisted him around. Her face showed suprise though when he flipped her over his shoulder and pinned her to the ground, stake poised over her heart. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't impale you right now?"

She turned the full power of her gaze on him and was once again suprised that he didn't flinch away from it. Realization dawned on her and she suddenly knew what this angelic looking blond-haired young man was. "Powerful as you are, you will someday die. I can give you immortality."

She slit her wrist and offered it to him. He took it hungrily.

Jessica woke with a start and wondered if she should tell Risika. He had been made by the same one who had made Risika, and he had been something more than human to begin with. She decided she would keep this bit of information to herself until it would prove useful to her, and see if she could possibly discover what it was that Damien was.

* * *

There was a new face outside of Las Noches. It was powerful, and tearstained. Haughty yet broken. She went all but unnoticed, but someone found her familiar. Jessica had seen her in her dreams. There was a chapter written about her on her computer. The girl stood when she saw she was being stared at. She was gone before Jessica could get to her. She hadn't thought that after what she saw that Damien would leave Talia alive.