Jenny's feeling that she wouldn't see Damian again was wrong. After only ten minutes – in which Jenny fidgeted nervously – he came out the door. He was seething.
She and Raina were sitting on one of the couches. Every once in a while, Raina would give Jenny a quizzical look. Jenny knew Raina wanted to ask about her grabbing Damian's hand. She didn't think she would actually ask though. To Raina, it was too ludicrous to be possible, Jenny knew.
Jenny really hoped she wouldn't ask – because she didn't know what she would tell her.
Raina was taking all this quite well, Jenny mused while they sat in silence. Considering how much Raina hated the Night World, she was awfully pliable in working with Damian.
Maybe Raina isn't as cold-hearted and manipulative as I thought, Jenny wondered to herself. Then she remembered Raina knocking her to the sidewalk earlier and took it back.
That was when the door flew open and Damian stormed out. Jenny shrank back at the look on his face, even as relief that he was alive washed through her veins. Damian looked ready to kill someone.
"Come on, let's go," he snarled, halfway down the stairs before Raina and Jenny even stood up.
"But what about your friend?" Jenny asked as she tried to catch up with him.
"Forget it!"
Back in the apartment, Damian paced, chain smoking like a madman. His shoulders were hunched, his muscles tense with anger.
Jenny sat in the chair, beginning to feel like a spectator at a tennis match as she watched him pace back and forth.
"Okay Damian, spill it," she said at last.
He stopped and looked at her. "I hate him," he said with a scowl, and resumed pacing.
Jenny sighed and looked at Raina, who was quite frankly looking a little worried about Damian's behavior. No help there.
"I think we've got that idea," Jenny said. "Want to tell us what happened?"
Damian gritted his teeth and slammed a fist against the wall. Jenny jumped.
"The bastard!" he yelled, then lowered his voice. "He's involved in this whole thing. He knows where they're keeping Ashton. He taunted me with it!" Damian waved his arms around wildly. "He said he knew about …" He paused, glancing at Raina, who sat listening with wide eyes. "He knew about something personal," he finished, and Jenny knew exactly what he meant. "And he said he would tell everyone about it if we interfered."
He began pacing again. "He already knew who you two were. He said he kill you both unless with left town tonight." He stopped and sagged against the wall. "And he's got enough people to do it. I don't care how good you guys are."
"But how did he know?" Jenny asked.
"I don't know."
Raina stood up. "Well, that's enough for me. I'm going home."
"Raina!" Jenny walked over to Raina and pushed her back down on the couch. Raina stared up at her with astonishment. "How could you say that? We can't just abandon everybody!"
Raina shrugged. "It's called survival. What good are they to us if we're dead?" She glanced up at Jenny but didn't get up again.
A hand fell on Jenny's shoulder. "Maybe she's right, Jenny," Damian said. "Maybe you two should go back and let me handle it. You could get killed."
"So could you," Jenny said, staring at him defiantly.
Raina stood again. "Hey, wait a minute! Are you saying that just because we're human, we can't handle this and you can? You think you're better than us?" She suddenly pushed Jenny aside and had a knife to Damian's chest before either of them knew what she was doing. "I'm tired of taking orders from you. You're just like all the rest. We don't need you!" She raised the knife, about the plunge it in while Damian stood there gaping.
"No!!" Jenny shrieked. She suddenly felt like she falling into empty space. If Damian died … What would happen to her? The fear in Jenny's voice made Raina pause long enough for Damian to kick the knife out of her hand. It slid across the floor into the kitchen, unnoticed.
Raina stared at Jenny, awestruck. "Why do you care so much if he lives or dies?" She seemed to have forgotten all about Damian, turning her back on him.
"I …" Jenny's mind blanked. She had screamed out of pure panic, not thinking about what the cost might be. Raina glared at her, her green eyes mixed with both anger and curiosity. Jenny looked at Damian. He shrugged helplessly.
"You what?" Raina stood with her hands on her hips, a scowl twisting her perfectly lipsticked mouth. Her hair fell across her shoulders in fiery waves. "Don't tell me you've turned completely. It was bad enough just working with this scum."
"Hey," Damian protested from behind her. Raina realized he was behind her and turned so she could keep an eye on him.
Jenny shook her head. "I can't tell you, Raina," she said. She just couldn't bring herself to tell Raina the truth. Telling Raina would mean a quick death for Jenny's leadership dreams in the Executioners.
But did that even matter anymore? Could she continue doing what she did after meeting Damian? So what if she couldn't be with him. After this, would she ever be able to continue hunting with the knowledge that they weren't all bad? And it wasn't just Damian. It was Ashton too. She genuinely liked Ashton, she could admit that now. Jenny hadn't known she could be capable of liking a vampire. With that knowledge, the idea of vampire hunting seemed to have taken on a completely different feel.
It didn't matter whether she continued hunting or not, Jenny decided. Human and Night World soulmates were forbidden in the Night World. Even Jenny knew that. It was punishable by death. Information like that couldn't be spread around. It was too dangerous. And Raina was exactly the type of person who would use that to her own advantage.
She shook her head again. "I'm sorry, Raina. It's just … We need him. Trust me."
Raina snorted. "Yeah right," she muttered. She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Alright, fine. We'll keep him around for a while." She suddenly smiled, the kind of smile that usually meant she was about to say something which would please her immensely. "But only because we might need him to get my Michael back."
Jenny pursed her lips, feeling the familiar Raina-fury rising in her throat. She fought it for a moment, so tempted to say something smart back, but not wanting to do it in front of Damian. "Fine," she said between clenched teeth. "I'm glad you agree."
Raina's smile dimmed a bit at Jenny's control. She glanced at her watch, then smiled at Jenny sweetly. "Well, it's still early. I'm going to get out of here and have some fun before I die. Staying here is like partying with two stiffs." She purposely glanced at Damian at that, then breezed out the door, graciously slamming it behind her.
As soon as she was gone, Damian was at Jenny's side, looking down at her with concern, his hand lightly brushing back and forth on her elbow. Shockwaves trembled up her arm at every touch, and she suddenly found it hard to concentrate. She stared up at his face, feeling herself being drawn into his gaze. His eyes were like a whirlpool of blue energy, drawing her very soul into him.
She blinked and the spell was broken. Still, she avoided his eyes anyway. It wasn't too hard, with the way her whole arm was tingling at his touch.
God, how did this happen, she thought.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Damian asked. "Troy and those guys. They're dangerous. I would understand if you went back home."
Jenny lifted her chin. "No way! I asked you for help. I'm not backing out now because I'm afraid. Besides …" She grinned mischievously. "I live for danger."
Damian stared at her for a second, then grabbed her and pulled her close, hugging her fiercely against his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head.
"How is it that someone like you was meant for someone like me?" he asked softly, his voice full of disbelief. "I'll always be there for you, Jenny. Even if I can't have you. I'll protect you when Michael can't."
Unexpectedly, Jenny's eyes filled with tears. They didn't spill, but they blurred her vision into a hazy world of light and colors. She looked up at him. "I know you will," she whispered. "And I'm sorry that I can't … accept things." She pulled herself away from the warmth of his embrace, swiping at a wet eye. "I need to get some air. Alone," she told him, giving him a small smile.
He nodded, a small, sad frown creasing his lips. The image tore at something inside Jenny, and for a moment she wanted nothing more than to run back into his arms and tell him she didn't mean it. Instead, she turned and walked out the door, willing herself not to look back.
***********
Jenny stopped and took a deep breath at the top of the steps outside the apartment building's main doors. Although the sun had set hours ago, the lights of the city seemed to fill the sky with an almost unearthly glow. The street in front of the apartment was well-lit, but not busy. She could hear the low rumble of traffic in the distance.
She wasn't sure exactly where in Chicago they were; she hadn't visited enough to be familiar with more than the downtown area. She didn't care, though. She just felt like she needed to get away from it all for a little while before she suffocated. Away from the apartment, her troubles, and especially Damian. She hadn't been feeling like herself lately. In fact, she felt more like an untethered balloon bouncing around in the wind, unable to control where it goes. She hoped a late-night walk would help clear her head.
For a moment, she stood on the top step, pressing her fingertips against her eyes until red spots floated into her vision. She could feel all the tension and anxiety of the day seeping away from her muscles. This was what she needed. A nice, leisurely stroll to relax a little. She wouldn't even think about Damian or the Executioners if she could help it.
With a nod of her head, she dropped her hands and went down the steps. She turned left at the sidewalk, instinctively turning her back on the lights and the hustle and bustle of the city.
When she reached the end of the block, she turned left again, heading down a darker street. She felt amazingly coolheaded and confident, despite being alone in a dangerous city like Chicago. After everything she had been through, she felt she could handle anyone who gave her trouble.
The October air was almost chilly. Goosebumps kept trying to rise against her flesh. No wonder, with as much skin the dress she still wore revealed. But although cool, no breeze stirred on the night air.
Jenny smiled, remembering something she had been told in one of her history classes. The common belief was that Chicago was called The Windy City because of its location on Lake Michigan and the winds that swept off the lake, especially during the winter. Some argued the validity of that, however, saying that the nickname originally came about as a commentary on the politicians of the city.
She had always liked Chicago. Maybe it was just the skyscrapers towering over her when she walked downtown, but every time she came to Chicago, she left feeling impressed by it. There was just a feeling of enormous size in the city. Chicago was full of brightly-lit buildings and dark corners. Maybe it was the mystery of the unknown that drew Jenny.
Or maybe, subconsciously, she thought her parents' killers could be hidden deep in the underbelly of the city.
Deep in thought, Jenny passed a crumbling apartment building with a broken porch light. A hand darted out of the darkness next to the steps and grabbed her arm, dragging her into the shadows before she could react.
"What the-!" she exclaimed.
"Shh," a voice said. The person held a finger to Jenny's lips. "It's me."
Jenny suddenly realized who was standing in front of her, blending into the darkness like a shadow herself. "Tiffany! What are you doing here? How did you find me?"
Tiffany grinned into the darkness. "Covert operations."
"Which means …?"
Tiffany shrugged. "They let me follow you."
"You've been following me?!" Jenny felt a twinge of betrayal. "Why? You guys don't trust me?"
"Let's just say we weren't sure if you'd include us in your plans." Jenny opened her mouth to protest, but Tiffany continued. "And obviously we were right. I managed to follow you all the way to Chicago and a Night World club without a word of notice from you."
Jenny closed her mouth. Tiffany was right. Dammit. Jenny honestly hadn't even thought about Liv and Peter since the night before. "Okay, so what do you want?"
"I just want to know if you've found out anything."
Jenny sighed. "If I had found out anything, would I still be here?"
Tiffany raised an eyebrow. "You mean to tell me that you, a human, and a vampire slayer at that, went into a Night World club and didn't come up with anything?"
"That's exactly what I mean," Jenny said. She fell silent and stepped farther into the shadows as someone walked by. After he passed, she continued softly, "All I know is that this guy, Troy, runs the club and knows something about what's going on. He didn't give anything away. He just threatened us. He knows we're here."
Tiffany's eyes widened. "Troy knows you're here? And he knows who you are?"
"Yeah, so what?" Jenny said, raising her chin. "I'm not afraid of him."
Tiffany shook her head. "I know you're brave, and you're strong, Jenny, but you're naïve. Troy is someone you should be afraid of." She reached out and grabbed Jenny's arm, squeezing it for emphasis.
And for a moment, Jenny did feel afraid. She could feel the fear spark in the pit of her stomach. She remembered the animosity she had felt when they went to Troy earlier, and she'd never even met him. Still, Jenny hated fear; she felt it made her weak. So she swallowed and extinguished the feeling before it could catch fire.
"I'll be fine," she said. "And I will find out what's going on."
Jenny suddenly realized she was now involved in much more than an Executioners rescue. Now that Daybreak was involved, Jenny's purpose was to rescue everybody who had been taken. She suddenly understood how Atlas must have felt carrying the weight of the world on his broad shoulders.
Tiffany nodded. "Okay. Just be careful. I'll be around if you find anything." She turned to go, then stopped. "Oh, and Jenny. Don't Damian about me and Daybreak, okay?"
"Why? I thought he belonged to Daybreak."
Tiffany shrugged. "He used to. But something happened and now he hates us. Telling him would only make things worse." She paused. "He's only helping you so he can get his sister back. You know that, right?"
Jenny nodded. She didn't want to mention that Damian had agreed before he knew Ashton was gone. They would wonder about that. "What happened? To make him turn?"
"I don't know," Tiffany said, shaking her head. "Liv wouldn't tell me. All I know is it had something to do with a girl." She turned and stepped into the light with her usual feline grace.
"Hey, Tiffany," Jenny called after her. Tiffany stopped and turned, gazing into the shadows where Jenny stood. Jenny had no doubt her cat's eyes could see her. "You really like Carl, don't you?"
Tiffany paused, then nodded, suddenly looking shy. If it wasn't so dark, Jenny might have said she was blushing. "He's a really nice guy."
Jenny nodded in agreement. "Then after we get him back, I think you should go out with him."
Tiffany smiled. "Bye, Jenny." She disappeared into the night.
Jenny leaned back against the wall. She couldn't help wondering what had happened to make Damian reject Daybreak. Something about a girl. The girl she had seen in his mind? She was curious now, but she doubted Damian would tell her. She supposed it couldn't hurt to ask him later, if he was in a better mood.
She pushed off the wall and started down the street again, her mind this time turning to her step-parents. She had only left them a note saying she had gone to Chicago for a few days and she couldn't explain. Her mom was probably a nervous wreck by now. They had probably reported her missing to the police.
She sighed. She hated hurting them, but they would never understand. She couldn't tell them about the Night World. They would never believe her, and it would be risking their lives as well. If she made it home alive, she would probably be grounded for life. That was okay; she didn't need to see sunlight again anyway.
A whispered voice behind her broke Jenny out of her thoughts. She became suddenly aware that she had wandered into a slummy area, complete with dark warehouses with broken windows and vacant, weed-filled parking lots.
"Is that her?" She clearly heard the voice this time.
Another voice. "Looks like it. That's what Troy said she was wearing."
Then yet another voice. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
They obviously weren't too bright or they would have been more careful being quiet while sneaking up on her, she thought. Or maybe they felt they didn't need to sneak. All the muscles in her body suddenly tightened. She was all by herself in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, the fear came rushing back full force and she couldn't stop it.
She took a deep breath. Might as well face them now before she got any more isolated. Besides, she could probably take three of them if she were careful.
She turned around as someone yelled "Get her!" and saw at least half a dozen full-blooded – or no-blooded, depending on how you looked at it – vampires rushing toward her.
Instinctively, she screamed.