(Author's Note: Told you next chapter would be up pretty quick. My goal is to have this story done by the end of the month, so hopefully by … 11 days from now, there will be an end. I'm not sure how many chapters total, but my guess is maybe 35… Maybe less, I'm not sure. Anyway, I'm trying.

Mandy: Thanks, glad you liked it. And like I said, updates should be more frequent now. If they're not, you have my permission to send me nasty emails. lol.

Orange: LOL! Your description of "biggest fat-assed build up ever" made me laugh. Guess I'd never thought of it quite that way. :-P I'm glad you liked it though. I admit, I've been ready to get going on the plot, but I felt a few things had to be taken care of first. I hate just skipping important things. This next chapter still makes you wait, but I *promise* the one after that, things will really get going.

Redaura: Sorry for the waiting, but as I told Orange, you'll find out everything in chapter 30. I promise. Everything will be explained. *grin* And I'm actually glad you're attached to Damian; if you're weren't, then I'm a terrible writer. :-P

Leopardess: Next chapter, here it is. You can get rid of those pins and needles now. lol. And you'll find out what happened to Raina, sorta, in chapter 30. Damian… Well, he'll be back soon, I swear. Glad you like it!

Thanks for the reviews, guys!)

*Chapter 29*

Jenny was so tired of waiting. That was all she'd done the last few days. If she got out of here, she'd be the model of patience, but she going to go crazy if something didn't happen here soon. Unfortunately, she really didn't have a choice in the matter, so she just had to deal with it.

She sighed and leaned her head back against the cell wall. At least it was dark in here. The lamp behind the wall in her other cell had been constantly lit. It hadn't been very bright, but a little bit of darkness was appreciated. Plus, in the dark, she didn't have to see all the others lying around the cell. She could almost forget what was going on. Kind of funny if she thought about it – she'd been fighting the darkness for so long, and now she welcomed it.

What was even worse… She'd known exactly how the boy earlier had felt, had wanted to join with him to fight the Night people in this cell. A part of her had reveled at the thought of having half a dozen vampires and shapeshifters to take out.

But she couldn't think that way. Not now. She knew that. But again she found herself wondering what her place in the world would be after they got out of here. How could she go back to the way she was before, after having teamed up with Night people, after having a vampire as a friggin' soulmate? At the same time, though… How could she totally accept the Night people, after having fought against them for half her life, and still having the hatred inside of her?

And Tiffany and Ashton… She hated to admit it, but she considered them to be good people. Yes, people. She never would have thought she'd be referring to Night people as anything but evil scum. But, if she were friends with them… Well, to put it bluntly, what if one day the old hatred came back to the surface and she killed them in a fit of rage? Talk about conflicting emotions. Jenny didn't know if she could put herself through that. Maybe the best thing to do was to stay away from them all, that way she didn't get emotionally attached.

Yes, that would be best.

She would work with them now, under this extreme situation, and after it was over, she'd go back to her old life. Or as much of her old life as was left. She'd try to be a normal teenager, and go to school, and get a job.

Boring, but she would really try.

She couldn't be friends with them, but she couldn't kill them either.

Another sigh. Forget it, she told herself. Think about surviving first.

A movement on her right caught her attention. Mari, shifting in her sleep, her head leaning against Gunther's arm. Most of the people in the cell were dozing. That was what Jenny should be doing, getting some rest, but after the nightmare she'd had the night before, she preferred just to stay awake.

Another movement, as somebody sat down on Jenny's other side. It was the girl with the blonde hair, the shapeshifter. She sat and watched Jenny with wide green eyes.

"Hi," she said shyly.

Jenny nodded hello. The girl must have seen the curiosity on Jenny's face because she continued.

"I can't sleep. You're the only one awake. I thought we could talk."

"Okay." Jenny fiddled with a strand of hair, twisting it around one finger, wondering what they could possibly talk about. Their impending deaths?

The girl hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I'm Selene." She glanced sideways at Jenny, looking suddenly very small and young.

"Jenny."

They sat in silence for a moment before Selene spoke again. "Do you think we'll make it out of here?" she whispered.

Jenny smiled faintly. She wanted to lie to the girl, to tell her sure, everything would be fine. But she didn't have the energy or the courage. Instead, she said, "I don't know. I really hope so."

Selene nodded. "Me too. But I'm really scared. I'm not much of a fighter."

A twinge of sympathy pulled at Jenny. It just wasn't fair. At least she and the other Executioners were trained to fight. What was a girl like this supposed to do? How could she even stand a chance? Was that Hunter's idea of sporting? Anger pulsed through her veins, and she scowled. "Don't worry, Selene. We'll get out of here," she found herself saying, determination filling her voice.

Another nod from Selene. She lifted her head and looked at Jenny. "I think with people like you here, we just might. You're a fighter, aren't you? I can tell just by looking at you."

Jenny didn't know what to say. Did she really look that tough? She'd always thought her looks helped her appear not to be a fighter.

Selene continued before Jenny could say anything. "It's not like you have a bunch of muscles or anything," she said. Hey, Jenny thought briefly. "It's the look in your eyes. Like you've seen a lot. Almost like this doesn't even faze you. Or those two." She nodded her head toward Gunther and Mari. "Were you guys in Daybreak?"

Jenny snorted. "No. Definitely not." She smiled grimly.

Selene's eyes widened. "You're human, right?" At Jenny's nod, she continued. "Then, if you're not in Daybreak, and you're in here…" She trailed off, looking slightly awed.

"I'm a vampire hunter. Those two are in my gang." It was the most Jenny had told anybody in a long time. She met Selene's eyes and held her gaze.

"But… You stopped that boy from hurting anybody." Selene's voice sounded small.

Jenny broke the eye contact and looked away. "I know when it's time for restraint, that's all. Fighting wouldn't help any of us."

Fascination crossed Selene's face. "Do you … kill shapeshifters too?"

"Sometimes." Jenny's voice came out harsher than she'd meant it to.

"I see." Selene rested her chin on her knees again.

Minutes passed, and the silence between them deepened. Selene stared off into space as if deep in thought. Jenny tried her hardest to do the opposite. She was tired of thinking. Her mind needed a rest from the circles it had been running itself in for weeks.

Her eyes had slowly begun dropping when Selene's soft voice broke the silence. "I was like you once," she said, barely above a whisper. "I hated humans. I wanted them all to die. But then…"

"What?" Jenny was curious despite herself.

A wry smile. "I met my soulmate," Selene whispered. Her eyes glazed over, as if remembering. "He was a human."

Jenny stared, her breath catching in her throat. She suddenly felt unable to move.

"I didn't want to accept it. I hated humans. And soulmates were just a fable, anyway. He kept trying to make me see, but I was too blind."

"What happened?"

To Jenny's surprise, a tear welled up in Selene's eye. "He died. He was in Daybreak, and some werewolves hunted him down and killed him." She turned shiny eyes toward Jenny. "I wasn't with him, but I knew the moment he died. I could feel it, and it was like I had died too. I regretted pushing him away. What I could have had, if I wasn't so stubborn…" The tear broke free and rolled down her cheek.

She sighed. "So I joined Daybreak. I thought maybe by helping other soulmates, I could fill the hole in me left by his death. It's not gone… But Daybreak has helped me deal with the fact that there will never be anyone else for me."

"But that's not true," Jenny protested. "You could be happy with other people. You just have to try."

Selene shook her head. "No. It doesn't work that way. Soulmates are soulmates. I know now that ignoring that is… well, condemning yourself to solitude for the rest of your life."

Jenny's heart pounded, and she shook her head. "That can't be true. Why would that happen between two people who hate each other?" Her voice rose helplessly. "It's wrong. There's got to be another way." She felt panic beginning to overtake her. Some part of her, deep inside, was yelling no no no no no!

Stop it, Jenny! she mentally yelled at herself. You've heard this before. Why is it bothering you now? She shook herself and took a deep breath. Her right hand clenched into a fist.

Selene watched her carefully. "There is no other way," she whispered. She reached up and touched Jenny's cheek, and Jenny realized her fingers came away wet. Oh God. Selene smiled knowingly, suddenly looking wise beyond her physical age. "It can be the greatest thing in the whole world, if you just let it happen." She held Jenny's gaze for a moment, then turned away. "We better get some rest."

She stood and crossed over to the other side of the room, disappearing into the shadows. Jenny stared after her, then closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Her whole body ached with tension. When she opened her eyes again, she noticed Mari watching her from her position against Gunther, eyes wide.

Jenny swiped angrily at the tears and turned her back on Mari.

Not now, she thought. Maybe not ever.