Okay, pitching the other story until I can get actual inspiration to work on it. It's just not going how I like it. Full attention on this one for the time being.

Emmanuelle: Thank you for your constructive criticism on the other story. And I'm glad you like this one so well. Here's chapter three, just as you asked.



*Chapter 3*



Almost an hour later, Tala was greeted with a sign just past the Seven Mile Bridge saying "Welcome to Marathon!" The vampire was asleep on the other side of the car, and the sun was setting just over the Gulf.

Monroe jerked awake when she turned off the stereo. He was glancing around as she looked through the file, driving with one hand.

"Want me to help?"

Tala almost let an insult slip out, then remembered that she was trying to be nice. Handing him the folder, she told him what she needed. "We're going to stop at a little diner right up here. It's quite safe. I know most of the employees. We can discuss the mission there."

She saw him nod as she parked the car. Throwing on her jacket, she went inside the diner, not waiting for her partner to catch up. Immediately upon her entrance, she was welcomed from numerous people. She waved, taking her usual seat in the back corner. Seconds later Monroe joined her.

"Before we get into this assignment," she started, setting the menu to the side, "I think we should get to know each other. You don't have to tell me anything too personal, but I need to know something, that way I can trust you. If you'd like, I'll start."

He leaned his head to the side, almost examining her. Slowly, he nodded, giving her the okay to go.

"Well, my name is Tala Acevedo, as Thierry introduced me. Lupe, one of his assistants, is a cousin on my father's side. I figure you may have heard of her before. Anyway, as I told you, I'm twenty years old and a student at University of Miami. My family has been a part of Circle Daybreak for almost ten years. I started doing missions when I was fifteen." She smiled as the waitress set a glass of water in front of her and a glass of "tomato juice" beside Monroe's hand. Yes, this was definitely a Daybreak café.

"Anything else you want to know?"

He shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. Shock swept through his face when he realized it wasn't really juice.

Tala laughed, looking up at the witch standing next to their table. "Hey Seria. How's it going?"

The girl grinned, her dark tan skin wrinkling at the corners of her bright blue eyes. "Hola Tala. Business has been good. I see you have a new partner?" The statement seemed to hint at an introduction.

I hope it's not like this the whole mission. "Seria, this is my new partner, Monroe Pierson. Monroe, this is my friend, Seria Marlen. She's the witch who runs this place." Before she could finish, Monroe had the server's hand, giving it a gentle kiss. Seria was blushing, saying something in Spanish that Tala couldn't understand. She rolled her eyes, opening the folder.

"I'd just like a piece of Key Lime pie, Seria." She was pulling papers out, setting them in organized stacks on the table. "I doubt he'll be having anything besides the 'juice.'"

Seria kept smiling at Monroe as she walked away. Tala didn't look up from her papers. "Now tell me about yourself."

She heard him clear his throat. "My name is Monroe Pierson. I'm twenty-one. I've been a member for six months."

Tala waited for a few seconds before she realized he wasn't going to say anything else. "Gee, I guess I can trust you with my life now. Why don't you tell me why you joined Daybreak?"

"Because I don't feel you need to know."

Throwing her hands up, she groaned. "Fine. We'll just work together and I'll hope you don't kill me in my sleep. Not that you could."

He opened his mouth to object, but Seria walked up at that exact moment. Forcing a smile, he turned to flirt with the waitress.

Tala took her pie, trying to hide the drool. That was her favorite thing about the Keys: the Key Lime Pie. She especially liked the kind here because it didn't have meringue.

Monroe was eying the pie. Seria had moved on to the table next to them. Tala looked up, seeing the curiosity in his eyes. "I take it you've never tried pie before."

He shook his head in disgust. "It doesn't hold too much nutritional value for us."

She rolled her eyes. "You think it does for me? Don't knock it till you try it. Let's get on with this."

She grabbed the picture from the top of the pile in front of her. The girl in the picture was young, with ebony colored skin and bewitching hazel-green eyes. The paperwork said she was twelve years old and human. The mission only stated that they were to pick up the girl in Islamorada, then bring her back to the hospice. Further instructions would be waiting for them when they returned.

"I guess there's not much for us to discuss. Why do you think we're protecting her?" She took the last bite of her pie.

"I imagine Thierry will tell us when we get back." His voice lacked any hint of enthusiasm.

Tala had had enough. "Okay, that's it. Listen, I know you don't like me, that's just peachy. But you need to get your head into this. I'm trying to be civil. I've been biting my tongue ever since we started this trip so that we can at least get along. Now, what the Hell is your problem?"

"I told you. Wolves piss me off."

Shaking her head, she stood, slapping a ten dollar bill on the table. "Fine. I'm calling Thierry to tell him that I'm dismissing you for insubordination. We'll pick up the girl and then you can be given a new assignment when we get back to Key West."

She stepped out the door in a hurry, ignoring the waves she received. Pulling out her cell phone, she tried to remember which speed dial she had programmed for Circle Daybreak. She was almost to the car when something grabbed the sleeve of her jacket. She whipped around to see Monroe with pleading eyes. "What the Hell do you want?"

"Okay, I know. I'm being an insensitive prick. I'm sorry, really. It's just a sour past. Please, I'll try harder, just don't kick me off of this case." He still had hold of her arm.

She was starting to get uncomfortable as he closed in on her. Yanking her arm from his grip, she glared at him. "What is so important about this case? There will be plenty of others out there for you, and you won't have to work with a wolf. I figured you'd be happy."

He hesitated, looking around himself as if searching for words in the air. Finally, he found what he was looking for. "Thierry put his trust in me as a telepath, and I don't want to let him down. Please, Tala? One more chance, I swear."

She shook her head, continuing on to the car. "Fine. I don't care. Get in the damn car and we'll go get the girl."

Starting back on the highway, she began to wonder why she had agreed to this case at all.