A.N. Once again, I own nothing, nothing at all...It's almost depressing really...

We have visual confirmation of at least eight 'wolves coming in from the west desert.

Nilsson whirled to face the two large clusters of people in Thierry's front entry way.

A young woman with long brown hair stepped out of the pack of werewolves and met Nilsson's eyes unwaveringly.

Take your group out to the west and meet them head on. Gloria Acevedo nodded brusquely and turned to her pack, yelling orders.

A young man at the head of a slightly smaller group of 'shifters answered the summon.

Have your team follow Acevedo as backup.

Yes, sir!

Stay about a hundred yards behind, Nilsson reminded the panther shifter.

With a quick nod, Sebastian Blackburn whirled to face his team. We'll follow Acevedo's pack, but we're there as backup. Do not attack without a direct order or unless provoked. Clear?

Yes, sir! his team of 'shifters responded in unison.

Let's move! Acevedo yelled, jumping through the door and changing in mid leap. Her pack followed immediately with Blackburn's team closely behind.

Elyssa winced as she heard the howls that filtered in from the desert. The attacking werewolves knew they'd been seen, and they were still coming. Strange behavior for 'wolves, who generally relied on the element of surprise.

Those were challenges, she thought with distant analysis. They're out for blood, and they don't care whose it is.

She wasn't sure how she knew, but there was no question in her mind. She also knew that they were here for her. Just as every other attack had been an attempt to get her, if not kill her. After four years, she was sadly accustomed to people trying to kill her. Oddly enough, she felt almost comforted by the situation. It felt familiar somehow. As if the years of peace she had with her mother were a vague memory of a life that didn't actually belong to her.

This life was terrifying, but familiar.

Huddled on the floor in a position which, at thirteen, felt very undignified, Elyssa pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on the shelf made by her knees. She looked up at the witches' circle around her, wondering if they would manage to live through it this time.

With every unsuccessful attack, a feeling grew in Elyssa that she couldn't shake. The feeling that they were just getting lucky and that the luck would soon run out. So far, the Daybreakers had managed to live through each attack, but what about this time? Eventually the people who wanted her would get her. And if not this time, would it be next time?

Elyssa shivered as she thought of all the people who had died to protect her. Her mother, her foster parents, Thierry's...people. Servants, agents, members. She heard them referred to by a variety of titles. Even after three years, she wasn't sure what their relationships were with Thierry. Sometimes they appeared as equals, particularly at Circle Daybreak meetings, but she knew for a fact that they were all on his payroll.

The witches surrounding her were muttering silently, their lips moving rapidly, but no sound could be heard. Elyssa studied them nervously. She hated this part the most. Knowing that they were hiding any trace of her life force. Knowing that, to all who couldn't directly see her, she didn't exist.

It was unnerving to say the least.

Poppy noticed her staring at the circle around her and tried to smile reassuringly. Elyssa spotted James near Poppy and, from earlier observation, placed Ash about three feet behind herself. Without looking, she knew Thierry wasn't in the room. She wished he would come down here. Just having him in the same room would help. He always made her feel safe.

Tension filled the room to every corner as more howls pierced the glass panes of the windows. Louder, keener cries. Then a still silence.

Death cries, she whispered to no one in particular. Despair filled her. How many of those cries came from Thierry's men and women? How many would die for her tonight?

Suddenly, the door slammed open and Elyssa looked up, unerringly meeting Thierry's eyes as he stared across the room. It's over, he announced in his quiet, strong voice.

The lips around her began to slow their movements until they finally stopped altogether, and the witches broke the circle. Poppy and James walked over to meet Thierry as he crossed the room, and Ash wasn't far behind. From the looks on their faces, Elyssa guessed they were discussing casualties and injuries of the fighters on their side.

Longing to run as far away as she could, but content with waiting until they came for her, Elyssa dropped her chin back to her knees and stared at the oriental rug she was still curled up on. Soon enough, a shoe appeared in her line of vision, but she didn't look up. She already knew it was Thierry's.

A body dropped down next to hers and she tensed slightly, raising her chin as the awkward, almost painful, pang clenched at her heart. The same pang that happened any time she came within close range of Thierry. Sometimes it even happened by him merely walking into a room, especially on one of his better looking days.

They were silent for a moment as Thierry waited for her to speak and Elyssa waited for her heart to stop aching. Finally, she felt confident that anything she said would be intelligible and asked, without looking at the handsome man next to her, How many?

Thierry suppressed a sigh. None dead on our side. Three injured, though.

And the attackers?

All dead.

Elyssa winced, but quickly hid the reaction, and set her chin back down on her knees. Slowly, she inched herself over until she could feel the heat radiating off his body. Still moving slowly, she laid her head down on his shoulder, the fabric of his long sleeved shirt soft against her cheek. She felt him tense, as usual, but he was now familiar with the rules of touching, and carefully shifted so she would be more comfortable.

Closing her lids, Elyssa fought against the tears that threatened just behind her eyes, and let Thierry's scent envelope her like a blanket.



Thierry repeated absently, trying to read the file in his hands.



He shot an annoyed glance at Poppy.

Have you seen any signs?

A blank stare was her answer.

Signs, Thierry. Signs that she remembers. A raised eyebrow mocked her from the blonde man in front of her. Come on, Thierry. The theory was that she would be capable of remembering at puberty.

No, that was your theory. If you remember, I've contradicted you every time you've mentioned it, he pointed out patiently, without malice.

Poppy said, waving the point off. Answer the question.

Sighing, Thierry gave up and tossed the file on his desk. No, Poppy. I don't see any signs, he stated.

Disappointed, Poppy fell into the chair in front of his desk. None at all?

The smile on his face was gentle and slightly comforting, as if Poppy were the one being deprived of her soulmate. Anyway, there's no guarantee she would remember this early. She never has before.

Snorting, the redhead sunk lower in her seat, pouting. You don't know that. You just never saw her until around her seventeenth birthday.

Thierry admitted with a shrug. Maybe that's when I'm supposed to find her. A worried expression crossed his face as he met Poppy's green eyes.

Sighing, she leaned forward again. Thierry, we've been over this. There's nothing you can do now. Besides, why is knowing you since she was a kid a bad thing? It establishes total trust. I mean, look at James and I. We were best friends for eleven years before we discovered we were soulmates. We're fine. I'm sure there'll be no lasting damage to her psyche, she said with a mischievous grin.

Yes, but you two were always the same age. I'm an older brother figure.

So? Young girls always have crushes on older brother figures. She wiggled her eyes brows. Especially the hot ones.

Amused, but trying to hide it, Thierry shook his head. Poppy, she's only thirteen.

She'll be fourteen in three days, Thierry. Plenty old enough to have a crush on you. The pixie-like girl raised an eyebrow back at him. Did you forget?

Blinking owlishly, Thierry glanced at his watch and confirmed the date. What do you think she wants for her birthday?

Smirking at him, Poppy stood and made her way from the room. You could try more forensics books.

Thinking quickly, Thierry shook his head. No, I gave her about five for Christmas. She probably hasn't finished those, yet. And I already gave her a brand new chemistry set as a gift for graduating middle school.

How bout jewelry then? she called over her shoulder. Something more...normal? With a snick, the door shut behind the vampire, leaving Thierry at his desk, searching his computer for the name of the jewelry store he had always frequented for Hannah.

Sapphires. Hannah always had a thing for sapphires, he thought triumphantly, finally locating the business card in his database.

Reviewers:

thelotuspath-Yeah, I'm having trouble trying to put in all the futuristic stuff without it taking over half a page or something. I don't really want the story to focus on the time frame, more the characters and their relationships (obviously :-p). I like your idea for the hydrogen powered car, but it seems a little awkward to try to explain that any car driven is hydrogen powered, you know? Maybe this calls for a high tech video phone or hand-held computer?

Akasha11-Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad you like it. Keep on reading!

Queen of the Mole People-Hehe, yeah, poor Thierry. He's way out of his element when it comes to pubescent teenage girls.

Charlotte-I've actually never heard of Anne Bishop's Dark Jewels Trilogy. Is it like LJ Smith's writing? Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for the review and I hope you keep reading!

A.N. I'm thinking that for the next chapter, Elyssa will be somewhere between sixteen and eighteen, and the story will stop leaping forward in time. Anyway, hope you liked it! Feedback is always appreciated. ; )