15.

I disobeyed nearly every traffic law as I sped toward Sakura's hideout. I dared a police officer to even attempt to stop me. I was angry, very angry, and I didn't know what I was capable of. I was scared, too. However, anger and a burning hatred for Sakura was my main motivation. The muscles in my stomach clenched and unclenched matching the throb that had started in my temple.

Mortimer gasped and gripped the door handle when I cut a corner too sharply. Mortimer was risking a lot coming to me. I think he could officially prepare for some downtime in his coffin, unless she was the one who sent him to me. She could be using him to bait me into her lair. "Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly." I breathed under my breath.

"What was that?" Mortimer asked at my side.

"Nothing." I said gripping the steering wheel tighter.

Mortimer seemed genuinely concerned for Jean-Paul's welfare, but he could have mastered the fine art of bluffing since our last meeting. It didn't matter whether Mortimer came on his own or if Sakura sent him. I would still be making this trip regardless. I wouldn't just let Jean-Paul be punished because of me. Because of me, he had gone to somewhere he didn't really want to be, and he defied Sakura. I'd say I owed him a lot.

I didn't know how I was going to help Jean-Paul or myself, but I was going to do whatever it takes. Let's hope it doesn't take your life, I said silently to myself. It seems like everyone who even associated with me was being caught in the crossfire. If by some small miracle I didn't die, I was just going to hand the case over to the police. I couldn't take anymore, and Sakura be damned if she didn't like it. I couldn't risk any more lives.

I parked near the Circus of the Damned. I tried to calm myself before I got out the car, but I couldn't. Every fiber of my being clung to this anger—this hate—with an unyielding urgency. Perhaps, this was best. I would rather be angry when I faced Sakura. Fear would only be a harbinger of death. She would use my own fear to kill me. But when I thought about it, anger just seemed like an evolved form of fear.

The Circus of the Damned was a real freak show housed in a large warehouse. Humans thought mutants were freaks. Not compared to this we weren't. This place was a sadistic version of a circus. It was garish and sickening. You think clowns are scary? Wait until you see a clown with fangs. That's not even the best part. Despite this place being overrun with vampires, weres, and every other supernatural lowlife, parents who were loyal to the vampires thought this was a fun place to bring their kids. Who were the freaks again?

Music hit me full blast when I entered the grounds. "We've come to scream in the happy house. We're in a dream in the happy house. We're all quite sane. This is the happy house. We're happy here." Siouxsie and the Banshees' Happy House, how appropriate for this place. I had never been here before on my own. I have come here on official business. That meant I was with the law, but tonight, I was on my own. Well… if you didn't count Mortimer. I don't think Mortimer could hurt a fly, though.

He led me through this gothic nightmare. I tried to keep my eyes centered on him. I really didn't need to see the Magnificent Snake Woman or the Death Defying Vampire Alejandro. Thanks, but no thanks. Mortimer led me through a door. "He's here." He said, grimly. I followed him down a set of stairs, through another door, and finally to some sort of altar room.

My stomach dropped to my knees when I saw Jean-Paul. There were silver shackles extending from the wall around his wrist and ankles. There was a little space between his skin and the shackles, but the silver held him at bay. He pressed his body tightly against the wall to avoid the silver. His eyes were closed, and he was naked from the waist up. I could actually see various cross patterns burned into his skin. I wonder who she got to do that. I hope it wasn't Ryu.

I walked toward him slowly. My anger was starting to dissipate into sorrow and raw fear. I tried to hang on to it, telling myself I was going to need it. The closer I got to Jean-Paul, the more his wounds started to show. There was a raw cross burn over his heart. Welts lined his body. I didn't want to think about what she used to get those kinds of results.

"Jean-Paul?"

He opened his eyes, and I saw anguish in them. His torture extended more than just the physical. I could tell from the glassy stare he gave. She had tortured him mentally as well. That was enough to make my anger plummet, as I tried to pull the cuffs frantically from his wrists. I knew it wouldn't work, but desperation's a bitch. I could pick the locks on them if I could find something. I don't know when I became so refined that I stopped carrying lock picks. That was my tool of trade after all.

I backed away from Jean-Paul, bumping into something solid. Not something, someone. Jean-Paul lifted his eyes, looking at whoever it was standing behind. His nostrils flared and he tried to speak. His words wouldn't come to him. I knew it wasn't Sakura, too big a bulk, but Goddess, I didn't want to turn around. A hand touched my shoulder, followed by a deep laugh. Oh Goddess. I turned around slowly. Valiant.

Where was all that anger from a minute ago? I needed it right now because as Cee so aptly put it: Valiant was a mean motherfucker. He was just as sadistic as Sakura, just not as old. Give him a few more centuries, and we may all be living under the Valiant rule. I shuddered even thinking about that. He's something of a convict because he's supposed to be dead.

He once attacked a family, and I was called to the scene along with some other people. Let's just say vampires and fire don't mix. He opened his shirt to reveal cracked skin across his chest, part of his right arm, and his neck. Old burns. Let's just say I was really trying to kill him, but he managed to get away. He was strong enough to withstand it, but he would never get rid of those scars. Did I mention that he didn't like me?

"Hello, mortal." He said. Blood was in his auburn hair, spattered on his clothes, everywhere. Dark eyes gleamed impishly at me. Could this night get worse? I was jinxing myself, wasn't I?

"Valiant." I said, trying to sound brave. Long time no see, old buddy. How are the scars? Do you still have nightmares about me at night? I know sometimes I dream about you.

"Don't hurt her." Jean-Paul said. Valiant brushed past me, stopping in front of Jean-Paul. He stroked his cheek. I would say tenderly, but there isn't a tender thing left in Valiant.

"You beg for the life of a human?" Valiant asked, obviously amused.

Jean-Paul nodded. "Yes, take me, instead. Take me." I don't think I ever heard such resolve in his voice. He was willing to sacrifice his life for me, the woman who executes his kind. He didn't know a thing about me. I was touched, truly and deeply. I wouldn't let him die for me. I wouldn't. I couldn't. I don't know how I would forgive myself if I did.

"But I've already had you, lover. I need fresh blood." Valiant said, smirking.

I wanted to say wasn't I just a little bit out of his usual age bracket? He hadn't known me as a child, but I'm sure he stalked Jean-Paul as child, as he's done with all his prey. Children! Taken against their will. Some killed. Some spared like Jean-Paul, whose devotion led to him being turned once he grew up. It frightened me to think that he might one day claim a child from the mansion. I couldn't let that happen.

"Please, don't hurt her." Jean-Paul pleaded again. His voice wavered. I knew standing up to your master wasn't exactly the ideal thing to do, especially for a human.

"He isn't going to hurt her," said the sickly sweet voice behind. Valiant moved to the side, and there was the vampire princess herself. She walked toward me, slowly. I backed away from her, bumping into Jean-Paul. I felt like hiding my face in his chest, but I had to be strong for him, as he was trying to be for me. "We prettied up your lover for you. You like?"

"He's not my lover." I said, raising my chin.

"Lies."

"He's not my lover." I said again. I turned slightly to look at Jean-Paul. I cupped his jaw in my hand, looking in the eye. "He's my friend, and I don't wish to see him harmed."

I heard Mortimer protesting in the background. When I peeked around, Triage held Mortimer by the neck. Three on one. She laughed that little tinkering laugh. The vampire princess. Bitch. She walked toward me, again. I backed away from her, bumping into Jean-Paul's chest. He seemed to pushing himself harder into the wall. He was trying to get away, too. There was nowhere left to go. I wish we could melt through the wall.

"Now, now, Ororo. You wouldn't be lying to me, would you? I can pick your mind." Anything, but that. I'd rather Jean read every secret in my head than to let Sakura pick it.

She waved her hand toward me, and Valiant snatched me from Jean-Paul before I could catch my breath. I tried to scream. I tried to fight, but there were three—four, if you counted the now detained Mort—and one of me. What could I do? Sakura ran a cool hand over my jawline, down my neck, then back to my lips. I flinched away from her touch. "Touch my face," she demanded.

"No!" I said before I could bite it back.

"Vega has given you too much courage. You don't have the power to defy me." She skipped away from me. The bitch skipped! What kind of perversion was this? Skipping baby vampires, that was absolutely wrong.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Vega had given me too much courage? He hadn't given me anything except heartache and despair. He had Carmen to lure us to that club. I know he did it only because Sakura wanted it, but she never would have wanted me if he hadn't mentioned that he thought I would be the best candidate for the job.

"Cut the act." She said. Her voice was suddenly hard and centuries old.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I should have asked Ryu about this human servant thing when we met up. Maybe he could have shed a little light on what was going on because I honestly had no idea what she was talking about.

"You want to continue these games." In the blink of an eye, she was beside Jean-Paul. "You see, Ororo. I am still the strongest vampire in this city. I still possess powers neither you nor your master can ever hope to understand or gain."

I didn't have a damn master. I was a human being with freewill over myself. No one controlled me. No one. She gripped Jean-Paul's arm, forcing him to touch the metal. His flesh sizzled. He jerked against her. "Stop!" I cried out, struggling with Valiant. It wasn't really much of a match. He could easily subdue me, but I think he liked me to squirm.

"Did you know that I wanted Jean-Paul to seduce you? Instead, you're the one who tempted him." She said, running her fingers across the wounds on his upper body. She sank her nails deeper and deeper in his flesh until blood began to form at the wound.

"Please, stop! I'll do anything!" The words uttered in a moment of distress. I couldn't take it back now. Why was I trying to strike a bargain with the devil? She would do what she wanted to do regardless of what I offered her.

"Anything?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at me.

I swallowed hard. "Anything, just let him go."

She motioned for Valiant to let me go, and he did. "Then, come. Let us discuss your future and your lover's future." She walked toward the base of the stairs.

I didn't move. I had a request. "First, though, I would like to speak with Jean-Paul privately." I implored. Yeah, I was really in the position to make these kinds of demands.

Instead of snapping my neck, she only laughed. "You're a brave one. I see why Vega chose you. We will leave, but I will send Ryu to stand at the top of the stairs. He still has human hearing." I nodded. Still has human hearing? What did she mean? Why wouldn't he still have human hearing? He was a human after all.

However, I could live with that. I actually didn't mind Ryu being there; he didn't pose a real threat to me. I know he only acted on her orders. She left with a swish of her skirts, followed by Valiant, a shaken Mortimer, and Triage. Triage turned back toward me before disappearing behind the door to throw me a wink and a kiss. "I can't wait to see your friend Jean again." Triage said. Then, he was gone. I couldn't wait to load him full of silver. I would never let him get his hands on Jean.

Ryu appeared at the top of the stairs. He only looked down at my briefly. His face was expressionless. I guess it was better for him to just appear emotionless. Then, he turned his eyes to the wall, looking at nothing. I walked toward Jean-Paul. I touched the new wound tenderly. He wasn't healing properly. I could see bite marks in his neck. They were draining him, and he didn't have enough blood to heal.

He was probably at one of his weakest moments at this moment. Vampires needed blood to sustain their power. Right now, Jean-Paul was almost human. Let me explain. His strength is diminished to dangerously low levels. He was still immortal, and he may still possess just a little power over me. But it would be more like fighting a human than a vampire. His movements would be slowed to human speed. The blood was their everything.

"How did they get you?" I asked him.

"They came to the club and took me." He answered.

"No one tried to help you? Not even Omar?" Omar was the head of things when Vega wasn't around, such as now. I guess you could say that Omar was Vega's right hand man.

"He wasn't strong enough to oppose them. You know this." Jean-Paul said in Omar's defense.

Yeah, I knew, but where I'm from loyalty meant something. Vega was Jean-Paul's protector, even if Valiant was his master. Valiant was no match for Vega. Jean-Paul worked for Vega, and in return, Vega took care of him. Vampires did have some sense of duty. Now that Vega is out of commission for a while, Omar is supposed to carry on as his master would, protecting Vega's things as if they were his own.

"Ororo, we must go." Ryu called out calmly.

I looked up the stairs at him. I turned back to Jean-Paul, throwing my arms around him, being as careful as possible. I didn't care about the blood. Blood could be washed away. "I am going to get us out of here, and when I do, I will kill them. Every last one of them. This is my word, and my word is my bond." I swept his hair out of his face and placed a small kiss on the side of his cheek. A tear slid down my cheek.

"Ororo, don't…" He started. "Just let me die." I didn't say anything as I walked up the steps, never glancing back. Ryu held the door open for me. I didn't want to leave him there, but did I really have any other choice? The first flicker of anger started again in my chest.

Ryu lead me to the room where I first met her. She was sitting in an office chair, spinning, laughing, having fun. This was all a joke, fun and games. She stopped spinning. Ryu took his place beside her, and Valiant stood by me. I would much rather have Ryu as my warden. "No jokes, animator?" She said, referring to the last time I was here. There were none. I was all joked out, and this close to being pushed over the edge. I shook my head, and she laughed again.

"Have you broken her so easily, master?" Triage said from behind her. I shot daggers through his head. I wanted to hurt him so bad it was making my heart ache.

"I have no time for your games, vampire. Tell me what it is you want." I demanded.

"Much better." Sakura said, a giggle chasing her words. If I didn't work with children every day, I swear I would be scarred from this experience. I would think every child in the world was a demon.

"Let's have a little girl talk. Let's talk about men. One in particular. Vega." She said, her eyes narrowing. My heart beat against my chest. "Now, Vega is locked away in his coffin, correct? He should be starving, on the edge of lunacy. But he's as fat as Christmas turkey and as strong as ever. Why is this?"

Was this a trick question? I didn't know why he wasn't starving. It wasn't exactly as if I saw him a lot these days, if you didn't count my dreams. So, I did what I thought was best. I kept my mouth shut. Apparently, that isn't what she wanted.

"Come on now, Ororo. Don't be shy. Speak up! What's said here stays here." She said.

"I don't know." I said slowly. For all I knew, someone could be opening up his coffin, giving him a little snack, and closing the coffin again before Sakura knew what was going on. Although, I don't think there was much going on that she didn't know about. So, I ruled that out.

"More lies? Will you ever tire of them? Maybe if I torture Jean-Paul a little more, you'll get on job." She threatened.

"I honestly don't know, Sakura. If I knew I would tell you." I was sniveling, but I was only doing until I could somehow get the upper hand over them. I had to play her game until I could think of something.

"Master, perhaps she really doesn't know." Ryu spoke up. His face was still expressionless, but I knew he did it to help. I thanked him with my eyes. He spared me at least a few more seconds.

Sakura looked at him amused. "You think? Nah, Vega wouldn't do something like that. Then again, it's Vega. So, he would. Wouldn't he? Giving the second mark to Ororo without even telling her."

What? What second mark? I thought back. Those green flames I saw in my dreams, the same green flames that I tried to fend myself from in my dream when I fell asleep in the bathtub. No, please no.

"She doesn't know, master. Look at the confusion in her eyes." Ryu said. His eyes penetrated mine. Thank you, someone knew that I wasn't just pretending not to understand.

"Then, enlighten her, Ryu. We want her to know what she has to look forward to." Sakura said nastily. He looked at Sakura and she nodded at him. Hell, I wanted to know what I had to look forward to, as well.

"Ororo, how old do you think I am?" He asked quietly.

I studied him for a moment. I wasn't as accurate with human ages as I was with vampire ages, so I usually kept the age range general. "Mid-twenties?" I said, after studying his face for a moment.

"I am 600-years-old." He said with a shake of his head.

"Impossible! You're human. I can tell." Dread rooted in my stomach. Something told me I was going to be cursing Vega's name in just a few more minutes. I was just waiting for the punch.

"Yes. I have been given all four marks by my master. I will live nearly as long as she will." He said.

"No…" I started shaking my head. "He didn't. He wouldn't." Was that what he was trying to do to me? I didn't want that. I didn't want to be by Vega's side for the rest of his life. I heard his voice echoing in my head. I had no choice. I am sorry. There are always choices. What about what I wanted?

"With the next mark, there will be easier mind contact. He won't just have to come to you in your dreams." Sakura said. She was gloating at me. She knew I hated what I was hearing, and she fed off it.

"No. No. No." I kept repeating.

"No, you don't want the next mark, or no, you don't believe us?" She teased. She thought all this was entertaining.

"I don't want to be anyone's servant. I don't want a master. I don't want…"

"Have you been eating a lot lately, mortal? Have you had cravings, eaten things you wouldn't normally touch?" She asked.

"Yes." I said. That much I could answer. It was a wonder that I hadn't gained about fifty pounds by now. Right now, even, my stomach was flipping from hunger.

She frowned. "He is taking energy from you, using your body to nourish him. He will stay strong, as long as he has you. That is why your appetite has increased."

"I didn't know. I wouldn't have." I said. Son-of-a-bitch. He was the reason why I was going on an eating rampage.

"I believe you, but last night, when I realized what had been done. I was so angry that I took your lover." She said. Her voice was almost apologetic. I knew she regretted nothing.

"We're not sleeping together."

"Why else would he try to save you? Surely not because he's moral? Why would you risk your life for him?" She asked.

Apparently, she hadn't learned camaraderie, especially comradeship against a common evil, before she was turned, or maybe she didn't give a damn about it. Whatever, I just wanted to get the hell out of there. "What can I do to please you?" I almost choked on my words.

"There will be time for that, but first, I would like you to see the fourth mark for yourself." Sakura said. Why was she going on continuously about this? I got the picture. I was screwed if I didn't find some way to get out of this. Did she have to keep rubbing it in?

Ryu kneeled beside her, somewhat reluctantly. She touched him and he tensed. She unbuttoned her shirt, baring small breasts. I wanted to turn my head, but I had to know. She looked me in the eye as she ran a sharp fingernail deep into her skin over her breast. A line of blood appeared and began to flow from it like a river. I watched appalled as Ryu's lips latched to the cut, suckling from her like a child from a mother.

"This," she said, gesturing at Ryu, "is the fourth mark."

There was no way Vega would ever make me do that. I'll kill him first. I swear it. I turned my face, looking at Valiant instead, trying to focus on how well-behaved he was being for the master, but all I could hear was the sucking noises and Sakura's light moans. I wanted to cover my ears, run from the room, but I kept my eyes on Valiant. And he sure as hell kept his eyes on me. Finally, the noises stopped and I looked back toward them.

His chest heaved heavily, and her head lolled back. Was this some kind of weird vampire sex or what? "Mortimer is being punished for pitying Jean-Paul. Did Mortimer really think he could secretly bring you in here?"

I didn't know, but I was relieved that he had been concerned about Jean-Paul.

"Can you see my scar today?" she asked. I shook my head no. "I am having to use more energy to hide it from you. Vega has devotees. If I kill him, they will put him on a pedestal and call him a hero, a martyr. If I make him look weak instead, they will follow no one or me. So, I will destroy something that he has pledged to protect."

"Jean-Paul," I muttered. Jean-Paul was Vega's to protect. Oh Goddess, they were going to kill him. "No!"

"But yes." She grinned at me. Before I could blink my eyes, Valiant and Triage were gone. I stared at her. I reached for my gun, but she held it in her hand.

"Looking for this? I clouded your mind and took it, just like I clouded your mind so Valiant and Triage could go to your lover. Vega has done a very bad thing. Now, Jean-Paul will suffer."

"Bitch!" I spat at her, running toward the door, using the wind to propel me faster. I could her anger hot on my back, but I didn't turn around. They already had Jean-Paul out of his chain when I reached them. He was sprawled on the floor. Blood was everywhere, his blood. He wasn't dead, but he was dying. They moved in on him again like wolves.

I put myself between them and him, throwing a current of air at Valiant, sending him sprawling back. Triage made a move to grab me. "Touch me if you dare." I threatened. He paused. Fear was almost a fleeting thought, as I hovered protectively over Jean-Paul. Lightning flickered from my skin. I summoned a wind to bring him to me. He began yelling for Valiant, as I took him higher and higher. Lucky for me Valiant couldn't fly, or maybe lucky for him.

"Valiant can't save you now." I said. Anger boiled in me. He taunted me by using my best friend. I would make him regret the day he laid eyes on me.

"Your eyes! What are you doing?" I heard Triage yell over the howls of my winds. He didn't get a chance to say anything else, as I hit with a bolt of lightning, releasing him from the winds. He fell to the ground, not moving.

"What have you done to him?" Valiant screamed.

The same thing I was about to do to him until the door from Sakura's chamber exploded open. I had to dodge the debris. Valiant covered his head and dropped to his knee. Her winds overpowered my own, ripping at my hair, clawing at my face. No! I was the mistress of the elements. Before I could retaliate, she was floating before me.

She was using so much power that I could her veins, her bones. She was almost painful to look at, and she was furious with me. She whipped me against the wall. I screamed. How could I have let her take control from me so easily? She was on me within a second, pinning me to the wall. "You will learn to obey me."

"No!" I screamed. I would never obey her. She snapped my face forward to look at her. Chills ran through my brain. She was cutting me up psychologically., making me relive every fear, every painful moment. I could feel myself trembling, tears flowed down my face. I couldn't make it. I was going to die here. You will not die here, a voice said in my head. She pulled me close; her teeth sank into my flesh. All the fight was gone. Then, she cast me from her. I was falling, but everything went black before I landed.

- - -

I opened my eyes to see a man the color of café au lait standing over me. His gray eyes looked down at me with worry and fear. Omar. Vega's right hand man. I shifted around. I was on a couch in some office. How had I gotten here? Where was Jean-Paul? Tears burned my eyes. He was dead. I had failed him. I should have never trusted Sakura. She was a snake, more vile than any villain I have ever encountered.

"Where am I?" I asked, forcing my tears back. I had to fight now. There would be time for tears later.

"Vega's office." Omar answered.

"How did I get here?" I asked.

"Sakura dropped you off. 'Here's your boss' whore,' she said." He said the words hesitantly, looking away from me. He obviously hated her just as much as I did. She had disrespected his master, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Do you know what he did?" It was an accusation. He knew what I was talking about – the marks. I wanted to know if I was the only person who didn't know about these damn marks.

"Yes, he marked you twice. When I talk to you, it's as if I'm talking to him." He said. Haha, Munroe, the joke is on you. Everyone knew what was going on except you. I bet it was the talk of the vampire community. Vega has marked a hunter. Was he serious about the talking to Vega bit? Wait, did he mean that literally? I didn't know, and I didn't care.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I didn't answer his question. Instead, I said, "I need a bathroom."

I looked at myself in the mirror. I was a mess, but I was lucky I wasn't serious injured or hurt. I touched my fingers to the bite marks. Bright Lady, she had bitten me. I touched the wound again tenderly. This was the first time I had been bitten by a vampire, so I did what many people would do. I freaked out. I cried. I screamed. I cursed. I trashed the bathroom, throwing the trashcan into the class of the mirror.

Then, I was deadly calm. My logical mind took over. I had to get this wound cleaned.

"Ororo? Are you all right in there?" Omar asked outside the door.

"Leave me alone, Omar." I yelled.

"Yes." He answered.

I looked into the mirror at my shattered reflection. Forget turning this case over to the police. It was blood for blood, now. They were going to pay. I was going to make them all pay. By everything I hold sacred and true, I will be avenged.