Hello again!

I hope these two chapters find everyone doing relatively well. Yes, that's right, I have two chapters for you with this update. It was another case of "I'm going to finish this story arc. I swear to God I'm going to finish this arc. Oh, no ... it's over ten thousand words." Ergo, you have two healthy sized chapters. This leads me to the format of the story – you may have noticed that we're not working with just Chapter IX, or Chapter X anymore, but rather I.9 and I.10. This was done out of a desperate attempt to unify the story when I was clearly heading for some sort of plot climax in these two chapters but still had yet to reach much of the original premise of the story. As such, the entire work will have two sections – Part I where Mary-Lynnette and Ash deal with a lot of their emotions and Part II where they have the rest of their adventure. I think it'll make the transition between the two arcs a little easier to handle, and it'll give chapter II.1 a fresh feel (which is where we're heading next). If you read my author profile page, you saw that I'm going to take a short break from Mary-Lynnette and Ash so that I can update In My Sight – my James/Poppy related fanfiction. Don't worry, though – we'll be back to our snarky vampire in about a week or so.

With that out of the way, I now turn to a new part of my notes, where I grovel and thank the people or websites that have given me inspiration and plot ideas. The first portion of my gratitude goes out to fate22 for her amazing awesomeness in letting me use her vampire genetics theory – to see exactly what I'm talking about, go and read her Thierry/Hannah story Come Again?. It's crazy-well done and very creative. The second bit of gratitude goes out to fightingartsdotcom and their section about Zanshin. Before going to that site, yeah ... I didn't have a clue. But, they have an awesome section about mind/body control and I found it extremely helpful.

And last but not least, my individual replies to my author's notes. As usual, you guys are amazing and extremely good for my ego.

fate22: What can I say? Your comments were wonderful feedback (I'm glad you liked Ash's unconscious snuggling!) and you even let me borrow a part of your own story! Don't worry about our couple getting too bogged down in Daybreak matters – they'll have their own agenda soon enough.

Hananiah: Review whenever you feel the whim. I know that there are chapters that may not tickle everybody's fancy. I love feedback, but just the knowledge that you're reading the story is good enough for me. Glad to know you liked my Poppy and James tangent :grins:

Pyrope: LoL! Please don't steal my talent – I have at least another ten chapters to write! Seriously though, that was so nice of you to say. And yes, Mary-Lynnette is feeling confuzzed – and she'll keep that way until, oh, about the end of Chapter I.10. Enjoy!

Shiegra: I hope it stays interesting . I'm also really pleased that you feel it represents the characters in an accurate light – that's definitely the most difficult part of all of this.

Aglaia di Willow: And spelling isn't even my forte:hugs her spellchecker: You're clan leader? Wow ... I haven't paid attention to that stuff in so long. The last time I took my head out of the clouds with that clan was when Starfox (I think that was her name) was clan leader. I feel so old!

crystleflys: chuckle: I hope you don't model your own road trip too closely on this one – we're going to have some bumps ahead of us. Woot! You enjoyed my whole "Mary-Lynnette and Ash act like normal people" angle! That was something that I was really looking forward to doing, and you'll see more of it later on.

Lunatic: You'll definitely get one of your wishes by the end of this update, and as to the other – we haven't quite had time for it yet, but my hopes are high for the next chapter. Thank-you so much for reviewing again! .

Shattered Immortality: LoL! If long is best, then you should be extremely pleased with this update. And I certainly don't mind the gushing – although I have to say that your compliments go straight to my head . As to Jade, we may see her again, but probably not until the end of the story. In the meantime, I'll keep her in mind as an extra character for some of my other L.J. Smith-related fanfictions.

amber-rules:chuckle: Thierry can be scary, but it's all to a greater purpose.

tanya: Hee-hee Somebody read both my stories. In My Sight will be getting some much-needed attention this week, so you'll have an update of that to look forward to. I'm so glad that you're enjoying my writing – your comments were wonderful to receive.

laura: I hope your holiday went well! I'm glad I was able to give you a nice homecoming, and here are more long chapters for you to devour. :grins: I think this story will continue to surprise you, especially since we have an enormous plot shift coming up.

Whew! Okay, now on to Part I, Chapters 9 and 10. As with the last time I put two chapters up at once, you can expect minimal author interference until the end.

Enjoy!


For a Knight's Lady

By:EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

Rashel Jordan walked around the large room, her footsteps not making the slightest sound on the wooden floor. Vivid green eyes watched the students lined up in rows as she intently searched for incorrect postures or signs of energy blockage.

"Zanshin," she reminded them, letting her voice softly sweep through the still air, "is about control. Fights are never over when your opponent is dead – they're over when you return home. And even then," she added, "it's still best to maintain awareness."

Making her way to a red-headed shapeshifter, Rashel adjusted his stance with her toe, instructing, "Japanese samurai used to say 'When the battle is over, tighten your chin strap.' Even when you are physically still, the danger is not always gone. Remember this when you go out on your missions."

Heading back to the front of the room, she concluded, "To practice this awareness, do not focus exclusively on your actions, but instead be receptive to all that is going on around you: the air, the earth, the sound of your opponent's heartbeat, the movement of their muscles. If you are attentive to enough detail, you will know what must be done in the next moment." Leaning against the wooden wall, she went through one last examination of her students, making mental notes about their progress and what she should cover during the next training session. After another five minutes of silence, she nodded. "Class dismissed. I expect to see you all at the meeting tomorrow evening."

After spending a few moments answering some last minute questions from the agents in training, Rashel gathered up her things and placed all of her personal equipment in a black, leather tote. Before she turned around to leave, her senses, and a faint tingling at the back of her neck, alerted her to the fact that she was not alone.

Smiling, Rashel remarked, "And where have you been, John Quinn? It's nearly impossible to demonstrate iaido katas without a second teacher."

The teacher in question soundlessly walked up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and gently nuzzling the back of her neck. "I'm sure you managed," he answered, holding her securely against him for a few moments before releasing her. "Thierry caught me while I was walking here. Ash is back in Vegas."

Arching her eyebrows in surprise, she linked her hand with his as they exited the room, heading away from the East Wing to the North Wing, where most of the agents had rooms. "Is he back here, yet?"

Quinn nodded. "He just got in – Thierry left me to go and get him."

Rashel let that process for a moment before observing, "So he's going to make him do it, then."

Quinn sighed. "I think so. We have other agents that could go and collect the information, but Ash is the best when it comes to working clubs." Almost ironically, he commented, "He's even better than me."

Squeezing his hand gently to show him that she understood, Rashel pointed out, "It's not just about ability, though. It's no coincidence that Thierry is ordering this mission while Mary-Lynnette is here." Realizing her assumption, she clarified, "Mary-Lynnette is here, right?"

"Barely," he replied. "They hadn't been inside the house more than ten seconds before Thierry pulled him away. She was remarkably understanding about it all."

Rashel couldn't hide a snort. "With a soulmate like Ash, patience and understanding are vital." Nodding to the guards as they passed through a huge set of double doors that led to the domestic wing of the mansion, Rashel inquired, "What is she like?"

Quinn let go of Rashel's hand so that he could unlock the door to their room. Once inside, he admitted, "I didn't get a lot of time to observe her. As soon as Ash left with Thierry, Thea swept her away for the Grand Tour."

"Does she look like a fighter?"

Quinn sat down on the couch next to Rashel's discarded tote, taking a moment to simply relax in the living room of their suite. His enjoyment only multiplied when Rashel sat on the arm of the couch, leaning against his shoulder when he wrapped his arm around her waist. "She doesn't have training, if that's what you mean," he said. "Could she fight if given the opportunity? Probably. But I don't think that's where her strengths really are."

"How do you mean?"

"She has a wisdom about her that reminds me of Hannah. She appears very intelligent."

Rashel gently rubbed her chin in thought. Eventually, she offered, "It sounds as though she's a good match for Ash. He's very unbalanced – especially while fighting. It makes him impulsive and dangerous to everybody around him."

"He has a lot to prove," Quinn reminded her.

Rashel shrugged. "I know. But still, it doesn't mean he can't find zanshin." Then she wondered aloud, "Do you think the two of them will pass Thierry's test?"

Quinn sighed. He had his own feelings about Thierry's manner of testing new Daybreaker couples. "Most likely," he answered. "At the very least, we'll see how they interact."

"You assume, of course, that she will demand to accompany him on the mission."

Chuckling, Quinn glanced up at his soulmate. "Didn't you?"

"This better be really important," Ash grumbled, sitting in a chair across from Thierry. The older vampire gave him a neutral glance before pushing a folder across the desk.

"You'll find her information in there," Thierry told him, leaning back in his chair slightly.

Giving him a wary look, Ash reached for the manila folder, opening it cautiously. "Her?" he echoed, pulling out a number of glossy photos. Glancing down at them, he sighed. "Come on, man ..."

"Her name is Reina Muñoz Gómez. She's part of a rather prominent Circle Midnight group in Madrid. She's also a vampire."

"A vampire witch? We're having a lot of those lately."

Thierry nodded. "Nothing so severe as last month's hybrid, though. She's dangerous," he cautioned, the warning clear in his voice, "But I don't think she's somebody you couldn't handle."

Ash let his gaze float over the pictures, noting that their spies were getting better about taking pictures with helpful details. The slim leather pants and skin-tight, black tank top showed that Reina was a hardcore party girl through and through. Her make-up was slathered on thick, doing as much to mask her delicate features as to accentuate them, and Ash knew that some research on a number of her tattoos would provide a good introduction for conversation. Before his brain could start making even more plans, though, he firmly closed the folder and put it back on the table. "I'm not doing it," he said.

Maintaining an almost annoyingly patient expression, Thierry asked, "Why?"

Ash blinked. "Because ... my soulmate's in town and I'd rather spend time with her than acting as a spy in a Vegas nightclub?"

"It'll only take one night," Thierry pointed out, leaning forward in his desk and bracing his weight on his elbows. "Probably no more than three or four hours at the most. You could have dinner with Mary-Lynnette and then go to the club; we can easily take care of her while you're gone."

"It's not that," Ash grumbled. "I just don't feel right doing that kind of work when she's in town. Can't you get Quinn to do it?"

"What's so different about you and Quinn? Rashel's his soulmate and she has no problem with Quinn being a club spy."

I wouldn't bet on that, Ash thought, recalling more than one time that he'd seen the dark-haired vampire sleeping outside of the suite he shared with Rashel.

"Besides," Thierry continued, "she isn't just an ordinary Nightworld agent. She has important information about the Nightworld Council."

Ash's ears perked up with interest and he replied, "Keep going."

Thierry reached over and grabbed a folder from the top of another stack on his desk and rifled through it briefly. "Remember the meeting we had at the end of spring? The one talking about how the Council was going to convene for a summer session?"

"I remember."

"There's been talk of some sort of prophecy," Thierry related to him, handing Ash a piece of paper from the file. "We don't know what it is exactly, or what it's about, but we think it might have something to do with the huge shifts of power that the witches have been sensing recently. I know I'll find out everything when I go to the meeting later on this summer, but I'd like to see if we can get a head start on the Nightworld. Reina is one of Hunter's top spies, and she's just returned from Europe. The word is that she may have found something."

"So you want me to go and find out what she knows," Ash concluded, his eyes briefly flickering through the paper's contents and verifying the encoded message Thierry had received. "That won't be easy – her information was for Hunter. This message says she has twenty werewolf guards with her. She probably doesn't like strangers, either."

"Which is why you're the one we need to send," Thierry said. "Quinn's reputation as a Daybreaker is getting stronger by the day, and Reina will certainly know about it. You're the only member we have that has the skills and the anonymity to do this."

Ash muttered, "You mean I'm the best at picking up girls."

"You're the best at getting information out of high profile females," Thierry corrected. "Sending you in to talk to her will get us the most information at the least cost and danger to the Circle. Also," Thierry added, "We have it on good authority she'll be at the Black Iris tonight. That's your club, Ash."

After a second of considering, Ash shook his head. "No. I won't go. Send in James – I hear he did a great job with some of those British clubs. Poppy can be backup."

Thierry sighed. "Why are you fighting me on this?"

Although first tempted to retort, Ash tried his best to ground himself and to respond like an adult. Eventually he offered, "I don't want Mary-Lynnette to have to see that side of me, yet. Or even to be in contact with it. I don't know if she's ready."

Thierry was silent for long moments before Ash looked up to see his face more somber than it had been for some time, his eyes dark with sadness. Feeling that something was on his mind, Ash waited. Eventually, Thierry spoke. "The soulmate bond is an amazing thing. It can bring together two people in an instant, breaking down all barriers and forcing them to see and to acknowledge all of the good and bad things within their partner. Sometimes," he explained, "this works out well. It's more than a little shocking at first, but some couples are able to reconcile the sparks and the connection and to move on with their lives – together and as a unit. It's more difficult for us who have dark parts of our mind where we ourselves don't wish to go."

"It's different with you, though," Ash said. "Hannah has bad memories, yeah, but you didn't actually do anything over the years that you should be ashamed of. It was all Maya."

Thierry looked surprised "Didn't I? For all that Maya turned me into a vampire, I'm the one that embraced the killer within myself – I'm the one that destroyed Hannah's village. For all that my hand wasn't the one that struck her down over thousands of years, I was the one who did it first, and mine was the face that she saw in every life right before her violent death. I have been a single, powerful force of pain for her in every lifetime that she has ever lived."

Ash was too stunned to speak.

"But," Thierry concluded, relaxing slightly and leaning back in his chair, "Hannah knows all of this, and she still loves me. She knows my past and my mistakes and she doesn't turn away from me, nor does she excuse my behavior. She accepts it." Looking directly into Ash's forest-green eyes, he asked: "Can Mary-Lynnette do the same for you?"

Ash thought back to their separate beds the night before, to her declaration of love, to the slight wariness he'd seen in her eyes over the past few days. He thought back to her quick changes of conversation whenever the topic of his work had arisen. He didn't know if she could accept him or not, but he did know that there were parts of him that she had yet to.

But they'd just gotten to Vegas ... he'd just picked her up from Oregon ... it was all happening so quickly.

Thierry picked up the discarded folder and held it in front of Ash. "For Mary-Lynnette to be in your life, she has to understand your role within this organization. It isn't the most glorious of jobs, but what you do is necessary. Without information from the working members of the Nightworld, Circle Daybreak is completely in the dark. From the minute she walked in the front door, she became a part of us – and all of the parts need to work together. For that to happen, there needs to be complete trust and acceptance between the members."

Ash stared at the folder, a feeling of dread overcoming him even as he knew what he would do. Closing his eyes briefly, he stood up and accepted the documents, giving Thierry a look of uncertainty. Still, beneath the turmoil in his eyes, Thierry could see the spark of life within Ash, and he knew that the young vampire would find his way.

"I'll go tell her," Ash said, turning and walking out of the office.

After a whirlwind tour of Thierry's mansion with Thea, Mary-Lynnette was feeling decidedly more informed and less overwhelmed with her situation. She had immediately taken to the blonde witch, enjoying how the young woman was down to earth for all that she had remarkable powers. It also didn't hurt that Thea had a human soulmate, and as such thought about normal things – like attending the University of Florida in the fall for pre-vet courses.

Mary-Lynnette was also glad that Thea was used to introducing people to Circle Daybreak; she had given the human girl enough information so that things were put into perspective without being overbearing. As far as Mary-Lynnette could tell, if she understood the following, then she would be relatively in the loop: the Circle was relatively new, focused on improving relations between humans and Nightworld members, still functioning mainly from the shadows, currently run by Thierry Descouedres (who worked as a double agent and member of the Nightworld Council), and Very Much Interested in the current rising numbers of political, economical, sociological, and environmental disturbances (as well as the recent resurgence of the soulmate principle).

Still, it was quite a bit to take in – especially when she'd seen the increasing numbers of extremely good-looking young people wandering around the house.

"Is everybody in the Circle this attractive?" she asked, feeling slightly dazed.

Thea shrugged. "Most of what you're seeing right now are vampires – both made and lamia. They are, more often than not, extremely handsome. It's sort of one of their genetic advantages – helps to lure in prey."

Mary-Lynnette could certainly see nature's logic in that.

"What about their ages? Nobody here looks over twenty."

"Vampires again," Thea answered. "Lamia can stop aging whenever they want to, and made vampires stop when they're changed. A lot of the people you're seeing have been around for at least forty years or so. As to the rest," she shrugged. "With the soulmate principle in effect, we get a lot of teenage humans wandering around."

After being shown the vast numbers of rooms and comforts that Thierry's house had to offer, including its own movie theater and ballroom, Thea took Mary-Lynnette to Ash's suite in the Northern wing of the house. She instructed the human girl to ask anybody for help if she needed it, and informed her that Ash would probably return from his meeting soon.

Left alone, Mary-Lynnette indulged herself and collapsed into the nearest chair, shutting her eyes for a moment before looking around with avid curiosity. Unlike the Beverly Hills house, this suite was a place where Ash lived and worked, and she could sense him all around her. She noticed right off that the living space had two areas to it – a living room that was decorated with two comfortable-looking navy blue chairs and a matching couch, and a bedroom that she could just see through a doorway. Ignoring the large television placed against the wall and the video games scattered along the floor, she stood and went to examine the stereo and was pleased to see that the CDs scattered around it were many of the same ones that she owned.

Looking around again, she saw a closet set against a far wall, and a peek revealed that it was full of well-used martial arts training equipment. She eyed a sharp katana with trepidation and opted to close the door and do some exploring elsewhere. Pausing slightly before entering the bedroom, she assured herself that Ash wouldn't see her investigations as an invasion of his privacy, especially since she had no intention of actually going through anything personal.

From the first step into his room, Mary-Lynnette felt as though she'd come home. It was hard to explain, as she'd never been to Las Vegas before, much less this particular bedroom in Vegas, but the atmosphere and furnishings were instantly comfortable for her.

It must be because Ash lives here, she realized, his scent and energy so thick around her that it was almost as if he were there with her. She shifted her gaze from left to right, and a chestnut bookshelf immediately drew her attention. Wandering over, she perused the books, smiling to herself as she read at least four titles by Jane Austin, as well as a couple from the Bronte sisters. Further scrutiny revealed his collection to be impressive and that it included classical works by Plato and Aristotle as well as later novels by Tolstoy and García-Márquez. Tucked at either end of the shelves were more recent paperbacks, and Mary-Lynnette was amused to see that for all his bravado, Ash was fanatical about J.R.R. Tolkien, so much so that he even had Tolkien's short stories. Turning away, she saw that the desk tucked right next to the bookcase was covered with a laptop and a number of papers and that toward the edge was a small picture frame. Obliging her curiosity, she moved some of the papers around to get a closer look at it.

The frame was relatively small – only about 4 X 4 inches, but to her surprise, carefully placed behind the thin glass was a picture of her. When she saw it, Mary-Lynnette realized that it had originally belonged to a larger picture of her and Mark, but Ash had trimmed the photo, cutting her brother out and leaving a snapshot of just her leaning against the side of her house. Knowing all the work he must have done to get a single picture of her, Mary-Lynnette had the grace to blush.

Note to self: Get extra copies of senior pictures as soon as possible, she thought, gently putting the frame down. The lengths that he'd gone to for the tiny portrait gave her a warm feeling of elation, and as such she was feeling extremely bubbly towards him when he came in a few minutes later.

"Mary-Lynnette?" he called, closing the door behind him. Although she was toward the back of his walk-in closet, she heard him clearly enough.

"I'm back here!" she shouted, trying her best to stifle her laughter. As soon as he walked in behind her, though, she felt her senses go haywire and her composure was lost. She couldn't keep from snickering when she presented him with the unforgivable item she'd seen hanging up on the door.

"What's so funny?" he asked, looking slightly paranoid. To answer him, Mary-Lynnette simply held up the glittering silver and purple button-down monstrosity that had almost made her retinas explode.

"Ash ... this is hideous," she snorted, tossing the shirt at him. "I haven't seen something this awful since Mark tried to tie-dye his sneakers. What is it doing here?"

Giving her a superior look, Ash straightened out the fabric before hanging it back up. "You obviously have never been clubbing. That shirt is hot."

"Making yourself look like a walking disco ball is 'hot'?"

Giving her an offended expression that would've been effective had he not still been wearing his superior look, Ash responded, "Excuse me. When I wear that shirt, I do not look like a walking disco ball."

Her blue eyes flashing with amusement, she crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Oh, really?"

Silver eyes met hers. "Really."

Leaning back against the wall, she simply said, "Prove it."

Ash blinked at her. "Right now?"

Mary-Lynnette nodded. "This I have to see. That shirt would make Elton John go into seizures."

He stared at her for another couple of seconds before shrugging and reaching down to take off his t-shirt. Just as he was doing that, Mary-Lynnette realized the entire extent of her request and felt her heart leap into her throat.

Whether he didn't notice the extreme change in his soulmate's pulse, or he was giving her what he felt she deserved, Ash followed through with his movement, fluidly pulling off the shirt to expose a well-muscled, graceful torso. He was tanner than Mary-Lynnette had originally thought he would be, and her ever-so-slight fixation on the texture of his skin was (to her horror) interrupted a few seconds later when Ash cleared his throat. Embarrassed, she dragged her eyes back to his and did some throat clearing of her own.

"Can you hand me the shirt?" he sweetly asked. "Or is all this stimuli too much for you to handle?"

Although she felt distinctly manipulated and toyed with, Mary-Lynnette sensed his good humor and knew that she'd pretty much asked for the attitude. Grumbling slightly, she grabbed the shirt and almost threw it at him. "I hope you send me into epileptic convulsions," she muttered.

Grinning, Ash tugged on the shirt, fussing with a few of the buttons so that it was open slightly at the neck. Holding his hands out at his sides, he turned around for her and prompted, "Well? Do I look like a reject from the 70's?"

Although Mary-Lynnette was forced to agree that the shirt, for whatever reason, went well his hair and caused his eyes to dance between colors in a provocative manner without looking flamboyant, she would be damned before actually telling him that. Keeping her expression neutral, for all that her blood was practically galloping around her body, she managed: "It doesn't look right with jeans."

Ash glanced down and looked up at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Oh. Well, that's because it looks best with black pants. If you want, I can try those on, too —"

"That's all right," she said, scooting around him to leave the closet. "You just, uh, yeah, I'll see you in the living room."

Watching her walk out, Ash's amusement increased tenfold. Well, he thought. It's nice to know she's not as oblivious to my physical charms as she pretends to be.

Ash emerged from the bedroom a few moments later and found Mary-Lynnette going through her luggage and sorting through her clothes.

The staff must've just brought it up, he thought, flopping down on to the couch and grabbing the case file from the coffee table. Having pulled out all of the clothes she wanted to hang up, Mary-Lynnette stood to ask Ash if he would mind if she used his closet. Peering over his shoulder, she saw a picture of a strikingly beautiful girl.

Needless to say, all thoughts about clothing fled her mind. "Who's that?" she asked, sitting down next to him on the couch.

Ash looked up at her, mentally preparing for what he knew was going to be a rather interesting battle of wills. "Her name's Reina … um … Reina Muñoz Gómez; she's a high profile spy for the Nightworld. Thierry wants me to make contact with her to see if I can get any information out of her."

About a thousand questions flew through Mary-Lynnette's mind, so many that she could only respond with, "So that's what Thierry wanted to see you about."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, he wants me to head to the Iris tonight – she's supposed to be there."

Ignoring the fact that the mission was going to cut into their personal time, she asked, "And what will you do when you find her?"

Ash cleared her throat. "I'll talk to her."

Mary-Lynnette arched her eyebrow. "Talk?"

"And dance."

"You'll dance with her."

"And ... charm her. Until she tells me what I need to know."

Mary-Lynnette sat back against the couch, her dress completely forgotten. "So this is just a verbal thing. A verbal/dancing thing."

Ash looked extremely uncomfortable. "We-ll ..."

Mary-Lynnette suddenly remembered one of their first conversations of the summer:

"Do you still, um ... with other, er …"

Catching her line of thought, Ash shook his head, "No. Well," he sort of coughed here, "I don't actually, but I pretend to, and well, it sort of works out that various girls think I, uh, did."

"I see," she said. "So you seduce them."

His eyes flashing between silver and green, Ash protested, "It's not like that!"

"Well, what do you do then?"

He tossed the folder on to the table, crossing his arms in front of his chest, his general insecurity making him unassumingly honest. "A normal night for me is to go and chat up the girl. I find out where she's from, what she's been up to recently, the kinds of stuff that she likes. We dance, we flirt, and if she's a human or witch then I try to get her to drink as much as I can. Usually, that's enough to get her mind shields to break down long enough for me to telepathically see what I need to see. Then, I implant a memory of a whole evening with me, and I leave."

"And if it's not enough?"

Ash sighed. "Then I physically go with her to a location of her choice and put in the memory from there."

Mary-Lynnette fought against the inclination to be immature, but jealousy and images of her soulmate snuggling up to gorgeous witches, vampires and shapeshifters were enough to make her more than a little insensitive. "What, in the height of passion?"

Ash flinched. "Now that's not fair," he declared. "I would never do that to you. I do a job here, Mary-Lynnette. But it's separate from me, and it's separate from what I feel for you. The soulmate connection – what we are – that's something nobody can touch."

"It's not their potential for success that bothers me, it's their attempts," she muttered.

Ash was about to respond when Mary-Lynnette waved her hand dismissively and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. "Okay," she said, sitting forward slightly. "Okay. I didn't really think about your work before, I'll admit that. It's just ... not easy for me to deal with. I don't like thinking of you that way."

"There really isn't much of a 'way,'" Ash pointed out. "There's talking, flirting, a little cuddling, but it's not like it means anything."

"But it used to," she reminded him. "And I think it's that memory that makes it even worse for me. Or, maybe my imagination just makes it worse than what it really is." After saying that, she got a look in her eyes.

Ash had a feeling he knew what that look meant. "No. No way. Never, Mary-Lynnette."

"Why not?" she asked, turning sideways so that she could more easily face him. "You said that this was a time for me to see different things."

"The Black Iris isn't a tourist club. It's a Nightworld den full of people who would want nothing more than to tap your veins or destroy your mind." The very thought of Mary-Lynnette being taken as some creep's pet made his stomach churn. "I know what they'll do to you – I used to do those things."

"But I don't have to stay the whole time, I can just peek my head in for an hour and then leave."

Ash shook his head. "No. Not a chance. It's too dangerous. A human girl as gorgeous as you are will draw a ton of attention – you won't stand a chance. Besides," he added. "I can't protect you the entire time that we're there – especially if I find Reina."

"So let's bring somebody else with us who can protect me."

Although Ash knew that such a thing could be easily arranged, he was desperate to keep her away from the club. "Why can't you just trust me on this? Why can't you just accept that it's too dangerous – that you could get hurt?"

Mary-Lynnette thought for long seconds before responding with, "For the entire time I've known you, I've had to hear whispers about your past. I've had to deal with the shadows of things you've done and the echo of actions that you're ashamed of. Don't you think I deserve to experience some of it? To know rather than to suspect? I want to understand you, Ash."

He stared off in the direction of the coffee table for long moments, his eyes shimmering as the colors twisted and turned, mirroring his internal conflict. Eventually, he spoke. "If we go, then you can't talk to anybody except your bodyguard," he instructed, his voice soft and serious. "You can't give anybody a chance to read your thoughts – it helps that you're human, so you won't project without meaning to."

"Okay ..." she said, feeling that there was more to come.

"When we go in, you'll see a corner full of oversized chairs and couches. I want you to stay there," he said. "I'll walk in with you, but people won't think twice about us if you do what I say."

"They won't wonder why I'm not standing with you?"

Ash shook his head. "It's not unusual to have vampires cart around their ..."

"Meals," she supplied.

He nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. Their slaves, donors, whatever. I've done it a few times in the past, so nobody should notice."

Mary-Lynnette nodded. "I can do all of that. I don't want to be reckless, Ash. I just want to see this part of your life."

But I don't know if you can stand to see it, he thought. Standing up to put the folder away, he thought of something. "I should warn you ahead of time," he said, "Reina is probably going to be a tough case. I may need her to take me somewhere outside of the club. Your bodyguard can drive you back here though, and I should be home before the morning."

Although Mary-Lynnette was most definitely Not Okay with the above scenario, she knew that getting upset with him about it wouldn't help to resolve their problem. Suddenly, the memory of her picture on his desk flashed through her mind, and she felt herself getting slightly choked up.

To Ash's surprise, instead of her yelling at him about needing to go with Reina, she stood up and leaned against him, resting her forehead on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he enjoyed the opportunity to hold her close, startled to notice that she was shaking slightly.

Hey, he thought to her, It's okay.

It was the first time that he'd spoken to her telepathically since they'd gotten back together, and Mary-Lynnette felt herself instantly relax at the sound of his mental voice. She sighed against him and nodded.

I'll make it okay, she thought. If he can try to be strong for me, then I can be strong for him, too.

I now encourage you to move on to Chapter I.10!