A/N: My cold is still hanging on and it's been more than a week! Any way my trip to South Carolina was rather edifying, as in I actually know what Charlston is like first hand.

Disclaimer: Everything that has been publicly acknowledged as belonging to some one else does. Everything that hasn't is mine and if you steal it I will hunt you down and chop you into tiny pieces and feed you to my brother's mutt.

I sighed waking again I Risika's house. I wandered into he newly cleaned downstairs and made myself an omelet. I was half through eating it when Risika appeared licking the last traces of blood from her lips.

"Go change it's time for you to earn your keep." I frowned wondering at her implications but followed orders and changed into blue jeans and a teal top. I walked back down stairs and Risika put her hand on my shoulder and we appeared in a hall in what I recognized as Taber's house. Risika knocked on the nearest door and Taber looking haggard and angry stepped out his lips pulled back grotesquely in a feral grin showing off his wicked fangs.

"Good evening, Risika. Angel..." He said the last sorrowful his obsidian eyes pained when he looked at me.

"Hi, Taber. How have you been?" Risika asked her voice sweet enough to give you cavities.

"Since when do you care?" He snapped.

"Bad I take it. I've been all right by the by. While humans are hard to care for and this one," She said stabbing my in the arm with a long fingernail. "Asks far too many questions it's unquestionable that it is worth it just to see you in this state."

"Go to Hell Rachel."

"Petty insults Taber, can't you come up with something better?"

"Oh, I won't have to insult you Rachel when Silver has you destroyed."

"I'm too strong to be destroyed." She said proudly shaking her hair back and tilting her chin up to look down her nose at him.

"Would you like to bet on that?"

"What would be the point I wouldn't be able to pay you if I was destroyed?"

"Who says I want money? You destruction would be sufficient, Rachel."

"Call me Rachel once more and I'll snap her neck." Risika threatened moving her hand from where it was resting on my shoulder to my neck. I shivered at her cool touch but knew better than to try to escape. I felt my heart kick it into high gear in fear of my life ending rather imminently. I knew both the Vampires would be able to hear my racing heart.

"Taber..." I whispered.

"Be quiet." Risika snapped flexing her fingers.

"Risika, look if you want me to fall at your feet and beg I will but," he too a deep shuddering breath. "Please do not harm, Angel."

'What are you saying, Taber? She'd have you throw yourself off a cliff before she thought of giving me back.'

' I know I spoke to quickly. I'm praying to whatever Gods that might not damn me that she won't realize she holds that power.'

"I think I'd like that."

"What?" He asked shock registering on his features.

"Grovel." I squeezed my eyes shut tight. I didn't want to see Taber on his knees on account of me. I tried to shut out their voices as well but they pierced my conscience making my heart wrench as Taber swallowed his pride. We arrived back in Risika's house amidst her laughter. "That was fun little pet don't you think?" She asked sitting in a chair in the living room.

"No. It was terrible I'd sooner die than endure that again."

"I wouldn't say those words so casually little pet or some one just might take you seriously."

"I was being serious." I said looking daringly into her eyes. I could see the muscles in her jaw tense a little as she concentrated on capturing my mind. I grinned when she narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

"Your mind, child, is far too strong for your own good. It'll get you killed one day."

"The day that the strength of my mind does anything but save me I'll be sure to give you a ring... that is if you've not been destroyed."

"Curb your tongue, little pet." Risika said a moment before vanishing. The air rushed to fill the gap where Risika had so recently stood. The air molecules made a collective boom as hundreds of them bashed together in their rush to fill the vacuum. If all Vampires were like Risika there would be far fewer of them. At the moment I was annoyed, frustrated, sad, and feeling incredibly stupid.

"Why, why, why didn't I ask Jaguar to sell me back to Taber immediately?" I demanded of Risika's empty house. "No she isn't Risika, not some gallant Vampire I'd read about in a Novella she is Rachel. Rachel, weak, petty, Rachel. I'll kill her." I vowed adding her to my short list that was topped, of course, by Lord Carlo. I went upstairs bored and in need of something to kill the time so I started to explore the rooms but before I could get farther than the one next to Rachel's I heard a boom in the next room signifying Rachel had arrived at her home. I thought briefly of going to her and giving her a piece of my mind but I heard a strangled noise.

"Why did you lie to me Risika?" I hear a tenor voice say softly but perfectly clear the tone; piercing.

"I-I wasn't lying."

"I can feel her aura, Risika. Quite strong really it's on your clothes in your hair it's in your room even. Why do you lie? You and I both know I am far stronger than you."

"I know, Silver." She seemed scared of him. I dimly remembered Silver was- is, I amended, one of Siete's fledglings. The strongest of them in fact.

"But I couldn't destroy you." He said tenderly. "I couldn't kill one of my own line but you are still in danger Risika there is still Aubrey's fledgling, Giselle. She is your equal or more and she'd be more than willing to be my proxy in killing you if for a price."

"I'm- you're disowning me aren't you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You know why, Risika the reason lives in your house even now."

"Tell me the real reason, Silver, other's have been forgiven."

"In the past yes I have forgiven other's for many reasons but you I cannot."

"Taber-"

"Taber has not nor will he ever express any desire to get into the politics of Vampirism. He is content with his own little world in South Carolina. You bought a slave out of spite, and hate of Taber. I can understand my line fighting, Hell, I can understand humans fighting but when Vampires proud predators that we are go around doing human things, stabbing each other in the back then I cannot forgive and forget. You have a week to get rid of her. I suggest highly, for your own sake, that you give her back to Taber. If you do I may not have you destroyed but mark my words Risika. From now on you are on your on in this world I, who protect my own when they cannot, will no longer protect you Risika as you are not my own. I bid you a good-bye but remember what I said Risika and remember well!" I heard a boom and then sobbing. I couldn't move as I was glued to the spot. I heard the horrible screech of metal on glass. I heard Rachel chanting the same words over and over.

"Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your pups as they need, and ye can; but kill not for the pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill Man!" Those words were all I could hear as I lay awake in bed that day wondering at the implications that Rachel would chant 'The Law of the Jungle' of all things.

A/N: I have a website or we do actually; me and Kay. It's called Midnight Eclipse and it's a fanfiction site. This is the link Love my story? Hate it? Tell me what you think. Review or Flame! (--)