Disclaimer: AAR has this. All this, not mine. Except for some things.

Ac_bworm: I… wow. I think I'm speechless. That was such a nice review! And…you mean you found out about my devious plot to kill my readers? ^_^ Well, here's your next chapter, and I don't think you'll die of suspense during it.

Lannan: Thank you, I need to fix that. Soon. When my workload lightens up a bit. Yeah. That's the excuse ^_^ Anyway… enjoy the chapter!

Thanks to Griffinkhan and Almondgirl, for beta-ing and generally being cool.

Chapter Nine: Negotiations

How can he, of all people, be here? Though we have not interacted in quite some time, the thought of him still sends fear and rage racing through my body. His arrogance, his cruelty, his way of playing with people as though they are things, all of that makes me ill. I was nearly savage in my glee when I found out I'd lost the bet. That meant he was weakening. I hoped that he would leave New Mayhem and not come back, but he did not do so.

"Risika, do come in," calls Siete. He apparently felt my presence through the door. I turn the handle, and go in.

There they were, sitting in a couple of chairs as though they owned the place. I want to reach out and hit them, feel the cartilage of their noses collapse beneath my fist, hear the wet spurting noise of blood pour out. I restrain myself though; now is not the time to indulge in such desires. Instead, I turn to Siete.

"I have some news I gathered from my walk," I say, hoping that he will send the two of them away in order for us to talk. He does not do so, but instead indicates that I should sit down. I hesitate before doing so. I do not want to be any closer to them than I have to. Siete turns to them.

"Now, please continue." Aubrey looks at me before doing so, rage playing across his features. Clearly, he does not like to be in the room any more than I do. He leans, ever so slightly, towards Jessica, as if he is afraid I would hurt her. Seeing him display a weakness, however slight, makes me feel slightly better. He may have once controlled me, but the tables have turned, and he knows it.

"We could not find Kyle, though we tried as hard as we could. Celeste did not know where he had gone, and his daughter was at school when we went. We brought back Celeste and the daughter, but so far, they have proved to be useless." Siete looks thoughtful.

"It may be that we will have a hold over Jaguar, regardless. He has softened over the years, and would not want to see them hurt. Remember, part of the reason he so willingly became a trainer was because he was hurt at his family's rejection. Taking out his feelings on others was how he became one of Jeshickah's best. If he knew then what we know now…" Siete trailed off, deep in thought. He then turns to me, and asks, "What have you found out so far?"

"Jaguar keeps witches here, as part of the staff," Siete looks surprised, but motions for me to continue. "Jeshickah does not like it, and I overheard them arguing about it as I made my way here. She thinks he is trying to plot something. She also mentioned something about papers."

"I am not worried about the papers, he probably is trying to kill her anyway…"

"The seamstress told me that Jeshickah had tried to talk to the witches, but did not say what about." Siete takes no notice of this, and has instead turned to Aubrey.

"Again, more proof that the time is right. We need to make our move soon, before anything else happens. Where are you keeping them?"

"They are at my place in New Mayhem," says Aubrey. "Jessica and I will go get them." With that, they disappear.

I turn to Siete, wanting to ask what is going on, but he shakes his head. Clearly, he does not want questions. Instead, I simply wait, until the crack of displaced air signifies that Aubrey and Jessica have returned. I turn around and see on the ground two women, one older, the other barely into her teens. The older woman sits up, obviously shaken by what has happened. She is hugging the younger girl fiercely, as if to say, "Do what you like to me, but do not harm her."

They are obviously mother and daughter, both of Hispanic descent. Aubrey and Jessica take no notice of the woman's actions, but instead walk towards their chairs. I notice that they didn't tie the two of them up, but I am not surprised. Aubrey always gets what he wants; and it would have been too easy for him to manipulate them into coming with him to his place.

Siete stands up and walks towards the women. Instantly, the mother transforms, her body shifting from human into that of a quetzal, a South American bird. The bird attacks at Siete, who manages to avoid being scratched. Jessica and Aubrey do nothing, though Aubrey has managed to get a hold of the girl.

Siete reaches out his hand, and the bird is frozen in midair, trilling and calling as she tries to break loose. However, she cannot stand against his mind, and turns back into her human form before slumping to the ground, defeated. Jessica pulls two handcuffs made of lead out of a pocket, and cuffs the woman and her daughter. Meanwhile, the girl looks on, her brown eyes large with fear. Her heart is beating so fast; I can hear it, a persistent drumbeat that hangs in the air.

I lick my lips unconsciously. It has been a while since I've fed, and her life, her energy, the way I can hear her blood whispering through her veins, all of it is making me crazed with hunger. I desperately want to reach out and sink my fangs into the soft flesh of her throat.

Siete looks at me, and I can hear his voice in my mind: Go and feed. But be quick about it. I leave almost before he has finished dismissing me and make my way down into the kitchens. There I manage to find a young woman who is more than willing to let me feed from her. I drink from her and one other before going back to Siete's room.

When I arrive back, both the shapeshifters are tied and gagged. Siete and Jessica have obviously just finished discussing something before I arrive, and are suddenly silent upon my return. Siete then walks over to me.

"Risika, would you please go get Jager and Kendra? Don't worry about Katama and Silver, I've already explained things to them," he asks, again with a polite smile. I say and do nothing, but I instead leave for their rooms. I could have just called them with my mind, but it is quite obvious Siete wants me gone. I call upon Jager first. He seems to already know what is happening, as he brushes past me as soon as the door is opened. Kendra does so as well, her apparent eagerness to leave almost throwing me off my balance. Kendra likes to be in the center of action; hers is a line that celebrates the intensity of the present.

Siete sits in a chair, and motions for us to sit as well. He clears his throat, and then begins to speak.

"I know this is a bit soon, but from what I can see and hear, now is the time to make our move. We have only just arrived, but I apparently made a mistake in judging how soon things might come to a head. Jaguar and Jeshickah are both up to something, and so we need to bargain now, before their plans can be executed." Standing up, Siete continues with his speech. "Katama and Silver will be staying here, as guards of a sort. Should anything go wrong, they will be able to get help. Now, let us leave."

He disappears, and the rest of us follow. We arrive in front of the doors that lead to his office. Siete knocks on the door, and is granted entrance. We file in, one by one, until Aubrey and Jessica come in last, holding the captives. They stand behind us, so that Jaguar will not see whom they are holding.

Jaguar looks surprised to see us. His surprise shifts rapidly to wariness, as he surveys who exactly is in the room. He stands up from his couch, and asks in a firm voice, "What is it that you want?"

"We are here to bargain, Jaguar," says Siete in a calm voice. He then proceeds to explain the threat that he suspects the witches pose. Siete goes on at length how the races could be threatened if New Mayhem was attacked, and how Midnight would not be far behind. Jaguar listens patiently, and when it becomes clear Siete has finished, he responds.

"That is all very well and good, but I'm afraid I cannot guarantee support. I have my own interests I need to look out for." Jaguar looks at Siete, perhaps hoping Siete would agree with him. Siete looks at Jaguar for a while, a calculating look on his face.

"There once was a jaguar shapeshifter, who belonged to the clan Azteka." Jaguar looks startled at this sudden shift in topic, but Siete seems to take no notice. "His name was Juan. He loved another of the elavie, named Catalina. He thought she was beautiful, inside and out, and she felt the same way about him." Jaguar's face is now very pale, though the expression of wariness has not changed. "He was young, a half-breed. And his father hated him for it. His father hated his mother too, and the family was not a happy one. It finally ended for poor Juan when his father sold him to slavers. Juan was glad to leave his family, but grieved to leave Catalina. He was traded again and again, until finally he ended up in the heart of the spider's web- Midnight. And there, he was changed. This newly born vampire called himself Jaguar."

By now, there is a distinct sense of fear in the room. All of the vampires with Siete are watching Jaguar, never letting their eyes glance away from his face. I am interested in the tale; apparently, it is one Jaguar does not want any of us to hear.

"Jaguar became a trainer, one of the most powerful in the slave empire. He used his hatred towards his family, and his grief for Catalina, as a source of cruelty." Siete walks closer to Jaguar, speaking all the while. "However, it was his father's rejection, his mother's refusal to protect him, that hurt most. He felt rejected by his family, and as such, was cruel to the slaves used for breeding. But" and here Siete's voice became lower, "he did not know he had one of his own. Because, you see, Catalina had given birth. A son, called Kyle. Who married a quetzal, and now has a daughter." Aubrey and Jessica come forward, holding the two bound shapeshifters. They dump them on the floor behind Siete, who does not notice.

"Now, now he might have a chance to make things right again. Because, you see, this little girl does not know her grandfather." Abruptly, Siete stops talking. He and Jaguar now talk, mind to mind. They are both silent for some time, before Jaguar speaks.

"Fine. You have my support. Should New Mayhem be attacked, we will try to come to your aid." He looks tired, exhausted. Days and nights of avoiding conflict with Jeshickah and keeping peace seem to be catching up with him. Siete smiles at his proclamation.

"I am pleased you see reason. I had hoped that this would be all I had to reveal today, and I am glad I was right." Jaguar's face goes even paler, if possible. I suddenly wonder exactly how much Siete knows about me, about all of us here.

Now I understand why so many of us answered his call, myself included. He knows about us, knows how to make us do what he wants without ever having to use his powers to do so. He secured an apartment for me, not because he wanted to be nice, but because he wanted a hold over me. And I, out of a sense of politeness and social expectation, agreed to be his servant. I have no doubt that if he needed to, he would have gotten a hold of Alexander.

My single consolation in the wake of this revelation is the fact that all the others in this group must have had this done to them at some point in time as well. Their faces do not show any hint of pity, but I can sense that they know what Siete does, and go along with it anyway.

But my musings are interrupted by a command of Siete's. Go to your rooms, he says. It is past dawn, and time we retire. We will gather again tonight.

I immediately take myself to my room, and lay down on the bed.