Yes, I am updating this story at long last. Several issues have been resolved. My co-writer on this story had to step aside due to extenuating circumstances of a crazy life, therefore, this chapter and the rest of this story is my sole responsibility. There are ideas and plot twists which do belong to Everyone's Favorite Rebel Scum, but other than that, this continues to be the ramblings from my depraved mind.

ur1crazedupfruitloop also must fess up to responsibility for this story, I saved it and am keeping it going for her and EFRS, otherwise this tale would be long gone and cooked into ashes.

Major thanks to ur1crazedupfruitloop for her willingness to beta this chapter.

Chapter Eleven

Jazz did her best to relax and allow her life return to normal. Her hair grew out so that it drifted around her head like a red and gold halo. She held back some of the wayward strands with blue butterfly barrettes and decided she kind of liked the look.

She studied in preparation to get back into the swing of college and ignored Danny. It wasn't easy of course. Her brother's life seemed to have changed. The ghost portal was almost silent. He was left to his studies at Amity State University, which made him very grumpy.

Tucker's remark of how it was spooky to have so few ghosts in Amity Park was met with a laugh. A few ghosts escaped here and there, but it was hardly the ten or fifteen a day like as it had been in the past, and not one of them caused the havoc that they had before. The three friends had too much time on their hands, and that allowed Danny to focus on Jazz, who he worried about. She was different now. He could barely reconcile the quiet young woman she was now with his nosey know-it-all sister.

Jazz's return to college life was met with a great deal of angst and anguish within her family. She did her best to convince them that she would be fine. They tried to talk her into going to college at Amity State, but Jazz didn't want live under the constant watchful eye of her brother. She needed to be on her own to figure out who she was again, and what she was going to do with her life.

After hours of argument with her mother and father over the matter, Jazz tapped into the money Vlad had given her and set up in a very nice off campus apartment. Danny tended to appear at irregular intervals, almost like he expected to catch her up to no good. For the most part Jazz said nothing at his intrusions. It was always good to see him, even if his concern was a little constricting.

Jazz enjoyed her classes. Learning was one of her favorite pastimes, and she buried herself deeply in her books, they were her best escapes from the things, or thing…or more appropriately the person who haunted her.

Her social life was nonexistent. For some reason, she seemed to have grown out of the circle of friends she'd established before Vlad took her away. Jazz didn't like the word "kidnapped" or "abducted", even though rationally she knew that's exactly what he did, and really she wasn't interested in a social life. She just wanted to forget…everything.

She did try valiantly to forget about Vlad and just move on with her life, but thoughts of him assailed her constantly. She was aware of how close he was in relation to her apartment. It was a thirty minute ride to the mansion of green and gold, the place she called home for four out of six months. She'd driven by a few times, all the while telling herself that she was ridiculous and that Vlad certainly didn't want to see her.

Jazz had difficulty ferreting through her feelings. The first flush of anger and anguish after the drug wore off began to fade as soon as her memories began to appear. She wished she could go back to the craziness the drug had induced, that she could forget that Vlad, beneath the creepy villain exterior wasn't a terribly bad person. She told herself she didn't love him. How could she love him? She would concede that she cared about him and missed his company, and did her best to be logical about all her feelings Vladward.

She wondered what would have happened if she hadn't contacted Danny when the drug first wore off. If she had just stayed with Vlad until all the memories of her time with him caught up with her. Would she have stayed with him or would she still have fought to go home?

To say that Jazz wasn't angry at Vlad was untrue. She was unspeakably mad at him. She was angry that he disrupted her life and threw her whole plan for her future off course, but she could live with a change in plans, she wasn't so inflexible that she could deal with change. Besides, it was only six months, not years.

She was angry that he was going to use her for some plot against Danny, but forgiving considering he'd abandoned the plan, though now she worried about what evil he could be plotting against her brother next. She was angry that he let himself be weakened. He knew she wasn't seeing things clearly and yet he let her love him. Let himself love her in return, and in so doing left an imprint on her heart that she feared she'd never be able to erase.

It took her a month and a half, before she finally gave into the restlessness in her heart. She had to find away to free herself from Vlad. He held her heart just as surely as if he were still keeping her his prisoner. She knew she needed to see him and work through her feelings. He admitted that he owed her recompense for the time he stole by paying her way through college, but Jazz contended that it would take more than money to pay what he owed.

She fretted for sometime before finally contacting Vlad. He made it clear that he wasn't happy to hear from her and he reluctantly made an appointment for dinner on a Wednesday evening. Jazz could only hope that Danny wouldn't choose to show up at her apartment during the middle of the week, and find out what she was up to.

Jazz was nervous as she walked up the drive and up the steps to the large mansion, but she began to feel at home the moment she stood at the door and rang the bell. The thing which frightened her the most was that he might not answer, or would send her away. But he didn't. Vlad simply opened the door and showed her in.

It was strange, sitting across from a table from him again. He was extremely quiet. Jazz caught him watching her a few times, only to look away stoically. She wished she could figure out a way to connect with him. She pondered why she even wanted to. She should have been happy at his distance, but instead she wanted to fight it.

"What have you been working on?" she finally asked. "I mean what is your latest dastardly plot?"

Vlad smiled at her almost indulgently. "I have no dastardly plot currently in the works. I am simply maintaining my business interests." The truth was he had become frustrated with the plan he formulated, plus he didn't have any viable DNA to work with.

"Are you going to St. Tropez again in the summer?" she asked almost meekly. She wanted to beg to go with him. Her memories of the little villa by the ocean were very special to her.

Vlad looked at Jazz blankly. He didn't want to remember St. Tropez. He shook his head. "I am putting the villa up for sale," he told her as he surveyed the look of dismay on her face with curiosity.

"Why?" she asked, trying not to feel hurt. Didn't he cherish the memories as well? Why would he want to get rid of such a beautiful place, where they had been so happy together?

"Do you want it?" Vlad asked softly as his eyes truly met hers for the first time that evening. "I'll give it to you. Just say the word and it's yours."

Jazz half laughed, "What would I do with a villa in France?" She asked.

Vlad smiled. "Live there," he said. His eyes lit up a little and Jazz smiled.

"With you?" she asked hopefully then blushed and looked away at the amused look on Vlad's face.

"Of course not with me you silly girl," Vlad said as he watched the smile fade from her face. He suggested it to get her away from him. He looked at her blankly as she looked down at her plate. Her eyes filled with tears and he bit back the soft feeling of remorse at hurting her.

"I have no use for a home in France," Jazz said in a sadly resigned voice as she mentally let go of the villa. Maybe it was a good thing. "I suppose if you're never going to use it again, you should sell it." She picked up her fork and fiddled with the tines before looking up at Vlad again. He smiled slightly at her and she sighed.

The silence between them was awkward. Jazz tried to think of a million ways to make him talk, to melt his cool demeanor. She wondered for the millionth time if she wasn't obsessed with him. The thought almost made her laugh. Imagine the absurdity of being obsessed with Vlad, but in truth, it was the furthest thing from being funny she could think of.

"It's getting late," Vlad finally said. "Shouldn't you be leaving?" Jazz gave him a thoughtful look.

"Do you want me to?" She asked.

"Yes," He answered then immediately regretted the harshness of his tone as her cheerful expression fell. No he didn't want her to leave. He wanted her to stay, but he didn't wish to feel the way he felt and he was angry. He was angry at seeing her and having the emotions he felt he'd successfully cut off, stirred to life.

"I'll walk you to your car," Vlad said as he stood. He offered her his hand then realized too late that it was a mistake to touch her. He tried to move away but her hand was already in his. She was already standing. Her eyes had already captured him. He hated that her eyes, the color of the Caribbean sea, moved him to such emotion.

Jazz took a deep breath as she stood close to Vlad. It was so hard for her not to just lean into him. Not to reach up and caress his face. She knew his weaknesses. She wondered how hard it would be to break down the defenses he'd put up against her. Did she want to? Why? What would happen if she did?

She smiled slightly then adjusted his tie. He winced back slightly as if he was expecting something else and feeling the defenses he thought he'd built, crumble. He swallowed hard and put on a very stern expression.

"See what happens when I'm not around," she said almost absently. "There is no one to straighten your tie." She looked back up into his eyes and almost stepped away in fear from the intense expression on his face.

"Jasmine," he said on an almost tortured breath then pulled her close to him, bent down his head and almost kissed her. Jazz sighed as she put her arms around him and pressed herself close, willing him to hold her.

He held her in a tight but gentle embrace, and she could feel him shaking. Jazz knew this wasn't something he wanted to be doing, and she couldn't help but revel in her power and the joy of being held so lovingly by him. She wanted to talk, to tell him she missed him, but she was afraid. She had just gathered the courage to speak when her cell phone rang. Both she and Vlad froze.

"It's Danny," Jazz whispered. She and Vlad shared a worried glance then she scrambled to reach her cell phone.

Vlad held her close and listened to the conversation with a worried expression on his face as she answered. "Hi, Danny." He felt her tense as Danny spoke.

"I didn't know you were my keeper," Jazz said dryly. "I didn't know I had to check in with you all the time."

"Of course I'm not home. Some friends and I went out."

"No you don't need to come over. I'm fine."

"No I'm not drunk."

"Yes I'll be home soon. I'll call when I get there."

Jazz hung up the phone and looked at Vlad briefly. "I need to go," she said as she extracted herself from his arms. She had kind of been hoping…well she didn't know what she was hoping, she did know she was reluctant to leave.

"It's all right," Vlad told her gently. If Danny hadn't called and rescued her, he knew he'd have kissed her, and then they both would have been lost.

Vlad walked her to her car, allowing her to kiss his cheek, then admonishing her to please drive safely. She asked if she could call him and get together again tomorrow; he agreed reluctantly then waved as she drove away with a sad smile on her face. He closed his eyes and realized what a fool he was. No matter what he did, she had some strange power of him and he couldn't deny her anything she wanted, he only hoped she'd never realize that, or better yet, never ask anything of him.

Danny narrowed his eyes as he watched Jazz drive up to her building and walk tiredly into her apartment. He flew down and materialized. Jazz was just coming back from the kitchen humming to herself. She saw Danny and nearly jumped from her skin.

"Danny!" She yelled. "What the heck are you doing here? Why can't you knock or something?"

"I was worried about you," Danny said as he searched her face. "You just didn't sound right when I talked to you earlier."

Jazz gave him a look of annoyance. "I'm fine Danny. Look at me. Do I look like I'm having problems? Do I look scared? Do I look unhappy?"

"You look kinda mad," Danny remarked.

"You need to leave me alone. I can't have you here at all hours of the day breathing down my neck! I think I'm doing well, but you are constantly reminding me of everything and making it difficult to move on!"

Danny put up his hands, "All right I'm sorry."

"I want you to call next time," Jazz demanded. "Next time you come over, I want you to call. What if I had company? Hmm?"

Danny smirked. "Are you planning on having company Jazz?" He relaxed as he watched his sister blush. Maybe she was going to be okay, especially if she was dating.

"Who is he?" Danny asked.

"Who?" Jazz asked her eyes going wide.

"The guy you're seeing," Danny replied. "Who is he?"

Jazz narrowed her eyes at her brother. "That is none of your business. You're driving me insane."

Danny had the decency to look ashamed. "All right," he said. "No visits unless I call first."

"Thank you," Jazz said in relief.

Danny stayed with her for a few hours. She was glad to have his company, otherwise she would have sat and thought about Vlad, and she decided that dwelling on things was counterproductive.

She had hoped that seeing him again would ease the ache in her heart. Well, it had, but not in the right way. She felt like she was being held hostage, as soon as she was about to part company with him, she knew she needed to see him again. How could she escape this? She needed to talk to someone who would understand, but…who other than Danny and his friends, could possibly understand the ghostly aspects of her situation? A licensed therapist would think she'd gone insane. She laughed at her thoughts, maybe she had.

Vlad smiled grimly as he stood over Jazz as she slept. He made an effort to find out where she lived the moment he heard she returned to Madison. He'd never given into the urge to intrude upon her until now. He was after something and he needed it right away. He didn't want to wait.

In the form of Plasmius he floated to Jazz's bedside. He watched her for a few minutes, resisting the urge to smooth her hair and tuck her in. He smiled as she smiled in her dreams then sighed heavily.

"I came here for a specific reason," he reminded himself, not to stand and admire the young woman as she slept. He stayed invisible as he carefully opened her mouth. He used a tiny scraping device to swath tissue from the inside of her mouth. It was quick, painless and was a sure fire way to obtain the DNA he needed.

Vlad placed the sample in a vial, capped it, put it in his pocket then turned back to Jasmine. He burned and ached to wake her up. He wanted to crawl in bed with her and….He stopped the thought. No. He knew he was going to have to let her go. He had every intention of freeing himself from her. Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't always love her, it just meant he would be free of her spell.

It was tough for Vlad, being torn between his love for the beautiful creature sleeping before him and the darker callings of is heart. He'd only really wanted one thing all his life and somehow he'd found it. Cruelly though, he knew that Maddie had been right. She deserved better. She deserved so much more than he could ever give her.

Vlad knelt down beside her bed and continued to watch her sleep. He had a plan and it would hurt her. He wanted to at the very least wait until his experiment would work before pushing her away for good, he couldn't bare to walk back to the barren existence he knew before Jasmine entered his life. As soon as he was successful, he planned on cutting ties with her completely, he would break her heart, and his own. He would make her hate him. Show her his true colors. He knew her heart so well, she would meet his plans with such distaste. He reached forward and gently caressed her face. She should be grateful that he was even letting her live, that, was love.

Vlad was giddy with excitement as he reviewed the information on the results from Jasmine's DNA. The moment he got home he flew to his lab and began working. It was the truth that he required little sleep and it was a tacit understanding with himself that he would work non-stop. He wouldn't be able to rest until he was insured of success.

Even though he knew he could obtain more tissue samples from Jasmine, he would rather that everything work out the first time so he didn't have to go back again and again and risk being caught.

All his trials and simulations showed that his plan would work. He decided to go through with the experiment, pleased that the sample had proven viable and compatible with his intentions.

Vlad worked tirelessly for most of the day, it wasn't until later that afternoon that his intensely focused concentration was broken. He was irritated as the phone rang. Who could be disturbing him? He had given orders that he be left entirely alone. He was prepared to blast the caller with an angry tirade when he realized it was Jasmine on the other end of the line.

He closed his eyes as he listened to her voice. It was so bittersweet knowing that soon he would cut his ties with her completely. Her voice was like a caress or a oasis in the desert. The vibrant sound of her laughter illuminated his soul, and insomuch as she could heal him, she wounded him. He loved her and hated her all at once, wanted to protect and destroy her. Poor Jasmine had no clue how close to danger she let her heart lie.

"I apologize Jasmine," Vlad said as his eyes scanned information and he held the phone to his ear. "I have been caught up in some very important work. I hope you don't mind if I give you a rain check. He smiled slightly as he listened to the small irritated sigh on the other end of the line.

"Yes I mind," Jazz said softly. "I don't want to take a rain check."

"I simply cannot tear myself away," Vlad told her as he made a few notations to his work. "Perhaps some other time."

"I know what you're doing!" Jazz accused in a tone which made his blood run cold. He gripped the phone tightly and was about to make a statement of denial when she continued. "You're trying to push me away."

Vlad smiled slightly in relief. How could she possibly know what he was planning? "I can assure you my darling," he said smoothly. "That is not the case."

"I'll come see you," Jazz said. "I'll be there in thirty minutes." Vlad raised his voice to stop her, but she'd already hung up. He was irritated by the fact that he didn't have her cell phone number. He growled something under his breath then left the lab and prepared for Jazz's arrival.

The next afternoon, Jazz sat at a table in the Student Union, catching up on her reading for her next class. She was thinking about the prior evening and Vlad. She knew she'd disturbed something he was working on. At first, he had been eager to get rid of her, to speed her on her way. His attitude had been cold, bordering on cruel. Jazz tucked a nonexistent lock of hair behind her ear and smiled.

She had such power over Vlad, she couldn't help but test and push. With a few well chosen words, a sweet smile, and a touch of her hand on his arm, she had melted his frosty exterior. It was trilling to have access to the depths of Vlad's heart, even though it was against his will, he was deeper than people gave him credit for.

But, Jazz sighed, her reason for visiting Vlad wasn't to torment him. It was to get over him. She knew she needed to see him in order to do that, otherwise she just romanticized him and ignored the fact that he really could be a jerk.

He had been sufficiently jerky at the beginning of yesterday evening, but then his demeanor changed, and he was kind and sweet, and Jazz loved him for it, and hated herself.

She was just about to gather her books together and leave, when someone sat down beside her. She blinked at the youthful man with blondish hair and green eyes, sitting beside her smiling. Did she know him? Yes. He was in several of her classes. Jazz searched her mind for his name. Alex? No. Anthony? No…

"Pete," he told her and smiled, as if he could read her mind.

"Hi, Pete," Jazz said as she returned the friendly smile. "Can I help you with something?"

Pete looked at Jazz thoughtfully. "Yeah," he said, then cleared his throat. "You can." Jazz looked at him pleasantly and waited. He seemed to stumble as he looked down at his hands.

"Do you need to see my notes from Sociology?" she asked hoping to help him say whatever he was trying to say.

"No," Pete said then took a deep breath. "I need you to go out with me. Tonight. To dinner, maybe a movie." He smiled hopefully and Jazz looked at him thoughtfully.

"You need me to?" Jazz asked.

Peter gave her a charmingly crooked grin. "Yeah. Don't say no. It took me three weeks to get the courage to ask."

"On a date?" Jazz questioned as she smiled.

"Yeah," Pete said nervously. "So will you? It's Friday, the perfect night for a date." Jazz took a deep breath and looked down at the book she was reading. Her plans for the evening consisted of going to Vlad's and trying to figure out what he was working on, and of course pushing on the bruise on her heart which still ached to love him.

Jazz sighed. She had talked to Pete a few times, he seemed to be a nice guy. She smiled wistfully. Maybe a nice guy is what she needed to get her mind off of Vlad.

"Yes," Jazz said ignoring the little voice in her head trying to remind her that she was expected at Vlad's mansion. "Of course I'll go on a date with you."

Vlad growled as he pushed away from the computer. He looked up at the clock and his scowl deepened. It was a little after eight in the evening, Jasmine should have called by now. He tapped his fingers on the counter. If he had her phone number, he would have called her, but garnering a way to contact Jasmine had escaped him.

He left his lab and walked to his study. He checked his phone logs but found that Jasmine's phone was unlisted. He sighed then sat down. It was better this way. It was better that she left him alone instead of bugging him. He needed to complete his work. He needed to rid himself of his obsession with her.

Vlad stood and paced then changed into his ghost form and flew from his home. He told himself that he just needed to check on her, to make sure she was all right. He'd never even let her know he was there. His suspicion was that she'd fallen asleep reading, it was a common habit with her, but he had to check or else he'd be unable to concentrate until she finally contacted him again. He began imagining finding her in a chair asleep, picking her up and tucking her into bed as he'd always done before, when finding her in such a state.

Jasmine's apartment was empty when he arrived. Vlad frowned. Nothing was disturbed. If she was taken against her will, then she hadn't been able to put up much of a fight. He flew out of the house, looked down the street and saw red.

There she was, his wife, yes, yes she was still his wife, walking hand in hand with some boy. A boy! She was smiling and laughing and the boy was looking at her adoringly. Vlad ground his teeth angrily. He watched as the boy walked Jasmine to her door then stopped and looked at her. They talked for a moment. The boy leaned in for a kiss and Vlad could take no more. He went inside Jasmine's apartment to wait.

Jazz had done her best to enjoy herself. Pete was very nice. He was funny and smart and was pursuing the same major as herself, Psychology. He made her feel so comfortable, that she almost confided in him about Vlad a few times.

She did her best not to think about Vlad, and for the most part was able to keep him in the shadows of her mind by telling herself she wasn't really out on a date, she was out with a friend.

It was walking home which was difficult. She and Pete obviously clicked. They got along well and she could tell he was pleased with how things went. Under other circumstances, Jazz would have been too, but instead she felt guilty and sad. She wished she had met Pete under different circumstances.

"So can I call you?" Pete asked as he stood with her at the door to her apartment.

"Sure," Jazz said softly as she fished a pen and paper out of her purse and wrote down her phone number.

"Thanks" Pete said as he took the paper from her fingers. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I'll talk to you later then."

"Take care," Jazz said as she entered her apartment then closed and locked the door. She turned around and gasped as she put her hand to her throat. Vlad was standing in the middle of her living room glaring at her angrily.

"Vlad," she said breathlessly as she put her hand to her neck as she flushed guiltily. "You scared me. What are you doing here?"

Vlad looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "I was worried about you," he said smoothly. "You said you were going to call me…" His eyes glittered dangerously as he walked toward her.

Jazz resisted the urge to step back. She broke eye contact with him as she put her purse and keys down. "As you can see," she said almost shortly. "I'm fine."

"Who was that boy?" Vlad asked coolly as he moved closer. Jazz finally took a few steps back until she was against the wall.

"His name is Pete," Jazz answered as she locked eyes with Vlad. He stopped just barely an arms length away from her and she relaxed.

"Your date?" Vlad questioned.

Jazz looked down in shame. "Yes." She closed her eyes as he reached forward and lifted her chin. She held back the tears glittering in her eyes and sighed. She didn't want to look at him.

"Did you have a good time?" he asked gently.

"Yes," Jazz answered then looked into the Vlad's eyes. He didn't sound angry, but she could tell he was.

"And you let him kiss you?" Vlad asked as he focused his gaze on her lips. Before Jazz could answer, he moved forward and placed his mouth over hers. Her heart was thrumming in her ears and she moved forward to put her hands on his chest.

Jazz knew she shouldn't want this, that she would be better off and probably happier in the long run if she told Vlad to take a hike and pursued a relationship with Pete. Instead she let her lips cling to Vlad's as he pulled away.

"No," she said breathlessly. "I didn't." Vlad kissed her again, this time pushing her against the wall and pressing against her. He groaned as her lips parted beneath his, and then her hands moved from their spot on his chest and snaked up to pull his hair out of it's neat ponytail. He pulled away and looked into her sleepy eyes as she arranged his hair on his shoulders and smiled.

"Jasmine," he said shakily as he searched her face.

"Yes?" She asked softly as she continued to comb her fingers through his hair. She knew what drove him crazy. She also knew what would push him over the edge. The power was hers and she knew it.

"You should stop," he warned.

"No," Jazz answered as she continued to run her hands through his hair. She watched his face darken angrily and she was scared for a minute then suddenly he was lifting her in his arms. He carried her into the bedroom, kicked the door shut behind him and….

And that…is all! Mua ha ha ha ha

Nightmares are on your head, Ayla :-)

Review now or I'll send Vlad after you!