A/N: Hey waddaya know, a relatively quick update, this time. Have a read and see what you think. Then review, please.

Disclaimer: Kindred: the Embraced characters belong to John Leekly Productions and Spelling Television. All references to Vampire: the Masquerade belong to WhiteWolf. Crossing Jordan characters and themes belong to Tailwind Productions and NBC. Jessie Renard, the Prince of Boston, and a few other minor characters belong to me.

Chapter 8

It took exactly eight and a half minutes for Cash to arrive at the Morgue after getting off the phone. That was the longest eight and a half minutes of Peter Winslow's life. Cash had told him to stay with the other M.E.s and try to keep everyone calm until his team got to the scene. An ambulance arrived almost simultaneously with the crew of four Gangrels. The coroners had all congregated in Dr. Macy's office, so they could lay the injured man on the couch. As soon as the head Gangrel walked into the room, Peter was on him.

"It took you long enough!" Peter growled under his breath. The EMT's were attending Dr. Macy and two cops were keeping the other M.E.s busy while the Kindred crew had a look around.

"Calm down." Cash replied, pulling the taller man into the hallway.

"I need to get up there." Peter said. He tried to push his way past and get to the stairwell, but Cash had an iron grip on his arm.

"Two of my people have already gone up to check it out." Cash said, leveling a stern gaze at his friend. "I can't have you going up there and getting yourself killed. J.J. would have my ass."

"She could be hurt!" Peter growled. "You didn't see that guy…. he was… and anyway it's not like anyone will notice. They're all wrapped up giving statements too those cops."

"Yeah, I know. They're Kindred cops."

"What the hell is going on here, Cash?" Peter whispered, an undertone of pure venom lacing his words.

"Look, Rocky, that Ravnos attacked in a very public place, in front of a bunch of witnesses. The Prince wants this locked down now. I don't like it anymore than you do. But if we can't manage to mask your friends' memories in there soon enough, the Masquerade will be shot to hell. Then, we're all screwed."

Cash sighed looking very tired. "I need you on board here, pal. Every minute I'm down here trying to calm you down is another minute I'm not finding out about J.J."

Peter's reply was interrupted by a young Asian Gangrel coming up behind Cash. Peter recognized him vaguely from the Feast of Enoia. The boy looked harried and was covered in blood. He whispered something in his superior's ear that visibly shook the tough Gangrel boss.

"Wait here." Cash sternly told Peter. He didn't wait for an answer but followed his clanmate swiftly through the entrance to the staircase.

Peter shook his head. "Like hell I will."

As he raced off after Cash, Peter failed to notice Jordan staring after him. She'd slipped out into the hall unnoticed while the cops were occupied taking statements from Nigel and Bug. She'd been hiding, quietly listening to snippets of the conversation between Peter and his friend. Jordan had very little idea what the conversation was about, but she had managed to pick up the fact that there was some kind of cover-up going on. It took Jordan barely a minute to decide to follow Peter up the stairs to the roof.

The scene on the roof had Peter frozen in his tracks. A few feet away Cash and the kid… Peter's mind blankly supplied that his name was Jake…had joined a third scruffy looking man kneeling over a bloody prone form. Jessie's clothes were shredded and falling off her as she lay in a pool of her own blood.

The wind picked up and began to howl through the night sky, breaking Peter out of his reverie. He ran over to Jessie, falling to his knees beside her. He lifted Jessie's body into his lap, cradling her in his arms. As he looked her over, Peter's breath caught in his throat. She was so battered, he barely recognized her as his girlfriend.

"Is she…?" Peter's voice trailed off as he looked up at Cash.

"She's alive." Cash nodded. "But barely. She's unconscious. We've contained the bleeding for now. But we need to get her to a safe place and get her a transfusion as soon as possible. She'll slip into Torpor if we don't."

"We can take her back to my place." Peter said wiping blood caked hair away from Jessie's forehead.

Cash shook his head. "It's too risky. The Ravnos has seen you now and he knows you're connected to us. He'll be able to track you down."

"Then he'll be able to track you guys down too." Peter growled in frustration.

"I've got a place," said a voice from behind them.

Peter whirled around to see Jordan standing behind him. Cash let out a warning growl that sounded more animal than human. The other Gangrels crowded around Jessie, trying to block the older woman's view of the body.

"Jordan, you need to get out of here. Please, go back downstairs with the others." Peter pleaded. Every moment he had to deal with Jordan, Jessie was slipping away.

"Look, I don't know much of what's going on here Peter. But it looks to me like Jessie doesn't have a lot of time. Now, I've got a place that you and your friends can take her so you can help her. I won't ask you any questions, right now. But I am gonna want an explanation later." Jordan replied, with a challenging look.

Peter looked at Cash, who shook his head fiercely. "No way in hell I'm bringing her into this. The Prince would have my head on a platter."

"Ah but, I haven't the taste for cranium I once had."

Another woman had arrived on the roof. She was dressed in a stylish business suit and flanked by two similarly dressed guards. Her posture screamed authority as she walked over to the group. As she passed Jordan, her guards stayed behind, taking up positions around the confused M.E.

"What's the damage, Primogen?" The woman stooped down next to Peter, careful not to get any blood on the hem of her skirt.

"He took out one of our San Francisco Gangrels, Prince. She tried to take him on alone and stop him from getting out to the rest of the City but the bastard overpowered her." Cash replied. He stood up straight as he addressed her, almost looking like a soldier reporting to his commanding officer.

The Prince of the Boston Kindred nodded taking in the scene before her. "And the Masquerade?Has it beenbroken?"

"He injured the head coroner here. Several of the others viewed the incident. A few of your Ventrue cops are down with them now, trying to alter their memories."

"And this human?" The Prince indicated Peter, who seemed lost in his own world, totally focused on Jessie.

Cash shook his head slightly. "He's Herd. He's been claimed by clan Gangrel. Our main problem is that one."

Cash pointed toward Jordan, prompting the Prince to walk over to the exceedingly nervous looking woman. Jordan had the distinct impression that she had met the suited lady somewhere before. But as the blond Prince coolly surveyed her from head to toe, Jordan couldn't help but feel a little anxiety.

"Who are you?"

The Prince gave a little laugh at the tone of Jordan's voice. She shook her head with a smile. "You do remind me so of your mother, Miss Cavanaugh."

"My mother?"

Jordan was visibly shaken by the words. But the Prince had already shifted her attention back to Cash. "You can bring your clanmate back to my home, Primogen. It will be safe there to rehabilitate her. My people can take care of the doctors downstairs. In the meantime, have the rest of your Gangrels get back on the trail of that Ravnos. I want his body laid before me as soon as possible."

With that, the Prince turned back to Jordan. "You will come with me."

As she heard the words, Jordan looked directly into the Prince's glowing eyes. They seemed to burn into her very soul. Before she knew what was happening, Jordan's feet were moving her along after the woman.

The Ventrue guards followed close behind the two women and Peter was left alone with the three Gangrels. Cash bent down and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Peter was rocking rhythmically back and forth now and Cash had to shake him a bit to pull him out of his daze.

"We've got to move her now, Rocky." Cash said gently. "We've got to get her to the Prince's house."

Peter simply nodded. He picked his beloved up off the concrete, careful not to jar any of her injuries. Silently, he followed case back down the stairs into the lobby of the Medical Examiner's Office.

They didn't have a chance to head for the exit, though. One of the Prince's guards was blocking the door while the other stood behind Nigel, holding the angry looking Brit's wrists behind his back. The Prince stood to the side, arm-in-arm with a dazed looking Jordan. Nigel was practically foaming at the mouth trying to get to his girlfriend.

The Prince turned to Cash. "Do you know this man, Primogen? My people have already taken the injured doctor and the other to the hospital. But this one refuses to go."

"What've you done to Jordan?" Nigel yelled.

"He seems resistant to our Dominance, Prince," said the guard restraining Nigel, "His mind does not yield."

"Explain this, Primogen!" The Prince looked quite irritated.

Cash didn't have the chance to answer as he was cut off by Peter. "He's Herd. Jessie used to date him."

"Is this true?" The Prince asked Nigel.

Nigel wrenched his arms away from the guard and pulled down the neck of his shirt in the back. He flashed the letter H tattoo on the back of his shoulder at the blond woman. She nodded to her guard at the door, who promptly stepped away from the exit.

"What is your name, human?"

"Nigel Townsend."

The Prince nodded again in recognition. "Yes I remember. A Gangrel woman came to me a few months ago, asking to initiate you." She turned to Cash. "I assume that is the injured party?"

Cash nodded anxiously, wanting to get a move on. The Prince turned back to Nigel. "Well then, you are welcome to join me at my home, Mr. Townsend. We can sort this whole mess out tonight."

Nigel looked around at how outnumbered he was by the various Kindred and nodded his assent. He followed the blond woman as she led Jordan out the door to a limousine waiting outside the building. Cash and Peter followed close behind. The Ventrue guards were the last to leave. They shut off the lights in the Morgue and locked the doors. Outside, the Gangrel Primogen helped Peter and Jessie get into the back of a black and white that served as part of the Prince's police escort. The limo and its two car escort took off down the street in the direction of the Prince's house.

Cashturned to Jake and the other Gangrel, Lars. "I want you two to get the others and contact Redwind. Let him know that scum took down one of our own. I want every Gangrel in the City on the streets tonight. Leave no stone unturned, but be discreet. We already came to close to the Masquerade being broken once today."

Lars nodded but Jake looked confused. "Where are you gonna be?"

"I have to take care of this thing with J.J. and Rocky. Then I'll be right out there with you guys."

When he received nods from his clanmates, Cash mounted the back of his motorcycle speeding off after the Prince's caravan. When they were alone, the two Gangrel's turned to each other.

"Just like being back home isn't it?" Jake asked with a smirk.

"To the tee." Lars replied. "So… do you wanna tell Redwind we lost track of the Ravnos?"

Jake shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Nah, I think you should be the one to do it. He likes you better."

Lars huffed. "Well I think you should do it. So, I guess there's only one way to settle this."

"Paper, Rock, Scissors?"

Lars nodded. "Best out of three."