NAME: Kirk Baldridge

EMAIL:

TITLE: Sometimes You Get What You Need

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters, names, places, etc. They all belong to Kim Harrison, and I would just like to take this opportunity to thank her for creating them.

FANDOM: The Hollows

PAIRING: Rachel/Ivy

RATING: K+

SUMMARY: Several of Rachel's relationships are in jeopardy.

SPOILER: Sequel to You Don't Always Get What You Want and set sometime after Black Magic Sanction. While you don't need to read my previous stories to follow and (hopefully) enjoy this one, it would help.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I feel a little explanation is necessary. My Immortal and its sequel, Through Her Eyes, are a separate timeline from my other four stories, which-if you wanted to read them all-technically belong in this order. You Don't Always Get What You Want, Love and Vampires, Disturbing, and Sometimes You Get What You Need.

CHAPTER 15

It occurred to Rachel, as they were unloading their gifts from the car so the valet could park it, this would be one of the very few times she entered Trent Kalamack's mansion through the front door. He had apparently beefed up his security since her last visit, with a second checkpoint past the front gate and armed men posted at every corner of the house.

"Tinks' little red thong!" Jenks shook his head. "Look at all this. Greenie weenie sure is paranoid."

Ivy held her present under one arm and the pixy's in a bag in the other hand. "It's probably because of Ceri's baby. She is the first healthy elf born in a long time. Kalamack must not want to take any chances."

"I'm with Jenks on this one," said Rachel. "I think Trent's just paranoid." Out of the corner of her eye, the witch saw a flash of color flitting in and out of the perfectly pruned shrubbery around the house. Clutching her present, she cleared her throat. "I'll be back in a sec." She walked closer and saw a tiny, familiar face peeking out. "Sidereal."

The fairy flapped his wings, regenerated along with those of the rest of his clan after Rachel twisted a curse to make them big and then small again, and rose to her level. "Morgan. I thought I caught a stench of pixy."

"Nice to see you too." After Rachel spared their lives, the fairies had agreed to move into Trent's garden, in exchange for one of them remaining in the churches. It had been several months and she had not seen her, but Jenks had and was not pleased his children had to live in close proximity to "one of those bloodthirsty bastards". "How're you doing?"

The fairy shrugged. "Kalamack was pissed when we moved in but Ceri talked him down, and I think now he's glad 'cause we managed to take care of a bug problem he was having without having to spend money on gardeners."

Rachel nodded. "That sounds like Trent."

"Listen up, witch. Tell your pet pixy he gets a free pass this time, but he better not come any deeper into our territory." Sidereal sneered. "I'd hate to see him end up like that pretty wife of his."

Feeling cold, Rachel returned to the car. "The fairies know you're here."

Jenks scowled. "Sidereal can piss my little green ass. You should have torched the whole stinking lot of them!"

"It would have made us no better than the coven if I had," said Rachel. "I know you blame me, at least in part, for what happened to Matalina and you're right to, Jenks. But I made my decision and I stand by it."

Ivy remained silent. She had killed her fair share of fairies in that battle, and sparing the rest of them had been one of the few things she and Rachel strongly disagreed about. 'I just hope it doesn't come back to bite you.'

"Must you people be so loud?" Trent Kalamack stood in the now open doorway, wearing a suit Rachel guessed probably cost as much as her car. "By the way, Morgan, I should thank you. It never would have occurred to me to add fairies to my garden staff but I must admit they are surprisingly effective, and they work quite cheaply."

Rachel resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at the egotistical elf. "Glad I could help."

"Come inside." Trent held the door open. "For reasons that escape me, she's anxious to see you."