HEYA! I am so sorry this took so long to get written and posted. I've been in and done two operas, massive university Exams and have just generally been lazy. pluss this was a hard chappter to write cause i wasn't sure the direction it was going to take..

MAJOR MAJOR KUDOS TIME, Shiniagamiphoenix! Saint, wicked writer, angel! you name it she is it, everythign good and fictastic! thank you thank you thank you.. for those of you who dont know, shinigamiphoenix is a Fantastic writer who edited this chapter, gave me some wicked suggestions for it, oh and she created Serina! what more can i say?

This ones for you Shini

Hellfire 101

"And if by rights, the Hellfire club does not agree with what the acolytes have decreed, then the hellfire club must suffer punishment. Should the problem be with one or two members, joined in ideals and faction, 'tis the job of the acolyte to dispatch swift and permanent justice upon these who would thwart the acolyte rule and the acolyte word. Henceforth those of the halls of fire that rebel against the acolyte word and the acolyte rule are punished by death and death alone. In return for these gifts of power the acolyte must have suffered at the hands of the inner cir.... Serina? Are you listening to any of this?"

James looked up from the thick book he was reading from to study the young girl lounging on the leather sofa of his Hellfire apartment. She looked up from cleaning her nails and grinned at him.

"Sort of. Its just 'hell' boring."

James nodded in agreement. "If you think listening to it is boring then you'd be stuffed to read the book. I'm trying to make it interesting."

Serina glanced at James; she found him incredibly amusing but wasn't going to let him know this, she wanted to keep her 'cards close' so to speak. Sighing, she waved her hand in a regal way. "Okay. I'm ready. Bore me some more."

James sighed and began reading from the book again. "In return for these gifts of power the acolyte must have suffered at the hands of the inner circle, through torture, rape or another form deemed worthy by the queen of hearts, the king of hearts and the joker."

Serina held up her hands. "Okay, wait a second. You use talking playing cards to decide who is let into your fancy club?"

James snorted and shook his head. "No. Okay, I tell you what, as long as you read and study the main rules I'll make everything else a colloquial term, so that this goes faster and you understand what we are inviting you to do."

James looked at Serina and she nodded. She didn't want to let James know that she found what he was saying quite interesting, because she didn't want him to know everything about her. Keeping her cards close was something that she was good at.

"Okay, I'll read the boring stuff. Tell me the relevant information that I need to know, so that the acolytes don't 'dispatch swift and permanent justice' upon my ass." She hadn't meant it as a joke but James grinned and slammed the old book shut.

He rose from his chair, stretched, flipped onto his hands and walked over to the sofa Serina sat upon. He grinned up at him with a twinkle in his eye before pushing himself back onto his feet and seating himself next to her.

James rubbed his hands together and looked at Serina. She looked back at him and shifted slightly on the couch; men made her nervous. If James noticed her movements he didn't acknowledge them. He smiled warmly at her and began to talk.

"The acolytes are a group of people who have control over certain parts of the hellfire club. They may have at one time been a part of the club, but normally an acolyte is a relative or an associate of a member of the inner circle. Most acolytes have never been connected with hellfire except by their knowledge of the member themselves." Serina looked at James her eyes sharp but her overall expression bored. "I thought you were going to make this simple."

James blanched. "That was simple. What I just told you was a reduction of an entire chapter within that book. It's the general gist of the acolytes without me going into detail upon detail."

Serina sighed and again waved her hand, indicating that she wouldn't interrupt again. James grinned, knowing that he had her full attention.

"All members of the acolytes have been abused by a member of the inner circle. For instance my father, Damian Hellstorm, the black knight of the club, psychologically abused me. As you can guess from my scar, I tried to take the same path you did and was also given a second chance. My father and I don't talk unless it's official now. But I'm alive, I'm happy and I'm taking care of business in ways my father never dreamed I would. The acolytes offer people who have seen what abuse of power can do to people. Thus the idea is that if that power is offered to them, they won't take the same path. Acolytes keep the hellfire members in line. They kill those who oppose them."

Serina looked at James. "I can do that..."

James frowned slightly, letting the movement dance across his forehead and reflect in his eyes. Serina caught the look that he gave her and immediately reacted, hate and pain and the memory of her father welling up inside as she spoke from the heart.

"What? You want me to kill them then I'll kill them, I haven't got anything to lose. Tell you what, I'll do my father for free."

James took Serina's hand gently and she pushed him away from her. "Don't try and consolidate me and don't touch me."

He nodded, rose from the couch and went back to the table. He reopened the big book and she sighed, settling down again.

"There can be only five acolytes at any one time. As the hellfire club uses that of the chess set, the acolytes use the form of the heart suit of cards. The Queen, the King, the Jack and the Ace. The last card is always the Joker. Each have their own tasks but as is normal the queen holds the balance of power over the other four. Should the power corrupt any acolyte then it is the duty of the others to dispatch the same justice upon the member who had been corrupted."

James looked up at Serina. He wanted to help her; he had been the one who suggested her for the position. Overhearing the whispers in the halls. He met her gaze, the look in his eye kind and willing her to understand. "It's not just about killing people, its looking at what the hellfire club does and making sure they don't get out of line, in that they are scared of the acolytes for we have the power of death over all but the highest member of the inner circle... unless they do something incredibly off the chart and wrong. Just because we have the power of death does not mean we should need to use it."

Serina nodded solemnly. "So if there are only five allowed members, who died?" She stretched out on the couch, plunking her army boots onto the soft cushions. If she was waiting for James to react she was going to be waiting for a while because he just smiled at her.

"I'll tell you of the members. There is me to begin with; the joker, if you can't tell. I keep my eye on the goings on of the normal club members but as the joker I have the right to look into the comings and goings of any member, inner circle or otherwise. I am also allowed to question any decision made by the other acolytes. I am the wild card and shall remain as such."

James smiled fondly, looking at a photo frame on his desk before smiling up at Serina, she scowled at him and his grin widened. "Our Ace is Alexander White. He's twenty-four years old and a ball of energy. He was chosen because of the treatment that he suffered at the hands of his sister. When we gave him the offer he was in hospital with near every bone in his body broken, she'd dropped him off the roof of a six-story building. The Ace of hearts keeps an eye on the knights of the hellfire club and their 'armies.' Alex has an extensive knowledge of warfare and weaponry from the video games he played as a child. But he's in England mostly so you wont see much of him."

Serina nodded and said, "I don't socialise, I don't care." She noticed the flicker of disappointment in his eyes and waited for a reprimand but he just nodded and continued.

"The King of Hearts is Benjamin Taraket. He is twenty-five years old and the oldest acolyte. He is serious, kind hearted and doesn't talk; his father cut out his tongue. They surgically replaced it but he finds it best to not use it. In his silence he uses his wisdom to guard over the hellfire's inner circle. He watches their affairs, has regular meetings with both the black and the white members of the inner circle and his wisdom and advice have become invaluable to the younger members. Lastly there's the Queen of Hearts, Cathryn Tear. Although the title holds the most power in the acolytes, she doesn't use it, thankfully. Her uncle is Sebastian Shaw, the black king, and her cousin is Shinobi Shaw, the white king."

Serina snorted. "Sounds like she's power corrupted, being kept in the top job by the Shaws."

James shook his head in earnest. "Cathryn hates power. Her mother, Margeretta Tear, abused her sexually to gain entrance to the inner circle. Cathryn has been an acolyte since she was twelve, and she's eighteen now. The Queen of hearts holds ultimate power. She is just, kind and must not allow personal feelings influence her decisions. She offers guidance to all who ask it. She would be one to learn from."

Serina stood up and tromped over to a window. "It sounds to me like you're all in the Hellfire Club's pocket." She looked out into the night and began thinking of the words of Descartes drawing on what he taught and losing herself in his words of wisdom. James looked at Serina's back and sighed.

"The Jack of hearts, whose name we shall not speak here, was dispatched by the acolytes for drawing in too much power around himself. He became greedy and attempted to take over the lead role. His job we now offer to you. As the jack you will be expected to keep a watchful eye on the bishops of the hellfire inner circle. You are also required to handle any application to the club and also any application into the inner circle. But be warned, this position holds great sway over the way in which the club is run. You must keep your temper or else you risk losing your head. As did the one who came before you."

Serina offered James a curt nod as an answer. She heard every word and was amazed at the responsibility she was being handed, on a golden platter. But she would not let James see how she felt.

James shut the book. "That is all you really need to know. Read the tomes when you find time. Most of it is on the job training, and you'll find that everyone's more than ready to help you. We're a close knit group, I'm sure you'll get along with everyone just fine."

Serina turned on her heel and looked at James. "I already told you, I don't socialise. I don't like people and I don't...." James' annoying grin made her hesitate. "What are you smiling at? Are you stupid or something? Fuck you and fuck your fancy club."

With that Serina stormed over to the door and threw it open, wanting to get away from James and his stupid smile, and his dumb ideas about having control over the hellfire club. She froze as she re-entered the hallway. Two people waited patiently outside James' door. One leaning against the frame, his arms crossed over his chest, the other leaning against the wall opposite the double doors. The one leaning against the frame gave her a curt nod. She glared at him and moved to walk past him. They both let her go.

Using her impressive memory Serina back tracked the path that James had taken to get to his room. Left, left, down a flight of stairs, three rights and she was back in the grand entrance hall. She remembered how she had nearly gaped at the extravagance of it all. She took three steps towards the door and froze.

"Hello Serina, darling daughter. How are you? You didn't come home for dinner." Her father looked at her with mock concern, standing in a group of three other men that Serina didn't recognize. One of the members of the group laughed.

"So this is your daughter. She looks like you." The man ran an appreciative and drawn out look up the entire length of Serina's body. "Can I play with her?"

Serina, realising that the situation was about to get worse, readied herself for a fight. Her father sneered at her and nodded to the man.

"Yes, Adam, you can play with her. Just leave enough for me to drag home."

Not wanting to waste her time on petty words like every heroine in the movies seemed to do, Serina struck out hard. The one called Adam hit the floor unconscious within a matter of seconds. She looked at the two remaining men, and her father. She hated him. She hated the way he made her fell weak, the way he hit her to enforce his dominance of her. She considered briefly, the idea of walking back up the stairs, apologizing to James and joining his club but as she turned, her father spoke.

"How is your arm sweetie? I hope its all heeled up. Did the hospital give you any instructions about caring for it?" She frowned at him, more than wary, "because I'm going to tear the fucking thing from its socket and beat you to death with it. Do you have any idea how much trouble you've got me in?" She stepped away from him, suddenly afraid, scathing reply dying in her throat as he motioned to the two that were still conscious and they attacked simultaneously, each grabbing an arm and holding her firmly between them. Her father stepped forward and pulled back his hand ready to strike her.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Matthews."

They all whirled around, her father and his minions startled, and Serina relieved, James stood on the grand marble staircase, with the two strangers from outside his door. Serina let out the breath she had been holding. The two men holding her let go of her arms and she moved away from them, her mind already deciding that James, although annoying, was safe. James winked at her mischievously, and instead of scowling she nodded, finding the wink reassuring.

"Serina allow me to introduce you to Alex and Ben."

As their names were mentioned the two standing behind James offered Serina a small bow. Alex, Serina assumed, motioned for her to stand in between the three of them, she did as he indicated and immediately felt as if she belonged there. James sent a stern look at her father.

"I've had enough of you, Matthews, you're always skulking around the halls creating troubles. I'd like you to leave. For at least a month."

Her father's eyes widened slightly and he nodded his head. "As the acolytes command, I shall obey."

James nodded slowly. "But you will be punished for your heavy hand. Attacking an acolyte is a crime most severely punished, as you well know, Matthews."

Her father sent her a look that clearly said 'I am going to kill you' but he nodded to James and began to move to the front doors, stopping only when James cleared his throat.

"I will have you all apologies to the Jack of Hearts for the treatment you saw fit to place upon her."

Her father turned, walked back to her and bowed stiffly. His voice was strangled as he said, "I apologies for attempting to strike you. I lost my temper, Lady Acolyte, I promise it shall not happen again."

Raising himself from his bow he turned on his heel and walked back to the door. Again James waited until her father's hand was upon the handle before speaking.

"Serina will be moving from your home. See that you are not there when we arrive to gather her belongings."

If this statement angered her father, and it was easy to assume that he was, he tried not to show it as he continued through the door, slamming it behind him. Seeing that the four acolytes upon the stairs might turn upon them, the two conscious men picked up their unconscious companion and dragged him away. When they had gone Serina offered James a small smile.

"Thank you." she said softly, looking at her feet and feeling like an idiot, "thank you for saving me." James turned to face her and smiled back at her. "Acolytes look out for one another, that is the bond they have. So I guess we can count you in?"

She nodded, looking first at Alex and Ben. "I'm in."

James clapped his hands enthusiastically, before giving her a small hug.

"Welcome to the acolytes, You are now the Jack of Hearts, and you have a choice, we can either refer to you as Jack, or we can call you something else. Which do you prefer?" Serina couldn't help grinning.

"Just call me serina" James nodded playfully.

"Sure thing Seri, now lets go find you somewhere to stay, get your stuff, and go shopping."

Serina opened her mouth to speak but James spoke first "I know, I know, shopping is for the brainless majority of plastics and model wannabes that have nothing better to do with their life than look at themselves in a mirror and worry about their eyebrows looking fat. But to follow Euriproties idea, shopping may not make us happy, but it will get you everything that you need to survive."

Serina looked at James, Alex and Ben. It was an amused look, and she felt content. For the first time in her life she knew she belonged somewhere, she had a family that was enough for her.

"Actually, I was going to ask if I could drive."

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mwahahahahahahahahaha, just wait.. i promise i'll have the enxt chapter up asap!

ancient greek philsiphor type who allegedly painted, in big red letters, on the side of a shop. "SHOPPING HERE WILL NOT MAKE YOU HAPPY" just for reference!