A/N: Sorry once again for the wait. I have been working on this all summer, but with four kids home from school I could only steal a few minutes here and there. I both love and hate this chapter. I wanted this story to tell both Sookie's and Tara's stories of finding themselves and love, but I've gotten a few reviews that said that some readers were unhappy with the deviation from Sookie's story line. After a lot of thought I've decided to end Tara and Jason's story with this chapter. I've left things a bit unfinished for them, but you will get updates through Sookie's POV on how things turn out, and some surprises still left in store for these two. As always I hope everyone enjoys the chapter.

Chapter 15

Tara POV

Tara crouched frightened and confused next to what might have been her final resting place, experiencing the muggy Louisiana night in a way she never had before. She could see, hear, smell, and feel everything. Her eyes swept the surrounding expanse, noticing that even in the dim light she could make out colors she'd previously never known existed. Even from miles away she was capable of detecting the intricate patterns of the tree bark and texture of the individual leaves and blades of grass. The normal earthy organic musk she'd always associated with the wilderness of her hometown, was nothing to the complex perfume she was now able to discern. The crisp bite of the nearby water, the delicate sweetness of honeysuckle and magnolia, the spice of cypress and minty tinge of eucalyptus all weaving together in a dizzying aroma that staggered her with its wonder. Her heightened awareness was a bit daunting, but she was grateful to finally be able to truly experience the beauty of her home.

Tara wasn't naive as to how these new "gifts" had been attained. Franklin had been successful in turning her. Yet there was no sign of him. Her eyes focused on the small house just fifty or so feet away. She knew this house, and she knew it well. Jason's. Her mind raced rapid fire as she tried to reason out why Franklin would bury her here of all places. But no matter what scenario she spun it just wasn't plausible. So if Franklin wasn't the one who buried her, who was?

That answer wasn't difficult to come to, it could only have been Jason. After all, hadn't he always been the one to save her since she was just a little girl. Jason rescuing her was one of the few constants in her life, so it made perfect sense that he'd somehow managed to do it this time as well. She'd never wanted to become a vampire, but she found that there was no small part of her that wished Jason had just let her die. She had a second chance, even if that meant living the way she was now. However this self-actualization didn't come without fear, no there was more than a healthy amount of that. Even if she felt like the same ole Tara she'd always been, there was no denying that there was potential in her to become just as much of a monster as every other vampire she'd ever met. The type of heartless ruthless creature's that she'd only too often experienced kidnapping, raping, torturing and killing, all without so much as even batting an eye. She promised to never allow herself to become like them, and if she somehow failed she swore she'd be the first to end her own existence.

Resolute in her decision, Tara rose and began leisurely walking toward the house. She planned in her head what she would say to Jason, how she could ever even begin to express her gratitude. Though still quite a distance away the awkward position of the door caught her notice. Pausing she tilted her head slightly, it was barely still upright and precariously hanging from a single hinge as all the rest had been ripped from the frame. A frigid shiver ran along Tara's skin as she realized it had been kicked in. Tara's feet took flight just as an unknown rasping voice floated to her ears.

"You raped my Crystal! Then you tried to send her away to cover up what you'd done. You think cause we're from Hot Shot you can just do whatever you want and get away with it? That we wouldn't retaliate? Well I'm here to show you just how wrong you are!" Tara's mind registered that something didn't smell right, literally. A pungent aroma of something wild and feline that instantly sent her teeth on edge.

"I didn't rape nobody! She came to me! Propositioned me!" Jason cried. Now he was a lot of things, but rapist would never be one of them. Lord knew he never needed anything but a smile and a few words to get any woman he set his eye on. It drove Tara crazy, but it was the truth. There was just something about Jason, more than just his good looks, that attracted women to him like flies to honey. As such he'd never be required to resort to force. She'd just reached the porch and was swinging around to the door when she heard a female crying and shout.

"Liar!" A heavy piece of wood came crashing down onto Jason's head just as Tara slammed helplessly against the invisible barrier that filled the doorway. Her eyes met his and she watched through a haze of bloody tears as his fluttered closed. She clawed at the supernatural impediment, but she knew unless she was invited in it was useless. Her rage grew as she watched the couple tie Jason up, the male taking a few cheap shots in kicking Jason's unconscious form. Tara wasn't afraid of her inner monster in the least at the moment, in fact, she found herself embracing it. Visualizing just what she would do when she got her hands on them. She just needed an opportunity. As the two spoke Tara realized that they weren't the brightest of individuals, and she began trying to formulate a plan of attack. Tara stole silently out of their sight, though she never allowed them out of hers. The girl was going on and on about some Ghost Daddy and the man was grudgingly agreeing. What the fuck was a ghost daddy? Tara wondered, irritated.

"I still ain't sure why we need him!" The man shouted.

"Felton, I told ya Nature's talkin' to me, and he's what it's tellin' me we need! Baby you know I only have what's best for our panther's in my heart!" She cooed sickeningly.

"I know you think that's what's best, but I just can't see how nature thinks this overblown fuck's anything special."

"Oh he's special all right, he's gonna make us lots o' new werepanthers. Just think about it baby it'll be like in the old stories! We'll be kings of the nature world again and the human world won't be able to hold us down no more!" Felton still looked unsure, but he nodded slowly.

"Alright Crystal we'll see, but if he don't change, and the babes ain't panthers, he dies. You hear me!" He tugged at the ropes binding Jason checking to be sure they'd hold, and motioned with his head. "Grab his keys, we'll take him back to Hot Shot." They were gonna bring him out! Tara hid even further into the shadows of the porch and waited, every muscle coiled tightly ready to spring. As soon as they cleared the frame of the door she struck. It was too easy, she completely blindsided the pair and she winced slightly as they dropped Jason with a loud thump. Felton spun to face her attack, but werepanther or no, he simply wasn't fast enough. Tara tore into his throat savagely and damned if it wasn't rancid! Jason smelled like freakin' Sunday dinner, but this guy, ugh wet cat and garbage! The blood was warm and she was definitely hungry, but she took no pleasure in her first meal. He struggled valiantly at first, but the more she took the weaker he became. His heart slowed, then finally stopped. As unappetizing as her first dinner was it did serve two purposes, the first was that she felt stronger than she had which was good, but the second proved disastrous. She'd allowed herself to become too focused on Felton and forgotten about Crystal, who'd somehow found a silver chain, and now it was Tara who didn't react quickly enough. The metal seared into her flesh, and the pain was more than Tara had ever dreamed imaginable. It brought her to her knees and the blonde quickly managed to loop even more circles around her. Tara stopped struggling as she realized it only intensified the agony. Her eyes watched warily as she tried to anticipate what Crystal's next move would be. It appeared though that she hadn't planned any further than immobilizing the vampire. As soon as Tara had gone still so had she, gnawing at what was left of her bloody fingernails and mumbling nonsense. The new vampire strained her sensitive ears trying to discern anything that resembled a train of thought, but the few words she understood were more madness about Ghost Daddy and something about blood. Not really anything reassuring to her current predicament. Crystal nodded twice in rapid succession, and without a single word began dragging Jason toward the bed of the truck. Tara yelled an unintelligible protest to which the blonde enigmatically replied

"It's not for us to question nature! There is purpose in everything, even you vampire. You were here tonight for a reason." She struggled to get Jason into the bed of the truck for quite some time before returning to follow the same process with Tara. The silver seared further into her as she was moved and Tara wailed at the pain. It didn't look as though her fucked up life would be improving now that she was a vampire. Crystal wrestled the tailgate shut slamming it against Jason's knees and Tara's feet and she winced at the fresh wave of misery, but somehow managed not to scream. The truck roared to life seconds later, and after what felt like hours of bouncing over every damn pothole in the entire parish they arrived in Hot Shot.

As the truck tore into the makeshift community with a cloud of dust, Tara's keen nose picked up the smell of maybe twenty or so residents, all coming out to gather and greet them. She couldn't see anything save the interior of the truck bed, but she could hear their rapid pulses and smell the same tang of garbage and wild feline she'd gotten from Felton. Tara braced herself for whatever was coming next. No matter what she had to protect Jason, problem was she was weaker than a newborn baby all wrapped up like she was. She'd heard rumors about Hot Shot though, that the inbreeding had led to a population of morons. She hoped that this was true, because if it was they might just stand a chance of surviving. Crystal climbed from the cab and opened the tailgate as a young boy and girl rushed forward to help her.

"You two take the vampire to the back barn, Luther and I will follow behind with him." They did as she asked without question. The back barn barely warranted the name, as it was more of a shed or lean-to. The rickety structure looked one strong gust of wind from collapsing and reeked of decomposition. The children careened around a large pile of rotting animal carcasses, to a chest freezer that sat in the far corner. As they turned to get the vampire inside she could just glimpse Crystal and an older man strapping Jason to a straw mattress bed. Tara was dropped like a sack of rocks into the makeshift coffin and the lid was slammed closed with what sounded like the snip of a lock. The insulation muffled any noise from outside, but Tara could, just barely, still make out their voices and movement. Crystal ranted excitedly once again about how Jason would be their new Ghost Daddy. When the young boy questioned what that meant Tara let out a relieved sigh. If she knew what kind of crazy was spinning round in Crystal's head, she might be able to find a way to use it to their advantage.

Crystal and the older man, Luther, spun a tale of how a long time ago Ghost Momma and Ghost Daddy created the werepanthers. It was complete mumbo jumbo in Tara's opinion, but they talked with a reverence that Tara was all too familiar with. It was the same as her Momma's when she talked about Jesus. This was real to them, and they believed it deeply. There would be no way to change that. So Tara would have to find another way to use it. She listened closely, memorizing every detail, but nothing immediately stood out that she could utilize.

"So how do you know he's the one? The new Ghost Daddy?" The girl asked.

"Nature's telling me so. Whisperin' it in my ears, givin' me feelin's in my belly."

"What about the vamper?" Luther questioned. "What's nature's plan for it?" It took a few moments before Crystal finally replied.

"She killed Felton, freed us all of him. She's a gift to us. A gift from nature. She's gonna help us support all the young 'uns. We can sell her blood. Just think of it, a never ending supply of money for our people. We'll have food and be able to fix what's broken round here! Nature's rewarding us for our struggles and for keeping our faith." Well fuck, Tara thought. They were gonna drain her! Though maybe not kill her, if they wanted their "never ending supply" they'd have to keep her alive. That would, at least, buy her time. Tara heard a groan and some rustling. Jason was finally waking up. His groggy pained voice filtered to her and Tara felt tears sting her eyes as she heard it. He was okay! She knew their situation was dicey, but right then, in that moment he was alive, and she could hear his voice. No matter what else was going on around them it made her giddy with relief.

"'S someone lickin' my head?"

"You got a nasty gash Mr. Jason. I's just tryin' to stop the bleedin'." Said the young boy.

"You just lay back and relax baby. Everything's gonna be okay now." Crystal crooned to him. Tara's teeth ground as she heard the sickening sweet voice aimed at her Jason.

"Crystal? What the hell! Why am I tied up? Where the fuck am I?"

"Hush baby, like I said everything's alright now. I got a plan so that we can be together forever!"

"What the fuck. . . Wh. . . Where's Felton? Crystal you need to tell me what the fuck is going on!" Tara could hear him thrashing as he tried to extricate himself from his bindings.

"You need to stop fightin' this Jason. It's our duty to our people!" Crystal wailed plaintively.

"Our people? What the fuck's that mean?" Tara could hear the icy sharp spike of fear in his voice. He was beginning to realize just how crazy Crystal was, and how dangerous the situation had become.

"Oh Jason! You have no idea how important you are! You're gonna bring us back to life. Help us take our rightful place in this world."

"And just how am I gonna do that?" He spoke slowly keeping his tone nice and even, but the fear was still there.

"You and me we're gonna make a baby! First though we've gotta make you into one of us."

"One of you?"

"A werepanther, silly! We gotta turn ya so that the cubs will be panthers too." She spoke as though it was the simplest thing in the world, and he was an idiot for not knowing.

"And how. . . um. . . just how does someone become a werepanther exactly?"

"Oh don't worry 'bout that baby. It'll be over before you know it." The room went silent at her words and Tara felt the hair rise on the nape of her neck and her arms. Then the screams began, Jason's harrowing, heart-rending cries filled her ears as the all too sweet scent of his blood assaulted her nose. Tara wrestled against the chains, until she could feel the silver ripping away her flesh. This didn't stop her though, she persevered through the anguish, throwing her body back and forth in the small confines of the freezer in an attempt to loosen the chains. It worked very little. They were loosening somewhat, but not nearly enough for her to escape and her energy was quickly fading. She fought with every last bit that she had in her, finally managing to slip almost half of the coils off, but she didn't have the strength for the rest. She lay completely frozen as pain tore through every inch of her burnt and mangled body, and bloody tears trailed down her defeated face. She'd failed him. He'd saved her countless times throughout her life, and the one time he needed her. . . The so called barn was eerily quiet, and all that could be heard was Jason's labored breathing. Tara waited and waited but no other sounds came. They had left. Tara was relieved and angry at the same time. At least they couldn't hurt Jason any further, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't return to do it again.

"Jason? Jason it's Tara can you hear me?" Her voice rang tinnily through the narrow enclosure, but she wondered if she could be heard by human ears through the dense insulation, or if Jason was even conscious. She waited for what seemed like ages, but no reply came. She had maybe three more hours until sunrise, but what then? What would happen to him as she was dead to the world? She wanted desperately to make another attempt at getting the chains off, but she just couldn't. For better or worse they were trapped in Hot Shot for a least another day. She just hoped that somehow they both survived that long.

Tara found that dying for the day was exactly what one would think. When the sun rose everything just went black and then what seemed like an instant later she snapped back to awareness as it set. No in between, no gradual awakening, more like someone had flipped a switch off then on. Her mind was instantly aware of the renewed stench of werepanther in her makeshift coffin and the additional sting of the draining tube that had been placed in her arm. Her hands trembled slightly as she took an unnecessary deep breath. She could feel the lingering pain from where she had freed herself from some of the silver though thankfully nothing near the torment she would have been experiencing if they had replaced it. She let out a shaky breath. There was still hope, no matter how slim. It was now or never, the more blood she lost the weaker she would become. She simply had to come up with a way to save them.

She soon discovered however, that she had even less time than she'd originally thought. After her nose acclimated past the foulness of werepanther, Jason's blood could still be detected, only now there was a foulness to the once mouth watering aroma. Some new primal instinct told her that he was sick and badly so. It had to be infection. Tara bit down on her lower lip as a painful sob clawed its way up her throat. She had to do something, but damned if she could figure out what! Her thoughts twisted in jumbled knots as she desperately searched for an idea, even an bad one. She thought about trying to wiggle free of the chains again, but after sitting against her for so long it was stomach-turning how deeply they were now imbedded in her body. The possibility of maybe kicking a hole in the end seemed viable until she realized that compromising the light-tightness of the freezer when the remaining chains would leave her unable to free herself would ultimately result in her death. Tara squeezed her hands into fists so tight she could feel her fingernails piercing her palms, before thrusting one out against the side of her prison. The was a satisfactory whump, but only a small dent due to her weakened state.

"Hello? 'S someone there? Please, p. . .please I need a doctor!" Jason's harrowing plea echoed harshly in the otherwise silence of the barn. More tears and another sob were wrenched from Tara's body before she managed a shaky breath.

"J. . ."

"Oh you don't need a doctor silly!" Crystal's teasing chirp interrupted halting Tara's tongue immediately. "You ain't sick!" She giggled. "Don't ya see? You're changin' baby, becomin' one of us."

"Crystal. . ." Her light footsteps finally stopped. "If you ever cared about me at all. . ." Jason's voice was little more than a strained croak.

"Care about you? A' course I do Jason. I love you. You opened my eyes! Showed me a world I never dreamed possible, and now you're gonna help me fulfill that dream for our people. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough for all you've done and all that you're gonna do." Tara's fingernails dug even further into her flesh as she heard a small smacking noise she assumed was a kiss. "You're positively burnin' up!" Crystal said excitedly. "It's all workin' out just like I knew it would. The panther magic's takin' ya over!"

"Crystal ain't no magic! I'm fuckin' dyin'!" Jason sobbed. "Jesus Crystal please help me!"

"Nature ain't gonna let you die Jason, you're far too important to it's plans. You remember when you was talkin' 'bout how you was always searchin' for your purpose in life? This is it right here, Jason Stackhouse! You're gonna save our kind from extinction. Our girls don't get pregnant much, no more. And if'n they do, the cubs come out dead or so weak they don't survive. The scarce few that live ain't right either."

"Crystal look at me! Please really, really look. I'm sick! I ain't gonna make it to do whatever it is you think I am."

"You're not sick! This is was supposed to happen. The little piece of you that's still man is burnin' away is all."

"I NEED A DOCTOR!" Jason shouted.

"Hush, hush now, no need to yell." Tara could hear a small popping and then water being poured. "Here this'll make ya feel better, baby."

"Medicine?" The disbelief in Jason's tone was heavy. The water sloshed in Jason's trembling hands before he started greedily gulping it down.

"MmHmm Mexican Viagra." Coughing and spluttering quickly followed.

"What the fuck Crystal!"

"Not that I think you need it, but we just need to keep you up through all of us."

"All?"

"Mmm, as the new Ghost Daddy we need you to breed with all of our women." She replied dismissively. "Now rest it'll take the pills a little bit to work, and you'll need your strength."

"Crystal. . . Crystal. . ." He called as her footsteps faded away. A loud thump resounded in the newly quiet room. "Jesus if you can hear me, I know I've done some terrible things, but I'm beggin' don't let me die this way." Tara could just pick up the hitch in his breathing, before the salty brine of tears reached her nose. It didn't matter if he could hear her or not, she had to try and console him.

"Jason, Jason don't cry I promise somehow we will get out of here. There's no way we're gonna die in this shithole!"

"Am I losin' my mind, Tara 's that really you?"

"I'm here. They've got me locked in the freezer." She had to yell a bit to be heard, but at least now he would know that he wasn't alone.

"Sweet Lord I never thought I'd ever hear your voice again." He was weeping openly now, and the resonance ravaged Tara's unbeating heart.

"I know you saved me Jason. It's always been you savin' me, and I swear to God I will find a way to return the favor and get us the fuck outta here!" She vowed earnestly.

"Did ya hear what Crystal said? What she gave me? They're gonna rape me Tara. They're gonna violate me while I lie hear dyin'." She couldn't lie to him and say that it wouldn't happen or that he was going to be alright. So instead she gave him the only truth she could in the truly shitty situation they found their selves in.

"I love you Jason. I always have and I always will. Nothin' in this whole wide world will ever change that."

"No, no! Don't say that, there's stuff you don't know, things that I've done. . ."

"Jason I don't care, no matter what it is it won't change anything!"

"Just listen Tara please! You gotta know this first, I've been carryin' it around for so long now, and I thought it was right to keep it from you, that I'd only hurt you more with the truth, but . . . If we're gonna do this, finally open our hearts and be together. I gotta confess what I did." Tara could hear his heart racing and his breath quicken as he prepared to render his terrible admission. On one hand she didn't believe that there was anything that could change how she felt, but on the other she felt a sickening knot of dread filling her stomach. "I. . . I . . . Tara I k. . ." However, it seemed that she might never know as the approach of more than a dozen feet abruptly cut off his disclosure.

"Whatever it is can wait Jason. Just know that I love you, and I'm right here with you. Be strong."

The women had made their way into the barn one by one, and each took their turn assaulting Jason. It was agonizing to bear witness to. She could hear Jason's pain, shame, and humiliation as the hours ticked away. Finally just a single thudding heartbeat remained. Jason had not spoken once through the degradation, but for some reason this time changed something.

"No, no, no, no, no." He chanted. "Hey, don't do this! She's just a little girl!" He cried. Only silence followed his entreaty. "Fuck."

"Uncle-Grandaddy Luther says I'm old enough now, and that I better have a cub after this or else." The girl's voice was so young, so innocent. Tara worried that this would be the final straw for Jason. Even tied to the bed and helpless he'd never forgive himself for allowing it to happen.

"Whoa, whoa, no! No, stop! Stop it!" Jason bellowed, and Tara could hear the skittish girl scramble backward frightened.

"Don't yell at me!" Her small trembling voice trilled.

"Becky," Tara wondered how Jason knew the young girl's name. "I'm sick and with every minute I'm getting sicker. I've tried to be strong but I just can't. . . I can't do this no more." The girl gasped loudly.

"But you gotta! If you don't. . . If they find out that I didn't. . ." The girls tone was saturated in fear. "Mr. Jason you have no idea what they'd do to me!"

"Have you ever done sex before?" Jason asked gently.

"Of course lots of times!" Becky declared defiantly. Jason didn't respond to her. "Well, no. But it's not cause I'm scared."

"It's not supposed to be like this, your first time. It should be with a boy you like, who treats ya good and brings you presents and candy."

"Boys do that?" She asked disbelieving.

"The good ones, they sure do." Tara called from where she lie. "And take it from someone who knows, you make love with him cause it's the right time. You only get one first, sweetie. I've always regretted not waiting for the guy I really cared for."

"I know you feel like ya ain't got no choice." Jason said gravely. "Deep down in your heart you know this ain't what you want. But you're just as much of a prisoner here as either Tara and I are."

"I. . . I don't want to, not at all."

"Then cut me loose." The quiet that followed hung heavy in the air. "I'm scared I'll die here."

"Me too." She whispered brokenly. "They'll kill me if I let ya go."

"But how long will it be until they take your life, even if you don't?" Tara said gently. "What's the next thing they're gonna ask you to do that rips away an even bigger piece of your soul? When I was a girl, my home life was pretty bad too. I remember thinkin' that if I could just be who my Mamma wanted me to be, if I did the things she demanded from me that she'd love me like I'd always dreamed. That she'd ultimately have to treat me like I mattered. That's how you feel too, huh? I'm sorry Becky but, it doesn't work. They'll just kept takin' and takin' until there's nothin' left but a hallow shell of who you used ta' be. If you let us go, you have my word that we'll take you away from here with us, and you'll never have to feel that way."

"How do I know that you're tellin' the truth?"

"Because, now, I couldn't leave you behind any more than I could Jason. Like I said I remember what it's like to be where you are. The pain, the sadness. Jason and his family were the only reason I got through it alive. I want to honor what they did for me by helping you." The words tumbled easily from Tara's lips, because she meant every word. She had been fully prepared to lie, manipulate, even kill for their freedom, but now found she much preferred baring her heart to a broken girl, and maybe something good could come from all this for all three of them.

"I'm gonna free Mr. Jason first, and then he can let you out. As nice as you seem I'm still afeared you might bite me." Tara chuckled.

"Sounds fair, I'll never be able to thank you enough for savin' us." True to her word the girl freed Jason and helped him to make his way over to where Tara was. There was some struggle with the lock, but between the two they finally managed to wrench it apart. When the door was lifted Tara couldn't help the tears that fell as she looked at Jason's smiling though pain filled face. "I love you." She sighed. Jason shed a few more tears of his own, as he stared at her in awe.

"I promised if you made it, if you came back to us. . . to me. . . Fuck Tara, I've been such an ass. I took you for granted always assuming that you'd be there waitin' for me. And ya' were. . . until . . . now all's I see is the time I wasted being a complete fuckin' idiot. I'm sorry. Tara I . . . I love you too." Warmth flooded through her body, as a sense of vindication rose, she'd weathered all the pain and heartache for so many years now and finally, finally she was hearing the very words she'd so dreamed of. It was miraculous and incredible and she wanted to scream out her absolute joy.

"You have no idea Jason how long . . . how much. . ." Tears streamed from her eyes in true and utter bliss. Her two saviors gently removed the draining tube and silver, before helping her to rise on unsteady legs. Tara's eyes met the young girls. "Thank you. And I promise, anything I can ever do to help you, I will." The girl hid her shy tentative smile behind the long dark curtain of her matted hair. Tara brushed it back aside. "Anything ya hear?" Wary eyes met hers before nodding. The vampire grabbed the bag of ill-gotten blood and thrust it toward Jason. "Drink this, you're barely able to keep yourself standin', and I'm gonna need your help to get all of us out of here." Jason's mouth snapped open, but Tara stopped him before even a syllable was uttered. "We don't need you getting caught up in your pride right now Jason, just take it." With no more than an overly put upon sigh he complied. Now all Tara needed to worry about was her own weakened body somehow managing to get them out and to safety. Should be easy right? She thought sarcastically.

Turns out it was surprisingly simple for them to slip unnoticed into the surrounding forest with their new friend Becky's help. The hard part came when they tried to navigate their way back to Bon Temps. It seemed that Tara and Jason were unfamiliar with the area around Hot Shot and Becky didn't know anything past it. The only thing they could all agree on was that Bon Temp lay to the south, so Becky pointed them in that general direction. They made good time and escaped the few miles that was still considered Hot Shot before having to stop for the day. Becky was worried it would be easy for the other werepanthers to track and find them, but understood it was an absolute necessity. A compromise was made by wading through the marshy bayou for the last two miles before sunrise. Jason and Becky scampered up a nearby spanish moss that hid them well, while Tara took to ground in the driest earth she could find stationed up on a slight hill.

When Tara arose the following night she was greeted by an eerie quiet that set her nerves on edge. Her eyes scanned the tree where her two companions should be, but found it unmistakably empty. There was an anticipation hanging in the air though, and if the absolute hush was any indication it seemed all the living beings in the area could feel it as well. A soft swish broke the solitude, immediately followed by the keen of a small animal. Jason burst out the the brush yards away cheering like his beloved Saints had just won the Super Bowl. Tara paused to examine the scene in front of her, a single eyebrow at a slight arch. All questions she had were answered though, when a willowy, lithe panther streaked over to Jason, and dropped her prey at his feet proudly.

"Did ya see Tara? She's quite the little hunter, our Becky. Damned if we ain't gonna eat good tonight!" Tara marveled at the difference in Jason from when she'd seen him just a few hours before. He was damn near glowing! Gone was the rancid smell of fever and sickness and he was absolutely vibrating with energy. Her blood had really worked wonders on him, and she was happy that in her own way she'd been able to save him. In an instant she was by their side looking at the impressive feast Becky had provided. Tara of course would not be eating, but seeing the exultant body language in the young panther made her smile broadly. Tara whistled loudly.

"I sure did, she is truly something graceful to watch. And shit, there's like four rabbits here! Damn girly, I don't think Jason could have done that well with his gun." The panther's bright green eyes sparkled under the praise. "Well how about since you got the dinner Jason cooks it? Sound fair?" Becky pranced off into the trees, before almost instantly returning once again human and donning her tattered, dirty dress.

"Why's we gotta cook it?" Jason blanched at the thought of eating raw meat, but Tara quieted him from saying anything stupid and hurting the poor girl with a look.

"Have you ever tried it cooked before Becky? Cause I know that before I got turned that was always my favorite way to eat it, and it's still Jason's."

"Naw never had it that way, but I guess if'n you both likes it so much I could try it." She shrugged. Jason got to work on starting the fire, but quickly ran into trouble in the damp environment. Becky once again proved invaluable with her familiarity of the area, and had it going strong in just a short time. Jason skinned and filleted the meat expertly with his pocket knife before he set it on a crudely fashioned spit above the fire. As their meal cooked Tara observed Becky sniffing the savory aroma appreciatively.

"That smells real good Mr. Jason! How much longer 'til we kin eat it? My stomach's a' growlin'."

"Just a few more minutes." He said while concentrating on keeping it from burning. When he was satisfied it was cooked through he handed Becky the meat, and both started to hungrily tear into their meals. About half way through his Jason stopped and looked at Tara guiltily. "I forgot you don't eat what we do anymore. Are you hungry, you could. . ." Seeing that he was uncomfortable Tara quickly dismissed his unspoken suggestion.

"I'm fine."

"Tara. . ."

"Honestly Jason!" Before he could continue the argument the three were completely caught unaware as four panthers stalked out of surrounding trees and trapped them. Becky was visibly frightened, but Tara stepped in front of her and Jason with arms stretched backward almost encircling them. "Come any closer and I'll tear you apart!" She snarled, fangs exposed. The lead panther (who Tara assumed was Crystal) stopped mid-stride, and the other three mimicked her. Crystal shifted and Tara growled as the blonde openly leered at Jason.

"Did ya miss me baby?" She cooed in what Tara guessed was an attempt at a sexy voice.

"Miss you? I wish I never met you Crystal! It's been nothing but trouble and misery since the second I did. You were supposed to be just a bit of fun, a way to pass the time. Turns out getting involved with your psycho junkie ass nearly got my stupid self and someone I love killed. You need to stop with this crazy idea you got in your head and just leave me the fuck alone!

"Jason you can't mean that! I know you love me, just like I love you. We're gonna be together forever!"

"I don't love you! I never did, and I can promise I never will." Jason shouted raggedly.

"This is your fault!" At first Tara thought the deranged blonde was pointing at her, but the ungainly way her head was angled so she could see Becky, let her know differently. "You're a weak, pathetic excuse of a panther. Too much of a damned coward to do what's necessary for your kin. What did he offer you to free them, huh? A life away from Hot Shot? He promised me the same thing, and look at the way he talks to me now. It'll be much worse for you, when he tosses you aside, and believe me little girl when, not if mind, when he does you'll have no one to turn to after being shunned from your own pack."

"He didn't promise me anything." Becky sobbed.

"No I did." Tara replied coolly. Before she really understood what was happening, Tara had streaked across the small distance dividing them and wrenched Crystal up by the neck. "I think it's pretty fucking pathetic of you to go around bullying a young girl, who only wants to be shown basic kindness from those that are supposed to love her. You wanna call someone weak, take a good long look in the mirror, bitch. You rely on others to fix your problems, throwin' yourself at whoever stumbles across your path, in the hope that he'll come in and rescue from the big, bad world. Cause deep down you know you don't have what it takes to do it on your own."

"Please. . ." Crystal croaked around the constriction of her throat.

"Please what? Show you the mercy you never showed us? You imprisoned me, chained me up, and drained the blood from my veins for money. You raped Jason while he pleaded for you to stop, to get him medical assistance before the infection in his blood killed him. Left for much longer in your care, we all would have died! Why should I grant you any form of leniency?" Tara felt the muscles of her hand quiver, as if begging to be used. Something inside her was screaming for blood, for vengeance against the person that had harmed the ones under her protection. Tara knew she was rapidly losing herself to the predator inside, but was unable to hold back the tide.

"Miss Tara?" Becky's dulcet but frightened voice cut through the darkness like a beacon. Her hand still clenched savagely around her captive's throat Tara's eyes met the gentle blue of the young girl's. Seeing the dismay in them made Tara want to hang her head in shame. She never meant to terrify the poor girl, her only intention had ever been to defend her. "You said you would do anything you could to help me, and I . . . I know what it is I want." The girl's eyes shimmered as they welled with tears. Tara's stomach rolled and icy fingers danced across her spine at the certainty that the girl would ask to return home to Hot Shot. Tara couldn't blame her, after all hadn't she just proven that she was no better (if not worse) than Crystal? "I want you to let Crystal and the others go." Tara's hand reflexively tightened, causing a strangled gurgle to erupt from Crystal.

"What?" Tara's voice squeaked unappealingly due to her astonishment. She had been so certain, that Becky would run screaming after seeing the crazed monster that lurked within her. Showing insight far beyond her years, Becky softly responded.

"I might not be the smartest, but I know the difference between happy and sad. She's always told me I weren't pretty and cause o' that I weren't never gonna be worth nothin'. I want her to have to eat her words when I grow up and show her just how wrong she were. You and Mr. Jason the way you talk to me, treat me. . . Like I'm the same as you. Nobody's never did that before. It makes me feel like I could be. I don't know the right words, but it's like fire right here." Her delicate hands rested lightly just under the small swell of her bosom. "Crystal she'll never get to know what that feels like, and I think that will hurt her loads more than dyin' ever could." Becky stood tall with her chin high, unwavering. A slow smile graced Tara's face, the girl was far smarter than she gave herself credit for. Becky deserved the right to prove to her family that she could be so much more than they'd ever believed her capable. It worried Tara that in the long run Crystal would only continue to cause problems, but no matter what came Tara was resolved to do what was best for Becky. Tara's eyes returned to Crystal's.

"Never for one second forget that if it wasn't for Becky, you'd be dead right now. I hope for your sake I never see you again Crystal, cause if you hurt those I care about one more time. . ." Tara shook her head from side to side sadly. "Promise or not I will end you. Understood?" Crystal nodded her head as much as she was able, and Tara brusquely dropped her to the forest floor. The blonde shifted quickly, and the four panthers darted away, tails literally between their legs.