CHAPTER 6

"Mark, calm down darlin'." Isis pleaded, trying to put her arms around him.

Mark pushed her away none too gently. "Isis, you let Jeff turn her into one of us! That was the most irresponsible thing you could've done!"

"Mark, she was dying! Glenn had murdered her, what could we do? She didn't deserve to die."

"Does any of our victims?"

Isis inhaled sharply, forcing herself to not attack him. "You know I don't intentionally hurt the innocent, just those I know are cold blooded murderers. Can you pass out judgment like that on those that don't deserve it? Can you hand out death like that?"

Mark sighed, sinking down onto the bed. "No, Isis, you know I can't. But… now we're four, it's going to be harder to maintain secrecy."

"We can do it." Isis sat next to him, running a hand along his inner thigh. "You know this means no more threesomes."

"Good," He growled, pulling her into his arms. "I don't feel like sharing you anymore."

Isis started giggling as he pulled her up farther onto the bed.

***

Jeff watched as Jaden explored the hotel suite, picking up and studying everything with her new eyes. He remembered his own experience with it, he had stood outside and watched the rain for hours.

Jaden turned to him, smiling shyly. "I'm sorry, it's just…" She waved her arms, searching for the word. "Overwhelming."

"I know the feeling." Jeff replied. "You want to be overwhelmed, wait until Mark forces his bottled blood on you. That's overwhelming."

Jaden perched on the edge of a chair, a crease furrowing her brow. "Do we really… have to drink blood?"

"If you want to live you do."

"Like blood blood? Direct from the source?"

"Define source."

"People."

"Well…" Jeff curled his legs underneath him in a decidedly feminine pose. "You could always feed from animals… But mostly, people are the best source."

"I don't think I can do this." Jaden moaned, burying her hands in her face.

"I didn't either but there are ways around it." He soothed, getting up to kneel in front of her, taking her hands in his. "Jaden, look at me."

Reluctantly she did.

"I had a hard time at first but it gets easier. Especially if you put in the time and effort to find a real scumbag, someone who does bad things and doesn't show any remorse about it."

"You mean like rapists and killers?"

"Yeah." Jeff offered a grin. "It's kinda like doing society a favor you know?"

"I suppose." Jaden conceded. "Now, tell me about this stuff Mark drinks?"

"Oh my god…" Jeff made a face.

***

Mark raised his head when he heard Jeff and Jaden laughing. "I'm glad they're getting along."

Isis propped her elbow on his chest, her head resting on her palm. "Yeah, it'd be pretty lonely for Jeff after awhile, ya know?"

"I know." He folded his arms around her, forcing her to lie down. "Isis, what do you think about what Glenn said?"

"Bout me and him being the strong ones?"

"Yes."

"I think he's nuts, like I said." She sighed, tracing a finger along the tattoo on his stomach. "I mean, it's true, technically he and I are the stronger of us all. But that really don't matter none. I mean, we're all new to this. In our little family here, you and I are the eldest but that don't mean we're the leaders or anything."

"You don't defer to me then?"

"Of course I do. You know more about a lot of things than me. Plus, you're a lot older." She teased. "You got the wisdom that comes with age and experience darlin', naturally you're the perfect candidate for the head of our little psycho clan."

"Psycho clan? You got a way with words woman."

"I know."

***

"Dawn is coming, we need to go to the bedroom." Jeff said, glancing towards the open window as the first pinks of sunrise streaked across the otherwise midnight blue sky.

Jaden nodded. "Will we be all right there?"

"Yeah, Mark set it up for us, we'll be safe. Unless you wanna camp out here and burn to death."

"I'll take option number one." She replied dryly, following Jeff to the second bedroom. Jaden looked around, taking note that there were no windows and that there was only one bed.

Jeff was stuffing a towel in the space between the door and the carpet, then pushing a dresser against it. "There." He wiped his on his pants, halting when he seen what she was staring at. "I'll sleep on the floor." He offered.

Jaden turned her head to look at him, biting her lower lip when he pulled off his shirt. She almost said aloud what was going through her mind at the sight of that springy looking chest hair but didn't, instead absent-mindedly swiping a finger along the corners of her mouth in a drool check.

Jeff smiled at her before spreading a sheet out on the floor. "Mind if I take a pillow?" He asked, gesturing to the many on the bed.

"Oh no… help yourself." Jaden slowly shrugged off her jacket. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her back to him as she leaned over to remove her spiked heeled boots.

Jeff watched as she grasped the bottom of the white lace tank top she wore, tearing his eyes away as she slowly pulled it over her head.

Jaden looked over her shoulder, smiling to herself when she seen he was trying to occupy himself with the ceiling. "You can look now." She said, slipping under the sheets.

Jeff actually blushed faintly. "I was… um…" He rubbed the back of his head, snatching up a pillow and laying down. "G'morning Jaden."

"Don't you mean good night?"

"No… I'll say that when we wake up."

"Oh…" Jaden chuckled softly, rolling on her side.

Jeff took a deep breath, trying not to breathe in her light perfume and underneath that, her own scent. Groaning, he rolled onto his stomach. Sleep couldn't come fast enough.

***

"Wake up youngens!" Isis hollered, banging on Jeff and Jaden's bedroom door with his fist. "We got some miles to put behind us tonight!"

Jeff groaned, lifting the pillow off his head. "Great, cold breakfast for us."

Jaden yawned, rolling onto her back. "Cold?"

"The bottled stuff I was telling you about last night?"

She shivered.

Isis smiled before walking away, shaking her head when she was greeted yet again to a nice cold bottle. "Darlin', let's take the time to hunt. Jaden is not gonna want to start off being a vampire by drinkin' ice cold blood."

"We have to make it to Smackdown."

"We got tonight and part of tomorrow night, if we hurry. With as fast as we can travel, we'll be fine. Huntin' will just take an hour or two." Isis pleaded, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Mark stared down at her, finally smiling tenderly. "Yes beloved, we'll hunt tonight." He growled when he seen the relieved look on her face.

Jeff and Jaden appeared, both wearing fresh clothes though Jaden appeared to be wearing an outfit of Jeff's.

"I didn't have any clothes of my own." She explained, tugging self-consciously at the mesh tank top she wore.

"How are you keeping the pants up?" Isis asked curiously.

Jeff grinned. "She also borrowed a belt of mine."

"Nice look." Mark said, looking her over. "Maybe we'll stop at a store as well."

Isis and Jaden started giggling while Jeff looked offended.

***

"Um… Isis, I can't afford this stuff." Jaden said, putting back a black shirt that she had been eyeing.

Isis frowned, stuffing her own hands into the pockets of her overalls. "Who said you were payin' for it gal? That's what Mark is for. Grab that shirt and whatever else you'll be needing."

***

"Jesus, you spend a wad of my money and all you come out in is overalls?" Mark said sarcastically, eyeing Isis. He shook his head exasperatedly, turning to Jaden. "At least this one has some taste."

Isis and Jaden looked at each other, Jaden giggling while Isis shrugged.

Isis wore light blue overalls with a dark purple undershirt contrasting with Jaden who had settled on her black, low cut top and a pair of black leather pants.

"I think they both look great." Jeff said, winking at Jaden.

"Boy, you're kissing the wrong ass." Mark replied coolly, though the twinkle in his green eyes belied his amusement.

"Well kids, since we're all fed and watered, how bout we get the hell outta dodge?" Isis interrupted, clapping her hands together.

"And I thought I was country." Jeff muttered.

***