CHAPTER 8

"Please, just let me rip her throat out." Shannon begged, her arms wrapped around Glenn's throat.

Glenn stared down at her thoughtfully. "Jaden?"

She nodded, her lower lip sticking out.

"You can," He said slowly, placing a finger over her mouth when she began to squeal excitedly. "When I say you can, not before. Understand?"

She nodded.

"Good." Glenn pushed her away, walking over to the window and staring outside into the night. "I want them all dead, but on my own terms."

Shannon folded her arms across her chest, arching an eyebrow. The expression on her face said 'oh really?'

***

"Hey, it's time for my match." Jeff announced, glancing up at the clock.

"Be careful, don't go showing off." Mark cautioned.

Jeff looked offended. "I've been doing this since Glenn first bit me and not done anything stupid, lay off dad."

Mark looked miffed while Isis covered her mouth to hide her smile.

"Darlin', let him alone, he has a point." She said softly.

"Jaden, you want to come out with me?" Jeff asked, extending his hand to her.

Jaden glanced over at Isis before nodding. "Yeah, beats staying with the old people." She teased.

"You youngens get on outta here." Isis scolded. "Old my ass… I'm around ya'alls age and don't forget it."

"That's right, Mark is the old one." Jeff remarked, leading the way out. He had barely shut the door when something hit it, indicating that Mark had thrown something. "He's got a bit of a temper." Jeff said apologetically, though he was grinning.

"I noticed."

"Where the hell have you been?" A man came rushing up to Jeff, wrapping him in a bear hug. "Man, you take off after your matches so quickly I ain't had the time to see you, I've been so worried!"

"Matt, calm down." Jeff said, looking uneasy. He gently pried his brother off of him.

Matt stepped away, eyeing Jeff suspiciously. "So where have you been?"

"Um…"

"He's been with me." Jaden announced, looping her arm around Jeff's waist. "And you must be Matt, Jeff's told me so much about you."

Matt stared at her for a moment before grinning toothily. "Jeff, you've been hiding out with a new girlfriend? That's just low."

"I didn't want to ruin a good thing by introducing her to you." Jeff shot back, winking down at Jaden.

"Well little sister, it's damn good to meet you." Matt engulfed Jaden in a hug as well.

Jaden couldn't help but inhale deeply, not smelling his cologne but his natural scent. "Mmm…" She moaned softly, unconsciously opening her mouth.

Jeff frowned, leaning forward to touch her shoulder. "Jaden?"

Jaden shook her head, stepping away from Matt. "Yeah?" She offered a smile though inside she was shaking at what she had almost done.

"You ready?"

"Yeah," Jaden smiled at Matt. "Pleasure meeting you."

"Same here, bro, talk to you later?"

"Of course." Jeff led Jaden down the hallway. "Please tell me you weren't about to eat my brother."

"I was going to eat your brother." She confessed.

Jeff groaned.

***

"Mark, ya need to calm down." Isis advised, watching the monitor from the couch. "They're gonna be fine. They can handle anything that comes their way, remember? The almost invincible factor?"

"It's not them, it's Glenn and that woman."

"Shannon."

"Whatever." Mark dropped down next to her, burying his face in his hands.

"Darlin', how bout we just pack the youngens up and move away, go into hiding. If Glenn messes up, it'll be his ass on the line with the mortals, not ours. You can just announce you're retiring and Jeff could injure himself or something." Isis said, straddling his lap.

Mark stared at her, searching her face to see if she was serious. She was. "Isis," He began slowly, taking her hands in his. "If Glenn is allowed to run loose, do you have any idea what damage he'll do?"

"No."

"Neither do I, that's why we need to stick around and get rid of him. He's already turned two people, what if he turns more? He could make his own army out of vampires if he wanted."

Isis groaned, resting her head against his chest.

***

Jaden watched as Jeff fought… well, she had forgotten the guys name but it didn't seem so important. She was entranced with Jeff. He was just as graceful in the ring as he was outside of it. Of course, he acted like he was still human, taking falls and making pained faces.

She could see the carefully leashed strength and power, could smell his excitement at toying with this mortal. Jaden clapped when he did a move she overheard the announcer call Whisper In The Wind, smiling when Jeff winked at her.

"You're such a cute cheerleader."

Jaden spun around to find Shannon leaning against the guard rail, ignoring the fans as they tried talking to her or hitting her back.

"You know, Jeff looks so yummy…" Shannon commented, staring up at the ring, a smile on her face. "I could just… devour him."

Jaden clenched her fists.

"I'm sorry, am I upsetting you?" Shannon said mockingly. "Oh dear, I just can't help myself, I mean he is a man and I'm sure he'd like a real woman and not some…"

Jaden took a threatening step forward.

Shannon's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "Come on little girl." She did a bring it gesture.

Before anything could actually happen, Isis appeared between the two. "Knock it off." She ordered, holding out her arms to keep them apart.

Shannon stepped away, under orders to not even consider going against Isis. She wouldn't have anyway, she sensed powerful blood flowing throughout the woman and knew behind the country bumpkin act was a powerful woman.

Shannon snarled in rage as Jaden leapt forward and slashed her cheek.

Jaden's grin was wiped away as Isis literally roared at her, getting face to face with her, fangs out and everything. "Sorry." Jaden stepped away though when Isis' back was turned, she smirked at Shannon.

"You'll pay for that." Shannon promised, pulling her hand away from the now healed wound, licking the blood off her palm. "Just you wait. I'm going to finish what Glenn started with you."

"Anytime." Jaden challenged.

Isis smiled sweetly. "How bout you run your ass backstage and keep it there Shan? I mean, if you did something retarded out here, Glenn might hafta dispose of you hisself, if ya catch my drift."

Shannon did and frowned, the thought never crossing her mind that Glenn might actually harm her. She shot a threatening look at Jaden before heading back up the ramp.

Jaden almost jumped when Jeff jumped off the apron to stand next to her. "What the hell was that about?"

"Just a friendly exchange." She said, smiling guiltily under Isis' stern look.

Isis shook her head, hiding her own smile, knowing if it had been her, she'd probably have done the same thing.

"Good thing you busted it up Isis, I might've had to knock her fangs down her throat." Jeff bragged.

"Yeah, right…" Jaden rolled her eyes, frowning when she seen the referee hollering at Jeff. "Um, are you supposed to be talking to us? What about your match?"

"Damn!" Jeff scurried back to the ring, playfully flipping her off on the way.

"He'd lose his head if it weren't attached." Isis commented, leading the way backstage.

"I've noticed." Jaden waved shyly as Matt smiled over at her.

"Hey, nice job out there, who was that woman?" He asked, walking over.

"Just a girl." Jaden said, trying not to inhale. She wondered idly if this was how Jeff had smelled when he was alive, not that he didn't smell delicious now. There was just something about live people, especially this one, he smelled so damned edible.

"Geez girl, you don't have to eat me you know." Matt joked, waving a hand in front of her face.

Jaden tinged as pink as the limited blood in her body would allow her, realizing she had been staring dreamily at Matt. "Oh, sorry, zoned out there."

"It's cool, give my bro a hug from me." Matt nodded to Isis before walking off.

Isis faced Jaden. "As temptin' as it is, we don't eat our friend's relatives."

"Just one little taste?"

***