A/N: Okay, so I lied about not updating soon. This story is just writing itself! Also, I've decided it's time to stop being so mysterious and start revealing some secrets. From this point on, prepare yourselves for some surprises. And if you are complete wigged out by it all, just remember, I've been planning all this from the beginning. I'm not just bringing this out of left field and making it up as I go. I got plans, I promise. Alright, carry on…

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Chapter 13:

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The next day, every one of the Covenant members went about their business in almost complete silence. No one spoke of last night's events. No one could look Joe in the eye. They were not ashamed of him. They pitied him, and were at a loss on how to make the tense feeling go away.

"I don't understand," Beatrice whispered to James during study hall. "What exactly is a 'page thirty' anyway?"

"It's the strictest and cruelest form of Elder control," James said. "It's only allowed to be brought into play when a Son of Ipswich has deliberately gone against his father's judgment. It's something our fathers use to threaten their sons into obedience… it's never really used… it's considered too cruel, you know, taking away the son's free will."

"Well," Beatrice said sadly. "We all know Joe's father's cruel enough."

"Exactly."

James went back to reading the book Evelyn had given him. It had turned out to be more interesting that he had thought.

Since James was distracted, Beatrice glanced over into the other side of the library toward where Wayne sat. He was with some new girl, a brunette, his arm around her shoulder and leaning over her to read whatever she currently was. His hair was pulled back into a messy, short ponytail, his short front hairs hanging over in his face handsomely.

Shaking off her thoughts, Beatrice tried to dive back into her book. That girl's giggles made it hard for her to concentrate, sticking out louder to her than a freight train and as ear-splitting as nails on a chalkboard. With an irritated sigh, she looked back up to Wayne.

This time, as he was nuzzling the neck of the girl he was with, he found Beatrice's gaze.

She quickly looked away, right into James's broad, taunting smile.

"What?" Beatrice snapped, as if she didn't know already.

"Oh, nothing!" James lied in a singsong voice, bringing his book back up to his face. She gave him a light punch in the shoulder to warn him against furthering his obvious thoughts.

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Joe was distraught. When he was distraught, he went to his new favorite place in town: Nicky's. Lately, it was even more appealing, since she was usually hanging around. He liked it when he ran into Delilah. They never planned on meeting, they just assumed they would. It was all very random, but it was intriguing that way.

Tonight he had more of a reason than ever for wanting to pay Nicky's a visit. He didn't care that he had school in the morning. After that council meeting last night, he wanted to see her. She was stronger and more satisfying than any liquor. He assumed she would show.

She showed.

"You're late."

She always said that, no matter what time of day it was. It made him feel like she wanted him around, like she had been waiting just for him.

It was in the middle of the night, around three or so, and as such, no one was around. She already had a glass of red wine on the counter for him. He downed it without a word.

"What, no wine-testing rituals today?" she asked as he tapped the counter for the barkeep to get him another.

"No," he answered flatly. She frowned. His tone was cold, and it concerned her.

"Care to talk about it?"

"No."

"Fine," she said submissively. "I have too many in me to drive, so why don't you walk me home? We'll see if you're more talkative on the way."

Joe furrowed his brow, looking at her as if searching for something. Then he nodded.

"Okay."

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He walked with her with his hands in his pockets and his eyes to the ground. He was thinking very hard. For most of the way there, it was silence. Finally, he broke it very abruptly.

"I have something to say."

"So say it," she urged.

Joe shook his head.

"It's not something you just say. I have to be assured of your willingness to keep it silent."

"To my grave," she vowed.

He nodded. He stopped walking on a small brick bridge, a historical bridge that had been in existence as long as Ipswich had. He faced Delilah, and took a small breath. Then he explained it all to her. The Covenant, the Elders, the Power-- everything. She took it without question, and waited patiently for him to be done.

"You have powers," she repeated, to make sure she understood. "You're in a club with other families… with powers."

"Correct."

She glared at him, and Joe patiently awaited her reaction.

"I knew there was something about you…" she said decidedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Something different," she said with a small but steadily growing smile. "Something… extraordinary."

"And you believe me. Just like that."

"Of course not," she laughed. "Not until you prove it."

With that, she got up on the stone fencing of the bridge, spread out her arms, and let herself lean forward, until she started to fall.

"Geezes!" Joe hissed, quickly extending his hand and Using to catch her. She laughed out loud as she hung in midair, as if he had done something hilarious.

"What the hell are you doing?" Joe scolded. "Trying to kill yourself?"

"Amazing!" she laughed like a child. "Completely."

"Are you insane? How could you be sure I'd catch you?" Joe asked harshly as he lifted her back down to him.

"I couldn't," she shrugged. "It's one of those risks you are willing to take… because you trust someone enough to know they'll catch you."

Joe stared at her in shock, confusion and unbelief. She was surely no ordinary girl. Somehow, it only made him like her more. She did something to him. It was almost like a bewitching spell, one he accepted wholeheartedly. It scared him sometimes how alive inside this girl made him feel. She was becoming a light in his life, where darkness seemed to have dominated.

"I have something to say too," she sighed regretfully. "I have a secret of my own."

Joe said nothing, but listened intently. Delilah stepped back, and began to gently undo the many buckles on her high collared jacket. When she finished, she held it closed, and took a deep breath.

"I thought you deserved to know the truth," she said drearily. Joe frowned in confusion, but waited patiently.

Then she opened the coat fully, spreading it open like double doors, her face resembling the face someone makes when ripping off a band-aid to get the pain over with.

Joe tried his best to not let his jaw drop to the floor, but he was that surprised. He took a step away from her, not believing what he saw.

Her legs were clad in net tights and high, shiny black boots, held up by silver-buckled garters. Her body was in skin-tight vinyl, her breasts bursting out of a rib-crushing corset, a dog collar around her neck, a cat o'ninetails at her hip. He could only stare in shock.

"Just spit it out," she commanded, her cheeks going red. "A dominatrix."

His mind swarmed with images of her with other men… and jealously overcame him so strongly it angered him.

Not being able to stand his judgmental eyes any more, she quickly fastened her long jacket again, and continued walking on the muddy road without him.

Joe shook off his astonishment and chased after her, utterly bewildered.

"I don't understand…" he said, jogging to keep up with her wide, distressed steps.

"What's to understand?" she said. "I whip guys for money. I've learned to accept who I am. Usually with the help of alcohol. Then I met you, and I realized what life felt like before all this… And it was… bliss."

Joe shook his head, not knowing where to begin.

"What in the world made you decide to live a life like this?"

"Don't get me wrong. I didn't say as a little girl: "mommy, I want to be a whore when I grow up". I wanted to be an actress in New York, but worse came to worse and… It just happened. I have a nasty habit of eating and wanting to sleep in a bed at night."

She bit her lip.

"Do you hate me for what I am?"

Joe thought for a moment or so.

"If you can accept me for what I am, it's only fair that I accept you just as quickly."

She was pleased with his answer, and slipped her arm in his, and leaned her head on his shoulder. She breathed a large sigh of relief, glad to finally have it all in the open at last.

"I want you to quit," he said silently but firmly.

She smiled again.

"Why do you care?"

Joe looked at the road ahead of him and said with a small grin:

"Because I have a nasty habit of not wanting my girlfriends to sleep with other men."

Delilah laughed.

"I'm your girlfriend now?"

Joe looked at her so strongly it took Delilah's breath away.

"You should be. I like you too much to let you get away."

He said it with a very natural seriousness, powerful and intense like usually everything that came out of his mouth. She put a hand on his chest and went close to his face, quickly closing the space between them.

"I'm here as long as you'll have me," she promised. Before she connected her lips with his, she suddenly pulled away, a broad smile on her face and her hand firmly grasping his. She gently pulled him off to the side of the road.

"Where are you taking me?" Joe asked as she just kept walking.

"In the forest," she replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world, pushing aside small tree branches in her way, letting them flick back at Joe.

"Why?" he asked through his disorientation. "It will be dark soon. And it's very wet and cold in there."

"Just com'on…" she said impatiently, still tugging him firmly.

He followed her willingly through the woods, so contently in high spirits that he could have called it Heaven.

It was a bit of a walk through leaves and shrubs and various lengths of weeds and grass, until the darkness descended and the full moon lit their way. She seemed to know exactly where she was going, leading him on like she had walked this path every day of her life.

Finally, they reached a wall of shrubbery, which they had to climb through. He could already hear the small trickling of water coming from the other side.

Once through, Joe's breath left him. It was something you would imagine would be in storybooks and fairy tales, so picturesque you had to touch it to make sure it was real. Rocks were scattered across a gentle stream, dropping in slight waterfalls, and soft grass blanketed the banks. Perfect willow trees curtained the view like strings of sparkling beads as the moonlight reflected off the small drops of dew clinging to the leaves. He could only stare in awed silence.

"I go here as often as I can," she explained. "It's my favorite place in the world."

He pulled her close, holding her around the shoulders as they took in the view together.

"Mine as well," he agreed.

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Please review.
Signed,
--RedRogue