Sorry for making y'all wait again, I really have been busy. I'm preparing to go to my first rodeo in May (I barrel race) and I've been spending hours each day with my horse, and then doing my schoolwork.

Not that you're supposed to care about that. ;)

I feel like I really don't need to introduce a lot of these characters, and would just waste a lot of time if I did that. All of you know who they are if you are reading this. Though I might alter personalities a little, so be prepared for that.

Quick note: the next parts of the story may be a little fast-paced or skip some. I don't know if I'm going to be able to write about every contract. I'm also just very anxious to get to the end; I have written out about 20 different endings for this story and just recently decided on my favorite.

Again, if you have any suggestions for improvements, please leave a review telling me. I can never improve if I don't know what's wrong!! ;)

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"One garlic clove, two garlic cloves, three garlic cloves, twenty-three garlic cloves…"

"Antoinetta, honestly, what do you have against Vicente?" laughed Arianna

"I think she just has some weird obsession with him." Telaendril snorted "And repelling him."

Antoinetta whirled on her heels, brandishing her wooden spoon. "Don't make fun of me! Seriously, he's weird!"

"He's a vampire you idiot." Hissed Teinaava. "Of course he's weird."

Antoinetta turned back to the stew. "I don't trust him. I think the Brotherhood would be better off without him. Vampires are dangerous, they can turn on you and rip your head off before you realize it."

Arianna raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course you wouldn't realize it; you'd be dead."

Gogron banged the table with his fist and went into snorting fits of laughter.

"Idiot. It wasn't that funny." Growled M'raaj-Dar.

M'raaj-Dar seemed to be the only one out of all the Cheydinhal sanctuary members that hated Arianna. The others had completely embraced her as one of them from the moment she first set foot in there, especially Antoinetta. It was almost as if she'd been there all her life.

Meeting Vicente was the only challenge. She was introduced to him last, when Ocheeva took her down to his room. One glance at him, and Arianna had tried to run, but Ocheeva had anticipated her reaction and dragged her back, explaining that Vicente was completely safe. When Arianna finally found her feet and walked back to his room, he stood at the door, laughing at her.

"Do not let my appearance unnerve you, I would never harm you Sister." He grinned

It was hard to believe that coming from behind those unnaturally long, sharp canines, but it wasn't long before Arianna became more at ease around him. She had only been there a week, and was already accustomed to conversing freely with the vampire. If she just didn't think too much about where his next meal would come from, she was fine.

Arianna stood up and started to clean up the mess that breakfast had left, putting the uneaten food in the cabinet and taking the dishes to the washtub in the corner.

"Ari, you're not our maid." Telaendril said as she watched Arianna clean

"No, no Telaendril, if she wants to clean up my mess, let the girl clean my mess." Gogron said

Telaendril shot him a dirty glance. "Really Ari, just because you're new doesn't mean that you have to do the cleaning."

Arianna paused for a moment, replaying those word over in her mind for a moment before turning back to them, grinning. "Sorry. Force of habit."

"Yeah, and anyway, if you did the maid work than Antoinetta would be completely useless around here." Gogron laughed, right before a flying spoon hit him in the face.

Right as the situation descended to the level of complete chaos, Vicente came up behind Arianna and laid his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump and spin around in surprise.

"Sorry to startle you, I must speak to you in my quarters." Vicente then looked over at Antoinetta and Gorgon, who were coming dangerously close to becoming a wrestling match. He raised an eyebrow, and spoke above the racket "I assume you have done your usual duties and have time to waste in this manner?"

They stopped, surprised to see him.

"Sorry." Muttered Antoinetta and Gogron backing away from each other and shooting glares at each other.

Vicente turned on his heels and strode out of the room, Arianna on his heels, having to take about twice the amount of steps as he in order to keep up with his long strides.

"Have I done something wrong?" she asked as soon as they were out in the main room.

"Not at all. I just think you are ready for your first contract. Unless you counted your initiating contract your first."

Killing Rufio had been very easy. So easy it was almost unsporting. She was about to just kill him in his sleep, but then decided to mess with his head a little before he perished at her hands. It did not take much to scare him, she only had to mention Sithis' name before he leapt up and ran, only to fall dead in the doorway as she bounded forward and plunged the dagger that Lucien had given her into his back.

Lucien had later visited her in the forest at night, as she was setting up an encampment, but he did not stay as long as he had before. He just appeared before her as undetectable as before, handing her a piece of paper saying, "Your initiation is complete. You have pleased the Night Mother. Follow this map to the sanctuary. When you reach the main door, you will be asked a question. Your response is 'Sanguine, my brother'." And just before melting back into shadow, he said "Welcome to the family, dear Sister." And as she raised her eyes from glancing at the paper, he had disappeared again.

"Close the door behind you." Vicente said

Arianna did as he told her and stood against the wall quietly as he shuffled through the parchments on his desk. He finally pulled a folded piece of parchment out of the bunch and handed it to her.

"You may read it now or once you leave the sanctuary, but I must explain the guidelines you must follow as you carry out this order." Vicente said "They are fairly basic, but are of the essence."

Arianna nodded.

"Or course you will follow the Five Tenets, as you would at all other times. Also, you will get a bonus in gold for a job well done. You may not kill any people not listed in the contract, except on the condition that your life or the life of another Brotherhood member is endangered. The orders given in the contracts must be followed as closely as possible, as that is how the Night Mother has told them."

"I will do my best." Said Arianna

Vicente strode over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure you will. Now go, your victim awaits."

Arianna hurriedly ran back up through the main hall, anxious to leave. Antoinetta met her and almost ran into her.

"Where you going Ari?"

"Vicente gave me my first contract, I want to get started as soon as possible!" Arianna grinned and continued towards the door."

"You're not wearing armor?"

Arianna turned and pulled back her black sleeve, revealing the Shrouded armor.

"Ohhh... smart girl." Laughed Antoinetta. "Luck be with you!" she called as Arianna spun back around

"Thanks!" Arianna called over her shoulder. "So far, it has been."

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Yay! :D

I decided to make this one a bit more light-hearted than the past few. They were kind of dark (appropriately enough, I guess.)

Next chapter will be soon. I promise.

Oh, and I redid the ending of the last chapter, so please read that. :) Although it's really not necessary.